The Top Idol Next Door Can't Help But Crave My Guilty Pleasure Meals - Volume 2 Epilogue

INTERVAL – Let’s Continue to Get Along From Now On 1

 

The long June has come to an end and July has arrived.

Just before the end of the rainy season, the daytime high temperatures often exceed thirty degrees.

This year was predicted to be a scorching summer compared to the usual, and I, who do not really like the heat, was already feeling gloomy.

I quickly took off my uniform and changed into more casual attire after I got home from school.

No matter how much the uniform was meant for summer, it couldn’t compare to the comfort of a T-shirt and shorts.

When the height of summer arrives, even standing in front of the stove for a long time becomes a chore.

Cooking with oil becomes practically ascetic training.

That’s why I must savor it while I can.

 

” … “

 

Half a month had passed since the final showdown with Emoto-san.

The outcome of the match goes without saying.

She accepted her defeat and entrusted me with the task of feeding Yuzuki.

Yuzuki was still stubbornly insisting though.

 

『I absolutely won’t fall for your meal!』

 

Well, her words had no persuasive power after she wolfed down three plates of katsu curry.

I hadn’t had much chance to cook for her in June, but now I could freely raid the room next door without hesitation.

Also, summer vacation was just around the corner.

Yuzuki might be busy with work, but the chances for her to fall for my cooking would dramatically increase.

For example, spicy Taiwanese ramen to prevent summer fatigue──a classic from the food stalls, potato butter loaded with mentaiko, renting out the rooftop space of the apartment for a BBQ with lamb chops…

There were too many menus I wanted her to try, so I had to start making a meal plan now.

 

By the way, what should I have for lunch today?

Currently, it’s the study period for final exams, so school lessons end at noon.

Just like during the midterm exams, I thought Hozumi would come crying to me for help, but it seems he’s getting tutored directly by his sensei-girlfriend.

While I’m happy for my friend’s smooth-sailing relationship, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel a bit lonely being free during this time.

Human relationships can change drastically with just a little trigger. I’ve experienced that firsthand this past month.

 

As I drank barley tea and turned on the TV, 【Spotlights】 was just being broadcast.

It wasn’t a music program, so not all members were present.

The guests were Arisu Yuzuki and Emoto Ruru.

Having become accustomed to seeing them off-stage, it felt somewhat surreal to watch them on TV.

Yuzuki answered the questions from the female host with a smile.

Her expressions, the inflection in her voice, her gestures—she was perfect as always.

The host seemed to be quite enchanted by her as well.

 

【…So, it was an overnight location shoot, and Ruru brought three suitcases for just one night! When I asked what was inside, it turned out to be a first-aid kit, spare clothes, and care items for the members. And yet, her own belongings only filled one bag!】

 

The catchy phrase ‘three suitcases for one night’ piqued the host’s interest.

Lately, Emoto-san has been establishing her character as the caretaker within the group.

She’s always been one to look after the other members, but after Yuzuki mentioned some events that happened in June, the other members started to tease her, and it spread beyond the group.

Her excessive caretaking is treasured as material for variety shows, and it seems she’s been getting more solo appearance requests.

Her unexpected behavior coming from her usually composed demeanor is a hit for its gap appeal.

This information came from a reliable source.

They told me last night while massaging my stuffed belly from the cheese-in-hamburger.

Come to think of it, the number of people openly fond of ‘Rurupyon’ at school seems to have increased since spring.

I’m looking forward to her future activities.

 

Everything changes.

People, hearts, nothing remains the same.

The program ended, and I turned off the TV. I had become completely engrossed.

It’s about time to start preparing lunch.

What’s left in the fridge?

 

A doorbell stopped me as I headed to the kitchen.

A visitor at this hour was unusual.

Maybe it’s Rika?

She can’t concentrate on studying for the test alone, and even though we’re in different grades, we often study together during the midterm exams.

Peeking at the monitor, I saw it was a certain ‘older sister’.

However, it wasn’t the brown-haired gal but the caretaker with the loose side-tail.

 

“Hello, Mamori-san.”

 

When I opened the front door, Emoto-san appeared in her school uniform.

She wasn’t carrying a suitcase, but what appeared to be a leather school bag designated by the school.

Her aura was as composed and dignified as ever, but it seemed to contain a newfound softness compared to before.

 

“Hello, Emoto-san. What brings you here?”

“Um, that…”

 

Emoto-san fidgeted in front of the entrance, seemingly hesitant to reveal her purpose.

It couldn’t be that she had another falling out with Yuzuki.

In fact, I had already guessed her purpose.

I’d be more than happy to help if she were more straightforward.

 

“Is it about ‘that’ thing?”

 

When I threw her a lifeline, Emoto-san blushed and nodded.

I couldn’t help but give a wry smile at her endearing reaction.

