"Tadaima~"
"Okaeri, Otouto. Did you finish recording the song?"
Kasumigaoka Touji stepped into the living room and found Kasumigaoka Utaha stretched lazily across the couch. She hugged a fluffy square cushion to her chest while scrolling through her phone, probably texting someone. As soon as she heard Touji's voice, she tilted her head just enough to glance at him with mild interest.
"Mm, it's done. They'll finish the post-production in about three to five days," Touji replied, his gaze subtly falling to her bare legs.
Utaha-san, uncharacteristically, wasn't wearing her signature black stockings today. Instead, she wore a loose white hoodie that drooped off one shoulder and a snug, hip-hugging denim skirt that made her legs look even longer than usual. The contrast between the relaxed top and form-fitting bottom created a casual yet undeniably alluring look—like she had just stepped out of a fashion magazine's off-duty model spread.
But Touji wasn't gawking. Definitely not. Maybe a quick glance. Or two.
Utaha didn't react to the post-production timeline. It was always like that anyway. Still, a glimmer of impatience sparkled in her eyes—she was clearly curious about how it turned out.
Changing the subject, she casually tossed out, "The package from Mom arrived earlier. I left it in the kitchen. Want to check it out?"
"Sure." Touji nodded and made his way to the open-plan kitchen.
The "goodies" their mother had promised finally arrived. It had been more than half a month since she'd mentioned sending something.
Utaha, clearly a bit curious herself, hopped off the sofa and padded softly behind him. When they reached the kitchen, Touji paused in front of two large insulated boxes and exclaimed in surprise, "Whoa… that much?!"
Even though he'd mentally prepared himself, seeing the sheer size of the boxes was something else entirely. They looked like they could stock a small convenience store—and probably take up half the fridge.
Utaha tilted her head, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I was shocked too. Do you think it'll even fit in the fridge?"
Touji scratched his head, eyeing the fridge. "Should be fine. I started clearing things out a couple of days ago, so there's room. If not… I'll stash some over at Izumi's place. She won't mind."
He grabbed the box cutter they kept handy for deliveries and sliced through the tape cleanly. Lifting the lid of the first insulated box, he peeked inside.
Fresh fruits and vegetables. On top were two glossy, meticulously packaged boxes of Amaou strawberries—the crown jewel of Japanese strawberries. Beneath them lay a neat collection of seasonal vegetables, followed by two luxurious Yubari King melons and a box of shiny Fuji apples.
Touji's brows rose. Their mom had really gone all out this time.
Just those Yubari King melons alone were extravagantly expensive. The kind of fruit you'd see auctioned for hundreds of thousands of yen. It was a reminder that their mother's definition of "sending a few things" was always a bit…extra.
He began carefully arranging the produce in the fridge. Meanwhile, Utaha had taken half a box of strawberries to the sink and started rinsing them. By the time Touji closed the fridge door, she was already holding a plate in one hand and a perfectly round, ruby-red strawberry in the other.
She bit off the tip, leaving the plump remainder in her palm, and then turned to him with a mischievous smile. "Here, Otouto~ try it."
Touji gave her a flat look. "Oi. You've got some nerve."
She blinked innocently. "Eh? What's wrong?"
"You ate the best part and handed me the leftovers. Do you have no shame?!"
Utaha placed a hand on her chest dramatically. "Excuse me, these are my leftover strawberries! If anything, they've increased in value because I took a bite. Honestly, if I put this on the school marketplace, it'd sell for ten—no, dozens of times more. You should be thanking me, Touji-kun!"
Without waiting for a response, she popped the remainder of the strawberry into his mouth.
Touji blinked, startled, but instinctively began chewing. The texture was firm yet juicy, the flavor rich and balanced with just the right sweetness and tang. It was so good, he almost forgot to be annoyed.
Japan's number one strawberry truly lived up to its reputation.
He chewed a few times, swallowed the fruit, then shot Kasumigaoka Utaha a teasing glance. "Since when did Onee-san become so full of herself? You seriously think a strawberry becomes worth dozens of times more just because you bit into it? I don't have a girlfriend that narcissistic, y'know."
Utaha didn't even blink at the jab. "I'm just stating facts, not being narcissistic... baka." She picked up another bright red strawberry, daintily bringing it to her lips.
Her small, sakura-pink mouth gently bit into it, the juice glistening on her lips. Then, without warning, she tilted her hand and popped the rest of the strawberry into Kasumigaoka Touji's mouth with a cool, composed elegance that made his heart skip for a moment.
Touji, flustered but trying to hide it, munched on the berry while opening the second insulated box on the table.
Inside was a feast that nearly overwhelmed his senses—premium Hokkaido beef with exquisite marbling, the legendary Hair Crab, sweet shrimp, spot prawns, Hokkai striped shrimp, scallops, fresh sea urchin, plump abalone, oysters, delicate squid... an entire seafood wonderland.
"Whoa..." he muttered.
The sheer variety was astounding, and the quality looked so top-tier that his inner chef instincts fired up instantly. Ideas for dishes began swirling in his mind like a whirlwind—grilling, steaming, sashimi, even hot pot options... he was already picturing plating techniques.
"Oh, right—Mom said to give this to the aunt next door," Touji remembered, pulling out a box filled with sweet shrimp and handing it to Utaha.
The Kasumigaoka family's next-door neighbor was quite close to his mother, Airi. They often shared gossip, helped each other pick fresh ingredients at the market, and exchanged gifts from family or friends. This time, since Airi had gone all the way to Hokkaido, she had sent back something special for her, too.
"And also take the box of strawberries we just opened. They won't last much longer."
"Got it. Do you think the auntie's home right now?" Utaha set down her plate and grabbed both the sweet shrimp and the slightly depleted box of strawberries.
"She should be," Touji replied, glancing at the clock. "It's past noon—she's probably eating at home."
While Utaha walked out with the seafood gifts in her arms, Touji turned his attention back to organizing the rest of the bounty. He began carefully placing the chilled seafood and premium cuts into the fridge, already imagining what to prepare for his afternoon cooking stream.
Logically, he should've sent something over to the Izumi family as well—but he had a better idea. Since he'd be streaming a live cooking session soon anyway, why not just make a whole meal and invite them to eat?
Actually, he also really wanted to invite Kani Nayuta too… but just the thought gave him pause. That girl… she was unpredictable. Somehow, inviting her felt like summoning a storm dressed in frilly pajamas.
Touji sighed, staring into the fridge as he shut the door. "Maybe next time..."
...