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

Inside the private room.

"Uncle, uncle, are you having a poor appetite? Why aren't you eating?"

Shimotsuki Airi sat beside him, her little hands holding freshly grilled chicken skewers. She deliberately strolled slowly past Kuroba Shido, the chicken still sizzling with sauce, the aroma of charcoal filling her nostrils.

Go left.

Kuroba Shido's eyes followed to the left.

Go to the right.

Kuroba Shido's eyes followed to the right again.

Shimotsuki Airi's lips curled up little by little, as if she had finally discovered something fun, and she swung the skewer in her hand from left to right again: "Uncle, are you really not going to eat any?"

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

Damn it, that wicked brat!

You'd better pray that Uncle Kuroba leaves here alive today.

If you manage to walk out of this door, you'll see what it means for adults to cruelly punish elementary school students. They'll confiscate your snacks, puddings, and bird cookies, and then tie you to a telephone pole for a moral education session about respecting the elderly and caring for the young!

Kuroba Shido had mentally cursed Shimotsuki Airi eight hundred times over, but outwardly he kept his head down, one hand holding a water glass, his mouth crooked and eyes slanted, his shoulders slightly hunched, trying his best to disguise himself as an ordinary Tokyo high school boy who had just suffered a stroke, had a poor appetite, a sore throat, and also suffered from severe social anxiety.

Unable to speak.

You can't look up.

You absolutely cannot open your mouth to eat.

The current state of a crooked mouth and drooping eyes is only somewhat abstract when the face is still, but once the mouth is opened to chew, the entire face quickly evolves from that of a stroke patient into a cement mixer with a malfunctioning drive shaft.

Especially since Riki Sawamura was sitting right across from her.

hateful.

If he had known that getting a free yakitori meal would involve risking his real identity, he should have consulted a fortune teller before entering, or sent Big Black in to scout ahead, or at the very least, asked a waiter to use a security camera to check if there were any pink-haired girls or old ladies in the private room.

it's good now.

The meat was right in front of me.

I dare not eat it.

The soda is right in my hand.

I dare not drink it.

For the first time, Shido Kuroba realized that getting something for free could come at such a heavy price.

Seeing that he didn't react for a while, Shimotsuki Airi deliberately pushed the skewer forward a little, almost touching Kuroba Shido's nose: "Uncle?"

Kuroba Shido's eyelids twitched violently.

endure.

A small leak will sink a great ship.

He's an adult; he won't stoop to the level of a worthless brat.

Kuroba Shido slowly raised his hand, pushed the skewers aside, then pointed to his throat and waved his hand, making his meaning very clear.

My throat is sore.

It's inconvenient for me to speak.

Shimotsuki Airi blinked: "But Uncle just said a lot more."

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

Is this good-for-nothing brat going to die today?

"He probably choked on something while eating."

Kaoru Amamiya sat on the other side, helping Shido Kuroba out of the predicament. She glanced at him as she spoke, her gaze lingering for two seconds on his face, which was almost distorted beyond human limits, and her expression was somewhat subtle.

I don't know why.

Ever since that kid entered the private room, he's been acting really strange.

First, he lurked around the door, trying to run away by hugging the wall. After sitting down, he deliberately chose a spot that was furthest from Sawamura and her daughter and closest to the door. He kept his head down and didn't say a word. He didn't even eat the free skewers that usually made his eyes light up whenever he saw them.

If this guy hadn't been fighting with Shimotsuki Airi for chicken meatballs next door before he came in, Amamiya Kaoru would have really wondered if Kuroba Shido had suddenly fallen ill.

"Yes, I choked."

Kuroba Shido climbed down the steps, deliberately lowering his voice and using his nasal passages to distort his originally clear and pleasant boyish voice into a low, bubbly voice as if he had just been rescued from a severe cold: "Cough cough... Don't worry about me, you guys eat."

Ritsuki Sawamura stopped using the clip in her hand.

On the grill, a skewer of chicken thighs sizzled and dripped oil over the charcoal fire, the edges already slightly charred. But she didn't flip it over immediately. Instead, she raised her eyes and glanced at Kuroba Shido.

The voice doesn't quite match.

But for some reason, for a moment just now, she suddenly felt a very strange sense of familiarity.

It's not like any particular person.

It wasn't that I remembered any specific sound.

It was more like my body reacted before my brain did after hearing a sentence; my chest inexplicably skipped a beat, and my fingers stopped moving.

Ritsuki Sawamura frowned.

strangeness.

This guy named Shido has been acting strangely ever since he sat down.

His mouth is crooked and his eyes are slanted.

Head down.

Not eating.

