Naoki turned and saw his mother sticking half her face out of the kitchen door, looking up like a ghost.
"Do not worry." Naoki's expression was calm and composed, "Mom doesn't know which one of you is."
Itsuki: "😐"
If she thought about it carefully, there really was nothing to worry about.
It was impossible for the aunt to recognize who everyone was the first time she visited. Even now, almost a year after transferring to another school, most students still couldn't recognize who the five sisters were when they put on their wigs.
"Give me the oranges." Itsuki calmed down a bit, and quickly took the orange from Naoki's hand, "I'll eat it myself."
"Asakawa-kun~ I also want to eat oranges."
Ichika leaned over and bit her ear gently.
*jiiii*
Gaze peeked from the kitchen, like a light behind him.
"Sit down and don't talk." Naoki sat up straight.
His mother couldn't play well and everyone would come to find fault, but counting sure didn't matter, if Naoki fed two people at the same time, he would soon be exposed!
"Didn't you swear in the morning that you would give up everything." Nino folded his arms across his chest, unlike at home, tucking his left leg over his right, sitting with unexpected dignity. Her posture, lowered her voice and said disdainfully, "Why are you so cowardly now?"
Naoki glanced at Nino: "Go to sleep tonight."
"Eh?"
"I will stay the night."
"Bah." Nino spat quietly, his face quickly turning red, "You can stay the night if you want, there's no door."
Miku sat next to Nino, tilted her head to look up, couldn't help puffing her cheeks, and said in a weak voice:
"So what's the punishment for not being able to sleep at night?"
"If you want to know, don't sleep so early." Nino turned his head away and hummed softly, "You'll know when the time comes."
"That's not necessarily true." Naoki said, "As long as you fall asleep before 12pm, nothing will happen."
"Tsk, it doesn't matter if you stay up all night." Nino complained, "The law has never made it illegal to stay up late at night."
"Nino Onee-san, what are you talking about?" Rin asked curiously "Did Nii-chan bully you?"
"Ahem." Nino lied, "Not bullying me."
"I just heard clearly." Rin raised her head and chest, and said, "Nino Onee-san, just say it, I'll tell mom, and let mom teach Nii-chan a lesson."
Do not have to.
After the match in the middle of the night, even Miku and the others couldn't tell, let alone tell the aunt, so as not to be regarded as a shameless girl!
...
In the twinkling of an eye it was time for lunch.
Naoki walked to the kitchen door: "Come and help cook."
"Come on."
Yotsuba was the first to respond. She originally planned to help out in the kitchen, but Mrs. Sakura politely dismissed the idea of helping with the cooking when a guest came to the house for the first time.
Serving food is not a problem.
Several other girls came to help one after another, and even Ichika, who usually put down the cutlery the most, came to get the rice cooker.
"Ittadikimasu."
After setting the table and chopsticks, they went to wash their hands again, and lunch officially began.
"This very tasty."
Ichika opened her eyes wide and covered her mouth with her hand.
As expected of a professional actress, her expression wasn't exaggerated at all.
This sentence belongs to standard social etiquette. Delicious or not, it must be said to be super delicious.
It's like complimenting girls, kawaii is important.
But then again, the taste of the food is really good.
Mrs. Sakura smiled and said, "Just tell me what you want to eat, and make more next time."
Ichika blinked: "Is Auntie a professional cook in a restaurant?"
"No, it's just that I usually cook a lot. Practice makes perfect when you cook more."
With Ichika and Nino, there's no need to worry about silence.
"Besides practice makes perfect, talent also matters." Rin said firmly, "Mother's cooking talent must be full."
There is a harmonious atmosphere at the table, but not for everyone.
For example, Miku.
She usually didn't say much, but she was caught shopping again two days ago, and she was embarrassed to raise her head to speak.
The other person is Itsuki.
Itsuki has a simple mind, eats less in the morning, and is currently hungry, and the food tastes really good, so she immediately turns into a stove and cooks boredly.
Naoki had barely eaten two mouthfuls when he saw Itsuki stop, a slightly disheveled expression on his face.
He glanced over, and sure enough, just as he had expected, the bowl was empty.
Very fast.
Even though the bowl isn't very big, it's not enough to finish it in a minute or two!
Those who eat a bowl of rice for half an hour should really see the real cook!
"Go fill it yourself."
Naoki looked at Itsuki and whispered.
