Chapter IV: Quintet in Disharmony

“.........”

Her heart pounding, she looked again at the nameplate. Charlotte took a deep breath as she read the word “Orimura” over and over. It’s okay. He told me he’d be here, so it’s not like I’m bothering him by dropping by... I think... I hope...

Charlotte wasn’t standing in a dorm hallway, but on a residential street. As she stared at the doorbell, she could feel the sun beating down on her blonde hair. Ahh, it’s so sunny out today... No! I can’t get distracted by that! Her finger hovered over the button as she was, in fact, distracted by that. As she stood, her will wavering, she heard a voice.

“Charl? What’s up?”

“Fwah?!”

She spun around in something a little more than a panic to face the voice behind her. It was Ichika, carrying a bag from the local hardware store.

“Ah, uh, hello! It’s so sunny out today— No, wait!”

“Huh?”

“Er, um, uh...” As she sputtered, she searched the bookshelves of her mind for something to say. An entire team of 25 mini Charlottes, all frantically tearing through the card catalogue. “Ahhh—”

“Ahhh?”

“Ahhh, there you are.” She gave a cheery smile, and immediately regretted it.

Agh! I look like such a dweeb!

“Oh. Anyway, come in! Sorry if it’s a mess.”

“I-I can? I can come in?”

“Of course. Why would I turn you away? Or did you have something else planned?”

“N-No! No way! Not at all! Absolutely nothing!” Ichika was a little bit taken aback by her insistence. Noticing, she blushed and turned away. “Really, I didn’t...”

“Hahaha. You’re so weird sometimes. Anyway, come on in. Hold on, I’ll get the door.”

“Okay.”

Charlotte nodded even as, internally, she wanted to curl up into a ball from embarrassment at the description. Still, though, the excitement of visiting Ichika washed that feeling away. So this is Ichika’s house... As she stepped inside, she realized two things: that this was her first time going to a boy’s house, and that her heart rate had climbed through the roof.

“It’s really hot today. Sit down, I’ll get you a drink.”

“Oh, thanks.”

Charlotte sat down on the sofa and looked around the living room. Ichika’s house was a normal Japanese-style home, with an open plan between the living room and kitchen. Chifuyu had picked up used furniture on the cheap, so it was a bit out of fashion. But Ichika had worked his hardest keeping the place clean until he moved into the dorms, so even though it was old, it certainly wasn’t beat up.

Wow. He really is handy around the house. Thinking back to her classmates in elementary school, she couldn’t remember any French boys who were the same. Charlotte appreciated it. Ichika’s probably going to make a great husband someday. A husband, huh... The word sprang to mind unsummoned, and carried with it thoughts of her own future marriage. As her cheeks flashed red, her expression blanked.

“Here, here’s some iced tea.”

Her heart pounded.

“I made it this morning so it’s probably pretty weak, sorry.”

“Y-Yeah. Thanks anyway.”

Charlotte, yanked back to reality, quickly raised it to her lips to hide the grin she broke out in as Ichika sat down next to her. The tea was a bit weak, but she didn’t mind, or didn’t even notice in her excitement. I’m alone with Ichika... I’m alone with Ichika... Her heart beat faster and faster. I need to say something... What do I say...

Ding-dong! Just then, the doorbell rang.

“Oh, must be the mailman. I’ll go get it.”

“Mm.”

As Ichika rose and disappeared down the hall, Charlotte took another deep breath. She couldn’t let herself panic. Casting back and forth for a topic to use at the next opportunity, she soon settled on something. You know, I wonder what his hobbies are. I should ask.

◆

Ten minutes prior.

“This positively has to be it.”

Cecilia looked between the maps app on her phone and the nameplate on the door. It read ‘Orimura.’ She was in the right place. Bwahaha. My sources in class told me Ichika would be at home today. What a splendid chance to be alone together! And if we’re alone, then we can— As Cecilia thought of the implications, her face flushed red. We can, if the mood is right, maybe we can... For reasons she didn’t understand, images of her sitting on Ichika’s bed next to him filled her mind. And the thoughts of what would happen next made her glow even brighter.

“It’s only natural, Cecilia. We’re in love.”

“I... I can’t... I don’t know if my heart is ready...”

“I’ll make sure your heart and body are both ready.”

“Ahh...”

Wouldn’t that be just perfect if it actually happened? Tossing her phone back and forth in her hands, Cecilia reached toward the doorbell to make her fantasies a reality. I should clear my throat, too.

“Ah— Ahem.”

With throat clear, she pressed the button. A chime sounded, and a couple dozen seconds later, after the sound of footsteps, the door opened.

“Hello? Oh, Cecilia?”

“Hello there! How are you this fine afternoon? I was passing through the neighbourhood, so I simply had to pay a call.”

She tried to keep her words and tone as cool, almost haughty as ever, but her emotions were anything but. He... He looks even better than normal in street clothes... I’m wearing my good perfume today, I hope he notices too. The excitement in her heart shone through in her voice.

“Oh. Anyway, come in!”

“My pleasure. Oh, and I’ve brought something from a patisserie which I’ve heard is simply marvelous.”

“Oh, thanks. I should probs make some tea then.”

“That would be wonderful.”

