Chapter 365
365 – Friend’s Younger Sister
In Japanese universities, just like in high school, there is a short winter break of about two weeks, followed by three semesters, and then a long spring break.
So, usually in early February, most students leave their rooms and return to their home, but this time, I was included in the process.
Of course, the place where I lived is a little different in that it is not a single room, but a newlywed home that the chairman has prepared in Kyoto.
“I’ve been there.”
When I returned to Tokyo after a long time and entered the store, my mother, who was serving in an apron, looked at me with a surprised expression.
“Son? What’s wrong with you?”
“I didn’t come last vacation, so I came to see my parents.”
“What about rice?”
“I haven’t eaten yet.”
“Then come and sit here.” I’ll prepare the food in a moment.”
After saying that, Mrs. Lee Mi-ja sat me down and hurried into her kitchen.
Immediately after, her mother must have heard that I had come, and when her father came out of the kitchen and made eye contact with me, he said one word.
“Are you here?”
“Yes.”
“What about the babies?”
“Everyone seemed busy with work, so I came alone.”
“Okay…”
The father had a strangely glum expression.
Well, since I ended up having eight cute daughters-in-law, I guess it was a shame that I didn’t come with them.
I understood my father’s feelings his, but I didn’t say anything because I could sense my mother in the kitchen.
At that time, her mother’s voice was heard from the kitchen.
“Honey! If you have nothing else to do, come in and fry some meat!”
Then my father, who was just about to take off his hood, sighed softly and went back into the kitchen.
Seeing my father still being held captive by my mother, I felt like I had finally returned home.
***
“So how long do you plan on staying in Tokyo?”
While eating a late lunch, my mother suddenly asked a question, and I said, “Hmm…” And lost my voice.
That’s because he didn’t specifically decide how long he would stay.
“But wouldn’t it be okay to stay for about a month?”
“Really?”
The mother’s expression suddenly brightens.
When I told him I would be staying longer than expected, he seemed to feel better.
“Go get some rest while you’re here.” I always keep your room clean, so all you have to do is lay down the blanket.”
“Thank you, Mom.”
When I said that and slightly lowered her head, Ms. Lee Mi-ja said, “That’s right, too.” She was visibly embarrassed.
“Then I’ll take care of you for a while.”
After saying that, I put a lot of the stir-fried pork that my father made on top of the white rice.
***
In most cases, the vacation is enjoyable for about 1 to 2 weeks.
Normally, when I get bored at home, I would meet a friend or go on a trip to brighten the mood, but unfortunately, right now, I don’t have any friends to hang out with.
“Kazu is busy with work, Ryuji is traveling abroad, and Satoru is going on a hot spring trip with his girlfriend from college…”
I was lying on the floor and looking at my smartphone. I let out a deep sigh and put the phone down.
‘I’m bored.’
My friendships weren’t that wide in high school, but when I got to college, they became non-existent.
That’s because in high school, you had no choice but to stay in one class for a long time whether you liked it or not, so there were many opportunities to naturally become friends, but in college, even if you went to the same department, you dispersed after class, so there wasn’t really a chance to become friends with other people.
… To begin with, since I was in the Department of General Humanities and only took liberal arts classes, it wasn’t easy for me to make friends.
Anyway, nothing could be solved by just breathing, so I jumped up from my seat and went down to the first floor to at least help with the store.
It would be better to do something rather than just lie down and eat.
***
And then we reach the present.
“Huh? Yuika? What’s wrong with you?”
While I was helping out at the store, when I encountered an unexpected customer, I let out a welcome voice without realizing it.
Yuika Sakamoto.
She is the main character of ‘Scramble Love’and the younger sister of Ryuji Sakamoto, who has now become my best friend.
The first time I saw her was when she was in middle school, and not long after she possessed me, I was the one who made her realize that this was her and her world of scrambled love her.
“Why is my senior here?”
Yuika looks up at me with a surprised expression while saying that.
Maybe it’s because it’s been almost two years since I last saw it, but it feels like the atmosphere has changed tremendously.
He is much taller than before and has a more mature appearance.
Should I say that it is now a process of breaking away from being a girl and becoming a lady?
“I’m on vacation right now. I was bored in Kyoto, so I came up for a bit to see my parents.”
When I said that and pointed toward the kitchen, Yuika cast her gaze in that direction for a moment and then tried to say something.
Growing-
The sound of a belly clock is heard right then.
Yuika’s face is amazing! He turns red and clutches his stomach.
“Are you here to eat by any chance?”
When I asked that, Yuika nodded and said with a shy expression.
“Please give me just two servings of pork belly.”
“Okay. I’ll prepare it right away.”
