Free Web NovelChapter 265: Peaceful Dinner with Ayaka
When Haruto arrived at Ayaka’s house, a warm, savory smell greeted him the moment he opened the door. It spread through the space immediately, rich and comforting, clinging to the air like something familiar.
From deeper inside, he heard her humming softly. The tune was unfamiliar, slow and steady, like she enjoyed the cooking.
He followed the sound into the kitchen and found Ayaka by the stove. An apron was tied around her waist, and she moved with careful focus as she cooked, checking the oil, adjusting the heat, making sure everything was just right.
A smirk tugged at Haruto’s lips as he stepped closer quietly. He stopped right behind her, watching for a moment, before wrapping his arms around her from behind.
"Haruto!" she yelped. "Don’t scare me like that. It’s dangerous, you know. I’m frying tempura."
Almost on cue, the oil popped loudly, tiny droplets splattering around the pan.
Haruto laughed. "Sorry. Are you scared I’m a robber?"
She frowned, tightening her grip on the chopsticks. "No, nothing in this small house is really valuable anyway. I’m actually scared you might actually be a ghost."
"You believe in ghosts?" He shook his head. "Humans are scarier. At least ghosts can’t hurt you."
"Have you ever watched a horror movie?" Ayaka groaned. "Ghosts haunt people, torture them, curse them, and kill them."
"Hm." He lost interest in the topic just as quickly as it started. After all, ghosts aren’t real.
His hands slid upward, giving her chest a light squeeze teasingly. Ayaka slapped his hand away without turning around.
"Later," she said firmly. "I need to finish this first. If you distract me, we won’t eat anytime soon."
Haruto groaned dramatically and backed off, settling on the edge of the dining table. He leaned back on his hands, watching her from there.
She moved briskly between the stove and the counter, checking timers, wiping her hands on a towel, her steps quick but steady.
Steam rose, oil sizzled, and the kitchen felt alive with sound. It felt like a space she owned completely.
"What are you cooking this time?" he asked.
"Mapo tofu and shrimp tempura," she replied, glancing back with a small smile. "I made it spicy. I know you like that."
"Really spicy?" Haruto grinned. "Most places lie about that."
"Oh, you’ll see," Ayaka said confidently as she focused on plating the dishes.
When everything was ready, she set the plates on the table and sat across from him, exhaling softly like she had been holding her breath the whole time. Her gaze drifted to the plastic bag near his chair.
"What’s that?"
"Ah, right. I almost forgot." He lifted it slightly.
"I went to my grandparents’ house. They gave me snacks and some food."
Her eyes lit up. "Then we should watch a horror movie after this."
"I’m more interested in eating you," Haruto said casually.
"Horror movie first," she replied without hesitation. "And we did it a lot yesterday. It’s still hard for me to walk. Be kind. I’m pregnant."
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Fine. But no sex?"
She pouted for a moment, then nodded.
"After the movie."
"Deal."
They started eating. The moment Haruto tasted the mapo tofu, his eyes widened. It was genuinely spicy, the heat spreading slowly and lingering in a way that made his chest warm.
He praised her without holding back and started eating faster than usual, barely pausing between bites.
Ayaka watched him with satisfaction, blushing as she laughed softly.
After they finished, Ayaka stood at the sink to wash the dishes. Haruto watched her quietly for a moment, the earlier warmth settling into something heavier.
He could feel it pressing against his chest, urging him to speak before he lost the chance.
"Is it okay if I ask about your mother?"
Her hands stopped. She did not turn around, but after a few seconds, she nodded.
"What happened to her, why did she lock you in the basement? Is she really dead?"
Ayaka took a breath. "I think my mother was jealous of me for some reason. She said, "I stole her husband."
"She was still alive when they brought her to the hospital," she said quietly. "She was in a coma."
She paused, fingers tightening around the edge of a plate. Then her voice grew distant.
"In her last moment, she called your father’s name."
Haruto froze, his fingers tightening around the mug in his hand. The ceramic creaked softly under the pressure.
"I know about it," Ayaka said. "About your father and my mother. I know everything." freewebnovel.cσ๓
She resumed washing the dishes, the sound of running water filling the space between them.
Haruto did not ask how much she knew. He chose not to. Some things, once spoken, could never be taken back.
***
When Ayaka was done, they moved to the living room. She eagerly picked a horror movie, clearly determined to scare him, acting as though their earlier conversation had already slipped her mind.
"This is the most enjoyable horror movie I know," she said. "It’s about a family that moves into a new house, only to find out it’s haunted."
Haruto grinned. "Like we are now?"
She pinched his hand lightly. "Stop it. This house isn’t haunted."
"Well, there was once a murderer here." freeweɓnøvel.com
"HARUTO."
Ayaka snapped, clearly annoyed, and immediately moved closer to him, clinging to his arm.
She held a bowl of popcorn that shook every time a ghost appeared on screen. It was amusing, especially since Haruto was not scared at all. Instead, he found himself enjoying every one of her reactions.
He was glad to see her like this, relaxed and smiling, so different from how she had been in the past.
Haruto leaned closer to her ear and lowered his voice. "Ayaka, I’m not like your father or Ren. I will never hurt you. You’ll be safe with me. Our child too. No one can hurt you anymore."
Ayaka froze. She did not respond, but her eyes already showed how deeply moved she was.
"I know," she said softly. "That’s why I love you so much."
She kissed him, and he returned it. The horror movie continued to play, but it faded into the background, its sounds drowned out by their quiet moment.
As a kiss obviously wasn’t enough for Haruto.
