第44話 氷の令嬢と踏み出した一歩
「昨日は巻き込んで悪かった」
和明と透子が嵐のような勢いでやって来て、去っていった翌日、玄関の扉が開いて間もなく謝罪の言葉を伝えた朝陽に冬華は苦笑いで応じた。
「朝陽くんが謝る事ではありませんよ。それに、謝る必要もありません」
「そう言ってくれると助かるけどさ。実際、騒がしくて迷惑だったろ」
「騒がしい、というより賑やかでしたね」
「どっちも同じようなもんだろ。うるさいのに変わりない」
「でも、私は楽しかったです。お二人が作ってくれた料理みたいに、温かくて素敵な時間でした」
そう言いながら、冬華は彩り鮮やかなラタトゥイユに手を伸ばす。
朝陽も同じようにたっぷりと冬野菜が詰まった煮込みを口にすれば、凝縮された食材の旨味が口いっぱいに広がり、身体が芯までほんわかと温まる。
他にも、今日の食卓には普段と違った種類の料理が多く並んでいた。
例えば、ゆで卵とほうれん草のグラタンや豚肉のリエットなど。
その全てが和明と透子が腕によりをかけて作ってくれたものだ。
何でも、偶には息子に手料理を振る舞いたい、とのことらしい。
家庭の味を忘れられたら悲しいだろ、とも言っていた気がする。
そして帰り際には、冬華ちゃんと仲良く一緒に食べてね、と何度も念押しされた。
――絶対に氷室さんと一緒に食べるんだぞ! いいか、絶対だからな!
そこまでいくと、壮大なフリなんじゃないかと思ってしまうが、朝陽は両親の善意と言いつけに背く親不孝な人間ではない。
そもそも、言われなくても冬華と一緒に食べるつもりだったのだ。
「......とてつもなく美味いな」
「そうですね。それに、何だか心がポカポカします」
そんな抽象的な感想を述べる冬華は、コーンポタージュが注がれたカップを両手に頬を緩ませている。
朝陽もまた、二杯目をお代わりしたラタトゥイユを口にして、その懐かしい味に自然と口角を上げた。
フランスの家庭料理は作り置きに最適と聞いていたが、その評判通り一日置いても変わらない、それどころか二割増しで美味しく感じるのは流石一流の料理人と言ったところか。
昨日は新年早々、色々と疲労が溜まる一日だったものの、豪華な御節に加えて数日分の夕食まで作ってくれた両親に文句は言う気にはなれなかった。
「やっぱり、火神家が作る料理はどれも絶品です」
「まあ、俺はまだ足元にも及ばないけど」
「それなら、私から見ると雲の上の存在といった感じでしょうか」
「父さんと母さんレベルとなると......今んとこはそのくらいかもな」
「では、そんな凄い方からのアドバイスはとても貴重ですね」
「......アドバイス?」
「はい、アドバイスです」
聞き返した言葉を繰り返されたところで、特にピンと来る事柄はない。
(そういえば、母さんが作ってる時にキッチンに呼ばれてたっけ)
あの時に、透子から料理の指導をされていたのだろうか。
それにしては短い時間だったし、そもそも冬華には少々難易度が高い料理を作っていたような。
そんな事を考えていると、冬華はポケットから普段は滅多に手にしない携帯を取り出して、メッセージアプリを操作し始めた。
本人から聞いた話だと、その最新型のスマホには家族と朝陽以外の連絡先は入っていないはずだが。
『料理において一番大切なのは味じゃなくて愛なのよ』
冬華が差し出して来たトーク画面には、良く知っている名前とどこかで聞いたことがあるフレーズが表示されていた。
すぐには信じられずに何度か目を擦っても、火神透子の四文字は変わったり、消えたりしない。
「......母さんと連絡先交換したのかよ」
「忙しい合間を縫って、料理のいろはを教えてもらえることになりました」
「そりゃ良かったな......」
超一流のプロからアドバイスを貰える機会はそうそうない。
これで、冬華の料理の腕がさらに上がるなら喜ばしい事なのだろう。
しかし、言葉とは裏腹に朝陽の頬はピクピクと小刻みに引き攣る。
あの母親のことだ。アドバイスと称して料理以外にも余計な口出しをしそうで怖い。
そう考えると、朝陽は内心気が気でなかった。
「そういや、うちの親とは普通に話すのな。ほら、冬華って基本無口というか、誰かとお喋りなんかしないだろ」
「そうですね......氷の令嬢なんて呼ばれているくらいですし」
「自分で言うのかそれ」
「だって、私が蒔いた種ですから。気にする必要はありません」
前に一度、同じようなやり取りをした気がするが、あの時とは冬華から受ける印象が大分違う。
以前は気にしていないと言いつつ、強張った表情と冷たい空気を感じたのだが。
「最近は、人との接し方を変えていこうと思っているんです。すぐには難しいので、少しずつですが......」
どうやら、冬華の中で何か大きな心境の変化があったらしい。
その表情はとても穏やかで、同時に強い決意が現れているようだった。
「それに、お二人は朝陽くんに似ていたから」
「俺に?」
「和明さんも透子さんも、問答無用でこちらに近づいて来るのでどうしようもなかったです」
「俺と似てるかそれ」
「だって、最初は朝陽くんだって強引だったでしょう?」
「まあ、言われてみれば確かに......」
記憶を辿れば、ビニール袋を無理やり引き取ったりした気がする。
ただ、結果論で言えば、あの時があったからこそ冬華とこうして一緒に居る。
あの時があったから、冬華が少しずつ変わっているのだとしたら。
それが良い事か悪い事かは分からないが、朝陽としては嬉しいものだった。
「なあ、冬華。前に二人組のうるさい奴らと鉢合わせたの覚えてるだろ?」
「覚えていますけど......それがどうかしました?」
