Capítulo 210: An Unfriendly Chance Encounter
When it comes to the "Tako-nee's Sukiyaki Restaurant" (Tako-nee: Octupus Sister) and "Salmon Madam Sushi Restaurant," the naming styles alone make it obvious that the two places must be related. On top of that, their employee costumes are bizarrely similar.
In the Tako-nee's Sukiyaki, the waitresses wear octopus hats. And if you thought that was wild enough, just step into the neighboring Salmon Madam Sushi.
The moment you open the door, you'll see a crowd of servers clad in salmon sashimi costumes.
Imagine this scene: you walk into the sukiyaki place and see a bunch of octopuses milling around. Step into the sushi restaurant, and there's a school of sashimi salmon on the move. Toss in some additional marine creature costumes, and every guest might feel as if they'd stumbled right into R'lyeh.
These eccentric staff outfits leave a first-time customer wondering, "What page of The Night Parade of a Hundred Demons am I on?"
The Tako-nee's Sukiyaki waitresses wear octopus headgear, while the Salmon Madam Sushi staff consists of "married women" donning full-on salmon costumes. A lot of the neighborhood wives who have free time and want to make some extra cash take up part-time work at the sushi restaurant.
These two restaurants even share the same owner. Reportedly, the owner is a laid-back type, generally a hands-off manager with little competitive spirit. There's even a corridor that connects the two restaurants. Diners at the sukiyaki spot can ask the waitresses for a sushi menu at any time, and the sushi restaurant offers sukiyaki options the same way.
Returning to the point, one day this chill, laissez-faire owner had a burst of inspiration for a promotional campaign. Apparently, after binge-watching a few too many romance dramas, she got the idea to offer a super-sized fruit parfait and 20% discount to any couple who'd take a loving photo together inside the restaurant.
She even designated a wall in each restaurant specifically to display these couple photos.
Then, one day, a pair of girls dined at the sukiyaki place, openly confessed their relationship, and posed for a couple's photo, receiving well-wishes from everyone there.
When she heard about this, the owner was so moved she teared up. She immediately had the staff place the photo in the most prominent spot on the wall, jumped on her scooter, and hurried over to the restaurant.
Seeing the picture of Izumi Kotomi with a light blush as Iroha Isshiki planted a gentle kiss on her cheek, the owner felt she had hit the jackpot on the ultimate couple photo!
To commemorate this brave couple, unafraid of public scrutiny, the owner had their photo blown up from the standard size to a full poster, nearly as tall as a person.
At the bottom of the photo, written in elegant penmanship, were two lines from the owner herself:
"In the lily flower, I see another form of beauty in the world. Not all flowers have to consist of stamen and pistil. Pistil with pistil can also bloom in fragrance—unique and unparalleled."
"Every heartfelt feeling in this world deserves respect and blessings."
If Aimi hadn't seen the photo and had only read these words, she would've nodded in admiration. But right now, her entire attention was consumed by that central, most prominent picture!
Who were the people in this photo?
One was her beloved sister, Izumi Kotomi .
And the other was her friend—and her best friend from junior high—Iroha Isshiki.
As her mind raced through a thousand possibilities, none could have prepared her for seeing her dear sister and her best friend on the Tako-nee's Sukiyaki couple wall!
In the photo, Iroha Isshiki's lips were gently pressed to Kotomi's cheek, and seeing this sent a searing pain through Aimi's heart.
"How could it be Kotomi and Iroha? When did they…? No, they never had a chance to be alone together, so how could they have this sort of relationship? Maybe it's just someone who looks like her… but then, with that exact same figure, it has to be Kotomi…"
As Aimi continued to mutter to herself, her voice grew weaker. Even her attempts to convince herself that it wasn't Kotomi felt impossible.
"I can't even… I've never even been able to kiss Kotomi on the cheek like that. How could Iroha dare to do this before I could…"
"The one who loves Kotomi most has always been me. Always… it's always been me… but one after another, someone's always there trying to steal her away!"
Aimi leaned against the wall and bent over, as if a tearing pain were erupting within her heart, as if everything were coming apart.
"Kotomi, I've loved you from the very first day I remember, from that first day I saw you in Mom's arms. I knew what love was, right then and there.
