A Case in Which My House Is a Gathering Place for Girls - Chapter 34: The Punishment of Spicy Mapo Tofu

A few days have passed since the end of the long weekend which had been fulfilling in various ways. As a matter of course, Kanna and others came to my place.

“Jinpei-kun, I’m thirsty! I’d like some tea!”

Kanna is busy copying her notebook using my study desk. I know it’s hard to work today because she took a day off because of work, but I want her to stop using me as a butler or something.

“Hey, Itsuki. Can you leave Kanna alone and give me a massage? I mean, why didn’t you come to the clubroom today?”

Asakura was lying on my bed fluttering her legs. Her shortened uniform skirt flipped up, nearly revealing her hidden treasure, so I really needed her to calm down. And also, stop taking over my bed like it’s yours.

“Itsuki… Is it okay to make Mapo tofu spicy and numb? Isn’t it good? Yeah, I’ll do that. I wasn’t really asking.”

“Okay, let’s calm down a bit! I’m grateful that you’ll cook dinner for me, but only Sasazuki can eat that!”

In my tiny kitchen, Sasazuki was fully engaged in cooking. The meal was map tofu, something we had bought ingredients for a while ago but never got around to making. It was almost done, as the aroma of spices filled the air, stimulating my appetite.

It’s good that Sasazuki’s specialty and favorite food is enthusiastic, but the seasoning is too aggressive.

“Hehehehe. Too bad, it’s too late. I’ve already sprinkled a lot of them.”

She grinned and stuck out her tongue playfully, making me clutch my head in despair. The spice came from doubanjiang, and the numbing effect was from Sichuan peppercorns. And she had prepared both whole and powdered versions—an impressive but terrifying level of dedication. I could already picture Kanna and Asakura screaming in agony.

“Haa… Just go easy next time, okay?”

“Yes, if I remember. It’ll be ready soon, so I’d appreciate it if you could clear the table.”

I had no doubt she would do this again, but I still responded with an “Alright” and headed back to the living room.

It’s been a month since I started living in this house. I looked around the room again and found that the amount of luggage was three times larger than when I started living. No need to explain what that meant.

“Okay, I’m done copying the notebook! Asakura-san, please make room for my bed. It’s disturbing for me to dive.”

“Good job, Kanna, but I can’t give you the bed until I finish the massage. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to find another place.”

“When does that massage start? If you’re just lying around in a bed full of Jinpei-kun’s smell, then move over and let me have it instead.”

Kanna declares it’s her turn from here, but Asakura puts an invincible smile on her mouth and sinks her head into my pillow as if to ridicule Kanna.

“Aaaahhhhhh!! Get out of there right now, Asakura-san!! I’m the one who borrows my face in Jinpei-kun’s pillow!”

“Hahahahahahahahahaha! That’s too bad. This is already my territory, so I shall ask you to refrain from entering. If you really want it, you’ll have to fight me for it.”

“Haa… I see. If that’s the case, let’s do it thoroughly. Let’s see who comes out on top!”

I let out a heavy sigh as sparks flew between the two beauties. Please stop fighting over my pillow without my consent.

“You two, that’s enough. Dinner will be ready soon, so let’s get ready to eat, okay?”

“What are you talking about, Jinpei-kun? Are you interrupting me from trying to get my pillow back from Asakura-san?”

“Just give me a massage before dinner, Itsuki. This fight will soon be over.”

In defiance of my advice, Kanna and Asakura are saying whatever they want. They really needed to calm down, or else—

“—How much longer are you going to fool around?”

A chillingly cold voice and devoid of emotion. The room’s temperature seemed to drop instantly, and sweat ran down my back. As I turned around ever so slowly, like a broken wind-up doll, there stood Sasazuki with arms crossed and in full-on wrath mode.

“While I was working hard cooking, you two were fighting over Itsuki’s pillow? It must be nice. Do you want to be punished by having your dinner taken away?”

“W-wait, I’m not to blame! I tried to lie down on the bed as a reward for myself after I finished copying my notebook, but Asakura-san interrupted me!”

“If I were to say that, I would just have Itsuki massage my body that I overworked in club activities! But Kanna told me to get out of bed…!”

Sasazuki’s mouth slowly rises after hearing their unsightly excuses. This is exactly what it means to have a smile on the face but not on the eyes, and Kanna and Asakura are sinners waiting for the king’s judgment. A frog staring at a snake. I’m like an observer watching it in trembling.

“…Yes, I see. You mean neither of you is willing to reflect on yourself?”

“W-wait, Asakura-san is to blame!? I insist on my innocence!”

“That’s my line! The bad one is Kanna! I was just lying in bed because I was tired from club activities!”

It is beyond ridiculous to see the two of them still holding each other responsible for this period. Why don’t they realize that they can only add fuel to the fire and just apologize honestly?

“I will deliver the verdict. You’re going to be sentenced to extremely spicy Mapo tofu. Prepare it, Itsuki.”

“…All right.”

The king’s decision is absolutely certain. No matter how unreasonable or hellish it is, it must be executed. While listening to the screams of Kanna and Asakura on my back, I head to the kitchen, arrange two Mapo tofu on a plate, put it on a tray, and add a bottle of shichimi chili peppers and pepper to it.

“From now on, I will teach you how to eat Mapo tofu which I specialize in. It’s a secret technique, so take it to your graves.”

“Wait a minute, Sasazuki-san. Are you still going to add anything to Mapo tofu that already looks good enough?”

“Even at this distance, there’s a tingling smell in my nose!? I don’t think you’re going to add more chili peppers!”

“You have a good intuition, Asakura-san. But don’t worry. It’s okay, your tongue may be a little numb, but your body gets hot and you’ll break a nice sweat. And rice, too.”

Sasazuki grinned and looked cute from the side, but they probably looked like the demon king to their eyes. I can’t find anything else to say but my condolences.

“Now it’s time for a pleasant dinner. Shall we both sit down?”

“Help me, Jinpei-kun! If I eat that, It’ll fire my mouth!”

“Please, Mika. I’m not that good at spicy food. And I think there’s an appropriate amount to everything!”

“Sit down quickly without complaining. Or do you two need Itsuki to feed you?”

Both of them groaned in unison. Could they at least immediately deny that suggestion instead of hesitating?

“But I can’t. The only person Itsuki is going to feed is me, the one who worked hard making dinner for all four of us. Isn’t that right, Itsuki?”

Sasazuki keeps her face close and asks questions. That was cheating. I almost nodded instinctively but managed to hold back and respond as calmly as possible.

“I’d like to thank you for making dinner, so I won’t do it in Sasazuki-san.”

“Then all you have to do is stroke my head later. This is all right, isn’t it?”

“Well, I’ll give you as much as you want later.”

The moment I answered that without thinking deeply while putting the tray on the table. Kanna and Asakura screamed in silence, and Sasazuki smiled triumphantly. Did I make a fatal choice?

“Hehehe. I got you again. I’ll leave the washing to the two of them and have you stroke me a lot when I’m done eating, Itsuki.”

“What are you doing, Jinpei-kun? That’s the door in the face. Don’t you know that it’s a common practice in business to carry out your real demands after imposing an unreasonable challenge?”

“This is the ability of a genius actress… Mika, what a horrible child. I have to learn from her.”

Kanna grabbed my shoulders and shook me violently as if screaming, “What are you doing!?” Meanwhile, Asakura had a hand on her chin and was looking contemplative, despite saying something utterly ridiculous. And the mastermind behind this chaos hummed a tune as she returned to the kitchen to serve her own plate of mapo tofu.

“Just give me a break already…”

My desperate murmur was gone like a bubble.