When Haruto arrives in front of the Tojo family’s house, he takes a deep breath and presses the intercom. Although this is his third visit as part of the house cleaning service, he still feels a bit nervous at first.
However, any tension he might have had is quickly blown away by a cheerful voice that seems to come from far away, resonating through the intercom.
"Big Bro!?"
Ryota’s lively voice is followed by the sound of his older sister, Ayaka, giving him a scolding.
"Ryota, stop! What if it’s someone else? First, you need to ask, 'Who is it?' and then follow up with, 'What’s your business?'"
"But I can see it’s Big Bro on the screen!"
"Even if you know, you still need to ask properly."
"Okay!"
The exchange between the Tojo siblings is heard through the intercom, and Haruto can’t help but smile and chuckle. He can’t help but let out a small laugh when he hears Ryota, having accepted his sister's advice, speak again.
"Who is Big Bro?"
"Hehe... *ahem*... Otsuki."
Ryota’s way of asking, so perfectly timed, strikes Haruto’s funny bone, and he clears his throat to cover up his laughter.
"Is Big Bro here for house cleaning?"
"Fufu... Yes, I’m here for house cleaning today as well."
Haruto laughs again, trying to hold it back when he hears Ryota’s slightly odd Japanese.
"Sorry, Otsuki-kun, I’ll let Ryota open the door now," Ayaka’s voice comes through, likely holding back her laughter as well, with a slight tremor in her voice.
Soon after, the sound of footsteps rushing toward the door is heard, followed by the door opening with a loud *slam*.
"Big Bro!!"
"Hey, Ryota-kun! Hello!"
Ryota greets Haruto with a bright, sparkling smile, and Haruto returns the gesture with a warm smile of his own. It seems Ryota has been eagerly waiting for Haruto’s visit. He grabs Haruto’s arm and starts pulling him inside.
"Big Bro, you’re the house cleaner, right? You’re going to be coming here all the time, right?"
"Well, not all the time, but I’ll be seeing you a lot during the summer break, Ryota-kun."
"So, house cleaning means you’ll be here all summer, right?"
"Ahaha, yeah, something like that."
It seems Ryota has a rough understanding of the concept of the regular house cleaning contract, repeating the phrase "house cleaning" excitedly.
The contract Haruto has signed with the Tojo family is for three days a week, with three hours each visit. As Ryota pulls Haruto toward the living room, they both enter to find Ikue, sitting at the dining table with her laptop, doing telework, and Ayaka, who is sitting on the sofa.
"Welcome, Otsuki-kun. Thanks for coming today!"
Ikue looks up from her laptop and greets Haruto.
"Yes, thank you for having me," Haruto replies, bowing deeply before straightening up and addressing Ikue.
"Thank you for signing the regular contract yesterday. I will do my utmost to provide the best house cleaning service possible and ensure your satisfaction. I look forward to working with you in the future."
As Haruto bows deeply again, Ikue smiles with amusement, saying, "Oh my, you're too polite."
"Try to be a bit more casual, okay? That way, it'll be more comfortable for us," Ikue says with a smile, her tone light and easygoing. "Don’t you think so, Ayaka?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. If Otsuki-kun is that formal, it’s a little unsettling," Ayaka replies.
"See? Ayaka agrees," Ikue says, her face brightening with a smile after getting her daughter's approval.
"Well... I'll try to keep that in mind," Haruto says with a wry smile, feeling a bit awkward.
Haruto is here to work, after all. He tries to maintain that professional distance, but the request to be more casual is a bit difficult for him. After all, he knows that living in the Tojo household, particularly being liked by the family, could lead to misunderstandings, especially since Ayaka is known as the "idol of the school." As a teenage boy, Haruto is worried that getting too familiar could complicate things.
Still, it seems that the Tojo family wants to be friendly with him. The one leading the charge in this is Ryota, who again grabs Haruto’s arm and pulls him eagerly.
"Hey, hey, Big Bro! Are you going to clean the windows again?"
"We did that last time, so probably not today," Haruto responds, a bit unsure, glancing at Ikue.
Ikue, seeing Ryota cling to Haruto, smiles warmly and says, "Well, today, I’d like you to organize the storage shed outside. After that, could you keep Ryota entertained until it’s time to start dinner?"
