part2 · 108-ep108

Episode 108: For Someone's Sake

The next morning.

Ren woke early, as usual.

He got up from the bed and headed for the living room.

"...Morning, Ren."

"...Morning."

Mizuki was preparing breakfast. Ren sat down and ate.

Before, unless he was asked something he needed to answer, he almost never spoke on his own.

But—

recently, he had been changing little by little.

"...Mizuki."

"Hm?"

"...What time are you coming home today?"

"Today... probably around evening, I think."

"...Got it."

"What's up?"

"...Nothing."

Ren shook his head just a little.

"...Just wondered."

"I see."

Mizuki smiled.

Just a casual conversation.

But—

for Ren, it was something he couldn't have done until not long ago.

They finished breakfast. Mizuki began getting ready to go out.

"Alright, I'm off."

"...Yeah."

Mizuki headed for the entryway.

"I'll be back by evening."

"...Take care."

"Yeah. I'm off."

The door closed.

Ren stared at the entryway for a while.

And then—

he went back to the living room.

　　　　　◇

On the table, the cookbook was lying.

Ren picked it up. Turned the pages.

The pork sauté they'd made together. The dish they'd talked about making next.

"......"

Hamburg steak.

Ren stared at that page.

He'd made the pork sauté while Mizuki taught him.

But—

this time, he wanted to try making it on his own.

"...Guess I'll try making it."

Ren checked the ingredients he needed while looking at the cookbook.

Ground meat. Onion. Egg. Breadcrumbs. Milk.

He memorized what he needed.

And then—

"...Let's go."

Ren stood up.

　　　　　◇

The supermarket.

Ren was walking through the store alone.

Before, even walking through town alone like this had left him bewildered. But now it was different.

Even seeing the people around him, it didn't bother him as much as before.

He put the things he needed into the basket one by one.

Ground meat. Onion. Egg. Breadcrumbs. Milk.

He had everything he needed.

He headed for the register.

"Right this way, please."

"...Please."

His exchanges with the clerk were still short.

But—

words came out more naturally now than before.

He finished paying.

"Thank you very much."

"...Thanks."

Ren took the bag and left the store.

　　　　　◇

He returned home.

He laid the ingredients he'd bought out in the kitchen. Opened the cookbook.

"......"

Checking each thing one by one, Ren started cooking.

He cut the onion. The knife slid through. The motion was astonishingly precise.

He'd used a knife for many years. Butchering monsters. Cutting up meat. Removing bones.

Things like that were everyday work for Ren.

But—

cooking was different.

How well to cook it. Seasoning. The heat.

He still had little experience with those.

He proceeded while checking the cookbook again and again. Sautéed the onion. Mixed it with the meat. Added the egg and breadcrumbs.

And then—

he shaped it.

"......"

Ren looked at the finished hamburg steak mix.

"...Done."

All that was left was to cook it.

But—

Ren didn't reach for the frying pan. He looked at the clock.

It was still just past noon.

"......"

Mizuki would come home in the evening. It would taste better fresh off the pan.

Ren put the hamburg steak in the refrigerator.

"...After she gets back."

he murmured.

　　　　　◇

Afternoon.

Ren returned to the living room. Sat on the sofa. Turned on the TV.

He picked up his smartphone. Started a game, as usual.

After a while—

he looked at the clock.

"......"

Still too early.

He kept playing.

After a while, he looked at the clock again.

"......"

She still wasn't back.

He repeated that several times.

The old Ren. Wouldn't have cared about the time. He'd only needed to think about what was necessary to survive.

But now—

there was someone coming home.

And. He would eat together with that person.

That was, just a little, something to look forward to.

　　　　　◇

Evening.

The entryway door opened.

"I'm home—"

"...Welcome home."

Ren turned his face toward the entryway.

"I'm tired today—"

Mizuki took off her shoes.

And then—

upon entering the living room, she suddenly stopped. Mizuki looked at the kitchen.

There—

was cooking prep, all set up.

"...Is this, by any chance..."

"...Hamburg steak."

"You made it, Ren?"

"...Yeah."

"By yourself?"

"...Yeah."

Mizuki's face lit up.

"Amazing!"

Ren averted his eyes slightly.

"...Not cooked yet."

"Then I'll go get changed."

"...Yeah."

Mizuki headed for her room.

While Mizuki was changing, Ren put the frying pan on the heat. Cooked the hamburg steak.

A sizzling sound rang out. A savory smell spread.

Ren checked how well it was cooking. Looked at the cookbook.

And then—

he slowly plated it.

　　　　　◇

"It's done."

Mizuki came back to the living room.

"Wow..."

On the table, freshly cooked hamburg steak.

"You really made it all by yourself."

"...Yeah."

"Thanks for the food."

Mizuki took a bite.

"......"

Ren silently watched Mizuki.

"...It's delicious."

"...Really?"

"Yeah. It's really delicious."

Mizuki smiled.

"Amazing, Ren."

"...I see."

Ren's expression softened just a little.

"Yeah. It's really delicious."

Mizuki took another bite.

"You might've gotten better than before."

"...You think?"

"Yeah."

Ren looked at the hamburg steak, looking just a little happy.

"...Good."

"Hey, Ren."

"...?"

"Why did you decide to make it?"

"......"

Ren thought for a moment.

They'd cooked together. Mizuki had taught him. He'd bought the cookbook.

And then—

today, he'd made it alone.

The reason.

After thinking for a while, Ren slowly opened his mouth.

"...For you, Mizuki."

"Hm?"

"...Because I wanted to do something for you."

"......"

Mizuki's movement stopped.

"...I see."

Mizuki gave a small smile.

"Thank you, Ren."

"...Yeah."

"I'm really happy."

"...I see."

Ren's expression softened a little.

　　　　　◇

After they finished eating.

Ren picked up the cookbook. Turned the pages. Searched for a dish he could make next.

Mizuki peered in from the side.

"What are you making next?"

"...Haven't decided yet."

"I see."

Ren turned the pages. Looked at the photos of food.

And then—

he suddenly thought.

Ten years ago. Ren had eaten in order to live.

So that he himself would survive. That was all.

Cooking for someone else—he had never once thought of it.

But now—

it was different.

He wanted Mizuki to eat it. He wanted Mizuki to be happy.

That feeling had been born naturally.

Ren closed the cookbook.

"...I'll make it again."

"Yeah."

"...Next time, I'll do better."

"I'll look forward to it."

"...Yeah."

Ren nodded a little.

For ten years. Ren had lived alone. That had been normal.

But—

after returning to the surface, he'd been changing little by little.

Talking. Spending time together. Doing something for someone.

And then—

making someone happy.

Those ordinary things, Ren was learning little by little.

That was—

something he could never have known in the dungeon.

Ren looked at Mizuki beside him. And smiled just a little.

The everyday life that had been stopped for ten years—

was beginning to move, little by little.