Chapter 57: Chapter 56

It’s almost Oniisama’s coming of age ceremony.I bought him cufflinks as a celebratory present.I actually wanted to buy him a necktie he could use for the ceremony, but Oniisama got an entire suit set from a British tailor, so I didn’t have the composure to say anything.Also, I don’t really have much dress sense for ties&h.e.l.lip;I don’t really know what sort of ties are stylish and stuff. And for some reason my eyes keep going to the really striking patterns.If he was wearing a suit from a splendid tailor, but only his tie was crazy, everybody would laugh at him. That would be horrible!Oniisama is the heir of the Kisshouin family so for the ceremony he’s going to greet lots of people and see lots of people! If everybody there started laughing at it, it would be the worst!And so, in order to smooth over my slightly odd tastes, I decided on cufflinks. Oniisama agreed too.Anyway, I went with Oniisama to a store to pick them out, but there were too many interesting designs so I didn’t know which to pick!They ranged from your normal innocuous gemstone cufflinks to vehicle and animal motifs, and even mascots designs.

Vehicles might be good, but I’m not really into them. Ah-, the ones with star and snow crystals sure are cute. A broken heart is unlucky! Maybe animals after all? Uwah, reptiles are a bit&h.e.l.lip;In the end, I remembered the zoo he brought me to in autumn, so I went with the polar bears, as well as dolphins for summer. Ah-, I’ll get the penguin ones too.This should tell Oniisama that I want him to take me again.

I do think they were a little childish, but Oniisama said they were fine, and cufflinks aren’t all that obvious anyway, so I guess it’s fine, right?Also you can get order-made cufflinks too, so maybe I’ll get them to make some Tarow the Taro ones and give them to Oniisama. &h.e.l.lip;He’s definitely not going to use them.

After Oniisama’s coming of age ceremony, he’s going to be attending cla.s.ses while learning about the Kisshouin businesses on the side. Apparently he’s going to follow around Otousama’s secretary and learn all sorts of things.Oniisama is diligent and talented. If Otousama is committing fraud, he’ll definitely notice.For a child like me, all I can really do is steadily brainwash him onto the path of righteousness. Oniisama is my only hope.

“Oniisama. You will be helping Otousama with his work from now on, will you not? If Otousama does anything bad, please, you must correct him, okay? But please do not publicly denounce him either. Just gently. Okay?”

When we finished shopping, we went to a café where I implored Oniisama to deal with him.Oniisama made a slightly troubled expression, and asked me,

“Hah?”

He continued.

“Reika, ever since you were a child, you’ll occasionally say things like that, huh. You keep talking like you’re sure Dad is doing something bad. I feel a little sorry for him. A dad whose cute daughter doesn’t trust him at all.”

“But&h.e.l.lip;”

He did that in the manga.Otousama might have some troublesome parts to him like his ambition for our family, but he’s essentially a good person who loves his family. Even though he’s rich, he doesn’t have any mistresses either, you know?But just because he’s a good father, and a good husband, doesn’t mean that he’s a good person.There are plenty of people who turn into criminals for their families.

“Oh right! The stocks! Oniisama, you must make sure that people do not buy up our stocks and take over the company!”

“&h.e.l.lip;What’s influenced you this time?”

“Rather than influence&h.e.l.lip; I suppose you could call it precognition?”

“I see. That’s amazing.”

Mu, he isn’t believing me at all. But it’s true, okay!Because even if we make an enemy out of the Kaburagis, as long as Otousama isn’t doing anything wrong, we’ll be safe for a while.

“Anyway, Oniisama! I beg you! Please gently, andsecretlydeal with his crimes.”

“Hahh, I get it already.”

It’s all on you, Oniisama. As for me, I should strengthen my brainwashing.

Term three began, and the third years are almost graduating. My first love, Tomoe-senpai, is graduating as well. Having said that though, he’s just going to enter the high school section. Still, that means we won’t be seeing each other in the same school building anymore, huh.Anyway, while I was thinking about these things, I got an invitation from Sakura-chan for lessons in hand-making Valentine’s chocolates.I never give chocolates to anybody but Oniisama and Otousama, so I don’t really want to learn though. I don’t plan on giving Tomoe-senpai chocolates either, after all.But Sakura-chan was being persistent about it, so I gave in, and made plans to go with her to chocolate brownie lessons at a famous pâtisserie.

“Hey-! Measure the grams properly!”

“Eh-, I did measure them, you know?”

Each time I didn’t use the spoons or measuring cups, Sakura-chan would scold me, so it was a little annoying.Skilled chefs use their eyes to measure, you know? In my old life, Mum would never use spoons or whatever for cooking. She just threw in salt and sugar like that. There’s really no need to fuss so much over these things.Ah-, I spilled a little cocoa powder. Well whatever.

“Heyy!”

“Ehh? But it was just a littleee.”

Sakura-chan’s eyes are scary when she gets mad&h.e.l.lip;

Anyway, I tried the brownies a little once they were done, but they were really yummy. As expected of lessons from this pâtisserie! These are probably the best things I’ve ever made.But apparently Sakura-chan was dissatisfied.

“I was an idiot for inviting you, Reika. To think that it would be this bad&h.e.l.lip;”

“Eh? What is?”

After Sakura-chan compared the brownies we made together with the one the teacher made, she sighed.

Of course you wouldn’t think it’s tasty after comparing it to a pro’s. Sakura-chan, aren’t your ideals set a bit too high?

“You know, Reika, measurements are everything in sweets. You have to measureeverythingproperly. Could it be that all your handmade chocolates so far were made sloppily like today’s?”

“I wasn’t being sloppy. I measured everything.”

“But when it said one teaspoon for example, you didn’t flatten the surface. You just scooped and dunked.”

“Well, I guess?”

But it’s fine. It was more or less measured.

“Reika, I won’t say anything cruel. For the sake of your future, attend cooking cla.s.s.”

“Eehhh~”

When I got home and gave the brownies to Oniisama and Otousama, I got more praise than ever before.See? You’re being too uptight, Sakura-chan.But if they praise me this much, I’m starting to actually want to take lessons.The next day when I handed them to Aoi-chan, she said “They’re really good! I was so surprised!” as well.Both Oniisama and Otousama supported the cooking cla.s.s idea as well, so maybe I’ll think about it.I want to go with Sakura-chan, but if she’s going to nag at me each time like that, then&h.e.l.lip;Sakura-chan, you know, I think it’d be better if you were a little more relaxed in life.