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“Yes, pat pat.”
Diya rhythmically takes the spatula and presses it down from the top while singing.
“Yes, there too! Pat pat!”
She even forced me, who was working a little further away.
“… Pat pat, pat pat.”
“You have no sense of rhythm! You should enjoy doing simple tasks!”
“I would like to agree with that opinion, but what is the purpose of doing this in the first place?”
I helped as I was told, but I don’t understand the meaning of this action.
Right now, I’m crouching on the wooden frame surrounding my house, using a trowel to smooth out the concrete.
“I never expected the inside to look like this.”
I was surprised to see that the exterior wall was made of a wooden frame, into which concrete was poured.
According to Diya’s explanation, the wall was originally intended to be built this way. In hindsight, it seemed unnatural that steel bars were placed inside the wooden frame, and the fact that the upper part of the exterior wall came off so easily was proof that it was just a cover.
Solar panels and shutters were also supposed to be installed in advance, but Diya and Iwaro believed that they were postponed due to budget constraints or some other reason, and were left as they were.
…No one can predict a future where accidents happen.
I think of my deceased parents and look up at the sky. There is nothing but a clear blue sky with no clouds in sight.
“This is how you make the surface look clean by smoothing out the concrete,” Diya said, addressing me as I had stopped working for a moment.
At first, I didn’t know what she was talking about, but she was referring to what we were currently doing.
“Why does the surface matter? Isn’t that irrelevant?” I replied.
“If you’re going to do it, you have to do it properly until the end! Appearance is important, even for video content!” she exclaimed, striking a pose with her trowel.
Diya checked her smartphone, which was recording the whole process, and frowned visibly.
Perhaps unsatisfied with her previous take, she adjusted her pose slightly and repeated the same line again.
… If this is what motivates Diya, then I’ll just obediently follow along.
“But how were she able to arrange for so much concrete to be delivered?”
It was unexpected that she brought a concrete mixer truck herself.
“Isn’t it amazing? Can’t you praise me more? Of course, I also have a large vehicle driver’s license!”
The thought of questioning whether she could make more money by working a regular job instead of being a DIY video creator almost slipped out of my mouth, but I managed to hold it back just in time. Since I was saved by her help, it wasn’t my place to say anything.
“Well, I want to take all the credit, but it was Iwaro who arranged for the concrete. Despite his appearance, he has a wide network.”
“Ah, I see now.”
The good nature and considerate attitude that doesn’t offend others. With that, it’s only natural to think that Iwaro-san has connections like this.
“Come to think of it, wasn’t Iwaro-san supposed to come back here today?”
“Yeah, but I haven’t been able to reach him since last night. I wonder what he’s up to.”
“He said he had other business to attend to, right? As someone asking for help, we can’t really rush him.”
“Yeah… But if he’s going to be late, he should have let us know in advance. It’s strange.”
Knowing Iwaro-san’s personality, he seemed to be the type to be thorough with communication and reporting. It’s hard to imagine him being the type to neglect those things. Could he be just too busy to even have time for it?
“I’ll let you know as soon as I hear from him.”
“Thanks.”
With that, they continued their work on the exterior walls, accompanied by the sound of Diya’s tools in the background.
….
“Wow, I can’t believe I’m getting such a lavish lunch!”
Diya, who was ecstatic, took out her video camera for filming her dining experience.
In the center of the garden was a complete set of barbecue equipment.
There was a grill with a wire mesh on top, perfect for cooking over charcoal. Meat, vegetables, and shellfish were all laid out on top.
“Hey, hey, isn’t this meat expensive? It’s full of marbling!”
“It’s A5 Miyazaki beef, so of course it’s expensive.”
“Really?! Oh man, if Iwaro had made it in time, he could have joined us. But don’t worry, I’ll enjoy it enough for both of us!”
Diya wiped away some drool and made a self-serving pledge to the sky.
This meal was meant to be a thank you to the two of them, and I expected that Iwaro would be able to eat a lot based on his appearance, so I bought extra. But he still hadn’t even contacted us.
While flipping the meat and vegetables with tongs, I couldn’t help but worry about it.
“Hey, do you think something happened to Iwaro?”
“Hohohohohohohohohohohoho.”
Diya replied with her mouth full of meat, her cheeks bulging, but her response was incomprehensible.
But her eating speed was impressive. At this rate, she could finish the meal by herself!
Feeling a little worried, I quickly put some cooked meat and vegetables on a plate before they were snatched away.
“Hey, isn’t that too much!?”
“This is for Yae-nee.”
“Oh, okay.”
Diya had quickly backed off after hearing that the plate was for her sister.
Now, she was staring at the meat with shining eyes, determined not to let any more prey escape.
“You hould eat vegetables too, you know.”
Although it was a futile warning, I still felt the need to say it.
Diya nodded her head up and down, but her eyes were fixated only on the meat.
I carried the plate with the meat and vegetables and walked inside through the large window that led to the garden.
Passing through the living room, I arrived at a table in a corner of the garden that was out of sight from the house, where my sister was seated.
“I’m sorry, Jin-chan.”
“It’s okay. Here, eat it while it’s still hot.”
My older sister, with her eyes lowered, apologizes.
She probably didn’t want to leave her room, but just by making it this far, it’s progress.
I have informed Diya my sister’s presence, so there’s no chance she’ll accidentally come inside the house.
Diya has been shouting loudly with a high tension since earlier, perhaps as her way of consideration to create a fun atmosphere that could reach my sister.
“Hey, hey, since the meat looks like it’s going to burn, I’ll take it all! Is that okay? Okay!”
“Am I overthinking things?”
“I didn’t say anything!”
To stop Diya, who conveniently came to her own conclusion, I hurried out to the garden.
“Hehe, she’s such an interesting girl.”
Hearing my sister’s delighted voice from behind me, my cheeks loosen.
Even if it’s impossible to interact with others, I want her to experience this atmosphere with me.
“Hey, don’t just eat the meat! Eat your vegetables too! Look, the sweet potato is cooked to perfection.”
“I’m done with sweet potatoes! How many times do we have them in a day?”
“What are you talking about? Having sweet potatoes for every meal is like living in a happy paradise, isn’t it?”
“Are you out of your mind!?”
As I was arguing with Diya, I thought I heard a small whisper saying “say more”, but it must have been my imagination.