CH 12.2

“Itadakimasu”

“Itadakimasu”

“Oh, I forgot the tea”

“Ah, I’ll get it.”

“Thank you”

It’s now a week since I started dating Rika Tachibana.

And obviously, in this short span of time, nothing has happened that should be typical of a couple.

If I had to say, then the first occasion was today, where Tachibana was serving homemade food in my apartment.

“Mmm…It’s delicious as always.”

“Thanks again. Here, it’s a new dish, Salmon Meunière.”

(TL: Meunière is both a French sauce and a method of preparation, primarily for fish.)

“You added this to your menu?”

(TL: he actually said “Repertoire” instead of “menu” but still)

“Yes, so Kusuba-san won’t get bored.”

“Thank you, thank you”

(TL: yh, he said it twice)

A lot had happened on the day we started dating, but our relationship, rather the distance between us, didn’t change as much.

It was more like we got to understand each other’s feelings and got to know each other a bit better.

“Today, Satsuki was teasing me. ‘How’s living together?’ She asked.”

More accurately, it’s just going back and forth to each other’s houses much more often.

“ ‘It’s fun’ I answered.”

“A-ah…”

“She gaped at me with her mouth wide open. I’m glad I did that.”

“That’s what you want…”

“No way. I am having fun, aren’t you?”

Tachibana paused her chopsticks.

She looked straight into my eyes and made a pleading face.

After I started dating her, I realized once again that her cuteness is extraordinary.

Especially the destructive power of that expression she makes sometimes is not half bad…

“…It’s fun, alright.”

“Fufu. That’s right.”

Tachibana drank a bit of the miso soup while nodding her head in satisfaction.

“I see. Fufu. Kusuba-san is a good, honest boy.”

(TL: Still taking time to get used to her change…)

“W-what the heck… It’s just that it’s the truth.”

Ugh…something doesn’t make sense.

But Tachibana looks happy, so let’s just leave it at that.

“By the way, Kusuba-san.”

“Yes, What is it?”

“Let’s go on a date sometime soon.”

“Ah…date?”

“That’s right, a date.”

“…Seriously?”

“Seriously. I’m your girlfriend now, so it’s obvious.”

“That’s…well…that’s right.”

I get embarrassed when she says that to me in such a straightforward way.

Isn’t she at least a bit embarrassed…?

But, looking at her after we got together, she seemed more excited than I was.

That was pretty surprising.

“Where should we go? I want to go for meals, sightseeing, and do other fun stuff.”

“That’s pretty normal.”

“Normal is good. For us who are ‘beginners is love’, it’s better to start in the most ordinary manner”

“Well, that’s right.”

“Also, Kusuba-san, you did say that you want to do the stuff you enjoy by yourself together.”

“…That I did.”

“Here. That’s what I’m trying to say.”

Something like that, huh.

I suppose she is right about it.

She seemed extremely excited.

Maybe she’s so unusually happy because of what I had said to her.

…I hope so.

“However, there will be many times where we want to do things alone as well. Let’s talk about that first.”

“I suppose so. It’ll become pretty stressful to do everything together,”

“Yes. I want to watch some movies by myself and go to other places alone.”

“Sometimes I just need to be alone too.”

“That’s right. I like to go to the bookstore alone.”

“I think I’ll end up dying if I spend the whole day with someone.”

“That is…with me, as well?”

“Ah…no…no…I don’t know.”

“Let’s try it sometime.”

“…Next time.”

“…”

“…”

What’s with the atmosphere?

However, it wasn’t heavy or bad.

I wonder if this is the so-called ‘Silence between lovers’.

“…but, there are very few things that you cannot do alone. And it’s usually more fun to be alone.”

“I think the same way, but I guess that’s only for us. Actually, people often do things together with others.”

“Well. They do. I suppose that they just don’t know how fun it is to be alone.”

“Both have their pros and cons, so I suppose that it’s important to choose the right one at the right time.”

“Wow, an answer worthy of being an honor student.”

“That wasn’t an honor student answer, it was just a normal answer.”

After we talked about that, we ate the food that Tachibana cooked in silence.

After finishing the food, we carried the dishes to the sink.

We quickly washed the dishes before they piled up.

“I’ll help out.”

“No. You’re the one who made it.”

The effort should be divided. 

I should at least be the one to clean up.

“Then, please.”

Tachibana accepted the proposal and went to the living room.

She’s now probably watching TV or on her phone and relaxing.

I also started to wash the dishes.

“…Kusuba-san.”

“Hmm…?”

Tachibana came back to the kitchen immediately.

I answered her without turning away and continued to wash the dishes.

“What’s it? What happened?”

“…I found something that the two of us can do together.”

“The two of us can do?

I suddenly felt the bump of my back hitting something.

Immediately after, Tachibana’s arms were holding my body while she was hugging me tightly.

This is…!

“Hug…This is something you cannot do alone.”

(TL:She said “Hug” in english. Or Katakana to be more precise)

“This…suddenly…”

“Fufufu. You can’t shake me off because of the water.”

(TL: Maybe like if he moves too much they’ll get wet, so that’s why she did it suddenly at that moment.”

“…You’ll get wet, idiot”

(TL: yes, “idiot” was actually “Baka” XDXD)

“Fufu. I’m not scared of that.”

“Hey…back off…”

Maybe because she got embarrassed, but Tachibana let go surprisingly easily.

I turned off the water and wiped my hands then faced her.

Tachibana looked up at me fidgeting anxiously.

“…Let’s do it properly.”

Then I hugged her from the front.

My heart began to race.

Tachibana’s slender body tensed up.

But still, she didn’t seem to hate it and tightly hugged me back.

It was our first proper hug.

A hug that wasn’t one-sided, but rather where both sides wanted the other.

It was the hug that made me realize that the girl in my arms loves me and that I love her.

I’m happy.

There’s nothing better than this.

…but.

“…Finish!”

“Eh! No! Just a little more!”

“It’s done! You’re embarrassing me!”

“It’s not enough!”

“ …Ah, Cockroach.”

“AHHH!! W-where?!”

“I lied.”

“Wha! Bad!”

“Yes yes, sorry.”

“Muuuu…I don’t care anymore.”

Tachibana returned to the living room with loud footsteps.

Yare yare, she managed to fool me…

I took a few deep breaths to calm my racing heart.

I knew it. She’s definitely more excited than me.

Nope, there is no doubt about that.

“…What will happen next?”

I was nervous. But more than that, I was happy.

I hope it’ll be fun from now on.

And it would be even better if Tachibana also felt the same way.

Although many things have happened, I am glad that I got to meet Tachibana.

I wonder how she feels about that.

I wonder if it was a good thing for me to have met her,

Our relationship has just started.

It might end someday, or may last forever.

For now, this relationship, feels pleasant.

It looks like getting involved with people may not really be all that bad.