"No." Itsuki blushed slightly, shook his head and whispered, "I'm full."
You don't even believe this sentence yourself!
According to your taste, at least five bowls can be full!
It was impossible to serve it by herself, the others had only eaten two mouthfuls of rice, and the rice in Rin's bowl had not been touched even while eating, and she had already finished it, would she be considered a bucket of rice?
It's her first time coming here as a guest, so don't make auntie give off the impression of an idiot!
Naoki stretched out his hand and said "Give me the bowl, I will serve it to you."
Itsuki handed over half of the bowl, and suddenly realized, "No, I'll fill it later."
Naoki had no choice but to look away and speed up his meal.
Finishing the rice at double the usual speed, then got up to serve the bowl of rice under Itsuki's gaze.
"Nii-chan, you ate so fast today?" Rin was surprised.
"Today's mother's cooking is so good that I can't stop."
Naoki said while extending his hand towards Itsuki, as if nothing had happened:
"Give me a bowl."
"No, I'll do it myself."
Itsuki hurriedly got up, she was embarrassed to add rice before, but now it was Naoki's first, so naturally there was no problem adding rice.
"Girls usually eat one or two bowls of rice, and they can't add a third bowl. It's too embarrassing, but..." Itsuki looked at the others guiltily, seeing that no one was paying any attention to her.
It was just that when she pressed silently a second time, Itsuki suddenly heard a soft click of the porcelain bowl in his hand.
"Ahh! It is over!"
Seeing the porcelain bowl in his hand begin to shatter, Itsuki felt that his eyes were dark and his whole body was unwell.
In swimming class, when she was jumping around in the water like a land person, Itsuki was really embarrassed, but at this moment, she really knew how it felt to die.
(I really want to die, I really want to die, I really want to die!)
(I broke the bowl, I have no face to live on anymore!)
(After apologizing, I held my breath and killed myself. I absolutely don't want to see tomorrow's sun!)
A finger snap sounded suddenly.
Itsuki opened his eyes wide, seeing the broken bowl come together again.
"How could that be ..."
In the middle of talking, Itsuki suddenly came to his senses, and quickly looked at Naoki.
Naoki looked indifferent: "Sit down and eat."
As an Esper, it's normal to put broken bowls back together, right?
Reborn on the brink of social death, Itsuki feels that the whole world has suddenly brightened up. She glanced at Naoki gratefully, and hurriedly sat down to eat.
It was decided.
The most precious reward must be given to Asakawa-san!
When she goes to school on Sunday, take his favorite meat buns as a treat!
After that, there were no more accidents, and Itsuki finished his food carefully.
"Another bowl?" Naoki looked at Itsuki.
Itsuki put down his bowl and chopsticks, with a serious expression: "Absolutely not."
The meal finished quickly.
"Thank you for the treatment."
Several girls put their hands together.
This is also standard social etiquette, you should say it when you're a guest at someone's house.
After clearing the plates and chopsticks to the kitchen, Mrs. Sakura immediately made another green tea.
"Everyone drink tea."
After drinking tea, everyone got up to say goodbye and leave.
Before leaving, Mrs. Sakura called Miku aside and spoke briefly.
Seeing Miku blushing, Nino said curiously:
"What did Aunt say?"
"I won't tell you." Miku turned her face away, "Hurry and go."
"It's still a secret." Ichika tapped her lips lightly with her finger, and switched on her famous detective mode, "Was that something hidden?"
"There's nothing to tell." Miku puffed her face out "I just don't want to say it, so hurry up and go."
...
The afternoon sun is just right.
Bright sky.
The warm sunlight falls on the body, which makes people feel comfortable.
As usual, Miku is at the end.
Naoki was two steps behind, came up to Miku, and whispered:
"What did mother say to you?"
"I won't tell you." Miku refused to tell. "But I have already exchanged contact information with Auntie... Next time you bully me, I will tell Auntie."
Naoki slightly twitched the corner of his mouth: "Shang Fang sword?"
Miku snorted softly: "Right, the answer is right."
...
Talking all the way, and immediately walked to the carriage.
"I'm off to work." Nino waved his hand, and was the first to get on the train.
Yotsuba followed and said, "Wait for me."
Ichika received a call from the bearded uncle, and after saying a few words, she pouted and hung up the phone, then hugged Naoki's arm and acted like a baby:
"Uncle beard said that there is a new movie to be filmed recently, and want Asakawa-kun to be an extra?"
"So cold, don't go."
Naoki simply refused.
Ichika tiptoed slightly, and whispered into his ear: "How about I warm Asakawa-kun's bed at night?"
Warming the bed can be considered...
"Ichika, you should hold back a bit." Itsuki couldn't take it anymore, "It's on the way, what should you do if someone hears you?"
Warm the bed or something. Luckily Nino stepped in first, otherwise she would have pulled you away a long time ago!
"It doesn't matter." Ichika closed her eyes and tilted her head "If someone hears about it, I'll call myself Yotsuba."
Itsuki: "Yotsuba is about to cry."
Ichika: "Don't worry, the Yotsuba's mental quality is very good."
...
After saying a few words, the train slowly approached, and Ichika waved regretfully:
"I'll be auditioning for a commercial in the afternoon, so I'll be going first."
"Phew..."
Itsuki breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Naoki "Is Asakawa-san free this afternoon?"
"Free." Naoki nodded "What are you going to do?"
Itsuki pursed his lips, "I haven't given incense this month, I missed time."
"Understood." Naoki looked at Miku and asked, "Miku will come with us?"
"You guys go, I won't go." Miku shook her head "I'll go home and make a video clip."
Naoki said speechlessly: "Don't you do it in two days?"
"I have to go to class during the day, okay?" Miku puffed out her cheeks, "I've been really nervous these past two days... I'm fine now, I'll come back in the afternoon and make a music video."
"Then you come back." Naoki nodded "Itsuki and I will be going to offer incense."
...
The three split up at the train station.
Naoki and Itsuki got on the carriage and went to the shrine to offer incense together.
All the way without words.
After getting off the carriage, the two climbed the steps to the monastery, bought some incense at the small shop at the foot of the mountain, and then climbed half the mountain together.
"It's cold."
A cold gust of wind blew, Itsuki hugged his arm, shivering involuntarily.
Naoki held Itsuki's hand and asked:
"How much is the temperature drop every 100 meters above sea level?"
"Hmm..." Itsuki blinked, "I think six degrees Celsius?"
Naoki took a deep breath.
"Wrong." Itsuki hastily corrected, "It's 0.6 degrees!"
"Too late." Naoki complained "We just froze to death."
The difference between the decimal points is the difference between the world and hell.
"Tongue cross." Itsuki pouted "I already fixed it."
"How do you spell the English word for height?" Naoki asked again.
"Eh?" Itsuki didn't remember for a while, "Don't suddenly ask about the spelling of words."
While talking, someone descended from the mountain.
Itsuki hastily wanted to withdraw his hand: "Someone is coming."
"So what." Naoki held on tightly "Is there something wrong with holding my girlfriend's hand?"
Itsuki blushed slightly, looked down at his toes, and answered in a low voice while walking:
"I didn't promise you."
Naoki pretended to be surprised: "Are you going to start with the mess and finally leave?"
"The criminal will file a complaint first." The ahoge hair on Itsuki's head shook, and he couldn't help but say, "Shameless!"
Immediately came to the cemetery in the middle of the mountain.
Naoki and Itsuki first offered incense to the mother of the five sisters, and the incense smoke rose far away under the clear sky.
"Should we burn incense for that granny?" Itsuki said softly.
"Um."
The two of them walked to a corner of the grave and offered incense to the old woman.
Itsuki pursed his lips: "After we found that photo, we never saw that grandma again. She must have become a Buddha, right?"
Becoming a Buddha in Japanese does not mean achieving positive results, but fulfilling one's wishes and dispelling ghosts.
"Mother should have become a Buddha too, otherwise she would have been by our side. It would have been great if I had met Asakawa-san earlier…"
Naoki held Itsuki's hand gently: "I'm always here."
Fortunately, Itsuki is not a melancholic person, emotions come and go quickly, and quickly calmed down, looking at the maple tree not far away: "All the leaves have fallen, came to the incense that afternoon, Yotsuba accidentally fell down."
The weather is cold and windy.
The maple trees that used to be all over the mountains and forests were all colored, now only bare branches remained.
Itsuki walked under a tree: "Where did Yotsuba fall last time?"
Naoki pointed "That, the rock came loose."
"This one," Itsuki said as she raised his foot to step on it, but the rock beneath his feet suddenly loosened, and his exclamation sounded.
"Ahhh!"