Angel, first time
"...Phew, it's beautiful now."
I ended up spending the whole day cleaning Zhou's house.
After a few hours of cleaning up my belongings from the floor, I washed clothes, dusted the shelves and lights, washed the windows, and vacuumed, until it was already dark.
The sun, which had been visible when midday arrived, had completely disappeared, proving how long their struggle had lasted.
However, thanks to that, the room around me was so beautiful that I could not recognize it.
There is nothing extra left on the floor, the flooring is exposed, and the window glass and sashes are spotless. The lighting has also been cleaned of dust and is brighter than before.
I also cleaned Amane's room, but there was nothing left on the floor, so she was able to relax comfortably.
"I never thought it would take a whole day to get here."
"If only it were that messed up…"
"You did it though."
"As you say."
Since I can't look up to the angel and savior, I bow my head (he refused me to kneel on the ground), but I glance at Mahiru, who has done everything for me thus far.
Midday, who purposely spent a precious holiday, was tying up a garbage bag.
It's not that he looks grumpy for his lines, but rather a sense of accomplishment. However, a slight fatigue appeared on his face. She made her work for nothing, so it's only natural.
I was reluctant to make her cook dinner after this.
Whether there was a reason for this or not, I felt bad for making her move even more when she was tired.
"I don't feel like going shopping for dinner anymore, so maybe I'll order some pizza. I'm sure I'll treat you to something today. I usually get a lot of food."
"but"
"If you don't want to eat with me, ask for one and take it home."
If you don't want to eat with Zhou, then there's nothing you can do about it, so you can take one home with you.
Rather than wanting to eat together, it was meant as a gesture of appreciation and gratitude, so it didn't matter if he ate alone.
"...that's not right. I've never ordered anything like pizza, so I'm just surprised."
"Eh, isn't it?"
"...Because I don't order pizza when I'm alone...I do make it, though."
"It's amazing that you came up with the idea of making it."
Normally, if you want to eat pizza, you should have two choices: get it delivered or eat out.
Few people would bother to imitate the time and effort of making it from dough.
The impression comes to mind that it is an idea of a good cook.
"It's not strange to have food delivered, I usually order it by myself. Or maybe it's impossible for you to go to a family restaurant by yourself."
"I've never been there in the first place."
"That's unusual. I usually go alone, and my parents go to family restaurants when they want to cut corners. Your parents didn't like to eat out."
"…In our house, the maid was cooking the rice."
"Help me, you're quite rich."
If you say that you are a wealthy person, I agree.
His behavior was absurdly beautiful, and his clothes and belongings were also of the highest quality.
As far as I can see that there is a classy atmosphere and culture, it seems that it is rather like that.
The person himself smiled slightly at Zhou's words.
"Well, I think I'm relatively wealthy."
I regretted saying something unnecessary because Mahiru's smile was neither joyful nor proud, but rather a self-deprecating smile that could be called self-mockery.
When I talked about my parents before, I got a somewhat cold voice back, and it's probably because I don't have a good relationship with my parents.
It seems that it is a part that should not be touched too much, and Zhou did not want to know any more.
There are one or two things that humans don't want to be known or touched. It would be polite to not touch someone so close.
"Well, wouldn't it be a good experience? Here, ask for what you like."
Show the pizza ad in the closet at midday without touching on the subject of parents.
It's a store that Zhou often orders, and as far as I know, it's the most delicious store that offers a home delivery service.
Of course, it's not as good as a full-fledged pizza baked in a pizza oven, but they have a wide range of toppings, from standard toppings to toppings that children will love, and some of them are suitable for midday. Dew.
Mahiru, who took advantage of the change of topic, received the menu and immediately looked through it.
Her clear dark brown eyes were glued to the pictures of various pizzas.
Her eyes, which usually don't show much emotion, seem to be lively and shining at this time.
(...Maybe you're really looking forward to it?)
In the middle of the day, when I was feeling uneasy and nervous, I looked at the menu for a while, then pointed to a pizza for a party where I could enjoy four different flavors modestly.
Mahiru was looking at me as if looking at me, and when I agreed, her eyes sparkled slightly.
With a slightly happy expression on his face, Zhou gave a wry smile and typed in the phone number on the advertisement with his smartphone in one hand.
I ate the pizza that arrived about an hour later at noon.
I was a little hesitant about which one to start with because I could enjoy four different flavors, but at first I decided on the one with plenty of bacon and sausage on top.
Unsurprisingly, in the middle of the day when it was discovered that she was a young lady, she was biting pizza with her small mouth.
Whether it's hand-holding or not, the appearance of eating seems to have some dignity, which is probably the result of education.
Yet, it gave me a feeling similar to the loveliness I feel when looking at something as small as a small animal.
The appearance of her eyes squinting at the stretchy cheese and slightly loosening her cheeks is strangely cute.
Usually, he looked mature and had a calm demeanor, but right now, Mahiru has an atmosphere that befits his age.
When Midday was enjoying the pizza with her small mouth, I felt like patting her head.
"...something?"
"No, don't eat it because it looks delicious."
"...please don't stare at me too much."
However, when she frowns in disgust, it's not cute either.
"... how can I say that, you really aren't cute"
"It's fine if you don't have one. In fact, I think it's just going to make you feel creepy if you act like it's a normal school day."
"Well, that's right. I'm more familiar with you here than you are at school."
I have almost no contact with Mahiru at school, and we have never spoken.
However, I only occasionally see her being equally kind to everyone, with a flawless and beautiful smile on her face.
Instead, right now in front of my eyes, I see the unfriendly side.
The original mid-day is probably here, and the school is probably activating the outing mode.
"For me, I don't have to get tired this way."
"Would you rather not be so cute?"
"Don't hold back. I have no idea what you're thinking at school."
"Is it mainly about the menu and class content?"
"You're capable of acting like that."
He meant that he was carrying something in his stomach, but Mahiru seemed to take it literally.
He doesn't seem to be trying to be rude, and he looks at me with a slightly displeased look.
"That's not true, you can't see what's inside. That's why it's easier to interact with someone if they honestly express their feelings, even if they're a bit unfriendly, than if you don't know what they're thinking."
"…Is it okay to behave at school?"
"I don't think it's useless because it's a way of life, but I don't think it's tiring."
"Not at all. It's been like this since I was little."
"Are you hardcore?"
If it's a habit he's had since childhood, it's understandable that he would behave that way, but it also means that he was intentionally trying to be the ``ideal good girl,'' or that he had no choice but to do it.
However, it is impossible to investigate the family environment, which can be vaguely guessed.
"... well, wouldn't it be nice if there was a place to take a breather? As a result, I'm the one to take a break."
"...You're so busy watching me that I can't take a breather."
"I'm sorry"
I shrugged my shoulders in an exaggerated manner, and Mahiru laughed a little, seeming funny.