“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to wash up?”

“Huh? Oh, let’s go!”

I craned my neck and turned around to see that Chase was still wearing an apron over his bare upper body, not feeling cold.

Dense muscles were packed tightly into his large, inverted triangle-shaped back. On top of that, there was a magpie nest built on the back of his head. It seemed that he had not been able to sleep properly because he had been tossing and turning on the narrow sofa…

…No, it was me who crushed him. I suddenly realized this and ran away to the bathroom before Chase could find fault with me again.

After just a quick cat wash with cold water. I came out, and the house was filled with a mouth-watering smell. Surprisingly, Chase seemed to know how to cook, and after waiting a moment, he prepared a sumptuous meal on the table.

Why steak, salmon salad, and freshly baked baguette in the morning? I’ve been living alone for five years, but the only thing I know how to cook is ramen, so I couldn’t help but be amazed.

“Wow, where did all this come from?”

“The manager brought me groceries this morning. The ingredients are good quality, but the taste doesn’t change when they’re in the fridge… I felt bad about wasting them, so I started with things that require less work.”

“Wow, so this isn’t all packaged food, it’s homemade?”

“Why are you asking when you saw me do it myself?”

“Why are you harassing me when I am praising you?”

“Don’t compliment me. Oh no, Just don’t talk to me at all.”

“…”

If you were going to make it so I couldn’t even talk to you, why did you ask me to live with you? I don’t know why you’re being so grumpy in the morning. Are you still angry because I crushed you and slept with you? Or because I touched your waist? Or because of your breasts? Either way, they were all legitimate reasons for your anger.

But still… Men can touch each other a little, why bother with that? He kept mumbling to himself as he played with his fork. His dissatisfaction with Chase was building up. Aren’t these dishes just pretty on the outside?

However…

“Isn’t it delicious…?”

“Are you complaining because it’s delicious? Then don’t eat it.”

“No! I was wrong!”

I wondered if the black panther food would be any good, but the taste on the tip of my tongue was so good that it almost made me dizzy. I hurriedly cut the steak and stuffed it into my mouth, but then I suddenly became curious and asked.

“But do you usually eat a sumptuous meal like this every day?”

“The manager brought it to me because he asked me to take good care of it, so I’m going to eat it all by myself. Am I a pig?”

“No…”

I know very well that it’s not a pig, but a black panther. But why did you have to respond so harshly? Feeling inwardly annoyed, I put down my fork and slightly opened my eyes. Then Chase tilted his head.

“Are you looking at me right now?”

“No way!”

I quickly lowered my eyes and heard a tongue-clicking sound from above my head. I don’t know what I did wrong to be doing this again. I grumbled to myself, but Chase touched his forehead and muttered to himself.

“I’m hungry, what should I do?”

“Suddenly? At the crack of dawn?”

“It’s 10 o’clock now. What’s this early in the morning?”

“But still. You were hungry as soon as you opened your eyes? You ate more than you looked…”

No, isn’t that right? I stopped talking absentmindedly, startled. I glanced at Chase, and for some reason, I saw his earlobes that seemed to have turned red. I became suspicious, narrowed my eyes, and asked him in a questioning tone.

“Didn’t you say you couldn’t eat anything because of the severe morning sickness?”

”…That’s right”

“But why are you so fine? I’ve never seen you vomit even once.”

“Um… I suddenly feel a lot better.”

“What? You weren’t lying?”

“Why would I tell such a lie?”

“You want to live with me…?”

Chase and I both had distorted expressions on our faces at the same time because I blurted out the words without thinking.

Still, Chase definitely looked better than yesterday. His cheeks, which had been pale when he had come to the Caesar mansion, were now as rosy as an apricot blossom. To be exact, he seemed to have gotten better because he had slept close to me all night, or more precisely, because I had slept on Chase’s bed, and he had absorbed my scent sufficiently.

Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine. Surely we wouldn’t have to stay stuck together like last night? If we didn’t sleep together, wouldn’t I^[1]he be so sick the next day that I’d die?

Chase…… You won’t do that, will you?

My insides were burning with ominous anger. But I tried to ignore it and pretend to be calm, so I asked again.

“That being said, why do you eat like this?”

“I?”

“Look at the empty plate you just emptied. It’s been a while since morning… You’re not eating too much, are you?”

“…”

“this…”

I never even experienced morning sickness, but now I’m^[2]he is experiencing morning sickness. I’m pregnant, but I’m^[3]he is doing all kinds of things by myself^[4]himself. I’m so shocked I want to jump.

But I felt like I had to take care of him since he was having trouble eating because of the baby in my stomach. I heard that if you can’t eat what you want when you’re pregnant, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life. But, I told you that I was the one who got pregnant.

I had no choice but to ask indifferently, half-resigned.

“What else do you want to eat?”