“I think this is the first time I’ve seen a table set up like this.”
“What’s the big deal about that?”
“When we usually drink, isn’t it always simple?”
It wasn’t like there was a variety of dishes prepared like sushi, tempura, and hot pot, like now.
Most of the time, it was just one appetizer on the table, and we’d drink it down like that.
Honestly, today’s feast could be considered a bit fancier than usual.
“So, you’re treating me?”
“Got it.”
Anyway, I was drooling while looking at the spread on the table.
To be honest, I was holding back the urge to eat right away.
Well, it was a situation where we were supposed to talk…?
I was chatting with the commander while watching the menu come out one by one.
But because of that, I couldn’t catch a moment to eat.
“Commander, are you not drinking?”
“I don’t really drink well anyway. Just eat up.”
“Then… I guess it can’t be helped.”
Honestly, I only asked out of politeness.
I didn’t actually expect the commander to drink, right?
“Go ahead and eat. I’m sorry if I made you wait a bit.”
“No problem. I didn’t wait that long.”
It was only about 5 minutes, after all.
So it wasn’t really a long wait.
I was just spending time chatting with the commander.
“Commander.”
“?”
I raised my glass toward the commander to speak.
It would be a shame not to toast while drinking.
“Let’s make a toast.”
“…I don’t have alcohol, though?”
“Just do it! Why wouldn’t someone with social experience know this?”
“Alright, I’ll pour some water.”
“Hurry up.”
Hearing my words, the commander started pouring water into his glass.
You can’t drink without a toast, after all.
Even though the commander wasn’t drinking, it was just for the mood.
Toasting is something everyone does.
So the commander poured water, and I poured alcohol, looking at each other.
With a clink, our glasses met.
One side had water, so it looked a little sad, but whatever.
After all, clear alcohol can look like water if you squint your eyes, so it works both ways.
“Ahh…”
“Is it delicious?”
“Yes, it’s incredibly good.”
I found myself smiling as I said this.
It was just that good.
The alcohol was nice, but the appetizers made it even better.
“Have some tempura.”
“You eat too. Do you think I can’t finish this alone?”
“Just eat if you want to.”
I offered a piece of tempura to the commander, but he wasn’t taking it.
“Come on, quickly.”
“…What am I, a child?”
“Given how you work, it’s understandable. Eat up quickly.”
“…Fine.”
It took a few reminders before the commander finally took a bite.
Seriously, he could just take it quietly when I asked him to; why was he stalling?
“Isn’t it delicious?”
“Of course it tastes good…”
“Then eat more. Here.”
“…”
Since he said it was tasty.
So I offered him another piece.
It was delicious, and there was really no reason not to eat more, plus it was nice to see the commander eat.
“Don’t keep giving it to me; just eat first…”
“I need to eat slowly because of the alcohol.”
“No…”
“It’s better not to get drunk, right?”
It was a fact even the commander couldn’t refute; I couldn’t help but think that way.
Last time I got drunk, I ended up doing embarrassing things, so I was deliberately eating slowly.
Eating snacks too fast while drinking was a problem, and the opposite was also a problem, so…
I handed him the tempura and encouraged him to slow down.
If it had been a different drink, it wouldn’t matter, but it was hard to resist snacks like these when drinking…
“I’m glad I ordered well. The appetizers are more delicious than the alcohol.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Enjoy!”
As he said this, the commander suddenly offered me a piece of tempura with his chopsticks.
What’s this?
“I can eat myself.”
“Weren’t you the one spoon-feeding me earlier?”
“That…”
I didn’t expect it to come to this.
Was he that embarrassed about what had just happened?
I didn’t think it was to that extent.
I just thought it was normal.
“Here, ah.”
“…For real?”
“Would I pretend?”
“……..”
Well, that was something.
Honestly, I never expected the commander to do this…
“…Ahh.”
“……….”
“…?”
I opened my mouth, ready to eat, but why wasn’t he putting it in?
So I looked at the commander.
“Why aren’t you giving it to me?”
“…Can’t you just bite it yourself?”
“How am I supposed to do that when you’re awkwardly holding it over there?”
The commander and I were sitting across from each other, facing each other.
So obviously, in order to eat, he needed to come forward a bit.
He tried to mimic me, but his clumsiness was kind of funny.
“…Alright.”
Hearing my words, he reached out his arm toward me, finally coming to a position where it was easier to eat.
Honestly, it was hilarious how clumsy he was at this.
