The noise around me stirred me awake—it seemed I had dozed off.
When I lifted my head, I didn’t see Hikari’s face. Instead, it was Haruka’s.
「Huh? Haruka? What…?」
「Hikari-san said she was going to help out, so I had her switch with me.」
She smiled happily as she said that. Glancing to the side, I saw Touka fast asleep.
It was a little embarrassing to stay in her lap forever, so I sat up. Haruka looked just a little disappointed.
「How long was I out?」
「Let’s see… Since Hikari-san left, I’d say about two hours.」
「I see… Wasn’t I heavy?」
「Not at all! If anything, I got to admire your sleeping face—total bliss!」
Haruka-san, is it just me or are you kind of… breathing heavily? Maybe calm down a little?
「R-right… glad I wasn’t a bother, then.」
「Not at all!」
As we talked, Touka began to stir, and then Hikari returned.
Apparently, the party was going to be held right here.
Haruka and Touka were called away to help, leaving me alone in the room.
Not sure what to do with myself, I peeked at my phone. I’d gotten an enrollment email from Tsuzuri-san.
According to the info, from my parents’ house it was about a 30-minute train ride, followed by another 30 minutes on a dedicated school bus. There were also dorms nearby, and if I wanted to stay there, I’d need to submit a separate application. Despite being fairly close to the city, the dorm fees were surprisingly affordable.
Just as I was reading through the details and the calendar, the Dad Trio returned—apparently, they’d made the most of the bath.
「Man, Shuuji-san! No wonder you’re a sensei, your physique is insane!」
「No, no, Shinji-san—you’re the impressive one. As a rescue worker, your body is perfectly honed…」
「Hikari two are way too kind. Compared to you, I’m nothing.」
「Come on, Seigo, maintaining that kind of body while working a desk job is impressive. You’ve been keeping up with the gym too, right? That’s some serious dedication!」
The three of them laughed and chatted like old friends. Meanwhile, I couldn’t help but think—my own body hadn’t developed all that much yet. I mean, sure, I’ve grown taller, but still…
Meanwhile, the Mom Squad and the Brides-to-Be were also deep in cheerful conversation.
「As always, your cooking is amazing, Yuuka-san. The colors are so vibrant, and the seasoning is just perfect.」
「Oh no, Hikari-chan deserves the real praise—she’s gotten better than even me at knowing exactly what Yuuki likes.」
「Hikari-oneesan is incredible… Every single dish is one of Yuuki-san’s favorites…」
「Mom, you have to teach me how to cook too! At this rate, I’m going to lose!」
「Well… I could teach you, but how about this? You and Haruka both become apprentices to Hikari-chan?」
「That’s it! Haruka—let’s do it!」
「Eh? Touka, what’s going on all of a sudden?」
「You’re all so lively~ But anyway, make sure to try my dish too~」
Elina-san appeared, carrying a frying pan full of food. Since she often travels with her husband, her cooking tends to be quite international.
「Elina-san, what’s this dish? It sort of looks like paella, but…」 asked Himeka-san, peering in curiously.
「It’s fideuà, a kind of paella made with pasta~ I figured rice was already covered with the chirashi sushi, so I used pasta instead~」
Looking closer, I saw golden pasta with red paprika, saffron, and bright green peas—an incredibly colorful dish. On the side, there was a little pile of finely shredded chili peppers.
「Mmm, it smells amazing. Could I ask you for the recipe later?」
「Sure thing~ Just lend me some paper and a pen~」
After receiving them, Elina-san started jotting down the recipe with practiced ease. It looked like she was writing out several more recipes too, handing them off one by one to Himeka-san.
As I glanced around the room, my eyes met those of the Dad Squad. They beckoned me over.
When I approached, they handed me a glass and got me standing.
「Everyone—attention! A word from today’s guest of honor, Yuuki! Take it away!」
With that, Dad promptly slipped back into the crowd.
Suddenly standing at the front, all eyes were on me. Hikari, Haruka, and Touka were looking at me with warm, hopeful expressions. I took a deep breath and faced everyone.
「Thank you all for coming today. I’m still inexperienced, and I’m sure I’ll be a burden at times, but… please continue to watch over us with kindness!」
With that, I raised my glass. 「Cheers!」
Everyone joined in with their own hearty 「Cheers!」 and turned their attention to the food and drinks around them.
I returned to the crowd and picked up my chopsticks, ready to dig in.
-0-
After everyone had had their fill, the Dad Squad completely crashed out right there in the room. The Mom Squad and the Brides-to-Be were busy cleaning up.
I tried to help with the cleanup, but Mom waved me off with a gentle, 「Leave it to us」. Then she told me to go take a bath while I had the time.
So, guided by Himeka-san, I followed a covered walkway to a separate annex. The family bath was huge, and outside, there was even an open-air bath. Honestly, it felt like a high-end ryokan.
「Over here you’ll find yukata, towels, and all the bath supplies you need—feel free to use anything you like. Oh, and that door in the back right leads to the sauna.」
With that, Himeka-san left the changing area, leaving me to explore on my own.
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