join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for advance chapters | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter | Report issues @discord.com/GVBdncd9Wr
Dinner at the Yuigahama family's home was quite exquisite.
The potato salad, mixed with tartar sauce, was refreshingly sweet and delicious, with the added sweet corn kernels giving the mashed potatoes a unique texture, while the pickled cucumber and shredded carrots further opened up the palate, making the already hungry Asakura feel even hungrier.
The main course was salt-grilled capelin, somewhat similar to the small miscellaneous fish from Tianchao. It was grilled until crispy and flavorful. Although some edible internal organs were intentionally left in, giving it a slight bitterness, it wasn't an unpleasant bitterness but a faint one that made one feel even more appetizing.
Additionally, March to May is just the season for capelin to lay eggs. The satisfying feeling of biting into a fish belly full of roe added a richness to the otherwise lean fish meat. Asakura didn't pay much attention to the other dishes; his focus was already on the delicious capelin. Moreover, Mrs. Yuigahama's cooking method was different from the usual capelin, making it very unique and delicious, so much so that he couldn't help but devour it.
If paired with hot white rice, it was an indescribable delicacy.
There were two soups. One was pork miso soup, which Asakura initially thought was potato stewed with meat, but later found out it contained burdock, which was crunchy and tasty. The other was chawanmushi, similar to egg custard, but it also had shrimp, king oyster mushrooms, and ginkgo nuts, and the taste was only so-so.
The side dish was stewed pumpkin, said to have added rice koji or something, tasting sweet. Although it was stewed with the skin on, there was no strange taste, and for some reason, it had a faint, rice wine-like fragrance, which suited Asakura's palate quite well.
Finally, there was a refreshing pomelo vinegar-dressed seasonal vegetable, which was like a cold dish. The pomelo vinegar had a very novel taste, and for Asakura, it was something new to try.
Overall, besides not being full, it was a pretty good meal, with the undisputed MVP being the salt-grilled capelin.
"I always thought capelin was only for cat treats, I never imagined it could be so delicious…"
Asakura sighed, leaning back on the sofa in the girl's house after dinner.
"My mom's salt-grilled capelin is a secret recipe, ordinary people can't grill it that well!"
Yuigahama Yui said proudly.
"That's right, Yui, you should also work hard to learn it and cook it for someone you like~"
Mrs. Yuigahama said meaningfully as she walked out of the kitchen, wiping her hands.
The girl's face immediately flushed, and she stammered, speechless.
"Speaking of which, because of Yui, I've been jokingly calling you Asakura-san earlier, but I haven't properly asked for your name."
Mrs. Yuigahama then looked at Asakura.
"Excuse me, my name is Asakura Takuma."
"Then I'll call you Asakura-kun~"
Mrs. Yuigahama said cheerfully.
Asakura felt like he finally understood where Yuigahama's habit of often adding '-kun' when giving nicknames to others came from.
He pondered for a moment, but in the end, he didn't say, 'How about we each call each other what we want, I'll call you big sister, and you call me Asakura-kun.' After all, it was their first meeting, so it was better not to be too rash.
"Since Asakura-kun is Yui's club president, could you introduce your club to me, Auntie? Yui never wants to talk about it."
Mrs. Yuigahama asked again.
"We are the Magic Club. Hmm, it's quicker to show than to explain…"
Asakura asked Yuigahama Yui: "Do you have a hat?"
Yuigahama Yui hurried back to her room and brought out a hat.
Asakura took the hat and struck a pose.
After several seconds of immobility, he looked at the bewildered Yuigahama Yui and said with a tone of disappointment: "I need BGM and sound effects."
The girl silently muttered something that was probably a complaint, then obediently hummed the Doraemon theme song.
"You see, I have nothing in my hand but the hat~ This hand is empty too, and nothing can be hidden in my sleeves~."
Asakura solemnly held the hat towards Mrs. Yuigahama, who nodded with a smile.
Then Asakura pretended to reach into the hat and rummage around. Accompanied by Yuigahama Yui's vocal imitation of the 'Doraem○n taking out a new gadget' sound effect, he pulled out a tin-plated parrot ornament from the hat.
