Chapter 57: Second Year

(TN: start of the second volume)

(POV Chiharu)

In the past, I had thought that as long as I was fine, that would be enough.

I believed that it had to be that way.

I didn’t want to die. I wanted to be healthier, happier, and more content than anyone else.

―― I wanted to be free.

Ever since I can remember, there have been three sisters in my house. We were born almost at the same time, so I didn’t think much of it. I had the awareness of us being siblings, but I never thought about the responsibility of being an older sister or anything like that.

My father always smoked at home. My mother only prepared white rice and sprinkles while smoking. It was within such an environment that I realized I had to consider only myself in order to survive and grasp happiness.

In the past, my belief was that as long as I was doing fine, that would be sufficient. It seemed like the only way things should be.

I had a strong conviction that life had to follow that path.

The thought of death scared me. My deepest desire was to achieve a state of health, happiness, and contentment that surpassed everyone else’s.

――I yearned for freedom.

From as far back as I can remember, there have always been three sisters living under the same roof as me. We were born around the same time, so it didn’t strike me as anything unusual. While I was aware that we were siblings, the idea of taking on the responsibilities of an older sister never crossed my mind.

My father would always smoke indoors, and my mother would prepare plain white rice and sprinkle it with the ashes of her cigarette. In such an environment, I realized that in order to survive and attain happiness, I had to focus solely on myself.

I lived desperately. In kindergarten, I would read books. I believed that having knowledge might lead to a prosperous future, so I would read and run, in order to stay healthy.

But it was never enough. Why? Because I had younger sisters. They would always trail behind me, no matter what. If I read a book, they would peer over my shoulder. If I ran, they would run alongside me.

―― It was annoying, bothersome. That’s how I perceived it.

One day, I dashed through the kindergarten playground. Alone, faster than anyone else. Leaving behind my annoying sisters. I found it utterly unfair that they, being born just a little later, would constantly latch onto me.

―― I longed to be the freest of all.

I thought I was free when I was running, but they followed me from behind. My sisters.

Annoying… Especially Chiaki, the third daughter. She was always silent, never speaking a word. I couldn’t understand what was going on in her mind. Yet she emitted a strong aura of craving attention.

“what?”

“…”

She would always shake her head, as if nothing was ever wrong, no matter what I asked. If something was bothering her, why didn’t she just say it? I couldn’t quite grasp it. But she was always there, right behind me. Desperately keeping up. Before I knew it, she had become faster than me.

So she continued to follow me persistently. No matter how much I ran, I couldn’t shake her off. It was annoying. That’s what I thought. And then suddenly, Chiaki stumbled and fell. I’m not sure what caused it. But she fell, scraped her leg, and a little blood trickled out.

“Ah, ah… Uuuu…”

Seeing Chiaki’s painful and teary eyes, I could have pretended that I didn’t care, that it didn’t matter. But at that moment, my body moved instinctively.

“Are you okay…?”

I reached out my hand, and we walked together to the water tap. I washed the wound with water. I didn’t even understand why I was doing this. If it was only about my well-being, that would be enough. That was the mindset I had to adhere to: thinking about the future, grasping happiness ahead, and following the rule of considering only myself.

Despite seeking freedom, I found myself taking care of my troublesome sisters.

Even though it was my own decision… After that, Chinatsu and Chifuyu also came over. Seeing the two of them looking concerned for Chiaki, my emotions grew complicated.

I washed the wound.

“You should probably have the teacher take a look at it…”

I said curtly and left the scene. As I turned away, a voice echoed from behind.

“…Th-Thank you… Onee-chan…”

Those were the first words I heard from Chiaki.

◆◆

(POV Chiharu)

A year has passed since we came here. Looking back, we had undergone various experiences together, yet if there is one constant throughout this entire year… it’s that my sisters are the cutest in the world. From the break of dawn until the nightfall, every single strand of their hair, every cell within them radiates with cuteness.

“Alright, attention everyone. We’re going to have a long-awaited sisterly meeting!”

