Side Story: Their Dinner
“TakasÄ«~! Ain’t your stomach growlin’~?”
“Guess I’m feelin’ it… pretty damn hungry…”
Natalie-chan rubs her belly, and Tak-kun answers with a grumble.
It’s about that time when hunger starts gnawing. Plus, we barely ate anything today.
“Bit early, but how ‘bout we grab some dinner? I’m starvin’ too.”
Both of them nod at my suggestion.
“Sounds good. Let’s make it a welcome party for Sherry too. Wanna eat out tonight?”
“YEE-HAW!! Tak-kun~!! Pick us a killer spot, I’m countin’ on ya~!!”
“Ugh, I’m the one stuck lookin’ again…?”
Muttering complaints, Tak-kun starts scrolling through his phone for a place.
Despite all his grumbling, Tak-kun’s soft on Natalie-chan. He bitches and moans but always caves to her whims.
Man, he’s such a softie.
As I’m quietly impressed by my little brother, Sherry-chan timidly raises her hand.
“Um, well… I-I kinda burned through my savings to get to Japan, so I’m flat broke…”
“I got you covered today, so don’t sweat the cash… Wait, flat broke?”
Tak-kun, mid-scroll, furrows his brow and looks up.
“What the hell does ‘flat broke’ mean? Didn’t they dish out food money last week?”
“Huh?”
“I’m sayin’, last week the government gave us food cash, right? Even if your savings are gone, you should have something left.”
“W-Well, um… th-that’s…”
Sherry-chan stammers, her words tripping over themselves, and Tak-kun’s face hardens.
“Don’t tell me… you’ve got nothing?”
“N-No, not nothing! I’ve got three hundred yen! Three hundred yen!”
“That’s basically zero!”
With that, Tak-kun grabs her head in a mock claw grip, scolding her in an exasperated tone.
“Look, I told you a million times—don’t touch the food money! Were you even listening? Or was it all just air up there?”
“N-No, I… I was listening properly…”
“Then how the hell did you blow through your food money in one week? Don’t tell me you dumped it all into that house you were tryin’ to buy!”
“…”
Even through the iron claw, it’s obvious.
She’s totally guilty.
“Sherry…”
The vibe sours, and Sherry-chan starts to panic.
“B-But I had no choice! The real estate guy said if I didn’t sign right then, someone else would snatch it up!”
“Don’t fall for that sales crap! Can you please think things through for once, you idiot?”
“B-But it was a great deal! The bathroom even had a jacuzzi!”
“You sold the damn thing, so what’s the point?! You burned through your food money—how were you plannin’ to live?”
“I-I just… I really wanted it…”
“Sherry…”
Tak-kun presses his temples as Natalie-chan cuts in.
“Sherry~! How’ve you been eatin’ this whole time~? You gotta at least get some calories, or you’re screwed~!”
“I’ve been scraping by on leftover military rations and those god-awful calorie blocks! It’s… surprisingly doable!”
“No way! You actually ate those~? I swore I’d never touch a calorie block again~!”
“Honestly? It was brutal!”
Sherry-chan puffs out her modest chest with a proud ehem and a grin.
Yeah, I’m starting to get her deal.
She’s all vibes and impulse. That lack of forethought just makes her mess-ups even more spectacular.
Tak-kun releases the iron claw, rubbing her head with a heavy sigh.
“Sherry. From now on, think before you act.”
“I-I swear I’m thinking super hard already…”
“And that’s the result…?”
“If it comes down to it, I’ll just have Takashi-kun take care of me forever, so it’s all good. Don’t worry!”
“Is that something you say to the guy you’re mooching off? That’s so bold it almost made my heart skip.”
“Hehe~! Feel free to fall for me even harder~!”
Sherry-chan beams happily.
What a character…
Watching her get all cocky, I can’t help but think that.
Dinner’s decided: yakiniku.
For Sherry-chan, who’s been living off scraps, we figured some grilled meat would help her get some nutrients. She’s never had yakiniku before and looks thrilled, eyes sparkling.
It’s been a while for me too. Kinda excited.
“Dad and Mom are heading straight to the restaurant from work.”
“Whoa, them finishing early is rare~! First time we’re all eatin’ together, huh~?”