"Understood," Haruto replies, bowing his head in acknowledgment. Then he crouches down to Ryota's level.
"Alright, Ryota-kun. After I finish the cleaning, let’s play together."
"Really!?" Ryota’s eyes light up, and he jumps in place, clearly excited. Seeing his younger brother so happy, Ayaka smiles wryly.
"Alright, Ryota. While Otsuki-kun is cleaning, let’s play together," Ayaka says, taking Ryota's hand and pulling him away from Haruto.
"Ikue-san, where is the storage shed?" Haruto asks, his focus now back on the task.
Ikue stands up from the table and closes her laptop. "I’ll show you. Come with me," she says, leading him outside.
The Tojo family home is large, and its grounds are spacious. In one corner of the yard, there’s a sizable storage shed.
"I’d like to get this storage shed organized. I’ve been meaning to ask Shuichi to do it, but he's been so busy with work," Ikue explains as she opens the door.
Haruto peeks inside the shed. "It’s packed with stuff."
"Yes, it’s gotten out of hand. We’ve been putting things we don’t use in here, and before we knew it, it was overflowing," Ikue says with a sigh, resting her chin on her hand in frustration.
Inside the shed, there are old items that haven't been used in years—such as a stroller, possibly one Ayaka used as a child, and a worn-out unicycle. Against the walls, stacked up to the ceiling, are storage boxes filled with who knows what.
"How should we go about organizing the storage shed?" Haruto asks.
"Well, for now, could you take everything out of the shed? Then we can sort through what we need and what we don’t later," Ikue replies.
"Understood. I’ll start by moving everything outside and arranging it in front of the shed," Haruto says.
"Great, thank you, Otsuki-kun," Ikue smiles brightly as she leaves the task to Haruto and heads back inside.
After watching her leave, Haruto rolls up his sleeves and steels himself.
"Alright, let’s do this," he mutters.
Haruto begins by taking items out of the shed, carefully placing them in front. He tries to group things in categories to make the sorting easier.
As he carries an old rice cooker outside, Haruto mutters to himself, "I can't believe they’re holding onto stuff like this. Maybe the Tojo family is more frugal than I thought."
Despite Shuichi and Ikue both being successful business owners and wealthy, they don’t give off an air of arrogance. Even Ayaka and Ryota, their children, don’t seem spoiled or conceited.
Before coming to work as a housekeeper, Haruto had no idea that Ayaka came from such a wealthy family.
"I’d love to see Ayaka in her ‘rich girl’ mode for once," Haruto thinks to himself, imagining Ayaka laughing haughtily, "Oh-ho-ho-ho!" He grins at the thought.
Suddenly, a voice calls out behind him.
"Otsuki-kun."
"Ah!? Ah, Tojo-san, is something wrong?" Haruto jumps, startled, and immediately feels awkward after having imagined Ayaka in a completely different character.
"Sorry, I didn’t mean to surprise you," Ayaka apologizes.
"No, it’s fine," Haruto quickly reassures her, waving his hand as if to brush it off.
"I just wanted to let you know," Ayaka continues, "If it’s too much for Mom to do everything at once, she said it’s okay if we only do half today."
"Ah, well, taking everything out shouldn’t take too long, so I’ll finish it all today," Haruto responds confidently.
Ayaka looks at him with a bit of admiration. "You’re really strong, Otsuki-kun. Do you do weight training or something?"
"No, no, it’s just normal for a guy," Haruto laughs awkwardly.
"Is that so?" Ayaka tilts her head slightly and gazes at him with a thoughtful expression. Haruto, feeling embarrassed, quickly looks away, muttering, "Yeah, that's right."
"Oh! This unicycle... it was stored here?" Ayaka suddenly spots the unicycle in the shed and walks over to it, running her hand over it with a nostalgic smile.
"Did you used to play with it when you were younger?" Haruto asks.
"Yeah, I think it was a birthday present from my dad when I was in first or second grade," Ayaka replies, gently stroking the unicycle. "It’s so nostalgic..."
"Do you think you could still ride it?" Haruto asks with a smile.
Ayaka's eyes sparkle with excitement. "Hey, Otsuki-kun, do you mind if I try riding it?"
