I was Thrown into an Unfamiliar Manga

April 22 (Sat) [AM 11:58]
If the first floor was themed around marine life, the second floor was built around freshwater creatures that lived in rivers and streams.

Beavers, freshwater crayfish, frogs, salamanders… The variety was a bit smaller compared to the first floor, but still, a considerable number of creatures were living in the tanks.
“Wow! So cute!”
Tojo kept exclaiming in awe while watching the beavers building homes with twigs.

Sakamoto also had his hands in his pockets, observing everything with a pretty content expression.
“Ryu-chan! Ryu-chan! Look at this! Isn’t this frog super weird-looking?”
“It is.”

I matched her tone, even though it seemed like Kishimoto had already forgotten we were supposed to be tailing them as she gawked at a spotted frog. Meanwhile, I scanned the surroundings.
Unlike the first floor, the lighting on the second floor was relatively bright.
Probably because a lot of freshwater creatures live both in and out of the water, there were also artificial grassy areas created, which added to the brightness.

Since the lighting made it impossible to get too close like before, we had no choice but to observe from «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» a distance.
About 15 minutes passed after Tojo and Sakamoto began exploring the second floor?
Once they had apparently seen everything there was to see, the two of them took the spiral staircase at the far end of the second floor and went back down to the first.

Roughly 40 minutes had passed since they entered the aquarium.
It was almost lunchtime anyway, so we decided to leave the aquarium too.
“Rika, let’s go now.”

“Ah… wait a sec, I just wanna look at this one.”
“No time.”
“Nooooooo~!”

As I dragged her out by force, Kishimoto stretched her hand pitifully toward the beaver that was still busy eating.
***
April 22 (Sat) [PM 12:20]
After leaving the aquarium, Tojo and Sakamoto headed toward Minami Ikebukuro Park, about ten minutes away on foot.

“Wow, so many people out here for picnics.”
“Yeah.”
It looked like a cross between New York’s Central Park and the riverside parks along the Han River.

People sprawled out across the wide lawn with friends, family, or lovers, chatting and laughing on their picnic mats.
If this were Korea, people wouldn’t bother packing lunch at home—one quick phone call and the food would be delivered. But since this was Japan, they woke up at dawn to make their lunchboxes.
I took out a three-tier lacquered bento box, black and glossy, from the backpack I’d been carrying all morning. Kishimoto’s eyes sparkled.

“Whoa! You brought a lunchbox!”
“If you’re gonna tail someone, you need to eat well.”
As I said that, I opened the first tier of the box.

“Wow! Kimbap and inari sushi!”
“I put some effort in today.”
It was the classic picnic combo for Koreans: kimbap and inari sushi.

The kimbap wasn’t the usual kind—it was filled with pork cutlet and tuna, and the inari sushi had furikake and beef inside.
I’d made a generous amount for two people, so anything left over would become my dinner later.
Next, I opened the second tier.

“Fried stuff! Rolled omelet! Braised potatoes with meat!”
“The classic picnic setup.”
If the first tier was Korean-style, the second was Japanese-style.

There was karaage, fried shrimp, rolled omelet, braised potatoes with meat, and a variety of tsukemono (pickled veggies).
Protein and carbs were important, but you couldn’t neglect vitamins and fiber if you wanted a balanced diet.
There was no need to open the last tier yet, but since Kishimoto was eyeing it so hopefully, I went ahead and opened it for her.

“Amazing! Even dessert is perfect!”
Kishimoto looked genuinely thrilled.
Inside were cherry tomatoes, oranges, melon, and watermelon—assorted fruits.

I’d bought one of those pre-packed fruit cups from the convenience store and just re-plated it here.
Buying small portions like this was way more cost-effective than buying each fruit separately.
Instead of a picnic mat, we sat on a park bench under a tree and shared the three-tier lunchbox I’d prepared while keeping an eye on the couple.

***
Gulp—
Tojo Karen was more nervous now than she had been all day.

And with good reason—this was the first time in her life she had ever cooked for someone else.
After practicing for three days and nights with the recipe Kim Yu-seong gave her, she had finally produced her best possible lunchbox.
Now, the result of her efforts was going into the mouth of the boy she liked.

“Wow, Tojo-san, did you make all this yourself? I’ll eat well.”
She nodded at Sakamoto’s question and replied,
“Eat as much as you want. I made plenty.”

“Then… I’ll start with the rice ball.”
The first thing Sakamoto picked up was a triangular onigiri.
It was filled with three types of ingredients: pickled plum, salmon, and spicy cod roe with mayo.

