Elsewhere, Tokai Roman walked alone toward Natural's restaurant.
It should definitely be open right now.
With so many parents bringing their young Uma Musume to Tracen Academy today, the nearby shopping street would naturally see increased traffic.
Therefore, the restaurant had to be open.
With that thought, Roman headed toward the shopping street.
Compared to before, when only students and trainers visited, the atmosphere today felt considerably livelier.
Yet, the street itself hadn't changed much.
It seemed accustomed to days like these.
Roman walked along the sidewalk and soon found Tokai Natural's shop.
Due to its location and limited space, the restaurant didn't have large windows facing outside.
Observing the interior from the street was impossible.
Pushing open the door, Roman found herself in a bustling restaurant.
Noting the busy scene, Roman turned her gaze toward the open kitchen area.
Tokai Natural was extremely busy.
Busy enough that she didn't even have time to greet Roman.
For Natural, busy was good—it meant more income.
And more income meant she could better support her daughter.
Being busy like this was probably something that made Natural happy.
Thinking about this, Roman didn't speak further, simply taking a seat at the counter. She then called out casually:
"Chef Yayoi~"
She deliberately addressed Natural like a customer.
Just as expected, Natural turned toward the counter.
Only then did she notice Roman sitting there.
"Roman-nee? Why are you here? Shouldn't you be—"
As Natural spoke, she smoothly placed a menu in front of Roman.
Picking up the menu, Roman paused briefly before speaking again. "Natural…"
"Hm?"
"Are you really not worried about Teio and Mochizuki?"
Roman's voice grew pointed. "That person is still at Tracen Academy…"
Her words were clearly meant as a reminder.
Obviously, she wanted Natural to spend more time with her daughter.
Such a blunt hint required no effort for Natural to understand.
Yet, Natural chose to ignore Roman's reminder.
Seeing Natural brush off her concerns, Roman didn't push further.
She fell silent for about ten seconds before continuing, "Tonight, both of them will probably stay at your place. Don't refuse."
After saying this, Roman finally started browsing the menu.
Roman's suggestion left Natural silent for a moment. She understood Roman's intention clearly—to have her spend more time with Teio, making it easier for them to reconnect later.
But being too hasty… felt risky.
Suppressing her worries, Natural simply placed a serving of omurice onto another customer's table, then turned back to Roman.
"Have you decided what you want?"
Natural kept her concerns hidden, merely prompting Roman to order.
Roman considered for a few seconds before responding. "An oyakodon—is that alright?"
"Hm…"
Preparing oyakodon wasn't particularly difficult, but since Roman was her sister…
Considering this, Natural continued, "Alright, just give me a bit."
"Sure, I have plenty of time today. Take it slow."
About forty minutes later, Natural placed a whole roasted quail in front of Roman. "Here—oyakodon."
"…Huh?"
Roman stared at the supposed oyakodon Natural had served, genuinely puzzled. Where's the rice?
But since Natural had prepared it, Roman had no reason to refuse. She carefully cut open the quail.
A gentle aroma—soft spices mingling subtly with rice—flowed from inside.
The scent wasn't overpowering, yet it quickly spread throughout the restaurant, attracting curious glances from nearby customers.
"It's a special serving," Natural explained softly, averting her eyes slightly. "Because it's quite troublesome to make."
She paused briefly before adding, "How long will Teio stay at my place?"
"Two days?"
"Two days?"
"I have an asset I need to check on. If I can sell it, maybe…"
Roman's voice trailed off.
She knew clearly: nobody would want the last remaining property of the Tokai Family.
Setting aside whether any equipment at the secluded rehab base remained usable, few would dare deal with it anyway. After all, the Tokai Family had essentially been devoured by the Symboli Family.
And the Symboli name carried so much weight that nobody dared touch anything associated with it.
Moreover, the property's location posed significant issues—on the outskirts of Greater Tokyo, transportation and resources were scarce.
Under these conditions, potential buyers were practically nonexistent.
Roman's hesitation caught Natural's attention, but she didn't say anything more.
She simply shifted her gaze slightly, continuing, "So Teio will stay here for two days?"
"That'd be great. I'll pick her up Monday afternoon."
Saying this, Roman began slowly eating the oyakodon.
Rather than bold flavors meant for shock value, Natural's gentle cooking gave Roman a taste filled with warmth and care.
As Roman quietly enjoyed her meal, Natural suddenly spoke up again.
"Roman-nee, weren't you recently looking for a place?"
"Sort of. Housing around here isn't exactly cheap."
"School district housing's like that."
Natural's voice was tinged with resignation. "But it's not impossible."
After a brief pause, Natural continued, "If we combine our savings, maybe we could buy a house nearby."
Roman's hand, busy with her knife and fork, paused briefly.
She quickly understood her sister's intent. "You want to live together?"
"Well, we're the only ones left in the Tokai Family. Living together isn't a bad idea, right?"
Natural spoke directly, leaving Roman unsure how to say that there were still a few others left—they were just too afraid to approach Natural…
But…
Maybe not telling Natural would be better.
Deciding this, Roman nodded. "Alright. But let's put the house under your name. How about that?"
"Sounds good."
Their conversation flowed as naturally as it had years ago, without the slightest awkwardness between them.