CH 49

“Onee-san, stop chewing the futon, it’s not food!”

Currently, I was sitting on the bed in my room, while chewing on the futon, nervously. My younger sister, Shiina, who witnessed this scene, reprimanded me like a parent disciplining a child.

I do understand that the futon is not food. However, right now, this is the only way I can keep my spirit intact.

“… Don’t mock me. I can’t believe she confessed to Mii-kun and took him away from me!”

“Kuku… Hahaha…Hahaha!”

“Hey, why are you laughing like that? Shiina, do you not have any empathy? Don’t laugh, this is the scene of an older sister’s heartbreak… ugh.”

“But I can’t help but laugh when I think about it.”

My little sister glared at me with half-open eyes. Well, she is only five years old after all. Perhaps it was wrong to ask her to worry about me.

Shii-chan placed her hand on her waist and exhaled a small sigh, looking at me with suspicious eyes.

“If you’re going to sink that low, then why did you leave Yumi-nee and Minato-nii alone together? Weren’t you the one who led to that situation taking place.”

“Hmph … I don’t really understand either. It’s just that…”

“Just?”

“I feel like I have no pulse.”

“That’s not an answer to the question.”

Shiina pointed out unnecessary things, but I continued without paying it much mind.

“Do you remember? When Mii-kun was suspected of having a relationship with Yumi-nee by Mizuna-chan, he said, ‘Me and Sakura-sensei are relatives.’ That means, in Miku-kun’s mind, ‘relatives cannot be lovers,’ right? So, in other words, I… “

Just as I opened my mouth half-way, my voice suddenly wouldn’t come out well. I knew it in my head, but hesitation arose when it came to speaking the words.

If Mii-kun had thought that it was possible to be in love with a relative in his mind, he wouldn’t have made such an excuse in that situation. He made that excuse because he thought that relatives could not be love interests in his mind.

In other words, I, his cousin and younger sister, could not be a love interest.

Shiina, seeing me laughing awkwardly, didn’t particularly return any words.

She silently climbed onto the bed and came closer to me.

“… Hey, what’s with you all of a sudden?”

“Shiina will comfort you.”

“S-stop it … Ah, that kind of thing… “

“Onee-san is a good person.”

“… Yeah, really… You’re unfair.”

This is strange.

My vision is starting to become blurry.

“Onee-san doesn’t deserve Minato-nii.”

“S-stop it … You’re usually arrogant, so suddenly being like this … Just be like how you usually are.”

“Shiina is always the same.”

“… What part is the same? Ugh, seriously, it’s annoying.”

I hugged Shiina back and we spent some time in silence.

————————————————————

The next morning arrived.

Yumi-nee must have returned home yesterday because there were no shoes at the entrance.

I had instructed her to keep sitting in the same position while being tied up, but I suppose it would have been a crazy sight if she were still sitting in the same position till the next morning.

When I entered the living room, I immediately saw the figure of my cousin in the kitchen, which was visible from the entrance.

Mom has been staying over at the company for the past two days, so it looks like Mii-kun is preparing breakfast.

Well, in our house, Mii-kun usually does the household chores, so it was pretty much normal as usual.

Still, Mii-kun is really sly.

He’s a jack of all trades when it comes to household chores, and that’s worth a lot of points. He has a well-proportioned appearance that’s not too handsome and a slender body. And on top of that, he has good athletic ability.

He’s unexpectedly flexible and resourceful, and he’s also intelligent. The only real flaw is that he’s indecisive.

In my case, the ‘like’ filter is turned on, so I don’t have the ability to highlight Mii-kun’s flaws. I’m really no good.

Even though I should have given up already, I still have lingering feelings.

“Good morning, Kaede.”

Mii-kun, who had noticed me, called out to me while flipping the fried eggs.

“G-good morning … I thought I told you to continue reflecting like that.”

I opened my eyes thinly and glared at him.

Then, Mii-kun visibly agitated and began to sweat slightly.

“Well, it’s tough to keep sitting in the same position as you said. My legs start to get numb right away… “

“Hmph. Mii-kun has no backbone.”

“Ugh…”

Mii-kun has a face as if he crushed a bitter bug. And this time, while looking at my face, he hesitantly brought it up.

“Ah, right. That thing about me and Sakuramiya-sensei… could you possibly keep it a secret?”

“Eh, why should I? If I tell the education committee about this, it’ll probably become quite a big deal.”

“I-I’d like to ask you to refrain from doing that…”

“…I understand. Mii-kun, who never had any luck with girls, finally got a girlfriend. I’m not that bad to leak others’ secrets like that, you know?”

“Thank you, Kaede. You’re a lifesaver.”

“Mmph, just give me head pats when we are alone, I really love them… W-wait! Forget what I said!”

“Wow, you are surprisingly being honest with your feelings now, huh.”

“…!”

I naturally blush and try to turn my face away so Mii-kun doesn’t see me in that embarrassing state.

Seriously, is he a natural at these types of things?

“Ah, right. If you have time, can you taste the miso soup for me? I think it might be a little thin.”

“…”

“Kaede?”

“Ah, yeah. Fine, I’ll look at it. I’ll have to do it just because I don’t have a choice!”

“What was that for?”

I went to the kitchen as Mii-kun told me to, standing next to him with a wry smile and scooping up a little of the miso soup with a ladle.

Standing next to Mii-kun as he diligently makes eggs, I tasted the miso soup.

Mii-kun glances at me and asks for my opinion.

“How is it? Should I add a little more miso?”

“…It’s salty.”

“What? You’re joking. It’s really salty?”

Mii-kun slightly opened his eyes and took the ladle from me.

He scooped up a little of the miso soup and put it in his mouth, swishing it around.

Even though it’s just an indirect kiss, Mii-kun doesn’t seem to care.

I’m the one who’s always flustered…

Mii-kun rolls the miso soup around on his tongue and makes a difficult face, tilting his head to the side.

“Well, maybe it’s a little thin. At the very least, I don’t think it’s salty.”

“No, it’s salty. Mii-kun, is your sense of taste off? But well, I think this amount is just right for today.”

“If you say so. Ah, it’s about ready, so can you set the table?”

“Okay.”

I gave a halfhearted reply and took the plates out of the cupboard. It’s the same ordinary morning scene as always.

I wish everyday could be like this… I quietly thought to myself.