I figured it was fair to say that Ayase wouldn't want that sort of man, at
least…not that I really knew her, of course. That was why I decided to
simply say I didn't know.
"But hey, that's how money really works," said Yomiuri. "It's great if
you have it; if you don't, you can get someone to help you. And you
should help others whenever you can so they'll give you a hand when
you're in trouble. That kind of thinking will get you closer to becoming
rich than reading books like these."
"You think so?"
"I know so. Few CEOs are more skilled than those working under
them."
"That's a bold statement."
"It's true. CEOs are much more talented at getting people to help them
than you might imagine, young one."
"It isn't cool to be a smart-ass."
"What? You don't think a lovely college girl like me would have a rich
sugar daddy or two?"
"What?!"
I froze. Sugar daddy. This impure, suggestive phrase twisted around in
my mind.
Was she talking about that recent phenomenon where a girl lived off an
older man? Or had my ears made a vulgar mistake, and she'd only been
talking about her own father? If that was the case, it seemed strange for her
to have two, but if her parents had remarried like mine, it was possible she
had two dads.
On the other hand, if I'd heard correctly, that would be quite the shock.
It wasn't as if I had a crush on her, and having worked with her, I knew
she wasn't an innocent maiden as her appearance might suggest.
Still, I couldn't help being surprised. I'd had the same reaction when I
heard the rumors about Ayase selling herself. It seemed I was weak to
subjects like these. Maybe, as a virgin, I was doomed to feel this way.
I stood there anxiously brooding for a few seconds, when I saw a
devilish grin cross Yomiuri's face like she had just pulled one over on me.
"Just kidding!"
"Hey, get outta here!" I cried.
I dropped all pretense of formality. But could you blame me?
"I have a college friend who has one, though, so I hear stories," she
said. "It sounds like rich people are generally good at depending on others.
And just in case you're not convinced, that friend has a new brand-name
item every week."
"Wow."
I felt like I'd gotten a glimpse at the dark side of college life, but it was
a relief that Yomiuri hadn't been talking about herself.
"Well, anyway, why don't you try relying on your parents before you
turn to advice from books like these?" she said.
With a wink, she went to help a customer who'd just approached the
register. I watched her serve them with that sweet, innocent smile, then
eyed the worldly titles of the books in my arms.
In the end, I left the bookstore that day without buying any of them.
"Hi, Ayase. I'm home."
"Welcome back, Asamura."
When I got home, I was met by my stepsister, cool as a cucumber, and
the stimulating aroma of spices tickling my nostrils.
I walked into the living room and saw Ayase working in the kitchen. I
couldn't be sure if she'd just returned from school or simply hadn't
changed out of her uniform, but she had an apron over it as she stirred a
huge pot with a ladle.
"Hope work went well. Do you want to eat right away?"
"Thanks. I'll get the plates."
"Oh, that's okay. You must be tired," Ayase said as I grabbed a few
plates from the cupboard.
I smiled wryly to myself. This exchange made us sound more like a
newlywed couple than brother and sister. But no way was I going to say
that.
After working together (not that I did much), Ayase and I finished
preparing for dinner, sat across from each other, and began eating.
That evening, we were having curry. It had plenty of chunky
vegetables and looked good for your health. There was even a side salad. It
was scary how much care Ayase had put into the meal.
When I put a spoonful of the fine mix of vegetables and spices into my
mouth, my eyes went wide.
"It's delicious…!" I said, unable to keep in my honest praise.
"I'm glad," Ayase replied.
The curry was so good that I didn't have to waste any time thinking up
a compliment. This wasn't one of those all-in-one boxes of curry powder you bought at the supermarket, where you simply followed the
instructions.
The delicate texture wouldn't have been possible if Ayase hadn't used
several spices and calculated how long she had to simmer the vegetables.
The rice wasn't sticky, either, so she must have cooked it in some special
way. I was surprised by how quickly I was shoveling it down.
Ayase's reply was curt, but it was clear my comment had pleased her. I
could swear I saw the corner of her mouth turn up slightly as she ate.
Her brow furrowed a little as the spices hit her tongue, causing her to
drop her cool facade for a moment and reminding me she was just as
human as the rest of us.
"I didn't expect you to make such an authentic curry," I said.
"I'd give myself a score of around seventy out of a hundred."
"Are you saying you could have done better?"
"I didn't have time to marinate the meat, so I cut a few corners. Sorry."
"Marinate the meat?"
Like a parrot, I repeated the unfamiliar words.
"You're kidding," she said. "Do I have to tell you what that means?"
"I know nothing about cooking… Though, I do know you cook both
sides of a steak."
I probably sounded like someone from a parallel universe to her.
"Well, whatever," she said before launching into an explanation.
"When you cook meat straight from the pack, it isn't that good, and it can
be a little stinky. Adding salt and pepper, and maybe garlic and some other
spices, then letting it soak them up helps the flavor. You don't have to use
as much salt afterward, so it can also help you save on ingredients."
"Wow… That's some wisdom for everyday life."
"It's just something I read online. I get most of my information from
recipe sites."
According to Ayase, no one had shown her how to cook—she was
self-taught. I began to realize that her desire to be independent wasn't just
a passing idea.
Still unsure what to say exactly, I decided to broach the subject with
her.
"So about making quick money."
"Oh yeah. You looked into it for me?"
"I did, but I don't have anything for you yet. Even though you made a
tasty meal in exchange. I'm sorry."
"…I see. Well, it isn't easy."
Her shoulders drooped, but she didn't look as disappointed as I'd
thought she'd be. Knowing Ayase, she'd probably given it a shot herself
before coming to me for help. She must have already known how hard it
was to find a part-time job that was safe and paid well.
"But I did hear about what characteristics can make a person rich," I
offered.
"Huh. That sounds interesting."
"Personally, I thought it made sense when I heard it."
I proceeded to tell Ayase what Yomiuri had said about the importance
of cleverly depending on others. A curious look appeared in her eyes when
I finished.
"So, Asamura, there is a girl you're close to."
"Huh?! That's your takeaway from what I said?"
"Oh, sorry. I just didn't expect it."
"Are you making fun of me, by any chance?"
"I said I'm sorry."
She flashed an apologetic smile. I didn't want her treating me like a
virgin. Though, it was true that I'd never had intimate contact with a
female to date, so she wasn't exactly wrong.
"I just kind of assumed you hated women," she said.
"That's not true. Why did you think that?"
"Your situation is similar to mine, so I figured we were alike."
Oh, so you don't like girls? I thought but kept that silly comment to
myself.
By "situation," I figured she meant growing up with parents who didn't
get along. She probably didn't have positive feelings about her biological
dad and must have figured I was the same.
She was half-right.
It was true that I didn't get along with my biological mom.
"But those aren't the same thing," I said. "Just because I don't get
along with one particular woman doesn't mean I hate all women."
"I see. That's a great attitude."
She sounded impressed. It didn't seem like she wanted to continue on
this subject, however, and she casually brushed it off.
"Anyway," she said, "I'm rooting for you."
"…What about?"