HS Chapter 8: The hopeless sister is furious.

I got interrupted by Aunty mid cooking and had to stop but I pulled myself together and continued cooking. It’s time to move on to the finishing touches.

I take out the already boiled bamboo shoots from the refrigerator and cut them into easy edible parts. Then put half of the bamboo shoots into the rice cooker along with strained rice, seasoning, and deep-fried tofu and turn it on. With this the bamboo shoot rice is done.

Next, for the pasta I boil the spaghetti with plenty of water, while I fry olive oil and garlic in a pan over low fire. When the colour is good, add the bacon and the remaining bamboo shoots… When the pasta is boiled, toss it in with the pasta, add the sprouts, and I’m done.

I can’t forget the sauteed oysters for the main course. Completely clean the oysters in water and then dry them and coat them with potato starch. I heat the olive oil in the pan and cook the oysters over medium heat so that they are well cooked, and pray that they don’t stick together. Then to flavor it, I add butter and insert lemon juice,

“Toss the spinach together with them— Yoshi, it’s complete.”

Now I just have to wait for the bamboo shoots to be cooked, aah so tired. I let out a sigh of relief as I finished cooking.

It’s a daily thing, but it takes so much effort for me to make the meals. Naturally, there’s the clean up afterwards, “Wouldn’t it be much cheaper to buy the food instead of cooking every day and considering the time and effort?”… That’s something my friends said.

But… While it is troublesome, I like cooking. It’s a lot of fun and I also want to help Koma overcome her dysgeusia. Most of all, there are people waiting for my food and then eat it with joy… That’s why, I cannot stop eating.

“Now. Thanks for waiting, you two, we just have to wait for the rice to finish cooking!”

*Silence*…

“…Hn? Huh? Hey, did you perhaps not hear me?”

While washing the utensils I used for cooking, I decided to talk to the two who were waiting for me. However, it seems both of them were absorbed in a conversation in the living room and didn’t seem to hear me. 

Time to see, what kind of conversation they’re having now? I got so curious that I listened to them again as I washed from the dishes.

“Hey, Koma. How are your taste buds? Did something change?”

“I’m sorry, Aunt. Unfortunately, nothing has changed… I’m relying on Nee-sama everyday.”

“Fumu… Is that so? That’s hard, isn’t it?”

Apparently this time’s topic is Koma’s taste buds… Aside from me and Koma, there are only two other people who know about Koma’s dysgeusia and her peculiar constitution that allows to regain her sense of taste when she kisses me. It was Aunty and Koma’s doctor. (By the way, my parents don’t know about Koma’s constitution. Aunty said that it wouldn’t help even if I explained about it.)

Thankfully, Aunty is concerned about Koma’s constitution just as I am. Aunty bought supplements that she had heard in a rumor that would help for dysgeusia, and even now she has time to take care of us.

…I’m too embarrassed to say thank you outright to Aunty, but thank you Aunty for taking care of me and Koma. For the dessert, I’ve made Aunty’s favourite white wine jelly, so I’ll serve it to her later for her usual hospitality. 

How thoughtful,

“…Aaah. That’s right, Koma. That taste returning kiss… Have you never tried it with anybody other than Mako?”

I heard Aunty asking a worthless question to Koma. Haaaa? What’s with that foolish question? You’re an idiot, Aunty. You don’t even need to ask that.

“Huh…? Yeah, that’s to be expected. I can’t be asking other people to help who don’t know the situation… I also want to do it with Nee-sama, not anybody.”

Yup, her answer is as I expected. Until someone important to Koma comes along who is willing to commit to the future… Even if Koma allows it with someone other than me, I won’t allow it.

“Hmm, the situation is like that. Fuuun… You’ve done it with no one other than Mako. So, maybe it’s worth a try.”

“? Ehm, what are you talking about Aunt?”

Aunty sounded like she came about with something mad. ….Yeah? I don’t know why but I have a bad feeling about this.

“Lesse, wanna do a little experiment. Come here, Koma.”

“Ha, haaaa…? I understand… I’m here, however, what are you going to do Aunt?”

“Come closer, you’re still far.”

“Closer? Eehm… How close should I come?”

“Yup, good. Well then—-”

“Eeeh…! Ehm, Aunt!? Aren’t you a bit too close? If I get closer than this, we’re going to kiss—-Nhnnh!?” 

What…!? The sense of discomfort rises in me. I thought I had heard Koma’s concerned voice, but right after that I heard her muffled and lusty voice (which I almost got excited about). This may be an emergency state or it may not be.

