CH 60

(POV Chiharu)

The second semester began. Many students had a sluggish feeling to them, unable to shake off the sense of summer break. I took my seat and looked in front at the heads of the world’s best girls—Chiaki and Chinatsu. Then I turned around and saw Chifuyu’s smiling face.

From the first day of the second semester, I was satisfied.

I sat in my seat, waiting for the teacher to come to the classroom. Many people around me were talking about how they spent their summer break.

There was a lively buzz, fitting for the first day of the second semester.

“Alright, everyone, take your seats. Let me introduce you to the new transfer student.”

The homeroom teacher entered the classroom. When our respected teacher arrived, the students hurriedly took their seats. Occasionally, there were those who defied and caused a commotion in the classroom, but they were only a small part of the whole.

“What? A transfer student!”

“Will it be a cute kid?”

“Who is it?”

A transfer student—a figure that naturally sparks curiosity and draws attention. For us sister though, we weren’t particularly fond of prying eyes, so we didn’t particularly enjoy being in the spotlight.

“Come on in,” 

Following the teacher’s instructions, a girl entered the room. She had silver hair, similar to Chiaki’s, and her eyes were a stunning shade of golden. Though she was not quite on par with Chiaki, Chinatsu, and Chifuyu in beauty, she possessed a certain charm.

“Could you introduce yourself?” 

“Yes, master,” 

“The teacher isn’t your master,” 

“My name is Mary Hanishi. I’m the number one woman in this light novel. Remember it… Also, I have no interest in ordinary humans. Also, I’m a quarter angel, demon, giant, and spirit. Nice to meet you all,” 

“Um… yes! Everyone, since everyone is getting along with each other, please get along with her. Nice to meet you,”

It looks like we have quite an eccentric character here… Chiaki can be like that sometimes too… but this girl’s actions and words are on a whole different level. The teacher seemed uncertain about how to handle her.

Among our classmates, there were those who seemed concerned, uncertain of how to react, and those who chuckled as if they had witnessed something peculiar. There were plenty of reactions.

The atmosphere felt normal and devoid of any discomfort.

Those who were slightly different from the norm were often ostracized. It may sound exaggerated, but it could be perceived that way. Well, it wasn’t that extreme. It’s just that people who were a bit unconventional found it difficult to blend in naturally.

Mary certainly gave off a different vibe… but…

Let’s not delve into complicated and bothersome thoughts. It’s not something that concerns me.

Moreover, Mary herself didn’t seem to be too bothered. It’s crude to be concerned about something that even the person in question isn’t bothered by.

“Then, Mary, would you mind taking the seat at the very back over there?” 

“Yes,” 

She took the seat right behind Chifuyu. Meanwhile, Chiaki kept glancing back as if she were curious.

It’s cute how she can’t help but be intrigued.

As the morning homeroom concluded after a long time, my classmates erupted into a chorus of noise. They started discussing this and that, sharing stories about their summer break, and speculating about the new transfer student.

However, despite the transfer student being the topic of conversation, no one approached her. Perhaps her bold self-introduction had made it difficult for anyone to initiate a conversation.

The current situation left everyone unsure of how to handle it.

I, too, wasn’t particularly adept at striking up conversations…

Mary, on the other hand, seemed content being alone. She would gaze out of the window, take out her notebook from her pocket, and effortlessly jot down notes, engaging in solitary activities.

Is that her way of living, to be self-sufficient? It also gives off a vibe of not wanting to be approached.

Chiaki seemed curious about Mary… but on that day, no one could bring themselves to approach her.

◆◆

(POV Kaito)

I could hear the sound of tapping on the keyboard, as well as the ringing of the phone and the voices of the employees engaged in conversations.

While I was busy with my own duties, I suddenly realized that it was time to leave for home, the end of regular working hours.

“Well, I guess it’s about time,”

“Are you leaving?” 

Sasaki, who was sitting next to me, reacted.

“Yeah,” 

“How about going for a drink sometimes? Some of us were talking about going today and inviting a few people,” 

“No, I have four children waiting for me at home.”

“I think it’s good to go out once in a while.”

