第15話 氷の令嬢と食卓を囲んで
夜ご飯を共にすることを決めた後、冬華は一度自分の部屋に戻っていった。
ビニール袋の中身の整理や干してある洗濯物の片付けなど色々とやることがあったのだろう。
朝陽の家のインターホンが鳴った時にはもうほとんど料理は完成していた。
「とても美味しそうですね......」
白米、肉野菜炒め、ひじきの煮物、ワカメと豆腐の味噌汁。
シンプルで在り来たりながら、ボリューミーで栄養のある料理が食卓に並ぶ。
そこまでは朝陽にとって日常的な光景なのだが、視線を前に向ければ直ぐに非日常が目に入った。
一人暮らし用とあって小さめのダイニングテーブルに料理が二人分。
向かい側の席に座っている美少女は、愛嬌のある大きなブロンズの瞳をキラキラと輝かせている。
何の変哲もない一般的な料理を作ったつもりが、まるで肉野菜炒めを初めて見たかのような反応だった。
「......いただいてもいいですか?」
「もちろん。冷めない内に食べてくれ」
「どうぞ」と短く促せば「いただきます」と透き通った声が静かな部屋に響く。
自分で提案しておいて何だが、このやり取りが一週間弱続くと思うと朝陽はほんの少しの気恥ずかしさを覚えた。
冬華と食卓を囲むのはこれが初めてではないが、それにしたって慣れるものじゃない。
目の前の美少女は味噌汁に口を付ける姿ですら絵になるほどの美貌を持つ。
恋愛感情は無いといえども、そんな異性が不意に頬を緩ませるのだから気が気ではない。
元々は全く感情が読めないクールな表情をしているのだから尚更だ。
「......とても美味しいです」
「それはよかった」
淡々と言葉を返すが、内心は胸の鼓動がゆっくりと速度を上げていた。
味噌汁を一啜りした後、肉野菜炒めに手を伸ばした冬華の艶やかな唇が僅かにたゆんでいる。
自覚があるのかないのか、朝陽が作った夜ご飯を口にする冬華には微かな笑みが浮かんでいた。
(やっぱ綺麗な顔してるよな......)
分かってはいた事だが、箸を動かす手を止めて思わず見入ってしまうほどに、冬華は端正な顔立ちをしている。
普段は大人っぽい美しさが前面に押し出されているが、出来立てほかほかの料理に舌鼓を打っている様子からは年相応の可愛らしさも伺えた。
「......あなたは何かと私の顔を見つめる節がありますよね」
「すまん、やけに美味しそうに食べるもんだから気になって」
「それは......実際に美味しいのですから当たり前です」
「そう言ってもらえると作った甲斐があるな」
いつの間にか微笑を浮かべていた事に気づいたのか、冬華はいつもの真顔に戻ってしまう。
ただ、そのクールな表情からも美味しいという思いは十分に伝わって来た。
Ch 15
After deciding to have dinner together, Fuyuka went back to her apartment.
I guess she had a lot of things to do, like sorting out the contents of the plastic bag and putting away the laundry.
By the time the intercom rang at Asahi's home, the food was almost ready.
"It looks really good..."
White rice, stir-fried meat and vegetables, simmered hijiki mushrooms, miso soup with wakame seaweed and tofu.
Simple, conventional, yet balanced and nutritious dishes were on the table.
Up to that point, it was an ordinary scene for Asahi, but as soon as he turned his gaze forward, he saw something out of the ordinary.
It was a small dining table for a person living alone, with enough food for two.
The beautiful girl sitting across from me had charming, large bronze eyes that sparkled.
I thought I had cooked a plain and ordinary dish, but she reacted as if she had never seen stir-fried meat and vegetables before.
"...May I?"
"Of course. Eat before it gets cold."
"Dig in." A clear voice echoed in the quiet room. "Thank you for the food." Fuyuka replied.
After suggesting it himself, Asahi felt a little embarrassed at the thought that this exchange would continue for less than a week.
This is not the first time I've had a meal with her, but it's not something I'm used to.
The girl in front of me possessed a beauty that even the way she sipped her miso soup was attractive.
Even though I don't have any romantic feelings for her, it's quite unnerving that she would unexpectedly relax her cheeks.
Even more so since she originally always had that cool expression that was completely unreadable.
"...It's very delicious."
"Glad you like it."
He replied nonchalantly, but inwardly his heart slowly beat at a faster pace.
After taking a sip of miso soup, Fuyuka's glossy lips twitched slightly as she reached for the stir-fried meat and vegetables.
Whether she was aware of it or not, there was a faint smile on her face as she ate the dinner that Asahi had made.
'You sure have a pretty face, huh?'
I already knew it, but Fuyuka has such a nice face that I had to stop moving my chopsticks to look at her.
Normally, her expression was more mature, but the way she was tucking into her freshly cooked food showed that she could act according to her age.
"...You have a tendency to stare at my face for some reason, don't you?"
"My bad, you look like you're really enjoying yourself, so I just..."
"That's no surprise, since it actually...tasted good."
"Hearing you say that, makes it worth making it."
Before she knew it, Fuyuka realized that she had been smiling all this time, and she returned to her usual straight face.
However, even with that cool expression on her face, I could tell that she thought it was delicious.
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