Chapter 2: Friend

The wooden fan on the ceiling of the elegant cafe was spinning slowly.

The menu on the table was handwritten in neat handwriting, the shelf in the corner was decorated with trinkets that looked very pleasing to the eye.

Aside from the ringing of the doorbell as customers arrived, no commotions could be found in this space.

Inside the shop, Akane was enjoying tea with Himari.

Their school bags placed at their feet, they were munching on scones with condensed cream and strawberry jam, and drinking strawberry flavored black tea. She was having the time of her life with her best friend.

But that peace was suddenly shattered by a question.

“Akane, you like Saito, don’t you?”

“……!?”

Akane spit out black tea from her mouth. She coughed loudly, and got her back stroked by Himari. It seemed that she was at the right point, so even her tears flowed.

“Are you okay?”

“I, I’m okay, but… what’s up all the sudden?”

“I just wanted to ask. What do you think about Saito?”

“I, I hold no thoughts for him! Especially nothing about me liking him! Actually, if he didn’t exist, I would hold the top grade in our class.”

“That so~”

“Why are you asking me that?”

Akane tilted her head. 

Himari lowered her head, holding the cup of black tea in her hands. From her lips came a whisper. 

“Me,… I… like Saito”

“Eh~……”

The unexpected words made Akane stiffen immediately.

She thought her friend was joking, but it didn’t seem to be the case. Himari was someone who always looked energetic, but today she looked like a different person. She was biting her lip while her ears were red. This was her first time seeing Himari like this.

“W, what’s so good about that guy?”

While Akane was still confused, Himari replied shyly.

“……Everything about him.”

“Don’t everyone hate him?”

“He has a lot of good points!”

“That so……Or are you being tricked by him?”

“I’m not being tricked!”

Akane was anxious to save Himari from Saito’s palm.

Ever since her freshman year, she was only ever annoyed by him, so she didn’t believe anyone would ever become interested in him. Worst of all, that person was her best friend.

“Saito, he’s really cool.”

As if becoming a bit serious, Himari pouted her lips.

“Cool……? Are your eyes damaged……?”

Akane is determined to find a good optometrist for her.

“My eyes are not damaged! I’m not talking about his looks, ah~, of course he’s also cool on the outside, but he’s even cooler inside.”

“Inside……?” 

Akane tried imagining something else lurking from within Saito’s shell.

“When I was preparing for the sports competition, I had a friend who collapsed from a heat stroke. Everyone was panicking because there was no teacher in the infirmary, yet Saito alone was calm.”

Himari put some sugar in her cup of black tea, then stirred it with a spoon.

“He quickly took that guy to a shaded place, asked some other students to take care of him, and even found a contact number for his parents to come pick him up…… Normally he was a calm, quiet person, but I felt like he was a prince at that instance, he was so cool~”

“……He’s just a haughty guy though?”

“That’s a good point of his~. He’s much more reliable than other boys.”

“Uhm……”

Somewhere deep inside Akane’s mind told her that it’s something she understood well.

Just like when Akane had a high fever, Saito wasn’t in a hurry at all. He calmly took care of her, then carried her like a princess to the hospital……She couldn’t deny the reliable feeling she had of him while she was swinging in his arms.

“I, have absolutely no confidence, so I admire someone with perfect confidence like Saito.”

“Admire……”

She also understood this.

The thorn in front of her, Saito, holding the top 1 ranking in the grade, was like a shining wall to Akane. The words she whispered to him during that high fever were not born from delirium. Ever since entering this high school, Akane’s goal had been to chase after that wall and smash it to pieces.

Himari raised her body from the table and spoke enthusiastically.

“After that~, after that~, Saito is gentle beyond imagination! He’s normally so cold, yet when I was sad, he noticed and came to ask ‘Are you okay?’ too! He even gives me candy sometimes! I don’t know why he brought it, but it was delicious~……”

While Himari was closing her eyes looking happy reminiscing, Akane flinched.

She knew, Saito was a caring person.

He even remembered her essay that even Akane couldn’t, and bought Akane a gift she liked. Although he was a sloppy guy, he wasn’t the type of man who trampled on other people’s feelings.

“Himari……you know a lot about Saito’s good points, don’t you?”

“Um!”

Himari gave a strong nod.

Himari had long known about Saito’s good points, those that Akane only learnt about after their marriage.

Akane lowered her gaze, feeling a little uncomfortable.

She didn’t understand why she was feeling upset with herself. It was as if there was a small thorn pricking inside her heart right now. Akane tried to drink it down with the black tea.

Himari covered her mouth with her hand to hide her voice.

“Besides, guys other than Saito keep gazing at my chest…..”

“Is that so!?”

Akane was startled.

“They keep on staring. When talking to other people, it’s social norms to look the other person in the eye, and yet those guys…~”

“That is not the problem! It’s sexual harassment! We have to gather those sexually harassing guys in the class and murder them!”

“If you do so then your crime will be worse than theirs, Akane!”

“You’ll come visit me, won’t you?”

Akane was prepared for some tragedy.

“If it comes to that, I’ll come visit you. But they’re boys, so it’s natural for them to look at girls’ breasts.”

“I have never been stared at before……”

Comparing her modest breasts with Himari’s, Akane felt complicated.

“However, Saito is different. He never looked at me with perverted eyes, he didn’t even give me a glance in swimming class. His gentlemanly side, how charming~!”

“That Saito isn’t such a gentlemanly saint……you’ll die in his hands if you’re defenseless.” 

“Die!? What will happen to me!?”

“That guy is well versed in the art of diversion, but he definitely does look at you lecherously! He definitely looks at you like he’s licking your whole body, Himari!”

That said, ever since Akane got married to Saito, she knew that he had never once touched her indecently on purpose.

There was also a time when she pretended to be asleep, to see if he would attack her, yet Saito didn’t turn to her, but read a book, drank water, then fell asleep. Not that Akane wanted to be sexually harassed, but being ignored hurt her pride.

That boy certainly had no sexual desires. Or maybe, due to being close to an extremely beautiful Shisei every day, his sense of beauty was ruined.

Himari whispered with rosy cheeks.

“Well, I don’t mind being seen by Saito.”

“You’re sincere, aren’t you?”

“Um.”

She nodded.

