The following Saturday was a routine day, except for the fact that I woke up earlier than usual. While sitting on my bed, I considered whether to abandon the alarm on my phone. Kimura, my roommate, was still sound asleep - it was too early for him to be up.
Eventually, I got up and carried my phone to the bathroom, fiddling with it before placing it down on the kitchen counter with a clatter, and continuing on my way.
Once inside the bathroom, I began my routine of washing my face and body.
*
After I finished and stepped out, a knock suddenly echoed throughout the room. It was far too early for visitors, so I couldn't help but wonder who it could be…
Wrapped in nothing but a towel, I approached the door and twisted the handle to let the visitor in. I saw Kinoshita standing there, clad in an oversized blue t-shirt, a white high-low skirt, and knee-high socks that contrasted sharply with her smooth skin.
"A-Ah, Mizuhara, I know I'm really early, i-it's just that I didn't know what time to come, so I thought I'd come ea-" Kinoshita blurted out as soon as she saw me.
She stumbled over her words, her sentences peppered with useless details. I waited for her to finish, but she stopped abruptly and turned away, flustered.
"...t-t-then I'll..uhm, wait for you…" she quickly turned to her right and walked away.
As she retreated, her footsteps echoed down the quiet hallway, stopping after just a few steps. I shut the door with a nonchalant click and proceeded to get dressed in my school uniform, deftly buttoning up my white shirt and adjusting my belt before slipping on my trousers and jacket.
I then walked over to the kitchen, deftly dodging the various obstacles in my path and opened the fridge with a swift yank. My eyes locked onto a half-empty carton of eggs, nestled amidst a sea of condiments and produce, beckoning me to whip up a quick breakfast.
I extracted three eggs from the carton and placed them slowly on the counter.
As I cracked the eggs, the yolks oozed out like liquid gold, forming a luscious pool in the bowl. I grabbed a fork and began to whisk the eggs, stirring them into a frenzy until they formed a fluffy mound. I then heated up a pan on the stove, pouring in the egg mixture and watching as it sizzled and bubbled.
After a few flips and turns, my scrambled eggs were ready, and I scooped them onto a plate, not bothering to garnish them with anything. I took a seat at the table, picked up my fork, and shovelled the eggs into my mouth. The taste was unremarkable, as expected, but at least my stomach would be full for the day.
After swiftly finishing my meal, I grabbed the plate and deposited it in the dishwasher before heading out. I didn't feel guilty for keeping Kinoshita waiting outside, as my morning routine was non-negotiable. I opened the door and stepped out, closing it behind me with a resonant click.
"I'm ready," I said as I walked over to her.
Kinoshita's eyes scanned me up and down, and she stammered out, "S-school uniform? You don't have anything... else to wear?"
I met her gaze with a blank expression, not bothering to explain myself. I had no desire to dress up for anyone's sake, especially not for someone like her.
"No, this is it."
"Ooh, okay…" Kinoshita replied softly, fidgeting with the hem of her skirt. "Y-You were in there for quite a while. What were you doing?"
"My routine."
"Your… routine?" Kinoshita repeated, her cheeks turning a shade of pink. "I mean like what… what specific things?"
"Rubbing my eyes, standing up, that sort of thing."
"O-Oh, I see…" Kinoshita trailed off, looking down at her shoes. "..that's..not..a..routine…"
We walked together, keeping a bit of distance between us as we made our way to the schoolyard.
*
Kinoshita gazed around, searching for a suitable destination. "Where should we go…?" she asked, her voice soft and hesitant.
"I don't have a preference. You pick," I replied, attempting to sound nonchalant.
"O-Oh, um, maybe we could get breakfast?" she suggested, her gaze flickering up to meet mine before darting away. "I actually haven't eaten since yesterday. I-I mean, not since last evening and throughout the night."
"I see."
We strolled in silence, the only sounds being the crunching of gravel beneath our feet and the occasional rustle of leaves in the breeze.
"T-There's a cafe in the mall that serves a good breakfast, and it's open very early," she eventually offered.
"I already ate."
"Eh? W-What did you eat?" she asked, looking up at me with a mix of curiosity and concern.
"Scrambled eggs."
"Oh... well, that's not really enough to keep you going. We should eat together at the cafe then," she insisted, her voice growing more assertive.
"Sure."
"Let's go then," she said, quickening her pace.
I fell into step beside her, content to let her lead the way. As we stepped into the mall, I was immediately enveloped by the cool embrace of the air conditioning. The vast expanse of the interior seemed to stretch out endlessly before us, and I couldn't help but feel small in comparison.
Kinoshita led the way as we walked silently, weaving between clusters of stores with ease until we arrived at our destination: a quaint little cafe that I recognized from a previous visit to Fujiharu.
The interior was just as inviting as I remembered, with warm lighting and soft music playing in the background. Despite the early hour, there was a serene calmness to the place, as if it were waiting just for us.
We settled into our seats, facing each other across a small table. I glanced at the menu briefly before deciding to order the same dish I had last time: the fried rice. I signalled the waiter to come over and placed my order.
As the waiter left to relay my request to the kitchen, my attention shifted back to Kinoshita, who had been perusing the menu with a certain apprehension. She seemed hesitant to make a decision, her eyes darting back and forth across the page.
Just as the waiter turned to leave, Kinoshita's voice quivered as she blurted out her decision.
"I-I'll have the same thing, then!"
The waiter turned back towards us, his face devoid of expression, "Two orders of fried rice it is, then."
Kinoshita nodded in agreement, and the waiter departed once again to communicate our meal requests to the kitchen.
Follow current novℯls on f(r)eewebnov𝒆l