My beautiful sister-in-law who is only attached to me, and my childhood friend who just made her high school debut, barged into my house?

It was almost at the same time that he finished taking in the laundry when it started raining. Fortunately, the sheets were dry, and when Shota returned to his room, he laid the futon back on the bed and laid down on the bed.

As I listened to the pitter patter of the rain, I once again think about Erika.

“I’ve…been spoiled haven’t I?”

He thought back on the past and tried to put into words what he felt.

As Erika also cited the past, it would not be out of line.

However, I felt something was wrong with having our relationship based entirely off the past.

I looked at Erika’s room past my room’s door.

Sensing a faint presence, it didn’t seem she was doing anything in particular.

I pick up the manga magazine I was looking at earlier, but once again, thoughts of Erika flooded my mind.

Sighing, I grabbed my phone to scroll through my feed but it barely helped at all.

Then, from the living room, I heard Mio say, “It’s done!” I didn’t realize it, but it had already gotten dark outside, and it seemed like a lot of time had passed.

“Ah.”

“Mm.”

Just as I was leaving the room, I ran into Erika.

Even though I had been thinking about her all along, no words came out of my mouth.

Therefore, all I could do was urge her to go ahead of me as I trailed behind her.

My mind was still a jumbled mess, but it all got blown away by the platter spread out on the dining room table.

“Oh fried chicken!”

“Only because it was cheap.”

There are many dishes that I like, but Mio’s fried chicken is definitely one of the best. Having fried chicken served on a silver platter for dinner is enough to make one’s spirits soar.

I fidgeted as I took my seat and accepted the rice served to me by Mio, only to see Erika standing there.

“Erika?”

“Did you make too much?”

When Erika let out a voice of surprise, Mio laughed and waved her hand, beckoning her to join us.

“No, no, even this is not enough. If Sho-chan and Eri-chan come together as a set, we’ll end up eating three times as much!”

“That was only because we played for half the day. Besides, you usually eat quite a bit too, sometimes even more than me.”

“Heh, touché. Anyway, Eri-chan, why don’t you take a seat and eat?.”

“……yeah.”

After giving thanks, I immediately went after the friend chicken.

Immediately, the meat juices overflowed and pure ecstasy engulfed my being,  I quickly shoved white rice into  my mouth to go along with it. When white rice and fried chicken meet, they become a harmonious duo, elevating the taste to a whole new level of deliciousness. If we’re about to run out of fried chicken, it’s quickly replenished, and if we’re about to run out of white rice, I’ll call for reinforcements from the rice cooker.

My hands didn’t stop moving the entire time we were eating.

The food was delicious enough on its own, but I had a craving for a change of flavour.

Mio, what about that?”

“That?”

“Ah, that thing, yes, yes!”

Erika tilts her head in confusion upon hearing our chatter, all while continuously shoving food into her mouth. Mio, on the other hand, quickly realised what I wanted as she strutted to the refrigerator, taking out some mayonnaise and handing it to Shota.

For Shota, mayonnaise is an indispensable ingredient in Mio’s karaage fried chicken. Not only does it accentuate the flavour, but it also goes perfectly with the rice. Increasing the rate of which he was devouring his food.

Watching Shota, Mio said to him in disgust: “I’ll never eat fried food with mayonnaise.”

“It’s good though.”

“Fried foods and mayo will definitely make you fat.”

“Would I be be able to enjoy food to the fullest if I cared about stuff like that? I don’t care as long as it’s delicious, besides, Mio also puts ponzu sauce on it, right?”

“You see, ponzu sauce neutralizes the greasiness and is low in calories.”

“It still adds calories though?”

That’s how Shota and Mio usually banter with each other in a friendly manner.

“Well, I like to put lemon on it, too.”

“It’s similar to ponzu. But it’s a hassle to go out of my way to buy lemons, cut them up, and pour them over the top.

“Erika, do you ever put anything on your fried food?”

“Not really. I feel It’s already seasoned enough.”

“Oh, so you know what I mean⁉ That being said, it might be more exciting to change the taste up a little. How about adding ponzu sauce (Japanese citrus juice)?”

“Mayonnaise is best! This richness is splendid!”

“The great enemy of maidens, calories!”

“Can’t you just eat it without worrying about that?”

“If I’m not careful, my weight will increase quickly!”

Shota and Mio turned the conversation toward Erika, but they quickly started joking around about their own preferences again.

Erika, who had been watching them for awhile, narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth.

“Mi-chan and Nii-san…”

She pauses for a moment, then turns her head down to look for the next line.

After a few beats, she looked up and said in a cheerful voice.

“You’re really similar to each other.”

“Well, it can’t be helped.”

“We’ve known each other for a long time after all.”

“Nyehehehe.”

Shockingly, I didn’t feel all that bad being told that.