Chapter 2
The morning after the cat incident, I was awoken by the alarm on the smartphone next to my pillow and the morning sun streaming through the window.
Didn't I close the curtains last night? Rubbing my sleep-crusted eyes, I sat up in bed. There was no point in asking who was responsible. I took a deep breath, climbed out of bed, and stepped out of the bedroom, immediately greeted by the savory aroma of miso soup.
"Good morning, Senpai! Breakfast is all ready!"
As I walked into the living room, Shirasu was standing there in an apron, wearing a refreshing smile as if nothing unusual had happened. She looked like the very picture of purity—a textbook example of a radiant new bride. It was impossible to believe she was the exact same girl who, just last night, had donned cat ears, posed like a wild panther, and straddled my waist while making sweet, needy noises. The sheer whip of contrast gave me a mild wave of dizziness.
"Morning, Shirasu. Thanks, as always," I said.
This scene had become so familiar that I didn't even have the energy to call her out on it. Muffling a yawn, I took my seat at the dining table. Looking around, I realized this once-bleak bachelor pad had turned surprisingly bright and colorful. Who knew adding a single flower could transform a place so completely?
"Don't mention it! This is the bare minimum for your fiancée. Now, eat up before it gets cold!" Shirasu beamed.
Spread across the table was a breakfast fit for a high-end traditional inn: freshly steamed white rice, grilled salmon, tamagoyaki, daikon miso soup, and pickled cucumbers. Stunned by the presentation, I raised the bowl to my lips. The rich, soothing flavor of the dashi-infused soup warmed me up from the inside out.
"...This is really good."
"Hehe. I'm so glad it suits your taste, Senpai. Pouring all my love into it was worth it!" she replied, giggling happily.
"I could drink this every single day. You're gonna make a great wife, Shirasu... Oh wait, you're already my wife, aren't you? Ahaha."
"...Senpai, are you still half-asleep?"
Shirasu's face turned as red as a boiled octopus as she pouted cutely. Yeah, I was well aware I had just blurted out something crazy. Wishing I'd washed my face before coming out, I sank my chopsticks into the grilled salmon to cover my embarrassment, even though every word I'd said had been the absolute truth.
Flaking off a piece of the perfectly salted salmon, I brought it to my mouth along with a bite of rice. The skin was savory and crisp, while the inside was tender and moist, bursting with rich, flavorful oils with every chew.
"Grilling salmon like this must take a lot of work, doesn't it?" I asked.
"Not at all. I just prepped it and put it in the broiler. More importantly, try the tamagoyaki!"
She insisted it was her proudest creation, lifting a piece of fluffy rolled omelet with her chopsticks and holding it out toward me.
"Here you go, Senpai. Say 'ahhh'!"
"Whoa, hold on. I can feed myself, you really don't need to do that."
As a teenage guy, I was hardly immune to dreaming about a cute girl feeding me, but actually having it happen in real life was far more embarrassing than it was exciting.
"...Do you really dislike me feeding you, Senpai?"
Shirasu slumped, her voice dropping into a crestfallen whimper. If she were a dog, her tail would be drooping to the floor. Pulling a face like that was completely unfair—it made me feel like an absolute monster. Scratching my head, I let out a heavy sigh.
"Alright, fine! I'll let you feed me, so please don't look at me like that!"
"Ehehe! I knew you'd say that, Senpai! Okay then... open wide, 'ahhh'!" she chirped, her expression instantly blossoming like a lovely flower.
Opening my mouth, I took the proffered tamagoyaki. It practically melted on my tongue, releasing an elegant aroma of dashi that wafted through my nose. A subtle sweetness was followed by the perfect touch of savory saltiness. It was leagues ahead of the rolled omelets I'd eaten as a kid.
"This is insanely good. Honestly, you could open your own restaurant right now with this alone."
"Thank you! But the only person I ever want to cook for is you, Senpai, so opening a restaurant is out of the question."
Shirasu offered a shy smile before popping a piece of tamagoyaki into her own mouth. The steam rising from the miso soup, the mouthwatering scent of grilled salmon, and the breathtakingly gorgeous girl—my commuting wife and fiancée—smiling so happily right in front of me. As I soaked in this serene morning and the quiet bliss of ordinary life, far beyond anything I could have imagined a few months ago, a fierce wave of possessiveness bubbled up within me: I didn't want anyone to intrude on this moment.
"What's wrong, Senpai? Are you still sleepy?" she asked, tilting her head.
"...Yeah, maybe."
Letting out a self-deprecating laugh, I took a sip of miso soup. Right, I must still be half-asleep. That's why I'm entertaining thoughts about the future that I'd never normally think about... along with some improper desires—
—Ding-dong.
Just as the thought crossed my mind, the harsh, inorganic chime of the doorbell rang through the living room, shattering the peaceful silence.
"Huh? Who could that be at this hour?" I muttered.
The clock had barely ticked past seven in the morning. I didn't subscribe to a newspaper, had no packages scheduled for delivery, and had never been targeted by door-to-door recruiters. So who was this inconsiderate visitor? Puzzled, I got to my feet.
"Sigh... I'll go check it out. Wait here, Shirasu."
"Okaay, got it!"
Annoyed by the relentless barrage of doorchimes, I rushed to the entryway without bothering to check the intercom monitor. Mentally running through a few different strategies for fending off a troublesome guest, I unlocked and opened the door.
"Alright, alright, who is it?"
"Good morning, Tomoya. Surprise, I came over!"
Sticking out her tongue playfully with a cute "tehe," the visitor standing at my doorstep was a girl wearing our familiar school uniform. None other than my classmate and seatmate of over a year.
Terror. Trembling fright. Goosebumps. A blood-curdling chill down my spine. A barrage of horrifying phrases flashed through my mind in an instant.
"...Say something. It's getting embarrassing standing here in silence," she murmured.
"A-Ah... sorry. Wait, no! Mimasaka, why on earth are you here?!"
"Why? Well... to give you this, I guess?" Mimasaka replied.
Looking a bit shy, Mimasaka held up a neatly wrapped bento box. It took my brain a good few seconds to register what I was looking at. What in the world had gotten into her?
"...Was this a bad idea?" she asked, looking anxious.
She looked up at me with upturned eyes, like a puppy waiting to be praised after retrieving a thrown toy. It was practically the exact same expression Shirasu had given me just moments ago. Seriously, gorgeous girls looking up at guys with puppy-dog eyes ought to be banned by municipal ordinance.
"No, not at all! I'm really happy you went out of your way to do this. Thanks, Mimasaka."
"Save your thanks for after you eat it at lunch—wait. Wow, something smells amazing. Were you in the middle of eating breakfast?"
"Yeah, pretty much. Plus, as you can see, I'm still in my pajamas. Sorry, but why don't you head to school first—"
"Senpaaaai! Is everything okay out there?"
A bright, sweet voice echoed from behind me. A moment later, the patter of slippers approached, and Shirasu appeared right in front of us, wearing her school uniform topped with an apron.
"...Ack!"
A noise like a squashed frog escaped my throat. Mimasaka's eyes went wide, staring as if she were looking at a ghost.
"...Huh? Wh-Why...?" Mimasaka squeaked out.
"Mimasaka-senpai?" Shirasu blurted out.
Mimasaka's voice was strained, and the hands holding her bento box trembled slightly. Shirasu, thoroughly baffled by the situation, quietly hid behind my back.
A three-way deadlock. An excruciating silence hung in the entryway for a few agonizing seconds. Shattering the quiet was Mimasaka, a twitch in her temple accompanying a stiff, strained smile.
"...Hey, Tomoya. You're going to give me a proper explanation for this, right?"
Faced with an intimidating aura that brooked no argument, my only option was to nod timidly. But talking at school risked being overheard by who-knows-who. On the other hand, suggesting we discuss it another day was out of the question—Mimasaka in her current state would never allow it.
"Alright. But let me get dressed first. Go ahead and wait in the living room. Shirasu, sorry, but—"
"You don't need to say another word, Senpai. I understand," Shirasu cut in playfully.
