“You’re slow, bro.”

After going down the stairs and returning to the living room holding Umi’s hand, Mitsuki had already finished most of her portion and wore a satisfied expression.

“Mitsuki you ate without chewing again, didn’t you?”

“No way I’m nibbling. Eating it quickly while it’s warm is respect for food.”

“Big bro, big bro.”

Umi pointed at the child chair across from Mitsuki. She was ordering me to seat her. I lifted her again and set her there.

“Umi you’ll be five soon, right? Stop relying on people for stuff like that.”

“No. Big bro does it.”

“Tch. Crafty kid. Don’t get fooled, bro.”

“That sounds bad. She’s just clingy.”

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t get tricked by bad women later.”

Mitsuki got up and refilled rice from the cooker.

“You still eat a lot.”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“No, it’s just that seeing you eat well makes cooking worth it.”

“…You look happy. You’re more like Mom than Mom.”

Looking displeased, Mitsuki returned to her seat and started eating again.

I sat beside Umi and helped her eat while continuing my own meal.

She’s clumsy and drops food if I look away.

“Hey, she dropped her hated green pepper again.”

“Oh no, my green pepper, It fell.”

“She’s bad at eating. Teachers told us, you know that.”

“…She dropped it on purpose while you weren’t looking.”

“No way. She wouldn’t cheat like that. She’s four.”

“Four or not, a girl’s cheating. You’ve got a girl’s face but act manly in weird ways. Be careful.”

“Big bro, I love you the most in the world.”

“I love you too.”

“You’re totally fooled. Being too nice will ruin you.”

Exasperated, Mitsuki emptied her second bowl and took dishes to the sink.

“That sigh earlier. girl trouble?”

“Eh!?”

Facing her sharp intuition, I dropped my chopsticks.

“That reaction…”

“It’s nothing! Just slipped!”

I tried to brush off her suspicious look.

I couldn’t tell my sisters about Takatsuka-san.

If I said I’d been confessed to and kissed, Mitsuki’s reaction would be brutal and it’s too much for a kid and preschooler and embarrassing to explain.

“Big bro.”

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

Umi leaned forward and gently held my finger.

“You’re Umi’s.”

“Huh?”

“You mustn’t leave Umi alone.”

Her expression looked worried that I might leave.

Could she sense I’ve changed? That I’ve tasted adulthood through a kiss…

“Hey… eat your carrots.”

“No!”

“You’ll stay tiny.”

“Big sis is tiny! Vegetables useless!”

“What!? You brat…”

“Hey hey, no fighting.”

Their quarrel dissolved the moment.

Mitsuki’s athletic but worried about her height staying around 150 cm even now.

“You’re still growing, Mitsuki.”

“Coming from you, not convincing.”

Okay, maybe I’m short too…

“Well… maybe you take after Dad?”

“…Guess I’ll rely on his genes.”

She’s awkward around Dad because he’s away often and socially quiet, while Mom’s outgoing. Umi handles it better.

“Eating isn’t just for size. Vegetables improve beauty and health.”

“Skin?”

“Yes. Eating well is a princess’s first step.”

“…I’ll eat.”

She stabbed a carrot and chewed earnestly.

“Gross. Beauty awareness already. She’ll turn like Kirisaki.”

“She’s your childhood friend, don’t say that.”

“Hmph. We don’t get along. Thanks for the meal!”

She headed upstairs.

She used to get along with a neighbor girl her age, but not now.

‘Mitsuki seems social but picky about people.’

Maybe relationships are her bigger issue than diet.