| Author: Eltria | Original Source: Syosetu |
| Translator: Mui | English Source: Re:Library |
| Editor(s): Robinxen | |
Alfe seemed to calm down after sharing the truth, but her anxious expression still lingered, so I suggested she stay over at our house.
Alfe was surprised but nodded with a smile at my suggestion, and this time, tears of joy welled up in her eyes.
And so, now I was standing in the kitchen with my mother. Despite the sudden turn of events that had her cook meals for three people, Mother welcomed Alfe with a smile.
“It’s reassuring to have someone by your side when you’re anxious.”
If anything, Alfe and I were in opposite positions. But if my mother was okay with it, then I’d just go along with it.
“We could use one more dish.”
“Yes, indeed. I’ll take care of it.”
Glancing into the refrigeration magic device while nodding, I spotted some eggs and butter. Scrambled eggs seemed like something I could make without messing up.
“Thank you, Leafa. But don’t overdo it, okay?”
“It’s fine. I learned the basics of cooking even back in elementary school.”
I’ve been quite cautious about helping around the house, comparing my growth with others, but I’ll be in junior high soon. Considering that, there should be no problem showing off the skills and knowledge I developed from living alone as Glass.
“Hehe. I love the dishes Leafa makes.”
Alfe looked happily at me standing in the kitchen.
“It’s nothing special, though.”
I said that as I started making Alfe’s favorite egg dish. I cracked the eggs into a bowl, seasoned them with salt and pepper, then slowly cooked them in a pan with plenty of melted butter. When I was Glass, I wouldn’t have cared if eggshells got into my food or if it got burnt when I was eating alone, but knowing that Alfe and my mother would be eating it made me a bit nervous.
Ah, so this is what real cooking is like…
By cooking for someone else, I realized once again. What Glass made was something ‘edible.’ Cooking, surely, was something that only became complete when made with the person eating it in mind. Thinking so, I became interested in my mother’s cooking, made with love.
It wouldn’t be bad to cook for my parents, either. If I could become skilled enough to make decent dishes, I might be able to repay them fairly soon.
“Let’s eat!”
As soon as we finished our prayers, Alfe reached for the fork and picked up the scrambled eggs I made. I had added a tomato sauce, thickened with sugar to match Alfe’s taste, but I wondered how it turned out.
“Alfe, is it good?”
“The eggs are fluffy and delicious! I love this!”
In response to my question, Alfe answered with a bright smile. Despite almost becoming a middle school student, she seemed so absorbed in eating that she still had tomato sauce on the corner of her lips.
“Alfe, you’ve got sauce on your lips.”
I grabbed a handkerchief and wiped the corner of Alfe’s lips as she sat next to me.
“Thank you, Leafa.”
Alfe smiled shyly and, lowering my hand along with the handkerchief, licked the sauce off her lips.
“This sauce is really delicious too, so it’s a shame to wipe it away.”
“Did it turn out to be your favorite taste, Alfe?”
“Yes, it did! Leafa, you arranged it just for me, didn’t you?”
It seemed that Alfe had indeed noticed my efforts. I couldn’t help but smile, feeling relieved that I hadn’t brought it up myself.
“I didn’t expect you to be so pleased.”
“I love you a lot, so when you make food for me, it’s like a feast.”
Alfe expressed her feelings without a hint of embarrassment.
“If that’s the case for you, then maybe I’ll feel the same when I eat food made by you.”
I unintentionally revealed my true feelings, but Alfe looked slightly troubled and her face clouded over.
“What’s wrong, Alfe?”
“I’m not as good at cooking as Mom, so…”
Ah, that’s the reason. I breathed a sigh of relief as soon as I understood the reason.
“Hehehe, Judy’s skill level isn’t something just anyone can reach.”
To cheer up the dejected Alfe, my mother spoke brightly. Since she voiced exactly what I was thinking, I nodded vigorously.
“I agree. I’d love to try Alfe’s cooking sometime.”
“…Okay.”
Alfe’s smile returned to her face.
“Then, when we enter middle high, let’s… exchange lunchboxes.”
Ah, right, in junior high, you could choose between the cafeteria or bringing your own lunch. And it seemed like Alfe wanted to exchange entire lunchboxes, not just dishes. Well, it was a middle schooler’s idea, but I guess it was fine since we were friends.
“Okay, then I’ll make sure to put lots of your favorite things in it.”
With a smile of agreement, Alfe laughed. Alfe’s expressions are always changing so richly. Perhaps this is what they mean by a smile that makes flowers bloom.
“If you make it, I’ll love everything.”
“It’s nice not to have any picky eaters. It’s great that you can eat anything too, Leafa.”
My mother, who was listening to our conversation with a smile, murmured amiably. Maybe what Alfe was saying was a bit different from not being picky, but it was okay to leave it at that.
“Can you teach me some dishes that would be good for lunchboxes, Mother?”
“Of course. I’m glad you’re interested in cooking.”
My mother nodded happily. I was sincerely grateful to Alfe for giving me such a good opportunity to interact with my mother.