Haruto laughs and nods. "Sure, go ahead."
Ayaka climbs onto the unicycle, her face lit up with excitement. "Wow, does it feel like this?" she says as she tries to balance.
"Are you sure you’re okay? Don’t fall!" Haruto warns, a little worried.
"Ah! Otsuki-kun, did you just make fun of me?" Ayaka puffs her cheeks out playfully, looking annoyed but also cute. Haruto chuckles, saying, "Sorry."
"I used to be really good at riding this! Watch me!" Ayaka declares confidently, then starts pedaling.
Haruto watches in awe as she skillfully balances and rides around him, her arms spread wide to maintain her balance.
"Wow, you’re really good!" Haruto exclaims.
"Fufu, of course I am," Ayaka grins proudly as she circles around him.
But then, just as she’s showing off, the unicycle’s wheel suddenly starts making a strange noise. The bearings seem to be worn out, causing the wheel to slow down. Ayaka, unprepared for the sudden resistance, loses her balance and falls off.
"Ahh!?" she yelps as she topples.
"Watch out!" Haruto cries out, rushing toward her.
Haruto quickly extends his arm and catches Ayaka in a side embrace, preventing her from hitting the ground.
"Are you okay?" he asks, relieved that he managed to keep her from getting hurt.
Ayaka, still in shock, looks up at him with wide eyes.
"Y-Yeah... that was a surprise. Thank you, Otsuki-kun... Huh!?" she trails off, her words cut short. At the same time, she freezes, her gaze fixed on Haruto’s face.
"Is something wrong? Did you get hurt?" Haruto asks, his voice tinged with concern.
"…No, I'm fine…" Ayaka replies, her voice distant.
"Ah! Sorry!" Haruto suddenly realizes the position they’re in—he’s still holding her close—and quickly pulls away, flustered.
"I'm sorry, I didn’t mean to hold you like that," he apologizes awkwardly.
Ayaka, still processing the moment, shakes her head. "No, Otsuki-kun, you don’t need to apologize! If you hadn’t caught me, I might’ve gotten hurt. So... thank you, Otsuki-kun."
"No, it's… it's nothing," Haruto stammers.
A brief, uncomfortable silence settles between them. Ayaka clears her throat, trying to steer the conversation away.
"Um... I just came to deliver a message from Mom! So... good luck with your work!" She abruptly turns around, practically running back into the house, clearly flustered.
Haruto watches her retreating figure, then mutters softly to himself, "She was so soft…"
It takes him a few minutes to gather himself before he resumes organizing the shed.
※
I press my hand against my chest to calm the pounding of my heart, leaning back against the entrance door.
W-why? Why is my heart racing like this?
Haruto caught me when I almost fell off the unicycle earlier. The strength in his solid arms as he held me, and the expression of concern on his face from such a close distance. Just thinking about it now makes my heart feel like it's being torn apart.
I try to calm myself down, taking a few deep breaths in the hallway. After a moment, I hear my mom’s voice from the living room.
“Ayaka? Did you tell Otsuki-kun the message?”
“Ah, yeah.”
I take another deep breath before heading into the living room. Okay, I’m calmer now. The pounding has slowed down a bit. It must have been because I was shocked when I almost fell, right? Yeah, that’s it. That has to be it.
“So, what did Otsuki-kun say?” my mom asks as she works on the computer.
“He said it wouldn’t take much time, so he plans to finish everything today.”
“Oh, really? As expected, young boys have a lot of energy,” she says, praising Haruto with a smile.
It seems like my mom has really taken a liking to him. She completely trusts him to handle everything perfectly, from cleaning to cooking. She’s only met him twice, but already, she’s so fond of him.
My mom has met and worked with many people as a business owner, so she’s usually quite strict about judging character. For her to recognize Haruto’s worth means that he must be quite impressive. And he’s also top of his class, isn't he? On top of that, he’s great at housework, kind to someone like Ryota, and seems genuinely caring… Huh? Wait, Haruto’s specs are way too high!
“Ayaka?”
“What is it, Mom?”
“You’re a bit red in the face. Did something happen with Otsuki-kun? Hmm?”
