Chapter 25: Each Other's Intentions (Combined)
After realizing where the true gap lay, Anon fell silent, merely pinching Ren's waist incessantly. What's the use of focusing only on useless appearances? It's the inner beauty that matters, you idiot.
Seeing Anon's sudden deflated expression, Ren immediately understood the reason behind her petty tantrum.
This wasn't merely shortsightedness—Anon simply couldn't comprehend the redemptive feeling of having someone comfort you when you're tired and weary, because she herself had no one to rely on.
But Anon's jealousy came and went quickly. These things couldn't be forced—even if she tried her hardest, she could never reach Hitori's proportions. Continuing to be jealous would only make her suffer more.
Fine, so she couldn't compare in figure, but she should at least be prettier than Hitori, right?
However, since Hitori often kept her head down, hunched her back, and had bangs covering her eyes, Anon couldn't really tell what she looked like.
But this didn't stump Anon. She also noticed that Hitori seemed somewhat socially anxious, similar to a certain shy acquaintance. By now, Anon had become quite adept at handling such people.
So in the following time, she focused on building a good relationship with Hitori. The guitar playing was over—now it was time for the friendship phase.
Under Anon's affable approach, Hitori couldn't resist at all. In no time, she had spilled all her secrets to Anon, and they quickly started using nicknames, addressing each other by first names or nicknames.
From guitars to bands, and finally to the ultimate goal of makeup, Anon managed to chat with Hitori for a full half hour before tapping her chin and saying, "Bocchi-chan, your bangs are a bit long, aren't they? Don't they block your vision?"
"No, I'm used to it like this."
While long bangs might block her own view, they also prevented others from seeing her eyes. This allowed Hitori to frequently observe people around her without being easily noticed, effectively avoiding awkward situations where she wouldn't know how to respond if someone talked to her or made eye contact. This was her survival strategy.
"But this really affects your appearance! You look gloomy precisely because your bangs are too long. Can I lift them to take a look?"
Anon smiled, making her request in a questioning tone.
Hitori wasn't good at refusing, so even though she feared being "exposed to light," she still agreed to Anon's request.
But when Anon lifted Hitori's bangs and saw her complete facial features and clear blue eyes, she couldn't maintain her cheerful expression.
Damn, this is idol-level beauty, isn't it? How can she be so pretty?!
With their beauty being equally impressive in different ways but completely outmatched in figure, Anon suffered a complete defeat.
"Stay for dinner tonight, everyone. I'll cook," Ren said, who had been watching the entire time. Noticing that Anon wasn't behaving too abnormally, he didn't intervene—it would be good for Hitori to make another friend.
"Sure! Bocchi-chan, you should let your family know too."
After understanding what kind of person Hitori really was, Anon found it impossible to dislike her. Socially anxious and emotionally sensitive—if Anon showed even a hint of dislike, it might affect her relationship with Ren.
After all, Hitori seemed like the type who would back off if Anon acted tough or asserted her dominance, but Anon disdained using such methods to compete for a man. That would be too cheap.
So for now, let's just be friends with Hitori.
"Mhm..."
Hitori nodded, secretly pulling out her phone to message her mom, who even encouraged her not to come home tonight and to try and win over Ren directly.
But as for Hitori taking the initiative... Hitori insisted she couldn't do it. After accidentally dropping the box with "0.01" printed on it earlier, her heart had sunk into despair.
Having company seemed to boost Ren's enthusiasm for cooking, but since he had no ingredients at home, they still needed to go out and buy some.
After discussing it, the three of them decided to go out together. For Ren and Anon, this was a perfectly ordinary activity, but for Hitori, it was the first time in her life she'd ever gone grocery shopping with friends and then shared a meal together. The thought moved her so much that she couldn't stop giggling to herself, completely unaware she was doing it.
"Ren, is Bocchi-chan always like this?"
Not only was Hitori giggling, but her entire demeanor had shifted due to happiness—her delicate, pretty features seemed to soften into simple, cartoonish lines.
Anon found it a bit strange, but also felt an inexplicable pang of pity and affection for Hitori. Seeing how overjoyed she was, Anon couldn't help but wonder what kind of life Hitori had been living before.
"Mhm, she's fun and cute, right?"
Ren smiled and nodded.
"She is a little cute. I didn't realize you liked this type."
Anon pouted, unsure of what she was feeling inside. But when she realized that her relationship with Ren didn't seem affected, she felt somewhat relieved.
