The commotion from earlier hadn't quite died down, but we were running out of time, so the cooking class had to resume.
I really wanted to wait until everyone had completely composed themselves, but I wasn't in a position to complain, considering I was the one who had caused the mess in the first place.
And so, with Sara-san resetting the stage, my classmates returned to their respective tasks.
Naturally, a flighty, distracted atmosphere remained. However, knowing it had all started with my own clumsiness made me feel sincerely apologetic.
"……"
"…What… are we even doing?"
"Don't go there…"
"Aaargh, Satsukawa-senpai is…"
"Sigh… I’ve seen reality now. I might not recover for a while."
The boys seemed to be dragging the aftermath of the previous uproar along with them. To be honest, this might have actually worked out for the best.
In the end, though, everything followed exactly the trajectory that Hanako-san and Kawamura had predicted. When I thought about that, I felt a bit frustrated—or perhaps just conflicted. It was a delicate feeling.
Well, if the boys finally understood the situation because of this, then I was honestly happy enough about that.
"…Man, this is an interesting sight."
"…Yeah. After having it flaunted in their faces to that extent, even an idiot has no choice but to understand."
"…Actually, I’m feeling pretty shocked myself…"
That said, as the person who had turned the cooking class into such a strange affair, I couldn't exactly rejoice wholeheartedly.
I decided not to think about anything else and just focus on the cooking. Just as I was about to reach for the potato I had been working on earlier, a hand suddenly reached out from the side and overlapped with mine. It pushed my hand down, holding it firmly in place.
Uh… why?
"Kazunari-san, you must not participate in the cooking anymore today, okay?"
"Eh? No, I haven't really done anything yet…"
Of course, I knew Sara-san wasn't being mean. She must have had a reason. But as someone who couldn't get involved in class matters for the school festival, I wanted to contribute at least this much.
"Just so we are clear, now that you have injured your finger, there is a risk of food poisoning. Besides, in the first place, you have no need to learn how to cook."
Food poisoning?! I didn't know that was even a possibility.
But if that was why she stopped me, I couldn't exactly force my way in. If I did, I’d be causing trouble for Sara-san and everyone else.
This was a problem.
"Kazunari, you’ve already contributed plenty to the class just by setting up this cooking class. If anyone complains, I won't forgive them."
I appreciated Hanako-san’s support, and I was certainly glad she said that. But I knew she was also saying it to keep me from participating, so I couldn't be purely happy about it.
It was all a result of my own blunder, so I suppose I had simply brought it on myself.
"Excuse me, Satsukawa-senpai! Why doesn't Takanashi-kun need to learn how to cook?!"
"I agree that Takanashi-kun has contributed, but these days, even boys should know a dish or two…"
For some reason, at that moment, the girls around us jumped into the conversation aggressively. They had been getting excited on their own just a moment ago, so why the sudden shift? It also bothered me that they seemed strangely amused.
"There is no need. I handle all of Kazunari-san’s meals and take care of all his everyday needs."
"……Eh?"
"…Wh-What?"
Hearing Sara-san’s response as if it were the most natural thing in the world, the girls looked stunned. No matter how mature Sara-san seemed, she was still just a high school girl. Anyone would feel that her words went far beyond what was typical for someone her age.
Naturally, for strangers with no direct connection to us, it must have been an unbelievable claim. But for me, the one actually being taken care of by Sara-san, it wasn't strange at all.
"Everything… you say?"
"Yes."
"Does that mean you do all the housework?"
"It is not limited to housework. It means everything that I am able to do for Kazunari-san."
"Eh?!"
"Why go that far?!"
"Even if you ask why, I can only say that this is my way of loving him…"
"""Loooooooove!!!???"""
The eyes of the classmates—specifically, the girls’ intensely curious gazes and the boys’ intensely dark glares—slammed into me all at once. Sara-san generally expressed these things with startling directness.
"Love, she says…"
"Th-That is, I mean…"
"Satsukawa-senpai l-l-loves Takanashi-kun…"
"She l-l-l-loves him…"
"Yes. I love Kazunari-san. That is why I want to make Kazunari-san happy with my entire being."
"!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
While looking into my eyes, Sara-san wore a blissful, radiant smile. No matter where we were, she showed me her feelings like this. She told me. She expressed them.
And I felt the same way. My feelings of finding Sara-san precious and my desire to make her happy were exactly the same.
"Whoa… they’re communicating with their eyes."