Cecilia’s glee was palpable as she stepped inside. Slipping on a pair of guest slippers, she walked in toward the living room.

“Charl, Cecilia came over too.”

“Eh?”

Charlotte and Cecilia’s gasps overlapped perfectly. Each was caught completely off guard. Cecilia in particular, who had failed to notice Charlotte’s shoes by the door, clamped her mouth shut, wanting to say something but not wanting to say what she had in mind.

“Let’s check out that cake. Ooh, three pieces! It’s pretty hot today, so iced tea’s okay, right? Just gimme a minute.”

“O-Of course...”

“Oh, and feel free to take a seat.”

Cecilia brusquely plunked down next to Charlotte.

“.........”

“.........”

They had nothing to talk about—was the furthest thing from the truth, but neither one wanted to speak up first. From the kitchen came the clatter of plates.

“What a coincidence, Charlotte.”

“Yeah, what a coincidence, Cecilia.”

In response came a pair of awkward chuckles.

“.........”

“.........”

The silence continued.

What’s Charlotte doing here? Wait, is she trying to steal a march on me?

Ugh, Cecilia’s here? I thought we’d finally get to be alone... I should’ve come earlier...

The study of two drastically different blondes seated side by side would make wonderful art, but sadly, there was neither a painter nor a photographer at Ichika’s house that day.

“Sorry about the wait. So, who wants which piece?”

Along with the iced tea, Ichika had set out the cake Cecilia brought—one slice of strawberry shortcake, one of layered cheesecake, and a pear tart.

“Cecilia, you brought them, you should get to pick first.” As he spoke, Ichika pulled a chair out of the kitchen and sat down in it.

—He could just sit on the sofa...

The sofa sat four, and each of the girls had an open space adjacent to them. Yet Ichika’s firm sense of how to be a gracious host shattered each of their dreams.

“So, Cecilia, which one do you want?”

He laid out a pair of cloth coasters before placing glasses of iced tea on them. The ice cracked and popped as it melted in the hot tea.

“I suppose I’ll have the tart, then.”

“Gotcha. What about you, Charl?”

Ichika turned to her as he passed Cecilia the plate with the tart. It seemed like he just defaulted to assuming he’d get to pick last.

“You can go ahead and go first, Ichika. I’m fine being last.”

“C’mon, don’t say that. You’re the guest.”

Charlotte sighed at having to make a decision, but quickly acquiesced to Ichika’s insistence, “Then... How about the strawberry one?”

“Oh? Okay, here you go.”

“Thanks. And thank you, Cecilia.”

“Oh, it was nothing.”

Cecilia’s half-smirk made Charlotte feel even more embarrassed about having brought nothing. I was so excited about visiting Ichika that I lost track of everything else... Charlotte had already been starting to spiral downward into self-recrimination, and this only pushed her further. What if he decides I’m just an airhead? He probably already thinks that... Ugh, picking the strawberry cake probably made me look like a little kid, too...

While Charlotte stared at her cake, lost in thought, Ichika and Cecilia dug in.

“What’s wrong? Aren’t you going to have any?”

“Eh? Ah, yeah! I am! See?”

Charlotte lopped off the tip of her slice with her fork and took a bite. A delicious but not overpowering sweetness spread through her mouth as the cream melted smoothly. The sponge cake itself was airy but tender, and with a noticeable dash of liqueur.

“This is really good! Where’s you get it?”

“Lip Trick, in the underground mall by the station. I was lucky enough to get there early today, it’s normally so crowded.”

As she listened, Charlotte felt even more guilty. Thinking of how Cecilia had probably expected to share it just with Ichika, she felt almost apologetic.

“Yeah. This stuff’s great. There’s no way I’d be able to make it at home.”

“You’re a good cook in your own right, but I can’t disagree. The pâtissier is a master. He’s been awarded at an international concours,” Cecilia chuckled to herself, boastingly.

Ichika let out an ‘ooh’ before thinking for a little bit and speaking again, “Hey, why don’t we all share? Don’t you two want to try a little of each?”

“Eh? Well, um...”

“Like when we fed each other?”

Two forks froze, and two gazes locked inquisitively onto Ichika, who gave an unhesitant nod.

“Sure.”

“......!”

Each of their faces filled with joy, shining as if bathed in heavenly light.

“You don’t have to, I know it’s probably icky eating something a boy took a bite of.”

“Ah, no! I was just thinking that I’d like to try the cheesecake!”

“Of course not! Here, have a try of mine!”

With a moment’s eye contact as firm as a diplomat’s handshake, the two shucked off their own not-so-ancient rivalry and entered an Entente Cordiale. There may as well have been ‘Congratulations!’ typeset in glowing letters behind them.

“Let’s try Ichika’s first.”

“Indeed. If you could cut me a piece?”

Charlotte and Cecilia opened their mouths like hatchlings waiting to be fed. A bit shyly. A bit hesitantly. With fingers clenched to hold back the pounding of their own hearts. Like a princess waiting for a kiss from their prince.

“All right, Cecilia first then. Say ahh.”

Ichika, the blockhead of blockheads, failed to notice. Cutting off a bit of cake with his fork, he raised it to Cecilia’s mouth.

“Mmm.”

