Uneasy daily life

If you believe that marriage is the end of love, then marriage will become the end of love.

Life itself is everything in love—every word, every smile, every anger and joy, every gesture…

Like grains of sand leaking into a clock, one day the hands will stop, becoming eternal.

"This warrior is a rather stubborn and patient person. Once he sets his mind on something, he won't let go. So it doesn't matter if the princess isn't a princess, or if she becomes a widow or is divorced."

Mai Sakurajima created a character design for the script.

Yukinoshita Yukino: “?”

Aren't you being a bit extreme?

"No, no, this character design is completely unacceptable." Yukinoshita Haruno pointed and criticized, "Supporting characters should be aware of their role. How can they be more likable than the main characters? Besides, they can't be kept as stereotypical characters. They're not vivid enough and look like mannequins. Add a plot, for example, the samurai's marriage proposal is rejected, he reaches a certain age, his wife dies, and then he continues to propose to the princess..."

Mai Sakurajima: "?"

Aren't you being a little too aggressive?

“Princess Kaguya…” Toyohama Kazuka said, “I found it quite strange when I was reading the book. If they were obsessed with beauty and all that, why did those nobles even bother looking for treasures? Why didn’t they just kidnap Princess Kaguya?”

Yukinoshita Yono: "?"

Isn't your thinking a bit too extreme?

"If that were the case, it would definitely turn into a chaotic melee, right? Nobles would fight over it, and in the end, the emperor, who has the most power, would win the beauty. Because it is a power obtained through violence, when people come from the moon, this violence will be destroyed by even greater violence. Princess Kaguya would never have any feelings of attachment, and the whole country would fall into a chaotic world of division... It is a very thought-provoking story."

Yukino Yukinoshita said calmly, "The scene of abducting Princess Kaguya reflects the social conditions in ancient times where men fought for power and brought about their own destruction. It satirizes the phenomenon of women being subservient to power and the blame for the downfall of the country being placed on women..."

Toyohama Kazuka: "?"

Is your understanding of this too much like reading comprehension?

……

……

"Dinner's ready—I've called you to eat, why are you still watching TV?"

"Wait, let me change the channel."

"Eating while watching TV? Angelina! When did you develop this bad habit?"

"Let her see if she wants to, we'll see too!"

"Just keep spoiling her..."

Dinner is the peak time for family conversations. The mother puts away her apron and casually grumbles a few words about her daughter. The father, being rather easygoing, speaks up for his daughter and then gets grumbled along with her.

"This TV series is perfect for watching while eating. Everyone says that the last episode tasted just like home. It's the perfect food drama to watch while eating."

Angelina, holding her rice bowl, spoke earnestly.

"You look quite appetizing," the mother said, reaching out to pinch her daughter's slightly chubby cheek. "Haven't you been complaining lately about how tiring it is to lose weight?"

"Crunch crunch... The internet says that to lose weight, you shouldn't eat anything between meals."

Angelina chewed on the small crunchy bones in the ribs, the crisp sound showcasing the healthy teeth of a young woman, her eyes sparkling as she watched the television screen.

The opening credits begin.

The scene transitions from dark to bright, with the sound of boiling gradually approaching. Bubbling broth simmers around large chunks of beef, and amidst the bursting bubbles, skewers of meat sizzle on a hot plate. In the rising smoke, a delicate pizza adorned with a single grape and various fruits sits atop a small hole in the pizza. On the other side, a large ladle scoops broth from a bucket to irrigate chewy noodles. Half a braised egg is spun around like a baking tray, and seafood such as fish, shrimp, shellfish, and crab are scattered on top before being sent into the oven in one go.

A hand pressed the button on the oven, and as the oven beeped, the movie title slowly appeared.

Night Food – The Taste of a Wanderer.

The father took a bite of rice: "Hmm, that's a really appetizing opening sequence! Let's go for barbecue tomorrow!"

Angelina's eyes brightened slightly.

"What? Is my cooking not good?" Mother squinted her eyes.

"Your barbecue is even better."

"Remember to buy some barbecue ingredients tomorrow."

It's really hard on Dad, saying things without any shame. Mom is strange too, saying things that sound really awkward, but she's always happy about them.

Angelina muttered to herself, but didn't say anything, because she was going to have barbecue tomorrow, so she continued watching TV.

Oh, the restaurant has a sign outside that says "We have all the delicious food you want"... When will you start cooking?

Huh? This is in the kitchen... It's from a drama starring Sakurajima-senpai? No wonder she's a big star... When did she start cooking?

A simply dressed middle-aged man walked into the restaurant, suspecting that Sakurajima-senpai was making false claims... When will she start cooking?

Angelina felt like she was watching Detective Conan.

When do people die?

……

……

"Since you say you can have anything, then give me an Ishikari nabe."

After asking a few questions, the middle-aged man looked incredulous. Unable to bear the hunger after working overtime, he casually ordered a dish and sat down at a table in the corner of the restaurant.

The classic cell phone call notification sounded, and the uncle answered the phone.

"Dad? Oh, I just got off work and was eating out... I know, I know. Work-life balance is important. My superiors want me to perform well lately, maybe I can get a promotion. I have to do well. It'll be over soon... Hey, you can keep the money. I have enough. I eat and drink well every day, and you should too. Get some exercise in the fall; it's good for your health... I've been too busy lately to come home... Haha, yes, it's raining here. I have an umbrella, I always keep one handy..."

The sound gradually fades away as the image recedes into the distance.

click!

With a snap, the cleaver severed the fish head.

