I Planned My Escape Because I Knew Her Secret - Episode 28

Taking Madoka with me, I enter the store through the back door, turn on the kitchen lights and heating, and guide Madoka to her seat.

Before I started working at this restaurant, I would always sit at the table where I could see into the kitchen.

By the way, they said we can come and go freely when the shop is closed. On my days off, I often practice making noodles alone.

“Because I can prepare it right away.”

“Yeah!”

Entering the kitchen, I start preparing while feeling Madoka’s gaze.

However, when I tried to take out the leftover noodles and broth from the fridge, there were noodles but no broth left. Did Yuko-san take it?

It’ll take time to make the dashi now, so there’s nothing we can do about it.

When it comes to Sanuki udon, it’s that, right?

“I was planning on making kake udon, but since we ran out of broth, is it okay to make kama-tama instead?”

“Kama-tama?”

“The menu has a picture, right? You eat it without the broth, just the egg yolk and soy sauce. It’s a unique way to enjoy Sanuki udon.”

“I’m going to try the Kamatama!”

“Okay. I can do it right away.”

Put the small pot on the stove, and in the meantime, warm up the bowl as well.

Take out the green onions and grated ginger from the refrigerator, and add two servings of noodles to the boiling pot.

Lift the noodles a little early, drain them well, divide them evenly into two bowls, and immediately place an egg yolk on each.

I placed one in front of Madoka over the counter and the other one on the seat next to her.

Stepping out onto the guest floor, I sit next to Madoka and explain how to eat it, feeling a bit smug.

“Pour soy sauce over the yolk, and quickly mix it like this before it cools down. Add condiments to your liking. Be careful, the bowl is hot.”

“Yeah”

Madoka clasped her hands together, then picked up the soy sauce, poured a little cautiously, and mixed it with her chopsticks, trembling slightly.

“If you don’t mix it more vigorously, the yolks will cook from the heat and won’t blend well.”

“Like this?”

“That’s right.”

And so, I watch Madoka take a bite, feeling more nervous than she is.

A surprised expression as if a “!” mark had popped out above their head.

“It’s kind of different, but the noodles are really delicious! They’re firm and slippery.”

“That’s right, Sanuki udon is known for its firm texture and smooth finish. Kamatama is a way to enjoy the quality of the noodles.”

“I tried it for the first time, but it seems like I’m getting hooked.”

“I had my first meal at this place and got completely hooked, so I started coming here every day. Thanks to that, the owners took a liking to me and invited me to work here.”

“Wow, that’s kind of amazing. But I think being a udon chef suits Masa-kun more than being a family restaurant manager.”

“I thought so myself.”

“Hehehe”

Maybe because they were both hungry, they finished eating in no time.

“I’ll make some tea, so please wait a moment.”

“I’ll help too.”

“Then, could you take the bowl to the return counter?”

“Yeah”

I rinsed the bowl lightly and left it in the sink.

Return the condiments to the refrigerator, wash the used pot, and finish cleaning up.

I brought two teacups filled with tea, placed one in front of Madoka, and then sat down at the counter myself.

“Thank you for the meal. It was really delicious. Masa-kun, you’ve truly become a master craftsman.”

“Yeah. Compared to being a family restaurant manager, it uses more physical strength and starts early in the morning, so it’s tough, but it’s really fulfilling.”

“I see. Masa-kun is finding his own path here.”

“Ah, that’s right. So, what are you planning to do from now on, Madoka?”

“I…”

As expected, you wouldn’t come here after being that well-prepared, right?

I spent almost three months preparing too, but all I could manage was renting an apartment.

“Well, I guess it’s fine for today, even if I’m not in a hurry. I’ll think about it slowly tomorrow.”

“Yeah…”

“By the way, have you contacted your parents? You’re planning to stay here for a while, right?”

“Yeah. I mean, I said I might not come back for a while.”

“Seriously?”

“But, we should probably let Mom know anyway. Can I just make a quick call?”

“Yeah. Please, don’t hold back.”

When she declined like that, Madoka took her smartphone and moved to a table seat to start a call, but she returned in about five minutes.

“You’re unusually early. Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m told to do as I please.”

Got it.

When I looked at the clock, it was before 10 PM.

Usually, it would be about time to go to bed, but I decided to keep chatting a little longer.