Otonari No Tenshi - sama Ni Itsunomanika Dame Ningen Ni Sareteita Ken
Chapter 3: the Tenshi Split

Chapter 3 Angel Sharing

As stated, the relationship between Amane and Mahiru remains that of passing strangers.

She recovers the day after being treated, and happens to bump into Mahiru while shopping at the store, but they don't really interact. It seems Mahiru is a little relieved to see Amane looking fine.

Classes started on Monday, and nothing changed. Same for the others.

But if there was a slight change, it was when he went to school, he would lower his head while greeting others at school.

“Ohh, you look great there, Amane.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

Itsuki was worried about seeing Amane half dead the week before as they headed home, so she waited for Amane at the entrance of the school building, wanting to check on the latter. Over the weekend, she sent him a message, “You didn't die right?”

Amane replies sending a message, saying he is fine, but Itsuki remains skeptical, and only after seeing Amane all alive did he sigh in exaggerated motion.

“Yeah, even I would worry about seeing you like that. You're better now, but you have to pay more attention to how you live. Start with cleaning. “

“It sounds like what others say”

“Nn?”

“Ah, it's nothing .. I know it over the weekend. I'll clean up today. “

No, you have to do it now, so reply, but Amane ignores it.

It might not be possible in half a day.

So he shook his head, and Itsuki did not pursue the matter any further, instead looking dumbfounded.

“Well, this is your house, so do as you please. Make sure there's enough room to step on when I go there next. ”

“... I'll see how it goes.”

While Amane frowned as he switched to indoor shoes, he heard a commotion in the neighboring class, and inadvertently looked up.

Looking through the window, she finds Mahiru showing off her usual beauty, surrounded by boys and girls.

He smiled calmly as he responded to them, yet he looked completely different from Mahiru a few days ago, so he thought with a wry smile.

And Itsuki, after seeing Amane's expression, turned his head as well, understanding once he saw Mahiru.

“Ahh, Shiina-san? Still as popular as ever. Anyway, she's a pretty girl. ”

“Yeah, after all she is an angel .. You found Shiina cute too, Itsuki?”

“Of course. I had Chii around, so she was there to be admired. ”

“Easy stop flexing.”

To be exact, what Chii Itsuki was talking about was her boyfriend, Chitose Shirakawa.

The two were a loving couple, and every time they were together, it was too bright for Amane's eyes.

Stop bending over here, so Amane waved at Itsuki, but the latter did not look sad. After all, it was normal for them, “This guy had no hope.” so he laughed.

“What about you, Amane? Didn't you find Shiina Imut ?? ”

“She's beautiful. That's it.”

“It's boring.”

“Well, she's a flower at the top that we can't reach. There is no reason for us to get involved with it, so all we can do is look. ”

“You are not wrong.”

While she hides the fact that she took care of him a few days ago due to a certain event, they live in a different world.

Amane does not see himself matching Mahiru. An extraordinary human would only be a match for another extraordinary human.

And Amane, painstakingly aware of how useless he was, could not relate to Mahiru, was so sweet and capable.

Yeah, Amane himself thought he wouldn't do anything with her anymore.

“...What do you eat?”

And the idea was turned upside down when Amane was on the porch, drinking jelly juice as he looked outside.

He found it difficult to go to the convenience store, and sipped on the jelly drink he usually kept at home, leaning against the fence as he breathed in the air outside, she said, just for Mahiru to appear on her own porch.

As soon as Mahiru saw Amane, she leaned over the veranda exactly as she did, noticed the jelly juice she was drinking, and frowned slightly.

Amane never expected himself to be approached, and could only remain rooted for a while.

“You understand, right? It was a jelly that replenished my energy in tens of seconds. ”

“... Do you plan to eat this for dinner?”

“Then what else?”

“Sma's boy with appetite is eating this?”

“Stop being a busy person.”

Usually, he would live on the benthos of the shops, or the sides of the supermarket, and not eat a little of it. But on this day, Amane was too lazy to cook dinner, and had no interest in ramen, so he decided to take jelly juice instead.

