第17話 バカップルは平常運転
「ねえ、朝陽! 一昨日ちーくんに手料理振る舞ったって本当!?」
四時間目の授業が終わり、さあゆっくりと弁当を食べようとしたところで元気溌剌な待ったの声が掛かった。
他クラスの日菜美が昼休みにやってくること自体は珍しくないが、そのほとんどが彼氏の千昭目当てだ。
開口一番自分の名前を呼ばれた時点で朝陽は嫌な予感しかしなかった。
「本当だけど......何か悪かったか?」
「悪いに決まってるでしょ! もー、何考えてるのよ朝陽のバカー!」
見事に予感は的中し、理由も分からずバカ呼ばわりされるのだからたまったものじゃない。
こういう時は専門家に任せるのが賢明と、朝陽は目の前で呑気に弁当箱を開けている千昭に無言の圧力を送った。
「何でも、球技大会の日、俺のために弁当を作ってくれるつもりだったらしいよ」
「それだけ聞くとただの惚気だな。俺が非難される理由が全く見当たらないぞ」
「ったく、朝陽は相変わらず女心が分かってないなー。彼女っていうのは手料理を他の人と比べられるのを嫌うんだよ」
「......それ、元カノとか母親とって話だろ」
「それが俺にとっては朝陽ってわけだ。いやー、ビーフシチュー最高だったな。思い返すだけでよだれが出る」
大袈裟に褒めてくれるのは嬉しいが、この場に至ってはどうして火に油を注ぐようなことをするのか。
直ぐ隣を見れば、日菜美が頬を風船のように膨らませて不満気な視線を飛ばしてくる。
色々と言いたいことはあったが、総括してかなりのとばっちりなのは間違いない。
「シェフとパティシエの息子とかチートだチート......。どうせ私の手料理なんて消し炭レベルだって思ってるんでしょ......」
「おい、勝手に人を毒舌キャラにするな。そんなこと微塵も思ってねーよ」
「そのクオリティーの手作り弁当を見せつけておいて......?」
「いや、普通に昨日の残り物だから。それに、弁当でそこまでの差はつかないだろ。ほら、食べてみろ。どこにでもある一般的な味だから」
バカ呼ばわりされた相手を何故必死にフォローしているのか分からなかったが、日菜美が涙目になってしまったので仕方がない。
ほら、と味のハードルを下げつつ、作り置きしておいた肉野菜炒めを弁当の蓋に取り分けて日菜美に差し出す。
互いに意識せずとも流石に箸まで差し出すのは躊躇われたので、そこは彼氏である千昭に任せると、どちらからともなく”あーん”に発展した。
朝陽としては見慣れた光景なので何とも思わないが、クラスメイトの視線がとにかく凄いので早く済ませて欲しいのが正直なところだ。
贔屓目に見ずとも非常に端正な顔立ちをしている千昭と日菜美の組み合わせは、必然的にかなりの人目を引く。
その隠すことをしない愛の深さ故に二人が付き合ってることが周知の事実であることも相まって、男子からは嫉妬による怨嗟の声が漏れているし、女子からは羨望の眼差しと共に黄色い声まで上がっていた。
「食べてみてどうだ、感想は?」
「......美味しい、けど......」
「普通だろ」
「うん、普通に美味しいって感じ」
「そういうこった。日菜美は俺の料理の腕を過大評価しすぎ」
本当に、日菜美が朝陽に抱く料理上手なイメージは過大評価もいいところだった。
その原因は主に千昭が大袈裟極まりなく朝陽の料理を褒めるところにあるのだが、それに加えて日菜美の純真さも大きく影響していると言えるだろう。
家に招いて手料理を振る舞ったことがなく、両親が料理人という情報だけが先行した結果、いつの間にか日菜美の中で朝陽は料理においてプロ並みの腕を持つことにされていた。
この勘違いで何度面倒くさい絡みをされたか思い出したくもない。
ただ、そんな悩みも一度弁当を食べさせればあっさりと解決するところとなった。
もちろん、キッチンで調理するのとは話が大分違ってくるが、そういう細かいところを気にしない、というより気付かないのが日菜美の良いところだ。
「ねえ、ちーくん。やっぱり球技大会の時、ちーくんのためにお弁当作っていい?」
「もちろん。寧ろ俺からお願いしたいくらいだよ」
「ほ、本当にいいの? 私、朝陽みたいに上手に作れないよ?」
「ああ、それでもいいよ。確かに朝陽の料理を上手いって言ったけど、俺にとってはヒナが作ったものが一番美味しいに決まってる」
最後に「料理において一番大切なのは味じゃなくて愛だから」とキザったらしいクサい台詞を並べた千昭を日菜美が人目を憚らずギュッと抱きしめる。
お前は料理の何を知ってるんだ、とツッコミたくなったが、強ち間違ったことを言っているわけでもないので黙っておく。
そもそも、既に二人の世界に入ってしまっていて、とてもじゃないが介入できる気がしない。
結局はイチャイチャに落ち着くあたりが非常にバカップルらしく、朝陽は自然と呆れまじりのため息がこぼれた。
悪者扱いに加えてバカとまで言われた挙句、完全にイチャイチャの踏み台になったというのに不満が全く募らないのは、すっかりこの二人に慣れてしまった証拠だろう。
ただ、慣れたからといって全てを仏の心でスルーするわけにはいかない。
「朝陽、好き勝手言ってごめんね」
「いいよ、そんな気にしてないから。それより、千昭。お前、どうせ最後のセリフを言いたいがために俺の料理を引き合いに出したろ」
「......な、何のことかなー?」
「しらばっくれても無駄だぞ。お前にはもう何も作ってやらん」
「ちょ、それは困る、かなり困る。ごめんって朝陽シェフ、どうか寛大なご配慮をー!」
「......ごめん、もう一回言ってくれないか?」
「ですから、お弁当を作りたいのです」
約束した時間きっかりにインターホンが鳴り、まだ慣れない違和感を感じつつも私服姿の冬華を家に迎えた後のことだった。
キッチンで夜ご飯を作っている途中、随分とタイムリーな話題が冬華の口から飛び出した。
Ch 17
"Hey, Asahi! Is it true that you cooked for Chi-kun the other day?"
