The Diary Series (#3) – Haruna
Entry #31
Dear Diary,
I'm thinking of joining the cooking club instead, for no particular reason at all.
I just thought that the burgers they made for us were delicious, and that it would be fun to learn how to make stuff like that, not to mention all the free food we get to eat and the trips they take us on.
It sounds like heaven!
So there's absolutely no other reason for it!
I think....
But now I gotta prepare for the test, and apparently it's suuuuper hard. Maybe I should ask Granny for her Nikujaga recipe, it's one of my favourites and seems easy enough to do.
But I'll also need to look up something like a 'cooking guide for dummies' online, since I heard they ask some technical questions too....
I wonder if Reiji-tan is preparing just as much as me.....
Shit, I'm getting sidetracked! I'll make a list of everything I need to do and do my best, the rest is up to fate, which in this case is the judges.
***
Entry #35
DEAARRRRR DIAAARRYYYYYY!!!!
Who's the best?
I'M THE BEST!
Who's the greatest cook?
I'M THE GREATEST COOK!
After Reiji-tan, of course..... That man is not human.
I'm still drooling, and just thinking about those skewers has got my tummy rumbling again.
But the important thing is that I MADE IT THROUGH!
Cooking Club better get a bigger budget, because I'm eating everything in my sight! We're going on a trip in two days, can't believe it's already happening, and I can't wait!
On a more serious note....
Reiji-tan looked so sad when he was talking about not being able to become a chef because of his Dad....
What kind of father forces his son into criminal activities???
I didn't have a 'great' dad either, so it hurts to see someone so upbeat and kind have a shadow over them for something that isn't in their control.
I thought about saying something about it, but Granny shushed me up, and even though I know why, it's frustrating to be told not to try and help, no matter how much you want to.
Phew...
I gotta lighten my mood and move on for now. Let's just stay happy and look forward to the club trip!
***
Entry #37
Dear Diary,
Hmmm.....
Today was fun.
Until a certain point.
Cafe Corazon was so unique and beautiful, and it's so cool that they like to stay hidden away and cater to only those who know about them.
Though I can't say it's a good business idea.
We got to see the kitchen, do some prep work with the chefs, and they even let us drink coffee and eat the food on the menu.
And yet, all of that fun meant nothing when Reiji-tan had to leave.....
It was so awkward, being there all alone. Yamaguchi Ren seems like a nice guy, but we don't know each other very well yet, so the conversation went flat after that.
Even though Reiji-tan wouldn't say, I know it was the Yakuza calling him over, and I'm so worried that he'll either get hurt or forced into fights, which would throw all of his effort into straightening up, down the drain.
I can't even imagine the inner turmoil he must be feeling, being tied up by this so-called syndicate just because he's blood-related to the leader.....
If only there was something I could do about it.....
I even had a talk with Hina-tan earlier today. Apparently, Reiji-tan had met her coincidentally a couple of times and even asked Fujimoto-san and Greeny-kun to be friends with her because Riku-tan made her sad.
And such a sweet guy is being made to do possibly horrific acts???
Where's the justice? Where's the empathy?
But she also mentioned some beautiful redhead who was with him before....
I suddenly feel the strong urge to punch my pillow.....
....
Okay, I punched my pillow and feel a little better.
My point is that I hope he manages to break away from the Yakuza, like he said he wanted to....
***
Entry #40
Dear Diary.....
What should I do if my heart is beating like crazy?
Because this isn't fair....
That evil landlord sent us a notice today, stating that if we don't pay the total rent due, he's going to throw us out and report us to the collections office....
Poor Granny has worked her ass off for us, even though she should be playing Bingo with some friends and sipping on some wine by now!
I felt so guilty, so powerless....
I wanted to blame my shitty sperm donor, but for how long am I going to keep cussing that waste of oxygen? At some point, I need to roll up my sleeves and take some responsibility!
And just thinking about that gave me so much stress and pressure that I'm honestly surprised that I didn't have a panic attack!
