Manga readers looking for something short and sweet can check out Seven Seas Entertainment’s translation of Mita Ori’s 2016 one-shot “Our Dining Table”.

Yutaka Hozumi is a timid office worker who finds solace in eating his lunch alone at the park. He finds a surprise guest, little Tane Ueda who wanted a nibble. With reluctance, Yutaka gives a portion. While enjoying the meal, Tane’s older brother Minoru arrives in a rage. He scolds the boy and apologizes for disturbing Yutaka. It shocks the man when he finds the two Uedas at the park the next day, calling him “The Onigiri Man”. Once again they share lunch together and Minoru asks Yutaka to stop by and teach him the recipe. Yutaka ends up going to their place his next day off which took Minoru off guard since they were acquaintances. The three cook together but Yutaka offers to leave so that the brothers can eat by themselves. He confesses a bit about his insecurities but Minoru steps in and shows him that it’s okay to stay with them. He discovers a safe comfort with the family and possibly something more cooking within his heart.

Ori’s manga is a wholesome story that will fill readers with a lot of emotions. Both her art style and writing are gentle, having a light atmosphere but a lot of detail. While the romance is a bit apparent, “Our Dining Table” goes through a bit of drama with a bit of comedy from the little mischievous Tane. It’s really the final course of the main story that leaves a lasting impression of accepting the past’s tragedies and love. This slice-of-life proves to have different flavors of emotions balanced in a way to give readers a satisfying meal. It won’t be surprising if you find yourself coming for seconds.

Check out Seven Seas Entertainment’s website for more information on “Our Dining Table”. For those looking for more of Ori’s work, “Yamada and The Boy” is another one-shot volume that has been translated in English. It seems to be only available digitally so it can be found where e-books are sold.