As Yukiko Fujimine had pointed out, the government hadn't banned her from walking this street. With her trailing behind, Shuichi Hayashi, Eri Fei, and Kogoro Mori had no choice but to let her tag along. Eri's face remained stormy the entire way, leaving Shuichi and Kogoro too awkward to chat. They walked in silence back to the Mori family's small building, where the izakaya was located.
"This is the izakaya where you work?" Yukiko said, sizing up the storefront. She rubbed her stomach dramatically. "I'm starving. Since it's an izakaya, you wouldn't turn away a hungry customer, right?"
"It's not open yet," Eri said, her expression dark.
"No problem, I'll wait outside," Yukiko replied, glancing at the sky. "Looks like rain's coming. I didn't bring an umbrella, but it's just a little water. Worst case, I catch a cold, maybe a fever, end up in the hospital for a few days… My parents are too busy with work to visit, so I'd be all alone…"
As she spoke, she put on a pitiful expression, eyeing Shuichi and Kogoro.
Shuichi, who'd already seen her acting skills at the soccer field earlier, was unmoved. He pulled out his keys and unlocked the izakaya door without a word.
Kogoro, however, fell for it hook, line, and sinker. Ever the sucker for a pretty face, he seized the chance to play the gallant classmate. "Yukiko, come on in! We're all in the same class—can't let you get soaked out there."
"Is that okay, Lin-kun?" Yukiko asked in a syrupy tone, dragging out his name.
Shuichi shuddered, goosebumps prickling his skin.
Kogoro, on the other hand, was practically melting. He tugged at his friend. "Shuichi!"
"Fine, come in," Shuichi sighed. "But please, don't talk like that again. I can't handle it."
"Heh," Yukiko smirked triumphantly, stepping toward the door. Eri huffed, shoved past her, and stormed into the izakaya first.
"Tch…" Yukiko muttered, following close behind.
"Want something to drink, Yukiko?" Kogoro asked eagerly. "Oolong tea, cola, or maybe juice?"
Before Shuichi could follow them inside, he heard footsteps from the staircase nearby. Sure enough, it was Mrs. Mori, coughing lightly as she descended.
"Auntie, it's about to rain. You shouldn't come down," Shuichi said, hurrying to support her.
"I came to tell you something," Mrs. Mori said with a gentle smile. "While you kids were at school, the neighbors warned me there've been over a dozen thefts in Mihama Town lately. They told us to be careful."
"Don't worry, Auntie," Shuichi reassured her. "I bring the shop's cash upstairs every night. As for the dishes and appliances, they'd be tough to steal."
"Good boy. I trust you to handle things," Mrs. Mori said warmly, patting his arm before letting him help her back upstairs.
Inside the izakaya, Yukiko, recalling lunch, spoke up. "Got any milk?"
"Yep!" Kogoro dashed to the fridge and grabbed a carton.
"I want it warm," Yukiko added.
"On it! I'll heat it in the microwave!"
Kogoro bustled about, grabbing a glass and pouring the milk. Eri, setting her bag down, watched with a cold stare.
Ding!
The microwave chimed, and Kogoro hurried to place the steaming glass in front of Yukiko. "Careful, it's hot!"
Yukiko blew gently on the surface, waiting for it to cool slightly before taking a sip. Ugh… this tastes awful. She set the glass down with a grimace.
Shuichi stepped inside and relayed Mrs. Mori's warning to the group. "There's been a string of thefts in Mihama Town lately. Be cautious."
He glanced at Eri and Yukiko. "Especially you two. You're both home alone often, so lock your doors and windows at night."
"Got it," Eri replied curtly.
Yukiko, unbothered, sprawled across a table. "When's this place opening? I'm starving."
"Keep waiting," Shuichi shot back, heading to the kitchen to prep ingredients for the evening's service.
Yukiko hopped up to a table near the kitchen, watching Shuichi work and occasionally chiming in with comments. Through their banter, Shuichi confirmed she hadn't been lying at lunch—she could cook, and she wasn't half bad.
Their conversation turned to cooking techniques, with Kogoro jumping in, clumsily trying to keep up. Eri sat nearby, fuming silently. Her cooking skills were the polar opposite of her academic prowess—if her dishes didn't outright poison someone, that was a win.
An hour and a half later, Shuichi finished prepping for the night. As was their routine, they ate before opening the izakaya. Tonight's dish was homestyle mixed noodles, or latiáozi, something Shuichi had learned during a business trip to China's frontier in his past life.
He started by mixing warm water and a pinch of salt into flour, kneading it into a dough and letting it rest. Then he flattened it, cut it into strips, coated both sides with oil, and rolled them into finger-thick noodles, coiling them like incense spirals and wrapping them in plastic to rest again.
While the dough rested, he stir-fried tomatoes, onions, beef, and celery for the topping, adding a splash of water for texture since it was meant for mixing with noodles.
Once the topping was ready, he boiled the noodles, pulling them thinner than chopsticks before tossing them into the pot. When cooked, he drained them, topped them with the stir-fry, and the homestyle noodles were complete.
Shuichi prepared four plates. For himself and Kogoro, he rinsed the noodles in cold water for a slick, chewy texture. For Eri and Yukiko, considering their moody tempers—likely due to their periods—he skipped the cold rinse and served them warm with the topping.
"I've never seen noodles made like this," Yukiko said, intrigued. "Where'd you learn it?"
"From a Chinese cookbook," Shuichi replied casually. "It's a noodle dish from China's frontier, according to the book."
Kogoro eagerly twirled a chopstickful and took a bite. "Mmm, these are great! Smooth, chewy, perfect."
"It's good," Eri nodded, pleased. "Lighter than ramen, not as greasy."
Yukiko glanced at them, then at Shuichi, who was watching her expectantly. "The noodles have a great texture," she said after a moment. "But the topping could use a tweak."
(End of Chapter)