Chapter 11: Asano Nao Remains Stubbornly Unyielding.
Lying in bed, feeling the warmth of a meal in his belly, Minami Yuuki was content.
Indeed, with his talent, he never went hungry no matter where he was.
From a very practical perspective, considering the price of peeping and secretly photographing him, helping him solve his meals shouldn't be a problem, right? He even tacitly allowed Asano Nao to take photos of him, just for portrait rights, and Asano Nao would make a fortune.
From an emotional standpoint, as Asano Nao's only friend, it's only right to go to her place for a meal when he's in need, isn't it?
What, he's self-proclaimed as her friend?
Impossible. Asano Nao has a ton of his photos. If they weren't friends, how could she have so many pictures of him?
With his belly full, and the warmth of the blankets enveloping him, his body relaxed, his spirits lifted, and drowsiness washed over him.
A nap, then he'll continue the simulation when he wakes up.
His eyelids closed, the world turned pitch black, and his consciousness slowly sank into darkness.
When the alarm clock woke him up, the morning sparrows outside had already quieted down, and he sat up to check the time, 7:10.
Today was Saturday, no need for class, he didn't have to wake up so early, but Asano family's breakfast is at 7:30.
He drew back the curtains, letting the sunlight flood in, illuminating the entire room.
Minami Yuuki's rented single apartment wasn't large, with no living room, only a bedroom, bathroom, and toilet. The sink and cooking stove were in the corridor near the entrance.
In Misaki, where land was scarce, given Minami Yuuki's family's circumstances, being able to rent such an apartment was already a big deal.
After a quick wash-up and changing into regular clothes, Minami Yuuki hung the damp clothes inside to dry on the balcony. Yesterday afternoon, he took his dirty clothes, including two uniforms, to the coin-operated laundry to wash.
Only after paying for the laundry did he realize he only had a 500 yen coin left in his pocket, so he had to go to Asano's house for a meal.
The sunlight was still strong, and by noon, the clothes would probably be dry.
The laundry had a dryer, but Minami Yuuki was frugal, so saving a bit of money was worth it.
After hanging the last pair of pants, Minami Yuuki touched his hungry belly, walked out the door, and headed to Asano's house.
In the simulation life, he'd walked this path countless times, but in reality, this was only the second time.
After two doorbell rings, the door finally cracked open a bit.
Through the crack, Minami Yuuki could see Asano Nao's nervous eyes.
Minami Yuuki grabbed the door and pushed it open to a width he could pass through, stepping inside.
"Morning, stay-at-home sister," he greeted the familiar woman beside him.
In his memory, there was a scene where they lay in bed together!
Unfortunately, nothing happened in his memory.
"Morning," Asano Nao replied timidly.
She hunched over, her eyes fixed on Minami Yuuki's feet, her long bangs and thick glasses conspiring to conceal her lovely face, and her oversized tracksuit doing its best to hide her exceptional figure.
"What do you want for breakfast?" Minami Yuuki sat on the bench in the entrance, changing into indoor slippers.
His words were natural, as if he were facing not a stranger but a beloved wife.
If she were his wife, how would things develop from here?
Thinking about it, Asano Nao's face turned red.
"Why is your face red, sister? Are you thinking of something unhealthy?" Minami Yuuki teased her intentionally.
"N-no! I-I'm not thinking of anything!" Asano Nao hurriedly shook her head.
"Is that so? I was thinking, to repay my sister's kindness in feeding me, I should help my sister realize her earlier thoughts."
Minami Yuuki stared at Asano Nao's face. Sure enough, Asano Nao looked regretful, as if the sky had fallen and the earth had collapsed, and her dreams had been shattered, like a small animal left behind by Noah's Ark in the flood.
Leaning against the wall for support, Asano Nao steadied herself, realizing what he meant, and protested softly, "Don't tease me!"
"If my sister thinks it's teasing, then it's teasing," Minami Yuuki continued walking forward.
He neither admitted nor denied, leaving Asano Nao anxious and unsettled.
The hallway in Asano's house had poor lighting, despite the bright sunshine outside, the corridor remained dim. It was probably because of the door; if it had a glass window, light could come in from outside.
Entering the living room, the light was still dim, with the curtains tightly drawn on both sides.
"Are you a caveman?" Minami Yuuki approached the window.
"Huh?" Asano Nao didn't understand Minami Yuuki's meaning.
"Only wild people hide in the darkness, right?" Minami Yuuki drew back the curtains. "Spring is the best season for basking in the sun."
Sudden brightness dazzled Asano Nao's eyes. She shielded them with her hand and peeked out, seeing a boy with his back to her, bathed in sunlight.
Her mind swirled in disbelief. She hadn't expected Minami Yuuki to actually come to her house.
As her eyes adjusted to the light, she saw the scenery outside. Whether it was the overly bright alley or the office workers and housewives walking in the alley, it made her nervous.
Minami Yuuki suddenly opened the window with a bang, and the overly warm breeze made her skin tingle and itch.
Normally, just one of these factors would suffocate her and cause her pain, but now, a series of allergens overwhelmed her immune system, leaving her frozen in place.
Too bright, too warm, she was going to be sunburned!
At that moment, a strong hand pressed against her back, pushing her forward.
"Come on, let's go eat. I'm starving," Minami Yuuki pushed her towards the dining table.
The table was far from the window. Minami Yuuki guided her to sit in the innermost chair, pressing her shoulders. She didn't feel suffocated anymore; it wasn't a gradual recovery but rather a case of fighting fire with fire, as her attention shifted entirely to her back and shoulders.
She touched Minami Yuuki!
His hands were so warm, so sturdy.
She blushed fiercely. When Minami Yuuki left, she would have to go back to her room to change her clothes.
Minami Yuuki's hands left her shoulders and rested on the table in front of her. The boy sat across from her.
The treatment of fighting fire with fire ceased, and Asano Nao looked at the window. Though still nervous, her symptoms were limited to her mind, no longer affecting her physically.
"It looks really delicious!" Minami Yuuki exclaimed, looking at the table.
Japanese eating habits were very different from those in China, the biggest difference being that they ate white rice for breakfast.
On the table was a classic Japanese breakfast.
White rice, grilled fish, thick tamagoyaki (rolled omelette), pickled cucumber, miso soup with tofu.
"I'm starting," he picked up his chopsticks.
Asano Nao quickly followed suit with her bowl and chopsticks. Apart from her grandmother, she hadn't eaten at the same table with anyone else for many years. Watching Minami Yuuki eat happily, she felt that the sunlight shining in from outside wasn't so harsh anymore.
This warmth lasted for a few seconds before being replaced by another emotion.
The way Yuuki-kun ate was so elegant!
The sound of him biting into the cucumber was so cool, the hollow of his finger holding the chopsticks was so cool, the movement of his throat as he ate was so cool!
I want to use a camera to take pictures.
At what angle should I place the camera so that I can take pictures clearly?