A Story About a Blonde Gal Angel Who Excessively Praises My Cooking. After Asking Me to Teach Her How to Cook, Feelings of Mutual Love Began to Grow - Chapter 127-128

Chapter 127: Let’s Visit Tomitsugu’s House (2)

“Thank you for the meal.”

“You’re welcome.”

Tomitsugu-senpai and I had a late lunch together, and it was a very satisfying meal.

“By the way, Tomitsugu-senpai, you like Western food, but you also like pickles?”

“I don’t like Japanese food in general, but I’ve always liked pickles.”

The pickled daikon that came with the meal was homemade.

“That’s surprising.”

“Don’t tell anyone. It’s kind of embarrassing.”

“Really? I think it adds to your charm. It’s quite homey.”

“R-Really? Thanks.”

Given that Tomitsugu-senpai usually made foreign dishes in cooking competitions, her love for pickles was a complete surprise.

“But why don’t you like Japanese food?”

“Because my dad is annoying. That’s it. I hate this house, the garden, the bonsai, all of it.”

So, Tomitsugu-senpai is also going through a rebellious phase.

They say daughters tend to dislike their fathers when they reach a certain age. I guess it can’t be helped.

“This detached house too—I had it built because after fighting with my dad, we ended up remodeling the house three times. So, I asked my mom to build this place for me.”

“…That’s pretty violent…”

A family where father and daughter fight so much that they have to remodel the house…Tomitsugu-senpai sure has a lot going on.

“My dad is always such a pain. Like, at my elementary school sports day, he’d point at the boys in the photos and shout, ‘Who is this?!’ Even during our recent trip to Okinawa, he looked at Motobu and yelled, ‘Did you go to Okinawa with a boy?!’ I mean, come on, I told him there were other guys too, but he still didn’t listen, saying, ‘That’s obviously a girl.'”

By “other guys,” she probably means Momohara and Naoto-san. Well, Momohara is practically a boy in a girl’s body, and Naoto-san sometimes dresses like a girl. It’s no wonder her dad got confused.

“He keeps asking, ‘Is that your boyfriend?!’ It’s so annoying.”

“That sounds like a hassle.”

“Why are dads so annoying? I don’t get it.”

Tomitsugu-senpai, who usually has a stern expression, is oddly energetic today. I guess she’s been building up a lot of stress.

Even Chika and Manoka-san sometimes burst out with complaints, but Tomitsugu-senpai’s frustration is on another level.

Well, like me, she spends most of her time alone, and we both prefer solitude. So, it’s easy for us to bottle up our dissatisfaction.

I can understand why Tomitsugu-senpai feels the need to vent. Even though hearing her complaints every time can be mentally exhausting, today it feels kind of refreshing.

“I’m sure your dad is just worried about you, but it’s annoying when he nags all the time, right?”

“Exactly! That’s it, Motobu! He’s always so loud and nagging, and then he’ll suddenly say, ‘Bring that guy here right now!’ It’s exhausting when he goes off like that.”

The result of rejecting her overprotective father’s influence is a Tomitsugu-senpai who loves Western food. It’s actually kind of an adorable rebellious phase.

“By the way, Motobu, your name always confuses me. Is it Motobu, Honbu, Motobe, or Honbe? It’s hard to say, so can I just call you Takeru? And call me by my first name, Ruai, instead of Tomitsugu. Every time you say ‘Tomitsugu,’ my dad’s face pops into my head, and it irritates me.”

She seems really angry. It feels a bit odd to be called “Takeru” by a girl around my age since I came to Tokyo, but I don’t mind.

“Got it. But isn’t your full name Ruaiko, though? Do you not like that?”

“I hate it. Names like that sound so old-fashioned. And besides, my dad gave me that name.”

“You have a father allergy, huh? You should check the ‘allergy list’ more carefully when you buy stuff.”

“It’s fine. I already know without looking.”

“That’s a pretty severe allergic reaction.”

Being a teenage girl seems tough.

“…Someday, when I get married and have a daughter who hits puberty, she’ll probably say something like, ‘Don’t mix my laundry with dad’s,’ won’t she?”

“Ugh, gross.”

“…Senpai, that really hurts my feelings as a man. Please stop.”

Such merciless contempt. Some people might find being despised by Tomitsugu-senpai a reward, but unfortunately, I don’t have that kind of preference.

“Well, aren’t all men perverts? It can’t be helped.”

“If you think about it in terms of sexual desire, then all sexually reproducing species are perverts. Even you, Senpai, as a female Homo sapiens, are technically a pervert too.”

