Rock Girl Descends Beside Me!

--It all made perfect sense.

Of course, Nagasaki Sose had considered how to keep Riki in the band, for example... by owing her a favor, making him feel guilty.

That's what she thought, but the plan had gone a bit awry.

Nagasaki Sose fidgeted awkwardly and said, "Actually, I have about half a pound of crucian carp here..."

Who asked you?

Huh? What are you fishing for?

Riki looked at Nagasaki Sose strangely, her fair face growing redder.

"I originally wanted to make fish soup for you since you had a cold, and also send some to Sakiko, so I bought a crucian carp," Nagasaki Sose buried her face in her chest. "But I couldn't control it well while gutting the fish, and the fish tail slapped my face... Anyway, it's not ready yet. Could you help me out?"

The problem was, she wanted Riki to feel indebted to her, but her... cooking skills seemed a bit lacking.

Riki looked speechlessly at Nagasaki Sose. You want to give me something to warm me up because I have a cold, so you're going to have me make it myself?

Damn it, I'd rather expect villagers to share nuclear knowledge with me.

Riki sighed and stood up. "Let me see the fish you bought."

His cooking skills were also average, but he was good at making soup. His mother's soup was too terrible, so he had to do it himself, which honed his soup-making skills.

Super Beasts had no pain, and Riki figured fish were the same. He quickly dispatched the fish.

"Don't you need to score the fish a few times? I remember seeing that in cooking videos," Nagasaki Sose asked from the side.

"Crucian carp have many small bones. They can easily fall apart when boiled for soup, and it's troublesome if you accidentally eat a bone," Riki said. "But the crucian carp you chose for the soup is indeed very suitable. The scales are rich in protein, fat, and various vitamins, as well as iron, zinc, calcium, and many essential trace elements for the human body, plus collagen. Fish scales also contain various unsaturated fatty acids, which can reduce cholesterol buildup on artery walls, helping to prevent arteriosclerosis, hypertension, and heart disease. After the soup is done, you can give some to your mother too."

"I, of course, I know that common sense!" Nagasaki Sose pretended to know, puffing out her cheeks and looking at Riki indignantly.

This guy is always showing off his knowledge in front of me.

When she's a year or two older and the same age as Riki, she'll definitely become even better and wiser than him.

"Wash the crucian carp clean and dry it with kitchen paper, then you can heat the oil in the pot. Be careful not to add the ginger slices yet... Control the oil temperature and pan-fry over low heat until you hear a sizzling sound."

"And then?"

At some point, Nagasaki Sose found herself standing next to Riki, watching him cook the soup. Occasionally, she'd mutter discontentedly, and occasionally, she'd lean in and ask questions curiously.

Nagasaki Sose looked at Riki, who was diligently making soup, and found his profile very serious. This feeling made her feel... very secure.

This guy, if he weren't so annoying, would be quite likable.

Nagasaki Sose's eyes softened involuntarily.

She suddenly jolted and shook her head.

No, he's just a tool to rebuild Crychic.

Nagasaki Sose came back to her senses and suddenly noticed Riki staring directly at her, his eyes seeming to hold emotions she couldn't decipher. Her heart suddenly pounded, and she asked, "What is it?"

"You're blocking my access to water. I need to start cooking the fish," Riki said.

Nagasaki Sose's face immediately darkened, and she glared fiercely at Riki.

I thought he was going to...

After Riki finished filling the pot with water, he began to cook the fish soup. Soon, the soup turned white and began to boil vigorously, releasing a fresh aroma.

Riki took a small sip and found it acceptable. He handed it to Nagasaki Sose. "Try it."

Nagasaki Sose also took a sip, her eyes widening slightly. The fish soup was very fresh, much better than anything she had made before. Was he really that good at making soup?

After a pause, Nagasaki Sose looked at the rim of the bowl and her expression suddenly froze.

Riki had also drunk from this bowl earlier. Doesn't that mean... a French kiss?!

Nagasaki Sose looked at Riki, but he seemed completely oblivious. She couldn't help but frown severely.

