When I Thought I Was Reborn, My Family Turned Out to Be a Huge Landmine - Chapter 17: "The Fox Woman" and "The Spider Woman"

Chapter 17: “The Fox Woman” and “The Spider Woman”

Yesterday, so many things happened. Arika confessed to me… yes, I need to give an answer to that, no matter what form it takes. And then there’s another matter, with Nee-san. Yesterday’s conversation was also an opportunity to learn more about Nee-san, and it was a moment when I realized that just as Nee-san cares for me, I also consider her important.

“…Nee-san.”

“What is it?”

Today, like any other school day, starts with breakfast. As usual, I’m eating the breakfast prepared by Nee-san… but today, instead of sitting across from me as she usually does, Nee-san is sitting next to me. She’s smiling and staring at my face, which makes eating quite difficult… Wait, wasn’t it like this yesterday too?

“You two seem closer than usual today. Did something happen last night?”

“Fufu, maybe. Right, Ren♪?”

“…Well, something did happen.”

“…Really?”

Nii-san looks at me with wide eyes, but it’s not what he’s imagining. He seems to understand that much and doesn’t ask further. Nee-san, with her smiling face, and I, looking a bit tired, seem to give him enough of an idea.

“…Nom.”

I take a bite of the excellently seasoned tamagoyaki… yes, it’s delicious. White rice, tamagoyaki, mackerel, miso soup – a typical breakfast, but exceptionally tasty. Cooking prepared by family, including bento, is said to be an act of unconditional love, and I truly believe it’s true. It’s delicious in its own right, but the kindness in preparing it makes it taste even better.

“Thank you, Nee-san. It’s really delicious.”

“! Yeah! You’re welcome!”

Nee-san’s smile warms my heart. We continue to gaze at each other for a while, but Nee-san needs to eat her breakfast too. After finishing breakfast with family chatter, and getting ready, we head to the entrance when the doorbell rings unexpectedly.

“?”

“Who could it be?”

Nee-san, who had come to see me off, and I are puzzled. It’s quite early, around the time I leave for school. It doesn’t seem like a delivery, so it’s likely someone we know. But such visits are rare, so it’s hard to guess who it might be.

“I’ll get it.”

Feeling it’s rude to keep them waiting, I open the door to see who it is.

“…Arika?”

“Good morning, Ren-kun!”

The visitor is not a stranger or someone suspicious, but Arika, someone I know very well. Greeted with her radiant and beautiful smile first thing in the morning, it’s naturally surprising to have such an unexpected visit.

“Good morning, Arika.”

“Yes!”

“Why are you here, or rather, did I tell you where I live?” I had many questions, but I managed to return the greeting. Arika’s smile was so bright that it made all my doubts seem trivial. Like Nee-san, Arika is sharp-witted, evident in how she noticed my confusion.

“Sorry for the sudden visit. But I decided to go all out starting today, so I came. Of course, if it bothers you, Ren-kun, I won’t do this again from tomorrow… uh, was it really not okay?”

“It’s not bad at all. Rather, I should thank you for brightening up my morning… But did I ever tell you where I live?”

The thanks were for the gift of a beautiful girl’s smile. As I raised my question, Arika was about to answer when her gaze shifted from me to the side. Following her line of sight, I saw Nee-san standing next to me, arms crossed, having changed her shoes.

“…”

“…”

Their eyes met, and it almost felt like sparks were flying between them. After a moment of staring, Nee-san was the first to speak.

“Good morning, it’s been a while, ‘Fox Woman’.”

What!?

Nee-san was smiling, but her eyes were not. Calling her ‘Fox Woman’ out of the blue was unexpected. Her cold gaze, never directed at me, was now piercing Arika. The phrase “it’s been a while” caught my attention, but before I could think of protecting Arika from Nee-san, I was stopped in my tracks by Arika’s response.

“Good morning. It’s been a while, ‘Spider Woman’.”

…What?

Sorry, I’m struggling to keep up with the exchange happening right in front of me… Wait, what did Arika just say to Nee-san? Unless I misheard, she called her ‘Spider Woman’… Fox Woman, Spider Woman… they did call each other that, right?

“…Both of you—”

“What is it?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Hiii?”

Their simultaneous glances toward me caught me off guard, prompting an embarrassingly pathetic scream. Nee-san quickly approached and hugged me.

“Aaaaaah!”

Arika’s scream, unlike any I’ve heard before, followed by Nee-san’s chuckling.

“Sorry, Ren. It must have been scary being looked at like that, right?”

Well, that goes for you too, Nee-san… At that moment, I felt a strong tug on my arm. I had just broken free from Nee-san’s embrace only to find myself being hugged by Arika.

“It’s okay, Ren-kun. I’ll protect you. Don’t worry about people who look at you like that—”

But, Arika, you too… Sigh, I’m exhausted.

Somehow, despite my initial worries, watching these two makes me feel like everything will be alright… They seem to be in sync, almost as if they’ve known each other for a long time.

Nee-san, who was shooting daggers with her eyes at Arika hugging me, finally let out a sigh and relaxed her intimidating presence.

“Arika, we both have things to discuss. Let’s make time for that soon.”

“Yes, I’d appreciate that. I need to have a proper conversation with you about taking care of Ren-kun.”

“Ha? Stop joking around, brat.”

“Oh, are you going deaf, old lady?”

…What was today’s lesson again?

Trying to escape reality, I noticed Nii-san watching from deeper inside the house. I sent a plea for help with my eyes, but Nii-san just shook his head slightly and disappeared.

“…Nee-san, I’m heading to school. And Arika, you too.”

Unable to bear the tension between them, I blurted this out and started walking. Arika hastily followed me, but then Nee-san called out.

“Ren.”

“What?”

As I turned around, Nee-san pressed her lips to my cheek.

“Fufu, a kiss for good luck. Study hard.”

“…Yeah.”

Caught off guard, I was left dumbstruck. Arika, her mouth agape and speechless, was snickered at by Nee-san, who then returned inside the house.

Left in an indescribable atmosphere, Arika suddenly moved and kissed my other cheek, the one Nee-san hadn’t touched.

“This makes us even! Come on, let’s hurry, Ren-kun!”

“O-okay…”

Why do I feel more tired than elated or excited?

We walked in silence for a while, but eventually started talking, breaking the ice. Though a bit of awkwardness lingered, we were able to converse normally again.

“Were you acquainted with Nee-san, Arika?”

“Yes… we met quite some time ago.”

“Huh, I didn’t know that.”

…From Arika’s demeanor, it seems like there’s more to it. She doesn’t appear to be lying, but it also doesn’t seem like she’s telling the whole truth… Well, I don’t know the details. But walking together like this could lead to various rumors, and just thinking about what Arisaka might think is enough to give me a stomachache.

“Ah, Ren-kun. If you’re worried about Akito-kun, you don’t need to be.”

“Why’s that?”

“I’ve already talked to him. It’s important to nip things in the bud.”

“…What do you mean?”

I would come to understand the meaning of her words once I got to school.