CH 18

18 - Mizuki family gathering

"Gosh, Kazuto-kun is an interesting boy, yea~!" (Kasumi)

"I-is that so?" (Kazuto)

"Yea yea. It's fun talking with you." (Kasumi)

While waiting for their mother to return, I'm forced to deal with Kasumi-san and Nonoa-chan.

As we relaxing in the living room, I become Kasumi-san's conversation partner and Nonoa-chan's playmate...

It's a lot of work to be taken care of.

Rinka is standing in the kitchen and preparing for dinner.

She wears an apron with her hair is tied in a ponytail.

I can see her back from here, and just only looking at her made my heart pound.

"Eee, what's wrong, are you fascinated by Rinka?" (Kasumi)

"W-well... I am." (Kazuto)

It's rude to deny it, so I admit it vaguely.

My gosh, she's really cute.

I'm probably the first 'ordinary' person to see a cool idol at home.

"Today we're going to have curry! Does Kazuto-bro like curry?" (Nonoa)

"I like it...... Oucchh-." (Kazuto)

Nonoa-chan pulls my bangs lightly.

What would you do if I became a young bald?

"Today's curry is sweet, you know." (Nonoa)

"I see. It's been years since I've had sweet curry. I wonder if she's making it sweet to suit Nonoa-chan." (Kazuto)

"Umm, She's not. I love spicy food." (Nonoa)

"What a great elementary schooler you're, your palate is crazy...... Ah, then it's sweet to suit Kasumi-san?" (Kazuto)

"Hahaha, Kazuto Boy. Do you think I'd satisfied with something sweetness?" (Kasumi)

"What's with the 'Boy' thing?...... No, in my image Kasumi-san's palate is dry." (Kazuto)

"Right? So, the reason why it's sweet..." (Kasumi)

"Rinka?" (Kazuto)

"Correct!" (Kasumi)

I-I'm surprised. I didn't know that Rinka is a sweet tooth.......

I'm under the impression that she'll be fine even if she eats very spicy food.

"Rinka-sis is not good with spicy food! Yesterday, She was crying just by licking the chili pepper on the udon!" (Nonoa)

"She is really not that good at it? Those things on udon are less pungent, aren't them?" (Kazuto)

I don't know why, but I'm a little happy to learn about an unexpected side of Rinka.

For some reason, I feel like I'm on the winner side.

"We wanna eat spicy food, but since Rinka is the only one who can cook, so we can't go against her." (Kasumi)

"Heeh~. Are you not good at cooking, Kasumi-san?" (Kazuto)

"No, no, no, it's impossible for me! Just the other day, I tried to make boiled eggs in the microwave and they exploded. Ahahahaha." (Kasumi)

"Yaay~! Explosion~ explosion~!" (Nonoa) (PTW/N: is she going to grow up to be an explosion maniac??!)

"That's not something to be laughed at. It's a serious problem, seriously." (Kazuto)

If it is a game, it'll be as bad as selling your main weapon by mistake after spending several weeks raising the enhancement value.

In this day and age, it's common knowledge that you can't cook an egg in the microwave.

"Kazuto Boy. This is a proverb you should remember." (Kasumi)

"......What's it?" (Kazuto)

Kasumi-san, who is sitting opposite me, grins and pulls her face close to mine.

"Life is――――an explosion." (Kasumi) (PTW/N: is she a pupil of some Crimson Archwizard or some Clay Artist??)

"Art is an explosion, isn't it should be? If life explodes, everything is over, you know?" (Kazuto)

If Saito is here, he'll probably say something like this,

'According to my calculations, there is a 1000% chance that the Mizuki family is crazy!'

As I was looking at the giggling Kasumi-san with half-lidded eyes, I heard the sound of the front door opening with a bang.

It seems their mother has arrived.

"It's mommy~." (Nonoa)

Nonoa-chan rushes to the door, with adorable steps.

What is she doing, it's overly cute.

I'm a high schooler, but I really want a daughter right now.

Then Nonoa-chan drags her in, and Rinka's mother finally appeared――――.

"Pheewhhhaaaa~. Ah, it's dangerous. The floor is shaking." (Mom)

......She's drunk as h*ll.

Rinka's mother, her face is dyed bright red, staggered dizzily.

Oh, by the way, Kasumi-san told me before.

That she's having a little drink with her friends before she went home.

Is it......just a little bit?

"Hey, Mom. I'm embarrassed. Please pull yourself together." (Rinka)

"Ahaha, sorry Rinka." (Mom)

Rinka, who rushes in from the kitchen, hands a glass of water to her mother then she chugs it down.

......What is this feeling?

I don't know how to describe it, but it's totally different from what I imagined.

She is the mother who raised Rinka, isn't she?

I've imagined her to be more strict.

No, considering Nonoa-chan's and Kasumi-san's personalities, it would be strange if she's rather strict.

Does that mean that Rinka, who grew up to a cool personal, a heretic?

But if it's Rin, it's not so strange.

"Yo-u a-re, Ayanokouji...... Kazuto-kun, riiiiigght?" (Mom)

"I-I am." (Kazuto)

My voice is inarticulately.

Rinka's mother comes up to me, smelling of alcohol.

She also grabs my face with both hands.

"My my. You've got a cute face. Are you a boy from Johnnys?" (Mizuki Mama) (PTW/N: Johnnys (ジャニーズ, Janīzu) was a Japanese boy band,  formed in April 1962.)

