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After they returned home, the two indulged in idle chatter in the kitchen as they prepared the dish. Asahi was in charge of the fillings, whilst Fuyuka made the sushi rice.
Despite her struggles in the past, Fuyuka was now able to follow easy recipes without committing many mistakes. He felt confident leaving her to it, given how simple her task was. All she needed to do was season the rice, mix it, and steam it until the water evaporated.
Dinner preparations proceeded forward rather swimmingly as they maintained a lively conversation. After about 10 minutes, everything was complete.
The sushi rice sat right in the center of the table, with various other fillings surrounding it.
Asahi picked up the wooden serving spatula, lifted a scoop of rice onto the seaweed, then layered the fillings—namely sashimi—on top of it. He proceeded to fold up the outer layer of the seaweed and rolled it into a cone. Voilà! A serving of hand-rolled sushi was ready for consumption.
Asahi opened wide and tossed the sushi into his mouth. “It’s delicious.”
“How is the rice? Is it well-cooked?” she inquired.
“It’s perfect.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
Fuyuka flashed a cheerful grin as she wrapped a piece of rolled omelet around the seaweed. She raised the sushi to her small mouth, and gave another tiny smile.
The two of them were having a blast, enjoying their little feast with each other’s company.
“Oh right—there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you, Asahi,” she abruptly said.
Asahi’s shoulders twitched in response. He could see her reluctance, so he was able to deduce what she was trying to get at.
“Is it about your maid coming back next week?”
“Yes,” she replied with a slight sigh.
“I get it. There isn’t much left for me to teach you anyways, so you could say it’s about time. Your maid can help you from now on...” he said, gradually growing more gloomy with each word.
Although he’d felt worried about his relationship with Fuyuka before, it had never been this bad. He understood that it was because their relationship had deepened. They’d started off as mere strangers, but now they were close friends.
“We’ve only got a few more days together, so hey—let’s make them count,” he added, feigning composure.
It’s not like I’ll never see her again, or anything like that. We’re still neighbors, and we’ll have lots of chances to talk at school. We’ll still be spending time together.
“I’m... not sure I follow,” she said, tilting her head in puzzlement.
“Aren’t we talking about how you’ll stop coming over because your maid is back?”
“I never said anything like that,” she objected, her voice a mixture of anger and sadness. She hung her head. “But if you really don’t want me around, then—”
“No no no,” he cut in. Asahi couldn’t see her expression, but her tone of voice was enough of an indication of how she felt. He—in a somewhat disjointed manner—laid his feelings bare. “I... I want us to go on like this for a long time. I have so much fun cooking, eating dinner, and chatting with you before you go back home each night. And I would love... nothing more than to keep that routine alive.”
She slowly lifted her head and locked eyes with Asahi. He noticed a blush beginning to creep across her face. “I feel the exact same, Asahi. I’d like to experience more days like this with you, too.”
Her words brought him great happiness. This time, he was the one to lower his head and mumble. “Still, things won’t be the same once your maid returns.”
“You’re not wrong. Performing house chores flawlessly is her job, after all. She’s... the meddlesome type, too. Sort of like you are, if not more so. Still, that doesn’t mean she comes over to my place everyday.”
“I think I’ve heard you say that before.”
“Naturally, I’m the one who takes care of all the housework on her days off... Well, besides the cooking. She prepares food for me beforehand, haha. But I’m always alone on Saturdays, you know?”
There was a short pause afterward. Silence prevailed, save for the mechanical ticking of the clock. Asahi had to infer what Fuyuka meant. He mustered up all his courage and risked advancing a step forward.
“You should come over on the weekend, then. We can have a meal together, like always.”
Fortunately, Asahi’s proposal was answered in the form of a dazzling grin.
“I look forward to spending more time with you!” she exclaimed.
Asahi’s cheeks burnt red once again upon seeing Fuyuka’s innocent expression of happiness. He kept the blazing fire smoldering within him hidden and returned her smile instead.