I suddenly had this thought.
‘…Lately, I’ve been too focused on finding food.’
There’s a reason why people say food, clothing, and shelter are essential.
Clothes to protect the body.
Food to gain energy necessary for life.
And a house to stay safe from all kinds of threats.
So, searching for food isn’t exactly unusual, but―
‘I think it might be a bit… excessive.’
To be honest, my pursuit of food had long surpassed the basic need for survival.
There’s the word “preference” attached to food, so insisting that I eat solely to live would be shaless, right?
Eating a lot doesn’t harm my health.
No one nags for eating too much…
Well, not exactly, but yeah.
Still, I couldn’t help but wonder if I looked like soone overly obsessed with food―in other words, a glutton.
“Oh my? A glutton? Nonsense. Kids should eat a lot to grow properly. During the growth phase, even if they seem a bit chubby, it all turns into height later. From what I see, Kana eats too little, and that’s the real problem.”
“Co on, Kana doesn’t exactly eat little. But it’s not like she eats a lot either.”
“Oh, listen to this one. Kana, do you know how much Da-eun used to eat in high school? Once, we bought a whole sack of rice, and it was gone in a week.”
“Wow.”
“…It wasn’t that much!”
“Oh, it absolutely was. I’d cook side dishes and put them in the fridge, and they’d disappear in no ti. Even for a teenager with a fast tabolism, it was extre. Can you believe the grocery bills beca unmanageable?”
“It wasn’t that bad!”
“Not bad, huh? If you don’t believe , ask your dad. See what he says.”
At this, Da-eun’s eyes shifted to her dad.
“Ahem…”
Pretending not to hear, pretending not to know.
Her dad desperately avoided Da-eun’s gaze, but in the end, he succumbed to her persistent stare.
“…The grocery bills were quite high.”
“But honestly, it wasn’t unmanageable!”
“….”
“…Dad?”
The expression on Da-eun’s face was as if she’d been betrayed by her most trusted subordinate.
This ti, her dad successfully avoided her betrayal-filled gaze.
“This is the truth, dear.”
Bang…!
Aunt’s words struck Da-eun like lightning.
While Da-eun was left in shock, aunt wore a triumphant smile.
“I really ate that much…?”
“Of course. Your grandma even gave up trying to keep up.”
“She really did?!”
“She really did. Have you been living in ignorance all this ti?”
“No wonder she stopped telling to eat more at so point….”
Today, Da-eun uncovered several secrets of the world.
Thus, the match seed to end in aunt’s victory―
But Da-eun, cornered, still burned with determination.
Finally, she seized the mont when her opponent was basking in her victory and delivered a critical blow.
“―But considering you’re telling Kana to eat more, isn’t that proof you’re becoming just like Grandma?”
“….”
Aunt’s face froze at the unexpected counterattack.
Even Da-eun’s dad, who had been quietly eating, also froze.
Once again, Da-eun proved herself a dutiful daughter.
What followed was so horrifying that I couldn’t bear to put it into words.
Da-eun, now truly “fire” in every sense of the word, was ignored by .
Even her dad, who had been pretending not to notice, turned to with a question.
“Is it good?”
“Yeah.”
The awkwardness between us hadn’t completely disappeared yet, but after a few encounters, it wasn’t as suffocating as when we first t.
I figured he probably felt the sa.
Looking at him speaking naturally now, it was hard to imagine the stiff, hesitant way he had spoken before.
“Tis have changed, so you can get ingredients regardless of the season, but still, seasonal foods taste the best.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Try this, too.”
“Okay.”
Returning to the original topic.
Even though I realized I ate much more now than when I was in Silia, I couldn’t stop because of monts like this.
“It’s delicious.”
How could I resist when it tasted this good?
Even though I had tasted delicacies in the other world, why did everything here seem so delicious?
As soon as I emptied my spoon, another piece of at was placed on top of my bowl.
When I slightly lifted my head, I saw a faint smile on a face that wasn’t easy to notice.
I hadn’t expected such warmth…
“It’s because Kana is so adorable. How could I not adore a child like Kana when she eagerly accepts whatever I give her?”
“….”
“…Ahem!”
Freed from aunt’s attention, Da-eun whispered.
Though, calling it a whisper was an exaggeration since her voice was loud enough for her father to clearly hear, prompting him to clear his throat awkwardly.
At the sa ti, the chopsticks holding a piece of at retreated discreetly.
But Da-eun, not missing the opportunity, smirked.
“You’ve turned into a total daughter fool, haven’t you? Dad, can I have a bite too?”
