Chapter 334: The Nakano Quintuplets and Miss Vermouth
Sonoko, having no need for allergy testing, made a beeline for her usual products, purchased them swiftly, and then darted off toward the aromatherapy section with a hum. Meanwhile, Lucifer and the others patiently continued their patch tests on the side.
Just then, the shopkeeper emerged from the back room, carrying a box filled with a popular toner. The young woman from before, who seemed to have finished her own shopping, was waiting quietly for the shopkeeper's return.
"Sorry for the wait, Ichika! This batch only came in this morning, so I haven't had a chance to put it on the shelves yet."
The girl, Ichika, offered a warm smile. "It's no problem at all. I have plenty of time. It actually works out perfectly, since I need to go pick up my sisters later."
Setting the box down on the counter, the shopkeeper beamed. "Oh? The five of you are as close as ever, I see. But what are you doing out of school? Don't you usually come by with your second sister, Nino? Ah! I keep forgetting it's a weekday!"
Nakano Ichika chuckled. "I had something to take care of today, so I took the afternoon off. We were all supposed to go out for dinner tonight, but Itsuki said she had a stomachache, so we had to cancel. Since I was already out, I figured I'd stop by your shop instead of heading straight home. Hmm? What's that?"
Following her gaze, the shopkeeper's smile widened. "This? Ichika, you're in luck. This is a brand-new rose-scented toner. I've personally tested it, and the results are amazing. Here, you can try it."
Nakano Ichika blinked, accepting the bottle. She uncapped it, dabbed a small amount onto the back of her hand, and gently rubbed it in. A moment later, her eyes widened, a genuine sparkle of delight in them. "Wow! This smells incredible! And it feels just as refreshing as the one I always use! How much is it?"
"It's fantastic, isn't it?" the shopkeeper chirped. "It's only 400 yen more than your usual one, but you get an extra 50 milliliters. It's a great deal, right?"
Nodding enthusiastically, Nakano Ichika quickly made her decision. She bought three bottles of the new rose scent and one of her old favorite, letting out a satisfied sigh as the items were bagged. "I really hit the jackpot today."
"That's why I said you were lucky, Ichika," the shopkeeper said, leaning on the counter. "By the way, that place you're going… it's that restaurant you mentioned in your post, the one on that quiet little street, right? Is the food really that good?"
A fond smile touched Ichika's lips. "It's even better. I can't recommend it enough. And the owner, Shopkeeper Ren, is incredibly handsome, elegant, and thoughtful, too."
"Ooh, now that's tempting," the shopkeeper mused. "Maybe I'll go one of these days. It's just, this place gets busier every day, so I hardly have a chance to get away. I'll have to stick with my usual takeout for now. But…"
"But what?"
The shopkeeper's expression turned mischievous. "Ichika, listening to you talk like that… could it be you're falling for this handsome shopkeeper? Ah, youth is truly a wonderful thing."
"Well, I'll admit he's made a good impression," Ichika replied, a playful glint in her eyes. "But as for being my boyfriend or anything like that, I don't think he's someone I could ever hope to pursue. Besides, I was just stating my honest opinion. Be careful, Shopkeeper. If you keep reading into things like that, you might just end up single for another year yourself."
"Hey! That's just mean!"
"Hehe. Well, I should get going."
"Tell Itsuki to drink plenty of hot water when you get back!" the shopkeeper called after her.
"Got it!"
Watching Nakano Ichika's retreating figure, the shopkeeper sighed dramatically. "Ahh, to be so young. Youth really is wonderful. But… I hope that girl's curse doesn't come true. I really don't want to be single any longer!"
Unseen by the shopkeeper, Ichihara Yumiko and her companions had been observing the entire exchange, their attention captured the moment the box of new toner appeared. They all went still, however, when they heard the phrase "restaurant on that deserted street."
At first, Lucifer and the others wondered if it was just a coincidence. But the moment they heard the name "Shopkeeper Ren," all doubt vanished. There might be other restaurants on quiet streets, but an owner named Ren sealed it.
Courage stared blankly into the space where Ichika had been standing. "She's one of Shopkeeper Ren's customers."
Lucifer nodded, a flicker of pride in her eyes. She secretly gave herself a mental thumbs-up. As expected, her intuition was sharp. She could sense a connection even without ever having met the person. She felt she deserved a little praise for that.
"Shopkeeper! You're back!" Sonoko called, returning from the aromatherapy aisle. "Is that new rose toner really as good as she said?"
"Of course!"
"Then I'll take one! Can you get me a bottle, please? By the way, who was that girl just now? You two seemed pretty close."
The shopkeeper smiled warmly. "We are. That was Nakano Ichika. She has several younger sisters, too."
"Several… sisters?" Sonoko's curiosity was piqued. "How many is 'several'? Are they triplets?"
"Nope, not even close," the shopkeeper said, her eyes twinkling. "They're quintuplets."
"Quintuplets?!" Sonoko gasped, her jaw dropping slightly. Wow, that was incredible. She wasn't sure if she should be more impressed with their father or their mother.
Wearing an expression that said, 'I knew you'd react like that,' the shopkeeper continued, "That's right. I was stunned the first time I saw all five of them together. Ichika, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, and Itsuki… they're all very unique and wonderful girls. They shop here often, so we've gotten to know each other well."
"Oh, I see," Sonoko said, nodding. "Well, I'm going to go find my friends now. Talk to you later!"
She rejoined the others, prompting Lucifer to ask, "You seem quite familiar with the shopkeeper yourself."
"Of course! Ran and I come here all the time," Sonoko replied, examining her purchases. "Mmm, just as I thought, the effect is amazing. What do you all think of these skincare products?"
Ichihara Yumiko gave a slight nod of approval. "They feel very nice. I can see why this place is so popular. But Sonoko, what were you looking at just now?"
"Aromatherapy."
"They sell aromatherapy here, too?" Courage asked, intrigued. "Are you buying some for yourself?"
"Not for me. Sora's old aromatherapy diffuser was from this shop. She probably didn't bring it with her, or it might have run out. I figured I'd get her a new one."
"Oh, I see," Courage said, her eyes drifting back to the counter. "But that new toner has me really curious. I think I'll go try it."
With that, she walked over to the shopkeeper and struck up a conversation. As an Executive Officer for an international organization, Courage possessed excellent social skills and quickly established a friendly rapport. After testing the product, she bought a bottle without a moment's hesitation.
"It really does seem quite good," Lucifer mused aloud. "Perhaps I should buy one as well."
"Mhm," Yumiko, Sonoko, and Courage hummed in agreement.
As the group, now laden with bags, walked out of the store, a woman wearing a stylish black fascinator swept past them and went inside. The moment she passed, Lucifer stopped, struck by an alluring fragrance. It wasn't perfume; it was a natural, captivating body scent.
"Sister Lucifer! Let's go!" Sonoko called out, then paused. "By the way, that woman… her profile looked a little familiar. I feel like I've seen her somewhere before…"
Hearing Sonoko's words, Ichihara Yumiko cast an interested glance back toward the shop door, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Hmm? A disguise, is it?"
"What did you say, Sister Yuko?"
"Nothing at all. Let's go, let's go."
Meanwhile, inside the shop, the woman who had just entered let out a delicate yawn. "Ahh, I'm exhausted…"
The shopkeeper smiled professionally. "Welcome. What can I get for you today, Miss Vermouth?"
"Toner."
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