The Beautiful Senpai from the Archery Club Is Sleeping in My Room with Her Stomach Exposed. - Chapter 19: A Peaceful Meal Turns Into A Complete Mess.

A Peaceful Meal Turns Into A Complete Mess.

In the Amemoto household, daily chores are divided among us. I handle all the cleaning, while Mei is in charge of cooking.

However, since Mei has a sociable nature and is often out after school, I usually end up eating the pre-prepared dinner alone.

Having a third person at the dining table besides my mother was a rare occurrence. As I reached for a piece of tender, crumbling potato, that thought crossed my mind.

“Amemoto-kun, I helped prepare that meat and potato stew. What do you think? Doesn’t the carrot seem easier to eat?”

“So, Senpai, you were the one who cut these?”

It was pretty obvious. The carrots, though rich in flavor, were cut unevenly and looked a little clumsy.

But knowing that Watanuki-senpai had taken the time to cut them just for the occasion made me feel… happy. Yeah, there’s no denying that. Maybe there really is something to the idea that food is made with heart.

“Ahh, I was so shocked! Rino-chan was holding the knife without making a ‘cat’s paw’ with her fingers. She totally lacked nyan-power!”

“But thanks to Mei’s guidance, I managed to properly ‘nyan-nyan’ my way through, right? My fingers remain unscathed and perfectly intact. I successfully completed the cooking mission!”

The way she said it, it sounded as if she had just returned from the battlefield without a scratch. Watanuki-senpai was especially energetic today.

“Yep, yep! You were an impressive chef! And you were so cute, trembling while saying, ‘I am a kitty, I am a kitty…’ as you cut the ingredients. If Tōya had come home earlier, he could’ve seen it too!”

“I regret that a little. But Senpai, wouldn’t you hate for a junior to see you like that?”

“Huh? If it’s you, I don’t mind. Strange thing to confirm at this point.”

Oh. Well, okay then. She said it so casually while munching away, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Now I really wish I had seen it—Watanuki-senpai trembling like a little cat. Instead, I had wasted my time arguing over the definition of “lover’s hand-holding” with the Kou-kun and Ei-chan couple… Major regrets.

“By the way, from what I gather, Senpai, have you never used a kitchen knife before?”

“Ah, yeah. When I was little, my grandmother told me to avoid it since I was learning things that required delicate hand movements. I practiced koto, tea ceremony, flower arrangement, calligraphy… Oh, and also archery.”

As she counted on her fingers, every activity she listed evoked a distinctly traditional Japanese image. If I recall correctly, she also mentioned knowing aikido.

“Wow, that’s amazing. A true Japanese lady, a perfect Yamato Nadeshiko.”

“It’s not that special. My grandmother is actually a foreigner, but she loves Japanese culture, so she made sure I was exposed to it. It was just a form of elite education, really.”

Watanuki-senpai dismissed the compliment casually as she skillfully picked out tiny fish bones with her chopsticks. Her elegant posture never wavered, not even during a meal.

It was hard to believe that just the other day, she had been clinging to a beanbag chair in my room, completely defeated. Was that even real? A dream, maybe?

“Being able to stick with so many activities is really impressive. I’m the type who gets bored and gives up on everything. Tōya was the same in middle school—he got super obsessed with gaming and—”

“Mei, tonight’s dinner is seriously delicious. I’m glad I resisted eating out at a family restaurant.”

“Oh, really? Since the two of us made it together, there are lots of dishes. Eat up!”

I successfully diverted the conversation by complimenting the food. (Too easy.)

There was no way I was letting Watanuki-senpai hear about my middle school cringe phase. Time to steer the discussion elsewhere.

“By the way, I heard that the archery club has a no-dating rule.”

“…Huh?”

It was a sudden change of topic, and Watanuki-senpai looked completely taken aback.

“Wait, what? A no-dating rule? This is the first I’ve heard of it…”

Correction: she looked very taken aback. Ah, she just put down her chopsticks. They clinked softly against the plate. Just how shocking was this revelation to her?

“Oh yeah, my friend Mina mentioned it too. She’s got a crush on a guy in the archery club, but she’s worried he’ll reject her because of that rule. It’s seriously stressing her out.”

“So… Mina, who isn’t even in the club, knows about this rule… but as the club captain, I was never informed?! That wasn’t in any of my handover notes!!”

Senpai looked like a character who had been left out of a crucial data update. It had been a while since I’d seen her looking this unfortunate.

“My guess is that the topic of romance just never came up during practice. So, you never had a chance to find out?”

“Hmm…”

She placed a hand on her chin, deep in thought.

“…Now that you mention it, I’ve never had a love-related conversation in the club. Even during summer training camp, nothing of the sort ever came up. Wait… why?! I’m a young woman in my prime!”

“Yeah, there are people you just don’t know whether it’s safe to bring up romance with. If someone seems too ‘popular’ or ‘cool,’ it’s hard to tell if it’s a landmine topic.”

Mei nodded in agreement.

The archery club captain was probably well-respected by everyone. Even Ayamori-senpai, one of her close friends, seemed to keep a certain level of formality around her.

That respect must have been there since her first year. She had likely always carried an aura of strength and confidence.

As a result, no one ever brought up romance around her, and she never learned about the supposed club rule.

“I can’t just ignore this… This is a serious issue. There’s no reason anyone should have to refrain from dating just because they’re in the archery club! Absolutely not!!”

“Yeah, yeah! I totally support you, Rino-chan!”

“Thanks, Mei! Alright, we need to hold a strategy meeting. The midterm celebration will have to wait. Once we finish eating, let’s gather in Amemoto-kun’s room!”

“Of course, my room becomes the mission headquarters… Not that I mind.”

After all, this is part of my contract to help Senpai. Though, I never expected it would extend to reforming the archery club.

Well, if she’s this motivated, watching her work at it should be fun. Besides, it’d be nice if guys like Urushibara could pursue romance without any unnecessary restrictions.

“Oh, but before we put the celebration on hold, one last thing—how did you do on the midterms?”

“Well, in several subjects, I scored over ten points higher than I did in the first term—just from the first day of exams alone. And that’s despite studying less. It’s all thanks to our study sessions.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Feels like my efforts as a ‘student’ paid off.”

Watanuki-senpai has a sharp memory.

On top of that, teaching me served as a way for her to reinforce her understanding of the subjects. That allowed her to cut down on late-night cramming.

It was proof that results can change with the right methods—no need to push yourself too hard. Hopefully, this experience will stick with her.

Even after our contract ends and Senpai moves on, she can continue using these study techniques with her friends.

“I guess we’ll have to celebrate properly another time.”

“That’s right. The celebration can wait. The most important thing right now is overturning the archery club’s no-dating rule! …For the sake of the club members, of course.”

That last part felt like an afterthought. As if she was covering something up.

But really, she didn’t need to say it. It was obvious to everyone already.