CH 54

(POV Chiharu)

We found ourselves leaning against the wall in one corner of the classroom, pondering over something. It was… 

“Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that Aki’s drawing during the art class would win the first prize…”

“Never in my wildest dreams did Chifuyu imagine that as well, following that, Aki-nee would be interviewed during the lunchtime broadcast…”

Chinatsu and Chifuyu articulated our current situation in a manner that was easy to grasp. Indeed, Chiaki’s artwork in the art class had been selected and won the first prize, which was amazing.

“Hehehe, I’ll even receive a certificate…”

“But what about the interview? Are you okay?  It would be quite awkward if you got nervous and something embarrassing got aired during the lunchtime broadcast.”

“I’m fine!”

“Shouldn’t you practice beforehand?”

“That’s right, Chiaki. Practice with us.”

“Got it!”

Surely, Onii-san would be delighted to hear that Chiaki has been selected… After all, the drawing Chiaki made was a depiction of my Oniisn’s signature gyudon dish (Japanese Beef Rice Bowl)… Apparently, Chiaki imagined Onii-san’s gyudon in her mind while drawing it.

“Well… It’s probably common knowledge throughout the school that we’re quadruplets, so they might ask you about that, right? If you had to describe your sisters in one word, what would it be?” Chinatsu asked

“If they ask, I would say we’re like ‘chikuzenni’ (Simmered Chicken and Vegetables)!”

“Why?”

“Well, chikuzenni is a dish where each ingredient is prepared differently, but in the end, they all come together to create a delicious flavor! We all have our own quirks, but we’re all united together!”

“Hmm… that’s a good point… I mean, don’t call us ‘quirky’ though.” Chinatsu said.

“Especially Chinatsu; she’s got some strong quirks.”

“Hey!”

Chiaki, you have a way with words… I’m impressed.

“Ahaha… Well, it’s not entirely untrue that Chifuyu and the others have their own quirks… Anyway, now it’s Chifuyu’s turn to ask you, Aki-nee.”

“Sure.”

“What are the key points of the gyudon drawing you made?”

“It’s a gyudon topped with a generous amount of sauce, and there’s an onsen tamago, which is a soft-boiled egg. The base is made with kombu-based soy sauce, mirin, garlic paste, ginger paste, and as a secret ingredient, I added yakiniku sauce.”

“Stop, stop! You’re revealing the gyudon recipe… I meant, did you pay attention to the use of colors or meticulously draw each grain of rice?”

“Oh, I see. Well, the sauce is based on the brown color.”

“Um, really? Well, I guess there’s no need to go into so much detail… By the way, did you see the recipe for that gyudon in a book?”

“No, Kaito taught me.”

“What? When did that happen?”

“When I tasted it, I asked him, ‘What did you put in this?’”

“I-I see… Chifuyu is also going to be the official taste tester starting from today.”

“What? N-No way! I’m the only one who gets to taste test!” Chiaki retorted.

“I don’t think your amount of taste testing will decrease.”

“Well, if that’s the case… it is… okay… Hmm? Is it really okay?”

“I think it’s fine…” Chifuyu replied.

“I see…!….?”

Eh? Chifuyu becoming the official taste tester? Chiaki seemed to sense a hint of concern or something similar, but in the end, she accepted it.

…Or so it seemed, but there was a slight expression on her face, as if something was bothering her.

“For now, I’m relieved that Chiaki seems to be able to handle the interview smoothly.” I said.

“Do you think so?” Chinatsu asked

“Yeah, Chiaki is adaptable and can handle unexpected situations, so I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.”

“Well, if you say so, maybe you’re right.”

“Fufufu, no need to worry!”

Chiaki declared confidently. She seemed very confident. As we continued our conversation, the break time came to an end, and the teacher entered the classroom. We hurriedly dispersed and took our seats.

“Alright, everyone. Let’s begin our math lesson. But before that, I have some announcements. Summer vacation is approaching, but before that, we will have review tests in Japanese and math. So please study in advance. Okay, let’s start the lesson!”

I could hear disheartened sounds as Chinatsu and Chiaki’s enthusiasm dropped. It had been almost a year since we first met Onii-san.

Just a little less than a month remains before it’ll officially be a year.

◆◆

(POV Chiharu)

“What?! Chiaki is going to receive an award!?”

“Fufufu, that’s right!”

“That’s absolutely amazing, isn’t it? Well, since it’s such a special occasion, let’s take the opportunity to practice how to accept the certificate.”

“Oooh, I see! Got it!”

“Um, first, you receive it with your left hand, like this, and then with your right hand, you…”

“Ah, like this!”

“Exactly!”

“And then, we express our gratitude!”

“That’s right!”

When we arrived home and shared the news with Onii-san, he was overcome with joy, as if it were his own accomplishment. And so, Chiaki started practicing diligently for the upcoming award ceremony.

While Onii-san was extravagantly delighted, I was also happy as if it were my own achievement.. I had always known that Chiaki had a knack for drawing, but… perhaps she might even pursue a career as an artist in the future. That’s what began to cross my mind.

