Today was one of those rare, peaceful days in Beika Town.
As quitting time approached, not a single emergency call had come in. Since there was no overtime, everyone in Team Onizawa began packing up and getting ready to head home.
Ritsu finished gathering his belongings, planning to pick up Akemi before heading to Wataru's house for dinner.
The moment he stood up, however, he spotted Wataru standing at the office entrance, waving at him.
"Inspector Date? What brings you here?"
Ritsu knew Wataru was off duty today, so he couldn't help feeling puzzled.
'Did something major happen in the Second Division?'
"I remembered I left something in the office, so I stopped by after work to pick it up." Wataru grinned.
"Just ride with me. Natalie will bring Miyano-san over."
The reason Wataru had invited Onizawa over for dinner was because of something Hiro had casually mentioned a few days ago.
He knew that Onizawa's fiancée, Akemi, was a low-ranking member of the Organization.
Concerned about Onizawa's safety, Wataru wanted to meet her in person, just in case anything unexpected happened in the future.
"Sorry for the trouble, Inspector Date."
"We've known each other long enough."
Wataru laughed.
"And we're about the same age, so just call me Wataru."
"Alright. I will."
Wataru had always been the friendly, easygoing type.
With a toothpick in his mouth, he casually slung an arm around Ritsu's shoulders as they walked toward the elevator, chatting all the way about what kinds of food he liked so Natalie could prepare something he'd enjoy.
...
Driving his SUV through the evening streets, Wataru suddenly remarked,
"Huh... that's surprising."
Tilting his head, Ritsu deliberately relaxed, trying to act naturally around his former class leader.
"Did I say something strange?"
"No."
Wataru chuckled.
"I'm just surprised you're not a picky eater."
"Do I look like someone who's picky?"
"Hahaha! Not really."
Wataru laughed heartily.
"I guess I just figured handsome guys tend to be fussy. I've got one close friend who refuses to eat anything bitter. He doesn't like raw food either.
And as for onions, ginger, or garlic... He wouldn't touch them with a ten-foot pole."
Ritsu knew perfectly well that Wataru was talking about him.
Keeping his expression natural, he said,
"Must've been exhausting eating with someone like that. You'd always have to accommodate his tastes."
"It used to be."
Wataru smiled faintly.
"But now... I'd really like to have another meal with that idiot."
He slowly pulled the SUV over to the curb before turning toward Ritsu.
"Because that stubborn fool gave his life for the public before the rest of us."
The atmosphere instantly became heavy.
For a moment, Ritsu didn't know what to say. His emotions grew even more complicated. Compared to the man everyone believed had died, he felt like the one who had selfishly clung to life.
"Haha... sorry."
Wataru scratched his cheek.
"I guess his death anniversary's coming up. I've been thinking about him."
Opening the driver's door, he smiled again.
"Come on, Natalie's probably finished cooking."
"Right."
As he got out, Ritsu said apologetically,
"Sorry I came empty-handed. I didn't even bring a gift."
Wataru waved him off.
"Who says guests have to bring gifts? Let's go, I'm starving, and Natalie's cooking is fantastic."
Wataru and Natalie lived in an apartment in Beika Town's 5-Chome, only about a twenty-minute walk from the Mouri Detective Agency.
The apartment building itself looked rather ordinary from the outside.
Inside, however, it felt incredibly warm.
The entryway was decorated with handmade yarn ornaments, while picture frames filled nearly every corner, each preserving a treasured memory.
"I'm home!"
"Welcome back!"
Natalie smiled warmly.
"And welcome, Onizawa-san."
"You two go relax in the living room. We'll have dinner ready in just a minute."
As Wataru took a pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet, he looked toward the kitchen in confusion.
"'We'? Natalie... Don't tell me you're making Akemi do all the work."
Natalie walked out of the kitchen with both hands on her hips.
"What do you mean, 'making her do it'? Akemi's an amazing cook, I'm learning from the master!"
"Oh?"
Wataru laughed before nudging Ritsu with his elbow.
"Look at you, you've got it made. You'll be eating well after you get married."
"Heh..."
Ritsu smiled.
"Yeah, I'm very lucky to be with Akemi."
Then, Akemi stepped out to grab seasonings from the refrigerator.
