Chapter 605: Shameless Affection and the Cloying Scent of Romance
Erina, Hisako, and Akanegakubo Momo stepped onto the second floor of the newly upgraded shop for the first time. The three of them froze, their eyes widening as they took in the luxurious transformation of the space.
Kobayashi Rindou flashed a bright smile. "Don't look so shocked. Didn't I tell you this place was off-limits while it was under renovation? More, check the time. It is already ten twenty-five! Have you forgotten the menu needs to be submitted before noon?"
Panic immediately flickered across Erina's face. Ichihara Yuko merely chuckled, waving a hand with elegant dismissal. "There is no need to rush. You are cooking for a home meal, not catering to paying guests. We have no strict schedule here. Ten or twenty minutes late is perfectly fine—just do not make me wait too long. I am already starving."
The warm, quiet atmosphere of the shop, coupled with Yuko's casual reassurance, allowed the girls to finally breathe a collective sigh of relief. The lingering tension in their shoulders melted away.
Justice wandered off toward the jewelry shop, leaving Riven and Nami to guide Erina's group through the upper floor. Ren followed closely behind them, effortlessly carrying all five of their heavy suitcases up the stairs.
The moment Yuko spotted Ren, she closed the distance between them. Before he could even speak, she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, pulling him close. Ren offered a quiet, knowing smile, letting her dictate the pace. Yuko glanced toward the staircase, her voice dropping to a sultry whisper. "Hurry up. You need to properly cherish the reward I am about to give you."
Ren looked at her with helpless amusement and slowly leaned in. Yuko smiled against his lips, closing her eyes as she pulled him into a deep, lingering kiss. The only witnesses to this deeply intimate, cinematic moment were the five suitcases resting silently on the floor.
Upstairs, the girls were busy marveling at their accommodations.
"Oh! This room has absolutely everything! A television, a high-end computer..."
"It is spotless. And so incredibly spacious!"
"Much better than Momo-chan imagined!"
"Courage and the others actually live in a place like this? They really know how to spoil themselves."
Riven leaned casually against the doorframe, watching them unpack. "How long are you all planning to stay?"
"Half a month."
Riven nodded slowly. Nami tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Half a month, huh... Then you probably do not need to unpack much. What you brought should be more than enough to get by."
The girls nodded in unison.
Alice turned on her heel, ready to sprint back downstairs, but Nami quickly grabbed her arm. A faint blush dusted Nami's cheeks as she cleared her throat. "Based on what I have seen of Yuko these past few days, she is definitely clinging to Ren right now. It is best we wait for her to come up before you head down. Otherwise..."
"Otherwise what?" Alice blinked.
Riven tilted her head. "Justice calls it 'shameless public displays of affection.' The air gets heavy with the cloying scent of romance. Staring at it too long will just give you ideas, so it is better to look away."
Alice nodded, a look of deep realization crossing her face.
Downstairs, Yuko finally broke the kiss, her lips lingering near the corner of Ren's mouth. She smiled softly. "I told them to come down."
"Go on, then," Ren murmured.
When Yuko finally ascended the stairs, Alice and the others stared at her with highly peculiar expressions. Yuko cleared her throat, her elegant composure returning instantly. "You girls can go down and grab your luggage now."
They scrambled past her, eager to escape the awkward tension.
Rindou, however, lingered behind. She studied Yuko for a long moment before a sly, teasing grin spread across her face. "Yuko, why are your lips so swollen?"
Yuko shot Rindou a withering glare and swept past her into her bedroom. She needed to change into her slippers. No matter how exquisite her designer heels were, they could never match the sheer comfort of soft house shoes.
"Have you decided what dishes to prepare?"
Erina and the others, hauling their heavy suitcases up the steps, shook their heads.
Rindou chuckled, leaning over the railing. "I wanted to cook crocodile meat, but it clashes too heavily with standard dishes. I will wait for all of you to finalize your choices before I pick mine. I have ideas ready for every cuisine."
