128 - Izakaya Haruto

RAW

Haruto sat at the desk in Ryota’s rented room, staring at his study guide. Studying before bed had become a nightly habit for him.

For a while, he focused on solving problems, but eventually, his pen stopped, and his gaze drifted absentmindedly to the ceiling.

In his mind, Ayaka’s smile—which he had seen countless times throughout the day—floated vividly.

"She’s so cute..."

Thinking back to today’s date, he murmured quietly.

Since starting his relationship with Ayaka, Haruto had felt an unbroken stream of happiness in his life. He was reminded of that each time he saw her smile, which filled his heart with joy and contentment.

But Ayaka wasn’t the only source of warmth in Haruto’s life.

The cheerful and loving atmosphere of the Tōjō household enveloped him in comfort.

Having grown up living with his grandparents, and later with only his grandmother Seiko after his grandfather passed away, Haruto wasn’t used to the constant laughter and kindness that filled the Tōjō household. Their warmth naturally brought a smile to his face.

"I wonder what would’ve happened if I hadn’t taken that summer job..."

Haruto muttered, his eyes drifting toward the wall that separated him from Ayaka’s room.

Since she had been awake early that morning, she was probably already asleep by now.

"From now on, we’ll make so many more memories together..."

Ayaka’s words, spoken amidst the dreamlike setting of the dancing dolphins, left a lasting impression on Haruto’s heart.

Immersed in the lingering happiness from the day, Haruto continued studying, more focused than usual. Perhaps it was the effect of the date, but he ended up staying at his desk far longer than he had planned. By the time he noticed, it was quite late.

"Is it this late already? I may have overdone it."

Clearing his desk, Haruto decided to have a glass of water before heading to bed.

The Tōjō household was silent, as everyone else had already gone to sleep. Haruto walked quietly to the kitchen, took a glass from the cupboard, and drank water from the tap.

"Phew... time for bed."

As he lightly rinsed the glass and turned to return to his room, he heard a noise coming from the front door. Moments later, Shūichi entered the living room.

"Oh, welcome back, Shūichi-san."

"Haruto? You’re still up?"

Dressed in a suit, Shūichi looked surprised to see Haruto.

"Yes, I ended up studying longer than I expected before bed."

"Ah, as diligent as always. That’s impressive."

Shūichi loosened his tie as he complimented Haruto.

"Are you just getting home from work, Shūichi-san?"

"That’s right. Things took longer than expected tonight."

Haruto recalled that Shūichi had mentioned in the morning that he wouldn’t need dinner because he’d be working late.

"You must be exhausted. Thank you for your hard work."

"Yeah, today was pretty draining. But you know, Haruto, it looks like a major project might come together because of it."

Though Shūichi’s weariness was evident, there was also a clear sense of accomplishment on his face.

"To celebrate, I was thinking of treating myself to a drink."

Shūichi smiled warmly as he headed to the fridge, saying, "Nothing beats a drink after a hard day’s work." At that moment, his stomach let out a loud growl.

"Wait, Shūichi-san, have you not eaten yet?"

"Ahaha... I was planning to eat out, but..."

Shūichi scratched his head sheepishly as he turned to Haruto.

"It got so late that I didn’t feel like sitting down at a restaurant. I just wanted to come home and have a drink with something light to snack on."

"In that case, let me make you something."

"No, no, I couldn’t ask you to do that. It’s already so late!"

Shūichi tried to wave off Haruto’s offer, but Haruto responded with a gentle smile.

"Please, it’s no trouble at all. You and everyone in this household have been so kind to me. I’d like to take this opportunity to show my appreciation."

Haruto genuinely wanted to repay the kindness of the Tōjō family, who had taken both him and his grandmother in as if they were part of their own family.

"If it’s alright, I’d be honored to cook for you tonight."

Seeing Haruto’s sincerity, Shūichi hesitated briefly before giving in.

"In that case... I’ll take you up on that."

"Thank you. Please feel free to change while I prepare everything."

As Shūichi left to change, Haruto began preparing in the kitchen.

First, he placed Shūichi’s beer glass in the freezer to chill. Then, he checked the fridge to decide on the menu.

"Hmm, I’ll start with something quick to satisfy his hunger, then move on to something heartier..."

Haruto muttered as he pulled out tofu, kimchi, cabbage, and green onions. He also spotted some chicken gizzards, which he decided to use later.

He began chopping the cabbage, cutting the kimchi into bite-sized pieces, and slicing the green onions finely. Once prepped, he microwaved the cabbage while mixing the kimchi and green onions with sesame oil. This mixture was poured over a plate of tofu to create a spicy, aromatic dish.

For the cabbage, Haruto added sesame oil, soy sauce, and a pinch of salt and pepper before garnishing it with shredded seaweed and sesame seeds.

Just as he finished plating the dishes, Shūichi returned to the living room, now dressed casually.

"Shūichi-san, would you like a beer to start?"

"Yes, please! Thanks, Haruto-kun!"

Haruto smiled as he pulled the chilled glass from the freezer and poured a perfect beer for Shūichi, who took a sip and exclaimed with satisfaction.

As the evening progressed, Haruto continued to prepare additional dishes, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of an izakaya (type of japanese bar), much to Shūichi’s delight.