Click.
The sound of a phone camera echoed in the room.
The little Taki wearing a pet collar was like a limited character in a game; it would be too regrettable to miss out.
And then…
Click, click, click.
Kitahara Makoto held up his phone and directly activated continuous shooting mode.
Since he decided to take a commemorative photo, one picture was certainly not enough.
"…Huh?!"
Hearing the sound, Taki stood up, both embarrassed and angry:
"What are you doing?!"
Kitahara Makoto spoke while taking pictures:
"Taki is too cute. If I don't take a picture, I'll definitely regret it so much tonight that I won't be able to sleep."
"If you can't sleep, then don't sleep!"
Taki shouted, embarrassed: "Quickly delete the photos!"
"Wait a moment," Kitahara Makoto held the phone in front of Taki. "Do you want to see how the photos I took turned out first?"
"They're definitely super bad… Huh?"
Her gaze fell on the phone, and Taki's voice suddenly paused.
Although she was wearing a pet collar, whether it was the lighting or the composition, she looked exceptionally cute in the phone, without a single flaw.
"How about it, the photos aren't bad, right?"
Kitahara Makoto sought credit and praise.
His original photography skills were already quite good, and with the daily mission reward from that morning, he had already reached the level of a professional photographer.
"Bad! Super bad!"
Taki said, contradicting herself:
"Quickly delete them for me!"
Kitahara Makoto negotiated: "Can I keep two?"
"No! Delete them all!" Taki gritted her teeth. "Not a single one is allowed to remain!"
Kitahara Makoto reluctantly agreed:
"Alright, alright… They've been deleted."
Taki extended her right hand:
"Give me your phone to check."
"You want to check my phone too?" Kitahara Makoto's expression turned serious. "Taki clearly doesn't trust me."
"You're clearly feeling guilty."
Taki tried hard to stand on her tiptoes, preparing to take the phone and see for herself.
"Give it to me quickly."
"No."
"You really didn't delete them, did you?"
"…"
While they were bickering, a knock suddenly sounded at the door.
Thump, thump, thump.
Taki immediately held her breath, frozen in Kitahara Makoto's arms.
The next second.
Shiina Maki's voice came from outside the door:
"Taki, what are you doing in there?"
"N-nothing…" Taki looked nervously at the door. "Why is sister back?"
"I've been so forgetful these days. I just got to the train station and realized my phone wasn't in my bag. It must have been left at home again," Shiina Maki replied. "I just looked in my own room and didn't find it. I suspect I might have left my phone in Taki's room when we were chatting at noon… Taki, open the door, I'll come in and look for my phone."
No!
I can't let sister in!
Unless there's a zombie apocalypse outside, this door cannot be opened no matter what!
Not only is there a boy in the room, but I'm also wearing a pet collar around my neck… If sister sees it, I'll never be able to face anyone again!
"Sis, wait for me at the door," Taki said quickly. "I'll help you find your phone."
While speaking, Taki tried to unfasten the collar around her neck, but the more anxious she became, the more it wouldn't come off. She could only lift her small face and ask Kitahara Makoto for help:
"Quickly help me unfasten the collar!"
Kitahara Makoto silently glanced at the one-minute countdown on the task panel, then stepped forward to help, but several seconds passed with no progress.
"Why isn't it unfastened yet?"
Taki quickly grew anxious.
"I'm sorry," Kitahara Makoto said in a low voice. "I'm being clumsy."
Taki: "…"
Being clumsy is fake, deliberately not unfastening it is the truth, right?
Confirming that Kitahara Makoto was unreliable, Taki could only grit her teeth, temporarily ignore the collar around her neck, and start looking for the phone.
(It's not on the desk…)
(It's not on the floor either…)
(If I remember correctly, sister seemed to have sat on the bed when she came to play at noon…)
Taki quickly scanned the room, then stepped towards the bed.
After two steps, Taki quickly felt that something was wrong. She turned her head and almost exploded with anger.
Bastard!
He's actually following her step by step, still holding the leash?!
Are you walking a dog?!
Taki clenched her small fists, really wanting to hit him, but Shiina Maki's voice rang out again, clearly somewhat puzzled:
"Taki, haven't you found it yet? Open the door, I'll come in and help you look?"
