第95話 彩華の家 - I Was Cheated on by My Girlfriend but My Devilish Junior Now Yearns for Me

When I was in high school, I had visited Ayaka’s family home before. But that was her parents' house, and stepping into her place where she lives alone is a whole different matter. As a result, I was somewhat nervous as I crossed her threshold, but what escaped my lips were words of indignation. "This is so unfair!" "Whoa! You scared me! Why are you yelling?" Ayaka slapped me on the back lightly, urging me to hurry inside. The slight pain in my back was forgotten in an instant as I stepped into her living room. Yes, the living room... "1LDK, huh? That's just too enviable... And it's about twice as spacious as my place." "It’s not that big of a deal. I’ve had to spend extra money on furniture, so there was a time when I worked really hard at my part-time job." "Even taking that into account, I’m still envious. Wow, I want to move in here." The white flooring, light blue curtains, and carpet filled the space. Even the potted plant in the living room's corner matched well with the curtains’ hue, and a glass table sported an hourglass atop it. Despite having so many varied items, the interior exuded an inexplicable sense of cohesiveness and a stylish atmosphere. "I wish I could make my place look this stylish too." I thought a house was fine as long as it was livable, but seeing someone my age with such a contrast, it stirred something in me. "That's impossible for you." "Isn't that a bit harsh!?" "No, seriously. My parents cover half the rent, so it's relatively easier, but I still have to work part-time four days a week to make ends meet. You couldn't handle more than three days a week, right?" "...I could barely manage that!" "Alright, alright. Just sit on the couch or something." With that, Ayaka brushed it off and headed for the kitchen. Watching her back in a daze left unsatisfied, I saw her pull out an apron from a small shelf. Although I've seen the act of putting on an apron many times at home, today the setting and person were different. The last time I saw Ayaka in an apron was during home economics practice in high school. "Wait, what? Seriously?" I couldn't help but ask, even though I somewhat predicted what was going to happen. Ayaka turned to look at me with a hair tie still held between her lips and flashed a playful smile. "Hehe." ── Uh-oh. The sense of charm with a hint of seduction made me instinctively avert my gaze. "Just wait there." With her hair tied up, Ayaka rummaged through the fridge and started placing ingredients adeptly on the kitchen counter. Why was all this happening so suddenly? "Did I do something good for you?" "Not really. I just felt like it. Besides, you're here today." Responding offhandedly to my question, she began melting some butter in a frying pan. If simply responding to her invitation resulted in such treatment, I'd be eager to leap at every chance. Thinking such thoughts while observing Ayaka's back, it seemed an ordeal beyond my understanding was about to begin in the kitchen. "You like gratin, right? I'm making it now." "Wait, are you serious? Am I going to die? Is this my last supper?" "Well, usually it might feel lucky enough to die happy, I suppose." Ayaka said casually while continuing her culinary endeavor at a smooth pace. The number of times Ayaka made food for me could be counted on one hand. Each instance was during high school, like making a lunchbox for the sports festival or during home economics practice, all within school premises. At least, this was the first time she ever cooked for me at home. To fans of Ayaka at the school, my current situation would probably be something they’d kill for. "I've been wanting to make something for you for a while, but timing just never worked out, right? Even though I'd decided to do it ages ago, it got postponed again and again. Earlier in the car, I finally decided today was the day." "Thank you so much, I'm thrilled." "Try to express gratitude a bit more normally, will you?" Even as she said that, I sensed a contented smile from Ayaka. Feeling somewhat elated, I rested my head against a cushion. The faint scent of Ayaka lingered, making me feel like I did something mischievous and pulled away. "Don’t worry about it." Ayaka remarked without turning around. It seemed like she had eyes in the back of her head. "Relax as you please." The time we’ve spent together allowed Ayaka to utter such words effortlessly. "...Alright." Responding briefly, I buried my face back into the cushion. As I pondered over the sound of Ayaka cooking behind me and the scent of the cushion, I thought about our unchanged relationship since the hot springs trip. And I resolved to maintain this connection, as twisted as it might seem to outsiders, because if we are satisfied, then it should be fine. It was something I chose, and Ayaka accepted. Yet now, I found myself in Ayaka’s home—a first. An unappeased thought began to rise within me—something I had not considered before. It was embarrassing to say aloud, and frightening at the same time. ── Could it be that Ayaka wants to change our relationship? The words she said at the hot springs inn, "Either way was fine with me," might have been her true feelings. If that's the case, I recognize that keeping this comfortable space eternal is a dream. As we become working adults, time becomes limited, we’ll meet less frequently, and surely we'll have less mental leeway. That's why I want to cherish the current space in this moment. ── I want to see the view beyond the threshold of friendship. From the perspective of my high school self, now might be that very vista. So, as a university student, I ask myself: Have you truly become best friends with Ayaka Mino? And if there is a landscape beyond that bond, do you wish to see it? ◇◆ "This is too good!" The moment I took a bite, I couldn't help but let out an exclamation. Another bite filled me with a deep sense of joy from within. The dish Ayaka made was gratin. It’s been so long since I last had homemade gratin that I honestly have no memory of it. Gratin was a staple in lunch boxes since childhood, though, of course, it was always store-bought frozen food. Despite being a convenience product, frozen gratin had been extraordinarily delicious, but even that paled compared to Ayaka’s creation. The only