My Childhood Friend, Sometimes a Schoolgirl—She Only Wears That Ribbon Around Me - Episode 18

“Here, you’re still growing, so eat more! If it were my little brother, he’d show some guts!”

“I’m eating… more than usual, though…”

I gently rubbed my stomach, which was about to burst, while holding my head in front of the many dishes spread out on the table.

After finishing tidying up the room, Yua and I spent some time inside until dinner was ready. Around six o’clock, the three of us — including my sister — gathered around the low table in the living room.

Time passed slowly, and the clock was about to strike seven. But on the table, the mountain of fried chicken and pasta still stood tall.

“Ugh… This amount is definitely too much…”

“Can’t be helped. Since it’s been a while since Yua came over, I got a little too excited and put in too many noodles and chicken.”

“There has to be a limit!”

“Come on, little brother, don’t be selfish—just shove it all down your stomach!”

“If I eat any more, I’ll throw up…”

Even now, dressed in street-style clothes, my sister was pushing me to eat faster in a rough, maid-like tone. She clearly had no intention of eating all this herself.

Meanwhile, Yua sat next to me in seiza (kneeling posture), looking apologetic as she placed a hand on her own stomach.

“I’m sorry. You went through the trouble of making all this, and I can’t eat much…”

“Don’t worry about it, Yua. It’s just that my sister messed up the portions and made too much.”

“Yeah, yeah, Yua, no need to feel bad. Our little brother here is about to put on a big eating show, so just enjoy it.”

“This is going to be a disaster for the living room.”

I wasn’t joking — my stomach was already at full capacity. Just the fried chicken batter alone made me feel like it would come back up.

“Everyone, including me, is already full. We don’t have to force ourselves; we can just eat the leftovers tomorrow. They’ll keep in the fridge for a day or so.”

“Well, guess that’s how it is. I wanted to laugh my head off watching you throw up, but I’ll let it slide this time.”

My sister laughed loudly, with no sign of manners.

I could only sigh at how cruel her words were, especially coming from my own sister.

“Kanami-san, I couldn’t eat everything, but… all the dishes were really delicious.”

“Hehe, if you liked it, then it was worth making.”

My sister scratched her head, grinning like she was very pleased by the compliment.

Now, only the fried chicken and pasta were left on the table, but earlier there had been salad, soup, and more, all packed in tight, showing how much effort my sister had put into dinner.

Though her usual rough manner is hard to imagine it, she’s been cooking every day since late elementary school, and her skills are top-notch.

She’s not only good at cooking but also crafty enough to make cosplay costumes on her own, and even from my point of view as her brother, she’s not bad looking… It’s just a shame that her personality overshadows all her good qualities.

“Yua, do you want to pack up the leftovers and take them home?”

“Eh, really? Is that okay?”

“Take as much as you want! You’re still living at your grandma’s old place, right?”

“Yes, we live there together.”

“Alright, then I’ll pack up two servings—wait a moment.”

As my sister stood up, Yua waved her hand nervously to the side.

“…No, one serving is enough.”

“Hmm, are you on a diet?”

“It’s not me… I think my grandma already prepared food for tomorrow. I’ll use what I got today for my lunch tomorrow.”

“Oh, I see. Are you close with your grandma?”

“I’m not sure if we’re ‘close,’ but she’s like my foster parent… I do like her. I just don’t want to bother her too much, so I try not to rely on her if I can help it.”

“Huh. If I were your grandma, I’d want my cute grandkid to rely on me without hesitation.”

My sister took some containers from the cupboard and began dividing the food with chopsticks she wasn’t using.

“Well, I’m sure things are tough since you just moved back here. If anything happens, don’t hesitate—rely on us siblings. I can even lend out my little brother for a month.”

“Do you even respect my wishes?”

“A little brother is his big sister’s property. Whether he lives or dies is up to me.”

My sister was truly a domineering big sister.

Still, after hearing her words, Yua’s expression softened somehow.

Maybe deep down, she was worried about living in this town.

“If anything happens… Sora-kun, I’ll be borrowing your help.”

Looks like my wishes won’t be respected after all.