Tokyo: After years of stagnation, the heiress of the yakuza arrives.

Inside the Kendesheng fast food restaurant.

Kuroba Shido held the 128th food pick-up card in his hand. The smile of relief that had just appeared on his face froze instantly, and he stood motionless as if someone had pressed the pause button on his whole body.

Not far away, Yoshiko Sawamura, sporting yellow tiger ears, rushed out of the restroom, waving excitedly towards the food pick-up area as she ran.

"They're here! Number 127 is ours!"

She ran to the counter and took the tray piled high with both hands. It contained two hamburgers, fried chicken, fries, popcorn chicken, onion rings, and a large glass of soda. The portions were so large that it didn't seem like enough for two people; it looked more like an old woman who hadn't eaten for three days was taking her daughter to participate in a fast food annihilation campaign.

Kuroba Shido gasped, quickly lowered his head, and turned his body slightly to the side, using the people waiting in front of him to block his view.

You can't see me.

You can't see me.

An unfamiliar fast food restaurant.

A handsome, unfamiliar young man.

An unfamiliar female senior.

It was all just a coincidence.

Yoshiko Sawamura didn't look this way at all; her attention was entirely focused on the plate, especially the box of freshly fried chicken on top, its golden-brown crispy skin still steaming and releasing a fragrant aroma of oil as it was moved.

"Slow down, don't drop it, dropping even a piece is disrespectful to the food..."

Yoshiko Sawamura muttered to herself as she carefully carried her tray to the spot she had reserved earlier.

She and Ritsuki Sawamura were seated by the window in the fast food restaurant, not far from the pick-up area. There were several tables and a large number of tourists queuing between them. As long as Shido Kuroba kept his head down, theoretically there wouldn't be any problems.

In theory.

One minute later, the door to the women's restroom opened again.

Ritsuki Sawamura came out, her long pink hair had been tidied up, she had taken off her sunglasses, and she was still wearing the pink cat ears that Yoshiko Sawamura had forcibly put on her head.

She had only taken two steps when she suddenly stopped.

Someone is watching her.

This feeling is very subtle. It's not like the gaze of a normal tourist lingering for a couple of seconds after seeing a pretty girl. Instead, it's a gaze that makes you feel guilty and immediately look away.

Riki Sawamura turned her head.

Kuroba Shido's pupils contracted, and he lowered his head at a speed that defied the structure of his cervical spine, staring at the food collection number in his hand as if it were not an ordinary piece of paper, but a mysterious prophecy recording the future destiny of mankind.

One hundred and twenty-eight.

That's a really good number.

It looks like it when viewed sideways.

It looks like it when it's upright too.

The number two in the middle is full of geometric beauty.

Ritsuki Sawamura scanned the crowd and spotted a tall boy with a cane standing with his head down next to the food pick-up area, next to the black-haired woman she had met at the panda enclosure.

It's them again?

That strange man with the crooked mouth and slanted eyes, how come he looks normal now?

wrong.

She didn't even see his face.

Just as Riki Sawamura was about to observe more closely, Yoshiko Sawamura's voice came from the direction of her seat.

"Hey pinky, hurry up, the fries are going to get soggy!"

Riki Sawamura's forehead veins throbbed.

"Stop yelling!"

All the tourists around turned to look.

Yoshiko Sawamura shrank back, hugged her fried chicken, and muttered softly, "Mom was just giving a reminder, did she have to be so fierce...?"

Ritsuki Sawamura withdrew her gaze and walked towards her seat.

As Kuroba Shido listened to the footsteps gradually receding, his tense shoulders finally began to relax.

survived.

He survived again.

Although I don't know how long I will live, every extra minute is a bonus.

"Number 128, your meal is ready!"

The staff member's voice rang out.

Kuroba Shido immediately stepped forward to get the food, moving so fast it was as if a second later would turn the hamburger in the counter into a time bomb. Onodera Zanne took another small plate containing warm water and Kuroba's food, and the two of them carried their food to find seats.