“Ah…Wait a bit, Aunt…”

“Don’t run away, Koma. It’s just an experiment.”

“Hey, Aunty! What have you been doing since a while ago—Haa?”

In a hurry I stopped washing the cooking utensils and came out of the kitchen to check upon the living room… And I saw it.

“Hnn—Open your mouth more, Koma.”

“Muu!?”

“~~~~~!?”

A scene ♡ where my beloved little sis has her lips forcibly taken by Aunty who’s a little bit more than 10 years older than her. 

—In that instant. I began running like I was flying through mid-air with the frying pan that I was washing earlier. 

…The target is her head. I’m sure I won’t hit Koma and then aim certainly for her,

“DIEEEEEEEEE!”

*FUUN*

“Uoooo!?”

“Gyaaaa!?”

I swung the frying pan with full power. She’s usually a recluse and doesn’t seem to have any athletic ability, but thanks to her unnatural intuition she barely dodged my finishing blow.

Tch, she dodged! Thanks to my blow, I was able to cancel their kissing! Though, I was able to…

“That was dangerous… What do you think you’re doing, Mako!?”

“Wha-Wha-What are yo-yo-you doing!? Th-Th-That’s a NooOOoooooo! Cooome, heeereee!”

“Calm down and speak Japanese, Mako. And stop with the tears of blood, they’re creepy.”

As they parted their lips, a transparent clear bridge formed between their lips. That’s evidence that their kiss was a deep one including tongues…

DAMN YouU! So enviooous! I started protesting even though I was crying(tears of blood).

“What are you doing? That’s my line! What were you doing, Aunty! Ko-Ko-Ko-Ko… You’ve stolen Koma’s lips, I’m so jealous of it, you hag!”

“Hey, is that something you can say when you’ve been casually taking Koma’s lips every day using her dysgeusia as an excuse?”

“Fr-Freely…!?”

After taking Koma’s lips Aunty says that as a matter of fact. I’ve been taking her lips, casually…?

As a matter of course, before I get to kiss Koma I brush my teeth and gargle in my mouth, then I brush my tongue with a tongue brush and I do this every day. I also chew citrus flavored gum beforehand to not make her uncomfortable, and I go to the dentist once a month to get my teeth bleached and etc— How rash of her to say when she doesn’t know how much care I always take in kissing Koma…

“Rather, isn’t it fine if it’s only this much. You don’t have to worry that much.”

“Do-Don’t have to worry!? I do have to! You stole her lips! What a thing to say, you’re stealing Koma’s youth and loveliness, Aunty! What’s there not to be so sad when my lovely Koma is kissing someone who’s twice her age, it’s ill-feeling!”

“Oi, you really said something really rude! What the hell do you see me as!?”

Like one of those monsters that devours maiden’s extract to keep herself young.

“Anyway, I’m not twice as old as you girls! I’m 26 this year! I’m still young as ever!”

“For us you’re plenty old! This BBA!”

“Ba!? This brat, you’ve guts to say that!”

“Ehm, sorry, please calm down both of you… Fighting is bad”

Just as we were on the verge of fistfight, Koma intervened between us while cleaning her mouth with a handkerchief.

“Don’t stop me, Koma! No matter how one looks at this, Aunty is clearly at fault! I believed that she understood, however she’s a perverted adult who’ll take a junior high school student!”

“Annoying! I don’t want to be called a pervert by an actual pervert! I don’t this most of the time without a reason! Unlike you girls I have no interest in the same sex!”

“That’s it, Aunt. I have a question. Why did Aunt do all of this suddenly despite not having this kind of hobby? Even I and naturally Nee-sama won’t understand if you don’t tell us the reason.”

Koma is so dextrous that she shut me up with one word while asking for an explanation from Aunty and preventing us from fighting.

Tch… You were saved by Koma, Aunty. I reluctantly calm down from Koma’s intervention and ask Aunty for explanation.

“So? I hope you’ll give me a convincing explanation—Aunty.”

“Who’s an old lady! It’s an experiment, just an experiment. I thought this might also be a chance to cure Koma’s dysgeusia.”

“”Eeeh?!””

An experiment? A chance to cure Koma’s dysgeusia…? It seemed serious so I changed my mind and listened.

“I just thought of it. I was thinking that maybe, Koma kissing somebody other than Mako might bring back Koma’s taste buds.”

“Eeh? Somebody other than me, kissing… Koma?”

