When I Started Doing Housework For The Cool Beauty In My Class, She Began Asking Me About The Dinner Menu Every Day. - Chapter 10: Hey, What's For Dinner Tonight?

Hey, What’s For Dinner Tonight?

Thus, I ended up entering into a contract with Fujisaki.

I would prepare meals for Fujisaki.

In return, Fujisaki would allow me to dine with her and cover expenses such as food costs.

It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Although it differed slightly from the housework outsourcing Fujisaki initially considered, this agreement seemed far more advantageous for both of us.

Under Fujisaki’s original plan, the frequency of my services wouldn’t have guaranteed daily meals.

While meal prepping was an option, the one-hour-per-day usage scenario would have limited what I could prepare, and repeated use would have significantly increased Fujisaki’s expenses.

Even though her parents were covering the costs of the housekeeping service, it was clear there wasn’t an unlimited budget, nor was such frequent use expected.

Now, with Fujisaki only responsible for food and utility costs, this agreement was undoubtedly a better deal for her.

There might be some variation depending on her meal preferences, but it was still cheaper than the estimated ¥80,000 monthly cost for using a service five days a week.

As for me, I had considered part-time work, but the thought of taking money directly from a classmate—especially a girl—didn’t sit well with me.

Even if it were a mutual agreement, I felt it would make accepting the payment difficult. This arrangement worked better for me too.

Fujisaki covering food and utility expenses, providing a dining space, sharing her thoughts on the meals, and, as a bonus, enjoying meals with a cute girl who smiled warmly while eating—it was more than enough compensation.

Thus, this was a win-win contract for Fujisaki and me, but we established a few ground rules.

The first rule: If she had any specific requests for meals, she needed to inform me by the day before.

I wanted to cook what Fujisaki enjoyed eating, so I intended to honor her requests as much as possible. However, there were dishes I couldn’t prepare on short notice due to ingredients or preparation time.

To avoid such mishaps, prior consultation was essential. It also helped with planning grocery trips, making this rule a necessity.

The second rule: If she didn’t need meals due to her plans, she must notify me in advance.

Since the arrangement involved me visiting her home to cook, any situation where she wasn’t home or didn’t need meals would result in a day off.

It would be frustrating to buy ingredients, visit her place, and end up with wasted time if she wasn’t there. Hence, communication was a must.

We exchanged contact information for this reason, so I expected her to follow through.

Likewise, the same applied to me.

If I had plans or couldn’t come over to cook, I was required to notify her in advance. For known conflicts, I would prepare meals in advance as a workaround.

Since our seats were next to each other and we could message easily, I didn’t foresee any issues with this back-and-forth.

These were the core rules I wanted us to follow.

There were also minor rules, such as not being picky about food, but as for Fujisaki… who knows?

What I do know so far is that she likes omelets. That’s it.

In other words, I know almost nothing about her.

Whether this reflects a picky diet or just a deep love for omelets remains unclear. I can only hope it’s the latter.

The day after I made the contract with Fujisaki.

Starting today, classes resumed as usual, meaning it was time to shake off the lingering summer break vibes.

***

“Yo!”

“Takuma, huh? Morning. You really lucked out with the seating arrangement.”

“You bet I did! Who’d have thought I’d end up sitting next to Hiori, the number one girl on the ‘Girls You’d Want to Date’ list? All that accumulated good fortune finally paid off!”

“If you confess and get rejected, let me know—I’ll throw you a consolation party.”

“Why are you already assuming I’ll get rejected!? You jerk!”

When I teased him lightly, Takuma messed up my hair in retaliation.

Well, I was only joking.

Takuma’s a good-looking guy, even by my standards as another guy, and his social skills are top-notch. I don’t know much about Hiori, but I’d say he’s got a decent chance.

“Still, you really did snag a prime spot. The back row by the window is the most coveted seat.”

“And you’re stuck in the front row, huh? Guess you’ll be getting called on more during class.”

“Don’t remind me! I was trying not to think about it. Damn it, Minato, switch seats with me!”

“What, you don’t want the seat next to Hiori?”

“There’s no way I’m letting you sit next to her!”

What’s with this guy?

Is he emotionally unstable or what?

“Look, Hiori just got here. Go on, talk to her.”

“Right! Catch you later during the break.”

As soon as Hiori entered the classroom, I pointed her out, and Takuma returned to his seat, greeting her with enthusiasm.

As expected, I guess.

For someone like him, just being seated next to someone is more than enough of an excuse to strike up a conversation.

And honestly, I get it.

Being next to someone lowers the barrier to starting a conversation.

Though in my case, my “neighbor” has become something much more than just that, so this isn’t quite the same scenario.

(What should I make for dinner today?)

As I mulled over tonight’s dinner, I heard the sound of a chair being pulled out next to me.

“Good morning, Shirayanagi-kun.”

“Oh, morning.”

We exchanged greetings, and the conversation came to an abrupt halt.

Looking at her like this… Fujisaki really gives off a cool and mysterious vibe. Her reserved nature makes her seem more mature.

She’s nothing like the lively, scatterbrained Fujisaki I’ve come to know.

“Hey, you’re not thinking something rude, are you?”

“Ah, crap.”

“What were you thinking when you looked at me?”

“…I definitely wasn’t thinking you were scatterbrained.”

“You were totally thinking it!”

Well, I mean… to me, Fujisaki is just that kind of character. Or rather, this is more like her putting on a façade.

In any case, she’s one of those girls whose impression completely flips once you get to know her.

Now labeled as “scatterbrained,” Fujisaki puffed up her cheeks and glared at me.

Pouty Fujisaki—let’s call her Pout-saki.

“Alright, my bad.”

“…You’ll have to make it up to me later. Specifically, with my favorite food.”

“…Got it.”

“So, what’s for dinner today?”

Fujisaki leaned in close, whispering softly so only I could hear.

Her favorite food… All I know is omurice.

“…Omurice.”

“Yay, I’m looking forward to it.”

I wasn’t sure if it was okay to keep serving omurice every day, but since Pout-saki had reverted back to regular Fujisaki, it seemed like the right choice.

Still… just a little while ago, Fujisaki was just another classmate to me. I never thought we’d end up having conversations like this.

Her face softened into a gentle smile at the thought of tonight’s dinner—a look she doesn’t usually show, but one she reveals only to me.

That gap… it’s enough to make my heart skip a beat.

“Once again… let’s get along from here on, Shirayanagi-kun.”

“Yeah, same to you, Fujisaki.”

And so, the secret contract between Fujisaki Kanon and me, born from a simple housework arrangement, officially began.