(The Domestic Side of a Genius)
Just as the sun began its final descent, painting the sky in hues of orange and lavender, Kuroha Akira returned to the familiar gate of the Kobayashi residence.
He pushed open the wooden gate of the small courtyard and walked to the front door, fumbling in his pocket for the key. Before he could insert it, a voice called out from the side.
"Akira-kun, welcome back."
"…Oh, I'm home."
Kuroha Akira paused for a beat before replying, his momentary hesitation caused entirely by Shinomiya's… striking ensemble.
She was clad in a classic, old-school gym uniform—the kind with dark blue shorts—along with a pair of well-worn work gloves and a sickle held loosely in one hand. Paired with her characteristically placid expression, the overall effect was that of a sleek, efficient female assassin who had just finished a particularly agrarian mission.
This is the power of an S-rank talent, he mused internally. A simple change of clothes can completely alter her aura. If she ever chose acting, she'd be the chameleonic type, capable of perfectly embodying any role thrown at her.
"Weeding the garden?"
"Yes. Grandmother Kobayashi mentioned the weeds were getting rather tall. She wants to plant some coriander for the autumn, so she asked me to help clear the space."
Coriander, or pakuchi, was somewhat of a rarity in Japan. One might encounter more people named 'Pakuchi' than the actual herb itself, as traditional Japanese cuisine seldom used it for seasoning or masking odors.
In fact, even back in Kuroha Akira's hometown, coriander was divisive. Its potent, unique aroma was a love-it-or-hate-it affair, with some even having allergic reactions to it.
Speaking of gardening… growing vegetables in a private yard felt like a very 'Chinese' impression to him. Most elderly Japanese tended to cultivate flowers, bonsai, or create miniature ornamental gardens, as vegetable patches weren't typically considered 'aesthetic.' Moreover, detached houses in Tokyo—especially in a central ward like this—were incredibly valuable. Many didn't even have yards, making homegrown vegetables a rather 'luxurious' hobby.
One could only say that spouses truly influenced each other. Grandmother Kobayashi carried a distinct 'hometown flair' in many of her habits, making her feel as familiar to Akira as a kindly old neighbor from his past life.
"You've been weeding all day?"
"Yes. There's just a little left to finish."
Are you the Princess of Weed-Slaying or something?
Kuroha Akira had done this chore before and knew exactly how grueling it was. The Kobayashi residence didn't own a weed-whacker, so it was all manual sickle work. A full day left one's back and knees feeling petrified.
He'd done it just before summer, when it wasn't even as sweltering as now, and still ended up drenched, earning a measly thousand yen for his trouble. The old woman's stinginess had prompted him to declare he'd need better compensation next time, or he wouldn't be 'bowing' to the task again.
Now, with Shinomiya here, the old woman had found a new young person to task. Unexpectedly, despite her refined appearance, Shinomiya proved surprisingly hardy. Perhaps, coming from a remarried family, her childhood circumstances hadn't been affluent. It was precisely because she felt her stepfather's money wasn't rightfully hers that she refused to spend the allowance from her biological father.
Still, Kuroha Akira was a bit speechless. Making a super-genius like Shinomiya perform such menial labor… wasn't that a colossal waste of talent?
"Next time the old woman tries to dump this kind of troublesome work on you, just refuse. She's just exploiting cheap labor, especially since she wasn't even willing to prepare a proper room for you."
"No, I volunteered. When I went shopping with Grandmother Kobayashi this morning, I made her spend a bit extra, so I offered to repay her with labor…"
"Ah, so you got all the daily necessities? And undergarments and such…""All the essentials are purchased. Grandmother Kobayashi even bought me a pair of sneakers."
Kuroha Akira glanced down. Sure enough, Shinomiya wore a brand-new pair of sneakers, very similar in style to his own—likely the same affordable brand. His own pair had been 'purchased' by the old woman at the cost of three months of shoulder massages.
"And also…"
"Also?"
"No, it's nothing. I'll tell you once we're inside."
Shinomiya clasped her hands behind her back, a hint of hesitance in her posture, as if she'd secretly bought something she wasn't sure she should have.
Maybe it's sanitary products or something, Kuroha Akira thought, deciding not to pry.
"You don't need to report your shopping list to me. That ten-thousand yen is yours; spend it as you see fit. I'm hardly an expert on what girls need."
"Mmm."
A faint, warm smile touched Shinomiya's lips. Kuroha Akira's unconditional trust felt like a gentle, comforting glow.
"By the way, did the old woman dig up these clothes for you?"
"Yes. The ten thousand yen wasn't enough for a full set of clothes, so Grandmother Kobayashi found this tracksuit for me. It's just… a little short."
Wearing this gym uniform that showcased her long, slender legs, Shinomiya did seem slightly self-conscious. The main issue was the classic design: the shorts were essentially ultra-tight buruma (bloomers), almost like athletic underwear, which tended to… accentuate certain curves in a way that embarrassed most girls. Without proper undergarments, the result could be downright archaeological.
Precisely because they were so 'eye-catching,' the girls' gym uniforms at Hibiya High School had long been revised into a looser, short-style that resembled hot pants rather than second-skin bloomers. While still short, they at least avoided the 'underwear-on-the-outside' Superman dilemma. Rumor had it the girls were still petitioning for even longer shorts, possibly to match the boys' mid-thigh length.
It seemed that in this world, the era of the classic, form-fitting buruma was also becoming a relic of the past.
Is this progress? Nonsense! It's regression! Buruma are a pillar of civilization!
Fortunately, Shinomiya would continue to wear this style—as her designated 'home wear,' since she had no other casual clothes besides her sailor uniform. He noted the top lacked a name tag, probably removed by the old woman. This led to a burning question: where had she even found this uniform?
"This isn't… what the old woman wore in her youth, is it? That would be a genuine antique. It's a miracle it hasn't turned brittle and yellow."
As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized his error. Given Grandmother Kobayashi's age, her teens would have fallen during a tumultuous period in history. Forget gym uniforms, formal schooling itself might have been a luxury.
Fatefully, his comment reached the ears of Grandmother Kobayashi, who had just stepped out to check on the weeding progress.
"You brat! Stop your nonsense! I am a daughter of a warrior family. How could I have ever worn such an immodest outfit?"
"..."
You yourself call it immodest, yet you have Shinomiya wearing it?
Grandmother Kobayashi sighed, looking at Shinomiya with a mix of fondness and helplessness. "I originally planned to buy her a few more outfits, but Shion-chan was adamant about not using her father's money and didn't want me spending more either. So, I had to scrounge up some free clothing… This is the gym uniform my granddaughter wore in junior high. Now that she's in high school, they've switched to the new style, so I asked for the old one. I didn't expect it to fit Shion-chan so perfectly."
A junior high student's gym uniform… fits Shinomiya perfectly?
Kuroha Akira's gaze flickered, almost imperceptibly, to Shinomiya's chest area. The fabric showed no signs of strain, nor any… prominent topographical details.
It seems the old woman's granddaughter was quite… developed even in junior high, he noted with purely academic detachment. The mysteries of genetics and growth spurts were truly profound.