The Top Idol Next Door Can't Help But Crave My Guilty Pleasure Meals-Chapter 5Volume 1 .4 - You Want to Make Me Eat a Lot, Right?

ROUND 5 – You Want to Make Me Eat a Lot, Right? 4

“From now on, Rika Onee-san here is going to spoil Suzu!”

Just as I expected—In the center of the living room, Rika declared this with her chest puffed out.

“You must be tired from the move and the new school term, right Suzu? Today, you can be as spoiled as you want.”

Rika rolled up the sleeves of her blouse and snorted.

“No, I appreciate it, but I’ll just take the sentiment.”

“Don’t be shy. Come on, tell your Rika Onee-san what you want her to do?”

I wonder if she’d get mad if I honestly said I wanted her to do nothing.

Rika began taking out items one after another from the plastic bag that was about to burst, which she brought separately from the housewarming gift.

An apron, rubber gloves, a mask… it was the so-called initial equipment for a housekeeper.

It seemed she had bought them at a discount shop after her part-time job.

Rika always wants to take care of me in one way or another. While that in itself is nice, there is one problem.

Frankly, Rika is not good at household chores.

When she cooks, flames erupt; when she sews, her fingers get covered in blood; when she tries to organize, somehow the room ends up more cluttered than before.

Her motivation and skills are not in sync.

However, when it comes to serving customers at the ‘Aien Kien’, her reputation seems to be very good.

Rika herself seems to work more with a sense of communicating with the customers rather than just working.

“First, I’ll help with unpacking.”

“I’ve already finished that.”

“What about grocery shopping?”

“I did that on my way back from school.”

“…Then laundry?”

“I’ve even done the ironing.”

“Geez! You’re leaving me with nothing to do! Are you too competent or what?”

Rika was skilled at praising while being angry—that was one thing she was deft at.

“Rika, you’re a guest, so it’s totally fine if you just relax on the sofa. The gifts you brought are more than enough.”

“Really?”

This was genuinely how I felt. The Mamori family is not so black-hearted as to make my childhood friend work for us after she finishes her part-time job.

“Right. So for now, go wash your hands and gargle.”

“Okay~”

Rika dashed off toward the washroom.

Meanwhile, I proceeded with the preparations for Yuzuki’s dinner.

However, five minutes passed, then ten, and Rika still hadn’t returned.

She didn’t seem to be in a hurry, and I didn’t think she was the type to secretly snoop around my room…

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Suddenly, a bizarre scream from Rika came from down the hallway.

What’s going on?

I stopped cooking and moved towards the washroom to find out.

“Uh…”

Rika was sitting in the flooded bathroom with a bucket overturned.

Foam was splattered everywhere— including the bathroom door and ceiling.

That detergent dripped steadily into the drain, the one from the plastic bag earlier.

It wasn’t even meant for the bathroom, right?

“Rika-san, please explain yourself.”

As I looked down at her with a cold gaze, Rika awkwardly shifted her eyes around.

“No——I was just washing my hands, and then I saw the dirt on the bucket in the bathroom, and… Once I started, I got more and more into it…”

“And then you slipped on the wet floor and foam after getting carried away.”

“…Yes”

“I’ll get you some clothes to change into.”

“…Yes”

It was the moment when the list of household chores Rika should not be allowed to do was updated.

Several minutes later, Rika, who had taken a shower, returned to the living room.

She was wearing a T-shirt and slacks I had pulled out from my closet.

I thought the shirt might be too big, but I guess Rika has grown, so it turned out to be just the right size.

“I chilled the pudding I got for you in the fridge, so go ahead and eat it.”

“Okay~”

Rika leaned back on the sofa with a ‘plop’ and opened the lid of the pudding.

“Aren’t you going to eat, Suzu?”

“I’ll have mine after dinner.”

“Ah, you haven’t had dinner yet?”

“My meal times have been irregular lately.”

“I haven’t eaten yet either~ Then, as a thank you for lending me clothes and a shower, today I’ll…”

“Please let me do the cooking!”

It would be bad to cause a small fire incident right after moving in.

Besides, Yuzuki will be coming home soon.

t would be troublesome in various ways if Rika found out that my neighbor was the new student everyone was talking about.

I should just whip up something quick and politely ask her to head home for today.

“Then, how about some chicken soboro ochazuke that can be eaten right away…”

(TN: A dish of rice topped with minced chicken (chicken soboro), with tea or broth poured over it (ochazuke).)

While eating pudding, Rika glances over while squinting her eyes.

“…somehow, something seems fishy.”

“…yes?”

“Normally, you’d make a complicated dish even if it’s late at night. Do you really want me to leave that badly?”

“N-not really?”

Rika is sharp at the weirdest times sometimes.

It’s fine, I shouldn’t have given anything away.

“Suzu, you’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?”

“N-no…”

“Your right cheek twitches when you do. How long do you think we’ve been childhood friends?”

I didn’t know that. I was shocked, and at the same time, I remembered that a surprise birthday present for Rika had never been successful before.

“Ahh, I feel so lonely. Ever since my childhood friend moved away, it feels like even our emotional connection has drifted apart~”

“No, it’s not like that, there are special circumstances…”

“I don’t think this was the case, but… is your girlfriend coming over now?”

The tone suddenly dropped.

Why did the conversation suddenly turn to matters of love?