I paid off the debt for the most beautiful sisters in the school, and then they barged into my house where I live alone. “Please go back home; you don’t need to repay the favor.” “No way.” “We don’t want to~☆”

“This will be evening before long.”

Winter evenings came early, and by the time everything had settled down, it was nearing dusk.

The cold was gradually intensifying, but they managed to stay warm with layers of clothing, blankets, and the heat of a campfire. The warmth of the fire felt especially comforting after all the effort it took to set up camp.

“Hmm, it just turned out to be regular curry. Well, it feels more like curry hot pot, though.”

“Given that it’s our first time cooking rice in a pot, the success rate is quite high, don’t you think?”

In the end, dinner turned out to be curry, which was likely the go-to meal for occasions like this. The available ingredients were mostly suited for curry, hot pot, or barbeque anyway.

At the moment, they were watching a pot of curry simmering on the gas burner.

“It’s not bad, I guess. But I wanted to try making something more elaborate.”

Erika seemed like she wanted to try a variety of recipes. Outdoor cooking appeared to be fun for her; she might genuinely enjoy cooking as a hobby.

“Next time we go camping, I’ll do more research and practice! And speaking of next time, I’d love to go in a season where we can play in a lake or something.”

“So, are we talking about camping in the summer?”

“Exactly. I want to wear a swimsuit!”

Can you even swim in a lake? I get the ocean, but a lake?

Ah, the ocean might be nice too. But with these guys, I can totally see us getting hit on.

“We only have our school swimsuits, you know.”

“Hmm… Ah, how about Makoto buys them for us? He’ll probably want to see us in swimsuits!”

Jeez.

As much as I’d like to say otherwise, I honestly would want to see that. Pretty seriously.

“Alright, alright. We’ll talk about it when summer comes. But let’s not have me choose the swimsuits, okay?”

“Really!? Thanks, Dad!”

Who’s your dad?

“Stop calling me that; it’s creepy in multiple ways.”

“Ahaha, just slipped out. My sister gives off mom vibes, so I thought you might be the dad.”

“Do I really look that old…?”

I don’t think she means it that way. And if she does, then am I also aging poorly?

“Anyway! Speaking of showing off, I dressed up today since it’s almost our first trip. Bought this new outfit and all. But I’ve been in this fluffy jacket the whole time.”

Erika stood up and suddenly took off her jacket. Man, that looks cold.

“I’m showing this off for Makoto—so cold!? Ahh… Come on, Sis!”

“Me too!?”

“Yes, we dressed up, so we should show it off!”

“Ah, it’s cold…”

Of course it is. They took off their jackets and moved away from the fire.

“So? What do you think, Makoto?”

“Hmm? Uh, the aura is, intense?”

“What!? Is ‘intense’ the first word that comes to mind when you see a well-dressed girl? What do you mean?”

What can I say?

“When you guys all dress up like that, it’s kind of overwhelming.”

“…So are you saying we look good?”

“Was that a compliment!? The first word you use to describe us is ‘intense’? Ahahaha! You could’ve just said we’re cute! Overwhelming, ahahaha!”

“Shut up! You guys are used to being called cute or beautiful or whatever. Why would it matter if I say it now?”

“It does matter because it’s coming from you, Makoto, for various reasons.”
What does that mean? Well, I’m sure it’s not anything good.

“Hey, big sis… Big sis? Are you actually affected by what he just said?”

Karen was blushing for some reason and looking down next to Erika.

“No, that’s not it! I mean, it’s true that I’ve been told that many times before, but being told by Seiichiro-kun feels different, you know? Right?”

“Right? Well, maybe? Uh… If I think about it that way, it does feel a bit embarrassing. Maybe that was his version of saying ‘you’re cute.'”

Cut it out. Both of you reacting like that is making it awkward for me.

“Ugh, okay. Fashion show over! It’s getting cold.”

As soon as Erika says that, she adjusts her jacket and sits back down on the outdoor chair.

Karen also returns, and everyone reseats themselves around the bonfire.

“Let’s eat curry! It’s a delicious pot of curry!”

Indeed, the pot of curry they made was delicious. Eating the perfectly softened leafy vegetables and meat stewed in a broth mixed with curry felt like the cold added a kind of seasoning.

After eating, we had s’mores. By the time we finished eating the marshmallows roasted over the fire and sandwiched between cookies, it had fully turned to dusk.

“Ah, I’m full. Being outdoors makes it easy to gain weight, doesn’t it?”

“Probably. Normally there would be more physical activity, but this time the hotel staff is taking care of everything, so we’ve only been cooking and making a fire.”

Karen prepares hot cocoa for everyone. We sip it while watching the winter sky turning the lake red.

I see, so this is the charm of outdoor leisure. Just eating in a different environment felt quite refreshing.

Not bad at all.

“Being outdoors is pretty good. I’d like to try regular camping sometime. I’m looking forward to Erika’s serious outdoor cooking… Next time, summer would be nice.”

Summer would offer more recreational options.

As I’m sipping my cocoa, I suddenly feel their gaze on me.

“What is it?”

“Huh? Uh, just thinking that you really do want to hang out with us again.”

—Hmm?

“I thought you were half-joking about the swimsuit thing. But I was a little surprised, and pleased, to hear you seriously considering next year.”

Me, thinking about next year?

Why did I naturally assume I would be with them again next year?

I was planning everyday life with them?

Thinking about what we could do next summer?

And where we could go next winter?

Like it’s a given, that we’d be together season after season, just like…

“I also feel the same. I’ve been saying ‘bro’ and ‘dad’ half-jokingly, but when I’m here with big sis and Seiichiro-oniisan, I truly feel at ease.”

Just like…

“That’s right. If it were just Erika and me, we couldn’t have done something like this. I would have never felt this way. It’s like family bonding, in a very strange sense.”

A family, like…

“We’re just strangers.”

I blurt out in a chilling voice that even surprises me.

“Huh? Did you say something, Seiichiro-oniisan?”

“No, nothing. It’s really getting cold.”

“Shall we go back to the hotel soon? It’ll get colder when it gets dark.”

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

Thankfully, they seemed not to have heard my faint murmur.

Fortunately, probably.

After all, with these sisters—.