[Warning 15+]
Part Three"―Seriously, Your Vibe Hasn't Changed a Bit Since the Old Days!"Chapter 109Dumb*ss
The entire second floor of a multi-tenant buildin' squeezed into the city—that's where the spot they were lookin' for was.
Mō Mō Ushimaru Tarō is a yakiniku chain known for bein' dirt cheap.
The 60-minute time limit is pretty tight, but an 888-yen all-you-can-eat weekday lunch is like crack to teenage boys with bottomless stomachs. Since it was summer break, the place was packed with other students just like Hayato and his crew.
"..." "..." "..."
In one corner of the dinin' area, Hayato and the boys were just grindin'—grillin' and stuffin' their faces with meat. Total silence.
Hayato felt like he was on a mission to get his money's worth.
Kazuki was starvin' after wrapbin' up club activities.
And Iori just got swept up in the vibe of the other two―
An all-you-can-eat joint is basically a battlefield.
It was intense enough to make 'em completely forget about that whole 'ex-girlfriend' thing with Kazuki.
The sizzlin' sound of meat fat grillin' echoed through the air.
Every now and then, the drippin' fat would catch fire under the grate and flare up.
The aroma waftin' up was drivin' their appetites through the roof.
Sure, it was cheap meat. But hey, it was beef. And obviously, there wasn't a single veggie on that grill—it was strictly a meat party.
Screw a balanced diet—they just went at it, grabbin' and stuffin' their faces with grilled meat like it was a competition.
Between the heat, the k*ller sauce, and the white rice, nobody's chopsticks were slowin' down.
It was all-you-can-eat. Eatin' was the whole point. But man, 60 minutes felt way shorter than they thought.
By the time they finished eatin' right up to the buzzer, a weird sense of solidarity hit the three of 'em—and just like that, a real bond of friendship was born.
◇◇◇
"Ugh, I totally overdid it... ...But hey, I definitely got my money's worth..."
"I ended up eatin' way too much too, just tryin' to keep up with Hayato-kun..."
"It hurts to walk... ...I feel like stuff is about to come back up my throat... ...But man, I've been dyin' to try this weekday lunch special at least once."
After hittin' the exit, Hayato and the boys started wanderin' around aimlessly just to walk off all that food.
Huge buildins' lined both sides of the main drag, with signs plastered pretty much everywhere you looked.
Most were just places to eat, but he spotted plenty of izakayas, snack bars, and clubs—the kind of spots that obviously had zero to do with Hayato. Because of that, they looked weirdly interestin', and he couldn't help but look around like a total tourist.
Right then, Iori chimed in.
The fact that it wasn't Kazuki startin' the convo—maybe that whole ex-girlfriend drama was still weighin' on him?
"So, what's the move?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, we checked off our main goal, but since we're already all gathered here and stuff..."
"Oh, yeah, sounds good. But..."
"But?"
Hayato'd come all the way out to the city after all. It'd be a waste to just head back now. Besides, even if he went home, he'd just be by himself. Nothin' else to do.
So, Hayato was down to hang with both Iori and Kazuki, but there was one catch.
"I don't have a clue what's even in this area, so even if you ask me, I won't know what there is to do."
"Oh yeah, forgot about that."
Iori let out a wry smile, basically agreein' with Hayato.
Even though Hayato had been out here a few times, he always had a rock-solid plan for what to do and where to go beforehand. So, when he was suddenly asked to just "hang out," he was totally lost.
(Come to think of it, back in the day, both Haruki and I used to just hang out with zero plan...)
Hayato thought back to the old days but then felt stupid, realizin' that the way people hang out now is probably way different. Just then, Kazuki leaned in.
"We've got the movie theater and karaoke spot we hit up the other day, plus the usual suspects like arcades, bowlin' alleys, and battin' cages. But personally, I'd recommend Shine Spirits City. It's a bit of a walk from here, though."
