Angel's Taste of Happiness

"...Ha, it was good"

　As always, the midday food was delicious.

　Since it was Christmas, there were more elaborate dishes than usual.

　The beef stew that had been slowly simmered by Mahiru was made into a pot pie that was eaten while being eaten.

　After enjoying the joy of splitting a pie, eating the crunchy texture mixed with the rich sauce of beef stew can only be described as a moment of bliss.

　While admiring the high level of technical skill in the mystery of the midday that seems to have specially prepared the pie dough, I took a break after eating the second cake of the day.

　By the way, even the cake is handmade at noon.

　After preparing the pie dough for the pot pie, he seems to have prepared another dough for the sweets at the same time, and made mille-feuille. This is at the craftsman level.

"You're so poor.... You ate well."

"Nn. Because it was delicious."

"Thank you for that."

　I've become accustomed to seeing his faint smile.

　She would smile with relief when I told her it was delicious, so it was like a daily routine for me to see her smile.

　It's like Zhou's privilege to see a much softer expression on his face than usual, and it's somehow ticklish.

"...I'm going to have omurice tomorrow...I'm really looking forward to it."

"Do you like omelet rice?"

"I like egg dishes in general"

"Ah, I see.

"It can't be helped because it's good."

　No matter how much I like egg dishes, if they don't taste good, I won't eat them. The reason why people ate so much food is probably because midday food is delicious.

　I think it must be a luxury to have it all to myself, but I have no intention of giving it away to anyone. I plan to keep eating it until Mahiru stops making it.

"...Chou-kun seems really happy when he's eating."

"Actually, I'm happy because the midday food is delicious."

"I'm grateful for that, but it's cheap happiness."

"No, it's relatively expensive... you should understand your own value..."

　After all, it was the home cooking of that angel. Some boys want the right to eat their hands out of their throats.

"For me, it's something I make every day."

"I'm happy, too."

"... that much?"

"That's why I eat delicious food every day."

　For Zhou, who basically doesn't have much desire for material things, he has a strong appetite, and being able to eat freshly prepared delicious food every day is his greatest happiness.

"How did you come to be able to cook like this?"

"The person who was taking care of me told me, ``Be sure to win over the people who make you happy.''

"I'm sorry for making you grab my stomach."

"For rehearsal"

　Mahiru let out a small chuckle and was stunned.

"... but well, the person who took care of it was amazing."

"Well, he was a very good cook.

　Zhou was quietly relieved when Mahiru gave him a faint, soft smile and looked a little far away.

　In this way of saying, midday would have been loved by the person who took care of it. It is clear that he admires that person even in the middle of the day.

　In exchange for my parents not paying attention, it seems that person taught me various important things in the middle of the day.

　It must be really a stroke of luck to have such a person by my side in the middle of the day.

　I think it's probably a woman from the way she talks, but I think it's precisely because she's here that I'm living like this in the middle of the day.

"It must have been really good. Well, to me, yours is the taste of happiness."

　Aside from my mother, my father's cooking is also good, but Zhou's favorite seasoning is at noon.

　Midday dishes have a soothing taste that you won't get tired of eating every day. It's a dish that makes your heart dance with its soothing habits, and there's no sign of getting tired of it, and you'll even want to eat more.

　Well, as expected, Mahiru's burden is too great, so I won't say that.

　As I was nodding my head, Mahiru froze.

　Is it okay to say that I was fooled?

　He was looking at me with a somewhat blank, childish expression on his face.

"…Midday?"

"Eh... it's nothing."

　Mahiru, who seemed to have come to his senses after being called out, shook his head in a panic and looked down.

　Midday, hugging her favorite cushion tightly and sighing softly, felt strangely sexy in contrast to earlier.

"What's wrong?"

"…I just wonder if I was able to create a taste of happiness."

"I don't know why you're looking down on me, but it's so good that I want to eat it every day."

"...thank you"

　In the middle of the day when I looked up at this and lowered the corners of my eyes and smiled a little embarrassed, this time Zhou wanted to look down and hide his face.

　The kind of expression he shows on such rare occasions makes my heart flutter, even if I don't necessarily like him as a member of the opposite sex.

　In the middle of the day, when he peeled off his usual mask and showed a smile that could be said to be defenseless, Zhou was full of feelings that he wanted to cool his face right now.

　I don't want my heat, which is slowly rising, to be exposed. If you're shy about each other, you'll definitely feel awkward.

"Ah, that's right, Mahiru."

"yes"

"Tomorrow at noon is fine?"

　I couldn't stand this atmosphere and forcibly changed the topic, but midday didn't seem to care much and was pondering on Zhou's words.

"Yes, that's what we promised, right? We made lunch and then we played the game we promised..."

"Ou"

"No…was it?"

"No, I just confirmed it.... Really, even though it's past Eve, is it okay to spend Christmas like that?"

"If you don't like it, I won't tell you....I'm looking forward to it."

　Again, a small, soft smile appeared on her, and Zhou could not look directly at her, but replied with a perfunctory "yes" and had no choice but to hide his shame by leaning on the elbow rest on the opposite side of midday.