My Childhood Friend Is Just Too CuteโI Canโt Have a Normal Relationship!!
โSo? Iโm totally fine with teaching you how to cook, but what do you want to make? We wonโt have time to make anything too elaborate starting now, you know?โ
โHmmโฆ Maybe miso soup would be good!โ
โMiso soup, huh? Thatโs easy. Okay, Iโll get everything readyโjust wait a sec.โ
When I opened the fridge, there were absolutely no ingredients inside.
โฆThatโs right. Since Fumikaโs been cooking for me lately, I havenโt had a chance to check whatโs in the fridge.
โWhatโs wrong? Is there a problem or something?โ
โWell, yeah. Thereโs this huge problemโthe fridge is completely empty.โ
โThen we canโt cook!โ
โSorry about that. I made you come all this way so early in the morning for nothing.โ
With nothing in the fridge, thereโs no way I can cook. Even if I went shopping now, no supermarkets would be open at this hour.
โItโs okay. I just barged in on my own anyway. So, what should we do?โ
โIโd like to be prepared, so please let me know next time youโre coming over.โ
โGot it! Hmm, doesnโt look like thereโs anything I can do here anyway. Iโm going to head to school ahead of you! I want to do my morning practice.โ
โGot it. Sorry about that.โ
โWell then, I want you to apologize to me for one thing~โ
It does feel a bit high-handed of her to barge in uninvited and then demand an apology. But since I canโt deny that I wasnโt prepared, I guess Iโll do what she asks.
โAnything I can do is fine.โ
โHmmโฆ How about you ruffle my hair for me? Itโs been a whileโI havenโt had a chance like that since I started high school.โ
โWell, okay. Is that really all you want?โ
โYeah! I really, really love it when you ruffle my hair.โ
She flashes me a beaming smile, and I canโt help but smile back. Alice really does give me so much energy.
Itโs so heartwarming.
โOkay. Come over here.โ
โOkay!โ
I had Alice come closer, and I ran my fingers through her dazzling blonde hair. Just like when I ran my fingers through Fumikaโs hair yesterday, a girlโs hair really does feel amazing to touch.
โHehehe. Thanks. That cheered me up! Iโm off to morning practice~โ
โOh, okay. Do your best.โ
Alice flashed a smile as bright as a blooming flower and dashed out of my house. Sheโs just as energetic as she used to beโitโs really reassuring to see her like that.
โHmmโฆ If I go back to sleep, I probably wonโt be able to wake up, and Iโll end up being a burden. Fumika might seem like that, but sheโs actually really considerate, so Iโm sure sheโd forgive me even if that happened.โ
I donโt really want to be a burden to Fumika. Precisely because sheโll forgive me no matter what I do, I donโt want to make her angry too much.
โWhat should I do?โ
I looked around my room, but it wasnโt messy or anything like that.
There wasnโt really anything in particular I needed to do.
โMaybe Iโll do some weight training.โ
Iโm way too bored. But if I go to sleep now, Iโll end up being a bother to Fumika. If Iโm working out, I wonโt fall asleep, and itโll kill some time.
โYeah, I guess this is what they mean by โkilling two birds with one stone.โโ
So I ended up working out for a little over an hour.
ใโ
โMakoto~ Are you awake~?โ
โAh, Fumika. Good morning.โ
โGood morningโฆ Wait, whoa, why are you shirtless!?โ
โI was working out. Hey, why is your face so red?โ
Fumika came into the house, her face bright red, and kept her distance from me. Huh? Whatโs with that reaction? That actually hurts a bit.
โHey, hurry up and get dressed.โ
โOkay.โ
Itโs kind of sad that sheโs keeping her distance like that.
Thinking that, I slipped my arms into my school uniform. I wasnโt sweating that much, so I figured itโd be fine just like this.
โSo? Why are you up this early? Youโre not exactly a morning person, are you?โ
โWell, Alice came by this morning. Thatโs what woke me up.โ
โAnd what does that have to do with working out?โ
โI was thinking, โIf I go back to sleep, I might not be able to wake up again.โ Thatโs why I was working out.โ
Fumika gave me a look of contempt, but I just brushed it off. If I were hit with a lethal dose of contempt first thing in the morning, my life would be in danger.
