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V13 Story I – Part 01

I’d like to talk about Odagiri Tsutomu.

About a foolish man I know.

Stubborn, weak-willed, and a self-aware hypocrite. He always wears plain suits and doesn’t stop nagging.

He averts his eyes from death, yet sometimes criticizes it head-on. And he often smokes.

Though I never said it out loud, I repeatedly thought to myself: he is beyond help. He makes the same mistakes over and over again.

He covers up his cowardice, yet still sheds blood.

I’ve spent my time with this man of contradictions.

Those were days far from wonderful. You could even say they were boring, like tasting poison.

For him, they were probably not just boring but the worst of times. Every time I desired a tragedy, he faced a grisly incident. He must have genuinely wished to escape from me.

Mayuzumi Azaka is a vile creature. The worst kind of person. I don’t deny that. Yet, Odagiri Tsutomu stayed by my side, ever since that time I took his hand.

On that distant spring day, at the top of a hill where countless cherry blossoms swirled around.

Oh, there’s one more thing I haven’t mentioned.

Odagiri Tsutomu will never change. No matter what happens, he will remain foolish. Whether I’m there or not, he’ll probably keep running around pointlessly, as he always did.

It’s a bit late, but I’d like to talk about Odagiri Tsutomu.

The man I spent my time with.

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I splashed cold water on my face. As the chill spread across my face, my mind finally cleared.

Blindly reaching along the wall, I grabbed a towel and roughly dried my face. The towel, which had hung in the washroom for far too long, smelled moldy. After scrubbing my face, I lifted my gaze. A weary man stared back at me from the cracked, dull mirror. My beard had grown out, and dark circles shadowed my eyes. I looked so haggard, it was a wonder I wasn’t stopped by the police on my way back from Mayuzumi’s office to Maison de Nanase.

Gazing at my bloodshot eyes, I muttered absently to myself, “No wonder Shirayuki-san was so worried.”

It puzzled me why I never thought I didn’t look normal until now.

I opened the cabinet next to the sink. I took out a razor and some shaving cream and began shaving. After rinsing my face again, I pulled off my wet shirt and tossed it into the laundry basket. I went to the closet, grabbed some fresh clothes, and changed as I made my way to the kitchen. I opened the fridge. It was empty. Ever since the incident involving the scarlet woman and Mayuzumi Azaka, I’d stopped buying groceries to avoid them spoiling. I opened the stainless steel rice bin next to the fridge. At least I had plenty of rice.

With that, there was only one thing left to do. I poured rice into the inner pot of the rice cooker and started washing it, gently rinsing until the water ran clear. Once everything was set and the pot was back in the cooker, I hesitated. Then, I unplugged the rice cooker and tucked it under my arm. I realized how ridiculous I must look, but still, I took long strides out of the room.

When I opened the door, I was greeted by the early signs of spring, the air still holding a slight chill. Under the pale pink sky, where petals fluttered gently, I hurried down the metal stairs, my footsteps echoing loudly. Reaching the first floor, I pulled open the door to Nanami’s unit. Thankfully, it was unlocked. Two pairs of shoes, one large and one small, were neatly lined up in the entrance. As I stepped further inside, I heard muffled voices behind a door.

“I wonder how he’s doing. He’s always been a bit reckless, but this time, I’m really worried. With Mayuzumi-san gone, can he even bounce back?”

“I feel the same way too. That’s why we need to figure out what to do with that idiot from now on.”

Without hesitation, I slid open the glass door. Soft pigtails and bright blonde hair turned toward me. Yusuke was still hanging around at Nanami’s place. They both sat around the low table, looking up at me. They froze, staring wide-eyed—not at me, but at the rice cooker tucked under my arm. I probably looked absurd, but I spoke anyway.

“Nanami-san, Yusuke.”

They exchanged glances, then looked back at me. Then, they both nodded, and I nodded back. Taking a deep breath, I spoke to them, sensing they were waiting for me to say something.

“Let’s eat.” I lifted the rice cooker.

Nanami and Yusuke exchanged another serious look. Nodding to each other, they stood up simultaneously. Yusuke crossed his arms, unsure of what to do, while Nanami clenched her fists and started walking with purpose. As she passed by me, she snatched the rice cooker from my arms. She shot me a sharp look, balled her fist, then raised a thumb to point decisively down the hallway.

“Follow me.”

There was a commanding force in her words and gesture that left no room for argument. Yusuke and I obediently followed her small frame. Once we reached the kitchen, Nanami unplugged her rice cooker and swapped it with the one I’d brought. Then, with a shake of her pigtails, she flung the fridge open.

Bang!

Out came radishes, carrots, pumpkins, spring onions, cabbages, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, bean sprouts, and shiitake mushrooms. Vegetables piled up on the dining table one after another. Beside them, cheese, milk, tofu, seaweed, pork, chicken, beef, cod, salmon, squid, and shrimp followed.

Nanami slammed the fridge door shut and turned to face me. With an impressive array of ingredients before her, she crossed her arms. She tapped the floor impatiently with her rabbit-shaped slippers.

“Aya was a big eater, you know,” she said.

“…Yeah.”

“I was thinking we could have a big hotpot feast when you got back.”

“…Yeah.”

“So, with that said, I’m giving you permission. We’re using all of this today.”

“…Yeah!”

“If you leave anything, you might as well consider yourself dead.”

“Wait, dead? Seriously?” Yusuke turned pale.

Ignoring him, Nanami grabbed a carrot and, with a swift motion, opened the cabinet under the sink with her foot, revealing her collection of favorite knives, all lined up neatly.

Shh, thud.

Next, she took something from the chair and tossed it to me. It was a soft apron with a crying rabbit appliqué in the center. I recognized it immediately. Aya’s old apron. Slowly, I ran my left hand over the appliqué, then flipped the apron around and tied it securely at my back. I pulled a gleaming, all-purpose kitchen knife from the shelf.

What followed was like a scene from a battlefield.

Nanami and I, driven by some unseen force, processed the ingredients relentlessly.

We chopped everything and tossed it into the biggest pot in the Nanase household. The broth, made from kelp and bonito, filled the air with a warm, savory aroma. Ingredients that seemed like they’d clash were set aside, pickled, or simmered separately.

While I was busy with seasonings, Yusuke kept bringing ingredients that looked like they’d turn the hotpot into a disaster, only for Nanami to reject them. Sulking, he set down plates, peeled an unnecessary amount of potatoes, and for some reason, made an excessive number of apple bunnies. He seemed to have his own ideas, though it was hard to tell what they were. Finally, the rice was ready. The pot, unable to keep its lid closed, bubbled with seafood, meat, and vegetables.

Wearing paw-shaped oven mitts, I cautiously lifted the pot. Behind me, Yusuke followed with a stack of small plates and a kettle. Bringing up the rear, Nanami carried a tray full of small bowls she had prepared. We placed all the dishes on the low table.

Delicious steam wafted through the air. With no room left on the table, we placed some dishes on the tatami mat. As I stared at the table, I realized that it had become a second battlefield. Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself.

I sat cross-legged on a cushion, with Yusuke sitting formally beside me. Nanami, her pigtails swaying, took her seat as well. We paused for a moment, then, all at once, grabbed our chopsticks.

“Let’s eat!” we shouted in loud, almost desperate voices. It sounded like the starting gun of a race.