───● The Bookish High School Girl Enjoys a Meal ●○●
Today was my first tutoring session of the new year.
Since I had already run into Shiori-chan during our Hatsumode shrine visit, this would actually be the second time seeing her this year.
Riding the train as usual, I was en route to the station nearest Shiori-chan’s house. As the carriage rumbled and swayed along the tracks, I clutched my backpack to my chest and stared blankly into space, lost in thought.
I have to give them an answer. Once I made up my mind and told the girls my decision, their reactions had varied wildly. While some took it positively, others… took it in a far more negative light. Yuka and Seira-san’s reactions had been particularly pronounced.
Yuka, convinced that her age automatically disqualified her from being chosen, had been in a state of sheer panic. Seira-san, assuming our past dynamic as host and customer made a real relationship impossible, had been visibly shaken.
From my perspective, I was already plenty conscious of Yuka as a girl, so she was naturally a candidate in my eyes… and it was beyond obvious that Seira-san was no longer just a regular customer to me.
Still, if I were to say all that to them out loud right now, it might come across as giving them false hope, making it a delicate tightrope to walk.
I don’t want to hurt any of them.
And yet, I still have to give them a final answer.
A heavy ache tightened in my chest, and I subconsciously squeezed my backpack a little tighter.
『—urgently pushing for the introduction of polygamy—』
The news broadcast played from the LCD monitor mounted inside the train carriage. Since I didn’t own a TV at home, my chances of catching current events had dropped significantly, but it seemed such a policy was seriously under consideration.
A year ago, hearing stories like that would have sent me into a restless spiral, reminding me just how foreign this world was. But by now, I guess I’d gotten used to it—the initial shock had worn off.
『Next stop is Hamaidani. The doors on the left side will open.』
“Ah!” I gasped softly.
Before I knew it, I had arrived at my destination, and I hurriedly scrambled off the train.
It was chilly out, but the sky was clear and bright today.
There was still so much weighing on my mind, but spending the day with Shiori-chan—who had taken my decision in a relatively positive light—eased my heart just a little.
“Is it really true that university classes wrap up by the beginning of February?” Shiori-chan asked, her eyes gleaming.
“Yeah, pretty much… Why do you ask?” I replied, tilting my head.
“Must be niceeeeeee!” she wailed in envious agony.
“You’re shouting a bit loud there,” I chuckled softly.
As always, Shiori-chan was in top form today.
Well, her study momentum was also at an all-time high, so I certainly had no complaints.
We had just finished our tutoring session, and I was packing up my things. As I slipped my teaching materials into my backpack, Shiori-chan paced in circles around me, pelting me with one question after another.
…Not that I have any idea why she’s pacing in circles, though.
Suppressing a laugh at her restless movements, my eyes drifted down to the term-end review sheet I had collected from her today.
“What’s the matter, Masato-san? Stunned into silence by my utterly miraculous grade boost?” she teased, puffing out her chest slightly.
“Honestly, yeah. I am,” I admitted with a nod.
“Wait, don’t just agree with me so straightforwardly! It’s embarrassing…”
Shiori-chan abruptly stopped her pacing, her cheeks flushing bright crimson as she fidgeted nervously with her hair.
Even before I became her tutor, she had been a fairly bright student, but when it came to aiming for my university, her scores hadn’t quite been what you’d call rock-solid.
Now, however, her placement was as secure as could be. In fact…
“At this point, I’m almost tempted to suggest aiming for an even higher-tier university…” I mused aloud.
“Hey… we promised we wouldn’t talk about that,” she muttered, lowering her head.
With a lingering blush on her cheeks, she lightly jabbed her fist into my side. Her way of showing affection was way too physical.
…Well, the fact that I attend that university is probably the main reason for her choice.
“I mean, er… from my perspective, I’m really happy about it, but your own life and future should always come first, Shiori-chan. Keeping your options open isn’t a bad thing. Besides, um… it’s not like going to different universities means we’ll stop seeing each other or anything.”
College entrance exams were a monumental turning point in a person’s life.
While I was flattered that my presence factored into her choice of university, letting me become the sole reason behind her future wasn’t healthy.
I had wanted to convey that thoughtfully, but…
“Gahhh!! You devious, scheming man! That right there is what makes you so dangerous!” Shiori-chan shrieked, red to the tips of her ears.
“Wait, why?!” I yelled, completely baffled.
Shiori-chan suddenly yanked her room door open and went clattering down the stairs, prompting me to frantically shove the rest of my gear into my bag to chase after her.
Following her down the staircase, I could see even from behind that her ears were burning bright red, and I couldn’t help but crack a fond smile.
“Ah, thank you as always for today, Masato-kun~”
As I reached the bottom of the stairs, Shiori-chan’s mother popped her head out from the living room.
“Not at all! Shiori-chan was exceptional today as well,” I assured her.
“Oh my, you don’t need to lay on such transparent flattery, dear,” her mother teased gently.
“Could you please not talk as if it’s automatically flattery?!” Shiori-chan chimed in, pouting.
Shiori-chan’s mother let out a light giggle before suddenly snapping her fingers as if remembering something.
“Masato-kun, if you don’t mind, why don’t you stay for dinner?” she offered warmly.
“Huh?” I blinked in surprise.
“Well, I made curry tonight, but I accidentally cooked far too much. If it’s alright with you, how about joining us?”
It was a completely unexpected invitation.
