Side Story 1: Their Lunch
“Takashi~ What’re we eatin’ for lunch today~?”
“What do you wanna eat, Natalie?”
I toss the question back, and she wags her finger with a tch-tch-tch.
“Nuh-uh~ A guy who’s got a game doesn’t just ask ‘What do you want?’ He throws out a few restaurant options, lets the girl pick. That’s the smooth move~”
“Ugh, you’re such a pain…”
The day after passing the transfer exam, Natalie and I hit the town to get our uniforms tailored and do some shopping.
Nee-san was supposed to come along, but Mom held her back, so she’s stuck at home.
It’s just me and Natalie for the first time in a while.
“Ohhh! You just called me a pain! You can’t say that to a girl, you jerk~! Hmph hmph!”
“Yeah, yeah, my bad, sorry~”
“Don’t just brush me off~… This is our first date, so let’s get hyped, okay~…?”
Natalie pouts, all droopy.
Her mood swings are wild—one second she’s up, the next she’s down. Noisy as hell.
“Fine, fine… I’ll give you three options, so pick one, alright?”
“O-kay~!”
“Family restaurant, ramen, or gyudon. Which one?”
“…”
Natalie’s pretty face twists, shooting me a look like I’m some kind of filth.
What’s with that glare…?
“I did what you said, didn’t I? Gave you options…”
“You’re taking this cute Natalie-chan out, and those are your choices…? Use your brain, dude…”
“God, you’re so annoying.”
So, what, she wants some place she can brag about on social media or something?
Some trendy spot that’ll make all the girls swoon.
What a ridiculous demand.
Like I’d know a place like that. I’ve only been back for two weeks! And before I got drafted, I was just a middle schooler—how the hell would I know some chic, girl-approved restaurant?
Swallowing my grumbling, I pull out my phone to search for date-worthy spots.
Dismissing Natalie would be easy, but getting pegged as a loser who can’t charm a girl? No way. I’ve got my pride.
I’m gonna show her I can step up when it counts.
I type recommended date restaurants and hit search. A few options pop up.
Skimming through, I pick out a promising one.
“How ‘bout French? Looks like it’s got a fancy vibe.”
“Ehh~ French~? We’re in Japan, so let’s go for Japanese food~”
“…Alright, how about okonomiyaki? They’ve got seafood, yakiniku, stuff like that, too.”
“Pancake stuff~? I’m in the mood for some serious rice, not flour~ Rejected!”
“…Oh! Then how ‘bout unagi rice bowls? It’s rice, so that’s perfect, right?”
“An eel place for a first date? That’s way too high-class—I’d feel all stiff~ Pick somewhere more casual~”
“You’re extra annoying today.”
I lock her head in an iron claw as she gets all smug.
She just grins, all happy, going, “I’m in a clingy mood, so deal with it~”
“Pick whatever you want already. Stop being so damn picky.”
“Look, Takashi-kun, girls are picky creatures. The cuter they are, the pickier they get~ If you’re giving up already, you’re not much of a man~”
“Ugh, why’s that so damn convincing…?”
I let go of the iron claw and ruffle her hair.
It’s annoying, but she’s kinda got a point.
Alright, what’s something reasonably priced, Japanese, and rice-based?
Gyudon got shot down, so katsu-don’s probably not gonna cut it either… Hmm.
I stare into space, thinking hard.
Guess this is the only option left…
“Natalie, wanna try kaiten-zushi?”
“Sushi? You mean the kind with a chef making it fresh? I said high-class places make me nervous~”
“Kaiten-zushi starts at a hundred yen a plate. Super affordable and perfect for a date.”
I throw out some BS to pique her interest.
“What’s ‘kaiten’ mean~? Rotating sushi? That makes no sense~”
“It’s, like, spinning all over the place. The sushi comes zooming around.”
“What’s that~? Sounds kinda fun~”
Her eyes sparkle. One more push.
