The Sleepover

After the afternoon classes ended, Caro and I returned home.

Then, after preparing for my part-time job and lightly cleaning the room, I went to the bakery next door.

“Welcome back, both of you. Good luck with the second half of the shift.”

Marie-san called out to Caro and me.

“ “We’re back, Marie-san.” “

Caro and I began working at our respective stations.

I started making bread dough to be sold for dinner. Marie-san and Caro did the finishing and display work for the completed bread, while Catherine handled the register. Since there was still a little time before the evening rush when customers increased, the shop was quiet. How much we could prepare now would greatly affect our sales.

Since we started stocking white bread, we decided to display bread knives and shelf-stable jams alongside it. To avoid suspicion about the source, I used items from the home improvement store; I took the knives out of their packaging and put them in their included cases, and I transferred the jam into small glass jars before lining them up.

Gradually, the number of customers increased, with some buying the usual bread and others buying the new white bread along with jam; each customer bought what they wanted and headed home.

“Even so, this bread knife you brought, Kent-san, isn’t suited for cutting other things, but it cuts bread so well.”

Marie-san said while slicing bread after being requested to do so. It was the same as the ones we were selling, and just as she said, it cut well and was easy to use.

“I used it for the first time today, and it’s true. It cuts very well.”

“It must have been made by a truly amazing craftsman. Is it really alright to sell them at this price?”

The bread knives on display were sold with a small profit added to the price I got them for at the home improvement store. Because of that, the price for a blade was far below the market rate in this city (I judged there was no competition since other shops didn’t carry bread knives). Quite a few had been sold today alone.

“Well, since the wholesale price is what I told you, Marie-san, the shop is making a profit, so I think it’s fine.”

“If you say so, then it’s fine, but…”

Marie-san spoke with a slightly worried expression, despite me saying there was no need for concern.

Then, time flowed without issue, and we were able to finish the day’s business successfully.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Kent-san.”

After finishing the shop’s cleanup, Caro, Marie-san, Catherine, and I headed toward my house. Marie-san and Catherine were coming along because I had invited them to see what electricity was.

“Please, come in.”

I entered first and turned on the lights; Marie-san and Catherine followed, and finally, Caro entered and closed the door.

“The room is so bright!”

Marie-san looked around the room in surprise.

“It looks just like it’s daytime.”

Catherine was also amazed.

“This uses something called electricity to light the room.”

I explained.

“Is that so?”

Caro said while looking at the lighting curiously.

“Caro-san, did you perhaps not know?”

“I was only taught how to use it, but I didn’t receive an explanation…”

When she said it, I thought that might have indeed been the case.

“It’s a bit hot, perhaps because the sun was out today. Shall we open a window?”

Caro suggested. Though I wasn’t very aware of it, the season seemed to be heading toward summer. Looking at the thermometer in the room, the temperature had risen to nearly 30°C.

“It certainly might be hot. In that case, let’s use this.”

Saying so, I turned on the power to the air conditioner in the living room. After a short while, cooled air began to emerge from the unit.

“Cold wind is coming out!”

Caro looked at the air conditioner’s vent in surprise.

Marie-san and Catherine were also watching with amazed expressions.

“Does this mean it won’t be hot even when summer comes if we use this?”

Catherine asked me.

“That’s right. I think at least this room will be cool.”

“I’m jealous. I want one too.”

Catherine seemed to be bad with the heat and had a face that suggested she desperately wanted one.

“But isn’t it expensive?”

Marie-san quietly asked me.

“Well, for just the machine it’s about this much… but calculating from the power generation equipment… it’s probably around this much.”

I quietly told Marie-san the amount.

“Kent-san, where did the money to outfit this house come from? You aren’t doing anything bad, are you?”

Marie-san suddenly spoke to me with a worried look.

“It’s okay… right?”

I said, turning toward Caro. Caro nodded silently with a firm “kokuku” motion.

“Well, since we’ve been shown this ‘electricity’ for now, shall we head home?”

Marie-san said to Catherine.

“No. I’m staying over at Big Brother’s house today.”

Catherine declared.

“It’s a cramped house, but I don’t mind.”

I gave a simple reply. (At this point, no one thought that this would develop into something outrageous later on.)

“Yay! Thank you, Big Brother.”

Saying so, Catherine hugged me and kissed me on the cheek.

“Wh—!”

