CH 56

(POV Kaito)

On this particular summer morning during summer break, after we had finished breakfast, we were enjoying a relaxed and unhurried start to the day. 

“Kaito, since I find the summer research project tiresome, how about conducting an experiment where we put a ten-yen coin in vinegar to make it shine?” Chiaki suggested.

“Well, I wonder if that’s okay? But in situations like this, it’s also good to challenge ourselves with something we don’t usually do, right? How about observing an ant’s nest?”

“That won’t be finished in a day, and besides, I don’t like bugs.”

“I-I see… but it’s just that since we have this opportunity, wouldn’t it be better to focus on various things?”

“Then, let’s see which liquid will make the ten-yen coin shine the most.”

“I-I see…”

It was clear that Chiaki had a strong aversion to the summer research project. She pouted cutely and stretched out on the sofa. The room, cooled by the air conditioner, and our casual clothing of short sleeves and shorts, created the perfect environment for tackling our homework.

However, it might have ironically become a factor that induces drowsiness. Chiaki began to doze off as she lay down on the sofa.

Chifuyu diligently worked through the workbook, using a dictionary to look up words without peeking at the answers. Impressive!

She resisted the temptation to look at the answers and instead solved the problems on her own. Surprisingly, it was quite challenging. Chiharu sat next to Chifuyu, silently focusing on her own assignments.

Meanwhile, Chiaki had fallen asleep on the sofa. Well, they say that sleeping children grow fast, don’t they?

Chinatsu, though awake, kept her workbook open without moving her pen. She wore a troubled expression, seemingly stuck on something.

Could it be that she didn’t understand a problem? Alright, I’ll help her out.

“Chinatsu, is there something you’re having trouble with?”

“…No, it’s not like that.”

“Is that so? You can tell me anything, you know?”

“… “

“…?”

“… Could you come over here for a moment?”

Chinatsu stood up and gestured towards the living room door, then motioned for me. When asked like that, I had no reason to refuse. I left the living room for a moment.

The floor felt muggy, as if the air conditioning wasn’t reaching it.

“Um, just a moment.”

Chinatsu motioned again, so I kneeled down to meet her gaze. She then whispered something softly into my ear.

“… Does that mean you want to go alone, Chinatsu?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“I see…”

“It’s just that I think it would be difficult for all four of us to go.”

“Yeah… why… no, it’s okay. But do you really want to go today?”

“Yes, today is the best. I don’t think we’ll have another chance.”

“… Alright. I’ll get ready.”

“… Thank you.”

She said that in a small voice.

◆◆

(POV Kaito)

On a sunny summer break day, as the radiant sunlight poured in, I was behind the wheel, driving the car. Seated beside me in the passenger seat was Chinatsu, her blonde hair elegantly fashioned into twin tails. 

She was always a child who didn’t ask for much. She rarely showed her emotions. Yet, unexpectedly, she voiced a heartfelt request.

“I want to visit my parents’ grave…”

To be honest, I was taken aback. Considering our daily lives and my knowledge from the game, it appeared that she held no interest in or concern for her parents. I assumed she lacked any form of attachment or affection for them.

Throughout the game, there was never a mention of her parents, nor did she engage with them in any way. There was no trace of gratitude or familial discussions in our everyday lives either. Consequently, I had come to believe that she harbored no feelings whatsoever for her parents.

That was what I considered normal, so I didn’t say anything in particular. They didn’t take care of her, resorting to violence, confinement, and even attempting to take her life. There was no need to harbor any feelings.

If I were a child, I would definitely think the same way.

However, she expressed her desire to visit her parents’ graves. Despite my surprise, I decided to grant her wish. After all, I could see a strong determination in her eyes.

I set the car in motion, heading towards her parents’ resting place.

I wore a suit, and she was dressed in black, somber attire, despite it being a hot summer. 

“I think it’s around here…”

“Thank you very much… Kaito-san, it seems like you already knew the location; huh?”

“Well, kind of…”

Based on the vague information I had heard in the game, the two of us managed to find our way there. Outside the car, where the air conditioning was running, it was scorching hot with intense sunlight.

“Ah, t-this is so…”

Chinatsu, under the scorching sunlight, seemed to lose her strength as her shoulders drooped. I quickly opened a sun umbrella to create some shade for her.

“Th-Thank you… but why did you bring a sun umbrella…?”

