Ch.186Epilogue. Clarifying Titles (2)

Very occasionally, even I, who lives with her, misunderstand Koko’s eating habits.

Because of her somewhat youthful appearance and slightly childish way of speaking, I tend to assume her tastes would be childlike as well.

Of course, that’s not to say Koko’s palate is particularly mature.

To be precise, “she’ll eat anything” would be the correct description.

She even happily eats cat food, not just human food. Sometimes when Kuro is eating, Koko watches enviously.

She doesn’t try to snatch it away like she used to, but whenever that happens, I get a bit worried and quickly bring her something to eat.

“Drinking bitter coffee with sweet desserts—you already know how to eat properly, I see.”

So when Kagami muttered that, I wondered if I should correct her thinking or not.

After our meal, at the café we visited, Koko had ordered a coffee and dessert set and was eagerly eating in front of her.

There was no particular reason for our choice; I just suggested we enter after looking at the price list posted outside the café.

The coffee was hand-dripped, without any added sugar.

While even people who don’t usually enjoy coffee can drink canned coffee pleasantly, such people are often surprised when they drink coffee without any sugar. It’s often not as sweet as they imagine.

Kagami seemed to think that Koko, with her somewhat childish personality, would naturally dislike such things.

Rather than bringing it up and potentially hurting her feelings, I was just quietly sipping my coffee when Kagami stared at me intently.

“Kotone drinks it well too.”

“Well, yes.”

I drank it often in my previous life too.

Kagami was staring so intensely that I felt a bit awkward.

By now, we no longer suspected each other. We even considered ourselves family in our own way. But that doesn’t mean we completely understood each other.

If it were Yuka doing this, I’d have some idea why, but with Kagami, it’s a bit harder to figure out.

“…Want some?”

Just in case, I gently pushed my cake toward Kagami.

“Let’s go on a trip.”

But her response was completely unrelated to what I’d said.

Suddenly?

“Ah, I don’t mean let’s leave tomorrow or anything.”

Kagami spoke with quite a serious expression.

So, it seems she literally just thought of it.

Koko was looking at Kagami with slightly widened eyes.

“How about during the school break?”

I thought about it for a moment.

The next break is at the end of March. Unlike Korea where the school year is divided into two semesters, Japan has a three-semester system, and after the spring break ends in early April, students advance to the next grade.

The spring break period isn’t that long. Less than two weeks until April 7th.

“That should work.”

I nodded as I answered.

I might have plans with friends, but I wouldn’t spend the entire ten-day period just meeting friends.

Koko, who had been eagerly stuffing cake into her mouth, was now sparkling with excitement at the mention of a trip.

It seemed she no longer had any aversion to Kagami whatsoever and was looking forward to the three of us traveling together.

“Do you have somewhere in mind?”

At my question, Kagami fell into thought for a moment.

It was a bit amusing to see her contemplating with such a serious expression.

“How about going to see the cherry blossoms?”

That would be the peak season for cherry blossoms.

“As a trip?”

“Since we live in Saitama, even playing in Tokyo could be considered a trip.”

It’s not as grand a plan as I thought.

Well, Kagami probably hasn’t experienced many proper trips either.

Booking a hotel in Tokyo, going around sightseeing, viewing cherry blossoms—that could certainly qualify as a trip.

“Sounds good.”

I nodded.

Koko was nodding too, with an even more delighted expression than mine.

Kagami smiled brightly.

That smile directed at me somehow made me feel a bit shy.

*

When we returned home after our outing, it was quite late. We ended up going to a meat restaurant for dinner, so the time had passed eight o’clock.

At home, we filled the bathtub with water and took turns bathing.

These days, Kagami also wore comfortable clothes at home. At first, she seemed somewhat embarrassed, but as they say, humans are creatures of adaptation, and with time, she’s become quite comfortable.

Short pants and a white t-shirt.

I wonder if she was like this before living with us? It’s a bit hard to imagine.

It’s difficult to picture Kagami staggering home exhausted after work, taking a quick shower, changing into casual clothes, and watching TV while tossing peanuts into her mouth.

How should I put it—she gives the impression of someone who might be plotting conspiracies 24 hours a day.

Even now, she’s not quite that relaxed, but still.

“Aren’t you going to sit down?”

I asked Kagami while sprawled on the floor with my lower body completely tucked into the kotatsu.

Kagami was restlessly pacing in front of the door connecting the room to the kitchen.

“Um, well, there’s something I’d like to do.”

Kagami answered my question with a somewhat embarrassed expression.

Does she need to use the bathroom?

Well, we’ve been living together for about two weeks now, but it’s still a bit awkward to talk about such things openly.

I used to think Kagami was Nirlas, but now I know she’s just a person. Not exactly “ordinary,” but still.

Of course she uses the bathroom like anyone else.

