Haruki sat at the dinner table across from Kyouko as they ate together.
Kyouko wore a tight, sleeveless white tank top, her deep cleavage on full display—not that she seemed to notice. The fabric clung to her curves, outlining the soft swell of her breasts as they rose and fell with each breath.
And those short shorts... they barely covered anything, revealing her smooth, toned thighs as she sat comfortably across from him.
Damn, she's really hot.
"Haruki?"
Her voice snapped him back to reality.
"Umm... yes?" he stammered, hoping she hadn't noticed where his eyes had wandered.
"Is the food not good?"
Ah, shit. He'd been so distracted that he'd barely touched his plate.
"Ah, no! This food is delicious," he quickly reassured her. And it was—her cooking was better than anything he could get from a restaurant.
Kyouko smiled softly. "Sorry, Haruki. I had to cook with whatever I could find. The fridge is running low, so I'm sorry if it's not good enough."
"Don't worry about it, Kyouko-san."
She sighed, resting her cheek on her palm. "I need to go to the market to restock."
Haruki paused. This could be his chance.
"Ah, but the bags will be heavy if I go alone…" Kyouko muttered, thinking out loud. "Maybe I should just order online…"
She hesitated, then let out another sigh. "But there are a lot of things I can't buy online. I need to find the right sauces, and some of the fresh ingredients just aren't the same unless I pick them myself."
Haruki waited for the right moment.
"If you don't mind, I could come with you," Haruki offered.
Kyouko blinked, clearly surprised. "Really?"
"Yes. I'm not busy right now anyway."
She hesitated, tapping her chopsticks lightly against her bowl. "But I don't want to trouble you..."
Haruki shook his head. "It's no trouble at all, Kyouko-san."
Kyouko smiled, looking relieved. "Well... if you insist. We'll go after this."
After they finished eating, Haruki waited outside while Kyouko locked the door behind her.
"Ready?" she asked, glancing at him.
"Whenever you are, Kyouko-san."
Haruki noticed she'd dressed modestly today—nothing revealing. She'd even put on a face mask.
"Should we take the car?" Kyouko asked as they started walking.
"Umm... I don't have a car, Kyouko-san," Haruki admitted.
"Ah, sorry! I didn't mean it like that," she said quickly.
"It's fine. I don't mind walking," Haruki replied with a small smile.
"Well… we'll take mine, then," Kyouko decided, leading the way.
Haruki watched as she unlocked the vehicle and slid into the driver's seat. He followed, settling into the passenger side.
As Kyouko started the engine, a soft hum escaped her lips—a tune he didn't recognize. Haruki glanced at her, then leaned back, trying not to stare.
This was just a casual grocery trip. Nothing more.
They reached the supermarket, and Kyouko smoothly pulled into a spot. After turning off the engine, she adjusted her facemask before stepping out.
Haruki followed onto the pavement beside her. The air was comfortably cool, the sky bright but not harsh. As they walked toward the entrance, their pace was unhurried. Just two people on a normal shopping trip.
Once inside, Haruki grabbed a shopping cart and pushed it beside Kyouko as she led the way.
"Hmm… what do you want to eat tonight, Haruki?" Kyouko asked, glancing at him as she scanned the shelves.
"Me?" Haruki thought for a moment. "Hmm… I don't know, Kyouko-san. Maybe some meat?"
Kyouko chuckled. "If you say so."
She reached for a pack of thinly sliced beef, inspecting it before placing it into the cart. They continued browsing, pausing occasionally as Kyouko picked up different ingredients.
Their conversation flowed easily—favorite foods, cooking habits, little comments about certain brands or packaging. Every now and then, Kyouko would hold up an item for Haruki to see.
"This one's good for stew," she said, showing him a box of stock cubes.
Haruki nodded. "Yeah? You make stew often, Kyouko-san?"
"Not really," she replied with a smile.
It felt natural, like friends shopping together. Haruki found himself enjoying it: the casual atmosphere, the way Kyouko's voice carried a soft warmth when she talked about food, the way she smiled without realizing it…
He hadn't had this kind of easy company in a while.
As they moved down the aisle, Haruki found himself smiling without realizing it.
Kyouko glanced at him, tilting her head slightly. "Why are you smiling, Haruki?"
"Oh, nothing, Kyouko-san." He shook his head. "It's just… it's been a while since I went shopping like this."
Kyouko smiled behind her facemask, her eyes softening. "Well, that's good to hear. Same here." She placed another item into the cart before adding, "Maybe we should hang out like this more often."
Haruki blinked, then chuckled. "Yeah… maybe we should."
Their pace remained unhurried, the atmosphere light. Haruki had never expected something as mundane as grocery shopping to feel this comfortable.
They moved through the supermarket side by side, occasionally stopping to check the shelves. Haruki pushed the cart while Kyouko carefully picked out ingredients, sometimes showing them to him with a small smile.
It felt strangely peaceful.
Inside Kyouko's mind, a thought surfaced:
It's been a while since I've felt this happy. I don't know why, but being around Haruki makes me feel comfortable.
She didn't dwell on it, simply enjoying the moment.
"Kyouko-san?"
"Ah… yes, Haruki?" She turned to him, blinking.
"Oh, nothing," he said, chuckling softly.
Kyouko tilted her head. "Do you need to buy something?"
"Ah… now that you mention it, I think I do."
"Okay, go ahead. I'll check out this area first." She gestured toward the shelves of sauces and seasonings.
Haruki nodded and headed toward the next aisle. Kyouko stayed behind, watching him disappear around the corner. She exhaled softly. Strange… why do I feel so at ease with him?
Shaking off the thought, she turned back to the shelves and continued browsing.
( End of Chapter )