By the time she bit into her piece, Cecilia could no longer taste it. Her heart was beating so hard that she could barely catch her breath.

“How is it?”

“It... It’s wonderful,” she giggled happily. Her face had broken out into a full smile, not even so much at the cake as at her own joy.

“How about me?”

“Oh, sorry. Say ahh!”

“Mm...”

Charlotte closed her eyes and let the sensation wash over her as the cheesecake melted on her tongue. What she enjoyed most, though, were the feelings in her heart. This was the second time she’d been fed by Ichika, but this time was much more intense. Perhaps due to her own emotional changes more than anything.

“It’s good. I love it.”

Not necessarily what she’d been expecting to say she loved this morning, but.

“All right, now it’s my turn.”

Ichika’s reach with his fork was immediately halted as their voices turned partway to screeches.

“Wait right there!”

“It would be rude to make you cut your own after you fed us.”

“Really? I’m fine with it.”

“Indeed it would.”

“It’s too delicious not to.”

Each giggled, and lifted a fork loaded with a bite of their cake to Ichika’s mouth.

“Say ‘ahh!’”

Unable to take both at once, he continued in the same order as before, starting with Cecilia. The sweet yet tangy flavor of the pear in the crisp tart crust would have been enough alone, but the jelly coating added something even more in taste and mouthfeel. After cleansing his palate with iced tea, he took a bite of Charlotte’s shortcake.

“These are really, really good.”

“Yeah. I’m going to have to go there myself sometime.”

The delight was clear in their voices even as they lifted their glasses of iced tea to keep Ichika from seeing their grins.

“You know, you two are here really early. It’s barely even ten.”

“Yeah. You’d said you were an early waker, so I thought maybe it was okay.”

“Yeah, it’s fine. But what about you? It’s summer vacation, shouldn’t you be hanging out with friends?”

“No, no, it’s fine. No one’s schedules matched up today, so I would have just been sitting around.”

“Oh my, what a coincidence. It was the same for me. I certainly didn’t plan on this.”

“Oh really.”

Each had canceled all of their plans for today in favor of this, but neither was willing to admit to it. Neither wanted to be the kind of girl who got that excited to go back to a boy’s place with him.

I... I just don’t want to seem that matter of fact about it...

It simply wouldn’t do to for Ichika to think of me as unladylike.

So both simply passed it off as a rare stroke of luck.

“Well, now what? There’s not really anything to do here. Wanna go somewhere?”

“Nah, it’s fine! It’s too hot out there anyway, let’s just stay in.”

“Agreed! Perhaps we can see your room?”

“My room? Why do you want to see that?”

That was a hard one to answer, but aside from being able to pilot IS, Cecilia and Charlotte were just normal girls. Of course they’d want to see where their crush grew up.

“Ah well, whatever. You’re gonna be disappointed, though.”

“Of course we won’t!”

“Yeah!”

“Okay...”

Ichika backed down in the face of their shared insistence.

“Let’s go do that, then. I’m upstairs.”

The two nodded even more intently than they had been doing, and followed Ichika, matching his pace. Like a normal Japanese home, the stairway made a 90-degree turn partway through its course. This was the first time Cecilia had climbed such a staircase, and her interest was matched with a comparison of its crampedness to her own home.

Clever, but one would have a devil of a time carrying tea service up it.

Charlotte, on the other hand, felt right at home. Before her father had taken her in, the home she shared with her mother was as similar in spirit as it was different in style. I’d rather live in a place like this than some mansion any day. It feels like a home, not just a house.

“Here we are. Oh, and that’s Chifuyu’s room. Go in there uninvited and she’ll probably kill you.”

“Ahh... So that’s...”

“I see... I suppose it’s only natural that Ms. Orimura lives here.”

Charlotte and Cecilia both laughed it off nervously. Since the class trip the prior month, both had felt like they were on even thinner ice than normal with her.

“I’ll make it clear right now, I won’t let you have him.”

Those were some stark words, and they struck fear into the heart of everyone who’d heard them.

She’s simply being an overprotective big sister... right?

Umm... If we’re competing with Ms. Orimura, we have no chance...

Ichika raised an eyebrow at their involuntary gasps.

“What? Did you change your minds?”

“Of course not. What was the saying, no guts, no glory?”

“Yeah. In for a penny, in for a pound.”

“Huh?” Ichika raised an eyebrow again at the unexpected answers as he opened the door to his room. “It’s pretty cramped, but come in.”

“Of course.”

“I hope we’re not intruding or anything.”

With their pulses racing, Cecilia and Charlotte stepped into his room. Squinting in the bright light from the window on the far wall, the first thing they really noticed was the smell of a boy’s room. Not quite sweat, more of a musk.

“I’ve only got one chair in here, so feel free to sit on the bed.”

—On his bed?

A sudden electronic ringing broke their concentration. Ding-dong.

“Huh, someone else is at the door. Hold on, let me go answer it.”

Ichika walked back down the stairs again.

“.........”

“.........”

Charlotte and Cecilia, left alone in the room, eyed the bed without making a move.

So that’s Ichika’s bed.

Mm, this is different from just being in his dorm room.

A few moments later, they heard footsteps echo up from below.

“Cecilia, Charl, come downstairs.”

