In the After School Library, A Refined Lady's Romantic Comedy Can't Be Compromised - Chapter 4 - Act 1
Translator: Lilo
Editor: Ryuubii
Chapter 4: Lastly, Creating Memories.
Act 1
Monday morning.
I was in the kitchen watching Hasumi-senpai packing my lunch.
“Geeー! Why is it so big?!”
To put it a little more precisely, it was Hasumi-senpai agonizing.
Why, you ask? It was because my lunch box was bigger than she expected and she was struggling to fill it in.
“I don’t think mine is particularly big. This is just how it is for a high school boy.”
“Oh, is it?”
It seemed she didn’t care much about other people’s lunches.
“Dad’s was just a size bigger than mine, I wonder if that’s enough.”
I looked at Hasumi’s lunch box. It was small, a perfect size for a girl. Her dad’s lunch box has already been taken away and was not here, but if his was about one size larger than this one, then the size would be somewhere between mine and Hasumi-senpai’s.
“It depends on how much he eats, but it’s probably on the lower side for an adult male.”
“Hmmmm.”
Hasumi-senpai wrinkles her brow.
“When I was in eighth grade, my mother was hospitalized. I cooked for us, but I never had any experience cooking prior to that. I guess that’s why Dad couldn’t complain.”
It would have been hard to complain or even give an order to his daughter who was trying so hard in her mother’s place.
“Then, I’ll buy a new one next time.”
“I’m sure Uncle would appreciate it.”
My cheeks relaxed.
As I thought, Hasumi-senpai seemed to have forgiven Uncle. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have bothered to think about buying a new lunch box.
“Now, I think I’d like to add one more dish.”
Hasumi-senpai then looked inside the freezer.
“I’m fine with anything.”
“No way I’m making such a hollow lunch box.”
She returned with her back to me.
Was she going to cut corners now, or was she going to continue being stubborn? It seemed that she really wanted to fill my lunch box.
“Well, it’s only for the rest of the semester, so you do you.”
“You don’t have to tell me, I’ll do it anyway. Alright, looks good.”
She took out frozen dumplings. She intended to stuff it into the remaining gap. Hasumi-senpai took two of them out of the bag and threw them into the microwave.
“Hey,”
She called out to me as she gazed into the glowing interior of the microwave as it began to heat up.
“I knew it, you were going to leave when summer vacation arrived.”
“That’s the plan.”
Since there wasn’t any change to the plan, I could only answer yes.
I don’t think Hasumi-senpai was asking me to reconsider. Was it just a banter to bridge the gap, or was she trying to somehow understand my incomprehensible choice?
“That being said, it won’t be right away. We decided to hold my mother’s 50th(death) day here.”
I realized that when someone dies, it was always busy. After my mother’s series of funerals, I was immediately asked about the 50th day anniversary of her death. I was forced to make a decision in about 10 days, because I had to ask the convenience of a Shinto priest and hold the funeral hall.
As a result, we decided to ask the same funeral company to hold the service at the same place for now. Well, it was a common choice.
“Have you told Dad yet that you’re leaving?”
“No, not yet.”
I plan to talk to him after the final exam.
“You should tell him earlier… Well, Dad might be disappointed, but it sounds like he promised to let you do whatever you want in the first place, so he probably won’t hold you back.”
Yes, Hasumi-senpai was right. The reason I was here right now was because it was a trial period, so to speak. If I like it, I can stay, if not, I can choose another option. That was the agreement.
“Besides, knowing Dad, I’m sure he’ll give you all the help he can, no matter where you go.”
Suddenly, the microwave oven played a light melody. Apparently it had finished.
Hasumi-senpai turned at the sound and put her hand on the handle – and then she suddenly realized something.
“Oh, I didn’t mean it in a weird way.”
“Weird way…?”
For a moment, I wondered what she was talking about.
“Yeah.”
But I soon realized.
In short, she was trying to say that she was not being sarcastic as she was the other morning. It seems that Hasumi-senpai was still hung up on the matter.
“I understand, I know that you’re not that kind of a person.”
“…Somehow, the way you said it pisses me off.
Perhaps she was embarrassed by the answer that affirmed her humanity, Hasumi-senpai took her anger out on me in a truly irrational manner.
Then, while avoiding looking at me, she took the dumplings out of the microwave and carefully transferred them one by one into the lunch box with chopsticks.
“Here, it’s ready. Close the lid and take it with you.”
“I need to close the lid myself?”
Well, perhaps it was just for today.
I was about to put the lid on my lunch box as I was told – at that moment my hand stopped.
“What? Did you find something you didn’t like?”
“No, it’s just I never thought I’d use this lunchbox again…”
Mom used to make my lunch. It was just me and my mother, so it was only natural. Even in a family where both parents were present, a mother would probably make the lunches, unless the father was an avid cook.
However, after Mom passed away, this lunch box was never used. If I had been a girl, I might have made it myself like Hasumi-senpai did, but I didn’t think the result would be worth the effort, so I decided to eat at the school cafeteria.
“If you’re fine with this, I’ll make you some as much as you want. But unfortunately, we only have until summer vacation. Also, I can’t beat your mother no matter how much I try, so don’t compare us.”
“I won’t be so tactless. Thank you.”
I thanked Hasumi-senpai for her bluntness and put the lid on my lunch box.