"After being shown something like this, I can't even tease them…"
"No, at this point, we just have to support them!"
"Agreed!"
The girls’ excitement was heading in an incomprehensible direction. Their energy was becoming bizarre. What kind of development was this?
Still, if the girls were going to be supportive toward us, that might not be a bad thing—
"Come on, Takanashi-kun, Satsukawa-senpai said she loves you!!"
"If you're a man, you have to answer!"
"I wonder what Takanashi-kun thinks of Satsukawa-senpai~"
"Hehehehe… th-this is fun… Ahem, I’m rooting for you!"
…Never mind. The girls were like fish in water. In fact, this was starting to feel like a different kind of pressure for me.
"Everyone, don't try to pressure him so much…"
"It’s not pressure!"
I couldn't help but react to Sara-san’s word "pressure." After letting her say so much, it would be too pathetic if I, the man in question, didn't give any answer at all.
Considering what I was planning to do at the Miss Contest, what kind of man would I be if I couldn't even declare my feelings here? It wasn't because the girls were egging me on; I had to express my feelings of my own volition.
"…Fooo, he’s going for it?!"
"…Now, Takanashi-kun, are you going to show us you’re a man… no, a real man?!"
"…Excited"
"…Kazunari-san?"
"I feel the same way about loving Sara-san. I always think about wanting to make Sara-san happy—that I will absolutely make her happy. Right now, there isn't much I can do, but in the future, I will definitely find my own way to make Sara-san happy!"
I knew that right now, I was just leaning on Sara-san’s kindness. I knew it only worked because she wanted that from me. I still couldn't see exactly how I could repay her, or what I could do for her now. So, at the very least, I would return her feelings with my own. That was my absolute premise. If Sara-san was going to show her feelings for me to everyone, then I had to accept that and return them in kind.
I believed that was one of the few ways I could repay her right now.
Sara-san, who had been quietly listening to my words, gave a truly happy, dazzling smile.
"I am truly happy to hear your feelings, Kazunari-san. But you made one mistake: you said there isn't much you can do. The reason I feel this happiness every day is because you have accepted me and because you love me."
"But that’s not enough. This is just my own self-satisfaction… but I still—"
"Fufu… I understand. In that case, I will also do my best to make Kazunari-san even happier than before."
I was already in a state of being completely doted on; if she did any more than this, I might not be able to repay her even in a lifetime.
"…This isn't a conversation between high schoolers, is it?"
"…Thanks for the feast!!"
"…Was Satsukawa-senpai always such an incredibly sweet person?"
"…No, only toward Takanashi-kun."
"…If anything, she’s incredibly cold toward other boys."
"…Hey… how much longer are we going to have to watch this…"
"…This is seriously getting painful…"
"…Does this mean Satsukawa-senpai is the one who's madly in love with Takanashi?!"
"…This is too much."
"…Please… please just start the cooking class already…"
"Wife, I understand how you feel, but overdoing it isn't good. What will you do if Kazunari becomes a man who can't do anything around the house?"
Hanako-san, who had been watching silently until now, spoke up with a word of caution. It wasn't a joke; it was something I was quite worried about myself. Ever since Sara-san started taking care of the house, I hadn't done any housework at all.
Even though I used to do at least a little bit before… If I left everything to Sara-san like this, I was afraid I would truly become useless at home.
"Even so, there is no problem at all. If I can be entrusted with everything—from taking care of Kazunari-san to all the housework—then that is exactly what I desire."
Unwavering… Sara-san was truly unwavering in everything she did.
But the conversation was getting a bit too exaggerated. While it was true that my daily life was left up to Sara-san, that didn't mean I intended to become a deadbeat who shamelessly left everything to her. Though I might lack the credibility to say that right now.
"But Kazunari-san will definitely be fine. Hanako-san, you understand at least that much, don’t you?"
"Well, yeah."
Phew… thank goodness. It seemed she didn't think I was a total lost cause. Since Hanako-san seemed convinced, I felt like I had narrowly avoided a blow I wouldn't have recovered from.
"Oh, Kazunari-san. Even in the unlikely event that it does happen, there won't be any problem. At that time, I will take responsibility and take care of you for the rest of my life♪"
Sara-san suddenly looked at me and said that with a smile. Even though her words sounded playful, knowing the usual Sara-san, it didn't sound like a joke at all. On the contrary, it wouldn't be surprising if she was thinking about it seriously.
Which meant that I really couldn't afford to become a useless human being.