Only I care about this kind of thing, doesn't that make me look like an idiot?

"It's ready. Sit down and let's drink it together," Riki said, scooping two bowls of soup and placing them on the dining table.

Nagasaki Sose was stunned. Eat at the dining table?

In her memory, she hadn't eaten with anyone other than her mother for a long time. Even the members of Crychic only ate snacks and drank coffee at cafes and in the Ring, never eating together at home, like... family.

Family?

Nagasaki Sose stared blankly at Riki, who was sitting across the table.

She was doing something with Riki that even her "family" in Crychic had never done.

"What are you thinking about? Drink up," Riki said. "When I was little, my parents were often not home. My old man went to work in Africa for several years and never came back, and my mom was very busy with work, leaving early and coming back late. She had no time to pay attention to me, so I often made soup for her when she got home from work."

"This..."

Isn't this the same as me?

Nagasaki Sose couldn't help but think.

"So I rarely had time to eat with people. Thank you," Riki said, smiling at Nagasaki Sose.

"You don't need to thank me for anything," Nagasaki Sose turned her head away and said coldly.

But the corners of her mouth, which had been turned down, gradually softened. She looked at Riki with a hum and said, "Since you're so pathetic, I'll just treat you as family for now. Eat properly this time."

Me too. I'll just treat Riki as family for now...

Just for tonight.

The high-rise apartment, which usually shone with lonely lights, now held the figures of two people.

Nagasaki Sose twirled a brown strand of hair around her fair fingers, looking at Riki opposite her with an unmistakable smile on her face. She repeated it in her heart.

...Just for tonight. Nagasaki Sose said to herself, her lips curling up involuntarily. She watched Riki say strange things again, a relaxed and cheerful smile on her face.

"Haha..." In the apartment, which was usually lonely but now felt a little warm, Nagasaki Sose let out a light, bell-like laugh.

Chapter 45: Sose's Diary

"Clack."

The apartment door opened. Nagasaki's Mom found the lights on at home late into the night. Her daughter, Sose, was sitting on the sofa waiting for her. How strange, wasn't this child not a night owl?

"Mom, Riki helped me today... I made some fish soup for you, and I was thinking we could drink it together when you get back." Nagasaki Sose said with a smile.

"You're good at cooking, but aren't you bad at making soup?" Nagasaki's Mom sat down, picked up the still-warm soup, and took a sip. It was surprisingly delicious. She glanced at the kitchen and saw two unwashed bowls, and couldn't help but give her dignified daughter a teasing smile.

"That handsome boy who was here earlier came over, right?"

"Huh? How did you know... No, I made it all myself. He just helped out on the side!"

"It's fine to let him in, but what worries me is that you're still so young. What if you get pregnant? I was tricked by a scumbag before, so I'm really worried about you."

"Mom!" Nagasaki Sose said, embarrassed and annoyed. "Riki and I aren't like that!"

"I didn't say it was Riki-kun."

"...Hmph!" Nagasaki Sose's face turned red. Angrily, she returned to her room, only to suddenly hear her mother's words from behind.

"And Sose, thank you for the soup. Mom is very happy." Nagasaki's Mom sat at the dining table, smiling at Nagasaki Sose.

Nagasaki Sose froze for a moment, then pulled up her collar to hide the happy smile on her face. She nodded gently. "Mm."

It was good that I listened to him and made the soup for Mom when she got back.

Nagasaki Sose sat down at her desk, picked up her diary, and began to write. Thinking of Riki, whom she had to mention today, she pouted and reluctantly started writing. Suddenly, she blinked and smiled.

[March 20th. Today I planned to make fish soup for the sick idiot Riki, so I called him over to my place. He tried to show off by killing a crucian carp but got slapped in the face by its tail. At this point, the beautiful and intelligent Miss Sose cleanly cut the fish, but the foolish Riki refused to admit Miss Sose's perfection.]

