We are still waiting for either Naoki or for the dinner to be done.
Asuka fell asleep as I was talking to the three earlier. After my conversation with Hina-senpai, we stopped talking, then an awkward atmosphere envelope the whole room.
Only the sizzling sound of Aunt's cooking could only be heard, right now.
Hina-senpai was still looking at Asuka's sleeping, I presume that she's adoring it because she admitted that she's very fond of Asuka.
Yokota was sitting there while reading something on her phone, she's very fond of books like always.
But her elder sister, on the other hand, Ai-senpai was seriously staring at my face and body. As if she's investigating something. The way she looks at me was very creepy in a way and disturbing but I can't bring myself to ask her.
Time passes by quickly, every second I could feel every ounce of hair in my whole body is standing because Ai-senpai was ferociously staring at me.
I can't handle it.
I decided to ask her.
"Um, Ai-senpai, I've been noticing that you've been staring for quite a while now. It's getting creepy, to be honest.", I said nervously.
Yokota and Hina-senpai looked at Ai-senpai surprised but at the same time with disgust.
"Oh, my~ You fell in love with my Tatsuya? That's another one you got there Tatsuya.", Aunt Ayaka said while cooking. Aunt Ayaka's hearing is very good.
I want to cough blood so bad!
Yokota and Hina-senpai who were looking at Ai-senpai with disgust, now turn dumbfounded after what Aunt Ayaka said.
"W-W-W-W-W-WAIT!! That's not it! I'm just curious as to why he's hiding his face! He got a beautiful face and a 10/10 body, that's why I was wondering if he's a model or not! I just find him hot!", Ai-senpai shouted with a flushed red face.
My face turned red because of what Ai-senpai just blurted out. I can't help myself but be embarrassed. Even though I'm used to some people complimenting me, I can't handle compliments from the people who had a closer range of age with me.
I know that Ai-senpai said that to clear the misunderstanding, but that still came out wrong.
"So you find him hot, huh.", Aunt Ayaka said with a grin on her face.
Aunt Ayaka does find teasing high schoolers fun, what a sadist.
"Awawa-waa-waa, Kazu-chan!!", Ai-senpai shouted as she buried her head to Yokota's well-developed breast.
Yokota and Hina-senpai blushed upon remembering the part where I forgot my shirt earlier.
"I-I-I'm very sorry about my elder sister!", Yokota exclaimed.
"Me too, I apologized about this idiotic friend of mine.", Hina-senpai added.
"D-Don't mind, it's quite nice actually, thank you for the compliments Ai-senpai.", I said shyly.
"Waaah!", Ai-senpai cries in despair.
Because of her shouting, the little one who's sleeping in my arms grunted, "Mhmhmm"
I noticed it and tried to coax her so that she would go back to sleep, "There there.", I patted her head, which calmed her down, and went to sleep.
✯ ✯ ✯
After a while, Ai-senpai gradually recovers from her embarrassed state earlier, now she's trying to avoid looking at me.
"Dinner is ready.", Aunt Ayaka said in the kitchen.
I'm now waking up Asuka who was sleeping in my arms, I lifted her up and tried calling her, "Asuka~ Asuka~..."
After a few tries of trying to wake her up, she finally showed some signs of waking up. She's quite a heavy sleeper, I must say.
"Mhmm", she then raised her flabby arms wide like she's asking for a hug, so I did that.
"Are you awake now, Asuka?", I asked.
"Mhmm", she responded with a nod.
✯ ✯ ✯
We are now sitting at the dinner table. The dinner table that we have in our house was good for 6 people which is the exact number we have, but Asuka was sitting with Aunt Ayaka who will be the one responsible for feeding her.
"""Thank you for the food.""", we all said.
"Wow! this is delicious!", Ai-senpai exclaimed.
"Yeah, the vegetables are seasoned very well.", Hina-senpai said.
"Mhmm", Yokota nodded.
As the three were complementing Aunt Ayaka's food, Aunt Ayaka on the other hand can't help herself but smile.
"Thank you for the kind words."
"To be honest, I envy you Kohai-chan, you can eat this delicious food all day.", Ai-senpai said as she munches down the food on her plate.
"Oh, haha, thank you.", I awkwardly thanked her.
"Hmm... The miso soup is great too and the fish is cooked to almost perfection.", Hina-senpai said.
"Are you interested in cooking, Hina-senpai?", I asked.
"Yeah, she pretty much cooks for us.", Yokota replied.
"Cook? Is she cooking for you?"
"Well, we eat dinner together always, ever since we're kids. Rika would be always the one who will cook.", Ai-senpai said.
"Wait, you guys are always dining together? How about your parents?", I asked.
The three's expression turned bitter once I said that.
Upon realizing my mistakes, I immediately apologized, "I'm sorry, I think I mentioned a sensitive matter."
"No, it's okay, we're pretty much used to it.", Hina-senpai said.
"Yeah, we've been eating together because our parents are always busy so they had lesser time to eat dinner with us. Because of that, we three always ended up eating dinner together.", Yokota said.
"It's not pretty bad, to be honest. I would rather eat with someone rather eating alone. And since, our house is next to Rika-chan. We ended up with that. Even though Rika-chan is not blood-related to us, we treat her like our own.", Ai-senpai said.
