Just as they set their feet into the supermarket, peculiar to it cheesy tune poured into their ears. Yet, Fuyuka did not mind the tune that much.

“Ooh~.”

Kyoro-kyoro,¹ the face of Ohana was moving restlessly, likely each and every scene that caught her eye was novel to her. People about them had also, chira-chira,² destined glances at so atypical, suddenly emerged maiden in kimono; but the person in question seemed to pay no mind whatsoever.
Ohana, obviously having her ears and tail concealed, directs her sparkling eyes at Fuyuka.

“So this is the supermarket! Seems like it has everything, just as I learned!”
“This is still quite small one. Supermarket in front of the station we are going to tomorrow is five storeys high and is huge. You may be even more impressed.”
“Five storeys… This place appears to have only one storey, so it’s five times as vast?”
“You are right. Well, they do offer more than just groceries. And we also have to buy daily necessities for you, Ohana, and…”

Announcing that much, Fuyuka was​ amazed to find herself unwittingly set to accommodate Ohana. This is but provisional situation, the girl will leave (in all probabilities) in near future, hence getting excessively attached bound to result in getting wounded afterwards.

(Hmm, but it’s a bare minimum, at least this much should be fine, right?)

The notion of allowing the maiden to bear hardships while they are living together was beyond Fuyuka.

“Then shall we hurry to the stand with these bento! ”
“Sure. This way—this.”

She retained and guided Ohana, who nearly set off in a different direction. Somehow, all of a sudden, Fuyuka envied the girl who has both adult and childish sides to her.
Approaching the section of bento and side dishes, Ohana once again cried in admiration.

“Fabulous! Such a variety of choice!”
“You may pick whichever you like. But think twice if it’s too expensive.”

Fuyuka raised her eyebrows at the sight of black, solemn, plastic container labelled “Japanese Unajyu,”³ and at its price. Even if she will pay a high price, it would be only for regular bento and side dishes.

“Ah—! I take this one!”

An abrupt shout broke into such train of her thought. With a start, Fuyuka hurriedly glanced around. The crowd was abundant, for it has been the close of the day, and the owner of the voice drew at herself it all.

“Oh-Ohana!”
“Ohmhmh——”

Ohana had her lips covered up without a further ado. “What is it?”—intently watched the girl.

“S-silly, don’t yell in places like this!”
“Mmh, mmh~mn~, mnh.”

“Uh-huh, uh-huh,” seeing her nod her consent with blocked lips, Fuyuka withdrew the hand. Crowd no longer concentrated their stares on her, thinking she was only some noisy child.

“I-I beg your pardon. I am just so excited…”
“Well, please stay quiet in places like this…”

During the exchange, Ohana made up her mind on sukeroku sushi. The set of inarizushi and norimaki sushi; she probably made the decision because it included her favourite dish.
Fuyuka obtained casual yakitori bowl, which contains a soft-boiled egg within—one of her most favourite—and picked fried white fish as a side dish to boot for its appealing price.

“Let’s go with this for today, we’ll buy the rest tomorrow.”
“Yes! Ah, I will carry the basket!”
“Ah, yes, thank you.”

She reflexively passed it over to the hand tendered forth. “Well, it shouldn’t be heavy, and it’s better than making her dispirited by my tactless decline,” reckoned Fuyuka, viewing Ohana’s smiling face.

“My, helpin’ out, ain’t you, how kind o’ you. I’ll put this one for you then! Here.”

Furthermore, owing to that, lady clerk pasted a discount sticker for her, so the outcome was rather profitable.

(Nicely done, Ohana…)

“What is this paper patch?”—had a curious look Ohana, whilst Fuyuka walked to cash register, admiring discount power of the other.

After returning to flat, they took a brief break, and just past six o’clock started preparing dinner. Inasmuch as today, under definite reasons, Fuyuka merely had a light breakfast along with neglected lunch, she was pretty hungry.

“Ohana, will it be okay for you to begin at this time too?”
“Yes. As I mostly had a dinner close to six as well, there is not the slightest issue.”
“I see. Now that you say it, what is your daily rhythm like?”

They were chatting while placed in microwave oven betno were heating up.

“Let me see. When I lived there, I woke up about six in the morning, washed myself, and then attended Terakoya⁴ until the noon. After that, I had a training as Youko, had a dinner close towards six, and went to bed commonly at nine… in the evening.”
“Umm—, what a decent life.”

Going to bed at nine might sound a little too early, but healthy skin, and the vigour is probably due to such rhythm.

“And what does yours look like, Fuyuka-san?”
“Eh, mine? Let’s see—…”

Bits by bits, Fuyuka also speaks up. She confessed that on weekdays and weekends she leads chaotic life rhythm and keeps late hours due to working overtime, looking the smart phone or idly watching television.
Ohana was flabbergasted to learn about her life being even sloppier than she reckoned it to be, and listened through it while staying solidified.

(How is it, a hopeless adult in all the light! Seems to me your affection have rather depleted.)

When it comes to working people, time management inevitably becomes arduous in various ways. Retain a healthy lifestyle atone to which she had in her childhood is hard, and harder still since she lives alone.
Fuyuka was slightly curious about expression which Ohana would assume after listening such a scenario, but as the other regained herself, she appeared to be oddly composed.

“Why, so that’s how it is. I see now. Understood.”
“Hmm?”

Fuyuka subconsciously discerned certain resolution within the remark, short to lurking desire, but as precisely at the moment the sound of microwave ending rang out, she decided not to think too much about it.

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1. [Kyoro kyoro] – restlessly looking around; back

2. [Chira chira] – glancing repeatedly; back

3. [Unajyu] – broiled eel served over rice in a lacquered box, 鰻重 - Wikipedia; back

4. [Terakoya] – temple elementary school; back