Spirit Diner: A Departure with the Taste of Memories, Episode 13

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Chapter 2: A Thoughtful Bento

6: For Your Sake

Two days later, in the early afternoon, Miyuki Mizoguchi came to 'Sou' again.
“Welcome. It’s you from the other day! Kazuki-san, Miyuki-san is here.”
Yahiro greeted her cheerfully, letting Kazuki know that Miyuki had arrived.
Standing at the doorway, Miyuki looked to have a better complexion than when she first visited.
“Hello.”
“Welcome. I have been expecting you. Please, come in.”
Kazuki welcomed Miyuki with a gentle smile and invited her to take a seat at a table.

Miyuki entered the shop with a bow and sat down as suggested.
A Japanese-style candle stand, prepared on the table in advance, cast a faint light.
It was still bright, just past noon.
Yahiro wondered if it was too early to light a candle.
However, since Kazuki had prepared it, he assumed there must be a reason, so he didn't dare ask.
But he would soon learn why.

“Today, there is someone I would very much like you to meet, Miyuki-san.”
“Me?”
Miyuki looked around the shop. However, there were no other customers besides her.
“Who is it that you want me to meet?”
Kazuki chuckled, then placed tea for Miyuki and for the seat opposite her.
Naturally, Miyuki stared at the teacup placed in the opposite seat with a puzzled expression.
“What is this?”
“The person I want you to meet is already here. Miyuki-san, right in front of you.”
“Excuse me?”
“Your husband, Naoya-san, is sitting in this seat.”
Kazuki gestured to the seat across from Miyuki. Miyuki blinked in surprise.
“Naoya is here?”
Miyuki’s eyes wavered.
Even if told suddenly that her deceased husband was sitting right in front of her, it was too much to expect someone who couldn't see him to believe it. But what Kazuki said was not a lie.

Even to Yahiro’s eyes, he could see Naoya sitting in the seat before Miyuki, tearing up with the joy of being able to see his wife.
Bringing Naoya to the shop from the accident site the day before yesterday had been to let him meet Miyuki.
“Naoya-san, to prove that you are there, could you please make the candle on the table flicker?”
The moment Kazuki asked, the candle flame flickered even though there was no wind.
Naoya had blown on the candle just as instructed.
Yahiro, watching from the corner of the shop, let out an impressed, “Oh!”
Miyuki placed a hand over her mouth.
“Naoya is really here, isn't he? Right there?”
“If you are willing to believe.”
“No, I don't doubt it at all. After all, I am aware of the rumors about Kugimiya-san.”
“I am honored.”
“Ah, so that is why you told me to bring this.”
Miyuki placed her hand on her bag.

It seemed that Kazuki had told her something, and she had brought something along.
By the way, what are these rumors about Kazuki-san? I don't know anything about such rumors. Is Kazuki-san a famous person?
“Why don't you start by talking to Naoya-san?”
“Yes.”
Despite saying that, Miyuki pressed her lips together and stared at her own hands resting on the table.
She was thinking about where to start in her mind.
After a brief silence, Miyuki looked up.
“Naoya, I’m sorry.”
Miyuki finally opened her mouth.

Once she started speaking, the words poured out, driven by her emotions.
Miyuki could neither see nor hear Naoya, but Naoya could see and hear Miyuki’s voice and form.
“I’m sorry I didn't make you a bento even though you asked me to. No, that’s not all. I couldn't even wake up properly in the morning, and I didn't even make a decent breakfast; I was truly a terrible wife. It’s too late to apologize now, but...”
Miyuki hung her head again, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed.
“Don't cry, Miyuki. That doesn't matter.”
“But if I had made you a bento that day, you wouldn't have been killed. You wouldn't have been caught up in that incident!”
Naoya shook his head in denial.

“That’s not it, Miyuki. Even if I hadn't taken a bento that day, I would have been killed at that spot anyway. You see, I wasn't killed because I stopped at a convenience store to buy lunch. So, you must not blame yourself.”
Naoya gently placed his hand over Miyuki’s hand on the table.
Miyuki lifted her tear-stained face.
“Naoya-san says that he wasn't caught up in the incident because he stopped at a convenience store to buy lunch.”
“Eh?”
Miyuki looked up at Kazuki with eyes swollen from crying.

— Continued in Episode 14 —

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