অধ্যায় একশ চৌান্ন: বাজার করা

দojima saeko and aoki tsukasa walked out of the kendo dojo, and saeko immediately followed tsukasa to buy groceries.

"Um, is this your girlfriend?" The vegetable vendor looked at the familiar bald young man in front of her, cold sweat breaking out on her forehead again.

Which yakuza syndicate does this kid belong to anyway? Why is he sent out to buy groceries by his boss every single day? Do modern yakuza members cook their own meals at home now?

Tsukasa had no idea what the kindly smiling auntie was thinking. Hearing her use the word "girlfriend," and glancing at Saeko, whose expression seemed somewhat awkward, he hurriedly explained, "No, we are just friends."

Saeko blinked, her hands pulling together involuntarily: G-girlfriend?

Seeming to think of something, Saeko lowered her head slightly and fell silent.

"Oh right, do you have any beef today?" Tsukasa asked with a smile. "You kept saying you were out of stock before, surely you have some today."

For some reason, ever since the auntie sold him high-grade beef at a thirty percent discount twice before, she hadn't sold him any beef at all. Not to mention, the quality of the beef she sold was genuinely good, and it was particularly cheap. Just thinking about it made Tsukasa's mouth water a little.

Hmph, would a friend bring her along to buy groceries? Wouldn't he invite her to his home for dinner afterward, offer her a drink, and then pretend it was too late to let her go back? Young man, as if I don't know what kind of person you are.

A flash of sharp insight crossed the vendor's eyes. Looking at Saeko, who was smiling gently and didn't seem to deny it much, she felt a sudden surge of excitement: This time, the opportunity has arrived!

In the past, every time this kid came to buy groceries, he would carefully pick and choose for a long time, and finally demand a discount with a fierce expression. This time, there's no way you can lose face in front of your female companion, right?

The auntie chuckled, "Yes, we do! We just got some premium beef in today, absolutely fresh!"

Tsukasa's eyes lit up: "Really? Then I'll take it! By the way, does your beef sell that well? Why is it so hard to buy it once?"

"Oh ho ho ho, yes, our beef is quite famous around this neighborhood." The auntie smiled warmly on the surface, pulling out the beef she had hidden behind her.

Having to lose money out of my own pocket every time I sell you beef? I'd rather die than admit I have beef for sale! The cost is already high, I already gave you the lowest price, and giving you a thirty percent discount—do you know how much I lost?!

Today, however, I'm going to win all that money back! Kid, a vegetable-selling obasan is not someone you can easily mess with!

The auntie handed the beef to Tsukasa with a beaming smile: "Thank you for your patronage, nineteen thousand yen."

"What?" Tsukasa's eyes widened instantly: "N-nineteen thousand yen?"

"That's right, this is super-premium beef. Fifteen thousand yen is an absolute bargain! Only beef this good is worthy of such a pretty young lady by your side." The auntie chuckled, her eyes narrowing slightly: Buy it! Look at the girl beside you, can you bring yourself to say no?

Tsukasa glanced at Saeko beside him.

Saeko seemed to have spaced out, staring at the beef and wondering about something.

"That's way too expensive, Auntie! Last time it was fourteen thousand yen, and you gave me a thirty percent discount!" Tsukasa skillfully began to haggle.

The auntie argued forcefully: "Today's beef is nowhere near as fresh as the one last time."

Tch, last time I wanted to give you the lowest price and send you off, but you scared me into giving you a thirty percent discount. Today, I must not repeat that mistake!

The auntie chuckled, turned to Saeko, and spoke up, "Young lady, look at the marbling on this beef, this color—isn't it fresh?"

Saeko only snapped out of it when her name was called, letting out an "ah" like waking from a dream: "Ah? The beef?"

She looked at the auntie's expression, then glanced at Tsukasa's conflicted look. Even if her mind had been elsewhere earlier, she instantly understood what was happening and smiled softly, "Wait a moment, please."

Saeko picked up the beef, examined it very carefully, and then, under the auntie's expectant gaze, put it back down: "The beef is nice. Thirteen thousand yen, we'll take it."

T-thirteen thousand?

The corners of the auntie's eyes twitched involuntarily. At that price, she would only make a profit of a few hundred yen... Absolutely not. She originally thought this would be a breakthrough, but it turned out to be another troublesome one.

Only then did the auntie notice the wooden sword slung at Saeko's waist, and her breath hitched instantly: Could it be... could this girl also belong to a yakuza syndicate?

Is this that thing about birds of a feather flocking together?! The auntie's smile became somewhat forced.

