The unexpected treatment

I'm not sure whether fate brought us together for a reason or it just simply threw me in this awkward situation as part of my cursed destiny.

Out of all people living in this hotel, who would've thought that I will meet the President here?

We looked at each other silently. I was surprised because she's actually the one who ordered this expensive food.

"S-So this is where you live, President?" I asked, breaking off the extensive staredown.

"That's right. And you told me that you work part-time, is that what I'm seeing right now?" she returned the question to which I nodded in response.

"Yes. Ah, but this is actually just another sideline. My main job is not so different from this."

"Is that so? Well then, can I have my order now?"

"Ah, sorry!" I quickly opened the box and gave her the order. I could see that she intended to eat this unhealthy serving which I find odd.

"Thank you. Here's the tip..." after giving me the tip, she proceeded to close the door but before she could, I asked her.

"President? Do you live here alone?"

"Not really. My big sis is living here with me. She told me that she's going to be late so I figured I should just order for myself."

I guess her older sister is usually the one preparing her daily necessities including food. I couldn't imagine Ayumi having the strength to sustain herself while having that injury. She couldn't even close the door properly without using her leg.

"Are you going to be fine? Can you handle all of that by yourself?" I asked.

"I'm fine. This is nothing—" when she said that, the product from the plastic bag fell. "...let me just get that."

Although she said that, Ayumi couldn't bring herself to pick it up. Her body is slouching and she had both of her arms occupied. Since her other arm is protected by a cast, she couldn't crouch forwardly to suspend herself without placing her hand on the wall. And she still had the bag in her other hand.

Sensing that she was going to struggle, I decided to pick it up on her behalf before she strain herself. "Here you go..."

"T-Thank you..." she averted her eyes from me when I returned the pack. "Aren't you going to leave yet?"

It seems like she really wanted me to go now but how could I leave peacefully after seeing her like that?

"No. You need some help..." I walked passed by her and entered.

"W-What? Hey, what are you doing?" she got startled.

"Give me that, I'll be the one to prepare your dinner. Where's your kitchen here?" it was a fine pristine room furnished with velvety and exquisite furniture. The fluorescent light installed directly into the ceiling beamed through the space, providing subtle luminosity to match the hotel's appearance.

"I told you I don't need any help!" she retorted. I didn't buy it, of course. Ayumi could pretend that she's good and fine all the time but she won't be able to deceive my eyes right now.

Her words don't match her actions at all, to be honest. It's not in my nature to care about other people's circumstances usually but for some reason, I found hers to be special. This is probably because I still feel guilty over that injury. And the way she always reject my help filled me with more anxiety. That's why I'll use this opportunity to at least serve her and relieve my mind.

"You say that, but you can't even close the door. I doubt that you'll be able to eat this properly with your condition right now." I replied, slowly grabbing the plastic bag from her hand.

She stared at me in a daze, stunned by my actions that breaches her privacy. I know that I'm imposing myself willingly right now but I have to take care of her for the night.

The packets and other styrofoam boxes from her order consist of unhealthy and greasy food from the restaurant that she ordered from. And they're all hard to open and prepare because you have to remove the thick cover one by one and place them on a plate. To do that, Ayumi would have to open this intricate box which is pretty problematic with only one hand.

"Tsk! Looks like I underestimated you. I didn't know you were this observant..." she closed the door and walked through the living room.

"Observant? Not really. Even the kids could tell that you're not going to be fine on your own."

"Is it still about you being guilty over this?" Ayumi glanced at her injury while observing me.

"It would be a lie if I said that's not part of it but I think this time is different..."

"How so?"

"I want to cook something healthy for you instead of this..." I flashed her my toothy grin while flexing my muscles as a cook.

"Hah, that's so lame..."

"Hey! That was unnecessary." she can be pretty rude sometimes. I'm confident with my cooking skills, you know?

"Follow me..." heaving a sigh, Ayumi continued as I followed her to the kitchen area.

Compare to my apartment's kitchen, this one right here is magnificent. Each of the compartments is sorted neatly in an array and you don't even have to go somewhere else to grab your ingredients. It also has a recyclable trash bag that you can simply drag to put away all of the peeled skins.

