Chapter 28 Lamenting the Mongol riots (4)

You know, elegant and simple is not the case. "What the hell do you want to eat?" Colombe asked me, looking annoyed that I couldn't finish the first herring.I didn't answer her.Because I do not know.After all, I'm just a kid.In the comics, though, the characters in the book seem to eat differently.It seems very simple, very elegant, very restrained, very delicious.It tastes like admiring a beautiful painting, or singing in an excellent choir.Neither too much nor not enough, but very moderate, which means no more, no less.Or maybe I'm totally wrong; but French food, I do find corny and fancy, and Japanese food seems... well, yes, neither young nor old, but timeless and magical.

In short, Mr Ardern passed away.I'm wondering what the hell he's doing in the morning to actually get into the bad guy role.Maybe it's sipping coffee while reading an opponent's article, or eating an American breakfast of hot dogs and French fries.What do we do in the morning?Dad drank coffee while reading the newspaper; Mum drank coffee and flipped through the catalog; Colombe drank coffee and listened to Radio France Internationale;Right now, I'm reading Taniguchi's manga, a genius who has taught me many things about humans. Yesterday, I asked my mother if I could have a cup of tea. Grandma drinks black tea for breakfast, which is fragrant tea mixed with lemon.Although I don't think it will taste good, it looks much better than coffee, you know, coffee is the drink of bad guys.At the restaurant last night, my mother ordered a cup of jasmine tea and she let me have a sip.I think it's great, my "self" is great, and this morning I said it's the only drink I'll have for breakfast from now on.Mom looked at me strangely (drowsy look) and then said, "Okay my little one, you're really grown up now."

Tea and comics versus coffee and newspapers: the magic of elegance and magic versus the pathetic aggression of adult power games.