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“How about this? Don’t you think food would taste better on this?”

Inazuki held up a dish with a cat face design.

Today, at Inazuki’s suggestion, we went to a large home improvement store.

She had said that if you’re going to make home-cooked meals, you should also pay attention to the tableware.

Until now, we’d been using the dishes that were originally at her place, but I thought it might be nice to get some new ones.

It felt like this was more than just “putting down roots” at this point.

Was this really okay?

Even while thinking that, I stood shoulder to shoulder with her, picking out tableware.

“They’re cute, but wouldn’t wooden plates be better? They feel warmer.”
“Hmm, true. How about we use those for Japanese food or soup, and these ones for Western food?”
“Sounds good.”

She smiled brightly as she added the dishes to our basket.

I could feel the accumulation of moments between me and Inazuki growing once more.

“Alright, let’s get some pots and pans too.”

She grabbed my hand and started walking.

“By the way, why did you buy cooking utensils when you don’t cook?”

Even though she had no intention of cooking, her house was already stocked with kitchen tools.

“Well, I thought they might come in handy.”
“Seems like I’m the only one using them.”
“That’s how it should be. I didn’t buy them for myself in the first place.”

Even though she lived alone, she didn’t buy them for herself?

That meant she was expecting someone else to cook for her.

Who did she buy them for? Her parents didn’t seem like the type to come over and cook often.

…So then…

“I bought them for you, Iroha. The Iroha I knew wasn’t much of a cook, but I thought maybe you’d use them.”

As I thought.

How much did Inazuki actually know about me? Did she buy those kitchen tools because she knew I had run away from home that summer during our first year of high school?

Had she figured everything out in advance, anticipating where I might show up, and then picked me up when the time came?

If she was my ex-girlfriend, I guess that level of thoughtfulness wouldn’t be too surprising.

But still… going that far for me felt strange. I couldn’t fully grasp her intentions, not with how I was right now.

“So, what was the me you knew like?”
“Hmm…”

Inazuki made a face, as if she was deep in thought.

“Compared to now, you were a bit more… jaded. You used to say ‘it’s such a hassle’ all the time, with this dead look in your eyes… but you were still a real straight shooter.”
“A straight shooter?”
“You know, like… you didn’t hide your feelings. You’d say exactly what you thought.”

I wondered just how different that version of me was from who I am now.

What had made Inazuki fall for me? And why had she accepted my confession?

Even though there was no point in pondering it, I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about these things.

“Oh, how about this pot? It’s cute.”

Inazuki pointed at a pot with a light blue finish.

“Wouldn’t one with removable handles be easier to use?”
“Eh, let’s go for cuteness! That’ll make everyday life so much more fun!”
“Will it really, though?”
“Of course! It’s settled, we’re getting this one.”

She’s so pushy.

Sometimes my opinions were considered, other times they weren’t. Whether Inazuki and I were in sync or not was something I still couldn’t quite figure out.

But maybe this back-and-forth of expressing our opinions, disagreeing, and then finding common ground was just normal. People living together don’t agree on everything, and that’s fine.

Lately, I felt like Inazuki and I had been sharing our thoughts more often. She tended to be a bit careless, so if I didn’t speak up, things would get messy quickly. Just the other day, she almost left the house without putting away her makeup.

From Inazuki’s perspective, I was taking things too slowly—she thought I should hurry up and get ready faster and do stuff.

I liked taking my time in the morning, having enough space to prepare and relax, but Inazuki would rather go out if she had any free time.

I had gotten used to being dragged along, and now, my leisurely mornings were gradually disappearing.

“Hey, while we’re at it, why don’t we get matching chopsticks too?”

She was clattering dishes together as she busily moved around.

Inazuki seemed to be having fun today as well. Seeing her like that made me feel a bit lighter, and I smiled.

“Yeah, that sounds nice.”

In the end, we tossed a pair of matching, but differently colored, chopsticks into the basket and started wandering around the store without any specific goal. We’d already bought all the tableware we needed.

I wondered if there were other high schoolers out there, holding hands and wandering aimlessly around a home improvement store like us. It felt like we were doing something unusual, but I didn’t feel like letting go of her hand.

