HS Chapter 56: The hopeless sister licks Koma’s mouth.

Everything is for my beloved little sis. I tried to move up the schedule and have fun splitting and hunting pick-up watermelons, but Aunty immediately confiscated my bat and I had to reluctantly give up after being appeased by Koma and Editor-san.

… Can’t be helped then. It’s a little uncomfortable to show a splattered scene to Koma before the meal, isn’t it? You should be grateful for the generous mercy of Koma, pick-up watermelons. If you do it again… I’m not sure what I’m going to do, but be prepared to be split up.

“Well then, everyone please put your hands together. Here we go start, all together now!”
“””Thank you for the food!”””

So, I got my mind straight again and decided to have lunch as originally planned. The three of us, myself, Koma, and Editor-san, greeted the food with a polite “Itadakimasu” and then began our fun and enjoyable lunchtime.

….Hm? Aunty Meiko-san’s appearance can’t be seen, what happened with her? Aah, un… That woman just a few minutes ago,

‘Aah… God damn it, I drank a bit too much. I’m sorry everyone, I have to go to the bathroom for a bit… You can go ahead and start eating before me.”

She went to the bathroom while loudly proclaiming such a thing, even though we were before the meal and there were many bathers around us.

….. As much as I hate to say it, she’s a woman but Aunty is a bit…. I want her to learn some common sense and shame. I’m embarrassed as her niece.

“Hee… Yaki soba noodles, grilled corn, grilled squid, American hotdogs, and frankfurters? It’s amazing! This is the staple food for a place like this! Koma, nice choice!”

“Is that so? I’m happy to know that Nee-sama is glad.”

Well, leaving aside Aunty. I check out what kind of food we have first. The lunch that Koma bought for us from the beach house was a lineup that looked like something you would find at a beach house.

It all looks so good, my stomach is rumbling just looking at it. Especially the smell of yakisoba sauce, grilled corn, and squid sauce is very appetizing

“Let’s dig in immediately! …. Hnhn♪ It’s delicious! It’s a little too much sauce and oil, but it’s not too bad… I can’t get enough of the richness of this flavor!”

“Let me see… Fumu, it’s as Mako-san says, it’s delicious!”

For starters, I decided to pick some freshly made yakisoba with my chopsticks. The first bite fills my mouth with the taste and smell of the rich sauce. I wonder if I’m even hungrier than I thought I was, after playing with Koma as hard as I could just moments ago. Or maybe I was so excited to see Koma in her swimsuit that my nose was bleeding so much that my body wanted to make up for the blood I lost. The taste and smell of the sauce stimulated my appetite even more, and the noodles, meat, and vegetables tangled in the sauce were quickly absorbed into my stomach.

Uun, it’s delicious! Koma really brought delicious food.

“…. Uun… I know I said I’m the one who brought it, but I don’t think I like this much. The price was strangely high, but for that price, it’s nothing compared to Nee-sama’s food… Honestly speaking, more delicious is…”

On the other hand, Koma, who bought this lunch for us, looks a little unhappy about it. When her taste buds are back, her palates are especially refined, so it’s not surprising that she finds this unappetizing, and I can understand why she might be concerned about the slightly higher price.

To be honest, it’s cheaper and tastier to make it myself. But…

“Koma-san, Koma-san, it would be poor manners to compare these with Mako-san’s delicious homemade dishes. The price is just the mood tax. The food here is quite inexpensive for a holiday resort, and the taste is not bad at all!”

“Yeah, yeah, Editor-san is correct, Koma. Also, I don’t mind if the taste is a little delicate or the price is too high… I think there’s something meaningful for eating at a place like this with such a standard beach house menu. Won’t you feel the food getting tastier with everyone chatting noisily while looking at the ocean?”

I don’t mean that the price and taste don’t matter, but. Eating dinner together under a beach parasol, avoiding the summer sun, while looking at the lush sea and sky… I think this is the best spice.

Naturally, the beach house’s menu… I like to eat food at the stalls at festivals. I get excited just by eating the food… Also, it’s easier since I don’t have to make it myself.

 “I wonder if that’s how it is? I’m sorry… I’m not really sure I feel like that too.”

“Ahaha! Is that so, Is that so? No helping it then, since it comes down to personal opinion. Don’t worry, I’m not trying to force my tastes on you—-… Oh? Koma, Koma, you have squid sauce on your mouth.”

“Eeh!? No, don’t look… Showing my embarrassing place to Nee-sama…”

With a look of uncertainty on my face, I carefully watched Koma where she was lovingly eating the squid pancakes like a little squirrel—- In fact, while I was observing her, I noticed that the mouth of Koma was covered with sauce.

