CH 50

Beetles swarm the street lamps and the chorus of blue jays and frogs can be heard on Tsukinose’s night time, and the lights go out early, even from the private residences.

However, a room in the Murao family’s house, which was located in a shrine halfway up the mountain, is still lit even though it is late tonight, partly because the owner of the room is preparing for an entrance examination this year.

Saki Murao, the one who occupies the room, was groaning as she faced a difficult question, her pale face became even paler than usual.

“Uuugghhh!”

However, what was in front of her was a smartphone, not a textbook, and her legs were fluttering around as if in agony on the bed, not on the desk.

When she turned over and lay on her back, the yukata she was wearing instead of a nightgown was flung open, and her light-pigmented flaxen hair, tied in two buns, was fluttering about.

“Mou~ Why did my message turn out to be a lame sentence…”

With that thought in mind, Saki remembered what Himeko just said.

『For some reason, Onii wants to know the contact information of Saki-chan. So I gave him your address. If you don’t like it, you can just block him.』

And it was about three hours before Murao’s message was sent.

To tell the truth, this was a heaven’s blessing for Saki.

She knew from her previous correspondence with Himeko, that her brother Hayato had just bought a brand new smartphone, but it had been brushed off by a small talk, and she was unable to ask her about his phone address.

Saki sent a message in a hurry, but it took an hour to receive a reply, which left her wondering if she had been too clerical, and she was also annoyed that the reply came in such a rushed manner, but the conversation was cut short by a curt response, even though it was a consultation to someone with whom she had a common topic of conversation, Himeko.

Thinking back, it had been like that for a long time. When she’s being confronted by Hayato, Saki doesn’t know what to say, and she would take a curt attitude. She repeats the same thing even when she is not face to face with him through her phone, and she is getting tired of herself.

(Why am I…)

The sigh that she let out without effort dissolved into the room.

～～～～♪

“…!”

Then the phone rang again.

She was startled a bit, but it was from her best friend, Himeko.

『You contacted Onii? How did it go? He said you were helpful, what did you talk about?』

『Hmmm, it’s about the diet menu. It’s like we just talked about how to search and stuff…』

『Oh, about that huh. Look at this, Saki-chan! I told Onii-chan to make a diet menu, and this is what he made!』

『…Ahahahaha!』

Himeko sent a picture of chilled tofu, edamame, morokyu, and torikawa ponzu (chicken skin ponzu sauce), a dish that could be described as a snack for a summer drinking party. This was a lineup often seen at banquets held by the shrine parishioners during this season.

[TL/N: Morokyu is a cucumber that is eaten with Moromi Miso. From the words “Moro = Moromi Miso” and “Kyu = Kyuri = Cucumber”. It’s a side dish]

No wonder Himeko would complain about this and no wonder Hayato, while having trouble making a diet meal, would consult with someone else. Saki was happy to think that it was her that Hayato had consulted with, and at the same time, she felt a twinge of regret that she had not answered the question more properly.

Saki also noticed a certain discomfort.

『It’s kinda too much, isn’t it?』

『I know right? It’s for three people including Haru-chan, so it is exact.』

“Eh?”

Saki suddenly made a strange voice.

『As expected, Haru-chan complained about it. Usually she eats everything with relish.』

“U-Usually…?”

That was the first time she knew this information.

『Y-You’re saying as if, it’s almost like Haruki-san comes to Hime-chan’s every day to eat~?』

『That’s right. Ah, did I forget to tell you? Since she’s living alone, it’s just we ended up letting her eat with us.』

『H-Hee~…』

Saki’s heart was surging as never before.

Although she managed to keep her composure and responded, she wasn’t calm at all.

(I’ve never heard that you eat dinner together with them every day and live alone!)

Saki becomes clearly aware of the physical distance between Haruki and herself, and feels something akin to impatience spreading through her chest.

Fortunately, she hasn’t heard any perverted things they have done from Himeko.

However, Saki also knows from the images shown to her that Haruki is a beautiful girl that even the eyes of the girls can’t help but admire.

This is enough to make her think that it would not be a surprise if Hayato were to fall in love with her at some random moment.

(Idiot! I’m an idiot!)

So, this is not the time to be as curt as she was earlier.

Now that Saki has the means to approach him, it is not the time to be shy.

“A-alright!”

She sat upright on the bed, took out the notebook and brought up her smartphone, and turned around.

What I should look for is a diet menu that doesn’t take much time and effort and looks good.

Luckily, I have some idea of Himeko’s tastes, so I am sure it will work for Hayato.

(I-I’m not going to lose to Haruki-san in terms of girl power~!)

…………

……

In the end, Saki spent several hours examining and compiling 10 different recipes and images, which she sent to Hayato. It was quite a tour de force, she would say.

For a while, she sits upright and looks at her phone, but remains silent. And so it goes. The date had already changed, and it was time for weekday students to be sleeping.

But Saki tilted her head as she reviewed the picture that she sent.

(It kinda looks plain… doesn’t it?)

It’s a concise and well organized piece of work, but on the flip side, it contains only the bare minimum of recipes.

It’s hard to imagine that the conversation will get much more interesting, and at best, Saki thinks she will probably get a “thank-you” reply.

Worst case scenario, the conversation would be cut short and she might lose the chance to talk to him after that – and that’s not good enough.

(This is just like before, Haruki will take him away from me…)

Saki knows that currently, Hayato only sees her as a friend of his sister.

(O-Okay, I have to make my own moves and approach him carefully.)

“A-alri-ight!!!”

The yukata falls off as she undoes the hyōji belt tied in front of her. Instead, she takes out a white robe and a scarlet hakama, which she is used to wearing, puts on chihaya, and adds hair ornaments such as sasato-kazashi and mae-ten-kan, as well as makeup.

When she looked in the mirror, she saw a girl with an ethereal beauty that could be described as a fairy or a spirit. Saki, too, was satisfied with the result of the unusual costume.

(Onii-san said he liked festival dances and once complimented me on my costume.)

However, it’s common sense that it is not a good idea to put on make-up in the middle of the night.

This can be attributed to the natural absent-mindedness that comes with being sleep deprived, partly because she was tired from researching some diet meals.

Saki, who had become highly excited, became absorbed in taking selfies with her outfit, making poses and smiles and snapping away as the night went on.

◇◇◇

Tomorrow morning. In the fatigue characteristic of waking up from sleep.

Saki was writhing in bed, remembering the selfies she took last night and even sending one to Hayato.

(Wha-, w-w-w-w-why did I do such a thing?!)

It is completely the what-so-called midnight love letter syndrome.

It was the work of a civilization with advanced communication devices that sent them before she could regain her composure.

～～～～♪

Then the phone rings. The sender is from the person to whom she sent the selfie with.

Saki opens the screen with the tension of wanting to see it and not wanting to see it… and then wanting to kill it and close it.

『Thank you. I’m sure Himeko will be pleased. And you look good in that Miko outfit. It’s cute.』

It’s a very simple sentence. Maybe it’s social etiquette.

“It looks good… cute… Muehehehehehe~ Onii-san~.”

But for Saki, it was also words that blew away all her worries and struggles up to now.

“Saki, it’s already morning, wake up!”

“Heh heh heh heh heh~!”

“S-Saki…?”

Saki is a girl who’s rather simple and easygoing.