"That works. Not only are there tons of shops, but they've also got event halls, an aquarium, and even a planetarium. I head there with Ema all the time."
"Shine Spirits City...? I think I've heard the name before."
"Eh, well, see, that place is―"
Shine Spirits City―It's what you'd call a "mixed-use complex," packin' in everythin' from a shoppin' mall and restaurants to event halls, various amusement centers, and even theme parks.
Since you'd never catch anythin' like that in the countryside of Tsukinose, the explanation didn't really click for Hayato.
As Hayato tilted his head in total confusion, a grinnin' Kazuki called out to Hayato, actin' all playful.
"Hayato-kun, maybe you should scope out the place for your future dates with Nikaidō-san? They've got tons of great spots there."
"Wh-What!? Look, I told you, both Haruki and I aren't like that! Besides, you only know so much 'cause you went there with that ex of yours, right!?"
"Hey, Hayato! Chill!"
"Oh... ...My bad."
Flustered after gettin' teased about Haruki, Hayato ended up diggin' up the ex-girlfriend drama again just to get back at Kazuki.
Iori had to step in and shut Hayato down for bein' totally insensitive, and Hayato quickly bowed his head in apology.
But Kazuki acted like it was no biggie. If anythin', he looked like he felt bad for makin' them worry, just shruggin' with a wry smile as he headed toward Shine Spirits City.
After exchangin' a look, both Hayato and Iori chased after Kazuki. Amidst the flow of the crowd, Kazuki started spillin' the beans, bit by bit.
"Well, it wasn't really like we were 'datin',' more like we were just usin' each other. Lookin' back, I think I just wanted to date a 'title' so I could feel superior to everyone else. I was a total douchebag."
"Kazuki...?"
"I ended up draggin' a lot of people into my mess because of it, so we called it quits once we started high school. In the end, even though I did all that research on Shine Spirits City, we never actually went there together."
"..."
Then Hayato went silent. The noise of the crowd was deafenin'. You couldn't even see the look on Kazuki's face.
Hayato's face twisted in a grimace of pure guilt.
(...Good grief.)
An exasperated sigh escaped Hayato's lips. Hayato had been jerked around by Kazuki before too.
There was only one conclusion to draw from all that. It was no big deal. Kazuki just acted like he had it all figured out, but in reality, he was just a total klutz when it came to life. ―Just like Haruki.
So, feelin' a bit annoyed, Hayato gave Kazuki's back a solid smack as he walked ahead.
"Ow! Hayato-kun...?"
"Dumb*ss."
"...Oh."
With a weary, wry smile, Hayato stepped up to walk right beside Kazuki. Seein' that, Kazuki's eyes went wide, shimmerin' with emotion.
Right then, Iori caught up and pulled even with 'em, flashin' a huge, toothy grin.
"Alright, guess today I'm gonna show you guys all my favorite spots."
"Countin' on you, Iori. Oh, but please make sure they're places that won't blow a hole in my wallet."
"...Haha, sounds like a plan!"
Kazuki flashed a clean, refreshed smile as he replied to the two of them, and then they headed off to their destination.
◇◇◇
Shine Spirits City was located on the outskirts, which meant the place was absolutely massive.
A bunch of different buildins' were layered together, sprawlin' out from a 60-story landmark tower at the center, formin' what basically looked like its own little city.
As far as "mixed-use complexes" went, the only thing Hayato knew was those roadside rest stops back in Tsukinose where farmer's markets, souvenir shops, and food stalls were all crammed together. Seein' a scale that blew his expectations out of the water made his eyes pop.
"This place... ...is insane..."
"There's all kinds of stuff here, man. You can't even see it all in one day, which is why I come here with Ema all the time."
"H-Hey, they don't charge an entrance fee or anythin' here, do they?"
"C'mon, dude, if they charged people just to get in, nobody'd show up to shop."
"G-Guess you're right."
