Chapter 10: The Beginning of Melting

“What are you looking for?”

I found myself speaking to that familiar figure.

He hadn’t originally planned on calling out to her, and he didn’t mind even if he got ignored.

However, when he saw the girl loitering in front of the liquor section, he couldn’t help but lend her a helping hand.

“…Why are you here?”

“Answering a question with a question, huh? Well, same as you, shopping of course.”

After asking her the question, he was prepared to be ignored 90% of the time, so Asahi was a little surprised that Fuyuka responded even though she was looking at him perplexedly.

Although it wasn’t the response he was expecting, she seemed to be willing to have a conversation, so he stated the facts in an indifferent manner, to which she replied with an equally indifferent manner, “That makes sense.”

Since they both live in the same apartment building, it was not surprising that they might encounter each other at the nearest supermarket.

In fact, once before, Asahi had seen Fuyuka in this supermarket.　

Thinking about it, I had a vague suspicion that the “Ice Lady” might not be able to cook for herself.

Since I had no involvement with her before than I do now, I could only observe from a distance, but I still remembered the shopping basket full of retort foods and prepared foods.

Today, however, the colors were much different.

If one looked closely at the shopping basket in Fuyuka’s hand, one could see that it was full of colorful red, blue, and yellow colors, not only vegetables, but also frozen rice and pork

“I see you’ve started cooking for yourself.”

“Please don’t speak as if I didn’t originally cook for myself.”

“My bad, my bad. Come to think of it, you said something about it’s not like you can’t do it.”

She didn’t seem to like it when people thought she couldn’t cook, and if one said otherwise, Fuyuka would give them a sharp glare.

I immediately bowed my head and managed to get out of the situation, but I felt a chill that reminded me of the Ice Lady for a moment, which wasn’t funny.

To put it another way, the current Fuyuka had no trace of the “Ice Lady”.

Her words were plain and her expression was still the same, so one couldn’t say that it was completely gone, but at least she didn’t have that cold atmosphere that she displayed at school.

“So what are you looking for after all? Minors can’t buy alcohol, you know?”

Fuyuka didn’t seem to be trying to cut short the conversation at the moment, so Asahi didn’t hesitate to return to the subject and ask the question that had been bothering him.

It was hard to imagine that Fuyuka, who boasted the highest academic achievement in the school, didn’t know the law about drinking alcohol.

I’d like to believe that she was a good student with good behavior at school, and not a delinquent with drinking habits.

If I think about it calmly, I could at least figure out that Fuyuka was looking for something other than alcohol.

“…I can’t find the cooking alcohol. Perhaps, it’s sold out.”

After showing a little hesitation, Fuyuka now provided an answer to the question.

It was not a silence, a gag, or a joke, but a perfectly normal answer.

That was why Asahi couldn’t help but look up to the heavens.

‘She’s 100% a beginner at cooking…’

I can very well picture you getting caught in the age verification process when trying to buy mirin. [TL: Mirin is a japanese condiment that contains alcohol.]

However, there was no excuse for mistakenly thinking that mirin would be kept in the liquor section.

In some supermarkets, mirin was placed in the liquor section, but in this supermarket, it was placed in the condiments section.

If you cook for yourself on a daily basis, you would definitely know this information.

“If it’s cooking alcohol, it’s in the condiments section.”

After much deliberation, Asahi decided to refrain from making any jokes and just put forward his kindness.

He could see how Fuyuka would react if he did.

“…I appreciate it.”

Fuyuka muttered quietly and quickly walked to the condiments section.

I wondered if the slight blush on her cheeks as we passed each other was because I had realized her spectacular mistake.

In any case, Asahi had no reason to bother Fuyuka anymore, so he quickly finished his own business.

I should focus on getting the ingredients I plan to use for tonight’s dinner, but I took things such as milk that I drink on a daily basis and seasonings that I’m running out of. I also shouldn’t forget to buy specials that say “Limited to one bottle per person,” or the prepared foods that were on sale because they were about to expire.

“Because this is the most vacant place.”

“…I still haven’t said anything yet.”

‘Still’, which means she was planning on saying something.

When I declined her suspicion by saying something in advance, Fuyuka narrowed her eyes in disapproval.

The contents of her shopping cart were more varied than before, including a decent amount of cooking wine.

“Are you planning on making some curry?”

“…How did you know?”

“I can tell by looking in the basket.”

Fuyuka let out a short exclamation of admiration, but anyone could tell from the roux on top that it was curry.

It was possible that the roux was used in another dish to give it a curry flavor, but the carrots, potatoes, and onions almost confirmed it.

