Master of the Machete Style Manga

Chapter 188 Ah Jian did it for my own good!
At noon at Kanzaki Art Academy, Natsume Mio was walking alone on the road.

Although I had made some kind of "deal" with Mikazuki Haruna on LINE before, when it was actually noon, I just couldn't suppress the sour feeling in my heart.

"What the hell... to go out to eat with another girl so openly..."

The girl kicked a pebble hard from the roadside, her lips pouting.

She wandered aimlessly, fragmented memories surfacing in her mind.

Every corner of the campus seems to overlap with the shadow of another time and space.

They used to sit side by side on that bench, sharing a pair of headphones and listening to her favorite songs.

At the convenience store on the other side, Ah Jian had bought her hot milk to warm her hands in the winter, and they shared it together.

And in the shadows behind that school building, we secretly hugged and... kissed. In such an outdoor place, even though no one could see us, it felt especially exciting...

Before she knew it, Natsume Mio walked out of the school gate.

The noise from the street brought her back to reality.

Her gaze swept across the shops across the street.

Suddenly, Natsume Mio stopped in her tracks.

My gaze settled on a Chinese restaurant with a red sign.

The signboard bears three large characters written in traditional Chinese ink:

"Fu Man Lou".

The red lanterns hanging at the entrance were somewhat faded, and the food models were displayed in the glass shop window.

"Fu Man Lou..."

As Natsume Mio softly uttered the name, an indescribable sense of nostalgia welled up in her heart.

In that memory, this was a place she and Ah Jian often visited.

At that time, they were in dire financial straits. Although A-Jian had started drawing comics, his work was serialized in a small magazine, and the royalties were meager. In addition, he still had debts to pay off.

She also works part-time, and the two of them often come to this store to save money.

The Mapo Tofu set meal here is only 500 yen.

A large plate of Mapo Tofu, a dish of pickled vegetables, a bowl of vegetable soup, and most importantly, unlimited refills of rice.

Sometimes I'll order the 700 yen boiled pork slices set meal.

That was very spicy, but also incredibly satisfying.

Because they don't have much money, they usually only order one set meal and then ask the manager to give them an extra bowl to serve the rice.

Although those were very humble days, looking back, I feel incredibly happy at the time.

"So this store really does exist."

Natsume Mio stood across the street; she had never been here before in her life.

This once again confirms what Ah Jian said.

Those memories are not dreams.

It was their real "past life".

Just like when she found Ah Jian's apartment by following her memory,
Mio Natsume took a step, crossed the zebra crossing, and headed towards Fumanlou.

As soon as she reached the store entrance, before she could even push the door open, her gaze fell upon a couple sitting in the corner of the store through the glass.

Ah Jian?!
And, sitting across from him, Mikazuki Haruna!

Natsume Mio instinctively dodged to the side.

"Ah Jian actually brought her here..."

Natsume Mio bit her lip lightly, thinking to herself, "Let's see what you two talk about!"
She peeked out cautiously.

The restaurant was packed with customers; it was lunchtime.

The waiter was standing at their table taking their orders.

Taking advantage of the waiter blocking her view, Natsume Mio quickly slipped into the store.

The shop has a rather old-fashioned layout, with some wooden screens dividing the space.

Ken Sakamoto and Haruna Mikazuki were sitting at a rectangular table for four.

On the other side of the screen, there is a row of small square tables for two people.

Natsume Mio walked over quickly and sat down at an empty small square table.

There was a screen to his side, and on the other side of the screen was Ken Sakamoto right next to him. He estimated that the actual distance between the two was only twenty or thirty centimeters.

Although you can't see the other side from this position, you can hear the sounds clearly because the screen is just a hollowed-out wooden lattice with paper in the middle.

The light was on Sakamoto Ken's side, casting the shadow of his profile onto the screen.

"...One set meal of boiled sliced ​​pork and one set meal of Mapo tofu."

A familiar voice came from behind; it was Ah Jian.

The waiter wrote down the menu and turned to leave, just as he passed by Natsume Mio.

"What would you like to order, sir?"

Natsume Mio was startled and immediately covered her mouth, afraid that her voice would be heard by the neighbors.

She nodded to the waiter, picked up the menu, and remained silent.

I originally wanted to order boiled pork slices, but I decided against it because it was too spicy and I had to go to the recording studio to record a song in the afternoon, and my throat couldn't be irritated.

So, Natsume Mio's finger finally landed on the twice-cooked pork set meal.

"I want this."

Natsume Mio opened her mouth, but only made the shape without making a sound.

Although the waiter found the customer a bit strange, he simply nodded politely, made a note of it, and left.

Natsume Mio finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She pressed her body tightly against the back of the chair, her ears perked up, listening to the sounds coming from the other side of the screen.

……

On the other side of the screen.

Mikazuki Haruna looked around the small shop.

The store looks a bit old, but it's quite clean. The menu on the table is written in both Chinese and Japanese.

"Ken, have you been to this store before?" Mikazuki Haruna asked.

Ken Sakamoto is pouring tea.

