It’s Too Early to be Having Newlywed Syndrome! ~Childhood Friends Who Rekindled their Love for Each Other ~ - 2 - 2 - The Boxed Lunch Looks Like a Gold Bar?

The Boxed Lunch Looks Like a Gold Bar?

On New Year’s Eve, inside the supermarket, a pair of youngsters were inspecting the cooking ingredients being sold.

“Pretty cheap, aren’t they? Eggs half-price, chicken half-price, daikon half-price. Tempura 60 percent off.”

Naoto was surprised by how many foodstuffs have a discount seal on them.

“It’s more than last year’s isn’t it? With this we’ll be able to make something.”

Saying that, Natsuki is also glad.

“Ah, tofu is just 15 yen. But, will it be hard putting it into a boxed lunch?”

“Do you like tofu, Nao-kun?”

“I don’t like it but I don’t hate it either, but if it’s just 15 yen, then I like it.”

Natsuki laughed then,

“How about nuggets?”

She asked Naoto.

“I like them.”

“Which would be better in the boxed lunch, more quantity or more choices of side dish?”

“I think more quantity is better.”

“If we’re going for cheap, would only tofu be okay?”

“Of course it is, but is it really that cheap?”

“How much can we spend?”

“It’s okay if we use up all of 500 yen, I think. We can go to the park and leisurely eat our lunch.”

“Then, I want to keep what I bought a secret, so can you wait on the bench outside the supermarket?”

“Oh? Understood. Then, here.”

While anticipating what the food will be, he gave the 500-yen coin to Natsuki.

“Un. ……Then, the time has come to part with this 500-yen coin, huh.”

Because Natsuki said it acting all serious, Naoto couldn’t help but laugh.

Naoto sat on the bench, and thought of what food Natsuki is planning to make.

If it is nuggets, then the part that we can make cheaply will be the sauce. In contrast, it will be wasteful if it’s not tasty, so it will be better to use the condiments we have at home……”

After she finished buying the ingredients, Natsuki went out of the supermarket and waved to Naoto. Naoto waved back while grinning, then panicked as he wondered if there are people from their school in the area so he checked his surroundings.

Natsuki approached seemingly not caring if they’re found out,

“I just thought about it when I received the receipt, but if I hand you the change and the receipt, you will find out what I’m making anyway.”

She said.

“I don’t mind, it’s okay if you don’t hand me the receipt.”

Said Naoto while standing up.

“I see. I’ll take good care of it. I’ll give it to you afterwards.”

The two of them slowly walked on the way home.

“……I also noticed something, you know. If you don’t want me to find out, the I need to not help you with making lunch.”

“Ah, that’s right. Sorry.”

“No, honestly I don’t like cooking a little bit, so if you can make it without me helping, then lucky for me.”

“Yup, I decided to do it this way since I know about that. Aren’t you glad?”

Natsuki said as if she was in a play.

“That’s definitely a lie.”

“Is it that obvious?”

“Well, it’s very clear that you didn’t plan for it…… But well, if it’s about carrying what you bought, may I?”

“It’s light, so this much is fine.”

“I’ll guess what you bought based on its weight.”

“You can’t peek inside, okay? Would you be able to guess it——?”

Saying that, Natsuki gave the plastic bag containing the ingredients to Naoto.

“Yep yep. Oh, so it weighs this much, huh. I see.”

Naoto took the plastic bag and checked its weight.

“You know what it is?”

“……Nope. When I thought about it, I don’t have an idea of how different ingredients weigh.”

“Then it’s a bust.”

“Hmmm…… just what is it? I can’t wait to find out.”

“I don’t know if it will taste good or not, but if it didn’t turn out well, would you let me make something else?”

“Of course. Thank you.”

“Uwa—— I feel nervous.”

“It’ll be all right. In the event that it didn’t go well, there is still the fact that you did your best for a 500-yen budget.”

“Right.”

“Will Natsuki be wearing an apron? It’s a bit of a shame I won’t be seeing what you look like when you cook. How I wish I can see you wearing an apron over your uniform next time.”

“What with that, that’s a bit pervy of you, Nao-kun.”

“Wha- why?”

“Because Nao-kun likes school uniforms very much. My uniform as well, whenever I ask you if it looks good at me, you will never fail to say how the skirt looks good.”

“Well, you asked. And the skirt looks really cute.”

“Geez, it’s super easy to tell what your preferences are.”

“No, Natsuki’s legs are really beautiful that’s why I think the skirt part is more attractive.”

“Heee——–”

“They really are beautiful. The skirt you’re wearing now is cute as well, it really suits you.”

“Nao-kun, it seems like you’ve gotten good at flattery.”

“Please say that I’m only telling the truth.”

“Well, you’ve been using words like cute or beautiful……”

“You really are cute. Don’t other people say that as well? The boys always talk about how cute you are behind your back.”

“Hmmmm…… sometimes.”

“See?”

