Fated to Meet(COTE X Tomodachi Game)

Chapter 47: Afternoon Cooking/ Horikita and Yuuichi 2

(Yuuichi POV, at the same time of Arisu and Ayanokoji's meeting)

A few weeks ago, I had taken it upon myself to try and make my own meals. This was both to save money, and to better entertain any guests that happen to come over.

So far, the most progress I had made was soup.
Hours of trying and researching and experimenting led to a somewhat good soup.

I was honestly pretty disappointed in myself, but I wouldn't kick myself too much since my only meals before coming to this school were either nothing or something from the convenience store.

Anyway, that was what I served Horikita when she came over to talk business.
However:

"Where did you buy this crap from?"

Those were the words she said after only one bite of it.

"What? What's wrong with it?"

She threw the spoon down back into the bowl.

"What's wrong with it? Well, for starters, it's bland and practically tasteless. Do you own any seasoning?"

I hadn't taken into consideration that my years of eating microwaveable dinners may have ruined my taste buds.

"I put salt in it."

"Just salt?"

That wasn't enough? By the look on her face, it seemed that way.

"Fine then, how would you do it?"

I was expecting her to simply criticize me more, but she instead stood up, and said:

"Follow me."

She threw me my shoes and began to out her own on.

"Where are we going?"

"The store. The real store, not a convenience store."

"What's wrong with the convenience store? It's cheaper and faster than a regular store."

I put my shoes on despite arguing though.
I had a plan to carry out, after all.

"A convenience store stocks the bug spray right next to the produce. See my point?"

"Yeah yeah, whatever."

-

The store was surprisingly empty for a day off. I guess that might be for the best though, since I bet most people would get the wrong idea if they saw me and Horikita here together right now. Some bland popular music was playing, and it was much bigger than the convenience store. It did however look cleaner, so I'll give Horikita the win on this one.

For the purpose of teaching me, Horikita was practically dragging me by the hand around the grocery store to teach me about seasonings and needed equipment and what not.

"Are you even listening to me?"

We had been there for almost an hour though, so my interest faded relatively quick.

"I'm starting to get hungry, and we still haven't talked about our plan yet. We have all the ingredients you said we needed, so can we just go now?"

She sighed in response, but then she seemed to agree with me, so we made our way to check out.

"You know you can stop holding my hand now, right? I know where I need to go to pay."

She immediately let go of my hand, and we stopped moving for a moment, before she looked back at me.

"I knew that."

"Are you angry?"

"No."

She refused to look at me, so I just assumed I was probably still in hot water.

-

When we got back, we had decided that the most efficient way to get things done today was to cook while talking.
It was less cooking for me though and more being bossed around my own kitchen.

"Get me the seasoning we brought."

"Got it."

"Fill that pot with water."

"Yep."

It was very tiring, and I was starting to notice that we still hadn't talked about the sports festival.

"Horikita, I have a plan to deal with Ayanokoji, and a plan to win the sports festival."

Finally, we had finished most of the cooking aspect, so now we wait for it to heat in the pot for a bit.

"Are you sure Ayanokoji is the bug, Yuuichi? I've been going with the belief for now, but I never really stopped to question it."

Suddenly, the calm air that we have had since Horikita had come over had vanished.
It was only business talk now.

"I'm sure."

She stared at me for a bit, looking for any hints that I could be lying I assume, but she didn't find any because I don't have a tell.

I, of course was lying, but I wasn't going to let some subconscious body movement break the one lie holding my plan together.

-

The bane of my existence and my worst invisible enemy in this world was empathy. Not just mine either, everyone in this school had to fight the existence of this emotion to get ahead of others.

"Yuuichi, the soups ready. I'll pour you some."

"Thanks."

Was Horikita a good person?
This was the one question that would bother me as I took out this entire plan.

I have no problem taking out people who prove themselves to be awful example of a human being, but it sadly didn't seem Horikita was one of these people.

To get ahead in this school, I would have to use her though and other around me, despite the fact that they may be good people.

"Here."

"Ah, it's hot."

But there is no one I'll have to trick more then myself.

"Oh wow, this is much better than mine."

"Right? I told you so."

I'll lie to myself again and again if that's what it takes to win in the end.
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