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 78

“Where is Kurose-san?”

Carrying the food that Motobu-kun had grilled, I was looking for Kurose-san.

She obviously wasn’t outside in the garden, so I searched inside the house.

“She’s not here.”

With mixed feelings, I kept looking around.

I couldn’t help but feel that Motobu-kun hadn’t noticed my feelings, and that made me a little sad.

And yet, of all people, he asked me to find Kurose-san.

While I felt a bit happy to be asked, my silly maiden heart also felt a bit disappointed.

Even someone like me, who isn’t great at love, can see that Kurose-san likes Motobu-kun. Honestly, it’s almost abnormal.

“Oh, there you are. Kurose-san.”

“…Amatsuka-san.”

There she was, sitting in the corner of the kitchen, hugging her knees.

Why was she in a place like this?

It seemed like she was hiding.

“Motobu-kun made this for you.”

“Thank you.”

She took the plate, still looking lonely.

Why did she have such an expression?

Why was she alone in a place like this?

“……”

“………”

It was awkward.

“Motobu-san seemed to be having fun, didn’t he?”

“Well, yeah.”

He always seems happy when he’s cooking for others. Even while cooking, he’s like that.

“Why are you here?”

“…I just thought I didn’t want to be seen being alone.”

“By Motobu-kun?”

“Yes.”

Kurose-san is usually alone in class. She keeps a bit of distance from others. Still, she’s beautiful and smart, so people rely on her sometimes.

I always thought she was fine being alone.

“Is it different at school and here?”

“It is. When I’m here, I feel alone.”

“…I kind of get that. I didn’t know some of the people here either, and the only one who knows everyone is probably Motobu-kun. Oh, didn’t he say it was his first time meeting the teacher who advises the cooking club too?”

Before I knew it, Motobu-kun had become familiar with the student council seniors, and Nakamichi-senpai had a big chest…

“For me, there’s basically no one other than Motobu-san that I can talk to without reservation, so I don’t feel very comfortable.”

“And you’re telling me that?”

Her words made me a little hurt, as it felt like she didn’t consider me a close friend either.

Well, I guess that’s fair. We’re just classmates.

“Amatsuka-san, you like Motobu-san too, right? That’s why you’re talking with me like this now.”

“It’s not like I’m scouting out the competition or anything, really.”

“I know you don’t have any hostility.”

She said that with a sad smile.

“Am I really that easy to read?”

“I don’t really know about generalities, but what I can see now is only around Motobu-san. That’s all.”

Something akin to obsession.

And Motobu-kun, despite everything, pays attention to Kurose-san too.

What exactly is this?

“Even though I can only see around Motobu-san, there are many people who like him. I was surprised to see that even Miaki-san’s little sister is pretty serious.”

“So, she’s really serious about it…”

“That was a woman’s gaze. Based on my experience from part-time jobs, I’m certain.”

Miko, a young elementary school student with a woman’s gazes… This is seriously bad.

“Miaki-san also has feelings for him, and that Tomitsugu-senpai does too. Even the student council president seemed to feel something similar.”

“…Kurose-san, wasn’t that your first time meeting the student council people?”

How does she know all this?

No, I want to know why she thinks this.

She may be my romantic rival, but for some reason, talking to Kurose-san is fun. It’s a strange feeling.

Until now, I didn’t really have much connection with romance, and Miaki-chan handled that part pretty well.

Even so, I’m familiar with the tense atmosphere unique to girls.

“If you look into someone’s eyes, you can tell, to some extent, how they feel. I’m generally not very interested in people or in anything really, but even so, I can see how people view Motobu-san.”

“I kind of get what you’re saying… I think?”

I like Motobu-kun too, but I don’t know who else likes him. If someone tells me directly, I’ll understand, but I’m not sure how much Miaki-chan understood either, and that makes me feel a bit complicated.

“In total darkness, the only light I see is Motobu-san’s flame. The faces of the people gathered around it are clear to me, even though I’m standing in the dark. From the bright spot, they can’t see into the dark, but from the darkness, even a small light looks dazzling.”

Watching Kurose-san speak, I thought, maybe she really does have a taste disorder. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t doubt it before. Part of me wondered if she was just saying it to get Motobu-kun’s attention.

But I have no way of knowing if that’s true.

Now, though, I understand that what Kurose-san sees and feels might be different, that her interests in clothes are extreme, and that she’s different from other girls.

“Motobu-san is equally kind to everyone who enjoys the food he makes. It’s sad how fair he is.”

“I totally get that. He treats you kindly as a person, but it’s like he draws a line at seeing girls as girls!”

“When he came to my house to cook for the first time, I even greeted him in just an apron, and he got mad at me. He’s quite strict.”

“Wait, just an apron?! So that’s different from the school swimsuit apron you wore before?”

Greeting him in just an apron…

That’s seriously crazy.

Should I do that too… just an apron?

No, if it doesn’t work with Kurose-san’s figure, I’ll be fine. Yeah.

Kurose-san has slightly bigger breasts than me after all.

“I once went on a picnic with Motobu-kun, just the two of us, and I gave him a lap pillow, but all he did was thank me.”

“What?! That’s unfair, Amatsuka-san.”

“I was wearing hot pants, so it was almost like bare skin, and it was a bit embarrassing.”

“…I’m going to study fashion.”

For some reason, we started competing with our approaches.

But it’s kind of fun.

“Well, let’s go shopping sometime then. I’ll help you pick out clothes that suit you.”

“That would be helpful, but are you sure?”

“About what?”

“Helping me, your romantic rival. It’s like giving salt to your enemy.”

“Well, yeah, that’s true…”

If Kurose-san becomes cuter, that’d be a problem.

I don’t feel like I could win!

But for some reason, I can’t leave her alone.

My complicated feelings are becoming even more tangled.

“I mean, I’m here because Motobu-kun asked me to find you, right? He probably doesn’t get my feelings at all and just asked me to look for you.”

“If he knew and did that, he’d be cruel.”

“Exactly! He just doesn’t get it. But he’s so kind. It doesn’t make sense.”

I felt an indescribable frustration at my lack of vocabulary.

How can I express this feeling?

I’m not angry, really. I like him, but…

“It’s kind of irritating, but I still like him, and Kurose-san is cute, so I want to be friends with you too? My feelings are all jumbled.”

“Hehe.”

Still sitting with her knees hugged, Kurose-san laughed.

I think it was the first time I saw her genuinely smile.

“Wait, did I say something weird?”

“No… I just thought you were the type who could handle these situations skillfully, Amatsuka-san. I found it cute.”

“I’m not skillful at all! If I were, I’d have already confessed.”

“I’m not skillful either, but I’ve already confessed once. I got rejected, though.”

“Wait, seriously?! You’ve even beaten me to confessing…”

I was shocked by Kurose-san’s single-mindedness…

Somehow, I feel like I’m losing as a woman.

“Talking like this is surprisingly fun, isn’t it?”

“I didn’t expect to have this kind of conversation either.”

“I always thought love affairs were just dangerous.”

“I thought so too.”

We both looked at each other and laughed.

Maybe this kind of friendship is possible too.

“Shall we head back? I want something to drink.”

“Yes, I’d like something to drink too.”

“Oh, by the way, can you taste drinks?”

“Would you consider the pork miso soup and curry that Motobu-san made to be drinks?”

“No, ‘curry is a drink’ is something sumo wrestlers say.”

“Is stew okay then?”

“I think curry and stew are in the same category.”

“The world of beverages is deeper than I thought.”

“No, it’s not that complicated!”

Talking with Kurose-san, we stepped outside, and as expected, it was hot.

But somehow, the pleasant sun felt welcoming.