🍳05. The Young Lady Pauses Before the Deli Section
The moment she opened the empty refrigerator,
Karen sighed just a little.
She had intended to go to the supermarket to buy ingredients, but before she knew it, she had piled up nothing but packs of deli food.
Fried food, simmered dishes, salads. Everything tasted better than what she could make herself, and cleaning up was easier, too.
“...It’s not a bad thing, is it?”
That’s what she had thought.
At first.
The refrigerator was clean, and the kitchen wasn't cluttered.
But when that continued for days, a small sense of guilt remained deep in her chest.
Suddenly, she remembered Madame Zamasu’s voice.
“It is not that deli food is bad. However, when it becomes the ‘norm,’ your sense of daily life gradually shifts out of alignment.”
Karen let out a small breath.
“...I wonder what I should do.”
At that moment, two small shadows appeared from beyond the window.
“Young Lady, are you in trouble?”
◆
In the supermarket aisle, Karen was clutching a memo.
“Tofu, eggs, soy sauce, cabbage.”
She went around the aisles in order, putting items into her basket.
The shopping basket was still light.
At that moment, Tekipaki peeked in from behind.
“You don’t get lost when you have a memo, do you?”
Karen spoke, looking a bit embarrassed.
“...It’s so much easier when I decide beforehand. The temptation of the deli food decreases, too.”
Today, she was able to head to her intended destination without hesitation. Just then, her feet stopped in front of the meat section.
“...Oh.”
She tilted her head slightly.
“It wasn't on the plan for today, but... if I have meat, the menu options expand, don't they?”
Tekipaki grinned.
“Young Lady, that is ‘room to spare.’”
“Room to spare?”
“When you decide beforehand and then come, you lose your hesitation. That creates the room to think about ‘extras.’”
Siret added.
“Additions made without hesitation are safe.”
Karen put a small pack of pork bits into her basket.
The next place she stopped was the canned goods aisle.
“Canned tuna... a three-pack?”
She picked it up and stared at it.
“This... seems like it will be useful for a long time.”
Tekipaki held up a finger.
“Young Lady, you’ve noticed a good point. For living alone, ‘long-lasting’ is actually quite important, more so than ‘using it right away.’”
“Canned tuna doesn't require fire, the flavor is consistent, and it stores well—it’s a very excellent ingredient!”
Karen put the canned tuna into her basket.
“...This should last me for a while.”
She felt the tension in her shoulders ease just a little.
“...Today, for some reason, I was able to choose properly.”
After returning home, Karen was in the kitchen, holding the tofu she had bought.
“Young Lady, you can eat that just as it is.”
Tekipaki said casually.
Siret added quietly.
“Just put the tuna on top, and soy sauce is enough.”
“My, just that? I wonder if I should try that later.”
🧺 A Quick Note from Tekipaki & Siret
Tekipaki
“If you decide beforehand, you won't have to worry.”
“It also prevents overbuying.”
Siret
“When there is no hesitation, room to spare is created.”
“When you reduce the number of decisions, your life is less likely to fall apart.”
That night, Karen was in the kitchen opening the pack of tofu.
“...It was just mixing in the canned tuna, wasn't it?”
Half-doubting, she put it on a plate.
She topped it with tuna and a drizzle of soy sauce.
“I wonder if it’s really true that it’s complete with just this.”
After hesitating for a moment, she took a bite.
“Oh, it’s delicious...”
Karen stopped her chopsticks for a moment.
“...It’s a proper side dish, isn't it?”
After eating another bite, she suddenly thought.
“Wouldn't this be delicious with a little cucumber on top?”
Staring at the plate of tofu, Karen smiled slightly. She felt as though her daily life was slowly becoming her own.
⬅️To the previous storyTo the next story➡️
What kind of girl is Karen? ⬇︎
Take a look at the course Karen participated in ⬇︎
Madame Zamasu’s Household Budget Course for the Budget-Challenged
▶︎ For those new to this forest
🔰Forest of Living | Information Center