Chapter 152
Chapter 152
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 152
Chapter Title: First Date (2)
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Namba Station, Osaka.
The area around the station was so crowded with people, it was hard to believe there had been an indiscriminate terrorist attack by the Hippocampus faction just a few days ago.
“Whoa, it’s ridiculously crowded. Just a few days ago, this place was in chaos.”
“The attack happened a little ways from Namba Station.”
“Still, for something like that to have happened, everyone seems to be getting around just fine.”
“Well… maybe they’ve gotten used to it?”
Japan had experienced quite a few monster attacks on its cities, so they had likely built up some resilience to these kinds of situations.
“Ahem. Well, for a monumental first date, this is way better than it being empty like a ghost town.”
Ha-eun cleared her throat for no reason, her eyes sparkling.
Today was their first date since becoming a couple.
Their circumstances and relationship were different from the times they had hung out before.
*First trip abroad! First date!*
Unable to contain her bubbling excitement, Ha-eun let out a forceful snort and pulled Oh-jin along.
“Dotonbori, was it? They say there’s tons of food there. Let’s hurry, Oh-jin!”
“Slow down, Nunna. We have plenty of time today.”
“Who has time to relax, you punk! We need to run around like crazy while we can!”
She urged him on with an excited laugh.
Oh-jin watched her excitement with a small smile.
It made sense.
It was no wonder she was so thrilled.
*Just a year ago, this would have been unthinkable.*
Inside a tiny, mold-infested house.
A time when he cared for her as she washed in cold water because they didn't even have hot water, unable to see what lay ahead.
Just one year ago, they couldn't even comfortably walk around outside, let alone travel abroad.
Neither he nor she had ever dreamed they would be able to go abroad, laugh, and enjoy a date like this.
“Come to think of it, winter is almost here.”
Oh-jin smiled faintly as he felt the rather chilly autumn breeze.
Was it because so much had happened?
It felt like the year had just started, but winter was already approaching.
“Why? Are you cold?”
“No, it’s not that.”
“If you’re cold, I’ll hold your hand. Here, give me your hand.”
Ha-eun grinned and held out her hand.
Feeling an indescribable flutter at her attitude, as if she were treating him like a puppy, he took her outstretched hand.
Her hand in his was as warm as a hand warmer.
“Warm, right?”
“Yeah.”
“It’ll be even warmer like this.”
Ha-eun interlaced her fingers with his.
A cozy warmth spread from their touching palms.
It wasn't just the warmth that heated his body; the soft, supple feel of her palm made his head feel hot.
“How is it, holding my hand like this?”
“I’m thinking I won’t have to worry about the heating bill this winter.”
“You son of a bitch.”
Ha-eun scowled at Oh-jin’s mood-killing remark.
She kicked a can lying on the street for no reason and shot Oh-jin a glare.
*Just when the mood was getting good.*
At this rate, it was no different from before they were a couple.
“So let’s just hold hands like this all winter long.”
“…Huh.”
Caught off guard by Oh-jin’s sudden curveball, Ha-eun’s eyes widened like a rabbit’s.
“A-Ahem! Th-This punk is saying cringey stuff again.”
“Hey, you started it.”
“Hmph. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Ha-eun shrugged and pulled Oh-jin’s hand.
“Alright, let’s get going! Time to go bleed that sucker dry!”
“Okay. He said to spend as much as we want, so we should get our money’s worth.”
Oh-jin and Ha-eun chuckled and headed toward Dotonbori.
A food date on someone else’s card.
What in the world could be more thrilling than this?
A long market street stretched from the north exit of Namba Station.
They passed through the bustling street, filled with shops selling various goods and crowds of people, and arrived at the river.
The first thing they saw upon entering Dotonbori Street was a sign with a giant red crab model.
Following it, various street food stalls were lined up in a straight row.
“Ooh! This street looks like the kind of place that would sell tteokbokki and sundae.”
The atmosphere was just like that.
“It’s probably similar from their perspective.”
“Oh-jin, is there anything you want to eat? I don’t know anything about Japanese food.”
“Well… I’ve never really had it either.”
Before awakening Black Heaven, Oh-jin’s staple food had been calorie bars designed for mere survival.
Ha-eun had also mostly eaten frozen hamburgers or sandwiches because they were convenient, so they had rarely eaten Japanese food, which was relatively expensive compared to other options.
“Let’s walk around and find something that looks good.”
“Okay.”
After all, the main purpose of coming here wasn't to eat something specific, but to enjoy a date with Oh-jin.
Oh-jin and Ha-eun walked down the street, slowly looking around.
A stall stir-frying noodles on a sizzling griddle, another grilling chicken skewers slathered in teriyaki sauce.
As they passed by shops whose smells alone made their mouths water.
“Oh-jin, what about that?”
What caught Ha-eun’s eye was a stall where they were pouring batter into a pan with round molds and rolling it around.
A quick run through a translator showed the word ‘Takoyaki’ on the shop’s sign.
“Smells good, doesn’t it? Want to try some?”
“Let’s go~!”
Ha-eun approached the stall with an excited spring in her step.
The closer they got, the stronger the appetizing smell that tickled their noses became.
Oh-jin placed an order with the employee who was making the takoyaki with the precise movements of a factory machine.
