About the Cool Beauty in My Class Declaring She Won’t Eat Anything Except My Bento - 3

Chapter 3: So Delicious!

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“Shoot, I didn’t do the assignment. Sota, can I see yours?”

“You… How many times does this make?”

It was lunch break the next day. I spread my lunch box out on the edge of the desk belonging to Shu Kurata, my best friend since high school who sat right behind me, while looking at him in exasperation.

“…The fifth time?”

“Wrong, it’s the seventh. Here.”

I set my completed assignment notebook on top of Shu’s, which was still a blank slate. I had finished it yesterday after giving the Tupperware to Ayano. While I wasn’t on Ayano’s level, it wasn’t particularly difficult for me to study enough to ensure I wouldn’t struggle in the future.

“You’re a god! Truly, having a smart friend is a blessing.”

“You should have the brain to finish your assignments by the day before instead.”

“I want to do that.”

“There’s no point if you don’t actually do it…”

I picked at my lunch while watching Shu frantically copy the answers. My lunch box was packed with things like meat and potatoes, sautéed burdock root, and potato salad. It was all handmade by me. For a high school boy with a hearty appetite to get full on a budget, homemade was the way to go.

By the way, what I had given Ayano yesterday were the leftovers from this lunch prep.

“As usual, this looks delicious…”

“Saying ‘as usual’ about my cooking feels a bit rude, like I haven’t improved at all.”

“Whoa, you’re high maintenance! I’m saying it’s a testament to your effort that your skills haven’t declined.”

I had intended to say something a bit sarcastic, but Shu’s handsome response caught me off guard. I thought being able to say things like that so naturally was one of Shu’s virtues. Since he wasn’t bad-looking, I thought he’d be popular with girls if he’d just be a bit more serious in his daily life…

I mused while watching Shu copy the assignment instead of eating his own lunch. Come to think of it, Ayano had gone to the cafeteria with a few friends today. Surely she wouldn’t go all the way to the cafeteria and not eat…

Wait. This is Ayano we’re talking about. Maybe it’s actually possible…?

“Hmm? What’s up?”

“Nothing, just thinking my lunch is extra good today.”

I decided to press her about it when she returned the Tupperware and gave a random excuse to dodge the question.

“What, praising yourself now? Give me some too.”

“You haven’t finished the assignment yet.”

“I’ll finish it right now! Pretty please!”

Shu’s eyes sparkled at the reward waiting beyond the assignment, and his hand moved even faster.

I didn’t actually say I’d give you any…

I thought with a sigh as I quietly continued eating my lunch.

◇ ◆ ◇

After finishing my shift at a privately owned cafe, it was past 8:00 PM.

“Ah. That’s right.”

When I climbed the stairs to the third floor where my apartment was, Ayano was standing in front of my door looking uncomfortable. She was carefully holding the Tupperware I’d given her yesterday with both hands. She didn’t have her bag, but she was still in her uniform, so she must have come over immediately after getting home.

“Ah.”

Ayano let out a small sound as she noticed my footsteps and turned around.

“Sorry. I didn’t tell you I had work today. Did you wait long?”

“No. I only just arrived myself.”

It feels like a date.

I thought with a smile, but I kept it to myself. I took my room key out of my bag and opened the door. I thought once again how beautiful and lovely she was. Her beauty looked like she was personally drawn by God. However, I felt relieved to see that the vitality and color in her face had improved.

“I’m relieved to see you ate them properly. Don’t worry, I’ll keep my promise and won’t mention yesterday’s incident to anyone.”

“Um… I’m really happy about that too, but…”

I had thought she was most concerned about that promise I’d extorted from her, but Ayano denied it rather eagerly. When I turned back to ask what was wrong…

“The thing is… it was incredibly delicious!”

Ayano leaned in close to me, her voice filled with an excitement unthinkable for the usual “Cool Beauty,” and her eyes sparkling. Having Ayano’s face so close to mine with her emotions more visible than usual made my heart skip a beat.

