Chapter 2 : Home-cooked Meal Showdown 1

Lunch Break. Tōyama, Okita Chihiro, Uehara, and Aizawa Mika were gathered as usual to spread their lunch.

「Okita-kun’s bento looks colorful and delicious. And his lunch box is so cute and small!」

Uehara seems to be enjoying herself as she gazes intently at Okita’s lunch.

「I’ve always wondered before, but is that enough for you, Okita?」

Tōyama had once asked Okita about this question, and it seems that Aizawa had the same thought.

「Yes, I’m a small eater, so this is enough for me.」

Okita’s lunch box was a single-tiered one, like a girl on a diet would use, and it was really small.

「How can I think that Marika eats more than Okita?」

「Hey Mika, where are you looking while saying that!?」

「I won’t say where, but… you’re still growing up?」

Tōyama can’t help but follow Aizawa’s line of sight and look at the twin peaks of Uehara’s large uniform lifted up.

「T–T–T–There’s no way that’s true, but… I–I’ve never seen Tōyama bring a bento or anything, just bread and a bowl of rice.」

Uehara, perhaps aware that she had gained weight, veered off to avoid further discussion of the subject and asked Tōyama to talk about something else.

「My parents both work, so I told them they don’t have to make lunches or anything like that.」

「Hmm… Then why don’t you try making it yourself?」

Aizawa says it casually, but making a bento is not so easy.

「Do I seem like such a bean to you, Aizawa-san?」

「Well, it is true that Toyama is actually a good cook… but I can’t imagine how that would be like.」

「Right?」

「Nothing to brag about, though.」

「Do you cook or something like that, Aizawa-san?」

「I make my own lunch, so I’m pretty confident about that.」

「Heh, so Aizawa-san brings her own lunch every time, but she made it herself… What about Uehara-san?」

It seemed surprising to Tōyama that Aizawa made her own lunch.

「I–I’m… cooking on my own. I–I used to help out at home a lot.」

Tōyama understood from her lack of confidence and her reluctance to say so clearly that Uehara was not a very good cook, but she wanted to look good. He refrained from saying that well, though.

「Marika, you don’t have to look yourself good. Yeah.」

Aizawa seemed to feel the same way, but being her best friend, she didn’t wrap it up in ostracism but said it clearly.

「T–That’s not all! I wash vegetables, peel vegetables with a peeler…」

「What about other things?」

“I’m sure you can help, but is that all of it?” Aizawa spoke for Tōyama, who wondered.

「Lyeing and arranging dishes?」

「Hmmm… Well, you’re sure you’re helping, but I know Marika is not a good cook.」

I’m sure everyone here thought that she wasn’t good at it when it came to arranging dishes.

「I–If you insist that much, I’ll go make Tōyama a lunch! You can judge after you eat it!」

「Eh? Why me…? Why don’t you just make it for Aizawa-san?」

「L–Look, you always eat only onigiri from convenience stores or bread from the canteen, so I thought I’d give you something nutritious and balanced to eat once in a while…」

「But I feel bad asking you to go out of your way to make it for me.」

「It’s fine! It’s on the way to making my own lunch.」

Tōyama felt bad about going to the trouble of having the food made, but it was hard to refuse when he was told it was on top of the food she was making for herself.

「A–Alright. Then… I’ll be looking forward to it.」

「Okay! So then, does Tōyama have any likes or dislikes?」

「Hmm… I’m not a fan of motsu/offal, but other than that, nothing special?」

「As I can imagine, you don’t put motsu or anything else in your bento.」

Immediately, Uehara’s prodding comes in.

「T–That’s true…」

「Then, can you leave the side dishes to me? I’ll make it if you request it.」

「No, anything is fine. Uehara-san can make a dish where’s good at with delight.」

「Okay, I understand!」

Thus, Uehara was going to prepare Tōyama’s lunch.

「Yuuki, how nice! I can’t believe Uehara-san is going made you a lunch!」

Okita, who has a beautiful heart, did not seem to think in the slightest that Uehara had some kind of agenda and insisted on making Tōyama’s lunch.

「Mika, I’m going to stop by the supermarket on my way home to buy ingredients for tomorrow’s bento.」

「Are you going to make it tomorrow already?」

「Yeah, it’s going to be the rainy season, so there will be fewer opportunities to bring lunch.」

「Yes, that’s certainly true. If Marika got a stomach ache from eating her lunch, Tōyama would be traumatized.」

「Don’t say such ominous things for a second!」

「Sorry, sorry, I’ll go shopping with you and we can figure out tomorrow’s menu together——」

Aizawa stopped mid-conversation and looked around to see if she sensed something.

「Mika? What’s wrong?」

When Aizawa turned her eyes in the direction where she felt the gaze, she saw Takai looking at her. For a brief moment, her eyes meet Aizawa’s, but she quickly turned away.

「No… there’s nothing wrong.」

Aizawa replied that nothing had happened to Uehara, but Aizawa, with mixed feelings, let out a sigh in her heart.

◇

At lunchtime the day after Uehara declared that she would make lunch, the usual members of the group, Uehara, Aizawa, and Okita, gathered around Tōyama to show off Uehara’s homemade lunch.