['Don't you need to make a few cuts on the fish? I remember seeing that in cooking videos,' the idiot Riki said foolishly from the side. Miss Sose, who is skilled in housework and kind, calmly explained, 'Fish have many small bones, and they can easily break apart when making soup.' However, the foolish Riki insisted, 'I, I of course know this common sense!' This guy is really stupid and awkward. Fortunately, Miss Sose is a gentle and patient person.]

[Next, I'll pan-fry the fish... uh, anyway, I finally finished cooking the fish. While making the soup, the idiot Riki kept panicking and asking, 'What next?' I suspect he didn't listen to a single step Miss Sose said and completely forgot.]

[The fish soup was delicious. I don't know why, but I feel a sense of family when I'm with him. Maybe... No, it's definitely an illusion, because the lights in my home are warm.]

[Also, I listened to his suggestion and waited to give Mom the soup when she got back. Mom was happy, and I haven't felt this happy in a long time. Maybe I can say a word to him... Thank you?]

Nagasaki Sose paused, muttering to herself, "I'll say it later. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future anyway."

Honestly, it's such a hassle that he ended up at his place.

Who would want to live with him?

Nagasaki Sose stared blankly at her diary. The dim desk lamp illuminated her soft face. She didn't know what she was thinking as she covered her mouth and chuckled.

Toyokawa Sakiko waited from evening until ten o'clock but didn't see Riki return. She did receive a message from him on her phone.

"Kitty, when do you think Riki will be back?" Toyokawa Sakiko asked, squatting down and feeding a white stray cat.

"Of course, he has the freedom to go wherever he wants, but it's so late, I can't help but worry about him. You also think Riki should come back sooner, right?"

Toyokawa Sakiko propped her chin on her hand and smiled at the stray cat.

The stray cat had been fed by Toyokawa Sakiko frequently over the past few months and was very close to her. But for some reason, today's Toyokawa Sakiko felt a little scary.

"Well, I'm not his girlfriend, so I can't say much. But kitty, do you think Riki has a girlfriend? He probably doesn't, since he's never mentioned one." Toyokawa Sakiko muttered.

"But Riki is very popular in college. He's great at music, and he's handsome too. There should be many girls who like him, right?"

"I don't know what type of girl he likes."

Riki felt like the gravity on Earth was a little heavy today. Had he also become a soul bound by gravity?

After leaving Nagasaki Sose's place, Riki walked towards his rental apartment. Before long, he saw Toyokawa Sakiko feeding a cat downstairs.

When Toyokawa Sakiko looked up and saw him, her expression brightened, but she quickly composed herself and just nodded.

"?" Riki.

Why does she seem a little angry?

"You're back. Why are you back so late?"

"Sorry, sorry."

Riki took out a thermos and said, "I made some fish soup, and it's still warm. I thought I'd bring it back for you to drink."

Toyokawa Sakiko blinked, turned her head, and muttered, "Don't do things like this. Aren't you still sick?"

Is she mad because I have a cold?

Tsundere Sakiko is so cute.

Toyokawa Sakiko took the thermos and suddenly felt it looked familiar—it was the same thermos Nagasaki Sose had brought when Crychic was still around.

Nagasaki Sose... Toyokawa Sakiko thought.

"Hurry back to your room, you didn't forget to take your medicine, did you? Honestly." Toyokawa Sakiko said, pulling Riki's hand in annoyance. "I'll get you water, take it quickly."

"Okay, okay, you should try the fish soup too."

Toyokawa Sakiko walked to the stove, squinted at the thermos, and poured the fish soup inside into her own cup before drinking it. She barely touched Nagasaki Sose's thermos.

"So warm," Toyokawa Sakiko smiled faintly.

Toyokawa Sakiko handed the medicine and warm water to Riki, watching him drink it before smiling slightly.

Sakiko-bao, you looking at me like that puts a lot of pressure on me.

You're not giving me goji berries, are you?

My great sword isn't that thirsty yet.

"Oh right, Riki, I know this is a bit sudden, but could you do me a favor?" Toyokawa Sakiko suddenly said seriously to Riki. "Could you become my family?"

******

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Chapter 46: Sakiko's Resolve