第28話 氷の令嬢は幽霊が苦手
球技大会から一週間が経って、キッチンに立つ冬華には目に見える成長が現れていた。
今日は五品作ったこともあり、多くの洗い物を要したのだが、水切りかごに並べられた食器の数々はどれも等しくピカピカに輝いている。
「......どうでしょうか?」
「甘めに採点して八十点かな」
「そこは厳しくお願いします」
「なら、七十点。まだ時間がかかってるし、水と洗剤を使い過ぎてる......っても、よく上達してると思うぞ。これなら安心して任せられる」
流石は完璧超人と噂されているだけあって、朝陽が一を教えると、冬華は十を習得した。
やはり、まだ無駄とムラが見られるものの、期末テストまでには百点を付けられるようになっていてもおかしくはない。
ただ、それは残念ながら洗い物に限った話だった。
「料理の方は先が長いな......」
「なっ......上げて落とすなんて、本当にあなたはイジワルですね......」
「しょうがないだろ、事実なんだからさ」
冬華は料理のセンスがない――それが、今日までに朝陽が導き出した結論だ。
ここ一週間、朝陽は夕食を作っていく中で、初心者にも問題なく行えるであろう工程は冬華に任せることにした。
習うより慣れよという言葉があるように、ただ説明を聞いているだけでは仕方がない。そう思い立った故の試みだったのだが、冬華はことごとく失敗の文字を重ね続けた。
米を炊けば水気が多く芯が残っているし、野菜を切れば不揃いで分厚い塊が出来上がる。
そのお陰で、朝陽は調理の軌道修正と冬華のご機嫌取りに追われ、いただきますと手を合わせる頃には疲労困憊という毎日を送っていた。
(イジワルっていうなら、俺じゃなくて神様に言ってほしいね......)
天は二物を与えずとはよく言ったもので、どうやら冬華は多くの才能を与えられた一方、料理の神様には見放されたらしい。
料理に関しては一を教えても十分の一しか習得してくれないあたり、これはもうセンスの有無を問うしかないだろう。
「まあ、気長にやってこうぜ。こういうのは慣れが大事っていうしな」
「私もそう思います。そのうち、あなたより腕を上げてみせますから」
「おい、調子に乗るな。今日も火加減間違えて焦がしたろ。昨日だって――」
「あー、あー、何も聞こえませんね。塩を入れ過ぎたことなんて私は知りません」
「しっかり聞こえてるし、ちゃんと覚えてるじゃねーか......」
少しだけ声を張り、両手で耳を塞いで朝陽の言葉を遮ろうとする冬華の様子は、親に怒られている最中に拗ねてしまった反抗期の子供そのものだ。
相変わらずその表情と声音はクールな様相を保っているが、口にする言葉や仕草反応は段々と年相応な幼さが垣間見えるようになっている。
最近は笑顔の手前、微笑みくらいなら何度か浮かべるようにもなり、最初の頃と比べた変わりように朝陽は自然と口角を上げることが増えた。
「......何を笑っているんですか。最近、そのニヤついた顔が良く目に付きます」
「別に何もないよ。ただ笑ってるだけ」
「また、そうやってはぐらかす......。何もないのに笑う人って中々ですよ」
「と言いますと?」
「おかしいというか、気持ち悪いですね」
「うわっ、地味に傷つくな......」
要所要所で氷と形容するにふさわしい冷たい視線と言葉は健在なのだが、その冷たさにも以前とは違った感覚を覚える。
以前は容赦なく相手を突き放し、途中に分厚い壁を築いて遮断する、氷柱のような鋭さが冬華の一挙一動には含まれていた。
ただ、今はコミュニケーションの一環として素直に受け取ることができる。
それこそ、冗談めかした行動が多い千昭に対して朝陽が素っ気ない反応をするのと同じような感覚だ。
「あっ、また笑った......。あなたにはお笑い芸人さんの幽霊でも見えているのですか?」
「凄いな、ご明察だよ。丁度、氷室の真後ろにパンツ一丁の男が――」
「ひっ......ほ、本当ですか!? どっ、どこにそんな変態が......」
振ってきたので乗ってみただけなのだが、どうやら冬華は真に受けてしまったらしく、定位置と化したソファーの端っこから飛び降りて後退りをした。
冬華と一緒に居ると、こういう新たな一面を見れるので飽きることがない。
元々がミステリアスなのと相まって、その様子は妙に可愛らしく、朝陽は三度小さな笑みを浮かびた。
結局、暫くからかった後に本当のことを言えば、冬華は唇をムッとさせてそっぽを向いてしまった。
不機嫌、というよりは拗ねているようで、勉強会中はいつもより二割増しで厳しいように思えたが、こればっかりは八つ当たりではないかと抗議の思いが募る。
とは言え、分かりやすく丁寧な授業は健在で、今日の課題が終わった頃には掌返しで冬華に賞賛の言葉を送ることになった。
「本当、氷室は教えるのが上手いよな。それに、英語力は海外に住んだ経験があるとしか思えないレベルだし頭が上がらないわ」
「......分かりやすいお世辞は必要ありません」
「いや、本当に思ってるんだって......」
ほとぼりが冷めたと思いきや、冬華はまだご機嫌斜めモードらしい。
