When An Yilun also came to the second floor, this was what he saw.
He didn't say anything, silently walked to the bar, poured himself a cup of tea, and then sat down on the single sofa.
Everyone didn't have any special reaction to his arrival. They were still chatting and laughing, enjoying the time like afternoon tea.
Although there was a small misunderstanding just a while ago, Kato Yusuke, who was involved, didn't seem to mind, and it was naturally hard for others to make irresponsible remarks.
What's more, this is a common room that any member of the studio can use at will. The kind of workplace bullying that excludes someone will not happen here.
Even under such circumstances, An Yilun quietly eavesdropped on everyone's conversation.
When he heard that Kato Yusuke's liver failure had caused other people to be affected as well, he also complained about it.
"What? Kato, are you becoming more and more like a black-hearted capitalist recently? We are all still high school students, how can you exploit everyone like this?"
Hearing this, Shiyu couldn't help but frown.
Just when she was about to say something, Kato Yusuke, who was sitting next to her, touched her leg inadvertently.
"Well, you're right. I didn't think carefully about this matter. I will pay attention to it later."
"Well……?"
As if she didn't expect him to say that, a flash of surprise flashed across An Yilun's face, and he unconsciously glanced at Ying Lili.
The girl was holding a cup of black tea, sipping it gracefully and slowly without any expression.
Such a reaction made him a little disappointed, and he fell silent for a while.
"--all in all."
Hasumi Kanoko gently clapped her palms to attract everyone's attention, "Everyone has worked hard recently. Just like Kato-kun said, let's take a good rest for a week."
"Hey, is this really okay? Teacher." Mayu Sagara asked with some uncertainty.
Kato Yusuke nodded affirmatively and said: "Well, just follow what Kano-chan said, this period of time will be considered as paid leave."
"Wow~~~! Thank you, teacher——!"
After getting a positive answer, Mayu Sagara raised his hands in the air and shouted long live happily.
In this way, the studio began a week-long vacation.
◇
Now that he had made his decision, Kato Yusuke did not delay.
Even though today was only half over, he still decisively stopped all work and let everyone take an early vacation.
Faced with such a good thing, people naturally would not refuse it and went home happily one after another.
Not to mention other people, at least Eiri, Mayu, and Shiyu were really exhausted, so they went back to rest as soon as possible.
Kato Yusuke took out his mobile phone and looked at the time.
Today is Sunday, January 20th.
For them, this is just an ordinary weekend, but for those students in the third grade of high school, today is a critical node in their lives.
——That is the day of the national unified examination.
Although he felt that what he did was a bit redundant, he still sent a blessing to Ryoko Nakano using LINE.
Perhaps because it is still during the exam period, the other party naturally did not reply.
He didn't mind this either, so he packed up his things and prepared to go home, but...
"Ah, Yusuke, are you free next? I want to go shopping, can you come with me?"
Looking at Kei walking over, Kato Yusuke couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.
It’s not that I’m unfamiliar with purchasing, it’s just that I haven’t seen it for a long time.
In the past, the two would go shopping together almost every once in a while.
only……
Maybe it's because I feel embarrassed.
Since the last showdown, they haven't conducted such activities for a while.
Although the girl still regularly cooks some easy-to-store standing dishes, she no longer has the habit of actually cooking at his home.
In order to confirm the significance of this trip, Kato Yusuke asked.
"Well, I'm free next time... Do you want to come to my house to cook?"
Hui nodded slightly.
"Hmm~~ That's what I think. Ah, but if you find it inconvenient, then I can just send the cooked food to your house directly."
He couldn't explain why, but Kato Yusuke's chest relaxed slightly.
"No, I just feel a little nostalgic."
"Hey, what do you miss?"
"Because you haven't invited me to go shopping together for a long time, so I miss you a bit."
"ah……"
Hui made a small sound, her eyes swaying gently like candlelight.