“…Hm? Me kissing someone other than… Mako?”

“Yes. I used to think that it had to be Mako to bring it back, but I realized it doesn’t have to be Mako if I do the same thing to Koma.”

Mu, muuu… Certainly, I haven’t thought of that. Ever since Koma got dysgeusia, I’ve been bringing her taste buds back every meal, so I thought it had to be me but now I’m thinking that role might not be mine…?

How dreadful…  If Aunty’s hypothesis is correct, if it is— I’ll have to be discharged immediately— That means I’ll never be able to kiss Koma again!?

Gunununu… Damn you, old hag. What unnecessary thing you’ve said… Er no, Koma-wise, I should be happy that her dysgeusia is going in her right directions… Still, damn you. 

“If Koma’s taste buds return, she can provide her doctor with valuable information on how to cure her dysgeusia, and if she doesn’t need Mako… If she gets a lover, for example, she can do it with her lover and not worry about her dysgeusia.”

“That may be true…”

“*Mumble, Mumble*…. Other than Nee-sama? A lover?”

I still don’t want to think about it, if it becomes like that I’ll be sad but… Certainly, if a person one day comes along that will care for Koma and like her, then… If it’s just like Aunty says, the person who falls in love with Koma and kisses Koma and that returns her taste buds like now with me, then I should entrust Koma to that person of returning Koma’s taste buds… Honestly, I hate it. I hate it a lot, but…

“However, to try and experiment with some other than Mako… You can’t ask just some random person “Kiss Koma to restore her taste buds”, who doesn’t know about the circumstances. In the first place there’s no guarantee that a stranger kissing Koma will restore her taste buds.”

“That’s only natural, isn’t it? I can’t let her do it with a complete stranger.”

I won’t let them kiss Koma’s lips unless Koma herself chooses to kiss her lover. I won’t give them even if I die.

“Right? That’s why I am the guinea pig. I know what’s going on and I’m family to you girls. Besides, that just now wasn’t even a kiss. Think of it as a family greeting and it’ll be fine. It’s common overseas. Do you understand, Mako?”

“… This is Japan, and even if we were overseas, I don’t think we would greet each other with a deep kiss like the one just now despite being family. Well, I understand the reasoning. However, I’m not convinced.”

If that’s so, then I wish she would’ve explained beforehand taking Koma’s lips… Maybe, even if she had explained to me, I would’ve done everything in my power to stop her.

“*Mumble, Mumble*… But… Nee-sama will eventually have a lover too… When that comes… I’ll—”

“So, how is it, Koma? Did your taste buds return? Eat this and see.”

“Eh…? Ah, I understand.”

Aunty handed a rice cracker to Koma who had a complex expression on her face… Well, if her taste buds return then I should be happy that her taste buds is progressing… Now, let’s see how it is.

“If her taste buds don’t return then Aunty as a punishment will skip dinner for taking Koma’s lips without permission!”

“That’s tyrannical, Oi! Though, unexpectedly they may return. It’s not like it was tried before. Likewise to you, if Koma’s taste buds return then you’re going to praise me for one week as an assistant, Mako”

“Okay… Tachibana Mako, going in.”

Me and Aunty while holding our breaths we were watching Koma take a bite of the rice cracker. She chewed thoroughly and then said something.

“Ha…?”

“”Ha?””

“…Is it… Styrofoam…?”

“”….?””

 ….What’s that? She tastes styrofoam? What kind of taste is that?

“That’s not what you taste when you eat a rice cooker… Rather, you’ve eaten styrofoam, Koma?”

“Aah, no. Naturally, I haven’t eaten styrofoam before… I feel like I’m eating styrofoam… I think.”

“What about the essential taste, Koma?”

“Hm… I don’t taste anything at all…”

As expected, her taste buds didn’t return. I was an idiot to expect even a bit from Aunty’s idea.

“See! As I thought it’s no good, Aunty! After all that’s the extent of your shallow virtue, Aunty! Return Koma’s lips! And then properly apologize to Koma!”

“Ueh… It didn’t work. I don’t understand why it’s okay when she kisses the pervert Mako but not me”

“You took someone’s beloved sister’s lips without permission and then you’re calling her sister a pervert!? I knew it’d come out, BBA!”

“Nee-sama, please calm down. Frying pan is bad!”

I think while Koma desperately tries to stop me. Anyhow, I’ll make sure Aunty’s meals today are only oyster shells. I’ll confiscate her dessert, too. I made up my mind to do so.