Glancing subtly at Mimasaka, Shirasu unformed her apron and pitter-pattered off to the living room. She returned a moment later carrying her school bag.
"Well then, I'll head to school on ahead! Ah, make sure you aren't late, okay?"
"I'm off!" she called out with a bright smile, as if this were her own home, passing Mimasaka on her way out the door. Watching her leave, Mimasaka surprisingly let slip a soft chuckle.
"Hehe. Shirasu is as adorable as ever. Seeing her like that, she almost looks like your little sister, Tomoya."
"She's always been like that. Overflowing with energy, or something. Though right now she's a handful in a completely different way."
"You really do sound like a big brother."
"Pardon the intrusion," Mimasaka said, stepping out of her shoes into the hallway. As much as I wanted to finish eating the steaming breakfast, I had to change into my uniform first—and figure out an excuse.
"I'm gonna go change into my uniform. Don't eat my food while I'm gone, okay?"
"I won't... or so I was gonna say, but wow, this is insane. Don't tell me Shirasu made all of this from scratch?"
"Yep. She sure did."
Offering a dry chuckle to the astonished Mimasaka, I retreated to my room. I wanted to believe it was just my imagination that the situation was steadily worsening. Maybe I should just go back to sleep, I muttered to myself—a thought that would surely infuriate both girls if they heard it—as I unbuttoned my shirt.
＊＊＊＊＊
Tightening my tie, I checked my reflection in the mirror. Staring back at me was a guy with an expression as tense as a criminal about to turn himself in to confess his crimes. Taking a deep breath, I steeled my resolve and stepped back into the living room.
Mimasaka was sitting on the sofa a little distance from the dining table, watching TV with an idle look. A lively morning variety show was playing, its canned laughter filling the room, but her expression remained rigid.
Seeing a close female friend—someone I usually traded banter with in the seat next to mine at school—sitting in my own living room was surreal. It gave me a whole different kind of tension than Shirasu did.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. About what happened—"
"You can eat while we talk. It'd be annoying if your stomach started growling in class, and besides, it'd be a shame to waste food Shirasu worked so hard to make," Mimasaka said flatly.
Keeping her eyes glued to the screen, she toyed aimlessly with the remote. Her gaze was unfocused, clearly uninterested in the show. Yet she wasn't changing channels or adjusting the volume; the restless twitching of her thumb betrayed the inner turmoil she was trying to hide.
"Thanks. I'll take you up on that, then."
Nodding, I sat down at my usual spot across from the empty seat where Shirasu's faint warmth still lingered, taking a sip of the now lukewarm miso soup. Between the tension and awkwardness, I could barely taste a thing. To think this was such a peaceful breakfast table just minutes ago, I grumbled internally as I picked up my chopsticks.
In front of me sat Shirasu's half-eaten rice bowl covered in plastic wrap, alongside the chopsticks she had used to try feeding me just moments before.
"...Hey, Tomoya. Can I ask you now?"
Mimasaka set down the remote, stood up, and turned toward me. The vacant look she'd given the TV was gone, replaced by a sharp, incisive stare that looked ready to catch the slightest twitch in my expression. She looked just like a veteran detective in a crime drama.
"I'll get straight to the point. Are you living together with Shirasu?"
A fastball straight down the middle. My chopsticks froze mid-air as I was flaking the salmon. Trying to deny it was useless—Shirasu standing here in an apron over her uniform and the breakfast currently sitting in front of me were irrefutable evidence.
"Ah... well, she stays over sometimes, but we aren't living together. And there are circumstances behind this. Very complicated circumstances, deeper than the Mariana Trench and taller than Mount Everest..."
"Save the excuses. There were women's shoes in the entryway that weren't leather shoes. The uniform under an apron. And the way she casually said 'I'm off!' on her way out. Don't you think she's a little too comfortable here for just a caring junior?"
Her voice was calm, posed as a question yet filled with absolute conviction. But her fingertips trembled, clutching the fabric of her skirt tightly. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath before opening my mouth hesitantly.
"Remember how I told you I got hurt protecting Shirasu? She felt way more responsible than I expected. She insisted, 'Please let me take care of you until you heal,' and practically forced her way in. Plus, with our history..."
"And that led to this. So, how's that injury?"
"It fully healed a long time ago."
"Then why was Shirasu here this morning wearing an apron over her school uniform?"
"W-Well... she gave excuses like, 'A habit once started can't be changed so easily,' and 'I need to manage the nutritional balance of a senior living alone'... and I kinda... gave in to her enthusiasm, I guess..."
Even though I wasn't lying, my voice grew smaller and smaller the more I spoke. It really felt like I was being interrogated.
"In other words, you turned her down, but she forced her way into staying?"
"...Yeah. That about sums it up."
"I see. Shirasu seems pretty strong-willed despite her looks, so I figured you got dragged along by the momentum... but aren't you being way too soft on her?"
"I know I am. But how should I put it... having Shirasu around just feels comforting. Ever since middle school, my dad's been away a lot for work, so I've spent a lot of time alone."
As I let out a wry laugh, the tension on Mimasaka's face evaporated like smoke. She didn't yell or look exasperated; she simply let out a long sigh.
"I see. You were lonely, Tomoya."
Her voice was surprisingly gentle, her expression filled with genuine warmth. In the entire year I'd known her, I had never seen that look on her face before, and it caught my breath.
"Still, if that's the case, isn't it weird to say you're 'less than lovers'? Are you sure you're really not dating?"
It was a completely valid point, but I honestly didn't know how to define my relationship with Shirasu myself. There was no way I could tell her we'd skipped past dating straight to being engaged. Even if I told her, she'd probably just roll her eyes and refuse to believe me.
"No girl acts like a commuting wife and stays overnight at a guy's place unless she likes him, right? Unless he has dirt on her, or to put it in manga terms, their parents arranged an engagement behind their backs. But hey, that'd be ridiculous, right?"
"...Right. Yeah. You might be onto something."
Except that 'ridiculous' scenario happens to be 100% real, I chuckled dryly to myself as I gulped down the cold miso soup.
"Hey, Tomoya... What if I said, 'I'll become your commuting wife and take care of you instead of Shirasu'?"
"...Come again?"
My mind went completely blank. She had a smirk on her face and a teasing tone in her voice, but deep in her eyes, a sharp intensity warned me that a dishonest answer wouldn't be tolerated.
"...I'd probably turn you down."
"Honest, aren't you? Then tell me: what's the difference between Shirasu and me?"
"W-Well, that's..."
I swallowed the words stuck in my throat. I knew it myself—there was a fundamental difference between what I felt for Shirasu and what I felt for Mimasaka. Seeing me hesitate, Mimasaka let out a soft laugh and relaxed her shoulders.
"Hehe. Sorry for putting you on the spot, Tomoya. All I wanted to say is that leaving things half-baked isn't good. Got it?"
"...Yeah. I'll make things clear. Thanks. But setting that aside, Mimasaka... can I ask you one thing?"
"What is it?"
"Why did you suddenly show up at my house with a bento this morning?"
Shaken by her sudden arrival, I had completely forgotten to ask. In response, Mimasaka let out a meaningful smirk.
"Hmm, I wonder why? Why don't you try figuring that out yourself?"
Leaving behind those cryptic words, she stepped out of the living room, and a moment later, the front door clicked shut. Left all alone, I downed the rest of my cold miso soup in one gulp.
Glancing at the clock, it was already past seven thirty. If I didn't hurry up and get ready, I'd be late for school. Putting the used dishes in the sink to soak, I placed Shirasu's leftovers into the fridge.
As I packed Mimasaka's homemade bento into my bag, I sighed deeply, wondering what kind of face I was supposed to make sitting next to her today.
Please, no more complications today. Let me just get through the day in peace. Praying earnestly, I left the house.
＊＊＊＊＊
I'll start with the conclusion: school that day was anything but peaceful.
During the morning classes, not a single word of the lessons registered in my brain. The scratching of Mimasaka's pen beside me and the subtle whiff of her perfume invaded my senses more than usual, throwing my mind into total disarray.