“W-what?! No, nothing happened!”
I quickly look away from my mom’s piercing gaze. She’s teased me about Haruto before, but I really don’t want her to do it now. If she does, I think my heart will become a mess.
“Hey, hey, sis. Is Big Bro still not done with cleaning?”
“Huh? Oh, I think it’ll take a little more time.”
“I wanna play with Big Bro soon.”
Ryota has completely fallen for Haruto. Ever since they cleaned together yesterday, he’s opened up to him and grown quite fond of him.
Well, it makes sense. Haruto has a soft-spoken, calm demeanor and is kind, so it’s easy to see why Ryota likes him. When Haruto is with Ryota, he’s like a gentle older brother, and it’s actually a little charming…
…Wait, why am I getting warm thinking about that? What’s going on?
Why is it that whenever I think about Haruto, my chest tightens, and my face feels hot?
Huh? Could it be… am I…?
“No, no, no! That’s impossible! It’s not like that!!”
I try to forcefully deny the thought that pops into my head, refusing to accept it.
"Nee, nee, sis? What's wrong?"
"N-nothing!" I quickly change the subject. "Oh, right! I was planning to work on my summer homework today, so I should head back to my room! Is that okay, Mom?"
"Oh, really? Then Ryota, would you like to play with me?"
"Yeah!"
I leave Ryota with Mom and rush upstairs to my room. Once I’m inside, I dive onto my bed.
"Ugh..." I bury my face in my pillow and let out a frustrated groan.
Why am I feeling so nervous?
This can't be real, right? It’s a lie, right? Do I like Haruto?
"Wait! Hold on! Calm down, Ayaka. Just calm down for a second!"
I take a few deep breaths on my bed to try to settle my racing heart.
"Think about it calmly, Ayaka."
That's right, I need to think this through with a clear mind.
Sure, Haruto might have some attractive qualities. He has a calm demeanor, is polite, doesn’t come on too strong, doesn’t judge me by my looks, and Ryota really likes him. He’s considerate, kind, great at cooking, perfect at cleaning, and it seems like he has a solid physique from working out... Oh, and my mom and dad also really like him...
Wait. Huh? Does that mean Haruto is... a bundle of charm?
"Stop! Stop!! Don’t jump to conclusions!"
Okay, yes, Haruto has many admirable qualities. I’ll admit that. I can’t deny it.
The real issue is whether I like him or not.
I place my hand over my chest and think it through.
How do I feel about Haruto? I don’t think I can say I like him... yet, right?
Because it’s too soon to fall for him. This can’t be love at first sight like I’ve said so many times before, right?
I can’t possibly have fallen for Haruto at first sight! No way! Absolutely not!!
"...No... right?"
Ahh! I don’t know anymore! I can’t figure out my feelings! This feeling is so confusing!!
Why? Why do I feel like this? Was it because of the unicycle incident? Did I start liking Haruto because he hugged me to help?
"Is that really possible? It was just a brief hug, right? And Haruto was just trying to help me."
My ideal love story is one where we gradually get to know each other, become friends, spend time together, and then develop feelings for each other before becoming a couple. But this... being saved by a hug when I almost fell off a unicycle? That’s like getting hit by a truck!
"If I’m going to fall for Haruto, we need to be friends first. Then, after we get to know each other, we can become a couple. That’s a healthy way to fall in love, right?"
I fold my arms and nod to myself, as if reassuring myself.
Wait, am I already thinking of Haruto as a potential boyfriend?
I’m definitely thinking way too far ahead… this means... I really do have feelings for him, don’t I?
"Aaaahhh! No, no! That’s not it!"
I’m still not ready! It’s too soon for me to like Haruto. I don’t know him well enough yet! I can’t like him yet. That’s impossible!
Because if I like Haruto, it means I want him to be my boyfriend, right?
If Haruto were my boyfriend...
"...Wait, what? He’s already liked by my family, so... maybe... this could work?"
Imagining it, my face turns bright red.
Embarrassed, I cover my face with my hands and shake my head to distract myself.
From the living room, I hear Ryota’s excited laughter.
Haruto must have finished cleaning the storage room. He’s probably playing with Ryota now.