"Yes, I come here often." He poured himself a glass and then poured one for Haruna.

Haruna Mikazuki looked at him with a puzzled expression and said, "Didn't you used to live in Adachi Ward? That's quite far from here."

“This ‘before’…” Sakamoto Ken looked at Mikazuki Haruna and smiled meaningfully, “It might not mean the ‘before’ you understand it to be.”

"What do you mean?" Mikazuki Haruna was even more confused.

"You'll find out," Sakamoto Ken said without further explanation.

He looked at the shop, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.

Last week, he and Mio often came here to eat.

I brought Haruna here today, partly because of nostalgia, to remind him of... something from a past life.

On the other hand, the taste is indeed quite good.

The meal set arrived quickly.

Boiled pork slices sizzling in chili oil, and steaming hot Mapo tofu.

"Try this boiled pork slices," Ken Sakamoto said.

Mikazuki Haruna looked at the bowl full of red oil and dried chili peppers and subconsciously swallowed.

"This... looks really spicy," Mikazuki Haruna whispered.

Under Sakamoto Ken's watchful gaze, Mikazuki Haruna picked up a piece of meat and carefully put it into her mouth.

"Well!"

The moment the meat slices enter your mouth, an intense spiciness and numbing sensation explodes on your tongue.

“So hot! So hot!”

Mikazuki Haruna quickly stuck out her tongue, fanned herself with her hand, and grabbed a large gulp of ice water from the side.

"Ha ha……"

She was so spicy that tears welled up in her eyes, and her cheeks turned bright red.

"Why is it so spicy?!"

"But..." she said, smacking her lips as she recovered, "it does seem quite delicious? The meat is very tender."

"Right?" Ken Sakamoto scooped up a piece of Mapo Tofu with a spoon. "This flavor is really satisfying."

As he ate, he casually remarked, "Mio also really likes the food at this restaurant. She used to be able to eat two bowls of rice every time, and afterwards she would say things like she was going to gain weight..."

On the other side of the screen.

As Natsume Mio picked up a piece of twice-cooked pork, she heard her name called, and her chopsticks trembled violently, causing the pork slice to fall back into the plate.

Ken mentioned me to Haruna?!

Hmph, even though you're here having dinner with Haruna, you're still thinking about me!

"Mio?"

From behind the screen came Mikazuki Haruna's clearly displeased voice.

"Hey! When you're having dinner with me, could you please not mention her?"

“It was just a casual remark,” Sakamoto Ken said calmly. “I think you two might have things in common.” “Who has anything in common with her!” Mikazuki Haruna muttered.

She looked at Ken Sakamoto, and a thought suddenly flashed through her mind.

Things we both like...

It seems that there is indeed such a thing.

For example... this young man in front of me.

Eh, that’s not right!

Ah Jian is a scoundrel!
Mikazuki Haruna angrily picked up a slice of meat and took a big bite as if she were Natsume Mio.

The spicy sauce exploded in her mouth, and she hissed and panted, but she enjoyed it immensely.

……

Next door, Natsume Mio was frowning deeply.

What common interests do you share?
I have a feeling that Ken had ulterior motives for saying that to Mikazuki Haruna...

Just then, the conversation from the other end came through again.

"Speaking of which, Haruna, you promised to help Mio get a voice actress audition, right?"

"Huh?" Mikazuki Haruna paused for a moment, then said with a hint of complaint, "She told you so quickly?"

“Of course.” Ken Sakamoto nodded. “She tells me everything.”

"Tch..." Mikazuki Haruna curled her lip in displeasure, "I knew she couldn't keep a secret."

"So?" Sakamoto Ken pressed, "What are your plans?"

"What else can we do?" Mikazuki Haruna poked at the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks. "Since you've agreed, I'll definitely talk to Hanabe and add her resume to the interview list."

Ken Sakamoto said, "Why don't we just decide on her internally? There's no need to go through all this trouble."

Upon hearing this, Natsume Mio's heart leaped into her throat.

Unofficial decision? !
Can I get the character directly?
Although she was confident in herself, it would certainly be better if she could be directly appointed by the company!

“No way,” Haruna Mikazuki said decisively. “That would be irresponsible to the work!”

She continued, "I really hope the Chainsaw Man anime becomes a huge hit. I can't let the voice actors hold it back, because then we'll have to compare it with other voice actors."

Ken Sakamoto nodded and said, "Okay, just don't do anything underhanded to eliminate her."

"Hmph...you really have a lot of confidence in her." Feeling Sakamoto Ken's direct gaze, Mikazuki Haruna shrugged and said, "I will definitely arrange an interview for her. Whether she passes or not is up to her."

"But let me make this clear first, if she doesn't perform well and gets eliminated by the judges, don't blame me," Mikazuki Haruna said.

“Of course.” Sakamoto Ken nodded with a smile. “As long as there is a fair chance, that’s enough. I have a lot of confidence in Mio.”

Natsume Mio, sitting next door, was looking down at the plate of twice-cooked pork in front of her.

So that's what Ah Jian was thinking.

It must be because of this that Ken came to eat with Haruna, right?
Ah Jian is doing this for my own good!

