The Tenkuji household.
A variety of colorful, aromatic, and flavorful dishes adorned the table. A family gathered harmoniously around the dining table… Wait, this wasn't a family.
Yukino, Yuigahama, Iroha, and Kanade, the four beautiful girls, sat in pairs. The tableware was ready. Only Yuu, the core family member, hadn't come down yet.
"You guys start eating. I'll head upstairs for a bit."
After taking off his apron, Yuu prepared to go upstairs to check on Sora's plans.
Would Sora eat with everyone downstairs, or should he make a separate meal set for her and bring it upstairs? Yuu wasn't sure what his little sister preferred.
Though earlier that morning, while cooking, Sora had peeked in from outside the door several times, as if monitoring whether her big brother was getting cozy with another girl.
However, when Yuu asked her to join in the living room to knead dough, Sora fled back upstairs without a word, as if terrified of meeting so many outsiders.
(I should've asked Sora's opinion before lunch.)
Lost in thought, Yuu heard Yukino's cold voice.
"We'll wait for you to come back before starting. How could guests eat first while the host is away?"
Saying this, her gaze swept around the room.
Iroha and Yuigahama nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, Kanade quietly pulled back her small hand that had reached toward the Mapo Tofu. She sat in her chair with a calm and obedient expression.
Suddenly, Yukino felt like a kindergarten teacher directing children.
"Alright, I'll be back quick."
Yuu smiled at her and swiftly walked out of the living room.
After he left, the atmosphere at the dining table fell into a brief silence for some reason.
No one moved. Only the white steam slowly rising from the fragrant dishes tempted everyone's appetites.
Iroha secretly swallowed. To divert attention and lighten the inexplicably heavy mood, she laughed and spoke as if nothing was wrong.
"Um, which dishes were made by Senpai, and which by Yukinoshita-senpai? They all look so delicious."
"I washed the dishes; he cooked." Yukino didn't notice the odd atmosphere. She shifted her gaze from the bookshelf in the living room and answered naturally. "Honestly, he was enough on his own. I went to help just as a garnish."
Iroha hurriedly waved her hands. "No, no, no. More than just a garnish! Yukinoshita-senpai looked so beautiful in an apron and ponytail. It's totally the wise wife vibe. Senpai must've been staring at you the whole time while cooking!"
Yukino blinked, unsure what she was thinking. Her small face quietly flushed. She twirled the end of her ponytail with her fingers, her gaze shifting away guiltily.
"…Thanks for the compliment."
Yuigahama looked at her expression curiously.
Iroha didn't think too deeply. Taking advantage of Yuu's absence, she continued enthusiastically. "I know! Maybe that's why he let you into the kitchen to help! Yukinoshita-senpai, Senpai didn't try to grope you under the pretense of cooking, right? If he did, we'll gang up on him later!"
Since the relationship among the three Service Club members had mended, and Senpai couldn't possibly be a real pervert, Iroha joked without hesitation, trying to warm up the atmosphere by targeting someone absent.
But she didn't expect Yukino to frown, speaking with some deliberation. "Gang up, forget it. He didn't act out intentionally. He just accidentally touched me a few times while cooking. And when grabbing something from the upper cabinet, from behind me…"
Yuigahama: "?"
Iroha: "!?"
Yukino: "…No, pretend I didn't say anything. In short, he didn't harass me under the guise of cooking. I hope you don't misunderstand."
She was met with wide-eyed, shocked stares from both. Though she tried hard to keep a straight face and stay calm, her beautifully shaped ears still turned a bright, shy red. Her heartbeat nearly leaped out of her chest.
Yukino didn't know what was wrong with her. Since leaving the kitchen and facing Yuigahama, her thoughts had been chaotic and hard to manage. She only realized something was off after the words slipped out. She couldn't stay as calm and relaxed as usual.
All that filled her mind was him, herself, Yuigahama, and how the three of them would interact in the future.
"I won't misunderstand… Though I might need to question him properly later."
Muttering under her breath, Yuigahama decided to shift the conflict to spare Yukino further embarrassment. "Honestly, didn't Iroha-chan also have her hands touched by Yuu-kun a few times while kneading dough?"
"Eh?" Slightly startled, Iroha hurriedly defended herself, her face also flushing slightly. "T-That was just normal business contact. It doesn't count! Yuigahama-senpai, you're so sneaky!"
"Ehehe~" Squinting her eyes like crescents, Yuigahama laughed slyly. "Whose fault is it that Iroha-chan called Yuu-kun a pervert who gropes girls! Even if he did grope, he's already groped all three of us once."
"Yuigahama-san, please watch your words." Yukino massaged her forehead helplessly. But for some reason, she felt relieved.
As the topic drifted away from Yuu, the three began chatting and bantering. For a moment, the living room's atmosphere became harmonious. The peaceful camaraderie among the girls seemed to shield against the cold wind outside the window.
Though separated from them and with little chance to join in, Kanade didn't mind too much. She just stared intently at the cooling Mapo Tofu with her pale golden eyes, praying silently.
(Yuu-senpai, hurry back.)
(Mapo Tofu is best eaten hot.)
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Not long after, Yuu entered the living room, bringing a small silver-haired girl in a white dress.
Her slender limbs were as pale as ivory chopsticks. Her youthful face showed no expression, and her eyes were cold, as if rejecting everyone. Yet her fingers clung to the hem of his clothes, as if whining and unwilling to let go.
"Hmm… Seems like only Isshiki hasn't met Sora."
Walking to the dining table with his sister, Yuu introduced her. "This is my little sister, Kasugano Sora."
"Nice to meet you." Sora said flatly, her eyes not looking at them at all.
"Oh, nice to meet you…" Iroha's cheerful, relaxed expression faded. She nodded a bit nervously, a polite smile just forming on her lips when she suddenly widened her eyes in shock. "Wait, you mean only I… Kanade-chan has already met Imouto-san? When?!"
"At the hospital during treatment." Kanade answered concisely, sitting like a statue in her seat. Yet her entire body radiated eager, impatient anticipation.
Her eyes never left the red-and-white dish.
"Sora-chan, long time no see~" Yuigahama smiled and waved.
Sora, rarely shifting her gaze, nodded slightly.
Then she looked at Yukino, who seemed more nervous than Iroha but was trying hard to stay calm.
"Kasugano-san, hello. About this morning…"
Before she could finish, Sora cut her off, her tone cold. "You mean about you wanting to 'hug my family'? I don't care. Yuu already agreed anyway. If you want to hug, go ahead."
After that remark, an awkward silence descended on the dining table again.
Yuigahama and Iroha looked back and forth between Yukino and the Tenkuji siblings. They were too shocked to know what to say.
Yuu rolled his eyes helplessly. Yukino froze for a moment, then her face flushed. She hurriedly tried to explain again.
At that moment, like thunder striking, a loud stomach growl echoed from the corner of the table.
*GRUUUK—*
"…"
Under everyone's stunned and astonished gazes, Kanade lowered her head, clutching her stomach. Her silver hair covered half her small face. The usually calm and serene girl showed a rare embarrassed and awkward expression.
In a soft, feather-light voice, she explained in a barely audible whisper:
"Sorry… This is my first time having Mapo Tofu right in front of me and not being able to eat it. I didn't mean to rush you all to eat. Please don't mind me."
Hearing this, Yuu quickly pulled Sora to sit in the two remaining empty chairs. He waved his hand and announced like the head of the family:
"Alright, let's talk about everything after eating. Now—"
"Let's eat~"