The warmth had become so familiar, but it still felt comforting. No matter how used to it I became, I doubted I’d ever grow tired of it.

“Oh, look at that! It’s king-size. Huge!”

Inazuki sat down on a display bed and rolled onto her back. Her skirt rode up, almost revealing what was underneath.

Whether it was Chise or Inazuki, they both seemed completely unfazed by that kind of thing. I was wearing a skirt today too, but I didn’t think I could ever be as carefree—or as careless—as Inazuki.

“Come on, Iroha, you try it too! It’s super comfy!”

At the home improvement store on a weekend, kids were running around and jumping onto the beds.

Inazuki might not have been that different from them.

She seemed more excited than usual, looking a little cuter in the process. Not that she wasn’t cute normally, but there was something endearing about her childlike side.

I sat down beside her.

“A king-size bed would be great. Should we get one for our place?”
“It’s way too big. Don’t you think both our rooms are too small for it?”
“Yeah, you’re right. Hmm, I wish we could live in a bigger place!”

Inazuki said it casually, without really thinking it through. To me, our current place already felt spacious enough.

I tried imagining Inazuki living in a house big enough for a king-size bed, lazily lounging around in it by herself.

…It was kind of a silly thought.

“Iroha? Why are you laughing?”
“I just imagined you using that bed all by yourself at home, and it was kind of funny.”
“Why would I be using it alone? If we bought it, we’d obviously use it together.”
“Both of us? On a bed that big?”
“Yeah. Wouldn’t it be nice to have all that space?”

Whether used by one person or two, the bed still seemed way too big. Having a lot of space might be nice, but sharing such a massive bed might actually feel lonely.

“I think a double bed would be better for two people. Too much space would feel unsettling.”
“Oh, I see. Well then, should we get one?”
“A double bed?”
“Yeah. Then, when it arrives, we can sleep in it together.”

Inazuki’s tone was hard to read—whether she was joking or being serious, I couldn’t tell. I thought about it for a moment and then shook my head.

“I’ll pass. I still want to sleep alone for now.”
“…I see.”

Inazuki sat up and gazed at me. Her eyes reflected me softly, almost absentmindedly.

“That’s fine for now… So, do we need anything else?”
“I think we’re set with the tableware… but we’re running low on soy sauce and toothpaste. Maybe we could grab those on the way back?”
“Got it. Let’s do that, then.”

Inazuki picked up the basket and stood up slowly.

She reached out and took my hand.

After we checked out, we got on the train and got off at the station near her house.

Because we had taken our time shopping, the sky had already turned a soft shade of orange, and the air was colder than when we’d left earlier.

January was nearly over. Spring was just around the corner, and I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen to us when April arrived.

Even if our class assignments changed, would I still be hanging around at her place, cooking with the pot we bought today? Part of me hoped so, while another part wasn’t so sure.

Shivering from the cold, I glanced over at her.

As I thought, she looked a little lonely.

“Inazuki, what do you want for dinner tonight?”

When she made that face, there was probably nothing I could do to truly help. But, since I was pretty good at cooking, at least while I was staying at her place, I could make her smile a little with food.

It wouldn’t solve anything deep down, but it was something.

“…Paella.”

Of course, Inazuki asked for some foreign dishes again.

Maybe she thought I was from overseas or something.

“Got it. We’ll need to pick up some clams and other ingredients on the way back.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”

We walked slowly through the cold winter streets. I gently squeezed her hand, holding on as if to keep her from slipping away.

As we walked like this, our time seemed to blend together, our steps naturally falling in sync. It felt like the boundaries between us were fading, as if we were gradually merging into each other’s rhythm.

If only that were enough to make me feel secure.

But then, my vision blurred, and I could almost see a version of Inazuki with blonde hair—a version that wasn’t the present her. The sight filled me with sudden unease. A deep sense of urgency, sadness, and loneliness welled up inside me, pulsing painfully in my chest.

What had happened between the old me and Inazuki?

Were these feelings something you’re supposed to have for an ex-lover?

I didn’t know. But right now, the two of us were walking hand in hand, on the same path. And for the moment, that was enough for me.

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