Chapter 2
Crack...
"Ah! The kitchen knife broke..."
The Santoku knife, which had been defeated by the tough pumpkin, snapped in half with a loud crack, and I slumped my shoulders in despair.
T/N: Santoku (三徳包丁) refers to a type of Japanese kitchen knife. The name translates to "three virtues" or "three uses," which signifies its versatility in handling three key tasks: slicing, dicing, and chopping.
It wasn’t a particularly special knife—just a cheap one—so it didn't really matter that it broke, but the problem was that without a Santoku knife, cooking would be a hassle.
So, I quietly shifted my gaze to the decor on the corner of the room.
"This thing is super sharp~~~!! It could probably slice through the cutting board too~~!!"
As expected of my partner Hibari. The tough pumpkin was sliced in two with ease! Chop chop!
My beloved sword, Hibari, has been by my side since ten years ago and remains with me to this day. I don’t really know how to throw it away, and besides, I’ve never planned on getting rid of it.
So, it’s been more of a decor piece until now, but I’m pulling it out for action today. I haven't done much maintenance, just dusting it off here and there, but the sharpness hasn’t changed at all. What a fantastic blade!
"What are you doing, Ritsuka...?"
"Ahhh!"
Rou-kun, who had apparently been peeking into the kitchen without me noticing, let out a shocked voice.
"Where did you see me from...?"
"From about the 'This thing is super sharp~~~!!' part..."
"That’s almost from the start!!"
There I was, wielding a Japanese sword in the kitchen, happily chopping a pumpkin—what must my husband be thinking? Is he worried that I'm stressed out?!
"Th... there’s a deep reason for this!!"
"Well, I figured as much."
Normally, a husband would probably say, "What’s wrong? Do you want to talk about it?" and offer a typical, understanding response. But Rou-kun, with his remarkable insight, had already figured it out.
"The kitchen knife broke, huh? It was a cheap one. So you’re using the sword instead."
"Exactly! It’s not that I wanted to swing Hibari around, okay?!"
See? Just as expected, Rou-kun nailed it! My proud husband ♡♡
"But, using a sword to chop food... I'm not sure about that... If there's something, we can talk about it..."
A step behind in understanding~~!! But I love that part about him~~!!
"J-just so you know, I disinfected the blade with alcohol!"
"It’s not about hygiene... It's more... the stress side of things..."
It seems he’s worried about my stress levels, as Rou-kun inspected me, from my toes to my forehead, as if checking me over.
So, in retaliation, I glanced at him, looking from the top of his head to his feet. It’s not like I could see them, but the determination to look at every part that can’t be seen is important.
As for his height... he’s way taller than me now. He’s definitely grown since ten years ago. So unfair. His features are slightly sharp, but he usually softens them with his stylish glasses. Since it’s his day off today, he’s not wearing them. His body, though slim, is actually well-muscled. It’s not like a bodybuilder type, but more practical muscle, the kind that’s good for real-world use. Rou-kun says, "I’ve gained weight compared to before," but I don’t think he’s changed that much. He still does strength training every now and then.
So, to sum it up... he’s a perfect 10,000 points! He’s always so cool, Rou-kun ♡
But please, forget about me waving Hibari around in the kitchen, okay?
“Chuu♡”
"Hey, didn’t you just try to dodge that? If you’re fine, that’s all that matters, but..."
My full-body air kiss didn’t seem to have any effect...
"Anyway, it's dangerous to cook with something so threatening, so it's banned. Here, I’ll take care of it for now."
"Yes... I’ll be careful..."
"And, thanks for cooking again today. Tomorrow, I'll handle it."
"Rou-kun..."
He’s such a kind person. Probably even kinder than most people.
I smiled gently at Rou-kun as I felt a flutter in my heart, then placed Hibari into its sheath and handed it over to him.
"Heavy!!"
And then, Rou-kun stumbled. He looked like someone struggling to hold up a barbell that’s too heavy during a workout. Normally, he would have dropped Hibari to the floor, but he somehow managed to hold it. Mission accomplished—mischief success☆
"Does it suddenly get heavier when anyone else tries to hold it? So be careful!"
"Why are you telling me that after you’ve handed it over?! Did it always have this feature?!"
Hibari is something I don’t let anyone else touch, mostly because it’s dangerous.
But Rou-kun has used Hibari once before, a long time ago. At that time, he was able to use it just fine, so he was shocked to find out it can’t be handled by anyone other than me.