いつもは少し会話をしてから帰るのに、今日はさっさと荷物を纏めて玄関に向かおうとするあたり、相当からかわれたことを根に持っているのだろう。
「幽霊が怖いってのは、可愛げがあって良いと思うけどな......」
「何か言いました?」
「いえ、何も言ってません」
気にすることでもないのにと小さく口にしただけで、ギロリと鋭い視線が飛んで来るのでこれ以上は掘り下げない方が良さそうだ。
冬華は幽霊が苦手。そんな可愛らしい意外な一面を心にそっとメモするにとどめ、朝陽は今すぐ帰ろうとする冬華の後姿を急いで追った。
「明日、俺に予定があるってのは覚えてるよな」
「......ご友人が遊びに来るのですよね?」
「そうそう......っておい、ちゃんと自炊するんだぞ! レシピ本は渡したからな! あと、包丁使いと火加減には気をつけろ――」
最後の方はただの心配事になったが、全てを言い切る前にバタンと音を立てて玄関の扉が閉まった。
明日はやかましいバカップルが襲来するという、一番大切な情報はしっかりと伝わっているようなので、大きな問題はないはずだ。
冬華が自炊をしてくれるかはやはり気になるが、基本は一通り教えたし、本人もやる気があるのできっと一人でも大丈夫。
そうして、朝陽はいよいよ明日に控えたバカップルを家に招くというイベントに向けて、一人気合いを入れ直した。
Ch 28
A week had passed since the ball game, and Fuyuka who was standing in the kitchen was showing growth at a visible rate.
Today she made five dishes, which required a lot of washing up, but the dishes in the drainer were all equally shiny.
"What do you think...?"
"If I'm being generous, I'd say it's about 8 out of 10."
"Please score it correctly."
"Then, it's 7 out of 10. Even though you still take a while, use too much water and detergent... I think you're making good progress, with this I think I won't have to worry much."
As expected of someone who was called a flawless person, with Asahi only teaching her once, she already mastered it fast.
Of course, there were still some things that needed improving, but It wouldn't be surprising If she could score a 10 out of 10 before the exams.
But that was unfortunately limited only to washing dishes.
"You still have a long way before you learn to cook."
"Wha- to praise then disappoint me, you're really mean, you know?"
"It can't be helped. It's the truth, after all."
Fuyuka had no sense in cooking - that was the conclusion that Asahi had made.
For the past week, Asahi had been cooking dinner and decided to let Fuyuka take care of the processes that a beginner would have no problem doing.
As the saying went, "Practice makes perfect," it was no use just listening to the explanation. It should have been different, but Fuyuka kept failing at every turn.
When she cooked the rice, it was very watery and uncooked, and if she cut the vegetables, you would get uneven, thick chunks. [TL: how tf do you f*ck up rice when you have a rice cooker it's just a press of a button.]