"Ta-da~"
"Oh, how amazing!"
Mrs. Yuigahama clapped enthusiastically.
Then Asakura stuffed the ornament back into the hat, which was clearly a size smaller, and pretended to press it for a while before turning the opening of the hat back towards Mrs. Yuigahama, indicating that there was nothing inside anymore.
Mrs. Yuigahama took the hat with great interest, looking left and right, but couldn't figure out how Asakura did it.
Immediately after, Asakura pulled out a conductor's baton from who knows where, took the hat again, and poked the brim with the baton. Accompanied by Yuigahama Yui's impromptu B-Box, a small snake-dog crawled out of the hat.
"Oh, so Napoleon was there? I was wondering why I hadn't seen this child today~"
Mrs. Yuigahama picked up the fluffy Napoleon, caressing him while praising Asakura.
However, Yuigahama Yui, the human instrument beside them, pouted and said, "Why do I feel like Takuma-kun and Mom are getting along better…"
This affinity is increasing too fast!
Although she said that, Yuigahama Yui was actually very happy that Asakura could get along so well with her family.
After playing at the Yuigahama family's home for a while longer, Asakura finally bid farewell to Mrs. Yuigahama.
"I haven't done my homework yet."
The top student, who had long received special permission not to do homework, showed a harmless smile, pretending to be a weak, pathetic, helpless ordinary student oppressed by homework.
"That's truly a shame. I'll see you out. Yui, go wash the dishes."
Mrs. Yuigahama saw Asakura to the outside of the apartment building, then suddenly called out to Asakura: "Asakura-kun, how much do you know about Yui?"
"What?"
Asakura was startled, thinking to himself, could it be that this careless Yui has already exposed herself?
"It's about the time recently when she took a few days off due to emotional instability."
She didn't actually take leave; it was genuine truancy and skipping classes, but Mrs. Yuigahama still slightly embellished it for her daughter.
"Oh, that…"
Asakura breathed a sigh of relief.
"Yui is definitely not a strange person—"
Mrs. Yuigahama gently explained: "That time was just…"
"I know."
But Asakura interrupted her, showing her a mature and steady smile: "Don't worry, I know better than anyone that Yui is a good girl."
She could spend an entire afternoon catching fireflies in the woods for someone else's love without complaining; even when persecuted by others, she wouldn't get angry, and would even actively play the fool to lighten the mood. Although she was sometimes a bit too soft and lacked temper, Asakura actually quite liked Yuigahama Yui's personality.
"Is that so…"
Mrs. Yuigahama paused, then smiled again. She had initially worried that after that truancy, Yui might be taken advantage of by other students—though it probably wouldn't reach the level of bullying, even just spreading some rumors could cause great harm to a fragile mind.
Not to mention, in her and Mr. Yuigahama's minds, Yui, with her unstable mental state, should also be considered among the 'fragile-minded' ones.
But upon seeing Asakura, and the undisguised and genuine look in his eyes, Mrs. Yuigahama's initial worries completely disappeared.
Although it was evident from their interaction just now that her daughter and this President-san had a very good relationship, to the extent that they wouldn't take even slightly excessive jokes to heart, she had actually still been a bit worried.
But now Mrs. Yuigahama could say this with confidence.
"Then please continue to take good care of and protect Yui at school in the future."
"That's only natural."
Asakura nodded: "Protecting club members is my duty as president."
After Asakura left, Mrs. Yuigahama waved at Asakura's retreating back, and then said to her daughter, who was hiding behind a potted plant by the door: "Asakura-kun said that… What do you think?"
"What do I think?"
Yui mumbled.
"It would be wonderful if next time, he could tell me and your father that he wants to protect you in another capacity. You need to work hard, Yui~"
"Putting everything else aside, Dad would be furious, wouldn't he?"
"It's okay, I'll step in!"
"Oh, as expected of Mom~"
join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for advance chapters | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter | Report issues @discord.com/GVBdncd9Wr