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"Dad, it's time for dinner!" Young kanade walked into her dad's room.
He was still composing, his eyes glued to the screen as he kept his hand on the headphones over his ears.
"Dad..."
It was when Kanade got closer when he realised that Kanade was calling for him.
"Sorry, Kanade. I was too focused. Is it time for dinner already?" Kanade nodded and walked towards the dining table.
On the dining table were two bowls of instant noodles and chicken. They sat down to eat.
Kanade realised that her dad's hands were shaking as they held those chopsticks. The fatigue was getting to him. It was painfully obvious.
Kanade's father put the meatier parts of the chicken onto Kanade's plate, while taking the parts with less meat but more bones for himself.
"Dad, why do you always take the parts with bones? Isn't it bland?" Curiously, Kanade asked.
He didn't respond for awhile. However, he put on a weak and told Kanade, "They're the best parts, Kanade."
He paused.
"Your mother used to give me the meaty parts... I preferred the meatier parts as well. But while taking care of you, I realised that the bones taste better."
Kanade was confused.
"Hmm, really? Well, I'll always prefer the meaty parts!" She smiled at her father.
Smiling back, he pat Kanade's head.
But Kanade swore that she saw him tearing up.
-
"Kanade! I made dinner!"
"Kanade?"
Honami knocked on the door.
Kanade woke up from the knock, her headphones were still plugged in and the studio was still turned on.
"... One sec."
She put down her headphones and got up from the chair.
"...Honami."
"Fell asleep again, Kanade? You look exhausted. Make sure to rest well tonight." Honami smiled as she fixed Kanade's messy hair.
They walked over to the dining table, where Mafuyu already was. She was staying at Kanade's house for awhile to escape her own household.
Mafuyu and Honami were on good terms. Mafuyu felt oddly warm next to Honami.
"Mafuyu." Kanade greeted her.
They sat down and ate in comfortable silence. But none of them touched the chicken yet.
Kanade stared at it.
Kanade decided to carefully cut it apart, separating the meatier parts from the bones.
"Kanade?"
Giving Honami and Mafuyu the meaty parts, Kanade took the rest. Which mostly were the excess meat sticking onto the bones.
"..." Mafuyu stared at Kanade.
"Don't you want these parts instead? They have more meat..." Honami offered to give some back to Kanade but Kanade refused.
"It's okay..."
Kanade understood why her father did that now.
Truthfully, those parts were not that good.
But...
"the bones are the best parts."