Chapter 20 - Welcome Party

Shimazu Dorm, first floor, room 104.

"Yōta, Yōta! I'm hungry, I'm hungry!" Shōichi suddenly barged in to Yōta's room without knocking.

Yamato who's standing behind Shōichi could only gives Yōta a half-assed apology gesture since he's also hungry right now.

They need someone who can cook and kind enough to make some food for them thus why they're coming for Yōta.

A man who can't say NO to people who needs help.

"How noisy." A cold-ice voice suddenly entered the ears of Shōichi and Yamato, making both of them to turn their head towards the source.

There, they see Yōta sits on the window side with his back leaned on the edge, staring at the moon outside with his indifferent emotion.

"Geh!" Shōichi's expression suddenly changed into a sour one when he noticed the difference in Yōta right now.

"Oh fuck, it's the Aizen-wanna-be..." Yamato murmured behind Shōichi.

"Do you need something?" Yōta asked callously. He doesn't even turn his head to them, he's simply enjoying the moonlight above washing over his face right now.

Shōichi ignored Yōta and instead huddle to Yamato, "Did something happen to him this morning?"

"Now that you mentioned it, Nee-san told me that he used his Mugen Ittō in their sparring match this morning. I guess, that's why." Yamato whispered back.

"No wonder... I prefer the Yami one rather than this one!" Shōichi whines under his breath, "But, I'm surprised that he doesn't come out in our hide-and-seek session."

"Of course he won't come out to join us playing. He'll only mock and making fun of us for playing children's game like that." Yamato shakes his head, "You know his personality."

"I guess you're right..."

"Do you guys done whispering about?" Yōta once again ask, but this time he's turning his head to them, peering at both of them with such cold expression on his face.

Shōichi puts his hand on the hips in response, "Change back to Yōta, I need him."

"Why should I—"

"This is Capt's order." Shōichi cuts Yōta's off fast with serious expression on his face.

In response to that, Yōta stares at Shōichi with still the same as ever expression on his face for a minute before he yields.

"If I am not mistaken... My word is my bond, isn't it? What a troublesome promise indeed."

And with a low sigh, Yōta's demeanor changes all of a sudden.

"Welcome back." Yamato greeted his best friend with a smile as he notice the usual Nagakura is coming back.

He's never been good against the other one, if he's being honest here. The Aizen-wanna-be one is too callous and cold-hearted for his taste.

Yamato really had to give his leader a props for standing in front of that one so fearlessly like that.

Most of people are already knew how scary that Aizen-wanna-be could be if he's seriously being offended. Only Nee-san and the Principal could hold him back if things seriously going south.

Nonetheless, he's happy that his friend finally back.

"Yōta, Yōta! Make food, I'm hungry!" Shōichi simply acts like nothing ever happened as he begins brazenly demand the Nagakura for food.

"Yes, yes." Yōta also acts the same as ever, like everything's alright, "You don't have to push me, you know!"

Yamato shakes his head in fond manner as he's following Yōta and Shōichi to the kitchen with their leader pushing Yōta's back.

...

"Let's see what we got here..." Yōta murmured while looking at the inside of the refrigerator.

Since today is weekends, they were instructed by the Principal to prepare for their own food with ingredients that Reiko already provided.

"Hm..." Yōta hummed at the ingredients they got inside the fridge, "I guess I can make simple steak with this."

"Oh steak! Nice choice, Yōta!" Shōichi jovially shouted from the dinner table.

"I will follow the chef's whims." Besides him, Yamato simply raised half of his arms in a way saying that he'll leave everything in Yōta's hands.

"Yeah, yeah. Just wait there, you gremlins." Yōta playfully said as he brings all the ingredients he needs with him to the sink to wash them all.

While washing the sprig rosemary he just found in the jar inside the pantry, Yōta notices a familiar aura shyly peeking out from the corner.

When he's looking at the source, he can see Yukie curiously poke her green-head out.

The first-year girl comes downstair since she heard something in the kitchen, so she decides to check it out.