“Ehh?”

The disappointment at not even having ten minutes was audible in each of their voices.

“Why?”

“We wanted to stay here a little longer.”

“Well, um...” The sound of steps on the stairway cut him off.

“Ichika, what are you— Oh.”

Ling opened the door behind them. She’d visited Ichika at home many times in elementary and middle school, and didn’t hesitate to show herself in. But she wasn’t expecting to see them at all, and froze stock-still.

“What the hell are you two doing?”

Ling’s blood rushed to her head as she shouted loud enough to be heard from below, and shouts rose back from the first floor in response.

“What? What’s the matter?”

“Infiltrators?”

Houki and Laura had arrived as well. That was when Cecilia and Charlotte both gave up on their hopes of anything more happening.

◆

“You know, I don’t mind if you’re gonna show up, but one of you should’ve warned me.”

“I didn’t even know I’d be free today until this morning.”

“Yeah. What’s the problem with just showing up, anyway? Did you have to hide your porn or something?”

Houki and Ling picked at their chilled soba as they answered. With the large crowd, lunch was quick and easy noodles.

“I was busy buying the cake.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t even think of it.”

Cecilia and Charlotte nibbled at theirs, served without wasabi. All five understood that, just like themselves, the others had wanted to just drop by casually.

“I’d hoped to surprise you by arriving without warning. Doesn’t it make you happy?” Laura asked matter-of-factly as she dipped another noodle in the sauce.

—I’m jealous of how forward she can be, echoed four thoughts in unison.

“So, what did you want to do this afternoon? No one wanted to go out, so I guess just stay here?” Five heads bobbed as if attached to the same marionette string.

I went to all this trouble to find a day when you’d be home.

Are you crazy? Why would I waste it somewhere else?

I’d simply love to find out something new about you.

I still don’t know what your hobbies are.

I’m interested in seeing where Lehrerin Orimura lives, too.

Houki, then Ling, Cecilia, and finally Charlotte and Laura thought as they finished their noodles.

“Hold on a minute, I’ll make some tea.”

“I’ll help out, if you don’t mind.”

“You sure? You’re a guest, I don’t want to impose. I guess clear the table, then?”

“Sure! No problem.”

Charlotte, with her impeccable timing, volunteered for the cleanup. Ling and Cecilia, sensing danger, responded by standing in unison.

“I’ll help too!”

“I’m not particularly familiar with this, but if I could help, I insist!”

“Nah, you two can take a load off. Four would be a crowd,” replied Ichika.

“Hmph...”

“But...”

They seemed inclined to persist, but realizing that doing so would only do the opposite of what they wanted, they both sat back down on the sofa simultaneously. As an aside—it was Ling, Cecilia, Charlotte, and Laura on the sofa, while Ichika and Houki sat on cushions on the floor.

“Should I wash these?”

“Yeah. The sponge and dish soap are right there. You really sure you want to, though?”

“It’s fine. I’m good at washing up, and... honestly, I like it.”

Charlotte put a little bit of extra emphasis on ‘like,’ but the embarrassment of doing so made it so muted that the others couldn’t really tell.

It feels almost like we’re newlyweds...

The others glowered at Charlotte’s joyous smile.

Hmm... I definitely can’t let down my guard around her.

Ugh, dammit, she beat me to it.

Perhaps I should try that angle as well.

Hm. She’s quite cunning.

With Charlotte’s help, the cleanup was done in barely any time at all, and 15 minutes later they were all gathered around the table.

“Green tea’s the best after a meal. It really relaxes you.” It was hot tea in summer, but Ichika preferred it that way. Cold tea before the meal, hot after. “So, what did you all want to do? There really isn’t much here.”

“I figured it’d still be like that, so I brought some things over. Here.” Ling lifted a bag, overflowing with everything from playing cards to hanafuda, Monopoly to Life, and more, onto the table.

“Oh, right. I remember you being into board games.”

“Of course I am, I can win at this kind.” Rin’s self-satisfied bragging was an attempt to paper over her terrible record in video games.

“Why don’t we play one, then? Anyone have any preferences?”

At Ichika’s prompting, everyone began looking through the bag.

“Oh, there’s plenty of foreign games too.”

“Hey, I remember this one. It’s the one where you trade wood.”

“This one uses traditional Japanese cards. They’re beautiful. I think I’m going to send a copy back to my squad as a souvenir.”

“I’d normally be fine with shogi, but that’s only good for two people.”

The girls were excited by the sheer variety of games. As he watched, Ichika thought back to middle school and remembered how Ling had always been the life of the party.

“Let’s pick one everyone can play.”

Ichika’s suggestion was a game called ‘Barbarossa.’

“Oh, one from Germany?”

Laura’s arms were crossed, but her interest was obviously piqued by the German flag on the box.

“What kind of game is it?”

“You make statues out of plasticine, then everyone else tries to guess what they are.”

“So, the more artistically talented you are, the better?”

“Nah. It’s almost the other way around, you don’t get any points if someone guesses it right away. You’re better off if people can’t figure it out at first.”

“At first? So you do have to be kind of good at it?”

“It depends on the questions. As long as they can figure it out from your answers, you’re fine. The question part of the game is more important than the sculpting.”

