The first-half is Maria’s POV at the tea ceremony room, the second-half is Hitomi’s POV at the Mizutanigawa household.

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After having a small cake party with everyone, the other members except Sumire, Hitomi, and I started to gather in the second tea ceremony room.

Sumire was unhappy at first, but recently she has gotten used to it and doesn’t try to kick them out even when she swears at them.

“Well, if it’s that novel, then I have it.”
“Eh, seriously?”

Sumire seemed to have a novel that Mr. Asami was planning to buy on her way home from school, their conversation was lively. It seemed that both of them liked books, so they get excited when they have something in common.

“I will bring it tomorrow! Santa Claus gave it to me the other day.”

The atmosphere was frozen by Sumire’s unbelievable words. She was already in high school and yet she still believed in Santa Claus? Before countering such a statement, Christmas is still far away, so there is no way Santa Claus would have given it to her ‘the other day.’

“Sumire…It’s summer now.”
“What, Maria? Santa Claus comes to my house everyday.”

As expected, both Hitomi and Asami-san made a wry smile when Sumire spoke as if it was a natural thing. When Kiryuu said ”Is this girl crazy?” Sumire glared at him and bit him like usual.

“Sumire’s family is a bit unusual, they have a Santa Claus clerk.”
“Santa Claus clerk?”

Hitomi, who apparently knew that Sumire did not really believe in the imaginary Santa Claus, explained to me.

It seems that Sumire, the only daughter of the Mizuyagawa family, is being doted on heavily by her family, and every morning when she wakes up, there is a present for her. They give her everything she wants and even what she doesn’t want. From cheap sweets, shoujo manga and other entertainment to dictionaries and a personal computer.

Hitomi told me this secretly so Sumire wouldn’t hear it, but it seems that Santa’s identities are her three older brothers. They take turns to give Sumire gifts or something. When I blurted, “What kind brothers, eh?” Hitomi smiled, her cheeks stiffened in annoyance. It seems that a lot of strange things happen at Sumire’s house.

“It seems she was given too much that she became such a strange young lady.”

Amamiya laughs happily as he watches Sumire arguing with Kiryuu. Asami has joined the dispute between Kiryuu and Sumire, so it should be over soon. Those two really don’t get along.

“Hmm, well, now I think it was probably for the best.”
“Why?”
“When I was little…Sumire was a child who didn’t laugh much. I think her older brothers tried their best to make her laugh. It’s a change in her character that went a little too far…not that, but it’s out of love. They can leave from Sumire, though.”

Hitomi’s face looked a bit lonely, but she still talked in a nostalgic way. I’m sure there are memories of these girls that I don’t know about. I hope that one day I can learn about their past, which is not told in the original story.

“…She is the opposite of Takuto.”

Perhaps, I was the only one who could hear Tengenji’s mumbling. With such a low voice, he looked at Kiryuu while lowering his eyebrows sadly. This side too, I’m sure there must be something in their past that I don’t know.

Kiryuu, who never laughed, used to laugh when he was a child.
Sumire, who laughs a lot, used to never laugh when she was a child.

The two who are opposites but resemble each other. I wonder if the author was thinking about these two pasts that exist in this world that I don’t know about?

“Sumire, eat some candy and calm down.”
“Candy!”

Sumire held the candy given by Hitomi in both hands, then ate it happily.

“The sweet part around it and the light texture is irresistible. Hitomi, one more!”
“No. You’ve eaten five today.”

Sumire was busy laughing, getting angry, and sulking. Usually, Sumire has a lovely image with few words, but the real Sumire is so expressive like this.

“Maria? You’ve been in a daze since a while ago, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Do you want half of my candy?”
“You’re the best!”

I don’t know what happened in the past, but I’m glad to see Sumire smiling like this. When I think about the future, I’m afraid that someday this daily life might end. Even so, I’ll burn it into my memories so that I won’t forget this daily life.

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

＜Santa Claus at the Mizutanigawa’s＞

One day, when I was summoned to the Mizuyagawa household, I had a pretty good idea of what was going to happen.

“Now then, I would like to start the meeting about what Sumire wants. Raise your hand if you have an idea.”
“I think chipmunk is good.”
“Hey, raise your hand. Chipmunk is under review.”

The stranger that sits in front of me…ah no, Sumire’s older brother, Leo, the eldest son, and Shion the second son. They had somehow prepared a whiteboard that they bought somewhere. It didn’t fit the room decorated with antique style. On the whiteboard was written ‘Conference about what Sumire wants’ in extremely beautiful handwriting.

“Hitomi, the reason I called you here is to ask you to provide me with information about Sumire recently.”

The eldest son, Leo, who seems to be a cool guy at first glance, is quite the Sumire super fan despite his appearance. He is a serious perv—weirdo.

These siblings have a collection of Sumire’s facial expressions that they had made into an album, they are quite dangerous people. It was sickening, especially when they talked about how cute her crying face is. 

“Leo, you didn’t raise your hand either!”
“Hey, don’t shake me. My glasses!”

Leo’s silver-rimmed glasses fell down on the table when the second son, Shion, shook his shoulder violently. As always, Shion has a high tension.

“Like I said, Sumire is now attracted to a group called Jason Brothers! You asked how I know this? Because my Hawk-Eye can see everything!”

After saying that, Shion lifted his bangs and showed me his forehead.

“…That’s a mole, right?”
“It’s not a mole! It’s name is Hawk-Eye. I repel evil!”

There it is. Shion’s signature phrase. He, who is suffering from a severe grandiose delusion calls the mole on his forehead a Hawk-Eye.

“Shion, you didn’t raise your hand either!”
“By the way, Sumire looked like she was having fun singing, but she was tone-deaf! She was cute! It looks like I was the only one who heard it! You must be jealous!”
“Listen to what other people say! How envious!”

I want to go home. I wonder if I’m not allowed to go home now? I’m often called in, but it’s been decided that Shion will advance the talk without really listening to what I have to say anyway.

My heart jumped in fright when I saw the door open and a person walked into the room.

I hadn’t seen him in about two months, and he still had the same unhealthy white skin so fragile that made me think he was going to collapse. He’s so fragile that just merely touching him will make him disappear. 

“Welcome, Hitomi.”

Feeling embarrassed and feverish just because my name was being called by someone. The smile that was directed at me almost made me grin, even though it was only because I was Sumire’s friend.

“You’re late! Hart!”
“Ah, sorry, sorry.”
“I have to prepare something.”

The third son, Hart, resembles Sumire the most, I think. If anything, I think Leo and Shion resemble their uncle.

Even though I was thinking of going home…now that he is here, I want to stay a little longer. I was happy just to be in the same room, and wished that time would move more slowly than usual.

“Hitomi, you like your black tea with milk and one sugar, right?”
“Y-Yes”
“Hmm, please wait a bit.”

Mr. Hart is a person who loves to make something, so he not only makes sweets, but also brews tea. Furthermore, he is very particular about the way he brews the tea, and it tastes really good.

I’m sure he doesn’t know. I have always liked my tea black and sugarless. But the first time he brewed sweet milk tea for me, it tasted so good that I started to only like my milk tea sweet.

My secrets that he doesn’t know are increasing.

May today last just a little longer.

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