In the first place, the fact that I didn’t think Fuyuka could cook sophisticated food was also a factor in my decision, but there was no way I could tell her even if I wanted to.

The cashier immediately called out, “Next,” and any further conversation was forcibly cut off.

Looking at Fuyuka from behind as she casually took out a luxury brand long wallet, Asahi quietly waited for his turn.

“…I’ll carry it.”

After paying each other’s bills, Asahi once again called out to Fuyuka again on the way home.

Of course, they were not walking together shoulder to shoulder, and looking back, one could see them a few meters away from each other.

And once again, simply out of kindness.

You could ignore me all you want, but I wouldn’t feel better if I didn’t call out to you at least.

“…I’ll have to refrain.”

After a short pause, the response was exactly as I had expected, word for word.

She continued, “I’m fine, don’t worry about it, just go ahead.”

However, Fuyuka, walking with a plastic bag in both hands, didn’t seem to be fine at all.

If you buy several ingredients and bottled seasonings all at once, it would weigh more than five kilos.

A masculine hand like Asahi’s would have a hard time, much less a slender and thin girl like Fuyuka.

“Don’t be shy. You’ll never make it home at this rate. If you’re worried about owing somebody, you don’t have to think about it at all, just obediently rely on me.

He continued to speak, though a little too quickly, and approached Fuyuka and held out his hand.

He was not trying to be cool or anything, this was simply out of goodwill.

However, no matter how great the intention behind the action taken, in the end it all depended on the impression of the receiver.

“…I told you before to leave me alone, didn’t I?”

The voice sounded cruel and cold.

There was no hint of warmth, only freezing ice cold words.

Just like the first time they had a conversation, Asahi was mercilessly shunned with no expression and no emotion.

Originally, this should have been the norm.

When approaching her, she would take one step back and build a thick invisible wall around her.

I had forgotten all about it, having been involved with her only for a brief time through a strange connection.

The “Ice Lady” who was closed-minded and rejected others.

The cold atmosphere around her rapidly cooled the heat of Asahi.　

“The nursing thing should be over. Don’t interact with me any―”

“Just give it to me.”

“…Eh..?”

As Fuyuka was about to turn even colder, there were violent words and actions.

The “Ice Lady’s” face showed a hint of confusion, and let out a small cry of surprise.

The object of her gaze was Asahi’s large, reliable, and warm palm.

“I don’t know what you’re going through, but you can rely on me for today. As I said before, I simply can’t leave you alone. Nothing more, nothing less.”

After saying things in a one-sided manner, I slowly reached out and the plastic bag easily left Fuyuka’s hand.

As a man, Asahi could barely stand the thought of having four in total, including his own, but he didn’t show it on his face and pretended to be fine.

‘Did I overdo it?’

It was already too late, but I could only regret that I was a bit too forceful with my words and actions.

Asahi also didn’t know why he had done this, but he found his mouth and body moving.

How can I explain the contradiction that I thought I had decided not to talk to Fuyuka and not to get involved with her, but in the end I got involved with her in some way?

When I looked at her nervously, I saw that Fuyuka’s cheeks were flushed red as she stood there in a daze.

Asahi had no idea what that red color was supposed to represent.

“…Is also that what your grandfather told you?”

“…Yeah, I’ve been nagged to help whenever I see anyone in trouble.”

He was a little embarrassed, but when he answered honestly, the corner of Fuyuka’s mouth lifted slightly.

Not a smile nor a smirk, just a slight softening of her expression.

But before I knew it, the appearance of the “Ice Lady” had vanished.

“…Um…Can I rely on you to carry those?”

Fuyuka said a few words in a stuttering voice.

If I took in each of those words carefully, I could feel a slight warmth in those words.

Asahi couldn’t help but feel itchy as the heat enveloped his whole body, which had been chilled just a moment ago.

“That was the plan all along.”

He said it bluntly, turned his back on Fuyuka, and walked down the street towards the apartment.

After a while, Fuyuka, who had lightened up, stood shoulder to shoulder with him, though at a slight distance.

“It wasn’t the last time, right?”

“About what?”

“About being meddlesome.”

I remembered that I had said something like that a little over a week ago.

When he realized again that he was contradicting himself a lot, Asahi naturally couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Really, you’re too meddlesome, Kagami-san.”

“I was raised that way. I’m aware of it.”

“Fufu” a cute giggle that I thought I heard beside me.

But for some reason, he couldn’t turn his head to the side, and Asahi headed for the apartment, feeling his heart pounding for some unknown reason.