CH 52

15-19 minutes 09.06.2023

(POV Kaito)

The sound of typing on the keyboard reverberated through my eardrums. At this moment, I realized that it was already time for my departure. I had been facing the computer on my desk for a long time.

“Well then, shall we go home now…” 

“Oh, if you’re leaving, take this,” Sasaki, seated next to me, offered, handing me a bag. 

“What’s this?” I asked.

“It’s beef tongue. My parents sent it, but I can’t finish it all,” Sasaki replied.

“Oooh, I appreciate it very much,” 

“What’s with that reaction?” Sasaki asked.

I loved beef tongue. I especially enjoyed eating it with a sauce made of green onions, salt, and lemon juice. Beef tongue was divine.

“Well, I prefer a woman’s tongue over beef, so I don’t really need it… Nah, just kidding! Please don’t take my words seriously,” Sasaki said.

Oh man, Sasaki was seriously creepy. He gave me the creeps to the point where my gratitude faded away. Once I received the beef tongue, I immediately decided to leave.

“Well then, I guess I’ll graciously accept it. Well then, good work…”

“Good work~~.”

Feeling a chill run down my spine, I left the workplace.

Was it because Sasaki’s remarks were disturbing… or was it just a simple case of feeling cold?

Crap, could it be that I’m getting sick again? I wash my hands and gargle every day, and I make sure to eat a balanced diet.

I was doing my best to not get sick and pass on the cold to my daughters… and yet here I am, catching a cold… no, I’m not sure yet.

Tomorrow is a day off. If I rest tomorrow, I should be able to manage.

I can’t afford to worry the others by falling ill.

◆◆

(POV Chiharu)

Onii-san returned home with some food. Chiaki’s eyes sparkled as she saw it.

“This is beef tongue. I received it from Sasaki,” he said.

“Oh! The person who makes curry and hamburgers!” Chiaki exclaimed.

“Yes, that’s the one,” he replied.

“How should we eat beef tongue to make it delicious?”

“With green onion, salt sauce, and lemon juice… That’s the way. You can eat it endlessly,”

“Wow, my mouth is watering… Drool…” 

Without wasting a moment, Onii-san changed out of his work suit and swiftly made his way to the kitchen to prepare the meal, just as he always did. Chiaki silently observed his stylish movements, eagerly awaiting the perfect moment to taste, as she proclaimed herself the official taste tester of our home.

Meanwhile, Chifuyu, overcome by shyness and a desire to conceal her affection, opted to sit on the sofa, occasionally stealing glances at Onii-san.

On the other hand, Chinatsu was completely absorbed in her game.

“Chinatsu, is the game fun?”

“Yes, it’s incredibly fun. Individual values, base stats, the three sacred artifacts, and the 600th species… It’s so deep… The ending is actually just the beginning, huh…”

“Y-yeah…”

Chinatsu was completely absorbed in the game, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, her gaze fixed on the screen. The game was great, but I couldn’t help but worry about her eyesight if she played too much. I wondered if she was keeping her promise with Onii-san, who said it was okay to play for a maximum of three hours a day.

Normally, one hour a day would be considered enough, but Onii-san has always been lenient with Chinatsu.

“Kaito, Kaito, I wanna taste it, I wanna taste it.”

“I know. Here you go, some beef tongue.”

“Mmm… It’s delicious! It feels like there’s a noble feast happening in my mouth!”

“I love beef tongue too. Once you dip it in the accompanying sauce and have it with rice, there’s nothing else to describe it but ‘delicious’”.

Today, Onii-san was unusually enthusiastic. Maybe he really loved beef tongue. Come to think of it, what does Onii-san like…?

It felt strange that even after being together for a year, there were still things I didn’t know… 

Various questions arose in my mind. I looked at Onii-san’s face in the kitchen and noticed a slight difference from his usual self.

There was a hint of paleness, as if he was forcing himself to appear cheerful. I couldn’t tell if it was just my imagination or something else.

