stonecrandall Page 307
Page 307
With the addition of Kitahara Ai, the atmosphere in the living room became much more lively. Saito Harukori told her many stories about the brass band and videos of the competitions.
The television in the living room finally found a purpose.
It was the first time Kitahara Hakuba had seen his conductor on the big screen, the camera capturing the faces of the brass band girls one by one.
Every frame, every note tells their own story, making you want to look at them a little longer.
Kitahara Ai's expression was somewhat unnatural, a state of embarrassment that she was unwilling to admit but had to.
"Too long-winded."
"Sister Haruno, why aren't you in the All-Round Tournament?" Kitahara Ai suddenly asked.
This is a past that has been sealed away by time, yet still aches faintly; every scar is deeply etched in Saito Harukori's heart.
Everyone present knew why. But her performance remained excellent as always, using studying as an excuse to evade Kitahara Ai's doubts.
Just as dinner was almost ready, Kitahara Hakuba's father returned.
He was a man with a strong sense of self-esteem who loved wearing short-sleeved shirts in the summer and overcoats in the winter. His facial features somewhat resembled those of Kitahara Hakuba.
"Dad," Kitahara Hakuba waved, "Want to go to the construction site?"
"Yes." Kitahara Masamune took off his leather shoes.
"These are my students."
"Yes, don't be shy, just tell me if you need anything."
Kitahara's father was a man of few words, except when he was discussing renovations with homeowners at the construction site.
His mother said that although he didn't talk much, he was honest and gentle, and a very good person.
However, this was a virtue of that era, and the "honesty" and "gentleness" of this era have been somewhat tainted.
"Xiao Ai! Bai Ma! Come and serve the dishes!" Kitahara's mother called out as she opened the kitchen door, and the aroma wafted out with her voice.
The two responded in unison.
The rice paddy duck is placed in the very center of the dish. The soup is golden and clear, with a thin layer of oil floating on the surface, shimmering with an enticing sheen.
Kitahara's father sat at the head of the table, and Kitahara Hakuma thought for a moment and decided to sit opposite him.
On one side were Saito Haruka and Kitahara Ai, and on the other side were the mother and two other girls.
"Oh my, it's been so long since our house has been this lively," Kitahara's mother said with a smile. "Eat up, eat up, try Auntie's cooking."
After a thank you for saying "I'm starting," everyone began to enjoy their dinner.
Kitahara Hakuba picked up a piece of cheese crab steak first, but no one picked up the legs of the Inada Duck, and no one wanted the wings either.
The younger sister is also very well-behaved and sensible, and plans to give it up to her three older sisters.
Even his parents, who had lived for forty-seven years, did not make any statement.
It seems that for them, it's really difficult to divide the duck legs among three girls, which is blatant bullying.
At that moment, Kitahara's mother glanced over with a subtle look, as if to say, "Aren't you going to do something?"
Kitahara Hakuba pretended not to see it and continued eating the cheese crab steak in his bowl.
How about giving it to Tsukiyo and Eri? They're both pretty well-behaved. Although Eri is feeling a bit down right now, it's fine.
Sunbird's Words
It doesn't matter anymore, does it? She knows why she can't get the duck leg.
As for my sister, who cares? She can eat at home all the time anyway.
Just as Kitahara Hakuba was about to make a move against Inayuka, Kitahara Ai suddenly remembered something and said:
"Tan! You can stay here overnight after you finish eating. All your suitcases are here. I have a super fun Monopoly game, and now that there are so many of us, we can play it!"
Her words immediately earned her mother's approval:
"Yes, yes, Qingxiang hasn't come back to stay either. There's a spare room on the second floor. I'll go tidy it up in a bit. There's plenty of room."
Just as Kitahara Hakuba thought the suggestion was boring, unrealistic, and would soon be politely rejected, he noticed that the three people were silent.
His gaze unconsciously drifted to the extremely polite and well-mannered Nagase Tsukiyo.
But she seemed busy, sipping the duck soup repeatedly, unable to free her mouth.
Moonlit Mulberry?
Let's not drink the duck soup yet, let's talk first, Moonlit Sang?
Chapter 238, Section 237: Then I'll call you... Little Ai? (4K)
Kitahara Hakuba walked to the restroom at the bottom of the stairs but didn't find Saito Harutori outside.
These two, could they be going to the toilet together?
The problem is, there's only one toilet seat in the bathroom! And when did these two get back on good terms?
But the two of them didn't seem to be making any strange noises inside, so Kitahara Hakuba didn't plan to call out to them.
