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 56

“I really didn’t think I could win.”

We walked together down the road at dusk, just the two of us—Motobu-kun and I—on our way to the supermarket.

“Honestly, I was panicking too,” he admitted. “Looking at Tomitsugu-senpai’s skill, I thought there was no way we could win if we competed normally.”

“But you noticed the calluses from using the kitchen knife? I didn’t see that at all.”

Even after the cooking contest ended, I looked at Tomitsugu-senpai’s hands, but I couldn’t tell. Her nails were cute, though. Still, I could see how her nails were trimmed and maintained to make cooking easier.

“It’s a habit, I guess. When you work at a supermarket, you tend to observe people’s hands, like when checking the freshness of fish. You also get a sense of how much they’ve been using a knife.”

“Oh, really?”

I glanced down at my own hands. I didn’t have those kinds of calluses yet. It hadn’t even been two months since I started cooking. I figured this was normal for now.

“Plus, the location of the calluses varies. You should take a look at a professional chef’s hands if you ever get the chance.”

“I’ll check next time I go with Mom.”

“Yes.”

“Oh, by the way, Motobu-kun, show me your hands too.”

“I don’t have any calluses, though.”

Even so, he showed me his hands. They were bigger than mine and warm.

“They seem pretty normal.”

“Of course. Sometimes, when I don’t feel like using a knife, I cook without it. I also avoid creating too many dishes to wash.”

“As expected of a full-time househusband.”

“Tomitsugu-senpai is a chef, and I’m a househusband. Even though we both cook, our hands are different, and so are our dishes.”

Tomitsugu-senpai was amazing. Her dishes looked like something you’d see in a restaurant. I felt like I couldn’t do that.

“By the way, are you okay with becoming a club member?” I asked.

“That’s why I made it a condition to be a ghost member. I have no intention of actually participating in club activities.”

Now that I think about it, it was my fault for getting provoked so easily and dragging us into this situation. I couldn’t stand it when they insulted Motobu-kun’s cooking. It was probably the first time I’d ever felt so angry.

“By the way, wouldn’t you be better off joining the cooking club yourself, Amatsuka-san? You could definitely cook better with their guidance than with mine.”

“Well, that might be true…”

Watching Tomitsugu-senpai collapse in defeat made me think about joining. Honestly, I just wanted to keep cooking with Motobu-kun and have him keep teaching me. So, it was more like sympathy on my part.

But Motobu-kun proposed that I join the club, cutting off my thoughts. I wasn’t sure why he suggested it. Still, he helped smooth over the situation I had created.

“Sure, joining the club might help me improve my cooking, but I like your cooking, Motobu-kun.”

“Really? Well, if you joined, I’d quit the club.”

“No, let’s do it together.”

“If the number of official members exceeds the required amount, I’ll lose the benefit of staying a ghost member.”

I thought it might have been nice to be in the same club as Motobu-kun after all.

“But still, why do you think we won?”

“That’s because your secret ingredient made all the difference.”

“A secret ingredient? The only thing I added was melting cheese.”

“Cheese, yes, but there was something even more important.”

When I saw Motobu-kun smile and say that, my face heated up. I remembered what I had been thinking about. The person I most wanted to eat my food. That’s what Motobu-kun had said to me.

Maybe he thought I was thinking of Mom or Dad when I made the food.

But in reality, I had been thinking of Motobu-kun. The person I wanted most to eat my cooking was right beside me, cooking together in the kitchen.

Having Motobu-kun watching me made me feel at ease.

“Amatsuka-san’s sincerity is what captured the hearts of the male teachers.”

“Sincerity… Yeah, I guess so. Maybe.”

Why are you smiling at me like that, Motobu-kun? The secret ingredient I added wasn’t sincerity. It was love.

…Just thinking about it makes me feel embarrassed.

“By the way, Motobu-kun, didn’t you say something before the cooking contest?”

The feelings I had put into my cooking hadn’t reached him at all. He didn’t even taste it, and now I was just embarrassed that I was getting carried away, so I tried to change the subject.

“Oh, right. I wanted to thank you for taking care of me when I was sick.”

“You don’t need to thank me. I did it because I wanted to.”

I wasn’t looking for anything in return. Honestly, it was just because I like him. That’s all. Maybe you could call it a bit of selfish desire, though.

“Still, I want to repay the favor. I can’t do much besides cooking, but if there’s anything you need, just let me know.”

After that talk I had with Akenishi-chan, I had thought about it. I don’t have any particular favorite food. I like a lot of things, and just having Motobu-kun cook for me makes me happy.

“I’d like to try your favorite food, Motobu-kun.”

The truth is, I want to go on a date with him. But I also want to see his face while he’s cooking.

“My favorite food?”

“Yeah.”

“…That’s a bit tricky.”

“Why?”

“It’s Okinawan cuisine, but you can’t get the ingredients here.”

“I see.”

I wanted to know more about Motobu-kun. That’s how I felt, but there wasn’t much I could do about it.

“I go back to Okinawa every summer, but the ingredients don’t last long.”

“By the way, what ingredient is it?”

“Tofu. Island tofu.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever had that before.”

“You can’t eat it unless you’re in Okinawa.”

When he said that, Motobu-kun looked a little sad. His nostalgic expression made me feel a bit lonely too.

“Well, if I get the chance, I’d love to try it—your favorite food.”

“But then I wouldn’t be able to thank you right away.”

“That’s okay. Maybe someday.”

I wanted some kind of connection with Motobu-kun, even if it meant relying on his sense of obligation. I didn’t like the idea of using his gratitude, but…

Motobu-kun was always close yet distant. I felt that once he stopped teaching me to cook, we wouldn’t be as close as we were now.

I felt that way sometimes.

“Well, maybe someday.”

“Yeah.”

I’m not an angel. Just Miu Amatsuka. Just a girl.

“We’re here. Time for some shopping!”

“Finally, we can buy some lettuce.”

“Haven’t you been talking about lettuce all day?”

“Of course. It’s important to get lettuce when it’s on sale.”

Laughing at how excited he was about getting a good deal, I walked into the store with him. Moments like these, when we’re just talking, are what I want to keep going.

For now, just being beside him is enough for me.