"N-no, I'm not." (Kazuto)

"Really? What a waste. Why don't you apply now?" (Mizuki Mama)

What is she talking about?

She's too drunk.

"Come on, Mom. Don't bother Kazuto-kun." (Rinka)

"Mmm Rinkaaa." (Mizuki Mama)

Mizuki Mama is dragged by Rinka to sit on the sofa.

She doesn't look like a woman with a daughter of a popular idol.

"Kufufu, It's a surprise, isn't it, Kazuto Boy?" (Kasumi)

"It is...... Also, what's with that 'Boy' thing again?" (Kazuto)

"Our mom is usually terribly serious, but when she gets a little alcohol, she turns into someone else." (Kasumi)

"I-I see......." (Kazuto)

I wonder how she's usually like.

Watching her being cared for by Rinka on the sofa, I can't help but think she doesn't seem like a very serious person in general.

I somehow continue to watch them from the sidelines.

Rinka exchanges some kind of conversation with her mother, and for some reason, she walks up to me.

"Umm, Kazuto-kun. My mother asked me to give this to you." (Rinka)

"What?" (Kazuto)

Rinka somewhat hesitantly holds out her smartphone to me.

I receive it naturally.

But I immediately regretted it.

The smartphone is on a video call, and the man on the screen is a sturdy-looking man with glasses.

It's not hard to guess who this man is.

"Good evening. You must be Ayanokouji Kazuto-kun. I'm Mizuki Mikio, Rinka's father." (Mizuki Papa)

"......Good evening." (Kazuto)

What a mad rush.

Little Sister → Big Sister → Mother → Father.

It's a full course of the Mizuki family.

I've them all in one day.

"I'm sorry to greet you like this. I couldn't come home from work." (Mizuki Papa)

"N-no, please don't worry about it." (Kazuto)

I'd like to not meet him, even by phone if possible.

"I heard that you and Rinka are dating......." (Mizuki Papa)

"U-umm, That is....... There's a little misunderstanding about that......." (Kazuto)

"A misunderstanding?" (Mizuki Papa)

Mikio Papa lifts his glasses quickly and makes a heavy voice sound.

The pressure is unbearable.

If it's going to turn out like this, I definitely will be forced to go home.

"Actually, I've known Rinka-san for years through the online game. In real life, we are just friends(?) who have recently started interacting." (Kazuto)

I confess everything honestly.

I've come this far because I've been swept along with everything else, but I think it's better to be clear with her father.

He's the one who scares me the most, and that's why I should be honest with him.

Even if he despises me, I should tell him.......

"Ayanokouji-kun." (Mizuki Papa)

"......Yes." (Kazuto)

"So, in other words, you're saying that my family is getting carried away on their own, is that what you're saying?" (Mizuki Papa)

"I-I'm sorry! It's...... just the impression I get!" (Kazuto)

It's not a wrong expression.

I mean, it's the fact.

"......" (Mizuki Papa)

"......" (Kazuto)

A heavy silence hung in the air.

Mikio Papa puts his hand on his chin and pretends to think.

"......Ayanokouji-kun." (Mizuki Papa)

"Y-yes." (Kazuto)

"I understand your situation. Perhaps my prediction is correct." (Mizuki Papa)

"......?" (Kazuto)

What does that mean?

I listen to Mikio Papa's words.

"Ayanokouji-kun. I've been down that road before." (Mizuki Papa)

"W-what?" (Kazuto)

"Do your best." (Mizuki Papa)

"W-what do you mean? Why you've got such a philosophical look in your eyes!" (Kazuto)

"I'll give you some advice from a veteran. Dare to pick a job that requires a lot of business trip!" (Mizuki Papa)

"What?" (Kazuto)

Mikio Papa says with a mysterious and heavy voice.

I don't know what the h*ll he's talking about.

"My wife is a lovestruck. But it's exhausting to be stuck around all the time, every day. I can't get rid of my tiredness even in the morning." (Mizuki Papa)

"So what are you talking about? I don't know what you're talking about!" (Kazuto)

"Love sometimes drives a person to the path of despair............. Engrave these words to your heart." (Mizuki Papa)

"Please wai-" (Kazuto)

Beep~, beep~. (PTW/N: I'm really really not good in onomatopoeia .)

The video call ended.

"......" (Kazuto)

Why do they always ignore my words and hang up halfway through the call?

"Mikio Papa......, what the h*ll happened to you?" (Kazuto)

This might have been the moment I caught a glimpse of the darkness in the Mizuki family.

Perhaps he had something with Rinka's mother.

That something is something that has been going on for a long time and is still going on.

Mikio Papa has warned me about something in a short video call.

"Are you done, Kazuto-kun?" (Rinka)

"Y-yeah." (Kazuto)

I return the smartphone to Rinka with my right hand, which for some reason hasn't stopped trembling.

Maybe I'm, already in a bottomless pit that I can't get out of.

Yes, it's as if I've wandered into a death game where the logout function has disappeared......

"What's wrong, Kazuto-kun?" (Rinka)

"It's nothing......." (Kazuto)

Rinka in her apron with her hair in a ponytail is very cute.

I didn't understand what Mikio Papa was talking about, but let's just enjoy the moment.

Escapism is my forte.