Special Chapter 4: Breakfast

Special Chapter 4:
Breakfast

As the full moon slowly retreated, its light illuminated the night’s deep, deep darkness.

Koyomi had changed out of her pajamas and into her usual serving outfit. She walked alone along the dark street. Despite the blackness of the night, she didn’t hesitate, moving confidently toward her destination.

At this time of night, they must be out.

The “other world” was different from Koyomi’s original world in many ways but similar in others. On nights with a full moon, for example, both worlds overflowed with the darkness’s magical powers, strengthening the undead.

On those nights, ghosts would appear. Ghosts that she only faintly sensed during the day.

How long has it been since I’ve done battle?

She chuckled to herself. She’d fought off disgraced soldiers trying desperately to shirk their debt and even pushed back yakuza failures who were after her body. Those encounters didn’t register as real combat to Koyomi.

After being sent to this foreign world, meeting Daiki, and helping him in the kitchen to repay his kindness, “Yomi” had died.

The Yomi in the other world who only knew fighting—the Demon King Slayer—no longer existed. According to Daiki, her name meant “the underworld” in this world’s language, so she took the name Koyomi. It was Koyomi who existed and worked as a waitress here.

Now then…

Without speaking a word, Koyomi arrived at her destination—the basement floor of a building that she and Daiki had managed to rent for far less than the asking price. On that floor, Koyomi had sensed something unnerving.

It’s been a long time.

Something was there, that much was certain. Koyomi drew close to the old door, turning the brand-new handle that they’d secretly borrowed from Daiki’s place.

Ka-ching!

The door unlocked and opened. From within the room came intense heat and the scent of fresh blood.

Heh, heh. Been a while since I’ve felt this.

Koyomi held her breath in response to the presence. She smiled, remembering the kill-or-be-killed days of yore, before she’d found her peaceful life in this world.

She breathed shallowly, minimizing the sound of her footsteps as she drew farther into the room.

Earlier that day, she and Daiki had made sure that the rental was spotless. The well-kept tables and chairs that the previous owner had left behind were still in place. Amid them, Koyomi saw the location’s previous owner, a man dressed in this nation’s military uniform.

Get…out… Get out…of my restaurant…

According to Daiki, this country had lost its last great war. The soldiers who’d participated in the enormous battle hadn’t been landowning knights or mercenaries seeking money. They were simple merchants and farmers. The location’s previous owner had probably been a chef who’d gone to battle and died.

The man’s current condition made it clear how he’d been killed. Half his face was gone—burnt away, in fact. He didn’t move as he stared Koyomi down. She returned his glare in kind.

He’s not all gone.

Koyomi could tell that the man in front of her was either becoming a wraith or was a ghost deeply attached to this location. In other words, he was dangerous to a normal man like Daiki, who had no means of fighting back.

“Sorry. This isn’t personal. It’s just… This is our place now.”

Koyomi approached the man calmly and slapped him, her palm full of dark magic.

Oooooooooooh!

That was it. Koyomi had neither equipment nor reliable allies, but against a creature that was barely a wraith, she didn’t need either of those. It took but a single blow of magical energy to erase the spirit, who’d simply wished to return from the great war.

“Now then, time to head home.”

The matter settled, Koyomi dropped her shoulders and turned her back on the empty restaurant, locking the door behind her.

Daiki often woke early for work. If she didn’t get back soon, he’d wake up without her and worry.

Koyomi hurried along the dark path home, forgetting her battle against the ghost mere moments ago.

***

Opening her eyes, Koyomi caught the scent of miso coming from the kitchen. It was already bright, and she could hear sparrows chirping outside.

Did I fall back asleep? Was I really that tired from fighting for the first time in ages?

After returning from the previous night’s excursion, Koyomi had changed into her pajamas to prevent Daiki from discovering her little adventure. She’d closed her eyes to make it seem as though she were sleeping, but apparently, she’d actually fallen asleep.

Normally, she woke up at the same time as Daiki and helped him prepare. Today, however, she was late. Of course, there wasn’t any food prep to do, since they were preparing to open the new restaurant.

“Yo! G’morning.”

Koyomi was still thinking under her thin bedding when Daiki peeked into the room. He wore his usual slacks and a T-shirt with an apron, a hand towel wrapped around his head.

“Food’s ready, so wash your face and let’s eat! I kinda went all out.”

His words excited Koyomi’s stomach. After watching him leave, she changed into a blouse and skirt, rather than her usual work clothes. The garments were precious gifts that Daiki had given her half a year ago.

She quickly combed her hair, tying it up so it wouldn’t get in the way, then headed for the dining area. Her heart was aflutter at the thought of a big meal. It had been a while.

Breakfast was truly something else.

“This is…kind of crazy,” Koyomi couldn’t help remarking.

A large bowl held shimmering white rice. Another held miso soup full of clams. Daiki had also cooked nukazuke, golden-yellow eggs, and fried mackerel.

Their breakfast normally consisted of natto, miso soup, and nukazuke. This might as well have been a celebratory feast.

“Well, y’know, we’re opening the restaurant soon. Things are gonna get busy and all.”

Daiki looked away, red-faced, as he explained his reasoning.