It seemed like he would not feel enough, and after that he would probably eat some snacks or sweets.

“Cooking .. I don't think I'll ask. You don't seem capable of that. I can't imagine how you live alone when you can't cook or clean .. “

“Silence. It has nothing to do with you, right? ”

Spicy truth hit him, so he frowned and finished his jelly juice.

He had suffered before, and had already planned to clean up days ago, but was told this for days had his opposite motivation.

Amane in turn wanted to know why Mahiru had become a little chatty; he stared back at her, and sighed a little.

“... Please wait a minute.”

Before he could answer or deny, Mahiru left the veranda, and returned to his apartment.

After hearing the window clink shut, “What is it . “Amane asks.

He said that, but what did he want him to wait for?

He looked towards Mahiru's apartment in surprise, but of course, there was no answer.

(I think I'm calm, it's time to go back.)

He was waiting for her, as he told her, but the winter night was colder than he thought. Sweater is not enough.

After all, he did not know why he was waiting obediently.

The temperature was cold enough for him to breathe white air. He sighed, and there was an electronic sound buzzing from the corridor.

He immediately turned towards the door as soon as he heard the bell.

There was only one visitor that he expected to come.

He did not know why he would appear, but he avoided the messy pile of clothes and magazines as he headed for the corridor.

Even without looking through the peephole, he knew who it was. He dragged his sandals towards the door, released it──and as expected, slightly below his eyes was flaking flax colored hair.

“...What are you doing?”

“I've seen enough of how unorganized you are .. This is food scraps, but here.”

Mahiru retorted briefly as she extended her hand forward.

A much smaller hand than Amane holds the tupperware. The translucent lid faintly indicates the food being cooked inside.

It was still warm, and there were a few drops of water on the lid. It is not clear, but there should be food cooked inside.

He blinked a few times, and as soon as he saw his eyes trying to understand why, Mahiru let out a long sigh.

“You won't eat right. A supplement is just a supplement, it cannot be considered as a main course. ”

“Are you my mother?”

“I think what I'm affirming here is normal. Also, you should clean your apartment, too,

there is no ? It's hard to stand there. ”

Mahiru glanced behind Amane, and narrowed her eyes in despair, leaving her speechless.

“... I can still walk.”

“Not everything. Clothes usually cannot be on the floor. ”

“Yeah, they just fell.”

“They won't do it if you wash, dry and fold it properly. Please pack all the magazines you have read. It will be troublesome if you slip and fall. ”

There was some grudge in those words, but Amane knew very well that Mahiru was showing concern for a reason, and could not retaliate at any point.

It was true that the last time she took care of him, the two of them almost slipped because the room was too messy, and it was no wonder he was told to come out.

Grrr, Amane, who could not reply, showed a grin, his lips pursed when he received tupperware from Mahiru.

The warmth slowly spread through his palm, and it felt comfortable in the midst of this cold weather.

“So, can I eat this?”

“I'll throw it away if you don't want.”

“No, no, no, I'll eat it. Not infrequently we get a regular dinner made by the Angels themselves. ”

“... Please don't call me that. Seriously. “

She tried to reply to him by using her nickname at school, but her white face clearly started to blush.

It seemed that calling him the Angel himself was truly shameful. Looking from her point of view, Amane also felt uneasy about it, and that was foreseen.

His cheeks were flushed red, and he glared at him with a teary look, which only Amane could dry out.

“Sorry. I won't call you anymore. “

Again, and he would completely ruin his mood, so it was inappropriate for him to joke anymore about this. Moreover, they had no family relations so they could joke around, and it would be best not to overdo it.

It seems that Mahiru really did not want to be called that way, and she cleared her throat, indicating that she was rejuvenated.

However, her cheeks remained red, and she looked not too different from before.

“Yeah, I'll accept this gracefully. You don't have to regret it because I'm sick. ”

“Not everything. We're even now that I've taken care of you. I'm doing this for self-satisfaction .. but I'm relatively worried about how you're not living the right lifestyle. “

Amane was always in a wretched state whenever he saw him, and his decision might have been expected from a certain point of view.

