The Top Idol Next Door Can't Help But Crave My Guilty Pleasure Meals-Chapter 5Volume 1 .6 - You Want to Make Me Eat a Lot, Right?

ROUND 5 – You Want to Make Me Eat a Lot, Right? 6

“Hey, are you sure all I need to do is stir it?”

“Yeah. This is an important task that only the patient Rika can handle.”

“Then I guess I’ll give it my best~”

At the low table on the left, Rika is concentrating on the bowl in front of her. It seems I’ve managed to cheer her up.

Taking the opportunity, I bowed my head to Yuzuki, who was sitting on the right.

Even if it was a series of coincidences, the fact that Yuzuki and I are neighbors became known to a student at the same school.

“…I’ve mostly understood the situation. It’s originally my fault for calling Suzufumi to the Resource Room, so there’s no need for you to apologize, Suzufumi.”

Earlier, I had explained the bare minimum to Rika.

About my new place, which is coincidentally next to Yuzuki’s, how, after moving in, Yuzuki nearly fainted from hunger, and how I occasionally prepared meals for her.

I had already explained that I made a fake confession to dispel the rumors of an inappropriate relationship at school, but I emphasized again that it was indeed a lie.

“Sorry about this. Even bringing Rika to your house…”

“It’s okay. It would have been awkward to just leave things as they were. Besides…”

Yuzuki is casting a dubious glance at Rika, who is eagerly mixing the contents of the bowl.

Even though I had already introduced her—to Yuzuki, Rika was just a gal she was meeting for the first time.

Perhaps Yuzuki is trying to determine with her own eyes whether Rika is a trustworthy person who won’t leak any secrets.

“…Hey, Suzu, are you listening?”

Rika pulls on my arm, trying to turn me towards her.

“Sorry, what’s wrong?”

“This batter is almost unseasoned, right? So I’m thinking of adding soy sauce, mirin, sauce, and as a secret ingredient, some maple syrup. What do you think?”

“…Thanks for asking, but it’s okay as it is.”

You see, today’s menu is okonomiyaki!

Rika grins mischievously, perhaps sensing the anxiety seeping out of me.

“If you’re that worried, just watch me. I’m actually a little bad at cooking.”

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Just a little, huh?

Well, awareness is the first step to improvement.

I savored the certain growth of my childhood friend as I wiped the batter that had splattered across the table with a tissue.

“Got it. I’ll give you thorough guidance so that even Rika can make it on her own—”

Suddenly, I felt a tug at the hem of my shirt from behind.

Turning around, I saw Yuzuki with her hand on the hem of my shirt.

“…I’m not very good at cooking either…”

Yuzuki had an expression I had never seen before. Perhaps she was unsure how much of her true self to reveal in front of Rika.

“Arisu Yuzuki-saaan. I’m in the middle of talking with Suzu right now~”

“It doesn’t matter. After all, this is my house.”

“If you’re going to say that, Suzu is mine!”

“No, that’s not true.”

I couldn’t help but reflexively interject.

This won’t do; if I take them seriously, we’ll never get anywhere.

I have to play the role of mediator, or else we’ll never finish making the okonomiyaki.

I spread the okonomiyaki batter Rika had stirred onto the greased griddle, shaping it into a circle with a spatula and making a slight indentation in the center.

This helps it cook evenly, as the center is usually the last to cook through.

“But still, to think that the ‘rumored idol’ is actually Suzu’s neighbor…”

After wetting her throat with oolong tea, Rika stares directly at Yuzuki sitting across from her.

“I owe a lot to Suzufumi. In ‘various ways’.”

Perhaps inspired by Rika, Yuzuki replied with an ‘implied’ tone.

Across the table, the two girls were intensely locking eyes. Yuzuki on the right, Rika on the left.

I was caught in between, diligently cooking like a background character.

Just when I thought the staring standoff would continue, Rika casually moved behind me.

It seems she has quickly yielded to Yuzuki’s intense gaze.

Like a tiger cub born in a zoo intimidating a large imported animal, she peeked over my shoulder and hissed at Yuzuki as if to threaten her.

Yuzuki, on the other hand, appears to wear a gentle smile at first glance. But it feels more like a forced smile—a tactic to exert pressure rather than her natural idol persona.

“…Just to be clear, it’s not like I asked Suzufumi to ‘Make me dinner’. It’s a little uncomfortable when you’re so openly hostile.”

Yuzuki doesn’t show any signs of being intimidated.

On the contrary, there’s even a sense of composure.

It seems that I’ve become quite adept at sensing Yuzuki’s true feelings through our daily meals together.

“…If you don’t like Suzu’s cooking, you could just refuse it.”

“I’ve been trying to refuse… But I ended up eating it anyway, so it can’t be helped.”

“So you like Suzu’s cooking? Or could it be… you actually like Suzu?”

“Wha…!”

Yuzuki pouted, leaning her upper body back slightly.

“A-aren’t you the one who’s been too close to Suzufumi the whole time!?”

“I’m Suzu’s Onee-san, so it’s fine!”

Rika leaned on my back, putting her weight on me like a child being piggybacked.

“If anything, you’re definitely more like a little sister…”

Whether it’s because Rika’s personality is easy to read or because Yuzuki has exceptional interpersonal skills, she managed to see through her true nature within just a few minutes of meeting her.