Ling and Ichika, who were familiar with the game already, explained the rest of the rules, and then they began sculpting.

“I’m done.”

“Let’s get started then.”

Charlotte rolled the die to begin the game.

“One, two, three.”

“You get an elfstone.”

“I landed on a question square. All right, Laura, it’s about yours.”

“Go ahead.”

“Remember, you have to answer ‘yes,’ ‘no,’ or ‘I don’t know.’ You can keep asking until you get a ‘no,’ so it’s best to start with broad categories.”

Houki nodded as she listened to Ling’s explanation, and then took another close look at Laura’s sculpture. It was an imposing, solid conical shape that gave few hints as to its meaning. Really, everyone but Laura was curious about it.

“Is it something on land?”

“Mm.”

“Okay. Is it bigger than a person?”

“It is.”

So it obviously wasn’t a hand tool or anything. Still, it being larger than a person left a lot of room.

“Is it found in cities?”

“Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t.”

The answer threw the group into confusion, as most had been thinking it was Tokyo Tower.

“Is it manmade?”

“No.”

“All right, questions over. You can make a guess if you want, Houki.”

“Hmm. I may as well, I don’t lose any points if I’m wrong.”

Normally the questions would be done one-on-one written on a sheet of paper, but since they were just trying out the game, Ling had changed the rules.

“Go ahead.”

“An oil rig!” Houki proudly mimicked with her fingers.

“Wrong.”

As Houki pouted, Ichika and the others were left wondering where she even came up with that. And so the game continued toward its conclusion.

“If you don’t get it right soon, no one will get any points for guessing it.”

As an aside—Charlotte’s horse had been guessed so early that she herself earned no points for it. The key to Barbarossa was to create a sculpture which was obvious, but only in retrospect. A correct guess in the mid-game gave points to both its guesser and its creator. Houki had made a well. It was hard to tell by sight, but Charlotte’s expert questioning had deduced it at just the perfect time. The problem was Laura and Cecilia. Laura had her mysterious cone, and Cecilia had made a blob which looked almost like a bacterium.

“Is it a food?”

“No.”

“Is it smaller than a building?”

“No, it’s vast.”

With their own sculptures guessed, Houki and Charlotte were fervently but fruitlessly trying to narrow down Laura and Cecilia’s. Eventually, the game finished.

“So, Laura, what is that?” Ichika was the first to admit defeat and ask.

“What? You can’t tell? And you think you’re worthy of being my wife?”

“Uh, whatever. Just tell me.”

“A mountain.”

“A wha—”

“A mountain,” Laura repeated.

“C’mon. What kind of mountain is that pointy?”

“Hmph. How rude. Isn’t Everest like this?”

“Then isn’t it Everest and not a normal mountain?”

“There are others too.” Laura sat with her arms folded, insistent.

“Okay, okay. Anyway, no one guessed it, so you lose points. How about you, Cecilia?”

“Why, I can’t believe no one managed to figure it out.”

Ichika and Ling both had to hold back an “If we had we would have guessed it.”

Cecilia glared at the others, while motioning haughtily with her left hand, “My homeland, England!”

“...............”

The room fell silent. Their answers had been things like mashed potatoes, a protocell, extra-cheese pizza, an algae bloom, a rag, a hurt dog, and a jumping cat.

“I simply can’t believe how uneducated you all are. It would behoove you to keep an atlas and look over it daily.”

“The problem isn’t that we don’t know what England looks like!” was a response everyone thought, but no one could bring themselves to say. Cecilia had even more obvious pride in her sculpting abilities than Laura, and it would be rude to prod her further.

“Anyway! Now that everyone knows the rules, me and Ichika can play too.”

The six gathered around the table again and started kneading. Of course, this meant the end of the last round’s sculptures, but Ichika perched Charlotte’s horse on his hand first, a bit reluctant to destroy it.

“You’re really good at this, Charlotte. I almost want to keep this on a shelf.”

“I’m not that good. It was just easy because it has four legs.”

“There’s no way I’d confuse it for a donkey or a camel, though. Good job.”

“Thanks...” Charlotte shyly answered as the other four wondered why Ichika was so fixated on her today. Houki, Cecilia, and Laura, especially, felt their faces flush with indignation at the lack of a compliment.

“Rin, you can’t make something that could be a bao or a dumpling.”

“How rude! It’s a manju!”

“That just makes it even more confusing!”

“Shut up! You’re the one who made a cube and called it stew.”

“C’mon, I made a bunch of them! And even Dan managed to figure it out.”

“That’s just because we’d just had stew for lunch!”

Jealousy shone on the others’ faces as the two went back and forth about old memories. But the past was past. The future was what they could change. And then, the second round began.

“I know, it’s a crab stick.”

“Wrong! And rude, too!”

“Laura, is yours a person?”

“No. I don’t know how you don’t get it. I sculpted it perfectly.”

“This time I’ve got it. Cecilia, yours has to be a tomato.”

“Does this really look like a tomato to you, Houki?”

Time flew while they were having fun. Before they realized, it was past four o’ clock, and there was another unexpected arrival.

“I thought it sounded a bit loud in here.”

