COTE: Horikita Is My Childhood Sweetheart

Chapter 129: Cooking and cleaning, the only thing left is laundry

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Horikita glanced at the drinks and said, "Don't drink too much. It's not good for your health. Buy an electric kettle to boil water. It's healthier and can save you some points."

"Shh~"

When Rin heard Horikita mention the "kettle," he couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Hearing him laugh, Horikita Suzune immediately narrowed her sharp fox-like eyes and stared at him.

What is this guy laughing at?

Under Horikita's slightly intimidating gaze, Rin restrained his smile and pointed to the chair in front of the desk. "Horikita, please sit down. I have something to ask you."

Horikita took the opportunity to sit down on Rin's chair. She straightened her back, sat with her legs closed in black stockings, and looked particularly dignified and serious.

"What do you want to ask me?" she asked.

"Today is Saturday, right? You won't stay in the dormitory all day, will you?" Rin questioned.

"Yes, what's the problem?" she replied.

"No, of course, it's no problem. I'm just curious about what you do in your room. You don't spend all your time studying, do you?"

"Not all of it. I went to the store to buy some things at noon, and then..." Horikita touched her right palm unnaturally. "I washed them all."

What to do! Rin wanted to laugh.

You can't laugh, or else Horikita will get angry!

Rin worked hard to suppress his smile and said, "As expected of you, Horikita. You keep the dormitory tidy and in order."

"After all, I'm going to live here for three years. How can I live here if I don't take good care of it? I can't live in a messy room like yours," Horikita replied, once again showing a look of disdain toward Rin.

"Then I'll have dinner, and Horikita, come help me clean up the room," Rin said casually.

As soon as Rin said this, Horikita immediately gave him a deathly glare and spoke in a dark tone.

"I've already prepared dinner for you, and now you want me to tidy up your room too?"

"Uh, I was kidding," Rin quickly clarified.

Horikita glanced at Rin, who was scratching his cheek awkwardly. She pursed her lips and said, "If you can cut back on one meal, I'll help you clean up the room."

"It's a deal!" Rin said without hesitation.

"Good. Then I still owe you three meals," Horikita suddenly stood up.

"Three meals? Isn't it two meals?" Rin asked doubtfully.

"Breakfast and now dinner. Didn't I only cook two meals for you? Plus the meal I'll make while cleaning the room, I still owe you three meals," Horikita clarified.

"But didn't you tell me through Line at noon that lunch also counts as one?" Rin asked.

Horikita glanced at Rin and said, "That was just what I said. I keep my promises. I'll pay you back the six meals I owe you. I won't make excuses to erase it."

"Then I feel relieved." Rin smiled, showing a look of relief.

"Relieved? What do you mean?" Horikita, asked, frowning slightly.

"Because I have an appointment with someone tomorrow, so we'll have lunch and dinner outside," Rin explained with a smile.

Horikita fell silent. She really wanted to ask Shiraigen who he had an appointment with tomorrow, but she... wasn't Rin's girlfriend, so she had no right to ask.

Horikita suppressed her inexplicable irritation and said coldly, "Do you have a mop?"

"A mop will do."

"I don't have it..."

"How come you have nothing? Don't you have the idea of mopping the floor in your room?"

Rin looked at Horikita with a subtle expression as her tone became a little fierce. Why was she so angry?

"Just tidy it up; no need to mop the floor," he said cautiously.

"In my eyes, tidying up the room includes mopping the floor. Wait, I'll go back to my dormitory and get all the tools," Horikita replied firmly.

"Hey, don't bother!" Rin protested.

"Stop talking so much!" she snapped.

With a cold air of determination, Horikita left Rin's room. About five minutes later, she returned, fully armed with a mop, rag, and bucket in her hands.

Rin, who had already finished eating the dinner Horikita brought, looked at her helplessly. "Horikita, there's really no need to go through so much trouble."

"Although it's a bit troublesome, I never do things half-heartedly. Don't worry about me. Keep eating. The dormitory is small; it should only take about ten minutes," she responded with a composed tone.

Horikita then began tidying up and cleaning Rin's room with vigorous efficiency.

While Rin enjoyed his dinner, Horikita busied herself like a diligent little bee. The atmosphere between them felt inexplicably like that of a couple: the husband eating after returning from work and the diligent wife managing the household chores. It was strangely harmonious and warm.

By the time Rin had finished eating, Horikita had cleaned his dormitory from top to bottom. The neatly arranged bedding, the organized desk, and the clean, gleaming floor made the room look particularly pleasing to the eye.

Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Horikita surveyed her work with satisfaction. "This is how a room should be. It's uninhabitable when it's a mess," she remarked.

Rin wanted to point out that the tidy bedding would inevitably become a mess as soon as he went to sleep, but he stopped himself. He knew that if he mentioned it, Horikita would likely demand that he fold the quilt after waking up. Deciding against provoking her, he remained silent.

Horikita turned to look at Rin, who was sitting quietly on his chair. Stretching out her slender hand, she said, "Have you finished eating? Then give me the lunchbox. I should head back."

"You're leaving right after finishing everything? Sit down and take a break," Rin suggested.

"No, I'm sweating. I want to go back and take a shower," she declined, unwilling to let Rin catch even a hint of her sweat.

"Alright, I'll walk you back," Rin offered.

"Um," Horikita agreed softly.

She took the lunchbox from Rin and turned to leave. Rin picked up two bottles of drinks she had cleaned earlier and followed her.

At the door, Rin handed her the drinks. "Here, if people found out you helped me clean my dormitory and I didn't show any appreciation, I'd be blamed."

Horikita raised her eyes to look at him and corrected him with pride. "I didn't help you clean the dormitory. I did it in exchange for your meal."

"Yes, yes. Either way, you have to take the drinks," Rin insisted.

"I don't have any hands left," she said, raising the lunchbox, mop, and rag she was holding. "I'll come by tomorrow morning to bring you breakfast and then take them."

"Even if you don't have hands, you still have pockets," Rin said as he stuffed one of the cans into her pocket. This earned him another cold glare from Horikita.

"Stop glaring at me. Come on, let's go. I'll help you press the elevator," Rin said lightly.

"Hmph," Horikita snorted coldly.

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