Angels and an atmosphere of happiness

"Mahuru-chan, you're a good cook."

　After returning from the New Year's visit and resting for a while, it was already evening, and in the middle of the day I changed my clothes and started preparing dinner as usual... but Shihoko, who was staying overnight at Shu's house, was in the kitchen to observe the preparations.

　It was a few hours' drive away from my parents' house, so I was tired and had originally planned to stay overnight. I wanted to get permission from the landlord, but Shooto is the original landlord, so I can't complain.

　Luckily, there is one set of futons left over just in case a visitor arrives, so I guess two people will use it. I sleep with my parents at home, so it doesn't change much.

"thank you"

"Really, you're good at it even though you're a high school girl. When I was a high school girl, I couldn't do this."

"Mom, you can't do it until midday, right?"

"Did you say something?"

"separately"

　A lowered voice came from the kitchen, so Shu pretended not to know and leaned against the back of the sofa.

　Shooto, who was relaxing next to me, told me not to bully Shihoko-san too much, but since I was the one who was usually bullied and teased, this level of revenge was acceptable.

　Although I heard a voice from the kitchen saying "I'm sorry" from the kitchen when I passed through the unknown, I immediately spoke to him in a bright voice in the middle of the day.

　Mahiru also responded to Shihoko's conversation without any hesitation. She seems to have gotten used to Shihoko Oita's momentum and her personality, and she has a calm expression on her face.

　Seeing the two of them cooking together from afar, Zhou let out a sigh of relief.

"Shihoko-san really likes Shiina-san."

　Shooto, who was looking at their backs in the same way, smiled.

"Well, you're good-looking, cute, and have a good personality, so you could have predicted that your mother would like you."

"How is Zhou?"

"... I think he's a normal good guy, and I think he's cute."

"Really"

　I thought it was just a casual check, but Shooto's personality is not the type to pry too much, so it must be pure interest.

　I will not pursue Zhou's reply any further.

"I'm looking forward to the food that Zhou wants to eat every day."

"I guarantee the taste.

"Don't worry, Shihoko-san wants to eat Shiina-san's cooking, so I'm just helping out."

"That would be fine."

　It's not that Shihoko is bad at cooking, but she often uses rough seasonings, unlike Mahiru's delicate seasonings.

　Shooto is in charge of delicate seasoning, while Shihoko prioritizes quantity and comfort.

　Of course, if you're a housewife with a son who's ready to eat, it's almost a matter of course, but Zhou's taste is the calculated taste made at noon, and he didn't want to lose the charm of the food at noon.

　Luckily, Shihoko seems to be helping out in the middle of the day, so I let out a sigh of relief and watched the two of them cook.　

"Yeah, it's delicious."

"thank you"

　As expected, it's impossible to sit around a four-person dining table with a dining table that's perfect for two people, so we took out a large folding desk from the closet and had dinner.

　Mahiru, relieved by Shooto's honest impression, relaxes a little.

　Unless it was cooking training, he didn't let anyone other than Shuu eat his home-cooked meals, so he seemed a little nervous...but he seemed to finally be able to get over his nervousness when he saw Shooto's gentle smile.

"It's really delicious. With this, I don't think I'll have any trouble living alone or getting married."

　Shihoko muttered deeply while looking at me, and her cheeks started to twitch, but she kept her expressionless and sipped the miso soup.

　The savory taste of dashi stock has become quite familiar.

　The problem with eating home-cooked meals every day is that you become so accustomed to midday flavors that you don't want to eat anything other than midday dishes.

"Zhou, what do you think?"

"Of course it's delicious. Thank you as always."

　I was going to say that Shihoko didn't ask for it, but it sounds like I was rushed.

　I haven't forgotten to tell them that it's delicious every day when it's just the two of us, but I refrained because my parents were there. It was a failure in the end.

　This time as well, I praised him as usual, but in the middle of the day, I was nervous, or rather, I shook my head looking uncomfortable, and replied with a small voice, "...yes."

　The faint blush on her cheeks is probably because her parents are there.

　If the three people praised him in quick succession, he must have felt a little embarrassed even in the middle of the day, when he was accustomed to being told his impressions by Zhou.

"She's cute, Midday-chan."

"Shihoko-san, don't tease me too much."

"I'm not trying to make fun of you. Really, I just thought you were a good girl, which is rare these days."

"Well, there's no such thing..."

"Well, there is that. Pure or naive."

"Zhou-kun!?"

　There is nothing wrong with being pure. You could say that he was naive and naive, because his face turned red just by seeing the front of his shirt open by a man who wasn't particularly good-looking.