Well, maybe I would have had one...
If he wasn't there.
As cheesy as it sounds... To me, it felt like fate that he showed up on our doorstep right after we got the notice, and for some reason, I felt relieved when I saw him out there.
Now I know why.
If before I was struggling to conjure up some confidence in earning back the tuition fees by making the Top 10, now I feel like I can actually do it.
Just a few minutes before he came, I was trying to figure out what crimes I committed in my past life to have drawn such a terrible hand, and now I'm thinking I might have saved the world in the life prior to that.
Too cringey?
Yeah, I thought so too.
But I can't help but have these thoughts whenever I think of that immense joy and relief I felt with what Reiji-tan said and did today.
And now, I need to focus, lock in, and prove him right by acing these midterms! There's no other option!
No matter how tiring and mind-numbing the lessons are!
No matter how difficult and impossible the goal seems to be!
No matter how cool he looks and how good he sme-
Whoops, need to calm down....
***
Entry #43
Dear Diary,
Turns out I'm actually a genius? Hehe
Nah, it's not that exaggerated, unfortunately. But Reiji-tan said I'm progressing way faster than he'd anticipated!
So much so that he even allowed us to take a break and have a mini-party with all the food we cooked at the club!
And Hina-tan and her two new 'friends' joined us as well! I'm so happy she managed to make up with them, because Airi-tan and Greeny-tan really are nice people.
Maybe she'll finally stop relying so much on Riku-tan, who honestly has been kind of an ass....
But what surprised me most was that Reiji-tan somehow had a key to the rooftop? Maybe he's not so straight-laced after all, haha! But he did have that made waaaay before apparently, so I'll cut him some slack.
The party itself was so fuuuuuuun, and when you have good food with great people to share it with, what more can you ask for, really?
Aside from that taco..... let's just call it a mishap, because the rest was super fun.
Airi-tan and Greeny-tan are so weird, but in the best way possible. The whole 'Rooftop Gluttons' thing is still making me chuckle, and I have to wonder whether or not they rehearsed that bit for an occasion like this.
With all the nerves and stress from how important these midterms are for me, it was nice to unwind, relax, and realize that I shouldn't forget everything else around me just because of that notice.
And none of this would've happened without Reiji-tan.
Gosh, I feel like I've been mentioning him in almost every single one of my entries..... I just really hope no one finds this diary, because I swear I will jump off a bridge if that happens.
But now, it's back to business and I gotta finish the homework Reiji-tan has set.
He's an awesome teacher, but if he ever became a real one, the students would absolutely hate him, haha.
***
Entry #48
Dear Diary,
This is proof that I am still alive and well!
Why would I not be?
Well, I thought my heart would stop working multiple times today, all because of that thick-headed dummy.
We were all alone together, and it was both amazing and stressful at the same time! We conducted the study session at his place, and boy, was it cool!
It seemed super modern, and had four bedrooms for crying out loud!!
For one person!
Someday, I want to live in a place like that and let Granny fully experience the life of a rich person, that is a promise!
And Reiji-tan once again... At this point, I don't know what to say.
He's been so occupied with the thought of wanting to leave the syndicate that he doesn't even have a dream, a long-term goal for him to work towards.
I thought he might want to become a chef, and that's probably still on the table, but with how unsure his future is because of the Yakuza, it's something he hasn't seriously considered.
There's so much wrong with that, and I don't even know where to start.
Of course, I'm not saying he has to have a dream because it would be fine in its own way if he weren't really sure. But it's the fact that not a single brain cell of his has made an effort to think about it in the first place.
That's not right.
One of these days, I want to meet his dad and give him a good smack in the face.
Metaphorically, of course.
I don't know if he's the supervillain type who'd order someone to chop off my head.
Maybe I'll talk to Reiji-tan about all this a little more tomorrow, since I'm going over to his place again.
***
Entry #49
Dear Diary.
It's been a while.
I'm thinking of burning down the syndicate.