CH 66

On a certain weekday afternoon in October, as the winter chill gradually grew stronger, a thought crossed my mind: our peaceful days were slipping away.

“Unbelievable! Absolutely unbelievable!”

“It’s fine! I mean, you’re the eldest, right?”

“That’s not the point!”

“Well, well, calm down, Natsu-nee and Aki-nee…”

Chinatsu and Chiaki were caught up in a quarrel, exchanging harsh words. It was Chifuyu who was trying to calm them down.

How did it come to this? I couldn’t help but recall the events that had unfolded earlier. It all began when the weather started getting colder, and we finished our homework while sitting under the kotatsu in the living room. Chinatsu, who opened the refrigerator, let out a scream.

It was because the “region limited manju (flour-based pastry)” that she had secretly bought during our recent school trip had disappeared. Chinatsu deduced that it couldn’t have been Onii-san, as he wouldn’t do something like that, and Chifuyu hardly ever ate them. So, she concluded that it must have been Chiaki who ate them without permission.

Convinced of her theory, she confronted Chiaki, and as expected, it turned into a heated argument.

“I’m angry because you ate it without permission. If you had asked, I would have given it to you.”

“Liar! There’s no way Chinatsu would give it to me!”

“I’m not like you, always indulging in food!”

“Liar! You ate my cream puff without permission the other day!”

“Well… I didn’t know it was yours… I just ate it… And I even apologized!”

“I haven’t forgiven you! So, I’ll take these manju as compensation!”

“That’s not fair! These are region limited! They’re completely different from cream puffs!”

“Um, both of you… You already ate them… There’s no point in arguing anymore…”

They continued to be at odds, unable to find common ground. They exposed each other’s grievances, like how Chinatsu ate Chiaki’s cream puff or how she would hide her own snacks in different places, which didn’t sit well with Chiaki.

Well, it wasn’t really a serious fight. As they say, being able to argue means having a good relationship and trust, where people can speak their minds.

“That’s it! I’m going back home! Is that okay with you? Getting left out by such a wonderful Onee-chan!?” Chinatsu said.

“Hmph! And are you okay with it? Being separated from your cute little sister?” Chiaki retorted.

“I’m okay with it!” Chinatsu replied.

“Huh? W-what do you mean by ‘home’?” Chifuyu interjected.

“Well then! See you later! Don’t come crying to me later if you feel lonely!” Chiaki said.

“Hmph!”

Saying that, Chinatsu made her way upstairs to her room, making loud footsteps to emphasize her anger.

“Oh, so by ‘home’ she meant her room upstairs…”

Chifuyu let out a relieved sigh, as if she was glad that Chinatsu didn’t actually leave our house. She seemed to be thinking that it was fortunate, even by the slightest chance, that Chinatsu didn’t start saying she was leaving. Chifuyu was such a kind and adorable sister, really.

“Haru-nee, Chifuyu is going to convince Natsu-nee… So, Haru-nee, you should talk to Aki-nee…”

“Got it… Chifuyu is always… always such a good child… and cute.”

“Uh, thanks… I also think that Haru-nee was cute…. I thought that for so long.”

“Well, I wouldn’t go that far.”

“Well, we do look quite similar as sisters.”

“Oh yeah, definitely… but Chifuyu is cuter than me.”

“…R-really…?”

“Yeah…”

“The grass is always greener on the other side, huh….”

After saying that, Chifuyu headed upstairs. It was cold outside the kotatsu, so she wanted Chinatsu to come back soon. While Chifuyu would try to persuade her, if Chinatsu stubbornly refused, both of them would end up feeling cold. In that case, I should go upstairs to convince her too. If that’s what it takes.

Now, I have to convince Chiaki. She was lying down like she was sleeping while pouting and sulking. So cute.

“Chiaki…”

“What?”

“Can you make up with Chinatsu?”

“It’s impossible.”

“Don’t say that. How about we apologize to each other and make up?”

“No, I didn’t do anything wrong…”

“But you ate Chinatsu’s manju, right?”

“Well… I thought Kaito had prepared them for me…”

“I see. But those were actually Chinatsu’s, so you should apologize. Deep down, Chiaki, you know you’re in the wrong, don’t you?”

“…Yeah.”

“Great, then let’s make up.”

“Okay… But if Natsu apologizes first for eating my food without permission before… then I’ll forgive her…”

“E-Eeeh?”

Sisters have a way of thinking alike sometimes, and I’m sure Chinatsu also thinks she’s at fault, but she must be considering that Chiaki should apologize first.

They say grudges over food can be scary… and it’s exactly like that, I think.

Well, I don’t think they hold grudges or anything. These kinds of fights happen occasionally in our household, so we’re used to them. We always end up reconciling without realizing it. It’s because we can argue over trivial things like this that we trust each other.

I think that’s a good thing, but I do hope they make up soon… For now, let’s go and persuade Chinatsu, too.

◆◆

(POV Kaito)

I finished work on time again. I left the workplace, and as I was rotating my stiff shoulders, tired from work, in a parking lot where I had parked my car, I received a phone call. It was a landline call from the house.

During this time, it was not uncommon for Chiaki to call me, usually begging for some ice cream or snacks as souvenirs. Therefore, I assumed it was Chiaki as I brought my smartphone to my ear.

“Hello?”

“Hello? Kaito-san, good work today.”

To my surprise, it was Chifuyu on the other end. Her gentle and caring voice instantly alleviated the fatigue that had accumulated throughout the day.

“Um, Aki-nee and Natsu-nee got into a fight.”

“Over food?”

“Yes… Aki-nee mistakenly ate Natsu-nee’s manju, and Aki-nee also said that Natsu-nee had eaten Aki-nee’s cream puff before.”