Occasionally, when he glances up, he looks first at the doorway, then at the window, and finally quickly sweeps his eyes across the table, as if he's ready to run away from here at any moment with his cane.

Moreover, it seems like he's been avoiding me all along.

Ritsuki Sawamura flipped the almost burnt chicken leg over, her movements still serious, but her eyes kept glancing over there again.

Shido Kuroba sat upright.

His head drooped even lower.

Their sitting posture has also become more proper.

Ritsuki Sawamura: "..."

He was indeed avoiding her.

Why?

Today should be the first time the two have met. At most, they have passed each other a few times at the zoo. She has never taken the initiative to cause trouble for the other party, nor has she said anything strange.

Could it be because the old lady took photos of him secretly, and he mistook her and her daughter for suspicious people?

possible.

After all, the way an older woman held her phone and almost shoved the flash into someone's nostril did resemble that of a somewhat unprofessional street criminal.

Thinking of this, Riki Sawamura's gaze shifted and landed on the door of the private room.

The old lady has been gone for a long time.

I said I was going to the restroom, but I haven't come back yet. Could it be that I choked on some sushi and got lost because of oxygen deprivation?

Just as she was about to pick up her phone to ask, Amamiya Kaoru suddenly reached out and used tongs to take the skewer of cooked chicken leg meat off the grill and put it into the empty plate in front of Kuroba Shido.

If you choke, eat slowly.

Kuroba Shido looked at the chicken skewers on the plate.

She glanced at Amamiya Kaoru again.

Old ox and horse.

What a kind person!

Knowing that the students are now being targeted by the evil pink-haired man and have entered a state of extreme survival where they dare not eat, drink, or breathe, they are still willing to risk being dragged into this mess to bring them a skewer of warm chicken.

A hint of emotion appeared in Shido Kuroba's eyes.

Amamiya Kaoru understood his look, and her lips twitched slightly: "Stop being disgusting, I just saw it was about to burn."

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

The feeling of being moved has vanished.

Amamiya Kaoru put the tongs back next to the grill. The surface remained unchanged, but for some reason, she remembered what Sawamura Yoshiko had said before she left.

"Amamiya-neechan, what exactly is your relationship with Shido-kun?"

What was her answer at the time?

Teachers and students.

What other relationship could it be?

One is a young school doctor who works hard in the infirmary, without a break all year round, and is always on call; the other is a problem student who pretends to be sick all day, leeches off the sofa, steals blankets, sneaks drinks, and often stuffs mice into his schoolbag to take to school.

The relationship is clear.

The positioning is clear.

There is nothing to doubt.

After hearing this, Yoshiko Sawamura simply gave her a look that said, "I understand, I understand everything," patted her on the shoulder, and said in a drawn-out voice, "It's just a teacher and student—"

That "ah" was drawn out for a very long time.

Even now, when Amamiya Kaoru thinks about it, she still wants to snatch the other person back from her great-grandmother and then personally send them back once more.

What does "just" mean?

That's exactly right!

Amamiya Kaoru picked up her soda and took a sip, but her gaze involuntarily fell back on Kuroba Shido.

Kuroba Shido was still staring at the chicken skewers.

want to eat.

But they didn't dare to open their mouths.

The whole thing looks like a wild cat crouching in front of food, only to find a trap set next to it.

Amamiya Kaoru was silent for two seconds, then suddenly felt that Sawamura Yoshiko's teasing just now made even less sense.

Who would have any inappropriate relationship with this kid?

childish.

He has a sharp tongue.

poverty.

shameless.

They even treat other people's homes as temporary refreshment points, going straight to the sofa upon entering, lying down, and then ordering the host to pour water, get blankets, and find food, showing absolutely no awareness of being a guest.

but……

He doesn't seem to be considered an ordinary student.

Ordinary students don't sleep at her house.

They won't leave Big Black's wife and Little Black there.

She wouldn't know which shelf in the refrigerator to put soda, nor would she know which position on the edge of the sofa to cover herself with the small blanket for the most comfortable feeling. And when being chased by a rich girl, a teacher, or simply not wanting to go back to the dilapidated house, her first instinct would be to run to her.

Kaoru Amamiya paused slightly in the hand holding the soda.

Beside her, Shimotsuki Airi glanced at Amamiya Kaoru, then at Kuroba Shido, and finally looked down at the chicken wings on the plate, a thoughtful expression appearing on her small face.

Xiaoyu was definitely acting strangely.

I've been peeking at that stinky old man several times since just now.

Kuroba Shido is also acting strangely.

The skewers were placed right in front of me, yet I didn't grab them immediately.

Did the two of them have a fight?

Shimotsuki Airi thought for a moment, then reached out her small hand and quietly pulled the chicken skewer in front of Kuroba Shido a little closer to herself.