「今度、あの二人と初詣に行くんだ」
突然の質問と宣言に冬華は首を傾げる。
「どっちも騒がしくて面倒くさい。あと、何かと恋愛に結び付けて来てウザイ」
「は、はあ......」
「でも、凄い良い奴らなんだ。きっと、冬華と仲良くなれると思う」
そこまで言って、冬華はようやく朝陽が何を言おうとしているのか理解したようだった。
人との付き合い方を変えていく、というのは恐らく氷の令嬢がちょっとだけ溶けているなんて噂とも関係しているのだろう。
まだ、学校では他人と壁を築いている冬華がゆっくりと着実に歩み寄ろうと考えているなら。
パッと、二人の顔がすぐに浮かんだ。
「初詣、一緒に行かないか? あいつら、冬華と友達になりたいって言ってた」
千昭と日菜美なら、氷の令嬢ではなく氷室冬華と友達になれるのではないか。
そう思って朝陽が提案すると、冬華は俯きがちに目を伏せて考える素振りを見せた。
ただ、答えが出るまでには少しの時間しか要さなかった。
「朝陽くんの友達なら......私も一緒に行きたいです」
真っ直ぐこちらを射止めるカラメル色の瞳はどこか不安げで、それでも前に進もうとする強い意志が見て取れた。
「分かった、二人に伝えとくよ」
千昭と日菜美はいったいどんな反応をするだろうか。
きっと、メッセージのやり取りからそれはもう相当うるさいのだろう。
実際に会う時は、詰め寄る二人から冬華を守らなければいけないかもしれない。
そんな新たな関係の始まりを想像をして、朝陽は小さな笑みを浮かべた。
Ch 44
"Sorry for involving you yesterday."
A day after, Kazuaki and Touko came and went like a storm, Fuyuka responded to Asahi's apology with a bitter smile.
"There's no reason for you to apologize, Asahi-kun."
"Even if you say so. In fact, it's annoying, right?"
"Annoying? No, I found it quite lively."
"It's the same thing. It's noisy either way."
"But I had fun. It was warm and wonderful, just like the food they cooked."
As she said this, Fuyuka reached for the colorful ratatouille.
Asahi also reached for the dish, as he sipped on the stew filled with vegetables, the concentrated flavor of the ingredients filled his mouth and warmed his body to the core.
There were also many other different kinds of dishes on the table today than usual.
For example, boiled egg and spinach gratin or pork rillettes.
All of them were made with great care by Kazuaki and Touko.
Touko said she wanted to cook for her son once in a while.
She also said that it would be sad if he forgets the taste of home.
And on the way home, Touko reminded Asahi again and again to eat with Fuyuka happily.
--Be sure to eat with Himuro-san! You better!
When he got to that point, one might think it was a grand pretense, but Asahi was not a filial person who disobeyed his parents' good intentions and implication.
In the first place, he had planned to eat with Fuyuka without being told to do so.
"...It's really tremendously good."
"I agree. Besides, it kind of makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside."
Fuyuka gave an abstract impression as her cheeks relaxed while holding a cup of corn potage in her hands.
Asahi also sipped his second helping of ratatouille and smiled at the nostalgic taste.
