Ordinary morning
After I finished washing the dishes, we went back to our respective rooms to spend some time at our leisure.
Suddenly it occurs to me to go back to the kitchen and prepare for tomorrow.
The rest of the time I read mystery novels and thought about Kaho and Yuki…, and before I knew it, it was quite late.
Then we took turns taking a bath, brushing our teeth, and laying out our futons.
Like that, we spent the night, as if it was a normal thing for us to do.
The next morning, I woke up a little early and sat in my room in a daze.
Around seven o’clock, my alarm clock went off in the next room.
Mikoto-san also woke up and came to the room.
In order to get from Mikoto-san’s room at the far end of the apartment to the washroom and dining table, she had to pass through my room.
That’s how it’s laid out.
Mikoto-san was wearing a childish pink nightgown. She was sleepily rubbing her eyes.
“Good morning, Akihara-kun.”
Mikoto-san is cold and beautiful at school, but right now she is looking at me blankly with defenseless blue eyes, and she looks so cute.
I tried to tease her.
“You don’t call me ‘Haruto Onii-chan’ anymore?”
“…! That was only available yesterday!”
Saying that, Mikoto-san’s face turned bright red.
I caught a glimpse of Mikoto-san’s room through the sliding door.
Before I knew it, her luggage had increased.
There were several cardboard boxes filled with clothes and books.
There were also some small cushions and a stuffed yellow bear in her room.
Mikoto-san noticed my gaze and hurriedly closed the sliding door.
“Don’t stare, it’s embarrassing.”
“I’m sorry. What about all that stuff?”
“It was sent yesterday from Tomi’s mansion.”
Mikoto-san said casually.
I felt that Mikoto-san had finally become a full-fledged resident of my apartment.
I smiled.
“Good morning once again, Mikoto-san.”
“Yeah. Good morning, Akihara-kun.”
“Well, Mikoto-san. I’m going to make French toast for breakfast.”
Mikoto-san’s face lit up.
If this is the reaction, then it seems to be all right.
“Then, I’m going to make it now. Mikoto-san can just wait.”
Hearing my words, Mikoto-san realized that she had a smile on her face and said hurriedly.
“I didn’t say I wanted to eat.”
“Don’t you want to eat?”
“I don’t mean that,… but I feel like I’m being spoiled by Akihara-kun. I think you are treating me like a child.”
“You don’t like being treated like a child?”
When I asked her with a laugh, Mikoto-kun’s blue eyes widened in surprise, and then she thought seriously.
It was just a joke, so I don’t think it’s something to be taken so seriously.
Eventually, Mikoto-san replied.
“I don’t like it, but maybe I don’t … hate it.”
I was expecting her to reply that she absolutely hated the idea of being treated like a child, so I was out of my element.
I don’t know what the Ice Goddess is thinking.
“I think I’ll just have the French toast for now. Will you really make it for me?”
“Of course.”
I nodded, went to the kitchen, and opened the door of the refrigerator in the corner.
The bread had been soaked in egg mixture the day before.
The four-egg mixture contained not only milk and sugar, but also vanilla extract, which had soaked into the bread for half a day.
I spread butter on a frying pan and began to cook the bread soaked in the egg mixture.
The secret to getting them nice and fluffy is to cook them over low heat for a long time, making sure to cook them thoroughly on both sides.
Fortunately, there was still plenty of time before school started.
After a while, I opened the lid of the frying pan, divided the French toast onto plates for two, and put them on the table.
Since there were no vegetables to be had with just this, I quickly prepared a salad and some milk to drink.
Mikoto-san was already sitting at the table and looked up at me, then she looked at the French toast.
“Can I eat it?”
“Of course.”
“…I’ll enjoy having this.”
The golden brown French toast had brown burn marks in some places, and the thickly sliced bread gave it a heavy appearance.
Mikoto-san brought it to her mouth with a fork.
Instantly, Mikoto-san’s cheeks relaxed and her blue eyes lit up.
“It’s … delicious. Soft, just the right amount of sweetness … and really delicious.”
“That’s good to hear. I used to make them a lot when Amane-nee-san was here.”
“I envy her. It’s probably the most delicious breakfast I’ve ever had.”
“You’re exaggerating. I’m sure they served a more luxurious breakfast at the mansion.”
“Yes, they did. In Tomi’s mansion, they even had their own cook who was a former graduate of a famous French restaurant.”
I was impressed.
As expected of a family that runs a huge corporate group, the Tomis live a luxurious life far removed from the rest of the world.
Mikoto-san tilted her head curiously.
“But why is it that the food prepared by … Akihara-kun tastes better?”
With a mumble, Mikoto-san stared at me.
Even if you ask me that, I don’t know what Mikoto-san likes or what’s in her heart.
But if she thinks it’s that delicious, I’m honored.
After finishing her breakfast, Mikoto-san said, ” Thank you.” her cheeks tinting with a hint of color.
Then, Mikoto-san left the dining table and retired to her room.
Probably getting dressed, I thought.
I turned on the small TV on the dining table and watched the news in a daze.
The news was talking about the Tomi Group, and it was reporting a sharp decline in business performance, mainly due to a slump in the retail business.
The president of the company was to be replaced as well, taking responsibility.
However, the chairman of the board has remained the same person, Soichiro Tomi, for a long time.
He is the head of the Tomi family.
He is probably Mikoto-san’s grandfather and my great-uncle.
Chairman Tomi is also pictured in the TV press conference.
He was a stern-looking old man with gray hair and a white beard.
I turned off the TV with the remote control.
At about the same time, Mikoto-san appeared, dressed in a black school uniform.
The combination of her beautiful foreign appearance, with silver hair and blue eyes, and her traditional Japanese school uniform is a very impressive sight.
I can understand why everyone is tempted to call her a goddess.
And since Mikoto-san was in plain clothes during her absence due to a cold, it was refreshing to see her in a school uniform.
“I’m going to school first.”
“I’m leaving soon, too.”
“It would be bad if Akihara-kun and I went to school together from home. If anyone sees us, we will be misunderstood and … cause trouble for Akihara-kun.”
“Well, you don’t have to worry about bothering me, but it would certainly be better if we didn’t go to school together.”
Even just for the sake of it, Mikoto-san doesn’t get involved with many people, but if she went to school with me, that alone would make her stand out.
Even if the fact that we lived in the same home was not discovered, it would surely lead to strange rumors.
Mikoto-san glanced at me, paused for a moment, and then smiled, murmuring, “See you later.”
Then she put on her shoes and walked out the door.
Let’s pause for a moment and go, so as not to waste Mikoto-san’s consideration.
I’ll have enough time to check on my computer and then go.
I thought about that.
However, my concern for preventing rumors from spreading about my relationship with Mikoto-san at school turned out to be in vain.
