Ever since Mika and Mizuki taught Takina how to play rock-paper-scissors with Chisato, she had learned what it was like to win against her… but sooner or later, it started feeling weird.
They continued to live together because the threat of Majima and his men were still on the lycoris, but this time, finally being able to divide up the chores… but there was something really weird.
“Okay, I’ll go do the laundry then.” Chisato stretched her arms above her head and headed for the bathroom where the laundry were. She peeked her head out and shouted towards the kitchen. “Do you have anything else you want washed?” Before Takina could respond, Chisato peeked at her again with a wide grin. “Nice ponytail, by the way.”
“Be quiet.” Takina glared at her with a blush. “I think everything in the basket is all I need.” She responded to Chisato’s hanging question and continued chopping some more onions before tossing them into the pan.
“Okay~ So cute~” Was Chisato’s only response back, and a few minutes later, the sounds of the washing machine powering up and a few beeps could be heard. “All right. Time to get some cleaning done.”
Takina sighed. This day was one of those ‘really weird’ ones. It’s odd that Chisato was doing all the washing and the cleaning, and all Takina would have had to do was prepare the table, cook, and then rest. Why is it weird, you ask? Takina has been winning in rock-paper-scissors, but oddly enough, the only one she wins at was cooking. No matter what it was, she would always always win that one.
“Maybe Chisato has learned how to predict what one would do even if we don’t do the ‘start with rock’ part?” Takina stirred the pot with her eyes closed. “…Or maybe I am just unlucky? Maybe we should do the rock-paper-scissors for a whole week’s worth of duties instead of once every two days?”
Takina opened her eyes as she heard the vacuum cleaner power up in the living room. If anything to go by, while Chisato made her do all of the tasks a few days ago, she actually does do the ones tasked to her properly, all the way to the cleaning up the walls and ceilings, and folding the laundry and tucking them back in the drawers and closet.
“…I still don’t understand her.” Takina sighed and continued to sauté the onions until they were tender. “She always gives off the odd and playful remarks, but when she’s given a task she always does them detailed and seriously… It makes you look up to her as a 1st lycoris… but the mess she makes when she watches films and eats all those unhealthy things…”
“Takina~”
“…What if she actually can win with any rock-paper-scissors because she didn’t want to cook?” Takina started tossing the beef into the pot after scooping out the onions, searing and cooking them. “Isn’t that still cheating?”
“Takina, if you continue that you might burn yourself.” Chisato stood next to her but the black haired girl still ignored her.
“I wonder if there was any other way to win and divide housework fairly?” Takina continued to randomly stir the pot without looking at it. “I am a bit thankful because I am
not quite good at cleaning…”
“Ah! Wait, wait, wait!” Chisato grabbed Takina’s wrist just right before it hit the side of the pot. “You almost burned yourself!”
“Chisato.” Takina looked at the hand on her wrist first before looking at the person next to her. “Have you finished cleaning?”
“Have you finished cleaning? It’s not about that! You almost burned yourself!” Chisato raised her eyebrow. “I came to check and ask what’s for dinner today, but you looked… distracted. Is something wrong?”
Takina only looked at her for a while, blinking, before turning away and focusing back on the pot in front of her. “It’s nothing.”
“Are you suuuuuure?” Chisato leaned her hand onto the cupboard above the stove as she tried to peek at Takina’s face. “You know you can ask me anything, right?”
Takina sighed. She turned off the stove and put down the spatula on a safe place. “Then I will ask.” She faced Chisato.
Chisato was taken a back before removing her hand from the cupboard and waiting. “O- Ohh… Yeah, go ahead?”
“…Do you lose purposely when we rock-paper-scissors for anything other than cooking duties?” Takina asked her with a flat expression, as Chisato momentarily froze.
“Ha- Haha~ There’s no way~ I’m sure it’s just lu–” Chisato looked away as she hugged the vacuum cleaner as if it was her best friend.
“It’s been two weeks.” Takina took a step forward as Chisato took one backwards.
“D- Definitely just luck!” Chisato took another step backwards, hitting her hip onto the counter and almost knocking away the vacuum in her hand. “It’s just luck, I swear!”
“Chisato.”
“YesILoseOnPurposeI’mSorry.” Chisato looked at the floor with her eyes closed.
“…Why?” Takina tilted her head onto one side, her face full of confusion.
“W- Well, we don’t know when this set up of ours would end, so I just wanted to enjoy your home-cooking while I could…” Chisato smiled at her wryly. “Sorry…”
Takina blinked as she watched Chisato bow her head down to her. “That’s it? That’s the only reason?”