After all, Hitori didn't seem like the type to get jealous if she saw Anon getting too close to Ren.
Chatting along the way, they arrived at the market. After buying the ingredients, they headed back the same way. Both Anon and Hitori were only average at cooking, so they could only assist with minor tasks. In this regard, Ren was actually more skilled than either of them.
Now, System, it's time to step up.
While prepping the vegetables, Ren requested an enhancement. He could cook, but his skills were merely decent, not top-tier. How could he impress Anon and Hitori with just that?
[Host's request detected. Host's culinary skills have been enhanced. No one in the current world surpasses the host in cooking ability.]
With the system's intervention, Ren felt as if a veil had been lifted from his eyes. He gained entirely new insights and understanding about knife skills, stir-frying, seasoning, and everything else related to cooking.
"It smells amazing, but am I seeing things? Why is this dish glowing???"
Anon and Hitori, who had stayed out of the kitchen to avoid causing trouble, were utterly stunned when Ren brought out the first dish. They stared in disbelief at the incredible glow emanating from the food.
Had the world's style changed since meeting Hitori??? Was this not just an ordinary, everyday world after all???
Anon pinched her thigh hard, and the sharp pain confirmed that she wasn't hallucinating.
"This is the mark of culinary mastery. A dish that doesn't glow isn't a good dish. You can try it first."
Ren spoke with a straight face, fully aware that he held the final say. Since he was the only one in the world who could make such dishes, whatever he claimed would be accepted as truth.
"I had no idea your cooking was this good, Ren. You're usually so lazy, yet now you're willing to cook personally for Bocchi-chan."
After muttering a complaint, Anon stole a glance at Hitori, then ultimately helped Ren by giving him a subtle assist. Normally, Ren would rather freeload meals than cook himself—a true lazybones.
"Huh?"
Hitori, of course, understood the little hint, and it made her even happier inside.
Was Ren cooking because of her? That was just too wonderful.
Just that thought alone moved Hitori a little, making her feel almost unworthy of Ren going to such trouble.
"After all, who wouldn't take ready-made food if they could? If I can laze around and wait to die, I'm certainly not going to put in effort."
Ren shrugged his shoulders. Laziness was only human nature, and besides, eating alone meant he never had much appetite. Having company always improved his mood for food.
"You'll starve to death sooner or later."
Spitting a retort at Ren, Anon went to fetch three pairs of chopsticks, handing one to Hitori before joining her in sampling the food.
"Mmm~~~"
As the ingredients entered their mouths, an indescribable and praiseworthy deliciousness wildly stimulated Anon and Hitori's taste buds. They felt as if they had ascended to the clouds, their mouths constantly watering, their craving for food reaching its peak at that moment. After swallowing, the unparalleled satisfaction left their faces flushed, and they let out soft, contented sighs.
"This is just too delicious!?"
Coming back to her senses, Anon blushed but ignored her earlier undignified reaction. She couldn't stop praising the food while continuously helping herself to more.
Hitori couldn't think of any words to express her admiration, so she just buried her head in eating. She never expected Ren's cooking skills to be this exceptional. If she could marry Ren, life would surely be blissful.
Seeing their reactions, Ren's mood improved even more. Having his cooking recognized and praised was a joyous thing for any cook. After quickly stir-frying the remaining dishes, he joined them for dinner.
"Ah~ I'm so full, my stomach's all round now. I feel like I'm going to gain three pounds tomorrow."
After the meal, Anon leaned back in her chair with a satisfied expression, gently stroking her belly. If someone were to lift her shirt at that moment, they'd see her slightly bulging tummy. Usually mindful of her weight and figure, this time she couldn't resist indulging and ate to the point of being stuffed.
"Even if Ren fattens me up into a pig, I'd die without regrets."
Hitori felt much the same, and she was already imagining future days. If Ren kept cooking like this, resisting her appetite would be impossible—she'd definitely end up gaining weight.
"Well, let's not go that far. Being too heavy isn't good for your health."
If it really came to that, Ren wouldn't be pleased. The only little pig he liked was Coraline; any others were out of the question. He couldn't let Hitori get chubby.
"Right, Ren, you go rest. I'll wash the dishes after a short break."
Anon nodded in agreement, then took on the task of washing up, telling Ren to go relax.
Ren didn't refuse either—he really wasn't fond of dishwashing. Why couldn't pots, pans, and dishes clean themselves after meals, waiting dutifully for him use the next day? If that were the case, he'd cook every day!