“Is that so? Well, maybe next time,” 

“That sounds like something someone who won’t go would say,” 

“I’ll go someday,”

“I see… It might be tough for me to be alone since some female employee members will show up…” 

“Do your best,” 

A drinking party, huh… I haven’t been to many of those. Four hungry girls are waiting for me at home… Well, maybe they can prepare dinner now… No, I shouldn’t go. I absolutely won’t go. After all, there are four children waiting for me at home.

Moreover, I was worried about leaving four elementary school kids alone at home in the evening.

In the end, I decided to go home.

“Well then, that settles it.”

“Is that so…” 

I left the office behind me…

◆◆

(POV Kaito) 

Upon my arrival home, as I gently turned the front door knob, I was greeted by the warm welcome of the four girls. Instantly, any notion of attending the drinking party dissipated entirely. 

But while I was thinking about that, I noticed that the four of them had anxious expressions on their faces.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Kaito… It’s terrible,” Chiaki said.

“What is it?”

“There’s… a grasshopper in the house.”

“A g-grasshopper? The insect?”

“Yes… please do something about it.”

“I Understand…”

Chiaki, Chiharu, Chinatsu, and Chifuyu were all extremely afraid of bugs. I remember this being mentioned in the game’s setting…

I was currently trembling with anger. How dare it frighten my daughters.

Surely, at that moment, I must have had an expression on my face as if my own parents were murdered by a grasshopper.

“Where is the grasshopper?” I asked.

“It’s over there… in the living room,” 

“Understood.”

Chifuyu hesitantly pointed her finger. Ah, I see, she’s truly frightened of grasshoppers… Personally, I don’t particularly love or hate insects.

As an exception, I do feel a sense of disgust towards cockroaches, so I make sure to keep the house as clean as possible.

However, when it came to grasshoppers, there was no issue at all. I can skillfully catch and release them, like a seasoned outfielder protecting the middle field.

After entering the living room… I scanned my surroundings but couldn’t spot any grasshoppers. The four girls cowered in fear behind me, with Chiaki and Chifuyu clutching the hem of my suit. Meanwhile, Chiharu and Chinatsu, though not holding onto anything, nervously glanced around.

…So adorable.

“Kaito, please do something quickly… This situation is causing me so much worry that now I can only eat a small bowl of plain rice and two bowls of tea, and I can only get seven hours of sleep,” Chiaki said.

“I-I understand,”

“Kaito-san, I’m sorry for burdening you when you’re tired from work… But for Chifuyu, just the grasshopper… it’s unbearable,” Chifuyu added.

Had there ever been a time when I was relied upon to this extent?

“Kaito-san, please, please help…” Chinatsu said.

“Onii-san, please…”

Even Chinatsu and Chiharu were depending on me…

I need to find the grasshopper as soon as possible. Surely, they hadn’t been able to calm down and spend time at home until I had returned. I want to make this house a place where the four of them can feel at ease and relax.

If I don’t take care of this…

“There it is!”

“Where?”

“Oh noooo! It flew away!”

“Hold on, Chiaki, if you cling to my leg like that, I can’t move…”

“…Kyaa, kyaa! There’s a bug! It’s scary…”

“Chifuyu, you too. If you keep clinging to me, I won’t be able to get rid of the grasshopper…”

Chiaki held onto my right leg, while Chifuyu held onto my left. They were both gripping tightly, as if they were firmly attached to the legs of a statue. Currently, I couldn’t move, even if I wanted to.

“Wait, wait~~!! Do something quickly! Anyone, please!” Chinatsu shouted.

“Chinatsu, calm down… It’s going to be okay.”

Chinatsu was in a state of panic, completely overwhelmed, and even Chiharu’s voice was trembling as well. The house had become incredibly chaotic.

Amidst the chaos, I somehow managed to catch the grasshopper while trying to calm down the four of them. I then released it outside…

◆◆

(POV Kaito) 

“I see… So a transfer student has joined your class,”

“Yeah. Her name is Mary,”

“Mary, huh…”

Following the fierce battle with the grasshopper, the five of us gathered around the dining table, engaging in a discussion about the day’s events. Chiaki shared the news that a transfer student named Mary had joined the girls’ class.