It’s a fitting start for the second year. Chinatsu cutely declares the beginning of the sisterly meeting.

We gathered in the second-floor room, spreading cushions on the floor and gathering around a table, enjoying the coolness of the air-conditioned room as we conducted our sister meeting.

“Okay, everyone, starting today, I, Chinatsu Hitsuji, shall be the eldest sister!” 

“Chifuyu, let’s go through the answers together.” Chiaki said.

“Aki-nee, you’re not allowed to copy my answers.” Chifuyu remarked.

“Hey, listen to what I’m saying!”

Chinatsu made her declaration, but the two of them were not listening; instead, they were engrossed in discussing the summer homework. Chinatsu called out to them again, redirecting their attention towards herself. She cleared her throat and made her declaration once again.

“Alright? Starting today, I will be the oldest sister! Got it!?”

“Ehhh, that’s impossible for Chinatsu.” Chiaki said.

“I can do it!”

“No, no, right? Chifuyu, you must feel the same way, right?”

“Huh? Well, for Chifuyu, it doesn’t really change anything that Chinatsu becomes the eldest sister… It’s not a big deal, really.”

“Hey, Chiharu, what do you think?”

“Well… um, if Chinatsu wants to do it, I’ll pass on the title of eldest sister… But are you sure about that, Chinatsu-Oneechan?”

“You adapt too quickly! Haru-nee adapts too quickly!” Chifuyu exclaimed.

“Leave it to me!” 

Chinatsu puffed out her chest. For Chinatsu, being an older sister was the only thing that mattered to her right now. Perhaps she had a strong desire to do something by herself. Still, I never thought she would want to become the eldest sister.

Since going to visit the graves with Onii-san the other day, that desire has become even stronger.

“Hmm, well, then I’ll be the eldest sister too!” Chiaki said.

“Huh!? What’s that supposed to mean?” Chinatsu asked.

“After all, I can’t leave it to Chinatsu!” Chiaki answered.

“Don’t imitate me!”

“It’s not imitation! It’s an homage!”

“It’s practically the same thing!”

“Well, well, Chifuyu considers both of you as older sisters… O-Okay, so let’s calm down.” Chifuyu said.

It’s the second year since we met Onii-san, and I felt relieved that this year seemed to be filled with heartwarming moments as well. And, as expected, all of my sisters were cute, as usual.

◆◆

(POV Chiharu)

“Kaito-san! Do you remember our promise? You said you’d teach me how to cook! Please, I’m counting on you!” Chinatsu said.

“Ehh!? B-But Kaito-san, you made a promise with Chifuyu…” Chifuyu added.

“Oh, come on, Kaito! Don’t forget about me! I-I can get a bit clingy, you know!” Chiaki said.

From the living room, I had a clear view of the kitchen. There, Onii-san wore a wry smile, seemingly unsure of what to do. 

I had mixed feelings about this. After a year had passed, it felt as if my sisters had been taken away by Onii-san. I don’t think Onii-san intended it to be that way, but even so… how could you do so… Onii-san….damn it.

Unintentionally, I clenched my fist.

Although it’s not like they were actually being taken away, I couldn’t help but feel envious of Onii-san surrounded by the world’s greatest little sisters.

“Today… Can Chinatsu help me with dinner… and tomorrow Chifuyu, and the day after tomorrow, Chiaki… Let’s go with that kind of order…”

“Ehh~~! Boo Boo~~! I’m booing!” 

“Kaito-san, rather than tomorrow, Chifuyu wants today…”

“Alright, alright! Since it’s decided that I’ll be helping make dinner tonight, you guys can just relax on the sofa!” Chinatsu said.

Chinatsu pushed Chiaki and Chifuyu out of the kitchen. Chiaki pouted and glared at Onii-san. Chifuyu had a “why would you do this” expression on her face as she directed her gaze at him.

