第10話 雪解けの始まり
「何を探してるんだ?」
気づけばその小さな背中に言葉を投げかけていた。
元々声を掛けるつもりはなかったし、無視をされてもそれはそれでかまわない。
ただ、酒類を扱うコーナーを前にしてウロウロしている少女の姿を見れば、一応助け舟を出さずにはいられなかった。
「......何故あなたがここにいるのですか?」
「質問を質問で返すのかよ。お前と同じだ、買い物に決まってるだろ」
自分で話し掛けておいて何だが、九割くらいは無視を覚悟していたので、訝しんだ視線を向けられながらも冬華が反応を示したことに朝陽は少しの驚きを覚えた。
期待した返事では無いものの、会話をする意思はどうやらあるようなので淡々と事実を述べれば、「それもそうですね」と同じく淡々とした言葉が返ってくる。
互いに同じマンションに住む以上、最寄りのスーパーで顔を合わせることくらいは不思議な事ではない。
実際、以前に一度だけ朝陽はこのスーパーで冬華の姿を見かけたことがある。
思えば氷の令嬢が自炊をしないのではないかという疑念はその時から薄々と感じていた気もする。
今以上に全く関わりが無かった故に遠目から眺めるだけだったが、買い物かごいっぱいに積み上げられたレトルト食品やお惣菜の類は記憶に新しい。
しかし、今日は大分色が違った。
冬華が手に持っている買い物かごに目を向ければ赤青黄とカラフルな彩りに溢れ、野菜だけではなく冷凍ご飯や豚肉なども確認することができる。
「自炊するようになったんだな」
「まるで元々は自炊をしていないかのような発言はやめてください」
「悪い悪い。そういえばできないわけじゃないとか言ってたな」
料理ができないと思われることが嫌らしく、少しでも発言を間違えればジロリ、と冬華に鋭い目つきで睨まれる。
直ぐに軽く頭を下げて何とかその場を切り抜けたものの、一瞬だけ氷の令嬢を思わせる冷気を感じたので洒落にならない。
逆に言えば、今の冬華に氷の令嬢の面影はなかった。
言葉は素っ気ないし、表情は相変わらずの真顔なので完全にないとは言い切れないが、少なくとも学校で見せる他人を拒絶する雰囲気は纏っていない。
「で、結局何を探してるんだ。未成年は酒を買えないぞ」
冬華に今のところ会話を切り上げようとする様子はなかったので、朝陽は遠慮なく話を戻して気になっていた質問を投げた。
カレー風味を出す為、別の料理にルーを使うことも考えられるが、にんじんやじゃがいも、玉ねぎなどを見ればほぼ確定だ。
「次の方ー」と直ぐにレジ係から声が掛かり、それ以上の会話は強制的に打ち切られた。
互いに会計を済ませ、帰路に着く途中で朝陽は再び冬華に声を掛けた。
もちろん肩を並べて一緒に歩いているわけもなく、後ろを振り返れば数メートル先にようやく姿が見える。
今度も単純に親切心から。
無視してくれても構わないが、一応声を掛けなければ気が済まない。
「......遠慮します」
続けて「私は大丈夫ですから、気にせず先に行ってください」とも返ってくる。
しかし、ビニール袋を両手に歩く冬華の姿は全く大丈夫なようには見えなかった。
朝陽のような男手ならともかく、冬華のような華奢で細い女の子には一苦労のはずだ。
「遠慮すんな。こんな調子じゃいつまで経っても家に辿り着かないだろ。貸し借りの話なら一切考えなくていいから素直に頼っておけ」
Ch 10
"What are you looking for?"
I found myself speaking to that familiar figure.
He hadn't originally planned on calling out to her, and he didn't mind even if he got ignored.
However, when he saw the girl loitering in front of the liquor section, he couldn't help but lend her a helping hand.
"...Why are you here?"
"Answering a question with a question, huh? Well, same as you, shopping of course."
After asking her the question, he was prepared to be ignored 90% of the time, so Asahi was a little surprised that Fuyuka responded even though she was looking at him perplexedly.
Although it wasn't the response he was expecting, she seemed to be willing to have a conversation, so he stated the facts in an indifferent manner, to which she replied with an equally indifferent manner, "That makes sense."
Since they both live in the same apartment building, it was not surprising that they might encounter each other at the nearest supermarket.
In fact, once before, Asahi had seen Fuyuka in this supermarket.
Thinking about it, I had a vague suspicion that the "Ice Lady" might not be able to cook for herself.
Since I had no involvement with her before than I do now, I could only observe from a distance, but I still remembered the shopping basket full of retort foods and prepared foods.
Today, however, the colors were much different.
If one looked closely at the shopping basket in Fuyuka's hand, one could see that it was full of colorful red, blue, and yellow colors, not only vegetables, but also frozen rice and pork
"I see you've started cooking for yourself."
"Please don't speak as if I didn't originally cook for myself."
"My bad, my bad. Come to think of it, you said something about it's not like you can't do it."
She didn't seem to like it when people thought she couldn't cook, and if one said otherwise, Fuyuka would give them a sharp glare.
I immediately bowed my head and managed to get out of the situation, but I felt a chill that reminded me of the Ice Lady for a moment, which wasn't funny.
To put it another way, the current Fuyuka had no trace of the "Ice Lady".
Her words were plain and her expression was still the same, so one couldn't say that it was completely gone, but at least she didn't have that cold atmosphere that she displayed at school.
"So what are you looking for after all? Minors can't buy alcohol, you know?"
Fuyuka didn't seem to be trying to cut short the conversation at the moment, so Asahi didn't hesitate to return to the subject and ask the question that had been bothering him.
It was possible that the roux was used in another dish to give it a curry flavor, but the carrots, potatoes, and onions almost confirmed it.
The cashier immediately called out, "Next," and any further conversation was forcibly cut off.
After paying each other's bills, Asahi once again called out to Fuyuka again on the way home.
Of course, they were not walking together shoulder to shoulder, and looking back, one could see them a few meters away from each other.
And once again, simply out of kindness.
You could ignore me all you want, but I wouldn't feel better if I didn't call out to you at least.
"...I'll have to refrain."
She continued, "I'm fine, don't worry about it, just go ahead."
However, Fuyuka, walking with a plastic bag in both hands, didn't seem to be fine at all.
A masculine hand like Asahi's would have a hard time, much less a slender and thin girl like Fuyuka.
"Don't be shy. You'll never make it home at this rate. If you're worried about owing somebody, you don't have to think about it at all, just obediently rely on me.
How To Melt the Ice Lady
【コミカライズ連載中】氷の令嬢の溶かし方　～クールで素っ気ないお隣さんがデレるとめちゃくちゃ可愛い件～
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/how-to-melt-the-ice-lady/
Comedy Romance School Life Slice of Life
Adapted to Manga Beautiful Female Lead Caring Protagonist Cooking Cute Story Famous Parents Kind Love Interests Kuudere Male Protagonist Modern Day Popular Love Interests
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2567fv/
高峰 翔