It wasn't just because she had to use Aunt Tomoka's phone to order takeout—recently, Kotomi Izumi also felt she should cut down on dinner portions.
So she ordered only two servings of crispy pork belly, one large bowl of beef fried rice with egg, twenty skewers of grilled chicken, one bowl of miso tofu soup, and five salted grilled fish.
After double-checking the order to make sure she hadn't gone overboard, she finally submitted it and handed the phone back to Tomoka Yuigahama.
Tomoka took the phone, glanced at the order, and was dumbfounded. Not because of how much Kotomi ordered—though the sheer volu was shocking—but because, once again, she was reminded of Kotomi's enormous appetite. Looking at her figure, though, she understood a little better.
After all, her chest probably required quite a lot of nutrition…
"If today were Thursday, I would've ordered KFC," Kotomi murmured.
"Why?" Tomoka asked curiously. Did KFC have so kind of Thursday promotion?
"Crazy Thursday! Aunt Tomoka, you don't know about it?"
"You aunties really can't keep up with young people anymore, huh~"
Tomoka chuckled and shook her head. It was the first ti she had heard of sothing like KFC's "Crazy Thursday."
About twelve minutes later, Tomoka stood up and put on a coat, looking like she was about to head out.
"Aunt Tomoka, where are you going?" Kotomi, who had been looking over the draft of the opening color illustration for Redo of Healer Volu 1, raised her head and asked curiously.
"I'm going out to pick up the takeout in advance. If the delivery person rings the doorbell, Yui will definitely hear it."
Kotomi's eyes lit up with understanding. "Ah, I get it. Even if I hide well in the workspace, if Yui sees a takeout delivery, she'll start wondering. She might even think, Did Mom order takeout because she didn't like my cooking? Then she'd feel hurt and brood over it quietly. Even though Yui seems cheerful, deep down she's actually a very sensitive girl. Whenever she's upset, she just bottles it up and hides it from everyone."
Tomoka gave Kotomi a aningful look. After saying that, she picked up her phone and left the bedroom, heading to the entrance to wait for the delivery. When she opened the front door, she was extra careful to make sure her movents were light, so as not to make any noise.
In Japan, so restaurants worked directly with food delivery platforms. The mont a custor placed an order, the system would automatically assign a nearby courier to pick it up. These restaurants had to pay high annual fees to the platform, and every order ant splitting the profits fifty-fifty.
There were also restaurants that only listed their nu on the delivery app without fully using the platform's delivery system. They didn't have to pay the annual fees, but the commission per order was higher, and they rarely received promotional exposure from the app.
Anshima Yakiniku was one such restaurant. Out of curiosity, Adachi Sakura and Shimamura Hougetsu had registered it on the delivery app under the second type, the no-annual-fee model.
After all, most yakiniku dishes required custors to grill the at themselves at the restaurant, so their delivery nu only included simple main dishes, snacks, and skewers that could be packaged.
On average, they only got two or three orders per month, since most custors preferred to eat in-store.
Kotomi had stumbled across Anshima Yakiniku while casually browsing the delivery app, and to her surprise, she had been able to place an order.
If the destination was far, the restaurant used the platform's couriers. But if it was nearby, once Adachi Sakura finished preparing and packing the food, Shimamura Hougetsu would hop on her electric scooter and deliver it herself.
With the weather turning colder, the two of them had decided to leave their bicycles in the parking lot below their rented apartnt. Though it was called a parking lot, since the apartnt building was small and rented out cheaply, few residents could afford cars. The lot was mostly filled with bicycles and motorbikes.
Since they had stopped riding bicycles for the ti being, the two bought an electric scooter. After all, they usually returned ho late at night, mostly taking side streets. Even if both of them rode together on the sa scooter, they wouldn't be stopped by the traffic police.
After receiving the order, Shimamura Hougetsu saw that the destination wasn't far. Once Adachi Sakura had finished preparing and packing the food, she hopped on the scooter to deliver it.
