“Yeah, not bad. I’d say... it’s pretty tasty.”

“Is it too spicy?”

After school, while I was cooking at home, Yukimiya showed up just like she promised and said that with a straight face.

Come on... yesterday you even sang a whole curry song, remember? (Lyrics and music by Yukimiya Hyouka, by the way.) You totally enjoyed it, didn’t you?

She’s so bad at being honest.

“But... you looked happy too, right? I could tell from your reaction.”

“No. There’s nothing to be happy about. Whether it’s homemade curry or freshly cooked rice, I don’t care about any of it. I’m not happy at all.”

“There’s no way that’s true.”

At least look into my eyes when you say that!

Her eyes were already full of hunger. It was obvious. Too obvious, Yukimiya.

Well, since her dinners are usually just cup noodles or store-bought stuff, I can totally understand

“Anyway, I came today to return your Tupperware... Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

When I glanced at the Tupperware she handed me, it was cleaned perfectly. She probably used a ton of soap to scrub off the oil. Next time, I’ll teach her the hot water trick to make it easier.

Just as I reached out to take it, Yukimiya’s nose twitched. Her eyes drifted toward the inside of my room.

“Eh? Oh, today I made steak and potato salad. The supermarket had a half-price meat sale.”

“Steak... potato...”

—Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

Her stomach...

When I smiled at her, she quickly turned her face away.

“Not me.”

“I didn’t say anything, though. Anyway, I made an extra portion for you too. ...Want some?”

“…………………………………No thanks.”

“Wait a second...”

That didn’t sound like a real ‘no’ at all.

Smiling wryly, I took out another Tupperware I’d already packed and placed it into a paper bag.

Steak, potato salad, and baguette. Plus, I grabbed some cherry tomatoes for balance. Though honestly... potato salad isn’t really a salad when you think about it.

I adjusted the portion so it wouldn’t be too much for her.

“Here, take it.”

*Gulp* “...Th-thank you...”

Her swallowing sound was loud enough to hear. Her eyes were glued to the paper bag like a hungry cat staring at food. Just seeing her like that made all the effort worth it.

“Uh... I hate cherry tomatoes though.”

“Don’t be picky. You won’t grow big if you—”

“What did you say??”

“...Slip of the tongue.”

I didn’t even say anything specific! Why is she so defensive?

Feeling the weight of her cold stare, I started to panic. She let out a sigh and looked down.

“Yeah, yeah... I’m the one getting the food here... I shouldn’t complain... I’ll eat it... I’ll try...”

“Okay. If there’s leftovers, just bring them back tomorrow.”

“Alright.”

...Somehow, this really feels like I’m feeding a hungry stray cat.

But this can’t continue forever... Oh, right.

“How about I make dinner for you for a while, if you don’t mind?”

“Really!?”

Whoa—she’s too close...!

Her eyes sparkled like crazy. She leaned in with a super bright expression. Just her face though... just her face was cute.

When I pulled back a little, Yukimiya coughed awkwardly and turned away, maybe embarrassed by how close she got.

“W-well... if Yatsuhashi-kun insists on offering me food... I guess I won’t refuse—”

“But in return, you’ll need to help pay for the ingredients. Also… you’ll have to learn how to cook too.”

“...Huh? Me... cook?”

“Yeah. I can’t keep making food for you forever. Plus, once you learn, you can cook whatever you want whenever you want. By the way... do you have any favorite foods?”

“...Karaage.”

“Karaage, huh...”

“What? Something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Judging by her reaction to yesterday’s curry, today’s steak, and now karaage... she really likes kid-friendly foods.

“Hmm... Yukimiya, do you like cookies?”

“! ...Yeah, I do.”

Oh? Nice reaction.

“What about chocolate?”

“Love it.”

“Macarons?”

“Love them! Love them!”

“Cake?”

“Super love it!”

“Too bad. I can’t make any of those.”

“!?”

The excitement on her face completely collapsed like she fell off a cliff. This side of Yukimiya... you’d never see it at school.

I’m sorry... please stop glaring at me like that.

“Haha... I’ll learn how to bake someday. You’ll learn to cook, I’ll learn to bake. Let’s practice together.”

"...Fine. But nothing too expensive, okay? I’m on a tight budget too."

“I know. I don’t have much money either. We’ll go budget-friendly. Starting tomorrow, I’ll teach you how to handle household chores too.”

What kind of ‘young lady’ worries about money anyway?

“Also... just in case, let’s exchange messaging app IDs. It’ll make things easier. You can tell me what you want to eat that way.”

“If you abuse it, I’ll hang you.”

Huh? Hang? What does she mean by ‘hang’? My neck? That’s scary...

Anyway, after exchanging IDs, the name ‘Hyouka’ appeared on my phone.

Somehow... this was my first time getting a girl’s contact info.

Even if it’s just Yukimiya... it still made me kind of happy.

“Well then... Let’s work together from tomorrow on.”

“Okay, see you.”

After saying that, Yukimiya quickly returned to her own apartment.

She probably couldn’t wait to dig in. I mean... it’s steak. Not something you get to eat every day. Even I only buy beef when it’s on sale.

After going back inside and prepping my own meal... a thought hit me.

Now that I think about it... does this mean I’ll be seeing Yukimiya every single day?

At school, we’re in different classes, so we’d only meet in the hallways.

That helped keep my stress low... but now... am I digging my own grave? Facing her cold glare every day sounds exhausting.

…Though, when we cleaned together yesterday, it wasn’t that bad... maybe it’ll be fine.

I want to believe everything will be okay... Everything... will be okay... right?

...No point worrying now—Eh?

“Lovely steak makes me happy~♪ Potato salad joins the party too~♪ Crispy-crunchy baguette on the side~♪ But, but, no thanks to the tomatoes~♪”

“Ah... there she goes again.”

