Chapter 79 - Morning in the Kishikami household・Rest day edition

When I noticed the sunlight piercing my eyes, I was awoken from my sleep by the presence of someone moving around.

Within my blurred vision, I checked the clock on the wall and noticed that I had overslept a fair bit.

However, no one is going out today in the morning so…guess they’ll forgive me for oversleeping a bit.

I pulled up my upper body and absentmindedly looked around the room and locked eyes with a stiffened Rise, who was close to my bed.

…

「…Ah」 (Rise)

「What are you…doing? Rise…」 (Wataru)

「So you woke up, nii-san…that’s a shame. I still only had taken a few…」 (Rise)

Judging from her words, it doesn’t seem like she came here to wake me up?

What was she doing with that smartphone?

「But this is quite unusual, nii-san. For you to take it this easy in the morning.」 (Rise)

「Ah, well…last night’s tournament took quite the long time after all. It was fun, but it was quite tiring.」 (Wataru)

「That’s a good thing. Whenever you are tired, leave the housework to us and just rest, we wouldn’t mind you just playing around you know?」 (Rise)

「That makes me happy and grateful, but I can’t do…hmm? “Us”?」 (Wataru)

「That’s right. Akeno-san made breakfast this morning. She’s waiting for us, so let’s go downstairs.」 (Rise)

Eh, really?

For mom to cook, I wonder how many years it’s been since the last time she did…?

When I told Rise to go ahead and tried to take off my pajamas-

「…Excuse me, Rise-san?」 (Wataru)

「What is it? Nii-san.」 (Rise)

「I mean, I, I’m about to change my clothes. I’d honestly appreciate if you left the room.」 (Wataru)

「Don’t mind me. I’ll wait for you right here.」 (Rise)

「Yup, if you were to say that there was no need to mind since we are siblings I’d understand and actually accept…but when you are looking at me with those bloodshot eyes fully opened, it’s kind of…」 (Wataru)

「Don’t mind it! …Aah, what are you doing!? Please, let go of me! No, in fact, let’s stay like this and don’t let go!」 (Rise)

I held Rise, who was showing an iron will and refusing to move, up in my arms and let her down outside the room.

At times like these, she can’t really fight back because of her light body.

Having Rise scratching the door and murmuring curses is scary, so let’s change fast and go get some breakfast.

The smell of toast and the fragrance of coffee filled the living room.

While humming inside the kitchen, her tied up hair was swaying around because of her good mood.

Then, she probably heard the sound of our footsteps and she turned around to smile at us.

「Good morning, Wataru.」 (Akeno)

「Good morning, mom. I heard you made breakfast?」 (Wataru)

「It’s only easy stuff, so it’s not bad once in a while. However, Wataru, sorry for saying this as soon as you woke up, but don’t you think that it’s kind of lacking?」 (Akeno)

「Hmm? Eh…」 (Wataru)

Once I looked over at the table she was pointing at, I saw toast and ham and eggs, and boiled broccoli was used as a garnish.

It’s lacking in vegetables but soup is a bit…if I were to make that it would take too much time.

In that case, let’s see…

「Should I make some vegetable juice? I get the feeling there’s a lack of vegetables.」 (Wataru)

「Oh, that would be nice. Rise-chan, what flavor do you want?」 (Akeno)

While saying that, mom stroked Rise’s head while wearing a love-struck expression.

This is not something that just started happening, it seems like she wanted a daughter since she remarried, she’s been like that since Rise came to this house.

It seems like they are going to go shopping together today, so I guess the reason she’s wearing her ring and has been in a good mood since this morning is that.

Rise didn’t show any signs of hating it and just accepted it, so the relationships within our family are good.

「…In that case, I would like to drink some orange juice. If I remember correctly, there was still some left right?」 (Rise)

「Yes there is. In that case, let’s make something simple and add some carrots into it.」 (Akeno)

Since the rest of the food is already made, I peeled them swiftly and cut them in suitable sizes.