"It did? But Hibari is a strange sword... I don’t really know how it works either."
"The tech of the Organization is pretty baffling too..."
Rou-kun staggered over to the sword rack, muttering, "Is this a cursed sword...?"
"Ah, but since the kitchen knife broke, we’ll have to go buy a new one. We should go tomorrow."
"Yeah! Let’s go on a date!"
"A date—"
As soon as he heard the word, Rou-kun seemed a little embarrassed. We often go out together, but as soon as it’s called a "date," he gets shy. I used to be the same way, but now, I’m totally fine with it. If we’re going out together, whether it’s a battlefield or a park, it’s a date!
"Mmm, I’m really looking forward to tomorrow! I’ll have to wake up early!"
"I’m not planning to leave early in the morning, though... Um, Ritsuka..."
Rou-kun stepped a little closer to me. He was still a bit shy. Was there something he wanted to say?
"What’s up?"
"Well, I just wanted to say... thank you for always cooking for me..."
His gaze shifted back and forth, like he was choosing his words carefully.
I understand that expressing gratitude is important, but I could also see how it could make someone nervous. Still, it’s not like we’re at the point where he needs to be shy.
"—Ritsuka, your hands are so beautiful."
And then, Rou-kun’s hand gently moved toward mine.
"Thank you! But I’m cooking right now, and I’ll be touching meat soon, so wait over there, okay?"
"Ah, okay..."
It’s important not to be too touchy while cooking since it can be unsanitary and dangerous. Right now, my main goal is to make sure Rou-kun enjoys the food I make!
＊
So, the next day, Sunday. Rou-kun and I left the house in the morning.
Our plan was fairly free-form: we’d wander around a large shopping mall, and on the way back, we’d stop by a hardware store to buy a new kitchen knife before heading home.
"We've got quite a few things to buy besides the knife."
"Since we're taking the train, it's a bit of a problem that we can't buy too much."
"No, don't worry about it. I'll carry everything."
"No, no, I don’t want you to go through that trouble."
"No, no, no, I’m stronger, and I’m a man."
"No, no, no, no, in this day and age, it’s all about gender equality, so carrying bags should be equal too."
"No, no... alright, fine! Let's just prioritize what we need and buy that first."
We had this conversation while getting excited on the train. Rou-kun is really good at making comebacks.
"But, you know, we should get a car soon."
"A car, huh. I think it’d be convenient, and it probably is... but—"
Unlike a bicycle, buying a car isn’t the end of it. The running costs keep piling up. We're both working, so we’re not struggling too much, but if we’re being honest, we don’t really need a car.
"The transportation here is good, too. The train pretty much gets us everywhere we need to go."
"But driving is fun, right? Someday, I’ll show you the best night view, just you and me."
"You don’t even have a license."
"Right, I forgot!"
We’ve rented cars for drives a few times, but I don’t actually have a driver’s license, so my role is always just to cheer on Rou-kun from the passenger seat. He sometimes says, "Let me drive in peace," but I think it’s just his way of hiding his shyness.
"Having goals like owning a home and a car... it’s a good thing, right?"
"Yeah. I’ll work hard so we can buy both of them as soon as possible."
"I’ll do my best too~"
As we were talking about that, we arrived at our destination station, so we got off.
Right away, I exaggeratedly swung my right hand back and forth. Like a pendulum.
"Now then—where should we start looking?"
"Hmm..."
I gave it a little more of a swing, like an early metronome.
"The curtains are starting to get worn out. I think this is the furniture section, right?"
"Eh..."
Finally, I started spinning my arm around, like a pitching machine. It took a while, but he finally noticed.
"Ah... I see. Sorry, Ritsuka."
"What for~?"
"Well... I don’t know. I’m sorry I can’t get used to it."
Rou-kun’s left hand wrapped around my right hand, intertwining like twisted threads. Looking embarrassed, he reflected, thinking, "This is supposed to be a date, not just shopping." His bashful look was so cute!
"It’s fine. I’d rather you not get used to it."
"That’s true. If that ever happens, you can accuse me of cheating. I’ll probably always be like this."
"Rather, it’s your lack of growth that’s... um... s-s-something...!"
"Innocent and pure."
"Yes, that’s it! So!"
When the time comes for the proper moments, Rou-kun knows how to escort me properly.
So, for everyday dates, it’s actually just right that I’m the one taking the lead.
