Russian Roulette Pt. 2

Finally, all the preparations were complete. Humming cheerfully, Chloe set two bowls on the dining table—one large bowl filled with steaming curry, and a smaller one lined with golden, crispy chicken cutlets.

"All done!" she beamed, clapping her hands together. "Aikami! Come, come!"

I chuckled as she eagerly pulled me toward the table. "Sometimes I forget just how much you love food, Chloe."

"Well, yeah, but it's not just about the food this time!" she said, eyes sparkling. "Eating with others makes it taste even better, didn't you know?"

"I fail to see how that makes any sense."

"Just wait. You'll see," she replied with a knowing grin.

We gathered around the table, a comfortable warmth settling between us as the aroma of spices and freshly cooked rice filled the room. Lana had already portioned out four bowls of rice, placing them neatly off to the side.

"…It actually looks amazing," I admitted, surprised by the presentation.

"I know, right?" Alice smiled. "Honestly, even I'm impressed. We hadn't put in this much effort since the potluck in Norway."

Lana scoffed. "You mean the seafood party? The one Uncle Bubbles flat-out refused to attend?"

"What I'd do for another one of Hephaestus' lobster tails…" Chloe mumbled dreamily. "When it comes to grilling, he's unmatched."

I leaned back in my chair, arms crossed. "Think he'd be willing to cook something for us here?"

"I'm sure he would if we asked," Chloe replied. "He's always looking for an excuse to play with fire—even if it's just to grill."

Alice let out a soft laugh. "In due time. For now, let's enjoy what we already have."

I put my hands together, bowing slightly. "Thank you for the meal."

Chloe stood up, leading by example. She grabbed a rice bowl, placed two cutlets neatly on top, and ladled a generous portion of curry over them, letting it cascade down like a golden waterfall.

As I made a move to stand and do the same, she reached over with an open hand and a sweet smile.

"I'll do it for you, Aikami."

"O-oh. Uh… Thanks, Chloe."

"Hehe. No problem."

One by one, she served each of us with care before sitting back down. The table was quiet for a moment—just the four of us, together, the food warm and inviting.

And at last, it was time to eat.

The first bite hit like a warm embrace. Savory, rich, with just the right amount of spice. I let out a quiet sigh through my nose without even meaning to.

"Wow..." I mumbled. "As expected, this is ridiculously good."

"Of course, it is," Alice scoffed. "Certainly better than just egg on rice, no?"

"Infinitely. If I could eat something like this every day, I would."

Lana chuckled, pointing her chopsticks at me. "Then why don't we make that happen?"

"W-what?"

"Yeah. You know. If we eat, you eat too."

"Ah... No, that's okay. You don't have to go that far. Just ignore me and do as you usually do."

"Well, there's no way we can do that," Chloe smiled. "I mean, we're already living under your roof, so we owe you one. Besides, if we're gonna cook for ourselves, we might as well cook for you too. Not like it'll be a hassle. And maybe this time... you'll have a plate ready for you by dinnertime."

I froze just when I was about to take the next bite.

A plate... ready for me? Has that ever happened before? No. Never once. And for her to say it so effortlessly...

"Well, well~" Lana grinned. "Check out that uncontrollable smile. He's practically beaming with joy and happiness."

"Hah." I went in for another bite. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Chloe giggled, gently swinging her legs under the table as she ate. "No need to feel embarrassed, Aikami. It's good that you're enjoying it. After all, the reason we worked so hard today was for you."

I blinked. "For... me?"

"Of course! I mean, when was the last time you sat down and had a proper meal with someone else? Probably not for a while, if even at all. That's why... we wanted to make today extra special."

"I... I honestly don't know what to say." 

"Whatever is on your mind, Aikami," Alice said, poking her lips with her chopsticks. "Go on."

"Hmm... I guess to start off, I appreciate it. All of this. And you were right, Chloe. It's nice… sitting down, sharing a meal. I didn't think it'd be so peaceful."