“Now what……”

Love talks existed in a different plane to her. Although she frequently watched romance TV series, for an Akane who used to think love had nothing to do with her, she could feel the wobble in her legs.

Himari was fidgeting with her fingers.

“That’s why……I think if I can get support from someone close to Saito like Akane, I’ll be happy.”

“I, I’m not close to him!”

“It would be better to say the distance between the two of you is very close. You are the person who talks to Saito the most aside from Shisei, Akane.”

“Rather, I was just quarelling with him, that can’t be counted as talking?”

“Please! Please support me so that Saito and I can become a couple!”

Himari clasped her hands together. 

“Erm…”

Akane swallowed her words.

There was no reason for her to refuse. Even though she was married to Saito, it was just an arranged marriage. Neither of them had a choice but to live together to fulfill their own dreams.

There was no love between the two of them.

Even though their relationship had been peaceful lately, but, as expected, there were still quarrels.

Also, since she couldn’t think of a future where she would come to like Saito, it would be better to let Saito have his own freedom in his love life.

Most of all, Akane didn’t want to see her best friend Himari get upset.

“I understand. I will help you.”

“Thank you~! I love you so much Akane!”

Himari happily flew to Akane’s place.

A really soft, comfortable hug.

Ever since the ol’ days, Akane would do anything to get her best friend’s hug.

“Specifically, what should I do? I don’t understand anything about love, so I don’t know how to help you.”

“First of all, I want to get more information about Saito! I want to know all about Saito, like what he likes, what he hates, what his hobbies are!”

Akane frowned.

“Because those things will help you get closer to the one you like…or so it seems, right?”

“Hmm~m……? Is that how it is…?”

“That’s right! Akane has a childish personality so you probably won’t understand”

“I, I’m not childish! I can eat spicy curry normally.”

“It’s childish to be proud of eating spicy food~. You have to go super spicy and beyond!” 

“S, super spicy is a bit……”

That was still too early for her.

Himari’s eyes shone with anticipation.

“Information about Saito, Akane must have a lot, right? You two talk with each other every single day.”

“Ara…?”

Asked by Himari, Akane realized for the first time.

That, even though they lived together, she herself knew almost nothing about Saito.

‎

‎

Saito was reading a book in the living room when he was startled sensing a murderous intent.

—What is this, this feeling……? Am I being watched by someone……?

He immediately turned around on the sofa and looked, but there was no one.

Silence returned to the living room. All he could hear was the sound of water dripping from the kitchen area across the counter. Maybe when Saito got some water earlier, the faucet was loosely closed.

—It’s troublesome, but let’s just leave it at that.

Just when he thought that and was about to go back to reading, that intense killing intent struck once more.

Saito had a bad premonition, so he got up and went to close the faucet properly.

He wanted to avoid angering Akane when she returned home and hearing her say ‘It wastes money you know!’. He wanted to enjoy the leisure atmosphere at home.

Saito once again returned to the sofa to read a book.

However, no matter how much time passed, that killing intent did not disappear.

Little by little, little by little, he felt it intensify. 

The murderous intent silently approached behind him, and Saito gathered all his resolve to turn around.

“……………………”

Akane was looking at him with the eyes of a murderer. Her hand gripped a pen whose tip was glinting with sharpness. 

“You, what are you doing……?”

“Never mind me, just go on with your life.”

Akane spoke in a voice that was completely devoid of emotion.

“How the hell can I not mind you!”

“Don’t mind it, your job is to carry on as usual.”

“What the hell do you mean by ‘your job’!”

“You just have to act like a professional monkey in a zoo, they do not feel ashamed when being looked at by many guests and still live a normal life. You need to have the pride of those professional apes.”

“I am not a professional monkey!”

“So an amateur monkey, then?”

“But I’m not a monkey!”

Saito felt unsafe so he left the living room.

—This girl, did she try to assassinate me by stabbing the pen on the back……?

That’s what he thought, and the possibility was definitely not zero.

The slight relief from their new closer distance relationship was only his own imagination. Akane was just pretending to be gentle to let Saito let his guard down around her.

—A strategist huh……!

This house was indeed a battlefield. Provided a slight opening, his head would happily depart from his necks.

Saito tightened his guard again.

It was impossible to be defenseless in the common space, so he locked himself inside his own room. Of course, he didn’t use it to study, but locked it carefully and immersed himself in the book he liked.

But still, that murderous aura. 

Saito immediately looked around the room.

Akane was not here.

He checked under the table and inside the closet, but there was definitely no Akane. Ever since moving into the house, even while cleaning, the thoughts of going into Saito’s room never crossed her mind.

However, the killing intent had not disappeared.

Akane, was watching.

—So, where was……?

While Saito didn’t know what to do, he directed his gaze out the window.

Then he saw Akane standing in the street, using binoculars to spy inside Saito’s room.

Even though she had carefully put the hood over her eyes, covering her mouth with a scarf, it was pointless, she was only raising more suspicion for herself. He could still see her hair tied in a ribbon.

Wordlessly, Saito closed the curtain.

—I’m being stalked by my wife, so what can I do!?

That was what he could say to the police, but he didn’t think he would be welcome at the police department at all. First of all, he didn’t even know if she was actually stalking him or not.

He thought he had come to understand Akane’s feelings a bit, but that was purely arrogance on his part.

—I will never be able to understand this girl!

Saito thought, and dinner time quickly arrived.

“What’s wrong? Eat it quickly or it will get cold.”

Akane hurried him, but she didn’t even touch her food. Instead, she was pointing her smartphone’s camera towards Saito.

“……Are you filming me?”

“Yes, I’m filming you.” 

“Let’s talk about photography privacy laws.”

“This is a home video. The law has no place to interfere.”

“Are you recording my last dinner!? Then send that video as evidence of assassination to a shady intelligence agency right!? And some money will be transferred to your account, right!?”

Saito fell into a conspiracy theory pitfall born from distrust.

Akane put her smartphone down on the table and frowned.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying. Are you okay?”

“I don’t understand what you’re aiming for either!”

“It’s fine if you don’t understand. Just eat. I have to measure how many times you blink while eating.”

“Could it be, you were watching me the whole time……? For what reason……?”

“That…err……”

Akane averted her gaze as if embarrassed.

