Alibi

Ryosuke and Yuki came home late in the afternoon. The young boy's arms were full of shopping bags, his cheeks slightly flushed. He cast a quick glance at the front door, but before he could even set the bags down, Sayuri appeared in front of them, arms crossed and chin held high.

"So, there you are," she muttered, her eyes fixed on Ryosuke with clear disapproval. Without another word, she gave them both a look that screamed resentment, then stormed up the stairs. It was as if she wanted to be noticed, each step echoing dramatically through the house.

A little unsettled, Yuki turned to look at her sister—their mother—who was waiting in the living room with a knowing smile.

"Don't worry, Yuki," she said gently. "Sayuri's just feeling a bit left out… she wanted to go with you, too. She told me she'd been hoping to spend some time with you as well."

Yuki sighed softly and called up the stairs. "Sayuri, sweetheart! Come down here, please!"

For a moment, silence answered her, but soon, Sayuri came down slowly, her head lowered, cheeks still wet with a few stubborn tears she tried to wipe away with her fingertips. She stopped in front of her aunt, looking up with an expression somewhere between pouting and curiosity.

With a smile, Yuki affectionately ruffled her hair. "Come on, Sayuri, tomorrow's your day, okay? I just needed a little one-on-one time with Ryosuke today, but tomorrow, I want to spend it all with you. Just us girls! We'll do anything you want."

Sayuri's eyes sparkled instantly, and she couldn't help a shy smile that chased away the last traces of sadness. She nodded eagerly, a glimmer of excitement lighting up her face. "Really, Auntie?"

"Really! I promise!"

Just then, Ryosuke, who had been watching quietly, finally walked into the living room, nearly stumbling under the weight of all the bags. With a sigh of relief, he let his burden drop to the floor. His mother looked at him, amused, a playful smile tugging at her lips.

"Well, well, looks like you enjoyed your day out," she teased, casting a curious glance at the colorful bags.

Ryosuke, a bit embarrassed, tried to brush it off, turning to walk away but then shrugging as if to downplay it all. "Hey, it's just a one-time thing, alright? No need to make it a big deal or anything!"

His mock-serious tone made everyone burst into laughter, even Sayuri, who was now in much better spirits, couldn't resist a giggle. In a newfound good mood, she sidled over to the bags, peeking inside with curiosity.

"So, what did you guys buy?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with interest.

Ryosuke rolled his eyes at his little sister's snooping, but he didn't stop her.

"Just guy stuff, Sayuri. Nothing here you'd find interesting!" Ryosuke replied, trying to sound serious.

"Oh, if it's that boring, you won't mind if I take a look!" she shot back with a mischievous smile, pulling out a brightly colored cap.

Ryosuke moved closer, pretending to be annoyed, gently took the cap from Sayuri's hands, and tousled her hair. "Alright, alright... you'll see your surprises tomorrow, so be patient!"

Sayuri's eyes sparkled with mischief as she turned to her mom, a sly grin spreading across her face. "Mom, guess what? Ryosuke got himself the cap from..." she teased, her laughter lighting up her face.

Caught off guard, Ryosuke felt his face turn red. Before he could stop himself, he clapped his hand over his little sister's mouth to hush her. "Shh! Stop talking nonsense, Sayuri!"

But Sayuri, undeterred, burst into laughter behind his hand. She wriggled and tried to pry his hand off, her muffled voice still playfully taunting him with unintelligible but clearly teasing words.

Soon enough, their play turned into a full-on wrestling match. Ryosuke finally let go, but Sayuri, determined to keep up the fun, lunged at him, yelling, "Admit it! It's a Spookman cap! You want to be like him!"

Ryosuke tried to ruffle her hair, but Sayuri ducked skillfully, darting away to keep pestering him.

Their laughter echoed through the room, and even their mother, watching from the sidelines, couldn't help but smile at their joyful squabble.

Yuki clapped her hands to get their attention. "Hey, you two, listen up for a second!" The kids froze, turning to her, intrigued by her upbeat tone. "How about we make a cake?"

Sayuri's eyes lit up instantly. "A cake? Really? Can we decorate it ourselves?" she asked, already thrilled at the thought of some kitchen fun.

Their mom, who had been listening to Yuki's suggestion with a warm smile, nodded with a laugh. "Great idea! Come on, let's get everything ready."

In no time, the whole family was in the kitchen, gathering ingredients. Sayuri bounced around, eager to help, while Ryosuke tried to keep things organized—though his attempts at order were constantly thrown off by his little sister's enthusiasm.

"I'll crack the eggs!" Sayuri shouted, carefully grabbing the carton as if it were a treasure.

Ryosuke crossed his arms, giving her a half-amused, half-skeptical look. "Just be careful, Sayuri. Last time, you dropped an egg on the floor!"

Sayuri gave him a defiant look, as if to say she knew exactly what she was doing. She cracked each egg with the precision of a pastry chef, sneaking a proud glance at her brother as if to prove she was in control.

Meanwhile, Yuki was getting the sugar and butter ready, sharing knowing glances with her sister, who was measuring the flour. The two adults exchanged smiles, clearly delighted to see the kids so happy and involved.

As time went on, the kitchen filled with laughter and lively chatter. Flour covered the countertop, and in a burst of excitement, Sayuri even managed to splatter a bit of melted chocolate out of the bowl.

Ryosuke grimaced, but couldn't help laughing when he saw the chocolate smudges on his sister's face. "You're almost as covered in chocolate as the cake!" he joked, grabbing a spoon to sneak a taste of the batter.

"Hey! No tasting before it's baked!" Yuki scolded him, pretending to be stern before giving him a playful wink.

Once the cake was ready, the kids watched proudly as it slid into the oven, then gathered around the table to wait.

TO BE CONTINUED!

Next Chapter: Cap on Kyoto