NOVEL NEXT Chapter 44
And so, I start eating the meal. Thanks to the long and silly conversation we had, it’s gotten a bit cold, but still within an acceptable range.
It should still taste good enough, and I should appreciate it quickly and thank her for the food.
“Um, well then… please, enjoy.”
Chiaki-san, today’s chef, seems to be extremely nervous.
By the way, her outfit is still the bikini apron, and the shy expression on her face doesn’t suit her *at all*. In fact, it’s downright ridiculous.
“You don’t need to be so formal about it…”
“Don’t say that! Of course, I’m nervous about cooking for you!”
“Why, though?”
“Because your cooking skills are way better than mine!!”
It was a cry from her soul. That aside, I don’t really get what she’s saying.
“You look confused, but as a woman, this is a pretty big deal! What if I can’t win you over with my cooking?”
“Oh. Well then, thank you for the food.”
“Listen to me!?”
I *am* listening. I’m just ignoring it because I want to eat while it’s still warm.
“Huh!? Wait, are you really eating it!?”
“What exactly do you want from me…”
You cooked this meal for me, yet this is how you’re acting? I mean, why does so much of our conversation turn out so ridiculous?
But I can’t waste time with more foolishness. The food’s really going to get cold. So, I ignore her fussing and take a bite of the chicken steak on my plate.
“H-he ate it. He really ate it…”
“Mmm. Can you do something about that devastated look?”
“S-so… how is it?”
“It’s good.”
Despite her unnecessary fidgeting, it’s genuinely delicious. The seasoning’s just right, and the chicken’s not overcooked or tough.
“R-really? Y-you’re not lying, right?”
“I’m not lying.”
“You know, like in those manga where the guy says it’s good just to be nice, even though the food’s awful…”
“Nope.”
Where does that even come from? If you think back on how you cooked it, you’d understand.
Sure, she looked odd in that outfit and acted strange, but there wasn’t anything wrong with Chiaki-san’s cooking process as I watched. She used basic ingredients, added them in reasonable amounts, and didn’t burn or overcook anything. There were no weird experiments or “mystery flavors” involved.
In that case, there’s no way it would taste bad. This isn’t fiction. Cooking is like science—if you follow the steps, you get predictable results.
“So… then… it’s really good?”
“Why are you so unsure of yourself? Didn’t you say before that you can cook decently? And didn’t you taste it yourself?”
“Y-yeah, but… I didn’t think I could impress someone like you.”
“Don’t turn me into some kind of gourmet snob.”
What’s with this “impress your palate” nonsense? I’ve never even eaten anything that fancy. I’m just a college student who happens to cook, nothing more.
“B-but! You eat good food all the time, right!? Your own cooking! So your standards must be pretty high!”
“You’re misunderstanding something. Being good at cooking doesn’t mean I have a refined palate. Most people who cook regularly don’t go all out with their meals.”
I continue eating between conversations, dismissing her odd assumptions.
What kind of fantasy is she imagining? I eat convenience store food, junk food, and when I cook, it’s usually something simple or whatever’s left in the fridge. That’s just normal.
Frankly, someone like Chiaki-san, who comes from a well-off background, probably eats much better than I do. I heard from Harusaki and the others that she’s a bit of a rich girl, despite appearances.
“A-appearances?”
“If you’re surprised, just take a second to think about what you’re wearing right now.”
I hate to keep bringing it up, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that she’s in a bikini apron.
“Anyway, Chiaki-san, your worries are completely unnecessary. Unfortunately for you, my taste buds aren’t that sophisticated. If anything, I’ve got a pretty simple, childlike palate.”
“That’s… kinda cute.”
“Unrelated.”
Please stop derailing the conversation like that. Also, very few guys would be happy to be called “cute” over their food preferences. It’s honestly a little insulting.
*Sigh*—but on a more serious note, how do you actually view me, Chiaki-san?”
“Eh? I love you, obviously.”
“…That’s not what I meant.”
Stop answering instantly like that. And didn’t you casually refer to yourself as a heroine earlier too? Where’s your sense of shame… Actually, never mind. You’ve never had any.
Still, I wish you’d consider how this affects me. Lately, I’ve started to categorize Chiaki-san’s weird behavior as “just how she is,” and as a result, I’m beginning to feel more of her affection than awkwardness.
It’s starting to get a bit embarrassing. What a dangerous mental shift.
“What I meant was, aside from nerves, there was definitely something else bothering you, right?”
“…Honestly, I thought you’d say it wasn’t good and then give me a long list of criticisms.”
“And yet you claim to like me?”
What kind of image do you have of me? Am I a bossy, nitpicky jerk in your head? One of those characters people wonder why anyone puts up with?
“It’s fine! I know you’re a bit cold at times, but you’re also a tsundere! I totally get that you have hidden kindness inside!”
“Can you please stop with the nonsensical lines?”
First off, I’m not a tsundere. Second, whatever “hidden kindness” you think I have is just plain irrelevant here. And can you stop giving off these strange, borderline obsessive vibes?
“Look, Chiaki-san. This is just common sense—at least, for me. When someone offers you a meal they made out of kindness or affection, as long as it doesn’t taste terrible, you simply say, ‘Thank you, it’s delicious.’”
It’s that simple. And criticizing someone’s cooking in that context is just rude.
“So… your earlier compliment was just being polite?”
“No, it wasn’t. Why are you so pessimistic when it comes to your cooking?”
Didn’t I just tell you I wasn’t lying earlier?
“R-really…?”
“You’re persistent, huh. It’s the truth.”
“Was it really good?”
“I keep telling you, it was.”
“Was the seasoning okay?”
“Yes, it was fine.”
“Would you want to eat it every day?”
“I’d—wait, isn’t that question kind of loaded?”
I started responding out of habit, but the “every day” part sounds a lot like something else, doesn’t it? The satisfied smile on Chiaki-san’s face makes it clear—she set me up.
“…You got me, didn’t you?”
“What? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Quit playing dumb, you little…!”
I didn’t intend to give her any ammunition, but now she’s so smug about it. Just how long had she been planning this?!
“So, Haruto-kun, since you’ve finished eating, do you have anything else to say?”
“…Thank you for the meal. It was delicious.”
“Hehe, you’re welcome!”
Ugh, she’s *way* too happy about this…