Episode 4: Mother and Older Sister’s Deduction
“Oh, Yuto. You’re awfully late today. Did you stop by the convenience store or something?”
As Kamijou Yuuto entered the house, his mother had already returned from her part-time job and was standing in the kitchen.
A savory aroma filled the air, accompanied by the sound of oil splattering.
He usually headed straight home, so his arrival time was generally the same. When he was late, it was usually because he was browsing manga magazines at the convenience store across the street.
“Ah, yeah. Just… a little, yeah.”
His mother frowned at her son’s hesitant reply.
“If you’re going to be late, at least let me know. Your older sister is already home too, you know.”
“Sorry, I’ll be careful.”
“You’re awfully obedient today. Did something happen at school?”
“Nah? Nothing really?”
It was obvious he was hiding something, but his mother thought that pressing a son in his adolescence might be counterproductive.
His father was away on assignment and not at home, but perhaps there were things the son could tell his father that he couldn’t tell his mother.
“…If something’s up, you can tell me. Or your father, or your sister, either one.”
“It’s okay. I really just came back while talking slowly.”
Fortunately, he hadn’t been misbehaving since he was little. As a parent, she was concerned, but she decided to trust him.
“If you say so. …Oh, right, I couldn’t make a bento box today, so I’ll prepare one for you tomorrow. I’m making extra karaage.”
“Ah—I appreciate it, but I don’t need a bento box tomorrow either.”
“Are you buying one? Do you still have money?”
Yuto gave another vague reply, “Huh? Uh…”
Ignoring his mother’s suspicious gaze, he grabbed his bento box and wrapping cloth from the cupboard and tried to return to his room.
“Hey, where are you taking that!”
This time, his mother finally stopped him.
“What is it, Mother? What’s wrong? …A bento box?”
Just in time, his older sister, a third-year at the same high school, came down from the second floor.
“Uhhh. Uhhhhh.”
Sandwiched between his mother and older sister, Yuto’s brow furrowed.
“Tomorrow’s lunch… Ayano is, apparently, making it for me…”
As if resigned, he muttered his answer.
…A short silence followed.
The sound of meat swimming in oil, popping softly.
“Ayano, you say…? Ayano-chan from next door?”
His mother tilted her head.
“So you’ve finally made up. That’s one less thing to worry about.”
His sister shrugged her shoulders, relieved.
“Yeah. And… we—ah, never mind.”
About to say something, Yuto quickly grabbed his bento box and bag and returned to his room.
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
While listening to the repeated, vacant “Huh?” from his mother and sister, and the sound of karaage frying…
Afterword
Episode 5 will be posted around 20:00 on February 21st.
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