Mandarin Orange, Kotatsu, And A Found Cat

After being bombarded with mysterious questions from Mashiro, I passed the time by reading while Mashiro stood in the kitchen.

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As always, the time before dinner was ready made me feel anxious.

It’s been a long time since Mashiro started cooking for me, but I still can’t get used to it.
More than anything, the fact that I couldn’t help her with her cooking has always bothered me.

To sum up, the reality was that there is nothing that I, a novice cook, can do to help Mashiro, an experienced housewife.
I regularly ask Mashiro if there was anything I can help her with, but the answer was always no.
Of course, I couldn’t help her.

Of course, I know that she didn’t mean that I’m in her way or anything.
But still, somewhere in the back of my mind, there are times when I feel ashamed of myself for leaving almost all the housework to Mashiro.

If Mashiro heard me feeling this way, she would probably give me another lecture, saying that I’m being too self-deprecating.
Really, I’m not as good of a person as she says I am…

As I was thinking about this, a spicy smell suddenly tickled my nostrils.
I don’t know what I’m having for dinner this evening, but it was that distinctive smell.

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“Maybe, just maybe, curry for dinner tonight?”
“Yes, you are correct.
You can tell by the smell.”

I couldn’t help but ask Mashiro, who laughed as she stirred the pot where the curry was supposed to be.

“I also bought curry roux the other day.”

I’ve always been in charge of the grocery shopping because I thought it would be dangerous to let Mashiro go out alone yet.
So recently, I’ve been able to predict the menu for dinner based on the ingredients I bought.
The other day, she had asked for curry roux from the store, so this time it might have been an especially easy problem.

After all, the unique aroma of curry had whetted my appetite.
It hadn’t been that long since I had eaten curry outside, but the thought of Mashiro’s homemade curry made my stomach feel honest.

“I’m sorry to ask this after I’ve made it, but do you like curry?”
“Of course.
I don’t have many likes or dislikes.”
“But in the beginning, your diet seemed to be unbalanced.”

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“I’m indebted to you, Mashiro-san.”

I can’t say anything back to Mashiro, as my standard of living was too low for me to accurately address my weaknesses.

It was not a lie that I don’t have many likes and dislikes, although it’s an excuse.
It was just that I’m not very conscious about food and use time as an excuse to skip cooking.
I regretted that I had let it go on and on without feeling remorse for leading such a life.

“No, no, I’m just doing what I can.”

Mashiro said with a small smile as I bowed deeply to her.
I don’t think Mashiro really understood how helpful it was for a man who lived alone to have his daily meals prepared for him.

Just by changing the meals, my daily life became richer in an interesting way.
The way I feel when I wake up in the morning, my motivation and concentration at work.
And most of all, I feel richer in spirit.
All of these things improved thanks to Mashiro’s diet, which I could see for myself.

Before Mashiro’s arrival, Sakakibara and other friends had told me that my eyes were so dead that I had calluses on my ears.

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Recently, however, Sakakibara told me that I seemed to be coming back to life.
As for myself, I didn’t mean to look dead, though…

That’s why Mashiro’s presence was so important to me.
To be honest, I’ve become so dependent on this relationship that I can’t imagine Mashiro not being around anymore.

“Thank you for everything, Mashiro.”
“Ehmm.
W-What’s the matter with you all of a sudden…?”
“Really, Mashiro has always been a great help to me.
Thank you again.”
“T-That’s not true.
I’m also…”

Mashiro mixed the curry and moved her tail incessantly with a troubled mouth gesture.
I’ve always tried to express my gratitude in words as much as possible, but Mashiro doesn’t take it very well.
Like now, she was humble, and sometimes she smiled indulgently, which always led me to digress.

I got up from the couch and moved right next to her so that she doesn’t get any more distracted.
When I looked into Mashiro’s face from the side, she was looking away with a slight tint in her cheeks, trying to look as nonchalant as possible.

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“Thank you for being with me in this house, not just for food and chores.”
“Nya.
W-What is it? You’re acting strange today, Satou-san.”
“How mean.
It’s not strange, and I mean it.”

When I came close to her, she forgot to mix the curry and panicked.
I gently place my hand on her head.
Then I move it slowly.

“I know it’s nothing to thank you for, but I really appreciate it.”
“…I’m just as grateful as you are.
So…thank you, really.”

She may be embarrassed by the pat on the head, but in a small voice, she accepted my feelings and returned my thanks.
I felt even more love than usual for such an unusually honest girl, and I almost hugged her, but I held back just in time.

Even when she was still in her cat form, the only skinship I had with her was petting her body, but that was indeed too much.
Mashiro looked at me with a strange expression on her face as I made a jerky movement with such thoughts.

I stroked her head to cover it up, and as I watched her get even more confused, I tried to collect my thoughts.