Volume 1 - CH 3.1

Shimizu-san’s Bentō 1

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this… “

I say this unintentionally, without trying to tell anyone as I lie down on the pillows in my room. Then I sat on my bed and thought about today’s cooking class.

The purpose of going to today’s cooking class was to cook with that man… Daiki Hondō. Since we were in the same group, the opportunity to cook together was easier than I thought. My original plan was to show that I am a good cook in the process of working together. What I did not calculate was that Hondō was more experienced in cooking than I had expected, and my cooking skills were quite terrible.

(I had no idea there was that much of a gap between us…)

It is true that I usually did not cook at home and had skipped the previous cooking classes, so I was called in later to cook together with the home economics teacher.

But before I started cooking with him, I thought that cutting with a knife would be a piece of cake. As a result, Hondō was teaching me the whole time, and I could not show him that I could cook. However, even though it was very different from my initial assumption, what happened last time is still a very good thing for me…

(His hands were rougher than I thought they would be.)

Remembering last time, I shake my head from side to side.

Was it because Hondō’s hands were rugged and more masculine than I had expected? The only other experience I have of being touched by the opposite sex is the memory of being touched by my father when I was a child, but that doesn’t really count.

(He said he was happy to cook with me…)

Groaning, I roll around on the bed again.

Hondō must have said that he was happy to cook with anyone. What got me so excited to hear just one comment from Hondō?

I slap my cheeks with my hands.

What’s done is done. The important thing is how to get back on track. Somehow, I must show him that I am not a bad cook.

The question is how. Since there will be no more cooking classes for a while, I need to make some other opportunity. As I was thinking about how to do that and looking at the notes I had written down on my phone, I remembered the love talk that Hondō and Matsuoka had before.

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

[That may be true…]

When Matsuoka asked Hondō if he was interested in a homemade bentō, he answered yes.

If so, I could kill two birds with one stone by making a bentō and giving it to Hondō, which would make him happy and also show off my cooking skills. I thought I had come up with a good idea, but at the same time, a certain problem arose.

(Wouldn’t it seem strange if I suddenly gave him a homemade bentō?)

I have seen a scene in the manga where a girl gives her favorite boy a homemade bentō, but I wonder if it is actually happening in real life, at least, I don’t remember seeing it. Maybe it is happening in real life, but I haven’t seen it.

I thought it was difficult to make a judgment by myself, so I decided to ask someone else opinion.

“Hey, Ai, are you there?”

I leave my room and come to the next room, knocking on the door and talking to the room owner. Then I heard footsteps from inside, and the door slowly opened.

“Huh, Kei, what’s wrong? “

My sister, Ai, the owner of this room, looked at me curiously through the door.

“I wanted to ask you a few questions… “

“What? It’s so rare that Kei has a question for me!!! Maybe something will fall from the sky tomorrow?! For now, let’s go inside my room, I have snacks. Come on, come in, come in.”

“Too noisy! Get your hands off me! “

I shake off Ai’s hand as she tries to drag me into the room. Ai’s machine-gun talk is still so annoying to me. I’m already beginning to regret coming to my sister for help.

“I told you it was just a few questions. It’s fine to talk right here.”

“You sure? Mom and Dad might hear us in the hallway. Is it okay for them to hear? “

“Ughh.”

I’m not saying it’s wrong for them to hear this, but the fewer people who know about this story, the better.

“…I’ll leave as soon as we’re done talking.”

“Of course-of course! Let me show Kei to my room.”

Ai happily grabbed my arm and pulled me inside the room.

“Then, what do you want to ask this good-looking, academically talented student council vice president? “

“Don’t call yourself good-looking. Also, you’re not that good academically…”

Now, Ai and I were sitting across from each other at the mini-table. I had hardly been to Ai’s room since I became a high school student, it did not seem to have changed that much since then. The room was filled with comics, games, and stuffed animals.

“As I said before, I want to ask you something.

“What is it? The secret to being as bright, dainty, and beautiful as me? “

“…I’ll leave.”

“I’m kidding! It was a simple joke! I would love to hear your story Kei!”

“…the next time you make fun of me, I’ll leave for real.”

“Roger! I understand! “

Ai pauses to salute. I wonder if I will be able to hear the answer to my question before I return to the room.

“You know… What would Ai think if someone suddenly handed you a bentō? “

“Does that mean Kei gave it to someone? “

“No, I mean, I got a bentō from a guy I usually talk to.”

“Huh, but why all of a sudden?”

Is it strange to suddenly give a homemade bentō to someone of the opposite sex? I may have to rethink my strategy from the very beginning.

“…I got it. It was helpful. I’ll return. “

As I get up to leave, Ai grabs me firmly by the arm.

“Wait a minute. I don’t understand the whole story, and at this rate, I can’t sleep if I don’t. Why don’t you tell me more about it? Don’t worry, I won’t let you down! “

I don’t know what she’s trying to understand from the previous question, and I don’t know if I can tell her everything. To be honest, I feel uneasy, but it’s also true that I’m stuck on my own.

“I won’t tell you everything.”

“Don’t worry, I’m an ultra-hyper beautiful girl who knows a thousand things when she hears one thing! “

“Then you should know everything from the question I asked earlier…”

I sighed in my mind and started to explain to Ai.

TN: I think this is Ai.