Am I being simulated by their love affair.

Chapter 535 The Life She Longed For
Jun Matsue opened the refrigerator and pondered tonight's recipe as the cool air hit him.

"For dinner, would Tomatsu like something elaborate or something simple?"

“I’ll eat whatever Jun-kun usually cooks.” The girl sitting on the sofa looked at his back. “I want to eat what you’ve eaten.”

"Hmm..." The boy put the ingredients into his arms one by one, "Then tonight we'll have dry pot cabbage, Mapo tofu, and tomato and egg soup."

"Is it Chinese food?" Tomatsu Tomoka blinked. "Does Tsunku usually make this at home?"

"To be precise, it's Chinese cuisine." Jun Matsue carried the ingredients towards the kitchen. "I quite like it."

The quiet room became noisy—the sounds of arranging ingredients, taking out the cutting board, rinsing rice, and chopping vegetables drifted out of the kitchen, but they made the girl feel more at ease.

"Let me help Jun-kun." She got up from the sofa and went into the kitchen.

"Is it okay? Don't you feel very tired?" The boy glanced at her.

“But it’s boring to sit in the living room,” Tomatsu Yuka smiled.

She didn't like feeling left out, and she didn't want to just be a guest in the apartment.

"That's fine too." The kitchen wasn't big, so Jun Matsueda moved aside to make room for the girl.

Tomatsu Yuka looked at the wall. "There's only one apron."

“It’s rare for two people to work together in the kitchen.” The boy took out an empty plate and placed it in front of her. “Help me tear the cabbage apart first.”

"Tear it open?" The girl stared at the spherical vegetable in front of her that had been cut in half.

"Yes, you can just tear it into small pieces." Jun Matsue picked up a cabbage and demonstrated, the torn leaves making a crisp sound.

"Maybe it can help you relieve stress? Like squeezing bubble wrap."

"..." Tomatsu Yuka took the cabbage from the boy's hand.

She reached out and pinched the leaf, watching it slowly detach from the main stem, the sound like a withered leaf being crushed in autumn.

"It's a rather strange feeling."

"Well done." Jun Matsue glanced at the vegetable leaves on the plate. "Just throw those thick, old stems in the trash."

"Although it's a bit rough, it's actually quite fun to tear it apart..." the girl sighed, her tearing movements becoming more efficient.

"Hmm." Jun Matsue put the chopped pork aside, using the fatty part to slice and stir-fry with cabbage, and the lean part to mince and make Mapo Tofu.

"It's really boring to always just shred and make cold dishes."

By the time he finished cutting the tofu into pieces, Tomatsu Yuka had already torn the cabbage. She cracked open the two eggs on the table and poured the egg mixture into a small bowl.

She held the bowl in her left hand at chest height, and held chopsticks in her right hand. Her wrist moved her arm in a steady, small motion, and her fair skin and smooth black hair trembled slightly. The girl's movements did not feel boring or mechanical, but rather carried a unique, orderly beauty.

The swirling egg mixture in the bowl turned into a uniform, bright golden yellow, and the girl's inner turmoil and worries seemed to temporarily dissipate like a wisp of foam. Tomatsu Yuka slowed down her movements and looked up at the boy beside her who was busy dealing with tomatoes.

"Does Jun-kun usually buy groceries by himself?"

"Yeah, I usually go to the supermarket after school or after work to buy enough for one or two days."

"Will you buy discounted ingredients?" she blinked curiously.

"Of course I do. I used to only buy discounted ingredients, like eggs, beef, and vegetables." Jun Matsueda put down his knife; the ingredients were all ready.

"But I'm not the kind of person who goes to the supermarket after 7 or 8 o'clock, otherwise I could probably get more bargains."

“That sounds interesting~” Tomatsu Yuka smiled with her eyes narrowed.

“We rarely buy groceries at home.” She placed the beaten egg mixture on the counter. “My mom usually orders directly online.”

"That perfectly captures the feeling of a busy, high-earning office worker," Jun Matsueda nodded. "Wandering around the supermarket with a shopping cart, looking for deals while thinking about what to eat tonight, and sitting at the table with loved ones sharing the day's events," the girl continued. "I still prefer this feeling of Jun's."

Jun Matsue pressed the gas stove switch and watched the pale blue flame rise.

"Then enjoy the life you want today." He poured the oil into the pan, ignoring the girl's face.

"The cooking fumes will be very strong, so you can wait for me outside."

"No problem~" Tomatsu Yuka smiled sweetly.

Twenty minutes later, the girl sat at the dining table and carefully scooped up a spoonful of bright red tofu and put it in her mouth.

"It's delicious!" she mumbled. "It smells wonderful, and it's not as spicy as I expected!"

“You don’t seem to eat much spicy food, so I put in less.” Jun Matsue handed her a small bowl filled with tomato and egg soup. “If you still find it spicy, drink more soup.”

"Mmm!" Tomatsu Tomohana nodded. "Tsun-kun is a great cook!"

“These dishes aren’t actually difficult to make.” The boy put his arm on the table. “If you learn how to cook them, they should taste even better than mine.”

Jun Matsue ate unusually slowly this meal, while the girl ate much faster than usual. Seeing the satisfied expression on her face as she chewed, the boy couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.

After dinner, Tomatsu Yuka volunteered to wash the dishes, and by the time the two sat down on the sofa again, it was almost 7 p.m.

"Mom didn't message me." The girl glanced at her phone, her expression unsurprised. "Looks like she really isn't planning on coming home today."

"Then you can sleep here." Jun Matsueda finally said it.

"...Is it okay?" the girl asked cautiously.

"You don't want to go home, do you?" The boy looked at the two cups of barley tea on the table. "Sleeping for one night is certainly not a problem."

"But don't think about anything naughty. We'll go to school together tomorrow morning."

"I understand." The girl nodded happily, not caring much about whether it was arousing or not at the moment.

All she wanted was companionship, something that would keep her from feeling lonely. That would be enough.

"So, are you still planning to go out?" Jun Matsueda breathed a sigh of relief. "Like an after-dinner walk?"

"No, thank you." Tomatsu Yuka shook her head and stood up from the sofa. "I want to take a shower first; I've sweated a bit."

"Tsun-kun, could you help me find some clothes to change into?"

"...Okay, you can go to the bathroom first."

"Okay~"

The girl's footsteps, now completely at ease, disappeared into the bathroom. Jun Matsueda sighed and went into his room.

Finding clothes is a minor issue; the real problem is where Tomatsu will sleep.

Kurusu doesn't allow girls into her room, and as for the apartment next door, Mochizuki, he plans not to step into it tonight to avoid leaving any traces.

The sofa in the living room might be comfortable for watching TV while lying down, but it's not so comfortable for sleeping on it.

Does this mean I'll really have to sleep in the same room as Tomatsu Tomoka tonight?

Listening to the sound of running water coming from the bathroom, Jun Matsueda felt somewhat uneasy.

　I'm having a bit of writer's block, so I'm posting late, meow.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)