eBook Exclusive Bonus Short Story: The Nikujaga War Between Kiyoko-san and Kouya-kun
"It's gotta be pork, right?"
"Beef is the only correct choice here."
Standing in front of the supermarket's meat section, the boy and girl spoke at the exact same time.
The boy and girl were Torame Kouya and Shizuishi Kiyoko.
The two housemates were currently at the supermarket at night, having been asked by Kouya's grandfather, Jurou, to buy meat for nikujaga (meat and potato stew).
"..."
Having spectacularly disagreed on which meat to purchase for the nikujaga, an awkward silence fell between Kouya and Kiyoko.
"...Kouya-kun, everyone knows the meat in nikujaga is beef. Why in the world are you trying to buy pork?"
As Kiyoko softly tried to push her opinion through, Kouya fired back.
"When you say nikujaga, it obviously means pork! Besides, beef is expensive. Think about the cost-performance, will ya?"
"Wait a moment, Kouya-kun. The beef is currently thirty percent off, which actually makes it cheaper than the pork."
"That doesn't mean you put beef in nikujaga! Pork is the only logical choice here!"
"In Kansai, the meat for nikujaga is always beef."
"This is Tokyo. The largest city on the Kanto Plain. When in Rome, do as the Romans do."
"..."
Just as the boy and girl glared at each other—
Ping! A message notification sounded from an app on Kouya's smartphone.
Kouya pulled his smartphone out of his jacket pocket and checked it.
"Ah, it's a LINE message from Grandpa."
"What does Jurou-ojisama want?"
"He says we're having curry tomorrow, so he wants us to buy the meat for tomorrow too. Basically, he wants us to buy two packs."
"...Kouya-kun, just to be absolutely sure, what kind of meat do you think goes in curry?"
"Pork!" the boy from Tokyo answered instantly.
"I see... I would say beef..." The girl from Kyoto quietly averted her eyes.
"..."
Once again, a heavy, oppressive silence fell over them.
Hardening her resolve, Kiyoko clenched her fists.
"Is it our destiny to do battle right here, right now...?"
There were beliefs she simply could not compromise on. Perhaps conflict was unavoidable. The girl braced herself for war.
Yes, the great Nikujaga and Curry Meat War.
"—Ah!" In a flash, a brilliant idea struck the boy from Tokyo.
"Kiyoko-san, I just thought of something great! Let's just buy both the pork and the beef!"
Kiyoko tilted her head at Kouya's proposal.
"...Which one do you plan to use for the nikujaga, and which one for the curry?"
"No, the answer is a mix! We'll take half of each, mix 'em together, and use half of the mix for the nikujaga and the other half for the curry!!"
"!"
"That satisfies both of us, right?"
"Yes, it does. I suppose war has been averted..."
"Peace negotiations have officially succeeded! Peace has come! It's mixed pork and beef nikujaga and mixed curry!"
"The birth of a mixed curry that would shock even the people of India."
Kouya and Kiyoko took each other's hands, officially bringing the culinary war between the Kansai native and the Kanto native to a close.
And so, peace at the Torame household's dinner table was maintained.
Thus, with the ingredients for today and tomorrow in hand, the boy and girl marched gleefully toward the cash register.
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