“…”

Receiving the piercing gazes from the two, Onii-san clutched his chest but averted his eyes, trying to evade their stares. Even with his evasive moves, the two continued to focus on him like laser pointers. However, Onii-san stylishly evaded them while patting his chest. 

“Mmm…”

“Natsu-nee, it’s unfair to suddenly pop up like that…”

Chinatsu must have had the mindset that, as the eldest, she should be capable of doing various things. That’s probably why she wanted to try cooking. However, Chiaki and Chifuyu had always been in charge of the kitchen duties, so it must have been frustrating for them to have their positions taken away.

As their older sister, I should stylishly come to their rescue.

“Chiaki, you’re really cute, you know?”

“Huh? Really!?”

“Yeah, adorable! And Chifuyu, cute too. Right now, being sandwiched between you two feels amazing.”

“They say to have a flower in each hand, right? Is it like this too!”

“That’s right, Chiaki, you’re so clever! Good girl, good girl.”

I gently ruffled Chiaki’s head. Chiaki felt good to have her head ruffled too, and I could tell that Chiaki was happy to receive compliments.

“Ehehe, really?”

“Alright, next is Chifuyu.”

“No, my hair will get all messy, so it’s fine…”

“Ughh…”

“Well… uh, I mean, when you react like that… Just a little bit, please?”

“There, there, the~~re.”

“Ah fufu …”

Chifuyu also smiled, looking somewhat pleased. It warmed my heart to see them like that.

“So Chifuyu, you care about your hairstyle?”

“Well, um, just a little… I’ve been thinking about trying a new look…”

“I’m planning on changing my style too! Maybe I’ll go from silver to gold! Blonde hair feels like an enhanced form, and it looks cool!” Chiaki said.

“I see… I think it would suit both of you.”

Chifuyu with her hair tied up in a hairband, and Chiaki with her silver hair. They looked adorable even if their hairstyles changed, but I wanted to capture their current appearance too. I should take some photos later.

“Chiharu, aren’t you going to change your hairstyle? I think you’d look great with long hair!”

“That’s true; it would suit Chiharu…”

“I don’t know… Well, maybe someday I’ll give it a try. Hair doesn’t grow quickly, though.”

“Rumor has it that if you master the enhanced form, you can forcefully make your hair longer!”

“Aki-nee, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Long hair, huh… Mine used to be long in the past, and I used to tie it up with the same hairband Chifuyu is using now… But the shorter style has become more familiar to me. There’s no need to change it, and besides, there’s no demand for me to change it.

After that, we continued to blossom with trivial conversations.

◆◆

(POV Kaito)

“Kaito-san, what are we going to make today?”

“Shall we play it safe and make fried rice?”

“Okay!”

I was extremely happy to receive such an enthusiastic response. However, the gazes of Chiaki and Chifyuyu from earlier still lingered in my chest like a lump.

“After preparing the ingredients, we stir fry the onions and ground the meat, then add the store-bought paste, rice, and eggs. Finally, we stir-fry it on high heat for a while; that’s the idea.”

“I can do it!”

Chinatsu exuded confidence, but I couldn’t help but wonder if she would truly be fine. Wasn’t she scared of using knives before? What if she got hurt?

“I-I can handle a knife too… I’ll be alright!”

On the cutting board, an onion was peeled. Chinatsu took hold of the knife herself, her hands trembling slightly but managing to maintain her grip nonetheless.

“A-alright, from here… with the grace of a cat’s paw…”

“Go for it, Chinatsu!”

“Go for it! Don’t worry, we’re not expecting much, so take it easy!” Chiaki said.

“N-Natsu-nee, do your best!”

“…Th-thanks for the encouragement, everyone. But later, Aki, we need to talk…” 

“Ehhh!?”

Cheering voices echoed from the living room. It truly made me realize how close these sisters were to each other.

“We have a food processor, so we’ can minimize the amount of cutting.”

“Yes, I understand… I’ll do that.”

