When I Brought The Lost Little Girl To Her House, The One Who Came Out Of The Front Door Was The Most Beautiful Girl In The Grade. - Chapter 83

“Today’s New Year’s Eve! Don’t go to sleep!”

“We won’t go to sleep!”

My sister is holding a can of chu-hi (Japanese alcoholic beverage) and saying such things. I don’t know if she’s already drunk or not, but it would be better if she stopped because now Natsuno is imitating her.

“Sis, are you already drunk? You might have had a bit too much…”

“Don’t be ridiculous!! With two adorable girls like this around, can I really go without drinking?!”

“Sis, you’re starting to sound like an old man.”

She’s completely drunk… I watched Yumi, who seemed to be having fun, and decided not to say anything so as not to ruin this enjoyable atmosphere.

“Speaking of which… It’s really unfair for a couple to spend the night together on New Year’s Eve.”

Even though she was all lively just a moment ago, now she’s swaying the can of chu-hi in a slow circle with a somber expression.

“Why all of a sudden…”

“Well… I’m just envious.”

“Huh?”

She looked at my face seriously, and I felt a bit tense. However, when I heard her words, I immediately regretted taking her seriously.

It’s certainly typical of Yumi to say something like that, but…

“Because you’re a guy, you should treasure her.”

“I know…”

“If you know, then that’s good.”

Saying that, Yumi opened another can of chu-hi.

“You should stop, Sis. You’ve had too much to drink.”

“I’m a girl too, so be gentle with me!!”

“This is my way of being gentle!”

“Well, aren’t you saying something nice?”

Saying that, she looked at me with a slightly surprised expression. However, that expression gradually turned into a mischievous grin.

“What?!”

“Well~? You used to say things like ‘It’s not a big deal’ until just now.”

“T-that’s not…!”

“Maybe because you’ve found someone you like?”

“Yeah… I’m surprised myself. I think I’ve changed since I met Ayano.”

“Oh, you’re surprisingly honest.”

Saying that, Yumi smiled kindly at me. I was slightly taken aback by that expression.

Even though she’s my real sister, why am I feeling flustered… I thought to myself. It might have just been surprise since it’s a kind of expression Yumi doesn’t usually show.

“We’re here~”

“Sorry to keep you waiting! New Year’s Eve soba!”

Ayano brought over the New Year’s soba with Mom. It’s a traditional dish to eat when crossing over to the new year.

“Oh, it’s pretty luxurious.”

“Ayanochan helped, so I did my best.”

“I didn’t help that much, you know!”

“Thanks, Ayano.”

“Thanks, Sis!”

“Really, there’s nothing but gratitude. Thank you.”

As everyone thanked Ayano, her cheeks immediately turned red, and her ears were also flushed.

“Alright! Let’s eat before it gets cold!”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, I’ll bring the shichimi (Japanese spice mix)!”

Dad is out for a drinking party with people from his company, so he won’t be coming back today. When Mom came back with the shichimi, we all said “Itadakimasu” together.

“Delicious.”

Of course, that was the first thing that came out. It’s only natural for your voice to leak out when you’ve just tasted something delicious.

“I’m glad you like it. It makes me feel like my efforts were worth it.”

Ayano smiled brightly. I wanted to praise her more, but with both Yumi and Mom present, if I started praising Ayano, it would become troublesome for sure. So, I held back my feelings

After finishing the New Year’s soba, it was mostly a battle against sleepiness. I can easily stay up watching anime until midnight, but it might be a bit tough for Natsuno and Ayano since they both usually have regular sleep schedules.

“Ayano, Natsuno, if you’re feeling sleepy, you can go to sleep, okay?”

“I’m fine, Kuroda.”

Natsuno seemed fine, so I looked at Ayano. Ayano’s little head leaned against my arm.

I tried to wake her up, but she looked so comfortable, breathing softly, that I couldn’t bring myself to disturb her.

I tried to carry Ayano to Yumi’s room so she could sleep, but I thought it would be dangerous to put a drunk Yumi and Ayano together, so I decided to take Ayano to my room instead.

Gently laying Ayano on the bed, she softly murmured, “Mmm…” It felt like her attack power was too high, but I desperately endured it.

“Good job today.”

I said a word and gently patted her head two or three times. Ayano’s eyelids were barely open, but with drowsy, almost sleepy eyes, she stared at me intently.

Then, she smiled gently and reached her hand behind my head.

“Natsuno~ What are you doing~? Come over here~?”

She must be half-asleep; she mistook me for Natsuno.

“Natsuno? No, I’m…”

“Hehe, I love you.”

I tried to say, “I’m Yuusei,” but in that moment, my head was gently pushed against Ayano’s chest. Spare me, this is no longer a reward; it’s a trial. I repeated to myself in my head, if I felt guilty, it would be over.

“Ayano?!”

I said that to check if she was awake, but there was no response. All I could hear was the same soft breathing as before.

When I tried to release Ayano’s arm, it was locked firmly. If I moved carelessly and she woke up, it could turn into a major disaster.

And also, I wanted to savor this warmth for just a little while longer, so I quietly closed my eyes.

Feeling that comfort, I fell into a deep sleep.