Even at this point, the entrance behind Amane was completely messy, and Mahiru had seen it all when she took care of him. There is no point in hiding.

“... Is eating a decent meal and living the right lifestyle now, okay?”

“Are you my mother?”

While Mahiru lectured with a completely serious look, Amane retorted with exhaustion.

He brought the gifts handed to him back, bought them for disposable chopsticks from the supermarket, and sat on the living room couch.

How did the food Mahiru ate on her?

He thought that the porridge from before tasted good. His tongue was insensitive due to the cold, but the taste of porridge, cooked from rice, entered his stomach gently.

It seems like Mahiru's food is delicious just like that, how does it feel right now?

Leaning on some hope, he opened the tupperware lid with a hint of hesitation, and came out without a doubt the scent of cooked food.

It contains some vegetables and chicken. The soup is light in color, clearly showing the bright colors of carrots and green bean decoration.

Food of various colors is cut into bite sizes, shaking the taste of Amane, who eats only jelly.

He quickly split the chopsticks, and first brought the carrots to his mouth.

“Good.”

It feels so obvious.

As expected of the health-conscious Mahiru, the seasoning is mild, but the fish stock is rich. This is not a powder form that is usually purchased from supermarkets. The stock was boiled from bonito flakes and kelp. It feels so different.

He slowly chewed, enjoying the broth, herbs and vegetables spread in his mouth.

The freshness of the vegetables is greatly emphasized while the taste of the soup is absorbed. Amane himself does not like to eat vegetables, but even he can enjoy it well.

Eat more vegetables, as the message implies, because there is less chicken in it. The chicken was completely fresh and tender, not overdone, and there was nothing to put aside aside apart from quantity.

The ingredients were relatively simple for the cooking of a high school girl, yet it clearly emphasized her skill.

One could tell it was a real difference from those who were just learning to cook.

It would be better if there was rice or miso or soy sauce, so he thought, but unfortunately he did not cook rice.

It was too late for him to say it, but Amane regretted not going to buy two packs of rice.

“That angel is truly amazing.”

So Amane praised the perfect superhuman in learning, sports, housework, yet scared and unhappy being called that way. He continued to enjoy the taste of this root vegetable.

“I returned this. Very yummy. ”

The next night, Amane brings tupperware on loan as he visits Mahiru's house.

Amane was really bad at doing homework, but he was fine with washing. Anyhow proper etiquette to wash and return. So he thought while carrying the thoroughly washed and dried tupperware.

Mahiru probably thought Amane would ring the bell this time, as she opened the door without checking.

She was wearing a red bordeaux knitted one piece dress, and narrowed her eyes slightly when she saw Amane.

He glanced at the tupperware, “It's impressive you washed it well.” and praised him as he did towards a child, causing him to frown thoughtlessly.

“Thank you for doing this a lot. This is for you.”

Mahiru receives tupperware, and it doesn't matter, but then, she hands another tupperware into Amane's hands.

As expected, or so it seemed, it was warm.

In it there may be fried pork and eggplant. It was a little cooler, so the lid was not covered in steam, and through the lid, he could see eggplant, cooked meat, and sesame seeds sprinkled.

Looking at the color, it seemed like the sauce was made of miso. The slightly charred eggplant and its shiny flesh looked appetizing.

It really looks delicious, she thought.

But she could not understand why he brought her food again.

“No erm, I'm here just to restore tupperware.”

“This is dinner tonight.”

“I know it, but,”

“Only to ask, you have no allergies, right? I don't care about your food preferences. “

“Not really? But if I keep taking more from you. “

What if she wants to have dinner twice in a row?

Amane was truly grateful, especially given the improper nutritional balance, and Mahiro's cuisine was far superior to that of girls his age. It's gonna feel amazing.

The food inside the Tupperware is delicious.

But it would be a total tragedy if the people from his school saw this. Of course, the tragedy will happen to Amane's quiet high school life.

