The five sat around the table on the floor, mixing filling and wrapping gyozas. Matsuoka's technique was decent, so everyone mimicked him.
"Why do we have gyozas and buns when both are dough-wrapped fillings?" Takizawa asked Sakura out of the blue.
"Because one's steamed, the other's boiled?" She glanced at him.
"The real difference is the shape," Takizawa said, eyeing her brick-shaped gyoza with mock disdain.
"What's it matter? A gyoza's taste comes from the filling and dipping sauce, not looks!" Sakura shot back, blushing. "You're the one stuffing them with too much meat. What a waste!"
"Thick meat, thin skin—bad? Out there, three gyozas barely have enough meat to fill a tooth gap."
"Then make meatballs and skip the wrapping."
"You're too young to get it—life's about tricking yourself into surprises. Finding bits of pork in a veggie dish beats plain pork. That's happiness beyond expectations," Takizawa said. "Live like that: lower desires, think of worse-off folks when times are tough, or find someone unluckier when you're down. If you're the worst off, at least give the second-worst hope to keep going. Doesn't that give you some purpose?"
"I get it," Sakura said, eyeing his equally odd gyozas. "You're the second-worst wrapper, so I gave you the courage to joke."
"Well played," Takizawa nodded, grinning. "At least I'm not the most embarrassing."
Such shamelessness. Sakura fought to keep her smile polite.
"Everyone's about the same," Iwasawa Toshiki said, glancing around. "Matsuoka's got some part-time experience, so he's slightly better."
"If none of us can wrap, why suggest gyozas?" Yoshimura Haruka asked, half-laughing.
"High-involvement dishes are limited. No money, car, or gear for barbecue camping," Iwasawa shrugged.
"It's nice, isn't it?" Matsuoka said, savoring the casual gathering's vibe.
"Speaking of, if you hide a coin in a gyoza, whoever eats it gets good luck," Takizawa said. "But it's gotta be subtle—not in mine or Sakura's, or it's too obvious."
"Hmph, who cares," Sakura scoffed.
"Don't make too many. Leftovers are a hassle," Iwasawa warned.
"I'll boil water and prep the sauce," Matsuoka said, counting the gyozas.
"Wait, let me snap some pics," Yoshimura said, taking photos with her phone. "I'll post these on my blog and Twitter later~"
"Tag me!" Iwasawa grinned.
After tidying the room and table, Matsuoka, in the kitchen, called out, "Hey, isn't it time for the anime broadcast?"
"What, you're chasing a show?" Takizawa raised an eyebrow, surprised Matsuoka followed fanservice-heavy series.
"Dark Rebirth Fantasy's first episode airs soon! Your debut!" Matsuoka said, excited.
"?"
"Really? Quick, which channel?" Everyone perked up, ready to watch, sitting in front of the TV munching sunflower seeds.
Takizawa, squeezed on the couch, faced public execution.
After ads, the small TV darkened, then blasted a fiery rock OP, with rapid cuts of battles and character close-ups.
Even Matsuoka, tending the pot, leaned out from the kitchen to peek.
Post-OP, the prologue and narration rolled. Unlike the rough drafts Takizawa saw during recording, the finished visuals were stunning—effects and magic circles meticulously crafted, clashing armies and the Demon King's shadow oozing menace, budget practically smoldering.
Then came the carriage scene in a vast forest, with flawless light and water effects, likely born from animators' all-nighters.
No wonder Sony's loaded!
The rookies, joking earlier, now watched quietly.
"Stop the carriage," A sharp, commanding voice rang out. A knight in ornate silver armor approached, speaking softly, "Your Highness, we've traveled half a day. Care to step out for air?"
Eyes darted between the TV and Takizawa, sitting stiffly.
Why's this so embarrassing? It was his voice, but the polished, serious delivery felt alien to hear.
The knight looked way cooler than he'd imagined—not a background character at all.
"That voice screams heartthrob," Iwasawa whispered, impressed.
They used his second, rerecorded take. The refined, intense voice, paired with top-tier visuals, made the knight-princess dynamic feel like main-character energy.
Then came the ambush. The knight calmly directed defenses, stylishly cutting down grunts. Facing the terrorist leader, his swordplay dazzled, choreography popping off, elevating the show's quality.
Everyone was hooked on the stellar animation.
But Takizawa's expression grew weirder.
Sure enough, the knight's arm was soon severed. He boldly chanted a spell for a sacrificial strike, but as smoke cleared, the enemy stood unscathed, and the knight lay broken, barely alive.
The real male lead arrived, dispatching the foe with flashier effects, exchanging last words with the knight before the scene shifted.
"Huh? Takizawa, you're dead already?" Matsuoka blinked. "No more scenes?"
"…I'm a side character," Takizawa said, exasperated.
"With that vibe, I thought you'd get back up," Iwasawa said, amazed.
Silence fell.
That's it?
A protagonist-level face and aura, gone in three minutes with a dying wish?
Sakura scrolled her phone and silently handed it to Takizawa.
He glanced at the posts:
[So cool! Alfredo's self-destruct, the series' power benchmark, made me cry.]
[Al-dono's gone, but his legend lives in every strong character's praise.]
[Bad news: latest volume reveals Al-dono's sword king title was a fluke, devaluing his power unit.]
[Can five Alfredos beat the Shadow Scorn Cult's deputy?]
[Not in the source—five Alfredos are quasi-sword-saint level. But in the game, with new rules, pick Alfredo, grab the Dragonbreath Sword, and his self-destruct can nuke even the Evil King.]
[Strong stay strong. Alfredo's the ultimate power gauge. Waiting for a self-destruct meme vid.]
[His dice roll sucked, or he'd never lose that fight.]
[Lousy author rigged the dice against Al-dono.]
[For newbies: Royal Knight Alfredo, aka Al-dono, dies in chapter one but gets hyped by every major character as 'swordsmanship rivaling former Sword King Alfredo.' Super handy power unit. In the tabletop game, his card has a self-destruct skill—yep, that one. Great follower.]
[Every game, an Al-dono sacrifices for the greater good.]
[Love using Al-dono to blast Red Warfiends, grab the necklace for the princess, and keep adventuring.]
What is this?
Takizawa was dumbfounded.
Sakura curled up, trembling from suppressed laughter.
***
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