The moment I stepped into Kasahara's room, I noticed a faint, sweet scent—nothing like my own place. It made me feel a bit restless, but I knew that if I stepped out of line now, I’d lose the right to judge Hayashi’s ex-lover. With that in mind, I kept myself in check and meekly sat down in a corner of the living room.
I tried not to form any impressions of her room. I was desperate to clear my mind, struggling to remain as indifferent as possible.
"Why are you huddled in the corner like that?" she asked.
"Don't mind me."
At that moment, I was merging with the wall. No one talks to a wall, after all. So, just ignore me. Seriously, ignore me.
"You're doing that weird thing again."
"What do you mean, 'weird'? Define 'weird.'"
"Ahaha! Your eccentricities have been famous since high school, Yamamoto-kun."
"Wait, really? Is that how people saw me?"
I felt a small pang of shock.
As I hung my head, I felt someone’s gaze on me. It was Hayashi.
"...What is it?" I asked.
"Nothing," she said, leaving me curled up in my corner as she walked toward the kitchen where Kasahara was. For a while, the two of them chatted affectionately while they prepped the food.
Soon, the takoyaki maker and all the ingredients were laid out on a small table.
"Sorry I just sat here while you guys did all the work," I said.
"It’s fine. I enjoyed the time alone with Megu," Kasahara chirped.
"...Well, you do look after me every day," Hayashi added softly.
"Whoa, Megu! Total tsundere!"
"Excuse me?"
"Eek! Megu’s glaring at me!"
Kasahara made a show of being terrified, though it was obvious she wasn't bothered at all. In fact, she looked completely unfazed.
"...There are a lot of different ingredients here."
A variety of toppings were laid out on the table. Alongside the standard octopus were wieners, takuan, and even cucumbers.
"Are we actually putting these in the takoyaki?" I asked.
"Yep. You were just thinking it’s not real takoyaki without the octopus, weren't you, Yamamoto-kun?"
"Well, yeah."
"Ahaha, how honest. But don't you think it's more fun this way? The batter hides everything, so you don't know what you’ve got until the very last second."
"...I guess. Maybe."
"Just be honest," Hayashi said reprovingly. "You're not the type who enjoys playing with food."
"I figured you’d hate this kind of thing, too," I countered.
"I do. But... I definitely wouldn't be doing this with anyone else but Akari and you."
"...Megu."
Don't go making me emotional, damn it.
Thinking about how Hayashi, who had suffered so much through domestic violence, was now relying on us... well, my eyes felt a little misty, just like Kasahara’s.
"...I just heard something I never thought I’d hear from you back in our high school days," I remarked.
She used to hate me. Knowing she felt differently now made me happy, and I’d meant it as a sentiment of gratitude. Of course, thanks to my twisted personality, it probably didn't sound that way at all.
"...What’s that supposed to mean?"
Instead of looking exasperated or teasing me, Hayashi just glared.
"Nothing."
As expected, she wouldn't give me a straight answer.
"Alright, let's get this takoyaki party started!"
Kasahara clapped her hands to break the tension, and we began.
Playing with food isn't really my thing, just as Hayashi said. However, even with these weird ingredients, the taste was at least guaranteed to be decent. I figured I could handle it.
...Or so I thought, until...
"Here, say aaah."
"Aaah."
A few minutes in, and Kasahara was actually having Hayashi feed her. I was speechless. I’d assumed they were joking, but they were actually going through with it. I wasn't repulsed—just genuinely stunned.
"We're not putting on a show here," Hayashi muttered.
"Then don't do it right in front of me," I shot back.
"Now, now. You’re just jealous, aren't you, Yamamoto-kun?"
No, absolutely not.
I started to protest, but Kasahara moved faster than I could speak.
"Here."
"...Wait, what?"
She held out a toothpick with a piece of takoyaki on the end, right in front of my face.
"Say aaah."
"...No, I'm not doing that."
"Aaah!"
I had no choice. If I didn't eat it, I’d be the guy who couldn't read the room and ruined the mood. Besides, Hayashi’s gaze was getting uncomfortably sharp.
I took a bite.
The flavor of the sauce-covered batter and melted cheese filled my mouth. It was actually quite good.
"...What?" I asked, noticing Hayashi’s piercing stare.
"Nothing."
As usual, she had no intention of giving me a straight answer.