Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093093852050800/episodes/16818093094471660800
The time is 19:00.
From outside the dimly lit window, the occasional sound of a car driving by could be heard faintly. Inside the room, the warm glow of the lights dimly illuminated the dining table.
Thud, thud…….
Tsumugi remains silent and nonchalantly lays out the dishes.
Today’s menu consists of grilled mackerel, boiled spinach and mushrooms, pork miso soup with lots of ingredients, and white rice.
The grilled mackerel is fragrant and has a hint of fat. The boiled spinach and mushrooms is gently fragrant with the aroma of dashi and soy sauce, and the pork miso soup is filled with burdock root, carrots, taro, and pork. All of these dishes were carefully prepared for the family with a lot of time and effort.
But Tsumugi neither lays them out nor says, [It’s ready.]
Silently, she placed the dishes in front of each of them.
At the table are Tsumugi, her father, and her mother.
However, none of them said the words [Thank you for the food]
Her father and mother sit down on their chairs, pick up chopsticks without saying a word, and start to bring the dishes to their mouths.
Silent.
While peeling off the skin of the grilled mackerel, the mother keeps her gaze down, seemingly thinking about something, but not particularly conversing. The father just silently takes a mouthful of rice and sips pork miso soup.
There is not even the sound of the television on the dining table.
The only sounds were the chopsticks touching the plate and the miso soup sipping.
It was the same as usual. At Tsumugi’s house, there is no conversation at mealtime.
Today was no exception.
[How is it? She asked, but all she got back was [Yeah.]
Or, [Nothing] as if they were uninterested.
So, Tsumugi has stopped even asking.
Neither her father nor her mother said what they thought of the food, and they continued to eat in silence.
Tsumugi quietly got up and went to the sink, looking at them sideways.
Clank—.
She turned on the faucet and cold water poured out.
Silently and mindlessly, Tsumugi began to wash the knives and pans she had used for cooking.
While she was washing the dishes, she did not have to think about anything else. As long as her hands are working, she doesn’t have to think about anything else.
–She told herself.
Still, she suddenly found herself feeling lonely, thinking, [They didn’t say anything to me today either.]
Her father and mother’s hands stop.
When Tsumugi looked back from the sink, they had already finished eating.
But the dishes were still there, as they should be.
Without a word of thanks, they quickly got up from their seats and went to their respective rooms.
In front of Tsumugi’s eyes, the plates and bowls were left on the table in a haphazard manner.
Left on the spot, Tsumugi leaned back on the chair at the dining table for a while and looked up at the ceiling.
[…..Haa~]
She sighed heavily.
“Morita kun and I are totally different.”
Tsumugi muttered.
“I don’t even have a single comment about how delicious it is.
They just eat the food she cooks. The time spent just being consumed without being able to tell if the food is good or not.
–That was the “family meal” for Tsumugi.
Suddenly, she remembers yesterday.
[Yum !] [Amazing !] Morita kun’s face as he ate with a smile on his face.
[This breakfast is just too good] he said, sounding a little embarrassed.
Compared to that –now.
“……Haa.”
Once again, Tsumugi exhaled loudly and took her father’s and mother’s dishes to the sink.
Tsumugi muttered softly as she rinsed the cold dishes with water.
“……I wish I could cook for Morita kun again.”
The only way to drown out the loneliness of the moment was to think that way.
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