第59話 冷めない熱
ファミレスで千昭と別れ、朝陽は電車に乗って帰路に就く。
その帰り道、夜ご飯の買い出しのため、最寄りのスーパーに訪れた。
各コーナーを回りながらメニューを考えていると、横目によく知った顔が映った。
「......冬華?」
見間違いかと思ったが、黒髪に映える青いリボンが確信に繋がる。
「よう」
「えっ......あ、朝陽くん?」
声をかけると、冬華は振り返って真ん丸に目を見開いた。
その様子はあたふたとしていて、明らかに動揺している。
「今、なんか隠さなかった?」
そう否定されても、朝陽の存在に気付いた瞬間、冬華は両手を後ろに隠した。
右に左に覗き込むように朝陽が移動すると、冬華もそれに応じて身体の向きを変える。
「見られたくないものか」
「......はい」
「じゃあ、あっち向いとく」
冬華が何を持っていたのか気になるが、見られたくないと言われれば素直に従う。
無理やりはよくないし、気分を害したくない。
朝陽は大人しく反対側を向き、少ししてから冬華が口を開く。
「もう大丈夫です」
振り返ると、冬華は両手を自由にしていた。どうやら持っていた物は元の場所に戻したようだ。
(お菓子コーナーで見られたくないものって何だ......?)
家で食べる用のスナックでも見繕っていたのだろうか。
それなら隠す必要はない気がするが、女の子には色々あるのかもしれない。
「朝陽くんは、夜ご飯の買い出しですか?」
いつもの調子を取り戻した冬華の問いに、朝陽は頷く。
そのまま自然な流れで一緒に買い物をすることになり、二人は並んでスーパーを回る。
「今日の夜、何か食べたいのある?」
「朝陽くんのオススメでお願いします」
「いつもそれじゃんか。リクエストほしい」
「そう言われると迷いますね......」
とりあえず近くにあった魚コーナーを歩いていると、冬華がふと足を止める。
「お刺身が安い......」
「本当だ。手巻き寿司でも作るか?」
「いいですね。でも、お高くなるのでは?」
「まあ、いつもよりは。たまには奮発するのもアリだろ」
「......朝陽くんがそう言うなら」
割引シールが貼られた刺身のパックを冬華が手に取り、朝陽が持つ買い物かごに入れる。
「これで後戻りはできません」
「そんな覚悟決めなくても」
刺身の他に、きゅうりやかんぴょうなど具材を買い求めながら、朝陽と冬華は買い物を進めていく。
これは手巻き寿司にぴったりだとか。あれは割高だからやめておこうとか。そんな風に相談していくうちに、朝陽は複雑な気持ちに苛まれた。
家政婦が復帰すれば、冬華と食卓を囲む機会はなくなってしまうだろう。
今日までの日々は、朝陽が料理を教えるという名目の上で成り立っていたのだ。
朝陽の役割を、冬華の家政婦――立花香織は問題なくこなせるはずだ。
そんなことを無意識に考えてしまい、朝陽は足が重くなった。
しかし、この我儘な感情を冬華に気取られるわけにはいかない。
「冷蔵庫に卵ってまだありますか?」
「昨日、スープに使ったから残り少ないはず」
「それじゃあ私、持ってきますね」
パタパタと早歩きで、冬華は卵売り場へと向かう。
その後ろ姿が遠くなってから、朝陽は小さくため息を吐いた。
*
買い物から帰って二人は雑談もそこそこに調理を始めた。
朝陽は手巻き寿司の具材を作り、冬華には酢飯を作ってもらう。
料理を苦手としていた冬華だが、今では目立ったミスはなく、簡単なレシピなら問題なく作ることができる。材料を混ぜ、水分を飛ばせば完成する酢飯くらいなら、安心して任せられた。
会話を弾ませながら、手際よく調理は進み、数十分で準備は終わる。
冬華が作った酢飯を中心に、テーブルは様々な具材で彩られた。
しゃもじを手に取り、海苔の上に酢飯を乗せる。そのさらに上に具材を置いて、外側の海苔で包めば手巻き寿司の完成だ。
朝陽は刺身を最初に選び、大口を開けて一口に放り込む。
「うん、うまい」