“But even when other people say it to me I go say something like ‘Please stop, it’s making me embarrassed’, whenever Nao-kun say that to me…… somewhat, I feel like my body is being crushed in an instant.”

“Eh?! Does that mean it fells disgusting?”

“That’s not it, it feels somewhat weird, like I’m being tickled. Like that feeling when you’re being patted on the head.”

“We-were you alright?”

“I don’t know. Maybe, I’m falling too much in love with Nao-kun.”

“Ehhh?! Is that how it is?!”

“Ah—- geez, it scares me. It’s all Nao-kun’s fault, so if I ever become selfish, take responsibility and look only at me.”

“If that happens, you might become even more cute.”

“That’s what I’m talking about, if you came at me with those words……. It would be bad for me.”

Natsuki complained with teary eyes.

Naoto though that how he would certainly be tempted to hug Natsuki at that moment if they were alone in their rooms.

While Natsuki was cooking, Naoto was made to wait inside Natsuki’s room.

Natsuki told Naoto that he can take a nap, but Natsuki will show up in the room from time to time asking questions or taking a break.

“Normal or a bit spicy, which do you prefer?”

“Spicy.”

“Nao-kun, barbecue sauce or mustard, which do you prefer?”

“Barbecue sauce, I think.”

“I don’t have confidence in my palate, will it be alright, I’m sorry if it tasted bad.”

“I told you, it’ll be alright.”

In the end, until the cooking is done, Naoto stayed awake,

“Ah, Nao-kun, you’re awake. Then, can you taste this for me?”

Natsuki asked of him.

Naoto looked at the nugget placed in a small plate that Natsuki brought,

“Looks delicious.”

And commented first on its appearance.

“I don’t know about the taste though.”

“Itadakimasu…… Uwa! This is delicious!”

Naoto looked happy while looking at Natsuki.

“It doesn’t taste weird?”

“It’s quite tasty. It’s even tastier than the ones sold at stores. I like how crispy it is.”

“That’s good—— it’s one of your favorites so I was really anxious.”

“Is this pepper? It’s a bit spicy, I love it.”

“I’m relieved——”

“So you can make this much with just 500 yen, huh.”

“That’s 220 yen.”

“220 yen?!”

“Alright, I managed to surprise you.”

“This is just 220 yen?”

“What did you think was in it?”

“Chicken, right?”

“Chicken, and?”

“Chicken, and…… no, isn’t it just chicken?”

Naoto, who doesn’t quite know what goes into a nugget, doesn’t have the slightest idea.

“It has a considerable quantity of tofu in there.”

Natsuki showed Naoto the shopping receipt while saying that.

“Tofu?”

Naoto, taking another bite, examined the cross-section of the nugget, but couldn’t distinguished the tofu in it.

“You can’t taste it? Enough that you lost appetite?”

“I can’t taste it at all. Before, I mistook a tofu hamburger as a real one and ate it, and I tasted the tofu in the middle of eating it, the taste was so different that I was disappointed. But here I can’t taste the tofu at all.”

“Alright!”

Natsuki grasped her hand tightly in happiness.

“Why can you make something like this? Could it be, Natsuki, are you actually very good at cooking?”

“Nope. Mom actually made this before, she said it was easy to make. So I thought it would be a good idea.”

“I was really surprised.”

“Yay. Is it okay if we have just this in the boxed lunch? It would look like this, though.”

Saying that, Natsuki showed Naoto the lunch box. It was packed to the brim with nuggets.

“Rather than okay, this is the best. Thank you for making such a wonderful boxed lunch.”

“Ehehe—–. I’ll be making the sauce now.”

“Ah, will this become even tastier?!”

“I’ll try to make it as such, but it is not store-bought so I can’t guarantee the taste.”

“Natsuki is the type who’s quite not confident about many things, huh. You should have more confidence in your skills.”

To the no-confidence-in-himself Naoto, who’s giving such an advice like he’s got it together,

“I don’t want to hear that coming from you, though!”

Natsuki said, then laughed.

“Ah——- sorry ‘bout that.”

Naoto, who also noticed how weird such words are coming from him, laughed as well.

“……thank you, though.”

“But, you’re really good at this. It looks like a New Year’s meal. You know they call it nuggets because they look similar to gold nuggets. Rather than looking like it’s for New Year’s, it might be better to say it’s for a very auspicious event.”

“Is that so? Then, I might’ve struck gold without even noticing. Lucky!”

Natsuki went with the happy tone of the conversation.

“Being able to make something this delicious with just 220 yen, more than disbelief I actually feel respect towards you. I’m really excited trying it later like it’s already the day of our date.”

Naoto feeling that their date might be more fun than he expected, felt excited.

“It might just have been a stroke of luck, though.”

If he’s this happy, it might be worthwhile to memorize a bit more recipes.

While thinking like she’s keeping a secret, Natsuki returned to the kitchen.

Looking at Natsuki’s back while seeing her off, Naoto smiled.

…… I think I might’ve struck a treasure as well without noticing it, a treasure named Natsuki.