“Even if Saito’s mouth were cut open, I wouldn’t say why!”

“Why would my mouth be cut?”

“Now now, do you truly want to learn why……ufufu.”

He was afraid of that dark smile of hers. Saito wields a knife and fork in a fighting stance.

Maybe she was done with filming or whatever, but Akane also started eating her hamburger dinner. She sliced ​​open the hamburger as if it was Saito’s mouth, then put it in her own mouth and chewed.

A suffocating silence. Saito couldn’t even taste the food going down his throat.

When he somehow used water to push the hamburger down, Akane broke the silence.

“……You, you like big breasts, right?”

“!?” 

Saito suspected mishearing her.

“B, breasts…? What is your intention asking something like that……?”

Akane’s cheeks burned hot.

“There is no deep meaning. It’s just a small talk!”

“How can it be considered small talk when you ask such a shocking question!”

He had no other choice but to complain.

Akane let out a sigh.

“So, let me change the question. From A to Z, which cup size do you prefer?”

“There’s no difference from before! And there’s no Z cup in this world!”

She’s talking about breasts like she was talking about weapons.

Saito hesitated to reply.

Perhaps it would be the correct choice to say that he liked Akane’s size, which might restore his wife’s mood and make the atmosphere normal again.

However, there was a risk that she would become extremely angry saying ‘So you were looking at me with those perverted eyes?’.

Moreover, if he said he liked a size smaller than Akane’s, he would probably be looked at with scornful eyes, a ‘lolicon’, and if he said that he liked a larger size, he would be seen as a dirty ‘mothercon’.

—I…what should I do……in this situation……~!?

Saito held his head faced with a sudden dilemma.

“Indecisive indeed. If you’re a man, make a definitive decision.”

Akane looked at Saito writhing on the table as if looking at a pile of trash. As a result of his careful pondering, he earned some significantly negative points from her.

“Then can you answer immediately!?”

Saito glared at Akane. 

“I like those with the same size as Himari’s. They give you a sense of security when your head is wrapped by them.”

“Kuh~…, since you’re a girl, you can say whatever you want and it still won’t be sexual harassment huh!”

If a boy like Saito said the exact same thing, Akane would smash this table, tell Himari about it, and then the rumor would spread throughout the school, ensuring his social death.

“Erm……Then……Saito, what kind of girls do you like?”

“Huh……?”

Another unexpected question, with danger levels about the same as the previous ‘what breast size you like’ question.

Akane wasn’t the type to talk about love, moreover, she wouldn’t talk about it with Saito. Because there was no such thing as love between the two of them.

However, the current Akane was blushing and not meeting Saito’s eyes, but waiting for an answer. She put her hand on her thigh, her body fidgeting as if she were embarrassed.

—Is she interested in me……?

‘No, that can’t be the case’ Saito brushed away the thought that flashed through his mind for a moment.

Akane alone would never have such a thought. Saito and Akane were natural enemies. He never forgot their two years of war during highschool.

“About that……I don’t have any particular interests……”

“So, as long as it’s a girl, you’re fine with it.”

“The way you say it is so misleading!”

“Then you’re even fine with non-humans? Like guppies, for example.”

“I definitely don’t see guppies as attractive females!”

Akane raised her eyebrows.

“That’s rude of you. You hurt the guppies’ feelings.”

“How the hell did I hurt their feelings!” 

“They give superficial smiles to pretend to be strong on the outside, but in reality, they are really fragile.”

“We are talking about fishes, are we not?”

Saito had lost his confidence. He knew it wasn’t nice of him to discriminate, but it was difficult to put himself in the guppies’ shoes.

“So, what do you like to eat?”

“Food preferences? Steak, or sushi for example. Oh, and I also like seafood sushi with lots of salmon roe on top.”

“You eat some fancy food despite being a student.”

“I can’t eat those by myself though? The only chances I get to eat those is when my grandfather invites me for a meal.”

His grandfather couldn’t be underestimated. Despite his age, he had much more of an appetite than his grandchild. Whenever he stepped into the restaurant, he instantly ordered 500g of steak and finished it in an instant

“You’re pretty close with your grandfather.”

“We’re not close. I can’t refuse even if I wanted to.”

“So basically, you really like it, don’t you?”

Akane narrowed her eyes and teased him.

“That’s a terrible thing to say. I was completely reluctant to get dragged around by my grandfather. After my elementary school graduation ceremony, I wanted to read books but I was suddenly dragged onto a helicopter……”

“……And get killed?”

“I’m alive and kicking here, thank you very much! I was kidnapped to the mansion, and was even forced to attend a party to celebrate my graduation.”

“I feel like you’re just flaunting your grandfather’s love!”

“Love my ass……that party lasted one week straight, I had zero time to read a book……”

Saito shivered as he recalled those unbearably boring days.

He felt it was a waste of time forced to talk to children who were his grandfather’s acquaintances or subordinates.

—Ah, but……it was actually pretty fun at the time. 

There was a cute girl, with long hair that suits her.

She was someone that he fell for at first sight, and she was the only one with whom he spoke unreservedly.

Her gestures, posture, scent, shy expressions, her echoing voice all made his heart skip a beat.

And maybe the feeling was mutual, as she always gave him an angelic smile.

However, he forgot to ask her name.

Where was she now, what was she doing?

Their time together was still too short to call it love, just a little childhood crush.

“hmm~……I see. ‘Hate his grandfather’.”

Akane was taking notes. And she was using the pen that Saito had misinterpreted as a weapon earlier this noon.

Although its purpose was unknown, it really seemed like Akane wanted to know more about Saito. That didn’t bother Saito.

“More questions, then. What kind of steak do you like?”

“Rare.”

Akane’s pen was gliding through the page.

“Like, meat, raw, rare.”

“Not raw.”

Although rare steak looked red in general, it had been properly grilled with fire.

“What do you like to use it with?”

“Fried garlic, for example. The kind that’s not too crunchy.”

“With raw garlic.”

“I told you it’s not raw.” 

This might mean Akane intended to make something that Saito liked. Since it’s Akane, the finished product would definitely be a delicious dish.

Saito felt his mouth water.

‎

‎

In a corner of the classroom, Akane reported the results of her investigation back to Himari.

“I know the kind of girls Saito likes.”

“Really!? Tell me, tell me!”

