KyokaSuigetsu
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060. Hotpot, Takatsuki Izumi Really Came, Interview
🕑 Added 2025-05-01 07:59:26 +0000 UTCUpon hearing Hayashi’s invitation, Makima didn’t hesitate and agreed.
Even though there were things to take care of, even though the Bat Demon issue hadn’t been resolved.
But this was Hayashi-kun’s invitation.
Everything else could wait.
That was Makima’s thought at that moment.
“Thank you, Hayashi-kun.”
“It’s fine,” Hayashi waved his hand, turned, and entered the kitchen to help Tohru move the items.
Hotpot requires a special table.
Because the pot base needs to keep being heated, Hayashi set up an induction cooker, with a recessed part on the table just for the heating.
After moving the table and setting up the induction cooker.
Hayashi went to the kitchen.
He preheated the beef fat hotpot base and the tomato hotpot base in the dual-flavor pot.
Tohru was placing the side dishes on the table.
One plate after another was set.
Beef, lamb, fish fillets, shrimp, crab meat, vegetables, and tripe—everything.
Power sat at the nearby seat, watching and drooling.
She kept swallowing.
Makima had never had hotpot like this before.
She watched with great interest from the side.
Once Hayashi had the dual-flavor pot bases heated up and brought them over.
She kindly asked, “Hayashi-kun, do you need help?”
“Uh...” Hayashi gestured to the table: “It’s actually all set, just dip it in and you can eat.”
Makima nodded after hearing this.
But she noticed that Hayashi’s collar had become askew from working.
So, Makima approached, gently stretched out her hands, helped Hayashi fix it, and adjusted it.
After stepping back, she nodded in satisfaction.
“Hmm, done.”
Hayashi looked down: “Thanks.”
As soon as he finished speaking.
Two footsteps could be heard at the door.
“Hayashi-kun, I’m back, guess who I brought?”
The voice of Kamishiro Rize came from the doorway.
Hayashi and Makima turned to look.
Leading the way was a woman with purple hair, wearing a dress, holding her hair back with one hand as the wind blew it, Kamishiro Rize.
Behind her was a woman with light emerald-colored hair tied in a bun, who appeared slightly dazed but cute.
Kamishiro Rize wasn’t wearing her usual red half-frame glasses today.
But the glasses were on the woman’s face behind her.
The woman was dressed in cream-colored and denim work clothes.
The first impression she gave was one of approachability, cuteness, and a scholarly vibe.
That is, if you didn’t know her true identity.
Takatsuki Izumi, or also known as Yomura Eito, alias the One-Eyed King.
“Rize?” Hayashi appeared genuinely surprised. “You really brought Takatsuki Izumi back with you?”
“Mm-hmm~” Kamishiro Rize smiled mysteriously, but since there were outsiders, she didn’t elaborate.
At the door, Takatsuki Izumi bowed politely and responded.
“Sorry for the intrusion, I just wrote some pieces of work I like.”
Takatsuki Izumi stood at the door.
Her gaze scanned the inside of the store.
A ghoul, two dragons, three demons.
And the store manager was actually a powerful normal human?
Interesting.
So interesting.
It turns out that there’s more than one dragon in District 20.
And they all live in this store?
No wonder the Copper Tree’s officers have been looking for so long and couldn’t find it.
So, this is how it is.
For a moment.
Takatsuki Izumi made eye contact with Makima.
Both of them silently looked at each other.
After a brief moment of silent eye contact.
They both tactfully turned away.
“Come on in.” Hayashi waved at them. “Since you’re here, the hotpot is ready, let’s eat together, and this time, it’s free for you.”
Kamishiro Rize nodded and led Takatsuki Izumi inside.
“Hotpot?” Takatsuki Izumi looked at the hotpot, smelling the aroma, surprised. “And it’s free? Thank you, store manager, I really like free things.”
Hayashi smiled: “It’s free this time, but next time, there’ll be a charge.”
Takatsuki Izumi tilted her head: “How does the store manager know I’ll come back next time?”
Hayashi gestured toward the people around him: “The store is full of regulars. I don’t need to explain more. You’ll know once you eat, like Kamishiro Rize here.”
Takatsuki Izumi looked at Kamishiro Rize.
Kamishiro Rize nodded, confirming it.
The discussion was all about how delicious the food was.
And Takatsuki Izumi’s social skills were clearly no different from normal people.
She didn’t even consider how a ghoul would feel eating human food or how bad it might taste.
Because she was already used to it.
Aren’t all human foods bad?
So, she only discussed what humans would discuss.
She didn’t think about ghouls' issues.
“Come eat.” Kamishiro Rize pulled out a seat for Hayashi, then said to Takatsuki Izumi: “You’ll understand.”
Everyone took their seats.
Hayashi called out to Kanna, who was still playing with Pochita.
“Kanna, Pochita, come eat.”
“Wow~”
“Oh~!”
Pochita immediately rushed over while carrying Kanna.
Kanna was lying on Pochita’s back, her eyes sparkling, her face full of happiness and joy.
They reached the table.
