Chapter 154 Buying Groceries

After stepping out of the kendo dojo, Saeko Busujima accompanied Aoki Tsukasa to buy groceries.

"Um, is this your girlfriend?" The vegetable vendor looked at the familiar bald youth in front of her, cold sweat beading on her forehead once again.

Which yakuza syndicate did this kid belong to, anyway? Why was he sent out by his boss to buy groceries every single day? Did modern yakuza members cook their own meals at home now?

Aoki Tsukasa had no idea what the kindly smiling woman in front of her was imagining. Hearing her use the word "girlfriend" and noticing Saeko Busujima's somewhat awkward smile beside him, he quickly explained, "No, we're just friends."

Saeko Busujima blinked, her hands instinctively drawing closer together: A... a girlfriend?

Seemingly lost in thought, Saeko lowered her head slightly and fell silent.

"By the way, do you have any beef today?" Aoki Tsukasa asked with a smile. "You kept saying you were out of stock before, so you should have some today, right."

For some strange reason, ever since the vendor had sold him high-grade beef at a thirty percent discount twice before, she had never sold him beef again. Not to mention, the quality of the beef she sold was genuinely good, and it was exceptionally cheap. Just thinking about it made Aoki Tsukasa's mouth water a little bit.

Tsk, would a friend bring her along to buy groceries? Wouldn't he normally invite her over to his place for dinner afterward, offer her a drink, and then make up an excuse that it was too late to let her go home? Young man, I already know what kind of game you people are playing.

A flash of insight crossed the vendor's eyes. Seeing Saeko Busujima standing there with a gentle smile and not really denying it, she felt a sudden surge of excitement: This time, the opportunity had arrived!

In the past, every time this kid came to buy vegetables, he would pick and choose for ages before finally putting on a fierce face to demand a discount. Surely he wouldn't lose face in front of his female companion this time, right?

The vendor chuckled. "Yes, we do, we do! We just got a delivery of premium beef today, absolutely fresh!"

Aoki Tsukasa's eyes lit up. "Really? I'll take it! By the way, does your beef always sell this well? Why is it so hard to buy it just once?"

"Oh ho ho ho, indeed it does. Our beef is quite famous around this neighborhood." The vendor maintained a warm smile on the surface as she pulled out the beef she had hidden away behind her.

Having to pay out of my own pocket just to sell you beef once? I'd rather die than admit I have beef for sale! The cost was already high to begin with, and I already gave you the rock-bottom price, do you have any idea how much I lost on that thirty percent discount?!

Today, however, I'm going to win all that money back! Kid, an old grocery-selling aunty isn't as easy to mess with as you think!

Beaming, the vendor handed the beef over to Aoki Tsukasa. "Thank you for your patronage, nineteen thousand yen."

"What?" Aoki Tsukasa's eyes widened instantly. "Nineteen, nine, nine thousand yen?"

"That's right, this is super-premium beef. Fifteen thousand yen is an absolute bargain for quality! Only beef this fine could possibly match such a lovely young lady by your side." The vendor chuckled, her eyes narrowing slightly: Go on, buy it! Look at the young lady beside you, can you possibly bring yourself to say no?

Aoki Tsukasa glanced sideways at Saeko Busujima.

Saeko seemed to have zoned out, her gaze fixed on the beef as if lost in deep thought.

"That's way too expensive, Aunty! Didn't it cost fourteen thousand yen last time, and you even gave me a thirty percent discount?" Aoki Tsukasa skillfully launched into bargaining.

The vendor argued her case: "Today's beef is far fresher than the one from last time."

Tsk, last time I wanted to quote you the absolute lowest price and just be done with it, but you scared me into giving you a thirty percent discount instead. Today, I must absolutely not repeat that mistake!

Chuckling, the vendor looked toward Saeko Busujima and spoke up, "Young lady, just look at the marbling on this beef, the color—isn't it fresh?"

It wasn't until her name was called that Saeko snapped out of her daze, letting out a startled "Ah?" as if waking from a dream. "Ah? The beef?"

She looked at the vendor's expression, then cast a glance at Aoki Tsukasa's conflicted face. Even though she had been spacing out earlier, she instantly understood what was happening and offered a soft smile. "Just a moment, please."

Saeko picked up the package of beef, examined it carefully from every angle, and then—under the vendor's expectant gaze—put it down. "The beef is good. Thirteen thousand yen, we'll take it."

Th-Thirteen thousand?

The corner of the vendor's eye twitched uncontrollably. At that price, she'd only make a profit of a few hundred yen... Absolutely not. She had originally thought this would be a breakthrough point, but it turned out to be another difficult customer.

It was only then that the vendor noticed the wooden sword tucked at Saeko's waist, causing her breath to hitch instantly: Could it be... could this girl be in the yakuza too?

Is this that thing about birds of a feather flocking together?! The vendor's smile grew somewhat forced.