Ah, Mary Hanishi. She was a friend character in the game, if I recall correctly, specifically designed as a friend for Chiaki. She embodied the persona of a confident chuunibyou, aspiring to become a light novelist.

With her striking silver hair and golden eyes, Mary was born into a family of accomplished light novelists. Due to her parents’ profession, she had been exposed to anime and such since she was young, which influenced her desire to become a light novel writer.

That was the general background, as far as I remember. Mary wasn’t particularly adept at socializing and often wore a serious expression. However, deep down, she yearned for someone to approach her and engage in conversation with her… It had that kind of feeling.

In the game, Chiaki would approach Mary, and they would become friends… And then the game’s protagonist would also become friends with Mary, leading to Chiaki and the protagonist meeting in high school, or something like that.

I felt like I was deeply reminiscing about the game after a long time…

“I wanted to talk to Mary, but I got too nervous and couldn’t do it,” Chiaki said.

“Why don’t you try talking to her tomorrow?” 

“Yeah! That’s a good idea! I don’t know why, but I feel like I can get along well with Mary!”

“I see… Give it your best shot! To prepare for that, let’s eat a lot today and gather our strength,” 

“Got it! Munch, gulp… Kaito’s omelet rice is delicious!” 

It’s worth making such an effort when everyone enjoys eating so much… Chiharu, Chinatsu, and Chifuyu also seem to be enjoying their meals… I’m glad I made it.

“Kaito, can I have seconds?” 

“Sure. But we’re out of eggs, sorry,” 

“Just the chicken rice is more than enough, so it’s not a problem!” 

Chiaki almost always goes for seconds, with a probability close to 100 percent. Chinatsu also eats quite a bit. Chiharu and Chifuyu are more like light eaters, but they never leave anything behind.

“You really eat a lot, don’t you?” Chinatsu remarked.

“I don’t want to hear that from Chinatsu,” Chiaki retorted.

“Why?”

“Because Chinatsu eats no matter what the situation is.”

“No, not as much as you.”

“No, you always say, ‘I won’t get seconds today’, but end up getting them anyway. Like today, you said you wouldn’t get any, but look at you,” 

“…That’s,” 

Perhaps it’s because they’re girls that they’re conscious of the amount they eat. Personally, I find it more satisfying when they eat without holding back…

Instead of trying to console them unnecessarily…

Well, in situations like this, it’s probably better to stay silent.

And so, I remained as silent as a statue.

◆◆

(POV Chifuyu)

Chifuyu admired and appreciated Kaito-san. However, I was a little angry at him. The reason was simple.

He never kept his promise at all!

He had promised to teach Chifuyu various things, but…

Chifuyu didn’t expect everything to go exactly as she wished. However, right after making the promise, he started teaching cooking to Natsu-nee…

It made me unintentionally think it was a serious breach of our promise…

But I couldn’t say such things since I was indebted to him. It was up to Chifuyu herself to take action. That’s what I decided.

After getting out of the bath, Haru-nee, Natsu-nee, and Aki-nee went up to their rooms on the second floor. However, Chifuyu deliberately stayed in the living room. Kaito-san, too, finished his bath and joined me in watching TV together. 

Uuu, I had made up my mind to take action, but whenever I actually tried to do something, I would get nervous. It wasn’t like that when all five of us were together…

“Ah, Kai-Kaito-san…”

“What’s up?”

“Well, about that promise you made before, um, the one where you said you would teach me various things…”

“Oh, right, right… I didn’t forget, you know? Uh, well, but I don’t have much to teach…”

“Even so, I still want you to teach me…”

Phew, it seems like he didn’t forget. If he had said he did, I would have been a little sad.

“I see… What do you want to know?”

Now, should I ask about his type or the amount of age difference he prefers? Unfortunately, I don’t have the mental fortitude for that…

“Do you like…”

“L-like?”

“Do you like any songs?”

“Ah… F-favorite… songs…”

I didn’t really want to ask about that… But Kaito-san crossed his arms and seemed to relax while pondering with a relieved look on his face.

“… Ah, it’s orange.”

“I-Is that so…”

I don’t know. But I should listen to it next time to have a topic for conversation…

“Oh, I heard that song! It was amazing!”

“Right? Shall we go to a live concert together sometime?”

