I Won't Be a Loser

In the morning, Takasu Ryuuji discovered that his mother had not returned home.

His mother, who should have already been home and sound asleep, was nowhere to be found. He wandered around the house, even checking the door again, and it seemed she hadn't come back last night. This surprised Ryuuji a little, but it wasn't something that made him overly alarmed or uneasy.

It wasn't unusual for his mother, Takasu Yasuko, to sometimes stay overnight at the shop to take care of customers. It was an occasional occurrence, so he didn't think much of it.

As an adult, his mother might be a bit unreliable at times, but she had always been there for him when it mattered. He had never once worried about her outside of the usual concerns of meals and daily needs. As a son, he trusted his mother.

And sure enough, near noon, Takasu Yasuko came home.

However, unlike the usual situation where she'd return home drunk late at night, shouting and causing a fuss, Yasuko entered the house and quietly sat down at the low table in the living room. This unusual calmness made Ryuuji uneasy, and he couldn't help but wonder if something significant had happened.

He casually asked her why she had returned so late.

"Why are you coming back just now, Mom? Did something happen at the shop?"

Hearing her son's concern, Taeko slowly lifted her head, blinking her heavily made-up eyes.

"Ryuuji, I think I've fallen in love."

"With what kind of person?"

Ryuuji was slightly surprised. His gaze lingered on Taeko as she looked a bit flushed, her usual carefree demeanor replaced with an unusual shyness. But he didn't feel any negative emotions. Having grown up with his mother, and having considered this possibility many times, Ryuuji calmly asked her about the person.

Since he was young, Ryuuji had been raised solely by Takasu Yasuko. For his sake, she had even severed ties with her own parents and had never reconciled with them. Over the years, she had single-handedly raised him, and Ryuuji had always seen the hardships and pressures she bore.

When he was younger, he might have been afraid that his mother would abandon him, leaving him all alone. But now that he was older and in high school, he was capable of living on his own. If his mother had truly found someone she liked, someone who genuinely loved her, he would have no problem with moving out and letting her pursue her own happiness.

"What kind of person...? Well, I'm not sure yet, I've only met him once," Taeko replied playfully.

Ryuuji, who had been hoping his mother had found someone to settle down with, felt his mood take a sharp downturn. His feelings were like a rollercoaster, moving from emotional warmth as he imagined his mother walking down the aisle to a sudden cold realization.

He sat silently, watching Taeko at the table, her hands cupping her face, her body swaying slightly, looking bashful.

Had she really fallen in love just from one meeting?

He remembered that his mother, Takasu Yasuko, used to be a normal person. What happened for her to suddenly become like this?

"It seems I drank too much at the shop yesterday, and on the way home, I passed out. But luckily, the person who found me passed out in front of his door, carried me back to his house, and even let me sleep in his bed. The bed smelled faintly sweet, a true sign of a man with taste. I'm sure he's a gentle man," Taeko explained.

"Someone carried you home?" Ryuuji's expression became serious. His already fierce gaze, when set in this serious tone, appeared even more intimidating.

"Ah, Ryuuji, your eyes look just like your father's now. But... what a pity, nothing happened."

Takasu Yasuko sighed, as if she was still expecting something to happen. Ryuuji, while feeling a sense of relief, couldn't help but feel a headache.

"When I woke up, I got up from his bed and saw the person who carried me home, and I was like, 'Ah!'"

Takasu Yasuko let out a shy squeal, like a teenage girl. Ryuuji sighed, rubbing his forehead, then sat down at the table, cross-legged, and stared at his mother.

"So that's why you came back so late?"

"Mm, after waking up, I came back right away because I was worried about you, Ryuuji."

"Did you thank him properly?"

"Well, I said thank you."

"Do you know where he lives?"

"He's near Horisaka, living in an apartment called 'Fujiko Heights.' He's very classy, and he's a handsome man."

After hearing this information about the man from his mother, Ryuuji decided to visit him and thank him in person.

But when the door opened, Ryuuji was stunned to see someone who looked around his age, a boy. The kind of person who would make Takasu Yasuko act so shy and scream, Ryuuji had expected to be a college student or maybe a middle-aged man.

But now he was starting to wonder if his mother had some special preferences.

What was even more troubling was when the boy saw Ryuuji, he quickly closed the door again, which made Ryuuji realize just how intimidating his "fierce" look might be.

However, before Ryuuji could press the doorbell again, the boy opened the door once more. This time, the boy looked at him not with the usual fear but with a mature, composed tone.

"Hello, is there something you need?"