"Woah, everything in here is amazing. I feel like a professional..."

"Do you like it? Don't you have this kind of setup at your home?" she asked.

"No. I live in a rundown apartment so they're traditional and simple. I had to clean the counter every time I cook and the sink is made out of smooth stone decorated with a tile so insects are always present." when I told her that, Ayumi's jaw dropped.

"Isn't that a hassle to clean every single time you cook?"

"It is but I'm used to it now. Being independent makes you invulnerable to all kinds of farce in life."

"That's true, I mean that's how you'll know that you've matured enough to not even care and complain." I could see Ayumi smiling when she said that. Maybe she relates to what I'm talking about.

Considering that she runs a council and that she has a high position to maintain, I'd imagine that she cast away her views as a student and matured early to ease the burden. I couldn't help but pity her upon thinking that.

"Hmm, do you have any ingredients?" I asked.

"Yes, they're on the counter over there. There are also vegetables in the fridge."

"Got it, thanks. I'm still surprised that you ordered this much though. Most of them are greasy..." I put all of the packets and boxes on the counter.

"Can't help it, I actually don't know what to eat so I just ordered everything from the mixed menu."

"You're wasting money, President..."

"It's fine, we normally pay this amount every day. And the hotel is more expensive anyway..." she said as she brush her hair behind her ear. "Do you need any help in the kitchen?"

"Nope, just leave everything to me and relax," I rolled my sleeves.

"I can't believe I'm letting you do this. Just so you know, I'm not gonna add an extra tip for this service, do you hear me?" Ayumi narrowed her eyes.

"Yes, Ma'am."

***

Considering that Ayumi doesn't really know what to eat with all of this, I figured that I should just prepare an easy meal that is a bit creamy on the side. As someone who cooks for himself, I know a lot of variation when it comes to random ingredients being thrown into the counter.

I first started by preparing all of the measure utensils that I need. Being precise on this meal is really important since it's only Ayumi who will be eating it.

Fortunately, she ordered fried chicken that is good for dinner but I feel like it's not decent enough as a meal.

I'm turning this into gourmet...

I set aside all of the other packets including the box with pasta and sandwich on it and put them on the other chiller. I won't be needing the restaurant's deluxe's variation so I just grabbed the main dish—fried chicken breast.

It looks so bland and raw that I feel unsettled for some reason. A certain British man who loves to cuss might've thrown this in the trash if he saw this.

I moved to the side of the counter and opened their fridge. From there, I saw a lot of vegetables stacked and sorted very well. It looks fresh and I don't see any rotten ones.

Let's see... We have Parmesan, lemons, fresh basil, spinach, and some heavy cream...

"What are you making?" Ayumi asked as she rested on the sofa.

"Oh well, I think I'm going to go for the Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken,"

"That sounds delicious, oddly enough. And you're going to transform the restaurant's chicken into that?"

"Yes, but I need to sear it again and maybe coat it to bring out the flavor and crispiness. The restaurant didn't cook it very well."

"Oh..." she sounded astonished when I said that and I find her reaction pretty cute. Totally different from her Student Council President demeanor.

After bringing out the ingredients I need, I took the apron from the shelf and wore it. I also washed my hands thoroughly and put on some plastic gloves.

Placing the bowl on the counter, I put on the flour that I sifted earlier, then the garlic powder, grated parmesan, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. After that, I coated the bland chicken breast on it.

"Uh... How does this work, President?" I was stumped. In front of me was an electric stove with so many buttons and instructions. I'm not really familiar with it since I use a normal stove.

"Oh, hold on..." Ayumi stood up from the sofa and approached the stove beside me.

Have I already mentioned that she looks so beautiful in her casual wear? She wore a plain pink short-sleeved oversized shirt partnered with comfortable poodle-printed cotton shorts with a nudged string on the center. Definitely an S-tier outfit for home.

Even her snow-white hair, which is usually slick and held freely downwards, was styled in a one-braided tail down to her buttocks, bringing out a plump bun on both sides of her shoulders. She usually wears a violet hairpin that looks like a ribbon on the side but I guess she removes it at home.

"You just need to press this and then tune this to the side..." Ayumi moved closer beside me while touching the buttons.

"Then if you're going to adjust the heat, just press this one."

