The Days When I Can’t Sleep at Night Because I’m Loved by a Yandere Woman

Chapter 23 – Eccentric Person and Ramen

Today, Moroboshi and I had planned to go to “Ramen Goro”. We would spend time individually, and meet in front of the restaurant when the clock hits 7 p.m. Moroboshi is sometimes late, but that’s just the way it is. (T/N: A real ramen chain in Japan.)

As I approached the restaurant, I noticed Moroboshi’s long, thin figure. I was impressed that Moroboshi was right on time today, but then a small animal jumped out from behind his body.

“Hello, Naga-san. How are you?”

“Moroboshi, what’s going on here? Are you up to something?”

“No! I just slipped up a bit and Rii-chan said she’d go with me.”

“Yes, that’s right. I was so excited that I went on a rampage. When I smacked Boshi-san’s a*s with my mallet, it made a great sound.”

“What’s going on with you guys…?”

I don’t dislike Rii-chan, if anything I like her personality, but I somehow feel Moroboshi’s artifice, which is aggravating. Moroboshi is the one responsible for my meeting with Rii-chan in the first place, and I think he had originally planned for Rii-chan to fall in love with me.

“Let’s just go in.”

“Yeah.”

“I agree.”

As soon as we passed through the store’s brick door and opened the sliding door, our faces were enveloped in the warm aroma of tonkotsu. Heat is usually unpleasant, but there’s an indescribable euphoria that comes from the heat of a ramen shop.

I’ve been to this ramen store many times, as it’s the closest ramen restaurant to the university, but I keep coming back because of its straightforward flavor that I never get tired of.

“Welcome! The three of you, please come to the counter!”

I took the seat at the far end, followed by Rii-chan and Moroboshi. By the way, doesn’t this group look suspicious from outside perspectives? It looks as if two suspicious adult men are kidnapping Rii-chan who looks like a junior high school girl, doesn’t it? I’m not sure about me, but Moroboshi is pretty shady…

I unfolded the menu and showed it to Rii-chan in a very natural manner so as not to look suspicious, and she looked at the menu sullenly and with interest.

“Eh, is this your first time here, Rii-chan?”

“That’s right. She told me, ‘I’ve never been to Ramen Goro, and yet you and Naga-san want to enjoy it alone? I’m crying. My heart is deeply saddened,’ and threatened me with tears.”

“I’m smiling now. I’m smile-chan.”

“You can’t say that with a straight face…”

It’s been a little while since I met Rii-chan, but I’ve rarely seen her expression change. If I look carefully, I can see the corners of her mouth seem to be slightly upturned, but it seems to be within the margin of error.

However, the fact that she doesn’t seem strangely cold is probably due to her personality.

“I’ll have the tomato ramen.”

“How can you throw such a curveball on your first try?”

“You don’t understand, Naga-san. Ramen restaurants with good varieties also have good regular menus.”

“Hmm… Is that how it is? Rii-chan must know a lot about ramen.”

“That’s right. I come here at least three times a year.”

“That’s not much! How can you call yourself a connoisseur with that frequency?”

I’m ashamed to admit that I was almost impressed for a moment. But tomato ramen? I’ve been curious about it, but I never had the courage to order it before. I usually order regular ramen and add toppings as I feel like it. Well, today, I’m thinking of ordering a regular ramen with flavored eggs…

“What about you, Moroboshi?”

“I think I’ll have ramen with favored eggs today.”

“Don’t copy me! Excuse me, we’ll have two ramen with flavored eggs and one tomato ramen!”

“On it! Here’s some kimchi for you.”

“Here it comes!”

Yes, this restaurant offers free kimchi refills. Moroboshi and I have been to many ramen restaurants in the past, but we’ve never seen any other restaurant that offers free kimchi refills.

The kimchi is so good for a free item that I sometimes wonder if I’m really getting it for free. Sometimes I’m not sure if I come here for the ramen or the kimchi.

“Oh, kimchi service? That’s pretty nice.”

“Why are you trying to be a connoisseur!?”

