Chapter 73 The Joy of Everyone Afterwards
After graduating from high school, Akina Amaho was admitted to Tokyo University of the Arts as she wished, becoming a graduating student.
Meanwhile, Yuu Miyako chose to pursue a professional career, while Osamu Miyako opened a shop.
During the short spring break after the exams, Akina Amaho returned to Inarisaki.
She first visited the Rice Ball Palace, walked to the entrance of the shop, and glanced inside.
When Gong Zhi saw her coming, he immediately went over. It just so happened that it was still early and there was no one else in the store yet.
He took Akina Ama's hand and led her into the store.
“Minna, why didn’t you tell us you were coming back?” Miyaji said.
Akina Amane shrugged: "Well, I wanted to give you guys a surprise, after all."
That's why I didn't tell them in advance and just went to their door.
"By the way, Osamu, can I try making something?" Looking at what Osamu had laid out on the cutting board, Akina Amamiya raised her hand.
"But I was busy with exams recently, so I might have gotten a little rusty." But she still wanted to try, since just looking at it made her want to get started.
Miyaji visibly cheered and nodded, "Of course, Mina, you can make as many as you want. I have all the materials."
As he spoke, he walked over and opened the refrigerator. Of course, the refrigerator was mostly filled with the ingredients that rice balls would use, with only a few other ingredients.
Akina Tensui looked at the ingredients; they were for making desserts. She rested her chin on her hand, seemingly lost in thought, and asked, "Does Osamu usually make desserts? Are they special products?"
She didn't see the word "dessert" on the menu; it only listed rice balls.
Miyaji coughed lightly. He had prepared these ingredients because he thought that Akina Amami might come, so that he could make some desserts for her by himself.
But he couldn't say that fact out loud, so he just nodded solemnly and said, "Yes, it's only a very rare occasion when these special meals are supplied to the public."
As he spoke, he took out a small blackboard and a piece of chalk from the kitchen.
“If it’s a special edition, I’ll write something on this little blackboard and hang it at the door,” Gong Zhi said.
"Ah, then let's sell the portion I made today as a special supply." Akina clapped her hands. Anyway, she would probably make too much, and they wouldn't be able to finish it all, so it would be better to sell it as a special supply.
Miyaji nodded, turned around and started writing on the small blackboard, not letting Amaho Akina see what he was writing. In reality, Miyaji was frantically suppressing the urge to smile.
After he finished writing, he went outside and hung the small blackboard at the door. Akina Ama, standing inside the shop, naturally couldn't see it, but what Miyaji wrote on that blackboard was—
[The proprietress is here today, and some of the rice balls are handmade by her. Other desserts are also available in limited quantities.]
A customer walked in shortly after, glanced at Amako Akina who was busy behind the counter with a discreet look, and then raised her hand to order: "I want an onigiri and a matcha daifuku."
Akina Amako nodded and skillfully began making the sweets, while Miyaji took charge of making most of the rice balls. Soon, the meal was successfully served.
Before long, it was time for everyone to go to work. More and more customers came. After finishing her work, Akina Amako let out a breath and wiped the sweat from her forehead.
"Aji, are you always this busy?" Judging from the level of popularity, it must be impossible for Miyaji to keep up with everything by himself, right? Even with her, she seems a bit overwhelmed.
Gong Zhi shrugged: "Ah, there aren't usually this many customers. It's probably because the little blackboard hanging at the door says there's a special dessert available today."
As he spoke, he glanced at the ingredients. The ingredients for making desserts were almost used up, and the little left would be just enough for them to eat.
Gong Zhi: "I'll go take that sign down, otherwise we won't have enough materials if we sit down again."
Akina Amako nodded, watching Miyaji walk to the door. She then stopped what she was doing and took a short break.
As she was stretching, Akina Ama noticed a familiar figure passing by in front of the shop; it seemed to be Yu Miyako.
Miyaji quickened his pace toward the shop entrance, while Miyayu tore down the small blackboard first, and then... well, there seemed to be a commotion outside.
Since there was no one in the store anyway, Akina Amako sighed and walked out as well.
From afar, you could hear Gong You scolding Gong Zhi: "How could you write something like that on a sign and then hang it up!"
"If I don't write it this way, how else can I explain it?" Gong Zhi's tone was indifferent, and there was a hint of arrogance in it.
