Hehe, These Delicious Juices are Hers!

The family of four, oh, sorry, one uncle with his niece and nephew and a female teacher went to the nearby department store for grocery shopping in the mid-afternoon. The supermarket was packed with patrons since it was on the weekend.

Kazuya picked Himari up exactly at two o'clock. Donned in a loose spring dress, Himari waved goodbye at Chobi who was lazily curling up into a ball on his favorite cushion.

"My friend would bring chicken karaage and egg sandwiches. Do you think my list is okay?"

Himari talked while unfolding the list she had written before. Kazuya placed Chiharu on the seat inside the shopping trolley. Izumi held the trolley, planning to push it. But, he gave up when he found his little sister's weight had made it hard for him to move the trolley.

"Is this the same list you've shown me?" Kazuya stood next to Himari. He bent down slightly as he tried to read the list.

Kazuya lifted up his brows when the first thing he noticed was her handwriting.

The alphabets looked round like balls and they were neatly written.

Cute, he thought.

Himari looked up when a shadow fell on her face. She was a bit startled when she found the man stood close to her.

"Ah, yes... Didn't Chiharu tell you that she wants these?"

Himari stuttered for a second before she quickly recomposed herself. A faint blush tinged her cheeks.

"What it is? What it is? Tell Chiharu~"

The little girl was quick to catch her name from her uncle and Teacher Kato's conversation. Her short legs dangled from the seat of the trolley as she waved her hands happily.

Kazuya clicked his tongue. He cast a judging look to the little dumpling who was excited to know what would Teacher Kato make for her.

"They are so much," Kazuya shook his head, "I think you could cross out the pasta and cupcakes. If not, you have to spend more time making all of them."

The list was the same as before. Himari listed down fruit sandwiches, rice balls, croquettes, Napolitan pasta and cupcakes. They were all the food that Chiharu pestered him to tell the female teacher the other day.

"Well, hehe, you're right," Himari wasn't shy to agree with him. She showed him the list to know if he would have another opinion.

"Just do what you could," Kazuya took the list from her.

The tips of their fingers briefly brushed each other, sending a faint sensation to their hearts.

"En, how about I make the fruit sandwiches, croquettes and Napolitan pasta?"

The three of them didn't take much time to be made.

"So, we will cross the rice balls and cupcakes from the list," Kazuya marked with a strike for the two rejected food.

"What? How come?" Chiharu's dejected voice came, "Uncle~ Chiharu wants those!"

Kazuya laughed at his niece, "We have so much food already. Do you still want the rice balls and cupcakes? Let's have them next time, en?"

"But, but..."

Chiharu's eyes already gleamed with tears. She looked so pitiful and funny at the same time.

"Chiharu, Teacher Kato would be tired if she has to prepare all of them" Izumi chimed in to persuade the little dumpling, "If Teacher Kato got tired, she couldn't follow us to the picnic."

"...Okay."

Apparently, her brother's excuses worked well instead of her uncle's.

Kazuya and Himari looked at each other. Once their eyes met, they burst into laughter.

"Alright, let's finish buying first then, Uncle will treat you with cupcakes," Kazuya patted the little dumpling's head, "Is that okay, my little princess?"

Little Princess Chiharu laughed happily as she agreed.

"Okay~"

The four of them entered the section of the fresh ingredients first.

While Kazuya pushed the trolley, Himari walked ahead of him. Chiharu kept looking at her left and right, occasionally she would stretch out her hands and pointed at something. Izumi was quiet as always as he walked beside his uncle with one hand lightly gripped the trolley handle.

Sometimes, Himari would stop to pick the items while exchanging opinions with mainly Kazuya. Izumi didn't mind what his teacher wanted to make while Chiharu was alright as long as the food was delicious.

Soon, half of the trolley was filled with the items they chose.

They went to the fruit section next.

"These strawberries look so red and juicy," Himari took out a pack of strawberries from the shelf. She turned to the little dumpling, "Chiharu, which fruits do you want for the fruit sandwiches?"

"Chiharu wants strawberries~" The little girl had fallen in love with the sight of transparent packs of strawberries in front of her, "Many, many strawberries~"

Himari changed her question to Izumi, "How about you, Izumi?"

"I don't mind, Teacher Kato," The young boy politely answered her.

Himari looked at Kazuya. This time, she didn't ask verbally but Kazuya answered by moving away from the trolley. He came closer to the fruit aisle.

"Could you make the strawberries-only while the other fill with different fruits?" His eyes scanned the aisle.