โHaaโฆ I mean, why did Alice come over this early anyway?โ
โI promised her the other day that Iโd teach her how to cook. So, she just showed up first thing this morning.โ
โBut there arenโt any ingredients in Makotoโs fridge, are there?โ
โAh, right. So I decided to have her come another day.โ
โI wonder why she decided to learn to cook from Makoto. Iโm way better at cooking than he is.โ
Fumika puffed out her cheeks in slight displeasure and turned her head away with a huff.
Even that gesture looked cute to me. It made me realize once again just how cute Fumika really is.
โCome on. I said the same thing. Apparently, she wants me to teach her. I donโt know why, though.โ
โHaa. Well, thatโs just like her. So, Makoto, are you going to eat breakfast?โ
โAre you going to make it for me?โ
โI brought some ingredients from my place.โ
Fumika, her face still flushed, said this as she held up a plastic bag.
Since thereโs nothing in the fridge, Iโm really grateful.
โThen, Iโd appreciate it.โ
โGot it. Iโll make it right away, so please wait for me in the living room.โ
Fumika immediately put on an apron and started making breakfast in the kitchen. Watching her like that, I couldnโt help but wonder if this is what it would be like if I got married someday.
โI absolutely have to find a girlfriend.โ
Before marriage, I need to focus on finding a girlfriend. As I clench my fist and think about that, I hear a strange clang coming from the kitchen.
โFumika? Are you okay?โ
โUh, yeah. Iโm totally fine.โ
Fumika, crouched in the kitchen, replies with an awkward smile, but no matter how I look at her, she doesnโt seem fine at all.
โSorry about this.โ
โW-what are you doing all of a sudden? Thatโs sexual harassment.โ
โWell then, go ahead and sue me later.โ
I rushed over to Fumika and placed my hand on her forehead. It was quite hot. When I first saw her, I thought her face was red because I was shirtless, but apparently that wasnโt the case.
โYou have a fever. Why did you push yourself to come over?โ
โB-butโฆ Makoto canโt manage without me.โ
โHaa. Iโm glad you feel that way, but you donโt need to push yourself like this.โ
Iโm happy that Fumika feels that strongly about me, but I donโt want her to push herself.
โB-butโฆโ
โNo โbuts.โ For now, youโre staying home from school today. Iโm taking the day off too.โ
โBut Iโll be a burden to Makoto.โ
โItโs not a burden, so donโt worry. Here we go.โ
I picked up Fumika, who was curled up on the floor, and carried her to the bed in my room for now.
Alice has already left for school, so I canโt count on her.
โIโm sorry, Makoto.โ
โDonโt apologize. Weโre here for each other when times are tough, right? I carried you to my bed for now, but if youโd rather be in your own room, Iโll take you there.โ
โThatโs okay. Iโll stay here. Thanks.โ
โGot it. What about your clothes? Itโs gotta be uncomfortable to sleep in your school uniform, right?โ
Fumika is currently wearing her school uniformโa brown blouse and a red skirt. If she sleeps in this outfit, itโll get wrinkled, and more importantly, she wonโt be able to rest properly.
โThen lend me some of your clothes, Makoto. Just a T-shirt and shorts will do.โ
โGot it. Um, itโs right here, right?โ
He left the room after placing a short-sleeved T-shirt and shorts on the bed.
A little while later, after getting permission to come back in, he entered the room again.
โThanks. Iโll go change.โ
โSure. By the way, are you hungry? Iโll make something.โ
โYeah, I am. But Makoto, you canโt cook, can you?โ
โI can, I can. Got it. Iโll go pick up some stuff at the convenience store. Is there anything in particular you want?โ
โI might want some pudding.โ
โIโll get some. I plan to be back soon, but give me a call if anything comes up.โ
I guess Iโll just have to go to the convenience store to buy some groceries first. We donโt have any medicine or cooling patches at home. Iโll just pick those up while Iโm at it.
With that in mind, I hurriedly left the house.
Maigetsu