Preconceptions are really scary.
I had this image of Kagami as a somewhat shady person.
She helped me a lot, though. The fact that Koko and I are able to attend school properly now is thanks to Kagami and her social skills.
Not getting kicked out of this house… well, if I said it was thanks to Kagami, I wouldn’t have much to say.
But still, it felt a bit off.
Yuka’s joyful and happy expression when she helps me was a stark contrast to Kagami.
She only visited when it was nothing but formalities or if there was something to discuss.
Looking back now, maybe it was all just her being considerate, but I was so suspicious of the world around me and was always half-starving, which sharpened my nerves, making it hard for me to interpret it positively.
No, I thought it was a relief… but at the point where I thought it was a relief no one was visiting, the whole ‘good image’ thing was out the window.
But now, hmm.
I’m a bit confused.
“What’s all this?”
I asked as Kagami was rummaging through stuff on the table, and she shrugged her shoulders.
“It’s food.”
“I know that.”
Inside, there were ingredients stored as if they just came from a supermarket, along with snacks and candy. It looked like she just grabbed whatever she could think of that we might like.
“Uuuh?”
Koko glanced at us, seeing a bag of snacks that Kagami had laid out.
It seemed like my impression of Kagami had improved quite a bit since first meeting, but she still didn’t look completely relaxed.
I watched Kagami.
She hesitated for a moment, awkwardly handing me a bag of snacks.
Wait, why are you giving that to me?
Is it because she thought Koko might refuse if she handed it directly?
…Since it would be a bit weird for me to reject it here, I took the bag of potato chips and handed it back to Koko.
“Woah!”
Koko happily received the snacks.
If Koko were a typical kid, I would have told her to eat in moderation since it’s close to dinner, but I’ve never seen Koko leave food in front of her, no matter the kind.
Kagami looked a bit anxious, but when she saw my indifferent expression, she returned to her work.
“So….”
Still not adapting to this side of Kagami, I asked with a slightly puzzled expression.
“Were you trying to cook something?”
“…Would it have been better to send it with money instead?”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
I suddenly pondered which would have been better.
Honestly, yes, giving money would have felt way less awkward and less embarrassing.
But at the same time, I didn’t think this situation was that bad.
Awkwardness and badness aren’t always synonyms.
I decided I wouldn’t keep asking ‘why.’ Kagami also looked flustered, and I didn’t feel like probing for a detailed answer.
“But, so… what dish were you planning to make?”
“….”
When I looked down at the ingredients and asked, Kagami fell into silence.
After about ten seconds of waiting with no response, I asked cautiously, not wanting to make her mood any weirder.
“Did you come up with any idea for the dish?”
“….”
No answer came.
I scratched my head.
She seemed like she had the urge to do something, yet didn’t know how.
*
I was really relieved that there was something we could make with the ingredients Kagami brought without much thought.
It was hot pot.
I’m not sure if I should call this Japanese-style or just a mishmash, but anyway, after adding water and throwing in the meat, mushrooms, and vegetables Kagami bought, she boiled it up, added a touch of miso, and adjusted the seasoning, resulting in a decent hot pot.
Still, Kagami knew how to prepare ingredients, contrary to my worries.
Rather than not being able to cook, it seemed like she impulsively came here without thinking much about it.
So, I’m just guessing here, but maybe Kagami thought of it as something for “family to eat together” when she bought the ingredients?
With the smell of meat cooking, Koko was already getting excited, leaning against the table and sniffing the aroma.
“It seems the cooking is going well.”
When I said that, Kagami nodded.
She served rice from the electric rice cooker, placing a bowl in front of each of us, glancing around nervously.
…What now?
I typically don’t say things like “I’ll eat well.” Since coming here, I’ve tried mimicking it a few times, but it just hasn’t stuck.
Of course, when I ate rice at Yuka’s, I followed what they did as a family.
Kagami and I exchanged glances, hesitantly reaching for our chopsticks.
And without waiting for anyone to go first, we started eating.
“……It’s delicious.”
I muttered that without thinking.
Was it because of the market-side dishes, or maybe I was just really hungry, or was the cooking genuinely good?
Well, since Koko was eating the meat with a very satisfied expression, I guess that doesn’t matter.
“….”
Kagami silently ate her rice.
I stared at her for a while before speaking.
“Do you usually eat alone?”
At my words, Kagami’s chopsticks stopped. She could have answered while still eating.