“Eh~~?!”

Maybe the conversation will flow like that… Well, maybe not…

…Should I try asking him about what he thinks of Chifuyu? I can’t just ask directly if he likes me, so maybe I’ll just ask what he thinks about me…

But if I suddenly ask, “What do you think about Chifuyu?” he might think I’m confessing… That would be embarrassing, so no!

In that case, maybe I should ask through my sisters first?

“Um, what do you think of Haru-nee, Kaito-san?”

“Chiharu, huh… She’s a good girl, isn’t she? She’s considerate and capable of acting not just for herself but for others as well. That’s wonderful.”

“I see…”

“But I wish she would assert herself more…”

“That’s certainly true…”

I understand what Kaito-san is saying. Haru-nee doesn’t really assert her own desires. Well, not entirely. I can see glimpses of her expressing herself more than before, but Chifuyu still feels like she’s holding back.

“…What about Natsu-nee?”

“Chinatsu is cautious but has a broad perspective. She can make efforts to change herself, and she’s a pure and kind girl, I think.”

“Natsu-nee seems to have grown quite fond of you, Kaito-san…”

Oh, I unintentionally let out a slightly jealous tone. I quickly brightened up my expression so as not to trouble Kaito-san. Huh? Could this actually come off as creepy instead?

“Oh, well, I guess you could say that…”

“Um, then what about Aki-nee? What do you think of her?”

“Chiaki is cheerful and full of energy. She may seem simple at first glance, like a one-dimensional girl, but I think she’s actually quite thoughtful and contemplative.”

“…You might be the first person, other than Haru-nee, to describe Aki-nee like that.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Some people in our class see Aki-nee as lively and straightforward, and some say she’s like a gymnastics’ Onee-san, you know? They occasionally make those comments…”

“At first glance, she might appear that way. And she might even be intentionally showing that side… But when Chiiaki expresses her wishes, she often asks whether it’s okay or not, seeking validation. Maybe that’s her own way of being considerate.”

“I see.”

“Also, I sometimes think that when Chiaki expresses her wishes, she’s indirectly showing Chifuyu and the others that it’s okay for them to express their own desires… but that’s just my personal interpretation.”

It’s the first time someone has described Aki-nee in this way… It’s kind of nice to think that others see her as an amazing person…

“Um, while we’re on the subject… What do you think of Chifuyu…?”

“Chifuyu is a hard worker. I always find courage in her unwavering determination. And she’s kind and considerate, too. That’s what I think of her.”

“–“

――I’m so happy.

To have him describe me like that, I couldn’t help but feel so happy because these words were coming from him…

But I’m starting to feel embarrassed. My face must be red for sure… I should leave the living room.

“Um, well, I’ll be heading off now.”

“I see. Goodnight.”

“Y-Yeah…”

Chifuyu left the living room while hiding her face.

◆◆

(POV Chiharu)

“Sigh, summer break went by in the blink of an eye, didn’t it?”

“Yeah, it sure did.”

Chinatsu and I were in the second-floor bedroom, having a conversation together. Chifuyu stayed in the living room, seemingly talking to Onii-san about something, and Chiaki said she was going to play the spy.

The room itself was bathed in dimness, with the curtains firmly drawn, allowing only faint traces of light to filter through. 

“…It feels like we have some sense of tranquility, doesn’t it?” Chinatsu remarked.

“That’s a good thing.”

“Yeah… I think so too.”

“…”

She said it with a sense of deep reflection. As she spoke, a faint sheen of sweat glistened on her forehead.

“It feels quite warm in this room, isn’t it?” Chinatsu remarked.

“Yeah, it is. Should we use the air conditioner?” 

“Not today. Let’s open the windows once in a while to save on electricity. We need to practice a little patience too,” 

“You’re right,” 

Gently, Chinatsu pulled back the curtains. It was her relaxed behavior in this peaceful environment that allowed her to perform such an action with utmost tranquility and without worry. 

“Today is a full moon… It’s so beautiful… Huh? The full moon?” Chinatsu exclaimed.

“Chinatsu, hurry and close it!”

“Oh no, I… I forgot!” 

We had let our guard down. Both I and Chinatsu…

…were bathed in the light of the full moon.