The Chosen Wife || Jibaku Shounen Hanako-Kun

Part 1 (1/5)

It was a typical bustling day at the small family-owned restaurant in Kyoto. The lunch rush had long passed, but the lively crowd of travelers ensured the chaos lingered well into the afternoon. The smell of delicious food filled the air, and the sound of chatter and clinking cups echoed throughout the room.

In the kitchen, the sizzling and popping had stopped, a clear sign that the next round of orders was ready. (Y/N)'s mother, the skilled chef with striking black eyes and (H/C) hair styled neatly into a bun, called out to her daughter.

"(Y/N), take these out to the customers, please," she said, her floral apron wrapped around her, perfectly complementing her graceful yet hardworking demeanor.

"Right away!" came (Y/N)'s quick reply. With practiced ease, she gathered the plates of steaming food, along with five bottles of sake and cups, ready to serve the ever-hungry patrons.

(Y/N)'s mother was well-known in Kyoto for her culinary skills, once forming a renowned duo with her late husband. The family had lived happily until the day her father was summoned to war, even though he was no warrior—just a chef. The question of why he had to leave still lingered bitterly in (Y/N)'s mind, fueling a deep resentment for the Daimyo and the war that had taken him away from her family.

Shaking off those thoughts, (Y/N) moved through the restaurant, balancing the food and drinks. It was a hectic day, but the sight of satisfied customers enjoying the food brought her some comfort.

As she approached one of the back tables, she set the food down with a smile. "Sorry for the wait, here's your order."

The response was immediate, a loud cheer erupting from the group of rowdy men seated there.

"More sake, Lord Tsukasa! Keep it flowing!"

"Yeah, pour another for me!"

"That's the spirit, Lord Tsukasa!" the crowd cheered, encouraging the man in the black kimono at the center of it all.

With a wide grin, Tsukasa raised his cup and downed the sake in one gulp, slamming the empty cup onto the table to another round of applause.

"I could keep drinking all night!" Tsukasa shouted gleefully, already reaching for another bottle.

'He's really enjoying himself,' (Y/N) thought, noticing how much he had eaten and drunk in such a short time. 'I haven't seen them around before... travelers, maybe?'

As she continued to clear away the empty plates, a quiet voice cut through the noise.

"Excuse me, could we get another order of sake?"

She turned to see the man sitting calmly next to Tsukasa. Unlike his lively counterpart, this man—dressed in a dark blue kimono—was quietly observing the scene, sipping his sake with a thoughtful expression.

'They look so alike... almost identical. Twins?' she thought, noticing the striking similarities between the two men. There was one key difference: while Tsukasa wore a black seal paper on his right cheek, the quieter man had a white seal on his left. Their matching sharp amber eyes and choppy black hair only reinforced the resemblance.

Her curiosity got the better of her as she watched the man in blue casually adding soy sauce to his food. Without thinking, she spoke up.

"Forgive me for asking, but... was the meal not to your liking?"

The man in blue turned his head, his piercing gaze locking onto hers.

(Y/N) froze, realizing how rude the question had been. 'Oh no... I shouldn't have said that.'

"Oops..." she muttered, mentally kicking herself for blurting out something so thoughtless. 'Customers can enjoy their meals however they want! What was I thinking?'

Flustered, she quickly bowed her head in apology. "I'm so sorry! That was rude of me... please, forgive me."