Xiaoquan Aonai, as the host, ordered extra dishes: pork hot pot, grilled Far Eastern polychaete fish, flat-grilled pork, roasted rice balls, pickled whole eggplants, and more.
In the end, the three young women ordered Kirin first-pressed beer and the two high school students ordered soft drinks.
Though each dish was small in portion size, when the table was overflowing with plates, some even stacked on top of each other, the celebratory atmosphere instantly kicked in.
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
"Mmm, these grilled rice balls are so delicious! Just add a bit of soy sauce, truly exquisite! I need to try this at home!"
"The hot pot is not bad either!"
"This sashimi platter looks like it has many varieties, what are all these?"
"Bamboo fish, salmon belly, bigeye tuna, shrimp, octopus, long-fin tuna."
"Awesome! Wait a second, Kiyono, you're not going to ask me next if I can rank nationally, are you?"
"Huh?"
"Young man, would you like some beer?"
"Mr. Miyazaki, I'm still underage."