I stayed silent because I'm feeling guilty about how I bought up a sensitive matter to them.
"You guys can always eat with us if you want. It's only me, Tatsuya, Asuka, and Tatsuya's sister who will be eating here starting tomorrow. Sometimes, we eat dinner with the Ikeda's next door. We don't mind a few people eating with us. The more the merrier they say.", Aunt Ayaka said with a smile.
Hina-senpai let out a wry smile, and said, "Thank you for the offer, we would love to, sometimes."
"Yeah, me too.", Yokota said.
"Yes if I can eat your food then I would love to.", Ai-senpai said.
"Fufu, don't mind it, I could see that Tatsuya value you guys highly. That's why don't mind it. The more people Tatsuya brings here equals more playmates for Asuka. She's quite a lively child and she could easily get lonely; therefore, come play with Asuka and eat dinner with us sometimes.", Aunt Ayaka said with a gentle smile on her face as she's feeding Asuka.
The three all smiled gently at Aunt Ayaka and Asuka.
Me too, I can't help myself but smile at what Aunt Ayaka said. Asuka was a child that is beaming with energy, what Aunt Ayaka said about Asuka was true. She's the type of person who would get lonely easily, she's innocent and honest.
During my stay here, all I could see was Auntie giving all her love to Asuka. The absence of a father could affect a child because no matter what you say, fatherly love is still different from a mother. That's why I'm doing my uttermost best to give Asuka a love where her father lacks. I want to help her realize that no matter what happens, I'm here. Even with the absence of her father, she still had a family she could rely on so that she would not feel lonely.
I want to help Auntie with Asuka because she's the one who took care of me when I was a child, I want to repay the gratitude that I owe her somehow. Being a single mother is hard, that's why I admire Auntie's perseverance and love for Asuka.
After the three smiled, we went back to eating our dinner.
As we were eating, Aunt Ayaka spoke, "So, how's Tatsuya in school?"
"Umm, Ai and I were only his senpais but Ai's little sister Kazumi was his deskmate.", Hina-senpai said.
"Ohh, can I call you Kazumi-chan? It's pretty confusing when we have 2 Yokota's in here."
"Yes, I don't mind.", Yokota replied.
"So how's he?"
While Auntie was talking to them, I'm just eating there in silence.
"Um, he's doing well, I can't say anything about his performance in class since he's pretty smart in the start anyways.", Yokota said.
"Ah, yeah yeah, I know he's smart, it's obvious since I'm the one who took care of him when he was a child back then. Tell me about his social school life like does he have friends, or does he communicate with others."
What? What's the connection between you taking care of me and me being smart? That doesn't make any sense at all.
I started eating leisurely since what Aunt Ayaka would ask them is pretty much obvious.
"Oh, um, I could say that he's pretty much hated by the majority of the males in the school."
I almost choked.
"Tsk tsk, was it because of Nao-chan? Haa... She really can't handle herself when it comes to Tatsuya. Beautiful person problems. Haa..."
"Ah, she's not the only one."
"Of course, you guys are there too, right? Boys would be totally jealous if one of the guys in the school got a harem.", Aunt Ayaka said happily.
Then there goes my choke, "*Cough* *Cough* *Cough* *Cough*"
I immediately grabbed my glass of water and drank.
The three guests looked at Aunt Ayaka dumbfounded.
"W-What are you saying?! That's not the case!!", I exclaimed.
"Eh, it's not?", Aunt Ayaka said baffled.
"Of course it's not!"
"Haha, I'm just kidding, so does he even have a single male friend? I'm quite worried if he only got female friends, if he only does, I'm 100% sure that he only went to high school to make a harem."
I rolled my eyes to the side.
"Oh, ah, um, he got one his name Arima Koichi. I don't know but I assume they're friends.", Yokota said.
"Oh, thank god, at least he had one.", Aunt Ayaka sighed in relief.
"Eh? Oh yeah, I saw him with you in the cafeteria earlier.", Ai-senpai said.
"You're friends with that guy, huh.", Hina-senpai said.
"Why are you guys saying it like that?", I asked.
"It's not appropriate to tell while we are eating.", Hina-senpai replied.
"Oh, okay?", I stared at Hina-senpai puzzled.
Because of what Hina-senpai just said, my curiosity piqued. Arima said something that had happened to him in middle school which ended up him being isolated at school. I can't think of anything. Arima seems a great guy, he got charisma and attitude, he should be popular with girls.
Wait. I do remember that when we walked together in the hallway towards the cafeteria, there were some people showing disgust at their expression as we walk past them. I thought they were meant for me, or maybe it was meant for Arima?
I can't think of anything. Maybe, Arima is one of the guys with dark history? Adding, the Nagasawa guy, who seems to be always irritated whenever he gazes at me. I don't know what his problem was, but I could feel that he's somewhat related to Arima's isolation in middle school.
I'll just ask Hina-senpai later when they're about to head out.
"Haa... I want to ask you guys more, but I can see that it's quite getting late. Go eat first.", Aunt Ayaka said.
In the end, we stopped talking and only continued eating.