kscans

Chapter 419 - Housewarming Gift

In the end, I had dozed off without realizing it. Jolted awake by my alarm, I scrambled to start my prep work, which took just under three hours.

While I was feeling satisfied with the rather lavish spread, Nia, who had been staring blankly at the dishes arranged on the table, began tapping away at her phone—

So, what, are you a chef?

Her eyes blinked, maintaining that dazed expression. I let out a stifled laugh at her extremely honest, or rather, pure reaction, and with the drinks prepared, my mission was complete.

"An apprentice at best. But I can guarantee it'll taste decent enough."

And what standard is that self-assessment based on?

My standard, huh. Well, for this particular menu, it would be Mr. Hayashi (thirty-seven, single), the owner of the Chinese restaurant where I used to work part-time.

I was originally just supposed to be short-term help, requested by a fellow part-timer, but for some reason he took a liking to me, offered me a great hourly wage, and I ended up working there for about a year.

He was a good-natured chef of flames. I wonder if he's still declared himself a bachelor.

Whatever, it looks delicious… but why Chinese?

"No reason, just felt like it."

That was a lie. We’d only just met, but I have a reliable informant now. When I asked about her food preferences, she told me in a flash.

By the way, I have zero know-how when it comes to her home country’s (Russian) cuisine, so I gave up and went with her second choice.

"Here, sit down and eat. Everything from one end to the other is all yours."

Do you think I’m some kind of monster???

Don't get mad. I'm well aware I got a little carried away and made too much.

—And so, after dinner.

"Why is it that everyone who visits my room takes over the sofa like they own the place?"

So far, the count is two out of three. In terms of potential, it’s not entirely impossible that Mitsueda-san could become like this too if we got super friendly… maybe.

I think the person who prepares a mountain of ridiculously delicious food is the one to blame, personally.

As I peered over the back of the sofa, half-teasing, Nia, who was sunk into the cushions as if she couldn't move another inch, dangled her phone and waved it back and forth.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Just for reference, which was your favorite?"

The sesame balls and the almond tofu.

"Straight to dessert, huh? Fine by me."

Let’s just chalk it up to her being a girl.

I can deal with the cleanup after Nia leaves, so what should we do now? She probably won’t be leaving with a quick “okay, bye” just yet—

Hey.

"Yeah?"

The screen of the phone she held up again showed just a single word, meant to get my attention. As I waited for her to continue, she typed out her words with the same incredible speed as always…

You talked to Hiyo-chan, didn’t you? What did she say?

She asked me this with a response time almost indistinguishable from a normal conversation.

"Oh my, whatever could you mean?"

Right, right. You weren’t trying to hide it, were you? You made my favorite foods without even asking, and there wasn’t a single thing I dislike.

"That’s not true at all. Oh, a master detecti—fwoboff."

I played dumb with a deliberately theatrical tone, and a cushion bomb came flying at me.

I caught the projectile with my face instead of dodging it. After moving it aside, the young lady sunk into the sofa had her cheeks puffed out, making her displeasure perfectly clear.

Well, yeah, I wasn't trying to hide it. The reason Mitsueda-san came to see me without telling Nia was almost certainly due to the embarrassment of being overprotective of her best friend.

I know she possesses a level of thoughtfulness far beyond my own. If she had intended to keep it a secret, she surely wouldn't have so readily given me the information when I prefaced my question by saying, 'I was thinking of whipping up some home cooking tonight.'

Not that I think she's overprotective or anything. It’s a precious and beautiful friendship between two girls; they can go on like that forever for all I care.

Tell me. Just say it. Spit it out, quickly.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it… but it wasn't anything major. She just said that since she's moving farther away and can't support you like she used to, she asked me to help you out with this and that. That's all."

Her expression when she told me that, so utterly sincere… well, I probably don’t need to reveal that part. I’d rather not have her corner me with a scary look on her face later for blabbing too much.

Besides—

"………………"

She and Mitsueda-san are like two sides of the same coin. This girl, still giving me a sidelong glare with a look of dissatisfaction, probably understands her best friend’s heart perfectly well too.

Truly, this is one matter where I have no role to play.

…By the way, did you two exchange contact info?

"…………Since I can clearly see where this is going, let me get ahead of you and say that I swear I won’t misuse the contact info of a beautiful, older illustrator just because I have it."

In fact, I can't even imagine what would fall into the category of 'misuse.' Let me be clear: this is not the time for that.

Do you get that, cause number one?

Along with a certain princess—I have my hands full just trying to face you two.

"So, what's the plan for today? I’m not going to tell you to just go home or anything."

Saying something like that out loud, however, was a scale of embarrassment that exceeded my tolerance.

It slips out so easily over there, in the virtual world… I really do think my emotional safety locks are looser over there compared to reality.

You’re not?

"You'd get mad if I did, wouldn't you?"

I wouldn’t get mad, but I would sulk.

"Isn't that pretty much the same thing?"

A mood and conversation no different from when we're interacting as our virtual avatars. As I thought, or rather, as I reconfirmed—I really do like this relationship.

…………………………No, correction.

I, probably, surely, most likely—

BUT!

The word, thrust before my eyes by a Nia who had sprung up with great vigor, interrupted my thoughts with a lively chime.

I’ll be heading home for today.

The words that followed were, if I had to say, unexpected.

When I asked with my eyes what had brought on this change of heart, she gave me a masterful expression that blended exasperation, pride, and a bold smile, and poked my stomach with her fingertips.

I just ate, you know. Stop that.

Y O U R C L O T H E S! You’re already a whole day behind because of yesterday’s party. If you slack off any more, they won’t be ready in time for the event, you know?

"…Ah… Ah, right. That's true."

It's not that I had completely forgotten—it's just that the endless pile-up of more pressing events and tasks had pushed it to a corner of my mind.

It's true that being stuck with my current 100% girly options is a problem. I’d like a stylish, cool outfit for my Trance form as soon as possible, if I can get it.

And so, I’m going home today.

"Yeah, got it… wait, your [Arcadia] rig is…"

Still at my old apartment. So for today, I’ll head back there. I’ll probably be moving in for real the day after tomorrow.

So she says, explaining that she just came by today to drop off some of her things. I thought she was nuts for showing up the day after she got the offer, but… if that's the case, well, it’s within the realm of reason.

"—So, are you really going to be okay?"

I told you not to worry. Look, Hiyo-chan says she’s already in the parking lot downstairs.

As I walked her to the door, I checked again, and she thrust her phone at me, showing the screen of a chat app.

At the bottom was a sticker of the character that looked like Mitsueda-san, jumping up and down with the message 'Arrived!' Hiyo-chan-san sure loves her stickers.

"Alright. Well, let me know if you need anything else."

Yeah, thanks. And thank you for dinner.

She gave a small bow and turned on her heel—or so I thought, but as if she had something left to say, she spun around in a full circle.

And then, for whatever reason, Nia opened her mouth and,

"…-…, …-…, …-…, …-…"

One, two, three, four syllables, she formed the soundless words.

Give me a break—if I hadn't been able to read that, it would have been a disaster.

"Yeah. Good night. See you later."

"...!"

Leaving behind a dazzling grin, this time she really did dash off. I watched her go, closed the door, and let out a breath, her smile inescapably burned into my mind—

"Every last one of them… In more ways than one, I wonder if a day will ever come when I can win."

As I pondered a future that seemed highly unlikely… I found myself, little by little.

Able to acknowledge the part of me that didn't mind this at all.