By Saturday evening, a long queue had formed outside the new Ichiraku Ramen branch in West Rukongai.
Strings of lanterns hung beneath the wooden sign, casting a warm yellow glow. The air was filled with the savory aroma of charcoal-grilled meat and the sweet, fresh scent of sauce—the distinct smell of the new menu item, yakitori.
Before Ren even reached the entrance, he overheard several diners nearby chatting excitedly.
"Did you see? Ever since this new Ichiraku Ramen in West Rukongai introduced yakitori, people have been lining up like this every single day."
"Tell me about it. I tried it last week, and that sauce is bloody incredible. They even started some kind of delivery service recently. The delivery guy actually rides a wild boar, and he's incredibly fast!"
"Riding a wild boar? Are you serious? Is that even human..."
"Tsk, I saw it with my own eyes. A massive wild boar with a spiky-haired kid on its back, moving like the wind..."
Ren stood to the side and listened for a moment, finding it quite amusing.
It seemed the delivery business he'd arranged for Ganju was thriving.
When Ren arrived, he saw Ganju standing by the shop entrance with a few of his lackeys.
Dressed in practical dark green outfits with Ichiraku Ramen printed on the back, they were efficiently packing orders for delivery.
The sturdy wild boar, Bonnie, lay grunting nearby with two rows of specialized thermal boxes secured to her sides.
"Ganju."
Ren called out.
Ganju looked up, and a wide grin spread across his face the moment he saw Ren.
"Oh! It's big brother Ren! You're here."
He turned and shouted toward the shop, "Old man, big brother Ren is here!"
The shop curtain was pulled back, and Old Man Ichiraku poked his head out, beaming.
"Ah, Master Ren, please come in. The two from the Shiba family are already inside."
"Thanks for the hard work. Anyway, Ganju, why don't you take a break and join us for dinner?"
"You got it! I'll be there as soon as I finish these last few orders."
The decor of the new shop was much more refined than the old one.
With wood-colored tables and chairs and Ukiyo-e style menu paintings on the walls, the shop was packed. Nearly every table had ordered yakitori.
Shiba Kaien was waving at him from a long table at the far end.
Kukaku was sitting next to Kaien, her eyes lighting up the moment she saw Ren enter.
Ren walked over and sat down opposite Kaien.
Seeing this, Kukaku raised an eyebrow.
She glanced back and forth between Ren and Kaien before patting Kaien on the shoulder.
"Brother, let's swap seats."
Kaien looked confused.
Kaien was a bit too lazy to move and clicked his tongue.
"Why bother? Why don't you just sit on the other side instead?"
Kukaku scratched her head, her smile turning a bit bashful.
"I mean, I could, but I don't want to sit across from Ganju. It'd be so disgusting I wouldn't be able to eat."
Kaien pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on.
"That's your own flesh and blood."
"He's annoying precisely because he's my brother. Come on, swap with me, big brother!"
"Fine, fine. Let's swap."
"Hee hee."
Unable to win against Kukaku, Kaien eventually stood up while she grinned triumphantly.
Kukaku sat down opposite Ren, her eyes shimmering with joy as she looked at him.
She knew that Ren and Kaien had been training privately lately.
However, since their route didn't take them past the Shiba residence, Kukaku hadn't spoken to Ren in a long time.
Seeing Ren again now, she felt her heart skip a beat.
"It's been a while, Ren."
"Yeah, long time no see, Kukaku."
Looking at Kukaku's energetic face, Ren felt his own mood lighten significantly.
"Business is really booming here."
Kaien remarked, pouring barley tea for Ren and Kukaku.
"Ganju mentioned it was almost full just as the evening rush started."
"It's thanks to the yakitori," Ren said with a smile. "After I suggested the idea for the dish, Old Man Ichiraku spent months perfecting the sauce recipe."
A flicker of admiration crossed Kaien's eyes.
"That's impressive, Senior. I heard Ichiraku started as just a tiny storefront. I never expected it to grow this large."
"It wasn't easy. But your family's fireworks business is doing well too. I'll come to you for a custom order of fireworks for the next shop anniversary."
"Just say the word, Senior. I've left all that to Kukaku now, so you'll get to see her craftsmanship firsthand."
Just then, Ganju arrived carrying a large tray piled high with freshly grilled skewers. The aroma of charcoal-singed meat mixed with sweet and savory sauce wafted toward them.
"Here we go, dig in!"
Ganju set the tray down and produced several small jars from his waist pouch like a magic trick.
"This is chili powder, this is shichimi, and this is sansho salt. I blended them all myself!"
Kaien looked at his brother in surprise. "You know how to do this?"
Ganju scratched his head and gave an embarrassed smile.
"I learned in the kitchen. Old Man Ichiraku says I have a natural talent for cooking."
Looking at his brother, Kaien was genuinely astonished.
A month ago, Ganju was just a wild kid who spent his days riding pigs and causing trouble.
Now, he not only had a steady job but had also matured quite a bit.
"Not bad, Ganju," Kaien said, patting his shoulder. "But don't get cocky; work hard. Senior Ren gave you an opportunity, so don't let him down."
"I know," Ganju nodded vigorously. "Every morning, Bonnie and I plan out the delivery routes. When it's not busy, I help out in the shop, and sometimes I even study in the kitchen."
"Old Man Ichiraku said that when we open another branch, he might talk to big brother Ren about making me the shop manager."
Kaien was truly stunned as he watched Ganju's animated description.
He wanted to say something, but suddenly found himself at a loss for words.
Finally, Kaien smiled with relief.
"Don't push yourself too hard while you're busy."
"I'm not tired, it's actually really interesting."
Ganju lowered his voice and leaned closer to his brother's ear.
"Brother, I'm going to make a lot of money this month. I'm planning to buy sis a new headband and get you a nice set of clothes. I'll save the rest for when we need it later."
Kaien froze.
Looking at his brother's profile, which had lost its childishness, he suddenly realized that the little troublemaker who always needed his supervision had finally grown up.
"Oh! The meat's going to get cold if we don't eat now!"
Ganju had already turned back, grabbing two skewers of yakitori and shoving them toward Kaien.
"Eat up, brother. You looked exhausted lately, so eat your fill today and recharge."
Kaien took the steaming skewers and took a bite.
The meat was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The sweetness of the sauce perfectly complemented the savoriness of the chicken, with the smoky charcoal aroma blossoming in his mouth.
This deliciousness transformed into a profound sense of happiness, melting in his heart.
"It's delicious."
He said sincerely.
After a few bites, Kaien suddenly remembered his sister and Ren.
He glanced back and saw the two of them huddled together, staring at him and Ganju while whispering.
"Look, Ren. My brother's getting all emotional today."
"He really is. Honestly, Kaien looks just like a doting father right now."
"Exactly. He practically raised Ganju on his own, so he must be feeling incredibly proud right now."
"It hasn't been easy on him. He's finally seeing his hard work pay off."
Watching the two gossiping about him behind his back, Kaien felt a few dark lines appear on his forehead.
His fists clenched tight.
Normally, Kukaku would have definitely taken a blow to the head for this.
But today... forget it. He was in a good mood.
With that thought, he raised his glass high, a bright, sun-like smile beaming on his face.
Around them, laughter and cheerful conversation filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere.
"Come on, cheers!"