Chapter 13 ~ Red?

Finishing the minor chores, I head back to the kitchen and heat up dinner in the microwave. Once it's warm, I take off the plastic wrap and set the dining table, too spacious to sit at alone. That done, I clap my hands and say 'bon appetit,'^[1] my fragile voice echoing in the room.

I'm relieved the pork simmered in tomato sauce tastes as good as usual. As I continue eating, chewing as thoroughly as possible, Ren suddenly appears.

"Are you eating too, Ren?" I ask after I'm done chewing.

"Yeah. But I have a favor to ask, Onee-chan," she mutters, looking away. The lights illuminate her flushed cheeks, just out of the bath.

"What's up?"

"I hurt my wrist at club, so I want you to feed me dinner," she says, humbly raising her right hand. Sure enough, a bandage curls around her wrist.

"You're really hurt. Are you okay?"

I stand involuntarily, about to take her hand in mine.

"I-I'm fine!"

"S-Sorry."

But Ren rejects me somewhat firmly. I must have gotten too close, too quickly. After what happened yesterday, I'd thought her rebellious phase might have calmed down a little, but with this, it seems her emotional walls are still standing. Plus, she's injured badly enough to ask me to feed her. I'm really worried.

"So, could you feed me?" she asks quietly.

"Of course. Sit down, Ren, I'll get it ready," I say, encouraging her to sit at the dining table.

She follows my lead and sits next to me. I'd expected her to sit across from me but it's surely more convenient this way.

I warm her food up, remove the plastic wrap, and set it in front of her. Ren obediently waits for everything to get ready.

As I serve the rice and pour barley tea into a cup, she nervously checks her tableware from the seat next to me. It's been a really long time since we ate together, just the two of us. I find myself immodestly delighted at the good fortune brought on by her injury.

I finish preparing her meal while chewing on these inner thoughts. I sat down formally. I'm not at all familiar with this kind of thing, so I'm a little nervous.

"Thanks for this," Ren says with a slight bow.

I nod, picking up my chopsticks.

"What would you like to eat first?"

"The meat."

Ren stares directly at me from right next to me. The gap between her mature look and what we were about to do felt somehow embarrassing. That discomfort aside, I take the pork with the chopsticks in my left hand and bring it to Ren's mouth, as she asked.

She takes it easily and stuffs her cheeks.

"Tasty?"

"Yeah," she agrees obediently, her mouth full.

She never gives her thoughts on my cooking, so that alone makes me happy. I watch her while offering the white rice and salad in turn. Within this scene painting us like lovers, affection like a bird feeding her chicks flares through my heart. Whatever form it takes, I'm overjoyed that I can share this space with Ren, feeding her the food I made.

"You're staring too much," she chides.

"Sorry."

Flustered, I look away, idly starting on my own food. Yet I can't stop grinning, ensnared by the warmth in my heart.

"Why are you smiling?" a voice complains.

"I'm happy you're eating the food I made," I answer honestly.

"What that supposed to mean?"

Ren looks embarrassed. She hangs her head, like she's musing about something. Making up her mind, she opens her mouth.

"Onee-chan."

"Hm?"

A moment of silence, then Ren's voice tears it apart, gently trembling my eardrums.

"Thanks for always cooking for me. I'm sorry that I leave all the cooking and housework to you."

Right next to me is a body much larger than mine. A face as flawless as a model's. But the aura around her is completely unchanged from the past. Childish eyes gaze at me, imploring.

"You're always up so early for your club, so it's not a problem at all. But it really means a lot to hear you thank me. I should be thanking you for being so honest," I say, tenderly patting her head.

Ren glances away, embarrassed. A red the same shade as the tomato sauce appears, making me feel awkward. I'm so used to her rebelliousness that I can't handle her gushing, genuine affection.

She seems to feels the same way. "I wanna eat faster," she says, pouting.

"Okay, here you are."

I can't help but grin at how adorably she hides her embarrassment, but she complains with a silent admonishment. I shrug and bring more pork to her mouth.

This silent moment continues with a fluffy restlessness. To pass the time, I ask her something I thought of while looking at her wrist injured from club.

"By the way, Ren, do you know a girl named Shimamoto Rira-san?"

Ren looks somewhat suspicious from my question.

"She's my friend, we were teammates since middle school. Why do you ask?"

I feel somewhat pressured, and it's likely telling her what happened today would get pretty complicated, so I dodge the question.

"Nothing. I passed her in the hall the other day and thought she was with you, so we talked a bit. That's all."

"Hmm," she murmurs, apparently dissatisfied by my slightly vague answer.