Akina Amane walked over and took a look. Oh, it turns out that Miyaji wrote himself as the landlady.
“As for Mina… clearly—” Miya Yu wanted to continue, even raising her voice slightly, as if she was about to argue with Miyaji. Miyaji, though smiling, clenched his fists, probably ready to give Miya Yu a good whack at any moment.
But Miyako suddenly stopped, because he saw Akina Amaho's head pop out from between them.
Akina blinked, looking at the two who had suddenly fallen silent: "Why did you two stop talking?"
"Ah...cough cough, then Mina, you be the judge! Wasn't what Inoue did a bit too much? He probably didn't dare show you this blackboard, did he?" Miyayu coughed twice to cover up his embarrassment, then immediately held up the small blackboard in his hand and waved it in front of Mina.
Akina Amako glanced at it; Miyaji wrote that the proprietress would make it by hand, which... well, in a sense, wasn't wrong.
“That makes sense,” she shrugged. “Besides, we’ll have to get a marriage certificate sooner or later; we can’t keep going like this forever.”
As she spoke, she glanced at Gong Zhi and Gong You respectively.
"Why can't things just keep going like this..." Gong You muttered, but he knew that his thoughts were a bit naive and unrealistic.
“Okay, why can’t it be me?” Miyako said, pulling Amako Akina over and then giving her a quick kiss on the lips, leaving a mark.
"Minnai, come watch my match in a few days," he said earnestly.
He has a day off today, but he'll have to go back to training tomorrow because they're going to Tokyo for a competition.
“Mina just got back today, you should let her rest for a while,” Miyaji frowned and objected.
Amane Akina shook her head helplessly: "I think I can still get up tomorrow, but I might need one of you to take me there, since I don't know the way."
“Then I’ll take you there. Yu will definitely be there before the match starts, much earlier than you get up,” Miyaji immediately said.
Gong You glared at him, then looked at Tian Sui Ming Nai: "Ming Nai, you don't have to get up that early... Can't you come with me?"
After he finished speaking, his eyes looked a little pitiful as he stared at Amaho Akina.
"Getting up early... I'm afraid that will be a bit difficult. Oh well, I'll think about it in a few days." Amako Akina sighed.
Anyway, there are still several days before I can go watch the game.
-
Miya Yu found a seat in the shop and was ordered by Miyaji not to make a sound. Miya Yu was a little resentful, but Tensui Akina looked at him with a smile and said, "Yu, you'd better be quiet now, or you'll be kicked out later."
Gong You thought about it and decided to keep quiet, because Gong Zhi really was capable of doing such a thing.
Akina Amane was still busy behind the counter. They had run out of ingredients for desserts, so she was making rice balls.
As time went by, the number of guests gradually increased, and Akina Amaho could only squeeze a rice ball into her mouth amidst her busy schedule.
At this moment, Miyako walked to the counter again and tapped it with his knuckles. Akina Tensui looked up and glanced at him.
"Ayu, is there anything I can help you with?" She put down her work and prepared to greet the guest.
Gong You pouted unhappily: "It's lunchtime, and I'm hungry too. Can Mina have lunch with me?"
It would be too tiring for Amaho Akina to stand there and work all the time.
Miyako had thought about this, which is why she tried to get Akina Amaho to have lunch with her and rest for a while by using a cheeky approach.
Of course, it would be even better if I could sneak away with her later.
Miyaji had of course thought of this as well, but seeing how serious Amaho Akina was, even to the point of being somewhat absorbed, he couldn't bear to ask her to stop.
Akina Amako hesitated for a moment, then looked at Miyaji—and Miyaji's expression naturally became even more dissatisfied.
Miyaji nodded: "Amina, you should rest for a while too. Go sit down with Yu."
Akina then untied her apron, carried her tray to Yu's seat, and hesitated before glancing back at Osamu: "Osamu, if you're too busy, just call me again."
Gong Zhi: "Don't worry, the sign at the entrance has been taken down, so there shouldn't be as many people anymore."
With so many people, most of them just came because they saw the sign that said the proprietress was there to join in the fun.
Akina Amazu put down the plate she was holding. Besides a few rice balls, there were two plates of desserts she had made that morning. Since they stopped serving them later, she only made enough for herself and her twins with the remaining ingredients, which was just enough.
