Episode 5: Lunch

Reika picked up her fork and said as if she had just remembered.

[Ah, there’s dressings. Do you want some?]

Daiki answered, remembering that there was indeed a wide variety of dressings.

[I'll have the Italian dressing, then.]

[Ok, then I'll have that as well.]

Reika took the dressing from the refrigerator and lightly poured it over the salad.

[Now then, thank you for the meal.]

[Thank you for the meal.]

Then, the two of them put their hands together and started eating.

Daiki first reached for the salad with his fork.

The lettuce was nice and crisp, and the cucumbers were thickly sliced so they were nice and chewy. Daiki preferred it to the thinly sliced cucumbers he often saw. The tomatoes, as he had suspected from the moment he cut them, were quite good and tasty on their own.

[Nn! The lettuce is very crispy!! The cucumbers are also delicious! I thought that it was an unfamiliar shape but the chewiness is nice!]

[Right?]

[Yeah, it's delicious!]

Reika also seemed to have started eating from the salad, and was saying just what Daiki had been thinking.

Then, they both took a bite of the French toast.

[? It's not as sweet as I thought it would be…. But it's delicious!]

[I made it as a meal, so I kept the sweetness moderate. It's good with a fried egg on top, with the yolk mashed.]

Like he said, the French toast was not too sweet. Even if the soaking time was not that long, the soaking broth was mixed with milk, sugar, and eggs and the bread was sufficiently soaked in to make it slightly fluffy. On the outside, there was the aroma of butter. It would also go well with a half-done fried egg toasted in butter.

[Really!? This fried egg is also beautifully done…. No, I'm glad! It's delicious!]

Watching her eat happily, Daiki suddenly realized.

(Come to think of it, it’s been a long time since I watched people eat food made by me…)

Daiki's cheeks broke into a smile at this indescribable feeling of rising satisfaction.

[The French toast on the left, please take a look at it.]

[The one over here? What's the difference…? Ah, cheese! Now that you mention it, you put some in…]

[Yes, it's cheese-in French toast. Please enjoy it while comparing the taste with the plain one.]

[Mm-hmm, got it! ――Nn―delicious!]

As soon as she had a bite, Reika's cheeks relaxed, and Daiki's cheeks relaxed as well.

Daiki also took a bite of the cheese-in toast.

(Yes, the saltiness of the cheese brings out the moderate sweetness to a good degree. I knew it would be delicious with cheese.)

Even though he made it himself, he was satisfied with the result. Next, he tried a sip of the soup.

(If I had the ingredients, I would have made the potage myself…)

It was a store-bought soup, but it tasted just fine, so he decided to leave it at that.

After finishing the plain one with a fried egg on top, Daiki put lettuce, ham, and tomato on top of the cheese-in French toast, folded it, and stabbed it with a fork.

The crispy texture of the tomato and lettuce, and the salty and meaty taste of the ham were added to the cheese-in French toast.

(Sandwich style french toast… Mmm, delicious)

As Daiki nodded his head in satisfaction, Reika stared at him in wonder.

[… What's wrong?]

[H-hold on, what’s with that!? How are you the only one who gets to eat it like that!!]

[No, it's not like you can’t. If you want to eat it like that, just do it.]

[U-uu… there’s no more cheese-ins…]

As Reika said that sadly, Daiki looked at her plate and noticed that there were certainly no more cheese-ins left.

[No, there’s still plains left, so why don’t you just eat them?]

[But it tastes better with cheese in them, doesn't it!?]

[Well, that’s true but… it’s not that big of a difference, is it?]

[You could say that, but…]

Daiki let out a sigh at Reika who seemed to be sulking.

[Haa, alright. I'll trade you my leftover cheese-in for your plain one.]

[Eh, is that ok!?]

Daiki smiled at Reika, whose face lit up with excitement.

[If you make that kind of happy face, I can’t really say no, can I?]

[Uu, a-ahem…Thanks.]

When Reika thanked him with a slightly strained expression, Daiki resisted the urge to burst into laughter.

[No no, if you eat it like it’s delicious, I’ll be happy.]

[Uu…]

Reika lowered her face, looking a little embarrassed.

However, when she ate the exchanged french toast the same way as Daiki, she broke into a smile, and Daiki smiled at her.

(Having people eat your handmade food  and look as if it’s delicious, is nice after all… Also, the smile of a beautiful woman is the best.)

Thinking fondly, Daiki proceeded with his meal.

[Haa–That was delicious! Thank you for the food!]

[You flatter me. Thank you for the food.]