"Oh dear, did something happen without us knowing?"

"Nothing else"

"There's nothing."

　Voices of denial flew from noon.

　It's not like he's demeaning Junjou or Pure, but Midday, who doesn't like being told that much, strongly denies it, so Zhou doesn't say anything more about it.

"Well, I think that Zhou can do whatever he likes as long as it doesn't hurt Shiina-san.

"I know"

"... Look, aren't you kidding me?"

"Junjo was serious"

　In the middle of the day when I was next to him, I was tapped on the thigh under the desk.

　She blushed and glared at me slightly, so if I replied "I'm sorry", I could see a sullen expression on her neat appearance. Her behavior was strangely cute, and Zhou suppressed her smile so as not to make Mahiru angry.

"... How should I put it, like this, you're showing us something like what we're showing right in front of you."

"I wonder if it's okay. Zhou's expression is softer than usual."

"Nn, I'm sorry, let me make it for my mother and others."

　After finishing dinner and chatting for about two hours, it was the end of the day. Even though her parents sleep in the living room, they only come home at noon.

　My parents had taken a bath first, so Zhou went out to send her off. There's no need to see her off, but she's doing it just in case, and she's also trying to apologize to Shihoko and the others for their recklessness today.

"No, it's okay. It was fun."

"Really"

　I was lucky that he didn't seem offended.

　In fact, it might have been fun.

"...in addition..."

"in addition?"

"...I feel a little happy, I understand."

　Midday, who uttered a faint whisper that resembled a sigh, was a smile accompanied by some loneliness.

　A fleeting smile that seems like it would be drowned out by a gust of wind. The faint admiration in her eyes could be seen because Zhou sensed her home environment.

　For some reason, he couldn't leave her alone, so he couldn't help but put his palm on her head and stroke her in a slightly rough motion.

　No disliked expression appeared, just looking up at Zhou in surprise.

"What?"

"separately"

"It's nothing special…my hair is a mess."

"Why are you taking a bath anyway?"

"That's true though."

"...was it useless?"

"No, no, but... at least, please tell me in advance."

"I touched it."

"That's an after-the-fact report."

"sorry"

　She thought that if I told her first, she would let me touch her without hesitation, but she swallowed, apologized honestly, and Mahiru let out a small sigh.

"It's totally fine because it's me, but the truth is, it's not a good idea to casually pat a girl on the head."

"No, it's only you..."

　I know that only people who are basically close to me can touch parts of the opposite sex's body. There is no way Zhou can do skinship casually like Yang Kyah.

　For the time being, Zhou thinks that midday is a familiar category, so I will mention it while confirming that I don't hate midday, but I don't think I'll do anything other than midday.

　In the first place, I don't even think to touch it. All he wants is to punish Chitose for playing a prank.

　If you add that there is no other way to touch it, you can be quiet without shaking off the palm on your head in the middle of the day.

"...When I look at him, I think Shuu-kun is just like Shooto-san. Even though I've only known him for a short time, I can tell."

"Where is it? Your personality and face don't look that much alike."

"... It's just like that, really."

　This time, Mahiru let out a big sigh and patted her head again, feeling a little annoyed, but she didn't object.

(... are they that similar?)

　It's true that if they were placed next to each other, they would be mistaken for brothers who were far apart in age, but Zhou and Shooto are completely opposite in atmosphere.

　I wouldn't say they're polar opposites, but they're definitely not similar.

　But what does it mean to be exactly like them?

　Many questions come to mind, but Mahiru narrows her eyes and allows herself to be ignored, as if she has no intention of saying anything more.

　If I let go of my hand after stroking it to my heart's content, midday seemed to come back to me and looked up at the lap and was slightly confused.

"What, you wanted me to do it a little more?"

　When I tried to ask in a teasing manner, Mahiru's slightly red face retorted, "Please don't make fun of me!", so I'll stop here.

　Apparently he was in a bad mood, and without hiding his displeased face, he opened the door to his house and slipped inside.

　I regretted that I went a little too far, but for a moment, midday peeks at me through the gap in the door.

"... Zhou-kun"

"What"

"... Zhou-kun's an idiot"

　With pale crimson colored cheeks, I spun words that sounded like I was sulking, yet slightly spoiled, and closed the door.

(...Which one is the fool?)

　Didn't your heart suddenly skip a beat because it was midday?

　With a gentle sigh, Zhou leaned against the wall of the corridor to cool his fevered body for a while, and exhaled a breath that felt whiter than usual.