By the time they left the cinema, the sky had darkened to an inky black, and the streetlights along the road had begun their nightly glow.
Even in a quieter district of Tokyo, the city buzzed with life at night. However, much of the liveliness came from overworked salarymen who clocked in punctually every morning but rarely clocked out on time.
As they strolled, snippets of conversations from nearby izakayas drifted into earshot, punctuated by drunken complaints:
"My wife's started dressing up lately. She even locks her phone now…"
"Huh? Did you snoop through her phone?"
"No, just happened to notice… She's cheating, right?"
"Yeah, probably."
"Knew it… But if she is, it's probably my fault. I mean, all I ever do is work…"
"Don't blame yourself. That's not fair."
"But it's true. All this unpaid overtime, golf with clients on weekends… And the one time I leave work early, I don't even want to go home. I'd rather drink with you… So what am I working for?"
"Hey, don't think like that. Here, have another drink. Excuse me! Another bottle of shochu, please!"
"Yeah… thanks…"
The melancholic exchange could tug at anyone's heartstrings.
Kanade hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but as he queued for takoyaki at a nearby stand, the voices from the izakaya next door were impossible to ignore. Hearing the man's plight, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.
"It's just bad luck meeting the wrong person," Kasumigaoka Utaha chimed in from beside him. She had clearly overheard the conversation as well.
Standing so close to her crush, she couldn't stay silent while overhearing such negative talk about women.
"As for me," she declared with a steady gaze, "I'd be completely devoted. Besides, with my royalties already surpassing most people's salaries, I could easily support a family."
Her words came across as bold, but she didn't shy away. This felt like the perfect chance to showcase her strengths, even if it seemed a bit early.
Her eyes sparkled with expectation as she awaited Kanade's response.
But Kanade merely felt a tickle in his ear. "Yes, yes, of course. After all, you're the youngest and most talented light novel author in a hundred years, right?"
He parroted the title she'd bragged about countless times before, his tone lighthearted.
Utaha: "..."
She had hoped for something a bit more heartfelt. Perhaps even a joking, "Then please take care of me, Senpai." Still, she reluctantly accepted the compliment—at least it was praise.
Soon enough, it was their turn to order. Since they planned to have dinner later, they opted for a small portion of takoyaki—just five pieces. Luckily, they didn't have to wait for the next batch; the vendor handed them a freshly made order right away.
"Shall we eat now?" Utaha asked, licking her lips as the enticing aroma of street food wafted around them.
"Let's wait until we're at the restaurant—" Kanade began, but seeing her eagerness, he relented and led her to a quieter corner.
Opening the package, he used chopsticks to poke holes in two of the takoyaki balls before handing them to Utaha.
"This will help them cool faster," he explained, mindful of her known aversion to hot foods. "But they're probably still pretty hot, so blow on them a bit before eating."
Utaha glanced at him, surprised. She had always known Kanade to be thoughtful, but moments like this, where his attentiveness showed so clearly, were rare these days. Much of his politeness lately had felt distant, almost like a calculated courtesy.
Maybe my efforts are paying off, she thought. It feels like we're getting back to how things used to be.
"Why not just feed me directly?" she teased, testing the waters.
"Why not you feed me instead?" Kanade shot back with mock irritation.
Utaha's laziness had reached new heights today.
"That's perfectly fine with me," she replied smoothly, trying to hide her excitement. "To show my sincerity, I'll go first."
With that, she picked up a prepared takoyaki, brought it close to Kanade's face, and gently blew on it to cool it down.
In Kanade's view, Utaha's soft lips parted slightly as she exhaled, a delicate breeze brushing over the steaming takoyaki—
And suddenly, the toppings flew off, splattering across his face.
Kanade: "..."
Expressionless, he remained silent.
Utaha: "..."
She could swear it wasn't intentional. How was she supposed to know such a small movement would send the toppings flying?
"I swear I didn't mean to! Do you believe me?" she asked, her voice tinged with guilt.
"Of course I believe you. How could I not?" Kanade replied dryly.
Wiping his face with the back of his hand, he leaned forward and took a furious bite of the takoyaki. His exaggerated chewing seemed to express all the frustration he couldn't put into words.
Utaha blinked, watching him. How adorable. Even when he's angry, he's so cute.
She felt no shame, even finding the situation oddly endearing. While it might've been a minor mishap, the outcome was unexpectedly satisfying.
After finishing his takoyaki, Kanade abruptly grabbed the chopsticks, picked up another piece, and thrust it toward her.
Startled by his sudden assertiveness, Utaha reflexively shut her eyes, bracing herself for retaliation. But when nothing happened, she cautiously opened her eyes to find Kanade smirking at her, clearly amused by her reaction.
"..."
What a tease!
Still, she didn't mind. This kind of playful dynamic? She liked it just fine.