I added some water in the mixer and mixed them along with some lemon and it was done.

Since the oranges and carrots were bought at the same time and were from the same brand and sweet, even if we didn’t add anything else, it’ll taste good like this.

I poured the contents into three cups and a fresh fragrance was added to the dining table…

「「「Thank you for the meal.」」」

We clasped our hands.

As expected, a meal made by another person is a completely different thing.

Even if it was something really simple, I was really happy to have eaten something made by mom since it had been a while.

Once I honestly told her that, she gave me this reply while looking really happy.

「But, since Wataru is way better at cooking than me already, there’s no need for mom to cook outside of emergencies, right?」 (Akeno)

「Well, I can’t really force you since you are busy with work. Don’t you feel you’d like to make something to your own tastes rather than eating my food all the time?」 (Wataru)

「Ahahahaha!」 (Akeno)

「What’s with that laugh?」 (Wataru)

「Yup, you are faster than the current holder of the world record for short distance running! It feels like you said that to me.

「There’s no such thing, wanting to make something while knowing you’d lose.」 (Akeno)

There she goes again with the hard to understand examples…

Is she…praising me?

While drinking Master’s Blend coffee, mom looked at my complex expression and laughed even more.

「The one from a while ago, what was it again? That thing with lots of ingredients that looked like a tomato risotto…」 (Akeno)

「You mean the Tagen? Nii-san, you made that very carefully with an earthenware pot right?」 (Rise)

「Yeah that one.

「You can make delicious food that I don’t know about, your bentos are always lovely and delicious, you are a son I’m proud of.

「It’s a bit awkward when new people at work that don’t know about that ask me for the recipes for the side dishes though…but, I wonder if it’s unusual for a mother to feel this at ease even if she doesn’t do the housework at all?」 (Akeno)

「Ah, you are praising me far too much. I’m starting to get itchy so please stop.」 (Wataru)

「When it comes to things like this, you are exactly like Mizuhito-san…」 (Akeno)

Mizuhito is the name of my real father, who died when I was just 5 years old.

By the way, Rise’s father is a man called 「Satoru-san」, when I was in middle school he…

They both died from illness at a young age, in a way, you could say that mom had really bad luck.

Though she does have this powerful aura for not being bothered by such a murky past and her appearance is really young.

When I asked her if she was going to remarry again she replied with 「A third time is a bit…」.

「So, are you both going after taking a break? What about lunch?」 (Wataru)

「For lunch we’ll just eat wherever. Wataru, you are not coming with us right?」 (Akeno)

「Yeah, Miyu and Shuuhei said that they’d come over. For lunch I’ll just prepare something for us.」 (Wataru)

「Muh…it’s a shame that we won’t go with nii-san…」 (Rise)

Mom hugged Rise, who had grown sullen, to console her.

When looking at them from the side like this, even if they are not related by blood, it wouldn’t be weird for people to mistake them for sisters that hadn’t seen each other for years.

Maybe it’s because they’ve been living together, Rise’s aura vaguely resembles that of mom.

That’s quite mysterious…

「It’s fine, Rise-chan. Wataru belongs to you at night, you can have him spoil you lots you know?」 (Akeno)

「Eh? Wait a moment, what are you going about on your own-」 (Wataru)

「Really? Akeno-san. in that case, can I sleep with nii-san tonight?」 (Rise)

「Of course!」 (Akeno)

「Can I marry him?」 (Rise)

「Sure! That way, there wouldn’t be a need for you to wed into another family! Wataru, while you are at it, take Miyu as your wife too! She’s such a nice girl after all!」 (Akeno)

「Why would I do that!? What you are saying is so wrong that I don’t know where to begin! Besides, don’t go treating the important only daughter of another family as if she was an extra!」 (Wataru)

This woman, isn’t she saying really unreasonable things because she…simply wholeheartedly trusts her daughter to do whatever she wants? Where do I get a say in this…?

As her real son, I’m slightly anxious if she loves me or not, this was an event that happened that morning.