[I never thought something so delicious could be made with what I had in my house.]

[…Ingredients-wise, it was enough. But, if there was no milk, I couldn’t have made the French toast.[

[So it was a fine play on my part to buy the milk, fufun]

(No, that's not really right….)

Reika hurriedly said to Daiki, who was looking at her suspiciously.

[Of course, I know that most of it was because of Yanagi-kun’s skill!?]

[Haha, thanks.]

[Err, ah, I’ll make some coffee. You want some, right?]

[Certainly.]

[Ok, leave the coffee to me.]

With these words, he realized what he had felt uncomfortable hearing before they had the meal.

(You mean you're not good at cooking, but coffee is fine?)

Looking at the wry smile that appeared on Daiki’s face, Reika asked.

[Even so, I’m glad you’re so skilled. You’re very good at cooking, aren’t you?]

Daiki answered this question while scratching his cheek.

[Well, I'm the son of a western-style restaurant owner after all.]

[Eh!? Is that so!?]

[Yes, but it’s a small restaurant.]

It doesn't matter how big it is! Wow. So you learned to cook from your father?]

[Instead of teaching me, I think it's more like he trained me…]

[Hee? That's why you’re so good at it…]

Reika nodded her head in agreement.

[But what I just made is not so difficult to make. It doesn't matter if you're the son of a chef or not, you can make it.]

[……]

Reika fell awkwardly silent. Daiki realized that he had said the wrong thing to the wrong person.

[…Well, there’s one exception.]

[Hey, isn’t that a bit mean?]

[I never said anything about Kisaragi-san, so what could you mean?]

Daiki said blandly, and Reika's cheeks twitched.

[You have a very good personality, Yanagi-kun…]

[It's a great honor to be praised by a beautiful woman like Kisaragi-san.]

[I'm not complimenting you! ——Once again, you called me a beautiful woman so smoothly…]

As they were talking, a pouting Reika came back to the table with two cups of coffee in her hand.

[——Here, feel free.]

[Thank you for the coffee.]

[…It's not much compared to what Yanagi-kun made for me, though.]

As Reika said that while pouting, Daiki couldn’t help but chuckle.

[No, this coffee is very good. It's delicious.]

[…I won’t be happy from that obvious flattery.]

It seemed that Reika had entered a period of tsundere.

[No no, I’m not flattering you. This is not from a coffee maker, but a coffee dripper with a jug fe, right? The taste of the coffee changes depending on the maker―― Yeah, this smells delicious too. It’s really delicious.]

He said sincerely as he tipped his cup and Reika glanced at him, and her cheeks relaxed a little.

[R-really…?]

[Yes. I don’t flatter when it comes to the food I eat.]

[I-is that so… It can’t be helped, I’ll believe you.]

As if hearing those words had restored her mood, Reika broke into a smile.

(Pfft, how easy…)

There was no lie in what Daiki said, but he realized that his impression of Reika has changed a lot compared to when they first met.

(I'd say it's a much cuter impression than the first one… Or a more clumsier impression…No, maybe she’s not clumsy…?)

The thought of this made Daiki let out an unintentional laugh as if he was about to burst into laughter.

[…What’s wrong, why are you suddenly laughing?]

Reik was suspicious, and Daiki blurted out without thinking.

[Ah, no, my first impression of you yesterday was diff——Ahem, never mind it’s nothing.]

He tried to stop by making a stiff face, but Reika wasn’t deceived and her eyes stared at him intensely.

[Hmmm…? Tell me more, how different was my first impression to you compared to my impression now…?

[Haha, what my impression was doesn’t really matter, does it? By the way, about this coffee——]

[Yes, you tried to cover it up by blatantly changing the subject. Is that how much you don't want to say it? Come on, I'm not going to stop pestering until you tell me, okay? First, can you tell me what you thought of me yesterday?]

Reika crossed her legs and her arms to emphasize her large b*****s, as if to say that she wouldn't move until he told her.

Daiki let out a sigh of resignation.

[Really, you don’t have to worry about my impression of you, it can’t really be helped though…]

[It's my decision, not Yanagi-kun’s.]

As if saying, “Do you understand?” Reika smiled while taking a sip of her coffee, making it even more difficult for Daiki. 

(Hmm, she gives off a feeling of being pretty strong at negotiating… So she is a person who can do her work.]

Daiki reaffirmed this from Reika's pressure, which he couldn't imagine from the clumsiness she had just shown before.

[…Well then, I would like to hear Kisaragi-san’s impression of me as well.]

