Episode 9 – The Souvenir is olive oil

Source
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n3415ij/9/

Why is Hazuki coming to my house?

I was just dumped by Hazuki yesterday.

Normally, it would be hard for me to see her.

“Can you open the door for me?”

Hazuki asked me that – I couldn’t say no

Even now, I still like Hazuki. If Hazuki would come to my house, I have no reason to refuse.

I turned to Shiho.

“Sorry. I have a guest. I have to answer the door.”

” …… on the intercom, a girl right?”

Shiho mumbled in alarm, her cheeks puffing out in frustration for some reason.

I shrugged.

“My childhood friend, Hazuki, is here.”

“That person….”

“She’s the one I confessed to and got dumped by.”

Shiho says, “I see…” and thinks about something. Yesterday, when I talked about the circumstances with Hazuki, Shiho felt sad and angry as if it were her own.

That made me happy.

I was quite shocked that she dumped me, and it’s still lingering in my mind. But thanks to Shiho’s visit, I didn’t have time to dwell on it.

If it hadn’t been for the big event of Shiho coming to my house, I would have been in a state of depression last night and today as well.

I take a deep breath. I have to face Hazuki.

It’s no wonder she dumped me. So I need to sort out my feelings and move on.

If I can get my relationship with Hazuki back on track as a friend, then maybe I’ll get another chance.

I go to the front door and remove the chain lock.

When I opened the door, there was Hazuki in her school uniform.

The wind blowing through the hallway ruffled Hazuki’s long black hair.

Hazuki looks troubled and is holding a large glass bottle.

Glass bottle ……?

Originally, Hazuki’s house and ours are next to each other in the same townhouse.

They are close enough to come over right away, and that’s why we used to have dinner together.

“My mom told me to give this to …… Kou-kun.”

Hazuki said and handed me a glass bottle. The bottle is green with a label on the outside.

This is ……!

“Extra virgin olive oil!”

Vegetable oil is indispensable to Italian cuisine and Spanish territory. It is olive oil.

Among them, the one with the lowest acidity and strongest flavor and aroma is called extra virgin olive oil.

I couldn’t help but smile. I was so lucky to be given such a good foodstuff. Hazuki’s stiff expression softens a little, perhaps because she sees me like this.

“It’s from Italy, uh, Tuscany,”

Tuscany is a region in central Italy, home to the flower city of Florence, famous for its art.

It is world famous for its olive oil. The label also says that 100% of the olives are from the high-end Leccino variety.

“Yayoi-san bought it for me as a souvenir?”

“Yes. That’s it. I thought Kou-kun would make good use of it.”

Hazuki’s mother, Yayoi san, is a lawyer at a big four law firm.

She rarely comes home, just like my father. However, unlike my father, who is cold-hearted toward me, Yayoi-san is very affectionate toward Hazuki.

Yayoi-san also loves me and sometimes gives me souvenirs from overseas.

I am a little relieved when I realize the reason why Hazuki came to our house.

“Right? How do you use it?”

Hazuki looks at me with interest.

I think, “Hmmm.”

“You can use it in oil or ajillo, but good olive oil should be used raw to get the full flavor. I think it would also be delicious in salad dressings, and I bet focaccia dipped in salt and olive oil would be great …….”

I was surprised to be able to talk so much all at once.

Hazuki looks up at me and laughs.

“You look really happy when you talk about cooking,”

“Actually, it’s fun,”

I say shyly. Hazuki giggles.

“Your cooking is really good, isn’t it? I love it too.”

Then, Hazuki looked embarrassed and turned her head down.

“I’m sorry about yesterday,”

“There’s nothing for you to apologize for,” . I think it’s your right to reject anyone.”

“But ……”

The awkward silence comes.

The bomb was thrown in there.