“Yes, welcome back, Mother”
He came from the inner part of the house.
Certainly, it was the Kamisama from that time. But now, there’s a little bit different impression.
After all, he wore an apron over a jersey.
“…Kamisama, please, if possible, appear a bit better…”
While Madoka was looking at him with wry smile, Makoto was surprised at the sudden visitor.
“This girl is Kisaragi Madoka-san. Just now, she helped me when the bike’s chain was off. I heard she’s Makoto’s classmate, do you know her?”
Hearing Maho-san, after looking a bit worried, Makoto shook his head. I knew it…
Maho-san sighed.
“Having such a cute classmate, and she said she know you, what were you looking at. As usual, were you only looking at the blackboard?”
Madoka too laughed a little, took off her shoes, then bring herself to enter the house[1]
“Please excuse me. Makoto’s mother, the enrollment was just a month ago,” said Madoka, but Maho sighed.
“Certainly, this child can study well, he also helps around the house, but although a diligent child, he never brought any friends home. As a parent, it worries me.”
Makoto showed troubled face, turned back to the kitchen. It seems he’s been preparing evening meal.
Madoka was guided by Maho-san, to wash her hands in the bathroom.
Once the dirt cleaned off, after wiped her hands with a towel, then she was called to the table in the kitchen.
“Madoka-san, please sit down. First, drink the tea, then tell me how it is at school. Because this child does not talk with me about his classes.”
“Ah, yes…but in a moment is time for evening meal, me too is not allowed to go home too late.”
Madoka answered tactfully. Today is a chance to get closer, she already feels satisfied.
“That’s right, what if you join us for dinner? Because this is the only thing I can do to say thanks”
Madoka surprised, then refused, “No, that is, thank you very much. Please don’t mind it…”
“Don’t say that. Just the two of us like usual, there’s not much to be talked. With the addition of one more girl, I am happy.”
“But…”
“Rather than being called as gratitude, please. I understand if it bothers you, but I like you. If it doesn’t bother you, I hope you are willing to accept.”
Maho-san with that smile, asked.
That person’s smile was awesome, and Madoka was honestly impressed.
“Well, if it doesn’t bother you…”
While Makoto was confused, he mumbled from the kitchen, “Ano…but the one who made the meal is me…”
“As always, makes home food with leftovers in the refrigerator. …Ah, you will eat the leftovers. For Madoka and me, please make it fresh.”
“…All right”
Ah, Kamisama, the impression had changed too much… Madoka laughed without letting sounds out, watching the two persons funny interactions.
“Then, I shall call home.”
“Yes. can we exchange in the middle? I also want to talk.”
“Yes, I understand”
Madoka took out her mobile phone, made a call to her house.
Makoto was thingking hard in front of refrigerator; watching him in the corner of her eyes, Madoka laughed again.
“Oh, Mom? It’s me, Madoka”
In the other side of the phone was her mother, briefly, she described the events today honestly. After making sure two, three times, when it was understood that she wouldn’t be home for dinner, she handed the phone to Maho-san
Maho-san expressed her gratitude kindly, while complimented Madoka, and that because apparently their children were classmates, she inadvertently detained her, so Maho-san apologized .
After speaking back and forth, Madoka’s mother said to Madoka, “Don’t inconvenience anyone, don’t be late coming home,” in response to the explanation, and cut the phone call.
“All right, then. Sit down, sit down. First of all, let’s do self-introduction formally.”
Sitting face-to-face in front of the desk, Maho continued her words.
“I am Ichiyanagi Maho. I am nurse manager in the Hitoshi Seikai hospital nearby. My husband has gone[2]. And, that is my only child, Makoto. The child only likes studying and housework. In a sense, he is like a hikikomori eh. He just goes to library, school, or home.”
Maho-san’s introduction was unrestrained.
“I am Kisaragi Madoka. First year in Asahi High School. I’m doing sprint in the track and field club. I’m not good in my studies. I love to play with my friends.”
“Great. I also want a daughter like Madoka-chan. Cheerful and healthy. Probably because my child is a boy, the conversation was boring.”
“Makoto’s Mother is also a nurse, it’s wonderful.”
“Calling me Makoto’s Mother is also not bad, but if it is possible, I want to be called ‘Maho’”
“Eh…Maho-san? I’m sorry, it’s a little…”
“It’s okay, it’s okay. May I call you Madoka-chan?”
“Yes.”
In front of the two people, Makoto placed food platters. Simmered hijiki seaweed, pork meat and potato stew, pumpkin boiled in soy sauce, miso soup and tofu, pickled vegetables on rice.
“Wow. These are made by Makoto-san?”
Makoto was just nodded, then went back to the kitchen. It seemed the cooking was still not done.
“Before I realized it, he had become better at cooking than me, now they’re mostly done by Makoto. Come on, let’s eat while it’s still warm.”
“Yes.”
“Itadakimasu”
Madoka ate the warm miso soup.
Different from her house’s flavor, it was the taste of a delicate broth.
“It’s delicious!”
“This child can be called an otaku or obsessive. He even damaged several books for miso soup recipe, even though he’s not a housewife.”
Along with the taste, Madoka was honestly impressed.
To think that a high school boy could make it…
Makoto warmed frozen dumpling with hot water to make Mizu Gyoza.
Sat next to the her seat, clasped his hand together, muttered “Itadakimasu”, then eat.
————–
TLC Notes:
[1]Raw: まどかも少し笑って、靴を脱いで、上がらせてもらった。
It’s rather complicated to translate, because 上がらせてもらった literally means “letting herself enter”. It’s closely related to Japanese culture that entering to another house means entering their privacy area, so needed permission from the owner of the house. Entering other people’s house usually called 「上がる」 because, from 「玄関」(front door, the place where people usually changed their shoes to house slippers) the floor position is lower than inner part of the house. 「上がらせて」 means letting herself enter the house, with addition of 「もらった」 to show that she let herself enter the house without/before the owner’s permission.
[2]Raw: 旦那はいないわ
It’s a bit ambiguous. The gist of it is just that she doesn’t have a husband, but it’s not clear if he’s dead or they were just divorced.
<<<Chapter 1.2 Bicycle and Destiny
>>>Chapter 1.4 The Contract’s Establishment
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