"Encounter."
He lifted his gaze.
Across the corner of the street was a long slope leading upwards.
With vague memories of the area, Yukima Azuma recalled that this slope was named...
"Detective Hill."
Amid the cherry blossom rain, Yukima Azuma saw, standing at the top of Detective Hill, a young girl bathed in golden sunlight. She gently brushed her bangs behind her ear, her movements graceful and serene.
Chapter 5: Seeing Through the Spring Breeze: "Encounter"
Chapter 5: Seeing Through the Spring Breeze: "Encounter"
The falling speed of cherry blossoms is 5 cm per second.
This makes a rain of cherry blossoms last for quite a long time.
However, at this moment, Yukima Azuma had no time to appreciate this beautiful rain of blossoms.
He stood still, his eyes fixed on the scene ahead. After a long gaze, he could finally see two words resonating within the spring breeze: "Encounter."
At the top of Detective Hill, the girl stood there.
Her pristine white dress gently swayed in the wind, and the white beret lay neatly in her hands.
From above, her gaze met Yukima Azuma's. Her right hand lightly held the hem of her dress, while her left hand tucked stray bangs neatly behind her forehead.
Under the spring sunlight, she looked as though she had stepped out of a painting.
This was the beginning of a love story in a light novel.
Not a metaphor, but in the literal sense.
Yukima Azuma recognized the girl standing atop the hill, both in memory and in reality.
Kato Megumia beautiful heroine with no particularly outstanding traits.
Even without distinctive highlights, just interacting with and understanding her would make anyone unconsciously fall for her.
She didn't need stereotypical cuteness; she herself was the embodiment of the most unique charm.
From beside him, a "Wow!" of amazement suddenly rang out.
Honestly, it was a bit unpleasant to heara voice resembling that of a fanatical nerd.
Turning his head in the direction of the sound, Yukima Azuma saw a bespectacled boy on a bicycle.
The name seemed to be Aki Tomoya.
Flipping through his memory, Yukima Azuma quickly confirmed the boy's identity.
At this moment, Aki Tomoya was staring blankly at the hilltop, as if turned to stone. The expressions on his face shifted incessantly, clearly revealing that he was deeply engrossed in some sort of fantasy from which he could not extricate himself.
Truth be told, Yukima Azuma harbored no affection for Aki Tomoya.
The reason was simple.
Yukima Azuma had once been involved with Kasumigaoka Utaha.
Even though Yukima Azuma's presence had all but eliminated any chance of Aki Tomoya having a connection with Kasumigaoka Utaha, the irritation remained.
And so...
Yukima Azuma walked over to Aki Tomoya and gave a light kick to the rear wheel of his bicycle.
There was no need to use much force.
Aki Tomoya immediately lost his balance, and the bicycle wobbled back into motion.
Amid a cacophony of yelps, the bicycle with Aki Tomoya aboard staggered off toward the opposite side of the road.
On the far side of Detective Hill was a downward slope. Before long, Aki Tomoya's figure had completely vanished from sight.
Yukima Azuma let a satisfied smile cross his face.
At that moment, Kat Megumi descended from the top of Detective Hill.
"Yukima-san, you're really mean," she said softly.
Her voice was gentle, devoid of obvious emotion, like a feather drifting through the air. Yet, it was incredibly pleasant to the ear.
Yukima Azuma turned around and saw Kat Megumi standing there.
He placed the beret he had been holding onto her head.
Adjusting its position carefully, he tilted his head slightly to ensure it sat neatly and snugly.
Once finished, Yukima Azuma stepped back two paces, his gaze akin to admiring an eternal masterpiece.
"Kato-san, you look so adorable today. This outfit suits you perfectly."
"Thank you, Yukima-san, but I'm just an ordinary person. Compliments like that don't really serve any purpose."
"No, no, I truly mean it."
"Thank you. That makes me happy."
"Oh, so the first thanks is for me returning your hat, right?"
"Yukima-san, where were you headed?"
"I was planning to go grocery shopping. My fridge at home is completely empty."
"Really? What a coincidence. I was about to buy some ingredients too."
The two of them walked up Detective Hill together, chatting as they went.
Neither mentioned the less-than-pleasant manner in which Aki Tomoya had been "sent off" moments earlier.
Kat Megumi showed no sign of reproach or discomfort regarding Yukima Azuma's rather "aggressive" behavior toward the stranger.
In her mind, there was only one simple thought:
'If Yukima-san did that, there must be a reason behind it.'
