Fragments of Memory 11

At the wedding venue's entrance, Ume was clinging to Ren's arm while gazing at me standing at the reception. Feeling slightly embarrassed by their stares, I averted my eyes.

"The Ice Queen has finally melted," Ume said with a teasing smile. Her nostalgic tone brought back memories of my high school days. The me who kept everyone at arm's length. I wondered how I appeared now in the eyes of Ume and Ren, who knew that version of me.

"You've been smiling more lately," Ren said quietly, then after a brief pause, continued, "But... I feel like I've seen that smile somewhere before."

"Right!" Ume snapped her fingers and nodded. "It reminds me of someone. But who was it?"

Those words stirred something in my chest. I didn't know who this "someone" they spoke of was, yet there was a familiar sensation. Telling myself I might be overthinking it, I decided to change the subject.

"Come on, let's head inside. It's a special day, after all."

As I ushered them in, Ume and Ren exchanged glances and shrugged before entering the venue.

---

Two months into our new married life, I was preparing dinner in the kitchen. Tonight's menu was nikujaga, miso soup, and an assortment of pickled vegetables that Yuta loves. I realized I was gradually beginning to enjoy cooking as part of our daily routine.

"Wow, smells good," Yuta peered into the kitchen after returning from work, sniffing the air.

"I thought I'd try making Japanese food today."

When I lifted the pot lid, sweet aromas wafted out with the steam.

"Hey, you've really improved lately," Yuta smiled while taste-testing. "It's perfect!"

I couldn't help but smile at his words. When we first got married, Yuta often helped me cook and gave me advice. I would mess up the heat settings or get the seasoning wrong. But now, I could make dishes that earned Yuta's praise.

"You always had a sense for it," Yuta murmured while peering into the pot. "Your knife work, heat control—it all seemed somehow familiar. But back then, everything was just slightly off."

"Yeah, I think so too." I tilted my head while moving the knife. The sensation of cooking felt nostalgic somehow, but I couldn't place where this feeling came from.

"But you know," Yuta smiled. "Your cooking has this warm, nostalgic flavor to it."

"Nostalgic?"

"Yeah, makes me feel truly at home."

His words warmed my heart, and I responded with a slightly embarrassed "Really?"

---

Ume sat relaxed on the living room sofa, enjoying her tea. Weekend visits had become our tradition.

"Still, your cooking used to be terrible," Ume laughed teasingly as she set down her teacup. "What was up with that back then?"

"Who knows," I replied with a wry smile, and Ren chimed in playfully from the side.

"The Ice Queen attempting to cook? Preposterous."

"Stop teasing!" I raised my voice to hide my embarrassment, and Ume giggled while reaching into her bag.

"Oh right, look at this!"

Ume pulled out an old photograph. It was from our high school cultural festival, showing the whole class dressed in maid café costumes.

"Look, that's Ren! A boy in a maid outfit—just look at his face!"

Ume pointed and laughed.

"And Takashi, his glasses are still fogged up as usual."

"How's Takashi doing lately?" I asked, and Ume smiled proudly.

"He's doing amazing. The game he made with you as the model is selling like crazy. He even said in a recent interview, 'Sora-chan is my inspiration!'"

I couldn't help but smile at Ume's proud expression.

Looking down at the photo, I tried to picture Takashi. For a moment, I thought I saw an unfamiliar girl near him.

"Hm? Who's this?"

When I pointed to the corner of the photo, Ume leaned in with a puzzled look.

"What are you talking about? That's you."

"Me?"

Looking again, I indeed saw myself in a butler outfit. But the girl in the black maid outfit I thought I'd seen was nowhere to be found.

"Must have been my imagination..."

As I mumbled this, Yuta called out with concern.

"Sora, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

I shook my head with a smile, but a small sense of unease remained in my heart.

By the window, Ten purred contentedly while watching us intently. My reflection in his eyes seemed somehow distant.

"Ah!" Ume suddenly exclaimed.

"Do I smell something burning?"

"Oh no, the simmered dishes!"

As I hurried to turn off the heat, Ren laughed saying "You're really hopeless," while Yuta reassured me, "It's fine, just a little burn." I burst out laughing at their exchange.

We shared laughter around the slightly burnt simmered dishes. Somehow, the taste felt nostalgically warm and familiar.

Ten watched over us from the windowsill, bathed in the evening sun. He appeared to be smiling.