She paused for a moment, and then said in a natural tone:
"Well~~ If I want to say it, it's not that I haven't thought about asking you out, but I always encountered various situations some time ago, and it coincides with the New Year, so I ended up letting it go..."
"I see, I remember you said that your sister is getting married, right? She must be very busy, right?" Kato Yusuke said understandingly.
"……Huh?"
For some reason, the girl showed a surprised expression.
"Well, although that's true...but I just mentioned it casually at the time. I'm really glad you remembered this."
"..."
Kato Yusuke scratched his cheek, involuntarily avoided her gaze and said nothing.
"Hey, Yusuke."
"……What's up?"
"Let me ask you~"
Hui took a small step forward, looked up at his face slightly, put her hands behind her back and asked softly: "So, do you feel lonely?"
"What……?"
"I mean, do you feel lonely because I didn't go to your house?"
Clearly, these words reached Kato Yusuke's ears.
He looked back into the other person's eyes, pretending to smile freely, "...if I say yes, what will you do?"
"..."
Unconsciously, the girl gently clenched the hand behind her back and moved her face away as if nothing had happened.
"Yes...you and Yinglili are obviously having so much fun? So you call this loneliness~"
"——!"
The person who was called was stunned and speechless for a while.
Ignoring his reaction, Hui took out her phone and checked the time.
"Well~ it's getting late anyway. Considering the commuting time on the road, we'd better set off as soon as possible."
As the girl spoke, she reached out to hold someone's hand and walked outside.
Through the fingertips, a warm and soft touch came over.
Kato Yusuke couldn't help but be startled, subconsciously opened his legs and followed.
…
Half an hour later.
The two came to "LIFE" together.
This is a nationwide supermarket chain with approximately 200 stores in Japan.
The store here is spacious and not only sells a complete range of products, but the prices are also cheaper than in supermarkets outside, making it a good choice at a low price.
While walking in the supermarket, Kato Yusuke couldn't help but look at Megumi pushing a shopping cart next to him.
Today, the other party is wearing a spring-like pink skirt with a cream-colored long-sleeved shirt, a long white windbreaker, and a black striped scarf with a white background tied around her neck.
The overall dress is gentle and fashionable, showing the owner's consistent style.
He thought for a while and then said: "Sorry, Hui, I have to trouble you again today."
"You don't need to say that. Anyway, I did it voluntarily, and Yusuke, you will also take back my share of the purchase. We each get what we need."
The girl expressed disapproval, looking back and forth on the dazzling array of shelves.
Due to family circumstances, Hui often takes the initiative to cook at home.
There is no special reason for saying this, it's just that the girl's family occasionally forgets to prepare her due to her invisibility.
Over time, the master developed excellent cooking skills.
As for Kato Yusuke, he lives alone and has to go out for shopping regularly.
Based on this situation, it is actually very convenient for both of them to go shopping together.
For example, supermarkets often launch large-volume specials, but the portions are too much for one person.
And if two people come together, they can share it equally with each other.
The advantage of this is that the girl can buy an extra copy of the special product that is limited to one per person.
When Megumi does a lot of shopping, Kato Yusuke can also help her take back things she can't carry.
but……
'This should be considered an excuse specially created for me.'
He couldn't help but whisper in his heart.
Living alone, coupled with the days when he was isolated, he had no time to cook. He only ate instant noodles, frozen food and fast food every day.
It was precisely because he saw this that Hui offered to help him cook.
Whenever they go shopping together, the girl will come directly to his home and help him prepare several side dishes and dishes that are easy to store.
Frankly speaking, Kato Yusuke felt very sorry and guilty for the other party, and felt very sorry.
On the contrary, Hui always maintained an understatement attitude, which made him unconsciously dependent.
Subtly, the other party seems to have entered his life and become an indispensable existence...
"Yusuke, do you still have toothpaste there?"
"Well, it seems we're almost running out."