"Which fruits do you want? You could choose."

It wasn't a big deal. Fruit sandwiches had always been good if they had varieties of fruits in between the soft milk bread.

Aside from the strawberries that Himari picked, Kazuya chose a few more fruits next.

Kiwis, blueberries and oranges.

"Okay?" He showed the packs to Himari.

"Don't worry. I'd make delicious and sweet fruit sandwiches," Himari teased him.

Kazuya laughed in response. He placed all of the packs inside the trolley.

The trolley was pushed again by Kazuya. Chiharu was busy counting the items that her uncle and Teacher Kato chose. Her eyes lit up as she realized all of them were delicious!

"Little girl, do you want to try this? Boy, take a look at what I'm promoting."

A middle-aged woman's voice sounded from their left part. Himari glanced in the direction.

Oh, it was a promoter for a newly released juice.

The woman was trying to attract customers for the new product. Small paper cups filled with the juice were arranged on the counter.

Somehow, she was inclined to try it.

"Is this peach-and-apricot flavor?" Himari came closer while reading the stand-up banner next to the small counter.

"Yes, missus," The middle-aged woman was happy to get someone's attention, "This juice is made from the fusion of fruits. We have the peach-and-apricot flavor, raspberry-and..."

One by one, the promoter introduced the products. She gave them samples for them to taste.

"It's delicious," commented Himari after she finished the peach-and-apricot flavor juice.

"Not bad," Kazuya didn't have much opinion.

"Delicious~ Delicious~" Chiharu smacked her lips. Her little feet kicked in the air to portray her happiness.

Izumi nodded slightly, "En."

"Should we buy them for the picnic?" Himari suggested.

They hadn't bought the drinks to be brought tomorrow. Since these newly released juices were delicious, it was okay to directly buy them.

Kazuya agreed. He said to the promoter, "We'll take one bottle each."

"Aiya! Thank you so much!"

The middle-aged woman was excited to get more customers. She placed three bottles inside a nonwoven bag with the brand's logo printed on it.

"Hope you'd enjoy them," The promoter handed the bag to Kazuya after he paid for the drinks. She smilingly looked at the cute Chiharu and Izumi, "It seems like your Mommy and Daddy would bring you to a picnic tomorrow. Have fun~"

Kazuya and Himari froze.

Once again... people misunderstood them.

"Hehe, thank you, Auntie," Chiharu waved both of her hands to her.

Hehe, these delicious juices are hers!

"Cough... Should we take a look at the snacks aisle?" Kazuya distracted himself from the middle-aged woman's words by pointing to the direction of the aisle.

"Ah, okay," Himari quickly nodded, "We could buy some potato chips and cookies."

Their shopping was completed in the next half an hour. Kazuya paid for all of the food even though Himari insisted to pay for half of them.

"You could treat us for tea time," He laughed as he refused her for the third time.

Himari thought of his suggestion. It didn't sound bad. Instead of they kept arguing about the bills, it was better to settle them this way.

Thus, she agreed, "Okay."

Kazuya went to put the grocery bags inside the car while Himari brought the two children to the center court of the department store. They sat on a vacant bench while looking at the merriment around them.

"Are they playing games? Chiharu wants to play too," The little dumpling stretched out her head with her hand gripped on the edge of the bench.

Himari and Izumi looked at where she focused at.

Not far from them, people were crowding around the stage. A friendly-looking man was hosting the event. Waves of applause and cheers resonated from the crowd.

"Do you want to go and take a closer look?" Himari looked at the two siblings.

"Wanna go! Wanna go!" Chiharu was already excited at the suggestion. Her twin ponytails swung side by side as she shook her head in joy.

"Okay, Teacher," Izumi agreed as he would just follow his little sister's wish.

"Then, let me carry you," Himari picked Chiharu up.

In this crowded place, she didn't dare to just hold hands with the little dumpling. Then, the three of them made their way to the crowd.

Oh, it was a parent-child event.

"So, little ladies and gentlemen," The host exaggeratedly shook one of his hands and pointed to a place, "Bring your Mom and Day to the stage and win your giant bunny or your own truck here!"

An employee entered the stage while pushing a trolley.

A white bunny plushie in the size of an adult and a ride-on toy trunk were displayed on the trolley.

A small hand was eagerly pointing at the toys.

"Chiharu wants it~ Chiharu wants, Chiharu wants~" The little dumpling shook her hand, showing her resolve, "Teacher Kato, Chiharu wants it! Let's go and play~"

Himari broke in a cold sweat.

What to do?