A full week had passed since the Daijin expulsion incident.
Everything seemed to have returned to tranquility, though perhaps with a slight difference.
Asama Kazutomi, 18, was no longer alone—
On a rare Sunday, Kazuo also kept his promise to Xiao Hai Wan, going out together to the trade supermarket in a nearby shopping mall to buy ingredients.
After all, they had previously agreed to cook together on the weekend if they had time. So when Xiao Hai Wan found him, Kazuo had no choice but to keep his promise and accompany her out.
Daijin seemed to have returned to her mother's side for the weekend, so Xiao Hai Wan, alone in her dorm room, naturally thought of Kazuo.
After all, Kazuo, like her, was someone who stayed at school on weekends.
Today, Xiao Hai Wan was not wearing her school uniform. She had meticulously braided her long hair, sweeping it over her chest, and was dressed in a cream-colored high-neck knit sweater, a light blue thin-sleeved jacket, a body-shaping leather belt, a knee-length pleated skirt, and round-toe leather high-heeled ankle boots.
Mature, intellectual, gentle, and beautiful.
Her carefully styled appearance was enough to make even passersby stop and stare.
Her already full and slender figure, enhanced by the five-centimeter-high leather round-toe high-heeled ankle boots, made her almost the same height as Kazuo.
It had to be said that Xiao Hai Wan, whether in her image, temperament, appearance, or figure, was an admirable presence.
A gentle woman, as if she could be squeezed for water, serene and beautiful.
Quietly carrying her shoulder bag, she walked slowly with Kazuo down the pedestrian street, maintaining a charming smile the entire time.
Walking down the aisle of the supermarket, Xiao Hai Wan carefully examined the goods while Kazuo slowly followed behind, pushing a shopping cart.
"Asama-kun, is there anything you'd like to eat today?"
Xiao Hai Wan picked up a pack of tomatoes wrapped in cling film and marked with a discount price, turning her head to ask Kazuo for his opinion.
Compared to the dressed-up girl, Kazuo had only changed into a relatively simple white shirt and a light grey knit sweater. After all, he was just a high school student before, and besides the suits he bought for work, he didn't have many good clothes now.
Although in terms of status, their relationship should be one of superior and subordinate.
However, with Kazuo's age and this outfit, standing next to Xiao Hai Wan, they looked, no matter how one saw it, like a young couple full of everyday life.
Moreover, Xiao Hai Wan's personality could tolerate everything, so if he wasn't careful, he would end up looking like he was dependent on her.
He was supposed to be the Trainer, but if she often took care of him, to be honest, it was a bit embarrassing.
However, in this situation, besides being teacher and student, they were also partners, friends, and teammates.
Therefore, Kazuo's state of mind at this time was relatively relaxed, as being by Xiao Hai Wan's side always gave him an inexplicable sense of security.
As they walked through the supermarket, Xiao Hai Wan examined the goods while Kazuo slowly followed behind, pushing a shopping cart.
"Hmm... I don't mind. Do you have anything you want to eat, Xiao Hai Wan?"
His attitude was that kind of casual nonchalance.
After all, he was the kind of person who could survive on cup noodles alone.
Things like curry miso cup noodles, tonkotsu broth cup noodles... but ever since Xiao Hai Wan started supervising his life, all the food he used for emergencies had been confiscated by Xiao Hai Wan.
Kazuo had thought about talking to her, but when it came to topics of nutrition and health, Xiao Hai Wan would become unusually terrifying.
It wasn't because she was angry or anything.
"If Asama-kun is like this, I'll make you bento every day ~"
Facing such concern, which could even be called overwhelming.
To this, Kazuo could only agree, promising not to eat such unhealthy junk food.
After all, he didn't want to delay Xiao Hai Wan's studies and training because of himself.
As for expenses, due to his contribution in the Daijin incident, the Chairman still issued him a bonus based on his performance review.
As things stand now, as long as he doesn't spend money recklessly, it's more than enough to comfortably get through a month.
"Hmm... in that case..."
Tilting her head slightly, the girl lightly tapped her lower lip with her finger, and after a moment of thought, she picked up some shiitake mushrooms nearby and said:
"How about this? Would you like to try making Oden tonight?"
"Oden, huh... sounds pretty good," Kazuo said after thinking for a moment. "But for the cooking utensils, let's see if we can borrow some from the dorm manager. After all, to make this, we'll need a pot, right?"
"Hmm... if we're making Oden, for vegetables, it would be kelp, shiitake mushrooms, daikon radish, and also yam and konjac, right?"
The girl counted on her fingers, then began to chatter again, picking up items and comparing prices.
"Xiao Hai Wan, what are you doing?"
Kazuo asked curiously, as Xiao Hai Wan had just been writing something on her phone.
"I'm keeping a ledger. After all, Asama-kun doesn't have much of a salary right now, does he? If we don't budget carefully, you'll end up living on cup noodles again like before, won't you?"
Although he wanted to retort, he couldn't—
"You're right..."
He was supposed to be the Trainer and the older one, but Xiao Hai Wan often became the more proactive one.
"For meat intake, I saw some fish cakes on special earlier, and eggs limited to one box per person, then there's dango and beef tendon... In that case, the expenses shouldn't exceed... hmm, 1,500 yen."
"So cheap!"
Kazuo couldn't help but exclaim; to buy all these things with such a small budget was nothing short of magic.
Xiao Hai Wan was simply too skilled at managing a household frugally.
"And then there's the soup base... if we buy pre-made soup base, it's a bit wasteful, to be honest..."
Completely considering Kazuo's financial balance, and seeing Xiao Hai Wan so perplexed, Kazuo naturally couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
"Leave this to me! My family is from Seto, so we're quite good at making miso soup and things like that!"
"Oh... if that's the case, then I'll leave it to Asama-kun."
The girl said with a smile, then followed Kazuo as he loaded the items into the cart and pushed it to the checkout.
.
On the way back, Kazuo had originally wanted to carry the groceries by himself, but he couldn't win against Xiao Hai Wan's persistence.
So in the end, they walked side by side, each carrying one side.
This atmosphere, for some reason, always felt a little enchanting and made one's heart flutter.
Although she was only two years younger than him, Xiao Hai Wan was indeed so reliable in every aspect.
"I've been wanting to ask since before..."
Perhaps feeling that if they didn't say anything in such an atmosphere, it would become awkwardly silent.
Due to this situation, Kazuo opened his mouth and asked, "Has Xiao Hai Wan always been so good at taking care of people?"
She was capable of all household chores, good at studying, and her strength in competition was beyond doubt.
Such a trustworthy presence, Kazuo couldn't help but be curious: was Xiao Hai Wan truly always like this from the beginning?
Xiao Hai Wan paused slightly, then softly hummed in affirmation.
"Hmm... how should I put it, I actually grew up in an orphanage. Because I had to help look after other children every day, over time, I got used to taking care of others."
"I see..."
Kazuo hadn't expected this topic to lead to such a relatively heavy past.
Everyone has their own misfortunes in life, even Xiao Hai Wan, who was usually so gentle with others—
"But, precisely because of that, a gentle person like Xiao Hai Wan must be loved by the children, right? A person like Xiao Hai Wan, who takes care of others, will surely make a good wife."
He had only intended to comfort the girl beside him.
Kazuo couldn't help but sigh softly, not noticing that the girl beside him had uncharacteristically turned her face away, and her pointed ears were, for some reason, drooping downwards.
On the way back—
For some reason, Xiao Hai Wan then became uncharacteristically quiet, walking with her head down.
[Today's Outcome]
[Asama Kazutomi's Unknowing Victory]
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