Translator: RaidenTL
Fried tofu pouches, firm tofu, green onions, onions, miso... and seasonings.
Miyuki, having tossed the ingredients for miso soup into the cart without a moment's hesitation, turned to me and teased.
"You do have rice at home, right?"
"Of course. How else would I eat soy sauce egg rice?"
"That's true. But Matsuda, you didn't happen to cook it with rice weevils, did you?"
"No wonder my stomach's been feeling heavy. They must have laid eggs in my gut."
"Ugh, what are you talking about...! That's disgusting..."
Miyuki gave my shoulder a light shove.
She'd been beaming ever since we started pushing the cart around the supermarket. She must be enjoying shopping with me.
We were practically glued to the cart as we picked out ingredients for udon in addition to the miso soup.
We didn't forget to grab some beer and snacks, either.
Three cans of beer.
Just the right amount to drink while watching TV together after dinner.
Standing at the checkout counter, Miyuki excused herself and scurried over to the toiletries aisle.
When she returned about a minute later, she was holding a new toothbrush.
Looks like she plans on brushing her teeth after we eat... So Miyuki knows, too.
That we won't just be stopping at dinner.
"Next customer, please!"
At the supermarket employee's bright, cheerful voice, Miyuki nudged my back, smiling bashfully as if to hide her awkwardness.
I decided to spare her feelings and said nothing as I placed our items on the conveyor belt. But when I saw her fumbling for her wallet, I narrowed my eyes.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Huh? We're eating together, so we should split..."
"You're paying to cook at my house? I'm the one who should pay. Don't be silly and put that away."
"But still..."
To think she'd offer to pay for a meal she was cooking at someone else's house, when she should be the one getting paid.
Of course, we weren't exactly 'someone else' to each other anymore, but she was still a little too generous.
After waving her off and paying, I stood by the entrance holding the heavy plastic bags.
I glanced outside. The rain was still coming down hard.
It seemed even stronger than before... I hoped it wouldn't cause a flood.
"Matsuda, you did close the living room door, right?"
Miyuki asked as she prepared to open her umbrella.
My eyes widened, and I blinked down at her.
Seeing my reaction, Miyuki asked in a daze.
"...Don't tell me you just left it open...?"
"I think I might have."
"But it's been raining since this morning...? And you still didn't close it...?"
"I forgot. There are eaves, so it should be fine."
Miyuki let out a huff of disbelief at my answer and began to scold me.
"Matsuda, are you an idiot...? The wind will blow it all inside... Besides, the living room floor is tatami...! If rainwater gets in..."
"It probably just got the flat bench a little wet, that's all. What's the big deal?"
"Why are you so laid-back about this...? Let's just hurry back."
Miyuki snapped open her umbrella, grabbing my arm and shaking it.
I yawned like a man bothered by everything, and only started walking when Miyuki began to rev up her nagging engine.
"Ah, shit..."
I grumbled, wiping down the tatami mat closest to the sliding window with a dry towel before tossing the towel aside.
Miyuki, who had been watching me while she cooked, clicked her tongue.
"Don't swear. This is what you get for not closing the door... Wipe it properly. Unless you want mold and bugs."
"Did you bring the plants in? Aren't they going to drown?"
"The fence is blocking some of the rain, so they're fine. Besides, plants grow better when they drink rainwater."
"Why?"
"You wouldn't get it even if I explained, so I'm not going to tell you."
I approached Miyuki from behind as she spoke in a prim tone and slyly placed a hand on her waist.
Miyuki, who had been stirring the miso soup, flinched.
The tips of her fingers, gripping the ladle, turned white.
A sign that she was tensing up.
Biting her lip, she chided me.
"Matsuda... I'm cooking right now..."
"Who said you weren't?"
"...Why aren't you wiping the tatami...?"
"Let's just let it air dry. Is the salmon done?"
"It needs about three more minutes..."
"Should I set the table then?"
"Ah, yes... right now... Hyaah!"
Miyuki suddenly let out a sweet, delicate sound.
It was because I had given her waist a firm squeeze.
I chuckled at the sight of her shrinking into herself, her chin held high. I walked over to the corner of the living room and unfolded the legs of the low table.
A short while later, Miyuki placed the grilled salmon and miso soup on the table.
She followed it up with stir-fried burdock root and a beautifully made rolled omelet, then sat down gracefully across from me.
"There aren't many side dishes."
"For me, two side dishes is a feast. Thanks for the food."
"Eat up."
The sound of rain hitting the eaves from the open window, a meal under soft lighting, punctuated by occasional conversation.
It felt like we were a newlywed couple. I wondered if Miyuki was thinking the same thing.
"...Why are you staring at me like that...?"
She demurely brought a piece of rolled omelet, separated by her chopsticks, to her lips.
Hearing the shyness in her voice, it seemed she was just as thrilled by this moment as I was.
"It's nothing. The food is delicious."
"Mm..."
Click.
Miyuki's cheeks were flushed when she came out of the bathroom.
It wasn't from embarrassment, but from the beer.
"Did you clean up the rest of the snacks...?"
Miyuki asked, a refreshed look on her face.
I answered by pointing to the trash can next to the kitchen.
Miyuki nodded, then cautiously approached and sat down beside me.
"When did you lay out the futon...?"
"Just now."
"I left the toothbrush on the sink for now... I'll take it with me when I leave."