This young man, who looked about his age, spoke in a way that made Ryuuji feel slightly uncomfortable. It seemed like he was dealing with an unusual person, but he still introduced himself simply.

"I'm here to thank you on behalf of Ms.Takasu from this morning..."

Upon hearing Taeko's name, the boy's expression changed to one of surprise, but then quickly seemed to trust Ryuuji's words and opened the door, inviting him inside.

It was the first time someone had trusted him so quickly, and Ryuuji couldn't help but feel a bit moved. He also began to agree with his mother's assessment that this was indeed a good man.

"He's indeed a good person."

While thinking that, Ryuuji handed the boy the wrapped gift he had brought as a token of thanks.

"This is a gift, to thank you for helping my mother."

The boy hesitated for a moment but then reached out to take the gift wrapped in furoshiki.

"What's this?"

"It's a homemade bento. I wasn't sure what else to give, so..."

"This is actually a big help. I just moved here, and I haven't had time to stock my kitchen. Even though I bought a rice cooker, I forgot to buy rice and other ingredients, so I've been relying on convenience store food to fill my stomach."

The boy received the bento with gratitude. It wasn't a bento prepared by a beautiful girl, but he was certainly not the type to be picky. For someone of his age, it was a real treat to have someone prepare a meal for him.

"Can I open it?"

"Of course."

As the boy looked at the bento with satisfaction, Ryuuji felt a sense of pride. He had spent his emergency savings to buy the best ingredients, vegetables, and fresh meat he wouldn't normally buy just to make sure the meal would be perfect.

"Please, take a seat."

Since the apartment was still quite bare, the only places to sit were the boy's bed or a chair at a small desk. Not wanting Ryuuji to sit on the floor, the boy pulled out the chair in front of the desk and invited Ryuuji to sit.

"No need, I'm fine standing."

Ryuuji, noticing this, declined the offer, but the boy insisted.

"Please, at least try it. I'm confident about this dish."

The boy didn't insist further but looked at the bento with a satisfied expression. He unwrapped the cloth, opened the lid, and was immediately greeted by the pleasant aroma of the food.

He closed his eyes for a moment, taking in the fragrance, before taking a pair of chopsticks from the counter, folding his hands in thanks, and then picking up a piece of beef roll from the bento.

"Excellent cooking! This is really delicious."

After a single bite, the boy placed his chopsticks down, looking at Ryuuji with an expression of surprise. He seemed genuinely impressed.

The praise was not just polite flattery. The boy's skills were clearly on a level above his own. If someone hadn't been cooking for a long time, they might not be able to make food this delicious.

"I'm so glad it fits your taste. I was worried that our tastes would clash, and on the way here, I kept wondering what I'd do if the bento didn't suit you."

Ryuuji smiled with relief, his cheeks slightly flushed as he wiped his nose.

"Since Gifu and Tokyo aren't that far apart, the flavors of the food shouldn't be too different, right?"

To reassure him, the boy lied, explaining that even though there were some regional differences between Gifu and Tokyo, he had been living in Tokyo long enough to accept its culinary style.

Hearing this, Ryuuji finally felt at ease.

Looking at the boy, who seemed like a good person and about his age, Ryuuji felt that he might actually become a friend. He decided to ask a question he hadn't earlier.

"By the way, how should I address you?"

"Ah, I don't think I've introduced myself properly. My name is Miyamizu Haruto, from a small town called Itomori in Gifu Prefecture. I'm a first-year high school student here in Tokyo. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Takasu Ryuuji, also starting high school this year. Just call me Ryuuji. I think we could be good friends. Nice to meet you."

Ryuuji extended his hand, and after a moment of hesitation, the boy smiled and shook his hand.

"Well then, please take care of me during my time here in Tokyo."

_ _ _

Later, a small girl entered her home, unwinding her shoes, and looked toward the living room.

Her mother, who had been preparing dinner, glanced at her.

"Back from shopping with Sekai again?"

"No, today Sekai wanted to see the 'Father of Shoes' at the zoo. We spent the whole day walking, and I'm exhausted."

"'Father of Shoes'?"

The girl, Sekai, explained with a tired voice, "It's the Shoebill Stork. Its beak looks like a shoe, so they call it the 'Father of Shoes.'"

"I see. By the way, did you know that new neighbors moved into the apartment across from us?"

"The one across from us?"

"Yes, the one that's been empty for a year. While I was out buying groceries today, I saw a boy putting up curtains inside."

"So?"

"Why don't you go and greet him on my behalf?"

Kiyoura Setsuna, still exhausted from the zoo trip, sighed but reluctantly agreed to her mother's request and sat up from the couch.

"Just this once."