Now it’s a steak song... this must be her habit. Singing about food when she’s happy.

As I listened to her cute little song coming from next door, I sat on the sofa and started my dinner.

Even though there was a wall between us... it felt like we were eating dinner together.

That simple thought... warmed my heart a bit.

 

◆◆◆

 

“Hey, hey, Hazuki! Yoo-hoo, Hazuki!”

The next morning on my way to school, Junya ran up to me at the school gate, full of energy.

Ugh... Annoying. I was already tired from yesterday. I really didn’t want to deal with this first thing in the morning. And stop grabbing me! It’s too hot!

“......Ah, good morning. How are you? You seem pretty hyped.”

“Hahaha! I’m fired up right now! I really thought I’d be single forever!”

“No way... You found a girlfriend?”

“No! Not yet... Ugh! Stop giving me that ‘what are you talking about’ face!”

Seriously... anyone would think he actually got a girlfriend. So what’s he so fired up about?

“Haa... Listen, Hazuki. Back when we were at an all-boys school, the chances of getting a girlfriend were near zero. No girls around to even meet! But now! No matter where you look, there are girls! The air smells sweet! How could I not be excited?!”

“............”

“Hey, don’t keep stepping back like that!”

Man, this guy’s hopeless.

“You’re overreacting.”

“No I’m not!"

Honestly... guys who only ever talk about girlfriends probably won’t get one.

Girls would definitely avoid someone acting like this...

Even if I told him that, Junya wouldn’t listen. He was way too fired up.

“Fufufu... There’s still two years left in our high school life... I’ll show you! I’ll get a girlfriend!”

“Good luck with that~”

"...Come on, can’t you get a little more hyped?"

“It’s not like I don’t care… I just don’t wanna make a big deal out of it.”

“Wow! That’s why you’re still a virgin!”

“I don’t need to hear that from you!”

“I’m a virgin too! But I’m not like you—pretending you don’t care when you do.”

Ugh... I want to punch him. This guy’s so annoying.

But honestly, at this rate, with us talking about girlfriends and virginity like this, it’ll stay just a dream forever. Look... even the girls around us are giving us weird looks.

“Look, look! That’s real ‘guy friendship’ right there...”

“Which one made the first move, you think... the brown-haired one?”

“Honestly... I think he’s more like the one being chased.”

“Eh, so the black-haired one’s the ‘top’?”

“ “ “Fufufufufu~” “ ”

Are they... really watching us like that!?

Junya didn’t notice. He still had his arm around my shoulder, chatting away like always.

Damn it... At this rate, I won’t ever get a girlfriend. All because of him.

“Enough! Get off me!”

“Eh? But this is normal for us Kuroba boys, right?”

“You know... if rumors start that you're into guys, not only you—I'll get dragged into it too! Neither of us will ever get a girlfriend!”

As I changed into my school shoes at the lockers, Junya suddenly shifted topics.

“By the way... How’s the ‘Goddess’?”

“...What about her?”

I tensed up at his sly grin.

By ‘Goddess,’ of course he meant Yukimiya Hyouka.

Suddenly bringing her up... did he find out that we live in the same apartment building? No, no way.

But Junya didn’t notice my unease and kept smiling.

“There was that Student Council meeting the day before yesterday, right? How was she? Is she really like the rumors say? Cool, perfect, elegant, and all that?”

“...Pfft!”

“What’s so funny?”

Oops... couldn’t help it. Which part of her is ‘cool and elegant’? Cool... sure. Like minus 100 degrees cool!

…Though, at home, she’s pretty cute. Enough to flip that first impression upside down.

“Junya... let me just say this. Rumors are just rumors. You’re better off keeping your fantasies to yourself.”

“Heh...? You’re saying some deep stuff, Hazuki.”

“Because you’re an idiot.”

“Hey!?”

We kept bickering like that as we headed up the stairs toward our classroom.

Then... from the top of the stairs... a girl came down.

The first thing that caught my eye... her legs. Beautiful and shapely, showing under a short skirt.

As I looked up... she wasn’t wearing a blazer. Her sleeves were rolled up, and a few buttons near her chest were undone, giving a glimpse of... well... more than Yukimiya for sure. Though... probably not a good thing to think about.

Higher up... bright blonde hair. Pretty rare at our school. Her bangs were swept to the side, and the tips curled inward.

Her makeup was bold. Total gal style. But her face... had this graceful beauty too.

In short... a beautiful gal. Completely different from Yukimiya.

If this had been my first time seeing her, I probably would’ve been super nervous.

But... it wasn’t.

She’s from Shiramine’s Student Council. The same girl who attended the joint meeting two days ago.

Even though she’s in the Student Council, she’s still so flashy... that was kind of surprising...

While I was staring at her like an idiot... she noticed me... and gave me a confused look.

Well... maybe I should say hi since we’re both in the student council.

“Ah… um, good morning.”

“Oyoyo? Yeah, good morning.”

The mood was really relaxed. Since she also went to an all-girls school, I thought she would say something formal like “Greetings,” but she was much more casual. Because of that, I felt less nervous too.

…Wait, where’s Junya? He was just next to me, right?

When I looked, Junya had quietly gone up the stairs ahead of me. He turned back to me with a very tense face.

“H-Hazuki. I’ll go… first.”

“Oh, okay?”

Why was he stuttering? Oh right. Since we both came from all-boys schools, we’re still not used to talking to girls after just one year here. I’m the same, but after spending time with Yukimiya these last two days, I’ve started getting used to talking with girls.

If this keeps going, having a girlfriend might stay just a dream... Good luck, Junya. I’m rooting for you.

I thought that quietly as the gal girl watched Junya leave and tilted her head.

