Is It Really That Big?

"Ma'am, one deluxe super-sized rice ball, please."

An office worker who had stayed up all night revising a report dragged himself over to Sachiko's stall for breakfast, dark circles under both eyes.

"Of course. Just a moment, please." Sachiko tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, put on her gloves, and gave him a gentle smile.

The sight of Sachiko's sweet smile made the office worker straighten his back at once, suddenly looking much more alive.

Sachiko was especially happy that day. Last night's news had reported that the Yamato Group's boss had turned himself in and all its members had been arrested. She finally no longer had to worry about being harassed.

Her husband's gambling debt was an illegal loan-shark debt, so she did not have to repay it either. Overjoyed, she had hugged Harano and cried all evening.

No one knew how painful it had been to hold the family together alone after her husband's death. Thankfully... it was all over now.

Still, something about it felt strange to Sachiko. The Yamato Group had collapsed overnight, and she suspected Baicang and the others had helped her in secret. She decided she had to repay them properly.

"Miss Sachiko, my senior and I are here!"

Mizuki spotted Sachiko's food cart from a distance and waved to her.

"Good morning, Mr. Baicang, Miss Mizuki. And... who is this?"

Sachiko quickly set down the nearly finished rice ball and looked at the unfamiliar girl beside Baicang, who was just as pretty as Mizuki.

The office worker said, "...Um..."

"I'm Tanktop Girl, the hero ranked ninety-sixth in B-Class." Tanktop Girl nodded in greeting.

"Hehe, Miss Sachiko, she's a good friend of mine. Could you make her a rice roll too?" Mizuki said, hugging Tanktop Girl.

"Of course, of course." Sachiko set the rice ball aside and took fresh seaweed and ingredients from a nearby wooden tub.

The office worker said, "Um... mine..."

"Where's Harano? Why haven't I seen him today?" Noticing that Sachiko was alone that day, Baicang wondered where her son had gone.

"Oh, Harano went to school today." At the mention of her son, Sachiko paused briefly, then continued making the rice roll without looking up.

She scooped steaming rice out of the wooden tub and spread it evenly over the seaweed. As she reached for the next ingredient, she said, "After he saw the Yamato Group come and cause trouble a few days ago, he refused to go back to school no matter what I said. He got up early every morning and insisted on coming with me. He said he wanted to protect me."

She sliced a golden fried pork cutlet and arranged it neatly over the rice, then turned to fetch cucumber strips and marinated squid rings from the other wooden tubs. Her voice grew a little hoarse.

"Several times, it was thanks to him that the Yamaguchi Group didn't dare lay a hand on me in front of the customers. He really did protect me."

After placing all the prepared fillings over the rice, Sachiko sprinkled pork floss on top and slowly rolled everything into a long cylinder with the seaweed. Her head remained lowered, and a hint of tears crept into her voice.

"It wasn't until everything ended yesterday that he finally felt safe enough to go to school. He's such a thoughtful boy."

Sachiko finally raised her head and smiled at Baicang. "Thank you all so very much."

He noticed her reddened eyes and the tears that had slipped down her cheeks without her realizing.

An unfamiliar feeling stirred in Baicang's chest. Unsure what to say, he instinctively accepted the rice roll she handed him.

"Is... is it really that big?!"

Baicang stared in shock at the enormous rice roll, which took both hands to hold. The emotion that had just been building inside him fell apart at once.

"Ah! I'm sorry!" Blushing, Sachiko hurriedly took the rice roll back from him. She had been so emotional that she had forgotten to slice it.

Embarrassed, Sachiko kept her flushed face lowered. Seeing how flustered she was, Baicang worried she might cut her hand and watched her slicing closely. Noticing his gaze, Sachiko grew even more nervous, until sweat covered her forehead.

The office worker said, "Um, I think my rice ball is getting cold..."

Fortunately, what Baicang feared did not happen. Sachiko soon wrapped up the sliced rice rolls and handed them to him and the girls.

"Mmm! This is the best rice roll I've ever eaten!"

