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V6 Story III – Part 02

Carrots, onions, and potatoes. Konjac noodles and beef.

Those were the ingredients for Nanami’s meat and potato stew.

A delicious smell wafted through the air. Aya was at Nanami’s feet, scrubbing up, while I was setting up the washing machine after a pre-washing. For drainage purposes, the washing machine was installed next to the bathroom.

As I left the bathroom, I saw Aya wiping the tatami with a wet rag. I stopped her and opened the window. I decided to clean the glass for the first time in a while.

It was looking like a major cleaning operation.

But I couldn’t just make guests do all the work while I relaxed. I polished the window carefully. I could see the clear autumn sky through the scratched glass.

Seeing the window a little bit clearer than before, I nodded to myself. Then, my vision darkened. I was used to it by now, so I didn’t panic. I stood with my arms on my waist while I waited for my eyesight to return.

“I’m back!” came a loud voice from behind, followed by the sound of things being placed on the floor. “So freakin’ heavy!”

“Welcome back,” I replied. “The washing machine is in the bathroom. Could you bring the laundry over?”

“Roger that!” Yusuke answered energetically.

He was being unusually cooperative today, like he was determined to actually help out with the chores. He brought the dry laundry in a basket. After waiting for my sight to return, Yusuke and I hung the laundry on the clothesline attached to the wall outside. Once we were done, we headed to the kitchen.

Nanami was putting the groceries in the fridge. The stew was almost done.

Aya picked up her chopsticks and approached the pot, staring into it solemnly before retreating.

“Nanami-shan, stew’s shdakjhasd.” Aya’s cheeks were stuffed.

“I told you to taste it, not help yourself.”

Aya turned pale. Next to her, Yusuke was putting meat on his plate and got smacked. I checked the time; it was noon. Food was served on the small table. There wasn’t enough space, so Yusuke moved his food to the tatami instead.

Nanami’s stew was delicious, with a somewhat sweet flavor.

“There’s more,” she said. “So help yourself.”

“I want to make gyudon,” Yusuke said. “Put only meat on my rice. What do you think, little girl?”

“What? You can drink the broth instead,” Nanami replied.

“Saw that coming.”

Aya, sitting beside Nanami, was eating the potatoes. Her cheeks were stuffed like a hamster. After taking time to chew and swallow, she fell silent.

She stroked her belly softly.

“Does your stomach hurt?” I asked.

“N-Not really…”

Aya fell silent. She turned her gaze to Nanami. Nanami and Yusuke were joking around. After a few exchanges, Nanami embedded her tiny fist in Yusuke’s right cheek.

Aya gave a slight smile and picked up her chopsticks again.

I hadn’t eaten food with others in a while. The meal was delicious.

Up until this point, it was a peaceful day.

Up until this point.

---

“I’ll make dinner tonight!” Yusuke declared.

“What…?” I was at a loss for words.

I looked at Nanami; she too had her eyes wide open in surprise. Aya was sitting in the corner, hugging her knees for some reason.

What’s going on with her? She wouldn’t answer when asked. She just wanted to be alone in the corner. I shot her a worried look, and she gave a vague smile in response. Meanwhile, Nanami and Yusuke continued their conversation.

“Can you even cook?” Nanami asked.

“I… think so?” Yusuke gave a very ambiguous answer.

Nanami skewered a piece of chicken meat with chopsticks. She had been making several dishes that could be stored in plastic containers so I wouldn’t need to cook for a while, which I greatly appreciated.

“By the way, isn’t Odagiri-san paying for the ingredients?” Yusuke said. “Why are you stuffing them into two separate containers?”

“The other one is mine, of course. It’s fine, right, Odagiri-san?”

“Yeah, that’s fine,” I replied.

Considering the labor cost, this was a bargain. Nanami tasted the food and turned off the stove.

There were small and large plastic containers lined up on the table.

“Are you really sure about—Ouch!”

Nanami’s chopsticks hit Yusuke’s right cheek, and he crashed with exaggerated motion. Nanami crossed her arms. On her apron’s chest was the image of a roaring tiger.

“You’re so fussy! You’re a man, and men don’t sweat the small stuff. Why do you want to make dinner anyway when you can’t even cook? I bet you’re plotting something.”

“I’m not plotting anything, you little brat! Slander.”

“Then why do you want to make dinner?”