Tohru picked Kanna up and placed her in the spot between her and Hayashi.
And next to Hayashi sat...
Wait, Makima and Kamishiro Rize were competing for the seat.
When Hayashi sat down.
Makima and Kamishiro Rize both reached for the seat next to him.
But Kamishiro Rize had just arrived.
Makima, who was closer, sat down immediately.
Kamishiro Rize gave Makima a slightly fierce glance.
And Takatsuki Izumi looked at it, then sat next to Makima.
Next was Power.
She sat at the back.
Having a seat was good enough.
Anyway, she didn’t mind and just wanted to eat quickly.
Everyone gathered around the table.
Hayashi picked up the chopsticks and raised a basket filled with beef slices to explain.
“Everything on the table can be dipped in these two hotpots.”
“The beef slices only need about ten seconds. For the other ingredients, just judge it based on your preference.”
“This one is the beef fat hotpot base, a little spicy, and that one is the tomato base, sweet and sour. You can drink the soup with beef cubes.”
“Alright, let’s eat!”
Hayashi finished speaking and threw about a third of the basket, nearly two large handfuls of beef into the pot.
There were so many people, so adding more meat at once was no problem.
As the meat hit the pot.
Everyone fell silent.
They were all quietly waiting.
Seconds passed, one after another.
Hayashi saw that it was about ready: “It’s done.”
In an instant.
Several pairs of chopsticks reached into the pot at the same time!
Everyone grabbed a piece of meat and put it in their mouths.
Hayashi grabbed two pieces.
And one more.
He threw it to Pochita.
Pochita swallowed it immediately in the air, and spun around in happiness.
After everyone ate.
They all had a satisfied look on their faces.
Kanna ate and widened her eyes, immediately continuing to eat.
Makima ate, lightly biting her lip, and kept eating.
Kamishiro Rize, needless to say, her cheeks automatically turned red as she began eating.
The most shocked was Takatsuki Izumi.
After she swallowed a piece.
Her eyes instinctively widened.
She swallowed, almost instinctively, without even tasting it properly.
She quickly grabbed another piece and ate it.
Then chewed and tasted it bit by bit, very seriously savoring it!
After finishing, Takatsuki Izumi looked at Kamishiro Rize.
Kamishiro Rize also looked at her.
They locked eyes, and Rize’s gaze held a deep meaning.
It was like saying.
“See? I told you so.”
Hayashi’s food is something even ghouls can eat.
Although neither of them revealed their ghoul identity from the moment they met, there was a tacit understanding.
Once Kamishiro Rize learned that Takatsuki Izumi was a ghoul.
She didn’t purposely hide her presence.
Takatsuki Izumi knew too, and didn’t hide it either.
They didn’t speak about it, so Kamishiro Rize started chatting with Takatsuki Izumi.
She asked for life advice.
Real life advice, not “life” advice.
She even invited Takatsuki Izumi here to enjoy the food.
As for Takatsuki Izumi...
She had to admit.
At first, she thought her identity as the One-Eyed King had been figured out, and she was invited here as a trap, to be surrounded by special agents.
But she quickly realized she hadn’t been figured out.
Kamishiro Rize only knew she was a ghoul.
But didn’t know her true identity.
Through casual conversation, meaning through asking for life advice and such, Takatsuki Izumi guessed that Kamishiro Rize had been specifically called in.
So, when she came to the store.
She figured out who knew her true identity.
It was the store manager in front of her.
Then came the food.
In an instant.
Too many questions flooded Takatsuki Izumi’s mind.
So many things she wanted to ask.
But now was not the time.
Takatsuki Izumi ate another piece of meat, her face showing a look of happiness and enjoyment.
She then put down her chopsticks, clasped her hands together.
And seriously said to Hayashi: “Hayashi-kun, I really appreciate being able to eat this food. This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten in my life!”
Hayashi was startled by the sudden gratitude.
Takatsuki Izumi’s expression wasn’t fake.
She was very sincere, and he could tell.
"One lifetime is too much of an exaggeration," Hayashi waved his hand, signaling no need for thanks. "If you like the food, just eat more. But next time, it won’t be free."
Takatsuki Izumi smiled. "No problem, I'll definitely come back often."
One lifetime is not an exaggeration.
Just look at Kamishiro Rize’s current state to understand.
She has eaten so much that she’s addicted to it!
The antique coffee shop next door has also made people addicted!
Just coming over to the store to have a meal is good enough.
Life can’t be too good.
Given the current situation, if there’s any risk to the diner...
Antiques and demons like Kamishiro Rize would probably just grab something and start a fight.
What the heck do you think you’re doing to the diner that we depend on for survival!?
You can smash anyone's store today, but not this one!
So, tonight’s meal was a collective enjoyment for everyone.
Kanna ate meat, vegetables, and seafood.
"Everything’s delicious. Hayashi makes the best food."
Tohru ate with satisfaction. "So this is hotpot, huh?"
Everyone tried the mildly spicy beef fat hotpot base.
Immediately, half the people were spiced out.
Tohru said she was fine.
Kanna was the same.