"Good evening, Mayucchi." Yōta greeted the girl with soft smile on his face.

Yukie blushes in response.

Shōichi and Yamato turns their head towards the first-year girl as well.

"Oh, Mayucchi. You're here, nice!"

"G-Good evening, Senpai." Yukie bows her body in respect in front of her seniors. "W-What are y-you three doing right now?"

"Well, I'm trying to cook something since Capt and Yamato-san is hungry." Yōta answered while re-heating the frozen meat.

"Yeah, we played all day, after all." Yamato chimed in from the side while fiddling with his phone like usual.

"C-Can I help you?" Yukie nervously asked Yōta with eyes full of expectation.

Upon seeing that expression, Yōta doesn't have the heart to turn her down, so he smiles gently at her and calls her over.

"Sure, I'll appreciate the help."

"Y-Yes!" Yukie's eyes brightened at the confirmation as she scurrying over to Yōta's side, "S-So, what are you trying to cook right now, Yōta-san?"

"Rosemary-&-Garlic-Basted Sirloin Steak."

Yukie goes 'ahhh' as she looks at the ingredients. Now that she sees sprig rosemary in the bowl, she nods her head in acknowlegment.

She knew the recipes already, so without having Yōta to instruct her, the Mayuzumi already makes her move to help her senior.

Yōta and Yukie then swiftly prepares the ingredients with care while having conversation with each other.

"Kinda feels like you're wasting your weekends when you do nothing, don't you think?" Yōta asked as he pats dry the steak with paper towels.

"Ha! I know that feeling." Shōichi replied while playing with the fork in his hand.

"Yes." Yukie nods her head understandingly as she starts brushing the steak with oil and sprinkle them with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, "I always trying to have something planned, but if I really can't come up with anything I just spend the day doing some cleaning around my room."

"Right. I often lazing around reading manga or observing Yado and Karin inside their tank, and before I know it, it's already dark out..." Yamato hummed from the side while planting his chin on his palm.

"Hahaha. When it comes to your hermit crabs, you really have some awesome powers of concentration, Yamato-san."

"That's why I always asked you guys to play with me in the weekends!"

"But, in the end you still leave us and do your own thing!" Yōta retorted as he heats the large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.

"I'm sorry, okay!"

Yukie giggles lightly beside Yōta as she heard her seniors bantering at each other.

These three are really so close. From what she knows from other members, these three together with Kazuko-san are the founding members of Kazama Family.

"But I guess the worst is when you start going to bed so late, you wake up at night." Yamato continued the conversation.

Yukie tilts her head thoughtfully before she shakes her head, "That's never happened to me."

"Same here." Yōta hummed while using a spoon to baste the steak with the butter mixture and flips it up, he's repeating the process for a while. "But it does seem pretty frightening."

"You know the feeling when you take an afternoon nap, but by the time you wake up, it's night?"

"Ah! I've been doing that lately!" Shōichi points a finger at Yamato, "It's like that with the added problem of not being able to sleep at the same night!"

"That does sound awful." Yōta nods his head before he transfers the steak to a clean cutting board and top with the shallots, garlic and rosemary, covering it loosely with foil.

"So, what happens when you have school the next day and need to get up early, Senpai?" Yukie asked as she takes the role of discard the rosemary sprig and thinly slice the steak against the grain and transfer to a serving platter.

"I end up in a futile battle with my eternal foe, the alarm clock and Cookie."

"So that's why you always wake up late, huh..." Yōta said as he and Yukie seasons the steak with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper and garnish with more rosemary before serving it to the hungry boys in dinner table, "By the way, here, food's ready."

"Sometimes the alarm clock just stops and I don't realize! It's not my fault, I promise!" Shōichi retorted while wiping his drool, "Finally!"

"Probably because you're switching it off unconsciously." Yōta throws a deadpanned stare at his leader.

"No wonder Cookie always electrocuted you just to wake you up." Yamato joined in with Yōta, giving the same stare to Shōichi.

