By the time he left school, it was already completely dark.
The streetlights on both sides of the road lit up one after another, and warm yellow light filtered through the gaps in the leaves, scattering on the ground, forming dappled shadows.
Okabara Kyogumichi walked home with his schoolbag, his steps light, still relishing the discovery he made in the attic during the day.
As he passed the familiar convenience store, Kyogumichi stopped.
His stomach rumbled at the opportune moment, and he remembered that he hadn't eaten dinner yet.
Pushing open the door, the wind chimes made a crisp sound, and the clerk looked up at him, smiling as she greeted, "Back again, what would you like to eat today?"
"The usual, a teriyaki chicken bento," Kyogumichi walked to the bento section, skillfully picking up his usual meal, and also grabbed a bottle of green tea.
After paying and leaving the convenience store, holding the warm bento in his hand, Kyogumichi felt much more at ease.
He quickened his pace towards the apartment, thinking of getting home quickly to eat his bento and further examine the letters Chitanda Eru had given him.
As he reached the apartment building, Kyogumichi was about to swipe his card to enter when a soft voice came from behind him: "Okabara-san."
He turned around and saw Shiina Mahiru standing not far away, carrying a shopping bag filled with fresh vegetables and meat.
Today she had changed into an off-white dress, her long hair casually draped over her shoulders, showing less of the formality she had at school and more of a gentle, homey feel.
"Shiina-san, good evening," Kyogumichi greeted with a smile.
"Good evening," Shiina Mahiru walked up to him, her gaze falling on the bento box in his hand, and she frowned slightly, "Are you eating just this for dinner?"
"Yes, I'm too lazy to cook," Kyogumichi smiled somewhat awkwardly.
Shiina Mahiru was silent for a moment, as if she had made a decision, then looked up at Kyogumichi, her eyes sincere: "Okabara-san, could you... come to my place for dinner? I made a lot, and I can't finish it all by myself."
Kyogumichi was stunned; he hadn't expected Shiina Mahiru to invite him so suddenly.
Looking at her expectant yet slightly nervous eyes, he really couldn't bear to refuse: "Would that be too much trouble for you?"
"Not at all," Shiina Mahiru quickly shook her head, a faint smile appearing on her face, "And, I haven't properly thanked you for walking me home yesterday.
Consider it... a thank-you gift."
"Alright then, thank you, Shiina-san," Kyogumichi nodded, feeling a strange sense of anticipation.
"You're welcome, come on up," Shiina Mahiru smiled, turned, and walked into the apartment building.
Kyogumichi followed her into the elevator.
The space in the elevator was small, filled with Shiina Mahiru's faint gardenia perfume, which smelled very pleasant.
He could feel his heart beating a little faster than usual, and he couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.
The elevator reached the fifth floor, and the two of them exited, arriving at Shiina Mahiru's door.
She took out her key, opened the door, and stepped aside to let Kyogumichi in: "Please come in."
Kyogumichi walked into the room, his eyes lighting up.
Shiina Mahiru's home was clean and tidy, the furniture arranged in an orderly fashion, and several potted green plants on the living room windowsill added a touch of vitality to the room.
The aroma of food wafted through the air, whetting his appetite.
"You can sit for a bit, I'll go bring out the dishes," Shiina Mahiru put the shopping bag in the kitchen and said to Kyogumichi.
"Let me help you," Kyogumichi put down his schoolbag, intending to go into the kitchen to assist.
"No, no, just sit," Shiina Mahiru quickly waved her hand, "It'll be ready soon."
Kyogumichi had no choice but to sit on the sofa in the living room, surveying his surroundings.
Several landscape paintings hung on the living room wall, very artistic.
An open book lay on the coffee table, Haruki Murakami's "Norwegian Wood."
Not long after, Shiina Mahiru came out of the kitchen carrying the dishes.
Two dishes and one soup: braised pork ribs, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and miso soup, all looking appetizing.
She placed the dishes on the dining table and said to Kyogumichi: "Dinner is ready."
