Chapter Six

What Lies Beneath the Ice

After they’d arranged to have dinner together that evening, Fuyuka headed straight home. She likely needed to put away her groceries and get a few things in order before she returned to Asahi’s place. In the meantime, he was left to prepare dinner. By the time she arrived, chances are it would be ready to eat.

The table was soon lined with several attractive dishes: freshly cooked rice, a vibrant plate of stir-fried meat and vegetables, a small portion of lightly-seasoned wakame kelp—just as his parents would make them—and two bowls of tofu-laden miso soup. On their own, they weren’t anything to write home about, but together, they were a perfectly hearty and nutritious way to end the day.

Normally, the dining table felt a little too large and formidable for Asahi to sit at alone, but the presence of a guest like Fuyuka helped to make things feel livelier.

“Wow...” Fuyuka gasped as she took in the smorgasbord laid out in front of her with sparkling eyes. For Asahi, who was seated next to her, the meal he’d prepared didn’t seem particularly impressive—it was pretty standard fare. The same could not be said for Fuyuka, who keenly went over each and every piece he’d set out. “I’m allowed to eat this?” she asked.

“Yeah, go ahead and eat before it gets cold,” he answered.

“Very well, I’ll try it,” Fuyuka whispered with a tinge of eagerness.

The situation felt quite strange to Asahi. This hadn’t been the first time he’d invited her over for dinner, but it still felt like a brand new experience. And although he’d seen plenty of girls smile in his life, Fuyuka’s was a rarity that he never grew tired of witnessing.

“It’s quite delicious,” she remarked after a pause to sample the soup.

“Good to hear.”

After the miso soup, Fuyuka went straight for the stir fry. She likely wasn’t conscious of it, but Asahi could clearly make out a smile as she eagerly ate his cooking.

The more I look at her, the more I realize how beautiful she really is, he noted.

Indeed, she was grinning so much that it was impossible for him to take his eyes off of her. Normally, she presented herself in a way that gave her an air of maturity and unapproachability. But it seemed as though all it took to shatter that façade and make her act more her age was to serve her a plate of delicious, steaming-hot food.

“Do you intend to make a sport out of staring at my face or something?” she snapped.

“Oh, sorry if that bothered you. It was just nice seeing you happily dig in.”

“Well, of course I would. Considering how delicious this meal is, I think it’s pretty obvious that I’d act in such a way.”

“I’m grateful to hear you say that.”

With Asahi’s staring very much on her mind, Fuyuka attempted to regain her composure. Unfortunately, her icy demeanor was no match for the warmth of his cooking, and she was unable to hide her joy as she ate.

*

“Thanks for the food. It was delectable.”

After they’d finished with dinner, Asahi gathered up the plates and took them into the kitchen to wash. He didn’t want to take too long with the task—it would only serve to keep his guest waiting, and it was much easier to clean dishes before the food became caked on. Plus, getting it all done immediately made for a clean sink afterward. He normally cleaned up after himself while he cooked, but he hadn’t had time to do so that night. The stir fry he’d whipped up had required his complete attention, since it was an easy dish to burn.

“You can go home now if you want. I don’t mind,” he let her know from the kitchen.

“That would be impolite—coming over simply just to eat your food and then leaving immediately afterward,” she replied.

“It’s all good. You’ve already paid me back for the food, so we’re even.”

“I only did that because it was the natural thing to do. In fact, I’d even assist you with the dishes myself if it wasn’t for my injury.”

“You wouldn’t even be here if your hand was okay.”

“You’re not wrong,” she admitted after a pause.

She had no plans to leave until he’d finished the dishes, so she moved to the living room and sat down on the sofa closest to the kitchen. Once she’d made herself comfortable, she pulled out the romance novel she typically carried around with her. Although Asahi already knew from the gossip he’d heard at school that she enjoyed reading this genre, he was still slightly taken aback when he caught a glimpse of the cover and title. No doubt his classmates had also been surprised when they’d first found out.

“So this is where you got that whole umbrella idea from?” he asked.

“Indeed. Is there something you’d like to say?” she responded tersely.

“Well, it’s just that... you know... seeing “The Ice Queen” reading sappy romance novels i—wait, shit.”

Upon the mention of her nickname, her body tensed up, and he quickly regretted ever opening his mouth. He’d just wanted to strike up a lighthearted conversation, to find out more about her. Unfortunately, in his well-meaning attempt, he hadn’t chosen his words wisely.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that,” he quickly apologized.

“I don’t mind. I’m well aware of how I’m referred to at school,” she said with a slight shake of her head. In contrast to her trying to downplay the situation, her tone was incredibly cold and distant. It was a case of reaping what you sow—Fuyuka’s frigid, stand-offish nature had resulted in her being given the name, but it was obvious she didn’t appreciate the moniker in the slightest. Suddenly, she spoke up again, “You shouldn’t worry too much. I don’t think badly of you at all. You’re nothing more than a helpful—if not irksome—pest who happens to live next door to me.”

“Uh... how does that relate to what I said earlier? “

“As I said, I don’t really mind being called that. It describes me well, after all.”

Fuyuka tried to shrug the comment off while Asahi floundered. Given that she’d reverted back to her usual, frigid façade she donned at school, Asahi was right to regret his choice of words. He should’ve thought before he opened his mouth.

Guess there’s still a long way to go before I gain her trust, he noted. Then he turned to her and mentioned, “Uh, I actually have a question for you... if it’s okay with you, that is.”

“Just ask. I don’t understand why you’re always so worried about whether I mind or not.”

“I was just wondering why you’re so okay with spending time with me, even though you’re so dedicated to staying away from everyone else at school.”

“It’s not like I intended for this to happen. You’re the one who keep—”

“Oh, right. It’s just me and my annoying ass, got it,” he muttered as he recalled one of their earlier exchanges. She’d distinctly instructed him to leave her be that one time she’d collapsed from her fever. He was the one who’d chosen to ignore her wishes and nurse her back to health at his place—that had been the beginning of everything.

“Um, I’m sorry for being a pain, I guess,” he said feebly.

“I don’t see any need for you to apologize.”

“Really now? Haven’t I been, in your words, a ‘nuisance’?”

“Don’t put words in my mouth—I never said that. You’re the one who did.”

Asahi knew all too well that he’d stepped out of line several times up until now, and this was no exception. Just because she had accepted his dinner invitation—something he already hadn’t expected—didn’t mean she would magically turn into the talkative sort. He felt a pang of guilt, pushing her like this, but this was just how he was. Just as she didn’t enjoy idle talk, he couldn’t really prevent himself from butting in.

In the end, it was up to Fuyuka to decide whether she considered his nature to be a pro or a con. So far, based on what she’d said earlier, it seemed to be the latter.

“I wouldn’t say that you’re a ‘nuisance.’ In fact, I’m quite indebted to you. You’ve been, well... you’ve been a great help. Let’s just put it that way,” she muttered while hiding her face from Asahi.

Asahi had just finished doing the dishes as she said that. As he was walking out of the kitchen, Fuyuka dashed past him and headed straight for the front door. While he wasn’t able to see her face too clearly, he could make out the red tinge on her cheeks.

“I’ll be going home now. I appreciate you making dinner for me today,” she blurted out.

“Oh, er, sure.”

Bam!

She slammed the door behind her with more force than was necessary. Shortly thereafter, silence returned to the room.

That had been the first time she’d expressed her feelings so openly, and Asahi was left completely flabbergasted by it.