Since there were no customers at the time, I sat Yuika down in a corner and went into the kitchen to bring out her side dish and asked.
“How are you doing these days? How is Ryuji doing?”
“Yes, I’m doing well. My brother… Well, he’s okay, except for the fact that he gets a lot of attention from his step-sisters.”
Ah.. Ah..
I can imagine Ryuji’s current situation without even realizing it.
There is a saying that when three women get together, the dishes break, and if there are four wives, she can do more than that.
Of course, I could say this because I, who has eight wives, have already experienced it.
I set up Yuika’s table on behalf of her mother, who was taking a break, and asked her while grilling some meat for us to chat with her.
“Has it been almost two years since we last saw each other? Yuika, you have matured a lot in the time we haven’t seen each other.”
“Hehe, I too will soon be a college student.”
“But it’s still the graduation ceremony, right? I’ll congratulate you in advance.”
“Thank you, senior.”
I said while cutting the pork belly that was golden brown on both sides with scissors.
“So where do you go to college?”
“Oh, I decided to go to university abroad.”
“Oh, overseas? Did you study well?”
“I’m not as good as my seniors in school, but I’m at the top.”
Yuika proudly spread her chest and said that she was going to Cambridge University in England.
“If I go to study abroad, I will probably live in England for a few years. I will probably only come to Japan during vacation.”
“Then I guess I won’t be able to see you for a while. It’s a shame.”
“Well, I guess that will happen.”
“If you ever miss Japanese food, please contact me anytime. I will send it to you via international delivery.”
As I said that and moved the well-grilled pork belly to the side of the grill, Yuika took a piece with chopsticks and said,
“Hehe, it’s reassuring just to hear it. But it’s okay. It seems like it’s become quite easy to get Japanese food in foreign countries these days.”
“But the one you make yourself is better. You don’t have to refuse. It’s between you and me.”
It was the moment I said that and was about to put the uncooked pork belly on the grill.
“What kind of relationship do you and I have?”
I was speechless at Yuika’s sudden question.
“What?”
What is this situation now?
I was momentarily dazed and couldn’t answer right away, pursing my lips.
Then, I uttered one word that barely came to mind.
“Uh… Counseling colleague?”
In fact, me, a third-year student, and Yuika, a first-year student, had a relationship where we gave each other advice and received counseling.
As someone who was almost addicted to dating, I needed someone I could easily consult with, and in the case of Yuika, who was selected as one of the four beauties of the academy as soon as she was promoted to high school, she was so popular that I had no idea how to reject her without hurting the other person. Because it seems like it was needed.
Because our personalities matched better than expected, we seemed to get along quite well even though it was an ambiguous relationship that was difficult to explain in words.
“… I did.”
But perhaps my answer wasn’t the correct answer, Yuika muttered with a dark expression and put down her chopsticks.
The atmosphere suddenly became heavier.
When I was getting restless after seeing Yuika like that, she suddenly raised her head and there was an unknown venom on her face.
Was it really my fault?
While I was blaming myself like that, Yuika said.
“Then, as a consulting colleague, let me ask you one thing.”
Immediately after, what came out of her mouth her her her were words I had never even thought of.
“Did you know that I liked you?”
“… What?”
Who liked whom?
***
For a moment, I wondered if I had heard wrong.
That’s right, Ryuji’s younger sister, Yuika, liked me.
That’s because I didn’t feel that way at all.
“Uh, since when did you like me?”
When I asked with a trembling voice, Yuika hesitated for a moment and then answered.
“It started when I proudly rescued Ryuji from Egypt.”
… It’s been a lot longer than I thought.
It was already four years ago that we had a fight with Set, the god of war, in Egypt.
But since the situation is like this, one question arises.
From noble mtl dot come
Even though I pride myself on being quite perceptive, Yuika hasn’t shown any signs of liking me.
When I asked the reason, Yuika answered with a bitter smile.
“At that time, my senior already had a girlfriend. I thought she wouldn’t accept my confession of her, so I gave up on her first.”
… Certainly, there was no excuse for that reason.
From Yuika’s perspective, she would have already been unable to challenge before she even tried.
“Why are you saying that now?”
“I just didn’t want to regret it. If I unilaterally give up my feelings without even once confessing that I like him, I think I’ll regret it later.”
In other words, it seems like she wanted to come to her own conclusion in some way.
I said with a small sigh.
“I’m sorry. “I caused you trouble for no reason.”
“No, I’m fine. It’s a thing of the past now.”
Yuika says that and smiles cheerfully.
But she didn’t seem to smile sincerely, so I decided to wait until she finished eating with an uncomfortable feeling.
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