Ishikari Nabe is named after the Ishikari River in Hokkaido, which is famous for its salmon. Every autumn, salmon migrate upstream from the sea to return to freshwater rivers to spawn. Only the autumn salmon caught during this season are fresh, plump, and contain roe, making them the best ingredients for Ishikari Nabe.

To the accompaniment of beautiful and soothing instrumental music, the pretty female protagonist silently and deftly prepares the fish, while Mai Sakurajima's gentle and steady voice slowly rises as narration.

Fresh, plump fish fillets are arranged on the cutting board, then added to a broth made from fish tail and other meats. Potatoes, cabbage, mushrooms, tofu, and other ingredients are cut to bite-sized pieces and rolled in the bubbling broth. The fish head, placed at the bottom of the casserole, is continuously cooked to extract collagen, making the broth even whiter. It is then seasoned with kelp broth and sauce, and the fish fillets are laid out on top, garnished with cherry-shaped, amber-colored caviar. In no time, everything is cooked to perfection.

In a bubbling casserole, seafood and local delicacies come together for a meal.

The guest was gazing absently at the rain outside the window when he smelled the aroma and turned around to find the casserole already placed in front of him.

"Please use."

The proprietress smiled.

It looks pretty convincing.

"I'm gonna start now."

The guest picked up his soup spoon earnestly, a look of anticipation creeping onto his face. He suddenly felt a little dazed—how long had it been since he'd eaten a proper meal? Before the food even touched his tongue, he wondered what it would taste like. Eating while simultaneously trying to recall the words to describe the food felt like something from a distant, forgotten past.

Speed ​​and efficiency are key; always check the time before eating.

They wolfed it down, swallowing it greedily, as if their brains had forgotten the nerve signals from their taste buds.

Instant noodles, fast food—I have no memory of what I ate yesterday.

After taking a sip of the soup, the customer remained silent for a few seconds, then sighed with particular regret: "It's too salty."

The proprietress glanced at him unexpectedly and fell into deep thought.

In my hometown, the only shop that serves authentic Ishikari hot pot is that particular one. When I was a student, I was always short of money, so I would save up my allowance and excitedly run into the shop, feeling like it was a holiday. Later, as we became more familiar with each other, the owner would greet me warmly and generously add some dishes to my order.

The fish wasn't chewy enough, the broth was too salty, the flavor was overly savory, and the aroma was too weak...

This doesn't taste like home; it's somewhat familiar yet strange, making me realize that I'm far away.

The customer finished his meal attentively, and when he paid the bill, he smiled slightly and gave a thumbs up: "The taste wasn't quite authentic, but it was the best thing I've had in a while."

“Sir, the food here is absolutely authentic,” the proprietress retorted, then hesitated slightly before asking, “How long have you been in Tokyo?”

"It seems like it's been almost ten years."

The customer replied casually, looking at the rain outside the window with some worry. It seemed he would have to borrow an umbrella from the landlady...

"Ten years, your sense of taste must have changed by now."

The proprietress said quietly.

The guest was stunned, never before feeling the scale of time so clear, like a scar carved into the depths of his heart.

Ah... does one's sense of taste change so easily?

impossible.

Ten years ago I accomplished nothing, and ten years later I accomplish nothing.

What has changed?

Nothing has changed.

The guest rushed out in the rain, and the raindrops soaked his head, giving him a shiver.

Wait, if I catch a cold, that would be troublesome; I have to go tomorrow…

Suddenly, the umbrella stopped the rain. The guest looked up in confusion and saw a girl who appeared to be a high school student, a somewhat naive and delicate young girl.

"Take it, take it!"

The girl shoved the umbrella into the customer's hand, waved it impatiently, turned and rushed into the shop, shouting, "Boss lady! Lend me your umbrella later!"

"It's you! Haven't been here for several days?"

"The food here is delicious, but it's too expensive..."

In a daze, it was as if I saw the past.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, the guest grasped the small token of kindness, calmed down, and walked towards the unusually quiet road amidst the torrential rain, holding his umbrella.

I have to go to work tomorrow.

The words in his heart, tinged with a hint of complaint, softly rang out from the narrator.

A woman's gentle voice softly sang poetry.

Salmons send messages aboard the autumn waves, while a wanderer, homeless and lost, faces a long and uncertain road. Two hearts yearn for each other under the same bright moon, yet a life of mundane toil dreads returning home.

The dining table was quiet.

After a long pause, the father's voice rang out: "Angelina, you call this a food drama?"

Angelina was a little confused: "Huh? Everyone says this goes really well with rice..."

"The food's getting cold, and you're still eating it?" Mother urged. "Get your chopsticks, get your chopsticks! What are you all standing there like idiots for?"

"Honey, shall we make pizza and sausages tomorrow?"

"Pizza is fine, but sausage? I'll hang you up to dry, then you'll count as an Italian sausage, right?"

"Then let's make a few and hang them up first. I'll contact a friend and get some authentic spices..."

Huh? Not eating barbecue anymore?

Angelina was a little sad. Compared to pizza, sausages, or pasta, barbecue was much more appealing. But her father's sadness seemed to surpass her own, so she decided to eat pizza instead.

It's all this TV series' fault... sigh?

Angelina looked at the ending theme song playing on TV and suddenly her eyes widened.

Compared to the others' closing credits, one line of text was a different color and a few sizes larger, giving it a strange feel, like a suspenseful mystery drama encircling the criminal.

Guest screenwriter (screenwriter for this episode): Bai Ying.

Huh? A white shadow?!

The next day.

Angelina woke up early with great determination, changed into light sportswear, and went out for her morning run.

As I was running, another person appeared beside me.

"Hey, good morning."

"Good morning... another white shadow?!"

"again?"

written request for leave