Chapter 50: A Heartwarming Scene
It was only around 9:00 PM when he returned home.
Otonashi Chiya looked perfectly calm and composed, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Guessing that Denji was still studying, he wasn't surprised when it was Pochita who came to open the door.
"Woof~?"
Pochita seemed instantly attracted by the aroma of the bag of barbecue in Chiya's hand, trotting over to give it a good sniff.
"I brought this back for you guys to eat," Chiya said, patting Pochita on the head.
Upon hearing this, Pochita's four short legs blurred into motion as he dashed into Denji's bedroom.
"Woof! Woof woof!"
Pochita sounded like he was calling Denji to come out for a treat. However, Denji couldn't quite translate the barks. "I'm still studying, Pochita. Stop it."
"Denji, let's call it a night for the studying. Come out and eat first, otherwise it'll get cold," Chiya said as he stepped into the room to call her.
"Chiya-ge!"
When Denji turned and saw what was in Chiya's hands, she suddenly remembered his promise to bring back something delicious. Her focus on studying vanished instantly, and she dropped her pen.
Higashiyama Kobeni, standing nearby, felt the timing was right anyway—she had just finished her two-hour session—so she didn't object. However, the moment the scent of the barbecue hit her nose, she began to feel a bit restless.
Kobeni followed Denji out of the bedroom, thinking she would leave as soon as she received her daily pay. If she stayed any longer, she was genuinely afraid she might start crying from the sheer temptation!
Chiya proceeded to pay Kobeni for the day. He gave her a bit extra as usual, handing over a 5,000-yen bill. It was more convenient that way—just a single note.
"Thank you so much!"
Receiving the extra pay, Kobeni immediately bowed in gratitude. She prepared to bolt out the door; every second she spent smelling that barbecue was absolute torture!
"Why don't you have some barbecue before you go?" Chiya suggested at that exact moment.
"Eh...?"
Kobeni froze in her tracks. She turned back, looking at Chiya with an expression of pure embarrassment, the flush on her face deepening. "Am I... am I really allowed to?"
"Of course. I bought quite a lot, and I'm actually still pretty full. You, Denji, and Pochita can just split it," Chiya said with a smile.
He had actually accounted for Kobeni when he was at the barbecue stall, so he had bought plenty of extra.
"Thank you so much! I am truly grateful!!"
Kobeni felt as if a sudden miracle had occurred, and she became visibly emotional. To her, even eating meat was a luxury, let alone barbecue. Barbecue was far more expensive than buying discounted meat at the supermarket; it was a "luxury good" she usually couldn't afford. Forget barbecue—she had only eaten ice cream once in her entire life.
That one time was for her birthday when she was a child, but because it was so delicious and she was so excited, she had accidentally dropped it after only two bites.
"..."
The smile on Chiya's face turned slightly awkward. Although he knew Kobeni's history and personality were like this, seeing her reaction in person was still... a bit much.
He transferred the barbecue onto a plate and set it on the dining table.
"I'll dig in~"
"Itadakimasu!"
"Woof~"
Denji and Higashiyama Kobeni spoke almost in unison, while Pochita mimicked them by pressing his front paws together.
Kobeni began to eat with extreme caution, taking tiny, tentative bites. She was terrified of messing things up again, just like she had with that ice cream years ago.
"Mmm! It's so good!" After just one bite, tears of happiness began to stream down her face.
[Ding! Host has activated the achievement "Higashiyama Kobeni's Affection (Lv. 2)." Reward: 4 Attribute Points!]
Chiya sat to the side, resting his chin on one hand. He found himself genuinely enjoying this heartwarming scene.
In the end, Denji ate the most, practically inhaling the food, followed closely by Pochita. Kobeni, being more reserved, only allowed herself two skewers, but she was already beyond satisfied—she hadn't felt this content in her entire life.
"Thank you so much, truly!" Kobeni said to Chiya once she was full.
"It's nothing," Chiya replied. "It's not like it's anything expensive or special."
"That's not true. To me... this is precious," Kobeni said, lowering her head slightly, her expression turning a bit dejected.
"Tell you what," Chiya said with a faint smile. "Eating late-night snacks every day isn't great for your health. You can come over earlier in the afternoon to have some good food, and then do the tutoring for Denji in the evening."
He could guess that Kobeni likely handed her entire salary over to her family. Otherwise, with 5,000 yen a day, buying this kind of barbecue would be a breeze. He didn't want to overstep by interfering in her family matters, so he chose this way to make her life a little brighter.
"This! Is that really okay?!" Kobeni couldn't believe her ears. Didn't that mean she could eat delicious food every single day? Eating good food was her greatest hobby and her ultimate dream!
"I never make empty promises," Chiya answered.
Kobeni was so overwhelmed with gratitude that she couldn't find the words. Instead, she dropped straight into a Dogeza (prostrating) position.
In Japan, there are generally three types of Dogeza: the "Black" (forced humiliation), the "White" (expressing gratitude beyond words), and the "Fake" (the shameless kind used by officials to appease the public). Kobeni's, of course, was a "White Dogeza."
Chiya felt a bit numb. He still wasn't quite used to the Japanese habit of prostrating. "Get up, quickly." He sighed softly and immediately helped her to her feet.
Kobeni straightened her school uniform and suddenly remembered something. "By the way... how should I address you? What would be appropriate?"
She had known his name was Otonashi Chiya for a while, but she struggled with the right title. "Otonashi-san" felt too formal since they were around the same age. "Patron" felt a bit weird. "Otonashi-kun" felt slightly too intimate, and she was worried about being impolite...
Kobeni was extremely cautious; she was terrified of accidentally offending her major benefactor.
"Call me whatever you like. Just 'Otonashi' is fine," Chiya said casually.
"I couldn't possibly do that!" Kobeni felt that calling him just by his surname was even more rude. Her face flushed as she whispered, "Then... I'll call you Otonashi-kun..."