“Well then, could you please bring this to the table?” he asked.

“Sure thing!”

Chiaki loaded the tray with dishes and food, carrying it to the table. I had grown accustomed to this sight. At first, we used to carry everything to our room upstairs, but now we bring it to this table.

We gathered around the same table, five of us, and joined hands.

After finishing the meal, Onii-san would take care of washing the dishes. The bath would be ready, and we would always go in before him.

Then, we would watch TV together and lie down on cozy, sun-scented futons. In the dimly lit room, we would have conversations as sisters until we fell asleep.

Our sense of normalcy was changing. It was no longer the same as it used to be.

At the center of this new normal was Onii-san. His selfless love supported us. We were grateful, but I couldn’t help but feel that Onii-san was sacrificing too much in his way of life.

After all, taking care of four children was tough. Financially, emotionally, and physically. Onii-san claimed to have enough money, and while it wasn’t entirely wrong, it was evident that it was diminishing.

What about his own hobbies? He could have had an easier life in many other ways. But he never complained and always prioritized us.

I always felt it. There was something about me and Onii-san that was somewhat similar… I lived for my sisters, and Onii-san lived for us.

That’s why I could sense it. He was bottling up stress somewhere…

I used to be like that as well. Now, things have changed. In fact, it’s safe to say that such a notion never existed to begin with. Rather, it could be said that living for the sake of my sisters helped alleviate my stress.

“Haru…?”

We were now in our dimly lit room. Chiharu spoke as she lay on the futon next to me. Her voice carried a hint of concern.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, I feel like Kaito-san… looked a little pale, even if just for a moment…”

“I see…”

“But, I think he’s already asleep… Still, I’m a little worried.”

“I had the same thought… I asked Kaito, but he said everything’s fine…” Chiaki addd.

“Because Kaito-san tends to push himself too hard…” Chifuyu said.

Everyone seems worried. I never thought my sisters would become so attached to someone else. I never imagined they would develop such deep trust in Onii-san 

I had assumed we would only maintain a superficial closeness, but I never anticipated that genuine bonds of trust would begin to form.

Initially, I felt a sense of pity emanating from Onii-san, evident through the sympathetic glances he cast my ways. His eyes were like ours—a mix of understanding the world’s injustices and a strong sense of duty tinged with sympathy. That’s why I decided to follow him.

In a way, it offered a reassuring feeling. Even if he proved to a strange person, we were guaranteed a decent life, shielded from the scornful gazes that diminished my sisters. If he was indeed strange, then I simply needed to assume a specific role or another.

Yet, Onii-san proved to be anything but strange, and his eyes underwent a transformation. They now brimmed with love, affection, and hope—eyes that fixated upon the future with anticipation.

Both scenarios offered reassurance. Either way, my sisters could find solace in a life where they could rest their hearts peacefully. 

However, if I had to choose, I would prefer the current situation…

The reason, the reason… why is that? If my sisters are happy, if we can have a secure and precious life, why does it matter how we achieve it?

Searching for a reason. Why was this option preferable? Pondering and pondering, a sudden thought crossed my mind.

It was on that day we went to choose birthday outfits. I didn’t really care about my own attire; I based my decision on what my sisters could wear.

“No, this suits Chiharu the best.”

Just an ordinary remark, nothing too significant. It was just a few words subtly expressing Onii-san’s wish for me to prioritize myself. From my perspective, it didn’t matter much.

And yet, those words resurfaced in my mind.

In that moment, just for a brief moment,

Ever so slightly, just a tiny bit,

I might have felt… happy. Maybe… Being praised or asked something by my sisters brought joy multiplied by several folds, even dozens of times.

The words of Onii-san at that time brought happiness. That much is clear. Is that why… I feel that the present is more favorable?

“Hey, let’s help Kaito-san a lot tomorrow, okay?”

“I agree! I was actually thinking of doing the same!”