“Heh, what’s with that? He’s way too nervous, isn’t he?”

She said it with a serious face, no smile. That gal girl is kind of scary.

"I'm not making excuses for him, but even if he seems awkward, he’s really trying hard to get a girlfriend."

“Really? But if he keeps this up, it’ll be hard to get a girlfriend among the elegant girls at Shiramine.”

Yeah, I know that.

The pretty gal girl walked down the stairs and got very close to me—too close! Her face was really pretty and she smelled nice. When I looked down… wow, I could see a deep valley calling!

I quickly looked away, and the gal girl looked annoyed.

“Hey, Hazukichi. Looking away from an old childhood friend isn’t polite, you know?”

“Huh? Hazukichi?”

I turned to her immediately when I heard that nickname.

Only childhood friends called me that.

Yatsuhashi Hazuki. From Hazuki to Hazukichi.

That means we went to the same kindergarten.

............Who is she? I can’t remember. She has makeup, blonde hair, and... wow, big breasts! Really big! But I wouldn’t say that out loud.

“Err… sorry, we’re both student council members, right? What’s your name?”

“I introduced myself yesterday!”

“Sorry, I was so nervous I didn’t listen.”

This is serious. It’s my first time talking to a girl in a year. I don’t know how to act and I feel like throwing up.

The pretty gal girl sighed like she was impressed, then looked at me sharply.

“Really… Hazukichi, you haven’t changed at all. So maybe you’ll understand if I say this? I’m Yocchan.”

Yocchan? …Ah... Ahh!!!

“Yocchan! Kurotsuki Youko!”

“That’s right! The correct answer!”

The pretty gal girl is Kurotsuki Youko, nickname Yocchan.

It’s true. We went to the same kindergarten and same elementary school until third grade.

We never met again after she transferred… I never thought I’d meet her here again.

Kurotsuki smiled widely, then quickly went back to a sharp look.

“Geez, you’re so slow to notice. I knew it was you the moment I saw you at the student council meeting two days ago. And you always rush home whenever I try to talk.”

“S-sorry.”

Even though she said I was slow, even if I heard her name properly, I might not have recognized her. She looks so different now.

For us childhood friends, Kurotsuki Youko was...

“You used to be quiet, gentle, calm, gloomy, cried easily, didn’t like boys, and always followed me around like an introverted anime character—”

“That’s rude! I could cry, you know!?”

I didn’t mean to insult her. That’s just how she was.

Ouch! Don’t kick me! Sorry, sorry!

“But still… you’ve really changed. I never thought you’d become a gal.”

More than that, I’m surprised she became so pretty. She changed a lot.

“Hehe~ I thought if I kept sulking, nothing would change. Maybe this is a high school rebirth.”

“At an all-girls school?”

“My parents only let me come here. Since middle school, I learned makeup and exercise to shape my body, so I look good from all angles. How’s this? Sexy and cute, right?”

Kurotsuki posed to show off her figure.

She really looked good… but I didn’t know where to look when my childhood friend was posing so sexily.

“Oh? Why? Your face is all red, Hazukichi.”

“No, anyone would be—”

“Hehe, you’re still innocent, huh? Cute~”

Don’t tease me...

While I was struggling where to look, some girls passing by looked at us and whispered.

“Look at Kurotsuki-san’s inappropriate clothes again...”

“Especially in front of a boy, posing like that...”

“She’s trying to seduce him.”

...What did you say?

When I glared at them, the girls got scared and ran away.

“Hey, stop making that face, Hazukichi. You look like a fighter. But it’s okay for me...”

“No, even if you’re okay, I can’t accept it. People who judge only by looks are not good. I can yell at them if you want.”

“No need!”

Kurotsuki pinched my shirt and smiled like it didn’t bother her.

She really is like the sun.

“I like who I am now. No matter what people say, I don’t care.”

“...If Kurotsuki herself feels that way, maybe it’s okay”

“Yeah, yeah. Hey, just call me Yocchan like before, okay?”

She looked unhappy when I called her Kurotsuki and made a really grumpy face. But even so...

“We’re not little kids in kindergarten or elementary school anymore. I can’t just go around calling you *Yocchan*. So I’ll stick with *Kurotsuki*.”

“Ehh, I don’t mind if you call me Yocchan, though...”

“Nope. Don’t underestimate the pride of a teenage guy who just escaped from an all-boys school.”

“Wait, are you seriously proud of that? Hee~”

“You little—”

“Hehe, just kidding. That’s so like you, Hazukichi.”

Ugh, don’t hit my back. It hurts.

Seeing Kurotsuki’s carefree smile made me forget her flaws. She used to smile like that sometimes. Even with all the changes, some things didn’t change after all these years.

And don’t pat a guy’s back carelessly! I might fall in love!

I laughed and looked away. Kurotsuki looked behind me and said, “Ah!” like she saw someone she knew.

She looked happy. That person must be close to her.

I turned and saw Yukimiya Hyouka.

My face froze.

Kurotsuki greeted her cheerfully.

“Hyouka-chan, hey!”

“Vice President Kurotsuki, good morning. Please greet properly.”

“Yeah! Good morning!”

“Good. …And also to President Yatsuhashi.”

“…Good morning.”

Why does she act so differently with Kurotsuki than with me? Well, I guess that’s normal between classmates and guys.

“So Kurotsuki is vice president.”

“Cool, right? What do you think?”

“You can’t judge someone by looks alone...”

“Hah!? Even Hazukichi isn’t fit to be president!”

“I’m president because I have influence, okay?”

That’s a lie. I became president because no one else ran. Also, my grades got better because of it. Well, just for a moment, let me be proud. I want to look cool, after all.

While Kurotsuki and I joked around, Yukimiya looked confused.

“You two seem close. So… Hazukichi?”