Contrary to my internal turmoil, Mimasaka barely gave me a side-glance now and then, refraining from talking to me even during breaks, focusing attentively on the blackboard.
It was hard to believe she was the same girl who had shown up unannounced at my house that morning. Just as I was feeling an uncanny discomfort and assuming the day would end like this, lunch break arrived—and chaos struck.
"I'm starving, Tomoya. Why don't we eat lunch together in the cafeteria for a change?"
The moment the bell finished chiming, Mimasaka broke her morning-long silence as if nothing had happened, speaking up in a cheerful tone.
"O-Oh, sure! Sounds good for a change."
"You brought the bento I made for you, right? I can't wait to hear what you think!"
Mimasaka deliberately emphasized the words "I made." The instant those words left her lips, a sudden hush fell over the classroom, followed by immediate murmurs.
"D-Did she just say Mimasaka-san made him a bento?!"
"You misheard, right? Though to me, it sounded like 'the bento I lovingly made for you'..."
"What do we do? Execute him? Take down Mido and steal the bento?"
"Wait, didn't Princess Yuika give him a bento the other day too?! How is this even legal?! It shouldn't be!"
Yeah, ignoring every single one of them was the only way to preserve my sanity. Hey, stop waving at our classmates with that bright smile! Fan service like that is only gonna add fuel to the fire!
"Got something to say, Tomoya?" Mimasaka teased.
"No, nothing at all. I'm just amazed at how natural you make it look."
As expected of someone popular with both guys and girls. A few students were clutching their chests like they were going to faint just from her wave. That kind of stuff only happened in manga. Sighing inwardly, I pulled out the bento box I'd gotten from Mimasaka this morning.
"Showing up at my house, making me a bento... What is going on with you today, Mimasaka?"
"I told you to figure it out yourself, didn't I? Though if I had to say... maybe it's just my way of bothering you?"
"What kind of elaborate prank is that? I've never heard of anyone bothering someone by waking up early to make them a bento and coming over to their house."
I gave her a skeptical look while sighing in disbelief, but she paid no mind, whistling innocently. Just then, amidst the clamor in the hallway, heavy rushing footsteps approached our room.
"Senpai! It's lunch time!"
Bursting through the sliding door with enough force to pop it off its tracks—like someone trying to catch a departing train—Shirasu barged into the room. In her hands, she clutched a familiar blue bag and a pink bag. Her face was locked in a look of grim determination, looking like a samurai heading onto the battlefield.
"Uh... Shirasu? What's that in your hands?"
"Isn't it obvious? It's today's bento! I prepared it so we could eat together today!"
Shirasu puffed out her chest with a triumphant look. Trying my absolute best not to notice the soft sway of her chest at that motion, I was genuinely impressed. When did she even find the time to prep a bento?
"You'll eat the bento I made for you, won't you, Senpai?"
"Hold on a second, Shirasu. I gave him mine first, so it's only right that he eats my bento," Mimasaka interjected with a smirk.
Mimasaka wore a provocative smile. Don't tell me she prepared that bento and came to my house just to set up a situation like this?! Shirasu puffed out her cheeks cutely, letting out a frustrated groan. What was I supposed to do? They say running away is the best strategy, but in this situation, fleeing was a fatal mistake—I'd be socially executed. The only path to survival was...
"Well, well, Tomoya-kun! Looks like you're in quite an enviable—I mean, terrible—bind here!"
Currently ranking number one on my list of 'People I Least Want to See Right Now', Koshiro jumped into the conversation with an overly theatrical tone.
"Shut it. As you can see, I'm busy. Talk to me some other time."
"Don't be so cold! Here I am, stepping up to help out my troubled best friend—you shouldn't just brush me off!" Koshiro said, clapping a hand onto my shoulder with a glittering smile.
Ignoring my glaring suspicion that he was up to no good, Koshiro held up a single finger dramatically and proposed a solution to Shirasu and Mimasaka.
"Why not head down to the cafeteria and have Tomoya judge which bento tastes better?"
“Whoa!” “Great idea!” Cheers erupted across the classroom. Give me a break. I'm not a circus animal.
"I see... So a taste test! That sounds like a wonderful idea!" Shirasu agreed eagerly.
"I've gained a bit of respect for you, Tsumori. You actually come up with good ideas once in a while. Well, I don't really care about winning or losing, but as long as Tomoya eats my food, I have no objections."
Shirasu praised Koshiro for his idea while Mimasaka looked cool and composed. Neither of them had any intention of asking for my input. I had intended to eat both bentos anyway, so that was fine, but if I had just said so from the start, we could have avoided this whole judging circus...
"Alright! Now that it's settled, let's head to the cafeteria! Oh, right, Tomoya. To make sure the judging is fair, you should give me a bite too!"
"No way!"
Before I could even open my mouth, Koshiro received an immediate veto. As he slumped his shoulders in defeat, I reached out to pat his back in sympathy, only for him to growl and glare at me with murderous eyes. Maybe I should stop being his friend.
Thinking such thoughts, the four of us made our way toward the cafeteria. A crowd of onlookers trailed right behind us, with a few shameless fools pulling out their smartphones to record and livestream the event.
"Sorry, but this isn't a show. We're just eating lunch, so please don't do anything stupid," Mimasaka announced with a smile that carried a quiet threat.
Her polite yet spine-chilling request instantly extinguished the crowd's excitement. Relieved that we could finally eat in peace, I stepped into the cafeteria.
"Oh, perfect. There's an open table over there."
Even though lunch break had just started, the cafeteria was already packing in. The spot we grabbed by the window was usually prime real estate. Finding a table where all four of us could sit was lucky... though considering we had an unwanted third wheel, maybe it was unlucky instead.
"Now that we're here... are we seriously doing a taste test?" I asked.
"Of course we are! This is the perfect opportunity to prove once and for all that I am your rightful wife, Senpai!" Shirasu declared, huffing proudly.
Don't casually blurt out something so outrageous with such confidence! Mimasaka's eyes narrowed dangerously, while Koshiro openly clicked his tongue in frustration. What was supposed to be a pleasant lunch was turning agonizingly tense.
"Alright, the party's in full swing, so let's get this taste test started!" Koshiro announced.
"Why are you getting flustered when you're the one who suggested it? And 'in full swing' usually means it's time to wrap things up, you know."
"Shut up! Don't nitpick every little word! Realizing I get to eat lunch with Princess Yuika is making my heart explode! If anything, you staying so calm freaks me out!"
"Hahaha... If I look calm to you, then your eyes must be blind, Koshiro."
As Koshiro rambled rapidly, I let out a resigned sigh. I was desperately holding back the urge to bolt from the room right then and there. Since escape was impossible, I was just putting on a brave face.
"Enough small talk. Can you start with my bento first, Tomoya?" Mimasaka asked.
I looked at Shirasu, who gave a small nod. Looks like they had decided the order without me noticing. Taking a deep breath, I opened the lid of Mimasaka's bento.
"W-Whoa...! Don't tell me Mimasaka's bento is omurice?! And it's so perfectly shaped! You only see something like this in cooking videos or restaurants!" Koshiro gushed.
I offered a wry smile at Koshiro's over-excited commentary, but I shared the exact same thought.
A sweet aroma of butter and tangy ketchup tickled my nose. The golden sheet of egg was completely smooth and unblemished, like a piece of fine art. Drawn on top with ketchup was a cute little heart, revealing Mimasaka's playful side.
"Amazing... It almost feels like a waste to eat this."
"Hehe. I'm glad to hear that, but I made it specifically for you, Tomoya, so I'll be troubled if you don't eat it."
My heart skipped a beat at her soft smile. Taking the spoon she had thoughtfully provided, I hesitantly cut into the omurice and scooped up a bite. Inside was classic chicken rice packed with chicken and onions. I slowly brought it to my mouth.
"..."
The egg melted softly on my tongue, combining with the rich, creamy butter and a deeply nostalgic flavor. With every chew, fragments of memories flashed through my mind. This was the dish I loved as a child, the one I used to beg my mom to make for me. I never thought I'd get to taste it again.
