Magical Boy ~ English version

Chapter 74

When the sun rose, Thoki proceeded to go and wake Nanaya and Kotaro. They were both surprised they fell asleep so easily and a sudden back pain reminded them that they were not used to sleeping on the floor.

This time, Kotaro went downstairs to have breakfast with everyone, although he hardly answered Kenji and ate in silence. He was only brought out of his silence by Nakamara. As the adult held Kemori in his arms to feed him, he called out to the teenager.

"You stayed in your brother's room when you came back until the evening," he said. "Most of the afternoon then. You will give me the pleasure of going for a bath and going out for a bit today."

"Hah ?! What if I don't feel like going out ?!"

"Did I ask for your opinion?" "

Nakamara grabbed his cup and offered him a smile. Nanaya preferred to speak in his turn.

"We could buy ice cream," he suggested, "and maybe eat at a restaurant?" 

He glanced at his father, who immediately reached into his pocket to pull out a bank card and put it on the table, a sign that Nanaya could pick it up and use it at will today. The young man turned to his friend again and smiled. Kotaro stared at him for a moment, enjoying a few seconds of watching his friend's face, before turning his head away with a grimace.

"Yeah, it's okay, I'm coming." He growled. "I have no choice anyway. "

This finally decided, Kotaro made his way to a downstairs bathroom on his own. He knew the house well. Thoki pointed out the location of another to Kenji and before Nanaya asked one of the two boys, Nakamara urged him to a third.

Once they were all ready, the adult let Thoki drop them off downtown. Sunday being also market day, the activity was in full swing.

There were two hours left before lunch, so Kenji offered to see a movie at the cinema before going to a restaurant. There was just the remake of an old 2020 movie coming out the same day.

"Aren't you too hot?" Kenji asked on the way.

"Me ?" Nanaya wondered. "A little. But dad told me not to wear a crop top."

"Obliviously !" Growled Kotaro.

"... doesn't that suit me after all?"

"What... yes! But that's ... do you see a lot of guys wearing them ??"

-No. So what ? I wear them all the time with Aitori's uniform. "

Kotaro opened his mouth to reply, but couldn't think of anything to say. He looked away, growling as usual as they arrived at the movies. What Kenji wanted to see was an action movie. At the same time, he hoped that Kotaro liked it enough to take his mind off him. Nanaya bought the tickets and had drinks.

Kotaro seemed to enjoy the film, although he refused to admit it on release and complained about Kenji's cinematic tastes. The redhead had noticed that when he lied, however violent his arguments were, Kotaro had receding eyes and reddened ears. They entered the still crowded street.

"So where are we going?" Kenji asked, stretching. "I'm starting to get hungry. Which restaurant do we choose?"

"Italian?" Nanaya proposed, looking at his childhood friend.

"We ate Italian yesterday." Kotaro growled. "Love it but change it a bit."

Nanaya apologized in a small voice and Kenji noticed the redness coming back to Kotaro's ears. He was angry at himself for responding so harshly, but he was far too proud to apologize. They were walking aimlessly, gazing at the open establishments hoping to make up their minds quickly, when they noticed a ruffled gray hair they knew well on one of the terrace.

"Ogami-san?" Nanaya wondered.

Tomeo looked up and his face lit up with a smile. He gave them a quick wave before turning back to the table. A notebook in one hand, a pen in the other, dressed rather classically, an apron over his clothes, he finished taking the order before facing his friends.

"Hey, are you going for a walk?" He asked. "Or do you want a table maybe?"

"What are you doing, bulldozer?" Growled Kotaro.

"Well, you see, I work. Since I'm home for the weekend, I decided to help out to earn some pocket money. This is my parents' restaurant."

He pointed the sign behind him. He seemed particularly proud and there was something. "Petite France" had almost always sold out since it opened six years earlier. Tomeo had lived with his uncle in Tokyo until he came to Saurity, because his parents didn't want him to be too disturbed by a move in the middle of the school year.

"You're french ?" Kotaro muttered, raising an eyebrow.

"My mother is," Tomeo assured, "you can't see it because I inherited everything from my father. Then. Are you taking a table? We have some left inside. Make your choice quickly, I must take the order to the kitchen."

They looked at each other and finally decided to eat there. Since Nanaya has not yet tasted French cuisine, this was the perfect opportunity.

Tomeo brought the order to the kitchen before coming back to them, handing them the menus.

"Some ingredients are directly imported from France," he assured with professionalism. "The fruits and vegetables are from local producers and the bread is homemade. These are the most frequently asked questions."

"Snails ?" Nanaya wondered, looking at the menu. "It can be eaten ?"

"It's delicious when cooked properly and my mom is a real chef. My parents were both educated at one of the greatest cooking schools in the world."

He pointed to the wall behind them where the diplomas of Ogami Taruki and Popelin Anne-Sophie were hung. Everything was written there in French and the name of the Grande École Ferrandi was written there.

"And the snails are imported too?" Kotaro muttered, a bit mockingly.

"No. Snails and frogs are from our own farms. I let you choose, there are a lot of people today."

He greeted them again to return to the kitchen where they could see his father. Tomeo was really the same, except for his hair. The adult took the notebook from him and assured him that he could take his break to eat with his friends. So he returned to them to sit next to Kenji.

It was his father who came to take their order, leaving one of his waitresses to welcome two new customers.

As he decided to try the snails, Nanaya didn't fail to notice the gaze on him, from the new people who sat down at the table next door.

The two-meter tall man slapped his younger friend on the head to make him look away, a soft growl escaping from under his mask.

"But," Yusho moaned, "red in his hair! I love it ! "

He hadn't spoken in a quiet manner, not caring that the person concerned was at the next table. Nanaya's three friends had turned their heads towards them, raising an eyebrow. Static rolled his eyes and gave Red another slap. The teenager pouted and sat down in silence, however quickly found his smile when the menu was presented to him. The adult, for his part, refused with a wave of his hand, making it clear that he did not want to eat.