“Yeah, first time. Big group, so I’ll make a reservation.”
With that, Tak-kun steps away.
At the same moment, Natalie-chan clenches her fist.
“Alright~! Tonight’s the night I get TakasÄ«-Mama to greenlight me and TakasÄ«’s engagement~!”
“What’re you talkin’ about, Natalie-chan?! That’s not happening!”
God, she’s always trying to sneak in that engagement talk…
I want her to be happy, but Tak-kun’s off-limits. That’s non-negotiable.
“As Nee-san says, that’s not fair play. A proper lady faces things head-on with grace, not by digging moats around her target.”
“Says Sherry, who screws up every time~! Ain’t there a proverb? ‘If you wanna shoot the general, first take out his horse.’ Learn from the old-timers and rethink your plan, dummy~!”
“Natalie-san, if we’re talking proverbs, how about ‘One strong resolve can pierce the heavens’? Why bother with all that sneaky nonsense when pure conviction gets the job done? Cowards like you are the problem.”
“Okay, why are you two so obsessed with Japanese proverbs…?”
Are they even foreign? Their conversation sounds straight-up Japanese, and their intonation’s flawless…
I step in to rein in Natalie-chan’s runaway train.
“Look, Natalie-chan. Mom’s not some pushover. If she catches you making a move on Tak-kun, she’ll wreck you with her passive-aggressive jabs.”
“Huh? R-Really~…?”
“Yup! I’m stuck in that mess right now!”
“No way~…”
Mom’s love for her son is unhinged. She’s the kind of monster parent who won’t even let her own daughter get close.
“Is Takashi-kun’s mother that scary?”
“Hmm~… I just thought she was a nice mom~…”
“I-I might… get kicked out…”
Natalie-chan tilts her head, while Sherry-chan trembles.
Maybe I scared them too much? But it’s not my fault.
Mom’s seriously intense!
“M-Mother, it’s a pleasure to meet you! I-I am Ciel Aisuran—”
“You’re Sherry-chan!? Oh my gosh, adorable! Like a little doll~!”
“Th-This time, I am deeply grateful for your gracious permission to reside—”
“Oh my, my, my~! So polite~! What a well-mannered girl~!”
Mom barrels right over a petrified Sherry-chan, stroking her head gently to ease her nerves.
What’s with this warm welcome…
We arrive at the yakiniku place and join Mom and Dad, who got there first. As Sherry-chan starts her introduction, Monster-Mom bursts into a delighted smile.
I don’t get it.
“Mom, what’s with you? You’re acting way nicer than you ever do with me. It’s freaking me out.”
“Well, duh! She might be Takashi’s future wife! Of course I’m gonna be nice.”
“Wife?! When I said I’d marry Tak-kun, you lost it like a raging inferno!”
“What kind of mother approves of a sibling marriage?! Get rid of those impure thoughts already!”
“They’re not impure! I’m serious!”
“Stop talking nonsense, or I’ll ship you off to a convent!”
What’s that supposed to mean? So she’s only harsh with me?
But she was tough on Natalie-chan too… Wait, no, she wasn’t.
She was thrilled about her.
Future wife, she said, all giddy.
I got so caught up in the joy of Tak-kun coming back that I forgot.
Mom’s been Team Natalie-chan from the start.
“TakasÄ«-Mama~! Would you flip out if I said I was marryin’ TakasÄ«~?”
“No way I’d flip! Go for it! You’ve got my full blessing!”
“H-Huh? G-Go for it?”
“Yup, go for it! Make all the mistakes you want! Just make sure you put a ring on it!”
“Mom… what are you even saying…?”
Tak-kun, looking done, tries to shut down Mom’s rampage.
That’s not something a parent says…
I’m dizzy from Mom’s lack of common sense.
“I’m coverin’ tonight, so eat whatever you want, guys.”
“Takashi, what are you talking about?”
Dad cuts in, scolding Tak-kun’s offer.
Arms crossed, he speaks with commanding authority.
“What kind of parent lets a high schooler foot the bill? Leave the payment to me, Takashi. Focus on eating.”
“Huh? But we’re gonna eat a ton. The government gave us food money, so I can—”
“You think I can’t handle it? I work hard for my money. Let me take care of it.”
“For real?”
