"Hmmm~"
Tohru took a bite of cake.
"Kyaaa~"
Then she took another bite.
"Ah~~~ It can't compare to Boss's cooking, but it's still pretty good."
Tohru finished the cake with a calm and happy expression, clearly satisfied with the taste.
Yuto, however, had gone quiet beside her.
His mood was the complete opposite of Tohru's relaxed one.
He was still thinking about what she had just said.
"She won't live much longer."
Yuto did not think Tohru would joke about something like that.
He understood his dragon girl.
Although she usually seemed careless and rough, she was actually indifferent toward most humans.
Because of that, she would not casually joke about a human's death.
That could be called the pride of a dragon, or maybe the coldness of a dragon.
Yuto thought of Miyazono Kaori's appearance just now.
She had looked like a bright, energetic girl full of life.
Someone like that would not live much longer?
Yuto found it hard to connect Kaori with something so heavy.
"Tohru, can you tell someone's physical condition?"
"Mm-hm, of course! That human called Miyazono Kaori is actually already close to her limit. She definitely knows about it herself."
Tohru's words made Yuto take a deep breath.
'She definitely knows...'
Yuto repeated those words in his heart, then thought again of the girl's lively appearance just now.
In other words, was that all something she was forcing herself to show?
When Yuto thought of that, he could not help sighing in his heart.
He felt sympathy and pity, but he also felt confused.
He did not believe the Miyazono couple knew nothing about their daughter's condition.
But the two of them had never once shown sadness in front of him.
At least, during the two times Yuto had met them, they had both been smiling.
He could not understand that.
Likewise, he could not understand Kaori's cheerful act.
What kind of reason allowed her to face death and still smile so brightly?
Yuto let out another heavy sigh.
There had to be a reason behind it.
He simply did not know what that reason was yet.
He would wait until the next time she came to the restaurant.
Since thinking about it alone would not give him an answer, Yuto slowly put away those heavy feelings for now.
Even so, along with the heaviness, there was also respect in his heart.
Anyone who could smile while knowing death was close deserved respect.
That was not something ordinary people could do.
That kind of courage was incredible.
Kaori really was an amazing girl!
"Right, Boss, there's one more thing."
Yuto looked back at his dragon girl.
"What is it this time?"
Tohru scratched her head with a silly smile.
"Boss, what does girlfriend mean?"
Yuto's expression froze for a moment.
"Why are you suddenly asking that?"
"Because those people at the dessert shop said I was your girlfriend. I don't understand."
Tohru said it in her dazed way.
The dragon girl always acted cute without realizing it.
"Mm... Among dragons, if two dragons like each other, what do you call that?"
"For dragons... I think they would fight to decide who gets to be in charge!"
Yuto: ?????????
He was stunned for a moment.
As expected of dragons!
"Cough, cough! Humans and dragons are still different. A girlfriend means..."
After that, Yuto rambled on and explained it to Tohru.
The dragon girl nodded in a dazed, half-understanding way.
Then she sank into thought.
"Boss, if humans who like each other are called boyfriend and girlfriend, then I'm Boss's girlfriend!"
After thinking for quite a while, Tohru reached that conclusion.
Yuto's steps paused because of her words.
"I really, really, really like Boss! Mm! That's right! I'm Boss's girlfriend!"
Tohru added this with complete confidence.
"Don't mess around. This kind of thing can't be decided by one person alone. I need to agree too."
Yuto patted Tohru's head.
"Then Boss, hurry up and agree!"
"Tohru, stop shaking me."
"If Boss agrees, I'll stop shaking you~~~ Agree, okay? Agree~~"
"..."
"Fine... Do whatever you want."
"Oh!"
Tohru: YAY!
ヾ(^Д^*)/
...
Yuto took Tohru straight to the supermarket by bus.
That saved time.
If they went back to the restaurant first to get the bicycle and backpack, going back and forth would probably take almost an hour.
In any case, it was only him and Tohru right now.
There was not much difference if they carried the groceries back by hand~~~
By the time they arrived at the supermarket, it was already past eight.
If this were a normal day, most of the fresh vegetables would have already been picked through by now.
Yuto walked into the supermarket with a helpless feeling.
At the same time, he handed the shopping basket to the dragon girl beside him.
Tohru was in a very good mood right now.
With a silly smile, she accepted the shopping basket and carried it herself.
She's so well-behaved!
Whenever Yuto saw something that looked good, he threw it into the basket.
In any case, Tohru could carry anything.
Before he even reached Granny's stall, he had already seen from a distance that there were no fresh vegetables left there either.
That made him sigh softly.
"Yuto-chan!"
Granny also noticed him and waved directly at him.
When Yuto walked over, a puzzled look appeared on Granny's kind old face.
"Why did you come so late today?"
"I had something to take care of, so I came late."
Yuto scratched his head and smiled somewhat helplessly.
Granny showed a look of understanding.
"Since I came late, all the vegetables have already been picked clean." Yuto spoke helplessly.
But the moment he said that, Granny showed a proud little smile.
"Don't worry. I already picked some out for you in advance!"
Granny's tone carried clear pride.
Yuto froze for a moment.
Then Granny took out a basket from under her stall.
The basket was covered with plastic wrap, and inside were fresh vegetables of excellent quality.
"When I saw that you were late, I picked out all the good vegetables first. Those people came and picked through everything, but they didn't know I had already saved the best ones."
Granny laughed happily.
She looked very proud of herself.
Her expression made her seem like an old child showing off something clever.
Yuto could not help being amused by her.
He looked at the vegetables in the basket.
They were all top quality!
"Thank you so much, Granny."
Yuto bent slightly and thanked her.
Granny waved her hand.
"What are you thanking me for? Don't be so distant with your Granny! Do you hear me, Yuto-chan?"
There was even a rather displeased look on Granny's face.
Yuto smiled softly and nodded.
He had Tohru put all the vegetables into the shopping basket.
He did not plan to weigh them.
He would just give Granny one hundred thousand yen.
Even if Granny refused later, he would still force it into her hand.
Return kindness with even greater kindness.
That was Yuto's principle.
"Right, Yuto-chan, did Megumi send you a message about the movie last night?"
Granny suddenly asked with a smile.
"She did."
Yuto nodded.
"Mm~ mm~ mm—good, then. When the time comes, you have to spend the day properly with Megumi."
"Mm, I will."
Granny was extremely proud in her heart.
Her arrangement had truly been perfect!
However, she also felt a little relieved.
Luckily, she had watched Megumi send that message last night.
Otherwise... Watching a movie?
It probably would have fallen through before it even began!
"Granny, this is for you."
After Tohru finished packing the vegetables, Yuto directly took out the yen he had counted earlier and stuffed it into Granny's hand.
Then he pulled Tohru and quickly ran away.
Granny rubbed the money in her hand, her face full of helplessness.
She wanted to call out to him, but Yuto had already run off.
In the end, she could only sigh.
Then she counted the money in her hand.
One hundred thousand yen...
"What a good boy..." she murmured with a smile.
...
"Boss, why were we running?" Tohru asked, looking confused.
"You'll understand someday."
"Oh."
The dragon girl stopped asking.
After that, the two of them packed the groceries into separate bags. Each of them carried two large bags, then they took the bus back together.
By the time they returned to Ichinose Street, Hanako's club was already open.
Chiko seemed to be waiting for him outside.
When Yuto approached, she walked over as well.
There was a letter in her hand.
"Chiko-san, what's this?"
"Take it. Hanako asked me to give this to you."
Yuto fell silent for a moment.
Then he accepted the letter.