While Ryohei and Jashin-chan were bickering, Yurine and Mr. Suzuki finalized the rental contract.

After some negotiation, the monthly rent was set at 230,000 yen, with one month's rent required as a deposit. Since it was the 15th of the month, they only had to pay for half a month's rent upfront.

Then came the other fees.

There was the "key money" (reikin), a non-refundable gift to the landlord equivalent to one month's rent, essentially a "thank you for letting me rent your house" fee. In Japan, the landlord is truly king. The agency commission was another month's rent plus tax. The guarantor company fee was half a month's rent. After adding in the costs for changing the locks, fire insurance, and other miscellaneous charges, the total initial down payment came to a staggering 1,015,000 yen.

Ryohei's and Yurine's wallets were completely squeezed dry. Jashin-chan didn't contribute, but Ryohei made a mental note to deduct her share from her future earnings. He would also temporarily cover Minos's share for her room, which he would deduct from her pay later. He was all about being fair and just.

By the time all the paperwork was done, it was noon.

"We just spent all that money, and he didn't even treat us to lunch. Some people have no business sense," Jashin-chan grumbled, watching the agent's van drive away and slapping her tail on the ground in frustration.

"What are you talking about?" Ryohei gave her a strange look. It was the first time he'd ever heard of a real estate agent being expected to treat their clients to a meal. He turned and headed back up to the apartment.

Yurine just sighed at Jashin-chan. "You're delusional. We were lucky to get a pick-up service." She followed Ryohei, her voice drifting back. "Besides, we're not exactly their biggest clients. We're just 'high-quality' clients, and that's only because we signed the contract so quickly."

"Yurine, what do you want for lunch?" Ryohei paused, waiting for her to catch up.

"Anything is fine."

"Then… how about some egg fried rice?" Ryohei suggested. He remembered they still had some leftover rice from the katsu sando prep, some carrots, and plenty of eggs. It would be quick, nutritious, and delicious.

"That sounds perfect. I love anything you make, Ryohei-kun."

"..." Jashin-chan watched them walk side-by-side, smiling and looking at each other as they talked. She felt a strange… pang. Was she the third wheel?

"Hey! Why didn't you ask for my opinion!" she yelled, shaking off the weird feeling and quickly slithering to catch up.

A few minutes later, Yurine's apartment was filled with a wonderful aroma. The nutty scent of rice mixed with the savory smell of eggs, the sweetness of corn and carrots, and the fragrance of green onions and oil wafted through the room, teasing the taste buds and making everyone's stomach rumble.

"Lunch is served!" Ryohei said, placing a plate of fragrant, glowing egg fried rice in front of Yurine. "It's a shame we don't have any sausage."

"You could have asked me to go buy some… It smells so good!" Yurine inhaled the aroma and looked down at the plate. The rice grains were perfectly separate, glistening and mixed with finely scrambled egg, golden corn kernels, orange carrot dice, and vibrant green scallions. The whole dish was steaming and shining with an alluring light.

She was already hungry, and now with the fried rice right in front of her, she could barely control herself. But Yurine still waited for Jashin-chan to be served before putting her hands together. "Itadakimasu," she said, and then eagerly picked up the spoon stuck in the mound of rice and took her first bite.

The moment it entered her mouth, a rich tapestry of flavor exploded, the intense aroma seeming to shoot straight to the back of her throat. She instinctively began to chew. The savory egg, the sweet corn, the crisp-tender carrot—all of it came together in a perfect symphony. The rice itself, having absorbed the essence of all the ingredients, was fluffy yet chewy. Every bite was bursting with flavor.

"Mmm… so delicious!" Yurine closed her eyes and tilted her head back, her expression softening into pure bliss. "All the flavors are distinct, yet they blend together in perfect harmony…" Compared to any fried rice she had ever eaten before, this one was…

"So delicious it's like it's been enchanted with magic!"

Her five fingers spread wide as she held up her hand, a brilliant light shining all around her. A dramatic, heroic melody began to play from nowhere as her reddish-brown twintails began to float, defying gravity. The moon prism on her chest began to glow with a blinding light.

Her figure blurred within the dazzling radiance.

A blue and white sailor uniform instantly materialized on her body, a red ribbon fluttering gracefully. Yurine crossed her arms in front of her, and long white evening gloves instantly covered her small, delicate hands. Red, knee-high boots appeared on her elegantly shaped legs, and a blue pleated skirt swished as she spun.

Sailor Yurine has arrived!

"Wait a minute! Why am I the villain?!" Jashin-chan cried out in disbelief, finding herself holding a giant leek. She looked at the leek in her hand, then threw it on the ground in a rage.

"Hmm?" Sailor Yurine turned, her face falling into shadow, the corners of her lips curling into a dangerous smile. "Since you're the villain, you must be defeated… wouldn't you agree?"

"Huh!?"

"No! Dame yo!"

A few moments later, a bruised and battered Jashin-chan was pinned under Sailor Yurine's foot, utterly defeated. Yurine stood with her hands on her hips, her head held high, basking in the glory of her victory.

Ryohei felt his world tilting. Why did it turn out like this? he wondered, deep in thought. He decided then and there to temporarily seal this dish away.

After the meal.

"You should make that again sometime," Yurine said, looking at Ryohei with a longing expression as Jashin-chan obediently cleared the table.

Hearing her request, both Ryohei and Jashin-chan flinched.

Jashin-chan thought the fried rice was delicious, but the "strange experience" that came with it was not pleasant at all. It was bad enough that she couldn't beat Yurine in real life; why did she have to get beaten up in a hallucination, too?! It was so unfair!

Ryohei thought for a moment. "Next time, let's have something different," he suggested. "My specialties are Chāhan with crab meat and lettuce, and a spicy kimchi fried rice. I've never told you about those, have I?"

"..." Yurine blinked. He hadn't. She was curious what those would taste like. "Alright, then," she agreed.

Ryohei and Jashin-chan both breathed a silent sigh of relief.