“We’ve known each other since kindergarten! We even went to the same elementary school until halfway through, so yeah, you could say we’re childhood friends. That’s why I call him Hazukichi. Oh! Hyouka-chan, you should call him that too! Maybe you two will get closer—”

“...No need.”

Her answer was sharp like a sword.

The mood got cold, like the last few days were just a dream.

Yukimiya glanced at me, sighed softly, then left. Seriously? Just looking at someone and sighing is too harsh!

“Looks like it didn’t work, huh? Maybe because of what happened at the last student council meeting… I wanted you two to get closer.”

“I’m fine like this.”

“No way! We go to the same coed school now, so we should be close!"

Close… huh. If I got close to a pretty girl like that, maybe school life would be more fun, but it’s hard. Besides, I don’t really get along with her personality. She’s like a beautiful flower with sharp thorns.

Just then, the bell rang for class to start. Kurotsuki looked like she wanted to say “Oops.”

“Ah! I have to go to the toilet! See you, Hazukichi! We’ll talk later!”

“O-okay. See you.”

Kurotsuki jumped down the stairs, even though she wore a short skirt.

I wanted to say things like, ‘Don’t jump around in a short skirt’ or ‘Girls shouldn’t talk about going to the toilet,’ but I had to hurry to class so I wouldn’t be late.

The day passed peacefully (though lessons were so fast my brain almost shorted out), and it was time to go home.

There was no regular meeting today, so after class, I got ready to leave.

Starting today, I have to teach Yukimiya all the house chores. I need to go home and prepare everything.

As I thought that, Junya, who was ready to go, came over.

“Hey Hazuki. Want to hang out after school? Since our schools are far from home, let’s walk and eat ramen.”

“Ah… sorry. I probably can’t go anywhere after school for now.”

“Because of student council?”

“More or less.”

“Ha… okay then. If it’s about Shiramine and student council work, I guess it can’t be helped.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay, take it easy~”

Junya waved, said “See you,” and left with his friends humming happily.

I wish I could go too. But I promised Yukimiya and can’t break that on the first day.

Also, eating out means spending more money. Since I live on my own and rely on my parents for money, I have to be careful about how much I spend.

The school has a cafeteria, but Shiramine’s food is expensive. Even the cheapest dish is over 500 yen. I was surprised. It really feels like a cafeteria at a fancy all-girls school.

Yukimiya seems to eat in the cafeteria with her friends every day. She must have no money problems. That makes sense since she comes from a rich family.

Since I rely on my parents for living costs, I have to save money… and study. If my grades drop, I don’t know what they’ll say.

Feeling a bit jealous of friends free to hang out, I got determined and headed home to wait for Yukimiya.

Back at the apartment, I changed into some comfy clothes that I wouldn’t mind getting dirty.

With a small memo in hand listing today’s plans, I started getting everything ready.

To be honest, what we’re doing today is really simple. Like, super simple. I’m not even sure if it counts as "basic" at this point.

After finishing up the setup, all that was left was to wait for Yukimiya.

I glanced at the clock. It was already past 4:30 p.m.

She’s running pretty late... Why am I even acting like I’m excited to see her? Haa… I should just work on my homework while I wait.

I sat down at the living room table and opened my notebook. As expected from a prestigious school like Shiramine, the lessons move super fast. Way harder than my old school, too.

I used to get good grades back at Kuroba, but now I’m seriously struggling to keep up.

And the homework... there’s so much of it! It feels like I’m doing summer break homework every day.

“Alright… let’s just do our best.”

I focused on my worksheets and tried solving a few problems, just as I was about to give up on thinking and let my pen move on its own, the doorbell rang.

I checked the time. It was already 5:30 p.m. An hour had flown by just like that.

I hadn’t ordered anything, so it had to be Yukimiya.

Looking at the intercom screen, I saw her standing there. She looked a little nervous, fixing her bangs.

Guess I should go open the door myself.

“Hold on, I’m coming—”

Oh... huh?

It was definitely Yukimiya… but she wasn’t wearing her school uniform.

Instead, she had on a plain white T-shirt and comfy-looking pants. Maybe because it was still chilly or to stay modest, she was also wearing black leggings underneath.

Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, giving her a completely different vibe than usual.

“Good evening, Yatsuhashi-kun.”

“Ah, uh… good evening.”

I totally froze up. I didn’t expect to see her in such casual clothes.

“...What? Do I look weird or something? I just dressed like this so I could move around easily.”

“No, no, you look fine. Come on in.”

“Thanks. I’m coming in.”

She stepped inside like it was no big deal, looking as calm as ever.

Okay, relax. She’s just here to learn house chores. I’m just teaching. That’s it. No need to get nervous…

...Oh wow, she smells really nice.

It was a soft, clean scent—soap and a hint of lavender. She probably took a shower before coming. That explains the delay.

Wait, no! Stop sniffing girls! I’m not some weirdo!

Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I walked back into the room. Yukimiya was already glancing around the living room.

“You really keep things clean, huh? I’m impressed.”

“Told you. This place is my little castle.”

“Yeah… it’s so neat, it’s making me want to clean my own place too—oh?”

She turned to look at my homework, which I’d left open. Oh crap, this is kind of embarrassing.

“This answer’s wrong.”

“Eh, seriously?”

“You just need to use this formula instead. And since this one’s wrong, this earlier answer is wrong too... See?”

She started explaining while writing in my notebook.

Her explanation was super clear—way easier to understand than a teacher’s.

“Ooh… I get it now.”

“Yatsuhashi-kun, are you... kinda bad at this stuff?”

“Hey! Don’t insult me to my face!”

“Just joking. If you can handle this part, then your basics are fine. Just watch out for these common mistakes, and you’ll be okay.”