"Just leave it here and use it next time you come over."
"Ah... should I...?"
"Yeah."
I replied nonchalantly and looked out the window.
It was already dusk.
The rain was still pouring down.
It would be completely dark soon.
Swoosh.
As I naturally lay down, resting my head on the pillow, Miyuki, seemingly emboldened by the alcohol, suddenly placed a hand on my forehead and gently swept my hair back.
Her touch was always so warm.
Warm enough to put my heart at ease and make my body feel languid.
I closed my eyes for a moment, savoring her touch, then looked up at her with a deep gaze.
Was she getting anxious from my unusual stare?
Miyuki let out a nasal sound, tinged with a hint of a pout.
"Why are you looking at me like that..."
I didn't answer, just kept my eyes locked with hers for a long, long time.
Then, just as the humid air seemed to settle, I opened my mouth.
"Miyuki."
"Yeah..."
"I've been drinking, so I can't drive."
"So...?"
"I can't take you home."
"Now that you mention it, you're right. I'll have to take a taxi... But Matsuda, did you drink beer because you were too lazy to take me home?"
Miyuki joked, her eyes crinkling into crescents.
I smirked, grabbed her wrist, and pulled.
"Ugh...!"
With a startled cry, Miyuki fell down beside me.
She hastily tried to push herself up, propping her hands on my futon, but...
"Let's just stay like this for a bit."
She paused at my weary tone, then rested her head on the edge of my pillow.
"You could have said something... You scared me..."
"Sorry."
I could feel her chest brushing against my ribs.
If I had my way, I'd pull the dress shirt out from her uniform skirt and slide my hand inside, but I had to hold back.
I couldn't let myself be consumed by lust right now.
Giving in to the signals my hardening dick was sending was a shortcut to ruin.
The best path was to be rational, but to do so in a way that didn't completely ignore my dick's opinion.
'Start with something light and familiar.'
Right now, the proper course of action was to slowly raise the intensity, so as not to frighten Miyuki, who was new to this kind of skinship.
I turned onto my side and looked directly at Miyuki.
Then, timing it with her long exhale, I brought my face close to hers.
"....."
Miyuki's eyelids fluttered shut.
Her expression was peaceful, even though this was our first time kissing while lying down.
It seemed that getting her used to skinship whenever I had the chance had paid off. I felt a sense of pride.
I stopped when our noses were close enough to touch and took a moment to brush her bangs aside.
And just as her eyes were slowly beginning to open,
"...Hup!"
I pressed my lips against hers.
When I immediately pushed my tongue inside, Miyuki's tongue shot up to meet mine, tangling with it.
It was surprising.
Did she have some kind of change of heart at the cafe yesterday?
She was clumsy, but her effort was commendable, admirable even.
The kiss that followed was even more intense than the one at the cafe.
Since we were in a place where we didn't have to worry about prying eyes, we made no effort to hide our panting breaths, pressing our bodies completely together as we explored each other's mouths.
"Hmmph...! Huu..."
Miyuki seemed to be having trouble breathing through her nose, as she would periodically suck in and release air through her mouth.
Unaware that her breath was causing my cheek to puff out slightly, she was focused solely on the kiss.
Just as the faint, beer-tinged taste of toothpaste was nearly gone from our mouths,
I placed my hand on her waist and began to gently stroke her, from her lowest rib down to her hip.
The moment my hand reached the small of her back,
"Hhup...!"
Miyuki let out a short gasp, her hips pulling back slightly as her hand shot out to grab mine.
She seemed quite startled.
But, as if reassured by the gentleness of my touch, she soon relaxed her grip.
That's when I ended the kiss.
Just like our first time, I gently bit her lower lip as I pulled away. Seeing her dazed eyes, I caressed the cheek of her face that was turned toward the ceiling.
"....."
Miyuki accepted my touch without a word.
I called her name in a soft voice.
"Miyuki."
Her body shivered once.
She must have liked the sound of my voice.
It seemed she was a little aroused, too.
"Whaat...?"
"Want to sleep over tonight?"
At my sudden proposal, Miyuki's eyes flew open, wide as the full moon.
"Huh...? Hmm...?"
"Stay the night."
Her unblinking eyes, her ragged breathing, her mouth opening and closing like a goldfish.
After a moment of unconcealed bewilderment, Miyuki stammered out a question.
"S-Stay the night...? Here...?"
"Do you have a curfew?"
"No, but... so suddenly... I mean..."
"For some reason, I feel like I'll be lonely by myself tonight."
As soon as she heard the word 'lonely,' a shadow fell over Miyuki's face.
She had realized that I lived alone.
"....."
"....."
It was Miyuki who broke the long, long silence.
Unsure of what to do, she glanced back and forth between the pouring rain outside the window and my face, then spoke with difficulty.
"A-Are you going to be... very lonely...?"
I pulled the blanket from the foot of the futon and draped it over us.
Then, I wrapped my arm around Miyuki's head, drew her into my embrace, rested my chin on the crown of her head, and changed the subject.
"This is nice and warm."
Actually, it wasn't so much changing the subject as it was a roundabout way of expressing myself.
A way of saying that I wasn't lonely because I was with her.
Miyuki, sensing my hidden meaning,
"....."
let out a soft, breathy sigh and slid her arm under mine, around my torso.
Then, in a barely audible voice, she said.
"I... like it too..."