Vol 1 Chapter 3 – It’s Warm

After finishing the cooking, I carried the plate topped with omurice over to the dining table.

The omurice looked brilliantly red, loaded with plenty of meat and absolutely mouthwatering. And it was steaming hot. I wondered how many years it had been since I’d had a meal like this.

“Alright, finishing touch!”

Saying that, Michiru placed an egg on top of the brilliantly red dish.

“Eh? I thought this was omurice?”

I had entirely assumed that this vividly red dish was omurice.

“Hehehe, omurice is amazing!”

While saying that, Michiru plunged a knife into the egg and sliced it open.

In an instant, a luxuriously runny soft-boiled egg spilled out, releasing the aroma of butter and fresh cream.

“Wow! Amazing! Looks delicious!”

I couldn’t help but get excited.

“Not yet!”

Saying that, Michiru drizzled a brown sauce on top.

The aroma alone made it look irresistible, and I could hear my stomach rumbling with hunger.

“Alright, you may eat!”

I was itching to eat right away, but I held back.

“Michiru’s isn’t done yet…”

I couldn’t bring myself to start eating ahead of her.

“Rin-kun, you’re such a good boy! Then I’ll prepare Mama’s portion right away.”

With that, Michiru proceeded to prepare her own omurice in the same way.

“By the way, what’s this brown sauce? It doesn’t seem like curry…”

For a brief moment, Michiru’s expression turned angry. But it wasn’t aimed at me.

“It’s demi-glace sauce! It’s really tasty, you know!”

Meanwhile, Michiru’s omurice was ready as well.

“Alright, let’s eat!”

“Let’s eat!”

Now that I think about it, I haven’t said “let’s eat” in such a long time. After all, I used to eat my meals alone in my room.

There was no one to hear my “let’s eat,” and of course, no one to say it with me. That made me smile involuntarily.

And then, a bite.

It was warm, smooth, with a sweet tomato flavor; the chicken was tender yet had a satisfying bite, and the demi-glace sauce had a rich, deep taste. Each bite was packed with so much happiness.

This was made for me.

Before I knew it, the world started to blur. The warmth was so nostalgic, it was irresistible.

“Rin-kun!”

Seeing me cry, Michiru jumped from the seat across and embraced me.

“It was hard for you, wasn’t it? And you never even knew omurice… Now, you don’t have to hold it in anymore.”

Those words pried open something deep within my heart.

“Waaaah! I’ve been abandoned! I’m not allowed back home anymore!”

Tears poured out like a dam breaking, and they wouldn’t stop.

Not caring about getting herself wet, Michiru held me tightly.

“From now on, this is your home! Because I’m Mama!”

Her voice was both firm and gentle. It was warm and truly nostalgic.

Michiru stayed that way until I finally stopped crying.

Eventually, as if washing away all the stagnation in my heart, my tears ceased.

“I-I’m sorry! I’ve shown you something unsightly!”

When I looked up at Michiru’s face, it was filled with anger.

But soon, the anger melted away from her face, and she looked at me.

“Rin-kun, you don’t need to apologize. But truly, are you an adult?”

Were my actions far too immature?

“Y-Yes!”

I couldn’t possibly lie to Michiru, who was staring at me so earnestly with a straight face.

“I can’t forgive that…”

Yes, Michiru’s softly muttered words brought a flash of intense anger back to her face.

But then, she quickly wiped away the anger and smiled at me.

“Rin-kun, I promise to make you happy. So, will you become my child?”

But, if I think about it, that’s a strange request.

“Surely, I’m older than you, Michiru. The truth is, I’m actually an older man.”

When I was brought here, I was desperate just to survive. But now that she was treating me so sincerely, I couldn’t keep it hidden any longer.

“It doesn’t matter! I can’t see you as an older man at all. You’re so young, after all.”

Michiru, pained by my situation, looked like she was about to cry.

I see—I am still so immature. I’ve just gotten older in years without truly growing up.

I hate this body…

While I was looking down, Michiru spoke again.

“I’ll ask again… no, I won’t allow you to refuse. Become my child. I promise to make you happy and help you become a proper adult!”

Michiru’s firm declaration left me with no room to refuse.

“Yes…”

This marked the beginning of the twisted, pseudo parent-child relationship between Michiru and me.

“Well then, let’s eat! Even though it’s gotten cold, it’s still tasty! And I’ll make more, alright?”

Saying that, Michiru went back to the seat across from me.

“Yes!”

Even though the omurice had cooled a little, it remained the second most delicious in my memory.

The best was the warm omurice. Both the best and the second were completely overwritten by today’s memories.

Michiru was an amazingly skilled cook, making her akin to the cooking streamer “Michi Mama.”