……

Ken Sakamoto ate very quickly, and Haruna Mikazuki, despite constantly complaining about how spicy it was, also ate quite a bit.

"That's enough, let's go back." Ken Sakamoto checked the time.

"Mmm." Mikazuki Haruna wiped her mouth with a tissue and applied some more lip balm. "It's so spicy, my mouth is almost numb."

Ken Sakamoto's gaze naturally fell on her lips.

Because of the intense stimulation from the chili oil, the girl's originally pink lips now had a bright red color, like a ripe strawberry, and looked fuller than usual.

As she applied the lip balm, a layer of glossy lipstick covered her lips, which shimmered alluringly under the store lights, appearing exceptionally plump and bouncy.

If you were to take a sip of this while it's still hot... tsk tsk.

Unfortunately, there were too many people in the store, and Kenjiro Sakamoto was not the type to do such a thing in public.

Sakamoto Ken looked away, got up to pay the bill, and the two walked out of the store together.

Natsume Mio stood up a few seconds after they left.

She hid behind the signboard at the entrance and peeked out.

I saw Ken Sakamoto and Haruna Mikazuki walking side by side toward the parking lot next door.

Then, their hands naturally came together.

Mio clenched her fists tightly.

So, Ah Jian, your motives aren't pure after all!
However, Natsume Mio was mentally prepared for this kind of thing.

Without realizing it, I seem to have accepted this fact...

Although she had mixed feelings, she immediately followed.

Ahead was a small parking lot. Natsume Mio watched them get into the car. The red Porsche started, turned around, and drove towards the school.

Natsume Mio stood by the roadside, watching the car drive away.

Natsume Mio suddenly felt a little lost.

I wonder what they're going to do later...

Only when she thought about how Sakamoto Ken had been thinking about her did Natsume Mio feel a little relieved.

Anyway, I'll be seeing Ken Sakamoto soon this afternoon; we'll be going to the recording studio to record a song then.

……

In the car.

Haruna Mikazuki was driving and in a very good mood.

The car drove into the campus and parked in the parking space downstairs in the art department building.

"arrive."

Mikazuki Haruna extinguished the fire and turned to look at Sakamoto Ken.

"There's still some time before afternoon classes. Why don't you go to your office and rest for a while?"

Ken Sakamoto turned to look at the girl beside him, a slight smile playing on his lips.

“Okay~” Mikazuki Haruna smiled and nodded in agreement.

The two got out of the car and went into the building.

As the head of the External Relations Department, Haruna Mikazuki has her own private office.

It's actually a small room partitioned off from the student union's large office.

Push open the office door.

Inside was a narrow desk, a few chairs, and a beige fabric sofa against the wall.

"sit down."

Mikazuki Haruna closed the door and locked it from the inside.

A soft "click" sounded.

Sakamoto Ken heard the sound of the lock clicking shut, raised an eyebrow, and looked at Haruna.

Mikazuki Haruna turned her head away somewhat guiltily, pretending to go pour water.

Ken Sakamoto looked around.

The room is right next to the hallway. It's lunch break now, and you can hear footsteps and conversations coming from the hallway every now and then. The room isn't very soundproof.

The feeling of being separated by just one door is actually more exciting.

Haruna Mikazuki sat down right next to Sakamoto Fitness.

The two were very close, their thighs almost touching.

Haruna Mikazuki is wearing black tights today; they are a thicker style because the weather is slightly cool.

At this moment, her legs were together, slightly turned inward, and she looked somewhat nervous.

"Hey, Jian..."

"Ok?"

“You…you want to come to my office…do you want to…” Mikazuki Haruna lowered her voice to avoid being overheard by those outside.

Looking at the girl's rosy lips, Ken Sakamoto said, "I just came here to rest. This sofa is quite soft."

He leaned back on the soft sofa and said, "Speaking of which, I had a strange dream when I visited your company last time. I still remember the details of the dream, but unfortunately it abruptly ended..."

When Sakamoto Ken brought up the dream from that day, Mikazuki Haruna was slightly startled, her eyes widening as she looked at him. She said, "You, you told me back then that... we, we dreamed the same thing, didn't we..."

Ken Sakamoto nodded and continued, "So, how about we try to continue from where we left off?"

"What...?" Haruna Mikazuki pouted and said, "It's not like we're playing a game. Do you think we can load saves? Why don't you just say we can play online..."

Ken Sakamoto leaned back and closed his eyes, saying, "I'm going to sleep."

"Eh?"

Mikazuki Haruna watched as Sakamoto Ken closed his eyes, lay down, and remained motionless.

She sat there for a while, then leaned back and lay down as well.

The girl leaned back on the sofa, turning her head to look at Ken Sakamoto.

Sakamoto Kenji really looked like he was about to go to sleep, which calmed her down.

Never mind his strange remarks.

Mikazuki Haruna stared at the ceiling, her mind racing with various thoughts.

Perhaps influenced by Ken Sakamoto, who was already asleep next to her, she gradually felt sleepy as well.

I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

(End of this chapter)