“Yeah. Save that government cash for your future.”
“Dad… you’re so cool…”
Tak-kun gazes at Dad with pure admiration.
Dad, you sure about this? You’ve never seen how much Tak-kun and the others can eat…
While I’m worrying and Dad’s puffing out his chest, Tak-kun raises his hand with a loud, “Excuse me!”
He flashes the menu at the waiter who comes to take our order.
“Alright, everything from here to here, twenty portions each, please.”
Tak-kun drags his finger from the top left to the bottom right of the menu.
The waiter blinks rapidly, clearly caught off guard.
“T-Twenty portions…? Not two…?”
“Twenty. Natalie, Sherry, what about you?”
“I’m cravin’ some stone-bowl bibimbap and k Alguppa~! Ten of each, pretty please~!”
“I’m quite curious about this chijimi dish. Plain chijimi, seafood chijimi, cheese chijimi—ten plates of each, if you would!”
“H-Huh? W-What…?”
“T-Takashi…?”
The waiter and Dad are floored by the sheer scale of the order.
The waiter’s at a loss, visibly flustered, when someone who looks like the manager swoops in.
“Well, well, Shibuzaki-sama! Twenty portions of meat, plus ten plates each of bibimbap, k Alguppa, and chijimi, correct? How about soups or salads?”
“Hmm… ten of those too, please. Anything else we should get?”
Tak-kun holds out the menu.
With Mom and Dad frozen in place, I step in.
“We’ll just pick at whatever’s here, so order what you want.”
“Cool. Then that’s it for now.”
“Understood.”
The manager bows and leaves.
The returnee soldiers’ dinner kicks off.
“This is insane! It’s, like… I dunno… just insanely good!”
“Ohh yeah! So damn tasty~! The meat’s all melty, freaking delicious~!”
“Excuse me! Thirty more portions each of kalbi, tongue, and offal, please!”
The trio devours the meat at a terrifying pace.
The mountain of food delivered to the table vanishes in no time.
I’ve been noticing for a while, but the staff’s acting kinda weird. The manager’s hovering, taking orders with this eager grin.
Now that I think about it, there was a big sign at the entrance that said “Shibuzaki-sama’s Visit”… What’s that about? Like some fancy ryokan treatment?
“T-Takashi? Is it okay to eat that much? The bill’s already close to a hundred thousand yen…”
“Don’t worry, it’s fine. We’re just gettin’ started, so relax.”
“TakasÄ«~! I’m hankerin’ for some cold noodles~!”
“Me too! I want some as well!”
“Excuse me! Fifteen plates of cold noodles, please!”
Dad’s face goes pale at the absurd order.
He keeps checking his wallet, whispering to Mom.
“M-Mother! What do we do? I don’t have nearly enough cash!”
“Just use the card… I had no idea Takashi could eat this much…”
“S-Should we ask Takashi to chip in now…?”
“Don’t you dare pull something that pathetic! I’ll cover whatever’s short, so just sit there and act proud!”
“Y-Yes, ma’am…”
Dad slumps, deflated by Mom’s sharp words.
That’s what you get for trying to look cool…
Watching Dad shrink, I pop a piece of meat in my mouth.
An hour later, the manager approaches, looking grim.
“W-We’re terribly sorry, Shibuzaki-sama. We’ve run out of ingredients… We can’t take any more orders… It’s just…”
“What? No more orders?”
“Y-Yes… We even begged our sister restaurants nearby for extra ingredients, but… We’re so sorry…”
“I see…”
As Tak-kun’s mood darkens, Dad’s face lights up.
“T-Takashi, if they’re out of ingredients, nothing we can do! Let’s call it a night!”
“Hmm… Guess they say ‘stop at eighty percent full,’ right? Alright, Dad.”
“Eighty percent… after all that…?”
Dad lets out a dry, “Haha…”
No wonder he’s making that face after they tore through that much food.
The manager slides the bill toward Dad, who’s still reeling.
“Here’s the total.”
“…?!”
Dad’s eyes go wide, a voiceless gasp escaping him.
I catch a glimpse of the bill—numbers lined up like a small army.
“Dad, how much was it?”
“…”
“Dad?”
Tearfully, Dad answers my question.
“One… one hundred twenty thousand yen…”
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