(TN: back on first person POV for this chapter. This is really not on me, if there’s another change, I’ll make sure to tell you guys.)
(Kaito)
The name of my paternal grandfather was Shirono Toshizo, and my grandmother’s name was Shirono Mie. Even before I remembered that this world greatly resembled that of a game, they had always cared for me.
To those two, I was a cherished grandchild whom they had watched over since my childhood. I needed to sincerely apologize for keeping the four girls a secret from those two. However, I wonder how those two would react.
If they were to suddenly ask me to separate from them, what should I do? My grandfather and grandmother were deeply concerned about my health. It wasn’t certain whether they would come to the conclusion that raising four children would be tough for me.
I was anxious about what would happen. It was just a little while until the two of them would come home, and I was thinking about what words I should say if things went as bad as I imagined…
“Kaito?”
“Chiaki…”
“Are you okay? Do you want to go with my previous suggestion?”
“Ah, thanks, but for now, I’m okay.”.
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“If… Kaito’s grandpa and grandma… it’s nothing… if anything happens, promise me you’ll tell me, okay?”
“Ooh.”
I made Chiaki worry about me. At first, I told Chiaki and the others to stay on the second floor. I suggested that I talk to my grandparents and sort out everything first, which I believed was the best approach.
While I was lost in thought for a while, the doorbell rang.
They’re here. With that thought, I opened the door, revealing the familiar faces of two people.
“Well, well, well, Kaito, it’s been a while.”
“Grandma, it certainly has.”
“Well, let’s hear the story then.”
“Grandpa, you still have that stern look on your face.”
A stern and strict aura surrounded Shirono Toshizo, my grandpa. The gentle and warm appearance belonged to Shirono Mie, my grandma. They took off their shoes, washed their hands, and rinsed their mouths before entering the living room.
We all took our seats, positioned to face each other. It seemed as if both sides were waiting for the other to initiate the conversation.
“Well, I do believe we talked about this, but… I’m actually living with four kids.”
“一At least give us a heads-up. Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Well, I didn’t want to cause unnecessary worry.”
“I see… I had a feeling you might say that. Well, if that’s your decision, then I won’t say anything.”
“…”
“What’s wrong?”
“I thought you’d definitely try to stop me.”
“Well, stopping you did cross my mind. From my perspective, you’re my only grandchild, so why take on the responsibility of raising others? But I sensed that you were somehow enjoying this. You’ve clearly changed since the last time I saw you.”
“Exactly, just like Grandpa said. I feel the same way too.”
Almost surprisingly, they ended up approving my decision to take in the four kids. Or at least, it felt like they had already accepted it.
“So, what are the kids you’ve taken in like?”
“We’re curious, very curious.”
“Oh, they’re upstairs. I’ll go get them, but please don’t scare them.”
“I’m not one to needlessly intimidate.”
“Is it because Grandpa has a scary face that you’re saying that?”
Grandma is still as gentle as ever… I never really thought she would be against my decision from the start, though… Grandpa, on the other hand, always struck me as stubborn, and I was certain he’d be dead set against it.
It’s quite possible that Grandma had already talked him into it before she came here. She’s still the same kind and gentle Grandma I knew.
Heading upstairs to introduce the four girls to the two of them, I knocked on the kids’ room door and opened it.
“Kaito, how did it go?” Chiaki asked.
“No problems. They said things are fine as they are.”
“Oh! That’s wonderful! I’m so happy! If I were to measure it, I’m like a hundred times happier than when I had hamburgers three days in a row!”
“I see… I’m happy too.”
“We’re on the same page! Alright then, let’s celebrate with hamburgers tonight!”
“Sure.”
Seeing Chiaki so joyful makes me even happier. Behind her, Chiharu, Chinatsu, and Chifuyu also appeared relieved as they patted their chests.
“So, Grandpa… Grandma and Grandpa would like to talk to Chiaki and the others. Is that alright?”
“W-What?”
Chiaki suddenly stiffened, as if stepping into the heart of the Ice Age. It wasn’t just Chiaki; Chiharu and the others did too. Since the four of them had never really interacted with older people who were kind, it might have sounded a bit intimidating.