Shōichi simply ignored the stares and wolfs down the steak with gusto, "DELICIOUS!!!"

"As expected from you two, this is very delicious." Yamato nods his head in approvement while savoring his food unlike their leader.

"Mayucchi is really good at cooking. Her seasoning is so perfect." Yōta praised the girl while casually patting her head.

And Yukie also somehow already getting used with how Yōta casually touched her head.

Actually, she loved it very much. His hand is just so kind and warm.

"Hm? Where are you going with that food, Yōta?" Yamato asked when he looks at Yōta who's currently standing up while having another serve in his hand.

"Oh, I just sensed Gen-san now. He just come back, so I'll give this to him."

"And here I wonder why you two created extra serve of food."

Yōta simply chuckles in response before he walks on room 101 to give the food to Tadakatsu.

"He's so kind..." Yukie mutters to herself while looking at Yōta's back.

Yamato hummed before sporting a playful smile on his face, "I know, right? You'll definitely lucked out when you marry him in the future, you'll have a husband that's good at houseworking and handling children."

"H-Hu-Hus-Hus-Husb—Kya!"

And the tease that Yamato just threw works like magic as Yukie's body flushed in red and she covers her red face behind her hands.

She's definitely didn't imagine something lewd! No, not at all! You're wrong! Definitely wrong! She didn't imagine her night activity with Yōta as married couple! No! That's not true!

Yamato laughs behind his hand as he looks at the reaction Yukie just showed.

Just like Shōichi said, this girl is indeed interesting one.

...

Three hours later.

Yōta and the others are currently hanging out inside Yamato's room, playing some video game.

"Who the fuck throw that Red Shell at me!?" Shōichi shouted as he button mashing the controller.

"Mayucchi! Mayucchi! There's Triple Bananas in front of you!!" Matsukaze also shouted from Yukie's lap.

"Awawa!!" The said girl is currently having a panic attack as she tries her hard to avoid the bananas but failed miserably.

"So long, suckers!" Yōta on the other side having a blast as he used the Mushroom to pass through Shōichi's kart in a burst of speed.

"Goddammit, Yōta! Come back here, you stupid King Kong wanna-be!"

"Catch me if you can, you stupid looking-ass dinosaur!"

"Surpass your limit, Mayucchi! You're the princess!! You can do this, I believe in you!"

"Awawawa!!"

Yamato simply looks at the group with amused expression on his face as he reads some book.

He doesn't want to join any game session with Yōta and Shōichi, if he can help it.

Both of them are too intense and passionate when they're playing video game together.

With how godly Yōta's reaction time and Shōichi's super luck, he will only get his ass kicked so hard if he enters the fray.

He means, just look at Yukie over there.

Her character always get caught in the fray between Yōta and Shōichi's battle, and that's resulting in her kart always become a free-target for their items.

Poor girl.

"Good evening! Here is everyone's super cute idol, Momoyo-chan~!" Momoyo suddenly barged in to Yamato's room without knocking as well.

"Whoa!" Yamato stumbled on his chair when Momoyo suddenly appeared, "Don't come in without knocking, Nee-san."

"Hmm?" And of course Momoyo ignored that and looks at the three people who's having fun playing video games, "Looks like these guys are having fun."

"What!? That's so bullshit!! How the hell do you get Gold Mushroom in such perfect timing!?" Yōta shouts in frustration.

"His luck is totally off the chart..." Matsukaze commented from the side.

"Hahaha!! Let's go baby!!" Shōichi glides his way through the course with multiple burst of speed, leaving Yōta and Yukie far behind before he finally finish the lap, "I win!!""

"Goddammit!" Yōta finished in second place.

"Hawaa..." Yukie also finished the race in third place.

"Hello!" Kazuko greeted the group with big smile as she enters the room, then she notices the trio are playing video games. "Ah! You guys are playing Mario Kart! I want to play too!"

"Maybe next time, Wanko." Shōichi said to the youngest Kawakami before he turns off the console and put it out inside a cabinet.

"Ehhh~" Kazuko whines cutely as her ponytail sagging down in sad manner.

