Once the bowls had been set before them, Sai offered a gentle smile.

“ Today's yuzuke is a little different from usual. ” she said.

“ Please, try the bamboo shoot rice first. ”

Yasusan's eyes brightened immediately.

“ Is that so? ”

Without hesitation, he picked up his bowl. Beside him, Tokitsugu followed suit.

Steam rose softly from the freshly cooked rice, carrying with it the faint sweetness of grain and the fragrance of young bamboo shoots gathered that very morning.

For a few moments, neither man spoke.

Then, almost as if the words had escaped him unbidden, Tokitsugu murmured, “ ...Delicious. ”

The quiet sincerity of it pleased her more than she expected. Yasu-san, meanwhile, had become wholly absorbed in his meal. By the time Sai noticed, nearly half his rice had already disappeared.

“ Yasu-san, wait! ” She hurried forward.

“ The dish isn't finished yet. ” Startled, he looked up.

Across from him, Tokitsugu paused as though suddenly recalling something.

“ You did say it was yuzuke. ”

“ Yes. ” Sai replied with a nod.

“ It isn't quite complete yet. ”

To her amusement, nearly half of Tokitsugu's bowl had vanished as well. She reached for it.

“ If you'll allow me. ” The small dish of butterbur miso sat beside the rice.

“ The miso goes in here. ” she explained.

“ As much or as little as you like. ”

Then she glanced toward him.

“ Would you prefer cold water or hot? ” For the first time, surprise flickered across his face.

“ One may choose? ”

“ You may. ”

The summer sun had been relentless these past days. Some preferred warmth, others coolness. It had seemed only natural to offer both.

Tokitsugu considered the matter for a moment.

“ Cold, if I may. ”

Sai nodded and poured fresh well water into the bowl. The clear surface shimmered briefly before settling.

Handing it back, she said, “ Mix it gently until the miso dissolves. If the flavor feels too light, you can always add more. ”

He did exactly as instructed. The miso slowly clouded the water, filling the air with its earthy fragrance.

Then he tasted it. A mouthful.

Another. And another.

The soft sound of chewing drifted between the rustling leaves overhead. Occasionally, the crisp texture of bamboo shoot or butterbur stem broke the silence.

He said nothing. Yet somehow, that silence felt answer enough. Nearby, Yasu-san swallowed audibly. Only then did Sai realize he had been watching Tokitsugu eat.

She nearly laughed. Poor Yasu-san. She had forgotten him entirely. Turning back, she asked,

“ And you? Hot or cold? ”

The question seemed to trouble him far more than it should have.

His brows knit together. His expression grew unexpectedly grave. At last, he answered.

“ Hot. ” The word emerged with all the solemnity of a life-changing decision.

Sai couldn't help smiling. A grown man taking the matter so seriously was oddly endearing. She poured hot water into his bowl and returned it to him.

The moment it touched his hands, he stirred in the miso and began eating. With astonishing speed.

Sai blinked. Goodness. The appetite on him.

By the time she looked back toward Tokitsugu, his bowl was already empty. She stared. Surely that was too fast.

Not that she minded. Seeing people enjoy her cooking filled her with a quiet happiness. As she stepped forward to collect the bowl, a hand suddenly closed around her wrist.

She froze. For a brief moment, neither moved. Tokitsugu seemed equally surprised by his own action. His grip loosened immediately.

“ Ah… ” A rare hesitation entered his voice.

“ I was wondering... whether it might be possible to have another serving. ”

Relief washed through her. That was all. And somehow, that made her smile all the more brightly.

“ Of course. ” The answer came easily.

“ Thank you very much. ” Today was going to be a good day. She could feel it.

Yasu-san requested a second serving soon after, and before long she was carrying two fresh bowls back to the veranda. The fragrance of bamboo shoots rose once more with the steam.

“ Thank you for waiting. ”

The men resumed eating. The same steady pace. The same wholehearted concentration.

Watching them, Sai felt a quiet sense of satisfaction settle over her. Cooking was hard work. But moments like this made every effort worthwhile.

By the time the meal was finished, the afternoon sun had climbed high overhead. Yasusan leaned back with a contented sigh.

“ Ahh. ” He rubbed his stomach.

“ That was excellent. ” With some reluctance, he rose to his feet.

“ Time to return to work. ” Tokitsugu drained the last of his water before standing.

Then, to Sai's surprise, he bowed deeply. Not only to her. But to Yoshi as well.

“ The meal was wonderful. ” he said quietly.

“ Thank you. ”

When he straightened, a smile touched his lips. Only a small one. Yet it transformed him completely.

For a moment, Sai forgot to breathe. Until then, she had seen little expression from him.

The calm reserve that seemed so natural to him had hidden it well. But now— Now she understood.

A smile like that could easily steal the attention of any woman who happened to see it.

The thought came uninvited.

And once it arrived, it stubbornly refused to leave.

Perhaps he was younger than she had first assumed. She had thought him somewhere in his thirties.

Yet at that moment, he seemed much younger. Beside her, Yoshi appeared strangely quiet. When she glanced his way, she thought she detected the faintest trace of red upon his face.

Then again, judging by the warmth in her own cheeks, perhaps she was hardly any different.

Promising to return the following day, Yasu and Tokitsugu disappeared back down the road. Sai watched them go until they vanished beyond the trees.

The noren stirred softly in the summer breeze. The day was still young. There would be more customers.

More cooking.

More work.

Drawing a deep breath, she gathered her sleeves and turned back toward the kitchen.

The scent of rice still lingered in the air. And for some reason, the afternoon seemed a little brighter than before.

— — —

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