“Two orders of takoyaki, please.”
“What toppings would you like?”
“Give us everything you’ve got.”
“Everything?”
“Yes.”
It was a steep price for street food, but with the powerful weapon of the sucker’s… no, Sakaki’s card, there was no reason to hesitate.
“Please wait a moment~”
The employee poured batter from a pitcher into the round molds.
*Sizzzle!*
A savory aroma spread with the sizzling sound.
With long tongs, he added large pieces of octopus and pizza cheese to the batter.
Once the bottom of the batter was cooked, he used a pick to flip it over.
He placed the takoyaki, cooked to the size of ping-pong balls, onto a plate and drizzled them with teriyaki sauce, mayonnaise, and bonito flakes.
For toppings, he sprinkled chopped green onions and a sweetened poached egg, then finished with another layer of cheese.
-Gulp.
He could see Ha-eun swallowing her saliva beside him.
In terms of quality, the dishes they had been served at Kurōshi were dozens of times more expensive than this street food.
But wasn't the charm of street food its uniquely stimulating flavor and junk-food appeal?
And to Ha-eun and Oh-jin, who had mostly eaten cheap junk food, this felt far more familiar and appetizing than the expensive dishes at Kurōshi.
“This looks fucking delicious.”
Ha-eun took the plate full of takoyaki, speared one with a long toothpick, and popped it into her mouth.
“Ah, hot, hot!”
The hot batter flowing out from inside the takoyaki made Ha-eun purse her lips and breathe rapidly.
After cooling the takoyaki for about ten seconds, she began to chew.
The bold flavors of the sauce and cheese exploded in her mouth.
The sweetened poached egg and thinly sliced green onions created a fantastic harmony, dancing on her tongue.
“Huuungh.”
Ha-eun let out an unintelligible cry of joy and gulped down the takoyaki.
“Oh-jin! This is amazing!”
“Nothing beats street food for our tastes, huh?”
It was a bit of a departure from their initial plan to bleed Sakaki dry.
But who cared?
As long as it tasted good.
“Oh-jin.”
“Yeah?”
Ha-eun speared a takoyaki with her toothpick and blew on it.
She then held the cooled takoyaki up to Oh-jin’s mouth.
Was this that classic ‘say ah~’ scene from a romantic comedy?
“Here, eat my ball.”
What is this woman talking about?
“You don’t have balls.”
“There’s one if you look hard enough.”
“……”
Stunned by her mind-boggling reply, Oh-jin’s jaw dropped as if he’d been sucker-punched.
The takoyaki slipped right into his open mouth.
“Hehe, delicious, right?”
“It is, but I feel like I shouldn’t say that it is.”
Someone please stop this woman.
“Alright! Now that we’re done, let’s go get the next thing!”
Having cleaned the plate of takoyaki, Ha-eun pulled Oh-jin’s hand.
Oh-jin, still reeling from their dizzying conversation, let himself be dragged along with a dumbfounded expression.
“Let’s try that one this time, Oh-jin!”
Watching her pull him along with excited steps, Oh-jin let out a dry laugh.
*She really knows how to land a punch sometimes.*
Anyway.
He didn't know who she took after, but her wit was nothing to scoff at.
* * *
After strolling through Dotonbori with her, eating their fill of every delicious-looking food they saw, stopping by a café for coffee, and having a blast at a nearby arcade, it was suddenly five in the afternoon.
As they walked along the riverbank, watching the sun slowly set.
“It’s a waste to stay in one place. Let’s go somewhere else.”
“Sounds good. Where to?”
“Hmm… I looked it up online. Den Den Town? It’s supposed to be famous.”
“Den Den Town?”
Curious, Oh-jin also looked it up and saw it described as the Akihabara of the Kansai region, a second holy land for otaku.
He wasn't particularly interested in manga or anime.
“Let’s check it out.”
Having enthusiastically bought and eaten all sorts of food with Sakaki’s card, it was an awkward time for dinner.
As they walked toward Den Den Town to aid their digestion, shops with manga and anime posters started to appear one by one.
“I don’t recognize any of these.”
“You never really watched much manga or anything, did you?”
“I used to, a long time ago. But not after… that happened.”
“…Ah.”
Oh-jin frowned, recalling when she had lost her sight to the curse.
“Want to go look around inside?”
“What’s the point? I can’t even read them.”
Ha-eun shrugged and looked around.
“Oh-jin, what’s that thing that looks like a bowling pin?”
“I don’t know…? Never seen it before.”
The shop she was pointing to had a large bowling pin with red and white stripes standing in front of it.
*Ten… ga? What is that?*
Oh-jin and Ha-eun tilted their heads, looking at the shop.
“Should we go in?”
“Sure. I’m curious what they sell.”
Ha-eun nodded readily and entered the shop.
*Tinkle.*
As they entered with the clear sound of a bell.
-Ooh! Red bean paste! Spindle tree!
A string of improperly translated Japanese, as if from a broken machine, could be heard.
Even without understanding the meaning, it wasn't hard to figure out what kind of store this was.
“Oh, shit.”
“……”
And for good reason—the shop was filled with posters featuring an excessive amount of flesh tones.
“This… was an adult toy shop?”
Ha-eun’s jaw dropped in disbelief.