“I see… Well, they’ll likely make up soon, but you’re worried, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Alright. I’ll buy something sweet on my way home. That should bring a sense of warmth and comfort to both of them.”

“Thank you so much…”

“Alright, I’ll hang up for now. I’ll call you back soon…”

“Oh! Wait, just a little bit, please!”

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

“Oh, well… I wanted to tell you about Chifuyu’s day today…”

“Oh, I see… Um, I’ll listen at home, okay?”

“But, at home… Chiaki monopolizes you, and I can’t talk much…”

“Oh, I see… I’m sorry…”

“Oh, no! I’m not blaming you, Kaito-san!”

“Is that so? Well, that’s good.”

Indeed, as Chifuyu pointed out, it felt like Chiaki had become particularly affectionate toward me lately. She had always been affectionate, but it seemed like she had become even more spoiled. I didn’t pay it much mind since she had always been like that, but now that I look back, it does feel a bit different from before.

Was it since that school trip? Did she become more spoiled than before…?

“…”

Anyway, I’m currently talking to Chifuyu, so let’s put that aside for now. Somehow, even over the phone, I could sense her becoming dissatisfied over something as she pouted.

“So, how was school?”

“Well, we did this popular thing among girls recently, the blood type diagnosis.”

“What can you find out from that diagnosis?”

“It’s about compatibility and…”

“Ah, I see. Those things do tend to pique interest. Maybe I should try it sometime.”

“We already did… Chifuyu and Kaito-san… um, their compatibility was perfect…”

“I see… Well, that honestly makes me happy…”

“C-Chifuyu is happy too!”

I couldn’t help but sense various things in that answer, which made it difficult to know what response to give. I could hear Chifuyu’s adorable, energetic voice, and her shy smile came to mind.

The conversation couldn’t continue indefinitely; I couldn’t keep talking. I had to go home, and the three of them were waiting for me. It seemed like Chifuyu understood that we couldn’t talk for long, so she briefly told me about what had happened.

It was a short period of time, maybe even shorter than five minutes, but there was no doubt that it was a fulfilling time for both of us.

◆◆

(POV Kaito)

Chinatsu and Chiaki had been sulking for a long time. They both sat in the same kotatsu but avoided making eye contact and looked away from each other.

Chifuyu smiled wryly as she tried to bridge the conversation between the two. Having the three of them like this is cute, but I still prefer the lively and noisy atmosphere.

Although neither Chinatsu nor Chiaki harbored any anger anymore, they found themselves caught in a dilemma, unsure of when or how to give in. This struggle seemed to persist with them.

“Hey,”

“What?” 

“It’s about time you apologize.”

“Chinatsu should go first.”

“…”

“…”

They glared at each other, but it wasn’t as intimidating anymore. They weren’t angry with each other.

“If we continue like this, it’ll be a war. Is that… alright? Are you willing to wage war against me?” Chinatsu asked.

“I am ready for a war,” Chiaki replied.

“A war with the eldest sister?”

“Sure, why not?”

The two of them remained silent, while mumbling something. Despite my attempts to reconcile them, nothing seemed to have an effect. It was frustrating that they couldn’t make up, even when neither of them was angry…

Just then, we heard the sound of the front door opening. It was Onii-san returning home. Maybe I could ask him for help with this situation… As I pondered over this, Onii-san stylishly walked into the living room.

“I’ve come to put an end to this war…” 

He said it abruptly, his voice filled with a deep intensity.

“Ahaha! Kaito is so funny!” 

“””…”””

Only Chiaki managed to smile and laugh. Me, Chifuyu and Chinatsu didn’t find anything funny at the moment.

“Oh no, I slipped again… Anyway, I bought some souvenirs,” Onii-san said.

“”Eeeh?!”” 

Onii-san was holding a box, seemingly containing a cake. Chinatsu and Chiaki’s eyes gleamed with excitement. A cake was a special treat, something they rarely got to enjoy. The unexpectedness of it made the joy multiply.

“Kaito! Can we open it?”

“Sure, but remember, you have to decide together on what to eat. If you fight, I get to eat the whole cake instantly,” 

“Got it!”

“Come on, let’s open it already!”

The two of them grinned as they opened the cake box. I knew that with the right trigger, they could reconcile quickly, but when that actually happened so easily, I found myself a little disappointed.

“Thank you, Kaito-san,” Chifuyu said.

“Don’t mention it,” 

Chifuyu and Onii-san exchanged furtive glances, making a thumbs-up gesture and giving each other a sly smile. It seemed like they were flirting with each other in some way, which made things more complicated. But seeing Chifuyu so happy made it even more perplexing.

They were like this, flirting with each other. Well, it wasn’t exactly flirting, but for Chifuyu, having alone time with Onii-san was something special.

“Hey, hey, Kaito!” Chiaki said.

“What’s up?”

“Let’s cook together today! I’ll help!”

“Thanks… 

“Am I good?”

“I guess so. It’s a relief and makes me happy… I’m not sure if ‘good’ is the right word, but I think you’re good.”

“Hehe, then pat my head.”

“Uh, sure… okay.”

When Chifuyu and Onii-san were talking, Chiaki, who had finished choosing her slice of cake, squeezed herself between them. Somehow, no, I had a strong conviction about it. Chiaki was making more effort to interact with Onii-san compared to before.

I wonder if something changed during our school trip… I couldn’t quite grasp it…

――At that moment, it didn’t bother me that I didn’t understand. After all, everyone was changing, and our once united group of four was gradually shifting. It was okay not to understand because our situation wasn’t the same as before, where we had to go along with everything.

Things were changing, so it was natural not to understand.

However, I didn’t know. I didn’t know Chiaki’s true feelings. What she had thought in the past. What lay behind her innocent smile.

Soon enough, I would come to know the truth.