Tokyo: I took in a homeless girl

However, Suguha Ezaki didn't take it seriously at all, and even chuckled, as if she doubted that Shiori Mine could really get revenge on her from somewhere. Last time, she had let the other party off the hook, otherwise, given Shiori Mine's personality, she would have fainted from embarrassment long ago.

Seeing her noncommittal expression, Sawayama Haruno inwardly grumbled while turning her attention back to herself.

The food preparation is complete. Next up is the grilled food, which is obviously grilled. Since we're not eating it today, we'll leave it for now and move on to the boiled and vinegared dishes.

Pickled foods are the easiest to handle; you just need to marinate them with salt. Although the process can make your hands a little sore and the smell can be quite strong, once it's done, you don't need to keep handling it, so it's quite convenient.

The part that needs to be prepared for cooking is the fish. Clean the fish in advance, remove the internal organs, and there should be more than one fish, because we will definitely be making miso soup tomorrow. To enhance the flavor of the miso soup, it is best to pan-fry the fish before cooking it.

He wouldn't finish everything at once, but he could get the preparations done so that they could be ready to eat within an hour by tomorrow night.

After all, there are eight people in the family now. If we really wait until tomorrow to cook, we don't know when we'll finish.

"That's about it. Let's leave the other plates like this for now."

Sawayama Haruno began to seal the prepared Osechi Ryori in plastic bags one by one, and then decided to take it to the living room to put it away temporarily.

Since the food for tonight's meal isn't finished yet, and it's impossible to put all of these dishes in the refrigerator, they can only be left outside for now. They'll be brought into the kitchen after dinner. Anyway, with the current weather, they won't freeze even if they're left out for several days and nights.

Sawayama Haruno also brought in the buckwheat noodles that his mother had half-kneaded. He thought she was too slow, and that he had to do it himself. With the skills given to him by the system, he could perfectly control the strength and efficiency and finish making the buckwheat noodles in the shortest amount of time.

Chapter 394 Five Together?

"it is good!"

"That means Shiori has lost another game!"

With lightning speed, Miyazawa Maki confiscated all of Mine Shiori's "asset card" and banknotes, meaning that Mine Shiori had once again lost in their Monopoly game.

The petite girl, her face full of bewilderment, was clearly unable to accept it. However, when she saw that almost every shop on the tablecloth was marked with a label related to Miyazawa Maki or Ayano Yui, she had to admit defeat.

Her dice luck was terrible; she encountered all sorts of unlucky events shortly after the game started, which prevented her assets from doubling. Although she managed to buy a few plots of land hoping to make money, Miyazawa Maki and Ayano Yui on the other side had such strong luck that it was difficult for her to beat them in this kind of game.

"I lost again."

After facing reality, Shiori Mine could only sigh helplessly.

She looked at Miyazawa Maki, who was smugly high-fiving Ayano Yui, and asked curiously, "And then what? You've already lost three games in a row, aren't you going to punish me?"

The group had been playing upstairs for half a day, and even Mana Miyazawa had gone upstairs to take a shower, but they still hadn't started a round of punishments yet.

At the beginning of the game, Maki Miyazawa solemnly stated that "the loser must abide by the punishment system," which seemed to be very strict. Shiori Mine herself had already prepared herself mentally, but the punishment never came.

The most terrifying fear is knowing something is coming, but not knowing what it is or when it will come. Mine Shiori was already getting impatient, especially since Miyazawa Mana would be out of the shower in a little while, and it would be almost dinnertime downstairs.

If Maki Miyazawa doesn't establish a punishment soon, she might not have time left.

"Well, of course I had already thought about that a long time ago."

Miyazawa Maki and Ayano Yui exchanged a glance, then Miyazawa cleared her throat and deliberately dragged out her words, "But I don't know if Shiori can finish it."

"Yeah, yeah, it's a very serious punishment after all," Ayano Yui chimed in, feigning intimidation. "Most people would probably be terrified, but it's actually nothing heinous, and you won't feel any pain. In fact, it'll feel quite comfortable!"