“…Usually, yes.”
“How about cooking?”
“I’ve learned the basics, but it’s usually someone else who cooks.”
“Really?”
I mean, she handled the ingredients okay, but throughout the cooking process, she seemed a bit flustered.
“So, are the people from the cult…”
“Yeah, I’m in a pretty high position, you know? Don’t tell me you really thought the upstairs of the tavern was my real home?”
For a fleeting moment, Kagami’s attitude returned to the Kagami I knew, and I felt relieved. Phew, it seems she hasn’t actually changed.
“I know, of course not.”
But when I answered like that, Kagami went silent again. Maybe she was comparing her ‘home’ to this place?
Still, since we were eating together, the awkwardness had significantly diminished. At least Koko was still eating without paying attention to Kagami.
“…So, the stuff in here is…?”
This time, Kagami cautiously asked.
She seemed to be trying to continue the conversation.
This was a far cry from the cool demeanor she showed initially; now, she was being rather cautious.
“Most of it was given by Yuka.”
I nodded.
“But a few things weren’t. The rice cooker and the fan were taken from the storeroom at my part-time job.”
At my answer, Kagami seemed to ponder for a moment.
“…There must have been nothing when you first awoke…”
“Just got by. You saw it, didn’t you?”
At my words, Kagami fell silent.
Oh, did that sound like I was blaming her? I just wanted to say it as a matter of fact.
“……The homeroom teacher brought me a blanket, so I lived with that for a while.”
“Is that so….”
Once again, Kagami sealed her lips.
We continued our meal in silence for a while.
Ugh, the atmosphere thickened again. It’s not that it was burdensome to the point of not feeling the taste of the food.
“The winter goods, I’ll prepare them for you.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Maybe a kotatsu or something.”
Right, I heard that earlier.
And I thought it would be nice to have one around.
I haven’t seen much of that as I grew older, and I haven’t come across one since coming here due to various reasons, but I still consider myself a fan of manga and anime. To prove that, I’ve been using the game console Yuka gave me a lot.
So, it seems I have a bit of that ‘dream’ about it.
While I’m not completely obsessed with Japanese culture, scenes like sitting in a kotatsu eating mandarins come up often in slice-of-life genres, right?
Anyone would probably want to try that at least once, especially an otaku. Maybe it could rival the appeal of hot springs.
…Wait. The first place is usually decided, right? Speaking of which, isn’t it next month? If there’s still time before I die, it might not be such a bad idea to try out.
Anyway, it’s just a dream, but it seems I need one soon. There’s a reason why such heating appliances are considered essential in Japan. It’s like how electric Ondol or heating carpets are taken for granted in Korean homes.
It’d be a shame not to act before the prophecy comes true, right?
“……Sure.”
I nodded, just like when I walked in earlier.
I had no intention of refusing after sharing a meal together.
More importantly, it felt a little strange to insist on this after she fluffed around just being a guest upstairs.
At the very least, let’s comfort ourselves by thinking I nodded more naturally compared to when I first walked in.
Kagami awkwardly smiled at me.
It was still incredibly awkward. It felt chill-inducing.
But it was somehow a bit more natural than before.
“…….”
Feeling an indescribable emotion, I moved my chopsticks.
I still can’t fully trust her. Honestly, I don’t even know why Kagami is acting like this. Has she changed up her strategy for approaching me?
If so, this would be a brilliant strategy.
“Eat a lot, Koko.”
“Uu? Woah!”
Feeling a bit awkward and itchy, I spoke to Koko, who cheered with a smile.
…Yes, that’s right.
I can’t treat someone who’s been nice to Koko in a rude way.
I scraped the hot pot clean until the bottom was visible. Kagami blankly stared at the empty pot for a while.
I really have no idea what she’s thinking.
*
“So… um.”
After finishing our meal and doing the dishes.
Kagami and I stood at the entrance, pondering what to say.
What I can sense is only inside my head, but I’m confident that Kagami is probably the same. She looked much more complicated than when we first met outside our house.
Damn, it feels even more awkward than the first time I entered.
I hesitated, then asked, “Want to stay over?”
At least out of courtesy, I asked that.
“Ah, about that.”
It seemed Kagami found her footing in that statement, as she opened her mouth.
“I’m sorry, but I have things to do.”
I wanted to believe it, but honestly, it seemed like a line to escape this awkward situation.
