I Just Want a Single Ending [58]
[Of course! Let's make dinner together a regular thing.]
[No thanks, I'd rather not have dinner with you all the time.]
…These options sure are something, Kamigawa thought with a hint of hesitation, unsure which one to pick.
Logically, if he wanted to get closer to her, he should choose to accept.
But was this moving a little too fast?
So fast that it felt like the route was unlocking.
"I'm sorry, I misspoke," Soyo quickly apologized, seeing his surprised expression.
She'd been thinking about asking him to be her little brother, and when he spoke just now, it struck a chord with her.
Her mother's sudden departure had left her feeling down about missing dinner together.
But Kamigawa Saku, who had already lost both parents and was used to being on his own, probably didn't even get to feel that kind of sadness anymore.
When he said, "It's been a while since I've had dinner with someone like this," what did he mean?
Clearly, the point wasn't just about eating together.
They'd had dinner in a café just the night before—hardly long enough to be considered a "while."
No, the key lay in his use of "like this."
If she could feel the warmth of family from being with him, perhaps he could feel a family-like companionship from her, too?
And so the words had slipped out before she could stop herself.
But the moment she'd said it, she realized her mistake.
Kamigawa didn't want people to pity him for his parents' passing.
And her suggestion was just that—pity.
"It's fine, I say the wrong thing all the time too," Kamigawa replied, letting out a quiet sigh of relief as he tried to make it seem like he hadn't taken offense.
Rejecting was definitely the better option. Getting too close could mean accidentally advancing the route.
All he wanted was a normal friendship with her, nothing more.
[Stamina +5]
"Mm."
Seeing that he wasn't bothered, Soyo felt both a sense of relief and a slight hint of regret.
Relief that he hadn't misunderstood her intentions—and regret that he hadn't accepted her offer like he did before.
Kamigawa put on a casual, slightly helpless expression. "Actually, I'd love to have dinner with you regularly, but it's just not really possible."
"Why not?" Soyo asked, confused.
He explained, "Well, I still need to visit places and post reviews on Instagram. If I had dinner with you every day, I wouldn't have anything left to post."
"Oh, sorry! I didn't think of that."
Realizing her oversight, Soyo quickly apologized again.
"It's fine, it's really no big deal."
Kamigawa paused, then continued, "But, if you don't mind, I'd still love to have dinner with you—every once in a while."
"Huh?"
Now it was Soyo's turn to be caught off guard.
"Not every day, just occasionally," he said thoughtfully. "Lately, I've been eating cakes, snacks, and so-called 'trendy' dishes for dinner, and honestly, I'm starting to get sick of them."
"So, I'd like to change things up once in a while."
"If it's okay with you, maybe whenever you're cooking, you could make a little extra? I'd really appreciate having a normal dinner now and then."
"I'll pay for groceries, of course."
"Making extra is fine, but no need for the money."
Soyo quickly accepted his proposal.
After all, she was the one who'd suggested having dinner together. Now that he'd brought it up again, she had no reason to refuse.
As for money?
Absolutely not!
It wasn't like she was strapped for cash, and the added expense was negligible.
"Alright, have it your way," Kamigawa said, playfully giving up.
"…Fine, I'll take the grocery money," Soyo relented, knowing his stubbornness.
"Thank you," Kamigawa said, bowing his head slightly.
Perfect execution!
He couldn't help but mentally pat himself on the back.
The reason he'd gone along with it was simple—it would be a shame to pass up such a great chance to grow closer to her.
Having dinner together every day would no doubt bring them closer.
But to avoid advancing the route too far, he'd dialed it back to "occasional dinners" and added the grocery payment.
This way, they could spend time together without making things too… intimate.
"You're welcome," Soyo replied, equally pleased with the outcome.
"If I feel like having your cooking, I'll let you know in advance. No need to go out of your way otherwise," Kamigawa said, taking control of the arrangement.
"Alright, that works for me," Soyo agreed.
"I'll pay you upfront," he said, pulling out his wallet and setting down a small stack of bills.
"It's just groceries—you don't need that much," Soyo protested, noting the considerable amount he'd placed in front of her.
"It's fine; think of it as a deposit. Just use it as needed, and when it's all gone, let me know."
He wanted to make sure she wouldn't be able to turn him down with a "you still haven't used up the last payment" excuse later.
"…Alright."
Seeing his determination, Soyo accepted the money without further argument.
After dinner, Soyo resumed teaching him bass.
Kamigawa even made a trip downstairs to bring up his own bass for the lesson.
---
"That's all for today."
Mindful of his injured hand, Nagasaki Soyo kept the lesson short once again.
"See you."
With those parting words, Kamigawa Saku picked up his bass and left.
Once he was gone, the room fell silent, leaving Soyo alone.
But this time, instead of feeling lonely, she felt a deep sense of contentment.
---
After a bath, Soyo lay in bed, scrolling through her phone out of habit.
She idly scrolled for a while before stumbling upon Kamigawa Saku's latest Instagram post.
Her memory was sharp; even though she'd only seen his account once, she'd remembered it.
The post was a review of a new mousse he'd tried that afternoon at a café.
And judging by the timestamp, he'd only posted it recently.
Meaning he must have uploaded it after he got home.
Suddenly, something didn't add up.
"Wait a minute… didn't he say he hadn't eaten dinner yet?"
Recalling his words when she'd invited him to join her for dinner, Soyo frowned.
Could it be… had he lied to me?
---
T/N: I'm pretty thirsty rn, time to drink water!
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
(IN THE STORY)
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