"Then it's a promise~"
"Mhm, it's a promise!"
After speaking, Little Nijika smiled and extended her pinky finger.
Tsushima Kagami also extended his pinky.
The two of them hooked pinkies just like that.
"Pinky swear, one hundred years, no changing!"
"And a stamp!"
"Alright, alright, alright!"
Then their thumbs pressed together to seal it.
After the pinky promise, Tsushima Kagami stood up and looked at Mrs. Ijichi with a smile.
"How is your health?"
"Thanks to you, Kagami-kun, I'm basically fine now."
"Ah, by the way, Auntie Ijichi, your bento was delicious."
Tsushima Kagami recalled the bento Mrs. Ijichi had asked Ijichi Seika to bring him last time.
"Oh my, if you liked it, please come visit our home next time. I'll make even more delicious food to treat you and Shizuku-chan."
"We will definitely go if we get the chance."
Mrs. Ijichi smiled and looked at Little Nijika, whose attention had been drawn away by the manga nearby.
"Nijika, time to go home."
"Okay."
Little Nijika went to Mrs. Ijichi's side, held her hand, and then waved goodbye to Tsushima Kagami.
"Bye-bye, Big Brother Kagami."
"Bye-bye to you too, Little Nijika."
Mrs. Ijichi also bowed slightly to Tsushima Kagami and Yukinoshita Shizuku at the register, then led Little Nijika out of the convenience store.
*
That evening, after Yukinoshita Shizuku got off work, the two planned to cook dinner at home. Taking advantage of the fact that their food supplies were running low, they bought some ingredients at a nearby supermarket. Carrying a shopping bag on each side, they headed toward the subway station.
Just as they entered the subway station entrance, Yukinoshita Shizuku saw Shimizu Nayotake huddled under that familiar streetlight, her head buried in her arms.
The two of them walked over together.
Yukinoshita Shizuku spoke up.
"I thought Shimizu-san had a part-time job somewhere else today. Were you chased by..."
Yukinoshita Shizuku, having almost blurted out "debt collectors" and failing to keep the secret, hurriedly covered her mouth.
Then she looked at Shimizu Nayotake again.
"Let's go. We're going home."
Saying this, Yukinoshita Shizuku reached out, pulled Shimizu Nayotake up, and entered the subway station together with Tsushima Kagami.
*
The Yukinoshita household.
After Yukinoshita Shizuku and Shimizu Nayotake finished their baths and changed into pajamas, they walked out of the bathroom while towel-drying their damp hair.
When they arrived in the living room, Tsushima Kagami, wearing an apron, had already prepared dinner for the three of them.
The living room was instantly filled with the scents of body wash, shampoo, delicious food, and the fragrance of young girls.
"How is it already done?"
"Didn't we say I would do the cooking?"
Seeing Tsushima Kagami in his 'head chef' mode for the second time, Yukinoshita Shizuku asked in confusion.
"If we waited for you to come out, everyone would have starved to death."
"Hurry up and eat before drying your hair."
Watching Tsushima Kagami bring the dishes and rice to the table, Yukinoshita Shizuku pulled Shimizu Nayotake down to sit with her.
Her gaze swept over the dishes on the table.
The salt-grilled salmon presented a perfect golden-yellow hue, with slightly crispy edges. The tamagoyaki was cut neatly, its layers distinct. The tempura was fried to a crisp, and the vegetable tofu soup was steaming hot. To the side, there was also a small plate of apple and banana slices.
Although simple, it was clear that great care had been taken.
"Thanks for the food."
Yukinoshita Shizuku picked up her chopsticks and first took a piece of salmon. The fish was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, moderately salted, retaining its natural umami.
She tasted the tamagoyaki next; the sweetness was just right, and the texture was fluffy.
Finally, she scooped a spoonful of soup. She could tell he had used the method learned from their mother last time: making dashi stock with kelp and bonito flakes, then adding tofu and seasonal vegetables. It was light yet rich in flavor.
Finally, a sense of defeat spontaneously arose within her.
This guy... he cooks so well, yet he just refuses to do it himself.
Is he really so lazy that he'll eat anything, no matter how bad, as long as he doesn't have to cook? Or has he genuinely gotten used to my cooking?
Yukinoshita Shizuku thought this but immediately interrupted her own train of thought, looking toward Shimizu Nayotake beside her.
"Shimizu-san, it's not your first time here. No need to be so polite. Eat up."
Shimizu Nayotake nodded. Holding her rice bowl with both hands, she carefully picked up some salmon and tamagoyaki. She ate very slowly, chewing every bite meticulously, as if trying to commit the taste of the food completely to memory.
After the three finished eating, Tsushima Kagami washed the kitchenware, then sat on the sofa holding Yukino, watching anime.
At this moment, Yukinoshita Shizuku, having dried her hair, walked out of the room.
She sat down beside Tsushima Kagami.
"Um, didn't you say you wanted to visit Kamakura for a few days during summer break before returning to Chiba?"
Tsushima Kagami nodded.
"What's wrong? Do you plan to go straight back to Chiba?"
"Don't worry about me. I can have fun by myself."
"Oh, it's not that."
"I was just thinking, when we go back, why don't we leave the room key with Shimizu-san?"
"That way, even while we're away, Shimizu-san can come stay for a few days if she needs to."
Tsushima Kagami nodded.
"I don't mind, but will Shimizu-san agree?"
Yukinoshita Shizuku looked at Yukino in Tsushima Kagami's arms, then scooped the cat up, stroking its glossy, smooth fur as she spoke.
"I was thinking that whether we go back to Chiba or visit Kamakura first, bringing Yukino along for the trip would be quite inconvenient."
"But leaving her at home with no one to look after her isn't an option, and I don't feel comfortable leaving her at a pet hotel."
"So I thought, what if we ask Shimizu-san to help take care of Yukino during the summer break as a pretext for her to accept the key? What do you think?"
"I think that's great. You go tell Shimizu-san then."
This was her kindness; it should be conveyed by her personally.
Tsushima Kagami took Yukino back from Yukinoshita Shizuku's arms.
Yukinoshita Shizuku stood up and returned to her bedroom.
Entering the room, Yukinoshita Shizuku looked at Shimizu Nayotake, who had just finished drying her hair.
"Shimizu-san."
Yukinoshita Shizuku spoke softly, her tone earnest and gentle.
"During summer break, could you do us a favor?"
Shimizu Nayotake blinked. She didn't speak, but she leaned forward slightly to show she was listening.
"We're going back to Chiba for the summer, and we plan to visit Kamakura for a few days too. It's very inconvenient to bring Yukino along. But I'm really worried about leaving her home alone or sending her to a pet hotel."
Yukinoshita Shizuku walked up to Shimizu Nayotake and squatted down, looking at Shimizu Nayotake sitting on the bed, bringing her gaze level with hers.
"So I was wondering, during the summer, could you come by the house occasionally to help take care of Yukino?"
"If situations like today or last time happen again, you can also stay here for a few days. It would be more convenient that way."
Yukinoshita Shizuku tried her best to appear sincere, not out of pity or charity.
But simply proposing a request between friends, a request for a friend's help.
Several long seconds passed.
The air in the bedroom seemed to freeze, leaving only the background noise of the anime Tsushima Kagami was watching in the living room.
Shimizu Nayotake nodded gently.
"Mn."
"Thank you, Yukinoshita-san."
____
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