The following day arrived, marking the start of Akase-san’s cooking class. We had settled on making Nikujaga and Kinpira Gobo for our lunch.
Acting on her instructions, I headed to the local supermarket before her arrival to stock up on all the necessary ingredients.
When I returned home, grocery bags in hand, the sounds of frantic activity drifted from the living room. It seemed Yui was busy tidying up the apartment in preparation for Akase-san’s visit.
"Welcome back, Brother. Did you manage to get everything?"
"Most likely. I didn't realize there were so many different types of seasonings..."
"It’s weird that you only have salt and soy sauce, even if you are living alone. Oh, I’ve already set the rice cooker, so all we have to do is hit the button later."
"That helps. Do you need a hand with anything else?"
"Then go put that laundry away. It’s not exactly something you should be showing a guest."
"Got it."
A few minutes after the cleanup had finally wound down, the doorbell chimed.
At the sound, Yui’s shoulders jumped. She stood up abruptly, looking around the room in a panic while fussing with her bangs. She was the picture of restlessness.
"Why are you the one panicking?" I asked.
"Of course I’m panicking! If I’d known it was going to be like this, I would have brought my better clothes..."
"Akase-san won't care about that. Come on, let's go."
"U-Uh, right."
With a visible mask of tension on her face, Yui followed me to the front door.
Maybe her nerves were contagious, because I started to feel my own heart race. This was the first time I’d invited someone other than family into my home to spend time together, rather than just seeking emergency shelter.
With a slightly trembling hand, I pulled the door open—and froze.
"Hello, Yanagida-kun!"
"O-Oh... h-hello."
"Hmm? What’s wrong, Yanagida-kun? You’re acting just like you did when we first met."
Akase-san giggled at my reaction. While the gesture was familiar, the air around her felt completely different.
She wore a white cut-and-sew shirt with a matching bustier over it, paired with blue denim pants for ease of movement. The outfit managed to be feminine yet casual and unpretentious. The pants style, a departure from her usual school uniform or skirts, revealed the graceful lines of her legs and emphasized a figure that could put a professional model to shame.
As attractive as her fashion was, something else caught my eye even more: her hair.
"That hairstyle is..."
"Oh, this? I gathered it up since I’ll be cooking today."
As she tilted her head, a bright clip caught the light.
Her flaxen hair, which she usually left down, was lightly braided and gathered into a chignon just above the nape of her neck, secured by a hair tie and mini-clips. The curve of her neck and her nape, usually hidden, were now completely exposed. I couldn't look away.
She looked vulnerable, yet elegant—and perhaps even a little alluring.
As I stood there in a daze, her puzzled gaze drifted past me. That was when I finally regained my senses.
"Ahem. Let me introduce you. This is my sister, Yui."
"Nice to meet you! I’m Haruka Akase, your brother’s classmate. I’m looking forward to today, Yui-chan! ...Yui-chan?"
"Hey, what’s wrong, Yu—gah!"
Yui had been frozen like a statue since seeing Akase-san, but she suddenly sprang into motion. She grabbed me by the collar with terrifying force and hauled me toward her.
When I tried to protest with my eyes, she glared back with a look of manic intensity.
"Brother, what is going on!? Who—what is that absolute beauty doing here!?"
"I'm pretty sure I told you that yesterday..."
"I didn't think she’d be this cute!"
"I see... For now, just greet her properly."
When I chided her, Yui immediately let go and turned back to Akase-san, bowing her head vigorously.
"Nice to meet you, I’m Yui Yanagida! Thank you for looking after my brother! I’m sorry about just now, I was just so surprised..."
"No, don't worry about it. It makes me happy to be called a beauty, hehe."
Akase-san’s bright smile eventually turned back to me.
"So, Yanagida-kun, did you really introduce me as a 'beauty'?"
"...Well, looking at it objectively."
"Hehe, I see. I'll take your word for it then."
I felt like she was seeing right through me, but watching her look so genuinely happy made the embarrassment worth it.
Since we couldn't stay in the doorway forever, I finally ushered her inside.
Akase-san bowed politely as she entered, then looked at me as if she were waiting for something. What was it...? Ah.
"...I was surprised because you look so different today, but that hairstyle and the outfit really suit you. I think you're... cute."
"Thank you. That makes me really happy."
A soft, melting smile spread across her face.
"I actually put a lot of effort into dressing up today, secretly hoping you'd praise me again. I’m glad I did."
"…!"
That was foul play.
Now that I was looking closely, I realized she was wearing light makeup that enhanced her naturally striking features. I probably only noticed because of that day—the memory of being so close we could feel each other's breath.
Our eyes met naturally. A thick, feverish heat seemed to hang between us. Perhaps she was remembering that moment too.
Caught up in that warmth, my gaze drifted down toward her lips, which were touched with a lustrous, subtle color—
"Wow... Brother and this beauty are giving off some seriously sweet vibes..."
Both of us snapped back to our senses at once.
It might be awkward to admit, but maybe it was because I had accepted my own feelings and confessed them to Yui yesterday.
Akase-san looked even more beautiful to me than she ever had before.
"Stop smirking, Yui."