Upon witnessing that, Yōta hurriedly reaches his hand out to Kazuko and gives her a comfort pat on the head, "We'll play later, okay? I promise! And you must be hungry too, right? Let's eat first and play later!"

The others simply chuckles at the funny sight of Yōta's trying his best to comfort Kazuko.

What a doting owner.

"Right, I brought beef too. I got it from the temple's kitchen." Momoyo chimed in while patting the takeaway box she got.

"We're ready to char-grill in the living room." Miyako said as she pokes her head out from the front door.

"You hear that? We can have yakiniku for tonight! I'll give you my share too!"

"Promise...?"

"Promise!"

"Yay!!"

And with that, the sad dog back to her feet and shout cheerfully with big smile on her face as she runs after the girls in the living room.

"She's playing you like a fiddle, man." Yamato chuckles out his words while patting Yōta's back.

"She is..."

...

"All right, let's start." Momoyo started while pointing her chopsticks at Yamato, "You grill the meat for me, Yamato."

Yamato could only grumbles under his breath as he follows the order.

"Can I have your gritty meat, Yōta?" Miyako shyly asked from the side with big blush on her cheeks.

"So bold!" Matsukaze spoke out.

Chris and Yukie who heard that had a blush on their face as well, especially Yukie, her whole body flushed red with steam coming out from her ears.

What a lewd girl.

"Stop saying nonsense!" Yōta smacks Miyako's head with the paper fan.

"I'll just keep eating!" Kazuko smiled while eating the meat that Yōta grilled for her together with dashi.

"Is Gen-san already went to work?" Shōichi asked.

Yamato nods his head in response, "Yes. I've seen him from the windows earlier."

"Bummer."

"Gakuto, Moro, Kokoro, and Koyuki should have come too." Miyako said as she flips the meat with grilling tongs.

"Moro's taking care of his grandfather, and Gakuto's attending Mōryō's Gathering." Yamato replied.

Chris tilts her head, "Mou-ryo-u?"

"That's really a stupid name." Momoyo commented from her seat with a flat stare, "What is that?"

"I don't know what it's about, but he says he can't miss it." Yamato shrugs his shoulders before he turns his head to Yōta, "I think Yōta should know about it. You sometimes attend to it as well, right?"

"Mhm." Yōta nods his head and puts the meat on serving platter before giving it to excited Kazuko, "It's a secret. Can't say it to non-attenders."

"It's so delicious~" Kazuko cooed with a meat in her mouth.

"Yes, it is delicious." Chris joined the youngest Kawakami, cupping her cheeks in happiness.

"We got approval from the German Empire."

"We're not an empire, but a federal republic."

Kazuko ignored the statement and snatch the meat on the grill with her chopsticks, "I'm the type who eats the last piece of meat without hesitation, so I'm taking this meat."

Chris covers her mouth with her hand while looking at Kazuko, "She's not listening. As expected from Dog."

The others look at Yōta with curious expression on their face before shrugging it off since the Nagakura seems like he won't tell them any further about the gathering.

Shōichi starts to squeeze a lemon onto the meat, making the juice seep into the next piece of meat.

"The meat's soft and great. How is it, Mayucchi?"

"Yes! This is dope!" Yukie nods her head vigorously as she eats the meat with good manners.

"By the way, what's about Koyuki and Kokoro?" Yamato asked.

Yōta hummed while eating the meat that Miyako fed to him, he takes seconds to chew the meat before answering Yamato, "Yuki-san is having dinner with Touma-san's family and Kokoro-san is attending a big party tonight in Tokyo."

"Ah, so that's why." Yamato nods his head understandingly, "But I'm surprised that you didn't attend the party together with her, knowing how your grandparents always force you to attend them."

The others are also curious about that. In the past, Yōta would always have to attend the party whenever the noble families organized it.

The man in question simply raised his eyebrows in response, "I'm Nagakura now, remember?"

The group, except Chris, goes 'ahhh' at that statement. Now they're finally understand the reason why he's not attending the party.

