The next day’s lunch break.
「Sorry to keep you waiting. Did you wait long?」
「No, I just got here too.」
When I arrived on the rooftop, Sasaki-san was already sitting there. And just like yesterday, there was no one else around.
I sat down next to where Sasaki-san was sitting, and she handed me a black bento box.
「Here, this is for you.」
「T-Thank you! It feels like a dream that you’d actually make one for me…」
「I promised, didn’t I? Of course I’d make it. Why would I lie about that?」
「Ahaha, sorry. Really, thank you, Sasaki-san! But wasn’t it hard to make an extra one for me?」
「It’s totally fine. Like I said yesterday, it’s easy to just make one more while I’m at it, so don’t worry about it. Here, I’ll put some tea here for you too.」
「Eh? You even prepared tea!? Thank you so much for everything!」
「Nnn.」
I received the bento and the pot of tea from Sasaki-san. Then I immediately opened the lid of the bento.
── Paka.
「Uwaa!!」
My eyes sparkled.
The bento was brightly colored with meatballs, tamagoyaki, simmered vegetables, and a salad with cherry tomatoes. Just at a glance, it looked incredibly delicious.
「Uwaa! This is amazing, Sasaki-san!」
「U-Um, well, it’s not really that surprising of a bento, is it?」
「No, no, it definitely is! Just the appearance alone looks super delicious! And it’s so colorful and beautiful!」
「I-I see, a beautiful bento, you say… Yesterday’s was half-eaten so it was like that, but the bentos I make are usually like this. O-Or rather, stop praising it so much and just eat already.」
「Hee, is that so! Okay, got it! Then, right away… Itadakimasu!」
「Nn, itadakimasu.」
Sasaki-san and I put our hands together properly before starting to eat the bentos. And today’s bento was incredibly delicious too.
「Delicious!? This is delicious! This too, this is delicious!」
「W-Wait! Calm down a bit, will you?」
「Ah, s-sorry! But it’s really that delicious!」
「I-I see…」
At first, I kept exclaiming “delicious, delicious” with high tension as I ate the bento.
But gradually, I was so moved by the deliciousness of the bento that I ate silently… and before I knew it, I had finished the bento quickly.
「Ah…」
I was shocked to have finished the bento and felt a bit down.
「…Puh.」
Seeing my dejected face, Sasaki-san laughed. I didn’t expect her to see me like that, so I felt a bit embarrassed.
「U-Um… t-thanks for the food!」
「Nn, thanks for the food.」
So, trying to hide my embarrassment, I raised my voice a little, put my hands together properly, and said so.
「Then… here. Have some more tea.」
「Ahh, yeah. Thank you, Sasaki-san!」
「Nn, it’s nothing.」
Sasaki-san poured tea from the pot and handed it to me. I thanked her, received the tea, and took a sip.
「By the way, Yamada, you eat so deliciously.」
──Light Novels──
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「Eh, that’s super embarrassing though…」
「Fufu, it’s fine, isn’t it? From the cook’s perspective, it’s nice to see someone enjoying their food. So, how was it? The taste of the bento?」
Sasaki-san asked for my thoughts on the bento, so I gave her my honest opinion without any lies.
「Of course, it was super delicious! Really, incredibly tasty!! No, really, thank you so much, Sasaki-san!」
「Haha, you know, can’t you increase your vocabulary a bit? Fufu, well… I’m happy you say it so honestly. So thank you for eating it deliciously.」
As I conveyed my honest thoughts and gratitude, Sasaki-san seemed pleased and played with her side hair with her fingertips.
She did a similar gesture yesterday, so I think it’s probably a habit of hers, but seeing her play with her hair while looking happy somehow seemed very cute.
「Yeah, so once again, thank you so much for today! Everything was delicious. Especially the tamagoyaki, it had just the right sweetness and was incredibly tasty… wait, huh? Looking closely, Sasaki-san, you haven’t eaten any of your food.」
「Eh? Ah, ahh, that’s, umm…」
「What’s wrong? Ah, could it be you’re not feeling well? Do you have a fever?」
「Eh… wait, ehh!? W-Wait! You’re too close!」
As I said that and moved closer to Sasaki-san’s face, she hurriedly turned away.
But I didn’t expect Sasaki-san to react so flustered, so I asked her this while surprised.
「R-Really, what’s wrong? Do you have a fever after all? Your face is a bit red too.」
「N-No, it’s not that! I’m not red, and I’m not feeling unwell!」
「Eh, is that so? But… then why haven’t you eaten your bento?」
「Uhh… t-that’s… well…」
When I said that, Sasaki-san seemed a bit confused. It’s a rare sight for Sasaki-san, who usually speaks so decisively.
But after a while, Sasaki-san seemed to make up her mind and finally started speaking in a small voice.
「…I was watching.」
「Eh? What did you say?」
「Uhh… I-I mean…」
But I couldn’t hear her because her voice was too small, so I asked again, and Sasaki-san, as if resigned, suddenly raised her voice.
「N-No, I mean…! I-I was watching you eat the bento I made so deliciously, that’s why!」
「Eh… wait, ehhh? S-So the reason Sasaki-san didn’t eat… was because you were watching me the whole time?」
「T-That’s right! I was just watching the face of the guy eating the bento I made deliciously. Is that a problem?」
「Eh!? N-No, it’s not a problem at all.」
「Fuun, right? Then this conversation is over!」
「Y-Yeah, got it.」
Sasaki-san said so and then started eating her own bento with small bites.
But soon after, Sasaki-san said this to me.
「But you know, Yamada, you’re admirable.」
「Hmm? What are you talking about now?」
「The way you put your hands together and say “itadakimasu” before eating, and “thanks for the food” after eating. I think it’s admirable that you do that properly.」
「Eh? You think so?」
「Yeah, I think it’s really good to eat with gratitude towards the ingredients and the person who made the food. If I were to get married, I’d want to cook for someone who says those things properly…」
「Hee, is that so… wait, ehhh!? M-Marriage!?」
「…Eh? Ahh!? N-No, that’s not what I meant! Yamada! That’s not what I meant!」
In the current situation where I received a handmade bento from Sasaki-san, that word had way too much destructive power.
Thanks to that, my face quickly turned bright red. And of course, Sasaki-san’s face was also getting redder and redder.
「D-Don’t get the wrong idea!」
「I-I know! I know, Sasaki-san!」
And so, with both of our faces bright red, we didn’t talk anymore, and Sasaki-san continued to eat her bento silently.