9 A date...?

Seki and Eru is walking side by side with Seiji in between them.

'Hey, I just realized this. This is basically a date, right? And the three of us holding hands like this we kinda look like a... Ah! It's too embarrassing to think abou—'

"Kasumi-san, we look like a married couple like this, no?"

"Y-You don't need to say that out loud."

They decided to head towards the supermarket in silence.

"What are you going to cook, Hiromata-kun?"

"I'm not really sure. What do you guys want to eat?"

"Curry~"

Seiji was quick to answer as he salivated just from the thought of it.

"Curry, huh. That doesn't seem too bad. Are you fine with that, Kasumi-san?"

"Eh? I'm eating too?"

"Of course you are. I'm not letting you go until you taste my godly cuisine."

"I-I see. I'm not too fond of spicy food but I'm fine with it."

"Curry it is then."

When they finally arrived at the supermarket, they were greeted by a huge number of aisles.

'How are we going to find the ingredients in time inside this gigantic place?!"

As Eru panicked, Seki calmly grabbed a basket and headed to the vegetable aisle. He seemed to know what he was doing and Eru couldn't help but be in awe as she couldn't do that by herself.

"You're pretty used to this, Hiromata-kun. Do you this often?"

"Ever since I learned how to cook, my parents bestowed upon me such a burden of a task so I guess you can say I'm quite accustomed to this."

"I see... It seems like a difficult job though."

"When I just started doing it, yeah, I found it to be a bother. But after doing it for a while I really enjoyed it."

Seki said while he grabbed some carrots and potatoes. They started gathering the other ingredients as they conversed.

"But don't you think it's too much work? You need to prepare a lot only to eat so little. Wouldn't it be easier to just buy takeout from a restaurant or something?"

"I guess. But there's a certain charm and taste in home cooking. It's very challenging and fun, but the part I like the most is that you can adjust the taste to how you would want it to be."

"I'm always amazed by people that can cook by themselves in such a young age. I normally just ask my mom to cook for me."

"If that's the case, you're pretty similar to that brat then."

Seki pointed at Seiji who was staring at the different foods displayed. Watching this, the two shared a laugh.

"Then why don't you start learning how to cook, Kasumi-san? Maybe you'll end up enjoying it."

"I'd like to but I don't really have anyone to teach me. Mom is a great cook but a really bad teacher so she's a no-go."

"How about me? I can teach you."

Hearing this suggestion, Eru was in deep thought.

'Eh? But that'll be too much of a bother for Hiromata-kun and his family! I've already been hanging around his house everyday, I'm sure I'm being somewhat of a burden. Hiromata and Seiji-kun might not really care but I wonder what their parents think.'

Seeing Eru's troubled face, Seki interrupted her line of thought.

"I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't want to do it. And I'm sure even my parents are alright with it."

"But...

Still hesitating, Eru held her hands to her chest, thinking quite profoundly.

"Fine."

"Eh?!"

Seki grabbed Eru's hands and squeezed them tight.

"Then as your boyfriend, I'm as you to let me teach you how to cook."

"P-Pardon?"

"If you're really worried that my parents won't like it, we can just say that I was the one who asked for it. And it's not like you have any reason to refuse, right?"

...

Eru, whose face was still beet red, was still analyzing the situation. It seems like Seki holding her hands is extremely embarrassing for her.

"...If you really want to teach me then I have no other choice but to accept."

Seki smiled quite wholesomely as he released her hand.

"I wonder if you're any good as a teacher though, Hiromata-kun. Didn't you just cut yourself a while ago?"

"Oi, oi. That's a thing of the past now."

Remembering the incident, the two chuckled.

"Oi, stop flirting already and let's go! I'm hungry!"

"You little brat, learn how to be respectful!"

They went to the counter and started checking out the things they bought.

"Let me split the cost with you, Hiromata-kun."

"It's fine, I can take care of it."

"B-But—"

"You don't need to feel bad. Just eat the food that I cook and I'll be grateful just from that."

Eru hesitated a bit before nodding slightly. They started heading home after that whole ordeal.

"Nii-san, I want ice cream!"

When they passed through an ice cream vendor, Seiji tugged Seki's sleeve.

"No. It's too late in the day for that."

"Please, nii-san!"

"It's good that you're using 'please' but we're about to have dinner so no is still no."

Seki kneeled down to match Seiji's height and patted his head. With such a response, Seiji's eyes started swimming and his cheeks puffed up.

"Trying to look cute and pouting won't help you, you know."

"B-But..."

Eru suddenly knelt down as well and showed a piece of chocolate on her palm.

"Eating ice cream late in the day is bad for you, Seiji-kun. But a piece of chocolate won't be too bad right?"

"I-I can have it, Erunee-chan?"

"Sure! But you have to eat it after we have dinner, okay?"

Seiji nodded a number of times before grabbing the chocolate.

"You shouldn't spoil him too much, y'know."

"A bit won't hurt right?"

Seki gazed at Eru's smiling face.

"D-Do I have something on my face, Hiromata-kun?"

"Now that I looked at you in such a distance, you're pretty cute, Kasumi-san."

With such an unexpected response, Eru's face blushed and she started fidgeting.

"You aren't supposed to say those things outloud!"

"Ah, crap. You're right."