Our Life That Begins with a Convenient Relationship - Chapter 10

I figured that a strong massage might actually be counterproductive, so I enjoyed the massage chair on the “low” setting for about twenty minutes. When I stood up, my body felt surprisingly refreshed.

“Ooh… I’m not quite at a full recovery, but I feel younger!”

The weight on my shoulders vanished, and my back straightened naturally. I realized I’ve reached the age where I actually need things like this, but now that my body feels light, I feel like I can keep going a bit longer.

Well, unfortunately, my body isn’t actually getting any younger; in fact, I’m aging every second. But my mood is younger. Yeah, that’s enough for me.

“I think that’s good for now,” I said, turning off the massage function. I leaned back into the fluffy headrest and sat there for a moment, just relaxing.

I wasn’t going to snoop, but I was a little curious to look around the room. Then again, I’m sure she has things she doesn’t want seen… though after seeing that gross disaster on the floor earlier, I don’t think anything could surprise me at this point.

Still, for someone who clearly works so hard, she is incredibly indifferent to her own home.

After waiting a while, I heard a noise at the front door, and Sakura-san returned.

“I’m back!”

At the sound of her bright voice, I sat up from the massage chair and spoke naturally.

“Welcome home.”

It was just a simple phrase, but her expression brightened instantly.

“…Ah. I’m home.”

Watching her smile bashfully, I realized something immediately.

—It must have been a long time since anyone said “welcome home” to her.

She spends every day buried in work, and when she comes back here, there’s no one. She must have lived like that for years.

(…Well, I’m in a similar boat.)

The last time someone said “welcome home” to me was back when I lived with my parents… so, high school. If I went home now, the first words out of their mouths would definitely be, “Are you married yet?!” …Actually, the second and third sentences would probably be the same.

I saw Sakura-san set the groceries in the kitchen, so I stood up and headed over.

I peeked into the bags she bought at the supermarket to check the contents. She had followed my notes perfectly. …She did better than I expected, so I gave her a passing grade in my head.

“By the way, you have white rice, right? I didn’t see a rice cooker. Is it stored somewhere?”

“Oh, I don’t have a rice cooker, but I have plenty of those instant rice packs!”

“…Instant rice, huh?”

She puffed out her chest proudly, and I gave her a wry smile.

To be honest, I don’t really like instant rice, but for what I’m about to make, it probably won’t matter. Even with instant packs, I should be able to make it taste good. Still, when it comes to white rice, you really need a rice cooker, even if it adds to the grocery bill.

I rolled up my sleeves and prepared to focus on cooking, just like I always do. Today, I’ll teach her the taste of a home-cooked meal. …Though, since I live alone, “home-cooked” doesn’t mean much.

“Oh, I forgot to mention, but shouldn’t you change? Your suit is all wrinkled.”

“Whoa, you’re right! I’ll go change!”

I let out a little laugh as I watched her disappear into her room.

If I hadn’t seen that disaster, the mountain of trash on the floor—I would have told her the second she walked in. Well, I guess it’s too late now.

I told myself, “Alright,” and got to work on lunch.

When I opened the kitchen cabinets, I found a cutting board, a knife, a frying pan, and a pot—all of which looked like they had almost never been used. I was worried about whether she had proper tools, but for what I was making, these would be fine.

The savory smell of sliced meat frying filled the air. I added Chinese cabbage and miso, and the aroma intensified immediately. I moved the spatula, watching the cabbage soften. I tasted it occasionally, adding a bit of sugar to adjust the flavor. Finally, I added tofu to give the dish more volume.

“Mm, smells good.”

The steam and aroma filling the kitchen stimulated my own appetite. I ignored the growling in my stomach, turned off the heat, and plated the food.

The savory scent of miso drifting with the steam tickled my nose.

By the time I carried the food to the table, Sakura-san had finished changing and was back in the living room. She had swapped her suit for casual loungewear, and she looked much more relaxed.

She sat primly in her chair, hands on her knees, watching me with sparkling eyes.

“Here you go: stir-fried pork and Chinese cabbage with miso. I added tofu to fill it out. I think it’ll be great over rice.”

“Ah… just the smell alone is making my mouth water!”

She put her hands together and said, “Let’s eat!” in a bouncy voice. Then, she picked up her chopsticks and dug in eagerly.

“…Mmm-ph!”

With every bite, she let out a melting sigh, as if happiness itself had turned into a sound. I found myself captivated by the sight of her—eyes crinkled, wearing an innocent, childlike smile.

“It’s so good…! The miso smells amazing, and the texture of the meat and cabbage is perfect! The tofu is the best!”

“Hehe, you’re making me blush with all that praise.”

She looked so genuinely happy while eating that it made my heart feel warm.

I love to cook, but since I started living alone, I’ve never had the chance to make someone this happy with an everyday meal. I make staff meals at the shop or come up with new menu items, but that’s just part of the job.

But this was different. A meal I made just for the person in front of me was making her smile. That alone made me feel a little rewarded.

Before I knew it, both our plates were empty. She rubbed her stomach with both hands and sighed with deep satisfaction.

“That was the best… it’s been so long since I’ve had a meal this delicious. Actually, it might be the first time ever.”

“You’re exaggerating. But I’m glad to hear it. It made the cooking worth it.”

“Seriously, I want to eat this every day.”

I smiled back at her. Maybe I could talk to the manager about making this a new special. Just as I was thinking that her expression suddenly turned serious.

She usually spent her time complaining or smiling softly, but now she sat up straight and looked me right in the eye. The atmosphere changed so suddenly that I reflexively straightened my own back.

“Ms. Sakurai, I have a request.”

“? What is it?”

Did she want the recipe? I’d be happy to teach her but could she even cook on her own?

As I waited with a light heart, unexpected words flew into my ears.

“Let’s get married.”

—My mind went completely blank.

She’s joking… right? The words almost jumped out of my throat, but her gaze was dead serious. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, but her eyes were steady, and she wasn’t smiling.

In the middle of the room, with the scent of miso and steam still lingering, only my heart kept racing all on its own.