I was relaxing in the living room of my childhood home, reading a magazine and waiting for dinner to be ready. Honestly, I wanted to help my mother and Arisa, but my own culinary skills weren't exactly stellar. If I jumped in, I’d likely just become an extra burden for Arisa, who was already busy managing my mother’s somewhat lackluster cooking.
So, I decided to wait it out, planning to help set the table once everything was finished.
"Akari-san, don't eyeball the ingredients; please use the measuring cups. Also, it’s too early for the miso. Wait another five minutes. If you add it now, the flavor will lose its edge."
"Ugh... I—I'll try! I'll make up for the measurements with extra love!"
"That might be the soul of cooking, but unfortunately, love isn't a magical seasoning that can fix everything. Now, come on, move your hands faster."
"A-Arisa-chan... you're so strict..."
Sharp rebukes echoed from the kitchen from time to time. For the record, the person receiving the lecture had been a full-time housewife for over twenty years.
Still, thanks to Arisa being here today, I could relax and wait without worrying about the final result. I was truly grateful. I made a mental note to get her a proper thank-you gift sometime soon.
As I was thinking that, I heard the faint click of the front door. I set my magazine on the sofa and headed to the entryway.
"Welcome back, Dad. You're early today."
"I'm home, Kaito. Yeah, I managed to clock out right on time."
The man with glasses and a gentle face, his hair flecked with gray, was my father—Miyama Kazuya. He worked for a mid-sized trading company and currently held the rank of Section Chief.
He usually put in quite a bit of overtime, so seeing him back at this hour was a rarity.
"Dinner isn't quite ready yet, but they said we're having croquettes."
"...Fried food, huh? Do you think it’ll be okay?"
We really were father and son. He had the exact same reaction as I did. I gave a wry smile at his anxious expression before offering some reassurance.
"...Arisa is here today, so we're safe."
"Oh! Arisa-chan is here? Well, that’s a weight off my mind!"
"Careful. If Mom hears you say that, she’ll be furious."
"Oops. Keep that between us, alright?"
My father was exactly as he looked: a kind, dependable, and respectable man. However, he had a bit of a clumsy side and frequently found himself in the doghouse after a slip of the tongue.
Honestly, I felt like I inherited a bit of that trait from him. I guess we really were alike.
The four of us—my father, mother, Arisa, and I—eventually gathered around the table for dinner.
"Mmm! As expected of Arisa-chan. This is delicious."
"Ahaha, thank you very much."
I couldn't have agreed more. Arisa’s cooking really was on another level. The croquettes were perfectly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, and the sauce she'd prepared was exquisite.
"...Did you make this sauce from scratch too?"
"Yes. I used some fruit to give it a slightly sweeter, brighter finish."
"I see."
The balance of subtle sweetness and acidity was perfect. Arisa really was incredible.
As we ate, my father, who had been singing Arisa's praises with every bite, suddenly stopped his chopsticks. His expression turned uncharacteristically serious.
"...By the way, Arisa-chan... when are you going to marry into the family as Kaito's bride?"
"Pffft—!?"
Both Arisa and I choked on our food at the sudden bombshell.
"Cough... D-Dad?! What are you saying all of a sudden?!"
"Listen, Kaito. This isn't just fatherly advice; it's advice from an elder."
I could feel my face burning as I shouted back, but my father simply doubled down, speaking with intense, serious passion.
"Think about it. You might be too close to her to notice, but girls like Arisa-chan are one in a million. She’s a great cook, and objectively speaking, she’s a beautiful girl. Beyond that, she’s smart, athletic, and has a bright, cheerful personality. She even has the kindness and devotion to support you at just the right moments. And most importantly... she’s amazing at cooking! Being on such good terms with a wonderful girl like her is practically a miracle."
"..."
I ignored the fact that he mentioned her cooking twice, mostly because I couldn't find a way to argue with him.
Arisa was fun to be around, and her specs were so high it was almost a joke. And just as my father said, she was kind enough to look out for me or help me out whenever I was in a bind.
"Besides, the fact that she comes over to cook for us like this means she must have some feelings for you, Kaito."
"Dad..."
"I’d be so happy to have her as a daughter-in-law. I’d get to eat this delicious food every day..."
"...Behind you."
"...Eh?"
My father, lost in his passionate speech, hadn't noticed. He hadn't noticed the small shadow looming behind him with cold, terrifying eyes—the shadow that had appeared right around the second time he mentioned Arisa's superior cooking.
"D-e-a-r?"
"!? W-W-Wait! It’s a misunderstanding! I wasn't saying I was unhappy with your food! I know how much work you put into the housework, and I’m truly grateful! I love you!"
"..."
"I-It’s just, well, everyone has things they’re better at than others, and I’ve often regretted that I didn't study cooking more myself—ah, no, I mean..."
To be fair to my mother, her cooking wasn't bad. It wasn't the kind of lethal biohazard you see in manga where people pass out after one bite.
It wasn't bad... it just wasn't something you could praise wholeheartedly. It was usually a few steps below the quality of a convenience store bento.
Strictly speaking, she was probably better at it than my father or me, who were total amateurs. It was just that Arisa, her point of comparison, was a genius. My mother definitely wasn't a terrible cook. She put a lot of thought into a balanced menu for our health, and I could tell she put a lot of love into every meal.
But, well... it just wasn't quite delicious. In the end, it was just my father's usual habit of sticking his foot in his mouth.
"...Shall we go have a little talk in the other room?"
"...Ah, no, I mean..."
"Shall we?"
"...Yes, dear."
My father was promptly led away by my mother, disappearing into the back of the house. Honestly, it was a sight I saw quite often.
Besides, whenever they talked like this, they usually came back even more affectionate than before, so I knew there was nothing to worry about. It was basically just their way of flirting.
As I watched them go, I naturally turned to Arisa, who was sitting beside me. She was looking down, her face flushed all the way to the tips of her ears.
"...Um, Arisa. Sorry about that. My dad says the weirdest things."
"...N-No, I don't really mind! M-More importantly... what do you think? Is the food... d-delicious?"
"Eh? A-Ah... yeah. It’s really, really good."
"...Then... I'm glad."
An awkward silence settled between us. It wasn't exactly unpleasant, but it made me feel strangely restless and itchy.
What was this feeling? Usually, I could talk to Arisa without a second thought, but right now, I felt so embarrassed I could barely find the words.
"...Um... Arisa?"
"Y-Yeah?"
"...Er, I mean... thanks for everything. Really."
"...You don't need to thank me... I do it because I want to..."
Argh! My face felt like it was on fire! A simple exchange like that shouldn't have been this embarrassing.
But... yeah. It definitely didn't feel bad.
Serious-senpai: "Hey! Where did that tiny bit of seriousness from the last chapter go?! The plot is completely lost! It’s just pure flirting now!"
???: "Now, now. It looks like we're heading back to the battles in the outside world after one more chapter..."
Serious-senpai: "Hey! Stick to the trial! Do the trial properly!!"