When I Started a Food Delivery Part-Time Job, I Ended up Being Invited to the Home of a Gloomy, Clumsy Beautiful Girl - Chapter 11: A Rocky Road Ahead

Chapter 11: A Rocky Road Ahead

“But… Yukishiro-san’s place…?”

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the order that came in, just as I’d resigned myself to another day without a delivery request from Yukishiro-san.

But the client wasn’t her. It was someone entirely different.

Yet, when I checked the pickup location and then the delivery address, I froze.

“…It’s Yukishiro-san’s apartment.”

What was going on? The request came from someone else, but the address was her place. A bad feeling crept into my chest.

Still, it’s hard to turn down a direct request, and there’s a small incentive too. Hesitating here would seem odd, wouldn’t it?

I steeled myself and pedaled my bike.

The destination was a famous fried chicken chain.

When I saw the sheer volume of the order, I let out a sigh. The usual massive haul. Well, Yukishiro-san’s requests are always lucrative. She’s undeniably the one keeping my living expenses covered.

Carrying a mountain of chicken, I headed to Yukishiro-san’s luxury apartment. I passed through the entrance, rode the elevator up, and pressed the intercom.

“…Huh?”

No response.

Then my phone buzzed. A message from Yukishiro-san.

“I’m in the bathroom. Door’s unlocked, come in.”

Uh, is it really okay to just walk in…?

I hesitated but, with her permission, cautiously opened the door and stepped into the hallway, bags in hand.

That’s when it happened.

A side door swung open, and a shadow darted past me.

It rushed to the bathroom door, pounding on it while shouting.

“Hey, Hiyori! There’s no towel! Where’d you put it? I can’t dry off like thi—”

The voice cut off.

Our eyes locked.

Vibrant blonde twin-tails. A refined face that hinted at Western heritage. A beauty on par with Yukishiro-san—but that wasn’t the issue.

As she’d said, there was no towel. She was completely naked.

“…”

We both froze for a moment.

My eyes landed on her glistening… fruit.

For some reason, I muttered, “C-cherries…”

“GYAAAAAAAH!?”

With a scream, she lunged at me.

My hands were full, so I couldn’t dodge. Her right hook slammed into my cheek. My vision went white for a second, and the chicken bags rustled.

And so, I ended up getting punched by a mysterious blonde beauty in Yukishiro-san’s apartment.

—

“—Aizawa, good work with your shift.”

In the living room, Yukishiro-san offered me words of appreciation.

But sitting next to her was the blonde twin-tailed girl, clinging to Yukishiro-san’s arm and glaring at me with a look that could kill.

My cheek still throbbed from her punch.

“Hey, Hiyori. Can I kill him now? A hundred times wouldn’t be enough. I’ve never been seen naked by a guy before. There’s a kitchen knife around here, right?”

“Ayame. You can’t just walk out naked.”

“…! It’s because you put the towels in a weird place!”

I didn’t mean to look. It was an accident.

But she didn’t seem like someone who’d accept that excuse.

“…So, you’re the one who placed the order for me?”

“Yeah, so? Don’t just talk to me. It makes me want to kill you.”

“It was an accident, I swear…!”

“You think that makes it okay?”

Amid the tense atmosphere, Yukishiro-san was munching on fried chicken at the table. The contrast was oddly jarring.

“So, who are you, anyway…?”

“I’m Shido Ayame, from Class 1-C at Hyosei Academy. Same school as you.”

“…Same school, huh. I’m Yuki Aizawa, Class 1-A.”

Apparently, she’s a friend of Yukishiro-san’s. And the same age as us.

But the way she looked at me was pure hostility.

“Listen up. Hiyori’s not just some model. She’s someone with incredible popularity and value. A delivery guy like you has no business getting involved in her private life.”

“…I get that. I don’t even know how things ended up like this. But if Yukishiro-san relies on me, I don’t think it’s right to just ignore that.”

When I said that, Shido-san fell silent for a moment.

But the next second, her glare intensified.

“…So? You’re planning to start cooking for her too?”

“She says she wants to eat but also lose weight. I just want to help however I can.”

“Can you actually do that?”

“My family runs a restaurant. I’ve been helping in the kitchen since I was a kid.”

“…A restaurant, huh. So, you can make wagashi too?”

“To some extent. Sweets go hand-in-hand with Japanese cuisine.”

“Hmm…”

Her reaction caught my attention.

Could it be…?

“Ayame’s family runs a cake shop. Their stuff is super tasty.”

“Hiyori! Why’d you say that?!”

“…A cake shop? So, you’re into Western-style sweets.”

Her demeanor shifted instantly.

So, she’s a sweets enthusiast. And the daughter of a cake shop owner. We might have grown up in surprisingly similar environments.

“Let’s have a sweets showdown! If you lose, you stop cooking for Hiyori!”

“What… If I lose, who’s gonna help with Yukishiro-san’s calorie control?”

“You can worry about that after you lose!”

“Y-Yukishiro-san, you okay with this…?”

“Hmm. I want to try your cooking, Aizawa, but… Ayame gets unstoppable when she’s like this…”

Shido-san was brimming with confidence. Looks like there’s no way out of this.

And so, I found myself roped into a bizarre sweets showdown with Yukishiro-san’s friend, Shido Ayame.

Though I got dragged into this absurd sweets contest, we hadn’t figured out any of the details.

But one thing was clear—Shido-san didn’t want me anywhere near this apartment.

“But I don’t have any ingredients. And who’s covering the costs?”

“Just get some leftovers from your restaurant.”

“…If it were that easy, I wouldn’t be struggling.”

“Hmm. Fine, make a list of what you need. I’ll get it for you.”

“Really?”

“I’m not exactly strapped for cash.”

Wait, is her family’s cake shop that profitable?

I always thought cake shops weren’t that lucrative… Do they own multiple locations or something?

Well, if she’s offering to gather the ingredients, I’m grateful. It’s a big help.

“Alright, I’ll leave it to you.”

“It’s a deal! Hiyori’s the judge, of course! She’ll decide whose sweets are better!”

“I’ll eat my best…! I’m already excited…!”

“The showdown’s in one week. The last Friday before Golden Week!”

“Got it. I’m in.”

And so, the sweets showdown between me and Shido-san was officially set.

The problem? I don’t have a single tool for making sweets.

Even if Shido-san covers the ingredients, I can’t do anything without equipment.

“Aizawa, you can use the kitchen here. No one’s using it.”

“Seriously? Is that okay?”

“Yeah. I got a bunch of stuff when I moved in, but… I’ve never used it.”

“That’s awesome! Huge help!”

“Grr…! Fine, I’ll let you come here to prep… just this once.”

Shido-san probably has free rein to practice at her family’s cake shop.

But I don’t. I can’t fit an oven in my tiny place, so a fully equipped kitchen is a godsend.

“When you decide on the ingredients, let me know. Send it to my Line.”

“…Y-yeah, got it.”

Before I knew it, I’d exchanged contact info with Shido-san.

It feels like we’ve gotten a bit closer… or is that just my imagination?

“…By the way, I heard you didn’t just see me naked—you saw Hiyori’s underwear too. You better not expect a next life.”

“You’re bringing that up NOW!?”

Shido-san glared at me, her twin-tails swaying with her death stare.

My cheek started throbbing again.

This relationship is gonna be a rocky road.

I feel like I’m slowly getting closer to Yukishiro-san.

But with Shido-san… will there ever be a future where we get along?