"Then I'll put it in the basket. Also, I remember that there doesn't seem to be much stock powder left. Do you want to buy it?"
"want."
"Where's the miso paste?"
"Sorry, I want that one too."
"Hmm~~ Let's buy some kombu and bonito flakes too, right?"
"It doesn't matter to me, but that doesn't seem to be a necessity, right?"
"Having said that, you really like miso soup, right? This is a rare opportunity, and I want to try making miso soup for you using the dashi I made myself."
"Wouldn't that take a lot of time? Just use dashi powder instead as usual."
"However, the stock you make yourself will taste much better than the stock powder. Anyway, we have a lot of time today, how about you try more sophisticated cooking occasionally?"
"good……"
Kato Yusuke scratched his cheek and just watched Megumi add various things that he wouldn't have noticed in a timely manner into the shopping basket.
This feeling is very strange and nostalgic, as if the two of them have already lived together.
As he thought, a certain girl's face suddenly appeared in his mind, and was erased in the next second.
"The regular dishes are the same as usual. I will prepare the same dishes as at home. But is there anything in particular you want to eat tonight?"
"It will be all right."
"This answer is the most nerve-wracking..."
Hui puffed up her cheeks slightly and muttered dissatisfiedly.
Kato Yusuke felt warm in his heart and said without thinking: "I don't think too much about it. As long as it's the food cooked by Megumi, I think it's delicious."
"..."
The girl narrowed her eyes slightly and glanced at him with unclear meaning.
"You actually said it so firmly... If I made you the natto you hate, would you be able to eat it too?"
"——I'll eat it if you do it." Kato Yusuke answered without any hesitation.
Hearing this, a smile flashed in Hui's eyes, and then she lowered her eyes gently.
"...What, I won't do anything disgusting, so today's dinner is Oyakodon and miso soup~?"
"Parent-child rice bowl..." Yusuke Kato couldn't help but look surprised, "He's not a child..."
"There's no rule that says adults can't eat parent-child rice bowls, right?"
Hui tilted his head slightly and blinked narrowly.
"Besides, didn't you just say that no matter what I make, I will eat it?"
"..."
Kato Yusuke looked at her face, laughed dumbly and said: "Ah, that's true, then I'll leave it to you."
"Well~~ let's go buy ingredients now."
"Can I say something?"
"What's wrong?"
"Should I push the shopping cart?"
After hearing this, Hui looked at the cart in her hand and his face in turn, and then smiled helplessly.
"...Ah, although I think there is no need to bother you so much, but since Yusuke said so, why don't I bother you?"
"No trouble."
Kato Yusuke said and walked up and took the cart from her hand.
The girl looked at his actions with some amusement. Just as she was about to lift her foot forward, her right hand hanging by her leg was suddenly taken up by someone.
"……Huh?"
Looking down, she saw a big palm wrapping her hand.
She twitched slightly, but did not twitch. The other party's grip seemed to be loose, but in fact he would not let her escape easily.
"——Let's go, didn't you say you were going to buy ingredients?"
Kato Yusuke pushed the cart with one hand and said without looking sideways, not mentioning his little movements at all.
A brief moment of silence.
"...Would it be difficult to walk like this?"
"It doesn't matter, I will lead the way."
"Even if you say that, do you know where the ingredients section is?"
"You'll know by walking around. If it doesn't work, I can ask the staff for directions."
"Oh~~That doesn't reassure anyone at all..."
Kato Yusuke still wanted to quibble, but he heard this sentence.
"...Anyway, I remember that the food area seems to be on the south side, let's go that way."
Hui said, coming up to him and pointing in the direction with his free left hand.
"..."
After a moment of silence, Kato Yusuke couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth and replied: "Yes, my lord!"
"Hey, don't use that weird name."
"Got it, Commander!"
"Ah, if you keep doing this, will I get angry?"
The two of them walked forward together, shoulder to shoulder.
This period of time that one person only finds troublesome becomes an exciting time for two people.