[…Mine?]

Reika's eyes blinked in surprise.

[Yes, it’s unfair if I’m the only one talking about it.]

[…Maybe that’s right. But, since Yanagi-kun said it first.]

When Reika said that with a sweet smile as if she was reminding him, Daiki inwardly let out a sigh.

She predicted that he would have her talk about her impressions first, then slide into a different discussion.

[…Well then, about my impression of Kisaragi-san yesterday… That’s right, the strongest impression was that you are a woman who can do her work well. That’s my impression from the atmosphere that was given off from your aura and clothes.]

Then Reika grinned, put her hands on her hips, and said, "Ahem."

[Even though I’m like this, I’m the company president, you know.]

Although he had somewhat expected it, Daiki was still surprised.

[…I was wondering if that was the case…You’re the company president, I see.]

[If that was the case? Did you expect that?]

[Yes, I did. Even if I got a job at a big company and worked hard, I wouldn't be able to live in an apartment like this.]

When he said this as he looked around the spacious living room, Reika nodded as if it made sense and smiled shyly.

[Ahaha, apparently I might be interviewed by someone on TV, so someone from the secretary division told me to get a good place as a bluff, and then I bought this uselessly spacious place. I like the scenery, though.]

[Haa… how bold of you. However, you bought it, this place?]

[Yeah, it was too much trouble, so I paid for it in one lump sum.]

When Reika said it so easily, Daiki felt the disparity very badly.

[It's a big deal, you're still very young… No, are you not too young?]

Even though she was the president of the company, he wondered if she would be able to make enough money to buy such an apartment with her career as a twenty-eight-year-old, four years older than him.

[Ah, perhaps you’re the second generation to inherit the company… doesn’t seem like it though.]

He rejected the idea as soon as it left his mouth, and Reika affirmed it.

[Yeah, I started the company when I was in a college circle. It's been almost ten years since I started my own business, you know?]

[Huh. nearly ten years… From a college circle…?]

[Yes. We started our own business with the members of our circle. We were all doing whatever we could, and before we knew it, it had grown into something big.]

[…What an amazing story.]

[Fufun, that’s right. Onee-san is amazing right?]

Reika puffed out her chest smugly. Daiki felt as if her awesomeness was instantly diminished, but in reality, it couldn't be contained in one word.

{TLN: Doyaa}

[Yes, well… I think it’s really amazing.]

Reika smiled proudly again at Daiki, who couldn't help but let out a strange laugh.

[It's not just about being able to work, really…]

Daiki, perhaps because he was overwhelmed by Reika's talk, was moving his mouth as he thought, and Reika was nodding her head in a good mood.

As it is, Daiki continued to speak without thinking.

[But, that’s right… After spending too much energy for your company work, you become clumsy at home, I see——Ah]

But by the time he had realized it, Reika was already smiling with her veins popping out on her forehead.

[What did you say——?]