One centimeter.

Two centimeters.

Three centimeters.

Snapped.

Kuroba Shido held the plate with one hand.

Shimotsuki Airi looked up.

Kuroba Shido also raised his eyelids slightly, staring at her with an extremely dangerous look.

Shimotsuki Airi: "Didn't you say you didn't eat, Uncle?"

"Even if you don't eat it, I can't give it to you."

Kuroba Shido practically spat out those words through clenched teeth, his voice low and strange: "This is a principle."

Airi Shimotsuki: "..."

Can't understand.

But one thing is certain: the uncle is still the same stingy uncle, and he's probably not sick.

Ritsuki Sawamura looked over again.

Shido Kuroba immediately released his grip, lowered his head, and shut his mouth, the whole sequence of movements as smooth as if he had rehearsed it eight hundred times in advance.

Ritsuki Sawamura: "..."

That's even stranger.

The dinner party in the private room continued in this bizarre way.

While Shimotsuki Airi was grilling chicken wings, she would also reach out to steal things from Kuroba Shido's plate. Kuroba Shido had to prevent the money-losing brat from attacking him, and he also had to maintain a low profile by keeping his mouth crooked, eyes slanted, talking little, and not looking up. Occasionally, he couldn't resist anymore and would quickly stuff a piece of chicken into his mouth while Sawamura Ritsu was looking down at grilling skewers.

Then don't chew.

Hold it in your mouth first.

Once Ritsuki Sawamura looked away, she quickly chewed again.

The entire process was rigorous and professional, showcasing the wisdom of a young man from the lower rungs of Tokyo facing the crisis of his exposed identity.

After watching for a while, Amamiya Kaoru finally couldn't help but lower her voice and ask, "Kid, are you a hamster?"

With half a piece of chicken hidden in his mouth, Shido Kuroba couldn't speak, and could only give him a look that said, "You don't understand how I'm trying to survive."

Amamiya Kaoru: "..."

Ritsuki Sawamura, on the other hand, quietly continued grilling skewers.

Chicken thigh meat.

Chicken wings.

Chicken cartilage.

She carefully flipped each dish, checked the heat, brushed on the sauce, and then divided them into several plates on the table. Her movements were perfectly normal, but every now and then, her gaze would lift from the edge of the grill and quietly fall on Kuroba Shido.

once.

twice.

three times.

The more I see, the deeper my doubts become.

I didn't ask any further questions.

She simply picked up another skewer of chicken cartilage and placed it on the grill.

Just as the air in the private room was becoming increasingly strange, the wooden door was finally pulled open from the outside.

Yoshiko Sawamura is back.

The yellow tiger ears were still on his head, though one of them was noticeably crooked, a few strands of hair were messy, and there was a small amount of vinegar rice left on his forehead, but his expression was unusually calm.

It was as calm as if nothing had happened.

If you ignore the fact that she was muttering dangerous words like "bluefin tuna," "flying dragon on the face," and "revenge" as she walked in, she really did seem like she had just gone to the restroom.

Ritsuki Sawamura looked up: "Auntie, why did you take so long?"

"A personal grudge was settled."

Yoshiko Sawamura sat back down, picked up her chopsticks, and said with a deep look in her eyes, "Little pink-haired girl, Mommy has just figured out a principle."

"What?"

"There's no use in running away from fear."

Ritsuki Sawamura noticed the speck of vinegared rice on her forehead, paused for two seconds, and then asked, "You ate sushi again?"

"no."

What's that on your forehead?

"A medal of honor in life."

Ritsuki Sawamura: "..."

She no longer wanted to ask what the old woman had gone through after she left.

Yoshiko Sawamura didn't explain further. She picked up a skewer of freshly grilled chicken skin, took a big bite, chewed and chewed, and then grabbed two skewers of chicken thigh meat, a skewer of chicken hearts, and half a plate of salted kelp cabbage. She ate so fast that it was as if she was preparing to convert all the damage she had just suffered into calories.

Kuroba Shido glanced at him discreetly.

Good guy.

This old lady went out for a while, and it's like she came back from a revival round. Her fighting power has increased instead of decreased.

Yoshiko Sawamura noticed the gaze and immediately looked up.

Kuroba Shido lowered his head.

late.

Yoshiko Sawamura has already seen it.

She stared at Shido, who had a meek and obedient look, a crooked mouth and slanted eyes, and looked like a pretty boy no matter how she looked at him. Her conversation with Onodera Zannen just now resurfaced in her mind.

Kindness.

gentle.

Has a sense of responsibility.

I won't lie.

She's just shy.

