One early morning.
It was four-thirty in the morning, quite early.
The reason I could wake up so early was simply that I went to bed early yesterday. I think it was around nine-thirty? Thanks to that, I slept very well.
Miu and Rias and the others were also in bed, all sound asleep. Well, they're usually still sleeping at this hour.
...One person is missing, though... where did she go, that girl?
Waking up earlier than usual, I carefully made my way to the living room, trying not to wake anyone.
As I descended the stairs, pushing down my bedhead with my hand, I heard some clattering noises coming from the living room.
Feeling puzzled, I opened the living room door, and there---
"Um... salt and soy sauce, and then..."
I found Alice, wearing an apron, alone in the kitchen, intently staring at a book.
She must have been incredibly focused, as she didn't even notice me watching her.
"Morning, Alice. What are you doing?"
"Ah!? I-Issei!? G-good morning... Uh, um... this is, well, you see..."
Alice clutched the book to her chest and backed away. Her face was red, and she was mumbling indistinctly... What's wrong with her?
Then, through a gap in Alice's arm, I saw the book's title.
"...'Grab Your Boyfriend's Stomach! 100 Recipes for Beloved Wife's Bento'?"
"Whoa! Don't read the title, you idiot!"
"Gofah!?"
A frying pan came flying at me!? It hit me directly on the forehead, so it hurts like hell! Did I do something wrong!?
As I crouched down, clutching my forehead, Alice rushed over.
"Ah... s-sorry! A-are you okay!?"
"Not okay at all... What are you doing this early in the morning...? It hurts so much..."
"S-sorry... It was a spur-of-the-moment..."
"Don't throw a frying pan on a whim... If it were Mom or something, you'd be immediately out of line, you know?"
"Because you were the one who threw it!"
"That's mean!"
I don't think this girl actually hates me... but still.
She probably just didn't want me to see. That's probably it.
And given the book Alice is holding and this situation, this is---
"Are you making a bento?"
When I asked, Alice's face turned red instantly.
Then, she nodded slightly.
"U-um... Your bentos are always made by Miu-chan or Rias-san, aren't they? I wanted to make one for you too, I thought..."
However, Alice lowered her head and continued.
"I... I'm bad at cooking... Even if I make it, I can't make it as well as the other girls... So, I woke up early in the morning to practice."
Saying that, Alice showed me the book she'd been holding.
The open page displayed a photo of a very common bento, along with its recipe. On closer inspection, cautionary notes were underlined in red pen, and there were memos written in various places. ...Could these be the causes of past failures? Things like 'Be careful with the heat!' and 'Don't mistake salt for sugar!' were written.
Alice seemed to be learning cooking from Mom, but perhaps because she was originally weak in that area, she didn't seem to be making much progress. Still, I think she's gotten much better compared to before.
However...
As I stared, Alice muttered a little sulkily.
"W-what is it...? A-anyway, Miu-chan and the others' cooking is probably tastier than mine... B-but..."
"Idiot, no one said anything like that, did they? ...Thanks. You're working hard for me, aren't you? Looking at this book, I can tell how much effort you're putting in."
I smiled and patted Alice's head.
Honestly, I'm incredibly happy that she's working hard for me. Alice, trying to overcome something she's not good at, clumsily but diligently, is somewhat heartwarming and adorable.
Alice kept her head down, her face red, saying nothing, but...
"So? What were you trying to make just now?"
"This... tamagoyaki."
Alice pointed to the page with tamagoyaki. It was the dish with the most red pen marks among the recipes displayed.
"...When I try to crack the eggs, shells get in... and when I try to fry it, I can't roll it properly, and it turns into a mess."
Alice said, looking dejected.
Ah... I see. Tamagoyaki is a wall that every cooking beginner probably runs into. I made it in home economics class in elementary school, but did I make similar mistakes too?
I picked up the cookbook and stood up, saying.
"Alright, let's try making it together."