Dang… I actually learned a lot from her. And I’m the one who was supposed to be *teaching* her.

While I was still staring at the part she helped me with, she suddenly said, “Ah.”

“Oops, sorry for looking through your homework. Anyway, let’s get started with the chores now.”

“No, really. Thanks for the help. You saved me there.”

As expected from Shiramine’s student council president. She’s a really good teacher.

We cleaned up the table and headed into the kitchen.

Once there, Yukimiya pulled out a neatly folded pink apron. It looked like she brought it just for this.

The soft peach color really suited her. I thought blue would match her calm vibe, but warm colors like this looked great too.

She tied the ribbon at the back, and naturally, her figure stood out—slim waist, soft curves. Even if her chest wasn’t that big, the contrast made it look more noticeable. It was like some kind of optical illusion.

..Wait, isn’t her apron ribbon about to come undone? Even though she looks confident, she’s actually a bit awkward. She didn’t tie the ribbon properly, so the apron was loose around her chest.

But if I say something now, she might get mad because she’s pretty proud. Better to just ignore it.

“Okay, I’m ready. What’s next?”

“Nothing, really.”

Ugh! She noticed where I was staring. If I keep looking, she might bite me… better be careful.

I looked away and stood next to Yukimiya.

“So, today I’ll teach you how to use fire. You know how to turn on the stove, right?”

“Stove?”

There’s no way. She’s never used a stove before, right?

“All stoves in this apartment work the same. Turn the knob all the way, and the flame comes on. Turn it the other way to adjust the flame. That’s it.”

“Sounds easy. So if I turn it all the way, it’s the biggest flame?”

“Exactly. Now, try boiling some water.”

“Hehe, leave it to me.”

She seemed so confident, even though she’d never done this.

Yukimiya looked around the kitchen.

Then she grabbed an electric kettle and put it on the stove… wait, what?

“Yup!”

She lit the stove!?

“Whoa! What are you doing, Yukimiya!?”

I panicked, turned off the stove, and put the kettle in the sink.

Luckily, only a little got burned and didn’t melt… But this is an electric kettle, it shouldn’t be on a stove! And it’s *my* kettle!

Yukimiya looked scared, probably shocked by my loud voice.

“W-what? You told me to boil water.”

“You’re supposed to use a regular kettle or a pot!”

“Regular kettle? Pot?”

Seriously?

“You don’t have one?”

“Do you think I have one?”

As I thought. Her place must be pretty bare. No cooking tools there. But why answer my question with a question? I almost wanted to hit her.

“…So you usually boil water with an electric kettle?”

“Yeah. Just press a button. It’s really easy.”

“…And you thought you could put it on the stove?”

“Isn’t that how it works?”

“No! It’s an *electric* kettle!”

“I thought it was weird too, but you said to boil water on the stove…”

That doesn’t mean you put an electric kettle on the flame.

Ahh… I’m already tired even though it just started. No, I can’t give up. If I do, I won’t get through this.

I took a deep breath and grabbed a regular kettle.

“Listen, this time we’ll use a normal kettle. Here it is. When you close the lid and the water boils, you’ll hear a high-pitched ‘pii’ sound. That’s when you turn off the stove.”

“A sound? How?”

“Hmm… good question. Better if you try it yourself.”

Yukimiya filled the kettle with water, closed the lid, and turned on the stove.

“How big should the flame be?”

“Adjust it so the flame just touches the bottom edge of the kettle.”

“Got it.”

She leaned over carefully and adjusted the flame.

She was serious even about small things. Impressive—impre—eh!?

“What’s wrong, Yatsuhashi-kun?”

“N-nothing, don’t worry…!”

“Really? Don’t react like that. You’re distracting me.”

This doesn’t need intense focus!

Yukimiya bent over again, checking the flame carefully.

Hey, hey…! If you bend like that, I can see things I shouldn’t…!

She didn’t notice her awkwardness. She was clumsy.

Because of that, her apron opened wide, and I saw inside. A thin, peach-colored bra matching the apron was visible. Since her chest was small, I could even see her stomach and belly button… No, what am I even looking at!?

I looked away quickly. I couldn’t handle the guilt. Or maybe my teenage heart from an all-boys school couldn’t take it.

Just then, Yukimiya finished adjusting the flame and stood proudly with hands on hips. Why be proud of something so small?

“Done. …? Why are you leaning over?”

“Nothing. I-I have a chronic back problem. Don’t worry. Also, you need to tie your apron tighter.”

“Huh? Oh, right. It’s coming loose.”

While she tied her apron again, I checked the stove flame. It was just right.

“Okay. Now we wait for it to boil. …When it’s ready, want some coffee? Even if it’s instant.”

“Coffee… alright. I’ll make it.”

“You drink coffee?”

“Don’t underestimate me. I usually drink canned coffee, and I know the taste well.”

Just imagining Yukimiya drinking canned coffee made me smile.

“Alright, I’ll leave it to you. Black coffee, please.”

“Okay, leave it to me. This is easy.”

After the electric kettle incident, I was a bit worried.

Will this go smoothly?

“Alright, Yatsuhashi-kun, go back to your homework. This will take some time.”

“Are you okay, Yukimiya?”

“Hehe~ I’ll finish in an hour.”

An hour!? Just for that!?

“Alright, I trust you. The kettle’s surface will be hot, so only hold the handle. The instant coffee is over there. As for how much…”

“No problem.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah, leave it to me.”

“Thanks.”

For now, I left the kitchen to Yukimiya and went back to the living room.

My homework was almost done. Let’s finish this.

I spread out my worksheets and started working, using my notes and textbook.

Besides math, I still had English and science. No time to relax.

And the homework load per subject was huge. They expect it done in one day—prestigious school never gives breaks.

