Master of the Machete Style Manga

Chapter 68 A Warm Embrace

Natsume Mio knelt on the tatami mat and neatly arranged the bento box, chopsticks, and a box of fruit and vegetable drinks.

Both were fried pork cutlet bento boxes, served with vegetables, a fried egg, and a triangular rice ball wrapped in seaweed.

Seeing that Sakamoto Ken hadn't moved, Natsume Mio turned her head, smiling and slightly squinting her eyes: "Ken? Come and eat."

Ken Sakamoto silently walked to the opposite side of Mio Natsume and sat down cross-legged.

He didn't pick up his chopsticks immediately, but instead stared at the girl in front of him.

"Did you make it yourself?" Ken Sakamoto asked.

"Hmm." Natsume Mio nodded and said, "I learned this from my mom. Why don't you try it? It should still be quite crispy."

She picked up her chopsticks and gently poked the fried pork cutlet in her lunchbox, making a "crunch crunch" sound.

Ken Sakamoto was somewhat surprised to see her so smug expression.

Last time, her cooking skills were only average; edible, but not particularly delicious.

Back then, the two often ate together, but most of the time they ate convenience store bento boxes.

Now she even goes out of her way to learn how to cook from her mother, and she's doing quite well.

The fried pork cutlet has a golden and crispy crust, and looks almost identical to those sold in stores.

It seems that the situation has indeed undergone some subtle changes.

Last week, right after graduation, we started dating.

By this point in time, the two have done everything, and have even started watching and learning videos together, trying out various positions.

Therefore, for Mikazuki Haruna, this time the progress has been accelerated.

But for Natsume Mio, it wasn't exactly a matter of speeding up the process.

"Actually, I've already bought lunch for today; it's in the refrigerator," Ken Sakamoto said.

"It's a convenience store bento, right?" Natsume Mio immediately chimed in. "And it's a half-price bento I bought last night. Ugh, those things are just edible, they're not really tasty."

Ken Sakamoto shrugged: "It's too much trouble for you to bring me a bento."

"How could that be troublesome?" Natsume Mio's smile grew even brighter. "I'll eat it myself anyway, it's just a matter of bringing an extra portion~ Besides, I can come to your house to eat, you can treat it like a restaurant~"

As she spoke, she picked up her lunchbox, took a piece of fried pork cutlet, and took a small bite.

"Crack!"

The golden, crispy outer shell shattered with a crisp sound.

The girl's red lips parted slightly as she chewed slowly, her eyes narrowing in satisfaction.

A few golden flakes clung to her moist lips, glistening slightly in the sunlight.

She seemed oblivious, simply enjoying her food. After chewing a few times and swallowing, she still lingered, sticking out her pink tongue to gently lick the corner of her mouth and roll the tiny crumbs into her mouth.

Ken Sakamoto didn't say anything more, since he had already brought the bento boxes anyway.

He picked up his lunchbox, said softly, "Then I'll start eating," and also picked up a piece of fried pork cutlet.

The outer shell was indeed crispy, and the pork inside was tender and juicy, much better than the soft and soggy pork from convenience stores that gets microwaved.

He then picked up a seaweed rice ball and took a bite.

The aroma of rice, mixed with just the right amount of saltiness, fills your mouth.

With a little chewing, the starch breaks down into maltose under the action of saliva, adding a touch of sweetness.

"How is it? Is it delicious?" Natsume Mio looked at him expectantly.

Ken Sakamoto nodded: "It's delicious, the rice balls are both salty and sweet."

"I made this myself~" Natsume Mio's tone carried a hint of pride.

After she finished speaking, she noticed that Ken Sakamoto's gaze was fixed on her face. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly waved her hands to explain, "Eh, no, it's not sweaty hands! The salty taste is from salt water."

She gestured and said, "Before making the rice balls, I prepare a large bowl of cold salt water. I dip my hands in the salt water first before making them. This can prevent burns and also give the rice balls a slightly salty taste."

"I always wash my hands thoroughly before cooking!"