Must be nice for Ryota, who can be so open about his feelings. He can just say, “I like Big Bro!” without hesitation...
Wait, what am I thinking?! Even if I were to admit my feelings, I’m *not* going to say “I like Haruto” out loud! And, I don’t even like him yet! ...Probably.
Ugh! Why is all this happening? Why am I so aware of Haruto right now? It’s all because Saki said, “You and Haruto are a good match,” and because Mom teased me saying, “Are you falling for Haruto?”
That’s why I’m so conscious of him right now!
As I’m lost in thought, I notice a romance manga on my bookshelf. An idea suddenly strikes me.
"Of course! I can figure out how I feel by testing it out!"
In romance stories, the heroine’s heart races when she locks eyes with the guy, or she feels fluttery just from talking to him.
If I were to make eye contact with Haruto or have a conversation with him, would I feel the way heroines in romance manga do, with my heart racing and feeling all fluttery?
If nothing changes in my heart after that, then it means I don’t like Haruto yet, right?
But, if I start feeling butterflies or my heart skips a beat, then that means... well, that means I do like him, right?
"So, what should I do then...?"
I’ve never liked anyone before, so I don’t even know what to do in this situation.
"Well, I can think about that when the time comes. For now, I just need to figure out how I feel."
I’ve decided to find out what I really think of Haruto. Just as I’m determined to test my feelings, I hear my mom’s voice from downstairs.
"Ayaka~. Ryota says he wants to go shopping with Haruto again, so could you please go with them today?"
"Okay, got it! I’ll go now!"
It’s perfect timing. I now have the perfect excuse to go out with Haruto. I’ll look him in the eyes and test my feelings.
With a firm resolution in my heart, I prepare to leave the house and head to the entrance. There, I find Haruto and Ryota waiting for me.
"You're late, sis!"
"Ryota, you are just impatient."
I reply casually to my younger brother, who says the same thing as yesterday, while I slip on my shoes.
"Hey, what’s ‘impatient’ mean?"
"Impatient means someone who always tries to rush everything."
Haruto answers Ryota’s question with a gentle smile, speaking to him politely. My gaze shifts to their hands, and I notice they’re already holding hands before we even go outside.
I’m sure Haruto is just holding Ryota’s hand to keep him safe and prevent him from running off and getting hit by a car. But... for some reason, it makes my heart feel unsettled.
"Alright, let’s go," Haruto says, holding Ryota’s hand as he leads him outside. I follow behind them.
As I walk alongside them, I feel a mix of anxiety, anticipation, fear, and—surprisingly—a growing excitement. I can’t help but stare at Haruto’s back as he walks with Ryota.
※
On the way to the supermarket, I ask Haruto about dinner plans for today.
"Haruto, what are you planning to make for dinner today?"
"I’m thinking of making chilled oden."
Haruto answers while carrying Ryota on his shoulders, and I can’t help but look at him in surprise.
"Oden? Is there such a way to eat it?"
I always thought oden was something you eat hot, especially on cold days. The idea of eating it cold in the middle of summer seems hard to imagine.
"It’ll definitely be delicious, so I think you’ll be satisfied."
Haruto gives me a smile, soft and warm, but also a little confident, almost as if he’s proud of his choice. When our eyes meet, my heart skips a beat.
Wait! Wait a minute!? Did my heart just flutter!?
Did I just feel what they call a "heart-throb"? Does this mean I... like Haruto?
No, no, no, no! Hold on, I’m not sure yet!
Maybe what I felt wasn’t because of Haruto’s smile—it was just the surprise of hearing "chilled oden" as a dish! That’s what got me excited. Yes, it was the idea of chilled oden that made my heart race. Phew! That was close, I almost misunderstood my own feelings.
"Hey, Haruto, does the oden have eggs in it?"
"Yes, it does. Does Ryota like eggs?"
"Yeah! I love eggs!"
Ryota happily exclaims from above Haruto’s shoulders. There’s a cheerful atmosphere between the two of them, and I get a vague image in my mind.
Haruto will probably make a great dad someday...
"Sis? Why are you making a weird face?"
"Huh!? I-I’m not making a weird face! It’s just a normal face!"
"It’s not normal! You had a weird face, like ‘deheh～’!"