As I focused on my homework, Yukimiya sat on a small chair in the kitchen, watching me.

At first, I thought I was imagining it and ignored her… but her gaze became clearer over time. She really was watching me.

“What?”

“Ah. What?”

“You keep staring at me.”

“I’m not staring. You’re just too confident.”

She… ahem. Well, homework is more important now.

There was silence for a while.

But I could still feel Yukimiya’s interest in me every now and then.

“—You look like you’re struggling.”

“Yeah, at Kuroba, the homework was only half this much.”

“Ooh…”

…What is it? Looks like she wants to say something.

“I just want to say, don’t tease me. I’m trying hard okay.”

“No, that’s not it. I want to support people who try their best.”

She said that while nervously fiddling with her fingers.

Kind of strange… like she’s not herself. Not that I know her well, but still.

“What’s wrong? If there’s something you want to say, I’ll listen.”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just… since the day before yesterday, I feel like I’m the only one getting help…”

Getting help?

…Ah, I get it. Like cleaning or teaching housework. I do it because I want to, so she doesn’t have to worry.

“So, I was wondering if there’s anything I can help with…”

“Making coffee is enough.”

“But… you can do that without me.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true.”

Actually, making coffee with an electric kettle is pretty easy. Maybe that’s why Yukimiya didn’t look too satisfied—she gave me a sharp look.

Or… was that just her usual stare? I couldn’t tell. With Yukimiya, even a normal look felt intense.

“I’ve learned a lot from you, especially things I can’t do. But it can’t be one-sided. I want to give something back too.”

“So, the coffee…”

“Not that. I want to do something only I can do.”

Something only Yukimiya can do?

…No, I have no idea. I don’t know at all what Yukimiya is good at.

Something only Yukimiya can do… can do… can do… No, no! Since I’m a guy and she’s a girl, my immature thoughts started running wild. That’s not right, and if I ask for something like that, I could get social punishment. Damn, puberty fantasies are messing with me.

Shaking my head to clear those bad thoughts, Yukimiya turned her face away, blushing—probably embarrassed.

Hey, don’t make that face! It only makes me think worse things!

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I tried to act calm and leaned my head forward.

“Err… sorry. I can’t think of anything right now.”

“T-then… um, how about I help you study?”

“Study?”

I tilted my head again, surprised by the unexpected offer. I never thought she would suggest teaching me.

“Is that okay?”

“Yeah. I’m number one in school, you know? I think I’m the best person for this.”

“N-number one…!?”

I knew she was smart, but I didn’t realize she was at the very top.

“Ah, don’t misunderstand. I just don’t want to owe you anything.”

“Huh…?”

I didn’t see what could be misunderstood… but getting the chance to be taught by the top student is rare. No reason to say no.

“If you don’t mind, Yukimiya, I want you to teach me.”

“Alright. How about we start tonight?”

“Okay. I’m counting on you.”

This means we’ll be together late into the night… Uh, I started feeling a bit nervous. Spending the night with a classmate—especially a cute girl like her…

“…Eh? Wait, Yukimiya. Does this mean every day?”

“Of course. You help me with housework every day, so it’s natural I help you study every day too.”

“…Even Saturdays and Sundays?”

“Yeah.”

What about my privacy!?

That’s not a good idea, or rather, maybe we should respect each other’s private time…!

“R-really? Let’s take breaks on weekends, okay?”

“…Then what about the meals that day?”

“Eh… well, I’ll still make them.”

“Then I’ll keep teaching you.”

“Why!?”

"Well, you make food for me, so it’s not fair if only I benefit from this."

She’s too serious! You should just accept it!

When I was about to tell her, suddenly the kettle let out a loud noise.

“Kyaa…! That sound scared me… it’s so loud!”

“Oi, turn off the stove. That’s enough!”

“Ah, right!”

Yukimiya quickly turned off the flame.

The noise stopped, and calm returned. That must have annoyed the neighbors. Seriously…

Yukimiya poured the hot water into two prepared cups and handed one to me.

“Here, the coffee.”

“……Thanks.”

I felt like my suggestion to rest on weekends had been ignored—Blergh!?

*Bhogh! Ghogh! Ghogh!*

“What’s wrong? Cool it before you drink, geez… Here, tissue.”

“N-no…! How much coffee powder did you put in!?”

“Eh? How much...? About one centimeter from the bottom?”

“That’s way too much!”

This is way too bitter to drink! What happened to the ‘leave it to me’ you said earlier!?

“Ah, you’re overreacting. Coffee doesn’t change no matter how much you add. Hwek…!? *Ghogh, ghogh*!”

“See?”

It was fun seeing Yukimiya’s eyes watering. But more than that, I needed to do something about the bitter taste in my mouth.

For a while, we drank water and ate some chocolate from the fridge to get rid of the bitterness. Ugh, still bitter. How bitter is this coffee, really?

“Weird. Isn’t coffee supposed to taste better the more you add?”

“If you keep adding soy sauce to a dish, it’ll get too salty to eat. That’s the same.”

“Really?”

“…Sorry, my cooking metaphor was bad.”

I felt bad. There was no way Yukimiya, who never cooked, would understand that metaphor.

“Anyway, the important thing is the right amount. There’s a teaspoon—one spoonful is enough. If you like strong coffee or just want to stay awake, you can add two more spoons.”

“So just that much… I learned something.”

She wrote it in her notebook with some illustrations—pretty messy ones. But that showed how diligent, or rather, how serious she was… If I may say, that’s very Yukimiya.

“You remember how to use the stove and adjust the flame, right? If the flame is too high, food burns easily. So remember, controlling the flame is important in cooking.”

“I got it.”

Huff… Who knew just teaching how to use the stove could wear me out this much… I’m worried about what’s next.

