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==============
Dear Mother,
How are you?
I'm doing well, even here in Tokyo.
I've gotten quite used to the crowds that initially overwhelmed me.
Oh, speaking of which, something quite miraculous happened.
"Thanks for waiting!"
A girl is here, right in front of me, as if it's the most natural thing in the world.
What's more, she's cooking for me.
As she once said herself, it seems to be a "commuting wife" situation. We've only just started dating, but I intend to marry her someday.
Even so, it feels...
"It's just like always, isn't it...?"
â-------
...I found myself muttering.
"What's with you, all of a sudden...?"
My room, as always. Isshiki Iroha's home cooking, as always. At our usual dinner table, Isshiki looked at me with a puzzled expression, her mouth full.
We're supposed to be dating, I think. Just recently, I properly confessed my feelings, and she accepted my desire to be in a relationship. Today was our first meal together at my place since then. Isshiki had said she'd come to cook today, and I accepted. As for what defines a couple, or what happens when you start dating, I wouldn't know, never having had a girlfriend before. But this feels too normal. Well, maybe our distance before was just unusual...
"No, it's just, it feels like it's always been."
"Huh... Well, I guess so."
Normally, I should be happy that normalcy has returned, but honestly, it feels a bit anticlimactic because it's so normal. Still, if she suddenly started being overly clingy, that would be a problem too... or rather, I'd be confused. So this much is probably just right. Probably.
"Oh, I see."
Just as I was about to come to my own conclusion, it seemed she had come to hers as well. Isshiki picked up a piece of satoimo no nikkorogashi (simmered taro) with her chopsticks and brought it to my mouth.
"Here, 'aahn'."
"Mm."
I chewed on the piece she put in. The sticky, sweet, and savory flavor was addictively good, a taste supposedly passed down through the Isshiki family. Well, I don't know if it's really that grand.
"It's good."
"Yes."
"......"
"......"
"Something about this..."
"It's just like always, isn't it?"
Isshiki-san admitted it too. Well, it's fine this way, actually. Maybe we just got ahead of ourselves with the "couple-like" interactions, and we were vaguely overthinking that something would fundamentally change once we started dating.
"Thanks for the meal."
"You're welcome."
After saying that and putting my hands together, I leaned against the bed frame to relax, as always. Isshiki also got ready to relax... or so I thought, but she wiggled over and snuggled up to me. This wasn't "as always"... Before, she would enter my personal space, but the closeness was different. It was like she was completely pressed against me. In other words, it was zero distance, truly the distance of a couple.
"..."
"..."
I tried to glimpse her face, but she rested her head on me, making it impossible. Even when I tried to subtly shift away, she followed my movement and stuck to me. When I tried to force a look at her face, she turned away with a huff. No, hey. What is this? This isâ
"She's too cute, isn't she...?"
â-----
Apparently, my brain was in a "no-guard" state (pun intended) due to Isshiki's sudden action, and that murmur slipped out. I was startled myself after saying it, and the one who heard it was no different. Isshiki quickly moved away from me, her cheeks gradually flushing.
"W-what are you doing, suddenly trying to take advantage of me now? It's too late, I'm already head over heels, so I can't take any more, I'm sorry!"
"Oh, uh... What did I just get rejected from...?"
Still, it's been a while since I've heard Isshiki's "pretend" act... Besides, I already confessed and got an "okay," so there's no way I could be rejected. But then again, after I said, "Would you like to start dating?" we didn't have a clear conversation like, "Yes, let's do that." ...Could it be that we're not actually dating?
"Seriously, that's just like you, Senior..."
After our seemingly nonsensical exchange, Isshiki sighed and leaned against me again. Hmm, she's close. Still close. She smells good...
"...Since we're already dating, don't get flustered by this much closeness."
She suddenly murmured that and rubbed her head against my shoulder. Ah, right. So it's fine to assume we're dating. And stop that, you're too cute. My heart's pounding, it won't stop, you're so cute.
"Actually, Senior, you're the one who's being too 'normal'."
"Ah, yeah... Well, you know, it's hard to get used to it..."
"Come on, do something, like, couple-like."
"You just casually made a huge demand..."
This is already embarrassing enough, and Isshiki still wants more? Well, I was the one who started saying it was "normal." But "couple-like"... Hmm, I guess there are various things. Holding hands... she's sometimes done that. Kissing... she did that when I confessed, so that's been experienced. Anything beyond that... it's dangerous to imagine. Besides, she's always the one doing things to me, isn't she?
"Then..."
Thinking that she'd probably done this too, I gently stroked Isshiki's head. Her glossy hair slipped through my fingers, and a gentle warmth let me know that a real girl was there. Her large eyes, looking up at me, resembled a small animal, oddly arousing my protective instincts.
"Oh, this is better than I thought it would be..."
"I-is that so...?"
Isshiki Iroha's cheeks started to flush again as she said that. No, isn't my girlfriend too cute? Oh no, my head's spinning again.
"Uhm..."
"Yes?"
"How long are we going to keep doing this? It's fine for as long as you want, though."
"No, I just didn't know when to stop..."
When I said that and pulled my hand away, Isshiki looked disappointed for a moment. That brief expression, devoid of any hint of calculation, was so unfairly cute.
"Well, I guess... we need to tell Nene-san and the others that we started dating."
"Huh? I already did."
When I changed the subject, Isshiki said it quite nonchalantly.
"Also, they said they want to go out for a celebratory dinner soon."
"This is the first I'm hearing of it..."
"Yes, because I just told you now."
Isshiki-san, you really are... I shot her a reproachful look, but she escaped by saying, "I'll go wash the dishes now!"
From a distance, I watched Isshiki as she re-tied her apron. The sound of running water, the clinking of dishes. And Isshiki's seemingly happy profile.
It was just like always, yet subtly different. Perhaps these small changes will keep coming, one after another. Becoming a couple, I guess, is probably just like that.
"Senior."
As soon as Isshiki finished the dishes and returned to the living room, she called out to me.
"The dishes are done."
"Oh..."
She sat next to me again and reported that. Well, yes. They are.
"I washed the dishes instead of you, Senior."
"...Yes."
Ah... I mumbled to myself. I was starting to understand what she wanted.
"I think you could at least appreciate it a little."
"You're right..."
In her eyes, peeking up at me, I could see both expectation and a teasing smile. She's manipulative... yet so honest, and somehow innocently endearing. This is definitely going to become a habit.
"...Thanks, as always."
"You're welcome."
When I started stroking her head again, Isshiki broke into a wide smile. I tried to stay composed, but my mind was a whirlwind of embarrassment and adoration.
"I'll be satisfied with this much for today."
As she said that, Isshiki touched my neck, still so manipulative. And I thought, again and again:
Iroha is the best, isn't she...?
============
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