"So, you really want to repeat what happened that day, don't you?"

Shiori Minato shrank back and said weakly, "Like what happened with Suguha before? Except this time it's the three of us?"

Now that things have come to this point, even a three-year-old would know what they're up to. Seeing how familiar the situation seemed, Mine Shiori quickly figured out what the two were up to.

But according to Naoya Ezaki, isn't today a "rest day" for Haruno Sawayama?

—It's a period where no one can make a move, allowing Sawayama Haruno to rest properly.

Even if all three of them go together, the other two will still be unhappy with this punishment. What will happen to Suguha Ezaki and Mana Miyazawa?

"As expected of Shiori, she understood it immediately!"

Seeing that the other party had already revealed their plan, Ayano Yui's eyes lit up and she said impatiently, "Of course it's not just the three of us. Because special holidays are like Haruno's, it's not easy to divide them equally, so we have to go together!"

“Wait, isn’t it a bit too blunt to just say ‘let’s all come together’?” Miyazawa Maki wrinkled her nose for the first time ever, and corrected, “It should be more poetic, like ‘let’s all gather around the stove and brew tea together’.”

"."

Shiori Minato looked at Maki Miyazawa with an expression that said, "I don't understand, but I'm utterly shocked." How could such words come out of your mouth? What the hell is this "tea brewing around a fire" nonsense? That's just IMPART!!

No matter how much these two try to embellish their plan, anyone with eyes can see what will happen in the second half. It's impossible for five people to actually sit on the bed drinking tea and chatting all night long, right?!

Putting aside everything else, even Shiori Mine herself doesn't think she could do it, let alone with Maki Miyazawa and Yui Ayano, those two lively characters, involved.

She has gradually figured out the personality of each member of the family. The only ones who are relatively mature and reliable are Suguha Ezaki and Mana Miyazawa. The other two are the most unconventional and the ones who cause the most trouble.

Clearly, this "tea gathering around the stove" is their latest goal. Are they going to have Sawayama Haruno step over each of the five of them on New Year's Eve? What a lewd excuse.

Shiori's face instantly turned bright red. She whispered, "Is it really okay? You haven't told Suguha and Mana yet, have you?"

"Just tell me later."

Maki Miyazawa waved her hand dismissively and said casually, "Anyway, she's taking a shower right now. I'll just tell her when she comes out, and she definitely won't refuse."

Just kidding, Mana Miyazawa's fetish means she's the one who most wants to see that scene happen, and experience it live, with four other girls present. It's incredibly exciting for Mana Miyazawa.

As the younger twin sister, Maki was naturally certain that the other party would not refuse.

As for Suguha Ezaki, her personality makes things even easier to handle. After everyone has laid their cards on the table, they feel there's nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about. Suguha herself will only feel even less concerned, and after a few words of persuasion, she will agree.

The one who was truly difficult to invite in was actually Shiori Mine. That's why she and Yui Ayano spent half a day playing games together, and finally used "punishment" to coerce her!

"We're not trying to 'kidnap' Shiori, it's just that it's a rare family event, and it wouldn't be right for us not to participate, would it?"

Ayano Yui blinked, looking completely innocent, and said, "Besides, this is also part of the 'punishment,' or is Shiori trying to deny it? If that's the case, then there's nothing we can do. After all, it's just a game, just for fun. We can't really make you do something you don't want to do."

"Stop talking, I agree."

Shiori Mine covered her face and said in a trembling voice, "But we don't have a bed that big, and Haruno's parents are still alive. What are you planning to do?"

“What are you worried about? We’ll be going back to the hotel soon, right?” Miyazawa Maki added enthusiastically from the side. “I’ve already made preparations. I’ve rented a detached villa near the hotel, and we’ll be staying there tonight. A cleaning company has already cleaned it up.”

According to tonight's plan, after the family finishes their soba noodles and dinner, Haruno Sawayama will take the women back to their hotel to rest.

