Stealing Spree

“Oh… It’s truly quiet here.” Himeko marveled at the small hot pot restaurant that I picked for us.

It was also located near their hotel. However, compared to that and the park near it, the location of this restaurant was at the top of a hill and close to a shrine where a Shinto Deity was being worshipped. I just had no idea which kind of Deity it was.

Although I was doing the first shrine visits during every first day of the year, that was the only occasion I would be visiting one.

It’s not a day for shrine visits so the place was kind of desolate. Nonetheless, this restaurant kept its business open. They still had customers at least, only they wouldn’t be able to fill up all the tables.

“Here, Nee-sama!” Itou called out to us from the table she picked at the corner of the restaurant.

Since it’s a small restaurant, the tables close to the wall had partitions, perhaps to practice privacy, while the tables in the middle were in full view.

For sure, Itou was thinking about her introverted sister so she chose the corner table as well as the one next to the wall.

As for why she took up that duty to pick a table for us, the girl volunteered to do it by herself.

After Himeko stopped her and talked to her with both of their feelings bared earlier, Itou eventually gave up on what she planned and returned with her beloved older sister

I could still remember the proud grin of the introverted rich girl when she approached me. It’s as if she’s boasting that she successfully talked down her somewhat rebellious sister. Due to that, I patted her head and praised the girl which the girl returned with another embrace.

But because of what I did, I earned another hateful glare from Itou. She didn’t voice it out though and perhaps in consideration for her sister, she just turned her head away to not see us flirting once more in front of her.

I couldn’t really blame Itou for how she was acting. In the first place, once a normal person heard about our plans and our situation, they would have the same reaction. Moreover, Itou wanted to protect her sister so it’s natural for her to hate me and try pulling Himeko away from me.

It’s commendable. Truly.

However, with the target of her protection willingly entering this relationship, her options were limited. The best she could do was to discourage me privately or just watch over her. That first option would surely fail that’s why… she could only pick that second option.

Upon seeing her sister smiling in her seat, Himeko’s face brightened and pulled me with her to where Himeko was waving.

When we arrived at that table, there were two long chairs that could sit at least six persons as long as they fit enough. Naturally, Itou was already sitting on one. Himeko deliberated on where she would sit; next to me on the other long chair or next to her sister.

In the end, Himeko kissed me on my cheek as a consolation before sitting next to her sister who was radiating her smug aura towards me as if saying her sister picked her and not me.

I shook my head as I settled on myself on the long chair across from them.

In any case, either option was good for me… Or rather, this was much better. I could watch Himeko enjoying her meal.

I left the house before lunch so the one listed first for our date today was to eat lunch together.

Although I ate karaage and rice in Eimi’s house, I wouldn’t just let them eat by themselves here.

It’s also a good thing that I picked this restaurant. Not only was it silent, which was adequate to Himeko’s request, but also, they only offered hot pot meals.

That’s the only item on their menu. The restaurant would provide a portable burner and the clay pot. Then we would be able to choose the type of broth we would use and the ingredients we would eat with it.

Naturally, the choices ranged from different types of meats and vegetables.

A minute after we were seated, the waiter went to our table and brought the burner and clay pot before asking for our order.

I pointed at Himeko to let her decide on what we’re going to eat and Itou surprisingly had the same idea as mine.

It was also partly a practice for her to talk to other people apart from us.

Although she looked at me with pleading eyes as if she wanted me to save her, I only smiled at her before turning my head sideways to stop myself from seeing that kind of expression from her. I was aware that I might not be able to hold myself back from saving her from that dilemma.

As for Itou, the girl also resisted herself from helping her beloved sister in ordering our food.

Around 10 minutes after struggling from understanding Himeko’s mumbles and constant changes in her choices, the waiter walked back to their kitchen while blowing a relieved sigh.

“You two… You deliberately didn’t help me…” With an expression as if she was wronged, Himeko poutingly grumbled at her seat as her eyes scanned the two of us.

“Nee-sama. Isn’t it great? You finally crossed out one of your ‘Introvert-no-more To Do List’.” Itou immediately made an excuse.

“How did you know about that list?”

“If it’s about Nee-sama, I naturally know about it.” Itou proudly answered.

Aren’t you turning into a stalker, Itou?

Of course, I didn’t say that out loud.

“Now I’m curious. Can I see it, Himeko? Also… can I help you accomplish everything you listed.”

“Hey, don’t take my role away. I will be the one helping Nee-sama!”

“There you go with your arguments again. Don’t forget, the two of you abandoned me just now. I will be crossing out that list myself.” Himeko crossed her arms and this time, she’s the one who turned her head sideways as if she was sulking at us.

Upon seeing that, Itou and I exchanged wry smiles. Un. This was an adorable side of Himeko as well and both of us agreed to it.

After that, we waited until the waiter returned with our order. During that time, Itou and I tried to console the girl but we’re both failing. She really held it against us that we left her to make our order.

However, as soon as the food arrived, the girl almost drooled. Since she’s the one who ordered, it was filled with food she wanted to eat. Starting from chicken broth, chicken meat and edible mushrooms. Naturally, there were also other vegetables. However, the meat she picked was only chicken. She argued that the broth would taste bad if other kinds of meat got submerged in it.

Since this is supposedly her day, I only accepted it and took the helm on dipping the ingredients properly when the broth boiled.

As we waited for it to be prepared, Himeko began happily humming at her seat. The way she was humming it was with her eyes closed was simply adorable. Even more adorable than her earlier sulking.

Halfway through it, Itou joined her after recognizing what Himeko was humming. This time, she fitted in the lyrics of the song.

And color me surprised, it’s the same song I just heard on the train. Yue’s popular song, ‘Steal your heart’.

That Sumire was right, since it’s popular even among girls like them, it’s almost a given that they heard about it.