33 - Inviting Miko and Kohana to Eat! Yoko Okino’s Resentment!

"Am I too mean?"

Watching Conan sprint off, Azuma Shoyo grinned to himself.

"But messing with him is pretty fun. Looks like I really broke him this time."

Suddenly, he slapped his thigh, a look of regret flashing across his face.

"Damn it, damn it! I forgot to snap a picture for the memory!"

Realizing he might not get another chance to rattle Conan so easily, Azuma Shoyo felt a pang of disappointment.

Such a shame!

A few photos would've made a nice little collection.

Too bad—it hit him too late.

Oh well.

"Next time, then," he thought, shrugging it off as he stood and headed toward the school building.

…

School let out a little past 4 p.m.

Azuma Shoyo waited at the Class C entrance for Miko Yotsuya and Hana Yurikawa. Once they emerged, the three of them left the school together.

"Decided what you want to eat?" Azuma Shoyo asked Hana.

"Barbecue!" Hana shouted, her eyes sparkling.

She'd mulled it over all night and settled on barbecue. It was pricey—something she couldn't eat often—so why not? Other stuff could wait for another day.

"Barbecue, huh? I know a great spot with awesome flavors. I'll take you guys there to try it," Azuma Shoyo said with a smile.

"Yes, yes! Thank you, Shoyo-kun!"

Hana, overflowing with gratitude, latched onto his arm. The thought of delicious barbecue had her practically buzzing with excitement.

"Hana!"

Miko yanked her back, whispering urgently, "Watch it! Shoyo's a guy!"

"Oh!"

Hana nodded, but it was clear she didn't care much—her mind was already lost in visions of sizzling meat.

They hailed a taxi. Azuma Shoyo took the front passenger seat and gave the driver the address.

The cab pulled up to the barbecue restaurant he'd mentioned in no time—a place known for its killer flavors.

"Let's head in," Azuma Shoyo said, leading the two inside.

A waiter greeted them immediately, asking, "How many?"

"Three. Get us a good table," Azuma Shoyo replied.

"Of course, right this way!"

The waiter nodded and guided them to an empty table.

"C18, three guests," the waiter called into his walkie-talkie to the cashier, then flipped open the table's menu for them to order.

"Take a look and pick whatever you want. Go wild," Azuma Shoyo said, sliding the menu toward Miko and Hana.

"Me, me!"

Hana, practically vibrating with impatience, snatched the menu and started flipping through it.

The restaurant had a cozy vibe, but the real draw was the food—top-notch quality, with staff who'd grill the meat for you. No need to lift a finger.

Just eat!

Their whole deal was premium service.

Of course, that came with a steeper price tag.

But to Azuma Shoyo, it was worth it.

The three of them dug in from around 5 p.m. and didn't stop until past 7 p.m.—a solid two-plus hours.

Though, honestly, it was mostly Azuma Shoyo and Hana chowing down.

Miko, with her smaller appetite, tapped out early. She nursed a glass of juice for ages, finishing the last sip just as they were ready to leave.

The bill came to 60,000 yen!

When Miko saw the total, she nearly choked.

"Did we really eat that much?" she asked, staring at the receipt in disbelief.

"The per-person average here isn't crazy—about 8,000 yen. But yeah, we went a little overboard," Azuma Shoyo said, taking the bill and paying it off.

60,000 yen wasn't a big deal to him.

After all, in a few days, he'd have 600 million yen in his pocket.

Compared to that?

This meal was pocket change.

The main thing was enjoying it—money didn't matter much.

"That's still expensive!" Miko protested.

She couldn't wrap her head around Azuma Shoyo's spending habits. 8,000 yen was cheap to him?

That was way too pricey, okay!

But, to be fair, the food was amazing, and the meat was top-tier.

Still, 60,000 yen for three people in one sitting? Miko was floored.

Outside the restaurant, Azuma Shoyo hailed a cab for the girls and told the driver to take them home.

"Shoyo, next time I'll treat you. Though I probably can't afford anything this fancy," Miko said from the car window.

"No worries, it's the thought that counts," Azuma Shoyo replied with a smile, waving them off.

"Shoyo-kun! Bye-bye!"

Hana poked her head out, waving enthusiastically.

"See ya," he called back.

As their taxi drove off, Azuma Shoyo flagged down another one for himself.

"Driver, Mihama-chō, 3-chōme, 3-ban," he said, giving his home address.

"Got it, sit tight!"

The driver grinned, starting the car and pulling toward the intersection ahead.

…

After a half-hour ride, Azuma Shoyo was home.

He unlocked the door and stepped inside, immediately spotting Yoko Okino lounging in the living room, watching TV.

"You're still here?" he asked as he walked in.

Yoko Okino: "…"

She rolled her eyes. "What, you that eager to get rid of me?"

"Not really. Just figured a big star like you wouldn't have so much free time," Azuma Shoyo said. He grabbed a can of cola from the fridge, popped it open, took a sip, and glanced at her.

"All my work's on hold lately, thanks to that jerk Akihiro Fujie!" Yoko Okino huffed, her temper flaring at the mere thought of him.

Azuma Shoyo plopped down beside her, slipping an arm around her. "A break's not so bad. Just don't get shelved permanently."

"Shut your jinx mouth!"

Yoko Okino swatted him playfully, glaring.

Shelved?

If that happened, her acting career would be toast!

"Had dinner yet?" Azuma Shoyo asked casually.

"Yeah, ordered takeout," she replied, then shot him a resentful look.

This guy had ditched her all day—out the door early and not back until 8 p.m.

Couldn't even check if she'd eaten?

--- Translator Note ---

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