Yusuke showing interest in cooking was surprising.

He scratched his head. His blonde hair bounced around. Aya also lifted her head, watching him.

“You know how there’s dishes that can only be prepared for a large group of people,” Yusuke said.

“Dishes that can only be prepared for a large group of people?”

He nodded.

I wasn’t sure what he meant by that at first. Then it hit me.

Yusuke was currently living alone.

He mourned the death of his stepmother and stepsister and pushed his father to suicide. He behaved cheerfully every day, but despair and resignation lurked in his core.

Saga Yusuke was deliberately broken. He maintained his sanity by adjusting his mood accordingly, like switching television channels. He had no one around him.

“Hot pot requires a decent number of people, right?” Yusuke said. “I just wanted to try it out. But asking a little girl to cook is too much.”

He must be eating alone as well. His words sounded particularly heavy to me.

“Got it. I’ll leave dinner to you,” I said. “I’ll pay for the ingredients, so feel free to make whatever you want.”

“What?” Yusuke was taken aback.

He turned his head two or three times for some reason, stopping at an odd angle.

“Really? Are you sure?”

“Are you sure about this, Odagiri-san?” Nanami asked worriedly.

I nodded. I didn’t know how good he was at cooking, but I wanted to grant his wish.

Eating with a large group of people is fun. I knew that well.

“Um, I kinda want to eat some as well.” Aya gingerly raised her hand.

Nanami frowned at her. Aya jumped and quickly straightened herself. I nodded.

“So there you have it,” I said. “Knock yourself out, Yusuke.”

“For real? All right! I’m gonna prepare, then.”

Nanami pressed her forehead, wearing a frown, then shook her head in resignation. She reached for her back and removed her apron, distorting the face of the ferocious tiger.

She held the apron with both hands. “Here you go. It should be better than not wearing any.”

“What are you plotting?” Yusuke asked suspiciously.

“Just take it, you roach!”

Nanami delivered a kick into Yusuke’s crotch. Averting her gaze from the writhing Yusuke, Nanami turned to me. She sighed as she touched her pigtails.

“A large number of people means we have to eat too,” she said with a reluctant face. “Fine. I’ve finished what I needed to do, so we’ll head back for now. We’ll return for dinner.”

I was slightly surprised. Yusuke and Nanami were like cats and dogs. I thought for sure she would flat-out refuse having hot pot with him. Nanami glanced at Yusuke. He had recovered and was swinging an imaginary bat.

“His energy level is not normal,” she went on. “I can tell that something happened to him in the past. I don’t pity him, I’m not interested in him, and I don’t want to be friends with him. But I don’t mind free food. Money is important.”

Nanami crossed her arms and whirled around. She could be stubborn like an elementary school student, but deep inside she was a kind-hearted girl. She put the plastic containers in the freezer. Stacking the larger plastic containers, she beckoned Aya over. Aya carried the containers, staggering. Nanami wrote something on a memo pad and came back.

“Here you go. It’s a list of the types of dishes in the freezer and an estimate of when they’ll go bad. I’ll ask for the payment later along with the rent.”

“Thank you,” I said. “See you later.”

Nanami gave a nod and left together with Aya. As soon as they closed the door, my vision was engulfed by darkness.

“Odagiri-san, I’m heading out to buy ingredients,” Yusuke said. “I’ll pay for my own portion. I have money, and it doesn’t look like you get paid well.”

“You’re actually right, but don’t worry about it. You need to learn how to use your money more wisely.”

“I think spending on dinner is a pretty reasonable use of money, no? Anyway, I’ll be right back!”

Humming some random tune, Yusuke left the apartment. I heard the door open and close.

Left all alone, I carefully moved towards what seemed like my futon. Yusuke would let himself in. I decided to rest now before the inevitable clamor later.

I groped for the futon and laid down. I looked up at the ceiling, but could only see darkness.

I closed my eyes and saw the same darkness as when I had my eyes open. I took a breath and exhaled.

I felt drowsy right away, perhaps due to eye fatigue. As I drifted into sleep, I remembered something.

A white mass sitting upright.

What the child in my belly sensed was being projected partially in my vision. Additionally, when I reflected on the information she obtained, my mind affected it.

Was that her true form?

Or was it just me perceiving her as a monster?

The question vanished before I could even think about it.

Only pitch-black darkness remained.