A pleasant breeze caressing my cheeks blew in through the window and light sunlight filled the room. I woke up in such a place.

　'Oh my God, I want to be awake,'

　I feel the worst. Not only my head hurts, my body hurts a little.

　-- Well, these bedrooms could mean that we're in some kind of lodge.　Oh, d*mn. I feel like there was some kind of rare event, but I can't remember anything. Why am I in the inn?　I went to report to the guild, and I let the momentum carry me, and then I... No, I don't remember.　Well, whatever it is, I've found that I can drink enough to lose my memory and still come home.

　I see you're awake.

　As I retraced my memory, the door to the room opened and a familiar voice jumped in.

　'Hmm, Aria?'
　Yes, this is Aria. I'll leave the water here.
　Mom?　Not that, thank you.
　''......... ........Do you still have a headache?　I'm taking a bath, so please go freshen up. I'm making breakfast.
　"Hm.

　I headed for the bathroom at Aria's urging.

　'Phew~'

　The warm water enveloping my body was soothing. My headache and body aches and pains seem to be receding somehow.

　"....something is wrong with him today, isn't it?

　I was starting to regain my composure, and I felt uncomfortable with the loli of the previous day.
　If I knew that guy.

　Shit!　Are you still an adult for drinking until you become that much! Or, "What do you think you're doing, letting me, God, intervene? And then he should be poking at me from above, right?

　........Did I do something wrong?　Oh, well, that's okay. We'll hear from him soon enough. For now, let's enjoy this paradise.


　--- The After Table ---

　....
　....

　Mugging.
　Yeah, I knew the Marmeddori was good!　

　Not... not... not!　
　This is definitely a pattern I did something with!　Why isn't this guy talking?　Normally, I'd say, "How do you like it, Aria's special whole roasted Malmadori?　Isn't it good? Nah, I'm just going to show off the meat I just grilled and put on a plate with a smug look on my face!

　'I also made a salad today. I'll bring it to you.
　Oh, yes.

　I'm scared. I'm afraid of this girl. What's with the salad? A month or so of your time and you haven't even said the word salad.

　"Here's your salad.
　....

　Yeah, I just cut up some cabbage.
　Oh no. What's that vibe. I want to run away.
　Huh?　I'm living with a girl, you know? And with a beautiful blonde girl. She's younger than me, so she's like a little sister to me. Well, I've never had a conversation with a girl in Japan...well, I've said hello to her before, so the conversation wasn't zero.

　I'm sorry?　I've been glancing at it for a while now.　Is there something on my face?
　There's nothing on it. Wow, the food you make is so good!
　"--

　I'm totally furious. It's like I did it. That Aria-san, who is famous for her small-mindedness, doesn't respond to compliments. All it took was a little jerk and that's all it took.
　Ah, it can't be helped. I'm a guy, too.

　"Aria, you're acting strange today, aren't you?

　Sheesh. I completely missed my choice of words!　I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm just saying it's annoying.

　...Uh-huh, you know what I mean?

　Huh?

　You do understand, don't you, Kakeru?

　Oh?　

　Yeah, you know what I mean. You've been together for nearly a month.

　I don't know what you're talking about, but I think I read somewhere that in a situation like this, it's best to keep in touch.

　"Hmph, you're really Kakeru to know that I've grown up!
　...eh...
　'Well, it was Kakeru who made me an adult, so it's only natural to understand.
　....

　Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
　I've grown up!　I'm the one who made him grow up!　What?　I mean, what?　That's what you're saying!　The girl's cheeks are a little red in front of me, so that's what it means!　He's climbed the ladder of adulthood, right?
　Oh, Mom, Dad. I've lost so much stuff, it's like I've become a criminal. I'm so sorry.

　"Oh, my God, I don't know how I could...
　....

　What's that all about?　Oh, no!　Dude, that's going up too fast. It's not an escalator.
　Well, you know what I can do as a man?

　I sat up quickly, folding my knees and resting my forehead on the floor.

　'....What are you doing?
　Don't you see that?　I'm on my knees.
　''Oh. That means Kakeru understood what I was going through last night!　I'm really tired, you know.

　Hey, hey, hey!　How many times have I done that at night, how many times have I done that at night, oh my God!
　I was this little shit at night, this little boy, and you were excited about a girl who wasn't!　I'm twelve years old!　Twelve years old!　I just started middle school!　I mean, it's true that this guy's face is cute, but...　You know what my type is, right?　She was more like this, more mature in many ways!　

　I'm really....very, very sorry.
　It's true, I had to drag Kakeru away from the guild and bring him back home.

　.... hmm?

　Were you going to say dragging it out now?
　I didn't, sir.
　No, you were.
　No, I didn't.

　......... No, I don't care about that anyway. It's like he's the one who brought me back.
　I stopped getting down on my knees and sat down in my chair.

　'I have to ask you something.
　What is this all of a sudden?
　More on the grown-up... part.
　Hmm, do you mind if I do that you'll see.　Knife, float.

　As Aria said this, the silver knife I had been using to cut the meat began to float around Aria.
　I looked at it and exhaled loudly as I let out all sorts of emotions, all sorts of emotions already.