Himari inched closer to her with a happy expression.

“It seems Saito doesn’t like girls who look like guppies.”

“Guppies……Is that a tropical fish?”

Himari blinked.

“Right. He said he doesn’t see them as women.”

“What is a guppy-like girl?”

“I’ve tried to research, and it seems that the characteristic of guppies is a healthy body along with high fertility.”

“Perhaps he doesn’t like sexy women~……?”

“Maybe…?”

Both of them tilted their heads. A boy’s heart was hard to understand.

“Also, it seems Saito likes raw meat.”

“Raw meat!? He’s wilder than I thought!?”

“Looks like he likes raw garlic, too.”

“That’s pretty wild……I thought he was the intellect type, but he also has a wildness running inside him……I see~” 

Himari muttered as if brooding.

“Why do you look so happy even though he’s so different from what you imagined?”

“Because, I now know things that I haven’t known about Saito before. It feels like I’m getting closer to Saito-kun, and that makes me happy!”

“That so…”

Anyway, seeing her best friend happy made Akane happy too. It made her want to give her friend even more information.

“Saito’s hobbies are reading books and playing games. Before he sleeps, he also reads a book in bed.”

“In bed……? Why do you know him so thoroughly?”

“Ah~……”

Akane covered her mouth. She just made a terrible mistake. She would be suspected of sleeping in the same bed, revealing that they’re husband and wife.

“E, erm, that~……I heard so while Saito was talking to Shisei……”

“That’s why~”

Himari was convinced by her stuttering explaining.

“I wonder what kind of games he likes?”

“Horror games……The kind where you use guns to take down zombies and ghosts, it’s full of gooey, sticky stuff……what terrible hobbies……Even with headphones on, the terrible sound still leaks out……”

Akane clenched her fist.

“That sounds like a very real hands-on experience, doesn’t it?”

“Ah~erm, it’s just horror is a genre I despise! I think it’s better to play cute educational games! Yup, it’s just that! No deeper meaning to dig into!”

“It’s just that~”

Himari nodded.

Akane let out a heavy breath. She didn’t have problems providing her friend information, but there’s a scary chance she might reveal something she shouldn’t be revealing, talking about Saito.

Himari grabbed Akane’s hand.

“Thank you! This information is all useful for me!”

“Is this much okay?”

Akane felt uneasy because she didn’t know if this helped her or not.

“Yup! I will try going to the game center to play some zombie killing games! Then it will definitely be easier to talk to Saito!”

“I don’t think you should play horror games……You’ll be cursed.”

“I won’t be cursed from playing something like that! But anyways, thank you very much!”

Himari happily returned to her seat.

Akane felt relieved, and prepared for the next class.

She took out her textbooks and notebooks and placed them on the table, then checked the leads of the mechanical pencil. She had prepared well the previous day, but had to reread the scope of today’s lesson. In order to defeat the seemingly invincible enemy – Saito – she must give her all to her studies.

“I want to trade with Akane.”

She heard a voice and looked up to see Shisei beside her. She placed both hands gently on the table and looked up, just like a small animal like a squirrel or a rabbit.

“Deal……? What kind?”

“I’ll give you Bro’s information, so I want Akane’s homemade bento as a reward.”

Shisei was currently drooling. 

“P, perchance, did you hear what we talked about just now?”

Akane stuttered. It would be awkward for her if Shisei told Saito that Himari wanted Saito’s information.

“……?”

Shisei tilted her petite head. It seemed her worries were excessive.

“If it’s about Bro, Shise knows everything. The things he likes, the things he hates, his writing habits, his weaknesses, and the taste of his sweat too.”

“Wait a minute, why do you even know the taste of his sweat?”

“Because I lick him a lot.”

“A lot!?”

“Just enough to replenish the salt in my body. It actually fits my taste pretty well.”

As if recalling, Shisei’s stomach let out a cute ‘grr~’ sound.

—Saito would be eaten by Shise-san at some point, wouldn’t he?

Akane shuddered at the thought. She wanted to avoid seeing cannibalism.

“I don’t need any information about Saito though?”

“Bro discussed it with Shise. He said ‘There is someone who wants to know more about me… I wonder why?’. Isn’t that, about Akane?”

“W, why me……”

“I know that much. Because Shise and Bro understand each other. Akane, are you curious about Bro’s backstory?”

“Huh, huh!? Nothing of the sort!”

Akane felt her cheeks grow hotter.

“Bro even said that he was stalked by that girl. He said it with a smug face.”

“I wasn’t stalking him! I was just……”

She was about to say something, but stopped herself. She was upset at being misunderstood, but she couldn’t leak the fact that she was gathering information for Himari’s sake.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed. Bro is a good person, it’s only natural for you to pay attention to him.”

“I told you I’m not stalking him~!!”

Akane swore in her heart that she would let Saito have it when she got home.

Akane was walking in circles in the kitchen in the house.

He saw her wearing an apron over her uniform, with her slender arm peeking out from the sleeves that she rolled up.

“I’ll prepare dinner, so Saito, clean the bathroom and change the trash bag.”

“Understood. And what’s on today’s menu?”

“It’s fish.”

“Fish……”

When Saito let his shoulders down, Akane frowned.

“Is there anything you want to complain about?”

“No complaints, I’m just thinking about when we’ll have steak.”

“I’m not making steak though?”

“And yet you asked me how I like the steak cooked!?”

Saito was shocked.

“……Could it be, were you expecting me to make you some steak?”

“I was! You even asked me for the details of side dishes I enjoy having with steak, so I thought you were going to make something I liked.”

“Eehh…So that’s what’s going on……Well~, having someone desiring your food isn’t unpleasant……”

Akane brought her hand to her mouth and mumbled. Her cheeks were dyed pale pink.

“Eh?”

“N, nothing at all~!”

Akane waved her hand to clear the awkward atmosphere.

She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at Saito.

“You actually have a childish side that I didn’t expect.”

“I’m not childish.”

“You are. You are even feeling disappointed when I’m not making the food you like. A~ah, what a pitiful boy.”

She giggled as if teasing him.

“kuh~……”

Saito felt his body heat up. He was annoyed seeing Akane all smug. He was at a disadvantage when it came to food because Akane’s cooking was just that good.

Akane turned around, humming, and took her apron off.

