The next day.
9:00 AM.
Not long after Sora got up, the doorbell rang.
Getting up to open the door, a cute angel wearing a white dress, sparkling in the sunlight, stood outside.
"Sora, good morning."
Mahiru rested her folded hands against her lower abdomen. Today she was wearing a cute-style knit cardigan. Her caramel-colored eyes were bright and clear, her voice sweet and pleasant.
"I am planning to go to the supermarket to buy ingredients. What dishes does Sora-kun want to eat today?"
"Good morning." Sora greeted her. "It just hit nine o'clock, isn't it a bit early to go to the supermarket now?"
"The ingredients need to be washed after bringing them back, picking them out takes time, and the round trip also takes time. If I leave now, I can probably get back around ten o'clock, which is perfect for resting a bit." Mahiru's voice was tranquil. "So going to the supermarket now is just right."
Sora gave a thumbs up. "I would call Mahiru-san a 'Time Management Master'."
"Hmm?"
Mahiru slightly tilted her head, blinking in confusion.
"It sounds like a compliment... but for some reason, it feels a bit weird."
"Don't mind the small details." Sora decisively changed the subject. "With Mahiru-san's cooking skill level, I would even be willing to eat braised shoe soles."
"I am sorry, I didn't realize Sora had such peculiar dietary fetishes..." Mahiru took half a step back, her tone indifferent. "But I have no desire to challenge bizarre dishes, so please allow me to refuse."
After the deadpan remark, Mahiru quickly extended a slender, jade-like finger.
"How about okra?"
"Slimy and mushy."
"And green peppers?"
"The taste is truly bitter and astringent."
"..."
Mahiru let out a light sigh, her bright eyes unable to resist glaring affectionately at him.
"Being a picky eater is not the behavior of a good child."
He was not being a picky eater at all. The taste of green peppers in Japan is inherently bad, and when they refuse to use oil during cooking, the stir-fried green peppers turn out bitter and astringent, tasting of an indescribable strange flavor. They are inherently terrible, alright!
"I love eating cilantro, please definitely get a lot of that." Sora pondered. "Aside from green peppers being a no-go, okra is completely fine."
"Noted." Mahiru gave a slight nod, indicating she had memorized it. Then she extended her delicate, cute soft hand. "About what we agreed on yesterday... please give me the living expenses first."
According to yesterday's agreement, the living expenses were to be handed over once a week. Mahiru would keep accounts when purchasing ingredients, and the final expenses would be balanced out, refunding any surplus or making up for any shortage.
Since Sora and Sagiri were two people, he provided a double portion of the living expenses.
The cooking location was chosen to be at the Izumi household. Sagiri currently only dared to come downstairs, but absolutely wouldn't dare to go outside. Choosing Sora's house was primarily to accommodate Sagiri.
"Thank you for your hard work, Mahiru-sama, please accept this."
Sora pulled out a few Fukuzawa Yukichi bills and handed them to Angel-sama.
"I will accept this." Mahiru reached out to take the bills, gently pursing her moist pink lips. "When I was cooking yesterday, I noticed the rice in the kitchen is almost gone. I want to buy another bag of rice today, but I don't know if I can carry it all by myself."
Sora could naturally understand Angel-sama's underlying meaning, and replied straightforwardly.
"Please leave this perilous mission to me."
"It's just carrying rice, there is no need for Sora to brave fire and boiling water." Mahiru glared affectionately with her bright eyes. "...Hurry up and change your shoes, and let's go to the supermarket to buy ingredients."
"Received."
"..."
Sora turned and went inside, quickly changing his clothes and shoes, and then headed out the door with Mahiru.
"There is a promotional event at the fresh food supermarket next to the subway station." Mahiru stood quietly at the intersection waiting, the girl's skirt and hair fluttering gently in the morning breeze. "Since we need to buy quite a lot of ingredients, let's go to the fresh food supermarket, okay?"
As expected of Angel-sama, truly excellent at managing a household.
"The fresh food supermarket, huh... That looks to be about a kilometer away." Sora pondered for two seconds, then turned and walked back. "Mahiru-san, wait for me a moment."
"Hmm?"
Mahiru tilted her head curiously, and soon saw Sora pushing out a bicycle.
"In middle school, I really liked riding bicycles with my dad." Sora wiped the bicycle seat and the rear carrier clean, his voice calm. "Riding west for a little over half an hour, there is a seawall. Back then, my dad really liked fishing on the seawall... Anyway, the fresh food supermarket is a bit far, let's ride bikes there."
"Fishing?"
A hint of expectation quietly surfaced in Mahiru's eyes.
It is said that fishing is super fun, making people lose their appetite for food and drink, unable to tear themselves away. Unfortunately, from the time she could remember until now, Mahiru had never experienced what fishing felt like.
Seeing the expectation on Angel-sama's pretty face, Sora said casually.
"If Mahiru-san is interested, I will take you fishing at the seawall when we have free time."
"...Okay."
Angel-sama's eyes shone brightly, and she softly agreed.
If it were anyone else inviting her to go fishing, she would definitely decline politely, but Sora was different... agreeing to it was fine.
"Very good, the tire pressure is still sufficient." Sora checked the tire pressure and quickly said, "Shall we ride bikes to the supermarket?"
Hearing this, Mahiru pursed her moist pink lips, a look of hesitation appearing on her pretty face.
"But... riding a bicycle with a passenger is illegal, right?"
"Mahiru-san didn't think I was going to give you a ride, did you?" Sora turned back and quickly pushed out another bicycle. "Of course we are going to ride one bike each."
Mahiru: "..."
Looking at the two bicycles parked side by side, Angel-sama's pink cheeks involuntarily puffed out slightly.
With the time spent chatting, he clearly could have pushed the second bicycle out much earlier!
"Hurry up and get on." Sora patted the bicycle. "We are off to the supermarket."
Mahiru averted her pretty face, her pearly white teeth lightly biting her lower lip, her tone a bit embarrassed.
"I... don't know how to ride a bicycle."
Sora: "..."
She actually didn't know how to ride a bicycle?
Just like an Asian person who can't Asian squat, a British person who can't eat fish and chips, or an Indian guy not doing a trick, it was simply unbelievable!
Mahiru lightly bit her lower lip, explaining softly.
"I have never touched a bicycle before, so I don't know how to ride."
Children usually learn to ride a bike from their parents, but Angel-sama's parents had never cared about her, let alone bought her a bicycle or taught her how to ride.
"Is that so?" Sora remained silent for two seconds, then quickly pushed the bicycles back into the yard. "It is still early, we will walk to the supermarket, treat it as a workout."
"...I am very sorry."
Mahiru apologized in a low voice.
"Not knowing how to ride a bike is nothing to be ashamed of." Sora casually replied. "As long as you are not afraid of falling, you will get it after practicing a few times. If you are free this afternoon, we can go to the park together. I will be your free coach and teach you how to ride."
"..."
Hearing this, Mahiru tilted her pretty face up. The blue sky and white clouds were reflected in the girl's eyes, making them exceptionally bright and cute. The corners of her moist pink lips quietly curled upwards.
"Then I will leave it in Sora's hands."
"..."