"Haha, you really are just like Himeko-chan, Hayato-kun. Yup, you're definitely siblings."
"Shut it, Kazuki. And what's that supposed to mean, 'like Himeko'..."
Since it was summer break, the place was swarmin' with people around their age all headin' for Shine Spirits City, just like Hayato and his crew.
The number of girls in the crowd was especially noticeable. And it looked like they were all headin' toward the exact same spot.
As Hayato tilted his head, wonderin' what the deal was, Iori let out a shout like he'd finally figured it out.
"Oh, maybe there's some kinda event for girls goin' on."
"An event?"
"They're always holdin' all sorts of stuff in the main plaza here. It pops up on TV every now and then, so I bet you'll recognize it once you see it. Who knows, we might even run into a celeb. Wanna check it out?"
"A celeb..."
The second he heard that, Hayato scowled.
(—Takura Mao.)
The famous actress, Haruki's Mom. Her face immediately flashed through Hayato's mind.
And it wasn't just Hayato who looked like he'd just swallowed somethin' bitter.
"Ahaha, I think I'll pass on that... ...I saw Airi earlier, so, eh..."
"Oh, gotcha. Well, let's just head somewhere else then."
"...Yeah, good call."
Takin' advantage of Kazuki's excuse, Hayato headed off in a different direction, steerin' clear of the event space.
Author's Notes:
First weekend after the official launch!
Pretty sure the books should be hittin' the shelves in bookstores nationwide by now!
If you wanna see this series keep goin', please, please buy a copy to show some love... ...I'm dead serious... ...Meow...
Oh, yeah, I get it!
Why the heck am I havin' a boy hit on another boy in a chapter that's supposed to be for promo!? Seriously, how did the story even end up like this!?!?
Meow!!!
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
If you like our work, please consider supporting us on Ko-fi. 🙏
Support Us: https://ko-fi.com/ninjacross
Donations are very much appreciated.
Your donations really support us to finish this novel from here until the end, so please consider to support us.
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Read in other languages:
The entire second floor of a multi-tenant buildin' squeezed into the city—that's where the spot they were lookin' for was.
Mō Mō Ushimaru Tarō is a yakiniku chain known for bein' dirt cheap.
The 60-minute time limit is pretty tight, but an 888-yen all-you-can-eat weekday lunch is like crack to teenage boys with bottomless stomachs. Since it was summer break, the place was packed with other students just like Hayato and his crew.
"..." "..." "..."
In one corner of the dinin' area, Hayato and the boys were just grindin'—grillin' and stuffin' their faces with meat. Total silence.
Hayato felt like he was on a mission to get his money's worth.
Kazuki was starvin' after wrapbin' up club activities.
And Iori just got swept up in the vibe of the other two―
An all-you-can-eat joint is basically a battlefield.
It was intense enough to make 'em completely forget about that whole 'ex-girlfriend' thing with Kazuki.
The sizzlin' sound of meat fat grillin' echoed through the air.
Every now and then, the drippin' fat would catch fire under the grate and flare up.
The aroma waftin' up was drivin' their appetites through the roof.
Sure, it was cheap meat. But hey, it was beef. And obviously, there wasn't a single veggie on that grill—it was strictly a meat party.
Screw a balanced diet—they just went at it, grabbin' and stuffin' their faces with grilled meat like it was a competition.
Between the heat, the k*ller sauce, and the white rice, nobody's chopsticks were slowin' down.
It was all-you-can-eat. Eatin' was the whole point. But man, 60 minutes felt way shorter than they thought.
By the time they finished eatin' right up to the buzzer, a weird sense of solidarity hit the three of 'em—and just like that, a real bond of friendship was born.
◇◇◇
"Ugh, I totally overdid it... ...But hey, I definitely got my money's worth..."
"I ended up eatin' way too much too, just tryin' to keep up with Hayato-kun..."
