Original Author: ひのはら (Hinohara)
Date Submitted to Kakuyomu: 2021/09/16
After untying the ribbon of the apron around her waist, she places the finished dish on the dining room table.
The mixture of onions, red peppers, and minced meat placed next to the white rice completes the pad krapow (a popular Thai dish).
Despite their initial agreement to handle their own meals separately, they have only been eating together lately.
"Delicious. You really are good at housework, Aira."
"Not really. I'd say this much is normal."
"I'm serious. The food is so stylishly arranged that people would post pictures like this on social media. Do you ever do that?"
"I don't have any social media accounts."
Aira has a talk app to communicate with acquaintances, but she does not have an account on any social media platforms that would expose her to the general public.
Ema reacts with surprise like everyone else does when they learn that.
"Even though you're a high school girl!?"
"I tried signing up for one once... a lot of strangers kept contacting me. It got scary so I quit."
High school girls are expected to have social media accounts these days, but it seems like Aira can not get on top of that trend.
More than anything, the social media culture where strangers can send messages to anyone they please doesn't sit well with Aira.
"If I were still in high school, I'd be sending you a crazy amount of direct messages."
"High school girls are one thing, but I was getting a lot of messages from old men and other people as well. I don't like it when boys I don't know from other schools send me messages out of the blue."
"You know, Aira... your appearance doesn't quite match what's inside."
Aira has gotten used to hearing that.
She's strong-minded despite her appearance, she's always saying uncute things, and she can't be honest.
She has been told many times that being like that isn't cute.
"Your face is as pretty as a doll's, but you have an indomitable spirit... I'm also surprised that you don't get particularly happy being fawned over by others."
"Well... I don't feel much when I'm just being praised for what's on the surface. I'd be happier being praised for what's on the inside."
"Does it make you happy to hear me tell you that you're a good cook?"
Even though she only followed the recipe, she's still happy about receiving praise for the food she put time and effort into making.
When she nods, Ema's voice changes to the one she likes to use when she teases Aira.
"If they know too much about what's inside, won't it get even harder for you than now?"
"What do you mean?"
"More people will try to hit on you."
"What's with that? I've been called uncute many times."
"You being uncute makes you cute."
Aira is completely confused, but Ema doesn't say anything more.
Being uncute makes her cute... that's a contradiction.
Aira doesn't understand what Ema wants to say at all.
"Ah..."
Aira glances at the time and sees that it's 6:00 p.m.
Even though she hasn't finished dinner, she quickly grabs the remote control and turns on the TV.
"It's starting..."
"What are you watching?"
"This Week's Meow Meow."
Along with cheerful background music, "This Week's Meow Meow" appears in a cute font on the TV screen.
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Aira watches this program that broadcasts cats selected from public submissions every week without fail.
As her cheeks relax from the cuteness, Ema finishes dinner and starts smoking.
"Do you like cats?"
"Yes. I watch this every week."
"...You probably shouldn't tell people about this either."
Aira asks why, but like before, Ema doesn't elaborate.
Aira has gradually been getting used to the smell of the cigarette Ema smokes.
However, she definitely doesn't like the smell.
Sometimes when Ema smokes, she looks like she matured into a complete stranger.
Just before the clock strikes 9:00 p.m., Ema gets up from the sofa.
After putting her cigarette in the ashtray, she gently pats Aira's hair.
"Now then, I'll need you to be quiet tonight."
"Okay."
"Good girl."
Ema disappears into the room to the right of the living room.
Aira still doesn't know what's happening in that room that she secretly thinks of as the "secret room".
She gets closer and puts her ear to the door, but doesn't hear anything.
"What is she doing...?"
To start with, she still doesn't know what Ema does for a living.
Ema told her that she isn't in the nightlife business, but Aira can't shake off the uneasiness she feels from someone so young living in an apartment like this.
She has the financial resources to easily replace a sofa, which definitely can't be cheap.
She's almost always home. Most of the time she goes out, it's just to go to the convenience store or the department store to buy sweets.
