Chapter 276

## Fried Shrimp

**Fried Shrimp** (エビフライ, *Ebifurai*) is the 276th chapter of the *Golden Kamuy* manga.

## Synopsis

Just before the date with Kaneko, Kikuta tells Sugimoto that if she ever finds out that he is not Yuusaku, then he should face outside and make an “X” signal to him. During the date, Sugimoto looks over to Kikuta and prepares to make the “X” signal, but Kaneko begins to laugh, saying that as the son of a commander, she thought that he would be too serious to be joking around. Sugimoto lets out a breath of relief, fibbing that he was just trying to make the mood lighter for both of them. Kaneko asks if he is still wearing his cap because of how tense he is and her servant offers to take it for him.

Sugimoto continues to bluff, saying that he was always eating Japanese style meals and so he was not used to the situation. Kaneko is impressed by Sugimoto’s statement and asks if it is the first time he has eaten shrimp, suggesting that he should eat it with some egg sauce. Sugimoto takes a bite of the shrimp and is delighted by the taste before asking Kaneko if she comes to the restaurant often. Kaneko confirms it, saying that all of her friends are from influential families so she is used to coming to places like their restaurant with her friends. Sugimoto then quietly thinks back to the time he had to resort to stealing food from cats after his father had died.

Upon regrouping with Kikuta, the latter asks Sugimoto how the date went and Sugimoto states that he just acted the part of a boring person. Kikuta praises Sugimoto’s efforts and tells him that it is typical for marriage interviews to take place over a few more meetings and that he will be counting on him for the next one as well. Meanwhile, Kaneko gushes over Sugimoto’s appearance to her maid, Yamamura Hamako, who retorts that since Kaneko cares too much about looks, she missed her chances to marry. Sugimoto is not pleased about the idea of marrying someone that one would barely know but Kikuta says that it still happens, especially with the upper-class families.

Sugimoto begins to tell Kikuta about his childhood friends, Toraji and Ume, who had married each other despite the fact that Ume considers Sugimoto to be her number one love. Kikuta gets angry at Sugimoto for not understanding Ume’s feelings towards him and forces him to apologize in the direction of his hometown. Sugimoto begins to lament that he is a pathetic guy who cannot let things go but Kikuta tells him not to worry about it and that he should leave his hometown behind, firmly and completely and Sugimoto starts to understand his words.

In the Kaneko household, Yamamura offers some relationship advice to Kaneko as she declares that she will make Yuusaku her husband, no matter what. Kaneko states that there is nothing to worry about with Yuusaku’s pedigree, saying that since men chooses their wives based on looks, she shall do the same as well. She begins to talk about her cousin who will probably chide her for focusing too much on appearance but then says that he has no right to do so since he had picked a country girl with curly, unruly hair and seemed happy about it.

At a restaurant, Sugimoto and Kikuta eats their meal and Sugimoto becomes upset over how tasty the fried shrimp was and Kikuta tells him that it is only normal to eat delicious food in Tokyo if one has the money for it. Sugimoto asks if Yuusaku truly wants to become the flagbearer and Kikuta says that his job is merely to ensure that Yuusaku retains his virginity and that Kaneko’s advances are turned down as gently as possible. Sugimoto wonders if Yuusaku would rather be eating fried shrimp instead of going off to the army, but Kikuta tells him that it is none of his business.

Sometime later at the Army Academy, Sugimoto calls Yuusaku out to ask him about his father’s desire for him to become a flagbearer. However, Yuusaku is confused about Sugimoto’s question and Sugimoto continues to ask him about his father’s intentions and if his father thinks that there won’t be a war. Yuusaku denies it, citing the growing tensions with Russia and that his father claims that war is getting closer by the day, and since his father is the commander, he has no doubts about his father’s words. Sugimoto then asks if Yuusaku himself wants to become a flagbearer and Yuusaku claims that if he is indeed chosen, then he would be proud of that.

Sugimoto wonders if Yuusaku is trying to meet his father’s expectations but Yuusaku denies it and begins to question Sugimoto’s purpose for calling him out. Sugimoto says that he only wants to know how Yuusaku really felt and Yuusaku exclaims that his father told him to think about how his life could be used for the good of Japan and that he understands his father’s convictions. Yuusaku also declares that he believes that fighting on the front lines to to protect his country is the right thing to do. Sugimoto is skeptical of Yuusaku’s beliefs and wonders if Yuusaku truly has any other paths that he could choose.

Yuusaku begins to take notice of Sugimoto’s cap, recognizing it as belonging to Kikuta. Sugimoto starts to deny it but Yuusaku says that he was able to spot the little area that had been sewed up and that it came from the time when Kikuta was nearly killed by an officer candidate during shooting training. Sugimoto begins to run away, claiming that Kikuta had given it to him but Yuusaku reveals that the cap originally belonged to his younger brother who died of illness during the war with China. As Sugimoto walks forlornly into the streets, he bumps into someone, dropping his cap. Tsurumi, surrounded by Ogata, Usami, and Tsukishima, picks the cap up and gives it back to Sugimoto who thanks him for returning it.

## Character Appearances

* Mokutarou Kikuta *(Flashback)*
* Saichi Sugimoto *(Flashback)*
* Kaeko Kaneko *(Flashback)*
* Sugimoto's Father *(Flashback)* *(Mentioned)*
* Toraji Kenmochi *(Flashback)* *(Mentioned)*
* Umeko Kenmochi *(Flashback)* *(Mentioned)*
* Hamako Yamamura *(Flashback)* *(Debut)*
* Chiyo Harumi *(Cameo)* *(Flashback)*
* Yuusaku Hanazawa *(Flashback)*
* Koujirou Hanazawa *(Flashback)* *(Mentioned)*
* Kikuta's Younger Brother *(Flashback)* *(Mentioned)*
* Tokushirou Tsurumi *(Flashback)*
* Tokishige Usami *(Flashback)*
* Hyakunosuke Ogata *(Flashback)*
* Hajime Tsukishima *(Flashback)*