Let the Bullets Fly for a While

Akimoto Yoichi looked at the seven dishes and one soup on the table, feeling a sense of accomplishment after spending over forty minutes preparing them.

Although he had transmigrated, he hadn't been able to eat a proper meal in his daily life.

After all, the old man had used the pots at home as ashtrays, and the household electricity bill was over a hundred thousand yen in arrears, leaving them without power for more than half a year.

There was no helping it; Akimoto Yoichi's culinary skills had nowhere to be put to use.

Every day, he could only go to convenience stores or supermarkets, waiting until after nine o'clock to buy bento boxes discounted by eighty or ninety percent.

Because of Akimoto Yoichi's delinquent-looking face, no one dared to compete with him for them, so he could at least say he was "eating off his looks."

This was the first time he had personally cooked the food he was familiar with from before.

"Akimoto-kun, you're truly amazing! To think you could make so many dishes!" Suzuran Ayano was very happy; she had just recorded the entire process of Akimoto Yoichi cooking.

This way, she could learn to cook like Akimoto Yoichi in her daily life.

Her daily bento boxes would also be much more varied.

Her mother would be happy too, compared to the food she used to make that everyone had grown tired of.

"It is indeed surprising. Akimoto-kun really shouldn't be judged by his appearance. Even though his face looks so terrifying, he can actually cook. I thought Akimoto-kun only liked girls wearing aprons to stir-fry apples."

Nishida Yuki teased Akimoto Yoichi with great interest, her words carrying a double meaning.

"Huh? Does Akimoto-kun like girls wearing aprons? That's strange, what's so good about aprons?"

Kuroo Maya, who couldn't wait and had already snuck a bite of the sweet and sour pork, sucked on her fingers and asked innocently.

"Let's eat." Akimoto Yoichi glanced at the deliberately provocative Nishida Yuki, too lazy to respond.

People like her, who loved to dance on the edge, would eventually get taught a lesson.

However, what surprised Akimoto Yoichi was that neither Ayano nor Maya understood the implication.

Fukayama Natsuki, on the other hand, was blushing furiously. Did this little one understand what Nishida Yuki meant by stir-frying apples and wearing aprons?

"It's time to go call Mom down for dinner. I can't really step away, Akimoto-kun, could you go and call Mom?"

Suzuran Ayano was cleaning the kitchen counter.

She didn't think much of it, subconsciously asking Akimoto Yoichi, whom she trusted the most, to call Suzuran Mari.

After all, the relationship between Ayano and Nishida Yuki couldn't be called friendly, Kuroo Maya was busy sneaking food, and Natsuki-chan was saying strange things again today, so Akimoto Yoichi was the most normal one.

"Oh, sure." Akimoto Yoichi agreed without much thought.

But just as he was about to move the chair beside him, Fukayama Natsuki, who was sitting across from him, jumped up from her seat with a start.

"No! He's not allowed to go!" Natsuki's voice was very loud.

Everyone's gaze fell on her, and Fukayama Natsuki realized her voice had been too loud.

However, she didn't back down.

"You can't let this delinquent go! I'll go call Mother Mari!"

"You are not allowed to follow!"

"Did you hear me! You delinquent, you are not allowed to follow!"

After saying that, Natsuki trotted up the stairs to the second floor, as if afraid that Akimoto Yoichi would get there first.

Watching Fukayama Natsuki's defensive posture, Akimoto Yoichi sat back down in his seat.

Nishida Yuki, on his left, immediately giggled.

"It seems Akimoto-kun is being hated, and by such a cute middle schooler, no less."

"Shut up. Do you want me to find something to stuff your mouth with?" Akimoto Yoichi felt a bit annoyed.

Fukayama Natsuki had dumped a pot of curry on him the moment they met, and now this attitude?

He didn't quite understand; he hadn't done anything strange to Natsuki, and if anything, he had been quite tolerant.

Could it be that Natsuki didn't just misunderstand him kissing Nishida Yuki, but also misunderstood something else?

"Hahahaha, it must be Akimoto-kun's face!" Kuroo Maya sucked on a sweet and sour rib, her mouth covered in oil.

"Akimoto-kun's face is too scary. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe that Akimoto-kun could make so many delicious dishes!"

"You can't even get food this good at a Chinese restaurant. I really have a new respect for Akimoto-kun now."

"Dummy Maya, that's not exactly comforting." Ayano walked to the table with the clean tableware and tapped Kuroo Maya on the head.

Looking back at Akimoto Yoichi, she apologized with some guilt.

"I'm sorry, Akimoto-kun. I don't know why Natsuki-chan is being so rude."

"This child is usually very smart and well-behaved."

"Who knew she would be like this toward you, and she even dumped a pot of curry on you. I'm really sorry."

Akimoto Yoichi shook his head and said nothing.

He wasn't about to complain to Ayano about anything.

"Could it be because of Fukayama Midori? Midori-kun is Natsuki's older brother, so she might just be protecting her brother's childhood friend, right?"

Nishida Yuki offered a guess that hit the nail on the head.

This remark didn't sting Akimoto Yoichi; it stung Suzuran Ayano.

"Hmph, if Fukayama really cared about me as a childhood friend, then it shouldn't be Natsuki coming here. Since he hasn't shown up, he doesn't care about me at all."

Ayano's tone couldn't hide her overwhelming disappointment.

This wasn't her being tsundere; she was genuinely disheartened.

However, Ayano was not a weak-willed person, and she quickly pushed Fukayama Midori to the back of her mind.

"Forget about Fukayama. I just thought you and Fukayama were quite close, Nishida-san."

"Didn't you two chat quite happily during the entrance ceremony?"

"In the end, didn't Fukayama still fail to come see you? He finds me annoying, but didn't he also fail to come find you?"

Hearing Ayano's counterattack, Nishida Yuki scoffed.

Fukayama Midori? He was nothing more than a pet.

"Me? I don't care. My interest in Midori-kun is different from your feelings for him." Nishida Yuki could replace a pet at any time.

Right now, she had found a much more interesting "pet."

Although she didn't say these words aloud, the way Nishida Yuki rested her chin on her hand and looked at Akimoto Yoichi conveyed exactly that meaning.

Akimoto Yoichi glared back at this manipulative young lady with resistance, which only served to pique her interest further.

"So, Akimoto-kun, what do you plan to do?"

"Fukayama Natsuki seems to be treating you so poorly out of a sense of rivalry on behalf of her brother."

"If things continue like this, Akimoto-kun, you're going to be hated forever, you know."

"Natsuki is actually a good girl; she will definitely understand Akimoto-kun in the future," Ayano said, trying to comfort Akimoto Yoichi.

Akimoto Yoichi merely shrugged indifferently.

"It doesn't matter. Whether she wants to get close to me or not is irrelevant, as long as she doesn't get in my way."

Originally, he had just wanted to take advantage of her; the "Learning Ability" buff from Natsuki's entry was indeed useful.

But seeing Fukayama Natsuki's current hostile attitude toward him, Akimoto Yoichi found it a bit tiresome.

Let the bullets fly for a while; as long as she couldn't help, he just needed to make sure Fukayama Natsuki didn't hinder him.

"Has everyone finished preparing the food? It looks delicious."

Accompanied by footsteps coming down the stairs, Mrs. Suzuran and Natsuki walked down.

At this moment, Mrs. Suzuran was clearly wearing light makeup, lacking the fragile and lazy feeling she had just after waking up.

She was no longer wearing that revealing, sheer nightgown, but had changed into a home-style off-the-shoulder sweater.