I'm awake.
I finally woke up, after a long night, full of battle.
I wonder what time is it?
My eyes opened widely as I checked the time from my phone.
'11:00!?'
'Oh yeah... I was up until 6:00...'
Looks like I missed Yuna's shift. However, I received a text from her.
"Come to shop by 17:00. Me and my father works today at morning shift. Our staffs will do the afternoon and night shift. That way, my father will have time to talk to you."
I gulped.
'I guess I have no choice. I'm sure I'm gonna get punched today...'
I'm at a Manga Kissa.
It costs me a thousand yen just for a room.
This room is so small. Only one person is fit to stay.
I'm like a cat in a box, with other more rooms just like mine.
I don't know if I can call them neighbors, but I shouldn't bother them, for it is the policy here, which is to keep quiet.
I then took my shower as soon as I wake myself.
I don't get to wait, maybe because most of the people here take their showers at night.
I quickly head-out as soon as I'm done showering and preparing.
I stayed at the Manga Kissa because, I know that it is not safe in my apartment.
They might even kill me in my sleep..
But that's not gonna make any difference with Yuna, right?
As soon as I realize it, I quickly head to the café.
I was so nervous, that maybe I gave the hoarders a chance to attack Yuna. However, she seems safe.
I saw them, Yuna and her father, from the window.
Yuna works as the barista, while her father works as the manager.
I smiled, then I left.
I don't wanna bother them in their work, so I head to a nearby convenience store for a breakfast.
She said 17:00, so I'll come at exactly 17:00.
For now, all I can do is to keep watch.
Who knows when will the hoarders attack?
I've waited and waited. Holding my coffee that I bought from the convenience store, and sips it 'till it ran out.
Her father then left the café.
So I hid and asked myself,
'Why? Why he left the café?'
'I mean, it's almost 17:00. So why? Wait... Should I enter? I mean, it's a chance..'
I then shook my head and slapped my face.
'No! Ryu! She said 17:00, so wait for 17:00! Ok?'
I sighed.
After waiting for hours, the time is finally 17:00.
And here I am, standing at the entrance of the café.
I raised my chest, and took a deep breath.
Yuna then opens the door.
"Hi. Welcome back. Come on in. Let's go upstairs." She says.
I smiled and nods at her.
"He just bought something, so let's wait for him. Ok?" She added.
I continued to nod.
I don't know if I should ask why he left, but I guess I'll leave that be...
After a while, she brought me to their living room.
It's not such a huge room, but it's not so small either.
It is completely fit for four people.
She told me to sit as we wait for her father. So I did.
She then prepares a gas burner.
Meanwhile, I'm lost in confusion.
'What's going on? Are we having dinner??'
I then asks her,
"Yuna? What's going on?"
She smiled.
She continued to prepare different stuffs like bowls and putting rice on it.
She even prepared eggs.
'Just what is going on?'
After a while, her father came.
I gulped.
"Ahh.. You're here.. Just wait, ok? We'll just prepare this." Her father said it with a smile.
I'm lost in confusion. I'm literally bewildering right now.
With all the thoughts going on in my mind. One of the dumb expectation is,
'Are they gonna cook me? Chop me and cook me??'
I know it was dumb... As in why would they even do that?
I watched and observed what they're doing.
Her father prepares the meat and vegetables he bought from a market.
Yuna, then prepared a noodle.
Yuna cooks the noodles, while also boiling water in a pot filled with soy sauce and sugar.
Her father on the other hand, chopped the vegetables.
After a while, her father fries the meat.
He added it with brown sugar. Then, as it cooks, he then pours the boiled water from the pot, and adds the vegetables and noodles after.
I'm amazed.
I am stunned with my jaw dropped.
'What are they cooking? And why are they cooking? We have an important discussion, and here they are, cooking...'
"Um.. Excuse me.. What is going on?" I asked it confusedly.
"We've been planning to surprise you for a Sukiyaki dinner during the New Year's eve, but you didn't came.." Her father replied.
I scratched my head and chuckles.
"Ah.. Yeah.. Sorry about that.. I wa-"
"I heard. So, are you ok now?" He interrupts.
"Ye-Yes..."
I continued to scratch my head, while also keeping my composure calm.
I then took a deep breath and bowed down to them.
"I'm so sorry! I promise I'll protect both of you 'till the end!"
"Woah, woah, calm down. Let's enjoy this food first. Ok?" He smiled.
I don't like it. It's like, behind their smile, is a sad, or maybe an angry self.
I'm literally being anxious right now, with sweats coming down from my head.
Yuna, then cracked the eggs and stirs it.
She then prepared bowls of rice and distributes it to us.
I kept myself quiet, but with my fists clenching..
As she distributes the rice, I then took a deep breath and asks her father.
"Are you not mad?" I looked at him in the eyes.
He nodded.
"I'm half mad..."
"Ha-half?"
"Yes. It's my fault too..."
"I let you dated her, without me knowing much about you. I'm so stupid, right?" He added.
"Dad!? Don't say that!" Yuna bursts out of anger.
"But it's true..."
"None of this are you fault, ok?"
"If this is anyone's fault, it should be them. I mean, why did they even exist?" She added.
I nod. I mean, it's true. These hoarders shouldn't have existed in the first place. But what are they planning? What is the elder really planning in the first place?
"I don't know too, Yuna. But I believe they have a motive. A bad one.." I gasps.
"Does it matter now? All we can do is enjoy every happy moment. Let's not talk about it again. Ok?" Her father said.
"Anyways, Ryu? Have you tried this before?" He asks.
"I.. Uh.. No, I haven't."
"Try to dip the meat into the scrambled eggs, and eat it." He said it with a smile.
He was demonstrating it. So, I did just like he said.
As I taste it, my eyes grew big out of astonishment.
"Wow! This is really good!"
Yuna giggled, while her father chuckled.
"Right? Try eating it with rice." Yuna said it with a smile.
Yuna, then demonstrates on combining vegetables and meat, along with a rice.
So, I did just as what she did.
"Woah! This is really good!"
They laughed once again.
"I'm glad you're enjoying. Don't hesitate yourself, go grab more." Her father says.
And so I continued to eat and eat. I couldn't stop myself anymore.
Am I this hungry?
It is embarrassing, but I seriously couldn't hold myself. This is really delicious.
After a while, I feel so full.
This food can't be eaten by one person. I mean seriously, there are still more.
It is more fitting for family size.
Yuna and her father laughed at me, as they watches me get full from the food.
"Well, I'll be back. Ok? I'll just throw the garbage to the dumpster." Her father says.
Meanwhile, I'm still spacing out. The food really got into my tummy and I'm so full...
After finishing the food, Yuna washed the dishes, while I continued to sit back and relax.
But the truth is, I'm sensing something. It's like I'm having goosebumps, even though I shouldn't.
"Yuna?"
"Yes?"
"Does it take too long to dump a garbage?"
"No. I mean, the dumpster is just in the alley."
Our eyes grew big as we both realized something.
"Oh no!"