Spirit Diner: A Departure with the Taste of Memories, Chapter 3

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Chapter 1: The Small Eatery 'Sou'

2. A New Customer

What could I eat with the money I have on me? How about plain rice and miso soup? That should just barely be enough. Okay, I'll go with that, Yahiro thought, when his eyes caught the words 'Pork Miso Soup 350 yen'. Pork miso soup, huh?

It would warm me up on a cold day, and it must be packed with ingredients, so it would surely fill me up. Besides, it costs exactly what I have on me. Alright, I've decided, Yahiro thought, lifting his face from the menu. 'Excuse me. I'll have the pork miso soup.' 'Pork miso soup, certainly.' Without looking suspicious about that being his only order, the owner began preparing it with a gentle smile.

He really is a healing-type handsome guy. Yahiro rubbed his cold hands together and blew on them. He casually looked around the shop. Eight counter seats, two tables with eight seats, and one raised seating area. It wasn't large, but because the seats were spaced out comfortably, it didn't feel cramped.

The wood-based interior, which gave a sense of warmth, had a homey, relaxing feel. The lighting was warm, neither too dark nor too bright, creating a comfortable atmosphere. From behind the counter, a light, rhythmic sound could be heard. The owner's hands, cutting green onions on the cutting board, were beautiful and supple, not like those of a man. 'Here you go.' With chopped green onions sprinkled on top, the pork miso soup Yahiro ordered was served in front of him. Hot white steam rose from the large bowl. At the bottom of the steam, there were plenty of vegetables and chunks of meat, looking very satisfying. 'Looks delicious,' Yahiro murmured, picked up his chopsticks, and put his hands together in a prayer of thanks.

When he held the bowl in his hands, the heat gradually seeped into his frozen fingertips, and sensation began to return. The unique aroma of miso brushed against his nose. Suddenly, memories from his childhood crossed his mind: the sight of his mother's back as she prepared breakfast in the kitchen, the sound of a knife, and the drifting scent of miso soup. He brought the rim of the bowl to his lips. His empty stomach was crying out for food. He blew on it, and the white steam escaped past the bowl. He took a sip of the broth. 'Hot!'

It's hot, but oh, I'm coming back to life—.

Yahiro looked up at the ceiling and let out a blissful sigh. He was savoring a moment of pure happiness right now. His chilled body was warming up, and blood was circulating through his entire body. The energy he had been losing welled up from the bottom of his stomach, filling him, and even his heart felt satisfied. He readied his chopsticks to eat the ingredients next. Without hesitation, he went for the pork first. The thinly sliced pork belly, which released its flavor and fat, blended into the broth, enhancing the deliciousness.

The vegetables were staples like taro, daikon radish, and burdock root, along with carrot slices cut into ginkgo-leaf shapes to add color. The bite-sized pieces of konjac had absorbed the flavor from their cross-sections, and the unique raw smell of konjac was not noticeable. The chopped green onions added an aromatic accent. 'It's sweet and delicious.' Yahiro's mutterings seemed to reach the owner's ears. 'That must be because I use barley miso.' 'Barley miso?' 'Yes. The fragrant aroma and sweetness of the barley go very well with the rich pork miso soup.' The owner explained with a softened expression. Just like the warmth of the pork miso soup, it was a gentleness that put people at ease and lowered their guard.

The sweetness of the barley miso overlapped with the owner's gentle atmosphere. 'Is that so? It certainly does feel like the sweetness of the ingredients is enhanced.' Such a comment about the food, which he would never normally say, came naturally from Yahiro's lips. He could feel his stomach dancing with joy. 'It's really delicious.' He couldn't stop his chopsticks. Fearing that the flavor would be halved if it got cold, the bowl of pork miso soup, packed with ingredients, vanished into Yahiro's stomach in an instant. He held the bowl with both hands and drank the broth until the very last drop, as if not to leave any behind. 'Thank you for the meal.'

He wasn't full, but his heart was satisfied. He felt energized, too. He felt like he could do anything now. Alright, I'll put some effort into job hunting. Humans can do it if they try. Just as he was thinking this and about to stand up, the shop's sliding door opened. He instinctively looked toward it. From the opened door, the cold air from outside rushed into the shop all at once, making him shiver.

A middle-aged man was standing in the doorway. Dark blue slacks and a jacket. A white shirt and a blue tie. And a hat of the same color as the jacket. It looked like the uniform of a taxi or bus driver. 'Welcome. Please, have a seat at the counter if you'd like.' Guided by the owner, the man walked to the counter with a leisurely gait and sat down. Yahiro felt a sense of discomfort at the way the man walked. It was because his movement was unnatural, as if he were on a moving walkway, rather than walking.

Somehow losing the timing to leave the shop, Yahiro sat back down on his chair. At the same time, a refill of hot tea was offered. Thank you, he said, bowing his head in thanks, and while sipping his tea, he pretended to be casual and observed the man who had just entered the shop. Even though the man was sitting at the counter, he didn't pick up the menu to look at it, and he kept his head bowed without showing any sign of ordering. He was a man with a faint presence, or perhaps a shadow. It might be rude to say this, but he thought he looked just like a dead person.

'What would you like?' Even when asked, the man remained silent and didn't even try to lift his face. It wasn't as if he couldn't hear the owner's voice. The owner slowly picked up the remote and turned on the wall-mounted television. The screen showed a news program. It was about the highway bus accident that had occurred three days ago. It was an accident where a surface avalanche occurred on a slope along the southbound lane of the Kan-Etsu Expressway in Niigata Prefecture, and the bus in transit was hit directly by the avalanche, pushed off the road, and fell down a cliff. Every program was covering the news, and it was the talk of the town.

According to the commentator, it was explained that the area was judged to have no risk of avalanches, so no snow sheds were installed, and the record-breaking heavy snowfall led to the avalanche. 'Here is the pork miso soup. It will warm you up.' In front of the bowing man, the owner placed the same pork miso soup he had served Yahiro. The man held the bowl with both hands as if to sandwich it, and brought his lips, which had turned purple, to the rim of the bowl to sip the broth. 'Ah, it's warm. I was so cold, my body was freezing.' Although it was a voice that seemed to fade away, the man finally spoke. 'Indeed. That day was truly a cold night with heavy snow.' That day? Heavy snow? Just what day were the two of them talking about?

Speaking of snow, what happened outside? Is it still snowing? Or has it stopped? Yahiro shifted his gaze to the window with a complex expression. Before he knew it, it was snowing heavily outside. 'Yes... it was a freezing cold day.' Saying that, the man dropped his gaze to the pork miso soup in the bowl. 'If there is anything you wish for, I will make it for you. Please, tell me.' The man shook his head slowly, saying no, and placed the bowl of pork miso soup down, hunching his shoulders and hanging his head again. 'Because of me, I have done a terrible thing to everyone. They must have been in pain and cold. And yet, for me alone to have a warm meal, it is unforgivable.'

Is he crying?

Yahiro watched as tears dripped onto the counter table. The owner shook his head slowly, saying no. 'You fulfilled your duty to the very end. Therefore, eat something delicious, warm your body, and let's move on to the next stage. If it is difficult to go alone, I will help you.' A restless feeling stirred in his chest. Question marks flew around in Yahiro's head. It was because the conversation between the owner and the man didn't seem normal at all. What on earth did it mean to move on to the next stage, or that it was difficult to go alone? He felt like there was some deep circumstance involved.

- Continues in Episode 4 -

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