She doesn't seem to be working that much, so how does she afford this lifestyle?
"...Stocks, maybe?"
Aira doesn't know the details, but she has seen on the news on TV that some adults make a living by buying and selling stocks.
She has heard that with talent, hard work, and some luck, people can earn a lot of money that way.
"Then what's this room...?"
This room that Ema stubbornly refuses to let Aira in.
Also, why does she sometimes tell Aira to be quiet at night?
"That reminds me. Her manager..."
Aira had been so distraught at the time that she completely forgot until now, but Ema said some mysterious things.
"What was it again...? Usa... Usa Nekomimi?"
Aira racks her brains, but she can't remember something unfamiliar that she has only heard once.
It sounded like the name of an anime character, but she forgot the exact name.
She tries looking up something like that on her smartphone, but her only hits are pictures of cats and rabbits.
"I should have looked it up back then..."
She'd like to investigate more somehow, but no ideas come to mind.
She crouches down in front of the secret room and slowly touches the door.
"...What am I doing?"
She wants to know, but she doesn't know how far she's allowed to go.
Even though they're cousins, Aira and Ema are not related by blood.
"She hasn't been coming to any family gatherings at all lately..."
Yuuko, the younger sister of Aira's mother, is Ema's mother but they are not related by blood.
Yuuko's husband was divorced and the daughter he had with his previous wife is Ema.
From what Aira heard, Ema, who is half-Russian, is very beautiful even among her relatives.
However, ever since Yuuko and Ema's father had a daughter together, Ema has rarely come to any family gatherings.
Perhaps she felt alienated or perhaps she got tired of such things as she grew older.
Aira doesn't know the reason, but Ema gradually grew estranged.
"There are so many things I don't understand..."
What does Ema think about Aira?
Where is the line drawn between what is acceptable and what isn't in their relationship?
Even though they sleep in the same bed, Aira doesn't know how far apart their hearts are.
Perhaps the two of them have not opened their hearts up enough to each other to even figure that out.
Original Author: ひのはら (Hinohara)
Date Submitted to Kakuyomu: 2021/09/16
After untying the ribbon of the apron around her waist, she places the finished dish on the dining room table.
The mixture of onions, red peppers, and minced meat placed next to the white rice completes the pad krapow (a popular Thai dish).
Despite their initial agreement to handle their own meals separately, they have only been eating together lately.
"Delicious. You really are good at housework, Aira."
"Not really. I'd say this much is normal."
"I'm serious. The food is so stylishly arranged that people would post pictures like this on social media. Do you ever do that?"
"I don't have any social media accounts."
Aira has a talk app to communicate with acquaintances, but she does not have an account on any social media platforms that would expose her to the general public.
Ema reacts with surprise like everyone else does when they learn that.
"Even though you're a high school girl!?"
"I tried signing up for one once... a lot of strangers kept contacting me. It got scary so I quit."
High school girls are expected to have social media accounts these days, but it seems like Aira can not get on top of that trend.
More than anything, the social media culture where strangers can send messages to anyone they please doesn't sit well with Aira.
"If I were still in high school, I'd be sending you a crazy amount of direct messages."
"High school girls are one thing, but I was getting a lot of messages from old men and other people as well. I don't like it when boys I don't know from other schools send me messages out of the blue."
"You know, Aira... your appearance doesn't quite match what's inside."
Aira has gotten used to hearing that.
She's strong-minded despite her appearance, she's always saying uncute things, and she can't be honest.
She has been told many times that being like that isn't cute.
"Your face is as pretty as a doll's, but you have an indomitable spirit... I'm also surprised that you don't get particularly happy being fawned over by others."
"Well... I don't feel much when I'm just being praised for what's on the surface. I'd be happier being praised for what's on the inside."
"Does it make you happy to hear me tell you that you're a good cook?"
Even though she only followed the recipe, she's still happy about receiving praise for the food she put time and effort into making.
When she nods, Ema's voice changes to the one she likes to use when she teases Aira.