"Now that you mentioned it, I guess you're right." Yamato inclined his head in agreement, "You are Nagakura right now, not Sugimura anymore. So, you don't have any obligation to attend the party as Sugimura like always."

"He's his own family right now." Momoyo giggled.

"And I will enter his family one day as his wife." Miyako stated with absolute confidence.

Kazuko was blushing right now, but the others noticed how she chanced a glance at Yōta from time to time like she wants to say something, but couldn't do it.

"You're so bold, Shiinacchi. Respect." Matsukaze remarked from Yukie's palm as the oldest Mayuzumi is looking at Miyako with sparkly eyes.

She wishes she can be that confident as well.

"I'm confused." Chris started as she tilts her head before carefully nibbling on the meat, "What do you mean he's not Sugimura anymore?"

"Right. You are still new here, so I guess, you won't know." Shōichi nods his head before he takes a bite of the meat, "Sugimura is Yōta's former last name before he changes it to Nagakura."

"Why?"

"It's a tradition, Chris-san." Yōta answered, "You see, Sugimura Family is a descendant of Sugimura Yoshie, or more known as Nagakura Shinpachi Noriyuki. Far from I know, the tradition had been initiated from a long time ago, and only the strongest swordsman in the family could have the last name of Nagakura and wield his sword, Higekiri."

"Oooh! I've heard that name before!" Chris clapped her hands in excited manner, "He's the Captain of the 2nd troop of the Shinsengumi, right? The strongest swordsman in the corps! Are you really his descendant, Yōta-dono?"

The others are chuckling at the cute sight of Chris being so excited right now.

"You are right. He's my ancestors." Yōta nods his head in response.

"Unglaublich!" Chris accidentally exclaimed in German as she's getting so excited right now.

"Man! No wonder you're so strong." Matsukaze remarked as well from the sight.

"I see..." Yukie hummed thoughtfully before asking something that catch everyone's attention, "But, is there any reason why you don't use Tennen Rishin Style, Yōta-san?"

When she feels a lot of stares landed on her, the girl starts to get nervous.

"I-I-I m-mean, isn't l-late Shinpachi used that k-kenjutsu style? W-Why are you using different school style?"

Yōta simply smiles in amicable way and plants his chin on the palm while closing his eyes, "Because I don't have any access to learn that. My family forbidden me to learn it. To be honest, they never let me hold a sword, or even a single stick back in the past, saying that I don't have any talent and all."

"Huh...?"

The newest members looks confused at that statement while the others are looking at Yōta with conflicted eyes.

Kazuko and Miyako scooted over to Yōta's sides, giving him a comfort hand by squeezing his free hand at the same time.

Yōta looks at the both with thankful eyes and squeeze their hands back with a soft smile.

"Okay, that's enough talking about depressing thing!" And as usual Shōichi takes a control of the situation when things going wrong direction.

Yukie looks quite down as she noticed the mood suddenly drop down because of her question.

She looks very conflicted right now if the downcast expression on her face is any indication.

When she was about to apologize, she feels a big and warm hand fall on top of her head, instinctively making her look up.

Yōta smiles softly at the youngest in their group right now, "It's okay. You don't have to say sorry or anything, it's not your fault. You're simply curious and I can understand that. We all have that moments." He said while glancing over his friends who nods in response, "So, chin up, Mayuzumi Yukie. Didn't I already said it back then? That kind of face doesn't suit you at all, you know. You look best when you're smiling."

"..." And once again, her heart's fluttering with such emotions that so hard for her to grasp.

Her words are stuck in her throat and the beats in her chest are killing her right now.

She doesn't know what to say and the only thing she could do is to look at the interesting floor beneath her.

She doesn't know what to do anymore. Just what's wrong with her!? She's been always like this since that day when they're going to arcade together.

Is she sick!? Oh no!

While the Mayuzumi is having an inside conflict with her feelings, the others are looking at the sight with deadpanned eyes.

"What's the number right now?" Yamato asked while looking at the group.