The more Yoshiko Sawamura recalled, the darker her face became.

What's with the shyness?

This guy is clearly guilty!

During the day, I accompanied my gentle senior to the zoo, and at night I stayed with my beautiful female teacher. Now that my great mother has found out, I'm sitting here without even daring to lift my head. What else could it be but a guilty conscience?

Onodera is just too kind.

Amamiya's sister is too honest.

These two women, one kept in the dark and the other being slowly boiled like a frog in water, were completely oblivious to the seriousness of the situation.

no way.

In the end, it was still our great mother who upheld justice.

Yoshiko Sawamura's eyes hardened as she took a big bite out of a piece of chicken skin.

Chew, chew, chew.

Before upholding justice, one must first be well-fed.

Kuroba Shido felt a chill run down his spine from her gaze.

For some reason, the old woman was just acting strangely before she went out, but after she came back, it was as if she suddenly had a blood feud with him. With each chew, her eyes became more ferocious, as if she was rehearsing how to skewer him on a bamboo skewer, brush him with sauce, flip him over, sprinkle him with salt, and then put him in the oven.

Danger.

very dangerous.

Kuroba Shido silently moved the chair two centimeters closer to the door.

Yoshiko Sawamura watched this unfold and sneered.

Still trying to run?

He really is a scumbag.

The dinner party lasted a long time in this atmosphere where everyone had their own thoughts.

Yoshiko Sawamura then ordered two more rounds of grilled skewers, a chicken rice bowl, three desserts, and a large bottle of soda. Kaoru Amamiya tried to stop her several times, reminding her that she had almost choked on sushi and that it was best not to eat too much at once. However, Yoshiko Sawamura successfully convinced herself by saying that she had just come from her great-grandmother's house and needed to replenish her life energy.

As for whether others believe it or not...

unimportant.

As long as my great mother believes it, that's fine.

By the time the last round of skewers was finished, the plates on the table were piled up like a small mountain, and the charcoal fire in the grill gradually dimmed, indicating that it was already late at night.

Kuroba Shido stood up almost immediately, gripping his cane, just as the waiter said "Thank you for coming."

it is finally over.

If he keeps eating, even if he isn't recognized by the evil little pink-haired girl, he'll be roasted by that yellow-eared tiger-woman's gaze first.

Amamiya Kaoru picked up her coat, Shimotsuki Airi slung her small bag over her shoulder, and Sawamura Ritsu also put away her phone and zoo souvenirs on the table. The group left the private room together.

As she reached the store entrance, Yoshiko Sawamura suddenly stopped.

"Amamiya-neechan, you should go back now."

She affectionately took Amamiya Kaoru's hand, and waved her other hand, saying, "It's too late today, children need to go to bed early. Shido's leg isn't very strong either, and I have some things to take care of. I'll contact you when I get back."

When Kuroba Shido heard the words "Shido-kun," his back stiffened again.

Amamiya Kaoru didn't notice, and just looked at Sawamura Yoshiko: "Are you really okay? You choked so badly just now. If you have chest pain, difficulty breathing, or a persistent cough when you get back, go to the hospital immediately."

"Don't worry, my sister's better now than she could kill a fish!"

Amamiya Kaoru: "???"

What kind of fish?

Yoshiko Sawamura didn't explain. She waved with a bright smile, and as the three of them walked out of the store and their figures gradually disappeared around the corner of the street, her smile vanished instantly. She turned around and grabbed Ritsuki Sawamura's wrist.

"Walk!"

Ritsuki Sawamura was pulled forward and stumbled a step: "Where are we going?"

"revenge!"

"Who should I look for?"

"Sushi!"

Ritsuki Sawamura: "..."

She suddenly had a very bad feeling.

A few minutes later.

The kitchen of a yakitori restaurant.

The manager, head chef, two waiters, and Ritsuki Sawamura stood in a row, looking at Yoshiko Sawamura with very complicated expressions.

In the low-temperature area of ​​the kitchen, which is dedicated to processing high-end ingredients, a huge bluefin tuna that has already undergone preliminary processing is placed on a stainless steel worktable. The fish has a cold sheen, and a small part of it has been cut off near the belly. This is the high-end ingredient that the restaurant has been using to make sashimi and nigiri sushi for the past two days.

Even with a piece missing, the fish is still ridiculously large.

Yoshiko Sawamura stood in front of the fish head.

He looked at her with fish eyes.

She was also looking at the fish's eyes.

The two, a human and a fish, stared at each other from a distance, as if an invisible current was colliding within the air.

"Is this it?"

Yoshiko Sawamura slowly narrowed her eyes: "The sushi that was riding on the head of the Great Mother just now, was it cut from her?"