"Hey, Tomoya! How's Mimasaka's omurice? Is it good? Come on, for old time's sake, just one bite—no, even a single grain of rice!"
"Tsumori?"
Koshiro leaned in like a starved wolf toward my spoon, but Mimasaka immediately shut him down with a chilling smile.
"I made this specifically for Tomoya. If you lay a hand on it... you know what happens, right?"
"Eep...! I-I get it! It was just a harmless joke!" Koshiro squealed.
"So... how is it, Tomoya? Does my omurice taste good?" Mimasaka asked, her tone shifting to an anxious look.
Seeing me pause after one bite and fall silent, she looked up at me nervously. Her voice snapped me back to reality.
"A-Ah... sorry. It's delicious. How should I put it... it's a deeply comforting flavor."
Fighting back tears that threatened to spill, I took a second and third bite. I never dreamed I'd reunite with a taste from my past like this.
"Muu..."
Seeing me completely lost in the memory of the dish, Shirasu sat across from me with her cheeks puffed out sulkily.
"Senpai, it's time to try my bento too!"
Shirasu popped off the lid of her bento and thrust it toward me. Resting inside was a hamburger steak, the undisputed king of high school boys' favorite side dishes. When she'd managed to make something so time-consuming was a mystery, but asking would be rude.
"Don't tell me, Princess Yuika... is this handmade?" Koshiro gasped.
"Of course! I secretly prepped and kneaded the meat last night!" she replied proudly.
Living up to her confidence, the massive patty occupied half the bento box. Rich and meaty, the savory aroma of demi-glace sauce reawakened an appetite I thought was already satisfied by the omurice.
"Now, Senpai! Please dig in! Say 'ahhh'!"
Seemingly oblivious to the fact that we were in the middle of the school cafeteria, Shirasu cut off a thick piece of hamburger steak with her chopsticks and brought it toward my mouth. This isn't my apartment! I wanted to yell, but blurting that out would shatter whatever peace I had left into a million pieces, so I held back.
"W-W-Wait, Princess Yuika?!"
"What do you think you're doing, Shirasu?"
Koshiro yelled out in shock and panic, while a vein popped on Mimasaka's temple as her smile twitched. The surrounding atmosphere froze instantly. A cold sweat drenched my back.
"Stop right there, Shirasu. Feeding him is a regulation violation. Right, Tsumori?"
"Y-Yeah! Even with a heart as broad as the Sea of Japan, I can't tolerate him getting fed! I could kill Tomoya with envy beams right now!"
As my best friend glared daggers at me, I did my best to stay calm, offering a wry smile and a shrug.
"Don't say such scary things. Relax, I'll eat it myself."
"Don't say that, Senpai! Food tastes way better when someone feeds you, you know!"
"Didn't you know?" Shirasu added with dead seriousness. No doubt Nanase put her up to this... Frustratingly enough, I couldn't just laugh it off or dismiss it. Still, desperate times called for desperate measures; ignoring Shirasu's pouting protest, I took the chopsticks from her.
"Alright then... thanks for the food."
Ignoring Shirasu's pouting lips, I popped the piece of hamburger steak into my mouth. Instantly, rich juices overflowed. The warm aroma of nutmeg wafted through my nose, while the caramelized sweet onions harmonized perfectly with the deep demi-glace. It was good enough to make me spout cheesy food-critic prose in my head. A three-star chef would hang their head in shame.
"How is it, Senpai? It's one of my best dishes—is it tasty?" Shirasu asked nervously.
Instead of answering her prayer-like question directly, I kept eating the hamburger steak along with white rice. In my peripheral vision, Koshiro was practically drooling with envy. Sorry buddy, no sharing this one.
"Hehe. If you eat that fast, you'll choke! Please make sure to drink some water too," Shirasu beamed, her face lighting up with joy.
"Sigh... Meat really is unmatched, huh? Guess Tomoya is just a teenage boy after all," Mimasaka mumbled self-deprecatingly with a sigh.
Shirasu's face bloomed into a delighted smile. On the flip side, Mimasaka let out a weary sigh, muttering self-deprecatingly.
"Alright, alright, alright! Lunch break is almost over, and even though I was the one who suggested this, my patience is at its limit! Let's get to the verdict! Right, Tomoya?!"
"...Yeah. Whenever you're ready."
"Look at you, stepping up! I totally thought you'd whine about not being able to pick... but fine! Let's hear it: Princess Yuika, or Mimasaka?! Which one is it?!"
Koshiro's unnecessarily hyped-up voice resounded across the cafeteria. The murmuring crowd went quiet, and countless eyes locked onto my mouth.
Shirasu clasped her hands before her chest in prayer, while Mimasaka offered an intense, serious gaze, unwilling to miss a single syllable. Taking one long, deep breath, I made up my mind and spoke my verdict.
"...Mimasaka's omurice was better."
"Eh? Me?" Mimasaka blinked in surprise.
"N-No way..." Shirasu gasped.
Mimasaka stared blankly as if she hadn't expected it at all. On the flip side, Shirasu, who had been halfway certain of her victory, slumped shoulders and collapsed face-down onto the table.
"The winner of the omurice versus hamburger bento showdown is Mimasaka Iori!" Koshiro declared.
The bell signaling the end of lunch break rang out at the exact moment Koshiro shouted his declaration.
＊＊＊＊＊
When I got home from school that evening, I was greeted by a thoroughly displeased Shirasu.
Her cute face was puffed up into an adorable pout that practically screamed, I am sulking right now! Naturally, I couldn't resist poking her cheek. With a soft pfff, all the trapped air escaped, making me burst out laughing. Of course, that only poured fuel on the fire and sent her mood plummeting straight down to rock bottom.
Her silent treatment continued straight through dinner. No matter how many times I tried talking to her, she just turned her head away with a hmph and refused to even meet my gaze. Having someone ignore you this thoroughly actually started to hurt after a while.
After cleaning up after dinner, Shirasu sat on the couch, pulling her knees to her chest while keeping her cheeks puffed out. I turned on the TV to find a comedian performing his ultimate gag with all his heart, but the broadcast didn't pack nearly enough warmth to thaw the subzero atmosphere chilling the living room. Now then, what was I supposed to do about this?
"...Senpai, you idiot," she mumbled.
"You traitor, Senpai. Why did you choose Mimasaka-senpai's bento instead of mine? Was her omurice really that delicious?"
Ah, I see. It finally clicked. This wasn't simple jealousy, nor was she throwing a tantrum because her hard work prepping since last night hadn't paid off. As cute as her puffed-up cheeks were, she wasn't just in a bad mood—she simply couldn't accept the outcome.
"If we're talking pure flavor, your hamburger steak was definitely better, Shirasu," I assured her. "Seriously, it was shockingly good."
"Then why...?" Shirasu uncurled from her defensive posture, leaning forward to press her protest. "What was wrong with mine?"
Her blue eyes glistened faintly, and for a fleeting moment, the sheer intensity of her earnest gaze overwhelmed me.
"Ah, no... it's not like anything was wrong with it," I admitted, scratching my cheek in embarrassment. "It's just... the omurice Mimasaka made tasted almost identical to the kind my mom used to make for me when I was a kid. It's probably just a coincidence, though."
As I confessed the truth while rubbing my cheek awkwardly, the tension drained from Shirasu's shoulders, her confrontational edge softening in an instant.
That distinct aroma of rich butter and the slightly sweet ketchup rice had awakened memories buried deep within my heart. But a coincidence like that was nothing short of a miracle—the odds of it happening were practically astronomical.
"I have no idea how Mimasaka managed to land on that exact taste, but the second I took a bite, this overwhelming wave of nostalgia just hit me," I explained softly. "I thought I'd never get to taste it again... So yeah, that's the only reason I chose her bento."
"I see... So that was the reason," Shirasu murmured, a soft smile breaking through as she held back her tears. "Your mother's cooking... Well, I couldn't possibly win against that."