“Kaiten-zushi has stuff like tempura or hamburger patties as toppings, and side dishes like ramen, so even people who don’t like raw fish can enjoy it.”
“…Ooh~”
“They’ve got tons of desserts, too. If you’re in Japan, you gotta try it at least once.”
“Alright! Let’s do it! Lunch is kaiten-zushi~!”
Natalie cackles, grabbing my hand and dragging me along.
Looks like I finally got her on board.
Seeing her grin so happily, I feel a bit relieved.
We finish getting the uniforms tailored and, with some time before pickup, head to the kaiten-zushi place as planned.
“So? First impressions?”
“It’s… it’s real… The sushi’s actually rotating…”
Natalie stares, muttering a soft “Whoa~” as the sushi glides from seat to seat.
“I figured you were just spewing nonsense like always, Takashi~ But the sushi’s really rotating~! That’s so cool~!”
“Heh heh heh. Pretty awesome, right~?”
“Isn’t this, like, totally insane for Japanese people? Coming up with a gag like this and actually doing it~?”
Natalie’s bouncing with excitement.
If she’s this thrilled, I picked the right spot.
My dignity as a guy is safe. Score.
“Let’s grab our seats. Table eight’s… over there.”
“Woo~!”
Following the seating chart from the staff, we head to our spot.
It’s a six-person table by the window—pretty nice.
We plop down.
“Ehehe~ This is gonna be fun, Takashi~ What should I eat first~?”
“…”
“Hey, Takashi~? What’s up~?”
What’s up~? my ass.
It’s a table, so we’re supposed to sit across from each other, right?
Why the hell are you sitting next to me? That’s weird.
“Dude… sit across from me. Why’re you right beside me?”
“Look… I don’t wanna be away from you, Takashi~ Sitting across feels… so far and lonely…!”
“Quit saying dumb stuff and move. It’s just the two of us—sitting side by side looks weird as hell.”
“Who cares if it looks weird~? I’m lonely~ If you’re not next to me… I’ll die~!”
“Alright, fine. Then to keep you from getting lonely, let’s take a bath together tonight. I’ll scrub you down real good.”
“…W-well~… What should I eat~…?”
She ignores me, sweating bullets as she stares at the menu.
I keep the pressure on silently, but she just mumbles “Uhh, uhh” and doesn’t budge.
If this shy idiot’s refusing to move even after all that, she must really want to sit next to me.
What a hopeless case…
“Just for today, got it?”
“Ehehe~ That’s my Takashi~ I love you~”
“Yeah, yeah, love you too. So, what’re you eating?”
I lean over to peek at her menu.
It’s got everything from classic sushi to seasonal specials.
“I want natto rolls, shime-saba, and squid~”
“I’ll go with hamburger, tamago, and unagi.”
“Such a kid’s palate~ Pfft~”
“…You’re just too used to Japanese food.”
Ignoring her poking my cheek, I order through the touch panel.
Since we came pretty early, there’s not much sushi on the conveyor belt.
For now, we order our stuff individually.
“So~ If you order on the touch panel, does a server bring it straight to you~? Kinda takes away from the kaiten-zushi vibe~”
“Nah, ordered stuff comes on the belt too. See how each seat’s got a color? Ours is yellow, so it’ll come on a yellow tray.”
“Whoa~ They’ve really thought this through~”
Her reactions are so fresh, the staff would probably be thrilled to hear her.
A few minutes later, our orders roll in.
“Whoa~ So cool~ It’s really coming~!”
“Yeah, but… sitting side by side means I’m the only one grabbing the sushi, and it’s a huge pain.”
“Uhyo~ Looks so good~! Itadakimaaasu~!”
“Listen to me.”
Ignoring my jab, Natalie starts eating, popping a shime-saba piece in her mouth and letting out a happy “Mmm~♡”
“This is so good~! Getting rid of the fishy smell like this? Pretty damn impressive~”
“Are you sure you’re not Japanese? How’re you better at eating saba than me?”
