"I'm so sorry... it's all my fault for not keeping an eye on Shinya..."
In the apartment's dining room, Haruko felt utterly mortified.
"No... Miss Haruko, there's no need for you to blame yourself," Kogimi said hastily, trying to smooth things over. He gently poured her a cup of Longjing tea, but when his gaze shifted to Shinya, who was enthusiastically admiring the new refrigerator, dishwasher, and blender, his expression grew stern. "The one who should apologize is over there."
Despite his usual obliviousness, Shinya could sense the discontent in the air from the sheer amount of things he had bought.
"...Sorry, it seems I may have bought a little too much," he admitted.
However, "a little too much" hardly did justice to the situation. In the end, thanks to Shinya's insistence, not only had they acquired a new dishwasher and an ice-making fridge, but also a large rice cooker capable of cooking 20 bowls of rice. Fortunately, Haruko had haggled enough to get the oven and chef's knives she wanted for free, along with an array of cake pans and other kitchen gadgets as bonuses.
An hour after returning home, a moving truck had delivered and set everything up, and it was almost five o'clock by the time everything was in place.
Kogimi didn't hide his displeasure, and from the corner of the old fridge, he handed Haruko a small tea bowl containing almond tofu, kindly offering her a spoon as well. As the old fridge creaked open, she saw that what had once been an empty space was now filled with fresh vegetables, fruits, and meats.
"Please, Miss Haruko, help yourself. You must be tired after all that shopping. I should have accompanied you," Kogimi said with a hint of guilt.
Haruko was about to dismiss his concern, but Kogimi, with a helpless smile, continued, "But I wouldn't trust Shinya to buy the ingredients."
"What are you talking about? Everything I bought is edible! Much better than anyone else's!" Shinya immediately retorted, though the mere fact that he said "edible" only made the situation more worrisome.
"If you had been buying food, it would have just been meat. A proper diet requires protein, vitamins, fiber, and carbohydrates!" Kogimi scolded, shaking his head. "In any case, you'll need to report everything you've purchased."
Shinya, scratching his head, reluctantly nodded in acknowledgment, though his lack of concern was clear. Kogimi, however, was aware of the misunderstanding.
"I wasn't talking about Baron Barrett," he clarified. "I meant you need to report it to your superior."
Shinya froze, now panicking. "What?! It's fine! I'll just use my own account to pay!"
"Even then, you must report it."
With a deep sigh, clearly not thrilled by the idea, Shinya reluctantly picked up his phone.
"Well, I'll start preparing dinner now. Thank you, Kogimi, for the tea and dessert," Haruko said with a soft sigh. "And thank you, Shinya, for accompanying me to buy the things I needed."
"Oh... it's nothing..." Shinya mumbled awkwardly, clearly catching the emphasis Haruko had placed on "needed," making him feel a bit embarrassed.
As Shinya continued to argue with Kogimi about whether or not he needed to report anything, Haruko opened the fridge, relieved to see that the fish Kogimi had sent for preparation had already been placed in the sink. Looking inside, she felt like hugging Kogimi. The fridge was filled with the basic vegetables—carrots, green peppers, cabbage, seaweed, and some simple pickles. According to Kogimi, the vegetables that didn't need refrigeration had been neatly stored in the cabinets.
Meats like pork, beef, and lamb were there as well, and some items had even been moved to the new fridge. Shelves were stocked with pasta, flour, and various sauces. Haruko had prepared herself to go out and buy anything else she might need, but now she realized there was no need to worry.
The chef's knife set was neatly packed in a silver box. Her hands almost trembled as she opened it. The knives she had longed for, just the feeling of the box made her heart race.
"Is something wrong?" Kogimi asked, noticing that she had not moved for a while. He glanced at Shinya, who was still on the phone, then leaned in close to her ear. "Actually, I suggested buying a bigger fridge because more people might come to eat in the future. I said that to help Shinya be a bit more cautious when he goes shopping."
So that was it! Kogimi had planned ahead!
Seeing the realization dawn on Haruko's face, Kogimi gave her a subtle "shh" gesture.
"With so many ingredients, it's not feasible to have Miss Haruko responsible for the shopping. From now on, just give Shinya a list of what we need."
"Give me what?" Shinya, having overheard his name, set down the phone and walked over.
"I said, from now on, you'll be in charge of the grocery shopping."
"Oh, sure, no problem!" Shinya agreed quickly, but his overly eager response only made Haruko feel more uneasy. But then, Shinya turned to her with concern. "Wait... Are you sure you're okay?"
"What's wrong?" Haruko asked, confused by his sudden question.
"Well, the knives... they look really sharp. Maybe I should cut the fish. I'm used to using knives," Shinya said, looking nervously at the box, as though it contained a dangerous creature.
...Used to using knives?
Haruko raised an eyebrow, her instinct telling her something was off, but maybe it was just her imagination.
"No need," she replied, smiling confidently. "I'll be a professional chef one day."
With that, she opened the box and saw the gleaming knives inside. She swallowed nervously and muttered softly, "Please, guide me."
Kogimi and Shinya gave her some space, both curious as they watched her handle the knife.
Though she still needed to adjust to the new blade, she expertly filleted the fish, removing the bones cleanly. She then carefully peeled off the skin, a task she used to rush through, but now she took the time to slice it thinly.
The fish, both inside and out, was now ready. She set it aside and placed the knife down gently.
"How is it?" Haruko asked, her usual skill on full display. When she had worked at the restaurant, even the most demanding head chef had praised her technique.
Kogimi clapped his hands, and Shinya joined in, cheering her on.
"Haruko! You're amazing! You're just like a professional chef!"
"Heh~ Shinya, you can keep complimenting me, but I won't get too proud!" Haruko teased, but before she could say more, Kogimi interrupted with a mischievous remark.
"Indeed, as expected of 'Phantom Thief Haruko,' your skills truly leave others in the dust!"
"Mr. Kogimi!!!" Haruko glared at him, flustered, but Kogimi seemed utterly unbothered by his comment.
"Phantom thief?" Shinya asked, puzzled.
"Never mind!" Haruko hastily responded, trying to avoid any further embarrassment.