Having finally understood, she smiled brightly despite the lingering moisture in her eyes. Honestly, she didn't need to look like she'd just lost the most important showdown of her life.
"Seriously though, your hamburger steak... bias aside, it was the best I've ever eaten in my whole life," I told her with a wry chuckle. "Thanks to you, I overate so much that I thought my stomach was gonna burst during afternoon classes."
I reached out and gently patted her head. Shirasu narrowed her eyes in bliss, relaxing every muscle in her body as she leaned into my palm. After a brief, quiet pause, she spoke up softly.
"Someday... I want to recreate your mother's recipes for you too, Senpai."
"Just hearing you say that is more than enough," I replied gently. Then, a flash of memory struck me. "Ah—wait, I just remembered. Mom actually kept a recipe book!"
"What did you say?!" Shirasu gasped.
Her head snapped up with violent momentum. I had completely forgotten, but Mom had indeed compiled a recipe notebook. When I asked her about it as a kid, she'd smiled and said, This is a notebook for your future wife when Tomo-kun gets married. To think I'd remember something like that now...
"Dad didn't throw out Mom's belongings—he stored them all together in his study, I think. I don't remember us ever tossing it, so it should still be in there."
"Are you serious?!" she exclaimed, her previous gloom vanishing as if it had never existed. "In that case, there's no time to lose! We need to go look for it right now, Senpai! ASAP!"
Her face lit up with radiant excitement as she grabbed my hand tightly and tried to dash out of the living room, only to freeze dead in her tracks after a few steps.
"...You don't even know where my dad's study is, do you?" I asked with an exasperated sigh.
She gave a sheepish giggle, trying to play it off. Shrugging with a gentle shake of my head, I took her by the hand and led her up the stairs to the second floor. Dad's study was located all the way at the end of the hallway, around the corner.
As we walked through the cool hallway air, an imposing, heavy wooden door came into view. Even I had only stepped foot inside a handful of times; the door was almost never unlocked unless Dad was home.
It was essentially our house's forbidden chamber. Perhaps because of that, just resting my hand on the brass doorknob sent a small jolt of tension through my chest.
"Alright then... let's go in."
With Shirasu nodding fervently behind me, I took a deep breath before slowly pushing open the heavy door and stepping inside. We were greeted by a wave of stale, warm air, a dusting of faint grime, and the unmistakable scent of aged paper. I flicked the light switch on the wall next to the door.
"Woah... look at all these books!" Shirasu gasped in awe.
Towering bookshelves stretched all the way to the high ceiling, crammed to the brim with Dad's professional law treatises, foreign academic texts, and shelves upon shelves of novels he'd presumably collected as a hobby.
"Ah, this one... man, what a blast from the past," I muttered, spotting an old picture book amidst the fortress-like shelves.
It was my childhood favorite, the one Mom used to read to me over and over again. I reached out and pulled it down. So this was kept around without being thrown away, too...
"Mr. Recipe Book~! Where are you? Please answer if you can hear me~!" Shirasu called out playfully to the shelves.
"Just so you know, Mr. Recipe Book is an inanimate notebook."
"Understood! To inherit the official Mido family flavors straight from Mother-in-law, I will unearth it no matter what!"
Breathing enthusiastically through her nose, Shirasu began her solemn archaeological excavation, carefully inspecting each volume one by one. Every time her slender fingers brushed along the spines tucked away in the shadows, tiny specks of dust danced lazily in the ambient light.
My father might have had a wild, impulsive streak—like drunkenly arranging a fiancée for his son—but at his core, he was a textbook perfectionist. The impeccably organized shelves stood as clear proof of that. Since my childhood picture book had survived, Mom's handwritten recipe notebook was definitely sleeping somewhere in this room.
"Ah! Could this be...?!" Shirasu gasped.
After searching for a while, Shirasu let out a dramatic gasp and pulled a heavy, leather-bound volume from the very bottom shelf. Unfortunately, it wasn't the notebook we were looking for, but a photo album.
"That's pretty clearly not a notebook."
"Now, don't be like that, Senpai! Who knows, maybe the secret recipes are tucked away inside! Let's check it together!"
With that, Shirasu plopped down onto the floor, patting the carpet beside her. Chuckling dryly, I sat down right next to her.
She eagerly turned the first page. Gazing back at us from the photograph was a younger version of myself alongside Mom, who radiated a brilliant, dazzling smile.
There was Mom, lovingly holding me close as a newborn.
Mom making a playful face while watching me splash around happily in a plastic pool in the yard.
And Mom smiling with pure happiness as she wiped whipped cream off my nose on my fifth birthday in front of a strawberry shortcake.
"...Mom," I whispered.
Seeing that smile again after so long, it felt even brighter and gentler than I remembered. A rush of nostalgia welled up inside me, accompanied by a sharp pang of melancholy at the realization that I would never be able to feel that warmth again.
Looking back now, the Mido household had truly revolved around Mom. Losing her so suddenly had left our home feeling terribly empty and quiet.
"Are you alright, Senpai?"
Suddenly, Shirasu leaned in close, resting her body against my shoulder. Her soft warmth gently thawed the chilly air of the study.
"I don't know if saying this offers any real comfort, but... I'm right here by your side."
She squeezed my hand tightly, lacing her fingers through mine as she spoke, looking up at me with eyes full of tender devotion.
"To make up for all the loneliness you've felt, let's make lots of happy memories together from now on. I'll work as hard as I can! So please, cheer up, okay?"
"Thanks, Shirasu," I said, gently wrapping an arm around her delicate shoulders. "Just hearing you say that is more than enough."
What kind of pathetic senpai am I, making a younger girl worry about me just because I got a little nostalgic? Man... when did I become such a sentimental sap?
Perhaps picking up on my somber mood, Shirasu suddenly let out a cute, devilish giggle and leaned in to whisper sweet words right into my ear.
"Senpai, you can pamper yourself as much as you want tonight. If you like, should we sleep in the same bed? I can give you an arm pillow, stroke your hair, and sing you a lullaby. And if you really want, you can even use me as your personal body pillow~"
"Feel free to hug me as tightly as your heart desires~" she added, putting a succubus to shame with her enticing invitation. I wished she'd make up her mind between comforting me and teasing me, but if she was going to push it that far... fine. Why not take her up on her offer and lean into it completely?
"Fair enough. Let me take you up on that. We'll sleep in the same bed tonight."
"Even though I say that, a chicken-hearted Senpai like you is just going to blush and refuse anyway—wait, huh? Senpai, what did you just say?" Shirasu blinked rapidly, her mind grinding to a halt.
As she froze in place, I leaned close to her ear to deliver a sweet whisper of my own in retaliation.
"I said let me take you up on that—let me sleep with you tonight. And don't expect me to let you go until I fall asleep, so prepare yourself."
"H-Hah...?! Um, e-err, well..."
The smug grin Shirasu had been sporting moments ago vanished as her face flushed bright red, looking like an octopus dropped into boiling water. Her gaze darted around frantically before she buried her face into my chest to hide, muttering in a trembling, barely audible whisper.
"U-Um... p-please be gentle with me..."
Talk about getting hoist by your own petard! That response is totally unfair! I screamed internally. The sweet, innocent exchange felt just like a newlywed couple about to spend their wedding night together, sending my heart rate pounding into overdrive. My usually ironclad self-control swayed dangerously.
Our thumping heartbeats echoed through the awkward silence. Forcing down the sudden urge to surrender to momentum, pin her down, and embrace her right then and there, I dragged myself to my feet before my resolve broke completely.
"Let's get back to finding that recipe book," I grunted, clearing my throat.
"R-Right! We need to find Mother-in-law's notebook before we go sleepy-time together!"
Closing the photo album, Shirasu scrambled to her feet to resume the search. Both of us threw ourselves into the work, desperate to cool down our flushed cheeks and overheated brains.
"Ah...! Senpai, I really found it this time! This one is definitely the real deal!"
"That was fast?!" I blurted out. "Wait, were you even searching seriously before?!"