"If they know too much about what's inside, won't it get even harder for you than now?"
"What do you mean?"
"More people will try to hit on you."
"What's with that? I've been called uncute many times."
"You being uncute makes you cute."
Aira is completely confused, but Ema doesn't say anything more.
Being uncute makes her cute... that's a contradiction.
Aira doesn't understand what Ema wants to say at all.
"Ah..."
Aira glances at the time and sees that it's 6:00 p.m.
Even though she hasn't finished dinner, she quickly grabs the remote control and turns on the TV.
"It's starting..."
"What are you watching?"
"This Week's Meow Meow."
Along with cheerful background music, "This Week's Meow Meow" appears in a cute font on the TV screen.
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Aira watches this program that broadcasts cats selected from public submissions every week without fail.
As her cheeks relax from the cuteness, Ema finishes dinner and starts smoking.
"Do you like cats?"
"Yes. I watch this every week."
"...You probably shouldn't tell people about this either."
Aira asks why, but like before, Ema doesn't elaborate.
Aira has gradually been getting used to the smell of the cigarette Ema smokes.
However, she definitely doesn't like the smell.
Sometimes when Ema smokes, she looks like she matured into a complete stranger.
Just before the clock strikes 9:00 p.m., Ema gets up from the sofa.
After putting her cigarette in the ashtray, she gently pats Aira's hair.
"Now then, I'll need you to be quiet tonight."
"Okay."
"Good girl."
Ema disappears into the room to the right of the living room.
Aira still doesn't know what's happening in that room that she secretly thinks of as the "secret room".
She gets closer and puts her ear to the door, but doesn't hear anything.
"What is she doing...?"
To start with, she still doesn't know what Ema does for a living.
Ema told her that she isn't in the nightlife business, but Aira can't shake off the uneasiness she feels from someone so young living in an apartment like this.
She has the financial resources to easily replace a sofa, which definitely can't be cheap.
She's almost always home. Most of the time she goes out, it's just to go to the convenience store or the department store to buy sweets.
She doesn't seem to be working that much, so how does she afford this lifestyle?
"...Stocks, maybe?"
Aira doesn't know the details, but she has seen on the news on TV that some adults make a living by buying and selling stocks.
She has heard that with talent, hard work, and some luck, people can earn a lot of money that way.
"Then what's this room...?"
This room that Ema stubbornly refuses to let Aira in.
Also, why does she sometimes tell Aira to be quiet at night?
"That reminds me. Her manager..."
Aira had been so distraught at the time that she completely forgot until now, but Ema said some mysterious things.
"What was it again...? Usa... Usa Nekomimi?"
Aira racks her brains, but she can't remember something unfamiliar that she has only heard once.
It sounded like the name of an anime character, but she forgot the exact name.
She tries looking up something like that on her smartphone, but her only hits are pictures of cats and rabbits.
"I should have looked it up back then..."
She'd like to investigate more somehow, but no ideas come to mind.
She crouches down in front of the secret room and slowly touches the door.
"...What am I doing?"
She wants to know, but she doesn't know how far she's allowed to go.
Even though they're cousins, Aira and Ema are not related by blood.
"She hasn't been coming to any family gatherings at all lately..."
Yuuko, the younger sister of Aira's mother, is Ema's mother but they are not related by blood.
Yuuko's husband was divorced and the daughter he had with his previous wife is Ema.
From what Aira heard, Ema, who is half-Russian, is very beautiful even among her relatives.
However, ever since Yuuko and Ema's father had a daughter together, Ema has rarely come to any family gatherings.
Perhaps she felt alienated or perhaps she got tired of such things as she grew older.
Aira doesn't know the reason, but Ema gradually grew estranged.
"There are so many things I don't understand..."
What does Ema think about Aira?
Where is the line drawn between what is acceptable and what isn't in their relationship?
Even though they sleep in the same bed, Aira doesn't know how far apart their hearts are.
Perhaps the two of them have not opened their hearts up enough to each other to even figure that out.