It's hard to pay attention when you're so close like this, President!

I screamed internally. Her silver-bell-like voice produced an enchanting sound as it travels right next to me. My right arm is technically brushing a bit against her sideboobs and I don't think she notices it because of that oversized shirt. I could feel myself tensing from the stimulation.

"....Nathan? Nathan?!"

"Huwah?! Y-Yes?"

"Did you pay attention? You basically just have to press this and you're good to go..." Ayumi pointed to the E-stove.

"O-Okay, thank you!" I immediately began my cooking as I turned the electric stove on. I need to focus on the dish and not her chest!

After searing the chicken, I placed another skillet and turned down the heat to medium, and added butter. Once melted, I added garlic and cooked it until the fragrant wafted in the kitchen. I also added the spinach and cooked for about two minutes until wilted.

"Woah, that smells so good!" Ayumi moved even closer, reducing the distance to mere centimeters as she watched me cook.

Her expression right now greatly reminds me of my little sister. Whenever she hears the sizzle of the pan and smells the permeating aroma of the dish, she usually drools and acts like a cute spoiled child. But to see that resurface in Ayumi's face made me feel delighted.

"You really know how to cook, huh? I could already taste the dish just from the smell alone..."

"Haha! Thank you. My skills are not that good compared to my mom's but hearing you say that makes me happy." I smiled as I turned at her. I genuinely mean that from the bottom of my heart.

"..." for some reason though, Ayumi was silent. Her face was painted subtly with a deep red color and when I looked at her, she averted her eyes. "R-Really? Good for you then..."

"Yes..."

After finishing the early ingredients, I proceeded to add the chicken broth, heavy cream, and the remaining 1/2 cup of parmesan while seasoning it with salt and pepper. I stirred all of it using the wooden spoon. I then add the lemon slices and brought it to a simmer until the sauce thickened.

Ayumi just watched silently as I combine all of the ingredients I prepared earlier. Even I can smell the flavor and they're really good.

Once the sauce was ready, I placed the seared chicken on the skillet and simmered it again for about five minutes. I coated it with the white sauce to let the chicken absorb the cream and blend naturally. After that, I finally turned off the heat and garnished the dish with basil.

"I'm done, thank you for waiting!" I placed the apron back on the counter and put the dish on the table.

"Wow! It looks so perfect..." even after all of that, Ayumi's vulnerable side didn't change which I find cute.

"Here you go, I sliced some of the parts so that you don't have to chop it down." placing the bowl of rice in the center, I served Ayumi a separate plate for the dish with the chicken already sliced so that she won't have to cut it herself. I also gave her a spoon and fork with a glass of water.

"Do you want to drink that soft drink as well?" I asked.

"Yes please!" I grabbed the cold plastic cup and removed the top cover. I guess I was right to put it on the chiller to stay cold.

"Thank you for the food...!" without any hesitation, Ayumi scooped up the chicken coated in a deep white cream that is garnished with spinach and placed them in her bowl. Her spoonful of rice covered with the dish entered her mouth and when she came to...

"Mmm—!" that reaction alone was proof that Ayumi got herself plunged into the world of gourmet.

"I-It's so delicious!" she rolled to chomp down everything including the side dishes from the restaurant. It was nonstop eating and I feel really happy watching her like that.

"You shouldn't eat so quickly like that haha..." I warned her before she chokes.

"I can't help it! It's so tasty, how did you even learn to do this stuff?"

"Well, I live alone so I had to learn how to cook. I mostly watch videos on the internet and follow them through. How about you, President—"

"Fuyumi..."

"Huh?"

"You can call me by my nickname. Fuyumi," she said while staring at me.

"Umm, that's..." I was reluctant to call her that. 

She introduced herself somewhat in an assertive and strict demeanor that is hard to forget because it was scary so I got accustomed to it. But giving me the right to get to call her by her nicknames means that we're now close, right?

"It's fine. Hearing you call me President while off duty is weird so call me my nickname as well, Natsu."

"Mmh... I got it, Fuyumi." I smiled.

"Apparently, my nickname also translates to the Winter Season if you arrange my first name and last name. They're similar to yours, right? The name Natsu was known in the school."