“Next, we’ll learn how to hang clothes… This is easy. For shirts and stuff, use hangers. For underwear and small things, hang them on hangers with clips. Towels, just hang them directly on the clothesline.”

When we went from the living room to the balcony, the clothes I hung this morning were already there.

I showed her the clothes and explained, and Yukimiya nodded in response.

“I kind of get this. I always do it. But isn’t it easier to use a dryer?”

“Don’t you know? Some clothes shrink if you use a dryer. Well, if you’re in a hurry… maybe dryers are fine.”

“I don’t know. I’ve never used one.”

I see.

“Dryers are convenient, but if possible, it’s better to dry clothes outside. Clothes dried outside feel nicer to wear.”

Yukimiya muttered and stepped onto the balcony, stretching her neck to look inside the next room over the partition.

“…I can see it.”

“Yeah, because we’re neighbors.”

“You don’t think about stealing my underwear hanging outside, right?”

“Hya!?”

I smacked Yukimiya’s forehead. Seriously, what does she take me for?

…The accident the day before yesterday was just that—an accident. So I hope it’s not brought up again.

“Ouch! I’ll sue you for violence against women!”

“Stop it, seriously, that’s not funny.”

“Just kidding.”

If you’re kidding, please make it clearer! You scared me.

I quickly put on my apron after running back to the living room to escape Yukimiya—who glared at me while saying it was just a joke.

“It’s time, let’s make dinner. Tonight we’re having boiled fish.”

“Fish…?! I want Bream Fish, Bream Fish!”

“No way I can buy something fancy like that. Today we’ll make flounder. It’s easy, so come here.”

Yukimiya came back from the balcony and put her apron back on.

“But, is boiled fish easy to make? It sounds hard, and I don’t like it when the seasoning doesn’t soak in.”

“Fish won’t soak up seasoning no matter how long you boil it. The inside will stay white, right?”

“…True.”

“If you try to soak it in, the fat will all be gone and the fish will be dry. Once you get used to it, you can do it in about ten minutes, so remember that.”

“Okay, I understand. I’ll try my best.”

 

◆◆◆

 

After eating the boiled flounder, rice, miso soup, pickles, and lettuce salad, Yukimiya looked satisfied and clapped her hands together. She even dared to ask for seconds.

“Huff… Thanks for the meal.”

“Oh? How was it?”

“…Not bad.”

“You should be honest and say it was good.”

“I already said it was not bad.”

You really don’t need to act tough now, not after enjoying it that much.

Yukimiya wiped her mouth with a tissue, then stood and said, “Well.”

“I’ll check the laundry. After that, let’s study.”

“Hm? Oh, right. It’s not good to hang clothes outside at night, so it’s better to use the dryer. It’d be troublesome if people found out you’re a girl living alone.”

“Alright.”

I walked her to the door, and we went out together.

Yukimiya, wearing cute shoes, smiled a little and looked back at me.

“Well then, I’m off.”

“…See you later.”

I watched Yukimiya leave through the front door, then went back to do my homework alone.

…See you later, huh? It feels a little weird thinking about it again.

Feeling a bit shy, I focused on the homework in front of me.

After a while, Yukimiya returned with her own homework.

“Thanks for waiting. Let’s start. We’ll finish by 10 pm, so we need to be serious.”

“Ah, please go easy on me…”

Unconsciously, a tense smile appeared on Yukimiya’s face as she opened her notebook and wrote something.

What did she write? …‘Law of cause and effect’?

“Yatsuhashi-kun, you know the word ‘karma’, right? In short, what you do will come back to you. That’s what it means.”

“…Y-yeah, something like that.”

"You know earlier—when you yelled at me for making a mistake? That really hurt."

“You never look like that at all.”

You can’t know what’s in someone’s heart, right?

At that point, it was obvious she wasn’t really hurt. But I wasn’t smart enough to argue.

With a forced big smile, Yukimiya placed a ruler on her palm and made a *click* sound by hitting it.

"Now it’s your turn to suffer a little… prepare yourself!"

—Eek!

"Haa... Alright, let’s stop here for today."

"Uhh..."

Ugh, that was way harder than I imagined.

But thanks to her, I finished my homework... even though my brain felt like it was going to explode.

Resting my aching head on the desk, Yukimiya glanced at the clock and suddenly said, "Ah."

"It’s time. I should go home."

"Ah, already? Thanks for everything."

"What are you saying? I should be the one thanking you. We both benefit from this, don’t we?"

Even though she said it was mutual, I still felt like I was the one who got pushed around more. This was more than just returning a favor.

As I walked her to the door, Yukimiya turned around slowly.

...It looked like she wanted to say something.

"What’s wrong? Did you forget something?"

"...No, it’s nothing. Good night."

"Oh... Yeah, good night."

Yukimiya gave a small wave, and I waved back.

Until the door fully closed, she kept looking at me—like she was making sure I was still watching.

It made me feel a little funny. In a good way, of course.

Before doing the dishes, I stepped out onto the balcony to look at the sky. It was spring, but without a jacket, it still felt a bit chilly... Though, well, the breeze felt just right for my overheated head.

In these past three days, my life had changed so much. I never imagined I’d get this close to Yukimiya.

We weren’t friends. We weren’t classmates who just hung out. And of course, we weren’t lovers either.

If I had to describe it, maybe just... neighbors.

Yeah, that seemed to fit us best. A distance that felt just right.

*Creak*

"Hah... hmm?"

I heard the sound of a window sliding open from next door... ah, maybe she was letting in some fresh air.

"Humph, hum~ hooon♪ Lalalalaaa♪"

She was always in a good mood—singing with that pretty voice of hers... though maybe she should stop doing that with the window open. It might bother the neighbors.

...That said, this was the first time I heard her singing directly—not through the wall. Her voice came in loud and clear.

