บท 57: I Just Want a Single Ending [57]
[Accept]
[Decline]
When her invitation appeared, Kamigawa Saku wasn't surprised to see these system prompts pop up.
"Of course, I'd love to."
Naturally, he wasn't about to turn her down.
After all, this was precisely what he'd intended all along.
[Stamina +20]
"Alright, let me get you some rice."
Seeing how quickly he accepted, Nagasaki Soyo looked genuinely delighted, and she headed to the kitchen with a lightness in her step.
As Kamigawa took a seat at the dining table, he glanced over the dishes she'd prepared.
Perhaps because her mom hadn't been home for a while, tonight's meal was especially lavish.
Who would have thought that Soyo would be so skilled at cooking?
"Here you go."
In no time, Soyo returned, setting a bowl of rice in front of him.
"Thank you for inviting me to dinner," he said, taking the bowl with a nod of gratitude.
Soyo took her seat across from him, a gentle smile on her face. "No need to thank me. If anything, I should be the one thanking you."
"Thank me? For what?"
Kamigawa asked, a bit puzzled.
"If it weren't for you, all this food would go to waste," Soyo said with a small sigh. "There's no way I could eat it all by myself."
"Let's not get into who's thanking whom, or we'll be here all night."
Kamigawa waved it off, picking up his chopsticks and pressing his palms together. "Itadakimasu."
"Itadakimasu."
Soyo echoed, following his lead.
As he took a bite of the fried chicken, she asked a little anxiously, "How is it?"
"It's delicious."
Kamigawa's answer was simple, without any elaborate critique like he might post online.
"Oh, I'm glad."
With his approval, Soyo visibly relaxed.
As long as he enjoyed it, that was all that mattered.
They ate in peaceful silence for a while before Kamigawa looked up and asked curiously, "Soyo, do you cook often?"
"Pretty often, yes," Soyo said after a brief pause, nodding slightly.
Since her mom was often away, she'd learned to cook early on.
When she had nothing else to do, she'd sometimes spend her time cooking.
"No wonder it tastes so good. Way better than anything I could make," Kamigawa complimented her without holding back.
"Oh, it's not that impressive."
Though she felt happy hearing his praise, she still replied modestly.
Then, recalling his earlier words, she raised an eyebrow. "Wait, does that mean you cook too?"
"I do, though I'm nowhere near as good as you."
As a reviewer, he wasn't exactly a top-tier chef, but he'd gotten pretty decent over time.
Since he often went out to test cafes and snacks, he didn't cook much at home anymore—so he was a bit out of practice.
"Come on, now…"
Soyo blushed a little at his continued compliments.
"Hey, how about I cook for you next time?" Kamigawa suggested, testing the waters. "You know, as a little thank-you for letting me join you for dinner tonight."
He wasn't about to pass up any opportunity to get closer to her.
"Eh?"
Soyo blinked, and then a look of concern crossed her face. "But isn't your hand still injured? It'll be a while before that heals, right?"
"Exactly, that's why I'm saying 'next time.' Tonight, I'm just setting the plan in place."
Kamigawa was a bit surprised she remembered his injury.
"That works for me."
After a brief hesitation, Soyo gave a slight nod.
She knew Kamigawa was the kind of person who didn't like leaving debts unpaid.
Even if she declined now, he'd probably find some other way to make it up to her later.
Plus, it was more economical to have him cook here at home than to go out.
And, admittedly, she was a little curious about what his cooking might taste like.
It was something to look forward to.
So, Kamigawa asked, "Alright then, just let me know if you have any foods you dislike, so I can plan around them."
"I'm not a fan of things like organ meat—the texture just isn't for me."
Soyo answered honestly, not holding anything back.
"Same here! I can't stand that stuff either," Kamigawa replied, genuinely pleased.
"Really?" Soyo looked surprised. "I thought a food reviewer like you wouldn't be picky."
"Usually, that's true, but I'm an exception. There are quite a few things I don't like eating," he admitted, leaning back slightly.
"I mostly review snacks and drinks, and the places I go to are usually cafes or trendy restaurants."
"I can't imagine any cafe offering organ-meat-flavored coffee or drinks," he added with a grin.
"In other words, even with my food aversions, it doesn't really impact my work."
Soyo nodded, understanding. "Got it."
"How did we end up talking about me again?" Kamigawa said with a playful sigh, then steered the conversation back. "So, what's your favorite food?"
"Hmm… I'd say vegetable minestrone."
"Got it," Kamigawa said, mentally noting it down.
After a brief pause, Soyo asked, "What about you?"
"I don't really have a favorite yet—maybe because I haven't found a dish I truly love."
"That's such a slippery answer."
Soyo sounded a bit disappointed.
"I'm just being honest. If I threw out a random answer, that'd be lying, wouldn't it?" Kamigawa replied matter-of-factly. "I wouldn't want to lie to you about something like that."
"Mm."
With that reassurance, any disappointment Soyo had felt instantly faded.
They continued to chat as they enjoyed dinner together, touching on all sorts of topics.
---
Looking across the table at Kamigawa Saku, Nagasaki Soyo couldn't help but let a small smile tug at her lips.
The disappointment from her mother's sudden departure was gradually being replaced by the warmth he brought with him.
They were just friends, yet here they were, sitting together like family.
A little brother, huh…
Thinking back to the flower he'd given her as her "younger brother," Soyo found herself lingering on the word.
Maybe having a younger brother wouldn't be so bad.
"Thank you for the meal."
Kamigawa set down his chopsticks, thanking her once again.
"It's been a while since I've had dinner with someone like this," Soyo said suddenly. "If you're interested… maybe we could have dinner together more often."
Kamigawa blinked, slightly taken aback. "Huh?"
---
T/N: Drink that water! POSTURE CHECK
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
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