When I Picked Up A Stunningly Gorgeous Downer-Type Beauty In Front Of The Entrance. - Chapter 4.1: Grilled octopus is a staple in bento boxes. Part - 1.

Grilled octopus is a staple in bento boxes. Part – 1.

“Here you go.”

Offered while still hugging her knees was a plastic bag, like the ones you get from a clothing store.

“Oh, thank you,” I accept. Inside were the hoodie and sweatshirt I lent her the day before yesterday.

“I washed and ironed them for you.”

“You didn’t have to go through the trouble.”

I start feeling guilty.

When I say that, she looks at me as if I’m trash or something.

“Weirdo…”

“Huh?”

For a moment, I don’t understand what she means.

But then, “Ah,” I quickly understand the meaning behind her words, and I feel blood drain from my face.

“No, I didn’t mean it like that!”

No, no! I deny frantically while waving my hands dramatically.

I’m being mistaken for a pervert who collects women’s clothes.

Absolutely not.

Sure, I might feel a bit weird knowing she wore these clothes the day before yesterday, but…

“I don’t sniff them or anything!”

“Pervert.”

Huh? Did I handle this wrong somehow?

After my explanation, she gives me an even more scornful look.

It’s like she’s looking at garbage now.

I clearly screwed up.

I can already sense the label of ‘pervert’ being slapped on me.

Ahmmmm, I cough awkwardly to cover up.

Of course, the piercing gaze remains, but I forcibly change the subject.

At times like this, the key is to change the topic no matter how obvious it is.

“Thanks for the lunch. It was delicious.”

With a slightly strained smile, I express my gratitude, and the disdain in her eyes softens slightly.

Sajou-san twirls her peculiar black hair around her finger and plays with it.

“I don’t need compliments. I know it wasn’t that great.”

Well, yeah, the omelette was burnt, and there was somehow an octopus in it.

“It was extremely delicious, though?”

I’d even want her to make it for me every day.

As I say that, she narrows her eyes slightly.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Proposing?”

“It’s not like that! Sorry, I worded it poorly. Please don’t be put off by that harsh look…!”

Even without much thought, that line could easily be taken as a confession.

Man, that was bad. I feel it too. It’s like one mistake leads to another.

I start sweating nervously and want to go home, but right now, Sajou-san is squatting in front of my house, blocking the way. There’s no escape.

“B-by the way,”

I awkwardly changed the subject again, forcibly this time.

And, I remembered something that had been bothering me.

“Why was there octopus in the lunch?”

“Why…?”

As I ask, she tilts her head as if she doesn’t understand the question itself.

Ah, she’s cute.

It’s a different kind of maturity, but her innocent gesture makes my heart flutter. There’s something heartwarming about those childish actions that women sometimes display…

“Octopus is a staple in lunch boxes, right?”

“No, that’s octopus-shaped sausages, not real octopus…?”

And grilled octopus at that. It was a choice I’ve never seen or heard of before.

But it was delicious.

Sajou-san’s face suddenly flushed as if she had realized something from my blunt question.

Rarely flustered, she leaned back and turned her face away.

“N-no…! I-I didn’t know… Um, I usually don’t make bento boxes, so I found it strange, but I guess that’s how it is…~~”

As she spoke, she seemed to get even more embarrassed, and her pale face turned as red as a ripe fruit.

Unable to bear the embarrassment any longer, she hid her face against her knees.

Is she… naturally clueless, or maybe just a bit out of touch with common sense?