Chapter 16
Kaede. You idiot.
What were you thinking, going off like that?
“Sigh.”
A sigh slipped through my lips. I remembered how hard I'd sweated trying to get the situation under control just a little while ago.
‘That was terrifying.’
It was bad enough that she needed to make a good impression, and somehow she'd managed to show something that could count against her—her… otaku side, of all things.
It was just absurd.
…Good grief.
It was lucky Yuki had reacted positively, saying, “Big sis, you like Hina-chan too!?” Otherwise, the mood might have sunk completely.
…Still, things had worked out fairly well, what with her naturally striking up a conversation with Yuki and all.
Maybe I should let it go.
“Hmm.”
Was this really a good situation? I'd brought Kaede here to win Arai over, and yet the person she was actually getting closer to wasn't Arai, but his little sister, Yuki.
Ugh, something about this feels off….
‘No. Let's look on the bright side. It's not all bad.’
After watching anxiously, I saw Arai happily looking at the two of them from nearby.
Yeah. Arai had smiled at Kaede.
Considering how awkward Arai had felt around Kaede just moments ago, this could only be seen as a positive development.
‘Whatever the case, at least they've gotten a little closer. I should be glad.’
Getting close to his family might provide a stepping stone toward taking their relationship further later on.
Ahem. Anyway,
for now, I should focus on cutting the cake we'd brought. While I was in the kitchen, Kaede might do something impulsive like she just did.
“……I wonder if there are plates around here? Ah. There are.”
I opened a cupboard and found a suitable dish. I took it out and placed the cake, cut into bite-sized pieces, on it.
Now I needed to find a tray.
Maybe the tray's around here――
“Takamine?”
As I looked around the kitchen, a voice came from behind me. It belonged to Arai, a voice I knew all too well. I stopped what I was doing and turned toward the sound.
“You're back? That was fast. I guess the supermarket isn't far?”
“…It isn't far, but…”
Arai stood there holding a plastic bag in each hand, breathing hard.
He'd said he'd forgotten to get drinks for us and would run out to buy some, so I thought it'd take at least ten minutes, but……
It felt like he was back in less than five. Judging from his appearance, he'd apparently run here.
“What are you doing?”
“I was cutting the cake we brought…. Ah—sorry, Arai. I should've asked permission before using your kitchen.”
“No. That's fine. Um.”
Arai trailed off and made a strange expression. Had I done something that made him uncomfortable?
That wouldn't be good.
“I just don't feel right making a guest do the work. ……Anyway, I'll help.”
Ah-ha. That's what was bothering him. He didn't need to worry about it. It wasn't hard.
Wanting to ease Arai's burden, I decided to speak to him as he approached.
“It's fine. I'm used to it, so don't worry.”
“You're used to it?”
Ah.
“……I've helped my family with things since I was little. That's why. Um.”
I answered Arai. It was a somewhat hurried reply, but I didn't think there was any falsehood in what I'd said.
To me, Kaede was like family. And it was true that I'd been looking after Kaede all this time.
So what I said wasn't a lie.
……At least, that's what I thought.
“I see. …You're a good daughter, Takamine.”
“Ah, well. I don't think I'm that good a daughter.”
Arai smiled faintly. The expression reminded me of an adult looking at a well-behaved child.
Seeing that look, a sense of guilt bubbled up inside me at the thought that I'd deceived Arai.
Hmm.
I seemed to have given him the wrong idea. …It couldn't be helped. I'd let it go for now. The more I said, the more likely I was to trip myself up.
“By the way, what were you looking for?”
“……A tray. I was looking for one.”
“Oh? Wait a second. I'll find it for you. I think it's around here. Ah, here it is.”
Arai had come over at some point and rummaged around the kitchen before finding a suitably sized tray and handing it to me. I silently took it, then set the plate with the cake on it atop the tray.
All that remained was to pour the drinks Arai had brought into the cups I'd already prepared.
‘I wonder what kind of drinks Arai bought.’
I was curious about Arai's taste. Since the cake was sweet, a less sweet drink would be better.
I wonder if Arai had considered that?
