Angel and stuffed animal

　Today at midday, she greeted me wearing an apron and her hair tied up in a bun.

　When she cooks, she ties her hair up, and as you would expect from a typical girl, she braids it or ties it up in a bun, pursuing cuteness while still being practical.

　Mahiru, who had apparently cooked the meal earlier, came to the entrance just as Shuu came back, and she smiled with a bit of relief.

　I had already informed them that I would be late, but it seems that I was worrying about it in the middle of the day. After that, I was drinking coffee with Kadowaki at a cafe and listening to some complaints, so I was late, so I guess that's why.

"Welcome home, Zhou-kun. ...What about that bag?"

"I went to the arcade. Well, here's the loot."

　Since he had taken more than just the rabbit, the large bag was packed full, and even in the middle of the day, he must have been able to tell that there was a lot inside.

"…That's a lot, isn't it?"

"I only used enough for two daily set meals at the school cafeteria."

"Haa, what did you take?"

"Later. I'm hungry."

　I could give it to you now, but I wanted to see the reaction slowly, so I'll postpone it until later.

　Besides, it was true that I was hungry, so I wanted to eat midday food as soon as possible.

"Now, please wash your hands and change your clothes first. I'm going to gargle. In the meantime, I'm going to serve you some food."

"OK"

　It's something I always do without being told, but I was happy to see him care about me like this.

　I thought that she looked like a mother, but I didn't say it out loud and headed to the bathroom as I was told.

"...So, what did you bring with you?"

　After dinner, Mahiru glanced at the bag of loot that was leaning against the side of the sofa and asked, perhaps curious.

"Hmm? Stuffed animal."

　I didn't intend to hide it, so I picked up the bag, placed it on my knee, and answered while peeling off the tape that was holding it on.

"stuffed toy?"

"You like Mahiru, don't you?"

"I-I like you though."

"I found a guy who seemed to like it in the middle of the day, so I picked it up. Here it is."

　Today's best harvest will be a stuffed rabbit that is about the same size as the bear I gave you before.

　It was relatively big, but I got it for one coin, so Zhou is proud of it.

　I take out a rabbit with white hair and round eyes and put it on my lap in the middle of the day.

　I don't really know what character it is, but Mahiru seemed to like it so I took it, but Mahiru just stared at the rabbit in her lap.

"Rabbit, don't you like it?"

"...Is the cute"

"good"

　In the middle of the day, I hugged my usual cushion tightly in my arms and rubbed my cheek, and for a moment I thought about raising my smartphone, but decided against it.

　She gave me a big smile, and I captured it in my brain's camera as I pulled out another stuffed animal from the still-drinking bag.

"There are more. Cats and dogs."

　Thanks to his relatively strong arm, Amane was able to get most things at that game center on a low budget, so he picked up things that Mahiru seemed to like.

　When I added a stuffed cat with beige and white fur that was subtly reminiscent of midday and a stuffed mascot character that resembled a Shiba Inu, I could clearly see the confusion.

"Ah, uh, this much…?"

"I guess it was a hindrance."

"No, that's not true! There are no decorations in the room, and I'm happy that they're cute."

"I'm glad I did."

　The figure surrounded by stuffed animals is as cute as you can imagine.

　Right now, I'm still hugging the rabbit, but I'm fidgeting as I compare cats and dogs to see which one I should do next.

　Mahiru couldn't help but smile as she looked at him, but she seemed to notice her gaze and blushed, covering half of her face with her rabbit.

　Since the rabbit is white, the degree of reddening of the cheeks in the middle of the day is obvious.

　The eyes peeking through the gaps in the rabbit's ears are moist and strangely sexy and cute, so Amane still looks at them.

　Finally, I couldn't stand it anymore, and I started to hide my face by putting my forehead on the upper arm of Zhou, who was next to me. Or rather, she's headbutting like she's getting eight.

　Well, rather than a headbutt, it's just a quick hit, so there's no pain at all.

"…please don't grin."

"I didn't."

"I do, I'm laughing. I'm laughing because I'm childish."

"It's not that kind of laughter. I thought it was cute."

"...You're laughing, aren't you?"

"Oops"

　When I laughed like I was making fun of it, Mahiru slapped me on the thigh this time, so I patted my head once to calm down for the time being.

　In the middle of the day, when I became quiet with this, I laughed so as not to find out this time.

"...I feel like I'm being misled."

"It's just my imagination."

"... I'm going to deceive you for today."

　It's midday, but I kept my mouth shut about the fact that my face and lines didn't match.

　While looking at the cat on Mahiru's lap and the rabbit she was holding, I thought to myself that she's a hybrid of a rabbit and a cat, and stroked her head for a while.

　Her flushed cheeks remained unchanged, but her eyes showed a different shade of dissatisfaction than before.

"...I've been getting it from Zhou-kun all the time."

　Apparently, he started to worry about the fact that he received a lot.

"Don't worry about it because I'm giving it to you on my own."

"But I always get it from Zhou.

"I just want to give it to you, so it's not something you care about."

　I'm not giving it because I want compensation, I'm just giving it because midday pleases me.

　With this, it sounds like a price to make Midday happy, but in the end it's self-satisfaction and I want to give it to you, so the person himself doesn't care about anything.

　Even so, it seems that he is sick of it because he keeps getting it in the middle of the day.

　In fact, since Shuu is being taken care of by her so much, I don't think this is worth the debt.

"I want to give something back, too."

"You're being stubborn...but if you're that concerned, I guess I'll just get you one."

"Anything you can give me"

　It's a bit dangerous because I feel like if I really told him he would do anything, but I can't ask him to do something that would put a burden on him.

　However, if you don't ask, midday will be dull.

"Do you want me to make pudding?"

　So, I decided to ask Zhou to be happy and not be a burden in the middle of the day.

"... pudding, is it?"

"Pudding with plenty of eggs. Would you like to try Midday's homemade food?"

"…Aren't you trying to do it cheaply?"

"Is there any reason? It's midday, so it makes sense."

　I don't particularly like sweet things, but custard is different.

　I like cream puffs that are made with pudding or custard cream, and if I make them at midday, I'm sure they'll be delicious.

　If it's made by a girl you like, and if it's handmade by a good cook, naturally you'll want to eat it.

　If you ask me seriously, midday nodded after looking up at the lap.

"...Then, I'll make it next holiday. It's made with a lot of hardened eggs, isn't it?"

"yeah"

"It's delicious, I'll show you how to make it."

"You don't have to put in that kind of spirit."

"I do it because I want to."

"I see"

　For some reason, Mahiru, who was full of motivation, was showing determination, so I thought I didn't have to try so hard, but since I was able to eat delicious pudding, I couldn't complain.

　When I patted Usagi's head again to encourage her to do her best, Mahiru shyly buried her mouth in the back of Usagi's head.