Staring up at Bai Qiu's dashing figure as he walked away, Yamada Ryo couldn't get over it for a long time.
"Grrr..."
Yamada Ryo casually grabbed a handful of weeds and stuffed them into her mouth.
"So bitter..."
Why had he told her that was fried chicken?!
P.S. I don't think I can keep going much longer! There's still more to the story, but I just can't shake the feeling that I'm not satisfied with how I'm writing it...
Dinner at Nagasaki Sosei's House
Come to think of it, if he'd traded fried chicken to Yamada Ryo just now...
Would he have gotten to watch her eat grass?
Thinking about it that way, Bai Qiu felt like he'd made a bit of a miscalculation!
No, no, no.
Bai Qiu shook his head. Considering how much of a little rascal Yamada Ryo was...
If he was too nice to her right from the start, wouldn't she have him wrapped around her finger before long?
[After repeatedly triggering Takamatsu Tomo's memories about the band, Notes +500.]
Bai Qiu stopped in his tracks, momentarily stunned.
Was he really the kind of person who built his happiness on other people's pain?!
"Little Sose, are you settling in okay here?"
A woman was sprawled unceremoniously across the sofa, playfully kicking her legs up behind her as she covered her face with both hands and looked toward the kitchen.
"Mom, don't call me Little Sose."
"I'm all grown up now."
Nagasaki Sosei looked back and puffed out her chest as she spoke coquettishly. She still had a ladle in her hand, clearly in the middle of cooking.
"Besides, I really like the new house. Thanks, Mom."
"I'm sorry I keep leaving you on your own."
Nagasaki Mother spoke apologetically.
"It's okay, Mom. You already work so hard."
"Besides, even when I'm by myself, I don't get too bored. I have lots of friends at school."
"Is that so? That's good, then."
The woman smiled in relief, as if she could finally relax. It was wonderful to have such a thoughtful daughter.
Speaking of school, she went on to ask, "Are you adjusting to high school? Can you keep up with your schoolwork?"
"I'm doing fine!"
Nagasaki Sosei gave her a sweet smile.
The woman smiled too and was just about to praise her daughter again when the phone suddenly rang.
Her brow furrowed.
The ladle in Nagasaki Sosei's hand trembled. A vague sense of foreboding rose in her heart.
She sat up and answered the phone.
Nagasaki Mother's gentle expression vanished in an instant.
Her entire demeanor changed as she spoke to the person on the other end, her face serious.
The call was very brief, but Nagasaki Sosei grew increasingly restless.
"I'm sorry, Sose... Mom just got an unexpected order, so I can't stay for dinner."
As she spoke, Nagasaki Mother had already stood up, put on her coat, and walked over to Nagasaki Sosei.
"It's... okay, Mom. You can't help it."
Nagasaki Sosei forced a smile to comfort her.
"Mm. Remember to call me if anything comes up."
Nagasaki Mother nodded, then gave her daughter a reluctant hug.
"Okay."
After seeing Mom to the door and closing it behind her,
the smile on Nagasaki Sosei's face disappeared completely. She even looked a little pale.
She crouched down behind the door, crestfallen, pressing her bloodless lips together.
At that moment, the spacious, brand-new house seemed as cold to her as the iron door behind her.
It wasn't the sound of an upgrade. The elevator had reached the floor.
Bai Qiu stepped out of the elevator, following the rule of letting passengers exit before entering.
At the same time, a figure dressed in black stepped into the elevator.
She faced Bai Qiu and greeted him with a polite smile and a nod.
Bai Qiu returned the polite smile, feeling a little surprised.
After all, there were only two apartments on each floor, so it was rare to see a stranger on his floor.
Still, that outfit...
She struck Bai Qiu as a textbook career woman.
A neatly tailored black suit without a single wrinkle, and practical, shoulder-length hair.
Her smile was just right—polite and friendly, the sort that naturally made people warm to her.
She didn't look like an ordinary salesperson going door to door at all.
Well, there was no point worrying about it.
Bai Qiu took out his keys and pulled open the gate, which clicked into place.
Just then, the door next door suddenly opened.
Nagasaki Sosei leaned out excitedly and called,
"You're back, Mo..."
But when she saw who was standing outside,
Nagasaki Sosei's disappointment was plain to see,
and her voice dropped to a whisper.
"...Mom..."
Bai Qiu jumped, then turned around in surprise.
Inside Nagasaki Sosei's house,
Bai Qiu and Nagasaki Sosei sat facing each other.
The atmosphere was a little awkward.
Looking at Nagasaki Sosei, who seemed kind, gentle, and considerate, with a touch of shyness and reserve,
Bai Qiu couldn't help feeling that something was off.
For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
After she'd suddenly called him "Mom,"
he'd somehow ended up being invited inside by Nagasaki Sosei.
Nagasaki Sosei was in the same boat. Though she seemed calm on the surface,
she was feeling shy and awkward too.
Out of Bai Qiu's sight, she kept fidgeting with her fingertips.
The noise from outside had made her think her mother had come back because she didn't have to work overtime after all.
After all, that had happened before.
So she'd opened the door with an excited smile.
But it had turned out to be Bai Qiu, her neighbor, coming home.
Nagasaki Sosei had been bitterly disappointed.
And Bai Qiu had seen her looking so flustered.
She wasn't sure what had gotten into her, but she'd ended up pulling him inside to have dinner with her.
Maybe she didn't want to waste the lavish dinner she'd prepared,
maybe she simply wanted to thank Bai Qiu for helping her last time,
or maybe she just didn't want to eat all alone!
"Bai Qiu-kun, wait here a moment. I'll get the rice," Nagasaki Sosei said softly.
Bai Qiu nodded, not offering to help.
He felt like he needed a little time and space to calm down too.
The food on the elegant round dining table filled the air with a tantalizing aroma.
Stir-fried potatoes and green peppers, tomato and egg stir-fry, Braised Eggplant, Teppanyaki Tofu Cubes.
Last was a pot of bright green Vegetable Macaroni soup, which stood out in particular.
Bai Qiu looked over the spread, his expression a little complicated.
Wasn't something missing?
Considering that he and Nagasaki-san weren't close enough for him to joke around with her,
and that he was about to freeload a meal here, on top of that,
otherwise, Bai Qiu would definitely have asked,
"Nagasaki-san, do you really live up to your name and only eat vegetables?"
Luckily, with the fried chicken Bai Qiu had brought along,
there was some meat too.
So now they had five dishes and a soup.
Thinking of that, Bai Qiu smiled faintly.
At that moment, Bai Qiu was incredibly glad he hadn't given the fried chicken to Yamada Ryo.
Otherwise, he'd have come empty-handed.
That would have been so embarrassing!
It definitely wasn't because he'd have had no meat to eat.
Suddenly, the corners of his mouth lifted as Bai Qiu thought of something fun.
Bai Qiu took out his phone.
The Band-aid Takamatsu Tomo had given him slipped out too.
Bai Qiu picked up the Band-aid first and gently set it aside.
Then he used his phone to take a picture of the lavish dinner spread.
After that, he shared it in Kessoku Band's Group Chat.
The chat history only went back a few days.
Before you continue