Chapter 61: Yumi’s Painful Past

This yakitori shop had an average spending of about ten thousand yen per person, putting it firmly in the mid-range tier. It was not the kind of place where people simply came in for a quick meal, but it was also far from being an overly formal restaurant. The atmosphere was relaxed enough for people to sit down, enjoy their food, and have a long conversation.

Stepping inside, the first thing that caught Kitahara’s attention was the carefully arranged interior.

Soft lighting spilled down from the ceiling, illuminating the wooden tables and chairs. Everything was clean and orderly, while the warm wooden tones gave the entire restaurant a comfortable atmosphere. Despite being located in such a busy part of Golden Gai, the inside of the shop felt surprisingly peaceful.

Several customers were already seated at nearby tables, talking quietly while enjoying their food. From the open kitchen came the pleasant smell of grilled meat and charcoal, making Kitahara’s appetite increase almost immediately.

The two of them were shown to their seats, and after looking through the menu, they began deciding what to order.

There were many kinds of yakitori available, including chicken thighs, chicken skin, liver, meatballs, vegetables, and several less familiar specialties. Yumi seemed quite familiar with the menu and occasionally pointed out dishes she thought were worth trying.

After placing their order, Kitahara asked Matsuda Yumi whether she could drink alcohol. Upon receiving an affirmative answer, he ordered two beers first, intending to see how the evening went before deciding what else to order.

Before long, the waiter brought two chilled glasses of beer along with several small snacks.

The two raised their glasses and took a few sips while continuing their conversation.

Not far away, the charcoal grill in the open kitchen was already working at full capacity. Various ingredients had been carefully arranged over the hot charcoal. As the chef turned the skewers, fat dripped onto the flames, producing a series of sizzling sounds.

A middle-aged chef stood behind the counter, working with complete concentration.

He turned one skewer after another with practiced movements, occasionally brushing the ingredients with sauce before placing them back over the charcoal.

The scene gave the restaurant a lively atmosphere.

Instead of hiding the cooking process behind a wall, the shop allowed customers to watch their food being prepared right in front of them. The sight of the chef working efficiently, combined with the aroma of grilled meat filling the air, made the entire dining experience feel more interesting.

The chilled beer was refreshing, and after a few sips, the two became more relaxed.

Matsuda Yumi seemed particularly fond of talking about music.

She apparently enjoyed listening to songs in her spare time and also followed the latest gossip surrounding singers. Once the topic came up, she became much more talkative than before.

"Kitahara-senpai, do you like Sakai Izumi? She’s been so popular this year. Her first solo album sold incredibly well, and I’ve heard that it may exceed a million copies. I wonder if she’ll win this year’s Golden Disc Award for Best New Artist?" Matsuda Yumi asked excitedly.

Kitahara smiled. "I’ve heard some of her songs, but I don’t really follow the music industry that closely."

"Really? Then you have to listen to her more! She’s really good."

She continued talking about several singers she liked, occasionally sharing rumors she had heard from magazines or other fans.

"Nakamori Akina is such a talented singer, but her love life has been really unfortunate. I hope things get better for her. I really love her songs, too. I wonder when she’ll appear in public again."

"I heard Kudo Shizuka is one of her good friends, but even she probably can’t do much about someone’s personal problems. Sigh..."

Kitahara found Yumi’s enthusiasm somewhat amusing.

She had the habit of calling other people hopeless romantics whenever they became too deeply involved in relationships, yet she herself seemed to be an extremely emotional person when it came to love.

And the funny part was that she did not seem to realize it at all.

Still, the three singers she had mentioned were all famous beauties in their own right.

Kitahara had even encountered Sakai Izumi once in person, while he had yet to meet the other two.

More importantly, Yumi clearly knew quite a lot about the entertainment industry.

Kitahara immediately became interested.

He followed the topic naturally, asking questions here and there while quietly gathering information.

Knowing the current situation in advance could prove useful later.

"Yumi-chan, I really enjoy listening to you talk about these things. They’re quite interesting. I do listen to music normally, but I don’t really follow the singers’ personal affairs. You can tell me more," Kitahara said.

"Hm? Senpai is actually interested? That’s great! Then I’ll tell you everything I know. Uh, where should I start? Let’s start with Sakai Izumi."

Yumi thought for a moment before continuing.

"Sakai Izumi seems very low-key. She hardly ever appears in public, and she doesn’t go on television programs very often. I don’t know if it’s because of her personality or because she wants to maintain a sense of mystery."