She was nervous, but Chinatsu managed to finish the prep work somehow. I wanted to lend a hand, but she insisted on doing it herself. So I held back and watched over her, occasionally offering a few words of guidance.

It seems like Chinatsu has a purpose in mind.

“Be careful not to burn yourself.”

“Y-yes…”

She glanced at the heated frying pan, the temperature rising and reaching a high heat, displaying a slight hint of fear. However, she desperately continued to stir-fry. It seemed that not only Chiaki, but also Chinatsu had good technique. One could say she was efficient, or even stylish…

She completed the fried rice so effortlessly that I wondered if there was hardly anything left for me to teach her.

Time for the taste test!

We gathered around the table in the living room and tried the fried rice. Feeling that fried rice alone would be a bit plain, I added some frozen dumplings as well.

“It’s delicious, so give it a try!”

Chinatsu confidently declared.

“I’ll give it a taste! This taste tester and flavor king will… munch, gulp… This is store-bought paste… and you used another store-bought paste, garlic and ginger, as a secret ingredient…” Chiaki said.

“What!!”

Chinatsu couldn’t hide her surprise as her flavor was instantly exposed. After all, Chiaki had a discerning palate… The taste was transparent to her…

“But it’s delicious!” Chiaki said.

“I-I see?”

“Yeah! It’s really delicious!”

“O-Oh… W-well, there’s more if you want…”

“I’ll eat it!” Chiaki exclaimed.

Ugh, there was no way one wouldn’t be happy when Chiaki said that with such a smile. Her smile was dazzling.

“It’s incredibly delicious! This store-bought paste is amazing!” Chiaki said.

“Hm?”

“This store-bought paste effortlessly brings out such deep flavors!” Chiaki added.

“Huh?”

“Looks like everyday seasonings for cooking are evolving, huh?”

“Praise me! Not the paste! Praise me! I sliced, stir-fried, and seasoned it! I’m amazing!” Chinatsu retorted.

“Oh, right… You’re about 50% amazing!”

“I’m completely amazing!”

“Natsu-nee, Chifuyu thinks you’re amazing… It’s incredibly delicious, and it surprised me.” Chifuyu interjected.

“Yeah, it’s so delicious that it’s surprising. As expected of Chinatsu-Oneesan.” Chiharu added.

“I-Is that so? Well, what should I say? This is to be expected, or this is just too easy.”

“Just say you used paste!” Chiaki replied.

“I’ll give Aki the ultimate tickle punishment later…”

“Ehh!?”

With a hearty laugh, I took a bite too, finding it delicious.

“Chinatsu.”

“Yes?”

“It’s incredibly delicious.”

“Huh… Ehehe, really? Well, I’m glad to hear that. And, would you like seconds?”

Chinatsu tilted her head cutely, giving me a slightly shy upward glance. Well, isn’t she adorable?

I continued to quietly chew and swallow the fried rice, making sure not to make any noise. I repeated the process, emptying my plate.

“Seconds, please.” I said.

“Huh… Y-Yes… Ehehe, this makes me happy for some reason.”

“Mmm… *munch*… *gulp*”

Chinatsu blushed and giggled shyly, while Chiaki and Chifuyu directed their piercing gazes towards me once again. And in response, Chiharu started eating the fried rice as if to compete with me.

Then, stylishly, she presented an empty plate to Chinatsu.

“Seconds, please.” Chiharu said.

“Well, well… I guess I can’t refuse, can I? Ehehe.”

“…Fufu.”

Chinatsu gladly accepted the empty plate, and Chiharu gave me a determined look, as if to challenge me. No, I wasn’t really thinking about taking your sisters or anything, you know?

And then, Chiaki and Chifuyu’s gazes… My heart… It felt like they were truly penetrating through me. Ugh, can a daughter’s gaze really be this intense?

During dinner, I desperately evaded their intense gazes, trying to remain calm and collected.

************

TN: Chinatsu had hinted at this long ago, so it seems like Chiharu wasn’t always a sis-con. Actually this seems like a complete change from selfish to selfless.