"Oh my, young lady, that price is simply too low. It won't do at all," the vendor said, putting on a melancholic act. "A humble business like mine doesn't make much money."

Aoki Tsukasa instinctively put on his stern, scowling face—his tried-and-true tactic whenever he wanted to score a discount while shopping. "Hey, Aunty, but nineteen thousand yen is going way too far, isn't it?"

Seeing Aoki Tsukasa's darkened expression, the vendor's smile turned bitter. "B-B-But thirteen thousand is far too little."

"Huh?" Aoki Tsukasa tilted his head and leaned in closer. "Too little?"

Saeko chimed in, "I think thirteen thousand yen is a very fair price."

"Exactly, Aunty, you know thirteen thousand isn't a small amount of money either." Thinking about how much sweat he had to shed every day just to earn that sum, Aoki Tsukasa sighed. "If it doesn't work for you, then forget it."

"However..." Aoki Tsukasa suddenly remembered something and looked at the somewhat cowering vendor. "Why was the beef I bought last time so cheap? Didn't you say the beef last time was the freshest, too?"

That's not right, the one last time tasted quite fresh as well. Could it be that this aunty gave it to me at cost price before? No wonder she hadn't been willing to sell me beef ever since; I ought to let her make a little profit, too. Thinking of this, Aoki Tsukasa softened his tone a bit. "If that won't work, Aunty, just give me your absolute lowest price. If I think it's reasonable, I'll buy it."

I couldn't possibly force her to do business at a loss. At the lowest price, the vendor should still be able to make a profit.

"I, um..." Cold sweat rolled down the vendor's forehead as she cast a pleading look toward Saeko Busujima.

Seeing Aoki Tsukasa scare the poor woman into breaking out in a cold sweat, Saeko found the scene immensely amusing. She covered her mouth with a soft chuckle, keeping quiet.

"How about it, Aunty?" Remembering that he still had to go fight in the ring to make money, Aoki Tsukasa unconsciously rotated his arm, which was still a bit sore from the kendo tournament.

"Fine!" Seeing Aoki Tsukasa stretching his arm, the vendor flinched in fright and closed her eyes in agony. "Eleven thousand yen, take it."

"Eh? Won't this price be a bit...?" Aoki Tsukasa awkwardly scratched the back of his head, feeling that the price might actually be going a bit too far.

"Ten thousand yen!" The vendor's nose twitched, the smile on her face completely breaking down as she turned her back to them. "Ten thousand yen, then... Any lower and it's truly impossible. Just leave the money on the table; I, I'm going to go drink some water."

Watching the vendor turn and storm off toward the back of the shop, abandoning her stall entirely, Aoki Tsukasa awkwardly scratched his head and looked at Saeko Busujima beside him. "Did she... misunderstand something again?"

Saeko finally couldn't hold it in and burst into laughter. Her crisp, clear laughter sounded like chiming wind chimes. She covered her mouth, her shoulders trembling with mirth as she giggled. "Is Tsukasa-kun's grocery shopping always this entertaining?"

Aoki Tsukasa chuckled sheepishly and pointed at his own face. "You have to make the most of everything, right? Making money isn't easy, so saving whatever you can counts for something."

"Tsukasa-kun really is..." Saeko finally managed to catch her breath. Watching Aoki Tsukasa pull out a ten-thousand-yen bill to leave on the counter before picking up the beef, she couldn't help breaking into laughter all over again. "The aunty probably won't ever sell beef to you again."

Aoki Tsukasa let out an "eh" and, feeling a twinge of guilt, pulled out an extra thousand-yen bill to place on the counter as well. "Let's go, let's buy some other things. We're having Chinese hotpot tonight! I bought the soup base online a few days ago, it's guaranteed to be super delicious."

"Okay." With a beaming smile, Saeko followed Aoki Tsukasa off toward the next stall.

Watching Aoki Tsukasa lugging the groceries as he bargained at stall after stall, the bags in his hands growing heavier and heavier, Saeko's gaze gradually grew tender.

Tsukasa-kun is unexpectedly good at housekeeping. Among boys his age, there aren't many who know how to live life down-to-earth like this, right?

Besides, discussing what to eat for dinner together, buying groceries together, bargaining together... This warmth winding its way around her heart... must be what home feels like. Saeko stared in a daze at Aoki Tsukasa's back, her eyes filled with a mixture of longing and faint desolation, gradually drifting away in thought.

Could someone like me, too, possess this kind of happiness?

Looking down at her right hand, still wrapped in bandages, Saeko wore a deeply complicated expression.

Meanwhile, completely oblivious, Aoki Tsukasa remained immersed in the joy of bargaining, pulling a stern face and spitting a mile a minute as he addressed the trembling, innocent-looking stall owner in front of him: "Are these vegetables guaranteed fresh? Can you make it cheaper?"

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