Chapter 32: Family Resturant
After lunch break.
"I'm done, thanks for the treat!"
"Really delicious! Thank you, Yusuke!"
Yamaguchi and Takei said separately.
The reason for this was that Yusuke brought a bento for the two of them.
"You're welcome," Yusuke said. "I bothered you last time about the phone, so let's take this as a thank-you gift. That's what Sayu meant."
"It's really enviable." Takei held his belly. "Yusuke actually eats such delicious food every day."
As he said that, he hiccupped and looked at the empty tinfoil box in front of him with some nostalgia, his eyes savoring the memory.
That was Sayu's fried meat roll bento. The fried pork roll was wrapped with chopped carrots and green beans, combining meat and vegetables for a refreshing taste that wasn't greasy at all.
It was also drizzled with tomato sauce—not the kind bought in the supermarket, but handmade tomato sauce, which was not only very healthy but also had a stronger taste.
In order to prepare this meal, Sayu had been working since last night.
In fact, Yusuke had persuaded Sayu to cook some simple dishes, but she refused. Her reason was—
"They're Yusuke's friends, aren't they? And I've also been blessed with the phone thing, so I can't do anything less."
Although a bit stubborn in some respects, she is indeed a sensible person.
"Here we go again."
Yamaguchi pouted, his eyes focused on Yusuke's mouth.
"You've been showing this inexplicable expression lately."
"Um?"
Yusuke came back to his senses and looked at Yamaguchi suspiciously. "What are you talking about?"
"It's useless to play dumb, Yusuke. The curve of your mouth has already betrayed you!"
As he spoke, Yamaguchi looked at Takei beside him.
"Have you seen it too, Takei?"
"Hmm..." After scrutinizing Yusuke's expression, Takei suddenly laughed and agreed, "Ahaha, that's true."
"Right?"
Yamaguchi spread his hands and turned to look at Yusuke, his eyes full of teasing. "See? I wasn't lying to you."
"It's an illusion," Yusuke said calmly, touching the corner of his mouth without a trace. "The exam is coming up. Is it okay for you to be so relaxed?"
"Exam?"
Yamaguchi and Takei were stunned for a moment, then looked at Yusuke in unison, with relaxed smiles on their faces.
"No problem, no problem."
"After all, it can't be worse than Yusuke."
"That's right! Exactly!"
"Ahaha! Sure enough, with Yusuke around, I feel at ease."
"That's right!" Yamaguchi laughed, putting his hand on Yusuke's shoulder. "Then please, 'Mr. 40'!"
"Pfft, hahahahahaha! You're too much!" Takei laughed, lying on the table and clapping his hand on it. "But I like it! Ahahahahahahahaha!"
The two seemed to have a tacit understanding, as if they did not pay attention to Yusuke's efforts over the past month.
Watching their performance, Yusuke's head gently floated a string of question marks, and a certain question emerged in his mind.
"Have you two lost your minds? Or is my patience running thin?"
"Since that's the case," he said without a smile, "let me remind you, what were your last rankings in the class...?"
"38!"
"39!"
Yamaguchi and Takei said separately, their righteous tones leaving Yusuke speechless for a moment.
After a long pause, he murmured, "Really..." then looked at the two of them with an inexplicable expression. "Then, wish you good luck."
In his heart, he silently sentenced the two to academic death.
"Huh? What do you mean by that expression?"
"Are we being underestimated?"
Yamaguchi and Takei exchanged glances.
"In that case," the two said in unison, "let's work hard this time and strive to improve each other!"
"Speaking of which, Yusuke, you took a leave of absence from your part-time job recently, didn't you?"
Yamaguchi looked at Yusuke. "Why don't we take this opportunity to hold a study session after school?"
"This is good! I agree!" Takei immediately raised his hands high. "You'll join us right Yusuke!?"
"Study session?" Yusuke paused and looked up. "Where are we going?"
"A café, family restaurant, anywhere..."
Yamaguchi paused, then continued in a slightly subtle tone, "Of course, it doesn't matter if you want to bring your 'friend' with you."
Yusuke hesitated for a moment but finally nodded. "Let me ask."
He took out his phone from his bag and started typing an email.
Yamaguchi and Takei exchanged knowing glances.
So, after school.
At the Gusto family restaurant near the station.
"Cheers!"
The sound of glasses clinking filled the table.
In a four-seater booth, a group sat facing each other.
On one side were Yamaguchi and Takei, on the other were Yusuke and Sayu Ogihara.
"My name is Sayu, the 'Sha' from Bishamonten and the 'Yu' from 'excellent,' please take care of me!"
Sayu said with a smile, her lips curving upward like a crescent moon, her beautiful smile spreading like spring across her face.
"Oh...oh, hello, I'm Yamaguchi..."
"I'm Takei..."
The two looked away, staring at their glasses as if counting the water droplets on them.
Seeing this Yusuke sighed. "Why are you guys acting shy? Aren't you usually full of bold words?"
"Who, who's shy? We're just trying to decide what to order, right?"
Yamaguchi said exaggeratedly and Takei nodded sharply in agreement.
"That's good." Yusuke nodded not calling them out on their behavior, and introduced Sayu to them. "Ichiro Takei and Takashi Yamaguchi my classmates and friends."
Then he turned to look at the two of them. "Sayu Ogihara my... um childhood friend. By the way she made the bento you guys thought was delicious."
"Is that true?!"
Hearing Yusuke's words the two raised their heads in unison, looking at Sayu with undisguised surprise and admiration, as if to say—
"How can such a cute girl cook such delicious food!"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone