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"This is one of the top three takoyaki stalls in the night market. The ingredients include a whole baby octopus. Mai-san, are you sure you don't want to try it?" Kitahara Makoto said slowly. "If you don't eat it, I'll finish it all."
"Hmph~"
Sakurajima Mai let out a soft snort, her right hand involuntarily reaching out: "Seeing as Kitahara-kun highly recommends it, I'll reluctantly give it a try."
Picking up a skewer, she poked a steaming takoyaki, Sakurajima Mai gently blew on it twice, then eagerly brought the takoyaki to her mouth.
"Mmm…"
The savory taste of takoyaki sauce, the aroma of bonito flakes, plus the elasticity and deliciousness of the whole baby octopus—various flavors instantly exploded on her taste buds, causing Sakurajima Mai to involuntarily reveal a blissful expression.
Sometimes happiness is that simple.
Swallowing the takoyaki in her mouth, Sakurajima Mai involuntarily used the skewer to poke another takoyaki.
She couldn't stop.
She simply couldn't stop.
It was fine when she hadn't eaten, but now that she had taken the first bite, Sakurajima Mai felt like a long-term vegetarian who suddenly broke her vow and indulged in meat; she simply couldn't stop.
Kitahara Makoto stood by, quietly watching Mai-senpai eat.
It must be said that Mai-senpai clearly had excellent manners. Although she ate quickly, there was nothing impolite about it. On the contrary, the expression of her eyes unconsciously lighting up was particularly adorable.
"Should I take a photo as a souvenir?"
This thought flashed through Kitahara Makoto's mind, then was quickly dispelled.
"Never mind."
"Since I've decided not to interact with Mai-senpai in the future, I shouldn't do anything."
A moment later.
A box of takoyaki had been completely eaten by Sakurajima Mai.
"Phew…"
With a blissful sigh, Sakurajima Mai looked at the empty plastic container and then realized what had happened. Her pretty face quickly flushed red, and even her fair, slender neck was tinged with a rosy hue.
"S-sorry… I didn't realize I ate it all…"
Sakurajima Mai bit her lip lightly, an embarrassed expression involuntarily appearing on her face.
"Didn't you say you didn't want to eat it?" Kitahara Makoto retorted, "You didn't even leave one for me."
"…Annoying!"
Sakurajima Mai looked up and glared at him, a look of exasperation on her pretty face. Unfortunately, her flushed cheeks had no real deterrent effect; rather, she looked unexpectedly cute.
When she was in the Otherworld, this Mai-senpai always acted like a very mature adult. Now, it was rare to see her inner shyness as a young girl, which made her seem especially fresh.
"Next, let's go eat yakitori."
Kitahara Makoto knew when to stop and led the way.
Japan has many yakitori restaurants, varying in quality. Although Kitahara Makoto had money now, he wouldn't be extravagant. His target was the roadside yakitori stall not far ahead.
Before the Meiji Restoration, Japan was in a state of isolation. At that time, the Emperor ordered all citizens not to eat meat, but wild game caught in the wild was not forbidden. So, yakitori really was grilled bird meat—sparrows, pigeons, turtledoves, etc. Whatever they caught, they grilled.
However, nowadays, yakitori skewers are basically made with chicken. Kitahara Makoto hadn't walked far before he saw a roadside stall with a charcoal grill, on which skewers were being roasted, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of grilled fat.
"Too bad there's no grilled lamb skewers."
Kitahara Makoto's tone was regretful.
Japanese people basically don't eat lamb. Many supermarkets don't even sell lamb all year round, let alone hot pot lamb, lamb spine hot pot, or grilled lamb skewers.
"Mai-san, tell me what you want to eat." The two arrived at the stall, and Kitahara Makoto lowered his voice, "I'll order for you."
This yakitori stall had a fairly complete selection of skewers: grilled chicken wings, grilled kidneys, grilled lanterns, chicken and green onion skewers… Kitahara Makoto even saw several grilled chicken butts.