Tanktop Girl covered her little mouth, stars sparkling in her eyes. Beside her, Mizuki munched away like a little hamster, holding her rice roll and gnawing at it without a moment's pause.

"Is it really that good?" Baicang looked skeptical and took a bite... delicious.

Seeing how happily they were all eating, Sachiko breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

Without their help, how could she possibly have paid off that debt with the money she earned selling rice rolls each day? Especially with people coming to cause trouble. To repay the money and provide for Harano, she might have had to...

"Thank you so very much, Mr. Baicang, Miss Mizuki."

Sachiko stepped out from behind the cart and bowed deeply to Baicang and Mizuki.

"Huh? What? Why... are you thanking me?" Mizuki had already finished her rice roll and was about to order another when Sachiko bowed to her. Her little brain could not keep up.

Tanktop Girl gave Baicang a puzzled look. He merely shrugged and spread his hands, indicating that he knew nothing about it.

Sachiko frowned slightly too. Mizuki genuinely seemed to have no idea, and Mr. Baicang appeared just as unaware.

Could it have been someone else... no!

When I was talking to Mr. Baicang about Harano just now, his expression seemed a little strange. Could he have done all this on his own?

But why would Mr. Baicang do it alone and keep it from Miss Mizuki?

Could it be... She recalled how Baicang had stared at her while she sliced the rice roll, and how he had followed them all the way home last time to protect her and Harano. Could Mr. Baicang be interested in me?!

Sachiko quickly looked at Baicang.

Baicang was standing off to the side, eating his rice roll as though none of this concerned him, when he noticed Sachiko suddenly looking his way.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

"Is something wrong, Miss Sachiko?" Baicang looked puzzled, unsure why she kept staring at him.

"Nothing." Sachiko turned her blushing face away and covered her burning cheeks.

Oh no. The more I think about it, the more certain I am.

Mr. Baicang has his sights set on me! No wonder he wiped out the entire Yamato Group. Was he taking revenge for me...?

Seeing Sachiko blush and turn away left Baicang even more bewildered. Did I do something strange?

He looked questioningly at Mizuki and Tanktop Girl, hoping to ask whether he had a bit of vegetable stuck in his teeth, only to find Mizuki stealing Tanktop Girl's rice roll.

"You said you'd only take one bite! Let go already!" Tanktop Girl tried to wrest her rice roll out of Mizuki's mouth.

"Jusht... one lasht... biiite~" Mizuki refused to let go, fiercely resisting with the rice roll clenched between her teeth.

"My rice ball... I'll just take it myself, okay?"

Since no one was paying attention to him, the office worker decided to retrieve the rice ball Sachiko had set aside.

"Ah, there's more. I think I still have a little rice left."

The commotion between Mizuki and Tanktop Girl jolted Sachiko out of her fantasies. She returned behind the cart to see how many more rice rolls she could make.

Seeing Sachiko return, the office worker immediately stopped his hand just short of the rice ball.

"I'm sorry. It looks like I've run out."

Sachiko looked at the empty wooden tub helplessly.

Although she had prepared plenty of ingredients, there had been quite a few customers that day. As heroes, Mizuki and the others also had much larger appetites than ordinary people. The food she had brought simply was not enough.

"Aww, I'm still hungry." Mizuki looked utterly disappointed, while Tanktop Girl gave her a resentful stare.

"Why don't you come to my house? Miss Tanktop Girl, since you like rice rolls, I could teach you how to make them too."

"Sure!" Both girls happily agreed. Apparently, they were both foodies.

Sachiko then looked at Baicang.

"Fine by me."

It was still early anyway. If he learned how to make them, he could make some for Runo to try. She would probably like them.

"That's wonderful. Let's head over now."

Sachiko immediately packed up the wooden tubs on the cart and finally noticed the rice ball left off to the side.

"What's this?" Sachiko picked up the cold rice ball.

Chomp~ Mmm~

Mizuki's eyes lit up. Before Sachiko could react, the rice ball was gone.

"This is sooo delicious too!"

The office worker said, "My rice ball..."