He could just put it within reach and let me eat.
“Ahh…”
“……..”
Anyway, I bit into the tempura he offered.
As soon as I bit into the crispy tempura, it crumbled, and crumbs fell everywhere.
Hmm.
This was a bit inconvenient, but what could I do? It was tempura.
I had to use my hands to catch the falling bits.
“Oh…”
This tempura was even more delicious than I expected.
I regretted not keeping it all to myself and just enjoying it.
“This is really good. I’ll have another bite.”
“…Got it.”
“Ahh…”
I bit into it again.
It was just that delicious?
Seriously, I only wanted more because it tasted amazing.
Since I already took a bite, taking another wouldn’t be weird at all.
“Ahhh…”
“Is it good?”
“Yes, it’s exceptionally delicious.”
It was honestly better than I thought.
I didn’t know if the alcohol was good, but it went well with the food.
“Commander, you should eat more too.”
“I know, but you eat it.”
With that, the commander pushed the piece of tempura I was eating onto my plate.
Seeing this made me think…
“Why? Are you worried about something like a shared kiss?”
“…….”
“Oh… for real… Are you worried about that?”
“…What.”
“Ohhh…”
I couldn’t help but find it funny.
I never expected the commander to care about shared kisses so seriously.
Honestly, when I used to visit his room, it seemed he didn’t think about such things at all. To care about this now was unexpected.
“Got it. I’ll eat all of this, so you can have a fresh one, okay?”
“…Hah.”
“Hehe… I honestly didn’t think you’d be sensitive about this kind of thing.”
I said this while laughing.
It was just too amusing, after all.
“Of course, someone who’s never had a girlfriend would act this way.”
“…You haven’t either.”
“At least I’m not embarrassed about indirectly kissing tempura like someone here.”
“……..”
“You’re still not answering and just looking at the ground, huh?”
Seeing him silent and staring down under the table was genuinely funny.
I never imagined he would be shy about this.
It wasn’t something weird; it was just food we were eating.
“Ha.”
“…Don’t laugh.”
“Got it. I won’t laugh, and I’ll try my best to hold it in.”
“Just drink.”
He said that, so I took a sip of the poured drink.
After all, since I had the snacks, it was time to drink.
“By the way, Commander, let’s do something on our way.”
“…Suddenly?”
“Yeah. It’s just so boring… I’m really struggling.”
This wasn’t a sudden thought; I’d been thinking about it on the ride.
The only things I could do were look out the window, chit-chat with the commander, check my phone, or watch a movie if I felt like it.
None of it really counted as activities.
“Right?”
“Definitely… it is pretty boring…”
“So, let’s pick something we can do on the way.”
“Even so… what can we do at this hour? We’re leaving in the morning.”
“Ah…”
…Well, that’s true.
I was being a bit shortsighted here.
As the commander said, it was awkward to buy something now.
It was now pretty much nighttime.
Other stores had surely closed for the day and everyone was heading home…
“Um.”
“Are you drunk?”
“Nope.”
“Then let’s at least plan something for tomorrow… Tomorrow is…”
“…I guess there’s nothing we can do.”
Damn.
Even though I was enjoying something delicious, I felt down.
So, reluctantly, my only option was…
“Ahh…”
“…You seem to be enjoying it, which is nice to see.”
“Really? Hehe.”
I was left with only drinking.
The whole reason we ordered it was for drinking, and wasting it would be a shame.
“By the way, Commander, why haven’t you dated anyone… I just don’t get it.”
I just threw out a question out of boredom.
We were in a relaxed atmosphere, eating and drinking, so there was no need for very serious conversation.
“Out of the blue…?”
“Well… I heard a bit last time, but I still thought you would have dated someone by now. The fact that you haven’t once is surprising.”
“It’s just because there’s no one around.”
“Hmm… Is that so?”
That line seemed a bit different from what his mom had said last time.
Well, the commander must have reasons for that, though…
“Is it really that you lack confidence? Maybe you liked someone but were too scared to confess?”
I asked because I had seen many people like that before.
Of course, I didn’t think the commander would be one of them, but I was just bored.
“……..”
“Well, I don’t think you seem lacking in confidence.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yeah, when you’re working, you clearly express if something is difficult or you can’t do it, right?”
“That’s…”
“Even so, you seem to be doing better than before.”
But mastering everything was something I didn’t want; I hoped he’d just be competent enough to keep being my commander.
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