As I looked up at the moon and listened to Yukimiya’s voice, cherry blossom petals danced through the air, coloring the night sky.

Yeah... nights like this weren’t so bad either.

"Hang the towel on top, let’s hang it out~♪ And the shirt goes on the hanger~♪"

Haha, she’s surprisingly good at making parody lyrics.

Somehow, Yukimiya’s singing pulled me in, and I found myself listening closely. The lyrics were weird, but it felt like a concert held just for me... it made me feel relaxed.

Along with her singing, I could also hear the soft rustling of folding clothes. She was probably folding her laundry. That’s good. She seemed to be getting the hang of household chores pretty well.

"Panties and bra lalalalala~♪"

...Panties and bra? No way... was she talking about her own?

It suddenly came back to me. I had seen that sexy black underwear in her room. And that peach-colored bra I saw earlier too.

Then my mind went to her smooth stomach and that cute bellybutton...

I instinctively hunched over, distracted by the images popping into my head.

Damn it, what am I thinking...! I was just starting to feel relaxed!

Alright, I need to cool my head with the night breeze for a bit.

Leaning my arms on the balcony railing, I let the wind blow gently against my cheeks.

Ahh... that feels nice.

As I stood there spacing out, I heard a screen door slide open and—Yukimiya... ah.

"Ah!"

"Ah..."

Turning toward the voice, our eyes met. Yep, perfectly timed.

Yukimiya looked stunned. Her face slowly turned red, and her mouth moved silently like she was trying to say something.

"...I didn’t hear anything."

"That’s exactly what someone would say after hearing everything!"

Exactly right.

Yukimiya, clearly embarrassed, gave me a sharp glare and turned away, facing the night wind. She didn’t go back inside. Maybe she thought retreating now would mean she lost? ...Yeah, that’s probably how Yukimiya thinks.

Time passed without a word.

The silence was getting too awkward. I couldn’t take it anymore and tried to start a conversation.

"Err... your singing was really nice. I was surprised."

"...Of all things, you had to bring that up again, huh?"

"...Sorry."

"...Haa. No, it’s fine. You already heard it anyway, no point making excuses now."

When your stomach growled, you made so many excuses though. Well, maybe that and a song parody aren’t the same thing.

As if she didn’t care anymore that I heard her singing, Yukimiya leaned on the balcony railing and looked up at the sky.

"...My mom, she loved singing. She used to sing all sorts of songs, and we’d sing together. She even made up silly songs, and it always made me laugh."

"Whoa, your mom sounds amazing."

"Yeah, she really was..."

After that, Yukimiya fell silent. I instinctively stretched my neck to peek over the divider between us.

She hadn’t disappeared, just got lost in thought. Was she reminiscing about those times...? Or feeling sad? I couldn’t tell.

"Yukimiya...?"

"...Eh, ah. No, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it."

"...Alright."

It felt like she didn’t want me prying any further.

A few days ago, she said something similar. Don’t step into someone’s sensitive spots, and don’t let others step into yours either. That’s the kind of person Yukimiya is now.

Even though the mood was still a little awkward, she suddenly said, "Ah."

"More importantly, Yatsuhashi-kun. Friday is the day after tomorrow, right? You haven’t forgotten about the welcome party, have you?"

"Hmm, we’re all eating together in the student council room. Of course I haven’t forgotten."

The lunch menu was already planned. If I started prepping it tomorrow night, it’d be fine. I always make lunch, so I didn’t need to do anything special. But... since other people would see it, I’d have to make it look really nice.

...Wait, hold on. Lunch?

"By the way, Yukimiya, what are you doing for your lunchbox?"

"............"

From the other side of the divider, Yukimiya turned her face away—probably not wanting to meet my gaze.

Oi, don’t tell me...

"You’re not seriously telling me you haven’t thought about it, right...?"

"O-of course I have! ...I was planning to buy some ready-made food and transfer it into a bento box..."

Haa... I figured. That’s the worst-case answer I expected.

But people would immediately notice whether it was store-bought or not. And if that happened, the illusion of Yukimiya Hyouka—perfect and flawless—would come crashing down.

Hmm... guess I don’t have a choice.

"Want me to make one for you too?"

"Yes please!"

As I thought, she took the bait immediately. Easy to read, Yukimiya.

"Yeah, I always make lunch anyway. One more won’t make a difference."

Alright, since it’s decided, I’ll need to buy some extra ingredients.

But then, for some reason, she suddenly looked tense, coughed awkwardly, and pulled her head back behind the divider.

"Ah, but that’s not right. You’re already making me dinner, and now lunch too..."

"Don’t worry. It doesn’t make any difference effort-wise."

"But..."

"It’s fine. I’ll just calculate the lunch ingredients separately. That way it’s fair, right?"

Honestly, cooking for two is sometimes easier than cooking for one. I could even use the leftovers for my own lunch on weekends.

Peeking over the divider again, Yukimiya hesitated.

"Then... I’ll rely on you. Thank you so much..."

"Leave it to me. But don’t be picky, okay?"

"Don’t worry. The only thing I hate is natto."

"In that case, I’ll make you a full-course natto meal next time."

"Eh?"

"I’m kidding."

"Yatsuhashi-kun, I hate you. Hmph!"

Yukimiya stormed back inside with a pout.

Ah geez, did I really make her mad? That was supposed to be my way of thanking her for keeping me busy these past three days. Fufu... maybe I really should make her natto one day. It’s delicious, you know?

...Anyway... maybe because we’re separated by this divider, I feel like I can see a more honest side of Yukimiya than usual.

If we ever want to have calm conversations again in the future, maybe chatting on the balcony like this isn’t a bad idea...

Well then, I guess I should clean up the dishes and head to bed now.