Caro let out a strange sound at that moment.

“Oh my, oh my.”

Marie-san watched the scene with a smile.

“Well then, what shall we do for dinner?”

In the end, Marie-san and Catherine, who were staying over, went back to their home once to grab a change of clothes. While the two were gone, Caro asked me about the meal.

The only food I could prepare immediately was what was sold at the home improvement store where I used to work. While they did carry some commercial-grade ingredients and a decent variety, it was mostly frozen or shelf-stable goods; they didn’t handle prepared side dishes or fresh produce.

For the time being, I decided to cook some rice. I washed the rice, added water, set it in the rice cooker, and was done. If I left it alone, the rice would be secured.

“Kent-san, what are you doing?”

Caro asked me, feeling curious.

“Um, well. I’m cooking rice. When that number reaches zero, it’ll be finished.”

“Can it really be done that easily?”

Even as we spoke, the numbers were steadily decreasing.

“It’s a world of difference compared to building a fire and watching the intensity while cooking. This is the power of electricity, isn’t it?”

“Yes, the power of electricity.”

I was thinking about today’s menu.

“Alright, let’s have meat today.”

Saying so, I took out my terminal and ordered frozen steak meat (imported to save money), a frozen vegetable mix, and corn soup.

“Then, Caro-san, could you help me?”

“Yes”

We began cooking as a joint effort. That said, it was just lightly heating things through and boiling water for the soup… By the time the rice was cooked, Marie-san and Catherine had returned with their belongings.

“Something smells good”

Everything except the rice was already prepared. Just at that timing, the rice cooker finished.

Caro and I dished the rice onto plates and lined them up on the table. The dining table in the kitchen sat exactly four people.

“Kent-san, where did you get such expensive-looking meat?”

“It wasn’t that expensive, you know? It’s an amount I can easily afford with what I earned working at Marie-san’s place.”

What I prepared was thin meat using cheap imported beef, so it wasn’t high in price, but it did blow through an entire day’s wages. I decided to justify it as an occasional treat.

“ “ “ “Let’s eat!” “ “ “

The four of us spoke in unison before we began eating.

“Big Brother, the meat is very delicious.”

“It is delicious. I didn’t think I’d be able to eat such grand meat.”

Catherine and Marie-san were overjoyed.

“It’s delicious. This soup has a creamy texture that is simply irresistible.”

Caro, who had eaten high-quality meat before, seemed to understand the quality of the beef. However, she was happily drinking the soup that was just powder dissolved in water.

“I’m sorry. I’ll earn more so I can treat you to even tastier meat, Caro-san.”

I whispered softly to Caro. Caro turned red and nodded “kokuku.”

After finishing the meal, I stuffed the used dishes into the dishwasher and turned on the switch.

“Kent-san, if it’s the washing up, I’ll help.”

“No, it’s fine. Please relax. If I put them in here, it washes them automatically.”

Marie-san offered, but I declined.

“Eh? There is such a convenient thing?”

Marie-san spoke as she watched the box that made sounds like water spraying (the dishwasher) with curiosity.

“Then, I’ll go prepare the bath.”

Caro said.

“Thank you, Caro-san. Please do.”

She went to the bathroom and returned in a few minutes.

“Caro-oneesan, is it finished already?”

“Yes, it will let us know when the hot water is filled.”

Having mastered its use, Caro prepared the bath with practiced hands. (Though she had only cleaned the tub and pressed the “fill” button.)

After a while, an automated voice announced the end of the filling process.

“The bath is ready.”

Marie-san and Catherine were startled by the automated voice. In the end, since they didn’t know how to use things, Caro, Marie-san, and Catherine decided to enter the bath together. There should be no problem in terms of space.

The voices of the three could be heard from the bathroom. I couldn’t make out the content, but they sounded like they were having a lot of fun. When the three came out of the bath, Caro was wearing a tracksuit, Catherine was in cute pajamas, and Marie-san was wearing a slightly sexy negligee.

“Kent-san, you’re next.”

Caro said to me.

“Then, I’m off.”

I got ready and entered the bath. When I came out, it seemed the three had been doing some kind of lottery.

“What were you all doing?”

When I asked the three, Catherine answered.

“We were deciding who sleeps in which bed. And you know, it was decided that me and Caro-oneesan, and Big Brother and Mama will sleep in the same beds.”

While I was away, something outrageous had been decided.