The chef paused for two seconds: "Judging from the part of the body, it should be the belly."

"very good."

Yoshiko Sawamura patted the fish's head and sneered, "Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor. The sushi has already been eaten by the waiter. If Mom can't find the culprit, then she can only look for its immediate family."

Ritsuki Sawamura: "..."

Fish is an ingredient.

Sushi is also an ingredient.

Moreover, to avoid waste, the waiter threw away the piece of sushi that had been taken from the old lady's head, and nobody ate it.

In that short sentence, not a single part is correct.

The manager cautiously began, "Ms. Sawamura, do you mean... you'd like to purchase another serving of bluefin tuna belly?"

"No."

Yoshiko Sawamura raised her hand, pointing to the whole fish with an air of authority: "Mom wants the whole fish!"

The kitchen was quiet.

Chef: "All of them?"

"all."

The manager glanced at the bluefin tuna on the counter, then looked at Yoshiko Sawamura, trying to confirm whether the customer had been deprived of oxygen for too long, causing a certain area of ​​her brain responsible for rational consumption to not have fully recovered.

"This fish still has a lot of remaining weight, and it's a premium bluefin tuna that was pre-ordered by the restaurant. As for the price..."

Yoshiko Sawamura immediately took out her bank card.

"brush."

manager:"……"

rich.

That's fine.

Ritsuki Sawamura frowned: "Auntie, why did you buy such a big fish? The hotel can't fit it, and we can't finish it."

"Who said Mom wanted to eat?"

Yoshiko Sawamura walked around the bluefin tuna, becoming more and more satisfied with it. Finally, she stopped at the side of the fish, raised her fist, and gestured: "The length is just right, the weight is just right, and the shape is just right. I'll take it back and hang it up; it'll be perfect as a punching bag."

Ritsuki Sawamura: "???"

manager:"???"

Head Chef: "???"

Everyone in the kitchen fell silent at the same time.

Using a premium bluefin tuna as a punching bag?

This is no longer the world of the rich; they don't understand it.

This is the guest's world, where fish might have committed a serious crime deserving of a boxing bout.

Yoshiko Sawamura was clearly caught up in her revenge plan, getting more and more excited as she spoke: "First, send it to the hotel and freeze it. Once Mom has prepared the venue, hang it in the middle of the living room and beat it twice a day, morning and evening, with left hooks, right hooks, elbow strikes, and knee strikes, so it knows what happens when a dragon rides on its face!"

Ritsuki Sawamura said expressionlessly, "It's already dead."

Even if someone dies, they must still bear the responsibilities of their family.

"That piece of sushi has no relation to it."

"They were all cut from the same fish, why aren't there any?"

"So you're planning to catch the rest of the same fish?"

Yoshiko Sawamura stopped moving.

and many more.

That seems to make sense.

That piece of sushi was cut from this fish, so strictly speaking, it wasn't the murderer's family member.

This is most of the killer's main body.

Yoshiko Sawamura's eyes lit up even more: "That's even better, the main culprit has been caught!"

Ritsuki Sawamura: "..."

Hopeless.

Today, the old lady didn't just almost choke to death on sushi; she actually lost a part of her brain because of it.

The manager was confirming the payment method and shipping address, while the head chef stood by the worktable, his expression growing increasingly pained.

Such a fine bluefin tuna.

Rich in oils.

The meat is delicate in texture.

It can be made into daibu (pork belly), chubu (medium belly), and nami (naked body), and can be used as sashimi, nigiri sushi, and tekkamaki. It can also be lightly seared depending on the part of the body.

And now...

He'll be hung up and beaten.

For the first time, the chef felt that ingredients might also have a destiny, and the destiny of this fish was particularly abstract.

After swiping her card, Yoshiko Sawamura still felt it wasn't enough. She circled the counter twice, then suddenly clapped her hands: "Still a little short."

Ritsuki Sawamura's eyelids twitched: "What's missing now?"

"It only has fish, it doesn't look like sushi at all."

"so?"

"On the way back, buy a few more bags of rice, pile them at the bottom to make a vinegared rice base, wrap it in a white cloth, and fix the fish on top. That'll make a super bluefin tuna sushi doll!"

Yoshiko Sawamura stood with her hands on her hips, her yellow tiger ears perking up: "Mom practices punching it every day. She'll only be done with her revenge when she's tired of it!"

Ritsuki Sawamura: "..."

doll.

Rice.

Real fish.

Practicing boxing.

How exactly did these words come together in this middle-aged woman's head?

"Rice can spoil, and so can fish."

"Then put it in the freezer."

"The hotel's freezer can't hold it."

"Mom will pay extra to have them temporarily vacate one."

