Chapter 14
“Matsuda-kun, did you happen to eat soy sauce egg rice this morning?”
Miyuki asked after putting the fruit bowl in the sink.
I answered while resting with Tetsuya on the raised platform.
“Yeah.”
“How many bowls?”
“One.”
“But there are two bowls in the sink.”
“I ate that one last night.”
“So you ate nothing but egg rice from last night through this morning?”
I had a feeling something good was about to happen to me.
The signs were good.
“That's right.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean, why...? Lots of people eat egg rice. It's easy to make, and it's tasty.”
“It has no nutritional value. Don't you care about your health?”
“Hey, didn't you hear what the doctor said yesterday? He said I've got a sturdy body.”
“That had absolutely nothing to do with nutrition, though?”
I flopped down on the raised platform and complained to Tetsuya.
“Miura. Your mom's nagging me again.”
“She's saying it for your sake, so I think you should listen.”
As they say, blood is thicker than water; Tetsuya always took Miyuki's side.
But for my sake...? We'll see if you can still say that later.
Emboldened by her reinforcements, Miyuki said,
“There were instant-meal containers piled up in the trash can a few days ago, too. If you keep eating like that, something's going to happen to your body. From now on, try to pay enough attention to nutrition when you eat.”
I'd hoped she'd say she'd bring me packed lunches from now on... My spirits sank.
So much for that good feeling... I got my hopes up for nothing.
No, I was the idiot for expecting a packed lunch in less than two months.
After some self-reflection, I answered flatly.
“Yeah, got it.”
“You said you got it?”
“Yeah, got it.”
When I repeated the words with dead eyes, Miyuki chuckled and said,
“Matsuda-kun, give me ten million yen.”
“Yeah, got... Is she joking right now...? Is this funny?”
“More or less?”
“Ha... This is why I won't live to a ripe old age.”
“Isn't it because of your eating habits?”
“Hey. Hey...! I'll eat properly. Enough about food.”
“Got it. Now, shall we get back to studying?”
Miyuki sat upright at the round table and opened her book.
Tetsuya and I looked at each other as if we were fed up, then shuffled toward Miyuki like zombies.
**
Five peaceful days had passed since Samoyama beat me up.
My relationship with Miyuki had progressed a little further, and we had reached the point where we exchanged personal texts every few days.
Our time together was limited, and Tetsuya was always with us, so we hadn't grown close all at once. Since I could see us gradually getting closer, I shouldn't rush things.
After returning from the hair salon and taking a shower, I looked at myself in the mirror.
The swelling had almost completely gone down.
There were still a few bruises, but they were faint.
I smiled in satisfaction, then put on a yukata.
I was going to a summer festival being held at a shrine.
It was a must-have event in any Japanese romantic comedy, so how could I miss it?
On top of that, I would actually get to see Miyuki wearing a yukata. There was no way I could pass up this opportunity.
Normally, Tetsuya, who would have gone to enjoy the festival with his family, would run into Miyuki, who had gone to help her father at the stall he'd set up at the shrine.
After the event, he would end up going on a date alone with Miyuki.
But this time, I'd steal the first move from him.
I fastened my yukata with the collar on the wrong side, finished getting ready, and put on my geta.
When I stepped outside, the distinctive wooden soles of the geta clicked against the ground.
On top of that, the strap rubbed between my big toe and second toe, so I would probably suffer for it the next day.
Resisting the urge to change into sneakers, I took a taxi to the shrine near Miyuki's neighborhood.
The shrine was lined with lanterns from the entrance onward.
The festival had only just begun, but it was already bustling.
‘Miyuki is... in the middle.’
She should be helping her father at the takoyaki stall there.
Tetsuya would probably be almost there by now, too.
I needed to make my move before then.
Enduring the discomfort of the geta, I bought two yakitori—Japanese chicken skewers—near the entrance.
I hadn't bought them for myself. I intended to give them to Miyuki.
Chicken thigh, her favorite cut.
She probably wouldn't start drooling the moment she saw them, but she'd still want to eat them.
I headed toward the middle of the street lined with stalls and finally spotted Miyuki.
Her hair was twisted up beautifully, with a few strands falling delicately along the sides of her face.
She was busily serving customers beside her kindly-looking father.
Seeing her smiling so brightly put me in a good mood, too.
I glanced at the stall and saw a sign that read [Super Delicious! Giant Takoyaki!].
It was a somewhat old-fashioned yet distinctly Japanese sign.
After clearing my throat a few times, I approached the stall during a lull when there were no customers.
I let my gaze rest on the takoyaki cooking nicely and the menu before saying,
“Six takoyaki, please.”
Miyuki's clear voice immediately rang out.
“Welcome! Six takoyaki, that'll be 300 yen... Huh?”
I looked up at the confused exclamation and saw Miyuki staring at me in shock, her eyes wide. I forced my face into a grimace.
“Huh? Hanazawa?”
A brief silence followed after our eyes met.
Miyuki, her father, and I all blinked at one another.
It was getting difficult to pretend this was a chance encounter, so I acted as if I'd just come to my senses and tried to speak.
At that moment, a grubby little boy darted over, snatched the paper box containing the takoyaki from in front of the stall, and started running away.
“Huh...!?”
Miyuki's father let out a bewildered cry.
I cheered inwardly.
An event had occurred at exactly the right time at the bookstore, at the playground, and now.
I really was Dokiaka's true protagonist.
I set the plastic package containing the yakitori down on the stall, threw off even my geta, and sprinted after him.
