"Tanaka, your Cooking is excellent," Kawasaki Saki praised from the bottom of her heart.
After being excellent in academics, caring for his family, and being gentle and considerate, Tanaka Masao added 'superb culinary skills' to his impression in Kawasaki Saki's mind.
This undoubtedly greatly increased Tanaka Masao's standing in Kawasaki Saki's heart.
At the same time, a scene couldn't help but appear in her mind.
She and Tanaka Masao, wearing aprons, busy together in the kitchen, preparing for their family…
Kawasaki Saki was startled by her own thoughts and quickly came back to her senses, her cheeks slightly flushed as she secretly glanced at Tanaka Masao, only then calming her emotions.
Tanaka Masao: Hey, what does that mean? Why can looking at me stabilize your heartbeat? If you don't give me a reasonable explanation, I won't let it go.
Tanaka Masao hadn't noticed Kawasaki Saki's change because he was currently feeling smug about accidentally exposing his superb culinary skills.
He said very modestly,
"Actually, it's not as good as you say. I just learned a little by following books and online tutorials, but…"
Tanaka Masao said, putting on a particularly troubled expression.
"After my family ate my Cooking, they cried and begged me to prepare all three meals for the family from now on.
They even said that once they've eaten my food, they wouldn't want to eat anything else.
Reluctantly, I had to agree to them, but just thinking about preparing three meals a day feels so tiring."
Kawasaki Saki looked at Tanaka Masao. Although he was complaining, there was no dissatisfaction on his face, just a helpless expression as if he couldn't do anything about them.
She found Tanaka Masao's demeanor somewhat amusing.
[He says he's unwilling, but he clearly looks very happy.
He's so cute, like a little child.]
After thinking for a moment, Kawasaki Saki spoke.
"Actually, preparing three meals for your family is also a good thing."
"Oh, how so? Is it feeling happy when you see your family's satisfied expressions after eating your food?"
Hearing this, Kawasaki Saki shook her head.
"Not entirely. Another benefit is that whoever cooks gets to decide what to eat.
Since I started Cooking for my family, I haven't been a picky eater."
Upon hearing this statement, Tanaka Masao looked at Kawasaki Saki with a surprised gaze, as if seeing her for the first time, as if saying,
[So, you're that kind of Saki.]
Feeling Tanaka Masao's gaze, Kawasaki Saki blushed slightly but still forced herself to speak calmly.
"What's wrong? Is there a problem with what I said?"
I work so hard to cook for my family, why can't I eat what I want?
Tanaka Masao shook his head.
"Of course there's no problem. I just didn't expect that Saki, you would do that too. I thought you were the type who never picks, and could eat any kind of food."
"While most foods are fine for me, everyone should have one or two things they don't like to eat, right?"
"You're right, but does Kyoka know?"
"Know what about Kyoka?"
Kawasaki Saki was a bit confused.
"Kyoka must occasionally encounter foods she doesn't like, right? Saki, you would definitely say things like 'these are good for your body' to make her eat them.
And every time she sees you eat everything, she must think, 'My older sister is amazing, she's not picky at all, she can eat even such unappetizing things.'
If Kyoka knew that her older sister isn't actually not picky, but just never lets foods she dislikes appear on the dinner table, what would she think?"
Hearing Tanaka Masao's words, Kawasaki Saki felt a bit guilty, her eyes darting away, not daring to look at him, and she quietly argued,
"Kyoka is very obedient, she never picks, and our family's tastes are similar, so I also try to avoid making foods she dislikes."
"Really?"
"Of course it's true!"
Kawasaki Saki said emphatically, and as she spoke, she picked an egg roll from her bento box and gave it to Tanaka Masao.
"But it's better not to let Kyoka know about this. She's still young and might need to eat some foods she dislikes to get the necessary nutrients for her body. It's all for her own good."
Tanaka Masao picked up the egg roll Kawasaki Saki gave him.
"Do you think a mere egg roll can shut me up?"
He opened his mouth, ate it in one bite, and said somewhat indistinctly,
"This size is just right to shut my mouth."
Kawasaki Saki: ...
Don't pause so dramatically, okay? To maintain my dignity as an older sister, I had already prepared other hush money, you know.
...
After lunch break and the first class of the afternoon, Tanaka Masao had Physical Education again.
Because his class's Physical Education was at the same time as Yukinoshita Yukino's class, after the warm-up, Tanaka Masao, Yukinoshita Yukino, and Kawasaki Saki naturally gathered together.
As their relationship improved, Kawasaki Saki's attitude towards Tanaka Masao was no longer as cold as during their first Physical Education class; she was now willing to exercise with him.
Yukinoshita Yukino's attitude towards Tanaka Masao was also similar; as long as Tanaka Masao sincerely and earnestly invited her to do partner exercises, she would agree.
The two of them, with Tanaka Masao acting as an intermediary, and having both acknowledged each other's abilities, had also grown much closer and could be considered friends.
However, neither of them had an assertive personality, so on the surface, they didn't appear very close.
And today's Physical Education activity, coincidentally, required at least three people to play, and the more people, the livelier it would be. That's right, it was...
Long rope jumping.
This is an activity that demonstrates cooperation. Jumping well and many times can make people excited and strengthen friendships.
If you don't jump well, that's another story—frustration, mutual complaints, and if someone accidentally trips over the rope, it becomes even more interesting.
On Tanaka Masao's side, the two girls started swinging the rope, and he jumped in the middle.
In a sense, he achieved being embraced on both sides and attacked from front and back.
Yukinoshita Yukino, who was swinging the rope, looked at Tanaka Masao in front of her and couldn't help but complain,
"Tanaka-kin, are you bored, choosing this way of jumping rope?"
It wasn't surprising that she complained, because every time Tanaka Masao jumped, his body would rotate 180 degrees.
Tanaka Masao, who was currently jumping rope, said with a slightly unsteady tone,
"Yukino, what do you know? This is called 'equal distribution of favor,' okay?
This way, I can ensure that I face you both an equal number of times, so you won't have to be sad about not seeing my handsome face."