“Are you sure it’s not because you’re laz–“
“No, no! I do things properly. I really just want to eat your cooking, Takina.” Chisato smiled at her, immediately followed by a frown. “Now that I think about it, it is unfair. I didn’t think of how difficult it would be for you. I thought that maybe if I did everything else it’d be fine but, sorry…”
“…I wanted to taste what you cook too.” Takina murmured under her breath before she quickly turned around to face the stove, opening it, and grabbing the spatula again.
“E- Eh?” Chisato blinked multiple times. “What did you just–“
“I said nothing. Go back to cleaning, Chisato.” Takina continued the dish she was cooking.
“Takina… Are you sulking?” Chisato tried to peek at her face again.
“I’m not sulking, this is just how I look like.”
“Takina-san? I already said everything from my side, I don’t think it’s fair if–“
“I do not think you’re in the place to be talking about fairness, Chisato-san.” Takina hyper-focused at the task at hand, not even giving Chisato a glance.
“A- Ahh~ I’m sorry, but really, what did you say?” Chisato clasped her hands in front of her and bowed. “Takina-samaaaa.”
“…I said,” Takina stopped moving her hands on the pot. Her cheeks flushing a hint of red as she continued. “…I wanted to taste what you cook too.”
“Ahhh… Eh? Eh?” Chisato blinked. “Is that it?”
“…Is there a problem?” Takina glared at her, a blush still on her cheeks. “I thought I was finally going to be able to learn about the things you eat and cook at home, and then things ended up like this…”
“Ah, no, I didn’t mean it like that. You could have just asked.” Chisato smiled at her gently. “I’ll cook for you anytime, Takina.”
“Really?” Takina looked at her in surprise.
“Really, really!” Chisato grinned at her.
“Then… Could you cook for me tomorrow morning?” Takina looked back into the pot with a pout.
“You got it.” Chisato gave her a two thumbs up. “A wonderful and healthy breakfast tomorrow for Inoue Takina-sama!”
“…You say that, but I feel the same.” Takina whispered something under her breath again as she continued cooking their dinner.
“Feel the same?”
“I didn’t think the cooking was a bother at all. If you asked me, I would still cook for you.” Takina smiled at her.
Chisato stared at her confused, then what she meant suddenly hit her. Her confusion turned into a big smile. “Takinaaaa.”
“I’m cooking, please keep your hands to yourself.” Takina swiftly dodged the incoming hug as Chisato sighed with a loud ‘tch’. “Please hurry and finish cleaning.”
“Fiiiiine.” Chisato sulked as she walked away from the kitchen, but she suddenly walked back. “What’s for dinner?”
Takina turned to look at her. “It’s curry.”
“Curry~! Takina’s curry~” Chisato skipped away towards the living room while singing to an odd ‘curry song’. “Curry~ Curry~”
Takina giggled and continued cooking with a smile.
I suppose being on cooking duty isn’t such a bad idea after all.
(Losing Streak/END)
Omake
“Say, Takina…” Chisato walked outside the laundry room and put down the basket. “I was going to put the clothes into the dryer but…”
Takina placed the curry roux into the pot and covered. She started cleaning up around her, gathering the utensils, chopping board, and knife. “What is it?”
Chisato picked up a black lacy underwear from somewhere in the pile and held it up. “…I’m pretty sure this isn’t mine so… Mind telling me about it?”
“Ah…” Takina stared at the underwear bewilderedly, her face burning a bright shade of red from her neck up. “I- I- saw it and liked it and bought it, that’s all.”
“…These aren’t the type that you would wear, that’d look really good on you though…” Chisato looked at the underwear again. She scrutinized the piece of garment. After thinking about it, this is more like something I’d like instead. “…Could it be… Is there someone el–“
“There’s no one else!” If Takina’s face could have gone redder, that was probably what could have happened. “It’s… really, can’t we just settle for what I said?”
“Nope.” Chisato smiled.
“…Do I really have to say it?”
Chisato nodded at her vigorously, her smile unwavering.
“…I saw it at the store, and, I thought…” Takina looked away, her hand grasping the knife handle very tightly. “…that, when the time comes, maybe, you would… like it.”
“Eh?”
“Isn’t it fine already?! Please just put it in the dryer!”
“Takina…” Chisato looked at her with sparkly eyes. “Then… One of these days when you wear it… Show me?”
“…I will throw this at you.” Takina raised the knife and pointed it at her.
“Wait-Wait-Wait!” Chisato put back the underwear into the basket. “Let’s talk about this like adults–“
“You accused me of cheating on you!”
“I was just kidding! I just really wanted to know because–“
“Chisato, shut up!”
“Ahhh! Please don’t aim the knife at me, I could dodge it, I mean, I really could, I definitely should, but I think I shouldn’t because ahh! Takina-sama!”
On that day, Chisato realized that a Takina with a knife, is a Takina with a knife.
(END)