A short while later, the piano piece "Wedding in a Dream" drifted from the living room.
Kitahara Hakuba had expected Nagase Tsukiyo to show off her skills in front of him, but he didn't expect her to play such a simple piece.
Halfway through the play, the bathroom door opened, and Kanzaki Eri came out first, followed by Saito Haruka.
So fast, it seems the two of them didn't take off their skirts and play games inside.
"White Horse, go get some chives from the door."
At that moment, Kitahara's mother opened the kitchen door, called out to Kitahara Hakuba, and then spoke to the three girls.
"Sorry, you'll have to wait a little longer. You can go up to Hakuba's room to play on the computer; he has a lot of stuff in his room."
"Mom, that's my room," Kitahara Hakuba complained, somewhat puzzled. "It's not a guest room."
"It cost two or three hundred thousand to buy back then, and now you don't even use it. Isn't it a waste to keep it? Go get the chives." Beiyuan's mother instructed him.
Although Kitahara's mother said that, none of the three of them intended to go upstairs.
Kitahara Hakuba walked out of the house. In the yard, there were several styrofoam boxes with chives and scallions planted inside. The two looked very similar.
Chive leaves are solid, while scallions are hollow.
When I was little, every time I went out to get groceries, I would silently recite this. As I bent down to twist off the leeks, I heard Eri Kanzaki's voice behind me:
"No knife needed?"
He turned around and saw Eri Kanzaki standing behind him, holding a small knife in both hands. The knife in her hands looked like a novel toy, and the blade reflected a faint silver light.
There is a kind of innocence that carries a hint of mysterious danger.
Kitahara Hakuba felt comfortable for a moment, then stretched out his hand and said, "I'm sorry to trouble you to come out again."
"No." Kanzaki Eri pinched the blade with her fingertips and turned the handle toward him.
Kitahara Hakuba harvested chives with a knife and said calmly, "What did Saito-kun say to you?"
Okay, he really wanted to know what the two pretty girls were doing in the bathroom; it was his damn gossipy nature.
Eri Kanzaki's skirt billowed in the wind, clinging to her legs and highlighting the girl's rounded hips and slender legs.
I can't do it.
"What?" Kitahara Hakuba turned his head, holding a handful of bright green chives in his left hand.
Eri Kanzaki raised her hand to brush her sideways hair, her brows furrowed, and she pursed her lower lip as she said:
"So, I can't feel happy when they're around."
Kitahara Hakuba took a shallow breath; the cut chives emitted a unique and rich aroma, a fresh spiciness.
“Didn’t you decide this yourselves? You should all come together.” he said.
Kanzaki Eri covered her thighs with her hand, looking at the hem of her skirt, and said:
"Yes, there won't be a next time. If it were Kitahara-sensei, he would definitely choose me."
"Because of our shared destiny, isn't that how it is? You choose me, I choose you."
A serene smile, like that of a young girl in the throes of first love, graced Eri Kanzaki's delicate, petite face.
"No one can overstep our bounds. From now on, it will just be the two of us supporting each other. Moonlit Night and Sunny Bird are unnecessary. I want..."
Hold the line.
Kitahara Hakuba spat out a mouthful of saliva, and Eri's bangs swayed gently in the wind, like strands of silk dancing on her forehead.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in his hair, creating delicate light and shadow. Kitahara Hakuba didn't know what to say; he simply turned his head and carefully began cutting the chives.
At this moment, he became increasingly aware that he might one day fall into the abyss, but before he was smashed to pieces, he always felt that this unease would disappear with the passage of time.
By the time I realized what was happening, my left hand had already grabbed a large handful of chives, and even some scallions.
The chives and scallions planted in the styrofoam box were all cut down completely.
Finished!!
Kitahara Hakuba's nostrils were filled with a pungent smell as he carried a large amount back to the kitchen.
"How could you have cut so much?" Kitahara's mother exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock.
"My hands, my feel for it, are back."
"Would you be like this when you were a teacher at school? How could you be so careless in your work?" Kitahara's mother scolded.
?
Kitahara's mother glared at him and quickly called him out.
Just as he was about to sit down next to Nagase Tsukiyo and continue playing his little piano, a sound came from the entrance hall.
It's my younger sister, Kitahara Ai, who's a first-year high school student. She's back.
She had shoulder-length short hair, wore a black Western-style uniform, a plaid pleated skirt, and black knee-high socks, and was rather thin.
"So many shoes!"
As soon as Kitahara Ai entered the room, she shouted at the top of her lungs. As if it was hot, she took off her socks and stepped on the floor barefoot without even wearing slippers.