"Um, Sara-san? No matter how you look at it, even I can do a little bit of—"
"For the rest of her life?!"
"Whoa… no matter how you look at it, that’s way too heavy…"
"I just broke up with my boyfriend the other day…"
"Actually, that’s how it usually is. Talking about a lifetime at this point is just…"
"Please do not misunderstand. We are fiancés, not just simple lovers. We are already moving forward with our future in sight, and naturally, we are speaking with marriage in mind. Therefore, the word ‘lifetime’ is not an exaggeration at all."
This was exactly as Sara-san said; we were lovers, and we were also fiancés who had promised to marry. That was why talk of the future naturally came up. In fact, I had already decided on my career path and place of employment with marriage in mind.
However, I was aware that our situation deviated greatly from that of typical high school students, so I didn't expect my classmates to be able to understand it easily. Also, and this was important, I too desired a lifetime if it was with Sara-san.
"Ah…"
"I-I see, Satsukawa-senpai and Takanashi-kun are…"
"Right, they’re g-going to get married. So they don't think the same way we do."
"…Whoa… it feels like I’m talking to an adult."
To be honest, I also felt it was heavy when the topic first came up. So it wasn't surprising that the girls felt the same way. Now, I didn't feel any sense of oddity at all; rather, I thought it was only natural.
"Well, either way, Kazunari is fine. When his Wife is busy, I’ll be there. It’s an older sister’s duty to look after her younger brother. I’m also studying housework, so it’s not a problem."
"Hanako-san? I have absolutely no intention of entrusting Kazunari-san’s care to any other woman."
"Even so, there might be times when it’s necessary. If you’re ever in trouble, you can leave it to me anytime."
Wait a minute. Didn't she just agree that I'd be fine? Why were both of them proceeding as if I were destined to become a man who couldn't do anything?
"Honestly… Hanako-san, please do not say things so similar to my mother. That person is also noisy about wanting me to leave things to her if anything happens…"
Wait… Mayumi-san was saying things like that to Sara-san? Certainly, Mayumi-san was the kind of person who tried to dote on me whenever she got a chance. I could easily picture her happily jumping in whenever she saw an opening. Mayumi-san loved taking care of others just as much as Sara-san did.
"…Whoa… the Wife, the Mother-in-law, and the Sister-in-law—a Takanashi-kun Complete Shift!"
"…Isn't that a bit off? But I totally get what you mean."
"…Whoa… that sounds fun… no, I can't believe it."
"…Dammit, as if having just Satsukawa-senpai wasn't enviable enough!!"
"…And even Hanasaki-san and such a beautiful mother…"
"…Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it."
"…Sigh… I’m starting to feel sad for getting so excited earlier…"
"…I just want this to end so I can go home."
"In any case, taking care of Kazunari-san and the housework are all my roles as his future wife. I will not yield or entrust this to anyone else. There, that is the end of the discussion. Now, let us continue the cooking class."
Perhaps because she was reminded of Mayumi-san, Sara-san looked fed up and forcibly brought the conversation to a close. Well, since the conversation was starting to certify my uselessness, it was probably best to just let it slide.
…………… ……… …
"Whoa, that’s incredible?!"
"…How can she make it so beautifully?!"
"Man, she’s way too professional…"
"As expected of Satsukawa-senpai…"
"Whoa, that looks delicious…"
"Aaaah, I want to eat it… I’d die for just one bite…"
"That’s… Satsukawa-senpai’s handmade Omelet Rice…"
"I wonder why it looks like it’s glowing."
"Since I can't eat it anyway, I want to at least burn the sight into my memory."
In the end, Sara-san went around to each table in detail, giving instructions for each key point and performing her duties as a teacher perfectly. Unfortunately, I could only watch her do it, but everyone else seemed to start having fun halfway through. Before I knew it, the idle chatter stopped and they were working seriously.
Before long, everyone had finished their respective dishes. After Sara-san checked them all over, she suddenly started making Omelet Rice next to me for some reason. And that brought us to the present.
"There, the Omelet Rice is finished. How was it, Kazunari-san?"
"How should I put it… it was so amazing I’m speechless. I’m honestly moved."
"Fufu… hearing you say that makes all my hard work up until now worthwhile."
Sara-san simply said it was because Mayumi-san had drilled it into her, but it wasn't hard to imagine that acquiring this much culinary skill involved considerable hardship. To be honest, this was the first time I had watched Sara-san cook from start to finish, and I was honestly surprised that cooking could be done with such fluid grace.
