Chapter 2 – A Delicious Aroma Wafting Through the Night Air (part3)
I arrived in front of a dilapidated building. Though the door was closed, there was a light leaking from the inside through the gap of wall. Next to the wooden door, there was an sign made of iron plate hanging at the position slightly higher than head, with the shapes of a knife and a fork engraved on the center of it.
“This is…. a restaurant?” (Yashiro)
*growl*
The delicious aroma wafting from the inside stimulated my stomach.
This aroma is irresistible, should I enter…?
However, I have no money…. but that’s not the reason to give up….
Then, what to do?
The devil’s telling me to dine-and-dash….
Yeah, there’s no other choice….
I pushed the door of the restaurant open. The inside was dim and nobody was there.
There’s a counter on my right side, and a room which seems to be the kitchen connected on the back. On my left side, there are four round tables with four chairs each.
I don’t know if the price of land is cheap around here, but this restaurant is quite spacious. It’s possible to double the number of tables and chairs.
However, there are no people. Not to mention customers, I couldn’t find the shopkeeper anywhere. Maybe it’s already closed? The inside of this restaurant is awfully quiet, giving off a sad feeling like a department store after the closing time.
The floor creaked when I fearfully set my foot into the store.
What’s with this pace? It’s so run-down.
Is it a shop where you can eat in a haunted house atmosphere? The desk is full of holes and the chairs are rattled. The floor’s generating a creaking sound for each step I take.
I don’t know if the store owner is stingy with the oil bill, but there’s only one candle illuminating the room. It’s not a place that you would normally enter, and even if you entered it by mistake, you would go out immediately.
However, I can’t afford such a luxury right now. My stomach wouldn’t allow it. I have to put up with it. Well, without money, I don’t have a choice to begin with.
“….is there someone here?” (Yashiro)
I called out to the room on the back of the counter. Then, after a while, a girl showed her nose from the inside.
“Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t notice that there was a customer.”
It’s a breathtaking beautiful girl. Big eyes and fresh pink lips like a cherry blossom. Her cheeks that as white as silk floss, look so soft. Her hair was put together in one shoulder, giving a fluffy impression and seems to be comfortable to the touch.
Though there’s a feeling that she’s a little too thin, her hands and her feet are slender and long in proportion to her small body. However, the strongest weapon that made all those positive elements seem to be trivial, is equipped on her chest.
What’s with those gigantic boobs?!? Does all the body nutrition goes there!?
The girl wore a coat on a cheesy tunic, an outfit that’s not especially emphasize the chest. Nevertheless, there are two unbalanced bulges on her slender body as if a rebellion against nature’s conscience.
”Naisu Booba!” (Yashiro)
Who could blame me for uttering such words? Thinking about it, I have lived only for revenge in the last twenty years. Even before that, I have never had a close relationship with women.
I have not seen such big tits. I have never talked to such big tits.
Hey, isn’t this other world actually a wonderful place!? Yeah, that’s the other world for you! Hurray for the other world!
“Excuse me?”
“No, it’s nothing! I just remembered a little about the past….” (Yashiro)
“I see. So, what does Naisu Booba mean…?”
“Whaa!?” (Yashiro)
The girl brought up the words that I uttered involuntary.
I did a careless thing. I can’t say “it means your boobs are huge” to the person herself, can I? I will be branded as a pervert even if I explain it with a cool face. No, it will be even worse if I explain it with a cool face.
Can I fool her somehow…….?
“Umm, why didn’t those word get translated?” (Yashiro)
In this city, no matter how muddy the words spoken, they’re supposed to be translated into words understandable to the other party and transmitted. So, why didn’t those word get translated? No, I’ll be in trouble if those words were translated.
“Oh, that’s probably because those words are not common and can be understood by a certain group of people only.”
The girl explained while smiling.
The words that can only be understood by a certain group of people. Do you mean something like industrial terms or technical terms?
Hmm, I see, this information can be really useful.
“So, what does Naisu Booba mean?”
“Oh…. that…. umm…. err…. right…. it means your smile is beautiful!” (Yashiro)
“Oh, my, is that so!?”
The girl clapped her hands together near her mouth and smiled happily.
Oh, crap! I said those lie without thinking. I couldn’t make a proper judgement because my head is full with the thought of her boobs. Will I receive the judgement!?
However, it seems like no change happened to me even after a few moments passed.