Sakamoto Ken listened to her explanation, took another bite of the rice ball, and savored it carefully.

It definitely doesn't smell like sweaty hands; it just tastes like regular table salt.

He wasn't some kind of weirdo with any particular tastes. But then again, he had seen online that some strange themed restaurants in Tokyo have girls who knead rice balls in front of customers using their armpits, or even specify that they should be kneaded with their feet…

I don't appreciate Ken Sakamoto, but in Tokyo, it's not surprising to find all sorts of people.

Natsume Mio ate in small bites, chewing slowly. After swallowing, she quietly looked at Sakamoto Ken and said casually, "Ken, I've finished watching episode six."

Sakamoto Ken put down his chopsticks and looked at her: "How was it?"

"Hmm... I just feel that Denji-kun is different from what I imagined."

"Really? What's different?"

“Ken told me last time that Denji likes several girls, but… his favorite is actually Makima, right?” Natsume Mio asked.

Ken Sakamoto thought for a moment and nodded: "I guess so."

"I just always feel like Denji is obsessed with rubbing breasts," Natsume Mio said, pursing her lips. "It's like he'd do anything for rubbing breasts."

Upon hearing this, Ken Sakamoto's expression turned serious.

He put down the rice ball in his hand, stared at Natsume Mio, and asked, "Do you know what kind of life Denji lived before he met Makima?"

Natsume Mio paused for a moment, recalling the opening of the manga: "It must have been... very tough... to pay off debts, they even sold their own organs..."

“That’s right,” Ken Sakamoto said. “He has no home, no family, and can’t even afford a decent meal. When he’s starving, he’ll even eat toilet paper in a park restroom. In his world, there is only cold debt and endless loneliness. He has never experienced true warmth.”

He paused for a moment, then continued, "What do you think is the first warmth a baby feels when it comes into this world?"

Natsume Mio was taken aback by his question. After a moment of thought, she whispered, "Is it... a mother's embrace?"

“Yes, it’s a mother’s embrace.” Ken Sakamoto nodded and said, “That’s the first embrace of life, representing absolute safety and the most primal warmth.”

"Therefore, for Denji, the breasts symbolize the warm embrace he lacks most, and are definitely not just a matter of lust."

Natsume Mio stared at him blankly, blinked, and said uncertainly, "So... that's how it is?"

"So, every time Denji mentions rubbing his chest, he's actually... longing for a warm embrace?"

Ken Sakamoto nodded slightly: "That's his belief in living."

Natsume Mio suddenly realized.

She had never thought about it from this perspective before.

She simply felt that Kenjiro Sakamoto's constant focus on groping breasts in his illustrations was merely a way to cater to readers, a simple attempt to be erotic...

So that's how deep the reason was...

She suddenly realized that a work of art actually represents the author's beliefs, right?
Does that mean that Ah Jian... actually wants to rub it too...?

Oh no, no!
Ah Jian also longs for a warm embrace?
Yes, Ken is all alone, without family, living in such a dilapidated apartment, and also has a lot of debt, just like Denji.

Natsume Mio unconsciously lowered her head, her gaze falling on her chest.

The full curves covered half of the bento box on the table.

So it turns out... this thing isn't just simple fat and glands.

For A-Jian, it actually represents a sense of security and warmth.

I... my previous thoughts were so shallow...

The girl turned her head to look out the window of her apartment room. The sunlight was perfect, and a gentle breeze was blowing through the curtains.

She bit her lip lightly, pondered for a moment, her eyes darted around, and an idea popped into her head.

"what?"

She suddenly gasped, stood up abruptly, walked quickly to the window, pointed downstairs and said, "Jian! Look, what's that?"

Sakamoto Ken got up in confusion, walked to the window, and looked down in the direction she was pointing.

The area downstairs was completely empty.

There's nothing there... huh?

As he was wondering, a soft, warm substance suddenly pressed against his back.

A pair of slender arms wrapped around his back and hugged his chest tightly.

(End of this chapter)