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Yotsuba returned shortly before lunch, drenched in sweat.
Judging by her exhausted appearance, that alone said plenty about how hard she had been training.
And somehow, through a strange turn of events, I ended up being invited to have lunch with them.
Itsuki only came downstairs after Miku called her for lunch. The moment she entered the dining room, she froze in surprise when she noticed me sitting at the table.
Apparently, she hadn't expected me to still be here.
I casually waved at her.
"I see you're studying diligently as always."
She nodded awkwardly.
"Y-Yes."
Miku, who had taken the seat beside me, suddenly tugged at my sleeve.
"I'm also working hard on my studies."
She informed me with a tiny pout, clearly wanting some recognition.
I smiled and gently poked her puffed-up cheek.
"Of course I know."
Yotsuba joined us at the table after taking a bath. Even though she wasn't sitting particularly close to me, I could still clearly smell the fresh fragrance of her shower gel mixed with her natural scent.
It was surprisingly pleasant.
With that i have further solidified my claim about being a dog in my previous life.
Soon, Nino began bringing out the dishes she had prepared.
I immediately stood up and hurried over to help.
"Let me help."
With both of us carrying the dishes, we quickly filled the dining table with an impressive variety of food.
There was rice, chicken karaage, salted grilled mackerel, spiral cucumber salad, and asparagus wrapped in bacon.
Even though I already knew Nino was an excellent cook, I was still astonished by the presentation and the mouthwatering aroma.
"Wow... I can't believe you prepared all of this by yourself. They look no less impressive than restaurant food."
"Right? And they don't just look delicious. They taste just as good!" Yotsuba immediately joined in, proudly praising her sister.
"She even prepares food according to each of our preferences." Miku added.
"We're a total mess in the kitchen." Ichika said with a light chuckle.
"Thank you for cooking for us every day." Itsuki expressed her gratitude sincerely.
Nino's face gradually turned red under all the praise.
"Stop it already."
She muttered, clearly embarrassed.
"Haha, she's blushing." Ichika teased.
I clasped my hands together as if praying before a goddess.
"Thank you for giving me this rare opportunity."
That only made Nino even more embarrassed.
She groaned quietly, "Ugh..."
I tasted every dish on the table, and honestly, they were all amazing.
But if I had to pick my favorite..."These chicken karaage are out of this world." I said it in genuine awe, I wasn't exaggerating, either. They were that good.
Nino immediately raised her chin with a proud smile, looking so pleased with herself that, in my imagination, her nose practically grew longer.
"That's only natural. They're one of my original recipes."
She declared proudly.
"Really? Is it possible for you to teach me?"
I asked eagerly.
They were seriously delicious, and if possible I'd like to eat them whenever I want.
"W-Well... if you insist."
Nino agreed.
For some reason, though, she seemed unusually happy about it.
Was she really that pleased by the praise?
By the way, if you're wondering who was sitting on my other side, it was Ichika.
While I was still feeling happy that Nino had agreed to teach me her recipe, Ichika suddenly leaned closer and whispered into my ear.
"Praising Nino is good and all, but you should look at your other side."
"Hm?"
Confused, I glanced to my other side.
Only to spot a grumpy Miku, her cheeks were puffed out, and she was wearing an unmistakably grumpy expression.
"A-Ah... Miku?" I called her hesitantly.
"Just because I can't cook..."
Miku muttered under her breath, sounding more frustrated at herself.
I sighed softly and placed a hand on her head.
"If it's you, I can eat whatever you make without complaining."
"Aww... How sweet. Aren't you glad to have such a dedicated boyfriend, Miku?"
Ichika remarked with a smile.
Lunch eventually came to an end.
As usual, Nino began gathering the dishes and carrying them to the sink.
She was the one who handled most of the household chores, almost like the mother of the family.
But were the other sisters simply being selfish?
Not at all.
There were reasons Nino had taken this responsibility upon herself, despite her sisters being more than willing to help.
Ren walkied toward the sink. "Can I help?"
"No need. You can stay with them."
Nino casually rejected his offer.
"But I'll feel bad if I don't help. Besides, as they say, two pairs of hands are better than one."
Ren insisted.
Nino didn't say anything.
Instead, she simply stepped aside, leaving just enough room for him to stand beside her.
Ren happily took the spot and began washing the dishes.
He handled them carefully and efficiently.
After all, washing dishes was something he did every day.
"I really love this side of you."
Ren muttered under his breath.
The words were meant for himself, but because they were standing so close together, they came out louder than he intended.
Nino's hands suddenly stopped.
She turned toward him, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks.
"Hmm...? What did you say?"
Since she had already heard him, there was no point trying to hide it.
Ren smiled.
"I was just thinking that I really like this caring side of you."
He paused before adding gently,
"You're working hard to fill the gap your mother left for them, aren't you?"
"N-Not really..."
Nino immediately looked away, clearly too embarrassed to admit it.
"They're just useless in the kitchen."