Considering the fact that their distant relatives, including their parents, were far from friendly and could be seen as enemies, it was natural to feel a slight fear toward such idea.
“I’m not forcing you guys or anything… Should we hold off for today?” I suggested.
“No, I’m going… I just want Kaito to come with me because I’m a little nervous,” Chiaki replied.
“Of course, I’ll go with you.”
“Alright, then let’s go! C’mon, C’mon, Chiharu and the others, let’s go too. We need to show that we’re really well-behaved kids on a regular basis!”
“Well, that’s true,” Chinatsu replied.
“Aki-nee is right…” Chifuyu said.
“Of course, if the three of you are going, I’m going too,” Chiharu added.
Leading the way, I descended the stairs with Chiaki, followed by Chiharu, Chifuyu, and Chinatsu, and entered the living room. There, Grandma looked at the four of them with blinking eyes.
“Oh my, oh my, how adorable you are! And what’s your name?”
“I-I’m Chiaki! I’m a really good kid, you know! I never forget my homework, I don’t leave my clothes inside out when taking them off, I make sure to put them in the washing machine properly! And I work really hard on my studies, so I don’t cause any trouble at all! …So, can I continue to stay with Kaito from now on?”
“Well well, to be this cute and well-behaved, of course, you can.”
“Yay~, I did it~!”
“Chiaki, you have such beautiful skin, can I touch it?”
“Mhmm!”
“Oh, Grandpa, this is amazing. I envy you for having such soft skin.”
While gently touching Chiaki’s cheek, Grandma shouted toward Grandpa. Grandpa, without much of a reaction, nodded a few times.
“Grandpa, say something too, will you?”
“Well, I don’t mind. After all, Kaito seems to want to be with them.”
“That’s right, that’s right. With them being this cute, there’s no problem at all. If we think of it as suddenly having four adorable grandchildren, there’s no issue. What about the other girls?”
“I’m Onii-san’s… I’m the oldest daughter, Chiharu, who was taken care of by Kaito-san until now. I won’t be a bother… or that’s what I want to say, but sometimes I do end up troubling him a bit. But I’ll be well-behaved, so please let us stay together from now on.”
“Oh my, no problem at all. You seem like a good kid too, Chiharu-chan.”
“I’m called Chifuyu. Well, I’ve been receiving help from Kaito-san all this time, so that’s why I want to repay the favor. So, please let us be in his care for much more time.”
Chifuyu seemed to be speaking to me as well. Both Grandpa and Grandma signaled with their eyes that she shouldn’t worry.
“I’m Chinatsu… Um, I’m a bit uncomfortable around adults, and I don’t speak up very often. But with Kaito, I feel really at ease. I want to be with him, and, because he has his own moments of uncertainty, I want to be there to support him. So, I would like us to be together…”
Chinatsu, while hiding behind me, whispered such words softly. Upon hearing her words, Grandma had an expression that seemed slightly surprised—that was quite surprising.
“Ye… Yes, indeed. I hope you’ll stay together. Likewise, please take care of us… But truly, these are good kids. So cute. I wonder if there was really a need to come and check on them. Right, Grandpa?”
“…Well, hard to say. For now, there don’t seem to be any issues.”
“That’s right, that’s right.”
Grandpa, who usually seemed stern, had his arms crossed and didn’t seem to object to this situation. As for me, I felt a sense of relief from this.
“Oh, that reminds me, I’ll be the one cooking tonight. What would you four like to eat?” Grandma asked.
“I want hamburgers.” Chiaki said.
“Oh, that sounds delicious. What about you, Chiharu-chan, and the others?”
“Um, I would like to have hamburgers like Chiaki, please,” Chinatsu said.
“Alright then, I’ll make something tasty for you all.”
“I’ll help! Despite how I look, I’m the official taste tester and cooking minister of this house!” Chiaki said.
“That’s impressive, even though I have no idea what those titles mean, it’s impressive.”
Chiaki seems to be quick to open up. However, it might take a bit more time for Chiharu and the others to get comfortable around them… but that’s alright. It’s understandable; everyone has their own pace. I’ll just make sure to provide a bit of support, as they seem a bit concerned about it.
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TN: so their last name is written as Shirono, shiro means white. If you remember Kaito’s last name is Kuro, which means black
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