“It can’t be helped then. I’ll take the ‘responsibility’.”

“Responsibility……?”

Akane pointed at the confused Saito.

“Since you’re undeniably lusting after my food, I’ll go buy the ingredients for the steak now! Be grateful for that!”

“Now? If that’s the case, let me go buy it for you.”

“Wouldn’t you mistake steak with toilet paper?”

“You are underestimating me too much! I at least know the difference between meat and paper!”

A wrinkle appeared in the middle of Akane’s forehead.

“I don’t trust you……Remember, you’re the one who called protein edible food or something…”

“Protein is food.”

Saito wouldn’t give in on that front.

“Just wait a minute. I’ll go buy some and return right away.”

“In that case, I will go too. It’s already dark, it’s dangerous for a girl to go out alone at this hour.”

“Huh, huh? Why are you suddenly treating me like a girl, what are you planning?”

Akane was wary.

“I’m not planning anything here. I’m worried for the steak, I’d feel miserable if it doesn’t come back.”

“You worry more about steak than me? How badly do you want steak!?”

“I’m dying for some.”

“Mou~……Then do whatever you want.”

Even though she said those curt words, there seemed to be a smile on Akane’s face.

Saito and Akane walked out the door. Saito locked the door, while Akane carefully checked that the door was locked by turning the doorknob several times.

The residential area was filled with a familial atmosphere after the sun had gone down.

No one was in traffic, but he could hear cooking, and family conversations from nearby houses. The smell of the food again stimulated Saito’s empty stomach.

“I, I really enjoyed this period of time.” 

“Why?”

“It gives me a light and fluffy feeling, or rather, it feels nostalgic. It reminds me of the time when I was still a child looking forward to the dinners that my mother made.”

Akane said, and she looked happy.

“……Really. I don’t like it at all.”

“Why?”

“This is a world that has nothing to do with me.”

“What do you mean?”

“No idea.”

Saito shrugged.

“Answer it properly. I’m asking you.”

“Are you interested in me?”

“N, no interest in you! Absolutely not!”

Akane turned away.

—I, I want to know a little more about you.

Saito whispered in his heart.

That was what he discovered after Akane’s fever. It felt like he was holding a book with the pages glued shut, and he wanted to read it more.

It was a farcry to call his feelings goodwill, but his desire to know more about her wasn’t born from malice. Right now, he thought it was interesting that Akane enjoyed the family time.

—Well~, I can’t exactly tell her that, can I?

If he said ‘I want to know more about you’ when the two had been natural enemies for such a long time, the mood would definitely sour. He might even scare her into fleeing into her own room and barricading herself in there.

The two of them left the residential area along the busway, and walked in the heat of the exhaust fume into an alley.

There were people lurking about. They had  hoods over their heads, and held a strange looking luggage bag. These people would pass as ‘normal’ looking in broad daylight, but at night, they look nothing but suspicious.

In front of the supermarket’s parking lot, there was a guy smoking a cigarette. His tank top revealed a muscular body, with an untidy beard. There was a no-smoking sign nearby, yet he showed no sign of caring about it.

—As expected, nighttime policing is bad.

Getting involved with people like this was a waste of time. When Saito was about to avoid the man and entered the supermarket,

“Doesn’t this place have a sign saying ‘no smoking’? Do you not know how to read!?”

Akane was arguing with him with all her might.

“Wai~…”

Saito tried to stop her, but Akane had none of it.

“Ah? What’s your deal, kid?”

She pointed her finger at the grumpy man.

“Cigarettes are not only bad for the smoker, but the smoke also affects the people around it! This place has a lot of customers bringing their children along, what are you thinking!? Put the cigarette out right now!”

“Children talk and babble! Do you want to be killed?”

He rolled his eyes, then spat.

“I, I am not afraid of your barbaric death threats!”

Akane glared back at him.

Saito thought that she also used those same barbaric threats, but kept his mouth shut. His mind wandered back to the line ‘If you tell our classmates about our marriage, I will kill you’ that Akane whispered a deadly serious expression.

“My smoke, my business, not yours!”

“Industrial waste has no business being here, go bury yourself under a volcano!”

He was furious, as if he wanted to throw his fist out right now.

Akane did not take a step back, bravely clenching her fist.

But her knees were shaking. In fact, she was dead afraid.

As expected of Akane, for the sake of justice, she deliberately plunged herself into danger. She jumped straight into the argument despite their differences in physique, and no guarantees that she would come out unscathed. Rather, it seemed like she didn’t plan that far ahead yet.

—What a reckless person.

There would be bloodshed at this rate so Saito stepped in.

“Both of you, calm down. And you, stop forcing your rules on others like that.”

He grabbed Akane’s shoulder to pull her back.

“Are you on this guy’s side too!?”

“I’m not on his side. I’m just saying there’s a better way to say all of this.”

“What’s wrong with calling garbage, garbage?”

“I told you to stop saying that.”

Saito flicked Akane’s forehead.

“Ah……”

Akane cupped her forehead with both hands and stepped back. Then she glared at Saito with hateful eyes.

“Y, you hit me…!…I’ll pay it back a hundred million times later……”

“Okay then, wait until we get home.”

Saito was already mentally preparing for death after returning home.

A flick on a forehead didn’t hurt to the point of causing pain, but multiplying it by a hundred million times would most likely result in death.

The man glared.

“You ignore me after antagonizing me, and now you’re flirting right here? Are you looking down on me now?”

“Th, there’s no flirting here! I’m also not looking down on you~! We don’t have that kind of relationship!”

The way Akane acted flustered looked strange, but now wasn’t the time to worry about that.

Saito immediately grabbed the guy’s fist that was squeezed tight.

“What are you doing……”

“It’s shaking hands, shaking hands. It’s an act of reconciliation. By the way……”

He pulled the man closer, then looked directly at him.

“If you touch this girl, you, your family, and everything around you will be ruined.”

He grinned, as if it wasn’t a joke.

The Houjou Corp was more than just an influential company. It had a tradition of usurping those who went against its interests, and its current boss, Tenryuu, had also taken some drastic actions before. Ever since he was a child, he was taught by his grandfather things that not even his father knew.

Saito’s message must have conveyed it clearly.

“……~!”

