Chapter 15 Serves Them Right

Serves Them Right

“Uh, um… this…”

On the low table, alongside the cute new dishes and the side dishes Kinoshita-senpai prepared, there’s an unfamiliar dish added to the spread.

“Ahaha, when I went to get my hair cut today, I bought these dishes too. You know, after how tough things were yesterday and the day before…”

“O-Oh, I see. Sorry I didn’t notice.”

“N-No, no! I should be the one apologizing. Even though I’m being allowed to stay here… sorry!”

For some reason, we both apologized at the same time, awkwardly looking down.

“W-Well, how about we start eating?”

“Y-Yeah, let’s do that!”

Since continuing to fidget wouldn’t help, I broke the silence, clasped my hands together, and said,

““Itadakimasu.””

Picking up my chopsticks, I reached for my bowl.

For the record, Kinoshita-senpai’s dishes included spinach ohitashi and simmered squid with taro.

And… the steaming hot pork miso soup and tamagoyaki were probably made by Kakizaki-san.

With that in mind, I decided to try the tamagoyaki first.

“…(stare)”

…Yep, I’m being stared at intensely.

It’s not just staring—she seems a bit restless, too.

Pretending not to notice her gaze, I popped the tamagoyaki into my mouth in one bite.

“It’s delicious!”

“R-Really?”

“Yeah! It’s so fluffy and soft. When I bite into it, the flavor of the dashi spreads through my mouth… Wow, I could eat this forever!”

“Ahaha, s-so glad to hear that!”

The moment I praised her, Kakizaki-san’s face lit up with the brightest smile I’d ever seen.

And honestly, I wasn’t exaggerating—it really was delicious.

“W-Well then, next up is the pork miso soup…”

I switched the bowl in my hands for the soup bowl and took a sip of the pork miso soup.

“Ahh… The pork miso soup is amazing too. It’s so warm and comforting…”

“R-Right? Since it’s a bit cold today, I thought pork miso soup would be perfect!”

Honestly, the girl in front of me couldn’t look happier if she tried.

“But Kakizaki-san, you’re really good at cooking, huh?”

“Ahaha, actually, the high school I went to was an all-girls school, and they really focused on home economics classes…”

According to Kakizaki-san, the all-girls high school she attended put a lot of emphasis on skills like cooking and sewing as part of an old-fashioned “bride training” program.

Yeah, I can’t deny it sounds outdated.

“But wait, do schools like that even exist these days? I can hardly believe it…”

“Y-Yeah. I think you might have heard of it, though. It’s called ‘Doujo High: Doukei Women University Affiliated Schhols’…”

“Eh?! You went to that school, Kakizaki-san?!”

Hearing her alma mater, I couldn’t help but be shocked.

Even I, who came from the countryside, knew about Doukei Women University Affiliated Schools. It’s one of the most prestigious girls’ schools in Japan, attended by daughters of elite families from political and financial circles.

And… the girls attending Saturday’s mixer are from Doukei Women University, meaning they’re likely graduates of that high school as well…

“A-Ahaha… Well, at the time, I did have the title of ‘company president’s daughter’…”

Kakizaki-san added, “Though, I was just a nouveau riche daughter,” sticking out her tongue playfully and looking a bit embarrassed.

“I-I see… Kakizaki-san, you’re really amazing…”

“I’m not amazing at all… In the end, I went to that school with money that was earned by deceiving people…”

As she said that, Kakizaki-san’s expression suddenly turned sorrowful.

Sigh… We just agreed last night not to bring up her past, and here I am, messing up already…

But still.

“…Your cooking skills have nothing to do with anyone else’s money or circumstances. They’re your own talent. So… I think you should be proud of that.”

“…! T-Thank you.”

After that, we both got embarrassed and finished dinner in silence.

“Oh, right.”

While getting ready for bed after taking a bath, I suddenly remembered something and called out to Kakizaki-san.

“What is it?”

“Well, you know, I was wondering about the cancellation process for the room next door—how’s that going?”

“Ah, yeah. I took care of that today too…”

She answered, then quietly lowered her gaze.

“…Did something happen?”

“A-Ahaha, it’s nothing major… It’s just that apparently, the landlord also got an anonymous letter, and when I told her I was moving out, she looked really happy, that’s all…”

She bit her lip tightly.

…Just how much more does she have to suffer?

Why does she have to keep experiencing such unreasonable things…?!

“H-Haha… Well then, serves them right, huh?”

“Eh…?”

“Think about it. Those hopeless jerks who think they drove you out, and the gleeful landlord—they’d never imagine you’re living comfortably right next door. Doesn’t that make you feel like you’ve gotten the last laugh?”

I said that to her in a playful tone, trying my best to sound lighthearted.

Hoping, even just a little, that she wouldn’t dwell on it too much.

Hoping, even just a little, that she could feel like she had won.

Then.

“A-Ahaha… Really, you’re such an idiot… Being so kind… to someone like me… someone like me—uwaah!”

“Wha—?!”

Suddenly, Kakizaki-san threw herself into my chest and started sobbing uncontrollably.

I… was betrayed by Hiyori, became wary of women, unable to trust them… So, normally, having someone cry on me like this would be unbearable.

And yet.

—Squeeze

“…I’ll never kick you out. You can stay here forever… okay?”

“Sniff… Hic… Yeah… Yeah…!”

I held her close and gently patted her back until her sobs subsided.