 

“Alright. Please come in then.”

“…Thank you for having me.”

 

Emoto-san sat down on the step at the entrance.

This spot had become her special seat now.

At first, I encouraged her to wait in the living room, but it seems she has her own boundaries. She stubbornly refused to take off her shoes.

However, I felt bad about making her wait outside, and there was also the risk of being seen by others.

So we compromised, and she waited in the entranceway.

I don’t know, it seems that I’ve become completely numb to the idea of casually inviting an idol into my home.

Since it’s possible to get heatstroke even indoors, I placed a fan and some barley tea in the entranceway before heading to the kitchen.

 

“But still, I never expected Emoto-san would be the first to fall for my cooking.”

 

Emoto-san has been coming to my house frequently since that day to beg for meals.

It seems that eating katsu curry triggered the release of her fried food limiter.

 

『It’s not that bad for your health if you eat it occasionally! I’ll just increase my exercise to compensate for it later!』

 

Every time she receives my cooking, she utters phrases similar to this before leaving.

Perhaps those excuses are more for convincing herself.

After about fifteen minutes of battling the heat from the stove, I returned to the entranceway with a disposable bamboo pulp container filled to the brim.

The moment she saw the food, Emoto-san’s eyes transformed into that of ‘meal mode.’

 

“…Wh-What’s on the menu today?”

 

Her hands were trembling. So I opened the lid of the container in front of her.

 

“It’s one of your favorite, kushikatsu.”

“Ugh♡”

 

Hearts lit up in Emoto-san’s eyes.

 

“Pork belly, lotus root, quail eggs, shrimp, and red ginger—a five-variety assortment. I’ve included sauce and mustard, so you can eat it on your way home.”

“Ahhh… the smell of the meat and the oil is amazing…♡”

 

Emoto-san’s face quickly melted into a blissful expression.

‘Fuuh…fuuhh…’ she was desperately trying to control her ragged breathing.

 

The way she discreetly slipped the container into her bag was like a scene from an illegal drug deal.

 

“Well then, I should be going… Ah, I wonder if I can hold it until I get home…!”

 

I watched Emoto-san excitedly open the door from the entranceway.

Her steps were as light as if she were skipping on clouds.

 

☆ ☆ ☆

 

Several hours later.

Yuzuki finished work just after noon today, so we spent the evening studying together.

We’ve just wrapped up our study session, and now we’re about to have dinner in my living room.

Tonight’s menu is tare katsudon (rice topped with fried pork cutlet).

Since the incident the other day, I’ve become completely hooked on making pork cutlets.

 

On top of the rice are several slices of freshly fried katsu dipped in a sweet and savory sauce.

What sets this katsudon apart is the thinness of the katsu.

Both the pork and the breading are thin, making it light on the palate and easy to eat.

Since I’m not using eggs and the ingredients are just rice and tonkatsu, it’s a simple dish that lets you fully enjoy the flavors of meat and rice.

Above all, this dish is a specialty from Yuzuki’s hometown of Niigata.

 

“By the way, you gave in quite quickly this time.”

“That’s because serving soul food is just unfair…!”

(TN: Soul food, food that is deeply comforting and/or emotionally significant to someone.)

 

It was a flawless attack that hit both her appetite and nostalgia at the same time.

On the low table, I’ve also prepared wrapped crepes as dessert, which are also Yuzuki’s favorite.

Near the empty bowl, there’s a pair of chopsticks with a moon emblem engraved on them.

I had given them to Yuzuki at a hotel recently. Lately, we’ve had a lot of meals that required a spoon or fork, so using that chopsticks was somewhat of a debut.

As I was about to take the chopsticks and bowl to the sink, Yuzuki suddenly stood in front of me with her hands clasped behind her back and a slightly awkward expression on her face.

 

“Why? Do you want seconds?”

“…Here.”

 

She brought her hands, which had been behind her back, to the front.

In her hands was a rectangular box wrapped in colorful wrapping paper.

 

“I’m giving this to you, Suzufumi.”

“All of a sudden? What’s this all about?”

 

I set the dishes back down on the table.

 

“You’ve helped me out a lot this time, you know? I want to thank you for that.”

 

Pushing the present into my hands, Yuzuki said while twirling the tips of her hair with her fingers and turning her face away with a huff.

 

“…Can I open right now?”

“Mmhm.”

 

What was inside was a wooden cutting board, and in the bottom right corner, my name was carved into it.

It was clearly custom-made.

 

While I was captivated by the surprise gift, Yuzuki started to speak rapidly.

 

“You see, you already have all sorts of dishes and cooking utensils, right? So I thought, how about a cutting board? Suzufumi, the one you usually use seems to be getting worn out. Moreover, you can never have too many cutting boards, I guess? Well, you don’t have to force yourself use it if you don’t want to, or you could even use it as kitchen decor if you lik──”

“Yuzuki.”