"Oh my, young lady, that price is simply too low, no way," the auntie feigned melancholy. "A small business like ours doesn't make much money."

Tsukasa put on his habitual scowl, a tactic he always used when asking for a discount: "Hey, Auntie, nineteen thousand yen is going way too far, isn't it?"

Seeing Tsukasa's dark expression, the auntie's smile turned bitter: "B-b-but thirteen thousand is too little."

"Huh?" Tsukasa tilted his head and leaned in closer: "Too little?"

Saeko chimed in, "I think thirteen thousand yen is a very reasonable price."

"Exactly, Auntie, you know thirteen thousand yen isn't a small amount of money either." Thinking about how much sweat he had to shed every day to earn that sum, Tsukasa sighed, "If it won't work, forget it."

"However..." Tsukasa suddenly thought of something, and looking at the somewhat cringing auntie, he asked, "Why was the beef I ate last time so cheap? Didn't you say the beef last time was the freshest too?"

That doesn't make sense, it tasted plenty fresh last time. Could it be that this auntie gave him the cost price last time? No wonder she wouldn't sell him beef afterward—he had to let her make some profit too. Thinking of this, Tsukasa's tone softened a bit: "If that's not possible, Auntie, just give me your absolute lowest price. If I think it's reasonable, I'll buy it."

I couldn't possibly let her do business at a loss. At the lowest price, the auntie should still make a profit.

"I, um..." Cold sweat dripped down the auntie's forehead, and she cast a pleading look at Saeko.

Seeing Tsukasa scare the poor woman into breaking out in cold sweat, Saeko found the scene immensely entertaining. She covered her mouth with a light laugh, remaining silent.

"How about it, Auntie?" Thinking about how he still had to go fight in the ring to make money later, Tsukasa instinctively massaged his arm, which was still a bit sore from the kendo match.

"Fine!" Seeing Tsukasa stretch his arm, the auntie shuddered with fright, closed her eyes in agony, and said, "Eleven thousand yen, take it."

"Eh? Won't this price be too...?" Tsukasa awkwardly scratched his head, feeling that this price might actually be going a bit too far.

"Ten thousand yen!" The auntie's nose twitched, the smile on her face completely collapsing as she turned away: "Ten thousand yen... I really can't go any lower. Just put the money on the table, I—I'm going to get a glass of water first."

Watching the auntie turn and march straight into the shop, abandoning her stall entirely, Tsukasa awkwardly scratched his head and looked at Saeko beside him: "Did she... misunderstand something again?"

Saeko finally couldn't hold back her laughter. Her crisp laughter sounded like chiming wind chimes. Covering her mouth, she laughed until her entire body shook: "Is buying groceries always this interesting for Tsukasa-kun?"

Tsukasa gave a sheepish grin and pointed at his face: "Make the best of everything, right? Earning money isn't easy, so saving whatever we can helps."

"Tsukasa-kun really is..." Saeko finally managed to stop laughing. Watching Tsukasa pull out ten thousand yen to place on the counter and pick up the beef, she couldn't help bursting into laughter again, "The auntie probably won't sell you beef ever again after today."

Tsukasa let out an "ah," feeling somewhat guilty as he took out another thousand-yen bill and placed it on the counter: "Let's go, let's buy some other things. We're having Chinese hot pot tonight! I bought the soup base online a few days ago, it's absolutely delicious."

"Okay." With a beaming smile, Saeko followed Tsukasa as he rushed off to the next shop.

Watching Tsukasa haggling away at shop after shop with the ingredients in his hands, the pile of items growing larger, Saeko's gaze gradually grew tender.

Tsukasa-kun is unexpectedly good at managing a household. Among boys his age, how many can live life down-to-earth like him?

Besides, discussing what to eat for dinner together, buying groceries together, and haggling together. This warmth wrapping around her heart... must be what home feels like. Gazing in a daze at Tsukasa's back, Saeko's eyes held both yearning and a trace of loss as her mind drifted away.

Can someone like me, too, possess this kind of happiness?

Looking at her right hand, still wrapped in bandages, Saeko's expression was complicated.

Meanwhile, completely oblivious, Tsukasa remained immersed in the joy of haggling, glaring fiercely with a dark expression as he spouted off to the trembling, innocent-looking vendor in front of him: "Is this vegetable fresh? Can you make it cheaper?"

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PS: The author glares fiercely at you all, voice icy: "Are these votes of yours enough?"

"Is this meat fresh?!" The reader rubs a cutter blade, the corners of their mouth curling up.

Ancient times had Buddha sacrificing his body to feed a tiger; today, I, the author, sacrifice my flesh to beg for votes. Come on, come on!!