Bookwalker Special
Intermission: Everything Is Good as Long as It’s Tasty, Right?
*The following short story contains spoilers. Please read it after the main one.
It’s the weekend. Kaju and I are standing shoulder to shoulder in our home’s kitchen.
We are wearing the same aprons and crossing our arms in the same pose. Both of us nodded at each other after exchanging looks.
“I’ll leave this to you, Kaju. You’re the only one I can ask for help from.”
“Sure, onii-sama. Please leave this to Kaju.”
Indeed, we’re planning to make the desserts for Tsuwabuki Fest today.
First, a prototype is made with a small number of ingredients. Then, opinions are collected as data for the final product. The cost shouldn’t be underestimated during the process. That’s why we need a reliable plan.
I took the recipe we had prepared beforehand.
“Hmm, anyway. We’re making cookies, cupcakes, and sugarcoated peanuts. Are you sure we can make all three of them together?”
“It’s okay. Kaju has to stay up all night and do several more times of work during onii-sama’s birthday every year. These are a piece of cake.”
Kaju laughed and answered.
“You have to sleep properly this year, alright? Here. Can I help with anything?”
“Well, onii-sama can start by patting Kaju’s head, hmm?”
…I feel like this is different than I’ve imagined, but let’s just go along with her.
“Hehe, Kaju is now full of motivation.”
“Uh, then what should I do next?”
“Well, please rub Kaju’s shoulders next.”
“I see. Making desserts takes effort. I guess your shoulder hurts, right?”
I rubbed Kaju’s petite shoulders.
“It’s not. I just want onii-sama to spoil me.”
This is also different from what I expected.
Kaju started sorting the flour.
“If possible, is there anything related to making the desserts that I can help you with…?”
“I see. Kaju’s starting to make the desserts in the kitchen. Onii-sama, please hug me tightly from behind and ask, ‘What are we eating tonight’, okay?”
“...What’s even the point of that?”
Kaju jumped in excitement.
“There’s more! Kaju will say, ‘I’m still holding the knife. It’s dangerous’, and then onii-sama will say, ‘Let’s hold it together’ and grabs Kaju’s hands from behind-”
“Alright, stop. What’s the point of all of this?”
“A game for newlyweds. If this happens, Kaju will have enough energy to not sleep for 2 days!”
“No, make sure you get enough rest. All-nighters are banned.”
“I’ll sleep properly if onii-sama can sing a lullaby for me, you know?”
Kaju opened the can of cherries. She looked up to me to express her desires.
“Uh, I guess that’s acceptable.”
“Are you sure? It’s been a long time since Kaju has slept in onii-sama’s blanket. Kaju is excited.”
“Sleep in your bed. I’ll go back to my room after you’re asleep.”
“Hmph- onii-sama is so cold.”
Kaju pouted in dissatisfaction. She picked up a cherry.
“Well, I’ll ask onii-sama to peel the peanuts. The whole bag is yours.”
I finally got a proper task. Let’s start working.
…Kaju glanced at me after I silently peeled the peanut shells off for a while.
“Be careful when peeling off the skin. Don’t break the peanut inside.”
“Leave it to me. Despite my look, I’m actually quite skilled at things like this-”
The peanut in my hand broke into two the moment I said that.
Kaju quickly noticed it. She grabbed half of it and handed it to my lips.
“Onii-sama, you have to take up responsibility, you know? Here, ah-”
It can’t be helped. I have to eat it. Kaju handed me the other half after that.
“I’ll take up responsibility as well. Here, ah-”
Kaju closed her eyes and opened her mouth.
I fed the peanut to Kaju. She showed an incredibly charming smile.
“Now I’m fully charged!”
Kaju put out a victory pose with her arms. She started mixing the dough in the bowl ferociously.
As her older brother, I must not admit defeat here.
I cheered myself up and started peeling the peanuts again. I’m slowly learning how to open the shell-
“...Ah, it’s broken again.”
I immediately messed up after getting the hang of it.
Kaju opened her mouth and closed her eyes next to me.
I fed the whole broken peanut into Kaju’s mouth.
Intermission: The New Week Starts on Monday - Inside the Club Room
Monday, after school. The three first-year girls of the Literature Club are sitting around the table in the club room.
Yanami put a package in the middle with a solemn expression.
“...We have a package here.”
Yakishio straightened her back and looked at the content inside the tote bag.
“What’s this? There are desserts inside.”
“Indeed, Remon-chan is right. It’s also handmade desserts as well. I bet these must be presents for us, right?”
Yanami concluded. She put a small empty bag next to the package.
“It’s quite delicious.”
“Y-You ate them already…?”
Komari couldn’t help but mumble. Yanami smiled and shook her head.
“I just finished a bag before you two came. There are two left. Let’s share it with the three of us, alright?”
Yakishio took out the bag of desserts from the package.
“There are different desserts in these two bags. Is that also true for Yana-chan’s bag?”
“I think that’s the case. What was inside it again…?”
Yanami seemed dumbfounded. She’s about to open it.
Komari hastily stopped her.
“H-Hey, …i-it’s not good to just eat other people’s food without asking, r-right?”
“These are all brought by Nukumizu-kun, right? Leaving all of the deliciousness for himself only, how cunning. It’s more like Nukumizu-kun needs to learn his lesson.”
“I-Is that the case…?”
Yanami opened the two bags and started digging in when Komari was stunned with confusion.
Yakishio is encouraged by this. She took a bite. Her eyes bulged.
“Uwah, this is so good. Even though it looks so dry and hard, it’s moist and fluffy upon taking a bite.”
“Really? Let me try it too.”
“Uh, hey, but-”
Komari is getting increasingly startled as the desserts disappear one by one.
“It’s okay. Nukumizu-kun is unexpectedly easy. He’ll forgive us as long as Komari-chan smiles at him.”
“W-Why me…?”
“Nukumizu-kun is too kind to Komari-chan, after all. He didn’t give me any desserts even though I was here.”
“Y-You already ate them before we agreed on anything, y-yet you still want more?”
Perhaps Yanami didn’t accept Komari’s reasonable opinion. She just consumed the desserts with a face full of distress.
Yakishio was preparing the tea. She turned around with a chic look.
“But Nukkun always acts nervous whenever I change in the club room. I can feel it a little bit.”
Yakishio said that jokingly. Yanami shrugged.
“That’s because a cute girl like Remon-chan is changing before him- wait, you mean you’re changing in front of him!? Don’t tell me Remon-chan and Nukumizu-kun are like that!?”
“...I don’t understand what you’re saying. But, anyway, it’s like that. We’re talking about Nukkun, after all.”
Yakishio spoke up calmly. She started pouring tea into everyone’s cup.
Yanami was startled. However, she sighed in relief after seeing Yakishio’s attitude.
…It looks like those two aren’t like “that”.
“Oh, it’s Nukumizu-kun, after all.”
“I-I guess that’s what happens when it’s Nukumizu…”
“Even though I don’t really understand, it’s Nukkun, after all.”
The three girls started having a tea party.
All of them are having a fun conversation about Nukumizu. It only took them a few moments to eat up all of the desserts.
Yanami took care of the trash and clapped her hands.
“Alright, all of the evidence is destroyed.”
She seems to know what she has done too.
During this time, the door opened. Nukumizu appeared before everyone.
“Oh, everyone’s here. Let’s cut right to the chase.”
The girls started chuckling as if they wanted to interrupt Nukumizu.
“...Ah? What’s wrong? Why are you girls laughing?”
Nukumizu freaked out. Yanami smiled and waved at him.
“I-It’s nothing-”
The trio burst into laughter again after seeing Nukumizu’s confused and startled face.
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