Episode 5: LunchReika picked up her fork and said as if she had just remembered.Ah, there's dressings. Do you want some?Daiki answered, remembering that there was indeed a wide variety of dressings.I'll have the Italian dressing, then.Ok, then I'll have that as well.Reika took the dressing from the refrigerator and lightly poured it over the salad.Now then, thank you for the meal.Thank you for the meal.Then, the two of them put their hands together and started eating.Daiki first reached for the salad with his fork.The lettuce was nice and crisp, and the cucumbers were thickly sliced so they were nice and chewy. Daiki preferred it to the thinly sliced cucumbers he often saw. The tomatoes, as he had suspected from the moment he cut them, were quite good and tasty on their own.Nn! The lettuce is very crispy!! The cucumbers are also delicious! I thought that it was an unfamiliar shape but the chewiness is nice!Right?Yeah, it's delicious!Reika also seemed to have started eating from the salad, and was saying just what Daiki had been thinking.Then, they both took a bite of the French toast.? It's not as sweet as I thought it would be. But it's delicious!I made it as a meal, so I kept the sweetness moderate. It's good with a fried egg on top, with the yolk mashed.Like he said, the French toast was not too sweet. Even if the soaking time was not that long, the soaking broth was mixed with milk, sugar, and eggs and the bread was sufficiently soaked in to make it slightly fluffy. On the outside, there was the aroma of butter. It would also go well with a half-done fried egg toasted in butter.Really!? This fried egg is also beautifully done. No, I'm glad! It's delicious!Watching her eat happily, Daiki suddenly realized.Come to think of it, it's been a long time since I watched people eat food made by meDaiki's cheeks broke into a smile at this indescribable feeling of rising satisfaction.The French toast on the left, please take a look at it.The one over here? What's the difference? Ah, cheese! Now that you mention it, you put some inYes, it's cheese-in French toast. Please enjoy it while comparing the taste with the plain one.Mm-hmm, got it! Nndelicious!As soon as she had a bite, Reika's cheeks relaxed, and Daiki's cheeks relaxed as well.Daiki also took a bite of the cheese-in toast.Yes, the saltiness of the cheese brings out the moderate sweetness to a good degree. I knew it would be delicious with cheese.Even though he made it himself, he was satisfied with the result. Next, he tried a sip of the soup.If I had the ingredients, I would have made the potage myselfIt was a store-bought soup, but it tasted just fine, so he decided to leave it at that.After finishing the plain one with a fried egg on top, Daiki put lettuce, ham, and tomato on top of the cheese-in French toast, folded it, and stabbed it with a fork.The crispy texture of the tomato and lettuce, and the salty and meaty taste of the ham were added to the cheese-in French toast.Sandwich style french toast Mmm, deliciousAs Daiki nodded his head in satisfaction, Reika stared at him in wonder. What's wrong?H-hold on, what's with that!? How are you the only one who gets to eat it like that!!No, it's not like you can't. If you want to eat it like that, just do it.U-uu there's no more cheese-insAs Reika said that sadly, Daiki looked at her plate and noticed that there were certainly no more cheese-ins left.No, there's still plains left, so why don't you just eat them?But it tastes better with cheese in them, doesn't it!?Well, that's true but it's not that big of a difference, is it?You could say that, butDaiki let out a sigh at Reika who seemed to be sulking.Haa, alright. I'll trade you my leftover cheese-in for your plain one.Eh, is that ok!?Daiki smiled at Reika, whose face lit up with excitement.If you make that kind of happy face, I can't really say no, can I?Uu, a-ahemThanks.When Reika thanked him with a slightly strained expression, Daiki resisted the urge to burst into laughter.No no, if you eat it like it's delicious, I'll be happy.UuReika lowered her face, looking a little embarrassed.However, when she ate the exchanged french toast the same way as Daiki, she broke into a smile, and Daiki smiled at her.Having people eat your handmade food and look as if it's delicious, is nice after all Also, the smile of a beautiful woman is the best.Thinking fondly, Daiki proceeded with his meal.HaaThat was delicious! Thank you for the food!You flatter me. Thank you for the food.I never thought something so delicious could be made with what I had in my house.Ingredients-wise, it was enough. But, if there was no milk, I couldn't have made the French toast.So it was a fine play on my part to buy the milk, fufunNo, that's not really right.Reika hurriedly said to Daiki, who was looking at her suspiciously.Of course, I know that most of it was because of Yanagi-kun's skill!?Haha, thanks.Err, ah, I'll make some coffee. You want some, right?Certainly.Ok, leave the coffee to me.With these words, he realized what he had felt uncomfortable hearing before they had the meal.You mean you're not good at cooking, but coffee is fine?Looking at the wry smile that appeared on Daiki's face, Reika asked.Even so, I'm glad you're so skilled. You're very good at cooking, aren't you?Daiki answered this question while scratching his cheek.Well, I'm the son of a western-style restaurant owner after all.Eh!? Is that so!?Yes, but it's a small restaurant.It doesn't matter how big it is! Wow. So you learned to cook from your father?Instead of teaching me, I think it's more like he trained meHee? That's why you're so good at itReika nodded her head in agreement.But what I just made is not so difficult to make. It doesn't matter if you're the son of a chef or not, you can make it.Reika fell awkwardly silent. Daiki realized that he had said the wrong thing to the wrong person.Well, there's one exception.Hey, isn't that a bit mean?I never said anything about Kisaragi-san, so what could you mean?Daiki