"Are you planning to do it in the freezer?"

"You can wear a down jacket."

Ritsuki Sawamura: "..."

She stopped talking.

Because for every normal question raised, the old woman could come up with an even more abnormal, yet physically feasible, solution.

This is not communication.

This is to perfect the crime plan for the old lady.

Ritsuki Sawamura turned and walked out: "Whatever."

Yoshiko Sawamura immediately followed, "Little pink-haired girl, wait a minute, come with Mommy to buy rice!"

"I'm not going."

"This is a joint revenge operation by mother and daughter!"

"You're the one who got sushi piled on your face."

"Mom has been assassinated three times by sushi today. As her biological daughter, shouldn't you stand by her side?"

"The first two times you ate too fast, and the third time you bumped into the waiter yourself."

"The process isn't important; the fact remains that the sushi caused harm to Mom!"

"You choked the first time, and you choked the second time too. The last piece just landed on your head."

"It rode on Mom's face!"

Yoshiko Sawamura became increasingly indignant as she spoke, as if she hadn't just been hit by sushi, but rather suffered a series of organized and premeditated attacks by the Bluefin Tuna Gang on the streets of Tokyo.

Ritsuki Sawamura looked at her.

Yoshiko Sawamura spoke with righteous indignation.

Two seconds later, she suddenly turned to the manager and asked, "When will the fish be delivered?"

The manager was very cooperative: "It will take about half an hour to handle the transportation and low-temperature storage."

"Then it's settled!"

Yoshiko Sawamura grabbed Ritsuki Sawamura's arm and dragged her outside: "Hurry up, little pink-haired girl, let's go buy rice! Your great mother is going to show Ritsuki what true revenge is tonight, from dinner to midnight snack!"

"Auntie, let go."

"I won't let go."

"I won't go fishing with you."

"You can be in charge of cheering from the sidelines."

"..."

The voices of the mother and daughter gradually faded into the distance.

The kitchen was quiet again.

The manager looked at the huge payment that had been completed, then at the bluefin tuna on the control panel, and finally slowly turned his head away.

The chef was looking at the fish with the eyes of someone saying goodbye to an old friend.

"Head chef?"

"fine."

The chef took a deep breath and reached out to touch the cold fish: "Farewell."

manager:"……"

……

the other side.

Shido Kuroba, Kaoru Amamiya, and Airi Shimotsuki have already left the yakitori shop some distance away.

The night wind was a bit cooler than in the evening, and the shops on both sides of the street closed one after another, leaving only convenience stores, izakayas and vending machines with their lights on. Kuroba Shido walked on the outer side with his cane, and after confirming that no pink-haired or yellow tiger-eared people were chasing after him, he finally relaxed visibly.

survived.

Today was another day of successfully escaping from the high-end Tokyo instance.

Although I don't know why that old lady kept staring at him like he was a scumbag, or whether the evil little pink-haired girl eventually became suspicious, at least the most dangerous step of confirming his identity didn't happen.

As long as they aren't recognized on the spot, there's still room for maneuver.

At worst, you can continue to play dead during the next voice call. If all else fails, you can say that you recently went abroad and your face was cursed by a mysterious local wizard, so you can't video chat or meet people for the time being.

reasonable.

Very reasonable.

Amamiya Kaoru walked beside her, carrying a half-eaten takeout box. After a moment of silence, she suddenly asked, "Are you going back tonight?"

Kuroba Shido paused in his tracks: "Back where?"

"There I am."

After finishing her sentence, Amamiya Kaoru seemed to realize that something was off, so she added, "Big Black's wife and Little Black are still at home, and you didn't take some of your things with you."

Kuroba Shido thought for a moment and shook his head: "I'm not going today, and I probably won't be staying here anymore either."

Amamiya Kaoru did not stop walking.

The fingers holding the takeout box tightened slightly.

"oh."

The voice was very faint.

It was as bland as the last time I heard about that apartment.

Shimotsuki Airi looked up at Amamiya Kaoru.

Kuroba Shido didn't notice and continued, "The club welfare rental house for the department head has been officially approved. The access control and facial recognition have been recorded. It's available for immediate move-in. It's 87 square meters, with two bedrooms and a living room, an open kitchen, a separate bathroom, wet and dry separation, air conditioning, and underfloor heating. They can even set aside a separate activity area for the Kuroba family."

"stop."

Amamiya Kaoru said expressionlessly, "No need for such a detailed explanation."

"Teacher, this isn't an introduction; it's to help you recognize the sinister nature of capitalist money tactics."