After resting and finishing the chores, Anon headed home first. She had already spent most of the afternoon hanging out, and it was time to give Ren some personal space.
Hitori was much the same—she wouldn't dare stay out late. Today had been so blissful she was half-convinced she was dreaming.
Ren glanced at the time and realized it was almost 8:30 PM, nearing 9 o'clock. He decided to walk Hitori home.
So he slung the guitar over his shoulder and headed to the station with Hitori.
Noticing this, Hitori felt a flicker of confusion but didn't dwell on it. She assumed it was Ren's own guitar, especially since he played even better than she did.
However, when they reached her doorstep and before bidding each other goodnight, Ren took the guitar he'd been carrying on his back and held it out to Hitori.
"Bocchi-chan, this is a gift I wanted to give you. Please take it."
"Eh?"
Hitori's expression froze in disbelief. Moonlight bathed her pale face, and her features visibly shifted to panic. She shook her head vigorously, exclaiming, "N-No, no, no! How could you give such a nice guitar to me? Isn't this your guitar, Ren?"
"Who said it's mine? I noticed your guitar is a bit old, and since we're friends—well, at least for now—I thought I'd get you a new one. It might not be as expensive as the one you're using, but it shouldn't be lacking in features."
"Besides, I've been carrying it all this way, and I'm exhausted. If you don't accept it, Bocchi-chan, are you trying to wear me out? So no refusing."
Ren smiled gently and firmly pushed the guitar into Hitori's arms. Later, he checked online and found that Hitori's previous guitar cost around one million yen, and it was practically impossible to find in stock.
But at that moment, the price wasn't what mattered—it was the sentiment. And with how technology evolves, the guitar he gave her might even have more features than her old one.
"B-But this is too expensive..."
Afraid of dropping the guitar, Hitori clutched it nervously. She wasn't just overwhelmed—she felt utterly unworthy.
First, he invited her out, then treated her to a meal, and now he was giving her a gift. This was an experience she'd never had in her life, and she had no idea how to respond to Ren.
"For me, it's no big deal. What's most important is that I believe it suits you, Bocchi-chan, and I trust you'll bring out its full potential. Plus, it carries my blessings. When you perform on stage with it, I'll be right there with you. That way, you won't be as nervous, right?"
Having already given the gift, Ren reached out and gently smoothed Hitori's hair, encouraging her to relax.
"..."
Hitori opened her mouth but couldn't find any words. Both the day's events and Ren's generosity had surpassed her ability to process them. Her mind was struggling to keep up—she'd never encountered such kindness and didn't know how to react.
Watching her mix of gratitude, conflict, and bewilderment, Ren's smile deepened. He lifted his gaze to the moon in the sky, serene and tenderly watching over them, which reminded him of an indirect way to express affection.
"The moon is beautiful tonight, and Bocchi-chan, you're very cute too."
After saying this, Ren turned and left. By the time Hitori snapped back to reality, Ren had already walked far away.
Seeing this, immense panic flooded Hitori's heart. But this time, she didn't say embarrassing things like wanting to crawl back into her mother's womb as she used to. Gathering her courage, she hugged her guitar and called out anxiously, "Ren! The wind is gentle tonight too!"
Hearing Hitori's shout, Ren paused in his steps. He hadn't expected Hitori to know this internet meme, but this was perfect. A direct confession might have scared Hitori—something subtle that she could understand and respond to was the best possible outcome.
He raised his hand and waved without turning back, then walked away with light steps.
After responding to Ren, Hitori's legs went weak and she collapsed to the ground. She sat there for quite a while before finally getting up and returning home.
Thank goodness she hadn't retreated this time.
Realizing that Ren had just subtly expressed his feelings, Hitori grew increasingly excited and thrilled after returning home.
Had she become a winner at life now? Were she and Ren a couple now? Hehehe~~
"I heard everything just now, Hitori. Do your best."
Michiyo couldn't help but smile wryly as she watched Hitori return home, immediately start giggling foolishly, rolling around, and making all sorts of strange reactions and movements. She never imagined her daughter's life would undergo such dramatic changes after entering high school, and all for the better.
"Yes, Mom! Please guide me on what to do!"
Hitori felt more motivated than ever before, but having no experience with romance, she could only seek advice from Michiyo.
By the way, what should they name their future children?
As she listened to Michiyo's suggestions, Hitori's thoughts gradually drifted, imagining the distant future.