After that little talk downstairs nothing else happened right away, we just went up to Suneo's room and played some games for a while. He was stiff the whole time, barely paying attention to the screen, and I could feel his nerves crawling under his skin. He tried to hide it, but I could tell he was still thinking about what I'd said earlier, about his mom, about what I could do. That thought alone made me grin every time I beat him in the game, because I knew the buttons I was pressing weren't just on the controller, they were inside him too.
Not long after, we heard her voice calling from the kitchen, "Suneo, Nobita! Dinner's ready!" Her tone was casual, warm, like any mother calling her kid and his friend, but I could already picture her waiting downstairs and that made me move. We went down, and the smell of food hit me right away. The table was already set, the steam rising, and when I saw the spread she'd made I couldn't hold back a smile.
I sat down politely, folding my hands for a second before picking up my chopsticks, and I looked right at her. "Wow… Mrs. Honekawa, this looks amazing. You're really talented, you know that? No one cooks like you."
She blinked at me, surprised by the compliment, and gave a little laugh as she placed the last plate. "Stop it, Nobita. You'll make me embarrassed."
"I'm just being honest," I said, calm and smooth. "Every bite I've ever had here tastes like it came out of a restaurant. Honestly, I don't think Suneo realizes how lucky he is."
Her cheeks turned faintly pink as she sat down across from us. She tried to shake it off, but I could see the corners of her mouth curling up just slightly, fighting the smile she didn't want to show. She liked hearing it even if she didn't admit it.
Through the meal I kept at it, dropping little comments here and there. About how perfectly the rice was cooked, how soft the fish was, how the miso soup had just the right balance. Each time she laughed softly, brushing it off, but her eyes kept flicking back to me with that same look of surprise and flattery. I noticed the way she tucked her hair behind her ear whenever I spoke, or how her shoulders shifted slightly when I praised her. It was small, but I noticed everything.
Halfway through, she stood to fetch some tea from the counter. As she moved, I noticed her hand slip up to her neck, rubbing gently like it was stiff. My eyes caught that small detail instantly. When she came back, I leaned forward a little and asked, "Your neck hurts?"
She blinked at me, surprised. "Hm? Oh… yeah, a little stiff. It's nothing, really. I just overdid it with some chores earlier."
I tilted my head, keeping my tone calm and easy. "You shouldn't brush it off. If you want… I could give you a massage. I'm good with my hands."
Her eyes widened slightly, then she let out a small laugh, caught between flustered and dismissive. "Nobita… what kind of thing is that to say? That's not something you should offer so casually."
I leaned back, smiling, not letting go. "Maybe, but I mean it. You do everything here—cooking, cleaning, looking after Suneo. You deserve to be taken care of too. It'd be my pleasure, really."
She froze just a little, her fingers still at her neck, then looked away with a faint blush spreading across her cheeks. "You really… know how to talk, don't you?"
"It's not just talk," I said, my voice soft but steady. "I respect you. You're strong, you're kind, and honestly… you deserve to hear it. If I can ease your pain even a little, I want to."
For a moment, she didn't answer, her lips parting like she wanted to say no but couldn't form the word. She glanced down at her plate, then let out a soft sigh. "…You're unbelievable. But fine. Just for a bit. I'll let you try."
That was all I needed. I smiled calmly, as if it was no big deal, but inside I was already savoring it. I turned my head to Suneo, who had been completely silent through the entire dinner. He was pale, chopsticks frozen in his hand, staring at me like he couldn't believe what he just heard. Finally, he whispered, voice shaking, "N-Nobita… what are you going to do?"
I leaned closer to him, low enough that only he could hear. "Just wait and see, little slave."
His body trembled, and when I leaned back again, I saw his mother still massaging her own neck gently, cheeks warm, trying to act like it was nothing. She had no idea what she had just opened the door to. And I wasn't going to waste the opportunity.