In a flash, Shirasu pulled a well-worn, brown leather-bound notebook from the deep recesses of the shelf. Opening the cover revealed pages packed with Mom's familiar, tidy handwriting.
"Curry, nikujaga, ginger pork, hamburger steak... Amazing, there's so many recipes in here...! And everything is written so meticulously!"
Shirasu let out an admiring sigh as she turned the pages. Peeking over her shoulder, I saw detailed notes alongside the recipes, like Tomoya's favorite dish or Keep the seasoning light when Dad feels unwell. And then, on one of those pages, I caught sight of the omurice recipe—
"Use plenty of butter when cooking the eggs! Make sure they stay soft and gooey. Tomoya gets super happy when the eggs are runny, so do your best!"
Reading those handwritten words made my vision blur slightly. Even from a simple scribble on the page, her love radiated crystal clear. It made me miss Mom's home cooking more than anything.
"...I'm going to memorize every single one of these," Shirasu declared resolutely. "All the flavors Mother-in-law wanted you to taste... I'm going to inherit every last one of them!"
"Thank you. I'm counting on you, Yuika."
I rested my hand on her head, gently stroking her hair with all the affection I could summon. I need to work hard too so I don't get outdone by the massive feelings Shirasu keeps pouring into me.
"U-Um... s-so... now that we've found the notebook we were looking for, shall we go?" Shirasu looked up at me with bashful blue eyes, brimming with anticipation and a quiet resolve.
"Yeah, let's," I replied simply, drawing my hand back from her head as she cradled the recipe book against her chest.
"Ah..."
Giving a wry smile at her disappointed expression, which practically screamed Are you stopping already?, I took her hand, switched off the lights, and stepped out of the study.
Though she had entered the room full of boundless enthusiasm, Shirasu was now as meek as a stray kitten, keeping her head lowered in complete silence.
Where had all that confident energy she used to tease me with gone? Even if I had brought this on myself, her sudden bashfulness threw off my rhythm in a whole different way.
"S-Senpai... are we heading straight for the bed like this? If possible, I'd like to take a bath first..." she murmured softly, her face flushed red as she twirled a strand of her golden hair around her finger.
Usually we'd take baths right after dinner, but we'd gotten so caught up in the search for the recipe book that we'd forgotten entirely. Naturally, it wasn't because my mind had been preoccupied with sleeping with Shirasu. Absolutely not.
"We were in that dusty room, so a bath sounds great. Go ahead and use it first."
"Thank you. I'll take you up on that and go first then," Shirasu replied before scampering off toward the bathroom with quick, pitter-patter steps.
Watching her retreating back, I exhaled a long, heavy breath. That was close. If we had gone straight to the bedroom, I might have lost control and given in to the mood, pulling Shirasu into my arms in more ways than one.
"...Maybe I should count prime numbers to calm down."
Muttering that utterly ridiculous thought to myself, I sank onto the living room sofa and stared blankly at the TV I'd left running.
＊＊＊＊＊
Drip, drop. The faint sound of falling water droplets echoed softly through the bathroom.
Submerged up to my shoulders in the warm bathwater, I, Shirasu Yuika, cupped my still-flushed cheeks with both hands, replaying Senpai's words over and over in my head.
"'I'm counting on you, Yuika'... Ehehe, Senpai finally showed his soft side~" I squealed in delight, my mood soaring past all measurable limits.
Unable to contain the sheer joy bursting inside me, I impulsively splashed my feet in the tub.
He hasn't called me by my first name since the day I explicitly begged him to! And he even gave me a gentle headpat as a bonus! Senpai is way too shy. Honestly, he should feel free to call me 'Yuika' with lots of warmth and affection all the time. If he did that, I could truly become his number one...
"...Mimasaka-senpai," I murmured, poking a yellow rubber duck floating in the bath with my fingertip.
She possessed a mature, dignified air and a slender, striking figure that could easily rival a professional fashion model. Yet she still had a tight waist and enviable curves in all the right places. Even to another girl like me, she was breathtakingly beautiful. And above all, she was someone who had shared a whole extra year of high school life with Senpai.
I let out a long sigh, sinking deeper into the tub until bubbles blew from my mouth. After being thrown into chaos by that unexpected morning situation, the lunchtime bento incident had struck like a bolt out of the blue.
I was so shaken that practically nothing from my afternoon classes registered in my brain. Unable to take it anymore, I contacted Nanase-san the moment school ended.
Rewinding the clock a few hours back, the setting was a cozy, antique-style café tucked away from the main streets. There, we held a top-secret strategic summit.
Flashback Start
Inside the cafe rich with the aroma of freshly roasted coffee, I sat in the innermost corner booth, pouring my heart out to Nanase-san—who was less of a maid to me and more like a big sister.
"AHAHAHA! My, Mido-kun certainly is a dark horse! I never imagined such a formidable rival was lurking right in his inner circle!"
After listening to my deadly serious tale, Nanase-san elegantly sipped her freshly served black coffee and burst into cheerful laughter, completely devoid of sympathy.
"Geez! This isn't a laughing matter, Nanase-san! This is a grave emergency! It's literally the biggest crisis of my entire life?!"
I aggressively plunged my spoon into the extra-large chocolate parfait I'd ordered out of sheer frustration, shoving a heap of whipped cream into my mouth. Yet the murky gloom weighing heavy in my chest refused to clear away. If anything, my anxiety grew with every passing minute.
"Hey... Nanase-san. Mimasaka-senpai has feelings for Senpai, doesn't she?"
"Calling it just 'feelings' is an understatement, darling. Showing up at a boy's house first thing in the morning to hand him a homemade bento... Fufu, that's quite passionate! I don't dislike proactive girls like that at all."
"Ugh... I knew it," I whimpered over a bite of vanilla ice cream.
Though she tried to hide it, the way Mimasaka-senpai looked at Senpai—or rather Tomoya-san, to avoid confusion—was completely different from how she looked at their classmate Tsumori-senpai. To my eyes, she looked unmistakably like a girl in love.
"What am I supposed to do?! If things go on like this, Mimasaka-senpai is going to steal Senpai away from me...! If that happens, I'll never get to be his bride!"
I vented desperately while nibbling on a slice of banana, but far from offering comfort, Nanase-san simply maintained a serene, composed smile. Was this what they called the calm composure of a seasoned adult? It made my crisis look like a minor inconvenience.
"What are you talking about, Yuika-chan? You're already Mido-kun's wife. But setting that aside for a moment... how did the bento battle turn out?"
I gritted my teeth, at a loss for words. Leave it to Nanase-san to single out the victory condition despite me deliberately avoiding it. Then again, knowing my personality better than anyone, she'd probably guessed the outcome the moment I beat around the bush.
I gave her a sour look conveying all my internal thoughts, but it had zero effect. Instead, her smiling eyes radiated a silent pressure demanding, Out with it already. She was truly merciless.
"...I lost," I mumbled, slumping down onto the table. "Even though I prepped my hamburger steak bento with all my love the night before, I couldn't win against Mimasaka-senpai's omurice."
Why did Senpai choose Mimasaka-senpai over me? What did he mean by 'a taste that feels so comforting'? What am I missing? The more I pondered, the deeper I sank into a bottomless quagmire of doubt.
"I see. So that's the root cause of your SOS, Yuika-chan. But... I don't think you need to worry about it too much, honestly."
Speaking with a detachment that proved it wasn't her problem—well, it wasn't, strictly speaking—Nanase-san set her coffee cup onto its saucer without a sound, gazing at me with a warm, gentle smile.
"Please don't try to comfort me with empty words! Senpai chose Mimasaka-senpai over me! What if this is the start of him casting me aside?! Just like in those manga you're always reading!"
"My my, did you peek at my manga collection? Those are a bit too mature and stimulating for you, Yuika-chan, so you shouldn't be reading them without permission."
"Don't change the subject! Ugh... I'll never recover from this."
If we were at home, I would have been sobbing tears like a waterfall. It wasn't that I was arrogantly overconfident, but I'd truly believed Senpai would pick me. That was precisely why the blow had dealt critical damage to my heart.