Erina sighed softly. Rindou was the Second Seat for a reason; her adaptability was terrifying.
Momo tapped her chin, then nodded firmly. "Momo-chan has made her decision too. Let's head to the room and discuss."
The group agreed, disappearing into the hallway. Rindou remained at the back of the pack. Actually, she let the others vanish upstairs while she stayed firmly on the ground floor. She strolled over to Ren, a playful glint in her eyes. "Yuko really has a tsundere side to her, doesn't she? I want to drown in the cloying scent of romance too! But not right now. I am heading up."
Watching Rindou retreat with her suitcase, Ren shook his head, a faint, nostalgic smile touching his lips. "Still exactly the same as back then..."
Upstairs, the culinary war council had begun.
"Senior Akanegakubo! What are you planning to make?"
"My ideal dish is Cream-Braised Bresse Chicken. Shopkeeper Ren's pantry is bound to have the highest quality cream and authentic Bresse poultry, not to mention a perfectly stocked spice rack."
Rindou leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. "In that case, let's tentatively set the theme as Western cuisine. But we cannot just make tiny, individual tasting portions. We need to serve it family-style, like a Chinese banquet. This is a meal for us, not a restaurant service."
Momo nodded in agreement. Erina paced the floor, her culinary mind racing through flavor profiles. "If we already have chicken, the rest of the menu should focus on lamb, beef, and seafood. For the seafood course, we also need to factor in dessert. We cannot use too much heavy fruit, but lemons and grapes will provide the right acidity."
"I will take the beef," Rindou volunteered. "I am making a Burgundy red wine stew. That way, the leftover wine can be incorporated into the appetizer salad or the dessert."
"Then I will handle the Provence Fish Soup," Erina declared. "Hisako, you specialize in medicinal cooking, so the lamb is best left in your hands. How do you plan to prepare it?"
Hisako hesitated, mentally flipping through her recipes. "For Western cuisine... the most classic approach is roasted lamb, but that would clash with the rich, stewed textures of your dishes. Perhaps... a slow-stewed lamb would harmonize better."
Erina nodded approvingly. That left only Alice.
After agonizing over her choices, Alice finally sighed in defeat. "Since Erina took the seafood soup... I will make an Italian Mushroom Cream Soup, or maybe a Creamy Vegetable Soup."
"Perfect!" the group agreed.
After a brief, lively discussion to iron out the finer details, the menu was locked in.
Downstairs, Yuko had already sneaked off to finish a cigarette and was now practically glued to Ren's side. Nami was quietly studying a book at a nearby table, while Riven was lounging in the kitchen, crunching on an apple as she waited for orders.
When Erina's group finally descended the stairs, they found Yuko—now dressed in a stunning, form-fitting green cheongsam—clinging to Ren's arm, completely ignoring the rest of the room. The girls exchanged knowing glances. They were witnessing the legendary, shameless display of affection firsthand.
Ren looked over the girls, nodding approvingly. "You all have solid concepts, but... ideas mean nothing without precise execution. Alright, I will go prep the base ingredients for you. Yuko, wait here."
Yuko gave a soft hum of agreement and gracefully took a seat nearby.
Rindou shot Yuko a mischievous look. "As expected of you, Yuko..."
"What exactly did you expect?" Yuko retorted smoothly, crossing her legs. "By the way, what cuisine did you all settle on?"
"Western. A pretty wide variety, too."
Yuko's eyes gleamed with amusement. "You certainly know how to pick them. Ren and I just went to a high-end French restaurant for a date a few days ago. You have quite the standard to beat."
Erina and the others froze, suddenly feeling an immense, suffocating pressure settle over their shoulders.
Just as the panic began to set in, Ren's calm voice drifted from the kitchen. "All your ingredients are prepped. Some are resting in the refrigerator. Come and get them yourselves."
"Understood!" they chorused, rushing toward the kitchen to begin the battle.
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