Even if we have parts of ourselves that are lacking, I believe that living together means forgiving, making up for, and complementing each other!
"Look, look at these sunglasses!"
In a glasses store within the mall, they had some sunglasses on display for trying on. I picked them up and put them on, alternating between looking at the mirror and at Rou-kun.
One of the differences between men and women is the way they approach shopping.
Men tend to head straight for what they need and buy it first. On the other hand, women are content as long as they get what they need by the end, so they browse around a lot before getting to their goal.
While this is a generalization and not true for everyone, it definitely applies to me and Rou-kun. As you can see, I really enjoy browsing and looking around.
"The lenses are huge... I think other sunglasses suit you better, Ritsuka."
The sunglasses had lenses so large that they practically stuck out from my face.
I understood the design aimed for a smaller face effect, but I wasn’t so sure about it.
"Yeah, they kind of look like dragonfly eyes, don't they? Try these on, Rou-kun!"
"Let’s see... How do I look?"
"Wow. You look like a suspicious person."
"Why did you downgrade from a dragonfly to a suspicious person?"
"Rou-kun, sunglasses just don't suit you. You look too good in them."
"That’s contradictory... I get what you mean, though."
When Rou-kun wears regular sunglasses, he looks like a secret agent. If he wore regular glasses, the image would soften, but with sunglasses, he looks stiff. Fashion is strange that way; something as simple as an accessory can completely change the vibe.
"This plushie is so cute!"
Next, we wandered through a goods shop. The shelves were filled with all sorts of character merchandise, and just being there made me feel happy.
Among them, I was particularly drawn to a plushie that was being sold at a discount.
"Is it cute...?"
Rou-kun tilted his head. The plushie was white, round, with horns and wings, and had a crude smile. The oddness of it actually made it cute! The material was a bead cushion, so it felt nice to the touch, kind of like a rice cake-shaped plushie.
"This is... a must-buy!"
"Hmm... I’m not sure who they’re targeting. It’s not pop enough for kids, and it’s too cheap for adults. It being discounted like this is the answer, but with this design, it’s too half-baked to sell well. Who made this? Let me see—"
"...Market research, I see."
"Ah!"
Rou-kun’s eyes had completely shifted into work mode, but with just one word from me, he snapped back to reality.
Maybe coming to the goods shop was a mistake. I wanted Rou-kun to forget about work on his day off... I should reflect on that.
"Sorry, I just got carried away..."
"No, no, I’m the one who should apologize. Let’s go somewhere else!"
After that, Rou-kun and I continued browsing, hopping from one place to another.
There were accessories, sports equipment, pet shops—there were things I wanted, but nothing that I truly needed, so I made myself be content with just looking and enjoying them.
We had lunch along the way, and then finally, we arrived at the furniture section, which was the main goal of our visit.
"Umm, what was the size of the curtains again?"
"I have the measurements written down here, so just choose the pattern you like in the same or a similar size."
"You're so prepared, Rou-kun!"
"Well, um, could I... go to the restroom for a bit?"
Rou-kun asked with a somewhat apologetic look, his eyes darting around. Hmm, it didn’t seem like he was going to the restroom for any particular reason. But it wasn't like he was doing something wrong either.
"Sure, take your time. I’ll pick something out while you’re gone!"
"Thanks, I’ll be right back!"
He gave a small bow and hurried off. I glanced up at the sign hanging from the ceiling. The men's restroom was marked by an arrow pointing to the right. Rou-kun was heading in the opposite direction, and I was pretty sure he hadn’t noticed. He's not great at lying. He’s just not used to it.
(What is he up to?)
Maybe he's secretly buying something he wants? He could just tell me, though.
(But there are things we all can’t tell others. I have my own things like that too.)
No secrets between us, right? Well, that's not true. At least not for us.
There are things I haven't told Rou-kun. Probably, if anyone else knew, they'd think it was trivial and unimportant, but still, it’s something I can’t say.
(But—someday, I’ll have to tell him. No, I will. By the 12th of next month, for sure.)
I want to know everything about the person I love. It’s an ideal, and it’s selfish.
There are probably things we’re better off not knowing about each other. But I still want to know. And yet, I don't want to be known. All these conflicting feelings float up, bumping into each other, popping, and eventually, we end up turning our backs.
Rou-kun is kind, so he never pushes too deeply into that part of me.
But I know he must have his own thoughts. It’s my fault, all of it.