“I'll get the drinks ready.”
“I've got the cups ready.”
“Thanks.”
I glanced over and saw Arai taking a drink out of the plastic bag. I watched him closely.
‘It's black tea.’
What Arai had taken out was a popular product from a brand specializing in black tea, one I'd tried a few times before.
‘Black tea does go with most desserts.’
Not bad. I was glad Arai had decent taste. I'd been secretly worried he'd buy something like orange juice.
It seemed my concern had been for nothing. I scribbled a note in my mental notebook: ‘Arai = Not lacking in taste.’
It was then.
“Takamine, you've got whipped cream on your hand.”
Ack.
Arai's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. At his words, I lowered my gaze.
Hmm. Just as Arai said, there was whipped cream on my finger.
I must have gotten it on there while cutting the cake or moving it onto the plate.
I couldn't believe I'd made such a basic mistake.
……This is a little embarrassing.
“Thanks for telling me.”
After answering Arai, I looked back at my finger. The whipped cream was still there.
I stared at it for a moment, mildly conflicted, then brought my finger to my lips. In the next motion, I ran my tongue over the whipped cream.
For appearances' sake, I should have washed the cream off in the sink.
But the whipped cream on my hand belonged to a cake worth a hundred thousand yen.
Even though I lived with Kaede in the Mochizuki family mansion, I was only staying there as a servant.
A luxurious cake like this…
wasn't something I got to eat often.
For someone like me who loved sweets, that was a truly tragic state of affairs.
So, appearances aside, it was the right choice to savor even a little while I had the chance.
“Mmm♪”
The whipped cream melted away on my tongue, its sweetness and rich flavor spreading through my mouth.
Wanting to savor the aftertaste a little longer, I squeezed my eyes shut and focused all my attention on the taste. I even rested a hand on my cheek without realizing it.
‘…It's so sweet. I need to get back and eat some more.’
As soon as I finished savoring the whipped cream, I opened my eyes.
“………?”
And at the same time, my eyes met Arai's.
It seemed he'd been watching me.
…Hmm, the way he was looking at me seemed a little strange.
His expression was a little stiff, too, as if he were surprised.
‘What's wrong with him?’
I mean, I'd only closed my eyes for a moment and opened them again. Hmm. It's not like anything could've happened during that time.
I thought it over for a brief moment, trying to figure out why Arai had that expression.
Then, suddenly, a thought crossed my mind.
‘Does Arai want some cake too?’
It was a plausible assumption. I mean, the cake looked delicious.
It wouldn't be strange at all if watching me eat the whipped cream had stirred his curiosity—or his appetite.
‘It can't be helped.’
I cut the remaining cake into bite-sized pieces. Then I speared one with the fork Arai would be using.
“Here, Arai. This is your share.”
“Huh?”
When I brought the cake near his mouth, Arai looked flustered. Maybe he hadn't actually wanted any.
Just in case, I decided to ask again.
“Don't you like cake?”
“No, it's not that……. Um.”
Arai trailed off, looking back and forth between me and the cake. Then, as if he'd made up his mind, he squeezed his eyes shut and took a big bite of the cake I offered him.
Munch, munch.
Arai ate the cake I'd given him so eagerly that it was hard to believe he'd hesitated a moment ago. Like I had, he chewed the cake in his mouth,
“It's delicious!”
His face lit up with satisfaction, and he let out an involuntary exclamation that proved just how good the cake was.
Seeing Arai like that, I smiled with satisfaction. Having already tasted the cake myself, I could understand how he felt.
‘Of course it's good. It came straight from a famous chef……Hmm?’
Arai had whipped cream on his face.
How careless.
I reached out and wiped the whipped cream off Arai's cheek.
――Lick.
“Huh!? Wha? Ta-Takamine?”
“Hmm?”
Arai.
…All I'd done was wipe whipped cream off his face.
He was making way too big a deal of it.
It wasn't like I'd done anything weird or anything――
Hmm?
…By the way, why did my mouth suddenly taste sweet?
“Ah.”
I'd licked the whipped cream off Arai's cheek.
……Ugh. How embarrassing.