It was called a drop-off, but it was really just a few extra steps, because the drivers who had previously driven the minivans were actually responsible for the pick-up and drop-off. As for Sawayama Haruno, he was going to take Ayano Yui to her house for a visit.

Of course, this time Sawayama Haruno won't be staying overnight at Ayano's house. After he's had his fill of people, he'll definitely come back to find other girls.

Ayano Yui had no intention of staying at home overnight. How could such an important IM—no, such an important "tea gathering"—be without her? Of course, she had to come back with Sawayama Haruno. As for an excuse, she could just make one up on the spot.

These kinds of trivial matters are commonplace for Ayano Yui, and she doesn't even need to plan ahead.

"You guys, you've prepared quite thoroughly."

Hearing Miyazawa Maki proudly reveal her entire plan, Mine Shiori smirked and said, "Is there anything I don't know?"

"clothing?"

Maki Miyazawa tilted her head and said uncertainly, "But your size was determined by Suguha, so I don't know if those clothes will fit you."

Clothing was naturally a top priority, but they were accompanied by an extremely powerful team that could procure any clothing they needed in the shortest possible time, including some less desirable items.

Miyazawa Maki had given prior instructions, so even Sawayama Haruno didn't know this part yet. He was still standing downstairs, cluelessly preparing tonight's meal.

"All right."

Seeing that Miyazawa Maki and Ayano Yuichi had planned things to this extent, even if Mine Shiori wanted to say something, she could only agree for now.

Fortunately, her previous experience with Suguha Ezaki had prepared her mentally for the situation. In addition, everyone else would be coming this time, and if she wasn't, she would feel a strange sense of loss. Shiori Mine didn't want her progress with Haruno Sawayama to fall too far behind others.

She thought to herself that it was time to try and fight for it herself.

When I joined Kodansha, wasn't it all to get closer to Haruno Sawayama? And when I took the initiative to pursue her back in Canada, it was all so that we could be together as lovers now.

If that's the case, then as long as the relationship between the two continues to grow closer, I should be willing to make even bolder attempts.

After making her decision, Shiori Mine no longer hesitated and quickly agreed to what Maki Miyazawa said. The three of them chatted for a while about their plans for New Year's Eve until Mana Miyazawa came out of the shower. Maki Miyazawa then gave Yui Ayano a wink.

The latter immediately understood and stood up to call out to Miyazawa Mana, who was about to go downstairs to continue helping.

"Mana, wait"

"Ok?"

Mana Miyazawa paused, turning back to look at the three of them with some confusion.

"What's wrong? Weren't you guys going to play games?"

"I've had enough fun. Can you help me with my hair?" Ayano Yui made up an excuse. "I'm thinking of getting a different hairstyle, but I haven't decided how to tie it yet. Mana, you used to have long hair, so you should have more experience, right?"

"Would you like to try a different way of tying it?"

After hearing what Ayano Yui said, Miyazawa Mana hesitated for a moment before finally agreeing to her request.

And so things happened incredibly smoothly. Miyazawa Mana was successfully pulled into Ayano Yui's room, where she would persuade him to join tonight's plan.

Shiori Mine was somewhat puzzled by this.

"Maki, since you said it would be five people together, that means you planned for Mana to come from the beginning, right? Why didn't you tell her?"

"How could I possibly accept this?"

Miyazawa Maki pouted and complained, "She's given me so many bad looks before, isn't it strange to go and discuss this with her now? Of course, I asked Yui to pass on the message."

"But Mana will still figure out that you have something to do with it, right?" Mine Shiori didn't dare say those words out loud.

She felt that the other person was sometimes too arrogant, especially when dealing with issues between sisters.

Even though the two of them are no longer as resentful of their twin status as before, and even though Miyazawa Maki now has her own twin daughters, she still sometimes acts like she's sulking with Mana.

It's hard to tell whether their sisterly relationship can be considered friendly or unfriendly; it's probably somewhere in between, a constant back-and-forth struggle.

Just like the relationship between the five of them and Sawayama Haruno, their red threads had long been tightly intertwined, making it difficult for anyone to untangle them.