I believe the reason I was born was to love you with my entire life.
But our relationship… it keeps me from openly saying it. Each day, living alongside you, watching your every smile, and at night, lying alone, thinking of you and enduring the loneliness…
Until one day, I learned you were adopted…
Selfish as it sounds, I felt so relieved. Because this meant we could be together without hiding anything. One day, I'll put a ring on your finger, we'll get married, and we'll adopt a pair of adorable babies…"
A torrent of emotions—heartbreak, sorrow, despair, and anger—mixed into one, overflowing into Aimi's heart. She felt the strength draining from her body as she held herself up only by sheer will, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
Gritting her teeth, her voice came out in a low growl, dripping with anguish and barely-contained rage:
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! How could that little slut Iroha get to Kotomi before I could? Why does Kotomi always have these sneaky little foxes lurking around? Do they all want me to start getting rid of them one by one?"
Her eyes gleamed with a possessive glint, the unsettling intensity of her obsession radiating like a dangerous aura.
Just as Kato Megumi was finishing her own visit to the couple's photo wall in the Salmon Madam Sushi Restaurant and was about to return to her table, she happened to pass through the corridor connecting the two restaurants. Curious, she decided to check out the couple's wall on the sukiyaki side as well.
With a bit of time left before the sushi would be ready, Megumi strolled across the little wooden bridge corridor and entered the sukiyaki restaurant.
Near the couple's wall, she spotted a familiar figure hunched over nearby.
Quickening her pace, Megumi walked up to the girl and recognized her immediately as her future sister-in-law, Aimi. With a friendly smile, she greeted her.
"Aimi, good evening! What a surprise to run into you here. Since you're here, that means Kotomi must be here too, right? Which table are you sitting at?"
Hearing the voice she least wanted to hear, Aimi looked up, irritation clear in her eyes as she clicked her tongue. "Tch. Of all people, why do I have to bump into you?"
Aimi straightened up, taking a deep breath. She wasn't about to cry in front of Kato Megumi.
But Megumi saw right through her. Noticing Aimi's red-rimmed eyes, she asked curiously, "What's the matter? Out for dinner, and already looking like you're about to cry? Did someone make you angry?"
"No one's made me angry," Aimi answered, her tone defiant.
Megumi gave a slight smile, her expression shifting to one of mild surprise as she spoke, "So, what, were you brought to tears by the sukiyaki's taste? I've always thought you were such a kid at heart, but crying over sukiyaki is a little much, don't you think? Even kindergarteners don't go that far!"
Using a tone of mock encouragement, Megumi added a small dig for good measure.
"Which is probably why Kotomi will always see you as just her little sister. I mean, isn't that as far as your relationship will ever go? I mean, anyone would choose someone mature, someone they can rely on, wouldn't they? I'll bet Kotomi thinks the same way, don't you?"
The jab landed perfectly, and Aimi shot a furious look at Megumi, her gaze defiant. She wanted to argue back, but when she opened her mouth, she found she didn't have the words.
From the start, Megumi's every word had left Aimi without anything to say in her defense.
"What... what did you say?! You're acting like you know my sister so well."
Not sure how to refute her, but unwilling to surrender to Megumi Kato, Aimi stiffened, putting up a bit of a brave front.
"And what makes you so sure that I don't know Kotomi as well as you do?" Megumi let out a slight chuckle, her tone assertive.
"Kotomi and I grew up together. If you add up the time you've known her and multiply it by ten, it probably still wouldn't equal the time I've spent with her!"
"Aimi, do you know why, in romance novels, there are so many girl-next-door types who ultimately lose out to other girls?"
"Why?"
"Because they're timid, passive~ They miss so many chances to 'make the first move,' mistaking love for friendship, never confessing, always hesitating. Or they're super cute but are somehow insecure, always thinking they're not as good as other girls.
"And then there are the ones who're always tsundere, speaking harshly, being difficult, and they wonder why they lose out in the end.
"In short, a lot of these girls who've known the guy the longest still end up losing. Are you trying to lose too? Really? If so, then don't fight me and just go ahead and help me win over your sister, little sister-in-law."
The moment she heard Megumi call her "little sister-in-law," a surge of anger welled up in Aimi. But at the same time, it made her hold back her tears, pulling her back from all those negative emotions until only the desire not to give up remained!
