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It was Friday, the last day of the school week. It was the evening before the promised day for Hayato to go out with Haruki to get a new smartphone.
It was another hot and humid morning and it didn’t ease up even in the evening.
“Haa ~Huu ~tadaimaaa~ Onii, ice cream~” [TLN: tadaima = I’m home]
“There’s some in the freezer, take it with you.”
“Oh, Himeko-chan, welcome back~.”
When Himeko came home drenched in sweat, she was greeted in an air-conditioned room by her brother, Hayato, who was working in the kitchen making dinner, and Haruki, who was lying on the living room sofa reading a manga.
Haruki promised to have dinner with them, and immediately went to visit Hayato and Himeko’s house. Because they were such good friends, she didn’t have any reservations. Perhaps she also felt lonely.
However, Haruki’s appearance was all sorts of awful, so relaxed that Himeko couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.
She was lying face down on the couch with a cushion in her arms, her skirt rolled up in the air, her socks off, her feet flailing about.
Her guard was too loose for a girl, and as expected, Himeko saw that she was wearing a pair of dark blue boxer shorts that were plain and unattractive.
“Haru-chan, that’s…”
“Hmm? Oh, here it is! It’s a manga about the Taisho era that became popular as an anime a while ago! I couldn’t buy it at all because it was in short supply, but I finally managed to get my hands on it. Come on, Himeko-chan, let’s come over and read it together.”
“No, that’s not it, it’s…”
“Yeah…?”
Haruki tilted her head in confusion, which was so adorable that even Himeko couldn’t help but groan.
But despite the fact that it was supposed to be an extremely sexy look, it looked disappointing and Himeko couldn’t help but put her hand on her forehead.
If Himeko turns her attention to her brother, she will see him chopping vegetables.
It was as if this was his natural state, and he didn’t seem to mind at all.
For better or worse, it’s the same old relationship, and while she’s taken aback, her mouth drops open.
“Himeko-chan, come on, come on!”
“…Mou~!”
Haruki sat up, a manga in her hand, her eyes glittering as she patted the sofa next to her. Apparently, she wanted to read the manga together with Himeko.
Himeko lets out a big sigh, but decides to read the manga with Haruki.
It’s a shounen manga with a lot of battle action, but it seems to have really stuck with the two girls, and they become absorbed in it.
“Haru-chan, where’s the rest, where’s volume 2!?”
“Here it is. Welcome to this side of the swamp!”
“What the hell are they doing, those girls…”
In the end, the two of them were reading in silence until dinner was ready.
◇◇◇
“Bon appétit~.”
“Ugh, Onii, this is…”
“Tomatoes, don’t forget to eat them.”
Today’s dinner was cold shabu salad udon.
It was made with thin udon noodles that were tightly packed in cold water, topped with potherb mustard, baby leaves, green onions, cucumber, kaiware, tomatoes, and cold-shaved pork belly.
It was served with ponzu, sesame sauce, or any other dressing of their choice.
It was very hot today, and not many people had much appetite, but they were willing to eat this light dish.
Incidentally, Himeko looked reluctant when she was served a raw tomato, which she doesn’t like, but she forced herself to swallow it under the strange pressure of Hayato.
As they were finishing their meal and taking a sip of tea, Himeko suddenly remembered something and shouted.
“Oh, that reminds me, Onii, tomorrow Saturday, can I borrow Haru-chan?”
“Eh, me?”
“Well, we can check out some phones on Sunday.”
Himeko knew that Haruki and Hayato were finally going to buy a phone.
She also knew that Haruki’s taste in clothes was devastating. She definitely did. As a girl of her age, she couldn’t overlook that.
“Let’s go on a date, Haruchan, a friend date.”
“De-de-de-de-de-date!? With me!? I’ve never been on a date before though!?”
Haruki reacted to the word “date” and her face suddenly turned red and she panicked. Himeko suppressed the urge to tease her.
“It’s not that big of a deal, Haru-chan has been on many dates with Onii. Such as a date to walk in the mountains, a date to jump into a river and get soaked, and a date to catch cicadas for six hours.”
“Oh, that’s true.”
“That’s a date without a hint of sex appeal.”
Haruki claps her hands in agreement, while Hayato chuckles in the back of his throat as he recalls those days.
“So you’re saying that Himeko-chan and I are going out together?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Eh, then what are we going to do? I mean, are you sure about this Hayato? You’ll be left out. As far as I’m concerned, the three of us should―”
“Clothes.”
“The three of us―”
“We’re going to buy clothes for Haru-chan.”
“―Himeko, you’re…?”
Himeko’s eyes were not smiling. They were filled with a sense of mission. She had the smile of a hunter who has found her prey and doesn’t want to miss it.
Haruki felt a chill run down her spine and her smile stiffened.
“Ha-Hayato!”
“Now, now, I have to wash the dishes.”
“You betrayed me!”
Despite her desperate pleas for help, Hayato ran into the kitchen, not wanting to be caught in the middle. His back was too eloquent in asserting that a man would be in his way if he were there.
Haruki was not good at such girlish things.
She didn’t dare to get involved with them.
“I want to get to know Haruki better than before, like looking at her clothes and talking with her more.”
Those were Himeko’s heartfelt words.
Haruki felt a strong bond with Himeko when she saw the seriousness in her eyes.
Then she sighed loudly as if she had lost.
“Okay. Let’s have a date tomorrow.”
“Haru-chan!”
Haruki felt a warmth in her heart as she realized that this younger friend of hers adored her.
Then Himeko forcefully pulls Haruki to her feet. The smile on her face was so refreshing.
“Um, Himeko-chan?”
“I’ll lend you my clothes, and we can go pick out something to wear tomorrow.”
“Eh? Eh? Eh!?”
Himeko had the look of “You’re not going out in those tacky casual clothes, are you?”. And then, without saying a word, Haruki was dragged into her room. Then the forced fashion show began.
“Hmm, something’s not right. Well then, try this one next.”
“Yadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa~, we’re still going with this!?” [TLN: yada = no more]
Haruki’s sad cries echoed in the Kirishima house until late that night.