「Yuuki, I’ll go get Takai-san.」

When he approached Takai, Okita slipped out of the discussion with Tōyama and the others.

「Takai-san, Uehara-san said she made lunch for Yuuki, so why don’t we have lunch together today?」

「Eh? Why did Uehara-san give Yuuki her lunch box…?」

「That’s what happened yesterday when we were all having lunch and the conversation turned to.」

「Uehara-san did Yuuki’s…?」

「Yes, Yuuki had a not well balanced in nutrition because he only eats rice balls and bread, so Uehara-san said, she’ll go and cook him lunch.」

When Okita explained the entire flow of yesterday’s conversation, Takai made a pretense of thinking a little.

「I see… I’ll be having lunch with you guys today.」

「That’s great! Then, let’s go.」

Takai put away the lunch he had spread out and headed for Tōyama and the others.

「Takai-san said she’s having lunch with us today!」

Okita, who knew nothing about it, had a big smile on his face and seemed to be happy from the bottom of his heart to be able to have lunch with Takai.

「To–Today, Marika has made a bento and she’s going to show it off. She says she’s confident in her cooking skills, so Yumi is expecting…right?」

On the other hand, Aizawa, who is somewhat familiar with the situation, reacted in contrast to Okita. Aizawa, who understands Takai’s feelings to some extent, cannot let go of enjoying Uehara’s lunch box event to Tōyama.

「Mika, I hope you’re not setting the bar too high…」

「Oh? I wonder if Marika lacks confidence now?」

But that doesn’t mean she can remain silent, and Aizawa tries to keep everyone entertained and cheerful.

「I–I have self-confidence! T–Tōyama… I made lunch for you… uhm… here you go…」

Despite her words, Uehara presents her lunch box to Tōyama without confidence.

「Thank you, Uehara-san… or rather, what’s wrong?」

Uehara was extremely nervous because the boy she liked was going to evaluate her bento.

「Uhm… It might not look so good, or… something went wrong.」

「Is that so? But I won’t mind, so it’s fine.」

「Okay… but! I think it tastes great!」

「Well, then, I’ll take it without reservation.」

「I–If you don’t like it, you can leave it behind.」

Tōyama opened the lunch box package and took off the lid. The assembled members watched with bated breath.

The contents of the bento are colorful and lavish: fried chicken, hamburger steak, simmered vegetables, kinpira, and rolled eggs.

「Whoa, so many side dishes? Wasn’t it hard to make?」

If all the dishes were made in the morning, Tōyama wondered what time they got up.

「There’s a side dish from last night’s dinner in there, so not so much.」

「That’s goood then, I was afraid if you had made it all in the morning it would have been too much work.」

「Don’t worry about that, I was fine.」

「Well, then, without further ado…」

Toyama, who was torn between what to eat first and which of the colorful side dishes to choose, reached for the rolled egg, picked a piece, and put it in his mouth.

「Oh, it’s delicious!」

「Really? I had to roll the dashimaki tamago several times while cooking it, but I couldn’t roll it properly and it fell apart. But I’m glad you said it tastes great…」

「Sure, it’s misshapen, but it’s just the right amount of sweetness and tastes like a proper rolled egg.」

「Thank goodness…」

When he tasted the dish, she was confident that it was well seasoned, so she was relieved when Toyama praised the taste.

「Only Toyama is unfair! I want some too!」

Aizawa, who had been watching silently until then, seemed to have lost patience after hearing Toyama’s impressions.

「Well, let’s split it amongst ourselves.」

Tōyama began dividing the two remaining slices of rolled eggs among Takai, Okita, and Aizawa.

「…It’s delicious… I like this much sweetness too.」

「Yeah, it’s delicious, Uehara-san!」

「I’ve never had Marika’s home-cooked food before, but she’s good.」

Takai, Okita, and Aizawa gave it a good evaluation, suggesting that it was seasoned in a way that everyone could enjoy.

「Heheh… I’m glad everyone complimented me on it… but the truth is I had my mom help me season it. So I think we had to rebuild it twice.」

「I knew that from the beginning, so don’t worry.」

For Aizawa, it’s likely that she knows everything about her best friend Uehara.

「Eh? Is that true!?」

「Yes. Because everyone… I didn’t believe that Marika was a good cook, aside from Okita, who has a beautiful heart that knows no doubts. Right, Tōyama?」

「Aizawa-san, do you want to pass that at me?」

「Then, Yumi…」

「As far as the dashimaki tamago goes, I don’t think Uehara-san is a bad cook.」

Despite the sudden rejection, Takai showed no signs of distress, and gave her impressions in a matter-of-fact manner.

「That’s what I heard. That’s great. It’s Yumi’s endorsement.」

「Takai-san, you make and bring your own lunch every day, right?」

As Okita said, Takai brings her own lunch almost every day.

「It’s mostly leftovers from dinner. My mom isn’t at work at dinner time, so I cook it myself.」

Even though he always stayed in Takai’s room until about dinner time, Tōyama was unaware of this. For Toyama, who had dared not to mention her family, he was able to learn a new side of Takai.

