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It was 8PM. Yua was walking through the streets of Kabukicho. She was pretty tired, but Fuwa invited her to this place and she felt like she owed at least one thing to him after all that happened.
Uozumi Biting! That was the name of the restaurant. Huh. Feels familiar.
As she walked in, Yua felt an immediate warmth. The sushi restaurant was brightly-lit and was a bit bigger on the inside. Sitting at one of the tables was a party of office workers being entertained by Matsurida Z, the festival dancer Humagear. Near the bar were the three she would soon be fighting her former boss alongside. Hiden Aruto, Fuwa Isamu and Izu.
“Yaiba! Get in here!” Fuwa yelled, brash as always but in a very welcoming way.
After she left her suit jacket on the hangers at the door, she walked in and sat at the bar, next to the three.
“Good to see you, Yaiba-san! We already ordered so feel free to go ahead whenever you like.” Aruto greeted her cheerfully, as Izu gave her a smile.
“I don’t… understand?” Yua was confused by this unabashed positivity. “Why did you invite me to a sushi bar?”
“Cause you love sushi, don’t you?” Fuwa responded instantly. “So we’re gonna eat some sushi!”
“Eating one’s favorite food with friends is a good way to celebrate resignation from a disliked job.” Izu presented in a monotone yet warm way.
Yua’s eyes widened, as she felt a lump in her throat.
“Yaiba-san? What’s wrong?” Aruto asked.
“I…” Tears started rolling down her face “I don’t get it… after all I’ve done, you just forgive me? Just like that?”
“Obviously.” Fuwa retorted “Did you think we’d turn your back on you? And right after you finally freed yourself from that bastard? Come on, you should know better by now.”
“We want to help you find your dream too, Yaiba-san!” Aruto said. “And we want you to fight alongside us.”
“Taking both President Aruto’s and Fuwa-san’s statements into the equation, the conclusion appears to be that Yaiba-san is our friend.” Izu declared.
Yua teared up. She never felt anything like this while she was working at AIMS or ZAIA. She has friends? How did that even happen?
“You guys… you’re so weird.” Yua laughed.
Fuwa and Aruto laughed too and Izu only smiled because she doesn’t know how to properly laugh yet.
The chef and owner of the restaurant, Ikkan Nigiro, stepped out of the kitchen. “May I take your orders?”
Yua recognized him immediately, but stopped short of questioning him, because she was *so damn hungry*. “What’s, uh, what’s on the menu?”
“Just about anything our customers want, as long as we got the ingredients.” Nigiro responded.
Yua looked at her… friends. Yua looked at her friends! They smiled at her. She felt so warm for the first time in a long time. Alright, time to order.
“Owner… I’ll have all the tuna nigiri you got!”
“You got it!” Nigiro clapped and replied fiercely.
“Hell yeah, Yaiba!” Fuwa yelled.
“Alright! This sushi is looking to get real juicy!!!” Aruto joked. “Now! Thaaaaat’s…”
Yua tilted her head, waiting for the punchline.
“Fuwa-san?” Aruto asked while stuck frozen in his trademark pose.
Fuwa was already downing his beer. “Huh? Oh!”
“Aru, folks!!!” They both finished, pointing at Yua comedically.
Yua laughed, as a single tear of happiness rolled down. These dumbasses were her friends now. Yes, they were. Her friends.