Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818622176550308690/episodes/16818792437074450004
“…R-Renka?”
I rubbed my eyes vigorously.
But the beautiful girl before me didn’t disappear, so this time I pinched my cheek hard.
…It hurts. It hurts too much. Have my recent dreams finally started recreating pain too?
“Ah. Akito, your bedhead is sticking up again. Hehe, cute.”
The girl, who looked exactly like Renka, smiled as sweetly as an angel.
“Akito, what do you want to do? Should I fix it for you? Or do you want to fix it yourself?”
“N-no… Before that, I checked, but—”
Haa. I let out a heavy sigh.
…I’m not stupid enough to convince myself this is a dream.
The scene unfolding before my eyes was, without a doubt, neither dream nor illusion.
In other words.
This supremely beautiful girl in her uniform apron—Fujisaki Renka—was also a real presence.
“—Renka. Why are you at my house…?”
“I still had the spare key you gave me. …Sorry, Akito. I just came in without asking.”
Sizzle. Sizzle. Turning the bacon in the frying pan, Renka smiled apologetically.
“But, but, it’s okay, right? I did get permission from your mom, Akito. She said I could use the ingredients freely. Should I show you the message?”
“Ah… no, it’s fine. I can kind of imagine…”
My parents both work and seem pretty busy.
Amidst all that, my mom has always kept saying irresponsible things to Renka like, “Please take good care of Akito,” over and over. Giving Renka a spare key was probably part of that. …It must have been an enormous hassle for Renka, though.
Well, anyway. Given that dynamic, Mom allowing Renka to visit doesn’t feel odd at all.
But the problem is…
“Renka, um… are you making breakfast?”
Yes. That’s it.
Renka, wearing a uniform apron, was clearly cooking, no matter how you looked at it.
I found myself staring at her captivating back—but I shook my head vigorously from side to side, forcing my attention back to the conversation.
“Yeah. …It’s fine, Akito. If you don’t want it, I’ll eat it all myself.”
“No, I absolutely wouldn’t do that! I wouldn’t… but—”
Renka had certainly taken care of me diligently before, making bento lunches and such for my lazy self.
But she’d never come into my house like this and served me breakfast.
And besides, she—she had said before that she disliked me.
…No. I was so confused my mind wouldn’t work at all. My throbbing headache grew worse.
“Okay, it’s ready.”
Turning off the stove, Renka looked at me.
Then, with an angelic… no, an angel-surpassing adorable smile, she said,
“Hey, Akito. Want to eat breakfast together?”
Well… sure. I’d better stop thinking about this.
Maybe I really am dreaming after all. If that’s the case, I might as well just enjoy this moment to the fullest.
◇◇◇
Renka’s home cooking… it was absolutely delicious.
Crispy bacon, a perfectly runny fried egg. Miso soup with fried tofu. Steaming hot white rice.
By the time I finished eating, my headache had completely vanished. A feast superior to any painkiller. Amazing, I thought.
“――Thanks for the meal, Renka. It was delicious.”
When I expressed my gratitude, Renka gave a childlike smile and said,
“Yeah. Ehehe, thanks!”
…No, no. That smile is unfair, no matter what.
Staring any longer felt like it would lead to trouble. So I looked away from Renka and stood up to clear the dishes. Then,
“Ah, wait! It’s okay, I’ll do it!”
Renka, who had just finished eating, said that.
“No, I really can’t let you. Let me at least wash the dishes.”
If I let Renka handle it now, I’d be no different from the me back then.
Still that useless person who relied entirely on the caring Renka, incapable of doing anything on my own.
But… Renka looked up at me with a worried, uncertain gaze.
“I… want to do it for you. …Is that… okay?”
Ugh. What’s with that overly cute expression?
Just the uniform apron alone has a killer effect on me, but when she gives me that face that makes me want to protect her, there’s no way I can refuse.
“O-okay. Fine then, I’ll take you up on your offer…”
“Really? Ehehe, thanks!”
Her happy smile.
I glanced at her lovely face—and thought, ah, so it was her after all.
Yesterday. When Suzukita-san confessed to me, I couldn’t help but think of Renka.
But…the problem is, right now, in my mind…
Renka and Suzukita-san.
The smiles of both beautiful girls were appearing simultaneously.
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