Once we reached the living room, Akase-san handed me a paper bag.
"This is from my father as a thank-you for the other day. And truly, thank you from me as well."
"Oh, thank you. That’s very kind of him."
The bag bore the logo of a locally famous wagashi shop. Inside was a set of their specialty Daifuku. It was a thoughtful choice—high-quality enough to show sincere gratitude, but not so expensive that it felt like a burden.
"Since she was kind enough to bring them, let's have one each."
Since it was still a bit early for lunch, we sat on the sofa for a while.
It was meant to be an icebreaker, and the two of them hit it off better than I expected. Yui was shy but friendly, and Akase-san was a natural listener. Watching them chat comfortably made them look like sisters.
"I’m telling you, Brother is so bad with words. My whole family had to help him practice for his school interviews."
"Ahaha, you really are a close family. But since he passed, he must have overcome it, right?"
"We managed to get him to stop sounding like a robot and gave him enough scripts to stop him from falling silent... but he’s still fundamentally awkward."
"Hmm... I don't think he’s bad with words. I think he just values them very deeply. He’s the type who thinks long and hard about how his words will affect the other person. He might get stuck sometimes, but that’s exactly why his words reach people so clearly. Don't you think?"
"Huuuh...? Brother, what kind of things have you been saying to Haruka-san? Come on, tell me!"
...As expected, this Daifuku is delicious. I really need some green tea to go with this.
The two of them giggled at me as I pointedly ignored the question. Still, I was glad they were getting along.
Soon enough, it was nearly noon.
We donned our aprons and washed our hands thoroughly. It was time for the main event: Akase-san’s cooking class.
I noted that all the cookware—the knives, the pots—had been sitting in this apartment since I moved in, a gift from my stepmother that had never seen the light of day. If spirits lived in these tools, they’d probably have cursed me for neglecting them this long.
I also remembered to hit the switch on the rice cooker just in time.
"Alright! Today is all about helping Yanagida-kun discover the joy of cooking! We’re going to make a kitchen classic, Nikujaga, and Yanagida-kun’s favorite, Kinpira Gobo! Yui-chan will be our assistant today, so let’s do our best, everyone!"
"Okay!" Yui cheered.
"...Right."
"Come on, Brother, show some enthusiasm."
"You know I'm not good at this high-energy stuff..."
And so, the lesson began.
"First, we wash the vegetables. Today, we need to scrub the potatoes, carrots, and burdock. For the onions, just peel them and rinse if there’s any dirt."
"Peeling onions is easy, so I'll handle that," Yui added. "I'll let Brother do the cutting, though."
"Got it. Just a normal wash?"
"Yes. It’s easier to use a scrub brush for root vegetables, but don't scrub the burdock too hard. You don't want to lose the flavor in the skin."
"It’s different for every vegetable, huh? This one is stubborn..."
Next came the prep work.
"Do you know how to hold the knife properly?" Akase-san asked.
"Yeah, the Cat's Paw. I remember that much from school."
"That's it. Hold the knife in your right hand, then curl your other hand like a little kitty—meow♪—just like... what's wrong?"
"............"
"...Haruka-san, that was incredibly cute," Yui said, reaching for her phone. "Do it one more time so I can take a photo."
"I-I'm not doing it again! Yanagida-kun, snap out of it!"
"Ah, right... Akase-san, could you maybe do that again later?"
"No! I! Will! Not! Ugh, I got carried away..."
"Booo!"
Eventually, we moved to the stove.
"Now we add the ingredients and seasonings. We're using the flame, so be careful, okay? Let's start with the Nikujaga."
"Understood... Whoa, careful."
"Brother, you're putting them in too fast!"
"If water gets into the oil, it’ll splatter, so take your time."
"Sorry..."
Once everything was sautéed nicely, she continued.
"That looks good. Now let's add the dashi and seasonings to let it simmer."
"How much should I put in?"
"Even if I say 'the right amount,' you wouldn't know, would you?" Yui teased. "For a pot this size... is this about right, Haruka-san?"
"Hmm... I think that's perfect. Oh, maybe a little less mirin."
"I’m amazed you can tell just by looking..."
"It’s just practice," they said in unison.
"Incredible..."
After many twists and turns, minor struggles, and a few close calls, the Nikujaga and Kinpira Gobo were finished. The first session of Akase-san’s cooking class came to a successful close.
The vegetables were unevenly sized and some of the meat hadn't been sliced perfectly, but for a first attempt, it felt like a triumph.
Both the teacher and the assistant gave me a passing grade during lunch, though they warned me to keep practicing and not get complacent.
Since they had gone to such lengths to teach me, I was determined to master these recipes and improve my quality of life.
"So, is there going to be a second lesson?" I asked.
"Eh? Yeah. Since we did Japanese food today, let’s try Western food next time. Maybe Omurice?"
"...I see."
"You look happy, Brother," Yui whispered.
It had been a lot of work, but it was genuinely fun.
Akase-san’s goal of helping me "discover the joy of cooking" had been a complete success. To be honest, I had to admit I was already looking forward to the next time...
...But seriously, Yui, stop smirking.