The Amuro family kitchen had always been the territory of instant curry.
For this duo of siblings who had long since gotten used to a certain “making do” kind of lifestyle, having a kettle and a microwave in the kitchen was enough to sustain their vital signs.
—Funae Amuro wasn’t good at cooking. Even though she’d been taking care of Yuki Asahi for the past year, she could barely manage to make something edible.
But compared to that, Yuki Asahi felt that instant food had its own unique merits.
When the three of them were led inside and saw that figure wearing an apron, busy in front of the cooking counter, they thought they’d been hit by some kind of collective illusion.
The evening glow slanted through the frosted glass window, cutting diagonally into the room, illuminating the dust floating in the air.
The man had his back to the entrance hall.
The kitchen knife in his hand was making a rhythmic thump, thump, thump against the cutting board.
The disheveled strands of hair that normally hung loosely over his forehead, giving him a somewhat decadent look, were now casually tied back with a black hair tie he’d found somewhere.
Kazama Yin pushed up his non-existent glasses, his gaze sharp as he scanned the back in front of him, lowering his voice:
“Judging by the wear and tear on that hair tie and the relaxation of his muscles… it really is Predecessor Yuki.”
“But what’s with this house husband aura?”
Yuki Asahi turned around, still holding a handful of green onions he’d just been cutting.
When he saw the three standing at the entrance, there was no particular expression on his face.
He simply raised the back of his hand and rubbed a bit of flour off the tip of his nose.
“I was planning to just whip up something simple, but since you guys showed up… we don’t have enough ingredients.”
Yuki Asahi untied the hand towel from his apron, wiped his hands, and looked at Funae Amuro. “Funae, go buy some stuff. I need a box of beef, some onions, and also… if you see any eel, buy some too.”
“I’ll go! I’ll go too!”
Before Funae Amuro could agree, Kagegaya Tsubaki raised her hand high. “I’ll go with Funae! You two stay here and help Predecessor Yuki!”
“Then I’ll leave it to you.”
The evening streets were dyed orange-red. The shadows of telephone poles stretched long.
Kagegaya Tsubaki kicked at small stones on the roadside, swinging the shopping bag she’d just bought, occasionally glancing at Funae Amuro beside her.
“Hey, Funae.”
“Hmm?”
“Predecessor Yuki has changed a lot lately~”
Kagegaya Tsubaki tilted her head, recalling the back view of him cutting vegetables in the kitchen just now.
“The last time I saw him, he was still in that decadent state.”
Even back when they dealt with the Yamato Society, Yuki Asahi had seemed somewhat gloomy.
“But today, how should I put it… it feels like that gloomy fog has lifted.”
Funae Amuro was holding a paper bag full of onions and beef. Hearing this, her steps paused slightly.
She looked up at the clouds burning red in the distant sunset, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
“Yeah, I feel it too. Big Brother… it seems like he’s finally stepped out of the shadows of the past.”
“Shadows of the past?”
Funae’s voice was gentle, but it carried a hint of emotion. “Big Brother has been staying in this house all along, actually waiting for someone.”
“Who?”
Kagegaya Tsubaki’s eyes widened. She knew that Yuki Asahi had fallen into a slump because of the “Missy” thing, but she didn’t know the inside details.
“Jiang Jian Yue.”
Funae Amuro uttered that name, her gaze becoming somewhat distant. “Big Brother’s ex-girlfriend. Maybe… Big Brother has finally learned to let go. After all, life has to go on, right?”
“Jiang Jian… Yue?”
Kagegaya Tsubaki stopped in her tracks, her brows furrowed.
She felt like she’d heard that name somewhere before, and it definitely wasn’t just some random nobody’s name.
That sense of familiarity circled in her mind, but she couldn’t quite grasp it.
“What’s wrong, Tsubaki?” Funae turned back, looking at her with confusion.
“Ah, no, nothing! I just thought the name sounded nice!”
Kagegaya laughed it off and caught up, but the doubt in her heart only grew heavier.
Until the two of them returned to the Amuro residence with bags and bundles, placing the ingredients on the counter.
Kagegaya Tsubaki watched Yuki Asahi skillfully scoring the eel, and suddenly that name clicked into place in her memory.
She sharply drew in a breath, grabbed Kazama Yin, who was about to go wash his hands, and dragged him, along with Hanyu Suoluo, who had been watching TV on the living room sofa, into a corner of the living room.
“Hey! What are you doing!” Kazama Yin rubbed his wrist where she’d grabbed him.
“I remember! I remember!”
Kagegaya Tsubaki lowered her voice, her tone rushed as if she’d discovered an alien.
Kazama Yin and Hanyu Suoluo looked at her like she was an idiot. “Remember what?”
“Jiang Jian Yue! The ‘Missy’s’ name is Jiang Jian Yue!”
“I know that.”
Kazama Yin shrugged. Dream Child had told him once, he just hadn’t mentioned it to the other two.
“So what if her name is Jiang Jian Yue?”
“You’re a fake fan! A self-proclaimed Supernatural Club fanatic and you don’t even know that?!”
Kagegaya Tsubaki jabbed Kazama Yin’s head in frustration. “The founder of the Supernatural Research Club! The First President! Her name is Jiang Jian Yue!”
“What?”
Kazama Yin’s jaw dropped. He subconsciously looked toward the kitchen, where the man was pouring mirin into a pot.
