Chapter 59: The Heat That Won’t Quench

After parting ways with Chiaki at the diner, Asahi took the train home.

On the way back home, he visited the nearest supermarket to buy ingredients for the night.

As he went around each corner, thinking about the menu, he saw a familiar face in the corner of his eye.

“…Fuyuka?”

He thought he was mistaken, but the blue ribbon on her black hair convinced him otherwise.

“Yo.”

 

“Eh…Ah, Asaki-kun?”

When he called out to her, Fuyuka turned around and opened her eyes wide open.

She looked flustered and was clearly feeling shaken.

“Did you just hide something?”

“N-no, what do you mean?”

Even though she denied it, Fuyuka hid her hands behind her back the moment she noticed Asahi’s presence.

As Asahi moved to peer to the left and right, Fuyuka moved her body accordingly.

“So, it’s something you don’t want anyone to see.”

“…Yes.”

 

“Then, I’ll turn that way.”

Asahi wondered what Fuyuka had on her, but if she didn’t want him to see it, so be it.

He didn’t want to force anything and he didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable either.

Asahi quietly turned to the other side, and a little while later Fuyuka opened her mouth.

“It’s fine now.”

 

When he turned around, he saw that Fuyuka had her hands free. It seems that she had put what she was holding, back where it belonged.

‘What is it that you don’t want people to see while in the sweets section?’

Asahi wondered if she had picked up some snacks to eat at home.

Then, she didn’t need to hide it, but who knows.

“Are you shopping for dinner, Asahi-kun?”

Asahi nodded in response to Fuyuka’s question, who had regained her usual tone.

It was a natural progression for them to shop together, and move around the supermarket side by side.

“Do you have anything you’d like to eat tonight?”

“I’ll leave it to you, Asahi-kun.”

“That’s what you always say. I want a request.”

“When you put it that way, I’m stumped…”

As they walked around the fish corner nearby, Fuyuka suddenly stopped in her tracks.

“Sashimi is cheap…”

“You’re right. You want me to make you some sushi?”

“That sounds great. But isn’t it going to be expensive?”

“Well, more than usual. It’s probably fine to get excited once in a while.”

“…If you say so.”

 

Fuyuka picked up a pack of sashimi with a discount sticker on it and placed it in Asahi’s shopping cart.

“There’s no turning back now.”

“You don’t have to be so determined.”

In addition to the sashimi, Asahi and Fuyuka proceeded with their shopping, buying ingredients such as cucumber and kanpyo.

Apparently, this was perfect for hand-rolled sushi or it seemed that this was perfect for hand-rolled sushi, but in reality it was too expensive, so one shouldn’t do that. As they discussed these things, Asahi was tormented by mixed feelings.

Once the housekeeper returned, he would no longer have the opportunity to sit around the dinner table with Fuyuka.

The days leading up to today had been in the name of Asahi teaching her how to cook.

Fuyuka’s housekeeper, Tachibana Kaori, should be able to handle Asahi’s role with no problem.

Asahi’s legs became heavy as he unconsciously thought about such things.

However, he couldn’t let Fuyuka notice this selfish feeling.

“Do you still have eggs in the fridge?”

“I used it for the soup yesterday, so there shouldn’t be much left.”

“I’ll go get it then.”

Walking quickly, Fuyuka made her way to the egg counter.

After her back was far away enough, Asahi let out a small sigh.

*

After returning home from shopping, they started cooking without much talk.

Asahi made the ingredients for the hand-rolled sushi, and Fuyuka made the sushi rice.

Fuyuka used to not be very good at cooking, but now she was able to make simple recipes without any problems and with no noticeable mistakes. If it was sushi rice, which could be completed by mixing the ingredients and letting the water evaporate, he could leave it to her without worry.

The cooking proceeded smoothly, with lively conversation, and the preparation was finished in a few minutes.

