Episode 5 – Thorough

Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16817330649624871134/episodes/16817330649994830571

♠

“I’m home.”

I walked in the door and smelled something fragrant.

Is my mother home?

“Mom?”

“Oh, Sendai, welcome back. You’re home late.”

“Well, yeah. You’re the one who’s home early.”

“Yeah, we’re going out for drinks again later.”

When I went to the kitchen, my mother was washing dishes.

My mother, who will turn 40 this year, is quite young among the parents of my classmates, and she is a strong person who works hard at work and insurance-related matters, and is active in going to drinking parties.

It has been a while since I have seen her washing dishes like this.

Then I found an omelet on the table.

“Is this dinner tonight?”

“Yes, it is. I mean, you’re not exactly a man to be underestimated.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You shouldn’t hide things from your parents. Come on, you’ve got something to say.”

“……?”

I’ve never kept secrets from my parents.

My mother is especially scary when she gets angry, and even before she asks me to show her my test answers, I even show them to her.

I don’t think I have anything to hide from her……no, maybe you are talking about the incident that just happened?

But the police said they wouldn’t contact my home…….

“Um, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Hmm, I wouldn’t mind if Sendai behaved like that. But let me know what you think of the omelet rice”

“What, are you into cooking?”

“Just eat it. Or it will not be cleaned up.

“Yes, yes.”

It’s just an ordinary omelet.

But the way she makes a heart mark with ketchup makes me think that my mother is still young.

“Thanks for the meal…..hm, this is delicious.”

The chicken rice inside was a little cold, but the seasoning was thick to my liking, and the egg, which was only wrapped around the rice, was somewhat sweet.

“It’s delicious, isn’t it? Really, I don’t have to worry about this either.”

“What are you talking about, Mom? You’re weird.”

“Nothing at all. But I’m glad it’s good. Well, I’m going out. You can do whatever you want to do, but just don’t get carried away.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll clean up.”

My mother left in a hurry, even though we were still in the middle of eating.

Really, she’s a free spirit mother.

I’ve never thought of getting carried away, though.

“Phew, I’m full. I think I’ll take a bath and go to bed.”

I put away the dishes and went to the bathroom.

Normally, I would boil the water myself, but today, the water was already well filled.

“Mom, she is strange today. Did something good happen?”

Well, I guess she’s always neglecting her son, so I guess she’s trying to do something for me when she’s home.

Anyway, I’m tired today, so I’m going to take advantage of her kindness.

“…..Phew. I’m happiest when I can take a bath like this without any problems.”

I look up at the ceiling in the bathtub and think to myself.

Just a few hours ago, I was on the verge of death.

If the robber had not fallen, I would not be here now…….

“Ugh, my stomach hurts when I remember……. But if I had been hit, the person in the bathroom might have been harmed, so I’m really glad.”

But I’ve been getting into trouble a lot lately.

That’s how many more people there are in this town and how unsafe it has become.

I don’t know, the popularity in Akaitohama is just another nuisance for us ordinary people.

“Well, I think I’ll go to bed today.”

As soon as I got out of the bath, I gulped down a glass of milk, brushed my teeth, and went to my room.

I usually study first and then relax, but today I didn’t feel like doing anything.

“Haa……I’m going to bed now. Anyway, it smells kind of sweet. Did my mother spray it with perfume?”

The feminine scent lingered faintly in the room.

Well, my mother often puts on perfume before going out, so I guess she came in that state to clean up her room.

The evidence of this is that the books and clothes that had been scattered around the room have been put away.

“She is really very thorough today.

I think I’ll sleep well.”

Relaxing in the comfort of the tidy, fresh-air-feeling room, I turn off the light.

Finally, the long day is over.

◇

The next morning.

I washed my face and went to the kitchen.

My mother, who always goes out early in the morning, is not very considerate, so she doesn’t always make breakfast for me.

My mother says, [This is part of learning about society] but I know it’s just an excuse to make things easier on herself.

But she says she’ll make sure I go to college, and I don’t think it’s right for her to be overprotective at my age, so it’s just the right amount for me.

“Huh?”

Naturally, I was going to make my own breakfast today, but there was something that looked like a wrapped breakfast on the table.

And then.

[Eat it before it gets cold.]

A letter was attached to the table.

Well, it’s a little creepy now that it’s here.

I hope she’s not doing something strange to me.

“But, well, it’s always a good thing to take advantage of people’s goodwill. Bon appétit.”

Fried egg, miso soup, and rice.

All of them were still a little warm, so I put my chopsticks in the bowl without even bothering to cook them.

They all tasted so comforting.

But I’ve been thinking since yesterday that my mother’s seasoning was this strong.