Chapter 8: Time with Family
When I got home, I found myself in the kitchen.
Until just now, I had been lying on my bed, lost in thought. But thinking too much had given me a headache, so I decided to clear my mind by preparing dinner.
According to the vague memories I inherited after being reincarnated, my sister, despite her gal-like appearance, is in the track and field club and comes home late. My mother works late into the night and is probably busy at her workplace even now. My father is on a solo assignment and rarely comes home.
Before I was reincarnated, Shindo Ryusuke would spend his evenings out, playing around and hardly ever coming home. But that's not the case with me. I have plenty to do at home after school.
The teachers at school are keen to make me play my role as a villain. They harass me during class by constantly calling on me, ignoring the other students.
For someone who has reincarnated, answering high school first-year questions is easy, but if I were to fail, it would expose a significant weakness.
Moreover, my previous negligent school life has left me with a mountain of assignments. I need to get them all done and submitted as soon as possible.
That said, cramming too much is bad for my health. In my previous life, I worked myself to death. I definitely don’t want to meet such an end in this second life.
So I plan to study while taking appropriate breaks.
Then there’s the issue of Mashiro.
I can’t stop wondering what she plans to do to overcome my supposed dislike of her. Honestly, it’s really bothering me.
"I really have to prevent Mashiro’s bad end at all costs..."
Mashiro Amanatsu appears in the second-year arc of "Fusekoi."
She's the childhood friend of Shindo Ryusuke, the villain condemned by the protagonists—and she was my top favorite in my past life.
Thinking back, the reason I got so hooked on *Fusekoi* in my previous life was largely because of Mashiro. The series is full of charming female characters, but the one who stood out the most was the villain, Amanatsu Mashiro, not the heroines on the protagonist’s side.
She has a strong conviction and is awkward and clumsy when it comes to romance. Yet, once she makes up her mind, she has an unwavering will, and her intense feelings for Shindo Ryusuke made a strong impression.
Her language is a bit rough, and her appearance is flashy, but I loved her unadorned personality. The episode where Mashiro meets her bad end was honestly traumatic for me. I even devoured fanfictions with Mashiro rescue endings and happy endings to avert my eyes from the original plot.
"Why did I completely forget that Mashiro was my top favorite after being reincarnated into this world?"
I remembered when I met her in the cafeteria. Despite recalling my knowledge about Mashiro from the original work, I had completely forgotten the feelings I had for her.
Maybe it’s because I reincarnated as Shindo Ryusuke, her childhood friend. It’s possible that my feelings for Mashiro from my past life were temporarily overshadowed by the emotions of Shindo Ryusuke.
However, those feelings are gradually resurfacing. At the very least, my passionate feelings for Mashiro from my previous life have come back.
On the other hand, my feelings for Mashiro as Shindo Ryusuke are still blurry. But I know for sure that the emotions I have for her are immense, almost like a blazing sun in my heart.
I still don’t understand the source of these feelings. For Shindo Ryusuke, Mashiro is undoubtedly a precious childhood friend. But whether it’s love or friendship, I can’t tell at this point.
Anyway, I am determined to avoid a ruinous future and to protect Mashiro, my favorite and childhood friend, from her tragic end. I will do everything I can, step by step.
But first things first: I need to eat. You can’t fight on an empty stomach.
Actually, in my previous life, I loved cooking. Before I got stuck in a routine of working overtime after getting a job, I used to cook for myself regularly. I even worked part-time in a café’s kitchen during my university days because I liked cooking so much. So, I’m fairly confident in my cooking skills, and I can make dishes that don’t seem like they were made by a high schooler.
Today, I decided to make hamburgers using the minced meat I found in the fridge.
I kneaded the meat mixture, shaped it into patties, and grilled them in a frying pan, letting a savory aroma fill the air. I didn’t forget to make a sauce using the meat juices; while ketchup or sauce would be fine, I personally prefer demi-glace sauce.
Since I had some red wine, I decided to use it. I added some side vegetables, and with a deep plate of soup I made alongside, a decent dinner was ready.
Just as I finished making dinner, I heard the front door open. It seems my sister, Mai, is back.
“I’m home! Wow, something smells amazing... Huh?”
Peeking into the living room, my sister looked wide-eyed with astonishment.
Well, that’s a natural reaction. Before I reincarnated, Shindo Ryusuke rarely came home at this hour, let alone prepared dinner for the family. It’s no wonder she finds it unbelievable.
Even in my vague memories, I could clearly see that this was something that had never happened before.
"Onii-chan... what are you doing...?"
"Isn't it obvious? I made dinner."
"W-what? The Onii-chan who has only ever made instant miso soup or cup ramen... made dinner?"
Mai stood at the table, utterly astonished. She looked back and forth between the impressive dinner spread and me, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"Did you really make this, Onii-chan?"
"I just felt like doing something different today. It's okay to have days like this sometimes, right?"
"Sometimes? This is the first time I've ever seen this. And it looks so delicious... This isn't takeout, is it?"
"No way. I made it with the ingredients in the fridge. You must be tired from club activities, and Mom is working late, right? I'm not in any club, so I thought I should come home early and help out the family."
"For the family? Onii-chan, do you have a fever? Did you hit your head at school? Are you okay!? Should I call an ambulance? Go to the hospital!?"
Worried, my sister put her hand on my forehead. Just cooking dinner was enough to get this reaction... It seems the household's opinion of me, Shindo Ryusuke before I reincarnated, was pretty low.
I gently pushed Mai's hand away with a wry smile.
"I've been through a lot and decided to turn over a new leaf. I'll take care of more than just dinner. I've caused you and Mom a lot of trouble."
"Really... what happened to you, Onii-chan? But if you're serious, I'm happy. I'm glad you've become such a responsible person."
Hearing my words, Mai looked moved, her eyes glistening with emotion.
But in reality, it’s not just that I turned over a new leaf.
The Shindo Ryusuke of yesterday and the Shindo Ryusuke of today are vastly different because I was reincarnated.
If I explained this drastic change, it would surely confuse my sister, Mai.
Putting on a smile to hide this, I urged her to sit down so we could start dinner.
"Mom will be late again today, so let's eat together first."
"O-okay... Itadakimasu."
After putting her hands together, Mai cautiously reached for the hamburger I made. The moment she took a bite, her eyes sparkled and she broke into a beaming smile.
"Wow! This is so good! Onii-chan, you're amazing!"
"Really? That's great."
"Yeah, it's super delicious. I didn't know you were such a good cook... When did you practice?"
If she asked when I practiced, that would be a story from my previous life, so I couldn't answer. As I pondered how to dodge the question, Mai, forgetting her inquiry, eagerly devoured the hamburger, soup, and salad. She seemed to like it so much that she ate without worrying about the sauce on her mouth, looking like a small animal.
As I mentioned before, I had been causing my family a lot of trouble. Even if it was the actions of Shindo Ryusuke before I reincarnated, I believe it's my responsibility to make amends now.
Above all, to escape my role as the villain in the story, I need to build up good deeds, proving I'm not the kind of person who ends up with a bad end. To do that, I first need to regain my family's trust.
The dinner table with just Mai and me became quite lively.
Initially hesitant, Mai gradually relaxed and returned to her cheerful self, as reflected in my vague memories. Our conversation flowed, and she happily talked about her school day and friends.
Step by step, I need to continue making efforts to enjoy a happy youth in this world.
That time with my family reaffirmed my resolve.
