Work Text:
“I’ve heard a lot of great things about this restaurant,” Hitagi said. She was busy looking through the menu. There were too many good options for her to pick easily. She could have everything on the menu and she might still not be satisfied. “Everything sounds so good.”
Sodachi was also looking furiously through the menu. However, she was having the opposite problem.
Suruga said, “Yeah, I agree. I have no idea what to pick. It’s a shame we only have one stomach to fill.”
Frankly, their chatter was a little irritating to Sodachi, who was still struggling to find something worth eating. Perhaps Hitagi hadn’t looked at the menu ahead of time or perhaps she just hadn’t considered what she was getting Sodachi into.
Eventually, the waitress came back. Hitagi and Suruga had no lack of enthusiasm when they put in their orders. When it was Sodach’s turn, however, all she could do was eek out, “I’ll have a salad. And, um, the soups. What kind of broth do you use?”
The waitress seemed a little confused by the question. “I think we use pork bone broth. Why?”
Sodachi sighed, defeated. “Are there any that don’t use that broth?” The waitress shook her head, so Sodachi looked at the menu again. Eventually, she gave up. “I’ll just have the salad, then.”
Once the waitress walked away, Sodachi looked over at her tablemates to see that Hitagi had an apologetic expression on her face. Indeed, once the waitress was out of earshot, she bowed slightly. “I’m sorry. I should have checked the restaurant’s menu in advance. If you want, I can buy you something later.”
Sodachi nodded. “It would be appreciated. I’m not terribly surprised, but it’s still disappointing. I’ve learned to expect it.”
Hitagi nodded. She was about to respond, but before she could, Suruga cut in, “I don’t get it.”
“Eh?” Sodachi turned to look at her. “What do you mean?”
“As a wise man once told me, eating meat makes people happy. Meat is life. Meat, meat, meat, meat, meat.”
“I… don’t agree. Meat doesn’t make me happy.”
“Hm. Maybe his advice isn't universal. Some of the other things he said weren’t particularly smart.” She shrugged. “Still, I don’t understand. What’s wrong with eating meat?”
“You’re aware my mom is dead, right?”
“Mine is as well. What’s your point?”
“I forgot that. I’m sorry. My point is that after my mom died, her corpse was not disposed of. It rotted away in our small apartment. While I never saw it myself, I’ve realized after the fact that the horrible smell I associated with that apartment was that of her corpse. During that time, I came to find the taste of meat incredibly unpleasant. Even to this day, I can’t eat meat without being reminded of that. Even the smell is sometimes enough for me to feel nauseous. In theory, something like broth shouldn’t be an issue, but I would rather keep my distance at large.”
Suruga was taken aback. Hitagi had heard this all before, albeit in bits and pieces, but she was still stunned as well. It was such a horrible story that they couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.
“Ah… So that’s how it is…” Suruga in particular seemed rather deeply affected. “I can understand how you feel. Ever since I was a child, I’ve felt a sense of unease around cars. I would always rather run or take the train, if possible. Buses are on thin ice.”
“Mm. It’s rather similar. However, it’s much easier to get through society without a car than it is without eating meat. Tonight is only one such case for me. I need to be vigilant about what I eat. Eating out is difficult due to cases exactly like this. The only time I can find people with similar restrictions are if they’re strictly religious, which makes them miserable people to be around for other reasons.”
They were interrupted by the waitress returning. The other two had ordered appetizers, so they would be starting their meals. Sodachi was grateful that the waitress had left a plate of bread. That was still something she could eat.
“Oh? I thought you weren’t okay with animal products,” Suruga said. “Is this an exception?”
Sodachi shrugged. She finished chewing her bite before responding. “Eggs don’t count because I’m pro-choice.”
“What?”
“Hm? Did I say something strange?”
“...Yes, you did.”
“Well, regardless, the truth of the matter is that I see a difference. Eggs or milk as baking ingredients are different from eating a steak. Maybe there’s a double standard here, but what really matters to me is whether or not I can get the food down my throat. I have no problem eating eggs or something made with milk. It doesn’t make me choke or bring to mind the rotting corpse of my mother.” She pointed across the table. “Not like that would.”
“I’m not sure I get it, but I can see what you mean. It’s all about what activates that disgust within you, right?”
“You could put it that way, yes. That makes it sound more arbitrary than it is. Animal products are fine, but meat is not. Broth tends towards the former. Eggs may be laid by a bird, but I don’t perceive them as an issue because they were never alive.”
“Ah. That’s what you meant.”
“Hm?”
“Ah, nothing. Nevermind.”
From there, the conversation mellowed out. Hitagi and Suruga took over, allowing Sodachi to vanish into the background. She was happy to do so. Being the center of attention, especially when it meant relitigating her own trauma, wasn’t exactly fun. Sure, she could act blasé about it, but she breathed a sigh of relief all the same.
When the entrees arrived, it became clear how much Sodachi was missing out. The others had full, large plates, while Sodachi had a rather half-hearted looking salad in front of her. The bread had done its job of ensuring she wouldn’t be hungry, but neither was she satisfied. Her part of the table was undeniably pathetic.
At least Hitagi had offered to make up for it later.