Chapter 190: Was Anything Unnecessary Said?

Sukiyaki originated in the early days of Japan, when farmers, during their busy farming seasons, would use the flat parts of iron farm tools like hoes and plows to grill meat over a fire to satisfy their hunger, hence the name.

However, as time went on, different regions developed different recipes and procedures, and it directly became synonymous with Japanese-style beef hot pot.

The preparation is also simple: tofu, glass noodles, shiitake mushrooms, greens, carrots, and white vegetables are either pan-fried or boiled separately and placed into a pot, followed by thin slices of beef that have already been seared once.

This also means that the quality of sukiyaki depends entirely on the grade of the ingredients—the fresher and more delicious the beef, the more satisfying the sukiyaki.

Toyama Shuichi wanted to get on good terms with Akiwara Yuto, so he naturally chose the best beef from the supermarket, and even selected high-grade Kyoto vegetables for the side dishes—vegetables produced in Kyoto, which are significantly more expensive than those from other regions.

However, his thoughtfulness was clearly unnecessary; Akiwara Yuto had grown accustomed to a life of poverty, and having meat to eat was good enough. Moreover, he was not a local of Japan, and he couldn't tell the difference between premium beef and medium-grade beef.

But out of politeness, Akiwara Yuto kept praising the freshness and deliciousness of the ingredients, which made Toyama Shuichi and his wife, Toyama Tomoka, beam with joy.

While eating the beef in his bowl, Akiwara Yuto subconsciously observed the Toyama family.

As the head of the household, Toyama Shuichi sat at the table with his back straight; although his expression held a smile, he still looked somewhat serious. Akiwara guessed that he was used to being a teacher and had brought that temperament home—in his past life, he had heard a friend who married a teacher say that whenever his wife lectured him, she liked to put on that homeroom teacher persona.

His wife, Toyama Tomoka, was in her forties and looked like the kind of gentle, traditional Japanese woman. She kept adding ingredients to the pot while occasionally taking care of her young daughter, barely finding time to eat a few bites herself.

The daughter, Toyama Miho, looked delicate, but she was already in her third year of junior high at a nearby school. However, children of this age generally have a rebellious streak; she was somewhat resistant to the food her mother put in her bowl, looking unhappy and wanting to be a picky eater.

At this moment, her older sister, Toyama Miho, spoke up. After hearing her sister's lecture, Toyama Miho could only eat it obediently.

As for his newly accepted disciple, Toyama Miho, she sat upright and, aside from occasionally lecturing her younger sister, ate quietly, giving the impression of having been raised very well. While eating, she chewed slowly and carefully, appearing elegant and calm.

Akiwara Yuto looked over the family and felt that this household was truly warm—according to his understanding, many Japanese families often had deep gaps between children and parents, but he couldn't feel that in the Toyama home.

When they were almost finished eating, Toyama Shuichi suddenly asked Akiwara Yuto in a polite tone, "Akiwara-sensei, would you like to have some sake?"

In his view, if one didn't drink while eating, the hospitality was still insufficient.

Akiwara Yuto waved his hand and said awkwardly, "Not this time, I have things to do tomorrow. Professor Toyama, please feel free to enjoy it yourself."

The editorial department of "April Youth" had Asano contact him, and there would be a book signing in Osaka tomorrow. He didn't want to drink too much alcohol and risk delaying tomorrow's schedule.

Toyama Shuichi still wanted to persuade him, "Just have a little bit, Akiwara-sensei. I have sake that is a specialty of Kyoto here! It definitely won't let you down!"

Just as Akiwara Yuto was about to decline again, Toyama Miho put down her bowl and chopsticks, looked at her father, and said, "Wait, I still have questions to ask Akiwara-sensei. So, Father, you can drink with Sensei next time."

"Alright," Toyama Shuichi didn't press further, but stood up to get a bottle of sake from the refrigerator himself, thinking silently to himself, my daughter has grown up...

After a while, the meal was basically finished.

Akiwara stood up, "Thank you for the hospitality, I should be taking my leave now." The Toyama couple and their two daughters also stood up, politely saying, "Take care on your way."

Akiwara Yuto nodded and prepared to leave through the entryway, but as he walked out the door, Toyama Miho actually came up, "Master, let me walk you for a bit."

Akiwara Yuto had intended to refuse, but for some reason, he agreed.

He changed his shoes, walked out the door with Toyama Miho, and started walking along the street.

The time was already close to 9: 0 PM; most of the shops on both sides of the street were closed, and only under the dim streetlights would one or two pedestrians occasionally pass by.

Akiwara Yuto glanced around and felt that the atmosphere of Kyoto was indeed very different from Tokyo. If this were Tokyo, the flow of people on both sides of the street would likely be much greater, and their pace would be much faster.

They walked along the street for a while with basically no conversation, but when they reached an intersection, Toyama Miho suddenly said, "Master, could we take a detour?"

Akiwara Yuto was slightly surprised, but still agreed.

Thus, the two turned right onto another street.

After walking for a while, Akiwara Yuto asked, "Is there something you want to ask me?"

Just now during the meal, Toyama Miho had wanted to ask questions, but by the time he left, he hadn't seen her bring up any questions for advice.

"Hmm..." Toyama Miho pondered for a moment, then nodded, "I want to ask you, Master... did my father say anything unnecessary?"

After learning that she had taken him as a master, Toyama Shuichi had beaten around the bush and made many "hints" to her, both overtly and covertly.

But no one knows a father like his daughter; Toyama Miho understood her father perfectly and immediately grasped the potential meaning behind those words.

This made her very embarrassed; after all, if her father really said those things to Akiwara Yuto, she truly didn't know how to face this "Master" of hers.

Akiwara Yuto didn't expect her to be so direct. Given the personality of a typical Japanese girl, shouldn't she pretend not to know even if she did?

He hesitated for a moment, but since she had asked, he decided to be honest: "Professor Toyama... he did, indeed, say a few things..."

Sorry, Professor Toyama, don't blame me for selling you out; it's your own daughter anyway...

Toyama Miho didn't expect the result she least wanted to occur.

She stopped walking and lowered her head, her cheeks instantly burning. But because the streetlights were dim, Akiwara Yuto couldn't see her expression.

"Then, Master, what do you think..."

Akiwara Yuto also stopped and calculated in his heart.

He didn't deny that when he first saw her, he did have a different feeling in his heart, one he hadn't had when facing Asano or others...

But he still believed that if one liked someone just because of their appearance after a few glances, then that emotion was too casual, nothing more than a fake.

What he sought was a liking that came from the bottom of his heart, which was the real thing.

"I am your master, nothing more." Akiwara Yuto answered seriously. He looked up at the sky and then said, "Let's leave it at that for today. You don't need to walk me the rest of the way."

After saying this, he waved his hand and left.

Toyama Miho watched Akiwara Yuto's back gradually disappear into the night, and she felt a sense of relief.

She truly didn't have any extra thoughts at the moment; after all, although she admired Akiwara Yuto's talent, she had only spent a few days with him.

If this master of hers had different ideas, she really wouldn't know how to face it...

Although many people said she was mature and steady, in the end, she was only a high school senior under 19, and she would inevitably be flustered when encountering such things.

She sighed, turned around, and walked home along the street. She had made up her mind to lecture that "old man" of hers when she got home and throw away all the adult magazines he had hidden.

As she walked along the road, she couldn't help but think of Akiwara Yuto's words just now, and she muttered to herself.

Nothing more, huh...