"I won't let Kotomi be with you! In the end, I'll make you watch with tears streaming down your face as she and I walk down the aisle together. You can nurse your broken heart all you want!"
"Oh my, is that so? Look at you, full of confidence now. Doesn't look like you were about to cry just a minute ago." Megumi shrugged, then continued, "By the way, what exactly made you cry, anyway?"
"That." Aimi pointed to the couples' photo just a short distance away, right in the center.
Megumi walked over to take a closer look. Upon seeing the photo of Kotomi Izumi and Iroha Isshiki, her sharp eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly, like a blade glinting.
When Megumi still hadn't said anything, Aimi couldn't resist a little jab. She mocked Megumi, imitating the tone Megumi had used on her earlier.
"Hey, hey, hey, can you hear me? Are you feeling devastated seeing my sister take a couples photo with someone else? How painful is it, huh? Looks like you were all talk before."
As Aimi's words trailed off, Megumi forced a smile, though her tone grew icy. "Why would I? It's just a photo. There's no way I'd be jealous over something that trivial. Do you even know why there's an entire wall for couples' photos here?"
"Probably just a decoration to attract customers. Ugh, my sister's photo is huge! It's practically a poster."
"It does serve as decoration. But there's an actual promotion. Couples who dine here can take a photo together, and if they do, they get a jumbo fruit carnival for free and 20% off. Maybe your sister, that greedy little penguin, wanted the fruit platter and took the photo with some random girl."
Megumi explained her theory with a faint wistfulness, hoping it was the case.
But clearly, it wasn't. Aimi quickly set the record straight: "She's not some random girl! She's my… close friend, and my classmate."
"Oh? A middle schooler?" Hearing this, Megumi raised her perfectly arched brows and asked, "What's her name? Do you two usually head the same way after school?"
"Her name's Iroha Isshiki. We head in the same direction. Wait a minute, why are you asking?"
"Just curious. Since she showed up in a couples photo with Kotomi, that's all." Megumi's voice held a brief, barely detectable chill. "She does look cute and bubbly though, maybe just Kotomi's type. Better keep an eye on her."
"Don't need you to tell me."
Aimi huffed in annoyance. Clearly, she and Megumi were just never going to get along!
Yet, thinking back to what Megumi had said, Aimi couldn't help but feel a bit curious. After a moment's hesitation, she finally asked, "Why were you advising me earlier? Aren't you afraid that by helping me see things more clearly, I might decide to put in some real effort and end up stealing Kotomi away from you? Are you really not afraid of losing?"
Facing Aimi's question, Megumi waved it off confidently.
"I can't say I'm guaranteed to win, but honestly, with your approach to 'going after' Kotomi, I'd say you have a long way to go—so much room for improvement, in fact, that I'd call it promising. Are you really going to feel threatened by a little kid waving around a twig? I won't. And anyway, who says there can only be one winner?"
Aimi stood there dumbfounded. Why did Megumi's words sound so strange?
Without waiting for Aimi's response, Megumi took out her phone and snapped a photo of Kotomi Izumi and Iroha Isshiki's "couples photo."
"Why are you taking a picture?"
"Oh… as a keepsake. Don't you think Kotomi's expression is really cute? Anyway, I'd better get back to the sushi shop before my mom starts worrying. See you around."
Megumi gave a slight smile and walked off.
"I'd rather not see you later!"
After Megumi left, Aimi stood in place, taking out her phone, hesitating for a moment before snapping a photo of the couples' picture herself.
Aimi then went back to the restroom, splashed some water on her face, and scrubbed away the lingering redness around her eyes. At least she'd look a bit better if her mom asked what took her so long.
On her way back, she couldn't help but think about what Megumi had said.
"So much room for improvement… promising...?"
"Those both sound like compliments, but why do they feel so insulting? Like she's calling me a novice? Wait a minute, was she actually calling me an amateur?!"
When she rethought Megumi's words, the meaning behind them suddenly became clear.
Megumi wasn't encouraging her at all.
She was straight-up mocking her!
And she was doing it loudly, too!
Aimi stomped her foot in frustration.
"This woman is too wicked!"
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