HS Chapter 20: The hopeless sister is cornerned.

“Well then Mako-chan, did you bring the food menu? Since Koma-chan is getting examined, I’d like to check out her menu as usual, can I have a look at it?”

After finishing the consultation and counseling session, the doctor cheerfully changed the topic as if to change the slightly heavy air.

“I got it! Thank you for your guidance!”

“Yes, yes, leave it to me. Let’s see here…”

I brought this month’s menu as I was told to do so yesterday in the mail. I submit the menu to the doctor as instructed.

Now, why am I submitting the food menu to the doctor? Is what you might think. Well, it’s natural to think that it’s strange to bring a food menu to an otorhinolaryngology clinic. The truth is, this is one of the few ways I can help Koma overcome her dysgeusia. That is—

【Medical diet】

According to Dr. Chiyuri, the main cause of taste order generally is zinc deficiency, so she provides a zinc prepared menu for me to present to Koma.

Because therapy alone is not good enough. If you want the fastest way to take in zinc and other nutrients, it is to supplement your daily meals with the nutrients your body needs… And it’s good for the heart too, it seems.

Hence, one day when I learned to cook good enough… 

“Hey, Mako-chan. There’s something only Mako-chan can do to help Koma overcome her dysgeusia… Do you want to try it?”

Dr. Chiyuri proposed an idea to me and I’ve been following her medical diets ever since… Basically, she creates the food menu. 

In order to make Koma’s daily diet more balanced and to eliminate zinc deficiency, I get a lot of advice from Dr. Chiyuri, who is also a certified nutritionist, and then I make a daily menu for each day of the month, taking into account the required amount of zinc, calories, and nutrients.

Of course I make minor adjustments according to Koma’s condition and her requests, but overall, I prepare her meals based upon the menu.

The goal is to improve Koma’s constitution and provide her with a healthy diet. This is the mission of Tachibana Mako who’s in charge of cooking in the house.

“(At first it was tough…)”

When I was just starting out preparing it, it was really consuming. It took a lot of time just to make a normal meal and yet “What ingredient has how much nutrition value, how much should she consume per day~”… The more I studied the more confused I became… I remember that I almost had a developmental fever once. (TN: fever that brings with it an intellectual or psycho-developmental growth spurt, basically she crammed so much that it overloaded her brain that it activated her immune system or something like that.)

Now that I’ve studied nutritional science to a certain extent and can cook very well, I’m able to enjoy making menus, but I miss the time when I was struggling to make a menu for just one day.

“I’m finished, Mako-chan.”

“Ooh, you’re done already? Doctor is fast as usual.”

While I was thinking about it, the doctor finished correcting my menu. I always thought about it, but she’s fast… I want to be a fine adult like her who does her work like this.

“Also, how was it? Did you find anything strange?”

“Uun, you did great. I made a few minor corrections but you’ve made it well, Mako-chan.”

“Eh? Really? You think so?”

“Yes, you won’t need my advice soon. Mako-chan is really wise.”

While returning my menu the doctor praised me admirably.

“Ahaha… It’s not something to be praised over. Rather, I’m not wise. I’m bad at studying in school.”

“Oh my, is that true…? That’s a bit surprising, considering how wise Mako-chan seems to be…”

“Wise!?”

I wonder how I look to the doctor…? I think I’m the furthest from wise.

“No, I’m ashamed to say it myself… But in school I’m the hopeless problem child. Just recently I placed at the bottom of my school year in the academic test. Well, thanks to the doctor correcting me like this, I’m getting excellent grades in home economics!”

That’s right, the only things I’m proud of are cooking and sewing. And then the only subject I can fully use my techniques and knowledge on is home economics. Like this I’ve been doing my best, (while ignoring school) I’ve been studying nutritional science and doing general housework on a daily basis, and because of this I’ve I’ve always been the top student in home economics, and I’ve never had to take any remedial classes. 

…Well, conversely said, I’m that big of an idiot and not athletic where I even had to take supplementary lessons for P.E.

“Don’t be so humble, Mako-chan. That just means that you’ve been working very hard to learn about taste disorders, diet and nutrition for Koma-chan.”