“Just try it, Takashi~ You don’t come across shime-saba this good every day~”
“N-no thanks… I’ve got my hamburger…”
We keep chatting, savoring each bite as we enjoy the kaiten-zushi.
“Takashi~ Are we being watched or something~?”
“Yeah, we’re getting stares.”
An hour into eating, I start feeling eyes on us from other customers.
Is it ‘cause Natalie’s a white girl? She does stand out…
“Bet they’re curious about you.”
“Ugh~! My beauty just oozes out, even when I’m just eating sushi~! Oh no~!”
“Don’t get cocky so fast…”
Rolling my eyes at her nonsense, I pop a California roll in my mouth.
That’s everything we ordered. What now?
“Wanna keep eating?”
“Hmm~ I’m good~ I’ll have dessert and call it quits~”
“We ate a ton, huh. Guess I’ll have ice cream and be done.”
I reach for the touch panel to order dessert, and the whole place buzzes with murmurs.
“Whoa… they’re still going!?” I hear someone whisper.
What the hell?
“We’re kinda sticking out, huh? Everyone’s staring like we’re a circus act…”
“Yeah~ What’s with all the ‘whoa, whoa’ stuff~? What’re they talking about~?”
“This feels weird… Let’s finish up and get outta here.”
“Sounds good~”
Feeling uneasy, we wait a few minutes for our desserts.
The moment they arrive, I hit the checkout button.
A server shows up, face twitching as they count our plates. Natalie and I munch on our desserts, glancing at them sideways.
They hand us the bill, and we bolt from the table.
I just wanna get out of here. The whole restaurant’s staring.
“They’re still looking… Let’s hit the register. Don’t forget anything.”
“Woo~”
We head to the counter and settle up quick.
I cover Natalie’s share too, paying in a flash.
Grabbing the change from the server, we hightail it out of there.
Finally, we’re free from those curious stares.
Phew.
That was delicious.
The sushi was seriously good—first time in forever.
If we hadn’t been gawked at, I’d be even more satisfied. That’s the only bummer.
Thinking that, I turn to Natalie to collect her share of the bill.
“Natalie, gimme nine grand. I’ll cover the change.”
“Come on, cover it all~ I’ll give you a smooch if you do~”
“A nine-grand kiss? Hard pass. Fork over the cash.”
“Tch~…”
Grumbling, she pulls a few bills from her coin purse and reluctantly hands them over.
“Here’s your nine grand~”
“Thanks. Yup, looks right.”
“If you were a real catch, you’d have paid for it all like a gentleman~ You totally fumbled at the finish line~!”
“Don’t think you can get away with anything just by saying that. I’m keeping things fair and square.”
“Tch.”
Why’s she clicking her tongue?
I put up with her whining all day. Don’t push it.
I give her head a few sharp chops as we head back to pick up our finished uniforms.
◇◇◇
The restaurant manager, watching the couple leave, trembles with shock.
He’s been working at this kaiten-zushi joint for twenty years, a seasoned veteran, but this is a first.
Unbelievable.
No matter how many times he checks, it’s unbelievable.
The bill: 189,800 yen.
Just two people ate that much sushi.
Sure, it includes side dishes over a hundred yen, drinks, and desserts, but even so, they cleared over a thousand plates.
No way. That’s not a normal amount for two people.
He’s never seen a six-person table buried under that many plates.
Their orders alone clogged up the entire conveyor belt—an unheard-of feat.
And to top it off, a teenage kid paid the massive bill in cash.
Prime customers.
No question, prime customers. Absolute VIPs.
They paid for a third of the day’s revenue.
The manager’s mind races.
Gotta make them regulars.
Have to make them regulars.
To do that, the whole chain needs to track these two. Can’t let them slip to another restaurant.
He quickly sends a sneaky photo of Takashi and Natalie to headquarters.
The goal: spread the word and prepare.
They need to be ready when that couple comes back.
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