A Wish for Endless Meals
Though this was Kujou Sakuya’s home, it was Hoshimori Shion who stood at the cutting board, meticulously slicing vegetables.
“Hoshimori-san, I… I can handle the cooking,” Kujou Sakuya offered, pushing up her glasses as she stood beside Shion.
Shion, in truth, dared not voice the real reason: if she were to sit down, her gaze might inadvertently drift beneath Sakuya’s skirt.
Therefore, to avoid being branded a pervert by the girl before her, it was far better to stay on her feet and cook. At the very least, it would prevent both herself and Sakuya from suffering utter social mortification.
“I usually cook for my sister at home, so it’s fine. Kujou-san, why don’t you rest for a bit? Perhaps… perhaps go put on some underwear or something,” Shion blurted out, trying to change the subject while chopping cabbage. The words, spoken so unconsciously, made Shion want to slap herself.
“Oh, honestly, Hoshimori-san, don’t keep bringing that up…” Kujou Sakuya said, her face flushing. “Besides, I washed all my clothes in the machine yesterday, so I don’t have anything to wear right now.”
Relieved that Sakuya wasn’t angry, Shion nodded. “Then Kujou-san, you can read a book. Soon, you’ll get to taste my cooking. You happen to have hamburger patties at home, and this is Ayane’s favorite dish—it’s one of my specialties, you know!”
Kujou Sakuya smiled in return. “Then I’ll sit here and eagerly await your meal, Hoshimori-san!”
With practiced ease, Shion set the pan, flipped it, and added oil. After the cabbage had been stir-fried until fragrant and removed, it was time for the hamburger patties—the dish Shion had prepared most often recently. The ground beef went into the pan, sizzling as she fried and shaped it, then she prepared the sauce, carefully spooning it over the already glistening, pan-fried patties.
The entire room filled with the rich aroma of cooking meat.
“Kujou-san, wipe your drool,” Shion remarked, flipping the hamburger patties.
“Huh?!” Kujou Sakuya instantly wiped away the saliva that had pooled at the corner of her mouth. “Hoshimori-san, how did you know? You weren’t even looking at me!”
“Because my sister is exactly the same—so easily tempted by food. I figured Kujou-san might be too. And sure enough!” Shion’s voice rose playfully, clearly pleased with her culinary creation.
Sakuya walked closer, her hands unconsciously resting on Shion’s back, her head leaning against Shion’s shoulder. As she watched Shion expertly flip the hamburger patties in the pan, the saliva she had just wiped away began to flow again, unbidden.
Seeing Sakuya’s longing expression, Shion set down the pan with her left hand, continuing to stir-fry with only her right, and reached out to gently stroke Sakuya’s hair. Sakuya, docile, didn’t flinch, her gaze still fixed intently on the hamburger patties in the pan.
Shion could only take a small spoon, cut off a tiny piece of meat from the pan, blow on it near her own lips, and then bring it to Sakuya’s mouth. “Here, have a bite first. Be careful, it’s hot.”
Sakuya parted her cherry-red lips and devoured the hamburger patty in a single bite. Her eyes sparkling as if filled with stars. “Wow! Hoshimori-san, your cooking is truly amazing!”
“Seeing your reaction, I’d say it’s perfectly cooked. Time to serve!” she announced, taking out several plates and deftly arranging the hamburger patties. Just then, the oven beside them chimed. Shion opened the oven door, and the sweet aroma of cake wafted out.
“Huh?! Hoshimori-san, you made a cake too?” Sakuya asked, astonished. “I didn’t even notice!”
Shion’s lips curved into a proud smile. “Oh, that was just a little something I whipped up on the side.”
Before long, the two girls were seated at the table, where the freshly cooked cabbage and hamburger patties, along with a fragrant lemon cake, were laid out.
“Itadakimasu!” (TL Note: A Japanese phrase said before eating, expressing gratitude for the meal.) both girls exclaimed, pressing their palms together before picking up their plates and beginning to feast with gusto.
Shion had always assumed that the usually reserved Sakuya would eat delicately, perhaps chewing slowly like a young lady such as Rie. Indeed, that was how Sakuya behaved at school. However, Sakuya at home was noticeably more relaxed, or rather, she became incredibly relaxed when with Shion. She ate without pause, even when her mouth was smeared with meat. In comparison, even Shion appeared more composed and elegant.
Noticing the meat clinging to Sakuya’s lips, Shion instinctively pulled out a tissue and moved closer to Sakuya. “Kujou-san, you have something on your mouth.” Shion leaned in, gently wiping away the grease and tiny bits of meat from Sakuya’s lips.
Sakuya froze for a moment. This felt… like the first time a girl her age had cared for her so tenderly. The last time might have been when she was in first grade, her mother gently wiping her mouth. Yet, as she grew older, the rift between the girl and her parents had deepened, and such intimate gestures had, it seemed, slowly faded into distant memories.
Watching Shion, who was so close beside her, Sakuya softly rubbed her head against Shion’s hair, finding it wonderfully soft. “Thank you, Hoshimori-san. You’re truly so caring.”
Shion smiled, observing Sakuya’s almost empty plate and the lingering hunger in her eyes. Shion then pushed the half-eaten hamburger patty remaining on her own plate towards Sakuya. “Kujou-san, I’m full, but there’s still quite a bit left… I don’t want it to go to waste, so please, Kujou-san, eat it for me!”
Sakuya’s eyes lit up. She nodded, then resumed eating with an almost voracious speed, like an autumn wind sweeping fallen leaves. In one breath, she finished all the remaining hamburger patties on the plate, along with the rice.
Shion greatly enjoyed watching Sakuya savor the meal she had prepared. She cut a small slice of cake for herself and then pushed the larger portion towards Sakuya. “Kujou-san, if that’s not enough, there’s still cake.”
Sakuya looked at the cake before her with a hint of embarrassment. She wasn’t foolish; if Shion had gone to such lengths, and she still couldn’t tell that Shion wanted her to eat more, she would indeed be rather dim-witted. “Hoshimori-san, aren’t you going to have some yourself?”
“Me? My appetite has never been very large. Besides, Kujou-san, you taught me so much today; consider this a small token of my gratitude,” Shion said with a smile. “So please, Kujou-san, eat without worry.”
Shion’s words were gentle, like the clear chime of wind chimes beneath Sakuya’s eaves, resonating in the late summer breeze, capable of chasing away all the vexation and troubles of the entire season.
“Alright…” Sakuya reluctantly accepted Shion’s kindness, scooping a bite of cake into her mouth.
It was sweet, soft, and fluffy.
‘If only… Hoshimori-san could always cook for me,’ Sakuya murmured to herself. ‘Always, always… that would be perfect.’
“Hmm? Kujou-san, what did you say?”
Sakuya gently shook her head. “Oh, it’s nothing, just… a small wish, that’s all.”