 

Yuzuki, who had been looking away, hesitantly turned her gaze back to me.

 

“Thank you. I’m really happy.”

“…Then it’s all good.”

 

Yuzuki’s lips curled into a smile, and I couldn’t help but smile back at her.

 

“But is it really okay for me to accept this? It looks a little expensive.”

 

It was a piece of wood with fine grain, a texture that made me want to keep touching it forever.

It also seems to drain waterwell.

 

“No problem. The budget was──”

 

Yuzuki started to say something but suddenly stopped.

 

“Is it from that savings you mentioned?”

“…Well, yeah.”

 

I had been curious about the meaning of the term【Suzufumi Savings】 ever since Emoto-san had let it slip the other day.

 

“Actually, I secretly saved up a little every time I ate your cooking, Suzufumi.”

“Uh, I don’t really see the connection between my cooking and saving money…”

“Well, I hadn’t been able to pay for food expenses for a while, and I thought I had to properly give something back someday. Plus, I’ve received so many things from you, Suzufumi. That’s why I wanted to give something back.”

“Many things? All I’ve done is cook meals.”

“That’s not true. Besides the meals, Suzufumi has given me so much more and taught me so many things. You’ve shown me a life beyond just being an idol. Thanks to you, I’m really enjoying my life now.”

 

As bright as the moonlight, her eyes were fixed on me.

 

“I see. Then I guess I have to keep working hard to make you fall for my cooking, Yuzuki.”

“Yeah. I also have to work hard to make you my number 1 fan of Arisu Yuzuki, Suzufumi.”

 

──I want to be Yuzuki’s number one.

 

The words from the hotel flashed through my mind.

 

“…No, I want to be Sasaki Yuzuki’s number one.”

 

I took a step closer to Yuzuki and told her clearly.

 

“I don’t want to be the number one fan of the idol Arisu Yuzuki, but rather, I want to be the number one for Sasaki Yuzuki, the one who’s here with me right now. Yuzuki, I like you.”

 

The words spontaneously spilled out of my mouth.

I had no intention of confessing right now.

I thought it was something that would come after spending more time together, accumulating days and months, deepening our relationship, and understanding each other even more.

Confessions were supposed to be even further down the line.

I wanted to serve street food in the summer, prepare a bento for a sports festival in the fall, and host a Christmas party in the winter.

Rika, Emoto-san, and even Mikami-sensei could be there.

I’d make a chocolate cake for Valentine’s Day and bake macarons for White Day.

Next spring, I wanted to go cherry blossom viewing together with her.

But I also couldn’t keep it to myself. I desperately wanted Yuzuki to know how I felt.

 

“…I see.”

 

Yuzuki’s response was neither affirmative nor negative but rather flat.

Her expression seemed somewhat troubled, uh, not that it was entirely clear.

I was immediately overwhelmed by an intense regret.

What the heck had I blurted out in the heat of the moment?

Even if I were to confess, surely there would have been countless more appropriate situations.

 

“S-sorry. That was weird of me to say, please don’t mind it.”

“…I—”

 

Yuzuki continued without sitting down at the dining table.

 

“…I don’t think you have to choose just one or the other?”

 

Her amber eyes looked straight at me.

 

“Suzufumi, I don’t want you to see only the real Sasaki Yuzuki. After all, the idol Arisu Yuzuki has long been a part of me. Suzufumi, you are the one who made me realize that both sides are ‘me’, you know?”

 

Her earnest gaze gripped my heart and wouldn’t let go.

 

“If you could become the number one for all of me, wouldn’t that be a relationship as precious as any sibling or childhood friend?”

 

As I was searching for my next words, Yuzuki’s gaze shifted to the wrapped crepe on the table.

 

“By the way, the celebration for the fan meeting tonight was at your place, wasn’t it, Suzufumi?”

“O-oh, that’s right.”

 

Yuzuki wiped a bit of cream that had oozed out of the crepe with her finger.

The scene from a month ago came back to me.

That day, Yuzuki had kissed my cheek under the pretext of removing some cream that had stuck there.

Yuzuki stared intently at her finger with the cream on it.

Eventually, she touched that finger to her lips.

 

“…This is how I feel.”

 

Pale cherry-colored lips bloomed with a white flower.

I gently touched Yuzuki’s shoulders.

Then I plucked the pure white flower with my own lips.

 

Stepping back, we looked at each other.

Then, struck by a slight embarrassment, we both looked away from each other.

Our averted gazes landed on a corkboard hanging on the wall.

There, a boy and a girl in uniform were smiling in a photograph.

 

On the photo, it said in handwritten pen:

『Let’s continue to get along from now on.』