"I’m sorry."
I whispered the words so softly that no one could hear.
For some reason, the curtain color I chose was a pale sky blue.
＊
"I’ve never been to a hardware store before."
"Me neither. But when I asked Yoshino, she recommended this one."
"Ah, Kitsune-san. She seems like someone who knows all the right places."
Rou-kun and I had arrived at an old, well-established hardware store in the shopping district, "Waniuchi Hardware Store." It was located just a little before my usual station, and Yoshino had told me where to find it. She’s always known so much about everything.
"Still... there’s a lot of stuff here. Even just the knives alone are a huge selection."
"Yeah..."
Inside an old-fashioned wooden and glass display case (there’s probably a more accurate term for it), there were all sorts of knives lined up. I didn’t realize there were so many types of knives.
"Wow, look, Rou-kun! They even have the ones used by carpenters!"
"That’s a planer. But... no, this one looks more like a bonito fish shaver."
"Cool! I wanna try grating something with it!"
"That’s pretty expensive, though... it’s easily over 10,000 yen."
"O-over 10,000 yen!? That’s crazy!"
The price was much higher than I expected... But, good broth is important, so I get it... I’m convinced.
"Just window-shopping, huh?"
"Yikes! Oh, no, it’s just that..."
From the back of the shop, a wrinkled old man in a jinbei (traditional summer kimono) suddenly spoke in a gruff voice. His sharp eyes were intimidating, and even though he wasn’t tall, he had a very imposing presence.
"Sorry for the noise. Are you the owner?"
"Yeah. If you’ve got business, make it quick. I’m not exactly on break."
"Actually, we’re looking for a knife. One broke while I was cooking."
"Santoku?"
"Yes, that’s right. My wife wanted a good-quality knife, so we were hoping you might have something nice."
"Ah! I heard this shop is really good from a friend!"
I may be a working adult, but I’m still not very skilled in office-type social interactions. I do have basic common sense, but Rou-kun, who can smoothly talk like that in situations like these, is really impressive...
The old man eyed both me and Rou-kun carefully, then gave a slight jerk of his chin.
"Household knives are over there on that display shelf. The more expensive ones are higher quality. But even the cheaper ones can beat the ones from around the corner. If you want to check the grip, just ask me. I’ll take one out for you."
"Thank you. Alright, Ritsuka, let’s pick one."
"Ah, yeah. Thank you!"
The old man was gruff, but he seemed to be dealing with customers properly.
"There’s quite a variety of Santoku knives. The blade length and handle size are all different."
"Since both you and I will be using it, we need one that works for both of us, right? Hey, grandpa, do you have any recommendations?"
"..."
The old man unlocked the display shelf and, without hesitation, took one out and handed it to me. The rule for shopping is: when in doubt, ask the staff!
"Wow, this feels perfect! You’re really great, grandpa..."
"Of course. The handle is almost the same size as the 'Hibari' model."
When I first heard that word, I thought it might be the name of a bird. But it definitely wasn’t.
However—before I could think any more about it, I grabbed Rou-kun's wrist firmly.
"...You can’t, Rou-kun. Don't make that face."
"...Just look at my face and say that."
"I don’t need to look. I can tell."
"Don’t get ready for anything, 'Feather Hunter.' The 'White Sorcerer’ girl too."
Not many people know about Rou-kun and my past... I think.
That's why, when someone who doesn't know us at all knows about it, it’s dangerous.
Rou-kun makes an even more dangerous face when faced with those kinds of people.
But that’s something we no longer need. He shouldn’t be making that kind of face.
"Excuse me, Grandpa. How do you know about us?"
"My granddaughter has shown me your pictures a few times. With hair that color, there's no way I’d mistake it."
"Ah, well, this is... the effect of a 'Blessing'..."
I was about to say that when it hit me—Yoshino had been the one to tell me about this place, and I remembered what her grandfather did for a living.
"...Your granddaughter, could she be Yoshino's grandfather? The one who made 'Hibari'?"
"That’s right. That idiot didn’t say anything? Thanks to that, I ended up catching a good dose of killing intent after a long time."
"I’m sorry. I didn’t know that you were Kitsune-san's grandfather, or that you ran a hardware store."
"Huh? But isn’t Yoshino’s grandfather supposed to be a swordsmith...?"
"I don’t forge swords anymore. My last one was 'Hibari.'"