Picasso and others, Chiaki could easily surpass them. After all, she was Chiaki, a girl overflowing with talent.

I believe it. Chiaki possesses an incredible amount of talent, even more than she herself realizes. When Onii-san caught a cold, Chiaki brilliantly cooked a delicious rice porridge.

I also had a taste of it, and it had an amazing flavor. It was so outstanding that I wanted to give it a trillion star rating. Just by watching Onii-san’s usual cooking process, Chiaki managed to create something truly extraordinary. There’s no doubt she’s nothing short of a genius.

Perhaps it’s also because of the daily taste tests and the fact that Onii-san’s cooking level is high, which has refined her palate. But even taking that into account, it’s likely that only Chiaki could accomplish such a feat among us sisters. Maybe it’s also because we often watch cooking shows on TV and online videos on Onii-san’s smartphone.

Well, as expected of Chiaki, or rather, the amazing Aki.

Truly, my genius little sister, or rather…  well, there’s no need to add “amazing” again.

While pondering such trivial matters, the practice session for Onii-san and Chiaki’s came to an end. Onii-san then headed straight to the kitchen, with Chiaki following closely behind. According to Chiaki, she didn’t mind watching Onii-san cook.

“Kaito, what’s on the menu today!?”

“Just a simple beef bowl.”

“Oh, great! Can you add a soft-boiled egg (Onsen Tamago), or as we call it, ‘ontama’!?”

“Sure thing.”

“Yay!”

While Chiaki observed Onii-san’s actions, their conversation continued. It was a typical exchange between them, something they often engaged in when alone. However…

“Kaito-san, Chifuyu want’s to  help out too!” Chifuyu interjected.

“…Helping out, huh… Then, how about being a taste tester?”

“No, that’s not what I meant!”

“Oh, like chopping and grilling?”

“…Yeah, yeah.”

Chifuyu nodded twice in response. Ah, how adorable! She’s so precious that I might die. If I die, I’ll watch over her from hell.

Onii-san, who was told by Chifuyu that she wanted to help, hesitated for a moment. Thoughts of burns, cuts, and other injuries may have crossed his mind. He was about to decline, but then he thought of something and nodded.

“But be careful because it’s dangerous.”

“…Yes!”

While Chifuyu was receiving instructions from Onii-san to do this and that, she cut onions, sliced meat, while Chiaki looked with a frustrated expression, seemingly thinking that her designated position had been taken away.

“Kaito! I want to do something too!”

“Then, how about being a taste tester?”

“Not that kind of thing!”

“Oh, really? You’re usually the first one to volunteer for that… Well then… um, since the assistant position is already filled… yeah, just wait for now…”

“Ehhh?! I want to do something too!”

“O-okay…”

“Kaito-san, is it okay like this?”

“Oh, yeah, it looks good…”

“Kaito! What should I do!?”

“Oh, well, how about cleaning the bathroom or something…”

“I already did that!”

“Oh! Thanks! You’re amazing, Chiaki.”

“Hehe… hey! Don’t try to distract me!”

“Uh, yeah, I didn’t mean to distract you… well, maybe a little…”

Onii-san was busy attending to Chiaki’s needs, answering Chifuyu’s questions, and trying to figure out what to do. Chiaki and Chifuyu had different vibes about them.

Chfuyu had multiple motivations for wanting more opportunities to interact with Onii-san. She expressed a desire to not be outdone by Chiaki in cooking and simply wanted to become skilled at it. Her motivations continued to increase. However, in Chifuyu’s case, her reasons were clear and her goals were well-defined.

Because of that, she could calmly work towards her objectives. However, Chiaki was not good at sch thing, so she was not as adept at understanding what to do and how to do it effectively.

“Mmm!” Chiaki pouted.

“Oh, please don’t puff up your cheeks like that.”

“Kaito-san, what should I do next…?”

“First, spread some salad oil and add the onions.”

“Kaito! I want to do something!”

“O-okay. Chifuyu, take turns with Chiaki.”

Was this what people referred to as chaos….? Onii-san was sandwiched between my younger sisters and was getting bewildered. As their Onee-chan, witnessing this chaos left me with indescribable emotions.

Truly indescribable emotions.

But still,

“This ninja egg anime is so entertaining! Munch, munch.” Chinatsu said.

Sitting on the sofa next to me, Chinatsu indulged in snacks while watching the anime. It seemed like I could still spend plenty of time with Chinatsu. Well, I intended to spend time with both Chiaki and Chifuyu as well.

When I looked at Chinatsu, I felt a sense of relief. I couldn’t help but embrace her. She felt soft, like a plush toy. But unlike a plush toy, she emanated warmth and a comforting scent.

“…What is it?”

“Just… for some reason.”

“Huh? Well, alright…”

“Thank you.”

“…Want to eat this?”

“I want to.”

“…Say ‘ahhh~~’.”

“Ahhh~~…”

I ate the snack that Chinatsu brought to my mouth. Until dinner was ready, I watched the ninja anime together with Chinatsu.

