Prologue
In the beginning of July, I woke up, inhaling the cool, fresh air into my lungs. The air from the air conditioner, turned on for the increasingly uncomfortable night, made the mist from the humidifier in the bedroom gently quiver.
Because the air conditioner dries out the air, the humidifier is essential. In the past, when I forgot to turn it on and slept, my throat would hurt, and that day I couldn’t speak properly, which disrupted my work.
Additionally, as I approached my late twenties, skin dryness started to become a concern, so I wanted to maintain an appropriate level of moisture.
“There shouldn’t be any reason to wake up early after such a long time.”
When I checked the digital clock by my bedside, it read 5:02 a.m.
Even though I was laid off from my job a month ago, I still don’t lead a careless life and always wake up by the latest at 6:30 a.m. But today, I had to prepare earlier, so I woke up at 5.
It used to be normal for me to wake up at this time when I was still working, but today my head felt heavier, and my body also felt somewhat sluggish. Although, before I was laid off, my body felt much heavier...
Back then, I moved like a programmed machine, heading to the office without paying attention to my own will. Thinking about it now, even though I moved less, I am healthier and more human then before.
Hmm, I stretched my body to wake up my senses and prepare myself.
I felt the change of seasons when I saw the pajamas that were put into the laundry basket in the changing room had shifted from sweatpants to seersucker fabric pajamas.
After finishing my hair, I made the final adjustments. When I tightened my tie and wanted to check my appearance in the mirror while wearing a suit...
-Ding dong.
The intercom, which had been installed for some time but never worked, now functioned almost every morning.
At first, this sound felt strange to my ears, but now it’s become familiar. Now, this lifeless sound gives a sense of calm, as if a new day has begun.
“Good morning, Nene-chan.”
I greeted the person who had come to my house.
On the monitor, a beautiful girl in a uniform stood upright with the entrance door in the background.
Her long, glossy hair, resembling ebony wood, swayed, and from within it, a red hue like an apple appeared. On the ear covered by her hair, a small silver earring gleamed as if affirming its presence. And the leather choker, characteristic of her style, added a touch to her uniform, making it lighter for the summer season.
"Good morning, Arata-san."
Her voice, beautiful and clear, echoed in the room, as if carrying freshness and innocence, similar to the sound of wind chimes.
"Excuse me... Why are you dressed like that? A new job?"
Nene-chan skillfully opened the entrance door, politely arranging her shoes before stepping inside, and seemed to notice the change in my usual casual attire.
Tilting her head, she asked while gently touching her beautiful and well-formed lips, giving off a sweet impression that conveyed elegance.
"Oh, I have a new job starting today."
"You look neat and cool... I like it."
Her last words were spoken in a very soft voice. Her words almost drowned in the bustle of the room, but here, in the two of us alone, I couldn’t possibly miss them.
I was stunned and unable to respond. Then Nene-chan continued.
"I like it. A man who suits a suit looks reliable and gives a sense of security."
"I-I see..."
It turns out that Nene-chan wasn’t talking about a specific person, but rather a general preference. However, I could sense that her words implied more than just that.
"By the way, could you check if my tie is crooked or not?"
At this point, all I could do was change the subject.
"Your tie? Yeah, it’s fine."
Nene-chan leaned her face toward my chest and adjusted my tie while touching it.
"Thanks. It’s the first time I’ve tied a tie since the last time I tied it for you, Nene-chan, so I’m glad it seems to be okay."
"That’s true, it happened before."
Saying this, Nene-chan showed a rare expression, as if she was daydreaming. I felt worried and called her a few times, and on the fourth call, it seemed my voice finally reached her, and her eyes met mine.
Then Nene-chan said, "...It’s nothing, this is for you," while taking something out of her bag and handing it to me.
"Thanks for lunch."
What I received was a two-layered lunchbox with a cute character illustration on it. In my room, there was also a large stuffed toy of this character sitting on the sofa.
I immediately opened the lunchbox on the table.
"It looks delicious today as well."
The first layer of the lunchbox contained edamame rice, and the second layer held stuffed peppers as the main dish, complete with various side dishes.
"Edamame and peppers are seasonal ingredients. Edamame is good for fatigue recovery and preventing summer exhaustion, while peppers can protect against UV rays."
"How great. This is perfect for the season."
Nene-chan taught me about the seasonal ingredients and how each has beneficial effects on the body—truly deserving of being called my cooking teacher.
"Enjoy the meal," I said, pressing my hands together before bringing the stuffed pepper to my mouth.
"It tastes really good."
"Hehe, thank you."
Not only was her knowledge of ingredients impressive, but the taste of the dish was also of high quality, and the warmth from the meticulous care of the cook was clearly felt.
"Speaking of seasonal ingredients in July, it seems there's bitter melon and kisu fish as well."
I looked up seasonal ingredients on my phone and spoke to Nene-chan.
"Kisu...!?"
"Oh, kisu fish is delicious when fried in batter, right? It seems to be in season at my favorite little restaurant. Do you like it, Nene-chan?"
"E-eh... I don’t know if I like it or not... because I’ve never tried it..."
Nene-chan answered hesitantly. Although she was skilled at cooking, it seemed she had never cooked kisu fish. Of course, it wouldn’t be possible to include fried food in a lunchbox at home.
Then, while enjoying the lunchbox, I had a casual conversation with Nene-chan.
"By the way, my math teacher recently went on maternity leave, so Kohinata-sensei has been teaching more and seems to be struggling."
"Kohinata-sensei is still a new teacher and isn’t used to it, so it must be tough for her."
We talked about recent events around Nene-chan, recommended anime, and the rising prices of vegetables.
Moments like this are precious, especially now that I don’t have a job that forces me to go outside, and my awareness of social situations feels increasingly disconnected.
"Thank you for the meal. I really appreciate the delicious lunchboxes you always make."
"You're welcome."
Nene-chan smiled mischievously and looked very pleased.
"Without eating this first, Arata-san won't be able to get energized, right?"
"Yeah, that's right. Today I get to eat the lunchbox and see Nene-chan’s face, so I feel energized."
"Ugh, how can you say that so casually?"
"Because that’s the truth, and I feel like I'm not saying anything wrong."
Nene-chan looked at me with a frown, so I returned her gaze, which was beautiful and sparkling.
After a moment, Nene-chan turned her face away, as if noticing something in front of her.
"Ah, I have to go now."
It seemed she checked the time. I also looked at the clock and saw it was already 7:40.
Nene-chan is an exemplary student and always arrives at school well before the bell rings. The distance from my house to Nene-chan's school isn’t too far, just about a ten-minute walk. If she leaves now, she’ll definitely arrive before 8:00.
Nene-chan took the lunchbox I had finished and headed toward the entrance. I followed her from behind. This was a familiar sight, seeing Nene-chan off to school at the entrance.
"Arata-san, I’m leaving now. Good luck with your new job."
"Nene-chan, be careful on your way. I’ll do my best. See you later."
Nene-chan seemed confused by my words, which were a bit different from usual, but the door had already closed.
Well, today is my first day at work. Thanks to Nene-chan, I feel more energized, so I’ll leave with a cheerful spirit.
——.
T/N: It took while to resume it, anyway, translation will continue again, thanks for waiting patiently.