LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 11 - Don't start over as if nothing happened!
Shortly after, Mio announced that dinner was ready.
On the dining room table were dishes of claypot meat with cabbage as the main ingredient, simmered pumpkin, and miso soup with many other ingredients. It was a magnificent meal. Erika also let out a gasp of astonishment..
After arriving at the dining table, I looked around again.
‘How awkward.’
When we were playing games, we were looking at the TV screen, but if we had dinner together like this, we would inevitably have to face each other.
Mio, who had suddenly changed her entire appearance to become prettier, and Erika, who had also grown up and become beautiful.
It was as if I was surrounded by girls I didn’t know in the first place, making me feel strangely nervous.
I glace up to see Mio tilting her head at me, as if questioning if I was going to eat. I felt a little annoyed at her as usual, unbothered expression.
We started the dinner with each of us saying our thanks for the food.
Mio’s food was as delicious as ever, and the sweet and salty double-cooked pork sauce made it easier for the rice to go down. In no time at all, the first bowl of rice was empty.
“Sho-chan, do you want another bowl of rice?”
“Yes, please.”
“……, me too.”
“Sure.”
Mio quickly offered me a refill.
It seemed to suit Erika’s palate as well, as she shyly held out the bowl to her. She accepted it with a happy smile on her face. She seems to like it when people eat and enjoy her food.
Even if her appearance has changed a little, she still looks the same, reaffirms that she is still Mio.
Everyone was absorbed in her cooking and ate their food in silence.
Before long we ate up every last grain of rice and then clasped our hands together.
“Thank you for the food.”
“It was delicious, Mii-chan. What a surprise!
“Oh, thank you. By the way, Eri-chan, was it spicy? Sho-chan is a spice addict, so I put in a little more soy sauce and some extra hawk’s claw chilli peppers (Takanotsume).”
“It’s just right.”
“I see. Is it because you are siblings? I couldn’t get used to it at first.”
“It’s the best isn’t it?”
“Aha, I’ve fallen in love with it now too.”
“…ah”
“Erika?”
When I was talking to Mio, Erika suddenly tried to raise her voice, but she stopped halfway through.
After Erika blinked her eyes a few times, she got up from her seat and started collecting her dishes.
“I’ll clean the dishes.”
“Oh, then please. I’ll go unpack.”
Saying that, Erika went to her sink and Mio went to her room.
Watching Erika’s back as she does the housework is strangely unsettling.
The most important thing to remember is that you can’t just sit around and do nothing.
“…Then, should I clean the bath?”
He muttered to no one in particular and turned towards the washroom.
When asked about Shota’s housework skills, he has lived with his mother for a long time, so other than his cooking, he was of a high standard when compared to everyone else in his age group. Enough to start living alone without much problems. That’s probably why his mother felt comfortable following after his father.
The bathtub was usually cleaned by Shota, so it didn’t take him long to finish.
Listening carefully, sounds of work from Erika in the living room and Mio in her own room could be heard.
Shota raised his eyebrows a little and decided to boil water and take a bath while he was at it.
Then, just as he undressed and put his clothes in the washing machine, the door slammed open.
“Sho-chan, where’s the-”
“Ah.”
Shota stood frozen stiff, donning his birthday suit.
Mio, equally frozen, stared at him intently.
An indescribable air flowed.
“-Do you know where the vinyl string is? I want to bundle up some cardboard.”
“Uh! Don’t start over as if nothing happened! Under the shelf in the living room!”
“Ah, so this is the part where I scream? But that’s for the one who was seen, so Sho-chan should be the one who screams? Do you want to start over?”
“No please. GOD please no!”
In contrast to his childhood friend, who spoke in a matter-of-fact manner, Shota’s face turned even redder than before while he ran into the bathroom as if he were running away like a rabbit. The best way to get out of most situations is by running away.
It’s embarrassing to be seen naked by someone of the opposite sex, even if that person is Mio. Even more so when she looks like a different person entirely. With his heart beating fast, it seemed as if he was the only one who was conscious of it, his face twisting with a plethora of emotions.
“… Damn it”
Only after sensing Mio’s presence disappear, did Shota curse and go into the bathroom where the water level was only up to his knees.