"It's not empty comfort at all, sweetheart. Mido-kun's feelings for you are genuine. Even in the brief conversation we had, I could tell how deeply he cares."
"...Is that really true? Wait, when did you even talk to Senpai?"
"Let's set that aside for now. Do you know why you're feeling so insecure, Yuika-chan? It's because you're missing one crucial element. Once you resolve that—"
"What is it?!" I leaned across the table so fast I almost knocked over our drinks. "What am I missing?! Tell me, Nanase-san! Where can I buy it?! Can I order it on A*azon?!"
I didn't care if the table wobbled. If there was something lacking, I would acquire it at all costs—on the pride of the Shirasu Conglomerate!
"Fufu. Relax, you don't need to order anything. What you're lacking, Yuika-chan... is actually putting your love into words."
"...Huh?" I tilted my head, failing to grasp her meaning.
"Um... like the cedar trees that cause pollen allergies?"
"That's sugi. I mean 'I love you.' Have you clearly confessed your love to Mido-kun? Or has he said it to you?"
"..........Gasp!!"
Thinking back, Senpai often told me I was cute, but he had never explicitly said "I love you." The night we went shopping, when I told him I look forward to being with you forever, he'd replied Likewise, but he hadn't said anything beyond that.
"N-No way! Senpai and I understand each other even without words! After all, we're in a commuting wife and fiancée relationship! We're together every day, exchanging 'Have a good day' and 'Welcome home'!"
"Fufu. That's delightfully innocent and cute, but unfortunately, that's just a newlywed routine, not words of love, Yuika-chan."
Nanase-san chuckled softly, bringing her coffee cup to her lips with an alluring grace. Licking her lip playfully, she leaned forward.
"Listen to me, Yuika-chan. Even if your feelings align, there are things that will never reach the other person unless you put them into words."
"...Ugh."
"Boys are shy creatures who struggle to express themselves... and in Mido-kun's case, he's cautious, clumsy with emotions, and tied down by his past, making it even harder for him."
"I have no counter argument for that... Please go easy on me, Nanase-san. My life points are already at zero."
"Well, then! Allow your big sister figure to pass down a secret tactic to save you! Do this, and Mido-kun is guaranteed to confess his love to you!"
"R-Really?!" I gasped, clinging to her words like a lifeline. "What kind of tactic is it?! Please teach me, Nanase-san!"
With a daring smirk, Nanase-san leaned close to my ear and whispered her secret plan.
"Tonight, take the leap and invite him: 'Why don't we sleep in the same bed tonight?'"
"W-W-W-What are you saying, Nanase-san?!" I squeaked, my face turning as red as a ripe apple. "If we do that, the stork is going to visit us?!"
My flustered voice echoed through the quiet cafe. It was an absolute miracle I didn't fall out of my chair.
"Don't worry, don't worry. Simply sleeping together won't summon the stork. What's far more important is what happens after you're under the covers together."
"Don't just breeze past that! But fine, I'll let it slide for now. What am I supposed to do after we're in bed?"
"Knowing Mido-kun, he'll probably turn his back to you. When he does, hug him tightly from behind, press your chest against him, and then..."
"I-I see...! That's super helpful! I'll put it into practice tonight!"
Nanase-san really is reliable after all! Reinforcing my resolve, I scooped up the rest of the parfait and devoured it in one go.
Flashback End
Lifting my face out of the water, I pressed my hands to my hot cheeks and let out a deep breath. My heart rate sped up with a mixture of nervous excitement and anticipation for what lay ahead.
"...I actually invited him. I really did it, Nanase-san! And Senpai even gave me his okay!"
To be honest, I'm thrilled that I get to sleep in the same bed as Senpai. Falling asleep wrapped in his arms, feeling his warmth and heartbeat... just thinking about it fills me with pure happiness.
"I said let's sleep together tonight. And don't expect me to let you go until I fall asleep, so prepare yourself."
"Haaah?!"
As Senpai's sweet, dreamlike voice replayed automatically in my mind, I accidentally splashed about in the tub. When he said that earlier, I was so shocked my heart nearly jumped out of my mouth! Senpai's surprise attacks were completely unfair—we really ought to sign a treaty banning them.
"I asked him to be gentle, so I'm sure it'll be fine..."
Well, as long as I get to sleep wrapped in Senpai's arms, I'll be happy no matter how tightly he holds me. The only real issue is the microscopic possibility that my racing heart will keep me awake all night. But honestly, who cares about that? My biggest concern is...
"...Will Senpai really say it to me...?"
Things had gone almost too smoothly following Nanase-san's advice so far. On top of that, I still had the secret weapon she'd entrusted to me. I wanted to use it to seal the deal, but would Senpai truly say "I love you" to me?
"I have to work hard too..."
It wasn't enough to just make Senpai say it—I had to clearly convey my love to him as well. Like Nanase-san said, feelings only truly connect when shared. To prove that my love for Senpai was second to none and that I was his number one, I had to gear myself up!
"...Alright! Let's do this!"
Slapping my cheeks twice to motivate myself, I stood up from the bath and stepped out of the bathroom.
After completing my skincare routine even more carefully than usual, I slipped into the thin loungewear Nanase-san had prepared for me on short notice—which featured a slightly revealing neckline. Over it, I draped a long cardigan like a defensive perimeter.
"Now just a spritz of perfume..."
I sprayed a delicate mist of verbena perfume onto the nape of my neck and chest. The face reflected in the mirror was flushed bright red—and not just from taking a hot bath.
"Preparations are... complete!"
Taking a deep breath, I turned the knob of the changing room door and stepped into the living room, where the back of the person I loved most was visible on the sofa, watching TV.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Senpai. The bath is all yours."
"You were in there quite a while. You didn't get dizzy, did you?" I asked, getting up from the couch.
"I'm sorry, I was just lost in thought. Please take your time in the bath, Senpai. I'll get various things ready in the meantime."
"Is there really anything to prepare other than going to sleep?"
Chuckling wryly, Senpai pushed himself up from the sofa. As he passed by me, whether he caught the warm heat radiating off my post-bath skin or the sweet scent of perfume in the air, he paused for a brief moment, looking slightly bewildered. That single pause sent my heart hammering violently in my chest.
Fearing he might hear my thumping heart, I watched his back as he headed toward the bathroom. Once the living room door clicked firmly shut, I balled my hands into tight fists and whispered to myself.
"...Nanase-san. I'm going to do my best!"
The curtain was about to rise on a monumental battle I couldn't afford to lose—the grand finale to a stormy day filled with endless surprises.
＊＊＊＊＊
After stepping out of the bath and changing into loungewear, I splashed cold water over my face repeatedly, desperately trying to cool down my head, which was burning with anticipation and excitement. Even during my bath, I'd doused myself in freezing water, but my heart continued to thump wildly against my ribs. I had zero confidence in my ability to keep my cool tonight.
"Calm down... calm down, Mido Tomoya. In times like this, you count prime numbers. Two, three, five, seven... Yeah, impossible."
I was rattled enough to play both straight man and funny man to myself in front of the bathroom mirror. The prospect of sleeping in the same bed with Shirasu was obviously part of it, but the primary culprit was the undeniable air of sensuality surrounding her when she stepped out of the bath.
Though she probably thought she was hiding it, the loungewear beneath her crisp cardigan featured a daringly low neckline. The shorts she wore were equally brief, generously exposing her soft, healthy thighs. Combined with her flushed, post-bath skin and the alluring citrus scent drifting from her body, my brain had completely short-circuited.
"Hah... seriously, what is she thinking?"
I can't read her mind at all. She's way too pumped up for just sleeping side by side. It's hard to believe this is the same girl who claimed until recently that 'when a boy and girl who love each other sleep together, the stork brings a baby.' It feels like she completely rebranded herself overnight from pure innocence into a seductive little devil.
"So this is what they call 'gap moe'..."
Muttering that ridiculous thought, I walked into the living room to find it empty. In place of Shirasu, a note written in adorable, rounded handwriting rested on the table: I'll be waiting in the bedroom.