“Chifuyu is on board too!”

“…Haru?”

“Sure, that works for me too.”

Was it simply because my sisters were happy in that moment that I cherished it? Or was it because I felt proud watching the three of them gradually form their wings through their efforts?

I still didn’t have the answer to that.

◆◆

(POV Kaito)

I caught a cold…My head hurt, and my nose was running like crazy. I had to spend some money on the doctor’s fee and medication at the hospital. It was the worst….I had planned to save money for my family of four….

Oh, my head was throbbing….and I felt dizzy. Maybe it was because of the low atmospheric pressure that my head hurt even more. It might rain tomorrow. I changed into my pajamas and lay down in bed.

I’ve never had such a severe headache and dizziness before. My thinking wasn’t functioning calmly…..

It’s no use… I should rest for now and try to get up by lunchtime… to make some foo…

But, I ended up sleeping deeply.

◆◆

(POV Chiharu)

“Kaito fell ill… We must repay our gratitude to him for all the things he did!” Chiaki said.

“Yes, you’re right.”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

“I agree.”

As expected, Onii-san has fallen ill. This morning, he had a flushed face and appeared sluggish as he made his way to the hospital. Later, upon his return home, he apologized and requested some rest for the day. He went upstairs with O.S.-1 and some medicine.

We must devise a plan to repay him and make arrangements for his care

“But Kaito-san always tells us not to use fire, right? And you can’t even make a simple porridge, can you?” Chinatsu said.

“I can make it.” Chiaki said.

“What? Aki, you can cook?”

“Aki-nee, w-when did you learn…”

“Heh, I’ve been watching Kaito’s cooking skills for a reason. I can easily make porridge.”

“But fire is dangerous… Onee-chan is worried…”

“Don’t worry, Chiharu. With the IH stove, there’s little risk of burns. I have mastered how to use it perfectly.”

“R-Really?”

“That’s right!”

Unexpectedly, Chiaki had cooking skills. While the method of learning by observing had been suggested since ancient times….but I wondered if it would work for her…

“Hey, Aki, can I help too?”

“Aki-nee, me too…”

“Don’t worry. There’s nothing impossible for me… Besides, I secretly looked at recipe books in school so that we wouldn’t rely too much on Kaito….” Chiaki said.

I couldn’t quite catch the latter part, but Chiaki began cooking as she spoke.

It could be described as splendid, perhaps. Chiaki looked graceful in the kitchen. She stylishly put rice into the pot, added water, and let it simmer. The rice absorbed the water, gradually softening and becoming more digestible.

“Oh, I almost forgot to turn on the ventilation fan,” Chiaki said.

Moreover, Chiaki turned on the ventilation fan to prevent the smell of the cooking from lingering in the room. Afterward, she took out carrots, mushrooms, komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach), and eggs from the refrigerator.

“W-Wait a minute! Isn’t it dangerous to use a knife for cutting vegetables?” 

Chinatsu exclaimed in surprise at the unexpected appearance of ingredients.

“Heh, with a bit of caution, I can safely chop them finely using a food processor,” Chiaki replied.

With a faint smile, Chiaki roughly chopped the ingredients and put them in the food processor to make them finer, then transferred them to another pot. She added water and let it simmer. In the meantime, she took out other seasonings, like tube garlic and various types of soup base.

“Soup base is versatile… That’s what Kaito said. He mentioned that adding soup base or kombu (a type of brown seaweed) base would enhance the flavor… Then there’s cooking sake and mirin… And sugar, I think? I’m not entirely sure, but that’s roughly what the book said….”

Murmuring to herself in a soft voice, Chiaki completed the simmering of the vegetables. She added them to the rice pot, along with the seasonings, and let them simmer together… Finally, she topped it off with a scrambled egg…

“Oooh, surprisingly, it’s something I can do if I try as well!” Chiaki exclaimed.