"I think it's 7?" Shōichi tilts his head, feeling unsurely at the answer he gave.

"It's 8." Miyako uttered with a pout on her face.

"Wait, 8? I thought it's 7 too." Yamato said as he looks quite surprised at that statement, "Is it Chris? No, I don't think so, she's not showing the same sign like the others right now."

"Ah... I think I know who you're talking about." Momoyo snapped her fingers in acknowledgement, "She's very subtle with it, considering her job and all, but there's indeed a sign of her have feelings towards Yōta too."

"Oh~!" Kazuko also had some recognition as she plops her fist onto the other palm, "It's her! I've seen her walk together with Yōta in the night sometimes."

Shōichi and Yamato tilts their head in confused manner. But, looking at the girls right now, they seemed like they won't give the male any information about the last one, so both of them simply shrug it off.

"By the way can someone bring me some rice?"

In response to that, Miyako looks at Kazuko with half-lidded eyes, "You're acting like costumer now. Well, here you go, I'll give you a large serving."

She gives a large serving of rice to the youngest Kawakami.

"Okay, does anyone else want white rice?"

Chris raised her hand, "Could I have some as well?"

"Tell me that you want a lot of the white stuff."

"...?" Chris tilts her head in confusion before following the instruction Miyako just gave to her, "I want a lot of the white stuff."

"Wanko and Chris are so innocent..."

"Stop saying nonsense thing!" And once again Yōta came through in the clutch with his paper fan.

"You're too perverted, Miyako." Yamato commented from the side as he eats his third serving of the meat.

"Right." Miyako nods her head before a playful smile appeared on her face.

'Oh shit, I just woke a sleeping bulldog.' Yamato thought as a sweat sliding down on his cheek.

"It's the fault of the bullied child for being bullied."

"Gyaaaa, I'm sorry!" The Naoe shouted while bowing his head and covers his face with hands, "Please stop copying me from back then!"

"Heh, how childish. Can you all see the bigger picture here, this world need sav—!"

"Stop it! Look, I'm sorry, okay! So please don't say any further than that! I beg you!"

The others laughed at Yamato's predicament. Yamato in the past was having an eight-grade syndrome.

He loves being so nihilistic back then. Thinking that everything and everyone in this world are so worthless and meaningless.

He's always trying to say cool things that he himself wouldn't even understand at that moment.

As long as it sounds cool to him. That's what matters.

"..." Yukie looks at the group with a smile on her face. This is her new friends. This is her new family. This is her new life right now.

"What are you thinking about?" Momoyo asked from the side as she noticed the looks that Yukie had on her face.

"I'm thinking how fun this is. I'm so happy." Yukie replied with the biggest smile on her face.

"Ooh..." Momoyo cooed at the sight before she swiftly spoons the girl from behind, "That expression is so cute."

"Wawawa!"

On the other side of the table, Kazuko continues to eat meat that Yōta served with gusto.

"Man, you're eating a lot as always." Shōichi commented while looking at Kazuko.

"Isn't she just adorable?" Yōta chimed in from the side with a biggest smile on his face.

In response to that, Yamato couldn't help himself to retort the Nagakura, "She will always look cute in your eyes, you Wankoism."

"If she wants to grow up, she needs to eat a lot after all." Miyako said before she picks a meat with her chopsticks from her plate and feed it to Yōta, "Here, Yōta. Say ahhh."

"Ahhh..." Yōta eats the meat while closing his eyes, trying his hard to fight the spiciness of the meat inside his mouth, "I appreciated the meat, Miyako-san... But, like, could you please tone down the tobasco sauce a bit? It's too red and so spicy..."

"But you still eat it anyway." Miyako tilts her head playfully.

He closes his eyes once again in response before wiping the tears in the corner of his eyes, "I mean, I couldn't really refuse you when you're trying to feed me so sincerely like that..."

Miyako giggles behind her hand, "That's why I love you so much."

"What a spicy love."

The whole room laughed at that statement and the welcome party continues like this.