I decided to pretend not to notice and turned my gaze to stare blankly at the TV. Kuro, who had been inside the kotatsu, climbed up toward me and tapped my hand with his front paws. I casually stroked Kuro’s fur.

Soon I heard water splashing in the bathroom. I caught a glimpse of Kagami moving slightly. It must be about time for Koko to come out.

Somehow wanting to see Kagami flustered and acting urgently, I slightly shifted my gaze.

Kagami in my view—

“Whoa!?”

She embraced Koko, who was entering the room after drying off and changing into light clothes.

“…..”

So this is what she wanted to do?

Perhaps she’d been thinking about it since suggesting we go out today.

If either Koko or I had shown obvious aversion, Kagami wouldn’t have even hoped for this, but the relationship between the three of us was fairly amicable.

Yet I hadn’t sensed us growing any closer, so maybe she was feeling a bit impatient.

“Woo?”

Koko looked up at Kagami who was hugging her, seeming a bit confused, but then snuggled into her embrace.

Koko doesn’t enjoy being hugged by just anyone. Actually, no one has tested this. While she might appear to be an innocent child who knows nothing, she actually possesses quite dangerous abilities, so attempting it carelessly could lead to serious consequences.

At least until now, the only people who have hugged Koko were all my close friends.

So…

“Aah…”

Kagami, who’s now hugging Koko with an expression like she might melt, falls within the category of people Koko allows to hug her.

Perhaps sensing me staring intently, Kagami slightly opened one arm and turned toward me.

“…..”

I silently shifted my gaze to Kuro.

Kuro was purring with half-closed eyes.

I could sense a hint of disappointment from Kagami in my peripheral vision, but… it’s a bit awkward.

Somehow, somewhere, it’s a bit embarrassing.

In the end, Kagami failed to hug me that day.

*

“…..”

“…What?”

While Mako, who sits behind me, was briefly away, Fukuda, who sits behind her, was staring at me intently, so I finally couldn’t help but ask.

“These days, that… how is that person Kagami doing?”

Fukuda seems unsure how to refer to Kagami.

She knows Kagami lives with me, so expressions like “that woman” don’t seem right, but calling her “mom” would be awkward given our relationship.

Mr. Fukuda and Kagami know each other’s faces, after all.

“…Too well.”

I told her exactly how things were.

Kagami, living with her daughters, seemed to finally be experiencing the joy of life. Sometimes she’d be so overjoyed by the smallest things I did that it felt embarrassing.

“Oh… really?”

At my answer, Fukuda crossed her arms and fell into deep thought.

Her expression looked quite serious. Well, Fukuda often quickly sheds such serious attitudes, so I didn’t completely believe it.

“Why?”

But it felt a bit unsettling to just let it go, especially since Kagami’s name had come up.

“Ah, well.”

Fukuda sighed deeply and said,

“Dad asked me to send his regards.”

“…..”

Not just me, but Yuu sitting behind Fukuda also made a somewhat subtle expression.

She probably had the same thought as me.

If that thought became reality, it would be truly troublesome for me.

I racked my brain. What should I say here to prevent the situation from becoming strange?

If it were the usual Fukuda, I wouldn’t have been this flustered. Fukuda had even joked with me before, saying things like “How about I become your sister?” after hearing about her dad.

But right now, Fukuda had a genuinely serious expression. More so than usual.

“Let’s talk during lunch later.”

Besides, Fukuda rarely spoke like this.

Even though I felt like some extremely troublesome conversation was coming, I couldn’t resist my curiosity and nodded.

*

Lunchtime.

Yuka was startled as she entered the literary club room.

Unlike usual, there were five people in the room.

Me and Koko, plus Mako, Fukuda, and Yuu.

It felt awkward to invite Fukuda and Yuu without Mako, and I thought it wouldn’t be bad for them to know about our blood relations, at least to some extent.

After all, we’ll likely be acquainted for a long time.

“Hello.”

I was the first to greet her.

“Hello.”

Though a bit surprised, Yuka returned my greeting without much awkwardness. We were familiar enough with each other’s faces.

“So, to continue our conversation.”

Fukuda, who was sitting on the table rather than a chair for some reason, said.

“You two are cousins.”

Fukuda’s finger pointed alternately at me and Yuu.

“And my dad is interested in… um, Kagami-san.”

Fukuda’s words were quite serious.

I nodded.

“Then if they get married, would we become relatives too?”

When Fukuda said this while looking at Yuu, Yuu’s expression became subtle.

Even if they’re close friends, and in some ways as close as sisters, becoming actual family is another matter.

It might not be unpleasant, but… that complex emotion is truly difficult to accept.

Even I still can’t call Kagami “mom.”

“Is that… something to be happy about?”

Mako pondered seriously.

And no one could answer.

Yuka looked somewhat at a loss. Koko paid no attention to our conversation and accepted bread from Yuka.

I also took bread from Yuka and pulled up a chair to make room. Yuka sat near me and looked around with a somewhat cautious gaze.