"Hey Yu, try my cooking. I haven't cooked for myself for about two or three months because I've been preparing for my exams." Akina Tensui pushed the rice ball toward Yu Miyako.
Gong You put the rice ball in his mouth, then gave Tian Suiming a thumbs up. He ate it very quickly, and it did look delicious.
Amane Akina breathed a sigh of relief, propping her chin up as she watched Miyako eat. She had just stuffed a rice ball into her mouth and wasn't very hungry anymore.
“Mina’s skill level hasn’t dropped at all; it’s even improved a little,” Miya Yu said, popping a cherry blossom daifuku into her mouth.
“Is that so? That’s for the best,” said Akina Amasui.
At this moment, Miyaji also came over, took a matcha dorayaki and stuffed it into his mouth. While chewing, he said in a slightly muffled voice, "Hmm, it is really delicious. If there were more left, I would like to eat more."
Akina Ama sighed, "Osamu, you can't eat dessert as a main meal."
"No, I just ate one of your rice balls." Miyaji said, while stuffing a matcha dorayaki into his mouth.
Akina Amaho couldn't help but laugh twice.
Time passed quickly, and after a busy period, it was time to get off work, and Miyaji closed the door of Onigiri-no-Miya's shop.
"Alright, everyone, come sit in my house for a while," said Akina Amasui.
The house wasn't sold; it just remained vacant. Every now and then, Gong You and Gong Zhi would take turns cleaning it to prevent it from getting dusty and looking drab.
Meanwhile, Akina Amane skillfully took out her key, opened the door, and went inside with the twins.
"Phew... I can finally rest for a while." Akina Amaho let out a breath and slumped onto the sofa.
"Oji, you said you'd let Mina rest, but you still made her do so much work today." Miya Yu immediately turned around and began to scold Miya Ji.
Miyaji really didn't have anything to refute, after all, he also enjoyed working with Mina, and then forgot about what he had said before about letting her rest for a while.
Although that statement was mainly intended to dissuade Gong You from his idea.
"Yeah, it's okay. Even if it's a little tiring, I still really like this feeling." Akina Amaho shrugged.
She really enjoyed it; it was a rare opportunity to not have to think too much and just do things her own way.
She racked her brains a lot for the exam recently.
"Hmm... but it's quite late since I got back, and I'm a bit sleepy anyway," Gong You said, yawning.
"Let's get some rest early tonight," Miyaji said.
He was also a little tired.
“Ah, then let’s sleep together in my bedroom,” Amako Akina said quite naturally.
But for some reason, both Miyako Yuu and Miyako Osamu's faces were a little red.
Akina Amane tilted her head in confusion: "What's wrong with you two?"
Gong You coughed lightly twice: "Ah, it's nothing."
But he turned his head away, stood up silently, and said, "I'll go wash up first."
Then she quickened her pace and walked towards the bathroom.
He didn't want to say it out loud... Some time ago, he had a dream that he was a nude model, and it was in Mina's room, where he was a model for her to paint.
Hmm... I think I've heard of painters depicting nudes before, but he always felt that the atmosphere in his dream was too suggestive. After waking up, he covered his face, thinking to himself that it wasn't very pleasant.
Miyaji scratched his cheek and cursed inwardly, "How could that stupid Yu run away so fast? He wanted to hide in the bathroom too."
Helpless, he had to forcefully suppress his emotions and explain to Amaho Akina, "It's just that we're already so old, so..."
Miyaji didn't dream of anything that daring, but he did dream of himself naked, wearing an apron, cooking in the kitchen with Akina.
...In a way, it was quite daring. Miyaji didn't know why he dreamed about these things, and he could also imagine that what followed would probably be some unspeakable scenes.
In short, he didn't say the rest, so let Mina fill in the gaps herself.
Akina was taken aback and became a little flustered. She lowered her head, hesitated for two seconds, and then said, "Um... it's okay, right?"
After all, two years had passed since he received those two boxes of chocolates. During those two years, although they were in different places, they had kept in touch.
Of course, they would get together again during the holidays. Akina Amami felt that her life was getting better. At her new school, she met more people and made friends with several of them.
Gong Zhi didn't speak, but simply nodded silently.
After the three of them finished washing up, they went into the bedroom together. Just like that night two years ago, they lay flat on the bed and chatted casually about recent events.
The dream they had not long ago came true on this night.
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