“No, that’s… Such a thing…”

“If that’s how it is, I’ll praise you even more, Mako-chan. You’ve done great, Mako-chan.”

Even so, the doctor smiles gently and praises me.

Uu~mu… I’m a bit embarrassed and happy that I’m being praised for being wise rather than spoken ill of as usual. Oh no, I’ll go mad from it.

“Eh, I’m not great! It’s like a hobby to me. Ah, that’s right! Speaking of hobbies reminded me… Doctor, I’d like to thank you for all the help you’ve given me… I baked cookies for the doctor. If it’s fine for you, would you like to try them?”

Feeling a bit hot on my cheeks,  I decide to take out the cookies I baked yesterday to hide my embarrassment.

“Wow, they’re lovely! Homemade by Mako-chan who’s an excellent cook… I’m happy. Thank you, Mako-chan.”

“No problem. I’m willing to always make them for you, if you’re okay with them.”

The doctor looks really happy to receive the wrapped bag with cookies when I take them out. 

…I’m glad.  I was a little worried that she’d be mad and say something like ‘Bringing cookies to a clinic is absurd!’, but the doctor didn’t seem to mind at all.

“Well then, I’ll have a quick bite. Thank you for the treat!”

Anyhow, she didn’t mind it and started eating them right away. Ehm, doctor? This is the examining room, right…?

“Do-Doctor? You’re going to eat them right here!?”

“Oh? Have I maybe done something bad?”

“Bad, or should I say… You don’t have to force yourself to eat them now, when you’re on lunch break…”

“Eeeh… But, if I don’t eat them now then I won’t be able to tell my impression about them to Mako-chan…”

… I’ve been wondering about this since earlier, but is the doctor somewhat of an airhead? Isn’t it fine to tell me how you feel about them the next time I come here?

“Etto, I know this is just me saying it since I brought them, but won’t the other nurses and patients get angry and say, ‘Please don’t eat sweets while you’re working!’?”

“Is that so? I think it’s okay?”

While I was worried about her, she replied to me carefree. I wonder about that….? I’m okay with it, but I feel it’s going to raise a lot of other problems. 

I baked the cookies as a gesture of gratitude, but I’d feel too bad if other patients complained to the doctor… 

“But, you see… If other patients saw this they’d be very upset…”

“That won’t happen. In the first place, today is just us—”

“In the first place?”

“It’s a regular holiday. No patients other than Mako-chan and Koma-chan will be coming today, so don’t worry.”

“I’m so sorry to bother you on your day off!”

No, wait… Today is her day off…?!?

Certainly, I did think there was something strange today like seeing no other patients other than me and Koma… Don’t tell me, she opened her clinic just for me and Koma even though it is her vacation!?

“In case you’re thinking about it, Koma-chan is treated as an emergency patient so don’t ponder about it. Also don’t mind me. I have fun meeting Mako-chan and Koma-chan. I don’t get to see you two unless I’m working. But if it’s my vacation, there won’t be any other patients coming so I can have fun talking with you two leisurely, and it’s quite convenient about other things, right?”

…I got it when she said that. By ‘other’, she probably means Koma’s special constitution. 

It would be somewhat awkward if someone had seen me and Koma kiss each other when there are lots of patients.

I see, the doctor took the trouble to see us on her day off out of concern for us. Now that I remember, she used to make appointments for us only on days when there were few patients. As I thought, the doctor is so kind…

“I’m that you’re saying that. Thank you for so much, doctor.”

“I just told you not to mind me. Ah, but please do keep this as a secret from the other patients. Just as Mako-chan says they’ll get mad and say things such as ‘You’re favouring patients!’ or ‘What are you thinking, eating on the job!’”

The doctor says that with a mischievous smile. I wish our slacker Aunty took a lesson from the doctor like voluntarily working on their day off.

“Well then, thank you for the cookies.”

“Ah, you’re welcome. I hope you’ll like it…”

With that said, I realized that there is no problem eating them (?), and the doctor eats them.

“Un, they’re delicious! You’ve improved again, Mako-chan!”

“Is that so? This is the result of me cooking every day!”