Having joined in the middle, she seemed to be trying to follow the conversation.

“No, more importantly, what do you two think of each other?”

Fukuda suddenly asked me and Yuu.

We glanced at each other.

Yuu and I are close. If asked how close, I’d say we’re close enough that I wouldn’t be surprised if Yuu suddenly came to our house and stayed overnight. To put it simply, we’re as close as Fukuda and Mako.

However, it’s become a bit awkward now. Because one more person lives in that small house. It’s not just about the space being tight, but rather the awkwardness of having a friend and… someone claiming the role of mother together. Who would want to be in the same room with their friend’s parent when visiting?

Moreover, Kagami was, so to speak, in the position of being Yuu’s aunt.

“…Friends.”

Yuu reached a conclusion before me.

I had discussed this with Yuu too.

It was difficult to find time to meet just the two of us, but we had exchanged emails.

The conclusion was to continue as we had been.

In Korea, cousins might use family-like terms for each other, but in Japan, cousins can even marry. Besides, if we had lived without knowing each other’s faces until now, we would have been treated as strangers even in Korea.

Let’s continue as close friends, as we have been.

If family events overlap occasionally, we’ll see each other then.

This was the relationship we had established.

So I nodded in agreement with Yuu’s words.

“Hmm… I see? Then, next question.”

Fukuda looked at me.

“So… Kagami-san isn’t continuing with that shop anymore, right?”

This could be a somewhat embarrassing question, but none of the people here were unaware of what kind of “work” Kagami used to do.

No one would be unaware of where Fukuda met Kagami either. They just don’t talk about it openly.

“I think so.”

I’m not certain. But at least that’s how it felt to me.

“…Then, does my dad have no chance to meet Kagami-san?”

Fukuda’s words were quite serious.

I silently looked at Fukuda for a moment before speaking.

“…Do you want them to meet?”

“Ah, well.”

Fukuda frowned and answered.

“To be honest, no. What about you? How do you feel about my dad meeting Kagami-san?”

“I don’t care.”

“Even if they might get married?”

“…I wouldn’t like that.”

“Right? Me too.”

Fukuda stated firmly.

“I don’t want another mom at this point.”

Well, that makes sense.

While Kagami is doing a decent job in the mother role, I’m just going along with it because I know she’s my mother by relation. From Fukuda’s perspective, having a complete stranger come into the house and take on the mother role would be uncomfortable.

“But I don’t mind if dad gets a girlfriend. As long as I don’t get a sibling.”

Mako, who had been listening, blushed slightly.

She had been silently following the conversation from the beginning, and while she couldn’t openly show interest in her friend’s situation, her eyes were darting around.

But regardless, the conversation itself had too many points of interest to ignore.

Yuka’s mouth was slightly open.

“And right now, dad is extremely depressed. I think he’s either on the verge of depression or in the early stages of it.”

“…..”

We all momentarily lost our words.

“And the cause seems to be… because of Kagami-san.”

Fukuda looked at me.

There was a slightly apologetic emotion on her face.

“That’s why I asked.”

“…I see.”

That was all I could manage to say.

What more could I say here?

We began eating our food in silence.

Fukuda is… my friend. Like Yuu, I wanted to help if she was in difficulty.

But this story, to be honest, seems difficult to take seriously. I hadn’t seen the depression firsthand, and even if I had, it’s not easy to take someone else’s love story seriously.

Fukuda probably just felt frustrated thinking about it alone and wanted to talk.

“Is Kagami-san… still staying at home?”

Yuka asked.

“Yes.”

“…..”

Yuka fell into thought for a moment.

“Then, how about all of us going together?”

Yuka cautiously offered her opinion.

Everyone looked at Yuka, then at me.

“I don’t mind, but…”

It would be convenient for me if Fukuda asked Kagami directly. But… hmm.

First of all, it’s impossible for all of us to sleep in our room. There’s just not enough space.

However.

“…We did renovate the room.”

We renovated the other room. Although we haven’t completely fixed the open ceiling yet, we’ve at least torn out and repaired the interior of the upstairs room, making one room next to our family’s room usable.

This was the result of my saying I’d like to have a room for friends when they visit.

It seems the rest of the rooms will be gradually renovated too. There’s no plan to rent them out yet, but if we use the entire apartment, space utilization would be much more convenient.

By the way, the neighbor still lives next door. After that incident, he seems to have become something like a government research institute employee, but judging by the fact that I’ve never seen him coming home, he probably can’t leave work much.

Looking around, I saw Mako’s eyes sparkling. Yuka also had an expectant expression. This was probably the reason she brought it up.

“Then, shall we?”

I glanced at Fukuda, wondering if she’d be okay with it.

“Oh, really? That’s great. We haven’t had a resurrection celebration party yet.”

And at Fukuda’s response, I almost spat out the pastry in my mouth.