“I-It’s amazing… When did Aki acquire cooking knowledge?” Chinatsu wondered.

“Come to think of it, Aki-nee was always reading cooking books in the library….” Chifuyu recalled.

“Chiaki, I’m very impressed…” 

“Although there were some minor mishaps, I did my best to make it! Let’s give it to Kaito right away!” Chiaki said eagerly.

Chiaki ladled the porridge into a bowl, placed a spoon and a glass of water on a tray, and carried it upstairs.

We quietly peered through Onii-san’s room door to see what was happening. Only Chiaki entered the room.

“Kaito, I’m coming in!”

“Oh, Chiaki? What’s up?”

At this point, Onii-san seemed dizzy and absent-minded, as if he were in a dazed state.

“Hehehe, I tried making porridge for Kaito!”

“…Did Chiaki make this?”

“Yes.”

“How did you do it?”

“I chopped the vegetables, simmered the rice, and added seasonings…”

“…Did you burn yourself?”

“No!”

“Any injuries?”

“No!”

“I see… Excuse me for a moment.”

Onii-san pulled on his own cheek.

“This isn’t a dream… I’m beyond happy that something like this can happen in reality… What is this? Well, I’m happy. Thank you, Chiaki.”

“No need for thanks. You always take care of us, after all.”

“I see… Can I eat it then?”

“Of course.”

“Alright…”

As Onii-san reached out his hand toward the porridge, Chiaki gestured to stop him. She scooped up the porridge with a spoon and blew on it to cool it down before putting it in his mouth.

“Here, aah~”

“I can do it myself….”

“For today, let me do it all!”

“I see… Aah~ It’s delicious.”

“….R-really! W-Well, That’s for sure! Since I made it after all!”

“The seasoning is really good.”

“Kaito once murmured something like, ‘If you add kombu soup base, it’ll turn out fine,’ so I based it on that…”

“Oh, right, I did say something like that… You remembered it… And you even adjusted the flavor with mirin… And the vegetables… You chopped them finely with the food processor… It’s almost your first time, and yet it turned out like this… You have good instincts.”

“R-Really…”

Despite his dizzy state, Onii-san continued speaking. His words were as calm and warm as usual, but there was something different—he had a fever. His face was flushed, indicating that he was dizzy.

While talking to Chiaki, his head kept swaying. It must be difficult for him to even sit up. But he smiled happily.

And perhaps due to the fever, he said something that he would never normally say.

“You’ll definitely make a great wife in the future.”

“Ehh…”

“You can cook, you’re kind-hearted… Chiaki, you’ll surely become a beautiful and wonderful woman. Well, you already are.”

“Ah… Awaw…”

Chiaki suddenly became shy and looked down. It was the first time I had seen her like this.

“Well, then, you’ll have to eat the rest yourself! I-I have other things to do!”

“I see… Thank you.”

As if escaping, Chiaki left the room and went downstairs. Her face was even redder than Onii-san’s. She must have felt embarrassed by being praised in a way she had never been praised before.

Onii-san’s way of praising her was the kind of praise you would give to a woman. Usually, he would only praise her in a childlike manner, as if praising a child. But perhaps due to the fever and his state of distress, his way of praising her took on a more mature tone, praising her as a woman.

Chiaki was pure and sometimes a bit oblivious, but she was not entirely clueless when it came to sensing things. She might have misunderstood that being able to become a good wife meant that she was being seen as feminine…

Whether she felt happy about it or not, I didn’t know…

After Onii-san finished eating the porridge and drank some cold water, he collapsed once again, as if fainting. And so, we went downstairs for the time being.

“What’s the matter with Aki? Why did she suddenly come downstairs… She even said she wanted to feed him at first.”

“Aki-nee… Chifuyu is also here to take care of Kaito-san… I won’t lose…”

Chinatsu, who was slightly oblivious, and Chifuyu, who felt a hint of jealousy, joined me as we went downstairs.