Asamiya Hitomi had not yet bought the long incense needed for the prayers. After giving the white cat away, Asamiya Hitomi bowed deeply before Kitagawa Tera and said some words of thanks before leaving. But before she left, she looked at Kitagawa Tera timidly.
Because Kitagawa Tera had an expressionless face, she could not tell of any of his emotions at all, so Asamiya Hitomi thought she had offended him with her words somehow and peeped at him a few times as she left.
Of course, Kitagawa Tera noticed her small actions.
After Asamiya Hitomi left, Kitagawa Tera was a little baffled as he touched his face. He took out his phone and adjusted the camera. When he noticed that there was nothing unusual stuck to his face, he wrinkled his brows while shaking his head in confusion.
Nights always came quickly during winter. Even though it was only six-thirty in the evening, the horizon had a touch of dark, and the surroundings gradually darkened.
Feeling the changes to the surroundings, Kitagawa Tera immediately tucked his chin into his scarf and started walking home.
It was not far from Cure Cafe to the Kitagawas" house.
While walking home, Kitagawa Tera stopped by a convenience store and bought seven or eight skewers of oden, filling two boxes.
But when paying, Kitagawa Tera tilted his head and thought for a bit before getting three fast-food bento boxes.
There were no more ingredients at home. He had been busy investigating all kinds of things these few days and did not have the time to go grocery shopping.
A fast-food bento box was not too expensive but still cost eight to nine hundred yen.
Kitagawa Tera calculated silently. He did not have any obligation to treat Kamiya Mirai, so she would naturally have to pay for the third bento box.
With this thought, he sped up and soon reached the Kitagawas" house.
Kitagawa Tera pushed the small metal gate open. Before taking his key out, he smelled some fragrance coming from the house.
"This is?" Kitagawa Tera was puzzled.
After all, based on what Kitagawa Tera knew, Kitagawa Eri did not have the habit of buying groceries. After cla.s.s, she would normally attend art club activities, or at the invitation of her friends, sing karaoke or go shopping.
Could Kitagawa Eri have seen the light? Knowing to buy groceries for the family?
Kitagawa Tera took out his key to unlock the door and changed his shoes before bringing the things straight to the living room.
The scene before Kitagawa Tera surprised him.
Kamiya Mirai had tied her short hair into a ponytail and had an ap.r.o.n around her body. She had her fingers in a cat"s claws and was cutting vegetables quickly and neatly.
There were two pieces of herring frying in a small saucepan, the fish body cut to absorb flavors, black pepper sprinkled alongside the fish, sizzling in b.u.t.ter. The aroma permeated all over.
In the small stew pot beside it was miso soup. The soup bubbled, and mushrooms rolled in the thick white soup, with beautiful cross flower knife strokes on the brown skin.
Kamiya Mirai"s exquisite culinary skills caused Kitagawa Tera to change his impression of her slightly. But…
Kitagawa Tera looked expressionlessly to the other side.
Kitagawa Eri was staring at the animal program on TV with great interest, and it seemed she did not even notice that he had returned.
Kamiya Mirai raised her head, wiped her sweat, and greeted Kitagawa Tera. "Terkun, welcome back."
Kamiya Mirai heard Kitagawa Tera grunt softly and immediately saw him place the things he was holding on the table and walk quickly in large steps toward Kitagawa Eri.
She saw Kitagawa Tera"s big hand stretch out to scoop the confused Kitagawa Eri from the sofa while the other hand held her by the collar.
"????" Kitagawa Eri.
She was still enjoying the TV show? Why was she suddenly caught and picked up by someone?
Her limbs were weak, so she subconsciously struggled and tossed her small head back.
Then… then she saw Kitagawa Tera"s expressionless face.
Her struggling stopped. Kitagawa Eri only felt her heart suddenly stop as cold sweat dripped from the top of her smooth forehead.
Er…
Kitagawa Eri did not know what expression was on her face now. She could only force a smile from the corners of her mouth.
Kitagawa Eri did not know what her smile looked like, but the expression "bitter smile" was probably this?
The siblings stared at each other like this for a while before Kitagawa Tera started speaking. "Kamiya is busy cooking, but here are you watching TV, Eri?"
Kitagawa Eri gave a start, s.h.i.+vered slightly, and then finally said aggrievedly, "I"ll go help now…"
Although she said this, her eyes could not help but drift to the TV.
"…" Kitagawa Tera knocked Kitagawa Eri"s little head and calmly said, "No need for you. I"ll go take a look."
After saying this, Kitagawa Tera put Kitagawa Eri down, turned around, and asked, "Is there anything I can help with, Kamiya?"
"Ah… No need. I was just making the side dishes, and they"re almost done." Kamiya Mirai wiped her water-stained hands on the ap.r.o.n and guiltily looked away from Kitagawa Tera and Kitagawa Eri.
In fact, Kitagawa Eri had offered to help at the start, but she strongly urged Kitagawa Eri to sit down and rest.
If I let Kitagawa Tera know about it…
Just by thinking about it, Kamiya Mirai"s actions in cleaning the plates became louder.
"?" Kitagawa Tera.
Kitagawa Tera seemed to sense something and looked back at Kamiya Mirai.
"Let"s eat." Kamiya Mirai coughed dryly and then placed the plates from the back of the table on the dining table.
Steaming hot miso soup, fried herring, and salted vegetables and small tomatoes as side dishes…
The look of these dishes alone was pretty good.
But Kitagawa Tera just smelled it and did not start eating.
And the "head of the family" did not start eating, Kamiya Mirai and Kitagawa Eri were also hesitant to start.
The two little girls looked at each other with their big eyes and were a little puzzled.
After a while, Kitagawa Tera asked, "Kamiya bought the groceries for this dinner, right?"
"Ah… I looked in the fridge this morning and did not find many ingredients. I thought that I shouldn"t stay in your house for nothing, so…" Kamiya Mirai scratched her head. "What"s wrong, Terkun?"
Er…
Kitagawa Tera looked at the home-cooked meal in front of him and thought about the cold fast-food bento boxes that he had bought.
After pondering, he took out the thirty-five thousand yen that she had given him and placed it in front of Kamiya Mirai.
"Terkun?" Kamiya Mirai blinked.
"I said before," Kitagawa Eri lightly said, "I need to make a trip to Ha.s.san City tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. There will be no one to take care of Eri, so I hope you can help take care of her for these few days. I"ll pay you back the thirty-five thousand yen as a remuneration."
His tone was calm and natural, just like usual.
But after hearing what Kitagawa Tera said, Kamiya Mirai was stunned.
She could not help it but look askance at him, sizing him up.
All he had to do was ask. I have no reason to turn him down?
But why is he insisting on giving me money?
Kamiya Mirai contemplated.
After a while, she realized that she was complicating matters.
At the end of the day, Kitagawa Tera simply did not want to take advantage of her.
At the same time, combined with Kitagawa Tera"s principled character, Kamiya Mirai could not help but be impressed with his shrewdness.
Thirty-five thousand yen was a large amount for a high school student.
But this sum of money was nothing compared to the favor that Kitagawa Tera could have owed.
From his actions, Kamiya Mirai could acutely understand that "Kitagawa Tera did not like owing people favors".
However…
A flash of light flickered in Kamiya Mirai"s eyes.
This may be an opportunity for me!
She took a deep breath, and her large exquisite eyes looked at Kitagawa Tera. "Terkun, are we not friends? It"s just a small matter to look after Eri-chan. You don"t need to return the money to me."
After saying this, Kamiya Mirai felt that she had never been so nervous before.
Her entire body was taut, her expression serious, as she waited for Kitagawa Tera"s answer.