"It hurts to walk... ...I feel like stuff is about to come back up my throat... ...But man, I've been dyin' to try this weekday lunch special at least once."
After hittin' the exit, Hayato and the boys started wanderin' around aimlessly just to walk off all that food.
Huge buildins' lined both sides of the main drag, with signs plastered pretty much everywhere you looked.
Most were just places to eat, but he spotted plenty of izakayas, snack bars, and clubs—the kind of spots that obviously had zero to do with Hayato. Because of that, they looked weirdly interestin', and he couldn't help but look around like a total tourist.
Right then, Iori chimed in.
The fact that it wasn't Kazuki startin' the convo—maybe that whole ex-girlfriend drama was still weighin' on him?
"So, what's the move?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, we checked off our main goal, but since we're already all gathered here and stuff..."
"Oh, yeah, sounds good. But..."
"But?"
Hayato'd come all the way out to the city after all. It'd be a waste to just head back now. Besides, even if he went home, he'd just be by himself. Nothin' else to do.
So, Hayato was down to hang with both Iori and Kazuki, but there was one catch.
"I don't have a clue what's even in this area, so even if you ask me, I won't know what there is to do."
"Oh yeah, forgot about that."
Iori let out a wry smile, basically agreein' with Hayato.
Even though Hayato had been out here a few times, he always had a rock-solid plan for what to do and where to go beforehand. So, when he was suddenly asked to just "hang out," he was totally lost.
(Come to think of it, back in the day, both Haruki and I used to just hang out with zero plan...)
Hayato thought back to the old days but then felt stupid, realizin' that the way people hang out now is probably way different. Just then, Kazuki leaned in.
"We've got the movie theater and karaoke spot we hit up the other day, plus the usual suspects like arcades, bowlin' alleys, and battin' cages. But personally, I'd recommend Shine Spirits City. It's a bit of a walk from here, though."
"That works. Not only are there tons of shops, but they've also got event halls, an aquarium, and even a planetarium. I head there with Ema all the time."
"Shine Spirits City...? I think I've heard the name before."
"Eh, well, see, that place is―"
Shine Spirits City―It's what you'd call a "mixed-use complex," packin' in everythin' from a shoppin' mall and restaurants to event halls, various amusement centers, and even theme parks.
Since you'd never catch anythin' like that in the countryside of Tsukinose, the explanation didn't really click for Hayato.
As Hayato tilted his head in total confusion, a grinnin' Kazuki called out to Hayato, actin' all playful.
"Hayato-kun, maybe you should scope out the place for your future dates with Nikaidō-san? They've got tons of great spots there."
"Wh-What!? Look, I told you, both Haruki and I aren't like that! Besides, you only know so much 'cause you went there with that ex of yours, right!?"
"Hey, Hayato! Chill!"
"Oh... ...My bad."
Flustered after gettin' teased about Haruki, Hayato ended up diggin' up the ex-girlfriend drama again just to get back at Kazuki.
Iori had to step in and shut Hayato down for bein' totally insensitive, and Hayato quickly bowed his head in apology.
But Kazuki acted like it was no biggie. If anythin', he looked like he felt bad for makin' them worry, just shruggin' with a wry smile as he headed toward Shine Spirits City.
After exchangin' a look, both Hayato and Iori chased after Kazuki. Amidst the flow of the crowd, Kazuki started spillin' the beans, bit by bit.
"Well, it wasn't really like we were 'datin',' more like we were just usin' each other. Lookin' back, I think I just wanted to date a 'title' so I could feel superior to everyone else. I was a total douchebag."
"Kazuki...?"
"I ended up draggin' a lot of people into my mess because of it, so we called it quits once we started high school. In the end, even though I did all that research on Shine Spirits City, we never actually went there together."
"..."
Then Hayato went silent. The noise of the crowd was deafenin'. You couldn't even see the look on Kazuki's face.
Hayato's face twisted in a grimace of pure guilt.