The man harshly brushed off Saito’s hand, threw the cigarette on the ground, and left.

“You forgot your stuff. Also, failure to properly extinguish the cigarette will result death penalty or forced labour for the rest of your life.”

“Shut up chatty idiots!”

He turned around to extinguish the cigarette with his heels, and finally walked away this time.

Walking inside the supermarket, Akane pouted.

“Just a little more and I can knock that thug out! You shouldn’t have done anything, Saito!”

“Sorry then! I jumped in because I saw someone shivering!”

“I, I didn’t tremble! I didn’t need your help!”

The face that stubbornly turned away was burning hot.

The Saito who chased away that thug had an alluring charm.

He had a sense of authority that could break an opponent just as the rumours said.

It was completely different from the atmosphere when he argued with Akane.

The opponent had more physical strength than him, but was swallowed by Saito’s aura and had to run away.

—Isn’t that……a really cool point of his as well.

She was upset at herself for feeling that way.

She couldn’t say thank you.

Because if I said it out loud, it felt like I’d given up.

Instead…

“Today’s steak, I’ll give it my all!”

Akane raised her fist.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

His look of anticipation tickled her.

She was reluctant to tell Himari about how Saito was unexpectedly reliable today.

But even she didn’t understand why she didn’t want to tell her friend about it.

When they returned home and entered the living room, Akane requested Saito.

“Sit in seiza, there.”

“Seiza……? But why……?”

“Payback for that forehead flick earlier. I told you I would pay you back 100 million times.”

“So you were being serious about that?”

Saito shivered.

“Of course. I always keep my debts, by the way, the interest rate is 100 million percent per day.”

“You’ll destroy the universe just to pay me back?”

If he tried to delay this punishment, the interest rate would drive the repayment up exponentially, so it would be better if he settled it here and now. Saito braced himself and sat down on the sofa.

Akane rolled up her sleeves and approached Saito.

“Close your eyes, it will probably destroy your eyeballs.”

“Please don’t flick my forehead to the point of destroying my eyeball.”

“It’s okay, hora.”

Akane readied a forehead flick. He could see her arm shaking, as the strength of her entire body was being poured into it.

Saito quickly closed his eyes.

He felt Akane’s presence approaching with a breeze.

“Oi~”

And he felt a small force on his forehead.

When Saito opened his eyes, he saw Akane looking at him with a mischievous smile on her face.

“Why are you shaking so much? It didn’t hurt that much, did it?”

“……I did not shiver.”

Saito felt embarrassed since he took on a defensive stance.

“You’re shivering, trembling with your teeth chattering, clacking, and your tears and sweat are all pouring out.”

“That’s exaggerated!”

“There is no exaggeration. Just when I was thinking you were a bit reliable, Saito is still Saito huh.”

Akane nodded as if satisfied, then started preparing dinner.

In the meantime, Saito was in charge of the housework.

He cleaned the bathtub that was too big compared to a normal family’s bathroom with a sponge, then filled it with hot water. He also washed the toy duck that Akane always brought with her.

He also changed the trash bags of the trash cans around the house like their bedroom and their personal rooms. Akane was running around with a knife in the kitchen, so it was dangerous, and he decided to leave it there for later.

Doing housework right after returning from school was tiring back when they were just married, but he had now gradually gotten used to it. If Saito played games when Akane was working, there would be a ‘lover’s’ spat, so him working at the same time as her would be a safer choice.

Finally, the food was placed on the table.

Steak fillet, seafood paella, along with a mysterious soup that he didn’t know the name of. Oil and water was sizzling, and hot steam rised in the kitchen.

That appetite-inviting scent made Saito drool.

“So professional.”

“Since I got serious, this much was a piece of cake! Hora, now eat!”

Akane was observing Saito’s reaction.

Saito clasped his hands together, then picked up his knife and fork. He was often taken by his grandfather to eat at high-class restaurants, so table etiquette was beaten into his body.

He put the knife on the steak to find that the meat easily accepted the knife . He cut the steak into bite-sized pieces and brought it to his mouth.

In contrast to the deliciously grilled outer layer, the meat inside was as soft as jelly. When bitten, the juicy flavor of the meat spread all the way to the throat.

The food was delicious to the point he could feel his jaw drop. The rich, delicious taste made his empty stomach growl. His entire body was screaming at him to give it more and more meat.

“……Crap”

“Is it that bad!? Bad to the point you’d compare it to manuret!?”

Akane bursted into tears.

“No, I meant in that good sense.”

“You mean you want to vomit in a good sense!?”

“How does one vomit in a good sense?”

“I don’t know either!”

“I at least don’t feel any ‘good sense’ about vomiting……but we’re in the middle of a meal, let’s stop this topic.”

“Weren’t you the one who started it!”

“No, you started it, didn’t you!?”

“You’re so stubborn!”

“Have you looked in the mirror?”

Both of them glared at each other.

When he was about to praise her cooking, it turned into a quarrel. Well, it was to be expected, since they were natural enemies. Communication never went smoothly between the two of them.

Akane looked annoyed as she sighed.

“Anyway, you can throw up, but eat whatever you throw up later. I worked hard to cook it, and now it’s all cold.”

“How can I eat what I vomited? I will eat it normally, thank you very much.”

Saito peeked at  the seafood paella.

He scooped up a large spoonful of rice and the paella and brought it to his mouth.

He felt the tenderness of the squid as his teeth dug into the meat. As he chewed it apart, it was as if the ocean’s tide were washing over him.

The rice grains carried the smooth feeling of olive oil, filled with the sea’s extracts. Not only that, there were some other diced meat, mixing really well with the aroma of the pepper.

“This is……”

Saito placed the diced meat on the spoon and stared at it.

“I tried putting the diced beef from the curry in it. Since you like steak, I thought you’d be happier if I also put beef in the seafood.”

“……So that’s what this is.”

Her concern of suiting his tastes made him satisfied. Although his grandfather had taken him to eat Paella in the restaurant before, it was filled with ingredients that he was not satisfied with.

However, Akane’s Paella was different. It wasn’t a convenient food aimed at satisfying the masses, but something that was tailor made for Saito’s tastes.

“And what is this soup?”

Saito looked down at the yellow soup.

He shivered when he saw it was so mushy, there was a red vegetable floating in the middle of the swamp-looking soup that looked like it would melt his brain.