Japanese people don't eat lamb, but chicken butts are very popular and a must-order dish in many izakayas. There are generally two ways to eat them: one is grilling, and the other is the exaggerated chicken butt sashimi… Yes, in Japan, everything can be sashimi.
It is well known that the fat content in chicken butt exceeds half. Grilling, rather than stewing, can fully activate the aroma of the fat. Paired with a clove of garlic, the sensation of fat exploding in the mouth is actually quite enjoyable.
Kitahara Makoto looked at the grilled chicken butts and couldn't help but suggest:
"Mai-san, do you want to eat grilled chicken butt…"
Sakurajima Mai angrily tilted her pretty face back and stomped hard on Kitahara Makoto's foot.
Hey, hey, that's too much! Even if you don't like eating chicken butts, there's no need to step on someone!
Kitahara Makoto's mouth twitched: "Mai-san, your foot."
"What about my foot?"
Sakurajima Mai tilted her head and looked over, her tone serious, as if she had no idea what had happened.
Kitahara Makoto said speechlessly:
"Please be so kind as to lift your esteemed foot. I accidentally extended my foot under Mai-san's foot just now."
"Hmph~"
Sakurajima Mai let out a soft snort, then moved her foot away, a look of disdain on her pretty face: "That part, let alone eating it, just looking at it feels so unclean."
As an actress, how can you act with such a phobia of germs!
"Master."
Kitahara Makoto suddenly felt someone tugging at his pant leg.
The white-haired beast-eared girl looked up:
"I want to eat."
This Beast Eared Girl seemed very interested in human food. The other portion of takoyaki they had just bought had already been quietly eaten by her.
Kitahara Makoto waved his hand: "Buy it."
After all, she was his mount, so he certainly couldn't treat her poorly.
He bought three portions of yakitori skewers directly, one for each person. Kitahara Makoto continued walking and then entered a ramen shop by the roadside.
Sakurajima Mai said softly:
"I'm full, no ramen."
"That's true…" Kitahara Makoto said with a lingering tone, "I only ate one takoyaki, and I finished it before I even tasted it."
Sakurajima Mai's pretty face flushed slightly, and she bit her lower lip in annoyance: "I'll buy you ten portions of takoyaki tomorrow."
"Mere quantity is meaningless," Kitahara Makoto retorted. "If it were takoyaki made by Mai-san herself, I might consider it."
Sakurajima Mai raised her hand to her ear: "Sorry, I can't hear what Kitahara-kun is saying."
"…"
Watching Kitahara Makoto and the Beast Eared Girl slurp their noodles, a hint of confusion flashed in Sakurajima Mai's eyes, quietly softening.
In those future scenes, similar situations had appeared. At that time, they met a lost elementary school student and were mistaken for a family of three…
Stop!
Don't think about it anymore!
Since she already knew the future, she would never date Scumbag-kun!
Kitahara Makoto suddenly felt a murderous aura: "What's wrong?"
"Don't talk while eating noodles."
"…"
Half an hour later.
"…Please come in."
Kitahara Makoto pushed the door open, turned on the lights, and then looked at Sakurajima Mai, who was standing in the entryway, clearly a bit reserved: "The slippers are in the shoe cabinet, Mai-san, get them yourself."
"I know."
Sakurajima Mai let out a soft breath, changed into slippers, and walked in, then curiously surveyed the room before her.
Although this was her first time here in reality, in those future memories, she was the mistress of this house, having cleaned and arranged many things, familiar with every corner of the house.
It should have felt completely unfamiliar, but the overwhelming sense of familiarity made Sakurajima Mai feel somewhat disoriented.
In contrast, the Kamakura apartment could only be called a residence; the house before her seemed to be a true home…
Sakurajima Mai silently exhaled, turned her face, and narrowed her eyes to look at Kitahara Makoto not far away.
"Boyfriend-kun, who cheated and betrayed, and deceived emotions, deserves to be hit with a cleaver!"
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