“Stop smiling like that. It’s annoying.”

I realize I’m being sarcastic, but it’s pretty childish of me.

“Where did you hear that from?”

“My dad always says it. He’s constantly telling me to watch out because all men are perverts.”

She hates her dad, yet she still believes that? I guess he just can’t stand the thought of some random guy messing with his precious daughter. It’s what they call a “doting father.”

“Senpai, you have a cute side too, don’t you?”

“Stop with that annoying smile already. You’re just a junior.”

Geez, what’s her problem? Ruai-senpai is really pissed off. But teasing her is actually pretty fun.

Even though she’s a senior, I feel strangely at ease with her.

—

Chapter 128: Let’s Visit Tomitsugu’s House (3)

“By the way, Ruai-senpai, you sure are talking a lot today.”

“Hmph…Well, yeah.”

“You should be like that at school, too.”

Although 80% of our conversation is her complaining, Ruai-senpai is unusually talkative and lively today.

“…Like I said before, every time someone calls me ‘Tomitsugu,’ it irritates me. That’s why no one comes near me.”

“Then how about you yell in the classroom, ‘I’m Ruai☆ From today, call me that♡!'”

“I would *never* do that. Gross.”

“If you hate being called ‘Tomitsugu,’ there’s no other way, is there?”

“Or you could marry into another family and change your name.”

Well, Ruai-senpai’s family is apparently quite famous among the upper classes. There must be all sorts of obligations.

She said she enrolled in this high school to distance herself from her parents as much as possible. There was also the thought that, since there’s no cooking club, it would be easier for her to create one herself.

“What do the members of the cooking club call you, Ruai-senpai?”

“…Master, Teacher, Chef…”

“That’s pretty cool.”

“You’re totally making fun of me right now, aren’t you?!”

“No, no, I’m a full-time househusband who’s called ‘Master’ too, so I’m not making fun of you.”

They must call her “Chef Tomitsugu,” I guess. Well, since she doesn’t want to be called “Tomitsugu,” they probably just call her “Chef.”

“The club members are generally good kids, but…I feel like there’s always a bit of distance between us.”

Ruai-senpai props her chin on her hand and gazes out the window. If she had gotten along with the club members, maybe she wouldn’t have to eat alone in the corridor all the time.

“Well, there is one member who’s a ghost, barely shows up, and is a cheeky brat though.”

“Being cheeky even though they’re a ghost member sounds tough.”

“I’m talking about you!!”

“It’s fine. That’s the agreement, isn’t it?”

“…It wouldn’t hurt you to show up once in a while.”

She pouts, but it’s not my fault—I’m busy. Plus, being the only guy in a club full of girls, I’d feel awkward and it’s hard to focus on cooking.

I don’t really interact with the other club members except for Ruai-senpai, anyway.

“I’m a full-time househusband, and I’m busy with household chores, preparing for the school festival, and student council duties.”

“And yet, here you are relaxing with me!”

“Well, today I came to get some old clothes from you, senpai.”

“…Right. I forgot.”

I had forgotten for a moment too while we were eating, but then Ruai-senpai went to her room and brought back a paper bag full of old clothes.

“Here. Some are from my middle school days, so the sizes might not fit.”

“Thank you very much.”

“Don’t go sniffing them, okay?”

“How much of a pervert do you think I am, Ruai-senpai?”

Of course, I wouldn’t do that. I’d feel guilty and awkward, and it would probably make it hard for me to even look Ruai-senpai in the eye afterward.

“Well, I’m going to hand them over to our costume department without even sniffing them, so no problem.”

“Good.”

Having achieved my purpose for the day, it was time to head home.

“Well then, Ruai-senpai, thank you for the meal today. It was delicious.”

“You’re leaving already?”

“Yes. My little sisters will be back by the evening, so I need to go shopping and prepare dinner.”

“I see.”

Ruai-senpai looks a little sullen, but maybe it’s just my imagination. She also seems a little lonely.

“Um…I know I complained a lot today, but next time I want to talk more about cooking. I’ll invite you over again. We get along well when it comes to cooking.”

“Sure. I’d love to come again.”

Though our cooking styles are different, I do have some knowledge, even if it’s not as much as hers.

It’s nice to have someone to talk to about a shared interest.

“Next time you’re free, let me know, okay?”

“Got it.”

“See you at school.”

“Yes, see you at school.”

Leaning against the gate, Ruai-senpai waved her hand shyly. I never imagined this would happen when I first met her during that cooking contest.

“Strange how things turn out.”

Looking forward to what kind of dish she’ll cook next, I headed home.