Kuroba Shido's face was serious as he tapped his cane on the ground: "They talk about ordinary club benefits, just to ensure club members' stable participation in activities. In reality, housing, security, furniture, and appliances are all prepared, even the smart locks have been pre-registered with permissions. What do you call that?"

Airi Shimotsuki asked cooperatively, "What's your name?"

"A sugar-coated bullet!"

Kuroba Shido said in a heavy tone, "Minister, you're trying to corrupt my simple, rat-district spirit with an 87-square-meter luxury apartment, making me forget poverty, forget discounted rice balls, forget the hard times I spent with the Kuroba family, crammed into a dilapidated house and relying on each other for survival!"

Amamiya Kaoru glanced at him: "So, you refused?"

"no."

"..."

"Eat the sugar coating, but keep the shells; we'll sell them for scrap metal later."

Amamiya Kaoru: "..."

Airi Shimotsuki: "..."

Miyazaki Kiyoshi's methods with money are indeed treacherous.

However, Shido Kuroba seemed completely unaffected by his conscience, and had even begun to consider how to dismantle the shells and sell them for scrap metal.

"Moreover, the minister is all talk and no action. He says it's normal club management, but deep down he's already been moved by a poor, strong, kind, and handsome Tokyo boy like me."

As Kuroba Shido finished speaking, he raised his hand and brushed a stray hair from his forehead: "There's no way around it, outstanding people shine wherever they go."

Amamiya Kaoru: "Isn't she able to read minds?"

Shido Kuroba's hand, which was brushing his hair, froze.

"Teacher, telling scary stories like this late at night will frighten the elementary school students."

Shimotsuki Airi spoke crisply, "I'm not afraid."

"Shut up, you worthless brat."

"It must have hurt a lot when the uncle's foot was stepped on."

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

do not talk.

I'm starting to experience phantom pain on the top of my foot.

Seeing that the two were about to start arguing again, Kaoru Amamiya's lips twitched slightly, but she didn't immediately join in as usual. Instead, she looked down at the takeout box in her hand.

There are two copies in total.

One portion was the unfinished chicken rice bowl, and the other contained the chicken cartilage and grilled rice balls that Kuroba Shido had been secretly eyeing but hadn't dared to eat much of.

Amamiya Kaoru herself didn't know why she wanted to pack a second serving.

They might just think it's a waste to throw it away.

It's also possible that when the waiter asked if she wanted to pack some food to go, she happened to remember the little devil at home who would lie on the sofa and cry for food in the middle of the night not long after finishing his meal.

Shimotsuki Airi noticed her gaze and pointed with her little finger: "Xiaoyu, who is this box for?"

"For Big Black's wife and Little Black."

Shimotsuki Airi said seriously, "Big Black can't eat anything seasoned, and neither can Big Black's wife and Little Black."

Amamiya Kaoru: "..."

Why do elementary school students have such good memories at times like this?

She paused for two seconds, then suddenly quickened her pace to catch up with Kuroba Shido ahead, and shoved the takeout box into his arms: "Take it."

Kuroba Shido glanced down and his eyes lit up instantly: "Teacher, is this a housewarming gift?"

"This is what you didn't finish eating."

"Just because I didn't finish it means it's mine?"

"Give it back to me if you don't want it."

"want!"

Kuroba Shido immediately hugged the packing box tightly, afraid that Amamiya Kaoru would change her mind: "Thank you, old man, for the warm food you gave me just as I was about to move out. Although the food is not valuable, it is a small gift but a big token of my appreciation. I will remember this kindness until tomorrow morning."

"roll."

"Okay."

Kuroba Shido continued forward with the takeout box in his arms, completely unaware that after Amamiya Kaoru stuffed the things out, her free hand lingered for a while on the edge of her coat pocket.

Shimotsuki Airi walked up to Amamiya Kaoru, looked up at her, asked nothing, and simply reached out a small hand to hold Amamiya Kaoru's fingers hanging by her side.

Amamiya Kaoru paused for a moment.

The next second, she grabbed Shimotsuki Airi's hand and deliberately put on a stern face: "Who was it that just said I didn't know how to use a microwave?"

Airi Shimotsuki: "???"

"No... Xiaoyu, you're being unreasonable!"

"What do kids know about reason? If I catch someone, then I'm right!"

Shimotsuki Airi hurriedly grabbed her small bag and hid to the side. Amamiya Kaoru's expression finally returned to normal, and the two of them, one big and one small, chased after each other for a few steps along the sidewalk.

Kuroba Shido walked ahead alone, still enthusiastically planning the usage scheme for the club's welfare rental housing.

"I'll sleep in the master bedroom, the second bedroom will be for Dahei's family, the living room will have a TV, the study will be used for gaming, the balcony can be used to dry clothes, and the kitchen will be temporarily sealed off to prevent a safety incident like the one at the teacher's house..."