She began explaining what had happened after the five sisters started living together.
The other sisters had initially proposed splitting the household chores so that Nino wouldn't have to shoulder everything herself.
Unfortunately, the plan had turned into a complete disaster.
Miku couldn't cook.
Yotsuba couldn't tell one ingredient from another.
Itsuki, being rather clumsy, had managed to break several plates.
And Ichika...
"She just doesn't bother doing anything neatly."
Nino sighed.
Ren listened quietly before giving a small nod.
"I can imagine that."
The two of them burst into laughter.
There was no real malice behind their words.
It was more like two parents sitting together and laughing about the ridiculous failures of their children.
"They seem to be enjoying themselves."
Yotsuba commented with a warm smile.
As long as everyone was happy, she was happy too.
Their laughter could be clearly heard from the living room.
"I wonder what they're talking about."
Itsuki said, unable to hide her curiosity.
"When did those two even get this close?"
Miku asked, a hint of jealousy slipping into her voice.
Ichika noticed immediately.
A mischievous grin appeared on her face as she leaned closer and whispered into Miku's ear so that only she could hear.
"Don't you think it's about time you make a serious move on him?"
The jealousy on Miku's face was instantly replaced by shyness.
"T-That's..."
She stammered, her cheeks turning pink.
"Think about it. He's already here. It's the perfect opportunity to show him your room."
Ichika whispered, sounding almost like a devil tempting an innocent maiden.
"I-I can't! That would be too much!"
Miku retorted, flustered.
Ichika tilted her head and put on an innocent expression.
"What are you talking about? I was just suggesting that you show him your room."
She paused deliberately.
"Were you thinking about something else? Hmm?"
Miku fell completely silent.
Her face turned bright red, She completely played her.
Still, as far as Miku was concerned, there really wasn't anything particularly special about her room.
If she had to describe it, it was actually rather plain.
With Ren's help, the dishes were finished in no time.
After placing everything in the dish dryer, the two of them returned to the living room, where everyone else was gathered.
Not wanting everyone to get bored, Yotsuba suddenly seemed to have an idea.
"wait a second!"
She jumped up and hurried to her room, leaving everyone else staring after her in confusion.
A moment later, she returned carrying a box.
"Tada!"
She proudly held it up.
"This is a life simulator board game I borrowed from someone in the board game club. Who wants to play?"
She asked excitedly.
Ren was the first to raise his hand.
"I've never played a board game before, so I'm interested."
"What? Really?"
Yotsuba stared at him in disbelief.
Ren nodded, a slightly bitter smile appearing on his face.
"There was just no one to play with, that's all."
The mood in the room immediately changed.
Everyone fell silent.
Their expressions softened as they looked at Ren with a mixture of sympathy and concern.
Without saying much, they all decided to play for his sake.
Yotsuba began explaining the rules.
Each player would take turns rolling a dice and move their piece forward by the number they rolled.
Most spaces had different events written on them, some positive and some negative. Landing on a positive space could push you several spaces forward, while a negative event could send you moving backward.
There were even spaces that could "kill" your character.
If that happened, you had to return all the way to square one and start over.
On top of that, rolling a six—the highest possible number—allow you to draw a bonus card. These cards could contain either helpful or harmful events, making every roll potentially important.
In the end, the first player to reach the finish point would be declared the winner.
Sounds pretty standard for a board game.
Ren found the rules easy enough to understand.
Still, there was something surprisingly interesting about it.
'This might actually be pretty fun.'
"Alright, I'll go first!"
Yotsuba declared enthusiastically before rolling the die.
Three.
One by one, everyone else followed, taking turns and moving their pieces across the board. There were no events at the beginning, so the game proceeded rather peacefully.
That changed a few turns later.
The game finally entered the interesting territory.
Ren was the first to trigger an event.
"Confess to the person on your right. If they accept, both of you advance two spaces. If they refuse, you move two spaces backward."
Ren stared at the card.
Then he slowly turned toward Miku, who was sitting directly to his right. She was already looking at him, her cheeks slightly pink with embarrassment.
"This is more embarrassing than I thought."
Ren admitted with a nervous smile.
"Mmm..."
Miku nodded shyly.
"Come on! You have to do what the game says, or just take the penalty!"
Yotsuba urged them on.
"Go on. Say it."
Ichika joined in, clearly enjoying the situation.
Nino and Itsuki gave their silent encouragement.
Ren took a deep breath.
Then he looked directly at Miku.
"I... love you."
He finally said those three magical words before extending his hand toward her.
Miku's face immediately turned bright red. Even though they were already in a relationship, hearing Ren confess like that still made her heart race. There was something about the way he said it.
It didn't sound like he was simply following the rules of a game. It sounded completely genuine.
Miku shyly placed her hand in his.
But before the moment could end, Nino suddenly interrupted with a mischievous grin.
"That's not fair. Miku should confess in return, too."
The others immediately liked the idea.
"Yeah! Go on, Miku!"