“Because Rii-chan is a gourmet.”

“My hobby is to compare rock salt.”

“It scares me to think you really do that…”

However, it’s hard to see anything about Rii-chan’s background growing up. I can tell from her nonchalant demeanor that she’s no ordinary person.

She doesn’t seem to have much of a life, and I wonder if she’s actually a young lady from a respected family. Moroboshi also looks like this, but I heard that he’s been learning the violin since he was a child. The symphony orchestra circle they belong to also seems to have many well-off children.

When I took my eyes off her for a moment, Rii-chan had a small plate piled high with kimchi.

“Wait, wait, wait. How much more can you put on the plate?”

“It says free. That means free kimchi. Do you understand, Naga-san?”

“Stop the politician talk.”

“I feel like I’m losing money if I don’t eat a lot.”

“That’s fine, but finish it.”

“If there are any left, Naga-san will eat them.”

“Ah, yeah… Let’s just eat together…”

Is she more of a wild child than a young lady? Is she more free-spirited or out of the ordinary…?

“But Rii-chan, why do you like Takenaga so much? There are good men in our circle, aren’t there? For example, me.”

“Boshi-san is not applicable.”

“You’re too easy, Moroboshi. You should reflect on that a little.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

Rii-chan continued, munching on a pile of kimchi. It’s kind of adorable. She looks like a squirrel.

“Manzai between couple is only possible when there is boke and tsukkomi. With me and Boshi-san, it’s just boke and boke. That is not right.” (T/N: Manzai is traditional style of comedy from Japanese, which usually includes two performers, the boke/stupid guy and the tsukkomi/straight man.)

“Huh…?”

“Naga-san is wonderful in that regard. I admire his patience in continuing to tsukkomi my boke.”

“I don’t mind, but why do you have to be so bossy…?”

“Hahaha! Oh wow, Takenaga is very popular. He’s a sinful man.”

Moroboshi’s goofy laugh is depressing… I wonder if this can be counted as me being popular to begin with. I don’t know if I should be happy as a man that I’m in demand as a comedy partner.

Tsubaki’s obsession with me is like a curse, and I can hardly believe I’m popular.

Regardless, there was something I wanted to ask Rii-chan.

“Rii-chan, why do you hang out with Moroboshi? You’re in different grades and you two play different instruments.”

“The percussion section was originally small in number. It was Boshi-san who insisted on hanging out with me, even though I was a loner.”

“I’m the type of person who can’t leave someone alone when I see them in trouble.”

“You liar. You just wanted to show other girls how kind you are.”

“You guessed that, huh?”

Moroboshi laughs smugly without taking offense. I said that, but if it saved Ri-chan’s life, it’s not as bad as it seems, is it?

“Regardless of his motives, Boshi-san is still my benefactor. And that Boshi-san has a friend who he admires so strangely, so I was curious to know what kind of person he was.”

“Eh, you complimented me? That’s kind of scary.”

“Oh, Takenaga, are you embarrassed?”

“Please don’t flirt with him without me.”

Just as I was starting to lose my composure, the ramen was brought out. Just smelling it was enough to fill my stomach. By the way, Rii-chan’s tomato ramen is very red and a little scary.

“Thank you for the food.”

“–For the food.”

“Wait, Moroboshi, I’m not treating you.”

“I thought it might work, but guess not.”

“If you want me to treat you, you’re going to have to compliment me every day.”

“There’s nothing to compliment about you.”

“You son of a b***h.”

While we were arguing, Rii-chan was already enjoying her tomato ramen, when her hand suddenly stopped.

“Ah, I see.”

“What’s the matter, Rii-chan? Not so good, is it?”

“No, I’m sure Naga-san was also saved by Boshi-san. Hmm, I understand.”

After being convinced on her own, Rii-chan slurped down the red ramen again. Moroboshi and I both looked blank for a while, but then we remembered our ramen and picked up our chopsticks.

After that, Rii-chan shared her tomato ramen with me, which was quite tasty with a sour flavor.

Sometimes it’s not a bad thing to realize something you didn’t know.