"Turn left at the upcoming intersection, go straight for 100 ters, and you'll reach the destination."
The navigation app guided her route. Shimamura twisted the handle slightly, picking up speed.
When she arrived at the Yuigahama residence, she was just about to take off her gloves to press the doorbell when she noticed an orange-haired woman already standing at the entrance waiting.
Eh… too hungry to wait, so she ca out early? Shimamura thought with mild surprise. It was the first ti she had seen a custor waiting at the door before the delivery had even arrived.
Well, she wasn't a professional delivery worker, so naturally she hadn't seen much.
Shimamura quickly pulled the packed food bags from the scooter's front basket, hurried her steps, and said, "Sorry to keep you waiting. Are you Mrs. Yuigahama?"
"Yes."
"Alright then, enjoy your al."
"Thank you."
Tomoka Yuigahama accepted the two large bags. Kotomi really eats a lot… With this kind of appetite, most families wouldn't be able to afford it.
After completing the delivery, Shimamura put her gloves back on and rode away on her scooter. With winter approaching, the temperatures were dropping. During the day it was still fine, but at night, riding barehanded would leave one's hands frozen numb before even reaching the destination.
Even with gloves on, riding fast still felt cold.
...
"Kotomi, your dinner's here. Stop looking at the illustrations for now and eat."
"Ah… finally! I felt like if it were delayed any longer, I'd collapse from hunger right here at the computer."
Hearing that her al had arrived, Kotomi let out a long breath of relief. She was the type who couldn't stand missing a al—if she ate late, her stomach would start protesting loudly.
"Next ti, think of a proper excuse to co over. That way, we can just eat together in the kitchen," Tomoka said.
While taking the two large bags and unpacking the containers, Kotomi began to ponder. What would be a proper excuse?
After thinking for a while… well, nothing ca to mind. It wasn't like she could seriously hold a study session with Yui at ho until late at night, then sneak downstairs after Yui fell asleep just to et with Aunt Tomoka.
If Yui found out, there would be no way to explain!
As she chewed on the tender at of the salted grilled fish, Kotomi's thoughts spun restlessly.
"The final illustration draft for Redo of Healer Volu 1 looks like this. When we move on to the final version, if there are places that need adjusting, we'll discuss it again, alright?"
"Of course. Though honestly, I don't think there will be much to change. As expected of Teacher Hanayoi—even as drafts, your illustrations already have such a high level of completion."
Almost every ti Tomoka Yuigahama finished a draft, Kotomi would shower her with praise. The more Kotomi praised, the redder Tomoka's cheeks grew. In the end, she couldn't tell whether her flustered hands were due to the risqué subject matter of the illustrations, or because Kotomi's voice always seed to arrive right in her ear at just the right mont, making her so embarrassed she nearly dropped her stylus.
Kotomi carefully reviewed the drafts for all of Redo of Healer Volu 1's illustrations from beginning to end. They matched exactly what she had envisioned, leaving her full of anticipation for the day Tomoka would complete them all.
As for one of the volu's signature scenes—Setsuna reaching for the future—Kotomi and Tomoka spent nearly fifty minutes discussing it before finally settling on how to depict it. Both of them agreed: in words and in illustration alike, this had to beco one of the standout monts of Volu 1. Though it was only a black-and-white insert, the ti spent and the number of revisions nearly rivaled that of the opening color spread.
"Phew… finally finished discussing the illustrations for Volu 1 of Redo of Healer. We've been really productive tonight. Let's take a short break, then start talking about Mushoku Tensei, okay?"
Tomoka's spirits were high. She especially enjoyed discussing illustrations with Kotomi. Only just recently had she learned that Kotomi not only wrote novels, but also drew manga—currently serializing Chainsaw Man in Weekly Shonen Jump.
"I've read your Chainsaw Man. Honestly, when I found out you could draw too, I got a little worried you might not want to illustrate your novels anymore, and that you'd just handle all the artwork yourself." Tomoka pouted playfully, her expression one of exaggerated grievance.
