Volume 1 - CH 2.2

Cooking Class with Shimizu-san 2

I look over at Shimizu-san, who is suddenly tapping her phone quickly. I wonder if she is playing some kind of rhythm music game?

“Daiki, where are you looking? “

“Ah, sorry. Keep talking.”

“Yeah, okay. But what you just said sounds more like something you want to do together rather than something you want the girl you like to do for you, which is a bit different from what I was asking. Is there anything else? “

“What else do I want her to do… That’s a tough one.”

I try to think of what I want Teruno to do, but none of them seem to fit the situation.

“If Daiki can’t think of anything, maybe I should think of a situation… right, to connect with what we were talking about earlier. How about having her cook for you?”

“If that’s the case, I’d like to help her too.”

“Well, Daiki would have done that…”

Toshiya closes his eyes and starts grumbling. After a few dozen seconds, he opens his eyes vigorously.

“No, wait. How about a homemade bentō (lunch box)?”

“A homemade bentō? “

“Yes, that’s right. Daiki always buys bread from the store for lunch, right?”

“That’s true.”

We are all night owls in my family and are very weak in the morning, so usually, we don’t have time to make lunches. That’s why I always had bread from the store for lunch.

“Then, Daiki probably would be interested in a bentō made by the girl you like, wouldn’t you? “

“That may be true…”

I usually eat bread because I’m not picky about what meals I eat alone, but sometimes I envy others’ lunch boxes. I think I will be happy if I get a bentō from someone I like.

“Right! You yearn for a homemade bentō from the girl you like, don’t you? “

“Uh-huh.”

Toshiya’s tension is rising visibly.

“Seto-san’s homemade bento… if there are my favorite foods in it, just imagining it would be dangerous for me…”

Toshiya was so excited that he was half-immersed in a fantasy world. He may have been completely unaware of it, but he casually mentioned Seto-san’s name. Fortunately, people around us didn’t seem to listen to our conversation.

“What would Daiki like in the bentō?”

“I’m thinking ginger pork.”

“Sounds great. Our fantasies are steadily expanding. I like Seto-san whether she can cook or not, but I’d probably cry with happiness if she gave me a homemade bentō.”

Apparently, Toshiya’s love for Seto-san is quite deep. I have no experience of liking someone that much, so I admire and respect him. I won’t tell him though, because he might get carried away.

“It would be nice if she could make me lunch.”

“Yeah, it’s one of the dreams that I want to make come true.”

Toshiya is always serious when discussing his dreams, so I guess he intends to make this dream come true as much as possible. While I was thinking like this, the doorbell rang to announce five minutes before homeroom.

“Hey, is it that late already?”

“I guess we’re out of time.”

“Too bad, because I still have a lot to talk about. I guess I’d better go back.”

Toshiya reluctantly walked to his seat. I looked around and saw Shimizu-san tapping her phone eagerly. Is she still playing the rhythm game? It’s almost homeroom, so she’d better put her phone away. As I was wondering whether I should tell Shimizu-san so or not, Toshiya came back to my seat.

“I just remembered that Daiki’s wish to cook with someone will come true tomorrow! “

“What’s happening tomorrow? Oh… “

At first, I didn’t understand what he meant, but then I looked at the timetable and remembered.

“Right. It’s a cooking class! “

He’s right. Tomorrow is a cooking class. One of the few times I get to cook with my classmates.

* * *

“Damn. I could’ve had Seto-san’s homemade cooking if I was in the same group with her.”

“The cooking class work is divided among the group members, so I don’t know if you can call it Seto-san’s homemade cooking. Or rather, Toshiya, why don’t you go to your own group?”

On the day of the cooking class, Toshiya was sitting next to me, wearing an apron and lamenting his misfortune. He seemed to be really disappointed.

“Daiki, aren’t you a little cold? Your friend is grieving, so please comfort him.”

I could easily damage Toshiya’s mental state if I did not choose my words carefully. I put on my apron and let my brain run to the limit.

“Toshiya wanted Seto-san to cook for you, didn’t you? If that’s the case, then the food in this cooking class is a little different. Even if you can’t eat it now, I think the food she made by herself later would be more meaningful for Toshiya.”

“Da-Daiki! “

Toshiya’s face lits up.

“You’re right! It’s more meaningful to have her cook by herself for me! I feel better! Thanks Daiki! “

“I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

Just when I thought the matter was settled, the door to the kitchen rattled open with a bang. It was Shimizu-san.

“What was Shimizu-san doing here? “

“You idiot, Shimizu-san will hear you!”

The classmates in the kitchen were in an uproar. Why were they so surprised? It’s because Shimizu-san seldom comes to the cooking class. She has never been seen in a class where she has to cooperate with others, especially in the cooking classes. Even among the well-informed people, there seems to be a difference of opinion as to why Shimizu-san was able to advance to the next grade.

“Daiki, I’m going to my group.”

When I turned my head to the side, Toshiya was already gone, and Shimizu-san was standing near me instead. Just like my other classmates, I guess Toshiya was also afraid of Shimizu-san, so he ran away to his own group.

The seating positions in the cooking class correspond to those in the classroom. Therefore, Shimizu-san and I are members of the same group, but I had forgotten about it because Shimizu-san had never come to the cooking class until now.

I looked at Shimizu-san, who was standing next to me.

“Shimizu-san.”

“W-what is it?”

Shimizu-san, who had finished putting on her apron, turned to me and stared at me.

“We’re in the same group, so let’s work hard together today. Also, that apron looks very good on you.”

“Ughh…”

I was slightly surprised to see Shimizu-san, but it was the usual Shimizu-san.

As I was relieved, the home economics teacher entered the kitchen. He looked surprised at the presence of Shimizu-san for a moment, but his expression immediately returned to normal.

“Alright, I see that everyone is dressed and waiting for me. Today, as I told you before, you are going to cook stir-fried meat and vegetables. Please divide the role to each group’s member and cook safely.”

[Yesー,] voices echo in the kitchen. Thus we followed the teacher’s instructions and began to prepare for the cooking.