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 - 87

Chapter 87: Extra 4: To Stare This Much Is…

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“Thanks for the meal. It was seriously delicious again today!”

After finishing the mountain-sized plate of hiyashi chuka and pressing her hands together, Shizuku smiled brightly. I gave her a small smile in return.

“You’re welcome. Go ahead and bring the dishes you used to the sink.”

“Okaaay~”

As Shizuku carried her plate and chopsticks to the kitchen, I watched her back from the corner of my eye and then shoveled the remaining noodles and toppings into my mouth all at once. I had been at a near-limit level of hunger, so I thought I’d finish before Shizuku today, but in the end, she was still faster. Well, it wasn’t like we were having an eating contest, so it didn’t really matter.

Even so… she really does eat fast.

I had shared meals with Shizuku many times before, but no matter the dish, she usually finished first. I considered myself someone who ate fairly quickly compared to most people, but Shizuku’s pace definitely surpassed mine.

How does she eat faster than me with such a slender build?

Thinking that as I watched her, I carried my own dishes to the kitchen a little later. When I did, Shizuku shot me a half-lidded glare.

“…Something wrong?”

“Suou-kun, you’ve been staring at me too much. I noticed your gaze, you know.”

“Ah, sorry. That was rude of me.”

“It really was. …Geez, Suou-kun, you’re such a perv.”

Shizuku muttered that under her breath, her cheeks faintly red. I wasn’t entirely sure what exactly was perverted about it, but for some reason an intense sense of guilt welled up inside me, and I instinctively looked away. Trying to shake off the awkwardness, I silently began washing the dishes. Before long, Shizuku poked my side with her elbow.

“…I’ll help.”

She said it briefly. When I turned around, she was holding a dish towel.

“At least I can do this much, and just standing around watching feels kind of bad.”

You don’t have to worry about it.

I started to say that, but swallowed the words.

“…Then I’ll take you up on that.”

Instead, I handed her the plate I had just finished washing. After that, we worked in silence. The only sounds were the water running from the faucet and the soft scraping of dishes against sponge and cloth. There was a strange atmosphere in the air. Slightly restless, yet somehow calming at the same time. It was something hard to describe. In the middle of that, Shizuku finally spoke just as I was about to finish washing the large stockpot I had used to boil the last batch of noodles.

“Hey, Suou-kun.”

“What?”

“We’re planning to go to the pool together soon, right?”

“Yeah.”

“And that means we’ll be in swimsuits, right?”

“Well, it’s a pool.”

We had gone out of our way to buy swimsuits for that. As I recalled our shopping trip, I glanced at Shizuku, who had been speaking somewhat hesitantly. Her blue eyes, tinged faintly with unease, were directed at me.

“…Shizuku?”

I asked, but she kept her lips pressed together. Still, she stared at me intently, as if trying to convey something. Puzzled, I turned off the faucet, and only then did she finally speak.

“You absolutely can’t look at Sawa and the others the way you looked at me earlier, okay?”

“…Yeah, I’ll be careful.”

It hadn’t been intentional earlier either, but in situations like this, it wasn’t about what I thought. It was about how the person being looked at felt.

Even so…

There was one thing I wanted to make clear.

“But honestly, the only person I look at that intently is you, Shizuku.”

As I handed her the washed stockpot, I said it while looking straight into her eyes. For a moment, her eyes widened in surprise, then she abruptly turned her face away from me.

“…Mm, as long as you understand.”

She wiped the water droplets from the pot with the dish towel I had handed her. At that moment…

“………………idiot.”

I heard her mutter something, but her voice was so quiet that I couldn’t quite make it out. I was a little curious, but it wasn’t something worth pressing her over.

“Thanks for helping.”

So instead, I thanked her and then asked, “I’ve got some ice cream. Want some?”

After a brief silence..

“…I’ll have some.”

Her face was still turned away, but her voice sounded slightly buoyant. Hearing her answer, I immediately took out three cups of ice cream from the freezer. When I handed one to Shizuku along with a spoon…

“Thanks!”

Her cheeks were still just a little red, but she gave me her usual bright smile.

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