Thanks to this, Asahi was busy correcting the process of the cooking and making sure Fuyuka was in a good mood, and by the time it was time to eat, he was already exhausted.
'Speaking of being mean, I'd say you should call God that... and not me'
As the saying went, "Heaven does not grant people more than one talent," and it seemed that while Fuyuka had been bestowed with many talents, she had been abandoned by the cooking gods.
When it came to cooking, even if he taught her one thing, she would only learn one tenth of it, it could only mean one thing: she had no talent in cooking.
"Well, we'll just have to be patient. They say it's important to get used to things like this."
"I think so, too. One day, I'm going to be better than you."
"Hey, don't get carried away. You burned it again today, didn't you?"
"A-, a-, I don't hear anything. I don't know what you're talking about."
"You can hear me just fine, don't you?"
Fuyuka's voice was a little strained, and she covered her ears with her hands to block out Asahi's words, as if she was a rebellious child who was sulking while being scolded by her parents.
Her expression and voice were as cool as ever, but the words she had said and the gestures she responded with were gradually showing glimpses appropriate to her age.
Recently, she had been able to smile a few times. Asahi slightly smiled when he saw how much she had changed since the beginning.
"...What are you smiling at? I've been noticing that grin on your face a lot lately."
"It's nothing. I'm just smiling."
"Again, dodging the question... It's uncommon for people to smile at nothing."
"What do you mean?"
"It's quite weird or rather it's gross."
"Ugh, that lowkey hurts."
The cold gaze and words that deserved to be described as "ice" still existed, but even that coldness felt different than before.
In the past, Fuyuka's every move contained the sharpness of an icicle that would relentlessly push the opponent away and build a thick wall in the middle to block them.
However, now it could be accepted as part of her way of communicating.
That was exactly like how Asahi would react to Chiaki, who often joked around.
"Ah, you laugh again... Are you seeing a ghost of a comedian or something?"
"Woah, how did you know? Just behind your back there's a man in just his underwear--"
"Hya-- I-Is that true?! Wh-where is the person that perverted....?!"
He was just joking around, but Fuyuka seemed to have taken it seriously and jumped off the edge of the sofa and retreated.
When he was with Fuyuka, he never got tired of seeing new sides of her.
Combined with the fact that she was mysterious to begin with, she looked strangely adorable. Asahi then proceeded to smile.
In the end, when he told the truth after teasing her for a while, Fuyuka turned away with a pout on her cheeks.
She seemed to be sulking rather than grumpy, and she seemed to be more demanding than usual during the study session, but it couldn't be helped since she was trying to get revenge for earlier.
Nevertheless, the easy-to-understand and polite lessons were still intact.
"You're really good at teaching, aren't you, Himuro? And your English is so good that I can only assume you've lived abroad before."
"...No need for obvious flattery."
"No, I really mean it."
He thought the heat had died down, but apparently Fuyuka was still in a bad mood.
Normally, they would have a short conversation before leaving, but today she was packing up her things and headed for the door, probably holding on to the fact that she was teased.
"I think it's adorable that you're afraid of ghosts..."
"Did you say something?"
"No, I didn't say anything."
He made a small comment that there was nothing to worry about, but instead got a sharp look, so it was best not to dig any deeper.
Fuyuka couldn't deal with ghosts. Engraving that adorable fact in his mind, Asahi followed Fuyuka's footsteps as she tried to leave.
"You do remember that I have plans tomorrow, right?"
"...Your friend is coming to visit, correct?"
"Right, right... Wait, no! You should cook something for yourself. I gave you a recipe book! Also, do be careful with the knife and stove--"
The last part was just him being a worrywart, but before he could say everything, the front door slammed shut with a slam.
The most important information, that a noisy couple would attack tomorrow, seemed to have been conveyed well, so there should be no major problems.
He was still wondering if Fuyuka would be able to cook for herself, but he taught her the basics and she seemed motivated, so surely she would be fine on her own.
And so, Asahi prepared himself for tomorrow's event of inviting the lovebirds home.
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