Why Is the Prettiest Girl in School Trying to Talk to a Loner Like Me during Lunch Break?

Chapter 95 – Dinner

Click

“I’m hoooome!”

“Onii-chan, welcome baaack!”

(My sister—what a lazy response to her Onii-chan coming home…)

(It’s a lazy Onii-chan’s homecoming, so a lazy response is fine~)

“Onii-chan, you’re late getting home. Were you at Sakura-oneechan’s house again today?”

“Yeah, Asakura-san’s father wouldn’t let me go from our shogi game… I’m seriously exhausted.”

“Onii-chan… Why are you playing against her father when you went to your girlfriend’s house?”

“That’s what I want to know. Today’s my turn to make dinner, right? So I needed to get home early, but Asakura-san’s father had this ‘I won’t let you go until I win!’ look on his face, so—

I crushed him completely without holding back to make him understand it was pointless no matter how many times we played.”

“……It’s so like you, Onii-chan, that you didn’t even consider letting him win on purpose~”

(But still, that Onii-chan… he’s gotten close enough with her family to show his ‘true self’ to people besides me~)

“Hmm. I see…”

“But then her father started crying…”

“I take it back! What are you doing, Onii-chan?!”

“No no, I had no choice! With that face, who would think he’d get so frustrated he’d cry?!”

“Even so, an adult crying from frustration is unbelievable! Onii-chan, exactly how did you win?!”

“Look, her father hates losing so much he moved almost all his pieces to defense using the turtle strategy for a war of attrition! So I slowly, methodically stripped away his defenses one by one using promoted pawns… get it?”

“So basically, you stripped him naked and by the time he realized it, he was surrounded with nowhere to run?”

“Exactly.”

(As expected of my sister. She’s actually stronger than me at shogi.)

(Wow… from what I’m hearing, neither of them acted like adults~)

“Anyway, Onii-chan, I’m hungry! Today you’re on dinner duty!”

“Yes yes… that’s why I came home. So, what about Pops?”

“Hmm? We don’t need him~”

“No no, I’m not asking about the necessity of a ‘father figure’ in our household—how many times have we done this routine… I’m asking if the old man needs dinner too?”

“Hmm, whether he’s here or not, you don’t need to cook for him anyway~ Well, our dad said he was going drinking with his local baseball buddies earlier~”

“You could have just told me that… So I only need to make dinner for two?”

“Okie dokie~♪ Onii-chan, what are you making today?”

“Ah, don’t get your hopes up, okay? Your Onii-chan isn’t that great at cooking, you know?”

“Yeah, I know~♪”

(Then why do you look so happy… Well, I guess there’s no meal better than one you don’t have to make yourself. With our useless father and our mother working herself to death, Mom sometimes makes breakfast or lunch, but dinner is on a rotation between me and my sister.

Well, thanks to that, I can at least make simple dishes…)

“……” Stare

“Hehehe♪ Hehehe♪ Where’s Onii-chan’s dinner, meow~♪”

(My sister’s cooking is definitely tastier though…)

~Telelele~♪

‘Loner’s’ 3-Minute Cooking♪

“Alright, let’s begin! Today we’re making a simple ‘Pork Mapo Tofu’ using ingredients from the fridge!”

“Yaaay!”

“First, we mince the green onions!”

Chop chop chop!

“Today I’m just here to eat♪”

“Next, we cut the tofu into appropriate pieces!”

Slice slice slice slice!

“Onii-chan, it’s already been over 3 minutes?”

“Silence! The title doesn’t say we have to finish in 3 minutes, so it’s fine!”

“How tyrannical~” ←monotone

“You know, if you helped me, we could eat sooner even if not in 3 minutes?”

“Muuu~ Fine, I guess… Today is Onii-chan’s turn, but since I’m your ‘little sister’! I’ll reluctantly help you~♪”

“Yes yes, thanks…”

(Well, she complains but still helps me… Fine then! Onii-chan’s going to add a secret ingredient called ‘love’ for his cute little sister♪)

“So what should I do?”

“Then cut the pork belly into pieces for me.”

“‘Pieces’… Onii-chan, your cooking really is random with seasonings by feel and everything.”

“That’s just how men cook, don’t worry about it.”

“Okaaay.”

Chop chop chop!

“Now we stir-fry the cut ingredients in a pan…”

Sizzle~

“Add salt sparingly!”

Sprinkle~♪

“Onii-chan, why are you only doing the ‘Moko●chi’ voice there…”

Sizzle sizzle!

“Then add the meat, then tofu in that order, and finally add the store-bought mapo tofu sauce and mix well…”

Ta-da!

“There we go, pork mapo tofu is complete… Dig in YO!”

“Onii-chan, I heated up the packaged rice in the microwave too~”

“Good, let’s eat then.”

“Yeah!”

“”Let’s ea—””

“Haah… I’m home.” Click

“Eh, Mom!”

“Huh? Mom! Wait, are you off today?”

“Don’t be ridiculous… Work just ended a bit early so I came home to take care of some housework.”

“‘Early’? Mom, it’s 10 PM right now, you know?”

“The date hasn’t changed yet, so it’s ‘early,’ right? Oh, you’re eating dinner. Perfect timing. Is there enough for me?”

“You didn’t eat yet… Wait a minute, I only made enough for two, so I’ll make another portion with the leftover ingredients…”

“No need to rush. I’ll just have yours.” Chomp

“So basically I’m making my own portion now?! And you already stole my seat!”

“Onii-chan, I’m eating first~” Munch!

“Sister, you traitor!”

“Hmmm… Well, I suppose it passes? It’s tasty in a normal way but… that’s all, it doesn’t go beyond normal. Like a traditional restaurant flavor? Typical of your haphazard seasoning.”

“And the review is harsh?!” (辛口/karakuchi = harsh/spicy)

“As spicy as the mapo♪”

“Hey sister! Don’t make that ‘I made a great pun!’ face!”

“Heh… Because it’s ‘delicious.'”

“You too, Mom!”

(Haah… Why am I this tired before even making my food?)

“Oh right! By the way, you…”

“Hm, what is it Mom? If you want dessert, there’s pudding in the fridge—”

“I heard you got a ‘girlfriend’…”

“Eh… w-what are you talking about?”

“Playing dumb is useless.”

“……” stare

“Wh-whistle whistle~~♪” ←trying to whistle innocently

(Tehe, sorry Onii-chan♪)

(Y-O-U did thiiiiiiis!)

“I want to see what kind of girl she is, so bring her over the day after tomorrow in the morning. I’ve cleared my schedule from morning until noon the day after tomorrow.”

“Y-yes ma’am…”

(Well, Asakura-san should be fine—…right?)

Translation Notes:

• “Moko●chi” – Reference to celebrity chef known for dramatic cooking

• Wordplay: 辛口 (harsh/spicy) and うまい (delicious/skillful). Not really sure about this part. Let me know in case of any corrections.