“…Serve yourself.”
“What’s this? You’re only taking care of the younger daughter and ignoring the older one? That’s so unfair―Ack?!”
“Stop it and just eat your al quietly!”
“V-Violence is not the answer….”
Violent aunt….
Da-eun, muttering under her breath, shut her mouth when the aunt sharply raised her eyebrows.
Although four people were seated at the table, it felt like two separate worlds.
One side was a war zone with bombs and bullets flying, while the other side was a peaceful dining table.
Since we knew this wasn’t a serious fight and just a playful bickering between a mother and daughter, neither the uncle nor I paid it much mind.
It was like a staged drama, a scripted WWE match.
Slap!
“Ack!”
Or maybe not.
***
After finishing a satisfying al,
Da-eun politely declined her father’s offer to drive her ho.
Since it wasn’t far, she said she would enjoy the cool night air and walk ho.
After sending off Da-eun’s parents as they drove away, we began walking ho along the dimly lit street.
The moonlight was sparse, as half the moon was hidden behind clouds, but the occasional streetlights compensated for the lack of light, so it wasn’t entirely dark.
“Co to think of it, was this our first ti dining out together?”
“No, rember? Last ti, we ate out when we went shopping.”
“Oh… right. That’s true.”
“Da-eun, you’re so forgetful.”
“…How dare you call your older sister sothing like that?”
“I don’t think Da-eun is one to talk.”
Did she already forget everything she said to her mom at the restaurant?
She’s such a fool.
“It’s just hard to imagine Kana going out, so I got confused.”
“I go out quite a lot, though.”
“Only recently. And even then, it’s just to Yuki’s gym and Silia.”
“That’s enough, isn’t it?”
Why would I need to go out for anything else?
“Well, there’s that.”
“Mhm. But Kana is so cute. If you wandered around carelessly, you’d beco famous in no ti. Talent agencies would give you their business cards, begging you to join. They’d cling to your legs, pleading for you to co―.”
“Sigh.”
I thought it was strange that she had been quiet until now.
I shook my head, which caused so hair to slip into my hood and tickle my back.
Twisting my body only made the tickling sensation worse, not better.
“Maybe I should just cut it all off.”
“Wh-What?!”
“…Why are you so surprised?”
“N-No reason…. I just thought you ant you were going to cut off my head or sothing.”
“….”
I was so dumbfounded that I stopped walking and looked up at Da-eun.
Coincidentally, we were standing in a spot without a streetlight, so only the faint moonlight illuminated her face.
Still, I could clearly see the embarrassed expression on her face.
“What do you even think of ?”
“…Cute, kind, sweet. …And sotis a little scary little sister?”
“I’ve never done anything scary, though.”
If anything, I treat her far more kindly than I treat others.
As I unconsciously pouted, Da-eun let out a sharp cry.
“Eek! I’m sorry…! I was wrong, so please don’t make that face!”
“….”
“When Kana looks downhearted, it makes sad too….”
Her dejected voice made it clear that this was genuine.
“I was just joking. It’s just that when Kana trains, she becos so strict.”
“So?”
“Well, um… It’s not that I mind or anything. I asked for it, after all. But the contrast with your usual self is so stark, it’s striking…? It reminds of when we first t and when you made fight those players.”
“So, you’re saying it’s scary because it reminds you of the past?”
“No… I was just joking when I said it was scary.”
Even though she said that, her words revealed just how much of an impression that ti had left on her.
It stung a little, but….
Since she brought up the past, it was hard for to argue.
Honestly, back then, I didn’t care if she lived or died.
Sure, dying would’ve been unpleasant, but since she’d just revive anyway, I figured, what did it matter?
That’s how I thought.
“…I’ll be more careful.”
“What?! Really?! …Ahem.”
Da-eun’s voice rose in excitent, but upon receiving my glare, she quickly cleared her throat.
“If you’re doing it for my sake, there’s no need. Like I said, I asked for this. It’d be pathetic if I started complaining about it being hard now, wouldn’t it?”
“Mhm.”
“So, you can keep doing things the way you’ve been doing them.”
Her words carried a strong sense of determination.
For soone as timid and fearful as Da-eun to say sothing like that…
Outwardly, I acted calm, but inwardly, I was quite surprised.
If Da-eun was willing to go that far, I couldn’t afford to let her down.
“Got it. I’ll give it my all.”
“…Wait a second. Can I take that back? When Kana says she’ll give it her all, it suddenly sounds terrifying…!”
“Too late to back out now.”
At my firm response, Da-eun pouted.
—
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