Hanyu Suoluo broke out in a cold sweat. “No way… The First President? There’s barely any information about her. She’s the DRG Missy?”
“Alright, stop muttering over there.”
Yuki Asahi’s voice cut through their whispers.
He turned around carrying two plates, not noticing the three burning gazes.
“Wash your hands. Time to eat.”
The scene on the dining table could only be described as “sumptuous.”
It wasn’t the kind of elaborate presentation from a high-end restaurant, but rather home-style cooking full of life, with perfect color, aroma, and taste.
Steaming hot Potato Stewed Beef—the potatoes were soft and glutinous, having absorbed the sweet and salty broth.
Freshly fried tempura, with a crispy golden coating over tender shrimp and vegetables.
And then the showstopper: Grilled Eel, caramel-colored sauce coating the fatty fish, sprinkled with green onions and sansho pepper, exuding a mouthwatering aroma.
“I humbly partake!”
The trio and Funae Amuro pressed their hands together and eagerly picked up their chopsticks.
The first bite—the table went silent for three seconds.
“Mmm!!!”
Kagegaya Tsubaki let out a muffled exclamation, her eyes wide as saucers. “What is this?! Is this something humans can make?”
“You’re exaggerating.”
Hanyu Suoluo muttered quietly, though he did think it was delicious, but not to the point of such over-the-top praise.
Funae Amuro also looked at the Potato Stewed Beef in her bowl in disbelief. “Big Brother, I’ve lived with you this long, and I never knew you could cook this well…”
Yuki Asahi poured himself a glass of iced barley tea, watching the four of them wolf down their food. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, revealing a nostalgic expression.
“I used to… cook often.”
He said it casually. “Today, for some reason, I suddenly felt like moving my hands.”
His tone was light, as if talking about some trivial matter.
Kazama Yin was just picking up a piece of eel and putting it into his mouth.
The soft, glutinous fish melted on his tongue, the rich sauce hitting his taste buds.
Just then, the voice in his head—Dream Child—suddenly popped up wistfully.
“It smells so good! This Grilled Eel, ah, I really want to eat it!”
“Huh?”
Kazama Yin was stunned for a moment, then realized it was a pun made by breaking down the dish name.
But maybe he was dizzy from the food, or maybe he wanted to lighten the mood.
He swallowed the eel and unconsciously repeated that line.
“Ha?”
Kagegaya Tsubaki was about to mock Kazama Yin for his random bad joke, but she noticed that Yuki Asahi across from her had paused mid-motion.
His pupils contracted slightly. The faint smile that had been on his lips gradually froze, then twisted into an expression too complex to describe.
Once upon a time, there was a girl who ate his Grilled Eel and told the same terrible joke.
No, actually, Jiang Jian Yue’s was probably worse.
“Predecessor Yuki?” Hanyu Suoluo sensed something off and called out cautiously.
Yuki Asahi snapped back to reality.
He lowered his head and blinked quickly.
When he raised his head again, he had returned to that calm demeanor.
“Ah… that joke was really pretty cold.”
Kazama Yin was at a loss. He could feel that Dream Child inside him was also silent.
Although he didn’t know the exact reason, his gut told him he had stepped on some kind of landmine.
“I-I’m sorry! I just said it offhand…”
“It’s fine.”
Yuki Asahi waved his hand and took a sip of barley tea. “It’s good. It means the eel was well made.”
To lighten the suddenly heavy atmosphere, Funae Amuro quickly changed the subject.
“Speaking of which, Big Brother, did you receive Saori Saiyonji’s invitation?”
“Saori Saiyonji?”
Hearing that name, Yuki Asahi’s expression finally softened a bit. “Ah, I got it. It’s next week.”
“Predecessor has an invitation too?”
Kagegaya Tsubaki realized right after she said it that her question was kind of dumb—of course Yuki Asahi knew Saori Saiyonji!
“Are you guys… going too?”
“Yeah, Predecessor Du Bian gave us invitations.” Hanyu Suoluo nodded, then frowned a little. “We don’t know what gift to give, though…”
“What should we give? A warding talisman?” Kagegaya Tsubaki suggested.
“Who would give a warding talisman at a wedding! Do you want the bride to kick you out?” Kazama Yin retorted.
“Then what? Predecessor Yuki’s Grilled Eel?”
“Stop bringing up the eel!”
Watching the three young people plus one slightly older young person start bickering over what gift to give, Yuki Asahi leaned back in his chair and watched them quietly.
The lingering cooking smoke in the kitchen, the aroma of food on the table, the lively voices of the boys and girls.
These vibrant, flowing currents of life were slowly filling up this house.
Maybe Funae was right.
He really was trying to move on, but…
“Alright, you three. Even though you’re guests, as punishment for your recklessness last time, I’ll decide who does the dishes.”
Yuki Asahi suddenly spoke.
The trio fell silent instantly, exchanging glances.
“Rock-paper-scissors!”
“Rock—paper—scissors!”
The moon had risen. Cold moonlight spilled onto the windowsill.
Yuki Asahi glanced at the moon outside the window, silently raised his glass, and clinked it gently against the empty air.
The eel was delicious. You must have eaten your fill too.
Seoul, a villa across the sea.
Jiang Jian Yue was stuffing a cold Pineapple Bun into her mouth, clicking the dislike button on a video titled “Predecessor Yuki, your girlfriend… doesn’t seem to have come back,” a forced ship fan edit.
She could tolerate AsaTsubaki, but what did KaiAsa even mean?