This part wasn’t from Kim Yu-seong—it was a recipe she got from the chef at her mansion.
Even with side dishes, she figured plain rice alone wouldn’t cut it.
“Wow, this is good!”

Thankfully, her choice had been the right one.
She managed to get a “delicious” out of Sakamoto’s mouth.
Tojo, newly encouraged, confidently offered him the next item.

“Try this one now.”
She picked up a piece of karaage with her chopsticks and held it out.
After dozens of practice attempts, this crispy fried chicken was her masterpiece.

Sakamoto, who’d been devouring the rice balls while repeatedly exclaiming how good they were, hesitated for a moment at this unexpected move—but as Tojo’s gaze sharpened, he quickly opened his mouth and took it.
Munch, munch.
“I-it’s good.”

“Right? Try the rolled omelet and the little sausages too.”
From then on, everything went smoothly.
Tojo sat beside him and fed him various dishes, tending to him like a doting girlfriend.

At first, Sakamoto looked slightly overwhelmed, but eventually he seemed to give in and started accepting everything she offered without hesitation.
By the time they’d eaten about half the lunchbox, Sakamoto must’ve felt guilty and offered something in return.
“Don’t just feed me—Tojo-san, you should eat some too.”

Tojo blinked, chopsticks still in hand.
“Just watching you enjoy it makes me full, so I’m fine.”
“It makes me uncomfortable. Here, take it.”

He held out a rice ball to her.
Tojo stared blankly at the offered rice ball, then finally nodded and took a big bite.
After that first bite, it was like a dam broke. She gripped the rice ball in both hands and began gobbling it down.

Sakamoto Ryuji watched her fondly, then poured her a cup of oolong tea from the thermos and handed it to her.
Maybe her throat was dry—Tojo snatched the cup and downed it in one go.
Puh-ha~!

Momentarily forgetting to act coy, she let out a refreshing sigh. Sakamoto smiled and asked,
“See? Eating together is better than eating alone, right?”
Realizing only then how unladylike she’d just looked, Tojo blushed bright red and nodded like a tomato.

“Yeah.”
Their lunch together continued in a warm and wholesome atmosphere.
***

After finishing lunch at Minami Ikebukuro Park, Tojo and Sakamoto walked slowly along the tree-lined path.
Watching from afar as they strolled, drinking green tea from a vending machine, Kishimoto murmured,
“I want to go on a date like that someday…”

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but feel something was off.
“Rika, didn’t you say you were a love expert the other day?”
At that, Rika hurriedly covered her mouth, realizing her slip-up.

But knowing there was no taking back what was already said, she giggled and confessed,
“Actually, I learned everything from manga. I’ve never done it myself.”
“……”

So all that confidence was based on stuff you learned in manga?
“Ah—but I really have given tons of advice to friends! That’s true!”
I had plenty I could’ve said, but decided to let it go for now since it wasn’t important.

More importantly—Tojo, the atmosphere’s great, so isn’t it about time for a confession?
Just as I was thinking that and turned my head forward—
“Well, well~ What a lovely scene.”

Something completely unexpected happened.
“We looked all over for you, you parasitic bastard.”
“You stole the girl we were trying to hit on last time, and now you’re out here with a new one?”

“What a player.”
While we were distracted, a group of delinquent-looking guys—like they’d stepped straight out of a manga—suddenly surrounded the couple as they walked.
“Should we call the cops?”

“No, wait. Even if we call them now, it’ll take a while for them to show up. Worst case, I’ll jump in.”
I stopped the panicked Kishimoto and observed how Tojo and Sakamoto would handle the situation.
If this was one of the original story events, it might be better not to interfere unnecessarily.

Then, Sakamoto—who seemed to know the guys—stepped forward and shouted,
“You jerks! How dare you show your faces again!”
“Oh, scary~ You gonna hit us again? Might end up hospitalized for a whole month this time.”

The delinquents pretended to clutch their necks and arms, which were supposedly in casts.
“Ugh… You cowardly bastards.”
It wasn’t much of a conversation, but it was enough to understand their relationship.

I’d heard rumors about some first-years in the Kendo Club.
It must’ve been these guys who ganged up on Sakamoto two-on-one and got beaten down.
“After we got caught lying about that fight, we got kicked out of the Kendo Club!”

“You have no idea how much it hurts not to see Fuma-senpai’s amazing chest anymore!”
Right at that moment—
“You idiots!”

Tojo, who’d been silently listening, shouted in a furious voice.
“You’re still acting like this and you wonder why you were kicked out of the Kendo Club?!”