"Eh?"
"I'll teach you. I'm not as good at cooking as Miu and the others, but I can make tamagoyaki."
"You can cook too...? That's a bit of a shock... I feel like I lost in 'feminine charm'..."
"Even if I can cook, I can't make anything amazing, you know? Well, you know... I think Alice can manage once you get the hang of it. Let's just try it for now. If I could do it, Alice can too."
"U-um... thank you."
"Alright? Keep the heat low and pour the egg thinly, okay? Also, make sure to oil the pan well before pouring."
"U-um."
Following my instructions, Alice oiled the heated tamagoyaki pan and then slowly poured in the beaten egg.
Her hands were trembling slightly, as if she was nervous... Watching her, it was kind of scary. When she cracked the eggs earlier, she put too much force and crushed them. Is she perhaps putting too much tension in her shoulders?
I reached my hands from behind Alice and gently guided hers.
Alice's body flinched.
"W-what is it?"
"No, it's just... watching you, it's a bit precarious... It makes me anxious just watching. You're putting too much force into it, you know? Relax a little more."
"I-I know that, but... this position is..."
"You don't like it? Well, bear with it a little, okay? It's easier to teach this way."
"...It's not that I don't like it... Rather, I kind of prefer this... And, us right now..."
"Hm?"
When I asked back, Alice murmured in a faint voice.
"...Doesn't it feel like... newlyweds...?"
"Ah---"
Well, I guess it could look that way?
This situation, with me reaching around Alice from behind as she holds the frying pan, supporting her hands.
From an outsider's perspective, it might not look entirely unlike that. And they might even see us as quite lovey-dovey.
「What are you talking about now? You old married couple.」
Yeah, Ddraig-san, could you please keep quiet? This is a pretty nice moment. We've got a good mood going.
I'll call Ignis-oneesan, you know?
「I was wrong! I was wrong, so please don't do that!」
In any case, what I can say is that this kind of situation isn't bad at all... no, in a sense, it's the best! My heart is pounding!
The scent drifting from Alice's hair, the throbbing of her heart, her body temperature. Being this close, I can feel everything about Alice...
Alice murmured.
"Hey, Issei..."
"What?"
"Issei's hands are warm."
"Your hands are warm too, Alice."
Alice put down the container with the beaten egg and, in my embrace, turned halfway around. She was now facing me.
Our faces were incredibly close. This distance, where I could hear her breathing.
Alice's plump lips. Her moist eyes gazed at me.
Being this close---.
"...Now that I think about it, we haven't done our good morning kiss, have we?"
"We haven't... no."
"Shall we... do it now?"
"Shall we... do it now?"
Our faces slowly, gradually drew closer.
And then------.
Shuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
" "Huh?" "
Suddenly, a sound of something burning reached our ears. At the same time, a burnt smell wafted over---.
I glanced over and saw that the yellow egg, which should have been in the frying pan, was nowhere to be found, and a completely black dark matter had been born.
" "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!?" "
Our screams, mine and Alice's, echoed in the kitchen!
We completely forgot!? We completely forgot we were making tamagoyaki!
What is this dark matter!? Where did the egg go!? I can't find any yellow parts!
Alice started to cry!
"Geez! You idiot, Issei! It's because you did something like this!"
"Is it my fault!?"
"Yes! It's your fault! Wait, AHHH! The dark matter is burning!"
"You didn't keep it on low heat, did you!?"
"I did! But you hugged me from behind, and my hand slipped!"
"That's unrelated, isn't it!? Whoa, it's like a flambé now! Fire! Put out the fire! Otherwise, it's going to cause a fire! Hurry!"
"I know! And what's a flambé!?"
"GAHHH! I'll tell you later, just put out the fire for nowwwwwwwww!"
We were making a huge ruckus early in the morning.
Morning classes ended, and it was lunchtime.
"...Somehow, it took shape."
"...Somehow, it took shape."
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