novelraw Chapter 60: Welcome to Tokyo! Uncle!
Chapter 60: Welcome to Tokyo! Uncle!
Ginza, an elegant private room in a branch of the ryotei named "Kikunoi", a faint fragrance of premium incense floated in the air.
"So to speak, Uncle, have you recently watched some weird 8 PM family ethics drama?"
Nohara Hiroshi carried a bit of helpless smile of being wronged on his face, personally pouring a cup of warm sake for Koyama Yoshiharu: "My father is named Nohara Ginnosuke, my mother is named Nohara Tsuru, our family is in Akita Prefecture Omagari City, just an ordinary family. I truly am not the illegitimate son of some big shot."
His tone was as sincere as giving a self-introduction during primary school, so pure and good it could squeeze out water.
It just carried a bit of teasing in its tone.
"Daddy! How could you think of Hiroshi-kun this way?!" Koyama Misae beside them finally found an opportunity, puffed up her cheeks, like a little squirrel protecting its food, initiating a denunciation towards her own dad: "Hiroshi-kun works so hard, struggling in Tokyo alone, both drawing manga and working at the television station, so tiring every day! How could you... how could you taint his innocence out of thin air!"
Reaching the end, a thin layer of mist welled up in those watery large eyes of hers, half out of anger, half out of heartache.
Illegitimate son in Neon is not a good term.
"Cough!" Koyama Yoshiharu was backed up by his daughter's words to the point his old face blushed red. That face as cold and hard as the winter rocks of Kumamoto Prefecture, at this moment also couldn't hold it anymore.
He raised his wine cup, wanting to use a mouthful of spicy liquid to cover up his embarrassment, yet felt that moving the cup first in front of the prospective son-in-law lost the decorum of an elder.He could only keep a straight face, using that majesty unique to a Head Teacher to reprimand in a low voice: "I... I was merely making a reasonable deduction! How could a recently graduated young man..."
He couldn't continue speaking.
Because from the corner of his eye, he had already glimpsed the sliding door of this private room carved from a whole piece of cypress wood, glimpsed the landscape painting on the wall said to be the authentic work of a certain famous master, and that meticulously maintained, petite and exquisite dry landscape courtyard outside the window.
All of this, used a silent yet incomparably clear manner, repeatedly whipping that old worldview of his built upon "industriousness and thrift in managing a household" and "doing things in a prescribed order".
This was also clearly Nohara Hiroshi's valuing of him!
He Koyama Yoshiharu was not someone who didn't know what was good for him.
At this time.
How could he continue speaking?
"Daddy, just admit it, you're just jealous that Hiroshi-kun is more capable than you!" Misae pursued relentlessly.
"Nonsense!" Koyama Yoshiharu blew his beard and glared, that bit of newly risen appreciation towards the prospective son-in-law instantly washed into thin air by his daughter's utmost truthful words.
He, the father, must maintain his authority!
And he was the prospective father-in-law too!
"Alright, alright, Misae, stop messing with your dad." The mother Koyama Takasae came out to smooth things over. She looked at her daughter and that young man with a pampering smile, her eyes full of gratification.
She gently patted Misae's hand, then shot an apologetic look at Nohara Hiroshi, smiling: "Hiroshi-kun, don't mind it, Yoshiharu is just like this, tough on the outside but soft on the inside."
"Mommy is right, Daddy is just a stubborn old man." Eldest sister Masae also echoed gently. She looked at the radiant appearance of her younger sister nourished by love, also feeling happy for her in her heart.
"I don't mind, this is originally just Uncle's humor." Nohara Hiroshi chuckled lightly from the side.
While personally pouring tea for them.
Only youngest sister Musae, like a curious baby barging into the Grand View Garden, those dark and glossy large eyes of hers were simply not enough to use.
She would momentarily touch the tatami beneath her woven from premium rush grass, and momentarily lean by the window, letting out exclamations of "Sugoi" towards that small yet extremely exquisite dry landscape courtyard built inside the architecture.
"Wah! This place is too awesome right!"
She held her face with both hands, on that youthfully vibrant small face was written undisguised envy: "This is the real Tokyo! Our Kumamoto doesn't even have a decent department store, let alone this kind of high-end ryotei!"
"Cough! Cough cough!" Koyama Yoshiharu was violently choked into a severe coughing fit by his youngest daughter's words of never having seen the world.
Embarrassing! Too embarrassing!
And right in front of the prospective son-in-law!
He glared fiercely at Musae, lowering his voice to reprimand: "Do not speak while eating, do not speak while sleeping! Have some appearance of an elegant lady!"
'Swish——'
Right at this moment, the cypress sliding door of the private room was gently slid open.
"Excuse me, apologies for disturbing! It is now time to serve the dishes!"
A waitress wearing a kimono, elegant posture, hanging an impeccable professional smile on her face, kneeled at the doorway. Behind her followed a line of young maids also wearing kimonos.
Like a flock of wild geese entering in single file, holding exquisite lacquer trays in their hands, silently, they filled the entire long table with dishes akin to artworks.
"Wah——!!!"
This time, it wasn't just Musae alone who let out an exclamation.
Only to see that long dining table was instantly occupied by a superb collection of beautiful delicacies.
The crystal clear Ise lobster sashimi seemingly still trembling slightly was meticulously arranged into a dragon boat shape; the A5 grade top-tier Saga Wagyu, with marbled texture evenly distributed like snowflakes, reflected an enticing fat luster under the light; a luxurious sashimi platter consisting of tuna otoro, sea urchin, and botan shrimp, so fresh one could seemingly smell the breath of the sea.
Aside from these, there was also French baked snails, black truffle foie gras, cream of mushroom soup...