When I point this out to Koma, she rushes to get a handkerchief out of her pouch.

“Wait, Koma. Don’t use that beautiful handkerchief. You’ll stain it…”

“But, but… Unfortunately, I used up all my tissues to stop Nee-sama’s nosebleed earlier… There’s nothing to use other than my handkerchief…”

I stop Koma who is about to elegantly wipe her mouth with her new, expensive looking lace handkerchief. It’s a shame to ruin such a beautiful handkerchief.

“It’s okay, stay still for a bit.”

“Eh…? Ehm… Nee-sama? What—”

Thinking about this, I put my hand on Koma’s cheek and slowly brought my lips close to her bewildered mouth…. And then—

*Ahm…!”

“~~~~~~~~!?”

I lick off the sauce from Koma’s mouth.

“…. Un, the sauce is delicious! Thank you for the meal, Koma!”

“Ne, Ne-Nee-sama!? E-Ehn… Did you… just… lick… me…?”

“Hm? Aah, it’s fine already, Koma. You’re clean. I was able to lick it off.”

“… Ah, thank you… very much…”

I smile at Koma and tell her so, she looks down while her face is as red as an apple and holds her hand where I licked her. … Eh? Is Koma maybe embarrassed?

Well, it’s a given. It’s embarrassing for anyone to have sauce, or food sticking on their mouth, like a child.

“… Nee-sama.”
“Hn? What is it, Koma?”

“…. I’m extremely sorry. I’m taking back what I said earlier.”

“He?”

Koma, her cheeks still dyed red, tells me in a whisper. Nhhn…? Take back what she said? What?

“The food at the beach… It’s amazing… It was wonderful and worth the price… It’s the best…!”

“Oooh! Koma thinks that too? Right! Right! It’s delicious! It makes you happy!”

“Yes… It couldn’t have been more delicious than this and it made me happy… You have my thanks, squid sauce-san!”

I wonder if the squid sauce is that delicious. Koma’s voice is shaking and she looks overwhelmed with joy. Un, un, I’m glad to hear that Koma learned to appreciate the food at the beach house.

“… Really, Mako-san and Koma-san are intimate friends.”

“Eh? Is that so? Do we look really close?”

“Yeah. Just by looking at your smiling faces makes one happy.”

“Fufu… ♪ Thank you very much, Editor-sama. That’s the best compliment.”

That’s what Editor-san, who was watching me and Koma, says with a very pleasant smile. Oh my, I’m embarrassed hearing him say we’re close.

“Looking from the state of you two, I’m guessing you two have never had a sisterly quarrel before? I can’t imagine the two of you quarreling at all.”

“”Eh?””

Editor-san’s words make me and Koma look at each other… Me and Koma never quarreling…?

“… Etto, Editor-san? We do, isn’t that right, Koma?”

“Yes… Probably as much as other sisters?”

“….? Err, you do… What do you mean?”
“”Sister quarrels, we do have them?””

“….? …?? ….!??”

When we told him both at the same time, the usually unflinching Editor-san was unusually visibly dismayed…. Editor-san, what’s with that reaction?

“Etto, Editor-san? Is it really that surprising? Just the other day, me and Koma had a quarrel.”

“On the other hand, it’s certainly not something we do often… Nee-sama and I probably fight as much as most brothers and sisters in the world.”

“Is that so… Hee, heee… Sorry, I’m extremely confused… Just a bit… No, truthfully speaking, it was very unexpected and I was surprised to death….. Is that so? Mako-san and Koma-san quarrel… quarrel…?”

Editor-san is not able to hide his unrest at all. Uuun… I didn’t think he’d be this surprised. It’s true that we’re aware that we’re close sisters, but it’s only because we’re close sisters that we usually have fights… 

“Aaah… *Cough*. Sorry, Mako-san and Koma-san. I’m wondering if you could tell me what kind of fights you two get into, just for reference…? I’m so curious about it that I won’t be able to sleep at night, if you don’t tell me…”

“Eh? What do we quarrel about? Hmm… Well, I’ll talk about the quarrel we had the other day…” 

When the Editor-san asks me about it, I start to tell him about my quarrel with Koma. That’s right, that happened last week…

◇　◇　◇

“Koma, thanks for waiting! Onee-chan’s deluxe strawberry tart is ready!”

After finishing dinner, I made a tart for Koma as a dessert. Umu, I think I’ve made it well.

