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 24-25

Chapter 24: A Picnic Just for the Two of Us (2)

“Thank you for the meal!”

“Thank you for the meal.”

After finishing the sandwiches and rusks, they took a break with some tea.
Feeling content, they both glanced at the cherry blossoms almost instinctively.

“In Okinawa, the cherry blossoms bloom in January. In Hokkaido, it’s around now. Tokyo has it good, doesn’t it?”

“Only me, my mom, dad, and Motobu-kun know about this place, so it’s even better for us.”

“People who love cherry blossoms might get jealous.”

“That’s why it’s a secret, okay?”

“Got it.”

With a mischievous smile, Amatsuka put her index finger to her lips.

“But why did you bring me to such a special place?”

Motobu had heard that Amatsuka’s father had passed away.

If that was true, then only Amatsuka and her mother knew about these cherry blossoms.

This was a special place known only to the family.

“I thought it would be okay with you, Motobu-kun. Well, it’s also a bit of an apology.”

“If it’s an apology, I should be the one to apologize.”

“No, Motobu-kun, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s my fault for not knowing. My fault for not paying attention.”

Amatsuka gazed at the cherry blossoms with a lonely expression.

Motobu couldn’t understand what Amatsuka was thinking or worrying about.

Even if she tried to convey something through words or gestures, he couldn’t grasp the essence.

No matter how many words he used, he couldn’t read the feelings of Amatsuka sitting next to him, staring at the cherry blossoms.

“Well, I just wanted to see these cherry blossoms. And honestly, I’d be a bit scared to come alone. But if I’m with you, Motobu-kun, it’s okay.”

“I see, so you wanted to keep the cherry blossoms and my lunch all to yourself.”

“Doesn’t that make me sound like I’m super greedy?!”

“Wasn’t that our very first conversation?”

“Mmph!! …That’s true.”

She seemed to be struggling with the embarrassment of not being able to shake off the gluttonous image.

“But I’m glad I got to see something nice too.”

His family never had the tradition of cherry blossom viewing.

They might have admired them from a distance, but they prioritized studies and housework.
Even when he entered high school, he didn’t remember thinking the cherry blossoms were beautiful.

That was just a month ago.

“Heh. See?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

It was truly a peaceful time.

The past month had been so hectic.

“…Amatsuka-san.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“…I’m…”

“Y-Yes…”

“…sleepy.”

“Oh, yeah, that makes sense. We just had lunch, after all.”

Despite it being a day off, he had been studying, experimenting with cooking, doing housework, and taking care of the workaholic Manoka during Golden Week.

Looking back, he realized he was sleep-deprived.

The rusks completely knocked him out.

His blood sugar levels shot up, and the blood wasn’t reaching his brain…

“…Being here makes me too relaxed, and it’s making me sleepy…”

“Do you want to sleep?”

“…But if I sleep right after eating, I’ll end up like a cow…”

He didn’t eat too much, but he felt like he was going to pass out from eating too much…

“You can sleep.”

As soon as Amatsuka stroked his head, he lay down and fell into a deep sleep like mud.
The warmth he felt was comforting.

—

Chapter 25: A Picnic Just for the Two of Us (3)

“…This is bad…”

Motobu-kun is sleeping soundly on my thigh, completely defenseless.

When he suddenly called my name and looked at me, I panicked, thinking he was about to confess. I was so flustered and embarrassed…

“My face is so hot… I hope Motobu-kun didn’t see how red it is.”

When I noticed he was sleepy, I instinctively pulled him close and let him sleep, so he probably didn’t see my face just now.

At least, I hope that’s the case…

The thought of him misunderstanding is so embarrassing I could die.

But when I think about it calmly, I know that’s not what happened…

“…But now that I think about it more calmly, the fact that I’m giving Motobu-kun a lap pillow…”

I’ve never given a boy a lap pillow before.

The only time I’ve received one was when I was little, from my mom. I never thought this would happen…

“But it’s okay. There’s no one else here.”

It’s just me and Motobu-kun here.

Motobu-kun is napping on my thigh.

When he wakes up, I’ll just pretend nothing happened, and everything will be fine… I hope.

“And Motobu-kun saying ‘I’ll turn into a cow’ was kind of cute.”

He’s usually calm and always speaks politely to me, but I guess he becomes a little childish when he’s sleepy. How cute.

“I’ll have some tea.”

I’m starting to calm down. Good. It’s okay.

But, I’ve finally realized something.

I thought it was just my imagination, but this feeling is probably real.

“…I really like Motobu-kun’s sleeping face…”

We’ve only known each other for a month.

But I think this is my first love.

I’m not sure about it at all, though.

“Wait, is Motobu-kun really asleep?”

I gently poke Motobu-kun’s cheek with my finger.

He doesn’t react. Yeah, he’s definitely sleeping.

“…Maybe I’ll try stroking his head…”

When I used to nap on my mom’s lap, she would often do this.

But after my dad died, my mom raised me by herself.

Maybe it was since then that I stopped depending on her.

But I knew she was doing her best, so I held back.

I helped out with cleaning and was just happy to be praised.

“And now here I am, giving Motobu-kun a lap pillow and stroking his head.”

This happened because of how things played out, and honestly, because I got flustered.
Motobu-kun isn’t my boyfriend.

I think we’re friends, but I don’t know if Motobu-kun considers me a friend.

Motobu-kun and I are different.

Even so, I like being next to him and watching his profile.

“Oh no, my face is getting hot again…”

I don’t want him to see this face, so I want him to stay asleep by my side a little longer.
With that wish, I gently stroked Motobu-kun’s head.

A soft breeze blew, and cherry blossom petals danced in the air.

The gently floating petals brushed past my nose and lightly touched Motobu-kun’s cheek.
I quietly picked up the petal.

“He’s really sleeping soundly.”

I’ll keep this first love to myself.

I feel like if I don’t, it might not turn out well.

I don’t really know why, though.

“But…”

I kissed Motobu-kun on the cheek.

“My first kiss is just for me.”

Motobu-kun doesn’t know.

He doesn’t know that my first kiss was on his sleeping cheek.

He doesn’t know how awkward it was to lean down from a lap pillow and kiss him, or how much I love his serious face when he’s cooking.

He doesn’t know how red my face is.

And that’s okay.

For now, just being by his side is enough.