Then the problem arose.

There is no available space.

Looking around, the entire fast food restaurant was packed with people. The window seats were full, the central area was full, and even the seats near the garbage collection area, where you could occasionally smell leftover food, were occupied by people with bags.

Kuroba Shido carried the tray around once.

No.

Let's go around one more time.

still none.

When the Sawamura mother and daughter came in, there weren't this many people. In just a few minutes, a large number of visitors to the zoo seemed to have made a pact to flood in, leaving not a single empty chair.

After observing quietly for a moment, Onodera Zannen raised his hand and pointed to the area near the window.

"Shido-kun, there's a seat over there."

Kuroba Shido looked in the direction she was pointing.

A young couple finished eating and left with their empty plates, leaving a two-person table empty.

The location is excellent.

By the window.

The light is plentiful.

It's far from the trash can.

If it weren't for Riki Sawamura and Yoshiko Sawamura sitting at that table, he would have been even more tempted to transform into a hyena on the African savanna and tear apart the hamburger meal in front of him...

But the problem is, now... they're so close they're separated by only a narrow passageway.

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

He glanced down at his plate.

The hamburger is still hot.

The fries smell delicious.

The fried chicken is oozing oil.

But for some reason, these foods suddenly smelled like a last meal before someone's execution.

"no."

Kuroba Shido turned around: "Senior, I suddenly feel that eating while standing is better for digestion, and it can also train lower limb strength and promote the recovery of injured leg."

"Your legs need rest," Onodera Zannen blinked.

"You can sit on the ground too," Kuroba Shido said without batting an eye.

"Sitting on the ground is not allowed here." Onodera Zannen pointed to a sign inside the shop that read "No begging or street performances allowed."

"We can go outside, find a tree, feel nature, and embrace the earth."

It just started to drizzle outside.

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

May your mother be healthy, have everything go well, and be happy every day!

Hey!

Even God isn't on his side?

Um... okay, actually I've never been on his side, otherwise, I wouldn't have survived twice, both times starting as an orphan.

I don't know which damn bastard came up with this protagonist template. If you're going to write something, at least write it properly, damn it!

While Kuroba Shido's thoughts drifted away, his left and right brains frantically trying to come up with a reasonable argument to persuade the other party, Onodera Zanne had already taken his tray and walked towards the empty seat.

The movements were calm.

Without any hesitation.

Shido Kuroba reached out to stop her, but with a hamburger and a soda in his hands, he couldn't free up any extra arm and could only watch helplessly as his senior walked towards Sawamura and her daughter.

If you're feeling stressed, come and watch Kuroba Shido. Suddenly, life will become clear, and there's nothing in life that you can't overcome...

By the way, I believe in that sentence above for the first time in my life...

Onodera Zanne walked to the empty table, but instead of sitting down immediately, she looked at Sawamura and her daughter with a perfectly polite smile on her face.

"Sorry, there are no other seats available. May we sit here?"

Yoshiko Sawamura had just taken a big bite of a chicken leg, her cheeks bulging, when she heard this, she quickly swallowed the food and wiped her mouth with a tissue.

"Of course, there's no one here."

Ritsuki Sawamura put down her soda and nodded gently.

"Please go ahead."

The mother and daughter are always at each other's throats, one constantly yelling and the other frequently elbowing each other. Their interactions are like a family fighting tournament, but in front of outsiders, the Sawamura family does not lack the manners and upbringing expected of them.

Especially when facing Onodera Zannen.

Both Yoshiko Sawamura and Ritsuki Sawamura sensed a very familiar aura emanating from her.

It's not something that can be simply built up from expensive clothes, jewelry, or deliberately learned manners, but rather a composure that naturally settles down from childhood, honed by countless rules, occasions, and gazes, living in a certain environment from a young age.

This kind of thing can't be stored.

It's one thing to pretend occasionally, but to stand in a noisy, off-brand fast food restaurant with a tray in hand and still be impeccable is something that ordinary imitation can't achieve.