“C’mon, eat up, before it gets cold. We gotta head to city hall to fill out the paperwork today.”

He closed his eyes, clapping his hands together.

“Thanks for the food.”

This world’s people said a sort of pre-meal prayer. After speaking those words, Daiki reached for his chopsticks.

“Thanks for the food.”

Koyomi followed his example.

Let’s start with the fish… I believe he called it “mackerel.”

The bluish-silver mackerel had been boiled in miso until it turned nicely brown. Koyomi didn’t mind its sweet and sour flavor, but she also loved it salted.

“Here’s the soy sauce.”

After Koyomi picked up her chopsticks, Daiki passed her the soy sauce. They’d lived together for a few years, so some things simply went without saying.

Koyomi poured soy sauce over the radish beside the fried fish. Slicing the mackerel with her chopsticks, she placed radish on top and then took a bite.

As her chopsticks lifted the meat from beneath the crunchy fried skin, its juices flowed out. The mackerel’s flavor mingled with the partially cooked, snowy white radish’s sourness and the salty soy sauce, making Koyomi’s cheeks puff out instantly.

The fish would’ve been overwhelming on its own, but Koyomi ate it with the white radish. Whoever had thought up that way of serving mackerel was a genius, she decided.

The feast didn’t stop there, however.

Koyomi turned her attention to the freshly cooked rice. The pure, untouched white rice was just as important a food in this world as in hers. It was neither too soft nor too hard—just perfect for Koyomi. It tasted sweeter and sweeter with each bite.

The former warrior gulped down the rice as if it were liquid. The white rice and mackerel combination was so perfect that her chopsticks didn’t stop moving.

Koyomi’s mouth occasionally felt a bit greasy. At that point, she would pile in some nukazuke. The white radish’s salty flavor washed the grease away.

Radish will actually be out of season pretty soon.

It was already spring, so the season for radish was just about over. The nukazuke would contain seasonal vegetables instead of radish before long.

Koyomi stared down at the empty rice bowl.

“We’ve got more than enough for seconds. That’s why you left the fried egg for last, right?”

Daiki knew Koyomi all too well. He grinned, picked up her empty bowl, and refilled it.

“Thanks.”

Koyomi placed the bowl on the low table, reaching for the miso soup.

The salty broth had a unique flavor. And there was no sand to be found in the large clams that completed it, either. Daiki had picked them well.

Sipping the still-hot soup, Koyomi tasted the bonito base, blended with the savory taste of the clams. The mollusks had absorbed the miso broth. It flowed out whenever Koyomi opened a clamshell with her mouth.

The breakfast was, in a word, delicious. It was clear to Koyomi why, back when Daiki had just been running a food stall, customers had been more than satisfied with bowls of rice and miso soup.

After eating her fill of the miso soup, Koyomi finally set her sights on the fried egg. Her favorite way to eat the dish involved tasting it on its own first. She brought a piece of the carefully sliced golden-yellow egg to her mouth.

Mmph… Puts a smile on my face every time.

The fried egg was faintly sweet. In fact, Daiki made it that way especially for her. Although he often served much saltier fried eggs, he added a bit more sugar when cooking for Koyomi. That was her favorite way to eat them.

She was overjoyed. All Daiki’s dishes were delicious, but the fact that he’d adjusted his recipe just for her made it all the more delightful.

Pleased as punch, Koyomi topped the warm fried egg with soy sauce-drenched white radish and took a bite. The radish’s bitter flavor mixed with the strong saltiness of the soy sauce, creating a sublime new taste.

The meal continued. Koyomi added nukazuke to the remaining miso soup, which helped her demolish the rest of the rice.

Once the meal was done, she put her hands together and offered a prayer.

“Thank you for the food.”

Her words overlapped with Daiki’s, and the pair chuckled.

***

After sipping their teas for a while, the couple found that they still had time to spare. There was no work at the restaurant for the day. All they had to do was visit city hall to fill out paperwork before the day was done. It would be simple.

Stomachs as full as they could be, the couple enjoyed each other’s company in silence. Then Daiki spoke up, a serious expression on his face.

“So, uh… There’s something important I want to talk to you about.”

His tanned face was bright red.

“Um, would you come with me to city hall today?”

“I mean, that was the plan,” Koyomi responded, puzzled.

Ever since she’d come to this world, she and Daiki had done everything together. She was, of course, planning on going to city hall later. What was he getting at?

Daiki took out a brown paper envelope.

“I was thinking of submitting this marriage registration…”

The paper Daiki removed from the envelope was neatly folded, not a crease in sight. The pretty document clearly hadn’t been written by human hands. The characters on it had been penned with otherworldly technology, and there was no doubt as to what they said.

Underneath the text, Daiki’s name—Yamagata Daiki—was written in his own handwriting beside a blank line.

“I was just, um, thinking that this is the perfect time. I finally have my own restaurant and all… So, I feel like I’m ready.”

Daiki’s face was bright red, and Koyomi could tell he was tremendously nervous. Her own face flushed, too.

“So, um… Will you marry me?”

Daiki went quiet and stared deep into Koyomi’s eyes.

She gazed back, responding with a single word as her cheeks turned bright pink.

“Yes.”