But Makima, Kamishiro Rize, Takatsuki Izumi, and Power all couldn’t handle it.
"Too spicy~!" Power kept sticking out her tongue as she ate...
Makima took off her suit jacket and hung it on the chair.
Kamishiro Rize found it spicy but was still willing to eat.
Takatsuki Izumi was the same.
Though she switched between the two pots.
Just like that.
The table and the neighboring tables were filled with food.
In less than an hour, everything was eaten!
Power even drank the soup at the bottom of the pot!
"I want some too." Kanna, seeing this, also drank the other pot's soup.
It was hotpot base!
"Ah..." Hayashi scratched his head.
Humans definitely wouldn’t drink it.
But for dragons and demons, it should be fine, right?
At that moment.
The table was completely clean except for the dishes.
No leftovers.
Not even a drop of soup!
It was incredibly clean.
Hayashi was genuinely happy. "You ate so cleanly, even Tohru won’t have to do much work."
The table just needs a quick wipe.
Everyone stood up.
They each went to their spots to rest.
Everyone was full.
Even Makima couldn’t maintain her composed image, slightly leaning back on the sofa to rest.
Kanna, holding her little belly: "I’m so full..."
"Kanna, why did you eat so much?" Tohru picked Kanna up and placed her on a reclining chair. "You’ll have plenty of chances to eat in the future."
Kanna weakly said: "It was too delicious..."
By now.
The happiest person was Takatsuki Izumi.
She sat next to Kamishiro Rize, leaning back in her chair, squinting her eyes and enjoying herself.
Then, she tilted her head and whispered to Kamishiro Rize.
"Hayashi, the store manager, he must have a lot of human friends, right?"
Kamishiro Rize nodded in confirmation.
Upon hearing this, Takatsuki Izumi became even more curious.
She had already recognized Kamishiro Rize's identity.
The "Great Eater" in the CCG’s reports, the "Glutton" among ghouls, Kamishiro Rize was well-known in the ghoul community.
But recently, she had suddenly disappeared.
No one knew where she was or what she was doing.
But now, unexpectedly...
She was just waiting to eat in a diner every day?
This was way too interesting!
Thinking about this.
Takatsuki Izumi pulled out her notebook and pen, and with a click, began her interview.
"May I ask, what do you think of Hayashi, the store manager?"
Kamishiro Rize looked warily at the notebook.
Takatsuki Izumi explained, "This is just a personal record, not public, and I won’t record names. It’s just for inspiration."
Upon hearing this, Kamishiro Rize finally spoke.
Her face showed reminiscence and gentleness.
"Hayashi-kun is very considerate. He’s good-looking and handsome, but that’s just his outward appearance. His inner qualities are even better. He respects everyone and treats everyone equally. He doesn’t show favoritism."
"His cooking is excellent, especially the steak. It’s delicious, and also..."
Kamishiro Rize continued talking.
Takatsuki Izumi kept writing down more, her excitement and curiosity growing.
She interviewed for a while.
Kamishiro Rize didn’t reveal any secrets. The late-night diner didn’t have any secrets.
She just shared her feelings.
After a while.
"Thank you very much," Takatsuki Izumi closed her notebook and put her pen inside. "It seems that Hayashi-kun is a very important person to you. Can I interview him next?"
Hearing that he was so important, Kamishiro Rize suddenly tensed, looking at Takatsuki Izumi with suspicion.
But Takatsuki Izumi just smiled.
After hearing it was an interview, Kamishiro Rize relaxed her expression.
"That’s your business. As long as Hayashi-kun is willing, it’s fine."
"Then I’ll go ahead," Takatsuki Izumi immediately stood up, grabbed her notebook, and left.
At this moment, Hayashi.
Was looking at Kanna, who was so full she looked like she might burst.
Hayashi looked at Kanna slumped over.
"Kanna, why don’t you turn into a dragon to digest, then change back?"
"No." (I don’t want to.)
"Why?" Hayashi asked. "Aren’t you uncomfortable?"
"I just ate Hayashi’s food, it was so delicious. Turning into a dragon would waste it."
"It’s fine, it only needs to go into your mouth."
"Still no, I’ll just lie down for a bit and rest."
"Alright."
Kanna insisted on digesting herself, so Hayashi didn’t press further.
After all, she’s a dragon. No big deal.
If she were a human child, she’d probably be in the hospital by now.
"Hey, store manager~"
At this moment, Hayashi heard Takatsuki Izumi’s voice from behind him.
He turned around and saw Takatsuki Izumi holding a notebook, adjusting her half-frame glasses, looking at him with expectation.
"What is it?" Hayashi asked.
"Um, may I interview the store manager?" Takatsuki Izumi asked with anticipation. "Don’t worry, this interview is just for inspiration. I won’t record any addresses or names, and it won’t be made public."
"Then it’s fine." Hayashi shook his head, then suddenly remembered Shi Yu: "I have a regular customer who is also a writer, and she’s still a high school student. You two might hit it off and exchange ideas."
"Really? Who is she...?"
"Kasumigaoka Utaha, her work is called 'Love Metronome.'"