High-quality materials.

And there's a lot of material.

Onodera Zannen thanked her softly, then placed the plate on the empty table and turned to look at the food pick-up area.

"Shido-kun, you can come over now."

No one responded.

The tall boy who was standing there disappeared.

No one knows when he left.

Only the other meal that Onodera Zannen had bought remained, sitting alone on the temporary table next to the food pick-up area, next to a non-slip cover for her cane that she almost didn't have time to take with her.

Onodera Zannen: "..."

Yoshiko Sawamura followed her gaze.

Where is your friend?

"It might be an emergency."

Onodera Zanne's tone showed little surprise, as if she had known from the beginning that Kuroba Shido might disappear at any time. She took out her phone, and a new message popped up on the screen.

[Senior, my stomach suddenly feels a little upset, I need to go to the restroom first. You eat first, don't wait for me.]

The second point follows immediately.

[The situation might be a bit serious; I won't be back for a while. If necessary, I'm willing to die in the toilet to contribute my last bit to the zoo's environmental protection efforts.]

A third message appeared soon after.

[If all else fails, being the eighth child is also acceptable.]

Onodera Zannen: "..."

Yoshiko Sawamura curiously peeked out, but didn't look at the phone. She only noticed a very subtle change in the expression of the black-haired girl in front of her.

"Is it serious?"

"It shouldn't be serious."

Onodera Zannen put away his phone: "He's better at handling these kinds of unexpected situations."

At this moment.

Outside a fast food restaurant.

With a tray in one hand and a cane in the other, and a large black dog in his coat pocket, Kuroba Shido limped and hopped dozens of meters away.

Da da da da—

He didn't even go to the toilet.

The toilets are too close together, it's unsafe.

First, leave the fast food restaurant, then go around to the other side and enter the restroom in another building. Finally, lock the stall to block out sound and odors. If necessary, you can also escape through the ventilation window.

This is called a strategic toilet.

Ordinary people go in to relieve themselves.

Kuroba Shido went in to solve his life's problems.

"Senior, I'm sorry, but it's better to sacrifice a friend than myself. You're so good at fighting, those two strange women definitely can't do anything to you."

Big Black poked its head out of the pocket and looked at the plate that Black Feather Shido was holding.

"squeak?"

"Don't worry, the boss won't let you go hungry. Once we find a safe zone, we'll split the loot between you and the rat."

Big Black shrunk back into its pocket.

Problem solved.

The most important thing when you're working for the boss is not to ask too many questions. We've already overcome the toughest times, so why be picky now that we have food to eat?

I think you've forgotten your roots!

There is an unwritten rule in the Kuroba family: going hungry for three days and nine meals is just the basics and the beginning. The flower language of poverty is the plate that Kuroba Shido's family licks cleaner than his face.

……

Kendeshuang Fast Food Restaurant.

Onodera Zannen sat down in the empty seat and placed Kuroba Shido's untouched plate next to her, reserving the seat for him.

Yoshiko Sawamura took a bite of the chicken leg and couldn't help but look at Reine Onodera.

It looks even more beautiful up close.

It's not just pretty.

There's another kind of comfortable feeling that's hard to describe. Even though we've only just met, it doesn't make you feel distant, nor does it make you wary of excessive enthusiasm.

"Are you here to visit the zoo too?"

"Yeah, let's go out for a walk this weekend."

Onodera Zanne glanced at the yellow tiger ears on Sawamura Yoshiko's head, then looked at Sawamura Riyue's pink cat ears.

"Your headdresses are adorable."

Yoshiko Sawamura's eyes lit up instantly, and she reached out to touch her tiger ears.

"Really?"

"It suits you very well," Onodera Reine said with a gentle smile.

"I think so too!" Yoshiko Sawamura exclaimed excitedly; she had never met anyone with such discerning eyes!

Ritsuki Sawamura: "..."