said blandly, and Reika's cheeks twitched.You have a very good personality, Yanagi-kunIt's a great honor to be praised by a beautiful woman like Kisaragi-san.I'm not complimenting you! Once again, you called me a beautiful woman so smoothlyAs they were talking, a pouting Reika came back to the table with two cups of coffee in her hand.Here, feel free.Thank you for the coffee.It's not much compared to what Yanagi-kun made for me, though.As Reika said that while pouting, Daiki couldn't help but chuckle.No, this coffee is very good. It's delicious.I won't be happy from that obvious flattery.It seemed that Reika had entered a period of tsundere.No no, I'm not flattering you. This is not from a coffee maker, but a coffee dripper with a jug fe, right? The taste of the coffee changes depending on the maker Yeah, this smells delicious too. It's really delicious.He said sincerely as he tipped his cup and Reika glanced at him, and her cheeks relaxed a little.R-really?Yes. I don't flatter when it comes to the food I eat.I-is that so It can't be helped, I'll believe you.As if hearing those words had restored her mood, Reika broke into a smile.Pfft, how easyThere was no lie in what Daiki said, but he realized that his impression of Reika has changed a lot compared to when they first met.I'd say it's a much cuter impression than the first one Or a more clumsier impressionNo, maybe she's not clumsy?The thought of this made Daiki let out an unintentional laugh as if he was about to burst into laughter.What's wrong, why are you suddenly laughing?Reik was suspicious, and Daiki blurted out without thinking.Ah, no, my first impression of you yesterday was diffAhem, never mind it's nothing.He tried to stop by making a stiff face, but Reika wasn't deceived and her eyes stared at him intensely.Hmmm? Tell me more, how different was my first impression to you compared to my impression now?Haha, what my impression was doesn't really matter, does it? By the way, about this coffeeYes, you tried to cover it up by blatantly changing the subject. Is that how much you don't want to say it? Come on, I'm not going to stop pestering until you tell me, okay? First, can you tell me what you thought of me yesterday?Reika crossed her legs and her arms to emphasize her large b*****s, as if to say that she wouldn't move until he told her.Daiki let out a sigh of resignation.Really, you don't have to worry about my impression of you, it can't really be helped thoughIt's my decision, not Yanagi-kun's.As if saying, Do you understand? Reika smiled while taking a sip of her coffee, making it even more difficult for Daiki.Hmm, she gives off a feeling of being pretty strong at negotiating So she is a person who can do her work.Daiki reaffirmed this from Reika's pressure, which he couldn't imagine from the clumsiness she had just shown before.Well then, I would like to hear Kisaragi-san's impression of me as well.Mine?Reika's eyes blinked in surprise.Yes, it's unfair if I'm the only one talking about it.Maybe that's right. But, since Yanagi-kun said it first.When Reika said that with a sweet smile as if she was reminding him, Daiki inwardly let out a sigh.She predicted that he would have her talk about her impressions first, then slide into a different discussion.Well then, about my impression of Kisaragi-san yesterday That's right, the strongest impression was that you are a woman who can do her work well. That's my impression from the atmosphere that was given off from your aura and clothes.Then Reika grinned, put her hands on her hips, and said, "Ahem."Even though I'm like this, I'm the company president, you know.Although he had somewhat expected it, Daiki was still surprised.I was wondering if that was the caseYou're the company president, I see.If that was the case? Did you expect that?Yes, I did. Even if I got a job at a big company and worked hard, I wouldn't be able to live in an apartment like this.When he said this as he looked around the spacious living room, Reika nodded as if it made sense and smiled shyly.Ahaha, apparently I might be interviewed by someone on TV, so someone from the secretary division told me to get a good place as a bluff, and then I bought this uselessly spacious place. I like the scenery, though.Haa how bold of you. However, you bought it, this place?Yeah, it was too much trouble, so I paid for it in one lump sum.When Reika said it so easily, Daiki felt the disparity very badly.It's a big deal, you're still very young No, are you not too young?Even though she was the president of the company, he wondered if she would be able to make enough money to buy such an apartment with her career as a twenty-eight-year-old, four years older than him.Ah, perhaps you're the second generation to inherit the company doesn't seem like it though.He rejected the idea as soon as it left his mouth, and Reika affirmed it.Yeah, I started the company when I was in a college circle. It's been almost ten years since I started my own business, you know?Huh. nearly ten years From a college circle?Yes. We started our own business with the members of our circle. We were all doing whatever we could, and before we knew it, it had grown into something big.What an amazing story.Fufun, that's right. Onee-san is amazing right?Reika puffed out her chest smugly. Daiki felt as if her awesomeness was instantly diminished, but in reality, it couldn't be contained in one word.{TLN: Doyaa}Yes, well I think it's really amazing.Reika smiled proudly again at Daiki, who couldn't help but let out a strange laugh.It's not just about being able to work, reallyDaiki, perhaps because he was overwhelmed by Reika's talk, was moving his mouth as he thought, and Reika was nodding her head in a good mood.As it is, Daiki continued to speak without thinking.But, that's right After spending too much energy for your company work, you become clumsy at home, I seeAhBut by the time he had realized it, Reika was already smiling with her veins popping out on her forehead.What did you say?