Part 6 — Emergency Cleanup Operation
Kaito grabbed a cushion and pointed it toward Haruto.
"Prepare yourself."
Haruto picked up a cushion of his own.
The two stood on opposite sides of the newly established border.
For a brief moment, neither moved.
Then Haruto suddenly paused.
"...Wait."
Kaito narrowed his eyes.
"What?"
Haruto glanced toward the hallway.
Then toward the kitchen.
Then back toward Kaito.
"When is sunset?"
Kaito blinked.
"...Soon?"
Haruto's expression slowly changed.
Kaito immediately recognized that look.
"...Why are you making that face?"
Haruto didn't answer.
Instead, he pointed toward the kitchen.
Kaito followed his finger.
A moment later, both froze.
The dishes.
The containers.
The things they had packed away.
The things they had very confidently forgotten about.
Silence.
A long silence.
Then Kaito slowly lowered his cushion.
"...That's not good."
"No."
"We cleaned the table."
"We cleaned half the kitchen."
"We cleaned most of the kitchen."
Haruto looked at him.
"Most."
Kaito winced.
"Most."
Both brothers stared at the kitchen.
Then toward the hallway.
Then back toward the kitchen.
The situation was becoming increasingly serious.
Kaito crossed his arms.
"How angry do you think she'll be?"
Haruto thought for a moment.
"Pretty angry."
"Lecture angry?"
"Worse."
Kaito immediately looked horrified.
"The disappointed look?"
Haruto nodded once.
Both visibly shuddered.
Nobody liked the disappointed look.
The disappointed look was worse than getting yelled at.
At least yelling ended eventually.
The disappointed look stayed in your mind for days.
Kaito pointed toward the kitchen.
"Emergency cleanup operation."
Haruto immediately nodded.
"Emergency cleanup operation."
Without another word, both abandoned their positions and rushed into the kitchen.
The Great Hall War was temporarily suspended.
For the next several minutes, dishes were washed at record speed.
Haruto handled the washing.
Kaito dried everything before shoving it into the cupboards as quickly as possible.
"Plate."
"Got it."
"Bowl."
"Got it."
"Container."
"Got it."
"Towel."
"That's not a dish."
"Just making sure you're paying attention."
Kaito clicked his tongue.
"I was focused."
"You put a spoon in the bowl cupboard."
"That was a tactical mistake."
"That's called being distracted."
"It's called innovation."
Haruto sighed.
Within a few more minutes, everything was finally finished.
The counters were clean.
The dishes were put away.
The containers were neatly stacked.
The kitchen looked exactly the way Ayame would expect it to.
Both brothers stood in the center of the room, slightly out of breath.
Kaito looked around.
Then toward the hallway.
Then back toward Haruto.
"I think we survived."
Haruto nodded.
"For now."
Kaito slowly grinned.
Haruto immediately knew what that grin meant.
"...No."
"Oh yes."
"Kaito."
"The operation is complete."
"Kaito."
"The ceasefire has ended."
Haruto rubbed his forehead.
"Kaito."
Kaito pointed dramatically toward the hall.
"The war resumes."
A few seconds passed.
Then Haruto walked back toward his side of the hall.
Kaito's grin widened.
"Oh?"
Haruto picked up his cushion.
"If we're doing this..."
Kaito immediately grabbed his own.
"...then don't cry when you lose."
The grin on Kaito's face somehow grew even wider.
And just like that, with the kitchen secured and Ayame's wrath successfully avoided, the Great Hall War officially began.