「ご飯、ちゃんとできてました?」
「完璧」
卵焼きを海苔で巻きながら、冬華が嬉しそうに微笑む。
完成した手巻き寿司を小さな口で運び、また小さな笑顔が浮かんだ。
食事は楽しく続き、ちょっとしたご馳走に会話が弾む。
「そうだ、朝陽くんに言わなければいけないことが」
ふいに冬華が切り出し、朝陽は肩をビクッと反応させる。
少し言い淀む姿から、何を言わんとしているのか読み取れた。
「来週から家政婦が戻ってくるって話だろ? 俺が教えられることも少なくなってきたし、ちょうどいい頃合いだな。これからは家政婦さんに教えてもらって......」
続けざまに言いながら、朝陽は段々と虚しくなってくるのを感じた。
何度か冬華との関係が途切れそうになった時も同じような気持ちになった。
しかし、心にぽっかりと穴が開くような感覚は初めてだった。
それはきっと、冬華への想いの違いだ。
おそるおそる目を合わせると、それだけで少し落ち着く。
「あと数日だけどよろしくな」
なにも今生の別れというわけではない。
お隣さんであることは変わらないし、同じ学校に通っている以上、関わる機会はいくらでもある。
これからも一緒にいられることは変わりない。
そう自分を納得させ、朝陽は平然を装った。
「......何の話ですか?」
きょとん、冬華は首を傾げる。
心底不思議そうな顔で朝陽を見つめていた。
「家政婦が来るから、もう俺の家には来ないって話じゃ......?」
「私、そんなこと一言も言っていません」
怒っているような、悲しんでいるような、そんな曖昧な表情で冬華が目を伏せる。
「朝陽くんは、そうしたいのですか?」
「違う」
朝陽はすかさず否定の言葉を口にする。
顔は見えないが、声音から今度こそ確実に感情が伝わった。
「俺は今日みたいな日が続けばいいなって思ってる。一緒に調理して、飯食べて、ちょっと話してから解散する。そんな日が......俺は、楽しいし続いてほしいよ」
途切れ途切れながら、朝陽は正直な気持ちを話した。
まだ恋心は隠して、それでも小さな一歩を踏み出したような感覚があった。
その証拠に、冬華がゆっくりと顔を上げる。重なった視線の先に薄っすらと赤い頬が映る。
「私も朝陽くんと同じ気持ちです。今日みたいな日が続けばいいなと思っています」
口元を緩めながら、冬華は言葉を紡ぐ。
朝陽は心が温かくなるのを感じながら、ふと視線を落とした。
「......けど、冬華には家政婦がいる。今まで通りとはならないだろ」
「そうですね。立花さんは朝陽くんと同じかそれ以上に世話焼きですし、仕事だからと家事を完璧にこなしてくれるでしょう」
呆れた様子で冬華は呟く。
「でも、立花さんは毎日私のお世話をできるわけじゃないんです」
「それは前も言ってたな」
「はい。立花さんが休みの日はもちろん私が家事をします。料理は......作り置きしてもらっていましたが」
苦笑交じりに冬華は話を続けた。
「土日はいつも一人なんですよ」
そう言って、少し間が空いた。
訪れた沈黙の中で、時計の針がチクタクと鳴る。
なんとなく、朝陽は冬華が何を言いたいのか察することができた。
だから、勇気を振り絞って。自分からもう一歩踏み出してみる。
かつて、氷の令嬢と呼ばれた少女に手を差し伸べたように。
今度は友達として、そして好きな人として、熱のこもった手のひらを差し出す。
「週末は俺の家に来いよ。また、一緒に飯食おうぜ」
「もちろん」
力強く頷くと、冬華の顔がパッと明るくなる。
「朝陽くんはいつでも私がほしい言葉をくれますね」
眩しい笑顔と嬉しい言葉に、またしてもじんわりと身体が熱くなる。
どうやら恋というのは思っていたよりやっかいな病らしい。
まだ冷めそうにない熱を胸に秘め、朝陽は冬華に微笑み返した。
Ch 59
After parting ways with Chiaki at the diner, Asahi took the train home.