◆◆

(POV Kaito)

I was currently awaiting the opportune moment to announce something to the four of them. At this very moment, the four of them were eating gyudon, Chiaki and Chinatsu savoring each bite with contentment evident on their faces. 

In this particular circumstance, I found myself hesitating to express what I had in mind. 

From now on, I wanted to tell the four of them to study hard..

.

The problem was, if I spoke up now, Chiaki and Chinatsu would likely make an unpleasant face, and I didn’t want to disrupt their meal or disturb the joyful ambiance surrounding them. Nevertheless, I had just made up my mind to no longer hold back. It was Chiaki who had requested this favor of me.

I had to say it, I simply had to…

“Thank you for the delicious meal!”

“Thank you for the meal.”

“Thank you for the meal.”

Chiaki and Chinatsu clasped their hands together. Alright, I’ll say it here.

“Oh, by the way, I heard you have a comprehensive test coming up soon,”

“…Well, yeah,” Chiaki responded.

“…Yeah, that’s true,” Chinatsu added.

Suddenly, both of them wore expressions of indifference. Why would you bring that up now? Their faces seemed to question.

“So, I was thinking, since we have the chance, don’t you want to aim for good scores?” I continued.

“Not really,” Chiaki replied.

“Well, um, I understand what Kaito-san is saying…” Chinatsu said.

Chiaki showed zero interest, while Chinatsu had a contemplative expression. Chifuyu gave out a wry smile, understanding what I was trying to convey, but… Chiharu simply watched silently.

It feels like I can’t just casually suggest studying. I wanted to avoid using this approach, and I myself didn’t want to do it, but… there was no other choice. It couldn’t be helped…

“You know, I was thinking that if you score 85 or above on the comprehensive test, I’ll give you the right to change your allowance and have one night’s snack however you like,” I revealed.

“!!” 

Chinatsu and Chiaki were startled. Clearly hooked.

“Chiaki, don’t you ever want to have hamburgers instead of the tofu stir-fry? And with a slightly runny sunny-side-up egg on top, even better,” I continued.

“Y-yes!”

“And Chinatsu, haven’t you ever craved spaghetti napoletana instead of the deep-fried eggplant? I’ll even throw in some chilled tomatoes on the side,” I added.

“Y-yes, I have!”

“So, under these circumstances, you can actually change your night snack!”

“”O-Oooh!!””

I honestly didn’t want to resort to this method. After all, I was bribing them with material rewards. But when I considered whether to show a slightly dirty side of an adult, plagued by guilt over using material incentives, or to help improve the grades of the four of them, the latter choice was clearly the better one, I believed. 

However, I knew that simply telling them to study wouldn’t always work. It wouldn’t hurt to have some rewards.

“And not only that, there’s an allowance involved. If you score 85 or above in both the language and math sections of the comprehensive test…” I began.

“Can I have hamburgers three times in a row?” Chiaki interjected.

“You can,” I replied.

“Oooooh!!!”

Chiaki’s face lit up with excitement.

“Huh? Aki, why three times?” Chinatsu asked.

“Well, if we have hamburgers for dinner one day, then the next day and the day after that, that makes three times, right? It’s the ultimate reward!” Chiaki explained enthusiastically.

“W-Well, that’s true… but for us to get 85 points…” Chinatsu hesitated.

“W-Well,” 

“You can do it”

Seeing the two of them looking anxious, I reassured them that they could achieve good grades. It was because I was determined to make sure they scored well.

“Do you two know about the forgetting curve?” I asked.

“”?””

“Simply put, it’s like a graph that represents how humans forget and remember things over time,” I explained.

“”?””

“Based on that, it’s natural to forget something after a certain amount of time has passed since we learned it, but through repeated review and memorization, long-term retention can be expected. So, before the test, we’ll do a quick review of the material. After that, we’ll dive into more detailed memorization. By repeating this process, the knowledge will be firmly embedded in our long-term memory. Furthermore, humans tend to remember things better when they recall or output the information, so I’ll create mini quizzes for you to test yourselves. And using a blue pen while studying enhances the retention even further. Moreover, Chiaki and Chinatsu are part of a quadruplet. This means that you can all study together. You might have heard that studying in places like libraries is effective because the environment plays a significant role. In other words, there’s a conducive study environment where Chiharu and Chifuyu are already studying, creating a sense of peer pressure from the start.”

“”….?”” 

“To put it simply… you two have an almost 100 percent chance of earning the right to change your dinner for two days and increasing your allowance,” I revealed.

“”…..!!”” 

Alright, I managed to motivate the two of them!

“I didn’t fully understand what Kaito-san is saying… but this means we can change our dinner and receive an allowance, right?” Chinatsu asked.

“That’s right… Maybe we should give it our best shot? Kaito’s explanation was logical and kind of cool,” Chiaki said.

“Yeah, let’s give it our all, together! We’re not alone, there are four of us, and Kaito-san said it’s almost a 100% chance!” 

“That’s right!”

Their motivation was increasing rapidly, and I felt relieved. Ah, but a strange sense of guilt still lingered…

Well, it’s not that big of a deal.

While observing their newfound enthusiasm, I held my chest in relief and crouched down on the spot.