"E-Eh...?"
Miku looked around in embarrassment before finally turning back toward Ren.
He was patiently waiting with a calm smile that clear says "Please say it..." He was practically dying to hear those words from her.
Miku lowered her gaze.
"I-I..."
She took a small breath.
"I-I... lo-love you... too."
She could barely get the words out, unable to look him in the eyes. The moment she finished, the other four erupted into loud applause.
"Yay!"
Nino and Ichika exchanged mischievous grins, they clearly liked the interesting display.
Ren was the first to trigger an event, but Yotsuba was the first to roll a six shortly afterward.
She picked the top card from the pile. "You failed your very first job interview. Take one step back."
Yotsuba moved her piece back one space, only to land on another negative event.
"You stayed unemployed for three years. Take five steps back."
"Noo! Why me?!"
Yotsuba complained as the back-to-back negative events sent her straight to last place.
From that point on, things only grew more interesting.
"You graduated from a prestigious university and opened your own business. Take four steps ahead."
Itsuki happily moved her piece forward.
Next came Miku.
"You went on a trip with the player sitting opposite you. Both players advance two steps."
"Sweet."
Nino chimed in happily since she was sitting directly opposite Miku.
Then it was Ren's turn again.
He rolled the die and got a six.
"Nice!"
But when he moved his piece, he landed on a negative event.
"Your caught your partner cheating behind your back and both of you broke up, Take three steps back."
Ren's eyes widened.
He slowly turned toward Miku with a heartbroken expression.
"H-How could you...?"
He asked in a trembling voice, looking as though he were on the verge of tears.
Miku panicked. "W-Wait! I didn't do anything! This is just a game!"
Ren then drew the bonus card he had earned from rolling a six.
"You reunited with your childhood crush, and the two of you hit it off. Advance one step."
"I'm happy for you."
Miku commented with a cold smile.
This time, Ren was the one who panicked.
"W-Wait! This is just a game!"
Next came Ichika's turn. She landed on an event.
"You became a NEET after graduation. Take five steps back."
Finally, it was Nino's turn again.
She landed on an event and read it aloud.
"You finally found your soulmate sitting cross from you. You don't want to miss this chance, so you ask them to marry you. If they accept, both of you advance ten steps. If they refuse, you take ten steps back."
Nino slowly glanced at Ren, who was sitting directly cross from her.
Their eyes met.
Her face immediately grew warm.
'This is ridiculous...'
There was no way she was actually going to say something like that. Taking the penalty would be far less embarrassing.
And yet...
With a shy expression, Nino finally asked, "So... what do you say? Will you marry me?"
The moment the words left her mouth, Nino wanted to disappear.
'Why did I actually say it?!'
It was supposed to be nothing more than a silly game, So why had she asked him?
Was it really just the temptation of advancing ten spaces? Or was there another reason hiding somewhere in her heart?
"Absolutely."
Ren agreed without even thinking twice.
To everyone else, it might have looked like he had accepted just to secure those sweet ten spaces, but even if the card had required him to take the penalty, he still would have said yes.
The game continued, with everyone taking turns in clockwise order.
Yotsuba, "You started working under the player on your left and got involved in an office romance with them."
Itsuki's turn came next, "You became so engrossed in your work that you're now in your thirties and struggling to find a marriage partner."
Miku read her own event, "You won the lottery, making you a millionaire overnight, but there is no love in your life."
Ren landed on the next event, "You had seven kids."
"Damn..." Ren couldn't help but mutter.
Ichika's event followed. "Tired of city life, you returned to your hometown and reunited with your childhood friend."
Nino, "You want more kids."
"Who wrote these?!"
Nino couldn't help but voice her flustration.
The closer they got to the end, the more ridiculous the events became.
"You discovered that your boss was already married and you were merely their side piece, haha stupid clown."
"Your company went bankrupt. Now you're both old and broke RIP."
"You won the lottery, becoming a billionaire overnight. But what's the point? You'll never find true love LMAO."
"You're a scumbag. You deceived women into becoming your lovers despite having a wife and plenty of children, even hell isn't enough for you. "
"Your childhood friend turned out to be gay, my condolences."
"You want more kids? LOL."
The game continued for a long time, and eventually, Miku was the first to reach the finish line, followed by Ren, Ichika, Nino, Yotsuba, and finally Itsuki.
Yet no one celebrated.
No one was smiling.
Every single person sat there with a dark expression, half of their face covered in shadow as though they had just witnessed something horrifying.
"Yotsuba..."
Nino called her name in a grave voice, as if addressing something of utmost importance.
"Yes?"
Yotsuba replied with equal seriousness.
Her usual cheerful personality was nowhere to be seen.
"Dispose of this trash."
Nino ordered.
Everyone else silently nodded in agreement, their faces still covered by dark shadows.
"Roger..."
Yotsuba replied with a solemn salute.
What had started as a harmless, fun board game had somehow turned into a mildly traumatic experience for everyone involved.