Actually, the Hungry Gyaru Who Eats a Lot Was Being Cheated On, so I Decided to Win Her Heart (And Stomach) From Her Jerk Boyfriend - 49

Chapter 49: Mother Sees Through Everything

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Sure enough, my older sister teased me relentlessly upon seeing my styled hair. After that, while I was preparing dinner, she let out a deep sigh from across the counter. 

“No, but seriously, why Gaku never thought to style his hair like this on a regular basis? Even though you’ve inherited Dad’s genes… It’s really a waste when you are decently handsome like this.”

“…Big Sis, don’t start talking like MOm. Besides, why do you care so much about how I present myself?”

“Well, of course it’s because…”

She trailed her words as her gaze drifted toward the sofa, where Shizuku, Ichika, and Mom were sitting together. They were watching one of those TV dramas with a messy relationship between the main characters that had been popular recently. 

Just like always, Mom really likes watching those kinds of TV dramas…

I thought to myself while I pondered about my older sister’s words.

“…So it’s for Ichika’s sake?”

“Well, that’s one of the reasons, but… Nevermind. I shouldn’t say anything more than this. That would be tactless of me.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Nope, nothing at all. It’s not my place to talk.”

Muttering that, my older sister shrugged in an exasperated manner before walking over to the couch to join the other three. Watching her retreating figure, I shrugged to myself and turned my attention back to cooking.

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Since Mom had come home, the usual seating arrangement had to change. Shizuku and I remained in our usual spots, but Ichika was sitting across from me now while Mom sat across from Shizuku. As for my older sister, she had brought a chair over to the normally vacant side of the table. For tonight’s dinner, I had prepared a Japanese meal centered around mackerel simmered in miso sauce. For side dishes, I served simmered pumpkin and cucumber and eggplant salad. I also prepared miso soup with thinly sliced radish, fried tofu and wakame seaweed. 

Shizuku took a sip of the miso soup first and her eyebrows drooped as she let out a contented sigh. She looked very pleased with the soup. 

“Haa~ What a very comforting flavor… It really soothes the soul… Suou-kun’s miso soup is the best after all!~”

“You’re exaggerating. It’s just regular miso soup.”

“No, no. Absolutely not. You made the dashi from scratch, right?! This is anything but your regular miso soup! This miso soup is on a whole other level!”

Shizuku chuckled as she took another sip of the miso soup while voicing her delight at how delicious it was. I never told her that I had made the dashi from scratch, but it seemed she could tell the flavor of the dashi tasted different from your regular store-bought dashi. I had always thought about this before, but really. Shizuku really had a refined taste bud.

Half impressed, I watched as she took a bite of the mackerel and her eyes narrowed in bliss.

“Mmh! So delicious! The fish is so tender and it smells so fragrant too! This is absolutely top-notch! Mackerel and rice is the best combination! I could eat this forever!”

The awkwardness she had shown earlier had completely vanished. She was back to her usual cheery self now. Feeling a bit relieved at this, I took a bite of the mackerel simmered in miso that I had made.

“…Yeah, it’s pretty good.”

I had prepped the mackerel by blanching it briefly and then cooling it in cold water to remove any excess odor and impurities. After that, I simmered it in a broth made from water, sake, mirin, along with a bit of sugar. I also added ginger, white leek and shiitake mushrooms to give it more flavor. This not only eliminated any remaining fishy odor, but also allowed the mackerel to get infused by the flavor of the vegetables. In return, the umami from the fish itself also got transferred to the vegetables. It was a win-win solution where all components actually enriched each other. Indeed, just as Shizuku had said earlier. This dish was the perfect pair for steaming hot white rice. It was almost impossible to stop eating. 

I shoveled another heaping of white rice into my mouth when I noticed my older sister glancing at Shizuku. Her face was twitching a bit, seemingly in disbelief at what she saw. 

“Wow~ Shizuku-chan, even after eating so much at lunch, you can still eat that much for dinner?”

“Yes! After all, Suou-kun’s cooking tastes super delicious!”

Shizuku cheerfully answered while holding a bowl piled high with white rice, just like mine. Her face was beaming with a bright smile. She was devouring her food with ease and yeah. My older sister’s reaction was understandable. She already knew about Shizuku’s big appetite, but it was only natural for her to get taken aback when seeing this sight with her own eyes. 

“I’ve heard about you from Mio-chan, but Shizuku-chan… You really can eat a lot, huh? I like it. Watching you eat so heartily is making my heart feel warm.”

“Is that so? Ehehehe~ Now I’m feeling kind of embarrassed~”

“Yes. I can totally see why Gakkun is so smitten with you.”

“NNGH-!?”

That statement caught me completely off guard. Mom’s unexpected comment left me so flustered, so much so that the rice I was about to swallow nearly got stuck in my throat. 

“Su-Suou-kun?!”

“Ga-Gaku-nii?! Here…!”

Ichika quickly handed me a cup of barley tea, which I grabbed in a hurry and gulped down. The barley tea successfully forced the stuck rice down into my stomach and I let out a relieved sigh. 

“Thanks, Ichika. You saved me.”

After expressing my gratitude, I turned my attention to Mom to glare at her. 

“What are you saying all of a sudden like that?!”

“I mean, isn’t that the truth? You do like watching Shizuku-chan eating her food so heartily, right?”

“…Well, I mean, yeah, but still…”

There was no denying that part. I really enjoyed watching Shizuku eat and it wasn’t something I had to hide, hence why I agreed with Mom on that part. Besides, I had already said it to Shizuku herself beforehand. 

“But still, don’t say things that might lead to weird misunderstandings.”

I sighed as I said that, but Mom only gave me a knowing smile. 

“Oh, I see… Alright. I get it now. Well, it’s fine, I guess. It’s just… It’s rare to see Gakkun looking so soft and relaxed. That’s all.”

“…Sorry for always having a grumpy face.”

I muttered, turning my gaze away from Mom. I proceeded to stuff my mouth full with white rice and mackerel to avoid saying anything more. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Ichika glancing back and forth between Shizuku and me with a confused expression on her face.

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