Haruki sat at the dinner table, across from Kyouko as they ate together.
Kyouko wore a tight, sleeveless white tank top, her deep cleavage on full display—not that she seemed to notice. The fabric clung to her curves, outlining the soft swell of her breasts, rising and falling with each breath she took.
And those short shorts… they barely covered anything, revealing her smooth, toned thighs as she sat comfortably across from him.
Damn, she's really hot.
"Haruki?"
Her voice snapped him back to reality.
"Umm… yes?" He stammered, hoping she hadn't noticed his gaze.
"The food's not good?"
Ah, shit. He had been so distracted that he'd barely touched his plate.
"Ah, no! This food is delicious," he quickly reassured her. And it was. Her cooking was better than anything he could get from a restaurant.
Kyouko smiled softly. "Sorry, Haruki. I had to cook with whatever I could find. The fridge is running low, so I'm sorry if it's not good enough."
"Don't worry about it, Kyouko-san."
She sighed, resting her cheek on her palm. "I need to go to the market to restock."
Haruki paused. This could be his chance.
"Ah, but the bags will be heavy if I go alone…" Kyouko muttered, thinking out loud. "Maybe I should just order online…"
She hesitated, then sighed. "But there are a lot of things I can't buy online. I need to find the right sauces, and some of the fresh ingredients just aren't the same unless I pick them myself."
Haruki waited for the moment. If she asked, he wouldn't hesitate.
"If you don't mind, I can accompany you," Haruki offered.
Kyouko blinked, a little surprised. "Really?"
"Yes. Besides, I don't have any work to do right now."
She hesitated, tapping her chopsticks lightly against her bowl. "But I don't want to trouble you…"
Haruki shook his head. "No need to worry about that, Kyouko-san."
Kyouko smiled, looking a bit relieved. "Well… if you insist. We'll go after this."
After the meal, Haruki waited outside while Kyouko locked the door behind her.
"Let's go?" she asked, glancing at him.
"Okay, Kyouko-san."
Haruki noticed that today she was dressed in a modest outfit—nothing revealing. She had even put on a facemask, covering the lower half of her face.
"We're taking the car?" Kyouko asked as they stepped forward.
"Umm… I don't have a car, Kyouko-san," Haruki admitted.
"Ah, sorry! I didn't mean it like that," she said quickly.
"It's fine. I don't mind walking either," Haruki replied with a small smile.
"Well… we'll take mine, then," Kyouko decided, leading the way to her car.
Haruki watched as she unlocked the vehicle and got in. He followed, settling into the passenger seat.
As Kyouko started the engine, a soft hum escaped her lips—a tune he didn't recognize. Haruki glanced at her.
He leaned back, trying not to stare too much.
This was just a casual grocery trip. Nothing more.
They reached the supermarket, and Kyouko smoothly pulled into a parking spot. After turning off the engine, she took a moment to adjust her facemask before stepping out of the car.
Haruki followed, stepping onto the pavement beside her. The air was comfortably cool, the sky bright but not too harsh. As they walked toward the supermarket entrance, their pace was unhurried and casual—just two people out on a normal shopping trip.
Once inside, Haruki grabbed a shopping cart, pushing it beside Kyouko as she led the way.
"Hmm… what do you want to eat tonight, Haruki?" Kyouko asked, glancing at him as she scanned the shelves.
"Me?" Haruki thought for a moment. "Hmm… I don't know, Kyouko-san. Maybe some meat?"
Kyouko chuckled. "If you say so."
She reached for a pack of thinly sliced beef, inspecting it before placing it into the cart. They continued browsing, stopping occasionally as Kyouko picked up different ingredients.
Their conversation flowed easily, touching on light topics—favorite foods, cooking habits, little comments about certain brands or packaging. Every now and then, Kyouko would hold up an item for Haruki to see.
"This one's good for stew," she said, showing him a box of stock cubes.
Haruki nodded. "Yeah? You make stew often, Kyouko-san?"
"Not really."she replied with a smile.
It felt natural—like friends shopping together. Haruki found himself enjoying this: the casual atmosphere, the way Kyouko's voice had a soft warmth when she talked about food, the way she smiled without realizing…
He hadn't had this kind of easy company in a while.
As they moved down the aisle, Haruki found himself smiling without even realizing it.
Kyouko glanced at him, tilting her head slightly. "Why are you smiling, Haruki?"
"Oh, nothing, Kyouko-san." He shook his head lightly. "It's just… it's been a while since I went shopping like this."
Kyouko smiled behind her facemask, her eyes softening. "Well, that's good to hear. Same here." She placed another item into the cart before casually adding, "Maybe we should hang out like this more often."
Haruki blinked, then chuckled. "Yeah… maybe we should."
Their pace remained slow and relaxed, the atmosphere light. Haruki had never expected something as simple as grocery shopping to feel this… comfortable.
They moved through the supermarket side by side, occasionally stopping to check the shelves. Haruki pushed the cart while Kyouko carefully picked out ingredients, sometimes showing them to him with a small smile.
It felt… strangely peaceful.
Inside Kyouko's mind, a thought surfaced: It's been a while since I've felt this happy. I don't know why, but being around Haruki makes me feel comfortable.
She didn't dwell on it too much, simply enjoying the moment.
"Kyouko-san?"
"Ah… yes, Haruki?" She turned to him, blinking.
"Oh, nothing," he said with a light chuckle.
Kyouko tilted her head slightly. "Do you need to buy something?"
"Ah… now that you mention it, I think I do."
"Okay, go ahead. I'll look around this area first." She gestured toward the shelves of sauces and seasonings.
Haruki nodded and turned toward the next aisle, leaving Kyouko standing there for a moment. She exhaled softly, watching him go. Strange… why do I feel so at ease with him?
Shaking the thought away, she continued browsing.
( End of Chapter )