“Ultraviolet rays are the skin’s enemy, you know.”

“Ah, I see… I didn’t think of that…”

I handed her the sun umbrella, and we continued through the parking lot, eventually reaching an area with numerous graves. We filled a nearby bucket with water and carried a ladle together as we searched for the grave. It didn’t take long for us to find the resting place of Chinatsu’s parents.

Hitsuji Futama

Hitsuji Ooka

They were buried together. Even if it was their first death anniversary, I didn’t feel anything in particular. I wore a suit out of formality, but there was no respect or sympathy in my heart.

There was no need to clasp my hands in prayer.

“Chinatsu…?”

“It’s just… so hot today…”

She gently poured water over the gravestone using the ladle. Afterward, she closed her eyes for a brief moment, hands clasped in prayer.

“…Well then, let’s head back right now.”

“Alright…”

If Chinatsu said so, then it was fine. After returning the tools to their place, we made our way back to the car. Unlocking it, I started the engine, only to find the interior resembling a sweltering sauna that had endured the scorching sun for too long. To counter the heat, I promptly switched on the air conditioning, allowing cool air to circulate inside. 

With that, I pressed the accelerator and began driving on the way back.

I’m not sure if it’s appropriate to ask or not, but there’s something that’s been bothering me. Why did she suddenly feel the need to visit her parents’ graves? It seemed unlikely that she would bring it up, yet she took the initiative without hesitation. Surely, there was a significant reason behind her decision.

I glanced briefly at her sitting next to me, and she was simply gazing out of the window. Her demeanor seemed remarkably mature. I wondered what she was thinking. Should I ask? But there was a sense of uneasiness that made it difficult to bring it up.

While I was pondering over such thoughts, Chinatsu, who sat next to me, spoke up.

“Um, Kaito-san, thank you for everything,” she said.

“Oh, no need to mention it,” 

“Um… there’s something I need to tell you, Kaito-san.”

“What is it?”

“Why I said I wanted to go visit the graves today… despite the hardships I’ve been through.”

“You don’t have to force yourself to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“No, since you brought me here, I feel it’s only fair to give you a proper explanation… So, please let me explain…”

“I see… Well, then, go ahead and tell me.”

And so she started to share her story. She began explaining the reasons behind why she wanted to visit their graves on this day, their one-year memorial anniversary, despite the terrible experience she had gone through.

“I’ve always thought that I’ve been able to live up until now because of Haru… Although Aki and Fuyu have played their part too… But I think Haru is the most important,”

“Chiharu is such a good older sister,” I responded.

“Yes… Haru has always been the kind of sister who tries to do everything alone, carries burdens on her own… She went through something terrible once… But no matter what, Haru has always supported me, comforted me… She’s the person I admire, my sister.”

“I see…”

“I truly believed that Haru had been supporting us sisters all along because she was the one who did everything for us. I thought that everything existed because Haru was there. It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I genuinely thought that way.”

“…”

“But after I met you, Kaito-san, that belief has started to change a little.”

At that moment, I felt happy. I realized that I was able to change something.

“Being with you, Kaito-san, I realized that there’s a world beyond just us sisters. I had always been focused on the inside, but breakfast, bento lunches, dinner, clothes, electricity, baths, even games—everything that was provided for me came from you, not Haru.”

“…”

“When I realized that I was also receiving help from you, Kaito-san, things that I couldn’t see before started becoming visible. Now, I believe that the reason I am here is not just because of Haru or solely because of Aki or Fuyu. I think the reason I can be here is thanks to various people, including those who are not immediately apparent.”

“That’s amazing… I’ve never thought about it that way.”

“Is it really amazing? I just think I’m being troublesome. I find myself feeling even a little grateful to my parents, whom I thought were awful. Even though they did the bare minimum, I’m still thankful…”

“So, is that the reason you wanted to visit their graves today?”

“Yes… They were terrible people, and they did very little for me, but because of them, I exist. I am here because they gave birth to me. Also, I really like my name, Chinatsu. I think it’s amazing to have names based on the seasons for us sisters, like Haru (spring), Natsu (summer), Aki (autumn), and Fuyu (winter)…”

“I see…”

“I hate the world more than anything else… It makes me angry.”

“I think that’s fine… You, Chinatsu, are an amazing person.”

Without thinking, my true self slipped out. I was genuinely astonished. Although I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a mask, I usually projected a kind, fatherly image of myself that was somewhat detached when interacting with them. 