Amamiya Kaoru's forehead vein throbbed: "When did a safety accident happen in my kitchen?"

"It has not yet happened, but it has been in a high-risk state for a long time."

"Don't come back."

"Teacher, you are confusing moving with prohibiting visits."

Who will visit you?

"That's hard to say, after all, the teacher even prepared housewarming gifts in advance."

Amamiya Kaoru's forehead veins throbbed: "I already told you that wasn't a housewarming gift!"

Hearing the commotion, Kuroba Shido turned around and glanced at him: "Teacher, how old are you to still be fighting with elementary school students? How childish!"

Amamiya Kaoru sneered, "Do you have the right to talk to me like that?"

"Of course, what happened between me and that good-for-nothing brat was a legitimate educational interaction between an adult and a minor."

"You stinky old man!"

"Look, even the kid himself admitted it."

"What did she admit to?"

"I admit I'm an older man; an older man is an adult."

"..."

Very rigorous.

If shamelessness can form a logical closed loop, then Kuroba Shido already possesses professional abilities at the level of an honorary professor at the University of Tokyo.

The three of them continued forward.

After walking a distance, Kuroba Shido suddenly felt that something was wrong.

It's very quiet.

It's too quiet.

Even though Kaoru Amamiya and Airi Shimotsuki were talking right behind him, cars were passing by on the street, and a discount promotion was playing in front of the convenience store, he still felt like something was missing.

Kuroba Shido's pace gradually slowed down.

The phone is here.

The wallet is there.

The cane is there.

dignity……

This didn't exist to begin with, so it doesn't count.

I didn't bring my schoolbag today.

The takeout box was also in his arms.

The legs are still there, although one of them is temporarily not working well, but at least they weren't left at the yakitori shop.

What exactly is missing?

Kuroba Shido frowned, took two more steps forward, and for some reason, the image of the private room suddenly flashed through his mind.

oven.

Chicken skewers.

Happy water.

Shimotsuki Airi.

Kaoru Amamiya.

Ritsuki Sawamura.

Yoshiko Sawamura.

And... Big Black.

Wait, where's my Big Black?

The Black Feather Warrior said, "..."

Amamiya Kaoru asked in confusion, "Kid, why aren't you leaving?"

Kuroba Shido did not answer.

Shimotsuki Airi blinked, then suddenly realized something: "Uncle, where's Big Black?"

The streets were quiet for a moment at night.

next second.

Kuroba Shido suddenly turned around, and his entire body emitted a sharp, explosive sound.

"Aaaaaah—Big Black!!!"

Finished!

Just now, in order to avoid the evil little pink-haired girl and the old lady, he was so focused on running away when he left the private room that he actually forgot about his little brother who was working for him!

A large black rat remained at the yakitori restaurant.

There are knives, fire, ovens, and waiters who scream at the sight of a mouse. If you get caught like a regular mouse, you'll be dealt with with a broom at best, and added to the "hidden menu" of some kind of weird meal at worst.

His wife and children are still waiting for him to return to Kaoru Amamiya's house.

Absolutely no accidents can happen!

"Teacher, kid, you two go back first!"

Kuroba Shido braced his cane on the ground, turned, and ran: "I'm going to save Daikoku!"

Amamiya Kaoru: "Wait, your leg!"

"My wife and kids can't live without it!"

"Those are Big Black's wife and children, not yours!"

Kuroba Shido was no longer listening.

He pounded the ground with his crutch, and his intact leg unleashed astonishing power. He was like a crippled whirlwind with a single tire, limping and sprinting wildly in the direction he had come from, quickly disappearing around the street corner.

Amamiya Kaoru: "..."

Airi Shimotsuki: "..."

The uncle's leg only temporarily heals when he's fighting for food or rescuing Big Black.

……

The kitchen of a yakitori restaurant.

Yoshiko Sawamura had just bought a whole bluefin tuna and was confirming the delivery address to the hotel with the manager. Ritsuki Sawamura stood next to her, looking down at her phone, while the head chef directed the staff to prepare the low-temperature transport equipment.

Everything is normal.

Suddenly, from the other side of the kitchen, a waiter's scream came from the other side.

"ah--!"

Then came the sounds of plates hitting the ground, carts colliding, and several people frantically backing away.

"There's a mouse!"

"What a huge black rat!"

"It's crawled under the food shelf! Quick, grab something to stop it!"

Everyone in the kitchen stopped what they were doing at the same time.

As Yoshiko Sawamura gestured where to start beating him most mercifully, a question mark slowly appeared above her head.

"A big black rat?"

Big Black?