On the way back home, he visited the nearest supermarket to buy ingredients for the night.
As he went around each corner, thinking about the menu, he saw a familiar face in the corner of his eye.
"...Fuyuka?"
He thought he was mistaken, but the blue ribbon on her black hair convinced him otherwise.
"Yo."
"Eh...Ah, Asaki-kun?"
When he called out to her, Fuyuka turned around and opened her eyes wide open.
She looked flustered and was clearly feeling shaken.
"Did you just hide something?"
Even though she denied it, Fuyuka hid her hands behind her back the moment she noticed Asahi's presence.
As Asahi moved to peer to the left and right, Fuyuka moved her body accordingly.
"So, it's something you don't want anyone to see."
"...Yes."
"Then, I'll turn that way."
Asahi wondered what Fuyuka had on her, but if she didn't want him to see it, so be it.
He didn't want to force anything and he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable either.
Asahi quietly turned to the other side, and a little while later Fuyuka opened her mouth.
"It's fine now."
When he turned around, he saw that Fuyuka had her hands free. It seems that she had put what she was holding, back where it belonged.
'What is it that you don't want people to see while in the sweets section?'
Asahi wondered if she had picked up some snacks to eat at home.
Then, she didn't need to hide it, but who knows.
"Are you shopping for dinner, Asahi-kun?"
Asahi nodded in response to Fuyuka's question, who had regained her usual tone.
It was a natural progression for them to shop together, and move around the supermarket side by side.
"Do you have anything you'd like to eat tonight?"
"I'll leave it to you, Asahi-kun."
"That's what you always say. I want a request."
"When you put it that way, I'm stumped..."
As they walked around the fish corner nearby, Fuyuka suddenly stopped in her tracks.
"Sashimi is cheap..."
"You're right. You want me to make you some sushi?"
"That sounds great. But isn't it going to be expensive?"
"Well, more than usual. It's probably fine to get excited once in a while."
"...If you say so."
Fuyuka picked up a pack of sashimi with a discount sticker on it and placed it in Asahi's shopping cart.
"There's no turning back now."
"You don't have to be so determined."
In addition to the sashimi, Asahi and Fuyuka proceeded with their shopping, buying ingredients such as cucumber and kanpyo.
Apparently, this was perfect for hand-rolled sushi or it seemed that this was perfect for hand-rolled sushi, but in reality it was too expensive, so one shouldn't do that. As they discussed these things, Asahi was tormented by mixed feelings.
Once the housekeeper returned, he would no longer have the opportunity to sit around the dinner table with Fuyuka.
The days leading up to today had been in the name of Asahi teaching her how to cook.
Fuyuka's housekeeper, Tachibana Kaori, should be able to handle Asahi's role with no problem.
Asahi's legs became heavy as he unconsciously thought about such things.
However, he couldn't let Fuyuka notice this selfish feeling.
"Do you still have eggs in the fridge?"
"I used it for the soup yesterday, so there shouldn't be much left."
"I'll go get it then."
Walking quickly, Fuyuka made her way to the egg counter.
After her back was far away enough, Asahi let out a small sigh.
*
After returning home from shopping, they started cooking without much talk.
Asahi made the ingredients for the hand-rolled sushi, and Fuyuka made the sushi rice.
Fuyuka used to not be very good at cooking, but now she was able to make simple recipes without any problems and with no noticeable mistakes. If it was sushi rice, which could be completed by mixing the ingredients and letting the water evaporate, he could leave it to her without worry.