She peeked up with wide eyes, then broke into the softest smile. "Right?"

For a short while, there was nothing more to talk about. I've never been a good conversationalist. Obviously, right? That's why I prefer to speak only when spoken to.

I turned back to Chloe, who had gone back to eating—but every few bites, I caught her sneaking glances at me, then quickly pretending she hadn't. At one point, she tried to scoop up a piece of chicken and completely missed her mouth, nearly dropping it into her lap.

"Careful," I said, passing her a napkin.

"I-it slipped!" she squeaked, hastily wiping her chin. "The chicken's just really… agile today!"

"...Uh-huh."

"It's the truth! A special breed! Very spirited!"

I laughed as she tried to recover with a proud nod, though the blush on her face kind of ruined the effect.

Maybe I was just imagining things… but I was pretty sure the food wasn't the only warm thing at this table.

Then, a minute later—

"Wait… hold up, what the hell?" Lana muttered, leaning over to snatch Chloe's bowl.

"H-Hey! Lana!"

But Lana ignored her, tilting the bowl and flipping it upside down. I nearly shot up in alarm, bracing for the mess that I knew—deep in my soul—I'd be the one cleaning.

Only… nothing came out.

Lana turned the bowl over again, inspecting it like some kind of alien artifact. It was spotless. Not a drop of curry, not a grain of rice. Just clean, gleaming ceramic.

"Where… did your food go?" Lana asked, eyes wide.

"I… I ate it..."

"Ate it? You licked this thing clean! There's not even a smear of sauce left!"

Alice let out a soft scoff. "I must say, that is a rather impressive talent."

Chloe slowly turned to me, her cheeks glowing red, lips trembling like she was on the verge of tears—not from sadness, but sheer embarrassment. As tempting as it was to tease her like the others… for her sake, I should probably sit this one out.

I stood up with a small sigh, glancing at my bowl. "Too much curry, not enough rice. Want me to refill yours while I'm up, Chloe?"

She flinched, then hugged her bowl with both hands like it was something sacred. "I don't know… I've already eaten so much…"

"Hey, if you're hungry, you're hungry. Come on. Give it here."

Flustered, she hesitated... then slowly handed the bowl to me. "T-thanks..."

I made my way over to the rice cooker, lifting the lid. Of course. One full serving left, and maybe half a scoop after that.

Without a second thought, I packed her bowl to the brim, pressing the rice down gently to squeeze out every grain I could. Then I scooped what was left into my own. Barely enough to count, but it'd do.

Back at the table, I set her bowl down in front of her. Chloe blinked at it, then at mine, her expression shifting like she was solving some kind of logic puzzle.

"Huh...? Wait, hold on." She slid her bowl toward me. "That's not fair. Yours has barely anything. Let's split it."

"No, that's okay. I'm getting full anyway."

"But—"

"Seriously, it’s fine. Besides... I know how much you love food. You'd probably cry if I let you leave even one bite behind."

She didn't respond. Just stared at her bowl, hands gently curling around it, almost like she was afraid it'd disappear. The tip of her spoon rested against her lip, unmoving.

Then, she whispered something. "You're too nice sometimes, you know..."

But I barely caught that, so I asked for clarification. "What was that?"

"No. Just..."

Her head dipped a little, hair falling over her face, and when she looked back up, her cheeks were completely red. Not just pink—flushed. Like the warmth had finally caught up with her.

"Thank you, Aikami... Really."

I tilted my head, half-laughing. "It's just rice, Chloe."

"Maybe to you," she muttered, barely audible. Then she jolted upright. "Ah—forget I said anything!"

In a blink, she was scarfed down her bowl, eating at an alarming rate. I stared for a second, trying to make sense of it. Before I could even get a clue, Lana let out a yawn and Alice casually sipped her wine like none of this was strange.

So it's not just me. They saw that too, right?