Interestingly enough, Yukima Azuma and Kat Megumi had been classmates during the last six months of middle school.
After transferring from Tokyo to Chiba and then back to Tokyo, Yukima Azuma had coincidentally been placed in Kat Megumi's class.
Thanks to memories that had "taken the lead," Yukima Azuma quickly recognized Kat Megumi's existencesomeone who often went unnoticed in the classroom.
From that point on, the two became friends.
In group activities or home economics classes, Yukima Azuma always chose Megumi as his partner.
Before Yukima's arrival, Kat Megumi usually completed assignments alone or was randomly assigned to groups.
.....
After a shopping trip, Yukima Azuma and Kat Megumi pushed a shared cart to the checkout counter.
When it was their turn, Megumi took the items from the cart while Yukima handed them over to the cashier.
"Huh, what's this?"
Kat Megumi picked up a bag of coffee beans, blinking curiously.
Yukima Azuma took it from her and asked casually:
"Is there something wrong?"
"If I remember correctly, Yukima-san is more of a tea person and almost never drinks coffee," Megumi replied.
"I'm surprised you noticed that much. I thought I'd try making homemade coffee this time."
Hearing this, Kat Megumi stared at the bag of coffee beans for a moment, seemingly lost in thought.
After checking out, the two walked out of the supermarket together.
Kat Megumi's home was nearby.
Meanwhile, Yukima Azuma had to head in a different direction to catch the train.
So, at the supermarket entrance, they said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.
After walking a few steps, Kat Megumi turned back briefly, glancing at the bag of coffee beans in Yukima Azuma's hand, tilting her head slightly.
.....
On the train, Yukima Azuma stretched a bit and took his phone out of his pocket.
Scrolling briefly through a shopping website, he quickly selected a DIY coffee machine.
After spending a fair amount of money, he even opted for express shipping.
He currently had enough funds, so splurging a bit wasn't an issue.
Besides, this was a necessary purchase.
Japan wasn't all that big. With expedited shipping, the coffee machine arrived at Yukima Azuma's apartment almost at the same time he did.
Receiving the coffee machine, he carried the package into his apartment.
At that moment, Kasumigaoka Utaha was on the first floor.
She seemed to be downstairs getting some water.
The two made eye contact.
Kasumigaoka Utaha quickly turned away, though her gaze flickered briefly toward the large box in Yukima Azuma's hands.
"What did he buy?"
Chapter 6: Mastering Cooking, Yet Kasumigaoka Utaha Feels Sad
Chapter 6: Mastering Cooking, Yet Kasumigaoka Utaha Feels Sad
Her eyes lingered on the large package.
Kasumigaoka Utaha felt a surge of curiosity: "What did he buy?"
But almost immediately, she dismissed the thought.
"What he buys has nothing to do with me."
With that in mind, Kasumigaoka Utaha quickened her pace to get her water.
Meanwhile, Yukima Azuma wasn't in a hurry. He slowly set the package aside.
He had no intention of opening it right away.
Instead, he pulled out a pair of white slippers from the shopping bag and placed them neatly on the shoe rack by the door.
Kasumigaoka Utaha noticed this scene.
Her fingers tightened around her insulated tumbler.
"Why is he doing these things now? What's the point?"
After filling her tumbler, Kasumigaoka Utaha turned quickly toward the stairs.
At that moment, Yukima Azuma unexpectedly called out to her.
"Kasumigaoka-senpai."
"What is it?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha turned back to look at Yukima Azuma, her elegant eyebrows deliberately furrowed.
Her expression clearly said, "Don't talk to me."
Yukima Azuma didn't seem to mind.
Or rather, he understood her well enough not to let such small gestures affect him.
That was simply who she was.
Like a hedgehog, she would prick those who approached her before deciding whether to interact.
"Would you like to have lunch, Kasumigaoka-senpai? I can make some for youfree of charge."
Yukima Azuma's tone was casual.
Kasumigaoka Utaha stared at him for a moment, her gaze icy.
Then she turned away and continued up the stairs.
"Not interested," came her cold voice from above.
.....
Back in her room, Kasumigaoka Utaha sat by the bed, her eyebrows now furrowed in earnest.
"Since when did he learn to cook? He didn't know a thing beforehe used to rely on me to make egg-fried rice just to get by."
Memories of the past began to resurface.
Yukima Azuma, living alone in Tokyo, surviving on nutrient-poor convenience store meals or simply ordering takeout.