“It’s Aho soup.” Chef John’s Spanish Garlic Soup (Sopa de Ajo) | Allrecipes

“Aho……what?”

“It’s Aho soup. When I went online to look for a soup that would go well with Paella, I found its recipe. Maybe if you eat it, you’ll actually become stupid.” (Aho is dumb in Japanese, ie: aho girl)

“That kind of thing won’t happen……”

“If I let Saito drink this, his brain will surely regress to something like a plankton. And the top position of the grade will go to me!”

Akane said bluntly.

“Come on, drink. Drink the whole thing. Drink it all up!”

She ordered him with sparkling eyes. It seemed she wanted Saito’s intelligence to drop.

Saito thought that something like a bowl of soup couldn’t have such an effect, but he couldn’t read Akane’s intentions. He was wary of the possibility that it might have been poisoned, as he sipped the soup.

Signs of poison……no.

The feeling of intellectual decline……also not found.

The mushy thing he saw was the soft bread. Its texture was almost similar to dry bread. It was held together by beaten eggs, similar to ojiya. (Zosui – Wikipedia) The sweetness of the vegetables mixed well into the soup with chopped bell peppers to add a touch of sourness.

Steak and Paella were texturally tough dishes, so the soup was a great side dish. The more he drank, the warmer his body felt.

“This, you put garlic in, didn’t you?”

“Correct. Since you said you liked garlic as a side dish, I chopped up plenty and put it in.”

Saito recalled the contents of the dictionary he had read in his spare time.

“In that case, Aho soup means garlic soup. In Spanish, garlic is called Aho.” (Well, no, it’s ‘ajo’, but the author kept using アホ, so I have no clue)

“Wha~……Of, of course  I know about it! How could I not know the meaning of its name!”

“Bulshit. You were really aiming to lower my intelligence, weren’t you?”

“How could I do such a thing? I just teased you since I know the meaning! And you actually believed me there! A~a, how shameful~!”

While shrugging, Akane’s face turned red from embarrassment.

Saito choked when he saw that she was so flustered, but if he laughed it would be adding fuel to the fire so he tried his best to hold back. However, maybe he accidentally showed a smile or whatever, Akane was glaring at him annoyed.

Saito cut the steak and dug in, then enjoyed Paella with a mouthful of seafood, and savored the rich flavor of garlic in the Aho soup. A menu that ignited his body.

“……Can you eat the whole thing without vomiting?”

Akane asked him as she looked worried.

—You really are……

‘An idiot’ – was what Saito was about to say before he held it in.

If he said that, Akane would surely get angry again.

Because of the abundant hostility, they weren’t able to convey any of their good feelings.

Because the two of them were natural enemies.

The only way for Akane to understand his gratitude was for him to speak his words of praise honestly. He wasn’t good at doing that, but

Saito took a deep breath, braced himself, and spoke.

“……Everything on this table, is absolutely delicious.”

“Eh……You want to throw all the food on the table in the trash because it’s so messy……?”

Akane shivered.

“Are you trying to mishear me? I said it was delicious! Better than food made by a professional chef! These are some really great dishes!”

“I can’t believe it……You are complimenting me……Eh~!? Is it a trap……?”

 Akane picked up the knife and fork. She made a dual wielding pose like a samurai. Her killing intent was merciless.

“What trap? Honestly, this is on the level that I want you to cook for me every day!”

As Saito poured his soul out for his praises, Akane became flustered.

“What, what, …. this is like you’re saying ‘Please marry me’ ……”

“N, no… I don’t mean it….. Also we’re already married ……”

Realizing that his words were just like the Showa era proposals ‘Make miso soup every day for me’, Saito cringed hard. Even he was horrified at his own words.

“Y, you finally realized how talented I am. Ehehe……”

Seeing Akane fidgeting and looking embarrassed, his complaints disappeared into thin air.

Akane rose from the table with determination.

“Understood! With my masterful cooking skills, I’ll make as many dishes as you want! Anything else you want me to cook? I’ll feed you to your heart’s content tonight!”

Due to being praised, becoming happy, and then losing control, she didn’t seem to even realize that she was so close to Saito.

With her eyes sparkling, her cheeks dyed like a strawberry, Akane forced Saito to stare at her cuteness. He felt the sweet scent from her making his heart beat faster.

Whenever she opened her mouth, she always spouted scornful words.

But, occasionally showing these cute expressions, was foul play.

“Erm……isn’t this a bit too close?”

“Ah~”

When Saito spoke, Akane quickly took some distance.

“I, I just thought you wouldn’t be able to hear it if you were too far away……”

“Uh, uh……”

Akane gave an excuse in the difficult situation. She crouched down looking embarrassed.

Even Saito felt embarrassed, and he didn’t know how to react. These two natural enemies were not used to this kind of male-female atmosphere.

Saito said while scratching his cheek, as if to avoid thinking about this sweet atmosphere.

“Then……Erm……Can I have more steak?”

“OK! Knowing you might say that, I stocked up on meat! It’s cheaper than the beef just now, though.”

Akane put the meat on the table with a slam as she took it out from the fridge.

Not just any meat, but a gigantic piece of meat.

He didn’t know how much this weighed, but it looked like it could kill if she swung it at someone.

“Wha, this……when did you buy it……?”

“I said I forgot my stuff and went back to the supermarket once, remember? I bought it then!”

Akane held the knife and looked proud.

“Heh, heh~……Looks like it could feed us for a month……”

Akane blinked her eyes.

“What are you saying? We have to finish this tonight though?”

“I’m not a savanna lion!”

He also didn’t have Shisei’s black hole stomach.

“It’s 90% off and is about to expire, so I’ll just have to forcefully shove it into Saito’s body.”

“Do you have a human’s heart?”

“I’ll minimize food loss and protect the earth’s environment by all means.”

“Then include my life in your protection!”

“Saito is tough so he’ll probably resurrect from ashes, right?”

“What am I, a phoenix?”

His fleeting opinion that she’s a bit cute was now nowhere to be seen.

—This girl is, as expected, a demon.

Saito was once again reminded.

Saito wobbled about in his chair, and was about to slip away nonchalantly, but Akane grabbed his shirt.

She flashed a smile filled with goodwill.

