第56話 雪解けの後で
雨が降り、風が吹き、雷が鳴り、雪が積もる。
そんな厳しい冬の猛威を乗り越えた先には必ず春が訪れる。
しかし、季節はまだ冬の真っ最中。
それでも地上を照らす眩しい太陽は、冷え切った身体を暖かく包む。
一夜にして白く染め上がった町は、温かい熱に溶かされ本来の姿を取り戻していた。
その一方で、熱を上げすぎ燃え尽きてしまった男は枕に深く顔を埋める。
(俺は離れないとかクサすぎるだろ......)
昨日の出来事を思い返しては、朝陽は己の言葉と行動にひたすら悶え続ける。
勢い任せに放った言葉というのは、後から冷静になった時に羞恥心を伴うものだ。
正直な気持ちを伝えたことに、後悔はしていない。
恥ずかしいものは恥ずかしい。
自分の心がこんなに乱されるのは、朝陽にとって初めてだった。
右手にはまだ、冬華の頭に触れた感触が確かに残っているし、脳裏には冷たい涙と温かな笑顔が焼き付いている。
そうして、ようやく自覚した恋心がじわじわと朝陽の胸を焦がす。
ピンポン、と来客を伝えるインターホンの音が鳴って、自然と頬が緩むのだからこれはもう重症だろう。
意味もなく鏡の前で身嗜みを整えてから、ゆっくりと玄関の扉を開ける。
その先に佇む可愛らしい少女を、朝陽は平常心を保ちながら迎え入れた。
「今日はいつにも増して囲まれてたな」
「みなさんに心配をかけたようで、申し訳ない気持ちでいっぱいです」
まるで昨日の出来事が幻想だったかのように、冬華は至って普通の様子だった。
内心ドキドキが止まらない朝陽をよそに、広々としたキッチンで何気ない会話が続いていく。
こうしてお喋りをしながら滞りなく調理が進むのは、冬華の腕が確実に上達している証拠だろう。
数十分後、テーブルには色とりどりの料理が並んだ。
その中で、本日のメインディッシュとなる目玉料理が際立つ。
「凄い......本当に、ソレイユルヴァンのスープと変わらない味がします」
カップに注がれた玉子スープを一啜りして、冬華は目をキラキラと輝かせる。
今日はこのスープを作ると朝陽は決めていた。
それは、冬華の暗く冷たい過去を聞いて思い至ったことだった。
家庭環境の複雑さと起こってしまった悲劇は、冬華の心を固く厚い氷で覆い隠した。一方で、そこには確かに幸せな思い出もあったと聞く。
であり、火神家特製の玉子スープなら。ほんの少しでも、この温かい料理で心の傷が癒えるなら。
一刻も早く、冬華に味あわせてあげたいと朝陽は強く思ったのだ。
「朝陽くん、ありがとうございます。きっと、気を使ってくれたのですよね」
「まあ、うん。余計なお世話だったらすまん」
「いいえ、とっても嬉しいお世話ですよ」
どうやら気遣いがバレていたらしく、冬華はニコリと淡い微笑みを浮かべる。
「私、そういう朝陽くんの優しいところが......」
「あっ、いえ......なんでもないです」
「それ、一番気になるやつ」
朝陽が続きを促すと、冬華は頭をぶんぶんと横に振る。
「気になる」
「内緒です」
「最初の一文字」
「それは意味があるんですか......」
「最初の一文字です」
それ以上は何も言わず、冬華は再びスープに手を伸ばした。
いつの間にか日常となった光景を見つめながら、朝陽はふと数か月前から記憶を遡る。その思い出のほとんどに冬華の姿があった。
他人を拒絶し、心を閉ざした少女は氷の令嬢と呼ばれていて。それでも関わりを持てば、どこにでもいる普通の女の子で。冷たい氷の裏には、陽だまりのような笑顔が咲く。
(やっぱり恋だよな......)
氷室冬華が好き。
そう自分の気持ちを再確認すると、ちょうど想い人と視線が重なる。
「やっぱり朝陽くんの料理は最高ですね」
そんな嬉しい言葉とともに浮かんだ可愛らしい笑顔を見て、朝陽は胸が跳ねる思いがした。
昨日から同じようなことが何度もあった。
冬華の些細な一言や行動に、心が静かに揺れ動くのだ。
恋をすると世界が変わる。
そんな俗っぽい言葉が真実として朝陽に迫っていた。
ふとした瞬間に冬華を思い浮かべてしまったり。
何気ない会話の中でも変に意識してしまったり。
気づけばその端正な美貌を目で追ってしまったり。
一度その感情に気付いてしまったら、人はそう簡単には戻れない。
「朝陽くん、顔赤くないですか?」
「......気のせいだよ」
そう誤魔化しながら、朝陽は目を逸らす。
冬華が先程言いかけた言葉、それが自分と同じ気持ちだったら。
そんな淡い期待がじんわりと身体を熱くする。
しかし、朝陽はその恋心を胸の奥底に仕舞い込んだ。
「ごちそうさま」
「ごちそうさまです。スープの作り方、また教えてくださいね」
「むっ......次は完璧に覚えて見せます」
まだ二人は高校一年生、時間はたっぷりとある。
今はまだ、友達として。
初めて芽生えた感情にゆっくりと向き合っていこうと、朝陽はそう決めていた。
Ch 56
The rain pours down, the wind blows, the thunder rumbles, and the snow piles up.
