Hime is taking a break and drinking tea.
As I glanced at it, I realized that my cup was missing.
The cup that Hime had been drinking her carbonated juice from and the one she was drinking her tea from were different. I guess it was a mistake to only bring three cups for everyone... I have to go to the kitchen to get them.
No... but I don't think Hime drinks carbonated drinks anymore, so maybe I should drink this instead?
"Hime, can I have this one?"
"Oh, that's right. There aren't enough cups for Yohei... Please, use them. I'm sorry it's my fault."
I asked her just to be sure, and sure enough, Hime agreed without hesitation.
I don't mind indirect kisses anymore. Hime and I have become so close that we don't even think about it. Hime, sitting on my lap, stared intently at me as I poured myself a carbonated drink and drank it.
"...Youhei-kun has really grown up. He's so cool."
I never thought I'd be praised for just drinking a dark carbonated drink.
It's not just that I'm happy, but rather that Hime is such a good girl that it really warms my heart. This girl is usually reliable, but sometimes she acts like a naive young lady. Even when she says things that are a little off-kilter, she's still cute, and I think that's her charm in itself.
Despite all that, snack time continues.
"Hi-chan, eat this. It's delicious."
Shinyo seemed to have noticed that Hime hadn't put her mouth on it yet.
Surprisingly... she's the type who can see what's going on around her. She's always clinging to me and being spoiled, but she's kind to Hime and takes good care of her.
I was actually a little worried about Shinyo's selfish side. I wondered if she was doing well at school. However, from the looks of it, it doesn't seem like she has any particular problems with her classmates. In fact, it seems like people like her.
It seems she was only being selfish towards me. Well, I don't mind her causing as much trouble as she wants since I'm family, so I think it's a good thing. It must be tiring to be constantly on guard, and I don't think it's a bother to be spoiled anyway.
"Yes, open mouth."
On her right knee, Shinyo is offering potato chips to Hime.
Hime took the thinly sliced potato that was being held in her tiny fingers and gobbled it up with her equally small mouth.
"Thank you... hmm. It has a strange texture."
Maybe Hime, this is the first time she's even eaten potato chips?
He had a surprised look on his face as he moved his mouth around munching. So cute.
"I've had French fries before, but these are something completely different. I never knew potatoes could be so delicious when thinly sliced and deep-fried."
Well, since they're commercially available potato chips, I feel like it's in a different genre from cooking.
It's strange how the taste can change so much even though the ingredients are the same. They can be used as potato salad, meat and potato stew, potato chips, or French fries... they're all completely different foods. Potatoes are amazing.
"This too!"
Then, Shinyo hands over a pointed corn.
"I'll enjoy having this"
Hime also eats it obediently, gobbling it down.
...In terms of age, Shinyo is six years old and Hime is eight, but looking at them like this, Shinyo looks like the older sister and Hime looks like the younger sister.
Kokoro-chan has a big sister personality, inherited from her Yankee mother.
Hime has been the younger sister since she was born and is used to being spoiled by her older sister.
So maybe the two of them get along well.
Two young girls feed each other on each other's laps.
The scene was somehow very cute.