Volume 3 - CH 5

Volume 3, Chapter 5: It Was Someone Like Hareyama Hanae

→ Keep your word

Break your promise

I succeeded in persuading Hareyama to come home with me before she got picked up by a stranger, and we were on our way to the supermarket.

I thought it would be nice to eat out once in a while, but I was a bit strapped for cash right now. I felt sorry for Hareyama, but I was going to ask her to put up with a bento box with a half-price sticker on it.

"...I don't see any put on yet."

What a surprise. It seemed like I was a bit early, and no half-price stickers were placed yet.

However, we couldn't just wait. Left with no choice, I started choosing bento boxes with reasonable price tags.

"Hey, Jimichi-kun. Are you going with a bento box?"

"Ah~, would you rather eat out? It won't be half-priced, but that's still fine with me."

"Um, I can cook if you like."

"..."

I was taken aback by how crazy she sounded. Did Hareyama mean that she was going to cook dinner for us?

I could only imagine a future where avant-garde art was created, dark matter refined, and the kitchen a mess.

"I'm good at cooking, you know?"

"Hahaha, it's not good to tell lies... So then, let's have a Hamburg steak bento."

"I-it's not a lie! I learned with effort! If you want Hamburg steak, I could make it for you!"

With such a confident look on her face, you'd start to wonder if it was true, too.

Sorry, but I couldn't just believe that Hareyama was good at cooking.

Surely, Hareyama must think that if you knead the meat, it would come out as Hamburg steak.

"...How about onigiri, then? I'm a big fan of onigiri made by beautiful girls."

"You don't believe me?! Fine, I'll cook it! I'm going to make you say it tastes good!"

Hareyama put the bento box back where it originally was and grabbed my hand to go look for ingredients.

As she picked the meat and other items, Hareyama stared at them sharply, as if scrutinizing. Even if only in appearance, she looked like a dutiful housewife.

"Jimichi-kun, do you have any seasonings?"

"I have a complete set, but..."

I rarely cooked, but I had those things perfectly ready to go because Koudzuki-san would cook for me once in a while.

"Then, let's go check the vegetables section for last."

"That's fine, but...how long are you going to hold my hand? Not that I mind."

"Eh...ah, awawawawa..."

Might be that she did it unconsciously, but she had been holding on to my hand for a while now. She didn't even notice the warm, smiling gazes around her.

Hareyama released my hand in a fluster. Turning into a bright shade of red, she began to pick vegetables as if nothing had happened.

"V-vegetables are expensive nowadays, aren't they~."

"..."

"A-asparagus veggie~..."

"..."

She seemed like she wanted to pretend that it didn't happen.

However, she was too sloppy in many ways. It was like practically begging me to point it out.

"...You're bright red, Hareyama."

"I-I'm not red, I am always like this...avocados are also good."

"That's lime."

"S-shut up..."

We finished our shopping, thinking that Hareyama, who had been tensed and embarrassed for a while now, was too cute.

On the way home, Hareyama's face was still crimson and there was no longer the shadow it once had back at the station.

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I returned to my apartment with Hareyama.

"Eh?! T-this is Jimichi-kun's place?"

"Yeah."

This was actually the first time I brought a friend to my house. I thought she would be a bit surprised, but I didn't expect her to be so dumbfounded with her mouth open.

I walked through the entrance and headed for the elevator. Looking next to me, I saw the cute figure of Hareyama who was worrying about her ears, perhaps unfamiliar with the change in air pressure.

"Welcome~."

"S-sorry to intrude..."

With a nervous look on her face, Hareyama went through the gates of the Jimichi family.

Although not as much as Hareyama, I was also a bit nervous because this was the first time I ever invited a person of my age back home.

"S-so wide..."

I'm basically the only one here, so you can relax."

Hareyama sat at the center of the living room, seated like a shy cat.

After a short rest, I showed Hareyama her room.

"This is the guest room, so feel free to use it."

"I-it's uncomfortably big..."

"Then, do you want to sleep in my room with me?"

"T-that...I'll be fine here."

Leaving to Hareyama to go change her clothes, I went back to my room and changed into loungewear.

After that, I reported to my father.

"Dad. I brought a pretty girl home."

"You did well, my son."

I was sure my father would say something like that.

After I told him about what happened, I returned to the living room. There, I found Hareyama folding my clothes that had been out of the laundry, just waiting to be done.

"Hareyama, you don't have to do that, you know?"

"S-since I'm going to stay here, let me at least do this much..."

Some of the were underwear and other things, but Hareyama did all of them one after the other without caring nor being embarrassed.

When I saw that, I felt uncomfortable. There was particularly nothing strange about it, just Hareyama folding the laundry.

Rather, it was the opposite. There was quite the volume, so it might take a lot of time.

So, I approached Hareyama to help.

"It's done. Is there anything else?"

"Huh...? You say done, in such a time..."

She was finished. Moreover, I found that not only were they folded properly, but everything was done neatly.

I see, so this was why I was feeling uncomfortable.

That discomfort I felt when I saw Hareyama folding the laundry. For the clumsy her, this was too quick and efficient.

"Ah, I'm going to clean next, okay? Is there a room I shouldn't go in?"

"Uh...ah, right...you could go anywhere except mother's and sister's..."

After a brief explanation, Hareyama began to move again in a quick manner.

I didn't even have time to process what I was letting my guest do...when she had already finished in no time.

She cleaned every room, entrances, toilet, and many more. As expected, it took a bit of time, but if I were to do it, it would have taken twice as long and it wouldn't even have been this clean.

"Then, I'll start preparing dinner, okay? Can you show me where the utensils and seasonings are?"

"Uh, yeah."

After telling her the location, I moved in to help her, but Hareyama prevented me.

I had no choice but to return to the living room and pass the time by watching TV while sending glances towards the kitchen.

"~~~~♪"

Was her occasional humming a sign that the cooking is going well?

I couldn't hear any screams from dropped utensils, nor panicked shouts from accidental fires.

The pleasant chopping sounds and the gradual smell of food in the air heightened my anticipations.

"Just a bit more~."

"Ah, yes. I'm looking forward to it."

Who was this person? Could it be that I mistakenly brought someone that looked like Hareyama Hanae?

It was so different from the Hareyama Hanae I knew that got me worried to such an extent.