It’s mainly because our elders at home are hopeless in household chores.

“Everyday, is that so? If there’s Mako-chan, I’m sure I’ll be able to eat delicious food every day! Must be so nice… I’m very jealous of Koma-chan”

“He?”

“Un… You’re not just good at cooking but also doing household chores, then you’re a fine girl and adorable, Mako-chan will definitely make a wonderful wife!”

“I-Is-that so? You’re flattering me, doctor.”

“Un, I want you to be my bride right now”

“”….ah!?””

Fumu, a wife? How much I wish I could be Koma’s wife someday… That’s right, how nice it would be!

…Naturally, that’s just a fleeting dream.

“Nevertheless, I know it’s a bit late to say this, but it’s strange.”

“Hm? Say what?”

The doctor while munching on the baked cookies opens Koma’s dossier and mutters something. Strange? I wonder what it is.

“Well, of course. Koma’s constitution.”

“Eh? Is having dysgeusia really that strange?”

Strange… The doctor is a professional in her profession, so I feel like there’s nothing strange about it, but…?

“More or less. Dysgeusia itself is very popular… However, I’ve been doing this job for a long time, and I’ve never seen or heard of anyone other than Koma-chan getting their taste buds back after kissing their sister, even for a certain amount of time…”

“Aah, that certainly is…”

I’ve also looked into it using the net and I haven’t seen other cases like this other than Koma.

The doctor’s hypothesis for the symptom of Koma is that, for psychological reasons, she normally  can’t feel taste even though she should be able to, and the kiss is a kind of switch that allows her to temporarily sense it.

“But this hypothesis doesn’t fully explain why the zinc and iron levels in Koma-chan’s blood suddenly return to normal levels as soon as Mako-chan kisses her. The other tests come back normal when you kiss her on the mouth, so I don’t think it’s just a simple psychological problem.”

“Hee… So it was like that?”

I don’t understand it much but it seems Koma’s constitution is making the doctor have nightmares. Well, I can’t help but think that the notion of kissing restores your sense of taste is absurd, it’s like some fairy tale about a princess who ate a poisoned apple. 

“Since it’s like that, I think that conversely we should also examine Mako-chan.”

“Yes?”

“I mean, isn’t it like that? If all this research doesn’t cure Koma-chan… Then it means that Mako-chan might have the key for overcoming Koma’s dysgeusia.”

“I’m the… key… for curing…?”

“Un. Frankly said, there might be an enzyme that cures Koma’s dysgeusia and it’s peculiar to Mako. Or… Maybe, Mako-chan’s kiss is the prince’s magic kiss that cures Koma’s dysgeusia.”

The doctor says that jokingly. In a certain way, I’m also part of the cause of Koma’s dysgeusia, so I’m not the role of the prince but rather the mean witch who gives the poisoned apple to the princess…

While I was thinking this, the doctor approached me quickly.

“That’s why, hey Mako-chan, can I try several things?”
“Try something… What exactly?”

The doctor continued with an alluring smile that made me feel a little nervous, different from the gentle smile she had just given me earlier.

“…Won’t you kiss me?”

“Hm?”

“Kiss me.”

Before I knew it, the doctor was right before my eyes and was saying things like that. …Eeh? Who and who to kiss…?

“I’m very interested in it. The kiss that cures dysgeusia. I want to know how it tastes.”

“Eeh, etto… Dwoctror? Wlats wrong?”

“Well, there’s kissing, but… What I’m most interested in is… Mako-chan’s body itself!”

The doctor smiled and touched my cheek as if to tickle me. She’s too close, close!?

Eh, what’s with this development!? No, wait, I’ve always had close skinship with the doctor but… Somehow today is different from usual—-

“I’m sorry, okay? I know it’s a bit late to say this, but you look really good in those clothes.”

“Is-Is that so?”

“Yes, Mako-chan is so cute… I want to taste you—Examine you(Sexually).”

“Hahaha, the doctor is good at cracking jokes!”

…Unexpectedly, her eyes seem serious but surely that’s just my imagination… Probably, I think.

“Err, doctor? Even if you eat me I’m not delicious at all— Hyaan!?”

