Volume 4 - CH 21

“That was a nice massage.”

“That was pretty good.”

After returning home, Yuzuru and Arisa were having such a conversation.

When they got home, they talked about the baths, saunas, and massage machines, and how much they enjoyed the facilities.

“Arisa can swim pretty well now, too.”

Of course, they didn’t just play around, they also practiced swimming as well.

She could not quite swim yet, but she could at least do proper leg flapping while holding onto Yuzuru’s hand.

“How much more training do I need?”

“With the current pace we’re going at, I think you can manage about twenty-five meters after two more sessions.”

All that remained was for her to be able to swim with her hands separated and to be able to hold her breath.

If she could do that, she would be able to say that she could swim.

If all you want to do is wade through the water, you can do it with a dog paddle.

…However, when it comes to learning the crawl, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly, it’s a different story.

So, while chatting, the two of them began to prepare dinner.

Yuzuru could at least peel vegetables with a peeler.

That day’s dinner had…

Spanish mackerel marinated in Kyoto-style miso sauce.

Nikujaga (TN: Meat and potatoes dish.)

Spinach with sesame paste.

Miso soup.

..such a lineup.

“The Nikujaga is delicious.”

Of course, all the dishes were delicious, but Yuzuru liked the Nikujaga the best.

The potatoes were especially tender and tasty, with the flavor soaked into them.

“That’s because they are fresh potatoes.”

It was the most confident thing that Arisa could do, and she said it with a happy smile on her face.

Then she tilted her head and asked.　

“Do you like Nikujaga, Yuzuru-san?”

“Eh? No.,. Well, about as much as anyone else.”

It was not that he was a particular fan of it.

But he didn’t dislike it.

“What’s up with that question all of a sudden?”

“No… I overheard that men like women who can make Nikujaga.”

“Ah… They do say that a lot, don’t they?”

It is often said that Nikujaga is popular with men.

However, when asked what their favorite dish is, men who choose Nikujaga …are probably fewer than those who choose curry rice or hamburgers.

In other words, it’s not that they like “Nikujaga”, they just like “the girls who can make Nikujaga”.

“What about you, Yuzuru-san?”

“Hmm… no, well, I guess I don’t have a strong value system, like liking a woman who can make Nikujaga…”

Yuzuru’s mother is not a very good cook, to say the least.

In the beginning, most of the meals were prepared by hired servants.

So Yuzuru had never really thought about having a wife who is a good cook, let alone a good Nikujaga cook.

“I see…”

Yuzuru’s answer didn’t seem to be what Arisa was hoping for.

She was not so much as depressed… but was a little less excited.

“…Of course, I like your cooking, you know?”

“Yes, I know that… No, that’s not what I meant.”

Arisa looked a little troubled.

She seemed to know that Yuzuru was not unhappy with her cooking.

“Well, how do I say this… Yuzuru-san likes my cooking, not that you like me for being a good cook…”

“That’s…”

Yuzuru would never dislike Arisa even if she became a bad cook, or even if she couldn’t cook anymore.

To Yuzuru, Arisa was his girlfriend, his fiancée, his future partner, not a servant.

However, it seemed that Arisa didn’t want that kind of answer.

When Yuzuru was at a bit of a loss for an answer, Arisa shook her head lightly in an apologetic manner.

“I’m sorry… I couldn’t say it right. It made the mood weird.”

It seemed that Arisa herself was not able to verbalize her feelings well.

And Yuzuru didn’t know what to say to Arisa either.

“No, it’s okay… Can I get seconds?”

Deciding that it was better to end the conversation, Yuzuru decided to change the subject.

Arisa also seemed to want to end this conversation and nodded.

“Ah, yes. Please, go ahead.”

“Then, I’ll take you up on that.”

Yuzuru used his chopsticks to transfer the Nikujaga from the platter to his own plate.

After cleaning up from the meal, they were relaxing in the living room.

No, “relaxing” was a bit of a misnomer.

…They were both feeling a bit nervous.

“…Um, Yuzuru-san.”

“What is it, Arisa?”

“No, um, it’s nothing.”

She was about to suggest something to Yuzuru, but Arisa held her tongue in mid-sentence.

Yuzuru was well aware of the reason why Arisa was so anxious.

(We’re going to take a bath together after this…)

Let’s take a bath together in our swimsuits.

It was a promise that they had made together.

It’s natural to be strangely conscious of it.

(…Was she trying to say, “Let’s not do this after all?”)

It’s embarrassing, so let’s not do it after all.

This was likely to happen if Arisa became timid at the last-minute.

Of course, he was not going to force Arisa to enter with him, if she was unwilling…

“Arisa.”

“Ye-yes.”

“…Isn’t it about time we enter the batch?”

He decided to make the first move.

Arisa gave a small nod to Yuzuru’s words.

“Yes, that’s true. Shall we go in?”

Fortunately, she didn’t seem to mind.

She was simply embarrassed to say it.

“Then, Yuzuru-san, please go in first. I’ll put on my swimsuit and go in later.”

“Ah, okay.”

Yuzuru did as he was told, changed into his swimsuit, and went into the bathroom.

He washed his body lightly.

All that was left was to wait for Arisa to finish changing.

(…will it be okay?)

Yuzuru was starting to feel a little uneasy.

Of course, there was not much worry that he would do something like push Arisa down by losing his reason.

It was just a matter of the willpower of Yuzuru.

The problem was that Yuzuru’s lower body seemed to react regardless of his will, or rather, it already did.

(W-well… I didn’t get caught in the pool though.)

In the first place, it would be rude not to react when you take a bath with someone you like, even if they are wearing a swimsuit.

In the worst case scenario, Yuzuru decides to weather the situation with a snarky line like, “It’s because you’re so attractive”.

“…I’m coming in.”

And while Yuzuru was thinking about all that nonsense, he heard Arisa’s voice.

Involuntarily, he straightened his back.

A few moments later, the door slowly opened.

“…then, shall we get in before the bath gets cold?”

Blushing shyly, with her jade green eyes darting left and right…

Said his fiancée, dressed in a white bikini.

Arisa-chan’s Anxiety Degree: 25% -> 30%.

TN: Is it just me or did those last two lines become some kind of verse?

Well, next time: Bathing…