After they started dating, Kasumigaoka Utaha would occasionally visit his rented apartment to cook him simple dishes.
About three times a week.
Although Kasumigaoka Utaha wasn't a culinary expert or the epitome of a "perfect Japanese woman," she had consistently scored well in cooking classes and was proficient in preparing basic dishes.
Whenever Yukima Azuma ate her egg-fried rice, curry, or grilled mackerel, he would often lift his head, staring intently at Kasumigaoka Utaha without blinking, his mouth full of food.
His eyes, as if speaking on their own, radiated admiration and silent praise.
Now, thinking about that same boy, who had just casually asked if she wanted him to "whip up" a portion for her, Kasumigaoka Utaha couldn't help but feel a surge of irritation.
After all, what she heard was simply a casual offer.
Perhaps it was her "ex-boyfriend lens" distorting things.
.....
The morning passed quickly.
Kasumigaoka Utaha had just finished tidying her room and arranging her belongings in the corners.
Even though Yukima Azuma had clearly done a thorough cleaning beforehand, some dust inevitably kicked up after her efforts.
She opened her window and door, planning to let the dust settle before cleaning again.
But as soon as she opened her door, she heard noises from downstairsthe rhythmic thud-thud of a knife on a cutting board and the sizzle-sizzle of a pan on the stove.
From the sound alone, she could sense how skilled the cook had become.
And then, almost immediately, the rich aroma of food wafted into her room, carried by the air.
Japanese cuisine typically focuses on stews or raw dishes.
The smell of stir-fried food, however, offered a tantalizing richness, its enticing aroma a stark contrast to the subtler scents of traditional Japanese fare.
"Grrrr"
Her stomach growled audibly, betraying her hunger.
It couldn't be helpedshe had been busy all morning.
Hearing the activity downstairs and smelling the aroma floating upward only soured her mood further.
Because cooking was a skill Yukima Azuma had picked up after they parted ways.
And this fact gnawed at Kasumigaoka Utaha, stirring a storm of thoughts.
She wondered for whom he was cooking now, for whom he had learned to cook.
Did he ever cut his fingers while learning, needing to wrap them in bandages?
Did he ever place a carefully prepared dish in front of someone else, while nervously hiding his bandaged hands behind his back?
"Bang!"
The door slammed shut.
Kasumigaoka Utaha angrily opened her suitcase and took out a pineapple pastry she had prepared earlier.
It was one of her favorite snacks.
She had specifically brought it for lunch on her moving day.
But now, as she bit into it, she found it utterly tasteless.
.....
Yukima Azuma set the food on the table, having prepared a single portion.
He knew Kasumigaoka Utaha all too well.
In a situation like this, no matter how hungry she might be, her pride would never allow her to come downstairs to eat with him.
Making two portions would have been a waste.
After finishing his meal, Yukima Azuma returned to his room. He took out a seven-inch boardit was a shogi board.
With a club meeting scheduled for Saturday, he decided to hone his skills with some shogi puzzle books.
The afternoon passed quickly.
As usual, Yukima Azuma cooked dinner for himself.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Kasumigaoka Utaha typed furiously away at her manuscript. Occasionally, she glanced at the clock.
Noticing it was well past dinnertime, she began tapping her foot impatiently.
"Not even a word about dinner."
Even though she would have refused the offer had he asked, the fact that he didn't even ask irked her for no reason.
"Guess I'll have to order takeout," she muttered to herself and resumed typing.
What she forgot, however, was that once she got into the rhythm of writing, she would completely lose track of time.
By the time she finished a small section and paused, she glanced at the clock again.
It was already past 1 a.m.
As she emerged from her focused state, the gnawing sensation of hunger hit her with full force.
Her stomach began to grumble audibly, making her curl up on her bed with a sigh.
At 1 a.m. in Japan, ordering takeout was almost impossible.
And she had only bought one pineapple pastry.
"Am I seriously going to have to starve until morning?"
The thought sent a pang through her stomach.
She reluctantly got up, deciding to head downstairs to check the fridge for any ingredients.
"No other choice. I'll just have to endure tonight and buy fresh groceries tomorrow morning to stock the fridge."
Chapter 7: And So Kasumigaoka Utaha Fled in Panic
Chapter 7: And So Kasumigaoka Utaha Fled in Panic
Kasumigaoka Utaha groped her way down the staircase in the dark.
Trying her best to tread lightly.
'It would be embarrassing if I woke him up.'
With this thought in mind, she slowly made her way toward the kitchen.
