The next day—
The golden morning sun streamed in through the windows, gently dispersing the thin layer of mist that clung to the neighborhood. Dewdrops clung to the leaves outside, refracting the sunlight into dazzling specks of color as they trickled down and vanished.
Inside the Kasumigaoka residence, the air was filled with the warm aroma of freshly cooked breakfast.
"Do you want me to wash today's clothes for you?" Kasumigaoka Touji asked casually, slicing into his fluffy homemade omurice with practiced ease. He looked across the table at his older sister, who was still lazily poking at her portion.
Since their parents had flown off to Hokkaido, all the housework naturally fell to the sibling duo. They had made an agreement the day before: Touji would handle the cooking, Utaha the laundry, and they would split the cleaning duties.
But considering that his dear onee-san still had a mountain of spring break homework to power through, Touji had graciously decided to offer his services...
Of course, that didn't mean it came without a price.
"Ara~, does Younger brother perhaps have certain... thoughts about his older sister's intimate apparel?" Utaha-san asked, her voice a soft, teasing hum. Her wine-red eyes glanced sideways with a half-lidded look, brimming with mischief.
Touji's expression turned righteous, even a little indignant.
"How could you say such a thing?! You know I don't have that kind of fetish!"
He puffed his cheeks like a pouting kid.
"I'm just being considerate, since you're behind on homework. And this is how you repay me? By slandering my perfectly pure heart? How cruel, nee-san."
Utaha gave a small chuckle and waved her hand dismissively. "Ah, my bad. I must've misunderstood."
There wasn't a speck of sincerity in her apology.
Touji's gaze flickered downward, then back up to her face. "You know... it's common sense that when you apologize, you're supposed to expose your chest."
Utaha raised an eyebrow, bemused. "Huh? This is the first I'm hearing of this supposed 'common sense.' Are you sure you didn't read that in some weird manga?"
She pulled out her phone with an innocent expression that made Touji instantly tense up.
"Maybe I should ask Mom to clarify. I mean, a daughter asking her mother for guidance is pretty normal, right?"
Touji reached across the table, trying to stop her. "Nee-san, you can't be serious..."
Her smile turned devious. "Why not? You're the one who said it's common sense, right?"
Before he could react further, she opened Line, pulled up their mother's chat, and typed out:
[Mom, Younger brother told me that 'exposing your chest to apologize is common sense.' Is that true?]
Her thumb hovered ominously over the send button.
Touji's mouth twitched. "You wouldn't dare."
Utaha's expression didn't budge. She tapped 'Send.'
"Wait, wait, wai—YOU ACTUALLY SENT IT?!"
Touji shot up from his seat like he'd been electrocuted. He lunged forward to grab her phone, frantically shouting, "Recall it! Recall it now!"
Before they could, their mother's reply came in within seconds:
[Mom]: "Yes, it is."
Touji: "..."
He froze.
Then came another message:
[Mom]: "Looks like your progress is going smoothly~ (covers mouth, snickers)"
And the fatal blow:
[Mom]: "But remember not to have a child too soon~♡"
Touji nearly dropped the phone.
"Mom, please stop talking!!"
He slumped back into his chair with a face that spelled social death.
"Why is this happening to me?!" he groaned.
Across the table, Utaha looked equally frozen, her teasing having backfired spectacularly.
She hadn't actually intended to send it—she was just bluffing! She figured she could always delete it afterward. But Touji's stubbornness had poked at something in her, and well... curiosity got the better of her.
It had turned out to be a grave miscalculation.
Her fingers pinched the bridge of her nose. "This is the worst."
She glanced over at Touji, who was holding her phone with a complex look in his eyes.
"You reply," he said dryly, handing it back to her. "You're the one who started this mess."
With an exaggerated sigh, she took the phone and muttered, "Honestly, I didn't mean to send it at first… This is totally Younger brother's fault for being too stubborn!"
"You've got some nerve to say that with a straight face!" Kasumigaoka Touji widened his eyes at her, half-laughing, half-furious.
The audacity!
"I'm a woman, Touji-kun. I don't need to make sense!" she declared, crossing her arms with a smirk. Then, nonchalantly lowering her head, she quickly typed a reply to their mother—
[Utaha]: "My account was hacked just now, this wasn't me."
"Urgh!" Kasumigaoka Touji groaned again.
The absurdity of it all!
[Mom]: "I understand, I understand, it's not you! (covers mouth to snicker)!"
Kasumigaoka Touji: "..."
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "..."
"You see what you've done!?" Touji hissed, practically grinding his molars to dust. If last time was at least the result of a natural accident, this time—!
He had no idea how he was supposed to face their parents anymore!
If they hadn't been in Hokkaido right now, he might have buried himself under his futon from embarrassment!
Still fuming, Touji glared at her and said seriously, "Anyway, Mom already confirmed that exposing your chest when apologizing is common sense... So now it's your turn to perform!"
Kasumigaoka Utaha sat down gracefully, picked up her chopsticks, and rolled her eyes with a cold glint. "Do you believe I'll message Mom again, saying that Younger brother asked to see my chest first thing in the morning?"
"...You're ruthless!"
That shut him up. Completely.
He didn't dare push his luck this time.
Who knew what Utaha-san was capable of sending!?
...
After breakfast, the two calmly carried their dishes to the kitchen.
In the Kasumigaoka household, each person washed their own dishes—this was one rule that hadn't changed since childhood. As usual, the pots and other cooking utensils were left to Touji, since he was the designated chef of the household, a tradition passed down from their mother.
Once he finished drying the last pot, he slipped his phone from his pocket.
"Buzz buzz~."
It vibrated softly, lighting up with a new notification.
Kasumigaoka Touji opened it.
His face instantly turned red.
[Mom]: "(covers mouth to snicker)!"
Touji: "..."
"Utaha, you little devil…"
With a pained expression, he locked his screen and stuffed the phone back into his pocket.
"…I'll just pretend I didn't see that."
Yes, selective memory. That was the only way to survive this family.
...