「As I recall, you said something like that before. I want to eat Yumi’s lunch too.」

Although he may not be a foodie, Aizawa also begins to show interest in Takai’s bento.

「Eh? But it’s just leftovers from last night’s dinner, so I don’t think it tastes good.」

「Wouldn’t you like to try some, Tōyama?」

「Eh? Well, I’d like to try it, I guess?」

「Then, it’s decided! But if we all eat together, Yumi’s bento will run out, so you can have the one Marika made. Oh, and I’ll share my bento with you.」

Somehow the event turned from an unveiling of Uehara’s bento to a bento exchange, but Aizawa and Okita seemed to be having fun, and most of all, Tōyama was happy that he and Takai were having lunch together with the five of them.

「Okay, let’s share~!」

Saying that, Aizawa even started dividing up side dishes that were not her own lunch. She felt she was born with a role to play in the center.

「Hmm! Yumi’s simmered dish, with dashi broth and flavor!」

Aizawa’s cheeks relaxed as she popped a piece of simmered fish she had picked from Takai’s lunch box into her mouth. It must have been very tasty.

「Aizawa-san’s hamburgers are also tender, juicy and delicious.」

The juices overflowing from the cut of the hamburger steak, which was divided into small portions. Aizawa’s hamburger steak was a dish that even made Takai gasp.

「I want some too!」

Uehara picked up Aizawa’s hamburger steak with chopsticks and brought it to his mouth.

「It’s true… It’s frustrating, but it tastes better than the one I made…」

Uehara compared the hamburger steak to the one she had made for Toyama, and was frustrated by the difference in taste.

「Me and Yumi actually make it every day, and Marika and I are not the same age. Don’t be discouraged.」

「Yes, Uehara-san, you’ll get better with practice, so don’t worry.」

「Okay, I’ll work hard and learn to cook better!」

Uehara looks a little happy to receive Takai’s endorsement.

「But your lunch was great too, Uehara-san! You’ll make a good bride anytime!」

The good thing is that everything Okita says and does is always positive and free of evil, but sometimes he throws in bombs like this one.

「Eh!? A b–bride… no, I’m still at high school… I’m not sure if that’s being hasty… right, Tōyama?」

Uehara continued her appeal casually, glancing shyly at Tōyama, perhaps thinking of the person she was thinking of when she said the word “bride.”

「T–That’s correct. Ahaha…」

Uehara made a clear appeal right in front of Takai, and Tōyama, not knowing how to react, could only give a vague reply.

「H–Hey, Yuuki… I–I can go make lunch for you tomorrow, if you want.」

What did she think suddenly, Takai said she would go to make lunch.

「Eh? I–I’m sorry… y–you don’t have to.」

When Tōyama apologetically refused, Takai looked a little sad and turned her head down.

「Isn’t that fine, have Yumi make you one too. It’ll save you money on lunch.」

Aizawa saw this and quickly followed up. She could not bear to see Takai so depressed.

「That’s right, Yuuki. I said I’d for to the trouble of making it for you, so why don’t you take advantage of Takai-san’s goodwill?」

When Okita, who agrees with Aizawa, says the same thing, Tōyama shows some signs of distress.

「S–So, with your kind words… Takai, will you make me a lunch tomorrow?」

Refusing any more would be unnatural. Although he was concerned about Uehara, Tōyama considered Takai’s feelings and decided to ask him to do so.

「Okay, I understand. Then… how about you and I go shopping at the supermarket after school today?」

「Are you going grocery shopping with me?」

「Yes, you don’t have to worry about the menu alone if we decide on a menu together, so we don’t waste time.」

Both Tōyama and Aizawa knew that although they were saying that they were emphasizing efficiency, in reality they were just taking shots at Uehara.

「A–Alright. Let’s stop by the supermarket after school and go home.」

It is forceful for Takai, who is always reserved, but behind the forcefulness must be her desire not to be outdone by Uehara.

「Yuuki, I’m glad Takai-san made you lunch too!」

Uehara’s lunchbox unveiling to Toyama took an unexpected turn and ended with a bang. In the second half, Toyama and Aizawa must have been on edge and Uehara must have had mixed feelings. Only Okita was genuinely smiling.

「So then, what are you making?」

He asked Takai while looking at foodstuffs in the supermarket.

They come to a supermarket near Takai’s house because『it’s luggage and it’s cheaper at the supermarket near my house.』

「I’ll cook what Yuuki wants to eat, just tell me.」

As he was struggling to come up with an idea, Takai suddenly came up to him and whispered in his ear.

「Hey, Yuuki… No one is home today, so do you want to have… dinner as well?」

Ever since the incident with Kurashima and Ishiyama in front of the gym equipment warehouse, Tōyama had been feeling somewhat guilty and hesitated to go to Takai’s room.

「…Ah, yes… I think I’ll treat you to dinner tonight myself…」

The words that came out of Takai’s mouth were clearly a teaser. Although he endured these sweet words for a while, Tōyama, who had been having too much sexual desire, succumbed to them.

「Yeah…」

Takai’s expression was strangely glamorous as she nodded her head in anticipation of what they were about to do in her room. When Tōyama saw Takai, he too could not help but have high expectations.