With Fuyuka’s sushi rice as the centerpiece, the table was decorated with a variety of ingredients.

Pick up a rice scoop and place the sushi rice on top of the nori. Put the ingredients on top of that and wrap it with the outer layer of nori to make a Temaki Sushi.

Asahi chose the sashimi first, opened his big mouth and threw a bite.

“Yeah, it’s great.”

 

“Did the rice come out alright?”

“It’s perfect.”

 

“I’m glad to hear it.”

 

Fuyuka smiled happily as she rolled the omelet in nori.

Another small smile appeared on her face as she carried the finished hand-rolled sushi in her small mouth.

The meal continued happily and the conversation was lively.

“There’s something I need to tell you, Asahi-kun.”

Fuyuka suddenly cut in, and Asahi’s shoulders jerked in response.

He could read what she was trying to say from the way she stammered a bit.

“You said the housekeeper is coming back next week, right? There’s not much I can teach you anymore, so it’s about time. From now on, let the housekeeper teach you stuff.”

As he continued, Asahi felt himself becoming more and more empty.

He also felt the same way when he almost lost his relationship with Fuyuka several times before.

However, it was the first time he had ever felt as if there was a gaping hole in his heart.

It must be the difference in his feelings for Fuyuka.

When they made fearful eye contact, it calmed him down a bit.

“It’s only gonna be a few more days but I’ll teach until then.”

It was not like they were saying goodbye for good.

They were still neighbors, and since they went to the same school, they had plenty of opportunities to get involved.

It didn’t change the fact that they could continue to be together.

Convincing himself of this, Asahi kept his composure.

“…What are you talking about?”

Fuyuka tilted her head in confusion.

She stared at Asahi with a sincerely curious look on her face.

“I thought you said the housekeeper was coming so you wouldn’t come to my house anymore…?”

“I never said anything like that.”

Fuyuka looked down with an ambiguous expression on her face, as if she was angry or more like sad.

“Do you want to do that, Asahi-kun?”

“No.”

 

Asahi quickly spoke up in denial.

He couldn’t see her face, but he could definitely hear the emotion in her voice this time.

“I’m hoping for days like today to continue. Cooking together, eating together, talk a bit, and then go home. I enjoy days like this…”

In a broken voice, Asahi spoke his honest feelings.

He still hid his love for her, but still felt like he had taken a small step forward.

As proof of this, Fuyuka slowly raised her head. He could see the light red flushed cheeks in her overlapping gaze.

“I feel the same as you, Asahi-kun. I wish days like today would continue.”

Fuyuka let out her words as her mouth relaxed.

Asahi suddenly looked down, feeling his heart warm up.

“…But you have a housekeeper. It’s not going to be the same as before.”

“That’s right. Tachibana-san is as meddlesome as or even more so than you, and I’m sure she’ll do chores perfectly just because it’s her job.”

Fuyuka muttered in exasperation.

“But Tachibana-san can’t take care of me every day.”

“You’ve said that before.”

“Yes. Of course I do the housework when Tachibana-san is off. But I’ve had her cook meals for me…”

 

With a bitter smile, Fuyuka continued her story.

“I’m always alone on weekends.”

Then there was a slight pause.

In the silence that came, the hands of the clock ticked away.

Somehow, Asahi could guess what Fuyuka was trying to say.

So, gather up your courage. Take one more step forward yourself.

Just as he once reached out to the girl who was called the Ice Lady.

This time, as a friend, and as someone he loved, he offered his warm palm.

“Come over to my place for the weekend. We’ll have dinner together again.”

“…Is it really alright?”

“Of course.”

 

Asahi nodded vigorously, and Fuyuka’s face lit up.

“You always say the things that I want to hear, don’t you, Asahi-kun?”

The dazzling smile and joyful conversation made his body feel warm again.

It seems that love was a more troublesome disease than he thought.

Asahi smiled back at Fuyuka with heat in his heart that had yet to cool down.