The fourth period class was over, and I was just about to eat my lunch when I heard a cheerful voice calling out to me.
It was not unusual for Hinami to come over during lunch break, but most of the time her business was with her boyfriend.
As soon as Asahi heard his name being called, he immediately had a bad feeling about it.
"Yeah, but...Is there something wrong with that?"
"Of course it's wrong! What are you thinking, you idiot!"
My premonition came true and I was called an idiot without any explanation, which made me feel unpleasant.
In times like this, it would be best to leave it to experts. Asahi then sent silent pressure towards Chiaki while nonchalantly opening his lunch box.
"I heard that she was going to make lunch for me on the day of the ball game."
"Are you sure you're not just bragging? Anyway, I don't see any reason why I should be blamed at all."
"Sheesh, you still don't understand women's minds, Asahi. She doesn't like it to have her cooking compared to other people's."
"...Aren't you just talking about ex-girlfriends or mothers?"
"That's what you are to me. Man, that beef stew was great. I'm drooling just thinking about it."
It's great that you're praising me, but when it comes to this situation, why would you add fuel to the fire?
If you look at Hinami, you would see her cheeks puffed up like a balloon with a disgruntled look in her eyes.
There were many things I wanted to say, but summarizing the story it was all a mess.
"Being a son of a chef and a pastry chef is a cheat. You probably think my homemade food is on the level of extinguished charcoal anyway."
"Hey! I'm not a toxic person. I don't think that at all."
"After showing off a homemade lunch of that quality...?"
"No, it's just yesterday's leftovers. Besides, a bento wouldn't make that much of a difference. Come on, try it. It's a common taste you can find anywhere."
I didn't know why I was trying so hard to cheer up on the person who called me an idiot, but I couldn't help it since Hinami was now in tears.
"Here," he said, as he placed the leftover stir-fried meat and vegetables on the lid of his lunch box and presented it to Hinami.
Asahi was hesitant to offer his chopsticks, so he left that to Chiaki, her boyfriend.
As for Asahi, he doesn't think anything of it because it was a familiar sight, but honestly, he wanted it to be over quickly because his classmates were looking at him like crazy.
The combination of Chiaki and Hinami, who had very neat faces even without looking at them in a favorable light, inevitably attracted quite a bit of attention.
Because of the depth of their love that they didn't hide, combined with the fact that it was a well-known fact that they were dating, the boys were leaking jealousy and resentment, meanwhile the girls were looking at them with envy and even squealing.
"What do you think?"
"It's delicious but..."
"It's ordinary, right?"
"Yep, it's just plain delicious."
"That's what I'm talking about. Hinami overestimates my cooking skills."
Really, the image Hinami had of Asahi as a good cook was well overrated.
This was mainly due to Chiaki's overly exaggerated praise of Asahi's cooking, but also due to Hinami's innocence.
Since he had never invited anyone over to his house for a meal, and only knowing that both of his parents were cooks, before she knew it, Hinami had come to believe that he was as good as a professional at cooking.
I don't even want to remember how many times I've been involved in troublesome entanglements because of this misunderstanding.
However, such problems were easily solved once they were fed lunch.
Of course, cooking in the kitchen was a different story, but the good thing about Hinami was that she didn't care about such details, or rather, didn't notice them.
"Hey, Chi-kun. Can I make lunch for the ball game?"
"Of course. Rather, Can I ask you to make one?"
"R-really...? I can't cook as well as Asahi, you know?"
"Oh, that's fine. I did say that Asahi's cooking was good, but for me, Hina's cooking is always the best."
At the end, Hinami hugs Chiaki tightly without hesitation after saying, "The most important thing in cooking is not the taste, but the love."
I was tempted to ask him what he knew about cooking, but he wasn't saying anything wrong, so I kept my mouth shut.
In the first place, they were already in their own world, and I didn't feel like I could intervene.
In the end, they settled for making out, which was very much like a couple, and Asahi naturally sighed in dismay.
In addition to being treated like a bad person, I was even called an idiot and the fact that I was completely used as a stepping stone for flirting and yet I didn't feel any frustration at all was proof that I've gotten used to these two.
However, just because I am used to it doesn't mean I can go through everything by being a saint.
"Asahi, I'm sorry for being selfish."
"It's good. I don't mind. Anyway, Chiaki. You used me as an excuse to say that last line, didn't you?"
"W-what are you talking about..?"
"There's no point in playing dumb. I'm not going to make anything more for you."
"That's...bad! I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Chef Asahi. Please be so generous!"
"..Sorry but, can you repeat that one more time?"
"I'm saying that I want to make a bento."
The intercom rang exactly at the appointed time, and I welcomed Fuyuka in her casual clothes, still feeling unaccustomed and uncomfortable.
While I was cooking dinner in the kitchen, a very timely topic came out of her mouth.
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