"Ugh…"
I wake up with a slight headache, and to the slight smell of something burning...
"What was I even doing? Where am I?"
There's a familiar ceiling in front of me, as I lay down on something comfortable.
"Oh, that's right…"
I raise my head as I sit at the couch in my house.
"This smell... I must have fallen asleep while waiting for Tsubaki to prepare our lunch… I told her I could help her with it, but…"
Hehe, whatever makes her happy.
She's only thirteen, but lately she's been asking me to teach her how to do domestic chores…
And she's an expert when it comes to dealing with the technological stuff! She learned how to use the washing machine by herself, just by fiddling with it a little!
She's such a fast learner that she even got my approval to use the stove while I'm at home! Though I shouldn`t have slept while she was doing it…
But if I had to point out a problem...
I-It's just that she lacks a little experience with the… Uhhh… Execution of some of the chores…
…
To be honest… By 'some', I actually mean all of them… In hindsight, s-she might not be very good at taking care of the chores… And by 'not very good', I mean not good at all…
Somehow, the food always ends up burned or with mishandled seasonings… Or like that time when she thought she could shove more clothes in the washing machine as long as she placed more soap… The bubbles started to escape and ended up covering the whole room. There was actually a pretty funny time when the bread actually caught on fire inside the toaster… Putting it out was the unfunny part…
…
B-But, hey! Don't misinterpret me!
I'm really happy just for having such a caring sister! It's not about the results, but rather about the feelings behind them!!! That's how it should be in human relationships!
"Onii-chan, the food is ready!"
Oh, Gods, help me…
C-caham!
"Y-Yeah, I'll be there in a second!"
I get up from the couch...
"Ugh!"
The whole world starts spinning for a moment, but I soon stabilize myself.
"Onii-chan? Is everything alright?"
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine..."
It must have been the low blood pressure, from laying down for too long...
I head for the dining table.
Hmmm… At least the food is looking nice this time. There's stake with some red sauce on top of it, probably tomato, accompanied by some vegetables and a risotto.
This looks like a rather complex meal… I was expecting some boiled eggs and plain rice, for her level. Is this really going to be okay…?
"Then, let's eat!" Though Tsubaki said that, she kept staring at me in order for me to take the first bite…
Of course, when you prepare a meal for others, you want to know their impressions first.
I try cutting a piece of the stake... B-but why is it so haaaard??? Did someone shove a rock inside of it!? I can clearly hear some loud crunching noises as I cut through it.
I take a quick glance at Tsubaki and see her expectant face…
D-Damn it…
I keep a straight face, but make a mental image of myself breathing deeply, in order to prepare and strengthen my will.
Finally, I take a bite from the steak.
...
Hmmm, I see… It has a… 'Complex' taste... For some reason it is completely burnt and hard on the outside, but raw on the inside, making it hot and cold at the same time... Besides, it actually wasn't a stake, but rather a chicken whose exterior turned completely into charcoal...
And to top it off, for some reason, it has different kinds of seasonings mixed together as well… But instead of complementing themselves, it feels as if they are fighting against each other and I can't actually taste the good part of any of them…
And why is it so spicy??? I-I think that the sauce might actually be made of peppers instead of tomatoes…
I try taking a spoonful of the risotto next, and then the vegetables...
W-What ingredients did she even use to prepare these foods!!!???
I use all of my resolve and swallow. And then, burning my willpower to the infinite until nothing but ashes remain, I tell her:
"It... Was... GREAT!"
I lie with everything that I have!!!
"Really!?"
Tsubaki's face turns from one of expectation to a relieved one, until finally a fully happy smile blossoms at her face.
Yup, this is what I was talking about, really great!
"Ah... I was so nervous... I noticed I didn't have some of the ingredients I needed only after I started to prepare the food, so I had to replace them... I wasn't sure if it would turn out alright, but I'm glad it did! Maybe I could even use the recipe again later!"
Gods, please no!!!
"Ahahaha... I don't think you should… A-after all, we need to practice with different kinds of stuff while learning, in order to gather more experience. You should try learning from some new recipes next!"
"Oh, is that so? Hmmm... Ok… And... Maybe you could also give me a few tips, so I can get better! Someday, I'll cook even better than you!"
I notice that she didn't place any of her food on her plate. Instead, there`s one of those frozen foods from the super…
…
"Y-Yeah, of course! The only difference between us is in the time we spent practicing!"
Was I really that bad at the start…?
"Oh! And Onii-chan, can I ask you for one more favor?"
Tsubaki suddenly puts on a serious face…
"Oh? Huh… S-Sure, go ahead."
"Please wake up, Onii-chan. Or you'll die. Follow the spirits..."
"Huh?!"
Everything begins to distort and fades into black…