Hearing Ritsu say something so completely against his true feelings, she couldn't help chuckling quietly behind the refrigerator door.
Noticing her shoulders trembling with suppressed laughter, Ritsu simply wore his usual half-lidded expression and turned toward one of the framed photographs.
In it, Wataru was happily eating watermelon all by himself. Beside him, Natalie puffed out her cheeks in adorable frustration.
Curious, Ritsu asked,
"Wataru-san... Were you bullying Natalie?"
Wataru looked at the photo and laughed.
"Not at all. She lost a game, so her watermelon became mine. Of course... after taking the picture, I gave it back."
Ritsu glanced at the watermelon in the photograph.
The sweetest middle portion had already been eaten.
'Yeah... Class Rep can be surprisingly dense sometimes.'
Then again...
Out of the six of them, he was still the only one who had ever actually dated someone.
The four of them spent the time before dinner watching a completely mindless variety show in the living room.
With his unusually keen sense of smell, Ritsu suddenly caught the familiar aroma of fried food drifting from the kitchen.
He sniffed the air.
The more he smelled it, the more familiar it became.
'Don't tell me... Natalie made fish and chips?'
Sure enough...
When dinner was served, everyone had their own plate of fish and chips. Instead of tartar sauce, however, it was accompanied by ketchup.
"Onizawa."
Wataru smiled.
"Fish and chips are Natalie's favorite. Her mother's British, so she's actually better at British cooking than Japanese food."
Picking up his knife and fork, Ritsu smiled nostalgically.
"It's been a long time since I've had fish and chips. When I was living overseas, I used to eat it all the time."
"I'm glad you like it."
Natalie smiled in relief.
"I made a few adjustments. Traditional British fish and chips are a bit too greasy."
The crispy batter coated tender, juicy cod. The excess oil had been carefully absorbed away. The ketchup balanced the richness perfectly, while the fresh cabbage salad kept the meal light.
The modified version was even more delicious than the original.
For Ritsu, being able to eat fish and chips again after so long was a wonderful surprise.
He noticed Akemi quietly watching him. She must have intentionally said nothing after learning Natalie planned to make this dish.
'Did she want me to taste fish and chips again? I really should thank her.'
Meanwhile, Akemi noticed Wataru feeding Natalie a bite of food.
An amusing thought crossed her mind.
'I wonder what would happen if Ritsu-kun tried doing that.'
Smiling mischievously, she stretched out a foot beneath the table and gently nudged Ritsu's calf twice.
Feeling the kick, the hopelessly oblivious Ritsu set down his drink. Looking at her in confusion, he asked,
"Akemi, why are you kicking me?"
"I wanted you to pass me one of the teriyaki chicken wings."
Ritsu blinked.
"Are your arms that short? You can't reach it yourself?"
"..."
Silence descended upon the dinner table.
Sometimes...
A painfully straightforward comment was the deadliest weapon of all.
Akemi sighed helplessly.
Picking up a large piece of fried cod with her knife and fork, she leaned across the table and stuffed it straight into Ritsu's mouth.
Smiling sweetly, she said,
"Maybe you should just stop talking."
"Hahahahaha!"
Wataru and Natalie burst into laughter.
Of course...
They misunderstood the situation completely.
They assumed Akemi was simply complaining that Ritsu had absolutely no idea how to flirt with his own fiancée.
"...???"
Only Ritsu sat there with narrowed eyes, chewing the fish like a bewildered hamster.
He genuinely couldn't understand why everyone found Akemi's remark so funny.
'Was it really that hilarious? Forget it... The food's this good.
No point wasting brain cells trying to figure it out.'
...
Before they left Wataru's apartment, Ritsu received one final piece of advice. Wataru threw an arm around his shoulders with an unusually serious expression.
"Onizawa, the only reason you managed to get married is because Miyano-san has an incredibly good temperament."
"So treasure her."
Ritsu frowned thoughtfully.
For some reason, that sounded like he was being criticized.
After getting into the car, he looked seriously at Akemi.
Several long seconds passed before he finally asked the question that made her burst into laughter.
"...Is my personality really that terrible?"
Apparently, ever since he was a child, Ritsu had been brilliant in every area except one.
When it came to romance, his emotional intelligence was exactly zero.
Once again, he had completely misunderstood the situation.