He had heard that French home-cooked meals were best as leftovers, but as they say, a day in the fridge doesn't just change the taste, in fact, it makes the food taste 20% better.
Yesterday was the first day of the new year, and although Asahi was exhausted from many things, he couldn't complain to his parents for cooking a lavish dinner for them for the next few days.
"As expected, all of the food prepared by the Kagami Family is excellent."
"Well, I'm not even close."
"Then for me I guess I'm just looking up from below."
"When it comes to the level of mom and dad... That sounds about right for now."
"Then, any advice from such a person would be invaluable."
"...Advice?"
"Yes, advice."
When Asahi repeated the words he had heard, nothing in particular came to mind.
'Come to think of it, mom called her into the kitchen when she was cooking.'
Asahi wondered if she had received cooking instruction from Touko at that time.
But it was such a short period of time for that, and to begin with, a degree of that dish would be a little too difficult for Fuyuka.
As he was thinking, Fuyuka took out her phone from her pocket, which she rarely picked up, and started to operate the messaging application.
According to what she said, that phone, which was the latest model, should have no contact information except for her family and Asahi.
[The most important thing in cooking is not taste, but love.]
On the screen that Fuyuka presented to Asahi, there was a name that he knew very well and a phrase that he had heard somewhere before.
Even though he rubbed his eyes a few times, not believing it right away, the name Kagami Touko wouldn't change or disappear.
"You exchanged contact info with mom...?"
"I was able to take time out of her busy schedule to learn how to cook."
"Well, that's great..."
It was not everyday that one would get the chance to get advice from a top-notch professional.
It would be a pleasure if this could further improve Fuyuka's cooking skills.
However, despite his words, Asahi's cheeks twitched again and again.
It was that mother. Asahi was afraid that she was going to call it advice, but was also going to interfere with other things besides cooking.
Thinking about it, Asahi was inwardly uncomfortable.
"Which reminds me, you talk to my parents normally. You know, you don't talk much, or at least to strangers."
"That's true... I'm even called the "Ice lady" for such reasons."
"You're saying that yourself?"
"Because I did it myself. You don't have to worry about it."
They had a similar exchange once before, but the impression Asahi got from Fuyuka was very different from last time.
She used to say that she didn't care and could feel her indifferent and cold attitude but.
"Recently, I've been trying to change the way I treat people. It's hard to do right away, so I'm trying to do it little by little..."
Apparently, there had been some kind of major change of heart in Fuyuka.
Her expression was very calm, but at the same time, it seemed to display a strong determination.
"Besides, your parents seem similar to you, Asahi-kun."
"To me?"
"Both Kazuaki-san and Touko-san approached me without hesitation, so there was nothing I could do."
"Does that sound like me?"
"I mean, even Asahi-kun was pushy at first, right?"
"Well, now that you've mentioned it..."
If his memory served him right, he forced himself to take back a plastic bag or something.
However, speaking in terms of results, it was because of that time that he was with Fuyuka like this.
'What if Fuyuka was changing little by little because of that time?'
He didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing, but it made Asahi happy.
"Hey, Fuyuka. You remember when we ran into those two noisy guys before, right?"
"I remember, but... what about it?"
"I'm going on Hatsumode with those two."
Fuyuka tilted her head at the sudden question and declaration.
"Both of them are noisy and troublesome. Also, it's annoying that they keep trying to connect everything to love."
"I see..."
"But they're really good guys. I'm sure they'll get along with Fuyuka too."
Fuyuka finally seemed to understand what Asahi was trying to say.
Perhaps the rumor that the "Ice lady" was melting a little had something to do with the fact that she was changing the way she interacted with people.
If Fuyuka, who was still building walls around others at school, was thinking of making slow and steady progress.
Poof, two faces immediately came to mind.
"Why don't you come with me? They said they wanted to be friends with you."
Chiaki and Hinami could be friends with Himuro Fuyuka and not the "Ice Lady".
Fuyuka turned her head down and thought with her eyes downcast.
However, it only took a little while to get an answer.
"If they're a friend of Asahi-kun's... I'd also like to go."
The caramel eyes that were looking straight at him were somewhat anxious, but Asahi could still see a strong will to move forward.
"All right, I'll let them know."
'I wondered how Chiaki and Hinami would react.' Asahi thought.
It will be quite noisy from all the messages.
When they meet in person, Asahi may have to protect Fuyuka from the two people who are trying to crowd her.
Asahi smiled, imagining the beginning of such a new relationship.
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