Journal with Witch (違国日記)

Hey, um...

Can I do some cleaning?

You don't have to...

No, I didn't mean like that.

I enjoy cleaning.

And, um, I kind of want to.

Then by all means.

JOURNAL WITH WITCH

A novel?

WRAP

You're actually writing one? A novel?

What if I am?

A novel, of all things! You're so—

She's good at singing...

That's her journal entry?

HOW ARE THINGS GOING?

Hey... Hey.

Yeah?

About leaving that open...

I feel guilty for glancing at it.

Could you be a bit more discreet?

I don't mind if you read it.

But it's a journal.

It's supposed to be more...

Let's have dinner.

Uh, okay.

I feel like we had hot pot yesterday.

The routine around here is hot pot, hot pot,

rice bowl, rice bowl, ginger pork, ginger pork, then sashimi.

The routine, as in...?

For the week.

Plus udon for lunch.

On what day?

Every day.

Wait, what?

"How are things going?"

It's from a classmate.

I'm not sure how to respond.

That reminds me... I got a message like that too.

Really? How did you reply?

Er, I haven't yet.

I should get on that.

MAKIO-CHAN, YOU HAVEN'T RESPONDED IN LIKE A WEEK. YOU ALIVE? HOW GOES?

I HAVE SOME NEWS. I DECIDED TO...

Holy crap!

You're, like, actually a parent all of a sudden!

Unbelievable, isn't it?

It's cold out, so come on in.

Thanks a bunch.

You're Asa-chan, right?

I heard from Makio.

I'm Nana Daigo.

How old are you?

Fifteen.

Fifteen? That's crazy.

Oh, and hey.

Can you make some of that tea again?

I don't get it. What's crazy?

I can if my cinnamon isn't dead.

For real?

Whoa, when did this room get so clean?

I can actually sit down. Look.

I don't know about that bare-shoulder look.

Wait, does cinnamon actually die?

Are they even having the same conversation?

It must be mummified by now.

Are we even having the same conversation?

I heard you, yeah.

So? Does cinnamon really die?

Shush.

So they do get each other...

Oh! U-Um...

I, uh...

I've just never seen two grown-ups act like friends, so...

Really? Not even your mom?

I think she means she's never seen such lousy grown-ups.

Ah, that's gotta be it!

Grown-ups wouldn't go busting a gut, duh.

"Busting a gut, duh"?

That's crazy.

I'm hungry.

Let's make some dinner.

What's this?

Dessert.

Say, have you even been cooking like you should?

Has she been feeding you?

SAT/SUN: HOT POT, MON/TUES: OYAKODON, WED/THURS: GINGER PORK, FRIDAY: SASHIMI UDON FOR LUNCH

AS ABOVE, SO ONWARD

Um, well...

Let's see here.

Hot pot, hot pot, rice bowl, rice bowl, pork, pork, sashimi.

SAME APPLIES FOR SUMMER -MAKIO

That's a solid lineup.

Not bad.

I still need to get used to cooking for two.

Eh, that'll come with time.

Was your older sister a stay-at-home mom?

Don't ask me.

You don't know? That's crazy.

Aha, I see now.

This is how grown-ups talk?

I totally understand.

I was originally planning on making dinner for you two...

But screw that.

No, this isn't grown-up talk.

It feels more like...

a whole other language.

Whaddya say? Let's make it together.

In fact, you two can do the bulk of the work.

Wait!

Don't you worry. It'll be fine.

Daigo!

I'm already making her clean.

I'm in! I-I want to cook!

So, what? You're already making her clean. And?

I-I can't force her to cook on top of that.

I can wrap them! I can wrap the gyoza!

You heard the girl.

I-I don't want to dictate what she can or can't do...

If Makio-chan doesn't want me to, I don't have to...

Awkward!

Listen, Makio-kun.

You once came to me about how you couldn't do even the simplest things.

Daigo...

I never wanna see you cry like that.

Not ever again, you hear?

Daigo!

She doesn't seem very grown-up...

I've never seen this side of Makio-chan.

Consider it a good opportunity.

So from this moment forward, we'll be Team Bao.

Team Bao?

TEAM BAO

A team wrapping up bao...

hence Team Bao!

You know what makes gyoza so great? You can fill them with virtually anything.

Any requests?

Ginger buds.

Those aren't even in season.

Women who wrap...

JOURNAL WITH WITCH

Can you heat this up in the microwave?

One minute should do it.

Okay.

Makio, you cut the stem off the eggplants.

And mince the cabbage.

Okay.

This reminds me of your dog, Daigo.

Didn't it love cabbage cores?

Oh, yeah.

I remember the sound of all that crunching.

I don't eat cabbage cores!

She's like a corgi.

Nah, I say a shiba.

With a black nose.

My nose isn't black!

Slice it lengthwise. Yeah, like that.

Hey, Makio.

Heat up the eggplant next.

You're good at mincing.

When I did it my home ec class, this guy took my place.

What? What's his deal?

Maybe he likes you, Asa-chan.

No, he just really liked green onions.

You're suddenly starting to sound like Makio.

Okay! Let's throw it all in this bowl and mix it all up!

I don't say weird stuff like that...

But he told me as much.

He was like, "I love green onions!"

Don't worry about measuring the seasoning.

Now mix it up round and round in one direction.

Daigo-san, how do you know so much about gyoza?

A guy who worked at a Chinese restaurant once taught me.

I had a crush on him.

Keep that hand moving.

I've never heard this story.

Well, yeah, it's cringey to look back on.

But every time I make gyoza, it reminds me of him...

The jerk!

Then don't make gyoza.

Round and round and round and round...

Hey, so what do I do with this eggplant?

Round and around and around and around...

Tear it by hand, then add ground sesame and noodle soup broth.

What did I grow up eating?

All those homemade meals...

I used to think they were good. But now...

Is it good, Asa?

Yeah!

I can't remember.

My mom's gyoza...

What did she put in them again?

'Tis time to wrap, Team Bao!

Yessir.

Okay!

I shall make you my secret dipping sauce in the meantime.

Secret?

It's a classified recipe.

I'll teach it to you later.

Can I have your LINE ID?