After overcoming the fury of a harsh winter, spring would surely arrive.
However, it was still the season in the middle of winter.
Still, the dazzling sun shined on the surroundings, wrapping the cold body in warmth.
The town, which had been dyed white overnight, melted in the warm heat and regained its original appearance.
On the other hand, a man who was overheated and burned out buried his face deep into a pillow.
'I said some cheesy things back then...'
Thinking back on the events of yesterday, Asahi continued to agonize over his words and actions.
Words spoken in a spur-of-the-moment manner could cause embarrassment when one calms down later.
But he didn't regret expressing his honest feelings.
However, embarrassing things would still be embarrassing.
It was the first time for Asahi to feel so disturbed by his own mind.
He could still feel the touch of Fuyuka's head on his right hand, and the cold tears and warm smile were still engraved on his mind.
And so, the love that he finally became aware of was slowly heating up inside his heart.
His cheeks naturally relaxed when the intercom rang to announce the arrival of a visitor, so it was probably so severe.
For no reason at all, he fixed his appearance in front of the mirror and slowly opened the front door.
Asahi welcomed the pretty girl standing ahead of him, maintaining a sense of normalcy.
"You've been surrounded more than ever today."
"I feel so sorry that I caused everyone to worry so much."
Fuyuka looked perfectly normal, as if yesterday's events had been an illusion.
Asahi's heart was still pounding inside, but the casual conversation continued in the spacious kitchen.
The fact that the cooking progressed without a hitch while they were chatting was proof that Fuyuka's skills were definitely improving.
A few minutes later, the table was lined with a variety of colorful dishes.
The main dish of the day, the highlight of the meal, the egg soup, stands out among the rest.
"It really does taste just like Soleil Levain's soup."
Fuyuka's eyes sparkled as she took a sip of the egg soup that was poured into her cup.
Asahi had decided to make this soup today.
It was something that came to his mind when he heard about Fuyuka's dark and cold past.
The complexity of her family environment and the tragedy that covered Fuyuka's heart with a hard thick ice. On the other hand, he also heard that there were indeed some happy memories there.
One of them was Soleil Levant, a special egg soup made by the Kagami Family. And if only a little bit of this warm food could heal the wounds in her heart.
Asahi wanted to give Fuyuka a taste of this as soon as possible.
"Thank you, Asahi-kun. You're very considerate."
"Well, yeah. Sorry if it's none of my business."
"No, I'm very happy about it."
Fuyuka smiled faintly, as if his concern was apparent.
"Asahi-kun, that kindness of yours, I really like it or rather..."
"Ah, no, it's nothing."
"Now, you're making me curious."
When Asahi urged her to continue, Fuyuka shook her head.
"I'm curious."
"It's a secret."
"Give me the initial."
"Can you really get it from that?"
"That's the initial."
Without saying anything else anymore, Fuyuka reached for the soup again.
As he gazed at the scene that had somehow become his daily life, Asahi went through his memories from a few months ago. In most of his memories, he saw Fuyuka.
The girl who rejected others and closed her heart and was called the Ice Lady. Yet, if you got involved with her, she was just a normal girl who could be found anywhere. Behind the ice, a smile that blooms like sunshine could be seen.
'Yep, I love her.'
He liked Himuro Fuyuka.
As he reconfirmed his feelings, their eyes met.
"As expected, Asahi-kun's cooking is really the best."
Seeing the cute smile that appeared to her face along with such delightful dialogue, Asahi felt his heart jumping.
The same thing happened again and again since yesterday.
Fuyuka's every little word or action would quietly shake him to his core.
When you fall in love, the world changes.
Such a cheesy phrase was hitting Asahi as truth.
At a moment's notice, he could not help but think of Fuyuka.
Even in day-to-day conversations, he would become strangely conscious.
He sometimes found himself following her beauty with his eyes.
Once one was aware of those feelings, one couldn't go back so easily.
"Isn't your face red, Asahi-kun?"
"It's just you..."
Asahi looked away to dodge the topic.
What Fuyuka was about to say earlier, what if she felt the same way as he did.
Such faint anticipation warmed up his body.
However, Asahi kept his feelings buried deep in his heart.
"Thanks for the food."
"Thank you for the meal. Please let me know how to make the soup again."
"Hmph...I'll remember it perfectly next time."
They were still freshmen in high school, so they had plenty of time.
For now, as friends.
Asahi decided that he would slowly face the feelings that he had developed for the first time..
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