We grabbed the eggs without further incident and walked back home — at which point Reona apparently had an idea and addressed Mio.
“Hey, can I make tonight’s omu-rice?”
“Reona-san, you’d cook?”
“Yeah, I think Ryouya-kun is questioning my ability, so I want to demonstrate.”
“Then please, Reona-san. Use anything in the kitchen.”
“I’ll be in my room — good luck.”
I tried to retreat, but Reona caught the sleeve of my uniform.
“Ah ah — you’re helping, no escape. I usually have Riona with me, doing this solo is hard.”
“I’m terrible at cooking, so I’m going to be a bad substitute for Riona.”
In elementary and middle school cooking classes I had been routinely demoted to dishwashing duty due to a series of disasters. My official role in our house’s chore division is not cooking for the same reason.
“It’s fine, Riona is also catastrophic at cooking.”
“Wait, really? Hard to believe.”
“You can’t really let her near a knife or fire…”
Reona’s faraway, resigned look was real. Apparently this was not a joke. I’d had a mental image of Riona being good at everything, so this was unexpected.
“So I’ll handle the cooking proper. You support.”
“Got it, direct me.”
“Rinse the rice. I’ll start the consommé soup.”
“Okay.”
I opened the rice bag, measured with the cup, rinsed in the bowl with the strainer, loaded the rice cooker, hit the button. Even my cooking ability was up to that. Next to me, Reona, in an apron, was efficiently dicing potatoes, onions, and cabbage and getting them into a pot.
“You look professional.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, like — you’d make a great wife.”
I’d said it without filtering and Reona started smirking.
“That means you want me to be your wife?”
“No, no — I said no such thing. That’s a massive leap.”
“To think Ryouya-kun would propose to me one day.”
She was launched. I tried to defuse the misinterpretation — no effect. How she’d extracted that reading from my sentence was unknowable. Then again, understanding the way Reona-and-Riona think was unknowable as a general principle.
We finished cooking together. Done.
“Three-person work makes it more satisfying.”
“Three-person is generous, given my contribution, but yes there’s a sense of accomplishment.”
The plates were laid out: omu-rice, consommé soup, and a side salad. Done.
“Could you go get Riona and Mio-chan?”
“Got it.”
“Thanks. I’ll set the table.”
I went to Mio’s room first. Knocked, walked in — Mio was at her desk working on homework.
“Dinner’s ready.”
“Oh — already that late?”
“I’m waking Riona up, you head over first.”
“Sure, thanks.”
I left Mio’s room and went to mine. No response to the knock — Riona was still asleep.
“Riona — up.”
She was sleeping deeply on my bed and didn’t twitch.
I shook her gently — no response. With my dad I’d resort to slapping; obviously not an option for Riona.
I googled how to gently wake a girl and the top result said kiss her to wake her. Obviously not.
”…She’s defenseless, by the way. This is a guy’s room.”
If I were inclined I could do unspeakable things to her with zero resistance. Did she understand that?
Of course, I would not do anything socially-suicidal like that. After more calling and shaking, nothing.
“Seriously not waking up — should I actually try the kiss-to-wake thing—?”
“Yeah, do it.”
“That’s a — why are you behind me?!”
I yelped at the sight of Reona, who’d materialized behind me.
“You and Riona weren’t coming, I came to check.”
“Could you knock first? Wait — actually, help me wake her up?”
“Yeah, prince’s kiss is the move.”
“That is not a move.”
“It’s fine — Riona won’t mind.”
Reona put a hand on my back and started to push me toward the bed. I resisted, but she blew on my ear and my body went limp.
Of course Reona took the opening, and I ended up draped over Riona on the bed. The moment I did, Riona’s eyes snapped open.
”…Ryouya, were you about to take advantage of me in my sleep?”
“N-no I was not.”
She’d woken up — but the timing was the worst possible. And — why does Riona look mildly disappointed.