At 5:30 p.m., it was too early for a sunset glow; bright sunshine lavished the earth.
Aozawa bid farewell to the Kendo club students at the school gate and walked home alone.
Reaching the door to Room 601, he turned the knob and called out as he stepped inside, "I'm back, Chitose."
The balcony's sliding door was open. A warm breeze drifted into the living room. As it passed through the kitchen, it carried the scent of grilled steak, brushing against his cheek.
Aozawa took a deep breath, closed the door behind him, and asked curiously, "Smells great. Are we skipping a regular dinner tonight?"
Inside the kitchen, Morimoto Chiyoda flipped the steaks and turned to say, "No rice tonight. I specially bought two large Kobe beef steaks to go with your favorite fruit mix for our evening meal."
"What's the special occasion today?"
Surprise showed on Aozawa's face. In the Morimoto family, Kobe beef wasn't a regular indulgence; it was usually reserved for special celebrations.
