Chapter 81: Before Sixth Grade

(POV Kaito)

I felt like I had a nostalgic dream. My memories were mixed up, and I couldn’t recall it very well, but I felt like I saw a glimpse of my past self.

I opened my eyes and gazed up at the ceiling, lost in thought. Then, I looked at the palm of my hand. This is my hand… always has been.

For a short while, I spent some idle time, doing nothing much, but then I remembered something important. I had to make breakfast… I had things to do now. With that in mind, I got up from bed.

As I hastily got up, the door to the room opened simultaneously. There stood Chiaki, wearing an apron and striking a triumphant pose with her arms crossed.

“Oh, Kaito’s awake!”

“Good morning, Chiaki.”

“I made breakfast for us today! Come on, let’s eat quickly!”

“Really? Thank you.”

Thinking such thoughts was odd, but it was rare for Chiaki to be up earlier than me. Despite always being a late riser and having a slightly groggy demeanor upon waking… what intrigued me more was how she gazed directly into my eyes.

Being able to talk while maintaining eye contact was one of Chiaki’s good traits, but… it was clear that the intensity in her eyes was different from before.

“What’s wrong? Kaito. Breakfast…”

“Oh, yeah…”

She firmly took my hand and led me out of the room. We descended the stairs and entered the living room. The enticing aroma of food had already filled the air. It seemed that Chinatsu, Chifuyu and Chiharu were already awake as they greeted me and took their seats. For breakfast, there was miso soup… and tamagoyaki (rolled omelet) … and…

“Well, you see, today’s breakfast is this whitebait, seaweed, and green onions, topped with my special sweet sauce, a specially made rice-bowl dish. I call it… the Ultimate Rice Bowl!! You won’t beat this taste… Kaito…”

“R-really. Thanks.”

“Get some stamina from this morning meal!”

With a beaming smile, she said that to me. I couldn’t believe she had prepared a special breakfast for me, expressing her concern for my well-being in the morning… I had to admit, I couldn’t possibly win against this kindness.

“Come on, come on! Dig in!”

“I’ll start then. Thank you for the meal.”

Chiaki urged me with sparkling eyes. I put my hands together and expressed my gratitude before picking up the chopsticks and taking a bite of her specially prepared breakfast.

◆◆

(POV Chiharu)

It was a morning filled with astonishing surprises. First, Chiaki was up early and preparing breakfast. She was even up earlier than Chifuyu…

Chiaki had always been a late riser, always…. but today, because of this, I missed the chance to see Chiaki’s cute sleeping face.

Moreover, I was taken aback by the change in Chiaki’s gaze. Her eyes held a stronger determination than before as she woke Oniisan up and served him breakfast. Though we were all eating together, it was evident that Chiaki prioritized taking care of Oniisan above all else.

“This is delicious…”

Oniisan said this with a look of amazement after tasting Chiaki’s breakfast. It was a refreshing sight to see Oniisan surprised like that. Clearly, the food had surpassed his expectations and turned out exceptionally delicious.

“Fufufu, I put all my heart into it, thinking about you, Kaito!”

With those words, Chiaki thumped her chest proudly, as she puffed out her chest in a confident manner. It seemed like the emphasis on her chest had grown stronger than before. It seemed like Chiaki was continuously maturing both mentally and physically, evolving at a speed faster than light.

“I see… Thank you.”

“Hehe… You’re welcome! From today on, I’ll be your “fairy godmother”, Kaito! I’ll grant all your wishes!”

Oniisan had a surprised expression in response to Chiaki’s proclamation. Perhaps he didn’t expect such a statement so early in the morning. Next to them, Chifuyu seemed flustered, as if she had found herself a rival!?

Chiaki, what happened so suddenly…? You’re completely different from yesterday.

From then on, she continued to dote on Oniisan, taking care of everything from tying his tie to washing the dishes, doing it all voluntarily. Each time Oniisan thanked her, Chiaki would respond with a delicate and lovely smile.

I wonder if Chiaki prefers to be the one doting rather than being doted on.

The busy morning passed by in a hurry.

