Is There Such Thing as a Cute Little Stepsister? There is No Romance Between us~ - Chapter 35-36

Is The ‘Sticky Fried Rice’…Delicious?

“…I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s my fault for falling asleep.”

The fried rice that I cook turns out to be sticky.

I don’t know where it went wrong.

“Well, it’s tasty.”

“I-Is that so…?”

I take a bite.

Yeah, it is indeed tasty, but the texture is awful.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, what are you saying, Onii-sama?”

“It turns out to be sticky though, isn’t it?”

“Onii-sama made it for me. There is no way it doesn’t taste good.”

“Thank you.”

I wish I’m better at cooking.

“It seems like you still don’t quite get it, Onii-sama.”

“W-What?”

“‘like’ is recipe for deliciousness, you know?”

“……”

It’s embarrassing when Ruri tells me so bluntly.

“Fufufu. Besides…”

“Besides?”

“Next time, I’ll make an amazing dish for you.”

“Yeah…I’m looking forward to it.”

I silently eat the fried rice for a while.

“Thank you for the meal.”

In the end, Ruri ate every bit of my fried rice.

I’m really grateful…

“Today was really busy, wasn’t it?”

“Ahh, you mean your part time job? Yeah, it was. Did you learn how to operate the cash register?”

“Yes, Haruka-san taught me.”

“…you’re already calling her by her first name.”

“Yes!”

I can’t help but to feel glad that I didn’t have a man in charge of training Ruri.

“So, how was your first working experience?”

“Well, it makes me realize how amazing you are, Onii-sama. Giving instructions while always thinking ahead.”

“No, it’s nothing really.”

Ruri chuckles.

She was watching me after all.

“When it comes to earning your pay, there aren’t any shortcuts, even if you have me as your manager. So, I hope you’ll learn about that.”

“Yeah, I’ll learn a lot.”

“Also, not all customers are nice. If anything happens, make sure to let me know.”

“You’re worried about me, aren’t you?”

“Well, there were some actual troubles in my workplace, like that time when a female employee encountered a stalker.”

“H-Heh, is that so?”

“Well, it turned out to be a good thing in the end.”

“Good thing?”

“When I assigned a male bodyguard for her, they ended up getting married.”

“I see.”

“Well anyway, if anything happens, make sure to let me know, okay?”

“Okay…Onii-sama, do you mind if I go home with another man?”

“…no comment.”

I can’t answer right away.

If the same situation were to happen to Ruri, I would have to assign a bodyguard to be with Ruri.

However…

“Don’t worry. I won’t let anyone fool and take advantage of me.”

“I know, but that’s a whole different matter…”

“I’m happy that you feel jealous.”

“……”

“…Onii-sama, there is something on your face.”

“Eh?”

“Please come closer to me.”

“Yeah.”

Suddenly, Ruri licks my cheek.

“!?”

“There were some rice on your cheek…Onii-sama’s sweat is really tasty.”

“…eh, uh.”

“Please don’t worry Onii-sama, I won’t fall for anyone else but you.”

I wonder if ‘love’ is about how much you believe in someone and how much pain you can endure for her.

Stir Fried Vegetables

Ruri’s POV

“Hmm~♪”

“It looks like Ruri’s cooking are tastier after all.”

“That’s because I put a lot of love into my cooking.”

“Yeah, it looks really delicious.”

Onii-sama is slumped over his desk, looking tired.

You shouldn’t show me such an opening, you know?

I won’t be able to hold myself back if you do that.

I’ll shower you with my affection.

Fufufu, I’ll love you from the outside and the inside, Onii-sama.

“Surely…”

“Yes?”

“Ruri will make a great wife in the future.”

“…that’s for you to decide.”

“I don’t know yet. I still think this feeling of mine is ‘like’.”

“…it’s okay. I’m sure that feeling of ‘like’ will bloom into ‘love’ someday.”

“Yeah.”

“Alright, here’s the stir-fried vegetables. I decided to add some meat into it, so it’s actually a stir-fried meat and vegetables.”

“It looks really delicious.”

“I’ve prepared miso soup and fruit for dessert.”

“Then…”

““Itadakimasu””

…Onii-sama seems to have something in his mind.

“Is there something wrong, Onii-sama?”

“I want to talk about you about what you did to me the other day. Can you please not lick me again?”

“Well, please forgive me for that.”

“No, it’s actually fine, but I’m a guy too.”

“Then how about…”

“No, that’s too far. Such things should wait until we’re married at least.”

“…you don’t have any courage do you, Onii-sama? Or am I too important for you to touch?”

“I won’t take any chances.”

With that, Onii-sama takes the last piece of meat with his chopsticks.

“I did that because you let your guard down, Onii-sama. Fufufu.”

Onii-sama eats the last piece of meat with a satisfied look on his face.

I can at least cook his favourite food to return the favour he did the other day.

I still can’t believe that I fell asleep and let Onii-sama made dinner for us.

Suddenly—

“Here, a present.”

“Eh!?”

Onii-sama hands me two things…

Two?

“One for warding off bad luck, and the other for when bad luck strikes.”

One of them is a flat, ordinary amulet…and the other one is a plump device that comes with a long string.

“I’m not a middle schoolgirl, you know?”

“I’m just worried, because you are my precious girlfriend.”

“…I see. I’m surprised. I never expected you to give something like this.”

With that, I receive the amulet and security buzzer from Onii-sama.