Chapter 243: Germaphobe?
After he entered, Aisaka Taiga was indeed playing games, having a blast.
Seeing Takasu Ryuji lead Kaede in, Aisaka Taiga was about to tease him, but the next second she saw the box from the high-end pastry shop in Kaede's hand. Her expression immediately changed, and she said, "Not bad, you knew to bring something."
"Isn't that obvious?" Handing the pastries to Takasu Ryuji, Kaede sat down in the living room and picked up the other controller for the game console. "I'm not like some people who treat this place like their own home."
"What did you say?"
Despite her small stature, she suddenly erupted with a huge aura.
But unfortunately, this was useless against Kaede. Having gotten familiar with her, he was naturally immune to Aisaka Taiga's angry expressions.
Holding the controller, he joined the game without hesitation and started playing.
Seeing no other option, Aisaka Taiga could only continue playing.
However, as she played, the slow-witted Aisaka Taiga recalled what Kaede had just said, and her mind suddenly crashed, causing her game character to instantly die.
Seemingly noticing the strangeness in Aisaka Taiga's expression, Kaede didn't ask her about it. He put down the controller and came over to the kitchen, watching the busy Takasu Ryuji and asking, "Do you need help?"
"No need, the ingredients are all prepared. I'll be done soon."
Takasu Ryuji, wearing an apron, looked exactly like a domestic man if you ignored his eyes. His aura in this regard was even stronger than Kaede's when he cooked at home.
Watching his smooth, practiced movements, Kaede nodded: "Yasuko should be back soon, right?"
"Yeah, based on her usual time, about 20 more minutes. She'll be back right before dinner."
Stir-frying the dish in the wok, Takasu Ryuji turned his head and looked at Kaede, saying, "You're really surprising today. You actually have nowhere to eat?"
"It's not that I have nowhere to eat, I just didn't want to go out to eat, and if I cooked for myself, it would feel like a waste," Kaede said, spreading his hands. "It's not like I'm a complete loner, but doesn't it feel weird to go out and eat alone?"
"That's true. Eating alone, especially at a restaurant, you can't avoid being stared at."
Takasu Ryuji imagined himself sitting alone in a restaurant and immediately shivered: "No thanks, that scene is terrifying just thinking about it. I'll stick to cooking and eating at home."
Aisaka Taiga also came over from behind and whispered, "Is it that scary? I sometimes go to restaurants by myself to eat, and nothing happens."
"..."
"..."
Kaede and Takasu Ryuji exchanged glances and remained silent simultaneously.
If that person was Aisaka Taiga, probably no one would dare to give her strange looks, right?
When dinner was ready, Takasu Yasuko returned home right on time from work.
"I'm home~~~ Oh my, Kaede-kun is here today too? Where is Eriri?"
"Eriri is out shopping with Kasumigaoka-senpai, and they're eating dinner out too, they'll come back after eating. So I came here to mooch a meal."
Takasu Yasuko heard this and smiled happily, saying, "Welcome! Have a happy dinner here today! Ryuji, is dinner ready? I'm starving!"
"It's just finished, we can eat now."
After all the prepared dishes were served, the four people sat around the table and began their dinner.
Picking up a piece of stewed beef and putting it in his mouth, Kaede raised an eyebrow in surprise and said to Takasu Ryuji, "This stewed beef you made is much better than the last few times!"
"Did you taste the difference?" Takasu Ryuji laughed proudly. "I learned a few more things from the chef at the restaurant where I work part-time. I'm completely different now!"
"What's with this inexplicable pride..."
Takasu Yasuko, who was enjoying her dinner, heard this and said with a smile, "Ryuji is always very persistent about cooking and housework. He gets extremely proud whenever he makes a little progress or improvement."
I remember when he learned one dish as a child, he was proud for days!"
"Don't bring up things like that right now!!!!"
Takasu Ryuji never expected his mother to suddenly spill the beans. He immediately grew anxious; he had plenty of embarrassing past moments!
After hearing this, Kaede nodded in agreement: "Exactly. When this guy is on duty at school, his germaphobia acts up. It takes him ages to clean, and now everyone in class knows he's a germaphobe."
"Asakura! Stop talking about it!"
Takasu Ryuji put down his chopsticks, held his head in his hands, looking utterly defeated.
Aisaka Taiga swallowed the meat in her mouth and said in surprise, "I knew it! I saw you busy in the kitchen for so long after eating before. It wasn't just simple cleaning, it was germaphobia!"
"It's not germaphobia! I just like cleanliness!"
Slamming the table with both hands, Takasu Ryuji said, exhausted, "I beg you guys, can we just eat first?"
Having teased him enough, the three people nodded simultaneously, picked up their rice bowls, and a quiet atmosphere returned to the dining table.
Letting out a deep sigh, Takasu Ryuji knew this would happen. He had been teased by his mother and Aisaka Taiga countless times when he was at home, and even pretending to be angry was useless.
Now that Kaede was here to mooch a meal, that tendency became even stronger.
He decided: he couldn't casually let Asakura mooch meals anymore!
However, after dinner... eating the pastries Kaede brought, Takasu Yasuko squinted her eyes happily and said, "These are delicious! Kaede-kun, you must come mooch meals more often!"
Aisaka Taiga also said, "Mhm, mhm! Just bring pastries, you don't have to pay for the meal! Ryuji, hurry up and wash the dishes and come eat pastries!"
Takasu Ryuji, who was vigorously wiping a bowl, heard this, his hand trembled, and he nearly dropped the bowl.
"Asakura, you bastard! Hurry up and go home after you finish eating!!!"
Leisurely taking a bite of a pastry, Kaede looked at Takasu Ryuji and said, "Do you want some? I saved some for you. These are daily limited edition, you know!"
"..."
Swallowing hard, Takasu Ryuji quickly dried the bowl in his hand, then came over and took the last piece of pastry that Aisaka Taiga was staring at longingly.
Smells so good...
After mooching the meal, drinking a cup of tea, and chatting for a while, Kaede finally said goodbye and returned to his own home.
But after leaving the Takasu Family Home, Kaede looked back at the front door of the Takasu Family Home and muttered, "Is Taiga not going home yet? She probably hasn't done her homework, right?"
And almost at the exact moment Kaede returned home, Eriri also arrived downstairs at the apartment building; the two were only about a minute apart.