(...Good grief.)
An exasperated sigh escaped Hayato's lips. Hayato had been jerked around by Kazuki before too.
There was only one conclusion to draw from all that. It was no big deal. Kazuki just acted like he had it all figured out, but in reality, he was just a total klutz when it came to life. ―Just like Haruki.
So, feelin' a bit annoyed, Hayato gave Kazuki's back a solid smack as he walked ahead.
"Ow! Hayato-kun...?"
"Dumb*ss."
"...Oh."
With a weary, wry smile, Hayato stepped up to walk right beside Kazuki. Seein' that, Kazuki's eyes went wide, shimmerin' with emotion.
Right then, Iori caught up and pulled even with 'em, flashin' a huge, toothy grin.
"Alright, guess today I'm gonna show you guys all my favorite spots."
"Countin' on you, Iori. Oh, but please make sure they're places that won't blow a hole in my wallet."
"...Haha, sounds like a plan!"
Kazuki flashed a clean, refreshed smile as he replied to the two of them, and then they headed off to their destination.
◇◇◇
Shine Spirits City was located on the outskirts, which meant the place was absolutely massive.
A bunch of different buildins' were layered together, sprawlin' out from a 60-story landmark tower at the center, formin' what basically looked like its own little city.
As far as "mixed-use complexes" went, the only thing Hayato knew was those roadside rest stops back in Tsukinose where farmer's markets, souvenir shops, and food stalls were all crammed together. Seein' a scale that blew his expectations out of the water made his eyes pop.
"This place... ...is insane..."
"There's all kinds of stuff here, man. You can't even see it all in one day, which is why I come here with Ema all the time."
"H-Hey, they don't charge an entrance fee or anythin' here, do they?"
"C'mon, dude, if they charged people just to get in, nobody'd show up to shop."
"G-Guess you're right."
"Haha, you really are just like Himeko-chan, Hayato-kun. Yup, you're definitely siblings."
"Shut it, Kazuki. And what's that supposed to mean, 'like Himeko'..."
Since it was summer break, the place was swarmin' with people around their age all headin' for Shine Spirits City, just like Hayato and his crew.
The number of girls in the crowd was especially noticeable. And it looked like they were all headin' toward the exact same spot.
As Hayato tilted his head, wonderin' what the deal was, Iori let out a shout like he'd finally figured it out.
"Oh, maybe there's some kinda event for girls goin' on."
"An event?"
"They're always holdin' all sorts of stuff in the main plaza here. It pops up on TV every now and then, so I bet you'll recognize it once you see it. Who knows, we might even run into a celeb. Wanna check it out?"
"A celeb..."
The second he heard that, Hayato scowled.
(—Takura Mao.)
The famous actress, Haruki's Mom. Her face immediately flashed through Hayato's mind.
And it wasn't just Hayato who looked like he'd just swallowed somethin' bitter.
"Ahaha, I think I'll pass on that... ...I saw Airi earlier, so, eh..."
"Oh, gotcha. Well, let's just head somewhere else then."
"...Yeah, good call."
Takin' advantage of Kazuki's excuse, Hayato headed off in a different direction, steerin' clear of the event space.
Author's Notes:
First weekend after the official launch!
Pretty sure the books should be hittin' the shelves in bookstores nationwide by now!
If you wanna see this series keep goin', please, please buy a copy to show some love... ...I'm dead serious... ...Meow...
Oh, yeah, I get it!
Why the heck am I havin' a boy hit on another boy in a chapter that's supposed to be for promo!? Seriously, how did the story even end up like this!?!?
Meow!!!
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
If you like our work, please consider supporting us on Ko-fi. 🙏
Support Us: https://ko-fi.com/ninjacross
Donations are very much appreciated.
Your donations really support us to finish this novel from here until the end, so please consider to support us.
Follow Our Official WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaRa6nHCsU9OAB0U370F
Read in other languages: