Hearing that Kai still needed to rent an apartment, the normally indifferent manager perked up.
"What kind of place are you looking for?"
Kai laid out his requirements.
A standard detached house. It didn't need to be in a prime location; somewhere more out of the way was fine. Monthly rent around 80,000 yen.
He didn't have a commute, which saved him a decent chunk of money right there.
It just needed to be in Chiyoda Ward.
That was where Shueisha was located.
"Understood." The manager could tell Kai was serious. He jotted everything down and added with a smile, "Those are pretty flexible requirements. I'll keep an eye out for you."
"Thanks." Kai gave a nod.
He didn't go overboard with gratitude.
After all, if he rented through the manager, there would be an agency fee involved.
This was a transaction, nothing more.
He was a customer.
...
The manager saw Kai to the door and waved goodbye.
Tokyo in early April still had a bite to it. A gust of wind swept by and Kai shoved his hands into his pockets on instinct, his fingers brushing against the evaluation sheet.
Remembering the professional manga books the judges had recommended, he decided he wasn't in a rush to go home.
He headed for the bookstore instead.
There were barely any customers at noon, so he found what he needed quickly.
While getting ready to pay, he couldn't resist walking over to the most prominent shelf in the store.
The Kindaichi Case Files was still displayed front and center. The manga had been selling strong for half a month straight.
Kai felt a small pang of envy.
"How terrible."
Someone beside him was grinding their teeth.
"A guy like that can get a book published? What a twisted world."
The person complained out loud again.
Kai looked over curiously and saw a round-faced high school student staring at a poster mounted next to the bookshelf.
I Am a Murderer.
On the poster, a young man was smiling, holding a book in his hands. The title of the book was I Am a Murderer.
The poster also noted that the content was adapted from true events, written by the person who lived through them, and that there were thirty-eight days until the book's release.
"Sorry."
Before Kai could ask what the kid's problem was, the high school student realized he'd been making a scene, apologized politely, and hurried off with his head down.
Kai didn't think much of it. He bought his books and went home to keep studying.
...
He sat by the window and lost himself in his reading. At one point a cherry blossom petal drifted in and stuck to his forehead, and he didn't even notice.
By the time Kai snapped out of it, he was starving.
He looked up at the sky and saw it had gone a deep dusky yellow. He checked the clock.
Seven in the evening.
He got up, stretched, and headed to Ryuka Cuisine. There was something he'd been wanting to try for a long time.
"I want the same bowl as you."
The head chef at Ryuka was an old man named Shin Arata. Back when Kai was working as a waiter, he'd noticed that Arata never ate the staff meals. He always made a separate bowl for himself after the rush died down.
It was nothing like the standard bowls they served to customers during the dinner rush.
Kai had wanted to try Arata's personal ramen for ages, but he'd never had the nerve to ask for a bowl of something the old man clearly made with that much care just for himself.
All he could do was swallow his drool and look away.
Now that he had money, he could afford to treat himself.
"No problem." Arata nodded without hesitation. He didn't mind at all.
"By the way, Fujin. I heard from Nozaki that you've hit it big. Congratulations."
Kai shook his head. "I've still got a long way to go."
"Don't be modest with me." Arata smirked. "Just sit tight. I'm making something special tonight."
"Want me to help?"
"No way. You'll just get in my way. Sit down and wait."
...
At seven in the evening, the restaurant was practically empty. Nozaki was bored out of his mind when he spotted Kai.
He did a double take. "Why are you here again today?"
"I'm a customer," Kai replied.
"So now I have to serve you?" Nozaki put on a look of mock outrage.
Kai grinned. "Of course not."
Nozaki laughed along.
"Nozaki-senpai." Kai straightened up, suddenly serious. He hadn't been able to say this properly during their drinking session. "Thank you. Really. For always looking out for me."
"Why are you getting all formal on me? Come on." Nozaki waved him off. "I just did what anyone would do."
"Once you're a famous manga artist, maybe I can drop your name to impress a girl. I should be the one thanking you."
Kai didn't know whether to laugh or sigh. "You're too much, really."
The two of them chatted until eight o'clock, when the restaurant was about to close.
Nozaki was just about to suggest they go out for drinks when Arata walked out of the kitchen carrying three steaming bowls on a tray and set them down on the table.
"Ramen's ready!"
Three massive bowls of tonkotsu ramen, each one loaded with thick slices of braised pork belly, a perfectly halved soft-boiled egg, scallions, and a sheet of nori leaning against the rim. The broth was milky white and glistening.
"Eat up while it's hot!"
He said it with pure excitement.
Nozaki looked a bit stunned.
Kai didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed his chopsticks, broke them apart, and dove in.
The broth hit him first. Deep, rich, and impossibly smooth, with layers of flavor that the regular menu bowls couldn't even dream of touching.
The noodles had a perfect bite to them, and the chashu practically fell apart.
"This is incredible. Absolutely perfect."
He was so moved he almost teared up.
One slurp, and all the exhaustion from the past few days just melted away.
"As long as you're enjoying it." Arata watched Kai devour his food with a look of deep satisfaction.
Nozaki wasn't nearly as dramatic about it. To him it was just a really good bowl of ramen.
But watching Kai eat like that made his own mouth water, and he drained every last drop of his broth without even meaning to.
"I'm stuffed." After thanking Arata, he rubbed his belly and brought up something that had been on his mind.
"By the way, Fujin. There's going to be an awards ceremony for the Tezuka Award, right? You'll definitely get to see Takehiko Inoue there. Please get me an autograph. I'm begging you."
"Awards ceremony..." Kai picked at his teeth and muttered back. "Yeah, that's a thing. But Editor Heishi doesn't seem to care much about it. He just said he'd let me know before it happens."
Editors had been through so many of these ceremonies that the novelty had worn off ages ago.
Heishi's attention was entirely focused on Death Note, and Kai felt the same way.
A newcomer award?
He'd wait until he won something major like the Shogakukan Manga Award before going around bragging about it.
"Tezuka Award?" Arata looked confused. He had zero interest in manga.
"It's an award for manga," Kai explained.
"Ah." Arata nodded, only half understanding.
"By the way." Kai pulled out his wallet. "How much for the ramen?"
"Put that away!" Arata pressed his hands down on Kai's. "You think I'd charge you for this?"
"Just... give me an autograph instead! Once you're famous, that thing'll be worth way more than a few bowls of ramen."
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