I rush downstairs, keeping in mind that Miyo would eat my toast for the fourth time this week. I know I shouldn't be freaking out over... buttered toasts, but she has eaten my toasts too many times already! I'm worried that every time I let her get away with it, she'd keep eating my toasts to the point that she wouldn't even call me for breakfast anymore!

As I reach our living room, I run into the kitchen.

...Aha!

In here, I see Miyo holding my toast while opening her mouth, and she was more than ready to take a bite into it.

"Hold it right there, Miyo! This would be the fourth time this week. Leave my toast alone!" She flinches at my words, making her drop my toast onto the plate in front of her. "You've been caught in the act."

Miyo averts her eyes away from me, and she looks at my toast with a "displeased" pout on her face.

"Ah, you're here..."

I let out a sigh of relief as I walk to the table. I sit on the chair that was in front of Miyo's seat, and I look at her.

"You know, you could just ask Mom to give you more toasts, or you could just make some more yourself." I reach for the toast, my toast, that was on Miyo's plate. "Modern problems require modern solutions."

I take a bite into my toast while looking at Miyo.

...Geez, she won't stop pouting.

Looking at the expression on her face, it's clear that she wasn't quite happy with me stopping her from eating my toast. She's making such a dissatisfied face— it's kind of ridiculous!

"Hey, munch, stop pouting! You could just, munch, ask Mom for more, munch, you know! You've already eaten, munch, my toasts four times, munch, this week! Four, munch, times!"

"...Don't talk while eating, Nee-chan!"

"Munch, I'm just saying!"

I continue chewing on my toast. Honestly, Mom's buttered toasts are the best! We've been eating these for breakfast every day, and yet we never get tired of its taste.

"You girls really like the toasts I make, hm?" Our mom walks up to us with a bright smile on her face as she brings in a carton of orange juice. "I'm surprised you two still aren't tired of my toasts. Are they that good?"

"It's, munch, the best, Mom! The, munch, best!" She giggles at my remark, and she pours some juice into my glass.

"I'm glad you think so, Mayumi! How about you, Miyo? You've been eating your sister's toasts a lot. You can just ask me to make more, you know?" Mom then turns to Miyo and pours juice on her glass, too. She then sits on the other chair that was facing me and Miyo.

"That's, munch, what I was, munch, telling her!"

I carefully swallow my chewed-up toast, and I reach for my glass that was filled with orange juice. And with that, I start drinking it.

"Um, okay..? Mom, can you maybe... make me more toasts for breakfast? They're yummy, and... yeah... please..?"

Mom beams a smile to Miyo, having a kind and pleased expression on her face. "Oh, of course, Miyo! If you want, I can also teach you how to make them."

Our mother has always been gentle and softhearted. She listens to us whenever we have any questions, problems, or anything at all, no matter how simple they may be. She is a loving mother, the best mom we could ever ask for.

But...

"Woah! So this means I'll be able to eat more toasts every morning, right? Really, Mom? Really??" Miyo looks at Mom with an excited and "overwhelmed" face. She's honestly such a drama queen, getting all hyped up just because she'd be getting more toasts for breakfast. I have such a funny and weird little sister.

Anyways, going back to Mom, she's really, really great, but—

"No."

I choke.

...She always says those unexpected jokes and answers when it comes to situations like these. Even though they're pretty basic and "not that funny", I still wheeze at them every single time.

"Ahaha, just kidding. Of course, Miyo! They're just toasts." Mom pets Miyo's head, chuckling at her blank face. "...Mom, seriously..." My younger sister sighs, and I can't even tell if it's a sigh of relief or disappointment...

"Pfft, Mom... you should really stop with those jokes... I can't... Miyo's overwhelmed face, I seriously can't..." I continue laughing. I mean, Miyo's excited face was so hyped up, and when Mom said "No", it suddenly changed into a blank and dumbfounded face. I can't— I wish I pictured it!

Mom continues smiling as she pours some juice onto her glass.

"...Oh, that reminds me, Mayumi! I forgot to tell you." She holds up her glass and takes a sip. "Ayano's mom called me! She said Ayano was going to come over here."

I suddenly stop laughing. "E-Eh? Why?"

"I don't really know, but her mom said she'd be here at about noon, and it's eleven o'clock right now, so..."

"Geez, Ayano? She could've just texted me—"

...Wait.

I quickly finish up my orange juice and I put my glass on the table.

"I'm just going to get my phone upstairs!" I then stand up from my seat, and I speedily walk towards the stairs. Going back upstairs, I return to my room and I start looking for my phone.

"Where'd I put it again— ah, it's here!" My phone was under my pillow, and so I take it. I unlock my phone and I look at the notifications.

...Ah, I was expecting this.

TapMessage: 21 New Notifications From "✨Ayano✨"! Reply To Your Friend's Messages! Go To TapMessage Now! *★,°*:.☆(￣▽￣)/$:*.°★* 。

I sigh.

"...I'm so glad I always put my phone on silent."