Confer (Pt 3)

Translator: Krrizis

Editor: Mochimochi

First Published on Ainushi

 

Speaking of which, I haven’t tasted it yet.

「Let me have a taste.」

When I snatched the spoon from Kiuchi,

「You’re better off not eating it!」

Kiuchi said, covering the bowl of porridge with her torso.

… Eh? Is it that awful?

「Ah… no. I mean, if you eat from the same bowl as I do, you’ll catch my cold.」

That strange display of kindness coming from her made me wonder if she was worried for me?   

After all, Kiuchi, that smile on your face is awfully fake.

「Okay, then I will just eat it straight from the pot.」

 

As I got up to make my way to the kitchen,

 


「Wait! Don’t go!」

 


Kiuchi wound herself around my left foot like some abandoned woman.

What on Earth are you up to, Kiuchi?

Having acted that way, Kiuchi looked awfully upset.

I looked down at Kiuchi.

 

「Kiuchi-san, it’s alright to be honest with me. Is the porridge I made delicious?」

「………. No.」

 

Kiuchi answered in a really low voice.

… Aaah, I knew it.

… I should’ve just gone out and bought it.

That’s right! What was I doing, getting so fired up to make it?  


From the start, I should have just said, “Okay, I’ll go buy porridge” and gone out to the convenience store.

「I’m terribly sorry about this, Kiuchi-san.」

I fed you something terrible while you were not feeling well.  

I made my way to the entranceway, left Kiuchi’s apartment and trudged to the convenience store in search of porridge.

 

Having completed my mission to purchase the porridge, I returned to her apartment.

When I rang the doorbell, Kiuchi opened the door with a confused expression.

There was a somewhat appetizing scent coming from inside.  

「Tachibana-kun, I thought you left?」
「I only went out to buy porridge. That aside, something smells really good?」

He sniffed as he entered her apartment.

「There was too much salt in the porridge you made so I thought I’d add water and mix in an egg to make it tasty.」

While I headed to the convenience store, Kiuchi had splendidly salvage that failed cooking of mine. As one would expect of her.

「You didn’t throw it out?」
「Why would I? That’s such a waste when you have especially made it for me.」

As always, Kiuchi the “cheapskate”.

But just hearing her say that she didn’t throw it because “I had made it”, did make me feel a little bit happy.

「Anyway, what I meant was I thought you had gone back so I left a “Be careful on your way home” sort of message on your LINE.」

Kiuchi said it with an awkward smile.

I checked my phone and certainly, a message that was mother-like was there -『Even though you went through such troubles to make the porridge, I’m so sorry that I barely ate it. Be careful on your way home. Gargle your mouth then sleep, alright?』

That brought a slight smile on my face. It was just like her to write that.

「Hey, I’ll eat that porridge so you can have the one I bought from the convenience store.」

All the same, the porridge that Kiuchi had fixed was different.

My hopeless porridge had been magnificently transformed. It looked really appetizing.

 

 「You can’t. I recooked the porridge that I took a bite from so you’ll be infected with my cold if you do.」

Even if that’s what she said, I still want to eat it no matter what.

「No! I want to eat it, I want to eat it, I want to eat it!」
「If you catch a cold, I’ll make it for you.」

Even if I make a ruckus like a child, Kiuchi still won’t let me have the porridge.

After all, I can’t just go and say, “Then, let me have your cold, Kiuchi-san” and swoop down to kiss her on the lips like a scene out of a shoujo manga.  

If I step out of line, then our current relationship will crumble so I’m happy with what it is like now.

Therefore, I won’t let him off if Kiuchi’s ex has a change of heart and decides to come back into her life.

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