◆◆

(POV Mary)

What kind of novel should I submit for the upcoming novel award…? I desperately racked my brain, struck a thoughtful pose, and scanned the classroom for inspiration. Hmmm…

“Mary, what’s wrong?”

“I was just looking for some inspiration for my story.”

“I see.”

Chiaki noticed and appeared in front of my table. I appreciated her presence, as she often helped me come up with ideas for my stories.

“What kind of protagonist do you think would be good?” I asked.

“Hmm…”

“I think it’s best if it’s someone with a gentle demeanor.”

“In that case, how about a protagonist like Kaito?”

Chiaki really had a thing for Kaito. She never missed a chance to bring him up in conversation. She talked about him so much that I felt like I knew everything about him, despite never having met him in person…

“You really like this Kaito-san…”

“Yes!”

What a carefree smile she had, confidently declaring her affection for a guardian at this age. Not many people could openly admit such feelings, so it’s genuinely impressive.

But wait… a guardian? No, that’s not quite right…

Even without the appraisal skill of a protagonist in an isekai story, it was evident after spending some time with her. Her affection was not something like loving your parents; it was something else.

“Hey, when you say you like Kaito-san… What kind of ‘like’ is it?”

“…? Like is like, isn’t it? But hmm…”

Oh, she’s not even aware of it herself. She doesn’t fully grasp her feelings. What should I do about this? Probably, Chiaki’s little sister, Chifuyu, also likes Kaito, I suppose? As for Chinatsu, my “Affection Radar” doesn’t react to her… Then there’s the eldest sister, Chiharu… It appears there’s been no reaction from her either. Though there’s a possibility she’s hiding her feelings, I’ll put that aside for now.

Well, these quadruplet sisters, I don’t dislike all of them, but… as for me, I really want Chiaki to be happy as my best friend. If all of them ended up liking that guy, Kaito-san, it might turn into some soap opera drama. Even if that doesn’t happen, there’s a possibility that Chiaki might cry if someone else steals his heart…

In this situation… it seems like I have no choice but to push for love.

“By any chance… Chiaki, do you… like Kaito in a romantic way?”

“Huh…? M-me, like Kaito?”

“That’s right. Haven’t you ever thought about holding hands and going on a date with him?”

“Um, well? But we often go shopping together, so I don’t really know.”

“What about wanting to kiss him?”

“K-kissh?! K-kissing is embarrassing!”

Ah, she can openly admit to liking him, but when it comes to things like this, she gets embarrassed…

“Well then, do you have any thoughts about being in a relationship with him?”

“Um… I don’t think so, I think?”

Huh? Could it be that I misunderstood? Maybe she doesn’t mean “like” in a romantic way, but rather in a familial sense?

Well, it seems like that was my misunderstanding… Well, of course. Unlike those situations in light novels, love doesn’t really exist in reality…

“But there have been times when I wondered if it would be a good idea to marry Kaito.”

— Truth is stranger than fiction!!!!!!

What was that?! These are definitely not feelings I’d ever entertain! I can tell, she doesn’t simply like him!

“Y-yes… M-marriage… Taking it that far… this is more like love…. this is love, isn’t it…? Eeeh, this can’t be true…”

“But, you see, even if I don’t marry Kaito, I want to be with him forever, by his side, supporting him more than anyone else. So, this doesn’t feel like romantic love… I think.”

A love that had transcended into something extraordinary… It seemed like she was still a bit uncertain, but the answer was probably already there. I decided to support her love, even though I might not have a role to play in it. If I were to compare this to a Mario Kart race, Chiaki was clearly in the lead.

Perhaps I was just imagining my involvement… No, but, in the last lap, the eldest sister might suddenly catch up with a powerful item like the Bullet Bill. The second sister might throw a blue shell, and the youngest might use a star power-up to make an intense comeback…

Yes, let’s continue supporting this love… No, supporting this deep affection.

“I’ll support you no matter what!”

“Huh? I don’t really understand, but okay… Yeah, well, we should get in line in the hallway soon for the graduation rehearsal, or they might get angry at us,”

“Right. Let’s go.”

Leave it to me. I’ve analyzed every aspect of love in the world of fiction, and I’ll definitely establish you as the main heroine in Chiaki’s route!