It was clearly just a teasing remark, nothing more. But to Kotomi, it felt like fire tickling at her heart. Aunt Tomoka, you're playing with fire…
"Just writing novels and drawing manga already leaves exhausted. How could I possibly find the ti and energy to also illustrate? Doing all three at once would make even a 996 employee cry.
"With you as my illustrator, Aunt Tomoka, there's no question at all. For every novel I write in the future, and every ga we develop at Type-Moon World, the art could go without anyone else—but it could never go without you! If the day ever cos that you stop illustrating my novels, then I'll stop writing them altogether!"
Kotomi's tone was serious, every word sincere. For once, there wasn't a trace of exaggeration or falsehood.
"You have such talent. One day, you might well beco the most popular light novel author not just in Japan, but in the entire world. Don't say such childish things. Besides, there are plenty of artists far more skilled than I am."
"No matter how skilled another artist may be, they'll never surpass a casual sketch drawn by you in my eyes," Kotomi said with a small laugh. But though she smiled, her voice was filled with earnest conviction.
Hearing that, Tomoka's cheeks flushed a delicate crimson. She quickly averted her gaze. Every ti Kotomi looked at her with those earnest eyes, her heart grew restless, beating out of control.
Yui likes Kotomi. Yui likes Kotomi. Yui likes Kotomi…
Tomoka repeated it again and again in her mind, as though reminding herself.
"I-it's already 8 p.m. now. Kotomi, shouldn't you call ho? If you don't return this late, your parents will be worried. What did you tell them before coming here?"
"I told them I was going to Yui's house for a study session."
"I see. Then call your parents first, and I'll say a few words to them as well. Once we finish discussing the illustrations, I'll take you ho. I can't rest easy letting a young girl walk back by herself this late at night."
Tomoka Yuigahama spoke responsibly. After saying that, she picked up the two large bags from earlier, planning to throw them away, while Kotomi had already gone back to discussing the illustrations after finishing her al.
Not wanting to risk bumping into Yui Yuigahama if she went to the bathroom, Kotomi had simply wiped her mouth and hands with so wet wipes after eating.
Tomoka stepped out to throw the two bags into the neighborhood's garbage collection point, then returned ho.
"Kotomi, would you like so juice?"
As she pushed open the little workspace door, she froze. Kotomi was already lying asleep on the tatami, her breathing steady and even.
"Kotomi… Kotomi… Kotomi, wake up." Tomoka gently shook her. She had only been gone for less than ten minutes, and already Kotomi was in such a deep sleep? Her sleep quality was astonishing.
Seeing her like this, Tomoka realized Kotomi probably wouldn't wake up anyti soon. Which ant… she might end up staying the night here, without Yui knowing.
Sleeping in the cramped little workspace would be uncomfortable. But since Yui had no idea Kotomi was even here, there was no way Tomoka could move her upstairs to share a bed with her daughter.
That left only one option…
Tomoka turned and looked at her own double bed. Ever since her husband passed away, she had always slept alone.
"Looks like tonight, Kotomi will have to sleep with ."
She let out a soft sigh, shut down the computer, turned off the light in the workspace, and carefully carried the slumbering Kotomi from the tatami to her bed.
The wardrobe didn't have any spare blankets. Fortunately, the duvet on the double bed was large enough for two people to share.
"First, let's call Kotomi's parents."
Tomoka reached for the side pocket of Kotomi's skirt. She rembered that Kotomi habitually kept her phone there, and sure enough, she found it.
She clearly rembered the last ti Kotomi had fallen asleep at her house. Back then, she had unlocked Kotomi's phone with her fingerprint to call her parents. Even now, after Kotomi had changed phones, she still used the sa finger for the fingerprint unlock. Tomoka had noticed this by chance.
She pressed the power button, and just as she was about to guide Kotomi's finger to the sensor, the screen lit up.
The lock screen wallpaper made her pause.
It was a selfie photo. But… who was the girl in the picture?
—
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