I recalled what Yoshino had told me in the past—her grandfather was the one who made 'Hibari.'
"Girl, how’s 'Hibari' been?"
"Eh? U-umm..."
I couldn’t exactly say, I was chopping pumpkins yesterday!!...
"It’s... fine! I had a lot of alcohol yesterday, too..."
"Alcoholic, huh..."
"Hey. It’s still not broken, right?"
"Huh? It’s not... broken! I’m taking good care of it!"
It’s already been ten years since I met 'Hibari.' Most weapons don't last that long, so in that sense, 'Hibari' is truly long-lasting. I thought I might get a compliment from Grandpa for that... but he crossed his arms and looked like he was deep in thought for a moment.
"Every tool has a purpose," Grandpa said. "A tool lives on until it fulfills its role, and once it has, it dies. The knife didn’t break because it became useless. It chose to die because it had finished its purpose. There’s no room for humans to interfere in that."
"That's an interesting way of thinking. You’re saying the tool didn’t break because a human destroyed it, but because the tool itself chose to end its life?"
"That’s a rather complicated topic..."
"If 'Hibari' hasn’t broken, then it must still have a purpose. I thought for sure it would have broken in the battle ten years ago. That’s how I forged it."
"Well, if you’d like, would you like me to return 'Hibari' to you?"
"Don’t be ridiculous, girl. There’s no parent happy to see their child return after being sent off. 'Hibari' is yours—and, by extension, 'Feather Hunter’s' as well. If it hasn’t broken, then take good care of it until the day it does."
At that, Grandpa finally grinned, showing his teeth. His smile reminded me a little of Yoshino’s. I haven’t seen Yoshino directly lately, and I suddenly felt like I wanted to meet her.
"So, what about the knife? Do you want one with a similar feel to 'Hibari,' Ritsuka?"
"If Rou-kun is fine with it, I think this one would be good."
"Well, let's go with this one. Sorry, I'll buy it."
"As always. Don't be so hasty---"
"Hey, old man from Wanibuchi! We're here to pick up your goods, you idiot!"
As we were about to pay, a loud voice suddenly came from the front of the store. We were surprised…
We both turned around to see what was going on, and a rough-looking man was glaring at the old man.
"We're in the middle of business. Get out of here."
"Who cares! I'll go first! Old man, I told you to prepare as many swords as you can, right!? Are you ready!?"
"Can’t you read the sign? We’re a hardware store. We have knives, but we don’t carry swords."
I heard some unpleasant words. The scary person advanced toward us, getting so close to Grandpa’s face that I thought he might spit on him. I caught a glimpse of a tattoo on the back of his neck.
"Don’t try to play dumb, old man. We’ve already looked into it. We know you were spreading swords to the mob fifty years ago. You’ve still got one, don’t you? Hand it over."
"I don’t know who you heard that from, but that was half a century ago. Even if I still had those swords, you think I’d go and start a shootout with rusty old blades? I’d laugh. These knives here are sharper than those."
"…You won’t understand until you get a taste of pain, huh?"
The scary guy raised his right arm. In that instant, I reflexively slid myself in front of Grandpa. The scary guy froze for a moment, his movement halting.
"Ritsuka!"
"Young lady, this is none of your business. Don't stick your nose in--"
"What is it, you bastard?"
"There's a customer here! It's not nice to be rough with an Grandpa! Stop it!"
"Are you a straight-laced person? You're a squealing you. Do you think we won't be rough with her?"
"I'm not a straight-laced person, I'm a Saigawa!"
"Hey, Feather Hunter. Is she a straight-laced person?"
"She's not good at Japanese. Cute, right?"
"Are you a straight-laced person too..."
Grandpa and Rou-kun are whispering behind me.
Eh, I'm not saying anything weird, am I?
"Straight-laced is a surname, right?" I'm Saigawa!?
"...What a dumb woman. That twisted face of yours makes you even ugl—"
"WHERE DO YOU GET OFF CALLING MY WIFE UGLY, YOU PIECE OF TRASHHHH!”
"Ah, Ro-kun…”
In the blink of an eye, Rou-kun sent the scary guy flying. Grandpa muttered something about not causing a ruckus in the small shop, but it looked like Rou-kun had anticipated that and slammed the guy into the ground.
"Shit, my hand slipped..."
"I told you, didn’t I? Not to get involved. Clean up your own mess."
"Sorry..."
"But! But! Grandpa was also in danger, and I couldn’t just sit and watch, and it’s not like Rou-kun did anything that bad..."
The scary guy was completely out cold now. Whether it was me or Rou-kun facing him, the result would have been the same. One of us would have eventually had to deal with him.
But I also understood that Grandpa was chastising the reckless behavior itself...
"You two should understand. This fool is just a small fry, but behind him, there’s a whole 'organization.' You should know how dangerous it is for civilians to step into that world."
"...It was reckless. We apologize."
Rou-kun bowed deeply. People can’t live on their own. We belong to various groups like school or work. This scary guy came alone, but behind him were many more dangerous people, which is why he could act so violently and arrogantly.
Grandpa let out a long sigh. He didn’t seem too angry.
"Well-- I guess I'm glad that the White Mage's husband isn't some fart who can't even move when his wife is mocked in front of him. You're quite the man.”
Rou-kun laughed and nodded in response, almost the opposite of what Grandpa had said.
Still, there was no changing what had happened, so Rou-kun looked a bit troubled.
"Hahaha... Thank you. But he remember our face now, right? Ugh, what do we do now?"
"Seems like some idiot has been attacking the yakuza for no reason recently. The fact that they’re coming to gather weapons now just means they’re being pushed into a corner. So, don’t worry, they don’t have the time or resources to deal with civilians like you."
"Um, I’m not a civilian, I’m Saigawa..."
"That’s right. I’m Saigawa Rouji, and this is Saigawa Ritsuka. We’re not civilians."
"Hey, don’t completely take advantage of your wife’s ignorance."
I didn’t really understand, but since I hadn’t introduced myself to Grandpa yet, I’ll just consider that as having done it.
Grandpa grabbed the scary guy by the neck and dragged him toward the front of the shop.
"Wanibuchi-san, what are you going to do with him?"
"I’ll turn him over to the cops later. When in trouble, regular citizens rely on public authority. Keep that in mind."
"I see… yeah, I’ll do that next time!"
"I hope it doesn’t come to this again, though…"
Grandpa kicked the scary guy out in front of the shop and came back. He was holding a smartphone.
"Wow, Grandpa, you can use a smartphone! That’s so cool!"
"Heh. My grandkid kept nagging me to get one. She even set up security cameras all around the store without asking."
"Seems like your store is more securely protected than I thought. I’m surprised."
"Well, maybe. I don’t really need it. As long as I have this guy, I’m good."
Grandpa slightly revealed the hilt of a short sword from his jinbei. Wait, but earlier...
"Grandpa, you told the scary guy you don’t have any swords—"
"Well, I’m a swordsmith. I just don’t forge them anymore. I can’t imagine living without a sword."
"I… I see…?"
"Not exactly being careful, but... more like being pretty tough."
Grandpa might be strong in every way, so much so that he didn’t fear those scary people. Maybe that’s why he told Rou-kun and me to stay out of it.
After calling the authorities, Grandpa finally took care of the actual purpose of the visit—paying for the kitchen knife.
"While we’re at it, I’ll add a sharpening stone. With proper maintenance, that’ll last you at least ten years."
"Is it really okay?"
"Great! Thanks, Grandpa!"
"Don’t worry about it. And if anything happens to that Hibari, bring it here."
He added, "You probably won’t need it anymore, though…" It’s true that I probably wouldn’t use it again. Still, it made me really happy to know someone cared for my sword.
"Got it! But even if nothing happens, I’ll come visit again. With Yoshino!"
"Is that so? Then I’ll have some tea and sweets ready for you when you do."
"We’re sorry for all the trouble we’ve caused. Well, we’ll be going now."
Since the police were on their way, Grandpa told us to leave before they arrived.
"—Take care of each other, you two. I’m rooting for you."
In the end, that was the last thing Grandpa quietly said, and both Rou-kun and I heard it.
＊
"Ugh, I’m so tired~. I’m completely exhausted~."
After stopping by the supermarket on the way home, it was already getting dark by the time I got back.
I put down my bags, washed my hands, and collapsed onto the sofa.
"Good job. I’ll make dinner, so you can just relax, Ritsuka."
"Thanks, Rou-kun. Make sure you eat a lot~."
"Isn’t that something I should be saying...?"
"I mean, the person who made it shouldn’t hold back either~."
"I see."
I could hear the clattering of dishes from the kitchen. Rou-kun was probably starting to prepare the food.