Leaving a handwritten note instead of texting my phone was quintessentially Shirasu, but at the same time, it felt tantalizingly suggestive. Or maybe I only think that because my own mind has been thoroughly corrupted...
"...Well, no turning back now."
Sighing, I stuffed the note into my pocket. When food is served, a real man eats—or whatever the saying was. Having come this far, there was no choice but to brace myself and push forward. We're just sleeping together. Nothing more, nothing less. I won't do anything. Repeating that mantra to myself, I walked down the hallway and stood outside the bedroom door.
On the other side of this single wooden door waited a post-bath beauty so peerless that even the word "gorgeous" failed to do her justice. Just thinking about it made my palms sweat.
--- Click.
Steeling my resolve, I turned the knob and opened the door.
Moonlight spilled through the gap in the curtains, mingling with the dim glow of the bedside lamp. Illuminated by their soft light, Shirasu sat neatly on the bed, having discarded her cardigan and hugging a strange cushion emblazoned with unfamiliar text tightly against her chest.
"...Sorry to keep you waiting, Shirasu."
My heart gave a heavy thud, but I forced my voice to stay calm. We're just sleeping, I chanted inside my head like a prayer.
"N-No... I haven't been waiting long at all, so please don't mind. If anything, wasn't your bath a bit of a crow's bath?"
"If anything, I stayed in so long I thought I'd turn into a boiled octopus," I replied, shrugging as I slowly walked toward the bed.
With every step closer, my heart rate accelerated. Conscious of the hot blood surging through my veins, I sat down on the edge of the mattress.
The bed creaked beneath my weight. When I turned my head to look back at Shirasu, she had lifted the cushion to cover her mouth as if hiding her expression—deliberately flaunting the bold words printed across it for me to see.
"Um... Shirasu? What on earth is that?"
Written on the cushion in a bold, vibrant pink font were the three letters "YES." I felt a sudden wave of dizziness at how direct it was and at Shirasu's complete naivety.
"As you can see, it means 'come at me, I'm ready anytime, you're always welcome.'"
Shirasu stared up at me with moist eyes, her cheeks flushed as red as apples. Her voice, however, was so faint it sounded like it might fade away, likely out of embarrassment. That only made her even cuter, teasing both my protective instincts and a hint of sadism, throwing my self-control into disarray. I pressed a hand to my temple and let out a deep sigh.
"...What did Nanase-san whisper into your ear this time?"
"I-It's not like she whispered anything into my ear! She just told me that if I held this, Senpai would whisper sweet words of love to me..."
She confessed immediately... I buried my face in my hands, silently retorting that people call that exact thing being influenced. Or rather, as expected, it was the scheming of that devilish personal maid of hers.
"Honestly, that woman never says anything sensible. What is she going to do if Shirasu gets any weirder because of her...?"
When I said that with a mix of exasperation, Shirasu limply lowered the cushion, staring down at her knees as she squeezed out a barely audible mutter.
"...I'm not being weird. I'm being completely serious."
"Sh-Shirasu?"
Shirasu puffed out her cheeks. Tears welled in her jewel-like blue eyes, threatening to spill over at any moment.
"...What am I to you, Senpai?"
"Huh?"
"Am I a commuting wife? Or just a fiancé chosen by our parents? Or... just a junior at school?"
Shirasu squeezed the cushion tightly as she asked in a weak, trembling voice. The unexpected question left me completely at a loss for words.
"To me, Senpai, you're... my first love, my lifesaver, and the person I love most..."
A single tear trickled down her cheek. Watching it, I gasped, simultaneously disgusted by my own foolishness.
Mimasaka's visit and the lunchbox showdown had probably triggered this. I had been relying on the convenient label of "fiancé," failing to communicate what truly mattered. On top of that, I had contented myself with giving vague responses like "I look forward to being with you for a long time," leaving her feeling insecure.
"To you, Senpai... am I just a label called 'fiancé'? Or..."
"...Shirasu."
I shifted from the edge of the bed to stand directly in front of Shirasu, facing her. She flinched and tried to bury her face in the cushion to shut me out, but I took hold of her delicate shoulders with both hands to keep her from pulling away.
"Senpai...?"
"Listen closely, because I'm only going to say this once, okay?"
I took a deep breath, forcing down the roaring pulse in my chest. I was so embarrassed my face felt like it was on fire, but I couldn't afford to make a bigger fool of myself. I had to say it, right here and now.
"You aren't just a junior to me, Shirasu. And you're definitely not just a label called 'fiancé' either."
"Th-Then...?"
I gently pressed my forehead against hers. At such close range, our warm breath and her citrus scent intertwined. Pausing for a moment, I gave voice to my true feelings.
"You are special to me, Shirasu... So, um... I love you. More than anyone else. I'm sorry for not telling you until now."
The moment those words left my mouth, tears burst forth like a broken dam as Shirasu threw herself into my arms, the momentum tackling me onto the bed.
"You dummy, Senpai...! This isn't the time to apologize!"
Shirasu sobbed into my chest. Chuckling softly, I wrapped my arms around her back, gently embracing her fragile frame.
"Guess you're right. Sorry..."
"No. I don't forgive you. But as a special exception, I'll forgive you if you let me hear it one more time."
I thought I said I'd only say it once, almost slipped out of my throat, but having come this far, saying it once or twice didn't really make a difference.
"I love you, Shirasu. It might sound exaggerated... but more than anyone else in the world."
As I confessed my feelings once more, Shirasu held me even tighter. The erratic beat of her heart transmitted directly into mine.
"...I wish I had recorded what you just said. Then I could set it as my alarm morning, noon, and night, and listen to it during breaks at school..."
"Give me a break. Setting it as an alarm is one thing, but don't go listening to it at school."
"Ehhhh! What's wrong with that?! You're so stingy, Senpai! But..."
Sitting up, Shirasu narrowed her tear-glistening blue eyes and offered a radiant, beaming smile like a flower coming into bloom as she spoke.
"I love you too. More than anyone in the whole world, Senpai—Tomoya-san."
Our eyes locked, and as if drawn by a magnet, the space between us naturally closed. Yuika fluttered her long eyelashes and softly closed her eyes. Feeling as though the entire world had dwindled down to just the two of us, I leaned in closer—
—Thwack!
"Ouch...!"
"Ow, damn..."
Just before our lips met, a dull thud echoed through the bedroom. Our foreheads collided spectacularly, causing the romantic atmosphere to vanish in an instant.
"H-Huh? What was I about to do just now...?!"
Snapping back to reality from the pain, Shirasu clutched her bright red forehead. I rubbed the exact same spot on mine, inwardly letting out a sigh of relief. That was close. If we had kept going, my self-control would have surely been devoured by the mood and shattered to pieces.
"...By the way, Senpai. It might be a bit late to ask, but may I ask you one thing?"
"Hmm? What is it?"
"Why does this cushion Nanase-san gave me have 'NO' written on the back? She told me you'd understand if I showed it to you, Senpai-kun. Do you know?"
As she spoke, Shirasu picked up the cushion rolling on the bed, tilting her head as she pointed to the letters. As expected, she had been using it without understanding its meaning at all. Honestly, Nanase-san really never did anything unnecessary.
"Ah... well, that's... a signal you use when you're not in the mood or when you want to refuse, so to speak..."
"Refuse? Refuse what? Who is refusing whom?"
"W-Well... like me refusing you, or you refusing me... I guess?"
What is this infernal interrogation? Her usually adorable innocence was working against me in the worst possible way. After listening to my tortured explanation, Shirasu looked blank for a moment before bursting into laughter that sounded like ringing bells.
"In that case, I don't need 'NO' at all! After all, I want to sleep while cuddling with you every day, Senpai, so there's no reason for me to refuse!"
With a radiant beam, she turned the "YES" side facing me and dove into my chest once more. This time, I caught her firmly so we wouldn't fall over.
"Tonight... it's okay, right?"
Being begged with the cutest upturned gaze in the world, there was no way I could say no. I nodded silently, wrapping my arms around her as I grew increasingly anxious about how long my self-control would last.
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