It was none other than Orimura Chifuyu. She was dressed in a jeans and boyfriend shirt combo that matched her active personality, with a black tank top underneath straining to hold in her breasts.

“Welcome home, Chifuyu.”

“I’m back.”

Ichika immediately rose to her side, taking her bag as if he were her personal valet.

“Have you had lunch? If not, is there anything you’d prefer?”

“What time do you think it is? Of course I ate.”

“I see. Perhaps some tea? Would you prefer hot or cold?”

“Hmm. I just got back, so how about co—”

It was then that Chifuyu noticed. Noticed the jealous stares of her students as Ichika waited on her attentively.

“Actually, it’s fine. I have to go right back out for work anyway.”

“Oh? That’s too bad, we were just about to have the coffee jelly I made this morning.”

“I’ll have to have it some other time. Anyway, I’m going to go change.”

“Ah! I laid out a fresh suit for you, along with your fall clothes. Don’t forget about them.”

“Okay.”

Chifuyu thought of joking that they were an old married couple, but then thought better of it. The girls were obviously already working toward that conclusion, and even if she was kidding she’d probably be taken too seriously. Instead, she simply closed the door behind her. Only then could the girls nervously exhale.

“You always suck up to Chifuyu.”

“Oh? You think so? Isn’t this how siblings normally get along?”

“Uhh. Maybe in your head.”

Ling had been visibly irritated since Chifuyu’s arrival—well, since Ichika’s reaction to it. His other childhood friend Houki, though, had always realized how close they were and kept her worries about it bottled up inside.

Is Ichika getting even more hung up on his sister?

Cecilia and Charlotte, on the other hand, thought back to the previous month and silently deflated.

She still only thinks of him as a little brother, surely...?

There’s nothing else, no ‘just the two of us’ going on, right?

Laura’s jealousy of their relationship had already come up once, but now it was aimed in the other direction. Hmph. Ichika, you’re my wife! But if it’s mein Lehre—no, even if it is her! I won’t allow my wife to be so close to anyone else! But how do I... Ugh...

An awkward silence settled over the living room.

“Huh? What’s up, guys?”

“...Jelly.”

“Huh?”

“Bring out that jelly! You already forgot about afternoon snacks, ugh!”

“What are you so mad about, Rin? You don’t even like coffee.”

“That doesn’t mean I don’t like coffee jelly!”

“Really? You said before you didn’t want—”

“Well now I do! It’s my new thing! Problem?”

“Not really, but...”

Ichika knew that discretion was the better part of valor here, and tried not to set off Ling, only for Houki to lay into him from the other side of the table.

“Ahem! Now that I think of it, I’ve become quite a fan of coffee jelly lately too.”

“Eh?”

“Maybe I can sample some.”

As he tried to stave off Houki’s stern demand, he ran straight into Laura.

“Yes. A sample. I must make sure her food isn’t poisoned.”

“Huh? What do you mean, Laura?”

“I mean I’m going to eat some. Bring me a dish.”

Then Cecilia and Charlotte joined in.

“Indeed! I’d like a sample as well!”

“I guess me too...”

“Even you, Charl? I don’t want to hear any complaints if you don’t like it...” Ichika resignedly stood up and headed toward the kitchen to pull the coffee jelly from the fridge. “I made six, so there should be just enough. Though that means none for Chifuyu...”

“She said she’d have to have it some other time, right?”

“I guess, but...”

Just as Ichika was about to finish, the door to the living room opened again.

“Are you arguing about something? I expect you to get along when you’re at my house.” Chifuyu had changed into a suit, and looked stunning enough—even to other women—to silence the girls. She briskly gathered a few final things, and not even two minutes later stepped back to the living room door.

“Ichika. I won’t be back tonight, so feel free. But no sleepovers. We don’t even have enough blankets for that,” she added before striding out again, leaving before anyone could even say goodbye.

“Did something come up at work for her? Well. I guess that happens.” Ichika set a coffee jelly on the table in front of each person. “Chifuyu likes them bitter, so feel free to add milk. And syrup, I didn’t add sugar either.”

After seasoning their dishes, everyone dug in. Laura and Cecilia had at first tried theirs black, but quickly changed their minds after their first bites.

“This isn’t half bad.”

“How’d a guy get so good at making desserts? It’s no fair.”

“Can you bake, Ichika?”

“I guess a sponge cake, maybe. The kind you’d have with cream and fruit.”

“That sounds simply wonderful. I’ll have to try it sometime.”

“If I ever get the chance.”

“And Ms. Orimura gets to eat your cooking every day? I’m jealous.”

“I don’t think it’s that big a deal. Hey, actually, how late are you all gonna be here? I’ve gotta go buy something for dinner if it’s gonna be late.”

Ten—well, at least nine—eyes glinted in unison as he spoke.

“Let me help out with dinner! I owe you after the jelly,” Rin let out with a jump.

“Yeah! I’d love to show what I’m capable of,” Houki replied.

“I guess I’ll help too,” muttered Charlotte.

“Myself as well, of course. My unit took turns cooking, so I know my way around a kitchen,” said Laura.

“It’s been some time since you all had the chance to try my cooking. Perhaps you’ve come to appreciate it?” Cecilia remarked.

Five people held in a ‘no way’ as Ichika glanced at the clock on the wall.

