As the minutes ticked by, the fragrant aroma of sizzling meat and fresh baked goods filled the cozy diner.
Sae glanced sideways at Satoshi.
The boy leaned his cheek into his palm, his pale lashes low over his silver irises, studying the table lazily like he had all the time in the world.
Most kids his age would be fidgeting, playing with the salt shaker or kicking their feet.
But Satoshi sat unnervingly still — calm, unbothered, and almost detached from the world around him.
After a while, finding the silence slightly awkward, Satoshi lazily spoke up, his voice soft and relaxed.
"You planning to stare at me all night?"
Sae raised an eyebrow, but didn't deny it.
"You're not normal," she said simply.
"Mm," Satoshi responded noncommittally, as if she had pointed out the sky was blue.
Sae tilted her head slightly, watching him.
"What's your name?" she asked finally, her voice casual but edged with real curiosity.
"Satoshi Oda. And you?"
Although he already knew her identity and name — thanks to his system, it would be weird if he didn't ask as this was the first time they've met.
Sae nodded. "Sae Chabashira."
Curious about why a four-year-old was wandering around so late, she asked, "Where are your parents? They're probably worried sick."
Satoshi shrugged.
"They're probably at home thinking I'm asleep," he said, chuckling lightly. "Of course, I'm not."
"So you ran away?"
"I guess you could call it that."
Before Sae could reply, the bell from the kitchen chimed again.
"Order up!"
Joichiro walked over, setting down the plates before them with a proud grin.
"House special," he said warmly. "Dig in while it's hot."
The moment the plates touched the table, a wave of rich, savory aroma rolled out — the deep, mouthwatering scent of a perfectly caramelized steak, chopped up, filling the air.
The steak's juices sizzled as they mingled with the delicate steam rising from the bed of rice below, while the miso soup nearby added a gentle and enticing fragrance, complimenting the dish.
Sae blinked, a little stunned by the sudden assault on her senses.
She wasn't one to react openly, but the smell alone made her stomach twist in anticipation.
Satoshi, of course, was already smirking faintly behind his hand.
'Right... I forgot how dangerous Yukihira's food was,' he thought lazily, remembering a few scenes from the anime.
He picked up his chopsticks casually and took a bite of the steak first.
It was like an explosion of flavor — perfectly balanced, tender beyond belief, seared just right, the juices soaking into the rice below.
He didn't react much outwardly, but inwardly, even he had to admit it was absurdly good.
He watched from the corner of his eye as Sae finally took a bite of her own.
"Nn...!"
The moment the food touched her tongue, a small, undeniably cute sound escaped her before she could stop it.
It was soft, almost like a kitten getting startled.
Instantly, Sae's body tensed. Her chopsticks froze midair. A faint, horrified stiffness spread across her features as if she wished she could rewind time by five seconds.
Satoshi's silver eyes gleamed slightly with a hint of mischief.
"What's wrong, Onee-san~?" He couldn't help but tease, his voice barely concealing his amusement.
Seeing such a dignified and cold beauty lose all her composure was indeed a wonderful sight.
After regaining her composure slightly, she glared at him.
"Don't call me that," she said, a fraction too fast, forgetting her small lie a moment ago.
Satoshi tilted his head innocently. "Call you what? Aren't you my amazing older sister?"
Satoshi was using her words she said previously against her.
After all, who told her to follow a random kid and claim to be his onee-san just to avoid suspicion?
Sae, realizing she had walked into her own trap, exhaled slowly.
"You're an annoying brat," she muttered, lightly pinching Satoshi's cheek as a faint, reluctant amusement flickered across her features.
[+5 Favourability with Sae Chabashira!]
The system chimed quietly in his mind.
The two enjoyed their food, talking to each other briefly.
Despite her stoic exterior, Sae found herself smiling faintly once or twice — a rare sight she quickly hid behind her cup of tea.
After finishing their meals, Sae quietly waved down Tamako and paid for both plates without hesitation.
Satoshi snorted softly but didn't comment, playing along with her act.
Standing up, they stepped outside into the crisp night air once again.
"So," she said casually, "where are you going now?"
Satoshi tilted his head lazily, his silver hair catching the faint glow of the streetlights.
"Probably home. I'm a little tired," he said simply, yawning behind his hand.
Sae's eyes sharpened slightly — not out of suspicion, but calculation.
'He says that... but what kind of four-year-old strolls around at night, eats calmly in a restaurant with a stranger, and then casually plans to walk home alone?' she mused.
Even knowing he was abnormal, leaving him alone didn't sit right with her.
A thought clicked almost instantly.
Sae put on a neutral face and said smoothly, "I'll walk you home."
Satoshi blinked up at her, his silver gaze very obviously seeing through her small scheme.
He could tell she wasn't offering because she thought he was helpless — she wanted to follow him, find out where he lives, maybe even meet his family.
'Without context, doesn't this seem quite... questionable?'
The police would surely lock her up.
Still, Satoshi didn't really mind.
When you're the strongest, hardly anything bothers you.
And besides, it'd be fun to see how his family would react when some random older girl knocked on their door with him standing beside her like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Thus, he just shrugged. "Suit yourself."
With a casual pace, the two began walking again.
After about fifteen minutes, they finally arrived.
"This is it," Satoshi said lazily.
Sae glanced up at the house, noting its simple, well-kept appearance.
Without hesitation, she walked up to the front door beside him and gave it a few knocks.
There was a brief pause.
Then footsteps could be heard from inside.
The door opened, and a woman peeked out, blinking in surprise.
She was a beautiful woman in her late twenties with the same silver hair as Satoshi.
Her silver-gray eyes widened immediately at the sight of him — and then flickered to Sae standing calmly beside him.
"Satoshi...?" she said in a bewildered tone, pushing the door open wider. "Where have you been? Who—"
Before she could fully spiral, Sae offered a small, polite bow, slipping into her usual calm professionalism.
"Good evening. I found your son wandering outside earlier tonight. I thought it would be best to walk him home safely."
The words came out smooth, natural — not a lie exactly, but polished enough to sound perfectly trustworthy.
He could already imagine the chaos brewing behind his mother's carefully composed expression.
Sure enough, his mother immediately ushered him inside, fussing over him with a mixture of worry and sternness.
Sae remained just outside the threshold, hands folded behind her back, quietly observing.
Satoshi allowed himself to be pulled inside without resistance, standing with a look of mild apology on his face that didn't quite reach his eyes.
His mother finally turned back to Sae, bowing slightly in return.
"Thank you so much for bringing him back. I'm really sorry for the trouble."
Sae gave a simple shake of her head.
"No trouble at all. I was just in the right place at the right time," she said, glancing meaningfully at Satoshi.
Satoshi's father, a tall, composed man with a serious face that softened slightly when looking at his son, appeared behind his wife.
He gave Sae a polite, grateful nod.
"It's quite late. Would you like to come in for some tea before you head back?" he offered, his tone formal but sincere.
Sae's eyes gleamed almost imperceptibly.
Exactly what she had hoped for.
"I would be honored," she said with a small, perfectly modest smile.
'She's a great actor,' Satoshi thought, somewhat impressed. His mother soon told him to go to bed.
Satoshi didn't object.
His mother turned back to Sae, and politely said, "Please come inside. I'll get the tea."
"Thank you very much," Sae said politely, taking a step into the residence.
And just like that, Satoshi would somehow get another Onee-san to spoil him in the future.