Jikirukuto: Takoyuki Arc

Yuki stood frozen in front of her bedroom door, her hand trembling on the doorknob. The air around her felt heavy, almost suffocating, as her old habits clawed their way back to the surface. She swallowed hard, her mind racing.

What if I go outside and everything falls apart? What if it's some cruel joke? What if I'm actually in some kind of purgatory for otakus?

Her fingers hesitated, clutching the cold metal of the doorknob. "C-come on, Yuki," she whispered to herself. "You've faced goblins, Karens, and dirt sandwiches. You can face… the outside world."

She pushed the door open with the enthusiasm of a person confronting their greatest nemesis. As sunlight spilled into the hallway, she immediately regretted her decision. The brightness stabbed at her eyes, and the thought of human interaction sent a chill down her spine.

"Gaaaaahhh!" she groaned, collapsing dramatically against the doorframe like a wilted flower. "Why does going outside feel like a final boss battle?"

Her heart raced as she tiptoed down the hall toward the kitchen, her stomach growling loudly. She hadn't eaten since... since…

Her eyes widened as memories from the isekai world flooded back. Forty days. Forty days of nothing but dungeon walls, goblins, and the occasional rat feast…

---

A Holy Encounter

Reaching the kitchen, Yuki's gaze locked onto the fridge. Her body froze in awe. The sleek white surface gleamed under the fluorescent light, a symbol of salvation in a cruel, uncaring world.

"It's… it's beautiful," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. She dropped to her knees, bowing before the fridge like a devotee before a shrine.

"Oh, great god of sustenance," she murmured, clasping her hands together. "I beseech you, grant me your divine bounty. I have suffered much in the other world, where you did not exist. I was betrayed by hunger, by a cursed goblin dungeon, and by that wretched old man who stole my takoyaki moment. Deliver me from starvation, oh blessed appliance!"

Her stomach growled louder, urging her to open the fridge. With reverence, she slowly pulled the door open. Cool air washed over her face, and her eyes sparkled at the sight of neatly stacked leftovers, bottles of juice, and a half-eaten slice of cake.

"Is this… heaven?" she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.

She reached for a container of curry rice, her fingers trembling. But as she took the first bite, a thought struck her like a bolt of lightning.

Wait a second... did I die from hunger in the other world?

---

Blame Game

Yuki slammed the fridge shut, her appetite momentarily forgotten. She paced the kitchen, fists clenched. "It's all that old man's fault!" she declared, her voice echoing in the empty apartment. "If he hadn't punched me and started that ruckus, I'd be enjoying my takoyaki right now instead of starving to death in some stupid isekai afterlife!"

Her anger flared as she stomped around the room, shaking her fist at the ceiling. "Curse you, takoyaki-ruiner old man! I hope you're stuck in some eternal goblin dungeon cleaning up after their mess!"

She stopped abruptly, clutching her stomach as another pang of hunger hit her. "Focus, Yuki," she muttered. "First food, then vengeance. One step at a time."

---

Reality Hits Hard

As Yuki devoured the curry rice, her thoughts began to settle. The taste was overwhelmingly nostalgic, reminding her of simpler times before the chaos of Graaswell City.

"Maybe this isn't so bad," she mused, licking her spoon clean. "I'm back in my world, I've got food, and I don't have to deal with goblins or Karens."

But as she leaned back in her chair, staring at the empty fridge, a pang of longing struck her heart. Alepou… Gabriel… Did I really leave you behind? Or is there a way back?

Yuki shook her head. "No, I can't think about that now. I have school to worry about. First day of high school, here I come…"

She glanced at her reflection in the microwave. Her frazzled blonde hair and oversized pajamas stared back at her. "...after a shower and maybe some deodorant."

And so, Yuki began her journey back into reality—or what she thought was reality. Little did she know, her adventures were far from over.