“Umi, dinner’s ready.”

Mitsuki and Umi share the same room.

However, since their personalities are complete opposites, they don’t quite get along. It’s not that they hate each other.

“Umi?”

Maybe she’s late coming down from the bathroom?

“Big bro!”

“There you are. Dinner’s ready.”

Umi was sitting flat on the carpet with a picture book spread open.

Pale skin untouched by the sun, glossy long black hair and round black eyes.

In contrast to her sister Mitsuki, she looks and carries herself like a sheltered young lady. Her clothes lean gothic or something like that, completely different from Mitsuki, who lives in sportswear from morning to night.

“I know. But I was waiting for you.”

Smiling brightly, Umi closed her book.

“Mm.”

Then she spread both arms toward me.

“Alright, alright. You want me to carry you downstairs.”

“Yep!”

Resigned, I picked her up and went down the stairs.

Umi is four and attends preschool, but she’s extremely clingy.

She’s visibly cute at a glance and adults around her spoil her often. Because of that she’s developed a princess disposition.

She acts assuming others will do things for her, fine now but worrying for adulthood.

Most of the picture books she reads feature princesses. She probably likes seeing people like herself.

When Mitsuki was her age she read CoroCoro manga and grinned, so they’re opposites even there.

“Thanks, big bro.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

She’s even more trouble than Mitsuki, but when she smiles like that I feel like I could forgive anything, which is dangerous.

I know I should be stricter… but it’s difficult. She’s temperamental and cries loudly when upset and calming her takes time.