Well, still, I was grateful. If she had said she’d stay, it would have felt a hundred times more awkward.
“Well then… um, see you.”
I had no idea how to say goodbye, so I said that while giving a slight wave.
She looked older than me on the surface, but since we’ve been using casual speech all along, switching to honorifics now feels a bit tricky.
Honestly, wouldn’t this be better from Kagami’s perspective too?
“……Then I’ll be going. The kotatsu should come soon.”
I nodded.
Looking sideways, I noticed Koko was tilting her head, watching Kagami.
She had that same “I have no idea how to say goodbye” expression.
Watching us, Kagami forced a smile.
Then she turned around and walked away.
She didn’t look back as she moved away.
Even though she didn’t glance back, it felt courteous to watch until she turned the corner, so Koko and I kept our eyes on her back.
It was only after her figure vanished completely that Koko and I went back inside.
“Mya.”
“…No, it couldn’t be helped.”
For some reason, it sounded like Kuro was teasing me, so I said that while ruffling her head.
I didn’t really know what she was teasing about.
“Uuh?”
Koko tilted her head at me and, with that, I ruffled her head as well.
“Woah!”
Koko laughed joyfully.
I was just glad that Koko remained the same.
*
“I’m really sorry, Kotoné-senpai!”
“……Huh?”
It was Monday.
After school, I unexpectedly ran into Shii, and she suddenly shouted that with an apology.
Just as the word “why?” was about to slip out of my mouth, I remembered that Shii couldn’t attend our club exhibition.
And immediately after, I could guess what the reason might be.
“Because of Nakahara and Hagiwara-senpai?”
At my words, Shii widened her eyes in surprise and straightened up.
“How did you know…?”
“Because there’s no other reason.”
Exactly.
It was a school festival, after all.
While it may not be as grand as an amusement park, there’s a haunted house, areas to munch on food and chat, and surprisingly, there are even some places that are a bit eerie.
If they felt up for it, couples could enjoy a pretty fun date course there.
Our two heroines, aiming for the protagonist, wouldn’t miss that opportunity. Hagiwara was obviously a full-on carnivore, and Nakahara has a surprisingly bold side, too.
And Shii must’ve wanted to find a way to separate them at all costs. She probably felt the need to set up some kind of contingency.
I tried to think back on how the original story may have flowed so long ago.
Like a typical slice-of-life side story found in light novels, those service scenes were, of course, now included. Hagiwara and Nakahara would be glued to the protagonist’s arm.
Though it’s nice to say they were ‘attached,’ I’m sure they’d probably have snuck their arms between his while being all close.
The levels of friction among the works have reached a point where even youth manga can have half-romantic scenes, but back 20 years ago, scenes like that were the norm.
Plus, do you know this? Back in that time, harem stories often had no consequences and just ended with holes left wide open. A harem ending was practically a route available only in adult games.
Adult games even claimed to have ‘good endings’ and ‘true endings’ with happy endings being ‘not canon’ or something—
…..
Well, whatever, that doesn’t matter right now.
If I had just a bit more mental leeway, my room with Koko would’ve been filled with merchandise from the comics and anime popular in this era by now, but it’s not a priority right now.
“……If that’s the case, it’s fine.”
“Pardon?”
Seeing Shii’s expression turn hurt at my words, I quickly added.
“If it’s a collection of works, we still have them, and all the exhibits are still intact.”
That’s right. The exhibits were awkwardly large, so it’s not like I have room to bring them to my house right now.
So we kind of just stood them up beside the bookshelf. I figured maybe they’d serve as reference material if underclassmen came next year.
“So, I can show you whenever.”
“Woah!”
Koko chimed in, raising her arms excitedly.
“Is that so?”
Shii blinked in surprise at my words.
I nodded.
“It’s written down, so it won’t disappear. After all, not that many people visit the literature club, so it should be a similar atmosphere whenever you come by.”
“If I go… would I be a burden?”
“The seniors would appreciate it.”
The last time we had a retreat, Shii was the second most popular girl after Koko. She doesn’t give off that little-kid feeling like Koko but, honestly, she has a relatively small and cute appearance, and with how hard she works at everything, her image is already good.
…..
But wait, relatively small?
Now that I think about it, Shii does seem bigger than Koko.
“Senpai?”
“……No, never mind. Shall we start doing some work now?”
“Yes!”
At my words, Shii’s face brightened again.
Oh dear.
6
