I sat down on the leisure sheet I’d spread over the mysterious patch of grass—or "bento space," as Shiro-san called it—that had appeared on the wharf. Since I happened to have one tucked away in my Magic Box, there was no need for Shiro-san to manifest one herself.
To be honest, I was relieved there was no one else around. The sight of a couple having a picnic on a random patch of lawn in the middle of a wharf would have been incredibly surreal.
I wondered what kind of bento Shiro-san had prepared. Given the leisure sheet, I’d half-expected a large, tiered box like the ones used for cherry blossom viewing, though that would have been way too much for just the two of us. Then again, knowing her, there was every chance she’d come up with something completely unexpected...
"Well then, here is the bento I prepared," she said.
"Thank you."
The box she handed me was perfectly ordinary. It was a standard size, just right for one person’s lunch, nothing like those massive tiered containers.
When I lifted the lid... I see, so that was the play.
The bento featured a large heart rendered in pink sakura denbu. It was immediately obvious what she’d used for inspiration. This was, without a doubt, a quintessential "beloved wife bento."
I stole a glance at Shiro-san. She looked immensely satisfied, wearing the expression of someone who had carried out their mission to perfection. Incidentally, I was the only one with a meal; there wasn't one for her.
"Well, setting aside the whole 'beloved wife' aesthetic... this is actually really impressive. It looks exactly like something out of a romance manga. It’s the perfect image of a bento made with love."
I figured she had probably used her divine powers to manifest it exactly as it appeared in her reference materials. While that felt a bit like cheating, if she was the one who "ordered" the creation, I suppose it still counted as being made by her.
"Oh, no. I cooked it normally. I didn't simply create the finished product... well, I did manifest the ingredients, though."
"Wait, really? You made this from scratch? That's incredible! I didn't realize you could make something look this professional!"
"Your joy makes me happy as well, Kaito-san."
It looked so flawless that I’d been certain she’d just conjured it, but she had actually taken the raw ingredients and prepared them with her own hands.
The heart was perfectly shaped, and the side dishes looked like the work of a professional chef. Even the color palette and the overall balance were spot on. The sheer quality of it was actually quite moving.
"It almost feels like a crime to eat this, but since you went to all this trouble, I’ll enjoy every bite... Wait, where are the chopsticks?"
"They are here."
"Oh, thanks—Shiro-san?"
When I turned back, she was holding the chopsticks ready and reaching out her other hand. A cold sweat broke out. I had a very bad feeling about this.
The way she was poised made it clear she had no intention of handing the chopsticks over. Since she didn't have her own lunch, she obviously wasn't using them for herself.
Furthermore, the hand she was holding out clearly said, "Give me the box." But if I gave it to her, she wouldn't be the one eating. Which meant...
"I will feed you, Kaito-san. Please, hand me the bento box."
"...I thought as much. But wait, the whole thing!?"
"Yes. I am currently in my 'spoiling and devoted mode,' so please leave the task of eating entirely to me. There is no need for concern. Even if you remain silent, I can read exactly what you want to eat and in what order."
She had entered some kind of mysterious mode. I was so incredibly glad no one else was around... but honestly, setting the embarrassment aside, I didn't exactly mind being fed by my lover. In fact, it was kind of nice.
"Now, Kaito-san. Open wide. Aahn."
"H-here I go."
Well, since no one was watching and Shiro-san was determined to pamper me... I figured I might as well indulge her a little. It was a way to fulfill her desire for a romantic moment, after all. Or so I told myself as I yielded to Shiro-san's gentle expression and let her take care of me.
Serious-senpai: "Ugh... this kind of sweet-and-sour romance hits like a heavy body blow. It’s too much..."
???: "It’ll be fine! Based on the chapter breaks, the lunch and its aftermath will probably last another two chapters. They’ll definitely be flirting after they eat! Just relax!!"
Serious-senpai: "...Where exactly am I supposed to find 'relaxation' in any of that?"