What’s the meaning of this?
I directed his line of sight towards the girl, and when our eyes met….
“Thank you for praising my Booba.”
She happily said such words with a big smile on her face.
“…………umm, that, you’re, welcome, I guess.” (Yashiro)
She appears to interpret “Booba” as “smile” and “Naisu” as “beautiful”.
“From now on, I’ll do my best with my Naisu Booba.”
“Y-Yeah, but I think it would be better not to say it too often….” (Yashiro)
“Oh, you’re right, I shouldn’t put it into words. Okay, I’ll work hard to show my Naisu Booba to the customers!”
“I don’t think showing it is a good idea….” (Yashiro)
“But why? You like it, right?”
“Yeah, sorry. I’m really sorry!” (Yashiro)
I wish I had never said it. I feel like I just left a big scar on this girl’s life. Oh, well. This will be just a short acquaintance. I will never see her again after this.
“By the way, is the restaurant still open?” (Yashiro)
“Oh, yes! Please wait a moment!”
The girl came out from the counter in panic, bowed once, and then welcomed me.
“Welcome to Hidamari-tei!”
Hidamari-tei…. it’s quite a good name.
“Did I come at a bad time, perhaps?” (Yashiro)
“No, it’s completely fine! I barely had any costumers today, so there are still a lot of ingredients available.”
“Hey, I don’t think you should tell such information to the customer….” (Yashiro)
“………… huh?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. Please don’t mind it!” (Yashiro)
That was the face of someone who couldn’t comprehend what I just said. I bet this girl’s weak in the head. I shouldn’t pursue it too deeply.
“Well then, I will get ready! Please wait in your favorite seat!”
The girl entered the room in the back of the counter.
“I wonder if she runs this place alone.” (Yashiro)
I picked the most sturdy-looking chair in the place and took a seat.
This is the most decent chair in this restaurant, and it’s still making a creaking sound!?
While I was having such a thought, some metallic noise could be heard from the back of the counter.
That room is the kitchen just as I thought. I can hear the sound of metallic objects hitting each other, is she using frying pan and ladle? If that is the case, the technology of cookware in this world is going to be comparatively advanced. The evolution of cookware will be followed by the evolution of food culture.
I relaxed my body while carefully observing the interior of the restaurant once again.
This place is old but clean. The aged floor, the stain on the wall, the damage on the ceiling, are telling me the history of this restaurant. I understand that this place has been used for a long time and cherished.
Somehow, this reminds me of Chief’s old factory….
“The tools that you are familiar with is better” — Chief would often tell me those words. Even the things that would be better to be replaced, he would keep using them until broke down.
No good, I became somewhat sentimental….
I wonder if it’s because this aroma. Perhaps this aroma has tickled the memory of old the old days. But nothing good would come from remembering the past. Rather than that, I need to think about where I should sleep tonight, or how I should pay the food.
………… as for the payment here, there’s nothing but a full power dash. Well, that girl doesn’t seem smart, so I don’t think it will be that hard to trick her.
“Customer!”
“Y-Yes!?” (Yashiro)
I was surprised because someone called me when I was deep in thoughts. I raised my face and saw the girl was already standing in front of me.
“W-What is this?” (Yashiro)
Since when is she here!? Okay, let’s calm down….
“Are you ready to order?”
The girl asked such a question in a big smile.
“…….. aren’t you already making something?” (Yashiro)
“Yes, I was careless. I just realized that I haven’t heard your order when the dish is almost completed.”
Is she an airhead type character?
“…….. then, just finish whatever it is, and bring it here!” (Yashiro)
“Really!? Thanks goodness…….. You’re so kind, Costumer!”
Kind…!?
Me?
The man that will eat without paying is kind? Hahaha~ stop joking!
She’s really a naive girl.
I turned my eyes from the girl who left for the kitchen, towards the menu stuck on the wall.
- 『Stir-fried Vegetable Scraps = 20Rb』
- 『Grilled River Fish = 25Rb』
- 『Meat Stew = 30Rb』
- 『River Fish Stew = 30Rb』
- 『Black Bread = 25Rb』
- 『White Bread = 80Rb』
The white bread is the most expensive item listed there. Setting that aside, I couldn’t understand why did she bother to explain that the dish is made from the vegetable scraps. That’s too stupid.
One more thing, there are two thick double lines over the white bread, so I guess it has been removed from the menu. Maybe it was no longer stocked because nobody ordered it anymore.
