Be careful with the laid-back beauty who took a liking to me. Otherwise, it will be too late! - Chapter 6: Mmm, Delicious~

Episode 6: Mmm, Delicious~

Koga-san’s apartment was a bit spacious for a single person, and it was a clean and beautiful room. It was my first time entering a girl’s house other than Maika’s, and I was nervous and stiff as I visited Koga-san’s place.

When she invited me to have dinner together, I wondered if it was okay to go to her house so soon after meeting her, but I couldn’t refuse her invitation, so we decided to eat together.

We had planned to buy some stuff from the supermarket and eat at Koga-san’s house, but she said she would cook dinner, and once again, I found myself unable to refuse, so we didn’t buy anything from the supermarket.

Since we had eaten taiyaki earlier, dinner would be a little later.

As I stood in the living room, Koga-san, who had changed from her school uniform into casual clothes, called out to me.

“Kawai-kun, you can sit on the sofa, okay?”

“Y-Yeah…”

Since she had something in her hand and was sitting on the sofa, I decided to sit next to her.

I wondered what she was doing as she seemed occupied, so I turned to look at her, and Koga-san was eating pudding.

(Huh, didn’t she just eat three taiyaki?)

“Mmm, so delicious~”

It’s good that she looks happy, but isn’t she eating too much? Is she forgetting that we’re having dinner later…?

As Koga-san noticed me staring at her, she scooped up some pudding with a plastic spoon and offered it to me.

“Do you want some?”

“N-No, if I eat that, I won’t be able to eat dinner later, so I’ll pass.”

“I see…”

Koga-san looked a little disappointed. Maybe I should have just eaten it even though I couldn’t…

After finishing her pudding, she got up and headed to the kitchen, so I followed her.

“I’ll help you with dinner.”

“It’s okay, leave it to me… Kawai-kun, just relax and enjoy yourself.”

“A-Alright…”

Koga-san put on an apron, tied her hair into a ponytail, and started cooking dinner.

“Are you good at cooking, Koga-san?”

Since she was silently making several dishes without looking at any recipes, I thought she must be good at it.

“I wouldn’t say I’m good, but I enjoy cooking… Can you cook, Kawai-kun?”

“I’m not as good as you, Koga-san, but I can cook. I can only make basic stuff though.”

“Wow… I think guys who can cook are cool.”

While stir-frying, Koga-san turned to me and smiled.

(Cool… I’m happy to hear that.)

I warned her not to get distracted while cooking, as she seemed to be focused on me, and she laughed softly and concentrated on cooking.

A few minutes later, she turned off the stove.

“Okay, it’s done… Kawai-kun, could you help me carry it?”

“Sure, I’ll help.”

After carrying the dishes for both of us, Koga-san and I sat facing each other and started eating dinner, holding hands.

The dinner menu was rice, hamburg steak, salad, and corn soup.

I took the first bite of the hamburg steak.

(Mmm, it’s delicious!)

“Kawai-kun, how is it? Is it delicious?”

“Mmm, it’s delicious~”

“Mmm, you’re copying me~”

Remembering how she ate pudding earlier, Koga-san puffed out her cheeks like a squirrel.

“Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay… I’m glad you said ‘mmm, it’s delicious~’. Yeah, it’s delicious, this hamburg steak.”

She smiled as she said that, so I smiled back, and Koga-san blushed. I felt my face heating up too.

Until we finished eating, we couldn’t talk much because we couldn’t look at each other.

As a thank you for making dinner, I washed the dishes for both of us. Then, Koga-san grabbed the sleeve of my shirt from behind.

“Koga-san, what’s wrong?”

While washing the dishes, I glanced back at her.

“Because I live alone, I didn’t feel lonely today with you here… Thank you…”

Although she was just holding onto the hem of my shirt, she leaned against my back.

I understood how she felt. My parents often come home late, so I often eat alone too.

After finishing the dishes and wiping my hands, I turned around, looked her straight in the eyes, and thanked her.

“Thank you too. I often feel lonely eating alone because my parents come home late… So I didn’t feel lonely eating dinner with you, Koga-san.”

“!”

Koga-san looked surprised and grabbed the sleeve of my shirt again.

As I found her gesture cute, an idea came to my mind.

(That’s right, she might reject it, but…)

“U-Um, Koga-san…”

“

?”

She was looking down, but she looked at me when I called her name.

“If it’s okay with you, would you like to have dinner together like this again?”

Of course, I didn’t mean to make her cook. I just wanted to eat together with her, who felt the same way.

As I waited for her answer, Koga-san smiled and nodded.

“Yes, let’s eat together.”

“I don’t know when it will be, but next time, I’ll cook dinner. Consider it a thank-you for today.”

“Wow~ I’m looking forward to it.”

As we smiled and clasped our fingers together, her smile felt nostalgic to me.

After Kawai-kun left, I lay on my bed, hugging my teddy bear.

Thinking about the time I spent with him made me smile again.

(With this, Kawai-kun probably won’t go to his childhood friend’s place in the evening…)

I’m aware that my love for things I like is overwhelming. If there’s something I like in front of me, I act without caring about my surroundings.

That’s why I’m patiently restraining myself from taking such actions, but I can’t control my feelings if there’s someone I like in front of me.

Today was the same. When he said, “Thank you too,” with that smile, I was about to cling to him.

Thinking back on today, while hugging my bear tightly, I muttered softly.

“Kawai-kun… I love you.”