Brother in Place of Father
Ai’s PoV
I feel happy when my Senpai’s mom hugs me.
I think my family was close until my mom died. Now I have what I lost. My fear melts away with the warmth and security of love given out of good intentions.
I think my Senpai is so kind to me because he grew up being loved by his mother and his late father.
He always thanks me, but it’s actually the opposite. He risked his life to show me this happy place and no matter how many times I thank him, I will never be able to thank him enough.
“Ai-chan. You’ve worked so hard so far. You worked so hard and that’s why we’re here now. Please, pamper yourself.”
Hearing these words, the emotions inside me exploded. I poured out my feelings so honestly that I soiled her clothes and cried like a baby. I couldn’t stop myself.
I love him.
My feelings for Senpai, who taught me that there was such a warm world out there, grew even stronger.
Eiji’s PoV
“Hey, Eiji. Satoshi’s hamburger is ready. I put his favorite demi-glace sauce and a fried egg on it, so come and get it.”
My brother is calling from the kitchen. Mom says she needs to talk to Ichijo. So I carried the food.
A big bowl of rice and a huge hamburger steak for Satoshi. The kitchen is filled with the aroma of happy demi-glace sauce. For us siblings, it was the smell of our father.
This demi-glace sauce is the same one my father made when he started the restaurant. It’s the basic seasoning for our signature dishes. This aroma is like a precious family memory that my brother inherited from my father.
My brother told it to my mother and me when we were mourning my father’s sudden death.
“I’m still immature. But until Eiji graduates from college, I will be Eiji’s father, not his older brother. I may not be able to work as well as my father, but I will definitely take care of him until he becomes a full-fledged man. So, Mother. Please, let me take over Kitchen Aono.”
Since he became the second owner of the restaurant, he has devoted his precious time to the restaurant and his family while still in his young twenties. To the point that I think the only thing he enjoys is watching foreign dramas during his breaks.
When I entered my current high school, he was more than happy for me.
I really owe him more than I can say thank you.
“Eiji, that was amazing. I’m sure our late father in heaven is very happy about this. As for Kondo and the rest of those idiots, I’d like to beat them up myself, but Mother won’t let me. If I were stronger, I could’ve protected you better. Sorry.”
I immediately deny those words.
“No, Onii-san really works for me. All I can do is thank you. Thank you for everything. If it weren’t for Onii-san, I’d probably be screwed.”
Hearing these words, my brother, who had looked away in embarrassment, was a little tearful.
“I see. Today’s demi-glace sauce is our confidence product. You should try it. I’m sure Father will be watching.”
I heard that the sauce will be replaced in about three months. Even though there was no sauce left that my father made, I could feel his warmth from the aroma.
I took Satoshi’s and my hamburger steak and returned to the table.
“Oh, it looks delicious today too. Speaking of which, Eiji. Your phone has been ringing for a while. I think you’re getting a notification…”
Come to think of it, I hadn’t looked at my phone for a while, so I took it out of my pocket and turned it on.
There it was, a massive notification from my new app.
Hundreds of them. Notifications about rising in the weekly rankings. And a message from management.
My life, which should have hit rock bottom, was now opening up in a different direction. Such a premonition was born in my heart.