“All right, I guess let’s head out at five? There’s a supermarket nearby, we can just go there.”

They continued to chat while finishing their coffee jellies. It went on and on, until it was five.

◆

“Sorry to keep you waiting!”

Ms. Yamada—Yamada Maya—stepped into a basement bar in a shopping district near the station for a breather. It was ‘Crescendo,’ open from 4PM to 8AM. A stylish meeting place for grownups with all French furnishings, it was Chifuyu’s usual spot.

“Sorry to drag you out here.”

“Oh, it’s no big deal. I was just sitting around looking through a catalog.”

Maya sat down at the bar next to Chifuyu, who immediately ordered a black and tan. For Maya, of course.

“Can I get you another, Chifuyu?”

“Yes, please.”

“Coming right up.”

The owner-bartender, a bit of a silver fox with slicked-back hair and white mustache, had plenty of female regulars there for his looks. What brought Chifuyu back time and again, though, was the calm tone of his voice.

“Here you are.”

After delivering Maya’s black and tan, a schwarzbier for Chifuyu, and a complimentary cheese tray, he drifted away seamlessly. His long experience had taught him when to let people converse naturally, without the pressure of being watched.

“Cheers.”

After clinking their glasses together, Maya took tiny sips, while Chifuyu took one long, slow one.

Once her glass was half empty, Maya inquired curiously. “So, why here today? It’s a day off, isn’t your place better?”

“That’s what I thought, but then, out of nowhere, girls.”

“A girl? Ooh, Ichika has someone over?”

“Yeah. My class, you know, the usual suspects.”

“So the six with their own IS, all in one room. That’s enough firepower to start a war.”

“That’s probably not a good thing to joke about.” Chifuyu still chuckled, though, as she nibbled on some cheese.

“And what about you? What do you think of your little brother having a girlfriend?”

“Well...” Reaching the bottom of her glass, Chifuyu signaled for another. She took a long chug from this, her fourth, before continuing. “You remember the class trip last month?”

“Yes. Of course I do. So much happened.”

“Never mind the Gospel. I said something I really shouldn’t have.”

“...Like?”

Maya’s curiosity was written all over her face. She’d never seen Chifuyu be so evasive, and couldn’t wait to find out what it was about.

“I said it to those five.”

“Yeah?”

“I said I wouldn’t let them have him.”

“...Yeah?” Maya repeated with a blank look. She’d never seen Chifuyu be so out of sorts, but the alcohol was beginning to open her up.

“Well, uh, not like that. I mean, it’s not about him, just... He’s my little brother, you know?”

“I’m an only child, but I’ve heard.”

“I didn’t mean it weird or anything. But now... All of them think they’ve gotta look out for me, and they’ve backed off...”

Maya finished her glass, and fell silent until her refill came, “So are you okay with him going out with someone, or not?”

“I’m okay with it. He needs to learn. Learn how to deal with other people. Learn how to deal with women.”

“So it’s fine, then, right?”

“No, it isn’t.”

Maya stifled a surprised ‘what?’

“I mean, it’s not not fine, just... I want him to end up with the right woman. The boy has no judgment.”

“So, you’re worried about him?”

“Nah. It’s his life. He needs to live it.”

Another stifled ‘what?’

“So what did you mean when you said that? Something like ‘I won’t let anyone I don’t approve of have him!’?”

“Not quite, but... Honestly, I don’t even know what I should have said.” Chifuyu tilted back her glass and let the dark beer flow down her throat. “Another, please.”

“Coming right up.”

Chifuyu chugged half of the fresh glass in a single gulp and continued, “Well, anyway. That’s why I’m here today. If I was around, they’d never be able to work up the guts to do anything. I didn’t want to get in the way.”

“Sometimes you’re just like Ichika.” —Too kind for your own good, she meant.

“Whaa? How’s that? Maya, you don’t know a thing about men either.”

“I guess.” Maya giggled.

“Hmph...”

The idea of Maya as a little sister teasing her amused and angered Chifuyu at the same time, and she tilted back the rest of her beer in a single go.

“The night’s still young, you know.”

“Why don’t you ever try saying that to a guy?”

“Why would I, when the manliest person I know is right here?” Maya grinned at Chifuyu cheekily.

“You mean the bartender? Go right ahead, I won’t get in your way.”

“Chifuyu, it’s not nice to tease the elderly like that.”

As if summoned, he appeared with another drink—but a salty dog, rather than a beer. The salt on the rim of the glass glimmered like snowflakes.

“...I didn’t order another yet.”

“I had the feeling you’d appreciate one, though.”

“Hmph. Everyone around me just butts in all the time.”

Chifuyu was bitter at being read so easily, but soon enough she lifted the glass to those scowling lips. Like two parents coddling an angry child, Maya and the bartender declined to reply directly.

“It’s because you’re well-loved. Right?”

“Right— I suppose I’ll butt in with a meal as well,” he spoke as he made his way back to the kitchen. Chifuyu, meanwhile, childishly took a handful of cheese and stuffed it in her mouth all at once.

“Everyone’s growing and learning in their own way.”

“Hahaha. You sound like an old lady.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? C’mon! Don’t be mean to me!”

“Sorry, sorry.”