Or perhaps, filled with murderous intentions.

Akane asked him in a joyous mood.

“What did I say about cooked food~?”

“Eat it all without leaving any behind!”

Saito braced himself and sat back in his chair. Akane worked hard for him, so he couldn’t let her down.

Akane excitedly raised her knife.

“I will make as much food as you like! I won’t let you sleep tonight!”

“Send help.”

Saito’s small plea for life was buried in the steaks.

Ever since elementary school, Akane was always detached from the class.

She didn’t even know why it turned out like this. She lived a normal life like everyone else, talked normally like everyone else, so why didn’t her situation improve?

It was as if she was the only one lost in a country speaking a different language.

When Akane entered the classroom, her chattering classmates got startled and stopped the conversation. The excited atmosphere changed a hundred and eighty degrees, and everyone averted their gazes.

Akane ignored her classmates and moved to take a seat, and there were whispers here and there.

“Dammit……I think I’ve been heard” “It would be troublesome if Sakuramori-san found out……” “Every time I look at model students I get annoyed.” “I was told by my mother to follow Sakuramori-san’s example~” “So annoying~” “Cute, but she’s so brazen~”

She was stabbed with malicious words.

Akane was noticed by teachers and parents thanks to her top grades. It would be bad to become her enemy, so no one tried to argue with her, which made her so different.

–What a bunch of idiots. If you have something to say to me, say it directly.

Akane clenched her fists under her desk.

Every single one of her classmates included, if Akane got angry, they would just laugh it off and apologize. They would not argue, nor did they dare to confront her directly. However, they insulted her behind her back with their friends.

That made her even more frustrated and annoyed than just heads on arguments.

Akane had hoped that someone would accept her anger and gladly accept her punch in their face. However, she thought that someone like that would never appear.

“A~ka~ne~!”

“Hya~!?”

Suddenly hugged from behind, Akane jumped.

“O, oi……I told you to stop it……”

 There was only one person who could do this.

She broke free of her embrace and looked up, and saw Himari’s blooming smile.

“Good morning~, Akane! You’re cute today too~♪”

“So loud! Suddenly hugging someone from behind like this, if you weren’t a girl, I would have called the police!”

“But I’m a girl so I didn’t get reported to the police……That’s great! So I can hug you without restrictions!”

“I~already~told~you~to~stop!”

Himari refused to listen and kept approaching, so Akane tried her best to push Himari’s chin away with her palm. Their classmates stood watching the two of them from afar and muttered among themselves.

Akane said nothing and stood up, holding Himari’s hand.

“Eh~? Akane, what’s wrong? This is the first time Akane held my hand! Are we going to skip school and go on a date like this?”

“Just shut up and follow me.”

She pulled the hand of the confused Himari and moved to the nearby empty classroom.

In order to stop other students from eavesdropping, she locked both the front and back doors properly.

Then Akane let out a sigh.

“You~……we just changed classes, and you finally got some new friends again, but if you keep talking to me, they’ll hate you.”

“Why?”

Himari’s eyes widened.

“Because I’m being hated by everyone.”

“So I’m the only one who knows Akane’s good points huh! I’m so happy!”

“It’s not that…you and I are not friends, so can you stop stalking me?”

“I thought we were friends. I love Akane so much!”

“Ah……”

Himari’s smile was so bright as she said those words without hesitation.

No matter how many times she was chased away, Himari still refused to separate from Akane. Harsh words did not reach Himari either.

Himari was the opposite image of Akane, who could be sincere anywhere anytime.

Akane was very jealous of such a Himari.

“What about Akane? Do you like me?”

With her eyes sparkling with anticipation, Himari grabbed Akane’s hand.

Because she had such genuine affection, she couldn’t run away anymore.

Akane felt her ears heating up as she leaned down and whispered.

“…………like”

“Yeah! I know! Love you so much~!”

Himari exclaimed and hugged Akane tightly.

“Aaah~, I know! Please loosen up a bit! Stop! I will get squashed!”

Akane shouted.

It took quite a while for Himari’s excitement to wear off.

The two approached the window, holding hands and chatted.

“We’ll be best friends forever, Akane.”

“Yeah. If I have Himari by my side, I don’t mind being hated by everyone. I won’t even get married.”

Akane said with confidence.

“Eh~? But I want to get married~. When I’m a high school student, I want a boyfriend who’s both cool and intelligent~♪”

“Traitor~!”

“I’m no traitor~. A best friend and a boyfriend are two different things♪”

“What do you mean ‘thing’~!”

Akane got angry, and Himari laughed ‘Ahaha’.

It was an innocent dream, in which neither had been involved with Saito yet.

Waking up from the nostalgic dream, Akane sat up in bed and moped.

For a moment, she didn’t know where this was.

When her consciousness returned, she remembered that this was their bedroom, and that she was married to the boy she hated the most in class.

It was something that not even she could dream about, but sadly, this was reality.

She also recalled how fun dinner was. It’s rare to receive straight praises from Saito, so Akane got excited and stuffed him full of steak.

“U, uu…Stop…It won’t fit anymore……”

Saito slept beside her, seemingly having a nightmare. It looked like he was trying to run away from a devil, so much that he almost fell off the bed.

“……Sorry.”

Since Saito couldn’t hear it, Akane sincerely apologized.

To make up for making him do unreasonable stuff, she tried to pull him up but……he was too heavy. A boy’s weight wasn’t something a girl can easily lift.

Akane groaned loudly, trying to pull Saito up.

By the time he was sleeping properly on the bed and covered with a blanket, she was out of breath.

Saito didn’t notice Akane’s hardship in the slightest, but uttered a few words that seemed to be very unpleasant.

“That girl……she’s the devil……Must bring strawberries to protect myself……If something goes wrong, I’ll just throw it at her and run……”

“What kind of dream even is that?”

When she was in elementary school, she didn’t think that she would get married in high school.

However,for her best friend’s happiness, she would do her best.

When Akane thought that, she heard strange noises.

Something, like footsteps, like scraping noises on the floor.

She could immediately feel its presence besides her.

—There’s, something……

Akane felt her heart beat faster. She wanted to run, but her legs couldn’t move. She didn’t want to look, but she had to.

That presence slowly turned around.

Inside the darkness, there was a shadow standing by the head of the bed.