I Got Cheated On, so I Thought I’d Cheat Back and Went to a Group Date, I Ran Into a Classmate Who Used to Boss Me Around and Now We’re Living Together - Chapter 5

“Delicious…”

After we got home, Machida-san made dinner. She cooked spaghetti, to put it simply. Normally, spaghetti is the kind of easy meal someone just boils and pours store-bought sauce over, perfect for people living alone.

But Machida-san didn’t use store-bought sauce. Since she works part-time at an Italian restaurant, she made a proper sauce from scratch.

The dish in front of me was called Vongole Bianco. It had plenty of clams still in their shells. The pasta was soaked in white wine and clam juices, giving it a deep flavor. Just one bite was enough to tell how good it was.

“Does it suit Shiraki’s taste?”

“Yeah. Just like I said, and it’s really good.”

“Phew, that’s a relief…”

Machida-san let out a breath, her neat features softening.

“This is actually the first time I’ve ever cooked for a guy in private… so I was kind of nervous.”

…I don’t know much about Machida-san’s love life, but it seems she’s not the type who’s always with someone. Back in middle school, she only hung out with girls and never had a boyfriend. Maybe it was the same in high school. And now, since she’s relying on me, she’s probably single.

Could it be that I actually have more relationship experience than her…? Well, it’s not that it’s something worth bragging about.

“To be honest, why a real Italian restaurant? Not a family diner or an izakaya?”

I asked to keep the conversation going. In high school, I learned that if someone wants to talk to someone, they should show interest and dig deeper by asking “why?” or “what for?”

“Yeah, I do have a reason.”

She nodded while twirling spaghetti around her fork.

“My uncle’s a chef in Italy. I’ve always looked up to him a little, so I thought… why not try heading that way myself?”

“…I see.”

So she was already thinking about her future. Meanwhile, I had no dream or goal. I only went to university because it felt like the normal thing to do. I wonder if I’ll ever find what I actually want to do.

“There aren’t many female chefs, you know. But if I became one, I think that’d be really cool.”

“Now that you mention it, why are there so few female chefs?”

“I heard it’s because women’s hormones shift during their cycle and make taste perception less stable. Since precise tasting is important, restaurants avoid hiring them for consistency. Also, women usually have higher body temperatures, which can affect food freshness.”

Oh, so that’s why.

“And honestly, it’s also tough physically. Working in a kitchen can be heavy labor.”

“Marriage and childbirth might affect it too, right?”

“Yeah, that’s another reason. But that’s the same in other industries too.”

“True.”

The conversation flowed easily. That made me happy. Since I agreed to let Machida-san stay, I wanted our time together to be enjoyable.

“By the way, did your girlfriend ever cook like this for you?”

“Not at all…. It was always eating out, ordering food, or instant noodles. She relied on convenience all the time.”

“I see. Well, I don’t mean to badmouth her, but women who can honestly cook really have an extra charm. If you can’t cook, then when you have kids one day, you can’t give them that sense of mom’s cooking. Don’t you think that’d be kind of sad?”

Her response felt homely, almost like family. I was impressed she could think that far ahead. Rinne was nothing like this. She only lived in the moment. That’s probably why she didn’t think twice about cheating right here in my room.

“Then I’ll handle all the cleanup, too. Shiraki should just relax.”

After dinner, Machida-san began washing the dishes. She worked quickly and naturally. It was probably because she already did that kind of thing at her part-time job.

“By the way, Machida-san, have you decided how long you’ll stay here?”

“Hmm, not exactly, but I want to find a new place as soon as I can. Maybe within a month?”

Later that night, after we’d both showered, we sat in the living room watching TV. Machida-san wore a tracksuit, but somehow it still looked good on her. Her damp hair wasn’t fully dry yet, and I caught myself staring for a moment.

“But really, if it bothers you having me here for a whole month, just say so. I can always stay at a net café.”

“No, if it’s between that and staying here, I’d rather you stay as long as you need.”

“…You’re kind.”

Machida-san gave a small smile.

“So, Shiraki, why’d you get cheated on? Do you just have bad taste in girls?”

“Well… she did give off a bit of a player vibe. I guess I just stepped on a landmine.”

“I see… I had a friend like that back in high school, too.”

She spoke with a faintly annoyed tone.

“She went through guys one after another. So many that you could almost form a soccer team out of them. When I was stuck hanging out with her, even my morals were questioned. Once I went to university, I cut her off as much as I could. We still keep in touch, but only through messages.”

“Wow… so girls like that really are everywhere.”

“Yeah… And even now she’s cheating again and having fights with her boyfriend.”

Machida-san sighed.

“Anyway, girls like that aren’t worth it. Even other women wouldn’t recommend them. Next time, find someone better, okay?”

“…Of course.”

“But still, don’t worry. I’m not planning to live here forever. I’ll try to find a place as soon as I can.”

That’s what Machida-san told me. Seeing how much she cared about my feelings, I was sure that she wasn’t a bad person. In fact, she was a good one. Her cooking was delicious, and I couldn’t deny she had a certain charm as a woman. Compared to Rinne, my unfaithful ex, it was insulting to even put them in the same category.

There was no doubt about it. Machida-san had brought color and warmth back into this room.