River eel or sea eel? Which should I choose?
Standing in front of the frozen section, Natsukawa Kanade contemplated the evening's main dish.
It was early summer, and fresh fish had begun arriving at the market.
Sushi and sashimi are Japanese summer staples, but Kanade preferred rice as his daily base.
So grilled eel over rice became his top choice.
Thick, tender cuts, rich and soft, paired with a bowl of fresh fish soup.
A perfect combination.
"So, I still need to choose the eel…"
Lunch hadn't been pleasant.
Maybe it was a rare delicacy, but when you're in a bad mood, even good food loses its flavor.
To calm his uneasy stomach, he wanted to enjoy dinner.
"Instant noodles, bread, toilet paper… ah, and most importantly, the sauce."
The noodles were for emergencies.
The sauce, of course, was for the eel.
Soy sauce, mirin, honey… with the right proportions, you could create a unique glaze.
Though supermarkets sell bottled sauces, Kanade preferred making his own.
He didn't like overly sweet flavors.
"What else do I need…?"
"Good afternoon, Natsukawa-kun."
A soft voice pulled him from his thoughts.
Turning around, he saw Megumi Kato, holding a basket.
She tucked her hair behind her ear, her expression calm, her gestures radiating youthful gentleness.
"Shopping for snacks?" Kanade teased.
"Running errands for Mom."
Kato lifted the basket, which held condiments, green tea, and a box of Pocky.
"So there are snacks."
He'd guessed it with a casual comment.
Looks like today wasn't so unlucky after all.
Kato didn't reply, but her gaze said: I'm a girl too, you know.
"Too many snacks and you'll gain weight."
"It's fine. Someone will help me deal with it."
"I thought you'd say something like, 'Don't talk about a girl's weight or she'll get mad.'"
"Hmm? Is that what Natsukawa-kun wants me to say?"
"Not really. I just thought it'd make you sound more like a queen."
"But I'm not that kind of royal character."
"No need. Kato's already charming. No need to pretend to be someone else."
"Eating instant noodles all the time is bad for your health. You know that, right?"
"You misunderstood. The noodles are just for emergencies.
I bought them in case I run out of something.
But I eat well every day…"
It wasn't a lie.
Since resigning as president, he'd been eating better.
"Really? Natsukawa-kun needs to take better care of himself."
Seeing the fresh ingredients in his cart, Kato didn't press further.
"Grilled eel rice for dinner tonight?"
"Yes. What about you?"
"We're making curry tonight, but I'd rather eat something else."
"Like?"
"Grilled eel rice or something like that."
"It's essential in summer."
"Has Kato ever made grilled eel rice?"
"I haven't tried it. Is it really good?"
"It's not bad. Should I say it's barely edible?"
"Excessive modesty is arrogance, Natsukawa-kun."
In Japan, cooking is traditionally seen as a woman's role.
Though that's changing, it's still rare to see a boy cook well without wanting to be a chef.
"I'm not lying."
He'd learned his skills from "that angel."
At first, he wanted to surprise her, but never succeeded.
Ironically, he ended up cooking for another girl.
"It's hard to be convincing…"
Kato gave him a look Kanade knew well.
The same one Fujiwara Chika used when scheming something.
"If you don't believe me, why not try it yourself?"
"Wouldn't that be a hassle?"
"No problem. I'll make one just for the occasion."
"How about tomorrow? Are you free at lunch?"
"I'm free."
"I'm looking forward to it."
"As long as you don't mind if it tastes awful."
"If it's too awful, I'll leave it all to you and ask you to help me deal with it."
"Wow! Then I'll have to try my best."
He added curry cubes and meat to his list.
Since he was inviting Kato, he might as well change tonight's menu.
Inspired by the conversation, he opted for curry rice.
After paying, they walked together toward the exit.
As friends, there was no need for formalities.
"Let me carry that."
Kanade reached out.
Kato nodded, but before handing him the bag, she pulled out a box of Pocky.
"Want to eat now? Aren't you worried you won't finish dinner?"
"It's fine. Mom won't get mad."
"You're about to make her mad, aren't you?"
"You should appreciate your mother's hard work."
Whenever he's with Kato, Kanade feels relaxed.
She's like a lifelong neighbor.
"Natsukawa-kun, ah——"
"What?"
He turned, and a long stick was shoved into his mouth.
"Hmm…"
He frowned.
Not out of annoyance, but from the unexpected taste of the Pocky.
"Bitter?"
"I heard it's a new product."
"Mmm…"
"If you don't like it, don't eat more."
"It's fine. I'll get used to it."
Kanade gave in.
Teenage minds were too complex.
"Kato, this is for you."
He pulled out some candies from his pocket.
"Eh?"
"Fruit candies, assorted flavors.
No bitterness, but there's spicy.
I tried the spicy one before."
"If the bitterness is too much, one of these can neutralize it."
Flavors are like life: full of adventure.
Kato took them silently, but didn't open them.
Kanade thought maybe she wanted to challenge herself.
"Mom, hurry or we'll miss the cartoon!"
"Slow down, don't trip…"
Accidents happen without warning.
A little girl, distracted while waving to her mom, bumped into him at the corner.
She was fine.
But Kanade's stomach hurt.
The headbutt was brutal.
"You can't run like that on the road. What if you hit a car?"
"Sorry, big brother. I know I messed up…"
"I'm fine."
He patted her head and gave her a candy.
"You can't be like this anymore, okay?"
"Okay, I understand."
But her hesitation sparked curiosity.
"What is it?"
"Big brother, are you a masochist? Why did you give me candy after I hit you?"
"…"
Do kids today know words like "masochist"?
"Sorry for the trouble!"
The girl's mother arrived, took her hand, and apologized repeatedly.
Kanade waved his hands to show it was fine.
After they left, Kato spoke:
"You really like kids, don't you?"
"They're fine. Why do you ask?"
"I always feel you're very patient with them."
"As long as they're not naughty, it's okay to be patient."
"I see…"
"Natsukawa-kun, could you hold out your hand?"
"What's up?"
He obeyed.
Felt something in his palm.
It was the candy he'd given Kato.
"Hey, why…?"
He was about to ask, but saw Kato's serious expression.
"Natsukawa-kun, sometimes you shouldn't ask a girl too many questions."
"Eh… okay."
Kanade gave up.
Kato was the quiet girl next door.
But now she seemed like a rebellious sister who didn't want her brother to understand her.
So he really couldn't understand what girls that age were thinking.