Tensions On The Rise (1)

Chapter 59: Episode 29 - Tensions On The Rise (1)

Once Michiko Keiko fell asleep after eating the tasty daifuku, Andou's mother went inside the guest room to change the girl into more comfortable clothes. When she gently undressed the young girl in order to not wake her up, the woman's eyes widened at the young girl's stomach. For some reason, the sight of what she saw disturbed her and she didn't know how to react. In her eyes, it was truly appalling.

How in the world did she get that? What happened to her?

She didn't utter a word about it and quickly changed the sleeping girl into a nightgown, swiftly leaving the guest room with a horrified look on her face.

* * *

'What is this sweet smell…? I think it's red beans. This early in the morning…?' I questioned myself and suddenly, I got up. Fraise slept right next to me but she noticed my sudden awakening.

"Oh, you're awake," Fraise observed as I looked around the room. I sat on a futon bed placed on the floor with a blanket covering me and my clothes changed into a nightgown.

'No way, I fell asleep just like that? And my yukata was changed…'

I quickly got up from the bed and hurriedly put on my yukata. I slipped on some slippers and rushed out of the room.

'Am I late? I never knew I slept in!' I thought anxiously as I made my way towards the kitchen in a hurry.

"Go-good morning! I'm sorry if I'm late!" I entered the kitchen restlessly, only to notice that Andou, Caramel, his grandfather, and his father were up making the food already.

"Good morning!" Andou's father greeted me as he carried a bag of flour.

"Oh, you're up early. Hanabusa and Kashino are still asleep as well as the others," Andou explained in surprise.

'So wait… I'm not late?' I breathed out a sigh of relief but focused my attention back on Andou.

"I'm sorry for suddenly falling asleep like that last night. And you also changed my yukata..." I bowed my head down apologetically in embarrassment.

"It's fine. You fell asleep right after you ate the daifuku and you looked at peace when you slept," Andou comforted. "And, my mother changed your yukata." He cleared up the misunderstanding and I could feel my face flush in embarrassment.

"O-oh is that so…" I avoided eye contact with him and he showed me a grin.

"I'm happy, did you like the daifuku that much that it made you feel at peace?" Andou's grandfather asked me with a warm smile.

"Yes, it was very delicious and relaxing that I hadn't realized I fell asleep," I admitted to him with a small smile.

He nodded his head in acceptance and continued stirring a pot. I walked toward the old man and stared at his movements as he stirred the pot.

In the pot, I could see he was steaming the red soybeans.

"Excuse me, is this the red bean used for the soybean daifuku?" I asked knowingly and a smile formed on his face.

"Yes," he responded.

"If you don't mind me asking, but is there some kind of secret to it?" I asked curiously but Andou and his grandfather looked at me in shock.

'Did I ask the wrong question?'

"Not really… we just keep to the methods of the previous generation with loyalty," the grandfather explained, using the red soybeans to stuff the daifuku.

"We carefully sort the beans grain by grain. We take out the opened ones and keep a constant eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn. So that the eaters will be pleased, we're told to put our feelings into making it. That's our secret," Andou said proudly.

I looked at them in awe but Andou gave a nervous chuckle.

"Well, that's what my grandpa told me. It's the same for cakes," Andou scratched the back of his head.

'I see… its flavor and heart passed through the generations…'

"That's right… Why is Andou aiming to be a patissier?" I asked Andou seriously and he stared at me blankly. A gleam in his glasses brightened immensely.

"Actually… A long time ago, I ate my first cake at Kashino's home and I was overwhelmed by the sweetness. Kashino was weirded out that I never had cake before, but when I had it, it was pretty and sweet, though it was soft in my mouth. It had a completely different taste than wagashi. I'd nag my dad every day to make a cake but he wouldn't. In the end, I made it myself at home as I followed a recipe in a cookbook. One day, I used our red soybeans and made a green tea roll cake and it was very delicious," Andou explained, recalling his memories happily. "At that time, I decided to live up to my family's tradition. I'd make Japanese-Western sweets! Then, one day, I'd open a shop next door. For that reason, I thought I'd refine my cake-making skills so I entered the St. Marie Academy."

"Ah, I see," I nodded my head along to his explanation.

'Andou's dream is to bring up his own skills while maintaining the family name…'

* * *

The shop opened up and everyone was awake. We made it through another busy day of work with countless customers and orders.

I was washing dishes again until a small boy unexpectedly showed up.

"What the? You're still here?" Ichita asked me who busied myself with the dishes.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I asked him calmly, still focusing my attention on the task at hand.

"I told you to go back to your cakes, didn't I? Loner," Ichita said rudely.

'Just when I thought I could get some peace and quiet, this kid's here again…'

BAM!

Suddenly, Kashino slapped the top of Ichita's head which caught the small child by surprise.

"Ow, that hurt!" Ichita complained and turned towards Kashino.

"Ichita, why are you saying that when we came here to help? We do cakes too, you know?" Kashino scolded him as I observed the situation. Hanabusa also decided to step in.

"Ichita, do you say such things to your brother, too?" Hanabusa asked with his eyebrows furrowed.

Ichita's face looked troubled at the mention of his brother and he turned away.

'He made that face again.'

"Either way, I hate cakes! Hurry up and go home, Loner, Shorty, Narcissist!" Ichita insulted us and dashed out of the room.

"S-shorty?! That brat—I'll give him more pain!" Kashino threatened, clenching his fists and glaring at the direction that Ichita left from.

"Wait, Kashino. I think there might be a reason why he lost his temper," I said, holding Kashino back from hurting anybody. "I'm going to take a look so you and Hanabusa, watch the shop."

I quickly followed after Ichita, leaving Hanabusa and Kashino behind. I went down the countless hallways of Andou's home, opening each door to find Ichita.

Peeking through one of the doors, I saw a small boy with blue hair sitting down at a table, picking red soybeans.

'I found him!'

I quietly walked into the room and he hadn't noticed me yet as I walked up behind him.

"I see that you're sorting them carefully," I pointed out, surprising Ichita from behind.

"Wh-why'd you come in here without permission?!" He looked at me flusteredly without using honorifics.

"It's Keiko Onee-san," I corrected but he disregarded it and continued to sort out the beans.

"These are the red soybeans your family uses here, right? Are you removing the bug-bitten ones?" I asked interestedly, watching him pick each one.

"Yeah, it's my job because grandpa has bad eyes," Ichita admitted hesitantly.

"Oh, is that so? So that's why the sweets here are so good because Ichita does something like this by hand." I shot him a warm smile and he looked at me in surprise.

"O-of course! Even our rice is freshly milled. Everyone has a hand in it," Ichita said as he picked some beans. "I was taught by Sen-nii. Sen-nii makes mochi daifuku better than Dad."

Ichita spoke highly about his older brother as a proud expression formed on his face.

'When he talks about his brother, he looks so happy. I can see that Ichita really likes Andou…'

When I thought about how Ichita praised Andou, it made me think of my two brothers, Haruto and Eiji.

'It's been a while since I've seen those two… I wonder if they're enjoying their vacation without me…'

As I thought about them, a smile appeared on my face and I looked back at Ichita again.

'It'd be great if Ichita could come to like cakes…'

"Ichita, you're 7, right?" I asked him and he glanced at me.

"Yeah, why?" He asked back as I thought about something.

"Well, I have a younger brother named Eiji who's about the same age as you. He talks proudly about me just like how you talk about your older brother," I pointed out and he gave me a look before answering.

"Who'd be proud of you?" Ichita gave me a scowl and I could feel my eyes twitch a bit in irritation.

'I'm slowly losing patience with this kid.'