advantage of frozen gratin would be checking your fortune after finishing it. When I took another bite of gratin, I couldn’t contain a smile on my face, and I set my spoon down for a moment. "This is just unbelievably good. My vocabulary feels inadequate." "I wasn't expecting to hear a gourmet review from you or anything." Despite saying that, Ayaka's expression was clearly pleased. "So, have I impressed you?" "Impressed me how?" As I blinked at her, Ayaka pointed the edge of her spoon at me and began speaking. "You haven't tasted my homemade food in a while, have you?" As I thought earlier, it's been quite some time since I've had Ayaka's homemade cuisine. It's the first time I've had the opportunity to enjoy a freshly prepared dish from her like this. But it wasn’t as though I ever underestimated her cooking. The side dishes she shared from her lunch in high school were delicious, and the meat and potatoes she made in home economics were so popular that the guys practically fought over them. "I had high expectations from the start, but you've exceeded even that with how delicious it is." Upon hearing my response, Ayaka gave me a sidelong glance. "Your perfect reply is so irritating, I can’t argue back." "Isn’t that a bit unreasonable?" Swinging the spoon in front of me as if unsure of its target, Ayaka finally scooped up some of her gratin. As she chewed, she nodded contentedly. "Yeah, yeah, well. I think it turned out quite well." "Did it meet your expectations?" "I made it from scratch, including the white sauce, so it’s to my taste. I’m glad it suits yours too." I recalled Ayaka had thrown butter into the frying pan when she started cooking. I hadn’t realized she was making the white sauce herself since the steps beyond that were beyond my comprehension. "You went all out, didn’t you?" "Of course. I wanted you to enjoy something delicious." Ayaka's words stopped my spoon mid-air. I withdrew the spoon I was about to bring to my mouth and stared intently at her. Noticing my gaze, Ayaka blinked a few times and blushed slightly, reflecting on her own words. "It’s not like there's any hidden meaning." "There isn’t?" "N-No, there’s not." "Come on. I thought you did it on purpose." "...Just to be sure, what would that be?" Ayaka, wearing an indefinable expression, questioned me. Relishing the gratin, I responded with a grin. "You know, like 'enjoy something delicious'... like a pun." "Not a chance! Dummy!" Ayaka swiftly stole the last shrimp from my plate and devoured it at a pace that would surprise even Shinohara. I don’t know where the misunderstanding came from, but to avoid provoking her further, I chewed my food slowly. Despite the lack of shrimp, the gratin remained delicious. The creamy flavor spread within my mouth, warming me from the inside out. When Ayaka went to the fridge to refill her tea, I reclaimed a few stolen shrimp and quickly consumed them, leaving no evidence behind. "Hey, want to drink something?" "Oh, for sure." Nodding at my answer, Ayaka brought out two cans of beer from the fridge. With a quick pop and a clink, we prepared to toast. "Cheers..." I started to say but stopped mid-sentence. "What’s wrong?" "We can’t do that. We drove here today." Realizing it herself, Ayaka exclaimed, "Oh, that was close," and put down the can I was holding. "Sorry, sorry, chatting like always made me completely forget." "Argh, I wanted to drink!" Ayaka’s dinner spread wasn’t just the homemade gratin; there were also salad and a large plate of assorted store-bought sashimi. I sighed, imagining how much more enjoyable it would have been with alcohol. "Next time then." With that, Ayaka put the now-opened can of beer back in the fridge, leaving her to finish it alone later. "When is next time, anyway?" Despite knowing each other for so long, today was the first time I'd dined at Ayaka’s place. Even today seemed like it happened on a whim from Ayaka. Who knows when the next opportunity would come, depending on her mood. Given that, having the drinks postponed made me let out a disappointed sigh. "As long as you notify me in advance, you can come whenever you like." Contrary to my expectations, Ayaka delivered this statement. "Whenever?" "As long as you let me know first." "...Wait, why? Seriously?" "Why are you so suspicious?" Ayaka laughed softly as she sat back down, dividing the sashimi and salad onto smaller plates and passing them to me. As I drizzled soy sauce over the sashimi, I answered her query. "It’s surprising when, after never setting foot in your place, you suddenly say I can anytime I want. I’m not suspicious, just surprised." "But you’re here now. Now is everything. How do you feel, right now?" "I..." I wanted to come back. No guy wouldn’t want to, after such hospitality. What made me hesitant was the fear of any changes in my relationship with Ayaka from crossing the threshold. ── It’s a common internal conflict. It stems from being satisfied with our current dynamic. Altering this could work against our bond. My relationship with Ayaka is something I can't compare to anything else, making it hard to make decisions. That's why I couldn’t shake the notion of maintaining the status quo. However, upon rethinking it, that felt like a rather rigid stance. If at my core, I truly didn’t want any change in my relationship with Ayaka, I would have declined the hot springs trip. Agreeing proved that somewhere within me, I hoped for a positive change. I can't be certain what constitutes a good relationship for us, but I know one thing for sure. Choosing to visit Ayaka’s home, thus spending more time together, doesn't feel negative. So the conclusion is simple. As Ayaka said, what matters most is how I feel at this moment. "Alright, I’ll stop by for meals occasionally. Looking forward to it." I want to enjoy more delightful times with Ayaka Mino. There’s limited time before we become full-fledged adults, and how I spend this remaining time should be entirely up to me. "Living truthfully makes life happier, after all. More gratin, please! And tomorrow, can I have some croquettes?" "Now that’s just being spoiled!" Ayaka playfully swatted my shoulder. Despite her action, her expression seemed softer than usual. Our eyes met, and I felt an odd sense of embarrassment, prompting me to shove salad into my mouth in an attempt to hide my fluster.