I carefully walked up the stairs and kept a lookout for the corner where Yuika had run out yesterday.

Fortunately, I was able to pass through without incident.

Well, I told her not to be so reckless that she’d get sick, and she seemed to have pulled herself together today.

“Let’s see…”

I pondered as I walked down the corridor.
The onslaught from Yuika has been going on for the past few days. It’s commonly known as “the big plan to make Souta like me.”

… Please don’t use that name that gives me a headache just listening to it. It wasn’t me who thought of it. Complaints should be addressed to the back room on the second floor of the Kisaragi house. Oh, I guess that means I’ll be carrying the complaint letters after all. … Oh dear, all is not well, is it?

For now, I guess my record is one win and one loss so far.
The day before yesterday’s white dress was a win for Yuika.
Yesterday’s surprise praise of the sailor outfit earned me a win.

Of course, there were no confessions, so strictly speaking, there were no wins or losses.
However, even if you consider it just as a guideline, I think a record of one win and one loss is a bit harsh. We should brace ourselves.

I can’t fall for Yuika in this situation.
It is to support Yuika’s efforts.

… Yeah, I wonder what we’re fighting for.

I came to the front of the room, bewildered by the futility of the struggle.
My nose twitched.

“… Oh?”

Something smells kind of savory and good.
It’s coming from behind the door.

“Souta? You can come in, okay?”
“Uh, yeah, okay.”

Permission was granted before I knocked, and I opened the door.

“Welcome, it’s the second installment of my hospitality to Souta!”

She held out her hands and there were freshly baked cookies.
They were heart-shaped and covered with red jams.
They were served neatly on a lace paper napkin and looked delicious.

“This… eh, what’s going on?”
“It’s obvious. I made it myself.”
“Yuika? You make it? … Do you mean it? Is it the truth? As you have for me?”
“Why does sound like a subtle English translation? Do I give you permission to ask that? Can I express my indignation now?”

Judging from the angry translation back to me, it seems to be really homemade.
I was a little surprised. We’ve known each other for a long time, but this is the first time I’ve seen something handmade by Yuika.

Even the Valentine’s Day chocolates were made by her younger brother Iori, and she gave them to me saying, “since it was made by my brother, it’s no different to say that it was made by me.”

When she was a recluse last year, we even had a wacky situation where we watched a scene of a character from a browser game handing out chocolates, and after it was done, I was still confused.

I had no idea that Yuika would bake homemade cookies for me…
I sat down in front of the glass table, even a little impressed.

“But when did you make it? Didn’t you say the other day that you didn’t want to be in the kitchen all night because you might meet your mother?”
“Be in the kitchen all night? I brought the ingredients and tools into my room, made the dough, and only went into the kitchen to use the oven.”
“Then, what’s this freshness?”
“I heated it up with the heat from my laptop, just in time for you to arrive.”
“… You’re so full of reclusive wisdom, using a laptop to heat it up.”

“So, Souta…”
“Yeah?”
“Why do you keep staring at the cookies and not at me?”
“…”

I guess she’s a genius for noticing that. ……
To be honest, I had it in my sights from the moment I walked into the room. But I knew it was bad, so I just focused on the cookies.

“Hey, look at me. I’m dressed up for Souta today.”

She puts her cheek on the table and stares at me with a smirk.
Regrettably, she’s already scored a million points with that line and gesture alone.

And then there was today’s outfit.
Her black hair was tied up in twin tails, and it was bouncing up and down energetically.

She was wearing a rather large pair of overalls. It’s the same outfit worn by the world’s most famous mushroom-loving man.
At first glance, it looks like a manly outfit, but the fact is that she is an F-cup girl, and her breasts wrapped in the t-shirt are sticking out from all over the denim fabric, creating a girly and erotic atmosphere.
Combined with her twin-tails, today’s Yuika had a devilish perfection.

To be honest, this was bad. It was so cute that if I looked directly at it, I would blush.

“Hey, why don’t you look at me?”
“Well, you know…”
“It’s so sad. I’ve worked so hard… if Souta doesn’t see it, I’ll be so sad I might cry.”

She pinched me on the shoulder devilishly while puffing her cheek.
It’s not fair… She knows what she’s doing…!

I felt like my heart was going to leap out of my chest.

“I was prepared to endure the cosplay…! But I didn’t expect you to turn around and attack me directly…”
“So I was right about you today, huh?”
“That’s right, that’s right…”
“So, Souta, who I read correctly, must be quiet and do as he is told, right?”

She shook her twin tails and laughed, and right after that, Yuika said something outrageous.
She picked up a cookie with her finger and pointed it at me.
Then she squinted her eyes like a cat.

“—Say, ah.”

What… was that…!?
I would feed it to Yuika, but not the other way around.
I shuddered at the prospect of intense embarrassment.

 

 

[TLN: Just so you guys know, this is broken by the author into start, middle, end, and not me.]