“Ara~ara, Mako-chan’s sweet voice. Are Mako’s ears ticklish? You’re so cute, you know?”

This time, the doctor pecks at my ear. I let out a strange voice… So embarrassing…

“Ei, isn’t it fine? Won’t you let me try that magic kiss of yours?”

“N-No, that’s…”

“You don’t want to? The doctor is a bit lonely now…”

“Rather than hate it…”

I don’t get her, I don’t understand the doctor’s intention… Am I maybe teased?

No, I don’t know if she’s joking or serious, but honestly, I don’t feel bad about being led on like this by a beautiful woman like the doctor…. I shouldn’t be but.

“Wawawa… I’ve already decided to dedicate my lips to Koma for the rest of my life. Kissing with the doctor… I’m sorry…”

But… I’m still devoted to my sister, and if it’s a mouth to mouth or something, the kiss should be given to the most important person… Right?

“Is that so, I’m sad to hear that.”

“…I’m sorry, doctor.”

I patted my chest, relieved knowing that she took a step back. Good, it seems I was able to convince the doctor pretty easily.

“Uun. I have no other choice then. Since you’re not letting me— I have no other choice but to kiss Koma-chan.”

WHAT DID SHE SAY!?

“Wh…Why!? Why’d you do that, Dr. Chiyuri!?”

“Because the only way to find out the secret of Koma-chan and Mako-chan’s kisses is to kiss you girls, right? If Mako-chan doesn’t want to, then there’s only Koma-chan for me to kiss.”

No, even though what you say may be true, but…. But!

I remembered the painful incident when my aunt took Koma’s lips as an experiment. Only that, I…!

“That’s not allowed! No! You can’t kiss Koma… Even if it’s the doctor…!”

“Okay, I’m in a tough spot then. In that case… I think me and Mako-chan should kiss.”

“Yes, you arel…”

…..Huh? Wait just a second, me. Is it really like that? Am I not being led on?

“It’s decided. Well, let’s begin immediately.”

“Eh, no, wait… You’re really doing it…!?”

“Mako-chan, calm down… close your eyes…”

She grabbed my shoulders tightly without letting me argue back, and traced her finger across my lips as if she were making sure. Wha-What should I do… Is she really going to do it? How did this happen? Or rather, do we really need to kiss each other? Can Koma’s dysgeusia be overcome by me and the doctor kissing?

While I was flustered and unable to keep up with my thoughts, the doctor was slowly placing her lips on mine with a serious expression—–

*Whack* *Whack* !!!

“Waaa!?”

“Oh my, my.”

…A few more centimeters… Just a few millimeters and my lips and hers would’ve touched, but I suddenly hear a sound so loud I think my heart is going to jump out of your chest.

Thanks to it, my absent-minded brain restarted working. I looked away from the doctor to see the location of where the sound came from.

“”… What were you two intending to do?””

“Koma…? Also, the nurse…?”

“It’s Koma-chan and Sayuri-chan… Ah, what bad timing. I was so close.”

I saw Koma and the nurse accompanying Koma smacking the pillar at the entrance of the examination room  and they seemed to be really angry about something.

She rushed inside the examination room, and ran up to me and grabbed my hand. Welcome back, Koma.

“Are you okay, Nee-sama? Are you safe? Has it been taken from you!?”

…What is?

“Mako-chan’s things were very delicious. It was a treat.”

“Nha!?”

Before I was able to say anything, the doctor said that with an ecstatic look on her face. Koma grinds her teeth at that line.

“… Doctor. I’ve said this before… You can’t mess with a junior high school kid.”

“Oh, what’s wrong?”

… I don’t know what’s going on but the angry Koma is also beautiful. It’s rare to see such an angry expression on Koma, and it makes me want to take a picture of her.

I wonder if she’ll get mad at me for taking a picture of her being angry? Un… probably she’ll be mad at me… I’ll forget about it.

“And… I’ve said this clearly before…! Nee-sama is my… my….”

As I racked my brains to see if I could somehow secretly capture the expression on Koma’s face in an album, the voltage of Koma’s anger was rising unlike before. Ah… I don’t get it, but isn’t this dangerous? She looks like she’s about to explode?