Chifuyu laughing, Maya with a puffy-cheeked pout. The ice cubes in the salty dog clinked back and forth as if chuckling at the scene.

◆

Meanwhile, back at the Orimuras’. The scene was as grim as a camp of soldiers awaiting a battle they knew would be their last.

“There. Ugh, these potatoes are so hard to peel.”

Ling was, with an excess of caution, paring off not just the potato skins but chunks of the potato as well. Next to her, Cecilia, who allegedly knew how to make hashed beef, was enthusiastically squirting ketchup into a pan.

“Well, that’s strange. It doesn’t look anything like the pictures. Not nearly red enough.”

“Uhh, are you sure you need that mu— Whoa! Turn that down!”

“No need to worry, Houki. My meals are always saved by the bell.”

“This is cooking, not boxing...”

Houki, in a Japanese-style chef’s coat and apron, sighed as she turned back to her own, less shambolic, dish: simmered flounder.

“What are you making, Charlotte? Yakitori?”

“Nah, Laura. This is fried chicken. I’m just marinating it a little.”

“Oh, I see.” As she spoke, Laura expertly paired a single long strip of daikon. Her knife skills would impress even a professional chef. Even if she hadn’t been using a survival knife...

“You’re amazing, Laura. Where’d you learn to do that?”

“By imitation. I saw a cook on TV do it.”

“You can do it that smoothly just by imitating?”

“I’m already well-trained with a knife. Otherwise, in jungle warfare, I wouldn’t be able to make a single trap.”

“U-Uh, anyway. What are you making?”

“Oden.”

“.........”

“Oden.”

“You didn’t have to say it twice. But isn’t that a winter food?”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t eat it in summer.”

“Well, you’re not wrong, but... Oh, can I have any daikon you have left over? Ichika said he wanted some in the marinade.”

“.........”

“Laura?”

With the sudden loud thwack of a knife onto a cutting board, Laura chopped the daikon in two.

“Oh, sorry. I was focused and wasn’t listening. What was it?”

“If you have any spare daikon...”

“I see. Okay.”

Thwack! A precise, five-centimeter length came off its tip.

“Chopping now.”

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

The vision of an apron-clad girl with an eyepatch precisely, mechanically chopping a daikon was surreal. Ichika couldn’t help but watch them cook with a sense of impending terror. Even though he was told to just relax and watch TV, the suspense of whether they’d collectively produce an edible meal was too much. Especially because if they didn’t, it was his stomach on the line.

It’ll be fine, right? Edible, at least.

His biggest worry was Cecilia, whose cooking he’d already experienced, but watching Laura cook, he mentally added her to the danger list.

“Hmm-hm-hmmm~♪”

Ling happily hummed to herself as she finished chopping her vegetables and began to sauté. It bothered Ichika that she wasted so much food while peeling, though.

He was suddenly reminded of the words of a famous foreign writer. “Let me tell you the good thing about time. It always passes.” But that wasn’t all. “Let me tell you the bad thing about time. It always comes.” And right now, the time had come.

“.........”

Five hand-cooked dishes from five cooks sat on the table. Standing out conspicuously in the center were, of course, Cecilia and Laura’s.

“What do you think, Ichika? It’s my signature dish.”

The hashed beef looked perfect, but the pungent smell coming off it was anything but.

Tabasco?! Did you put tabasco in just to get it to turn red, Cecilia?!

And Laura’s...

“That’s some... Unusual oden, Laura. It looks more like barbecue.”

The single long skewers loaded with a mix of daikon, egg, fish sausage, and konnyaku were unusual enough, but for some reason, it also looked like it had been grilled rather than stewed in broth.

Why was it browned? Was she trying to copy how it looked in comic books? No, wait, I don’t want to know.

Next, Ichika looked over to Ling’s dish.

“What do you think of my beef stew? Great, isn’t it?”

She was visibly proud of it, even though the potato chunks were smaller than the massive cubes of beef.

Was it overdone? No, thankfully. At least the flavor would be fine. Rin’s presentation has always left a bit to be desired.

His nerve recovered, Ichika turned his eyes to the safe side of the table: Charlotte’s fried chicken and Houki’s simmered flounder. He’d suggested that everyone cook something so there’d definitely be enough, but he realized too late that he should have left the cooking to those two.

These look great... Charl made the chicken perfectly bite-sized, and Houki’s just plain a good cook. I can’t wait.

To be fair, no matter how bad the results were, he was still grateful that the others had cooked. A weakness of Ichika’s, if you could call it that, was being unable to tell someone who’d worked hard on a dish that their cooking was bad.

“Let’s eat, then. I never realized how much watching people cook works up an appetite.”

“You’re right. Time for dinner.”

“Where are the plates, Ichika? I’ll set the table.”

“I’ll get drinks, then.”

“It feels weird each passing around a dish. I don’t mind, though.”

“It’s called ‘fun,’ Laura.”

Yes. It was fun. Ichika agreed. It was fun to cook for Chifuyu, too, but in a different way. This was closer to joy.

“Let’s eat, then!”

After everyone sat down, Ichika spoke.

“Yes, let’s eat.”

It was a warm summer night memorable for, if not the flavors, then the pleasure of cooking and eating together.