Japanese and French top-tier cuisine, in an extremely harmonious yet extremely luxurious manner, conjointly staged a gastronomic feast sufficient to drive any glutton crazy.
"This... this is too..."
Mother Koyama Takasae looked at this table full of rare delicacies. In those eyes always bearing a bit of careful calculation, for the first time appeared a bit of panic: "Hiroshi-kun, this... how much money will this cost? Too extravagant, truly too extravagant!"
"That's right, Hiroshi-kun, us casually eating some set meals would've been fine." Eldest sister Masae also echoed. She looked at those high-end ingredients rarely seen even on television, calculating the prices in her heart.
Then that meager salary of hers belonging to teachers was shivering at this moment.
Even Koyama Yoshiharu right at this moment stared blankly.
That sharp gaze of his belonging to a Head Teacher, at this moment only remained pure shock. Because in his entire life, he had never seen such a grand lineup!
"Everyone please eat with peace of mind, it's all just a bit of my sincerity." A gentle smile hung on Nohara Hiroshi's face. He looked at the appearances of Misae's family being shocked, that bit of vanity belonging to men in his heart received an immense satisfaction.
"This is specially prepared for everyone by Hiroshi-kun oh."
Misae puffed out her small chest at this moment. On that flushed small face was written full of pride sharing in the glory: "He said, he must use the highest standard to welcome my most important family."
Once her words came out, the faces of Koyama Takasae and Masae were instantly filled with touched emotions.
Even on that rock-like face of Koyama Yoshiharu appeared a trace of imperceptible loosening.
However, Nohara Hiroshi's performance wasn't over yet.
As if performing a magic trick, he took out exquisitely packaged gifts one by one from those several shopping bags beside him that looked expensive.
"Uncle." He presented that quaint wooden box with both hands to the front of Koyama Yoshiharu: "Knowing you like to have a couple of cups, this is the 'Juyondai' Ryuusen I managed to buy only through entrusting friends, a small token of respect."
Koyama Yoshiharu's pupils violently shrank.
Juyondai!
And it was the legendary Ryuusen!
Although he was merely a local civil servant, he still had considerable research into sake. This bottle of wine, on the market had long been hyped to a sky-high price, it was a Phantom Sake one might not necessarily be able to buy even with money!
Just like Flying Fairy Moutai in Huaxia before the alcohol prohibition order came out.
It had already departed the category of 'liquor'.
Bringing it out, one would know.
This represents respect!
Koyama Yoshiharu wanted to refuse, wanting to say "too precious", yet those hands placed on his knees uncontrollably began to tremble slightly. That gaze, even more so, was like iron filings attracted by a magnet, deadly sticking onto that wooden box placed before him, unable to move away anymore.
"Auntie."
Nohara Hiroshi then handed an exquisite cake box printed with the "Wako" logo to the front of Koyama Takasae: "Heard Misae say you like eating desserts, this is the seasonal limited edition white strawberry mille-crepe newly released by the Ginza Wako main store today."
"Aiya! It's Wako's limited edition!" Koyama Takasae let out an suppressed exclamation. In those eyes always bearing a bit of gentleness, instantly erupted a surprise and radiance belonging to young girls.
"Masae-nee, this is for you." A set of Shiseido's highest-end "The Ginza" skincare series was delivered into eldest sister Masae's hands.
"Musae, this is yours." A Chanel newest model lipstick and a box of Dior five-color eyeshadow palette were handed to the front of youngest sister Musae.
For a moment, the entire private room was filled with one after another unsuppressible exclamations of surprise.
The three women of the Koyama family were long thoroughly melted by this accurate and luxurious gift offensive, each of their faces brimming with heartfelt joy.
Only Koyama Yoshiharu remained frozen there, putting up the final struggle belonging to a stubborn old dad.
He looked at the appearances of his daughters overflowing with joy, looked at his wife's face blooming with smiles, then looked at the young man who merely smiled calmly from beginning to end before him.
He felt that sturdy fortress of his constructed by "rules", "tradition", and "dignity", under the sugar-coated bullets of this young man, inch by inch... crumbling and collapsing.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something to salvage the situation.
"Cough! That... Hiroshi-kun ah..."
He finally still couldn't resist the temptation of that bottle of "Juyondai", slowly opening his mouth using a tone bordering on surrender.
He wanted to say, child, you spent too much, we are all family from now on, no need to be so polite.
Yet the words arriving at his lips transformed into——
"That... will there still be a third season for 『Yamishibai』?"
After asking, he himself was stunned.
Hearing this, Nohara Hiroshi was also slightly stunned, then a brilliant smile broke out on his face.
"Of course, Uncle." He picked up that bottle of "Juyondai", personally opening it, filling up the wine cup for Koyama Yoshiharu. That clear and cold wine fragrance instantly diffused open.
"As long as you want to watch, it will never end." Nohara Hiroshi held up the wine cup with both hands: "Welcome to Tokyo! Uncle!"
"Mhm." Koyama Yoshiharu looked at the clear liquid in the cup, listening to this sentence that was more pleasant to hear than any promise, that face as cold and hard as a rock, finally, thoroughly, and irretrievably... completely shattered.
He raised the wine cup, and lightly clinked it with Nohara Hiroshi's cup.
A clear and melodious "ding" sound.
Like a war dropping its final bell sound declaring reconciliation.
'Wah, this wine is too fragrant!' Koyama Yoshiharu still maintained the final expression on his face, but his heart was delighted: 'Phantom Sake! Juyondai Ryuusen! I can finally say I've drank it too! When I return, I definitely must let those country bumpkins see what Tokyo's fine wine is!'