Kyogumichi walked to the dining table and sat down, looking at the lavish dinner before him, feeling a little overwhelmed: "It looks delicious, thank you, Shiina-san."
"Try it and see if it suits your taste," Shiina Mahiru served Kyogumichi a bowl of rice and handed it to him.
Kyogumichi picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of braised pork rib, and put it in his mouth.
The ribs were stewed very tender, the sauce rich, and the taste just right.
He couldn't help but nod: "It's delicious, much better than the bento from the convenience store."
Hearing Kyogumichi's compliment, Shiina Mahiru's face broke into a happy smile, like a child who had received candy: "I'm glad you like it."
The two chatted while eating.
Shiina Mahiru asked about Kyogumichi's school life, and Kyogumichi briefly spoke about it, avoiding the matter of going to the attic with Chitanda Eru.
He found that Shiina Mahiru was not only beautiful and gentle but also such a good cook, and his good impression of her increased by a few points.
"By the way, Shiina-san, what do you usually like to do?" Kyogumichi asked curiously.
"I like cooking and reading, and occasionally I draw," Shiina Mahiru thought for a moment and replied, "What about you? Okabara-san, do you have any hobbies?"
"Me? I like watching anime and novels, and sometimes I play basketball," Kyogumichi said with a smile.
"Really? Then we're quite similar," Shiina Mahiru's eyes sparkled, "I also like watching anime, but I don't watch much."
The meal ended in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.
Shiina Mahiru cleared the dishes, and Kyogumichi tried to help but was pushed back to the living room by her: "You're a guest, just sit."
Kyogumichi had no choice but to sit on the sofa, watching Shiina Mahiru's busy figure in the kitchen.
Under the light, her profile was soft and beautiful, making his heart feel warm.
After a while, Shiina Mahiru came out of the kitchen with two glasses of juice, handing one to Kyogumichi: "Have some juice."
"Thank you," Kyogumichi took the juice, took a sip, and found it sweet and delicious.
The two sat on the sofa, chatting casually.
Kyogumichi checked the time; it was getting late, so he stood up and said, "Shiina-san, it's getting late, I should go back.
Thank you for dinner tonight, it was very delicious."
"You're welcome, I'm happy too," Shiina Mahiru also stood up, "Then I'll see you to the door."
At the door, Kyogumichi turned to Shiina Mahiru and said, "Thank you again, Shiina-san."
"You're welcome, Okabara-san," Shiina Mahiru looked at him, a gentle smile on her face, "If you don't feel like eating convenience store bento in the future, you can always come to my place to eat, just let me know in advance."
Kyogumichi paused, then smiled and nodded: "Alright, then I won't be polite in the future."
"Mm-hmm," Shiina Mahiru nodded vigorously.
Kyogumichi opened the door and left Shiina Mahiru's home.
He looked back and saw Shiina Mahiru still standing at the door watching him, waving her hand: "Good night, Okabara-san."
"Good night, Shiina-san," Kyogumichi also waved, then turned and walked into his own home.
Back home, Kyogumichi leaned against the door, still a little excited.
He hadn't expected to have such a pleasant time with Shiina Mahiru, and he felt that the distance between them had narrowed considerably.
He walked to the window, looking at the light from Shiina Mahiru's home across the way, the corners of his mouth unconsciously curving into a smile.
This night, because of this unexpected dinner, became exceptionally beautiful.
Kyogumichi took out his phone, scrolled to Chitanda Eru's contact information, thought about it, but still didn't send a message.
He decided to discuss the attic matter with Chitanda Eru tomorrow; tonight, he would savor this delicious dinner.
On the other side, Shiina Mahiru felt a sudden surge of happiness at the unexpected warmth in her room.
"Home, it's probably like this. Oh, right, I'll invite Okabara-san over tomorrow too, hehe."
The moonlight outside the window gently streamed into the room, illuminating the satisfied smiles on their faces.
He knew that his life in this world was slowly becoming different.
"Good night, see you tomorrow, Okabara-san."
"Good night, see you tomorrow, Angel."
Both silently whispered good night, then fell into a deep sleep.