The boy was incredibly fast, but a child was still a child, and I managed to catch him once we'd gotten a little way from the shrine.
“L-let go of me!”
The boy, who I had grabbed by the back of his collar, struggled wildly.
Even so, he held onto the box of takoyaki as if it were precious. He wasn't planning to eat it himself—he intended to give it to the younger siblings at his orphanage.
The area was nearly deserted, so it seemed like a good place to talk.
After catching my breath, I asked,
“Who were you stealing this for?”
Had my somewhat gentle voice reassured him?
The boy stopped struggling and answered boldly.
“My younger siblings! Gasp...”
But then he saw my frowning face and cowered.
I didn't even look intimidating... That's hurtful.
Don't make me want to flick your forehead.
“What do you mean, siblings? Your real siblings?”
“No! The kids at the orphanage.”
“An orphanage? Explain yourself properly. If you thrash around one more time, I'll take this back.”
I pointed at the box and spoke threateningly, causing the boy to lose all his nerve and answer hesitantly.
“I wanted to go to the festival... but the orphanage said things were difficult and wouldn't let us go... My younger siblings said they wanted to eat takoyaki...”
The boy hesitated.
I clicked my tongue and said,
“So you sneaked out, stole takoyaki, and were going to take it back, huh?”
“.....”
“You little brat, all you've learned are bad habits... Damn it!”
“Eek!”
When I raised my hand and pretended to hit him, the boy flinched in fright.
The soles of my feet hurt from chasing him, but I had never actually intended to hit him, so I lowered my hand.
This event had three choices.
First, take the box of takoyaki back.
Second, bring the boy over and make him apologize.
Third, send the boy back and pay for the takoyaki myself.
The affection points I could gain were one, three, and two, respectively.
To maximize my affection points, I had to choose option two.
If I did that, Miyuki's father would understand the boy's situation and give twenty boxes of takoyaki to the orphanage for free.
Miyuki would also be happy that, thanks to me, she had been able to do a good deed.
But I had no intention of choosing option two.
My current situation was like playing an open-world game with an incredibly high degree of freedom.
There was an opportunity to gain even more affection, so I couldn't just stick to the predetermined choices.
With a broad grin, I spoke to the fidgeting boy.
“Hey.”
“.... What?”
“Where's the orphanage?”
“It's nearby.”
“Give me the address and go there first.”
“No! You're going to tell them I snuck out!”
“Do I look like a petty bastard like you? Do you want to give your siblings just six takoyaki, or 180?”
“.... Huh?”
**
“Matsuda-kun! Did you lose the little boy?”
“I caught him, but... just a moment... Sorry I didn't introduce myself sooner. My name is Ken Matsuda.”
After returning to the stall, I bowed deeply to Miyuki's father, and he returned my greeting with a smile.
“I'm Wataru Hanazawa. Nice to meet you. Ken Matsuda, was it?”
“That's right.”
“So you're the delinquent student Miyuki told me about. I hear you've straightened yourself out now?”
At that, Miyuki looked at Wataru and gestured for him not to say anything.
So she had been telling her parents about me.
She hadn't told him what I had been like when I was a delinquent, had she?
“Well, I'm... trying my best. Oh, and sorry for asking so suddenly, but could you package thirty boxes of takoyaki right now?”
“Huh...? Thirty boxes...? Right now?”
Wataru froze at the sudden mention of such a large number.
Miyuki also stared at me in surprise.
I awkwardly scratched my head and said,
“Would that be difficult?”
“I can do it, but... why are you suddenly trying to package thirty boxes?”
“Well, you see...”
I briefly explained the boy's situation and told him that I wanted to help.
By the time I had finished explaining everything, Wataru was looking at me with considerable goodwill.
“I see. So you're going to buy thirty boxes and take them to the orphanage?”
“Yes.”
“Then we'd better start making them right away.”
After saying that, Wataru looked at Miyuki.
“Miyuki, lower the awning.”
“Oh, okay...”
The awning was made of opaque, solid-colored material that kept the inside from view.
That meant Tetsuya wouldn't be able to see Miyuki even if he arrived now.
Father-in-law, thank you for helping me.
But do you happen to be into loser masturbation?
While Miyuki lowered the awning that had been rolled up above the stall, I took out a ten-thousand-yen bill.
“Thank you. I'll pay first.”
“No need. You're doing a good deed, and Miyuki's been imposing on your family, too, so I'll just make this much for you.”
“Imposing? I'm the one who asked Hanazawa to teach me. Please, take it.”
“I said no need.”
Since Wataru was Miyuki's father, he obviously had a kind nature similar to hers.
The fact that he was so readily making the takoyaki for me was proof enough.
If I kept insisting that he take the money, he would definitely refuse, so I needed to try another method.
“Then I'll help you make them, too.”
“You will? Then come over here and help me add the fillings.”
“Yes.”
I rolled up and tied the sleeves of my yukata and entered the stall, where Miyuki held out the yakitori she had been keeping for me.
“Matsuda-kun. This is yours, but...”
I waved one hand to indicate that I didn't need it and said,
“You eat it. I need to work.”
“.... Matsuda-kun, did you eat something weird today?”
My sudden change in attitude must have really caught her off guard.
I was doing a good deed because I felt a sense of kinship with him, both of us being without parents. Couldn't she understand how I felt?
In truth, it was for the affection points, but the boy and the children at the orphanage would get their happy ending, too, so it was a win-win for everyone.