"Now then, everyone, please taste the food you have made. You may sample each other's dishes as well."
"Yes!!!"
Responding to Sara-san’s command like elementary school students, my classmates returned to their seats. Then, in a friendly atmosphere, they immediately started digging into each other's food.
"…Yeah, this is good!"
"…Incredible… I couldn't make it this well at home."
"…As expected of Satsukawa-senpai… to think she even has this kind of skill."
"…The rumors that there’s nothing she can't do might be true."
But in the end… I didn't get to cook.
"Kazunari-san, here, ahn."
Chomp
Munch munch…
Hah, it was good, way too good… wait, I did that instinctively?!
"…Whoa, he didn't even hesitate?!"
"…That was a surprisingly natural ‘ahn,’ wasn't it?"
"…No, they definitely do that all the time."
"Oooooh…"
"How much more lovey-dovey are you going to get… give me a break already, seriously…"
"The cooking class is over, right?! Just let me go home already…"
"I want to punch my past self for being so excited this morning…"
"How is it, Kazunari-san?"
"It’s delicious—or rather, it’s too delicious."
"I am glad to hear that."
Hearing my honest impressions, Sara-san wore a happy smile. That was right—I got to eat the food she specially made. Since it was my own fault, Sara-san would feel bad if I kept moping about it. Get it together, me.
"Kazunari-san, I am so sorry… I…"
"Sara-san, please don't say that. The fact that I got injured and couldn't participate is entirely my responsibility."
See, I was too late. I was an idiot. The kindhearted Sara-san felt like it was her fault that I couldn't participate in the cooking class. But it was entirely my responsibility, and she wasn't at fault at all. If anything, I was the one who needed to apologize.
"Yes… I understand. In that case, please at least let me make up for it."
"Make up for it?"
I didn't know what she meant, but there was no way I would refuse anything Sara-san did for me. Conversely, if that would satisfy her, then I would simply accept it.
"Yes. Because you have been injured, Kazunari-san…"
For some reason, Sara-san’s expression looked like a mixture of worry and joy… it was complex. Surely she didn't…
"Therefore, please leave everything to me, okay? It is an important duty of a wife to nurse her injured husband♪"
"Wife, you aren't married yet—"
"True, right now it is still a trial run, but that is exactly why. To avoid being troubled after marriage, we must respond proactively to these kinds of irregularities."
Sara-san brushed off Hanako-san’s retort with logic. Certainly, when put that way, there was a part of me that almost nodded in agreement. But Sara-san seemed quite enthusiastic about it, and even if it was just a pretext, I already had no option to refuse.
"…Foooo, she said ‘husband’ and ‘wife’?!"
"…Hey… I’ve been curious about something for a while now…"
"…What?"
"…Satsukawa-senpai takes care of everything for Takanashi-kun, right? Where does she do that?"
"…At home, right? …Wait?"
"…And besides, she said she’d nurse him, but where is she going to nurse Takanashi-kun?"
"…That would also naturally be at Takanashi-kun’s… house?"
"…Um, I heard that Takanashi-kun lives alone though……"
"""……………Eeeeeeh!!!???"""
In the past, Sara-san had given me incredibly thorough nursing for my injuries twice. That had been truly amazing, but that was before we were engaged. With a mere scratch like this, I didn't think it would turn into anything too exaggerated, but it wouldn't be strange if Sara-san’s way of thinking had changed since then.
In other words… I might need to be a little careful. Especially regarding the Bath Flag!
"And so, I will feed you all of this Omelet Rice. Here, ahn."
Chomp…
Munch munch…
Well, that was a separate issue—this was fine for now. If I was happy and Sara-san was happy, that was all that mattered. If I could see her happy smile like this, there was nothing that could surpass it.
"It’s delicious."
"Fufu… it is filled with my love, after all."
"Haha, you’re right. I can really feel it."
"Oh, Kazunari-san♪ Here, ah—"
"""THAAAAT’S ENOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUGH!!!!!!!!!"""
And so, the cooking class, which had been wrapped in screams and a great uproar from start to finish, came to a conclusion punctuated by the boys’ final cries of despair.
But for the record, this definitely wasn't on purpose. I wasn't trying to deal a finishing blow or anything like that. It was purely based on genuine feelings—an extremely natural flow of events.
In other words, everything was due to irresistible forces. Yeah.