Chapter 44: The Isshiki Family in Tokyo

The hotel where the Isshiki family is staying is located around Asakusa, making it a great spot for sightseeing.

The dungeon I’ll be tackling from tomorrow is supposedly either in Shinjuku or Shinbashi—somewhere starting with “Shin.” There’s no way I can make it there. But despite my worries, it’s not like a dungeon will walk over to me. I should thoroughly research beforehand.

When we step out of the hotel and walk a bit, we quickly hit a busy street. In that bustling flow, the famous Kaminarimon must be somewhere.

“It’ll be fine, Ikkun.”
“You won’t get lost, Ikkun.”

Maybe because I looked anxious, Sena and Seika both hold my hands from either side, comforting me. Sorry, big brother’s not great with the big city.

Being gently led by the kind twins, I continue walking quietly. Up ahead, Shiraishi-san and Nina are chatting while observing the city.

Nina seems to be adapting to city life, her eyes filled with curiosity. As she’s studious, she might enjoy this information-rich environment.

As we cross the pedestrian walkway, a massive gate finally comes into view.

“It really says ‘Kaminarimon!'”
“It’s huge!”

The younger trio is all excited.

“This isn’t meant for humans, is it…”
“Scary…”

The sheer size overwhelms Mitsuru and I.

“The green one is the wind god, and the red one is the thunder god, right?”
“That’s right. They’re good gods who protect us from disasters.”

“Really? They don’t look very friendly.”

Nina and Shiraishi-san are having a meaningful conversation.

Suddenly, Shiraishi-san steps away from Nina, raising her hand to snap a photo with her phone.

“Let’s take a group photo, with all the Isshiki Family.”
“Then, please join us, Shiraishi-san.”

Nina pulls out her phone, trying to drag Shiraishi-san back.

“Well, I’m not part of the Isshiki Family, so it’s not right for me to be in the memory photo.”
“Shiraishi-san is basically part of the Isshiki Family!”

“Isn’t that going too far!?”
“Just get in here. Even if you’re not now, you’ll eventually become part of it, so just give in!”

“What!?”

Watching the two of them argue, Mitsuru tilts his head.

“It’s rare for my sister to be so attached to someone.”
“Yeah, that’s Shiraishi-san for you.”

The divine light of the goddess seems to shine upon everyone, regardless of gender.

“Itsuki-nii, find someone to take the photo for us!”
“Got it.”

Following Nina’s request, I ask a nearby tourist couple, who agree right away, asking us to take their photo in return. We do so first.

In the meantime, the Isshiki family and Shiraishi-san get ready for their photo. I stand in the center of the back row, and we have our photo taken. We often take family photos, but group pictures like this feel fresh.

This leads us through densely packed streets. Many shops line the sides, but we don’t have time to thoroughly check them out.

As we near the temple, the space opens up a bit, and the crowd density decreases. After catching our breath, we line up to pray and draw our fortunes.

“Big brother, get ‘Great Luck.'”
“It’s not like I can get it just by wanting it.”

“No, it’s all about willpower. Go strong, and you’ll get ‘Great Luck.’ Just watch—”

Leading the charge, Mitsuru shakes the wooden cylinder. He draws a paper from the numbered drawer. He boldly opens it and takes a look.

“No way, ‘Bad Luck’!?”
“I heard it’s common to get ‘Bad Luck’ here. Oh, ‘Great Luck.'”

Next to him, calm and composed, Nina draws ‘Great Luck.’ That’s just how luck is.

“Well, if I think my ‘Bad Luck’ draws away her bad luck due to exams coming up…”
“You’ve got club activities too, right?”

“I’ll bounce back from any bad luck!”

Next to them, Sena and Seika both get ‘Moderate Luck.’ Mutsuki, like Nina, gets ‘Great Luck.’
Shiraishi-san has a puzzled expression.

“‘Half Luck’… what does that mean?”

I heard her mutter, but I’m not familiar with this type of luck either.
As for me—

“‘Minor Luck,’ huh.”
“Itsuki, trade with me!”

“You can’t just swap fortunes. Plus, nothing bad is written.”
“Really?”

“‘Endure hardships and keep progressing. The heavens will reward you, and your fortune will improve,’ it says. Yep, sounds like usual.”

It’s better to keep focused rather than be overly confident.

“What about romance? What’s it say?”

Nina asks.

“It says to wait.”
“Hmm.”

Why the disappointed look…?

“Don’t wait too long, okay?”
“For what?”

Nina walks off, pretending not to notice. Mitsuru and I both tilt our heads.

Everyone shares their fortunes, and we decide to tie Mitsuru’s onto the designated rack. The sun starts to set, and hunger sets in. Since we have dinner reservations soon, we head to the restaurant.

◇

Apparently, when you think of Tokyo, monjayaki is pretty famous.
It’s similar to okonomiyaki, cooked on a steel plate, and is supposed to be really tasty.

We’re led to our seats in the restaurant, splitting up into a group of three and four. Each table has its own steel plate. The staff will be cooking for us.

“There are places where you can cook it yourself, but it’s dangerous. Once you’re used to it, cooking yourself is fun too.”

As expected, the goddess-like care in the details is unparalleled.

At our table, it’s me, Nina, Sena, and Seika. On the other table, it’s Mitsuru, Mutsuki, and Shiraishi-san. Mitsuru looks a bit nervous. He’d hang out with Kirishima-san, but didn’t interact much with Shiraishi-san.

“Be careful, it’s hot.”
“Yes!”

I serve Sena’s portion, and Nina does the same for Seika. It might be unconventional, but it’s safer to let it cool before eating. None of us are used to cooking on a griddle since we don’t have an electric griddle at home.

Monjayaki is delicious. The texture is somewhat gooey, savory, and so tasty it feels like I’m running out of words to describe it. It doesn’t feel like anything I’ve eaten before, confusing my mind a bit. We cook a bit and eat a bit. This style is refreshing.

Less like a meal and more like an experience, my mind concludes.

Tokyo is amazing—not just for the food, but for its depth… though, I realize monjayaki can be eaten nationwide.

“Itsuki,”
“Hmm?”

“How are you feeling? Can you give it your best?”
“I feel good. I’m counting on you to take care of everyone.”

“Yeah.”
“It should work out, somehow.”

“If you say so, Itsuki. I trust you.”

Sena and Seika concentrate seriously, cooking the monjayaki with small spatulas. Their earnest effort is endearing. I ensure they don’t get burnt, then resume cooking my own portion.

It’s really nice to cook together like this and eat right away…

“Maybe i should get a hot plate.”
“Itsuki-nii, calm down.”