In the kitchen, Shirogane Kei was busy cooking.
Meanwhile, in the living room…
Shirogane Miyuki chatted excitedly with Rei Ao, mainly asking him countless questions about studying. Rei Ao patiently answered, but as the conversation went on, the topic somehow shifted to Shirogane Kei.
"Rei Ao-san, you probably don't know what my little sister Kei was like when she was a kid—"
Just as he was about to reveal some embarrassing childhood story, Shirogane Kei's head popped out from the kitchen doorway.
"Hey! We're out of soy sauce—go buy some, right now!"
"But I recall we still had a bottle left yesterday—"
"I said we're out, didn't I?! Hurry up and go!"
Shirogane Kei shot him an icy glare.
For Miyuki, that was a sure sign she was in a very bad mood, not to be provoked.
"O-okay, I'm going! I'm going right now!"
He had no choice but to comply.
Once Shirogane Miyuki dashed out the door, Shirogane Kei let out a breath of relief.
She had overheard everything and was determined not to let her brother spill all her embarrassing childhood tales in front of Rei Ao.
"Shirogane-san, do you need a hand?"
At some point, Rei Ao had quietly appeared next to her in the kitchen.
"How could I possibly let you, the guest, do any work, Senpai?"
"It's no trouble. I'm free anyway."
Without waiting for her to protest, Rei Ao had already rolled up his sleeves and entered the small kitchen.
"These vegetables—should I rinse them first, then chop them?"
"Alright, leave it to me. I can handle washing and chopping."
Seeing that Rei Ao was already at it—and with surprisingly practiced ease—Kei no longer tried to stop him.
"By the way, Shirogane-san, you and your brother both have the surname Shirogane. It's a bit confusing when I talk to you, so may I call you Kei—or maybe just 'K'? Is that alright?"
Such a closer form of address flustered her a bit.
But Rei Ao was right—it would be simpler.
"O-okay, that's fine."
"Kei, then," he repeated with a slight smile.
Once again, hearing him call her by name made her heart thump with nerves.
"Haha, don't be so tense. I just wanted to mention that the soy sauce is right over there."
Rei Ao pointed toward a corner on the kitchen counter, where a bottle of soy sauce was sitting in plain sight.
Thinking back to the scene of her ordering her brother to buy more, Kei blushed bright red.
"Ugh, I…I see it now…"
She grasped the bottle, feeling so embarrassed she couldn't find any words to say.
After Kei discovered the "missing" soy sauce, she fell into an awkward silence.
Yet the cramped kitchen forced them to work side by side. Between the occasional bumping elbows and Rei Ao's casual attempts at conversation, the two eventually got used to working together.
"I'm back! Kei, here's your soy sauce!"
Shirogane Miyuki announced as he returned from the store. He walked to the kitchen, but Kei snatched the bottle from him in annoyance.
"Yeah, thanks. Now go study or something!"
Without even a glance, she turned back to the stove.
"But I still wanted to discuss studying with Rei Ao-sa—"
Miyuki started to say, but Rei Ao, holding a kitchen knife, shook his head and smiled wryly:
"Sorry, but I promised to help Kei a bit. I can't just let her handle all this dinner prep alone."
At that, Miyuki noticed Kei's threatening aura emanating from behind Rei Ao.
Swallowing hard, he took a step backward.
"R-right, I get it. You two carry on!"
And so he fled in defeat.
Once Rei Ao and Kei had just about finished making a simple dinner, their father came home.
Seeing Rei Ao, the father's excitement soared.
He poured a couple of drinks and insisted:
"Come on, Rei Ao-kun, have a drink with me!"
"Dad, what're you doing? Rei Ao-senpai is still a student. He can't just drink alcohol!"
Kei hastily intervened.
"What? It's just a little. C'mon—one or two cups won't hurt."
Kei frowned exasperatedly at her father's behavior.
"Miyuki, take Dad to his room! He's drunk!"
Shirogane Miyuki hurried over to haul his inebriated father away. Kei could only sigh.
Tonight's dinner had been nerve-wracking enough—she'd dreaded her brother or father letting slip some embarrassing story about her in front of Rei Ao. Now, her father's drunken performance was the last straw.
"S-sorry about that, Senpai. My dad can't hold his liquor. That's why he acted like that."
"It's fine. He's just happy, that's all."
Rei Ao casually brushed it off, gazing at how late it'd gotten outside.
Noticing his glance, Kei realized what it signified.
"You're leaving now, Senpai?"
She sounded reluctant. The two had gotten closer, after all—almost like actual friends. Kei didn't have many friends, partly because she was self-conscious about her family situation.
"It's late. I should head back."
Under the moonlight, Rei Ao turned and said gently:
"Thanks for inviting me over, Kei. Next time, come visit my place if you'd like."
Her eyes lit up in surprise.
"Of course. I'm more than happy to have a cute kouhai like you visit."
Hearing such a compliment, Kei felt her cheeks heating again.
"See you next time, then."
Rei Ao departed. Kei stood under the streetlight, watching him until he vanished, before heading back indoors, humming cheerfully.
"You're back, Kei. Where's Rei Ao-san?"
"Hmph! Don't talk to me."
Kei spat irritably, still miffed at the day's near slip-ups. Then she stomped off to her bedroom without another word.
Left behind in puzzlement, Shirogane Miyuki could only wonder:
"What'd I do this time? …Man, how can I get along with Kei's teenage mood swings?"
He pondered gloomily. All he knew was that his once-adorable sister seemed to get on well with Rei Ao—but around him, she still acted like he was an intruder in his own house.
"Gah, I miss the days when she was just my sweet little sister."
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