“Thank you very much, Nee-sama. Wwaa… The strawberries sparkle like jewels…. It’s pretty. Nee-sama is truly a professional. You have my respect.”

“No, it’s not that much. Ah, wait a bit. I’ll cut it into slices.”

Feeling a little embarrassed at being praised by the person I love the most for being one of the few people who I do my best, I cut the tart into slices for both Koma and myself.

Now that I’ve made it well, let’s make sure I cut it up nicely. I carefully slide the knife through the tart… Okay, perfect!

“I’ve cut the tart. Okay, this is Koma’s share. Please enjoy it.”

“Yes, thank you very mu—- Huh?”

I wonder what’s wrong. The moment I hand her the tart I have cut into pieces, Koma, who has been smiling at me, turns serious and suddenly there is an unsettling atmosphere in the room.

… Eh? What’s with her mood…? Don’t tell me I’ve done something wrong…?

“… Nee-sama, what is this?”

“Eeh? What, you ask… It’s a strawberry tart… What about it?”

“I know it’s a tart from seeing it. Please explain to me why you’ve cut the tart like this, Nee-sama.”

She asks me that with an unusually slightly angry expression. Why did I cut it…? Is there something wrong with how I’ve cut it…?

“S-Sorry, Koma… Is it that I didn’t give you enough…? I’ll give you some of my share if you like it.”

“That’s not it, it’s the opposite… No matter how I look at it, my tart is almost three times bigger than Nee-sama’s! What is the meaning of this?”

“He?”

Pointing to the portion I gave to Koma and my share, Koma angrily tells me so. Koma’s share is bigger than mine…?

Aah, I see it’s about that. It seems that the kind-hearted and caring Koma is not happy with the difference in the size of our tarts. You really are a kind girl who thinks of Onee-chan… But you didn’t have to worry about that at all, since I originally made the dessert for Koma.

“At least divide it equally in two slices… Nee-sama should eat more than me. That’s why, I find it strange about why you’ve cut the tart like this…. Are you holding back for me? If so, then don’t mind me at all.”

“No, it’s fine. This is all for me. This is the kind of thing Onee-chan should give up for her little sis. Actually, I have to go on a diet… I shouldn’t eat so much…”
“!? Di… Go on a diet!?”

In my case, I think I should eat as little sweet stuff as possible to get rid of all the useless meat in my body. I lightly gave her a notice about it, but Koma doesn’t seem to be convinced at all.

“Not allowed! No, no, no! Definitely not allowed! You don’t need to go on a diet, Nee-sama! In fact, Nee-sama should eat more and more in order to maintain your beautiful body! Now, please eat my share too!”

“Koma is the one who should eat properly. More than anything, I made this for Koma, and I want you to eat a lot of it!”

“If it’s delicious then that’s why Nee-sama should eat even more of it! Please don’t hold back eating it, Nee-sama! And then Nee-sama needs to stop her ridiculous idea of dieting right now!”

“No, Koma should eat lots of it! I get excited when I see Koma eating food or sweets that I’ve made— That’s not it, I’m happy! That’s why you should eat a lot, Koma!”

We, the Tachibana sisters held back for each other and refused to give in to letting the other eat the tart.

“Noo, Nee-sama should!”

“Yes, yes, Koma should!”

Koma and I argued for a while about who should eat the bigger share.

◇　◇　◇

“That’s the kind of argument Nee-sama and I had last week, Editor-sama”

“In the end the quarrel remained unsettled… Eventually, we made up by feeding each other tarts, alternating bites and ‘Aaahh’ each other…. Well, that’s about it. Right? We too quarrel as normal.”

Quarreling over how to cut a dessert. Umu, it’s your extremely average sisterly quarrel.

“…. I see. Truly… Truly… I understood that the two of you are as close as it can get. Mako-san, Koma-san, thank you very much! That was a wonderful meal!”

“”Eh!?””

When I told him such a story, Editor-san’s voice trembled and he wept over something, just like Koma had done previously.

He smiled even more than before with a lustrous face, and for some reason he even bowed his head to us, thanking us and saying “Thank you for the food”. Thank you for the food, already…?

“Ehm, Editor-san? Editor-san looks like he barely ate his food… Are you sure it’s fine?”

“Editor-sama, are you holding back for me and Nee-sama? There’s plenty more, so please don’t hesitate to eat with us.”

“No, no. It couldn’t have been more delicious than this, and lunch doesn’t matter anymore. Your sweet, wonderful and precious story was a real treat!”

“”…..??””

I’m lost… I’ve no clue what Editor-san is talking about. Is he okay with it? Well, if he says that he’s fine then he’s fine….