Game Developer in the World of Anime

Though the specifics of this woman's past were unknown, her words carried a clear intent—she didn't want Ichin and Utaha to make any decisions they'd regret later.

Neither of them had much experience in this area, so all they could do was nod slightly, avoiding further discussion.

Twenty minutes later, with skilled hands, Satou expertly trimmed Ichin's hair. The cut wasn't too short, perfectly restoring his appearance to how it looked the last time he had a haircut.

After tidying up stray hairs and adjusting the finished hairstyle, Satou smiled and said, "Done! As I thought, Ichin-kun, you really don't need any fancy styles—you look great just like this!"

"Thank you."

Standing up, Ichin checked his hairstyle in the mirror, examining it from different angles. Once satisfied, he paid the haircut fee.

At 4,500 yen, it wasn't exactly cheap, but considering the shop's location, the quality of service, and the stylist's expertise, it was worth the price.

With his hair taken care of, Ichin and Kasumigaoka Utaha bid farewell to the owner and left the salon.

Their next destination was a nearby large supermarket. After boarding a train, the two quickly arrived at their destination.

Grabbing a shopping cart, Ichin headed straight for the fresh produce section.

"Meat, meat… What kind should I get?"

Utaha followed beside him, amused by his muttering. She chuckled, "Ichin-kun, I didn't expect you to get this excited after coming to the supermarket."

"I can't help it. This isn't my usual self," Ichin replied with a sigh. "You've never studied abroad, so you can't fully understand what it's like to crave home food. Sure, the nearby takeout spots are pretty decent, but they're just not the same."

Soon, they arrived at the meat section. Picking up a pack of pork belly, Ichin inspected its quality before placing it in the cart.

"Take pork belly, for example. You can't find proper braised pork belly in restaurants here in Japan. It's been two months since I last had it. When I get home, I'll have to video call my mom and ask her to teach me how to make it."

Recalling the taste of braised pork belly, Ichin couldn't help but swallow a bit of saliva.

"Oh~~~ I see."

Though Utaha had never studied abroad, she could somewhat empathize. During trips away from home, she found herself missing her family's miso soup after just a few days.

This kind of longing was universal, shared by people worldwide.

"Is braised pork belly really that good?"

"You'll know once you try it," Ichin said with a grin. "Our studio is hosting a cooking competition this weekend. Come by, and you'll get to taste it."

Utaha smiled back. "Alright, I'll look forward to seeing your skills, Ichin-kun."

She'd tasted his cooking once before. Although it had been a simple dish, the flavor was impressive. Now that he planned to learn directly from his mother, the result would surely be even better.

Even though the weekend was still a few days away, Utaha found herself feeling impatient.

Dressed in their school uniforms, the two of them pushing a shopping cart full of ingredients naturally attracted the attention of other customers. Utaha could vaguely hear a few housewives discussing their relationship.

To her, this experience felt novel and enjoyable—something she wouldn't mind experiencing again.

Glancing at Ichin, who was holding two heads of cabbage and carefully examining them, Utaha smiled and casually looped her arm around his.

"Ichin-kun, are you done picking?"

"Yeah, just about," Ichin replied. He put the cabbage in his left hand back on the shelf and placed the one in his right hand into the cart.

As for Utaha's action of holding his arm, since she'd done it earlier in the morning, he was much less nervous this time.

Ichin didn't seem as nervous as he had been that morning, letting Utaha hold onto his arm. Seeing this, Utaha's mood brightened, and she leaned even closer, practically resting half her body against his.

The faint fragrance from Utaha mixed with the softness pressing against his arm caused Ichin to lose focus while selecting vegetables.

Placing a bag of green peppers into the cart, Ichin could only glance at Utaha helplessly.

"Um, I'm trying to shop here. You're making it hard to concentrate."

Hearing his words, Utaha's cheeks turned slightly pink, but instead of letting go, she tightened her hold on his arm. Leaning closer, she whispered into his ear, "Getting distracted already? Looks like Ichin-kun's self-control needs some work."

That comment pushed Ichin to his limit.

Taking a deep breath, he suddenly turned to face her, bringing their noses so close they almost touched.

He exhaled softly, the warmth brushing against her face, and said in a low voice, "Young lady, don't push your luck. Otherwise, I can't guarantee what I might do. That's not a threat; it's just a fact."

Staring into Ichin's eyes from such a close distance, Utaha's heartbeat sped up.

After a moment of stunned silence, her face grew warm as she muttered, "Ichin-kun, your eyelashes are so long."

"…."

Ichin felt like all his effort had been for nothing. Straightening up, he sighed lightly. "I got them from my mom."

Mentioning his mom suddenly reminded Ichin of something. He turned to glance at Utaha, who tilted her head curiously.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Well…"

The earlier warning had no effect, so maybe this would.

After thinking for a moment, Ichin said, "Let me tell you something. Do you remember during the break when you came over and took a nap on my bed?"

"Yes, I remember." Utaha smiled and nodded. "Ichin-kun's bed is so comfy. Can I come over again? That bed feels like it could fit two people!"

"I'm being serious—stop teasing!"

Ichin shot her a glare and continued, "That day, while you were asleep, I was outside playing games. My mom called, and the noise you made when you woke up was loud enough for her to hear over the phone. She asked me about you."

"Huh?"

At first, Utaha didn't quite follow. But after piecing it together, her expression stiffened. "Y-You mean…your mom?"

"Yeah."

The same Utaha who had ignored his earlier warnings and even seemed eager to provoke him was now completely flustered.

...