Taki couldn't think of a suitable excuse for a while and could only stammer:
"Um… I'm not convenient right now…"
"Eh? What do you mean, 'not convenient'?"
"Sister, don't disturb me while I'm looking for my phone!"
"…"
A moment later.
Taki finally found the phone in the corner of the bed, let out a soft breath, raised her eyes to look at Kitahara Makoto, and gritted her teeth:
"Hurry and help me take off this collar!"
"Alright, Taki, don't move."
Kitahara Makoto agreed and began helping her unfasten the collar.
There was only a little time left on the countdown; with just a bit more dawdling, the task would be complete. If he didn't seize the opportunity, Taki might not impulsively agree to another round.
The next second.
The phone suddenly rang.
Taki nervously looked down at the phone in her hand.
"Huh, that's my phone ringing!"
Shiina Maki's voice came from outside the door.
"Taki, did you find my phone?"
Taki parted her lips. Although she desperately wanted to deny it, the phone was already ringing, making denial impossible. She could only bite her lower lip and say:
"Sister, I found your phone. I'll bring it to you right away."
It seemed the collar couldn't be undone. Taki had no choice but to bite her lower lip tightly and walk towards the door.
Kitahara Makoto, holding the leash, continued to follow closely behind Taki, reminding her in a low voice:
"Taki, don't open the door all the way. Just open a crack, enough to pass the phone through."
"…You don't need to tell me that!"
The few short steps felt like an insurmountable chasm. Taki bit her lower lip and finally reached the door, then turned to glare at Kitahara Makoto.
Kitahara Makoto was quite perceptive. He raised his hand to his face, made a zipping motion, and then quietly moved to the corner of the door.
"Phew…"
Taki took a deep breath and gently opened the door.
Click.
"Sister, your phone."
Taki hid behind the door, revealing only half of her small face, and quickly handed the phone through the crack.
"Thanks, Taki." Shiina Maki took the phone and showed no intention of coming in. Her voice was merely curious as she asked, "Taki, why is your face so red? And why do you look like you're about to cry?"
Taki: "…"
Why?
Of course, it was because it was too embarrassing!
If their roles were swapped, and her sister was wearing a pet collar, led by a boy, and then mom and Dad suddenly knocked on the door, she would also be blushing furiously, wouldn't she?
"Th-that…"
Taki was not someone with quick wit. At this moment, her gaze drifted, and she stammered, unable to answer.
"I see." Shiina Maki's face suddenly showed a look of understanding. "I understand."
Taki was startled:
"Sister, what do you understand?"
Shiina Maki smiled:
"Taki has grown up, hasn't she?"
Taki: "???"
What did she mean by suddenly saying she had grown up?
Shiina Maki said meaningfully:
"But Taki, you need to be careful with moderation, otherwise it will hurt your body~"
"…"
Taki parted her lips and finally understood what
Kitahara Makoto raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Although he said he would gamble on a bicycle turning into a motorcycle, it had only been a few days since his last shipment, so he didn't have much hope in his heart, but he didn't expect a shipment to actually come.
"I feel like it's Taki's credit."
"Next time I refresh tasks related to Taki, I really can't give up…"
Kitahara Makoto eagerly opened his ability panel.
[Ability: Hair]
[Category: Passive]
[Description: You will never be troubled by hair loss or baldness; even if hair follicles are damaged, you can repair them yourself within a few days.]
[Remark: You can become stronger without being bald.]
"This ability…"
Kitahara Makoto's mouth twitched slightly, his expression somewhat unreadable.
"It's actually not bad."
"At least I don't have to worry about a mid-life crisis…"
Time passed quietly.
In a blink of an eye, it was five o'clock in the afternoon.
Kitahara Makoto changed into his yukata, took out his phone, and sent a message to Kita:
"Kita, I'm ready."
The message quickly showed as read.
Kita: "I've also changed into my yukata. Mom and Dad aren't home, so Kitahara-kun can just come over directly."
Kitahara Makoto: "Huh?"
Kita: "It's for Kitahara-kun to come over, and then we'll take the train together to see the fireworks festival. It would definitely be boring on the way alone, so Kitahara-kun, don't let your imagination run wild!"
Kitahara Makoto: "I only said 'huh,' the one whose imagination is running wild is clearly Kita."
Kita: "…No, it's not!"
"…"