She paused briefly before adding, "She’s quite good-looking, actually. She has a very pure appearance, and her voice is really distinctive. That’s probably one of the reasons so many people like her."

Kitahara nodded thoughtfully.

Yumi continued enthusiastically.

"Nakamori Akina is amazing, though. She became famous very early in her career. By the time she was twenty, she had already reached an incredible level of popularity. What a pity that someone so talented had to go through such difficult experiences in her personal life."

As she talked, her expression became slightly more serious.

"My favorite is Kudo Shizuka. Her looks are too perfect. She has an oval face, big bright eyes, a charming aura, and a voice that’s both sweet and warm. She’s practically like a character from a manga!"

Kitahara laughed.

"You’re really knowledgeable about them."

"Of course! I listen to their songs all the time," Yumi replied proudly.

"She still seems quite young, and I don’t think there are many romance rumors surrounding her. That’s probably a good thing, though. She can concentrate on her career."

Seeing that Kitahara was genuinely interested, Matsuda Yumi became even more enthusiastic.

She talked about singers, popular songs, television programs, rumors, concerts, and even the personalities of several performers.

Whenever she remembered something interesting, her eyes would light up, and she would immediately share it with Kitahara.

For a while, Kitahara simply listened. He gradually realized that this was another side of Yumi he had never seen before.

At work, she was a capable bank employee who could communicate properly with customers and colleagues. During their previous meetings, she had also appeared somewhat reserved.

But when talking about something she genuinely enjoyed, she became surprisingly lively.

It was almost as if an entirely different person had appeared.

Kitahara found that side of her rather charming.

Before long, the food they had ordered began arriving.

The moment the first plates appeared on the table, Yumi finally stopped talking.

"Ah, it’s here!"

She immediately picked up her chopsticks.

The yakitori looked appetizing, with a glossy layer of sauce covering the grilled meat. The aroma of charcoal was particularly strong, and there was a slight smoky fragrance mixed with the sweet and savory sauce.

The ingredients were extremely fresh, and the chef’s skill was excellent.

The two ate with great satisfaction.

The earlier conversation about singers gradually gave way to comments about the food itself.

"This is really good."

"I told you this shop was worth trying," Yumi said proudly.

Kitahara smiled. "You seem to know quite a few good places."

"Of course. I’ve lived in Tokyo for a long time."

After they had eaten enough to satisfy their hunger, the conversation gradually became more personal.

They talked about their daily lives, their families, their childhood experiences, and the things they had experienced before meeting each other.

This was perhaps one of the most natural parts of getting to know someone.

Previously, Kitahara had not known much about Matsuda Yumi’s family. Through their conversation, he gradually learned that she had grown up in a single-parent household.

When Yumi was around five or six years old, her mother had passed away after becoming seriously ill.

It had been an extremely difficult period for such a young child.

Afterward, her father took her away from their hometown and came to Tokyo. He opened a small bookstore and worked hard to make a living while raising Yumi and supporting her education.

For Yumi, Tokyo had therefore been both a new beginning and the place where she had grown up.

She had spent her childhood watching her father work hard every day.

Perhaps those memories had been buried deep inside her heart for many years.

As the evening progressed, Yumi became quieter whenever the subject of her mother came up.

Her eyes occasionally wandered toward the table, and her expression carried a trace of sadness that Kitahara had not seen earlier.

Even so, she soon smiled again and continued talking.

Kitahara felt quite moved. He hadn’t expected Matsuda Yumi’s background to be so pitiable.

Despite losing her mother at such a young age and following her father to Tokyo, she had grown into someone cheerful, optimistic, and capable of finding happiness in ordinary things.

That alone made Kitahara admire her.

He could imagine how difficult it must have been for a young girl to leave everything familiar behind and start over in a huge city like Tokyo.

Her father had probably endured countless hardships to give her a stable life. And Yumi herself had undoubtedly experienced difficulties along the way.

Yet she had never allowed those experiences to completely change her outlook on life.

Kitahara looked at her quietly for a moment.

Perhaps this was one of the reasons he had gradually become more interested in her.

Yumi was not simply a cheerful girl who liked music and gossip. Behind that bright smile was a girl who had experienced loss, grown up alongside a hardworking father, and learned to appreciate the happiness she had.

It hadn’t been easy!

Kitahara decided that if he ever had the chance, he would definitely cherish and love her properly!

Mm, make her happy!

The two continued sitting together in the warm yakitori shop, talking about music, family, and all kinds of ordinary things.

For Kitahara, this simple evening felt surprisingly pleasant.