I couldn’t help but thinking that she’s not running this restaurant seriously. The service, the menu, and the place. There are too many shortfalls that that will make you don’t feel like eating in this place for the second time.
Well, I admit she is cute…. though a little weak in the head.
When I was thinking about such a thing, the said person appeared with food on a tray.
“Thanks for waiting. This is a stir-fried vegetable scraps.”
“Hey, I’d been curious about this since a while ago, but why do you call this stir-fried vegetable scraps? I mean, wouldn’t it be better to just call it stir-fried vegetable?” (Yashiro)
“But, there are customers who don’t want to eat vegetable scraps, so I want inform them in advance.”
Yup, this girl is stupidly honest.
“Well then, please enjoy the food! I hope it suits your taste.”
The girl put her hand on the back while staring at me shyly.
Are you going to watch me eating? Well, not that I mind.
I brought the stir-fried vegetable to my mouth with a spoon.
“Oh!? It’s delicious!!” (Yashiro)
“Really!? I’m glad.”
The sizes are dipersive because it was made of vegetable scraps, but that part turned out to be a good presentation instead.
Despite the mixture of things such as cut ends of carrot and some kind of green leaves with different thickness, there’s no overcooked or undercooked ingredients. This is the evidence that they were stir-fried in different cooking times.
The ingredients were bad, but she spent time and effort to turn them into a delicious dish. This is the heartfelt cooking method reminds me of Landlady.
“Then, please enjoy the food slowly.”
The girl returned to the room on back of the counter after satisfied with my reaction.
I couldn’t stop my hand from bringing the food to my mouth, but it wasn’t because the hunger. This is a nostalgic taste that brings back the old memories.
Remembering the girl who looked at me with a satisfied look on her face, I couldn’t help but feel that she was the Landlady herself.
A serious and good-natured person who has never doubting the other, she looks exactly like my parents……… and it makes me sick.
This kind of people will surely be deceived by someone. But even in that kind of situation, she won’t get angry nor bear ill feeling towards the people who tricked her, and simply accept it.
In the situation when there’s only one customer inside the shop, why did she retracted back to the kitchen? Did she think that I won’t run away after eating?
I need to teach her the reality.
I will have her tasted a bitter medicine.
Well, either way, I have no money so there’s no other choice but to dine-and-dash.
The plate in front of me is already empty. My stomach is filled and I have enough energy to run now. But that’s not good. If I simply run away from this place now, that girl won’t realize her own foolishness.
I need to deceive her more thoroughly. For example, what if I betray her after she put her trust on me….
I walked to the counter, put my elbow on it, and called out to the girl inside kitchen.
“Excuse me!” (Yashiro)
“Y-Yes, I’m coming…!”
In response to my call, the girl came out of the kitchen in trot with a carefree face.
“I need to use the toilet, where is it?” (Yashiro)
“The toilet is outside, in the back of this shop.”
“…….. outside?” (Yashiro)
“Yeah, I mean putting the toilet inside is a little….”
Oh, right. I totally forgot that this is another world. It seems there’s nothing like sewage here. This must be a pit-style toilet and a considerably primitive one, too. That’s right, if I put such a thing inside….
“Then, I will borrow it for a moment.” (Yashiro)
“Umm, that….”
“Oh, don’t worry! I’ll leave my wallet here.” (Yashiro)
The girl showed a relieved expression when I put the emptied wallet on the counter.
By leaving my wallet, it will make her believe that I will come back here, without knowing the fact that this wallet is empty.
Fufufu~ I will betray the trust she put on me.
“Well then, I’ll be going….” (Yasiro)
….to somewhere in another district.
I left the store after saying so.
I went to see the toilet on the back of store because I was curious…. but it was just a hole opened on the dirty floor, a quite primitive toilet, indeed. No, it’s presumptuous to call that place a toilet when there was not even toilet bowl inside.
I walked away from restaurant as quietly as possible.
“In this world, there are many people who are more evil than me. I hope you learned the lesson!” (Yashiro)
When the restaurant was completely out of sight, I turned back and uttered such words to the girl who wasn’t there.
The night is getting late, and it seems there’s no other option for me but to sleep outside. To make it worse, my body is awfully cold from swimming in the river.
I wandered in the 42nd District while looking for the place that could protect me from rain and wind.