I took Kotono to the family restaurant we always visit with our family.
It’s on the 10th floor of the shopping mall. This family restaurant in the restaurant floor is popular with young people because its selling point is how cheap it is.
We were shown to a four-person seat by the window.
Half of the glass is frosted, so it’s hard to see in from the outside, but easy to see out from the inside.
Once we sat down, Kotono looked at the menu happily.
“Hmm, Dad gave me some money, so maybe I’ll order something a little nice.”
“Then I’ll also—”
“Buzzz!”
Kotono made an X with her fingers and looked at me with an exasperated face.
“Onii, that was a 'buzzz' just now.”
“What was?”
“The correct answer there is, ‘I’m paying, so feel free to order whatever you like.’ Making your girlfriend pay is out of the question.”
“Is that how it works?”
“That’s how it works.”
Hmph, I guess boyfriends in the world have it rough.
“Now, Onii, go ahead.”
“…I’m paying, so feel free to order whatever you like.”
“Wow, thank you! But I’d feel bad, so I’ll put in some money too! Let’s eat something delicious together!”
“So you are paying?!”
When I immediately retorted, Kotono wagged her index finger back and forth.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, you don’t understand. A good woman isn’t one who depends on a man. That’s nonsense. A good woman is one who makes the man look good and stays by his side no matter what.”
Kotono-chan, where did you get that kind of knowledge? Big brother is worried about your future.
Sigh… is this what couples in the world do… I feel like I’m fine being single for the rest of my life.
But well, I already know what I’m ordering.
“Onii, decided?”
“Yeah. The usual.”
“Roger.”
She pressed the call button to summon the waiter.
“Thank you for waiting. May I take your order?”
“Two cheese-in hamburgs and two orders of rice. Make one a large serving, please. Also, French fries and a Caesar salad. And the drink bar as well.”
Kotono relayed the order to the waiter without a single hitch. The fact that she can communicate with ‘the usual’ really shows we’re family.
“Kotono, is orange juice okay?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
It seems she has no intention of moving. She gave a half-hearted reply while fiddling with her smartphone.
Well, it’s the usual, so it’s fine.
I poured two 100% orange juices without adding ice.
Ice makes the drink cold, but it dilutes it. In our house, we rarely use it.
“Here.”
“’Kay.”
I placed one cup in front of Kotono and one in front of myself.
Phew… after all that, we walked for two hours straight, so I’m tired.
I took a sip of the juice and exhaled. This sweetness is irresistible.
“Hey, Onii.”
“What?”
“Is Riran-tan doing well lately?”
“Ah… she’s probably fine. I don’t really know.”
We haven’t talked much since that incident on the stair landing.
Well, from what I’ve seen, she doesn’t seem any different from usual.
It’s sad that she immediately looks away when our eyes meet, so it’s not like I don’t want her to look at me more… wait, what am I thinking.
However, Kotono seemed dissatisfied with my words.
“You can’t do that, Onii. Girls are delicate, so you have to pay more attention to them.”
“As if that girl is delicate.”
“Especially Riran-tan. In my estimation, Riran-tan must be very conscious of Onii. She’s probably just unable to be honest with herself.”
No way.
…I wanted to say that, but maybe because of the influence of the Red Thread, it does seem like she’s a little conscious of me lately.
But if you call her delicate, it feels like something is off.
“She’s a tsundere, a tsundere. Onii just doesn’t get it.”
Stop making that 'Good grief' face.
Tsundere… tsundere, huh. No, she’s not 'dere' at all, so isn’t she just 'tsun-tsun'?
…I wonder what she’s doing right now.
Wait, no, no, no. Why am I thinking about her even on my day off?
“Ahhh. As I thought, I really want Riran-tan to be Onii’s Fated Person.”
“Wh—Why?!”
“Because you two, no matter who looks at you, seem to have great compatibility. It’s less like a couple and more like a married couple.”
Why do both Ryuya and Kotono want to make me and Kuonji a married couple?
Me and her as a married couple? Hahaha, no way… no way….
‘Welcome home, Akito.’
‘Thanks for your hard work. Thank you, as always.’
‘Would you like a bath? Dinner? Or… me? ♡’
“…That would be nice…”
“Eh. Onii just dered.”
“! I—I did not dere…!”
Damn it, ever since I could see the Red Thread, my pace has been completely thrown off.
Just then, the food we ordered was delivered.
The delicious smell wafted past my nose, and the pleasant sound of the sauce sizzling on the iron plate tickled my ears.
This is it, you have to eat this when you come here.
“Well, let’s eat. Itadakimasu.”
“Itadakkima—su♪ …Ah, Riran-tan.”
“Ah—… Huh? Whoa?!”
Ku—Kuonji?! Why is she here…!
Kuonji, who was standing outside the window… was looking at Kotono, not me, with a terriiiiiific expression on her face.
An ogre… no, a demon? A Hannya? Anyway, it was incredible. Or rather, scary.
Wh—What are you so angry about…?