Since I usually just whipped up something simple for myself alone at home, I was deeply grateful. But the most important thing was how Shiori-chan felt about it.
With that in mind, I glanced over at Shiori-chan…
“Alright then, I’ll eat together with Masato-san, so Mom, you can take your plate to your room,” Shiori-chan declared without hesitation.
“Heh heh. Why don’t you go eat alone in your room, sweetie?” her mother retorted with a serene smile.
“Wh-What…?” Shiori-chan squeaked in defeat.
I wasn’t entirely sure what was happening, but since it seemed fine, I decided to gratefully accept their hospitality.
Shiori-chan’s house was truly impressive.
Normally, the only areas I saw were the entryway and Shiori-chan’s room right at the top of the stairs, but even from just those glimpses, it was clear how spacious and wonderful a home it was.
Today, I was invited into the living room—a space I usually didn’t step foot into—to join them for dinner. This was probably my first time entering their living room since the very first day I came here as her tutor.
Set before me was a bowl of curry served in an equally elegant dish. Just one glance told me it was packed with plenty of ingredients.
I scooped up a spoonful and took a bite.
It wasn’t overly spicy, but it had a rich, comforting savory flavor that naturally made you crave more rice. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that the meat wasn’t chicken.
I’d heard people say that homemade curry reflects the unique taste of each family’s mother, and this certainly felt like proof of that.
“It’s packed with meat and tastes amazing,” I complimented.
“Oh, I’m glad! I actually prefer chicken, but prepping it is such a hassle, you know?” her mother replied with a wave of her hand.
“My mom is just insanely lazy, that’s all,” Shiori-chan grumbled between mouthfuls.
She complained grumpily while chewing away on her food.
Lazy or not, it really was a delicious curry.
As I happily dug in, Shiori-chan’s mother rested her chin on her hand, watching me with a beaming smile.
“I’m so glad you like curry, Masato-kun,” she said sweetly.
“Ah… yes,” I replied, hesitating slightly.
My words got caught in my throat for a moment.
If asked whether I harbored a special passion for curry, I wouldn’t really say I did, but…
“I never really got to eat home-cooked curry growing up… so having this makes me really happy. It’s truly delicious.”
…Wait, why did I bring that up? That’s way too depressing for the dinner table. The moment the words left my mouth, I instantly regretted bringing up such a somber topic.
“Th-Then, Masato-san, if you date me, you get to eat this curry whenever you want! Wow, what a crazy bargain!” Shiori-chan chimed in rapidly, trying to lighten the mood.
“Could you sound any lamest if you tried, sweetie?” her mother quipped.
“Sh-Shut up!” Shiori-chan snapped.
She shoved a massive spoonful of curry into her mouth to hide her sheer embarrassment.
Whether she had said it to smooth over the awkwardness or out of genuine feeling, her words warmed my heart immensely.
Just as I was silently thanking Shiori-chan in my heart, however…
“So, how about it for real, Masato-kun? Is Shiori in the running for you?”
“MOM, WHAT THE HECK?!” Shiori-chan shrieked.
The sudden conversational bombshell sent Shiori-chan slamming both hands onto the table as she leaped out of her chair.
“What? Having a sweet boy like him as my future son-in-law would be amazing! Plus, it might help me get closer to his host friends at the bar! This is a crucial matter, you know?”
“How can you admit to four out of four completely impure motives with a straight face?!” Shiori-chan retorted sharply.
Come to think of it, Shiori-chan’s mother apparently frequented the Boys’ Bar where I worked. I had a vague recollection of seeing her there once before I became Shiori-chan’s tutor.
Since I hadn’t spotted her since then, I had assumed she stopped coming altogether. But judging by the way she talked, she was probably still visiting the bar while deliberately avoiding Fridays—the day I worked.
…Well, running into your daughter’s male tutor at a host bar would probably be pretty awkward for her.
“So? What’s your answer, Masato-kun?” her mother pressed.
“Ummm…” I stammered.
It felt intensely embarrassing to talk about Shiori-chan right in front of her, but…
“Shiori-chan is a truly wonderful girl, and spending time with her is always a blast. At first, she was a little stiff and reserved around me… but lately she’s opened up. I like to think we’ve built a really great relationship together.”
I gave a safe, tactful answer that wouldn’t cause any unnecessary waves. Besides, everything I said was the honest truth.
“You know… I wouldn’t mind if we built a far more scandalously intimate relationship…” Shiori-chan purred in a mock-seductive whisper.
“Saying that with your cheeks blushing bright red doesn’t make it sound convincing,” I teased gently.
Even though she was trying to play it cool, her face flared up even redder, making it painfully easy to tell she was just hiding her embarrassment.
“Hmm~… Honestly, I didn’t expect much, but it doesn’t sound like she’s completely out of the running,” her mother observed thoughtfully.
“If he said I had zero chance, I would’ve dropped dead right here on the spot, so are we really good?!” Shiori-chan retorted.
“Well, if Shiori doesn’t work out, I’m always available, okay?” her mother winked.
“Hey! Don’t get carried away! Just because the hosts at the Boys’ Bar are polite to older women doesn’t mean you have a shot!” Shiori-chan barked back.
“Do you want me to smack you?” her mother snapped.
Watching the two of them bicker back and forth so lively, I smiled warmly, thinking to myself how alike mother and daughter truly were.
Before I knew it, nine o’clock at night had already arrived, bringing an end to a wonderful evening spent enjoying their lively company.