The one who sat in the empty seat at our table was none other than yesterday's "troublesome woman." Hard to miss even in a yukata—her chest alone could be seen a mile away. Judging by the fact she ordered an extra-large omelet rice first thing in the morning, she seemed to be doing just fine.
But… she hasn't made eye contact once.
After everything that happened yesterday, you'd think she'd say something. Maybe we're both just background characters in each other's stories?
Well, might as well at least say hi.
"Good morning. Did you sleep well last night?"
She visibly flinched and finally met my eyes. After glancing around to confirm she was being spoken to, she replied, "Good morning… Um, sorry for the trouble yesterday."
That was a pretty generic response. Doesn't seem like she remembers much.
Last night, she had dark circles under her eyes and a sharp gleam in her stare, but it looks like getting some sleep did her good.
"Don't tell me… you don't remember?"
Figured I'd make some conversation while we wait for the food.
"I passed out in the bath and just woke up… naked. I feel like something nice might've happened, but my memory's hazy."
"Pfft."
I couldn't help but chuckle.
"How much do you remember?"
"I remember floating under the stars, running into you two, and firing off a bunch of questions…"
She bowed her head, clearly embarrassed.
"And after that?"
I prompted her gently.
"I guess I passed out?"
Looks like she chalked the rest up as a dream.
"That's a shame. Would've been a waste to dream all that away, huh?"
Kotori joined in with a wry smile. I nodded in agreement.
"It wasn't a dream? But… it didn't feel real at all…"
She was choosing her words carefully.
"Too good to be true?"
"Yes…"
"Yeah, we get it."
"Totally understandable."
We both gave her a knowing smile. We were in high spirits—front-runners for the position of official girlfriend, after all. Can't blame us for being a little giddy.
"That person—Hisui-san—isn't a dream or an illusion."
"He just feels like a character tailor-made for us, but yeah, he's real."
Not gonna lie, he's basically the embodiment of a virgin's fantasy.
"It's like living in an erotic manga or doujinshi, isn't it…"
Someone from the next seat chimed in, contemplatively. Well, it was starting to feel like a post-movie discussion.
"Like a full-blown erotic angel or something."
"Okay, that one's a bit much."
"Also sounds super outdated."
Everyone laughed and threw in their own comments. Felt like a bunch of old people talking up a gravure idol.
"So, um… you're saying he's real?"
She asked timidly.
"He's real."
We all nodded.
"He feels like a collective fantasy made real, but…"
"If we all saw him, it's not a hallucination. I'll cry if someone tries to claim that."
We nodded again.
Her previously worried expression turned to stunned realization as yesterday's events began to register. Her eyes darted around, her face turning beet red.
Good. Welcome back to reality.
It was fun to watch. Amusing, even.
"Thank you for waiting. Here's your seafood rice bowl."
My order arrived. As always, it looked amazing.
Topped with shrimp, yellowtail, tuna, scallops, and sea bream, it was a mountain of seafood. The chopped scallions and perilla leaves added a splash of color, and the glossy white rice beneath it all made it even more appetizing. Just looking at it made me happy.
"Since it's ochazuke-style, pour the broth to your liking before eating."
They placed a heat-insulated pot of broth on the table.
"If there's leftover broth, we can bring you more rice or some soup ingredients to go with it. Please don't waste any."
Don't worry, not a single grain of rice or drop of broth is going to waste.
My eyes were glued to the bowl in front of me, saliva pooling in my mouth as I fought the urge to dig in before taking a picture.
"And here's the Omelet Rice, size LL."
A massive omelet rice was placed on the table.
"Whoa?"
"That's insane…"
"Are you sure you can finish that?"
Even we were taken aback by the sheer size of it. Compared to our seafood bowls, the red and yellow colors made it stand out like a cartoon prop.
"How much is that, exactly?"
"It's about five rice bowls' worth of rice and ten eggs."
"Whoaa…"
People around us let out sympathetic groans at the thought of the calories.
"If you think you won't finish it, we can box some up for you ahead of time."
Now that's customer service.
"Yes, please."
Looks like seeing it in person made her change her mind. Asking for a takeout box before taking the first bite? Classic.
"If you want, we can even make salted rice balls with umeboshi, but just to be clear—you can't turn raw seafood into rice balls, okay?"
That warning seemed directed at a few people who were clearly entertaining the idea.
Yeah, that's just not safe.
Anyway, proper manners dictate I eat mine first.
With a quiet "Itadakimasu," I pressed my hands together and dug in.
Author's note :
Kiyora is surprisingly assertive in social situations. The noisy bunch around her are the usual suspects.
As for the Omelet Rice sizes:
SS = one bowl of rice
S = two bowls
M = three bowls
L = four bowls
LL = five bowls
The number of eggs used scales accordingly, with extras depending on the filling. The LL is close to 4 cups of uncooked rice total.
Think of it like the ones at "Bomb Tree" (a fictional omurice chain) if that helps visualize it.
Imagine a ramen bowl overflowing… or something about the size of a mid-range rice cooker.
Girls in this world have big appetites, but even they have limits.
That's why the "loser's bag" (takeout box) is a must. No wasting food here.
By the way, the author once ordered size L on a whim and had to forfeit—not from the quantity, but due to a surprise allergy reaction.
Turns out I'm allergic to all invertebrates. I confirmed with the staff before ordering, but still got hit.
A friend I was with ended up eating one and a half L-size plates. Ah, youth…
Even though it passed allergen checks, shellfish aren't always listed under major allergens, so… it's a mystery.