A Feast of Snacks and a Sleepy Arrival

Our spirits lifted after leaving the café, we decided to wander through a nearby department store.

To my surprise, neither Leidi nor Samidare Ruka led me to the clothing section, a fate I had considered all but inevitable. Perhaps it was best not to inquire about their reasons, lest I inadvertently dig myself into another predicament.

Samidare Ruka gestured towards a shop boasting an exceptionally long queue, exclaiming, “I wholeheartedly recommend this shop’s takoyaki!”

The floor we currently occupied appeared to be entirely dedicated to an array of snacks and eateries. Every conceivable aroma tantalized my nose and taste buds; truly, this was paradise for me.

“But look at all these people,” I lamented, “the wait will be interminable…” A queue of such magnitude offered no hope of progress in under half an hour, a fact that filled me with a touch of regret.

“No worries at all,” Samidare Ruka cheerfully declared. “I’ll handle the queue here. You two should explore other shops and pick up some different snacks. We’ll rendezvous back here shortly.”

It was clear Samidare Ruka had set her heart on this takoyaki. While I, too, harbored a strong desire for it, a thought sparked in my mind: ‘What if we turned this into a snack party?’

“Understood,” Leidi replied. “I’ll take Protagonist around. And Samidare Ruka, one portion of takoyaki should suffice. I anticipate we’ll be returning with quite a diverse assortment of snacks.”

‘Leidi… you truly understand me,’ I thought, a silent appreciation.

“Got it!” Samidare Ruka chirped, offering a cheerful salute with a wide grin.

****

“Leidi-chan…” Samidare Ruka began, her voice trailing off as she offered us a wry, embarrassed smile. “While you did say you’d bring back many snacks, isn’t this… perhaps a little excessive?”

After all…

I had, in my enthusiasm, purchased an assortment that included red bean-filled taiyaki (whose only ‘meaty’ characteristic was its fish shape), okonomiyaki that resembled an upgraded takoyaki, vibrant chocolate-dipped bananas, deeply savory potato croquettes, and an array of exquisitely crafted wagashi and daifuku—among countless other delectable treats.

The outcome, predictably, was that…

…the snacks we had accumulated now covered half the table.

“My apologies, my mistake,” I confessed, offering Samidare Ruka a sheepish grin. “I simply couldn’t resist buying everything I hadn’t tried before.”

My fervent desire was to sample each one, believing that once I tasted them, I might be able to recreate them myself! Such was the indomitable spirit of a chef!

“Well, I’m not exactly scolding you,” Samidare Ruka clarified, “but there aren’t many items here that are easily stored… If we don’t want anything to go to waste, we probably won’t need lunch today.”

“Hmph-heh-heh,” I mumbled, scratching the back of my head in embarrassment.

“Perhaps we could share some with Number Two?” Leidi suggested, taking a sip of her drink. “That would certainly alleviate some of the pressure on us.”

While her suggestion was entirely devoid of malice, I couldn’t shake the faint, guilty sensation of ‘offering someone our leftovers.’

“That’s a good idea, I’ll take care of it, hmm? Wait a moment, I have a call.” Samidare Ruka’s phone buzzed, indicating an incoming call—likely from a friend.

“Eh?!” Samidare Ruka gasped, an exclamation of utter surprise that drew several curious glances.

‘What’s going on?’ I wondered. ‘Did something happen?’

“You’re already at the mansion’s entrance?!”

‘It was Number Two?!’ I realized with a jolt. ‘And he’s already at the mansion’s entrance? Wasn’t he scheduled to arrive this afternoon?’

“Alright, we’ll be right back,” Samidare Ruka affirmed. She pocketed her phone, then lifted her gaze to meet ours.

“As you both heard,” she announced, a touch of resignation in her voice, “we’ll have to pack everything up and depart.”

It seemed plans, however well-laid, were often outpaced by unforeseen developments.

****

Due to our current attire, the three of us, looking rather ‘regrettable and greatly diminished’ in our plans, returned to the entrance of the ‘Chrysalis’ mansion, laden with numerous bags of snacks. There, we spotted a man dressed in light hiking gear, a large backpack slung over his shoulders, leaning against the wall beside the main gate. His arms were crossed, his head bowed, and he appeared to be fast asleep.

‘That must be Number Two,’ I mused. ‘He’s quite tall.’ Then, a thought struck me: ‘Is that a choker he’s wearing around his neck as well?!’

“Apologies for the wait, Number Two,” Samidare Ruka said, stepping forward to greet him.

“Hm? Ah, oh, my apologies,” Number Two mumbled, shaking his head slightly, his voice still thick with sleep. “I must have dozed off.”

“My goodness, you’re truly exhausted, aren’t you?”

‘He really was asleep,’ I realized, a hint of surprise.

“A-woo—” He let out a wide yawn, then squinted at us, his gaze sweeping over each of us in assessment.

“Hello,” he began, punctuated by another sleepy “a-woo.” “I am Mao Mingdao, the holder of Gate Number Two. For a brief period, I will be serving as your instructor alongside Samidare Ruka. Please extend your guidance to me.” He finished with yet another lingering “a-woo.”

His greeting was utterly saturated with the palpable desire to simply return to sleep.

‘So his surname is Mao,’ I mused. ‘Then Number Two is indeed Chinese.’ I tilted my head back, studying the drowsy figure before me. He appeared to be around 1.8 meters tall—perhaps a Northerner? His black hair, styled with a side fringe, was slightly disheveled, and his perpetually narrowed eyes held a languid quality, suggesting he was utterly worn out from his journey. He possessed handsome features, and in his current state—desperate for sleep yet forced to remain awake—he struck me as rather endearing.

“I am Leidi Colt,” Leidi stated, introducing us to Number Two. “This is our second encounter. And this is Bai Ping; it’s a pleasure to meet you. Please, do come inside the mansion to rest, Mingdao… Brother?”

At Leidi’s final word, Number Two froze for a moment, then sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

“I’m only twenty, so… hmm… you can just call me Mingdao,” Number Two clarified, a faint, embarrassed smile gracing his lips. “No need for ‘Brother.’ A-woo—” He remained squinting, unmistakably consumed by drowsiness.

“Brother Mingdao,” I suggested to him in Chinese, “would you like to go to sleep first?”

“Ah, as expected, the Chinese ‘gege’ feels much more natural to me,” he admitted, punctuated by another soft “a-woo.” “I’ve never quite gotten used to the Japanese ‘oniichan.’ Eh-heh-heh, thank you.”

‘Was he shy?’ I wondered. ‘This tall young man is quite endearing.’

****

“My apologies,” he mumbled, barely coherent, “just let me sleep for three hours, woo—zZ.”

All the way back, Brother Mingdao swayed precariously; had Samidare Ruka not been steadfastly supporting him, he likely would have succumbed to sleep right there. After guiding him to a designated room within the mansion, Brother Mingdao collapsed onto the bed like a felled tree, his breathing immediately settling into soft, rhythmic sighs.

‘He fell asleep instantly?!’

The three of us exchanged bewildered glances. What on earth could he have been doing before arriving here that had left him so utterly exhausted?