V1C19

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<b>Chapter 19</b>

 

Knock knock.

“Kaede, wake up..”

I knocked on the door, and before I could call out, the door was opened with a bang. I knew she was by the door because I could sense her presence, but I was surprised and trembled at this.

“Azami-san, you’re safe!”

“Oh, yeah. I mean, you’re so careless, don’t open the door so suddenly…”

I said with a sigh of exasperation, and Kaede looked like she was about to cry, and said with an embarrassed smile.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’ll be careful next time…”

I thought she had fallen asleep sitting by the door, but judging from the speed of her reaction, it seemed she was awake.

After that, I returned here to do some “shopping” while looking for other survivors, and the time was 4 am.

In the end, I couldn’t find any survivors outside of the city hall and the police station, but I was able to get some of the things I was looking for. Also, since the number of items in the store I stopped in had dwindled considerably, I could predict that there were probably other survivors out there somewhere.

I asked Kaede as I laid out the loot from my backpack on the table.

“Did you get any sleep?”

“No, there’s no way I could sleep…”

“Hmm? Why?”

“Why?… I’m worried about you…”

Kaede said, her voice getting lower and lower.

I wondered if she was afraid that I wouldn’t come back and she’d be alone again, or if she was simply concerned for my safety. I naturally put my hand on Kaede’s head as she stood beside me, thinking that it must be the latter.

“I told you I was fine. But thank you.”

Saying, I hurriedly pulled my hand away from Kaede’s head.

In the other world, I used to stroke Iris’ head. Maybe it’s because she’s a half-elf, but she’s always looked the same since we met, and she’s still young. As I said when we parted, I was treating her like a child.

When I told her that I was going to stop doing it, she said in a strange way, “Please don’t stop”. It was a strange thing to be told not to stop. I’m not sure how I feel about this, but I’m starting to see the overlap between Kaede and Iris. She has beautiful long, straight hair, is about the same height, but her hair color, eye color, and facial structure are different, even though they are only vaguely similar.

“Sorry, that was rash. You look like a girl I know.”

“…?”

I’m not sure if she’ s particularly concerned or not, but she gives me a questioning look with her eyes moistened. Well there is no problem with that for now.

“More importantly, Azami-san, are you sure you’re not hurt?”

“Hmm? Yeah, I can take it off and show you if you’re worried”

I was naturally sexually harassing her by stroking her head without saying a word, but if she was actually afraid of turning into a zombie, I had to show her my bare skin.

“I’m fine! If you’re safe! Oh, Azami-san, what did you bring for me?”

At my reply, Kaede blushed and waved her hands in front of her eyes, then looked at the items spread out on the table as if to disguise them and asked.

“You must not have eaten well. This store didn’t have it, so I brought some nutritional supplements from the drugstore on the way. I’ve got some food for you.”

I had originally put them in my item box, but I had brought an additional backpack with canned food, rice, an earthenware pot to cook it in, and a cassette stove.

And then, a reserved “cooing” sound came from Kaede’s stomach. Kaede’s face turned red, and she folded her hands under her legs, looking uncomfortable.

“Sorry…”

“Let’s cook some rice and eat it with the canned goods.”

“Oh, okay, let’s do it!”

“Really? I’ve never cooked rice in an earthenware pot before, so that’s great.”

“I’ve done it a few times, so leave it to me!”

When I suggested this with a wry smile, Kaede looked up brightly and gave me a big smile.

In the other world, my friends would cook for me, or I would have ready-made food in my friends’ large item boxes, so I never cooked anything. In the first place, perhaps because of the lack of variety in seasonings, the food in the other world is different from the food here, not suited to my tongue. I got used to it after being there for three years.

By the way, I felt hungry as soon as I returned from the other world, but I didn’t eat anything after all. I thought I got some food at the home center, but I met a Kaede and listened to her story, so I didn’t have time to eat. Well, this feeling of forgetting my hunger is also something I’m used to from my experience in the other world.

Kaede put rice and water in an earthenware pot and lit a fire on the cassette stove. She put the lid on and put two cans of mackerel on top of it, and felt comfortable.

“I think it will be okay, but if it doesn’t work, I’m sorry…”

I found out that she hadn’t touched her portable food, and I asked her why, and she said she was afraid to consume it if I didn’t come back. She had survived this long by saving and saving, so I could understand why she felt that way.

“You don’t have to worry about it from now on.”

When I said this, Kaede looked as if she was holding back tears and said, “Thank you,” in return.

Silence prevailed for the most part, but Kaede and I continued our conversation, chattering awkwardly. Suddenly looking at the clock on the wall, Kaede pulled over the canned food on top and opened the lid of the earthenware pot. The aroma of freshly cooked rice drifted into the air, and Kaede gulped loudly.

“It was good, I think it was done well… Let’s eat, Azami-san!”

I smiled at Kaede, who looked quite excited, though I could understand how she felt. I spooned some rice into a stainless steel container from the camping set and handed it to her along with some stainless steel chopsticks. When I opened the easy-open can, the aroma of mackerel miso warmed on the pot lid whetted my appetite. The canned food was also offered to Kaede, but she didn’t touch it yet. 

“You can eat them first if you want.”

I guess she’s waiting for me to be ready, she’s so polite.

“No, let’s eat together!”

Kaede shouted a little while giving the rice in front of her a hot stare that made her feel like she was about to drool.

Seeing this, I feel like I’m doing something wrong, so I quickly prepare my own rice and canned food.

“Yes, thank you! Um, are you sure you don’t mind if I eat it?”

Kaede threw a glance at me. Yeah, I replied, and put the rice in my mouth. The sweetness of the well-cooked rice spreads in my mouth. There was no rice in the other world, so the first taste of it in three years was very comforting.

“…delicious.”

I am glad I said that with deep emotion, and Kaede smiled at me.

“Well, I’ll eat, too…” 

She shakes her chopsticks and pours the rice into her small mouth. After chewing slowly, Kaede, who had been holding back tears for some time, finally burst into tears.

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