"Thanks for the meal."
The Takanashi sisters cupped their hands around the steaming tea served after dinner, both of them looking just a little embarrassed.
They'd each eaten far more than usual. Normally one bowl of rice was plenty, but tonight, somehow, both had gone for seconds.
It wasn't really their fault. Minamoto Senya's cooking skills had completely blown away all their expectations.
Not to mention, the dishes he'd prepared tonight were the kind that practically begged to be eaten with rice.
"I'll do the dishes. You two can rest for a bit."
After tidying the table, Senya carried the plates into the kitchen.
Toka's ankle made it impossible for her to help, but her younger sister still could.
Normally, after meals, Rikka would retreat straight to her room. She never knew how to face Senya—the boy who had suddenly become her "older brother" in name.
But tonight, after eating his food, she couldn't just sit back like always. It felt wrong to act like it was natural to accept someone's kindness without giving anything in return.
So, prompted by her sister's look, she rolled up her sleeves and hurried into the kitchen.
"Um… I'll help too. Is there something I can do?"
She was small, her ahoge sticking up as usual, barely reaching Senya's shoulder as she stood beside him.
Senya blinked in surprise. He hadn't planned on letting her help, but then he thought better of it. This was the first time Rikka had ever approached him on her own.
Maybe this was the chance to break through that awkward wall between them.
After all, living under the same roof meant they'd see each other every day. Things would be easier for both of them if they could get along.
"Then how about you dry the plates and put them in the cupboard?" Senya handed her a light task.
Rikka nodded and stood beside him, taking the freshly washed plates to wipe them down.
They couldn't just work in silence. That would be painfully awkward. So Senya decided to take the initiative.
"Are you getting used to your new school, Rikka?"
"Mm. It was a little lonely at first, but I've made some friends now."
"That's good to hear."
"Yeah."
"If anything ever comes up, you can always come to Class 4 to talk to me. My class is right next to yours."
"Okay."
"…."
Crap. The conversation's dying.
Senya racked his brain for something to keep things flowing, but before he could, Rikka spoke up.
"Thank you… for picking up my sister today."
Senya froze for a moment, then smiled. "Don't mention it. We're family, after all. Looking out for each other is just natural."
Family, huh…
Something about that touched Rikka faintly. "And… thanks for dinner too. It was really good."
"You don't need to keep saying thank you. We're the same age. I think we can be a little more casual with each other."
"Casual, huh…"
"Yeah. You don't even need to think of me as your brother, let alone call me that. Just treat me like a friend. Oh, by the way, I noticed a copy of Shonen Jump sticking out of your schoolbag. You're into manga, right?"
Her eyes lit up. "Yeah!"
Just like that, once her favorite subject was brought up, Rikka loosened up and began chattering more freely.
Senya realized that with kids her age, the key was always to find an interest they loved, let them relax, and then quietly close the distance.
He was annoyed at himself for not realizing sooner. Still, better late than never.
That night, after helping her sister bathe, Rikka clumsily tried to change the ice pack on Toka's ankle.
But her inexperience showed. Toka winced and hissed in pain again and again until Senya, unable to watch any longer, gently pushed Rikka aside and took over.
"If it hurts, tell me, okay?"
"…Yeah."
Toka leaned back against the sofa, letting Senya lift her injured leg onto his lap.
Wrapping the ice pack in a towel, he pressed it carefully against her swollen ankle.
His motions were gentle, steady—far better than her sister's fumbling attempts.
"Oh, right. Toka-nee, old man Matsumoto from next door said I can borrow his bike for a few days. Just like today, I'll ride you to and from school."
"You don't have to go that far. I'm sure after a night of rest, I'll be able to walk just—ahh—!"
Pain shot up her ankle mid-sentence, and she glared at Senya accusingly, clutching a pillow to her chest. She almost threw it at him, but in the end just hugged it tighter.
"Toka-nee, you're hurt this badly. Don't push yourself."
"Exactly!" Rikka nodded furiously, siding with Senya. "Senya's right, sis. If you keep forcing it, you'll just make it worse. If it gets serious, that'll be way more trouble."
And just like that, a little bond between the two kids had been formed.
Just hours earlier, Rikka had still felt awkward around Senya. But now, after watching him care for her sister, eating his delicious cooking, and realizing they shared the same hobby, the so-called "wall" between them had crumbled like paper.
Toka, however, was not about to let Rikka off scot-free. She grabbed her sister's ahoge and tugged. "The only reason I'm in this much pain is because of your clumsy hands!"
"Ahhh! Stop, stop! That's my best moe point, you know!"
Senya just smiled, watching the sisters' noisy banter.
It finally felt like—for the first time since moving in—they were starting to relax, like a real family.
Over the next few days, Senya cooked meals and ferried Toka to and from school on his borrowed bike.
Toka insisted he only drop her at the front gate, but Senya ignored her and carried her all the way to class.
He even baked homemade cookies and asked a few of Toka's close friends in her class to look after her while her ankle healed.
Toka was utterly flustered. She blushed every time someone teased her about how "caring" he was.
"This is like… boyfriend-level devotion, you know?" her friends joked.
The taboo feeling made it even more embarrassing.
Worse, some of the bolder girls actually approached to ask for Senya's contact info.
Naturally, Toka refused to give it. No discussion. No chance.
Like hell she'd allow it! Sure, Senya was tall for his age, with hints of handsome features starting to show—but he was still a kid!
There was no way she'd let something like that happen.
Senya, meanwhile, had no idea his natural charm was already enough to make older girls' hearts skip. All he knew was that, thanks to his efforts, Toka's ankle healed completely in about a week.
When Takanashi Junko returned from her business trip, she brought gifts for everyone.
Rikka got a flashy model kit.
Senya received a pricey-looking jacket.
And Toka… Toka got two sets of lingerie.
How did Senya know? Because he'd been sitting right there in the living room when they were handed out.
Whether he liked it or not, his ears had been filled with detailed explanations from Junko about fabric softness and comfort.
And then, without thinking, Toka had actually held the new lingerie up against her chest, comparing sizes right there in front of him.
That night, Senya woke up from his dreams in a panic.
A certain childhood problem—bedwetting—had made its unwelcome return.
His face twisted in frustration.
The "primal flood" could not be stopped.
Grimacing, he snatched up a clean pair of underwear and slipped quietly, awkwardly into the bathroom.
…