However, in this moment, I let my surprise show.

“I think it’s because of you, Kaito-san. That’s why I believe you’re the one who’s amazing,”

“That’s not true,”

“No, it’s you, Kaito-san.”

“No, it’s you, Chinatsu.”

“No, no.”

“No, no.”

“No, no, no.”

“Well, let’s just say both of us are amazing to avoid the hassle.”

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

Realizing that we had reached an impasse, we cut the conversation short.

“Um, Kaito-san, I have a favor to ask.”

“What is it?”

“I… I want to try cooking.”

“With everyone?”

“No, just me.”

“Why is that?”

“Whenever Haru and the others are learning to cook, they try to take care of everything themselves. But I don’t want to be left out, and I want to learn for myself. Besides, Aki can already cook, so I don’t want to be left behind, and Fuyu has also started to learn how… There’s also a bit of older sister pride involved, you could say.”

“I see, I understand.”

“…Also, I want to help you, Kaito-san…”

“Ah… That makes me really happy to hear.”

I felt tears welling up. I was overwhelmed with joy.

“Um, Kaito-san, please don’t cry. It’s embarrassing for both of us.”

“Sorry… It just happened.”

“You’re quite similar to Haru, Kaito-san.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, you are.”

I wonder if Chiharu and I really looked alike… Maybe, unexpectedly, I had a fairly decent facial structure. But no, I was at best above average. That couldn’t be it. Perhaps she was referring to our personalities. Do Chiharu and I resemble each other?

“That’s why I feel like I want to support you,” she murmured softly.

“Um, please teach me a lot about cooking. Just me,” she added.

“A-Ahh, I understand,” 

Come to think of it, I felt like I had heard a similar thing from Chifuyu recently. It’s just that the atmosphere at that time and Chinatsu’s current demeanor were quite alike. Well, it’s natural to some extent since they’re quadruplets.

“Please share recipes that only I can understand,” she requested.

“…I’ll do to the best of my ability,”

“Yes.”

I don’t usually have the inclination to favor someone in particular… but Chiaki and Chifuyu also share an interest in cooking. And if Chinatsu starts getting into it, I’m certain Chiharu would want to give it a try too. How should I handle this situation…. I’ll think about it later.

“Should we buy some ice cream from the nearby convenience store?” I suggested.

“Is that okay?” 

“It’s a secret from the other three,” 

“Yes!”

It’s not like I wanted to treat her to ice cream as a reward for enduring a tough time during our visit to the grave. 

It’s just that I felt like treating Chinatsu to ice cream.

I signaled and made a left turn into the convenience store. As we stepped inside, her eyes gleamed with excitement as she gazed at the display case filled with ice cream.

While I was contemplating whether I should eat something, my phone began to vibrate. Someone was calling me. Hmm, it’s from our home… Could it be Chiaki?

“Hello?”

“Hey, Kaito!”

“Oh, Chiaki, what’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? You’re out with Chinatsu, aren’t you? That’s not fair! Sneaking out while I was asleep!”

“Well, you seemed so comfortable sleeping…”

“That’s not fair! I bet you two are enjoying some ice cream right now!”

“No, we’re not.”

“What?! Hmm, well, I guess that’s fine then.” Chiaki said.

“Kaito-san! Can I have this 300 yen ice cream?”

“Ah! Just now, she’s trying to eat one!” Chiaki exclaimed.

“Oh, sorry… I’ll buy you ice cream too.”

“Hmm, well then! Um, I want that, um, caramel crunchy one! Chiharu wants cookie cream, and Chifuyu wants green tea ice cream!”

“G-got it. I’ll definitely get them for you.”

I ended the call with those words. Come to think of it, Chiaki was asleep, and I left without saying anything about going out. I did mention it vaguely to Chiharu and Chifuyu, though… Since Chinatsu asked me not to tell them why she was going out, I had to come up with an excuse and ended up coming this far.

I’ll make sure to explain properly when we get back home.

“Kaito-san, look at this!”

“Well then, I think I’ll go with this.”

“Let’s share, Kaito-san!”

“Yeah, that sounds good…”

At that moment, when I caught sight of Chinatsu’s smile as she spoke, I sensed the subtle bond that had grown among the five of us over the past year. 

And I couldn’t help but smile faintly.

**************

TN: The end of the first volume “First year”.