Each apartment here houses a person, but given the facilities and geographical location, the rent is expensive. There are no other schoolmates besides Mahiru nearby, and she doesn't have to worry about them being seen, but she is hesitant about such a relationship being revealed.

“I made a little too much for myself. Would be happy if you received some of mine. “

“... Well, I'm happy to accept this, but usually, it gives the wrong impression to others that you like them.”

“You think so ?”

” No, not at all.”

Are you an idiot? Considering he made such a face, Amane had no reason to think that much.

Moreover, Mahiru's beautiful magic shows concern after witnessing how Amane is so useless in cleaning, and it is impossible to imagine him having good intentions towards her.

It's true that receiving dinner from a neighbor who is Cute would be suitable for the development of romcom manga, but there is no love between them, and it's hard to find a comedic element. Amane has no rice at home.

The only aspect present was the Angel's evil words and the pitiful mercy it showed.

“ Should be okay. You plan to buy some bentos from the supermarket or side dishes at the supermarket, right? ”

” How do you know?”

” The kitchen does not seem to be used properly, and there are many disposable chopsticks from convenience stores and supermarkets. Also, anyone can know without thinking, given how unhealthy your appearance is. Your face looks very unhealthy. ”

He saw everything with just one trip to his house, and Amane's face twitched. However it was an indisputable fact, so he could not say anything.

“... Now, I'll be back.”

Thumped, as soon as he finished with what he wanted to say and give, Mahiru returned home.

Mendeering. The chain behind the door was locked, and Amane looked towards the tupperware in his hand.

Inside his palm was a still-warm dinner, and he sighed before returning to his apartment.

Eggplants and pork with sesame seeds are really delicious, and he really wants rice.

So, every day, he would exchange empty tupperware for food, his food nutrition drastically changed for the better.

Mahiru cuisine is not very special in seasonings, but they are very appetizing, so every dinner, he will prepare cooked rice to be eaten with this dish.

There are different dishes every day, whether it is Japanese, Western, or Chinese, and they are all delicious, impossible to resist.

This opportunity to eat every day made Amane look forward to them. She's sorry about that, but it looks like she's tamed, melancholy if she can never eat her food.

Maybe Angel cuisine is really addictive. While thinking this was not a good thing, Amane obediently accepted the tupperware, and indulged himself in the food.

“... You look great recently. Is your food done? ”

Amane looks a lot better, probably because it has enough nutrients from dinner. It was lunch time when Itsuki was staring at his face.

Amane was eating udon in the cafeteria, and let out a cold sweat in the face of Itsuki's usual perspective.

” Itsuki, I think you look scary.”

” What, did I hit a bullseye?”

” No... well, I should ponder on that.”

She will be notified whenever she meets Mahiru at the apartment, and given that she received dinner from him, it is expected that her quality of life has improved.

He wanted to thank the Angel, but at the same time, he felt that the girl was rather busy.

So he confirmed ambiguously, and Itsuki happily giggled.

” Of course. Your old unhealthy looks are due to your life habits. ”

” Silent.”

” But you managed to fix it just like that?”

“... I was forced, somewhat?”

” Haha. Your mum knows? “

“... I didn't say it.”

Mahiru's tone was similar to her mother's.

She is too young and sweet to call her mother, but Amane does not want to reject Mahiru, who has been taking care of her all along.

“ Say Itsuki. Do I look very unwell? “

” Yes. Mostly because you look too pale. You are tall, but thin, and your face looks unhealthy. ”

” But my face is like this.”

” I know. But you can be more agile in your expression. ”

” It is impossible .. So, dead-looking face ..?”

When she barely checked her face in the mirror, Amane barely knew how she looked, but to others, she looked extremely ill.

Maybe Mahiru is worried about Amane because he usually looks dead.

“ Amane, you have to pay attention to how others look at you. You always look down, and are not very approachable. You're not really out to interact with other people, and

people – people just find you boring. “

” Did you just rub it?”

” No, what else can I do without saying it clearly?”

Itsuki took the opportunity to persuade Amane to focus on his health and appearance, “It's none of your business.” but the latter just retorted and looked to the side.