The cooking proceeded smoothly, with lively conversation, and the preparation was finished in a few minutes.
With Fuyuka's sushi rice as the centerpiece, the table was decorated with a variety of ingredients.
Pick up a rice scoop and place the sushi rice on top of the nori. Put the ingredients on top of that and wrap it with the outer layer of nori to make a Temaki Sushi.
Asahi chose the sashimi first, opened his big mouth and threw a bite.
"Yeah, it's great."
"Did the rice come out alright?"
"It's perfect."
Fuyuka smiled happily as she rolled the omelet in nori.
Another small smile appeared on her face as she carried the finished hand-rolled sushi in her small mouth.
The meal continued happily and the conversation was lively.
"There's something I need to tell you, Asahi-kun."
Fuyuka suddenly cut in, and Asahi's shoulders jerked in response.
He could read what she was trying to say from the way she stammered a bit.
"You said the housekeeper is coming back next week, right? There's not much I can teach you anymore, so it's about time. From now on, let the housekeeper teach you stuff."
As he continued, Asahi felt himself becoming more and more empty.
He also felt the same way when he almost lost his relationship with Fuyuka several times before.
However, it was the first time he had ever felt as if there was a gaping hole in his heart.
It must be the difference in his feelings for Fuyuka.
When they made fearful eye contact, it calmed him down a bit.
"It's only gonna be a few more days but I'll teach until then."
It was not like they were saying goodbye for good.
They were still neighbors, and since they went to the same school, they had plenty of opportunities to get involved.
It didn't change the fact that they could continue to be together.
Convincing himself of this, Asahi kept his composure.
"...What are you talking about?"
Fuyuka tilted her head in confusion.
She stared at Asahi with a sincerely curious look on her face.
"I thought you said the housekeeper was coming so you wouldn't come to my house anymore...?"
"I never said anything like that."
Fuyuka looked down with an ambiguous expression on her face, as if she was angry or more like sad.
"Do you want to do that, Asahi-kun?"
"No."
Asahi quickly spoke up in denial.
He couldn't see her face, but he could definitely hear the emotion in her voice this time.
"I'm hoping for days like today to continue. Cooking together, eating together, talk a bit, and then go home. I enjoy days like this..."
In a broken voice, Asahi spoke his honest feelings.
He still hid his love for her, but still felt like he had taken a small step forward.
As proof of this, Fuyuka slowly raised her head. He could see the light red flushed cheeks in her overlapping gaze.
"I feel the same as you, Asahi-kun. I wish days like today would continue."
Fuyuka let out her words as her mouth relaxed.
Asahi suddenly looked down, feeling his heart warm up.
"...But you have a housekeeper. It's not going to be the same as before."
"That's right. Tachibana-san is as meddlesome as or even more so than you, and I'm sure she'll do chores perfectly just because it's her job."
Fuyuka muttered in exasperation.
"But Tachibana-san can't take care of me every day."
"You've said that before."
"Yes. Of course I do the housework when Tachibana-san is off. But I've had her cook meals for me..."
With a bitter smile, Fuyuka continued her story.
"I'm always alone on weekends."
Then there was a slight pause.
In the silence that came, the hands of the clock ticked away.
Somehow, Asahi could guess what Fuyuka was trying to say.
So, gather up your courage. Take one more step forward yourself.
Just as he once reached out to the girl who was called the Ice Lady.
This time, as a friend, and as someone he loved, he offered his warm palm.
"Come over to my place for the weekend. We'll have dinner together again."
"Of course."
Asahi nodded vigorously, and Fuyuka's face lit up.
"You always say the things that I want to hear, don't you, Asahi-kun?"
The dazzling smile and joyful conversation made his body feel warm again.
It seems that love was a more troublesome disease than he thought.
Asahi smiled back at Fuyuka with heat in his heart that had yet to cool down.
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