Chapter 9: The Moon is Beautiful Isn't it?

After bidding our farewells, we returned indoors, and Hiroshi headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Shortly after, I heard an exclamation of surprise from him, prompting me to head to the kitchen to investigate.

"Ahh!" Hiroshi's voice carried a hint of frustration as he opened the refrigerator. I stepped closer, concern evident in my expression. "What happened?" I inquired, wanting to understand the source of his reaction.

"What happened?" I inquired with genuine concern as I entered the kitchen.

Hiroshi turned towards me with a slightly sheepish expression. "We don't have any ingredients to cook," he admitted, his gaze shifting to the refrigerator.

I pondered the situation for a moment before offering a solution. "Well, why don't I go buy the groceries? What were you planning to cook?"

Hiroshi seemed to ponder for a moment, his gaze locking onto mine before he responded, "No, we should go together."

I couldn't help but feel a flutter of anticipation at the thought of going grocery shopping together. "Ah, okay, if you insist," I replied, a touch of shyness coloring my words.

Hiroshi nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Great, then let me just jot down the ingredients we need to buy." He left the kitchen and headed to the living room to find a piece of paper to use as a shopping list.

As I waited for him, I couldn't help but let my mind wander. The idea of shopping for groceries with Hiroshi was oddly exciting.

Hiroshi returned with a paper in hand, ready to list down the necessary ingredients. "Alright, let's see… we'll need vegetables for a stir-fry, some protein – perhaps chicken or tofu, and of course, some staples like rice and seasonings."

I nodded along as he listed the items, my mind already imagining the delicious meal he was planning to prepare. "Sounds good," I replied, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

With the shopping list ready, we headed out to a nearby grocery store. The evening was pleasant as we walked side by side.

As we strolled through the aisles, Hiroshi picked up vegetables and examined them carefully, his expertise in cooking evident. I watched him with a mixture of admiration and curiosity, intrigued by his culinary skills.

"What about some spices? Do we need any specific ones?" I asked, wanting to contribute to our culinary endeavor.

Hiroshi glanced at me, his expression thoughtful. "Well, how about some ginger and garlic? They can add a nice depth of flavor to the dish."

I nodded in agreement, reaching for a bag of fresh ginger and a bulb of garlic. The simple act of choosing ingredients together felt strangely intimate.

We continued down the aisles, each item we picked up adding to the growing sense of accomplishment. Hiroshi's focus and efficiency were impressive, and I couldn't help but appreciate his dedication to creating a delicious meal.

As we finished selecting the ingredients, we were about to head to the counter to pay when Hiroshi suddenly pulled me at my waist, causing my heart to race. His firm grip surprised me, and my gaze shot towards him in confusion. "Wha-?!" I began, my words interrupted by the unexpected closeness.

"Stay still," Hiroshi's voice was a whisper, his breath warm against my ear as he spoke. "That man is my co-worker. If he sees us like this, I'm sure it will convince him that we're a couple. Just don't look at him."

His explanation left me momentarily flustered, my cheeks warming at the proximity of our bodies. He pulled me even closer, and I could feel the firmness of his chest against mine. The rapid thumping of my heart seemed to echo the intensity of the moment.

"Y-yes," I managed to respond, my voice slightly breathless as we continued toward the counter. Despite his guidance, I found it hard to resist the urge to sneak a glance at his co-worker, who had indeed noticed our presence.

Hiroshi maintained our close stance, his arm around my waist subtly emphasizing the illusion of a couple. His co-worker offered a polite nod, seemingly acknowledging our presence before returning to his own tasks.

As we reached the counter, I couldn't shake off the sensations that his touch had stirred within me.

We began to unload the items onto the conveyor belt, the groceries forming a tangible bridge between our two worlds. With each passing second, my heartbeat seemed to synchronize with the beeping of the scanner. Hiroshi's presence beside me, his arm still casually draped around my waist, made the situation feel surreal.

I tried my best to focus on the task at hand, keeping my gaze down to avoid looking directly at Hiroshi's co-worker. But despite my efforts, my curiosity got the better of me, and I risked a quick, sidelong glance. His co-worker appeared busy, his attention absorbed in his work, as if he hadn't been affected by our proximity at all.

Finally, the groceries were scanned and bagged, and it was time to pay. Hiroshi released his hold on my waist, and a sense of loss accompanied the sudden space between us.

As we stepped out of the grocery store, the evening air was pleasantly cool, carrying a hint of the day's warmth. Hiroshi's lips curved into a smile, "Sorry for startling you when I pulled you without warning."

"No... No problem," my voice sounded slightly breathless, as if my response were a secret only I could hear.

It was a strange feeling, standing beside Hiroshi under the gentle moonlight. The shadows cast by the moon added an ethereal quality to the surroundings, making even the most mundane things seem otherworldly. I couldn't help but be captivated by the way the moon's glow touched everything it reached.

As we approached the house, Hiroshi's next words, however, caused my calm heart to quicken once again. "The moon is surely beautiful tonight, isn't it?" He gazed at the moon for a moment before his eyes shifted to me briefly, and then he entered the house.

My eyes widened in response to his comment. What did he mean by that? Sure, the moon was undeniably beautiful, but... But why did his words make my heart race?