The morning light spilled through the kitchen window as the sisters rushed about, helping pack baskets and blankets.
"Sandwiches? Check!" Sayo called, stacking neatly wrapped lunches.
"Drinks and fruit?" Nari confirmed, slipping bottles into the cooler.
"I'm bringing the chips!" Mika grinned, stuffing extra snacks into her bag.
Yua quietly added a box of cookies she had baked the night before. "…For everyone," she murmured shyly.
Their adoptive parents smiled at the sight. "Ready for your first family picnic?"
"Ready!" the girls chorused.
---
At the Park
The park was wide and bright, dotted with trees and wildflowers. A soft breeze carried laughter and the scent of grass.
Mika stretched her arms. "Freedom! Look at all this space!"
"Don't run off yet," Sayo said, laying out the checkered blanket. "We should eat first."
Nari set down the cooler and immediately plopped under the nearest tree. "Perfect nap spot."
Yua giggled softly, adjusting the little flower crown she'd made on the way there. "It's so pretty…"
---
Lunchtime Fun
They gathered around the blanket, opening the containers one by one.
Sandwiches, fruits, cookies, chips—everything looked delicious.
Mika bit into her sandwich and sighed dramatically. "Best meal of my life."
"You say that every time we eat," Nari mumbled with a smirk.
Their mom poured juice while their dad snapped a photo.
Sayo adjusted her glasses. "Let's take one with everyone smiling!"
Mika threw up peace signs, Nari smirked, Yua shyly smiled—and the picture captured a moment of pure warmth.
---
Picnic Games
After eating, they decided to play.
Mika organized a race. "Ready, set, go!"
She took off sprinting—only for Sayo to surprise everyone by overtaking her halfway.
"Strategy over speed," Sayo teased, panting.
Mika flopped onto the grass. "No fair, you studied running form!"
Meanwhile, Nari tossed a frisbee lazily. "Come on, Yua, your turn."
Yua caught it with both hands—and accidentally threw it into a duck pond.
"Oh no!" she gasped.
Mika immediately ran toward the pond to retrieve it.
"Don't—!" Sayo began, but it was too late. Mika slipped in the mud, landing with a splash.
Everyone burst out laughing, even Nari, who tried hard to keep a straight face.
"I was… testing the water," Mika declared proudly, covered in mud.
---
Quiet Afternoon
After the chaos, things settled down.
Sayo and Nari sat under a tree, reading and chatting softly.
Mika dozed off beside the picnic basket, still a little muddy but smiling.
And Yua sat nearby, sketching the scenery in her notebook—birds, trees, and her sisters smiling.
Their parents looked at them with fond eyes. "They really are like sunlight," their mom whispered.
---
Heading Home
As the sun dipped low, painting the sky orange and pink, the family packed up.
"I don't want this day to end," Mika sighed.
"It doesn't have to," Yua said softly. "We can remember it forever."
Nari smiled faintly. "And next time, maybe you won't fall in the pond."
"No promises," Mika grinned.
They walked home together, arms linked, their laughter echoing through the golden park.