“Sorry, you two. It’s all a joke. I was just teasing you two.”

“”….Eh?””

“It’s fine, Koma-chan. I still haven’t taken her lips.”

…Still?

“But, right now you said it was delicious!”

“What was delicious… I was talking about the cookies Mako-chan made for me.”

“Coo….kies?”

The doctor shows the cookies that I made for her to Koma. Those words stopped Koma who was about to explode.

“Is it true, Nee-sama?”

“Hm? Ah, un. I baked cookies as a gift for the doctor who’s been taking care of us.” 

“… Did you give her only cookies?”

“Un… Well, I have nothing else to give as a gift to the doctor…”

“…I’m relieved.”

She seemed deeply relieved and collapsed into me with my hand in hers. I don’t know what happened to her, but she’s not usually as overly emotional as I am, so it was fun to see so many expressions of her today.

I wonder if Koma’s getting so excited since it’s vacation. I think the usual cool beauty Koma as well as the Koma showing emotions are great.

“Good grief… Dr. Chiyuri. Don’t tease them too much. If you go too far, they’ll come to shun you. (*Mumble*)… That goes for me too.”

“Sayuri-chan, your eyes are really scary! It’s a joke, just a joke.”

“If you say so. That being said… Koma’s test results are here, Dr. Chiyuri.”

“Yes, thank you. Let me see… Un, it’s as I expected her numbers haven’t changed at all.”

The doctor, on the other hand, is talking to the nurse as if nothing had happened and is adding to the electronic medical record. 

Apparently, that thing from earlier was just teasing me because she had time to spare before Koma’s inspection was over. Jeez, the doctor is so impish!

“Okay, Koma-chan, good work with the examination.”

“…Yes, thank you doctor.”

“Also, today’s results.”

The doctor informs me of Koma’s test results and future plans. Koma regained her energy and although she looked a little unhappy (while forcing herself between me and the doctor as if she was protecting me), she listened to the doctor seriously.

“—Therefore, I’ll try to get you a new zinc formula and some Chinese herbs. I’ll let you know when you come here next time.”

“… I understand.”

“Also, Mako-chan. For the next month make your menu list as usual. I’ll check it, too.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

It took a long time, but I guess this is the end of the examination. Good work, Koma. Thank you, doctor and nurse-san.

“This means that the examination is done, right doctor? Then, we’ll excuse ourselves…. Let’s go, Nee-sama.”

“Eh? You’re leaving already? You can relax and take it slow. I’ll give you tea. So let’s all eat the sweet and delicious cookies that Mako-chan had made.”

After a somewhat lackluster greeting, Koma tries to leave the examination room immediately, but the doctor wants us to stay.

Hm… What should I do? Since she’s said this, and we have time today it wouldn’t be a bad idea to drink tea.

“We’re fine. I’ve places I want to go with Nee-sama so… Thank you for everything today… Now, let’s go Nee-sama ♡”

“Hm, that’s right. Thank you for always, doctor. Thank you so much!”

It was tempting to have a tea party with the doctor, since she took the trouble to open his clinic on his day off to see us. I’m sorry for the overtime work.

Koma, who seemed to be in a better mood and pulled me by the hand, I bowed to the doctor and left the place.

“Hm, that’s too bad. I’ll invite you next time. Mako-chan, thank you for the cookie.”

“No problem, I’ll bake them again if it’s fine with you.”

“Thank you, Sayuri-sama, for taking time out of your busy schedule! I’ll excuse myself.”

“Take care, Koma-chan. What’s left is the bill so please wait for it in the waiting room.”

“See you next time, Mako-chan and Koma-chan~”

The doctor winked and threw a kiss at us as we were leaving. U~mu… It’s so cool to see such a mature, sexy, and beautiful person do it…

“Gmh!? Muu, Nee-sama! We’re leaving right now!”

“Ah, yeah”

The moment she saw that, Koma quickly took me outside of the examination room. Eh, huh? What’s wrong, Koma…? I thought Koma was in a good mood but did she get mad again…?