CH 4

As Ando-san and I were organizing the room, the sun was quickly setting.

“Fu~, Ando-san, thank you for your hard work.”

“Oh no, you too, Matsuo-san.”

“Well, let’s prepare dinner.”

“Then, I’ll make omelet rice.”

“Woohoo!”

When I raised my hand, Ando-san smiled at me.

“What do you want to do? Can I help?”

“Then … Matsuo-san, please help me with the ketchup rice.”

“That’s good. We’ll work together”

“Hmm?”

Ando-san widened her eyes

“Ah, sorry. Did I say something weird?”

“No, it’s nothing. ….”

Ando-san looked downwards.

“T-then I’ll chop the vegetables. Matsuo-san, you are in charge of frying them in a pan.”

“Understood” I said, smiling.

Ando-san was chopping vegetables one after another on the cutting board with great dexterity.

“Really though, Ando-san, you are a really good cook. And you can also do all the housework.”

I said casually, and she stopped.

“… all the time, I’ve been left at home to do the housework.”

“At….your uncle’s house?’

“Yes.”

“I see,… Ando-san, you really are a hard worker.”

I said, and tears came to Ando-san’s eyes again.

“Are you okay?”

“Y-yes, The onions are a little ……”

She made excuses like that, and I watched her closely, amused.

“And it’s ready.”

“Then I’ll cook the ketchup rice.”

I wasn’t much of a cook, but I could at least do that.

“Wow, that’s amazing. You can easily lift a heavy frying pan. You must be very strong, Matsuo-san.”

“Well, I was an athlete in high school.”

“Which club were you in?”

“Baseball club. I was a regular on the team, I think.”

“That’s amazing. Um… were you popular?”

“Hmm? Well, the ace guy was popular. So not much for me, I guess.”

“I-I see. …”

For some reason, she looked a little relieved.

“Perhaps you like baseball?”

“Heh? Ah, um… that’s right.”

“Then, how about playing catch together next time, just to relax?”

“A-ah, but I’m not that athletic. …”

“I see. Well, let me know if you feel up to it.”

Ando-san nodded her head.

While we were talking, the ketchup rice was ready.

“Ando-san. Please.”

“Yes.”

I passed it onto her, and Ando-san spread eggs all over the frying pan. Then she poured the ketchup rice I had made into the pan.

And then, as if by magic, thump, twirl, and twirl.

In no time at all, the ketchup rice was wrapped in the egg.

“It’s done.”

“Wow, that’s amazing. Ando-san, you’ve done a wonderful job.”

“N-No, It’s nothing special”

She blushed.

“Ah, Matsuo-san. Can you please go ahead and get the table ready?”

“Yes, okay.”

I wiped the table and prepared spoons, excited to be able to eat the omu-rice that was sure to be delicious.

Then, Ando-san brought the omelet-rice.

“Thank you for waiting.”

She placed it on the table.

“Yay~… Huh?”

I looked at the omelet and saw that it had words written on it in ketchup.

THANK YOU, MATSUO-SAN

Surprised, I looked at Ando-san in front of me.

She immediately turned her blushing face away from me, as if she was deeply embarrassed.

“Ando-san”

I called out, and she looked up.

“Thank you too.”

When I said this, her eyes watered again.

But she smiled at me.

“Come on, let’s eat.”

“Yes.”

And then we both enjoyed the delicious omu-rice together.