*This story occurs as Shizuka and Madoka are preparing for the school festival and just shortly after Shizuka was hospitalized.*
"C'mon, Madoka! I already said I was sorry like a hundred times! Can't you just let it go?"
Madoka finished chewing on his food before he coolly replied with, "Likewise, Shizuka. I already said I wasn't mad at you the same amount of times so there's really no point in us still discussing this."
"Not mad? Then how do you explain this?!" Shizuka slammed the lunch box in her hands on the table. Because the two were at their usual lunch spot on the roof, Shizuka was free to express her annoyance in full without ruining her carefully maintained image. "This bento consists of 65% vegetables, 25% rice and 10% meat! It's basically a neatly arranged salad!"
"This is the amount of vegetables you should be consuming every day."
"Yeah, if I was a rabbit!" Shizuka crossed her arms and made a face. "......Tch, I can't believe you're still mad at me for saying you have a girly figure. How petty."
"I was never mad," Madoka patiently reiterated.
Shizuka rolled her eyes. "Uh huh, sure. Whatever you say, ojou-san. This is why guys who are honest about their feelings and don't hold grudges are better. I bet if I dated someone as nice and considerate as Satoru-kun he'd let me eat whatever I wanted."
Madoka narrowed his eyes. "I can make it 85% vegetables and 15% rice tomorrow, you know."
"Tch, you're the worst," stated Shizuka as she picked up a piece of broccoli from her heath conscious bento and munched on it unhappily.
"For the record though, Satoru is even stricter than I when it comes to eating a balanced diet. He's in charge of making meals for his entire family and to ensure that his younger siblings are getting all of the nutrients they need to grow, he's very meticulous in his cooking."
Shizuka's eyes grew wide. "Wow, Satoru-kun really would be a good catch."
"...You know I suddenly remembered that my house seems to be out of rice." Madoka beamed. "You wouldn't mind having a 100% vegetable bento, right?"
"........If it comes to that I'd rather make my own bentos......." Shizuka paused as she thought of something. "Actually, why don't I do that tomorrow?"
"Do what?"
"Make my own bento!" exclaimed Shizuka.
Madoka thinned his lips. "Shizuka, I was kidding."
"Well, I'm not. I want to do it! Tomorrow morning I'll get up a bit earlier and make both of our bentos! It can't be that hard can it?"
"You really don't have to, Shizuka. Whatever you want to eat tomorrow, I'll make it for you," remarked Madoka sincerely. "I promise I won't mess around anymore."
"Finally admitting to the fact that you were messing around, huh? Well, it's no matter." Shizuka patted her chest and adopted a lofty tone. "As I am magnanimous, I shall pardon your previous indiscretions since you've been rather useful and well-behaved thus far, my faithful servant."
Playing along, Madoka lowered his head in a humble fashion. "I am grateful for your kindness, my lady."
"As you should." Speaking in her normal tone she continued, "But seriously though, what should I make for us tomorrow? What's easy but tasty?....Eggs?...Something fried?....Hmm..."
Madoka frowned. "You're still going on about that? Normally, you have a hard enough time getting up for school at your usual time but now you want to get up even earlier to cook?"
"Whaaat? If I sleep a little earlier tonight it won't be an issue! Besides, if you can do it every morning, I'm sure I can do it every once in a while." Seeing Madoka opening his mouth to oppose, Shizuka directly shoved a neatly sliced baby carrot into his mouth, then gazed at him tenderly. "Is it so wrong for me to want to return the favour sometimes? Are you that against me cooking for you?"
As Madoka finished off the last of the carrot, he sighed. He knew that Shizuka knew that he was weak to her wheedling. "Just be careful, okay? You're not allowed to get hurt. If you're feeling even the slightest bit sleepy tomorrow morning you're not allowed to use a knife or the stove. Actually, even if you're not sleepy, it's probably best to avoid fried food altogether since the oil can splash up pretty high. Oh and when you first open the rice cooker, remember to step back right away because the steam can be pretty hot."
Shizuka nodded whilst inwardly sighing. Such a worried mother.
"Ah and most importantly, if your alarm goes off tomorrow but you're too tired to get up, it's fine to just sleep in. We can just buy food from the cafeteria."
Shizuka smiled wryly. Do you have that little faith in me? Patting his shoulder she assured, "Don't worry. I got this." It's not like I need to be first in the grade to prepare a decent bento.
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The next day on the rooftop, Shizuka presented her homemade bento to Madoka.
Although Shizuka had asked Madoka what he thought about her bento, it was evident by her discernibly smug expression that she was very pleased with her work.
"The appearance looks fine," answered Madoka as he scrutinized her handiwork.
"It's not just the appearance, my dear Madoka. The taste is guaranteed too! Go on, try it!"
With her urging, Madoka brought a bite sized piece of fried chicken to his parted lips. In his heart he had already prepared to compliment Shizuka's food regardless of the taste; however, when he actually savoured the food, he discovered that he didn't have to put on an act because Shizuka's food was genuinely tasty.
Shizuka gave Madoka a little nudge and chuckled. "Heh, it's good, isn't it?"
Madoka nodded. "The fillings are well seasoned and the outside is perfectly crispy."
"Isn't it?" Shizuka popped a cherry tomato from the bento she made for herself into her mouth. When she finished with it she revealed, "I've never had to do much cooking in my life so it was kind of awkward at first but I realized that you can get a pretty good result as long as you follow the recipe very closely. Have some of the potato salad."
"Mm, it's good."
"Then eat up!"
Enjoy the very first bento I've ever made in my entire life!
When they were about halfway finished with their lunch Shizuka asked, "What do you want to have tomorrow?"
Madoka stiffened. "You're going to make a bento tomorrow too?"
"Mhmm. I'm just getting started!" Shizuka's eyes lit up. "Today's bento was pretty good but I think there are still some adjustments I can make to improve the taste."
Madoka placed his chopsticks down with his lips bent downwards. "Won't that be too much of a burden for you?"
"Nah, it's just bento making." Shizuka reached over and lightly pinched his cheek. "Just be quiet and let me feed you, you stubborn boy. Or is it that you didn't actually like my food and aren't willing to have it ever again?"
Madoka pushed her hand away from his face and held onto it. "That's not it."
"Then what is it?"
"You bento was tasty...really tasty...."
"So...?"
"Well...if you're capable of making such bentos for yourself...you won't need other people to make bentos for you anymore."
Shizuka tilted her head, not understanding the meaning behind his words. "And that makes you unhappy...?"
Madoka deliberated over what he wanted to say for a while before he revealed, "It's not that I'm unhappy necessarily...It's just...I wanted to be the one who made your lunches.....I-I like being needed by you....."
Shizuka stilled as she repeated Madoka's words in her head. I wanted to be the one who made your lunches. I like being needed by you...I like being needed by you...I like being needed by you...
After a moment, she pulled Madoka into a hug. "Madoka, you're so cute!"
A little lost in her embrace Madoka muttered, "I told you. It doesn't make me happy to be called cute."
Shizuka unwrapped one of her arms to ruffle his hair affectionately. "Mhm. Not cute. You're not cute at all."
You're just incredibly adorable!
After making a mess of Madoka's hair she continued, "You know, truthfully, I didn't want to continue troubling you, but since you're so adamant about it, from now on you can continue making us lunch. I won't fight you on it. Besides, getting up early was annoying anyways; however, since you're in charge now, the food better be good!"
Madoka nodded with a small smile on his face. "Mn."
Honestly, too adorable! What am I going to do with you?!