"What kind of face is a ‘deheh～’ face? Ryota, if you keep saying silly things like that, I’ll get mad!"
"I’m not being silly! You’re the one being weird! Big brother saw it too, right? The weird face you made, like ‘deheh～’!"
Hey! Don’t bring Haruto into this!
"Well, I might have missed it, but we’re almost at the supermarket, so let’s get off now, Ryota."
Haruto, trying to divert the conversation, gently sets Ryota down from his shoulders. Thank goodness Haruto didn’t see anything... but just to be sure, I need to make it clear.
"Haruto, I wasn’t making any weird faces, okay?"
"Of course not. Tojo-san, you have a well-shaped face, so I can’t imagine you making a weird face."
Huh!? That was way too sudden! Come to think of it, Haruto casually called me cute yesterday too. Is he just being natural about it? I need to be careful and keep my guard up!
"What ingredients do you plan to buy today, Haruto?"
Trying my best to hide the unease in my heart, I ask him while maintaining a calm demeanor.
"Well, we already have eggs in the fridge, so I just need to buy daikon, tomatoes, and I bought a whole pumpkin yesterday. We should also get some fish cakes or other processed items."
"Oden with tomatoes?"
"Yeah, and maybe corn as well."
Haruto’s choice of ingredients is so surprising that I can’t quite imagine what chilled oden would look like.
"Is this chilled oden your original recipe, Haruto?"
"No, no, not at all. If you search for it, you’ll find plenty of recipes."
I pull out my phone to search, and sure enough, several recipes for chilled oden pop up right away.
"Wow, you're right. It really says tomatoes in the ingredients list."
"See? Surprisingly, the broth for oden actually goes really well with tomatoes."
"...Oh, I see."
Haruto smiles at me again, and I can’t bring myself to look directly at him. I quickly turn my face away.
Why am I looking away? I need to look Haruto in the eyes and confirm my feelings!
"Big brother! There’s daikon!"
"Today it’s 158 yen..."
"Is that cheap? Expensive?"
"Hmm, for this time of year, it’s cheap, but sometimes it could be even cheaper."
Haruto, looking serious as he examines the price tag on the daikon, gives me the perfect chance to observe his profile. My heart starts racing again as I try to figure out what I’m feeling.
I wonder, is my heart fluttering?
I place my hand on my chest to check my heartbeat.
It’s slightly faster than usual… maybe? But... I’m not sure if I’m falling in love...
I don’t know. Maybe I should get a bit closer and observe him more closely.
As I’m thinking this, Haruto’s gaze slides from the daikon price tag to me. Suddenly, our eyes meet.
"!!"
The moment our eyes lock, my heart races so fast I feel like it might stop.
"Tojo-san."
"Y-Yes!"
Ah! What kind of weird answer was that? It’s so embarrassing, I feel like I could die...
"Do you think we should buy this daikon?"
"Ah, um... yes, I think we should. Daikon is essential for oden..."
"Right?"
Haruto nods in agreement with my opinion, then picks up a daikon and adds it to the shopping basket.
Phew… that really startled me. And what was that answer earlier... ‘Yes!’? What was I thinking? I feel like I just want to dive straight into bed in my room right now.
Wait. Hold on a second. When I looked at Haruto, did my heart just race like that? Did I just turn into a manga heroine?
That means... I really am falling for him, huh?
Wait, wait, wait! I still don’t know for sure!
Maybe it was just the sudden eye contact that surprised me. Yeah, I’m sure that’s all it was. I was just startled. That’s it.
Next time, if we make eye contact again and my heart races, then that’s when I’ll properly figure out my feelings. Yes, I’ll do that.
Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I notice Ryota’s gaze. When I turn to look at him, I see that Ryota, standing next to Haruto, is staring at me intently.
"W-What is it, Ryota?"
"Nothing~."
Ryota then turns his face away with a little huff.
Did I act strange? Was I so nervous that Ryota noticed? I’m really worried he might say something unnecessary to Haruto...
"Tojo-san. Shall we go look at the fish cakes next?"
"Ah, y-yeah."
Haruto, having just placed tomatoes in the basket, calls out to me while looking in my direction. I quickly look away, avoiding eye contact.
