Yosuke leaned against the wooden table across from his schoolmate, a look of bored bemusement on his face. as he watched Chie devour her meal.
"Jeez. Ya know, Chie, there are hyenas in Africa with better table manners than you." he said in his usual tone of exasperation.
Chie glared at him, raising a general noise of protest, although words were impossible with her mouth filled with steak and beef.
"Not really helping your case here." Yosuke said snidely.
Chie growled and swallowed her food. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up. Your not going to spoil this moment for me, no matter how hard you try!"
"Wouldn't dream of it." Yosuke said, a smug grin on his face.
Chie glared at him. This wasn't as much fun as it was supposed to be. Pestering and goading Yosuke into paying for her food was usually a blast, especially watching the despair in his eyes as his paycheck disappeared one bite at a time. Steak was fantastic by itself, but it was extra good when it was free and provided by a bemoaning friend. Why exactly Chie took particular delight in tormenting Yosuke over any of her other friends was anyone's guess. Just part of the quirky dynamic of their friendship. But lately he had been really generous, offering to treat her several times in the past few weeks. And he wasn't acting reluctant or angry or anything. If anything, he seemed to be relishing all of this as much as she was. It was weird.
"Hey Yosuke, I've been meaning to ask...why all the generosity lately?" Chie said between mouthfuls of her meal.
"Hmmm? Oh, no reason. Guess I'm just trying to balance out my karma." Yosuke said with a smile.
"Huh? Since when are you so into Buddhism?" Chie asked in disbelief.
"Oh, you. So far this year I had my bike destroyed, my nads smashed by a psychotic girl over a broken CD, poisoned by Mystery Food X, kicked off a cliff and vomited on for calling a girl cute, had my money stolen to pay for Tedd's outfit, and my face was smashed with a million buckets because I wanted to use the hot springs during the MEN's time to use them." Yosuke said, glaring at Chie.
"....yeah, well, you were the ones who signed us up for the beauty pageant!" Chie said.
"Yep. And who turned around and sighed US up for the drag show?" Yosuke shot back.
"Look I....anyway, what does this have to do with your karma?" Chie said.
"Not much. I just figured I had a lot of good karma stored up. So might as well 'spend' it." Yosuke said.
"Wait...wouldn't spending it mean doing something bad rather than treating a friend?" Chie asked.
"Yep." Yosuke said as the check was delivered. "But that's what is so great about our friendship, Chie. We let little things slide. I prank you with the pageant, you prank me with the crossdressing. You secret use my money to buy Teddie some clothes....and I pretend to buy you food while secretly running up an enormous tab at Ayas."
Chie had split her attention between the conversation and her Steak Bowl. She froze in midbite, her chopsticks clamped around a juicy piece of meat, the last part of Yosuke's words sinking in.
"Wait, wha-" She started to say, only to find Yosuke's seat empty.
"See ya Chie! Good luck with the bill!" Yosuke sang as he ran out the door.
That little-!
Chie was about to rise and give chase when she felt a hand come down on her shoulder. She turned to find the restaurant owner standing over her, a rather thick looking folder of receipts in his hand.
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