It’s not fair for someone usually so composed to act like a giddy child with a face that beautiful…

“Lately, I haven’t been able to eat proper meals and was just buying prepared side dishes. And your food, Kirihara-san, had such a gentle, home-cooked taste. It didn’t just fill my stomach, it actually made me feel at ease…”

However, Ayano, oblivious to my internal conflict, continued to shower me with her impressions. Honestly, I was already reaching my limit.

“Also… You said it was leftovers, but that’s not true, right? The burdock root and potato salad still had the warmth of being freshly made.”

“……..I’m surprised. You could tell?”

As Ayano said, everything I’d given her yesterday was something I started making after I got home and told her “I’ll share some food with you.” Though, I had originally planned to make them for today’s lunch anyway.

“You don’t have to notice things like that, young lady.”

“S-sorry…”

Ayano apologized sincerely. The image of the “Cool Beauty” in my mind was being overturned piece by piece. The girl standing before me now felt like an entirely different beautiful girl.

“There’s just one more thing I was curious about.”

“And that is?”

“Was the seasoning… for my sake?”

My eyes widened instinctively.

“Ah. I thought so.”

Seeing that, Ayano placed a hand to her mouth and gave a refined giggle. I regretted letting it show on my face so much, but that just made Ayano laugh again.

“Kirihara-san, I heard you say before that you prefer strong seasonings, but the food you gave me yesterday was all mild and gentle… I wondered if you made it easy to eat because I told you I hadn’t been eating at all.”

Exactly how many times was I going to be surprised? She had correctly guessed every bit of consideration she wasn’t supposed to notice. Shame and frustration at being caught red-handed mixed with a happy feeling from somewhere deep in my heart, and a smile naturally spread across my face.

“…Even if you notice, you’re not supposed to say it.”

“I’m sorry. But I’ve been thinking all day that I wanted to tell you how incredibly happy it made me.”

Ayano smiled as she softly hugged the Tupperware. She looked both cute and beautiful, with just a faint hint of her “Cool” side remaining. I couldn’t even stand to look at such a lovely girl anymore, so I scratched my head awkwardly.

Besides, as someone who had cooked the meal, there were no words of gratitude more pleasing than those. I felt like my face was turning a bit red from embarrassment, so to keep her from noticing, I haphazardly snatched the Tupperware from Ayano’s hands.

Ayano’s eyes blinked wide for a moment at the rough gesture. In that moment, when she realized what was happening from an objective perspective, her face flushed bright red. Because she was usually so cool, she must have been hit by a wave of intense bashfulness. It was the complete opposite of the word “cool,” and it was something I was seeing for the first time.

“Wait a second.”

Feeling too embarrassed to stay, I left her with those words and went inside my home. I neatly packed some food into a different Tupperware, closed the lid, and when I returned to the entrance, Ayano had returned to being the “Cool Beauty.” I let out a small laugh at the sheer transformation.

“Here.”

“Eh, wait, why another Tupperware?”

“I’m relieved to see you looking a bit more energetic, and when a cook hears their food is delicious, it goes to their head.”

I said something that sounded plausible to convey that “I just felt like giving it to you now.” Though, with someone as sharp as Ayano, she probably already realized I’d prepared it beforehand.

“I am truly grateful, but… Getting it for free again is, well…”

“Haha, don’t say that while wearing that kind of face.”

On Ayano’s face as she refused, there was a sparkle that said “I get to eat it again” rather than the apology and confusion from yesterday.

“It’s fine. I live alone and when I cook, I always end up cooking a bit too much anyway. If you were eating a massive amount, I’d reconsider, but…”

“Even so…”

It was likely a matter of money. Given Ayano seemed quite upright, she wouldn’t nod her head easily. However, I didn’t feel like splitting my meals for money, either. I didn’t want to turn this into a business-like relationship.

…Ah, I know.

“In that case…”

“Yes?”

Ayano tilted her head slightly and waited for my words.

“Could you teach me how to study in exchange?”

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