That was close... I almost looked him in the eyes again. I’m not ready for that yet.
I can’t make calm judgments when my heart is in such turmoil. I need to make sure I’m calm first and figure out how I really feel. I need to settle down and stop my heart from racing.
I keep thinking this while following Haruto around the store. But no matter what, my heart continues to race whenever I’m near him. By the time we get home, I still haven’t been able to figure out my feelings.
"Alright, I’ll start preparing dinner now."
"Ah... okay. Please go ahead."
Haruto says this and starts bringing the ingredients into the kitchen.
What should I do? If this continues, I’ll never be able to confirm my feelings.
I press my chest, which has been racing ever since we left the store. Then, my mom, sitting at the dining table working on her computer, thanks me.
"Thanks, Ayaka, for going shopping with me yesterday and today."
"It’s no problem at all. Don’t worry about it."
"By the way, I heard you have a lot of homework today, right? Ryota’s with me, so you can go back to your room."
"Huh? Ah... I actually made a lot of progress on my homework earlier, so I’m good for today."
"Oh, really?"
If I go back to my room now, I won’t be able to achieve my important goal of looking Haruto in the eyes and confirming my feelings. If that happens, I’ll be lying awake tonight wondering whether I like Haruto or not.
I have to face it. I’ve made up my mind; I need to look him in the eyes.
Alright! I’m doing this!
I take a deep breath and walk over to Haruto, who is standing in the kitchen. Every step I take toward him seems to make my heartbeat race a little faster.
But if I back down now, I’ll never confirm my feelings. Come on, Ayaka! Don’t run away!
I encourage myself and finally reach Haruto, who is holding a knife and looking down at the cutting board with a focused expression.
Ah, his serious concentration while cooking... that looks kind of amazing... Wait! Don’t get confused! Admiring him while he’s cooking and having feelings for him are two completely different things! I need to be careful here.
Just then, Haruto seems to notice I’ve come closer, and his eyes slowly rise from the cutting board to meet mine.
"…"
"Hmm? Did something happen?"
"Ah, um... I was wondering if I could help with something."
"No, it’s fine. This is my job, so you should relax, Ayaka."
Haruto gently turns me down. But, I can’t back down now if I want to confirm my feelings.
"Well, actually... I was curious about how to make chilled oden. Would it be alright if I stayed here?"
"Oh, that’s it? No problem at all. In that case, could you briefly blanch the tomatoes to peel them for me?"
"Yeah."
I’ve finally found a reason to be next to Haruto! And I was able to make eye contact and have a conversation with him!
And... my heart is definitely fluttering a little. But it’s not the dramatic *thump* like in a manga, so that must mean I haven’t fallen in love yet, right? Right? I mean, I’m sure I haven’t...
Now that I’ve confirmed my feelings, I feel a little more at ease.
Following Haruto’s instructions, I blanch the tomatoes with shallow cuts on the skin while exhaling to calm my nerves. Just then, I glance up and see my mom, who’s been playing with Ryota in the living room, watching me with a sly grin on her face.
Before I can say anything, she quickly turns back to Ryota and continues playing.
Ah... I know she’ll tease me about this later.
As I’m thinking about this, I hear a voice from the entrance.
"I’m home!"
It sounds like Dad is back from work. The living room door opens, and as expected, Dad walks in.
"Ah, I couldn’t wait to get home today, knowing Haruto’s cooking is waiting for me."
Saying this, Dad looks over at us in the kitchen, where Haruto and I are standing together. He smiles, amused.
"You two look like a newlywed couple standing there! Ha ha ha!"
"Wh-what! Dad, don’t say weird things!!"
At Dad’s words, my heart races faster than ever before, and my face turns bright red from embarrassment.
Visuals
Chilled Tomato Oden is a refreshing summer version of the classic Japanese winter stew, oden. Instead of being served hot, this variation features a cold, light dashi broth infused with delicate flavors, complemented by ripe, juicy tomatoes. Typical oden ingredients like boiled eggs, konjac, tofu, and fish cakes are simmered in the broth, then cooled, allowing the ingredients to absorb the broth's umami flavors. This dish is both light and flavorful, making it perfect for warmer weather while still offering the comforting taste of traditional oden.
