Chapter 7

The review really came in!

Eh, no way, the big review really came... The fact that I had a serious expression for a moment is a secret.

"Ah, I overslept!"

In the early morning, the scream of Himeko, far from being like silk being torn, echoed through the Kizukihara household.

Hayato, hearing her voice, muttered, "Again..." while skillfully flipping the egg in the rectangular omelet pan.

He was making dashimaki tamago, one of his specialties, with a strong flavor of dried bonito. The chopped watercress added for the sake of it actually made the texture more enjoyable, and Hayato himself liked it.

"Why didn't you wake me up!"

"Well, look at the clock."

"It's already past 7:30!"

"You have plenty of time, right?"

"Even if I run... Oh, right. That's true."

"Unlike there, the school is close, right?"

Himeko, still with bedhead, stuck out her tongue slightly.

Moving to a new place has its thoughts. However, the significant reduction in commuting time was genuinely something to be happy about.

"Bro, what's that?"

"It's a bento. I just added the dashimaki to yesterday's leftovers. Yesterday, I saw the cafeteria and the snack bar and thought a bit..."

"Oh, I see. So, when, Mr. Bro?"

"Sure, sure, I made one for you too."

"Of course, you know!"

Hayato felt a chill at the crowd yesterday.

Everyone rushing towards the food was like a battle. It was probably something city students were used to.

But Hayato hadn't been trained for such things. He might have been able to handle it occasionally, but he didn't have the courage to charge into that battlefield every day.

He thought his sister probably felt the same way, so he had prepared two in advance.

Hayato was rather considerate in that way.

◇◇◇

Even with some time to spare, it wasn't as if they could take it easy.

They quickly finished breakfast and preparations, and Hayato and Himeko left the house together, locking the door.

"It's hot..."

"Hot..."

The moment they stepped outside, both siblings uttered the same line.

Unlike the countryside, there was no bare ground, only asphalt that retained heat. There were no trees to block the sunlight, and the early summer sun burned their skin.

Compared to Tsunonose, the perceived temperature in this town was much higher. The siblings walked to school feeling rather annoyed from the start.

"Well, I'll go this way."

"Okay."

After parting ways with Himeko, Hayato missed the coolness of the countryside.

The large number of people and the lack of greenery made him acutely aware that he was in a new place.

He hadn't come here willingly. It would take a lot of time to get used to it.

(Ah, that's right.)

While thinking about the countryside, he remembered something that bothered him.

The flower bed behind the school, which reminded him of Tsunonose, with its rows of plants.

Zucchini flowers bloom in the morning and wither by midday.

Therefore, they need to be pollinated in the morning.

The image that came to mind was of a girl who was trying her best but always seemed flustered.

(I wonder if she's okay...)

After passing through the school gate, Hayato found himself heading towards the flower bed.