NOVEL NEXT Chapter 62
The sound of the shower echoed softly through the bathroom.
“……”
The endless stream of water flowed, droplets tracing down his body, disappearing into the drain as clear liquid. As he stared vacantly at it all, a scene flashed through his mind. The chaos at Marine Snow. Perhaps because of that, the water spreading across the bathroom tiles momentarily seemed to be tinged with color—
“…Damn it.”
He cursed under his breath, turning the faucet. The shower, which should have eased his fatigue, felt anything but calming.
He knew the reason. It was because he had returned. After being attacked by a stalker, after explaining the situation at the police station, after finally coming home—only now did the weight leave his shoulders.
And now, the realization sank in. Just how dangerous the situation had been. How, if one thing had gone wrong, what could have happened.
“…Sigh.”
No. Stop. It’s over now. There’s no point in dwelling on the past. Especially on the worst possible outcomes that never came to be. Thinking about it only builds unnecessary stress. No good can come from it.
“Let’s get out…”
Being alone like this isn’t helping. The fear that had caught up with him was starting to drag him down.
The relaxing effect of the shower was probably working, but at the same time, it wasn’t letting him relax at all. It’s hard to explain, but it made sense in his head.
With that, he left the bathroom. He quickly toweled off, changed into some casual clothes, and finished by blow-drying his hair.
“Phew…”
“Ah, Haruto-kun, you’re out already? You could’ve stayed in longer.”
“I’m not in the mood for a long bath today.”
“Oh dear.”
Chiaki smiled, slightly troubled, as she saw him emerge. …There was something oddly maternal about that smile.
For a brief moment, he panicked, wondering if she had somehow seen through his mental state. But he quickly shook off the thought.
From their earlier conversation, he knew that if she had noticed, she would’ve made a bigger fuss about it. But there were no signs of excessive concern from her right now.
If anything, she seemed more relieved. That relief was likely what gave off this maternal vibe.
It wasn’t bad. In his current worn-out mental state, Chiaki’s calming presence was actually quite comforting. The contrast from her usual self was a little unsettling, but that awkwardness had its own soothing effect.
“Just a moment. It’ll be ready soon.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks.”
“No, no, I should be the one apologizing. I wish I could be as efficient as you, Haruto-kun.”
“Really? From what I’ve seen, you don’t need to worry that much. At the very least, you’re doing much better than last time. You’re not struggling in front of the frying pan anymore.”
“That was a whole different situation!”
True. The time with the bikini apron and her panicked screams wasn’t exactly a good reference. That was more of a comedy routine than actual cooking.
Still, her skills had clearly improved. He’d been watching her out of curiosity, and she seemed to be much faster, with less hesitation between steps, and the awkward pauses that used to interrupt her movements had mostly vanished.
It wasn’t perfect, but she had definitely grown. Probably practiced at home. There was a certain fluidity that only came from repeated effort.
“An omelet rice, huh. Interesting choice.”
“Eh, was that not a good idea?”
“Oh no, it’s not that. I was just surprised. I figured you’d go all out and make something more elaborate, considering your usual vibe.”
“Come on, Haruto-kun, what do you take me for? I do think about what’s appropriate for the occasion, you know. I wouldn’t make something complicated right now.”
“Fair enough.”
“Hey, that reaction’s kinda rude!”
“Just reflecting on past behavior.”
“Ow.”
But really, it was surprising. Who would’ve thought Chiaki would actually consider efficiency over flair?
In the past, she would’ve gotten overly excited about the request, pushing for quality over speed. The fact that she chose a quick and simple dish like omelet rice was unexpected. Even the side of corn soup was instant.
…What brought about this change?
“Well, sure, I’d love to serve you the best meal I can, Haruto-kun. I’d love to cook the dish I’ve practiced the most and feel most confident in, and hear you say it’s delicious. But this isn’t the right time, is it? Doing that now would just be self-indulgent, wouldn’t it?”
“Chiaki-san is… actually being reasonable…”
“Why do you sound so shocked!?”
“It’s just the natural reaction when someone who couldn’t even manage self-indulgence evolves like this.”
“Not even self-indulgence!? What does that mean!?”
“Bikini apron.”
“Ah. Right.”
Yeah, past behavior really does matter. Even when someone acts normal, surprise comes before gratitude.
Especially with that bikini apron incident. That’s her only precedent for cooking, so there’s no avoiding it being the comparison point. …Creating black marks in your history really doesn’t pay off.
“Still, I do appreciate the thought. I’m honestly pretty wiped today.”
“I know. I want you to get some rest as soon as possible. —And here we go, done! Omelet rice and corn soup. Sorry it looks a little rough.”
“It looks fine. No complaints here.”
Despite her saying it was rough, the omelet rice had a classic, homely appearance. It wasn’t restaurant-grade, but it was exactly the kind of meal he wanted right now.
In fact, it was so straightforward that he was surprised. He half-expected her to draw a heart with ketchup or something, given her usual playful nature.
But not this time. Not even a hint of teasing. She was taking this seriously.
“……”
“What’s up? Not eating?”
“Oh, no. I’ll eat. Thanks for the meal.”
—For a brief moment, a thought crossed his mind. But he shelved it for now. First, he’d eat what she made. Everything else could wait.