Rou-kun tends to take quite a bit of time with cooking—he’s very meticulous, so I figured dinner might be a bit late, but I just let my mind wander.
"Grandpa was a really good person, huh?"
"Hmm? Oh, yeah. He seemed sharp, and he didn’t get old without reason."
"Don’t say things like that!"
I scolded Rou-kun, then quickly messaged Yoshino about what happened today. Next time we can get together, I want to bring Hibari and visit Grandpa again.
"Hey, I... I don’t think it was right. No matter who the person is, hurting someone isn’t good."
"...You’re still thinking about what happened earlier?"
"Of course. I think it could’ve turned into something much worse if I had made just one wrong move."
Grandpa had told the police that it was "just a customer who happened to be shopping and ended up driving off a thug who had been making unreasonable demands at the store." So it hadn’t turned into anything major.
Still, from our standpoint of "staying under the radar," it could be a problem...
"Rou-kun, you were angry for my sake, right?"
"Yeah... that’s definitely true."
"Then I’m really happy, so it’s all good! On the other hand, there might have been a better way to handle it, so that part’s a no-go! In conclusion... it’s a safe fail!"
"That’s a weird way to put it... But I feel a lot better now. Thanks, Ritsuka."
"No problem~."
Rou-kun might have misunderstood a bit, but I don’t think fighting to protect someone and hurting others is always a bad thing. Sometimes it’s something everyone has to do.
If Rou-kun hadn’t acted, I would have taken care of that scary person to protect Grandpa. In the end, it just came down to who acted first, so I don’t want him to feel bad about it.
...Maybe I’m the one with the wrong thinking.
"Hey, Ritsuka."
"What is it? Are you taking a break from cooking?"
"Well, yeah, I’m just letting the chicken come to room temperature before I continue..."
Rou-kun, still wearing his apron, sat down next to me. His expression wasn’t as serious as before; now, his gaze kept flicking back and forth, probably lost in his own thoughts.
"Umm, we walked quite a bit today, didn’t we? Are your legs tired at all?"
"Hmm, I’m tired, but my legs are fine. What about you, Rou-kun? You carried all the bags, so your arms aren’t sore?"
"I’m tough, you know. But, uh, if you want, I can give you a leg... massage?"
"Foot reflexology, you mean?"
"Yeah, yeah. If you want—"
"I don’t like that, it’s too ticklish~."
I’d heard that people who complain of pain when having their foot pressure points pressed are usually not in the best health. Since I just feel ticklish, I think I’m probably fine.
"Maybe I should just give you a foot massage, Rou-kun? I don’t know where the pressure points are though..."
"I’m really super tough, you know. Uh, well, how about your shoulders? Are they sore?"
"My shoulders?"
"Yeah. You know, women—"
Rou-kun’s gaze, which had been darting left and right, shifted downward. It’s an old habit of his, but I’m really sensitive to people’s eye movements. I mean, most girls are. After all, if you’re just being normal, your eyes don’t drift downward unless you're looking at someone’s body...!
"──I’ve heard women often complain about shoulder tension."
"What were you looking at just now?"
"Huh? Hahaha, I’m always looking at you, Ritsuka."
"You were thinking, 'She doesn’t have tense shoulders, right?'"
"No way! It’s all about personal differences! Even if your shoulders aren’t tense, I just wanted to show my gratitude by massaging them!!"
"I didn’t say my shoulders aren’t tense though?"
"Ah!"
I threw a cushion at Rou-kun and turned away. Shoulders... right. Yeah, my shoulders never get tense. I’m totally healthy, after all! It has nothing to do with my chest size!
"The chicken’s probably at room temperature by now! I’m starving~!! Hurry up and make dinner~!!"
"Alright, alright! If you ever get tense, I’ll massage you, okay?!"
"I’ll be counting on you then!!"
Rou-kun returns to the kitchen in a panic. I guess he was just here to tease me after all. Oh, so it's true that he wanted a massage. It wasn't exactly necessary, but if I ever get stiff legs or shoulders, I'll definitely ask Rou-kun for help.
"Ri-Ritsuka! This knife is amazing!"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Rou-kun yells in surprise from the kitchen.
I'm not trying to summarise the story, but I think cooking, fighting and massage all have the same roots.
"It cuts chicken like tofu!! Is this all a good knife can do!?"
"I'm curious! Let me see it!"
In other words──both are things you do for someone else!
Post a Comment