"Yes. I'm not that proud of it though..." I replied while scratching my head. Those freaking idiots really love to give us the season!

"As for your question earlier, no. I don't have any knowledge of how to cook. I know how to fry for myself but cooking a dish just like this one is beyond my scope of talent. My big sister is usually the one cooking for both of us and I just love her food. It's kinda pathetic, right?" Ayumi gazed down.

"Not really..." she turned at me. "Not being able to cook is perfectly normal and there's nothing wrong with it. You're already incredible at handling such tiring work for our school so I figured that you didn't really have any time to learn it. Ah yes, now that you mention it, maybe I can teach you a few basic recipes that I know?"

"R-Really?!" Fuyumi pounded the table with her free hand as she leaned forward near my face. "Do you mean that?"

"Y-Yes, even if they're simple, you can alter it however you want and they'll still taste delicious. I know at least three of them and they're not really difficult to prepare."

"Well then, after my recovery, will you teach me how to make this one?" she meant the Creamy Lemon Parmesan Chicken that I cooked.

"Sure..." I nodded.

"Yay! Thank you much, Natsu!"

So she really has this kind of side to her, huh? Vulnerable yet sweet, happy, and relaxed. I wish I could watch her eat like this forever... What the hell are you thinking, Nathan?! You should also do something like this with Autumn!

After some time, Ayumi finally finished her food while I contemplate in misery. I offered to wash the plates and told her to relax on the sofa.

While cleaning, Ayumi spoke up. "Sorry for leaving everything to you, Natsu. Have I interrupted your delivery work?"

"Oh no, it's fine. There's nothing to worry about, you're my last delivery for the night." I reassured her.

"Really? You know... when I first met you, I genuinely thought that you were really unreliable and lackadaisical. I admit that I was surprised when you told me that you really want to help me personally. I think I could see now why Kylee told me you're exceptional..."

"Urgh, I don't know if I should feel happy about that or not..."

"Hee hee, I apologize for doubting you, Natsu. But you're still not going to get a major role." Fuyumi continued.

"Why is that?"

"Well, you already helped me personally by cooking for me. I think that's the most helpful thing you can do for me and I really appreciate it," she answered.

"That's true..." but me cooking for you doesn't solve anything, President. You're still carrying responsibilities that are too heavy for a normal student. Even if you tell me to stay out of it, I'm not gonna let you solve it on your own.

After washing the plates, I cleaned her counter and put everything back in its order.

"Phew... Well then, I'm going home now, Fuyumi." I called out to her while fixing my bag.

"Ah! Hold on, let me see you off uwahhh—!" as I approached the front door, Fuyumi tripped on something.

"Look out!" throwing my things to the side, I instantly dashed to catch her falling body.

A small thud echoed in the hall as we both fell to the floor. I managed to grab her shoulders before landing while supporting her waist with my other arm.

"Are you okay—"

When I turned my head, I found myself in a trance state. Ayumi's face and I were drawn closely that our noses would touch each other. My eyes locked onto her, and a surge of unknown feelings entered my soul as I saw my reflection in her crystal clear eyes. Her beauty was just too stunning to ignore.

But that's not the problem, I was well aware of the situation yet my heart is beating so fast.

Just then, an image of Autumn flashed through my mind and it woke me up. "A-Ah! S-Sorry, Fuyumi!" I stood up quickly while I gently push her.

"..." both of us were silent.

"T-Then, I'm going home now... take care of yourself, President!" 

"Mhmm..."

Sensing the awkwardness, I immediately left the hotel room and closed her door.

***

When Nathan left the room, Ayumi found herself staring listlessly at the floor.

Her eyes widened as if she just witnessed something incredible. But it's not just that, she could feel her face hot, both of her cheeks were lavished in beet red and her heart was beating at a quick pace.

W-What was that just now...? Why do I feel like this...?

It must've been a new feeling to her. And she doesn't know what to make of it. Ayumi's decline to see these unfamiliar things and her ignorance clouded her thinking. Normal people could've already figured it out in a few seconds but she couldn't.

Come to think of it, ever since he started cooking I felt pretty elated and showed him my vulnerable side. Why is that...?

And so Ayumi spent her night thinking about what happened.