Shiori Mine didn't think any further, while Suguha Ezaki had already gone upstairs to call them down for dinner.

After two hours of preparation, Chef Sawayama Haruno had finally finished preparing the dishes for the evening. Although the buckwheat noodles were relatively easy to make, the other dishes were not so simple. He prepared them exactly according to the standards of his previous life's festival, a Japanese version of eight dishes and one soup.

Mana Miyazawa and Yui Ayano lingered upstairs for a little while. It was unclear whether it was because Yui Ayano took some time to persuade her or because Yui Ayano needed to redo her hair. In any case, after the two of them came downstairs and sat down, the whole family was neatly seated at the dining table.

Sawayama Haruno's father rightfully took the most prominent seat, while Sawayama Ako sat directly opposite him.

Sawayama Haruno and five girls made a total of six people, who sat at the table in groups of three on both sides.

Fortunately, this dining table was bought by Ayako Sawayama on a whim more than half a month ago; otherwise, it would have been difficult to seat so many people at the old dining table.

Even though the newly purchased dining table was already quite large, it still felt strangely crowded when it was filled with various dishes and people. Miyazawa Maki even leaned against Sawayama Haruno's chest, and it was unclear whether she was doing it on purpose or if she wanted to act cute and have Sawayama Haruno feed her later.

Although it was a bit crowded, it had a stronger festive atmosphere. The TV had just finished airing a comedy variety show, and it was time for the station to broadcast the nighttime weather report. The host also offered New Year's greetings at the beginning of the program.

Such commotion naturally reached the ears of Sawayama Haruno. His eyes flickered slightly as he looked at his elderly father, who had been sitting down and remained silent for a long time.

The other person still didn't speak, but simply looked over with their eyes as well.

Honestly. Sawayama Haruno suddenly felt a little helpless. You should be the one sitting in the main seat. Is it really okay for me to do this at a time like this?

After hesitating for a moment, Sawayama Haruno did not utter the ritualistic phrase that Japanese people always use before meals, but instead picked up the glass of orange juice next to him.

"Then let's toast to the New Year!"

Cheers to the New Year!

The women raised their orange juice glasses and, in unison, followed the gesture of Sawayama Haruno, raising their glasses to each other in mid-air.

The glass reflected the light, creating a dazzling arc that made me squint slightly. It was truly a beautiful day.

Chapter 395 Fireworks on New Year's Eve

Around 7:40 p.m., it started to snow lightly in Osaka.

Only in the coastal Kansai region can one still feel this slight chill. It should be noted that this year, there has been far less cold air blowing in from Siberia than in previous years, and winter in Tokyo ended early, with no more snow on the streets. Only the Kansai and Hokkaido regions are exceptions.

After leaving home, Sawayama Haruno looked at the gloomy sky with snow falling outside and couldn't help but sigh, "It's almost eight o'clock, but it's still not completely dark. The season is really too short this year."

"Isn't shorter better?"

Standing next to him, Mana Miyazawa glanced back at the other girls who were still dawdling inside changing their shoes, and smiled slightly, saying, "It won't be too cold, and it's snowing, so it feels quite atmospheric."

"It's just a nice atmosphere now. After the fireworks, all this falling snow will turn black and won't look good then," said Haruno Sawayama with a smile.

"Unromantic and clueless."

Mana Miyazawa couldn't help but roll her eyes at the other person, but she was still somewhat looking forward to the fireworks later.

Osaka isn't as strict as Tokyo, but even in Tokyo, people set off fireworks, just not on a very large or grand scale. If the fireworks have too many rotations, it has to be reported. Only the organizers of the events are authorized to set off large fireworks.

Watching fireworks is something that no girl in an island nation can resist, and Miyazawa Mana is no exception. In fact, she has never watched fireworks in Osaka with Sawayama Haruno.

I should have taken the time to see if I could catch a fireworks display in Osaka when I went to Atami. The beaches there by the sea should have fireworks festivals too.