The old lady had just said this headband was childish and refused to wear it no matter what, but when she heard that there was a discount for taking photos, she put it on faster than anyone else.

Onodera Zannen naturally started the conversation from headdresses to zoo activities, and then from the activities to the animals she had seen that day. Sawamura Yoshiko initially just gave a casual response, but soon took the initiative to talk about the panda's turnaround, the tanuki medal, and her own tragic experience of almost being squeezed into the enclosure.

"That panda was so cute. It was sitting there eating bamboo, its belly was round and bulging. It even got stuck a little when it rolled over."

Ritsuki Sawamura took a sip of her soda: "About the same as you."

Yoshiko Sawamura's smile froze.

"Where does Mom look like a panda?"

"abdomen."

Yoshiko Sawamura lowered her head, inhaled, and pulled in her stomach: "It doesn't look like that anymore."

Ritsuki Sawamura: "Even pandas tuck in their bellies."

Yoshiko Sawamura: "..."

Damn it, that naturally evil little pink-haired guy, no, that little golden retriever, that evil little pink-haired guy later on!

Yoshiko Sawamura nudged Ritsu Sawamura with her elbow under the table. Ritsu Sawamura, who was prepared, blocked it with her hand. On the surface, the two maintained a polite sitting posture, but a silent mother-daughter battle had begun under the table.

Ora Ora Ora!!!

Wood big wood big wood big! ! !

Onodera Zannen sat opposite, seemingly oblivious to everything, and even considerately moved the can of soda that was almost knocked over a little to the side.

"You two have a very good relationship."

"certainly."

While frantically pulling her hand away from under the table, Yoshiko Sawamura maintained her gentle motherly smile: "My daughter and I have been very close since we were little."

Ritsuki Sawamura's fingers tightened.

Yoshiko Sawamura's smile gradually became distorted.

"Intimate...very intimate..."

Onodera Zannen smiled gently, without exposing him.

It's never been difficult for her to find someone to talk to.

Yoshiko Sawamura enjoys lively conversations, and conversations about food, travel, and her daughter can quickly build rapport. Ritsuki Sawamura may seem impatient, but as long as you don't offend her, she won't refuse to communicate without a reason.

Onodera Zannen did not directly ask about his identity.

They didn't ask where I came from.

They didn't even ask why he was in Tokyo.

Following Sawamura Yoshiko's complaints, the conversation turned to taking her daughter out for a walk, and naturally veered towards the lives and relationships of young people.

"It's true that people at this age are prone to feeling down because of certain things."

Onodera Zanne picked up a glass of warm water and said calmly, "Studies, friends, or people you like can all bring pressure."

Ritsuki Sawamura paused for a moment while holding the fries.

It's very mild.

But it did not escape the eyes of Onodera Zanne.

Yoshiko Sawamura was still gnawing on a chicken leg, completely unaware that the topic had already moved precisely to its target location along an unseen route.

"She's just bored, always glued to her phone, sometimes happy, sometimes crying. Yesterday she almost shook her dear mother to death."

"Shut up, you old hag."

Ritsuki Sawamura looked over coldly.

Yoshiko Sawamura shrank back and continued gnawing on her chicken leg.

Onodera Zannen asked casually, "Have you met someone you like?"

Riki Sawamura froze.

"no."

The response was too fast.

It was so fast, it was as if it had been prepared all along.

Onodera Zanne nodded gently, not pressing for details: "That's good. If you don't handle matters of the heart well, they can indeed be troublesome."

"I said there is no such thing."

Riyue Sawamura's ears started to turn red. She lowered her head, picked up her soda, and tried to stuff the straw into her mouth.

Yoshiko Sawamura blinked, her mouth still stuffed with half a chicken leg, and mumbled, "No? Of course not, little pink-haired girl likes that dead lolicon."

Ritsuki Sawamura: "???"

At a speed visible to the naked eye, Ritsuki Sawamura's red temperature rose!

We have entered a mode called the Great Anger Form!