Chapter 94
Half an hour later, Mai-senpai stepped out of the bathroom, radiating an aura of annoyance. She had intended to confront Mineo immediately, but when she saw his back—busy and focused in the kitchen—her footsteps faltered.
Mineo turned his head and glanced her way.
"Finished with your shower, Senpai?"
"Hurry up and dry your hair. I'm almost done here. Once your hair is dry, we can eat right away!"
Mai-senpai didn't offer a verbal reply, but she moved toward her vanity nonetheless. After blow-drying her hair, she slid into her slippers and sat at the dining table with a flat expression.
She looked down at the dishes Mineo had prepared, and for a split second, a flash of genuine admiration crossed her eyes. She had honestly thought he was just bragging when he said he could cook. But now, seeing the incredible presentation and catching the powerful, mouth-watering aroma, Mai-senpai realized he hadn't been lying at all.
There were five different dishes and a soup! All of them were authentic Chinese cuisine. Even though the portions weren't massive, it was more than enough to satisfy the two of them.
"See, Senpai? This is the real deal—authentic Chinese cooking."
"In this world, you're the very first person to receive this exclusive service from me! Don't you feel honored?"
Hearing his words, Mai felt a sudden urge to tease him back. However, she held her tongue. It was impossible not to feel moved deep down. The fact that Mineo was willing to travel such a long distance just to comfort and accompany her already made her happy. Even though her pride kept her from showing it, she felt a sudden prickling at the corners of her eyes.
In her view, Mineo was indeed incredibly annoying at times. His words could make her blood boil for days. But objectively, she knew he was just trying to cheer her up. Is this what it feels like to have someone care for you? she wondered.
"Come on, Senpai, grab your chopsticks and dig in!"
"Try this stir-fried shredded potato with chili and vinegar first! I guarantee the flavor will surprise you."
Mai-senpai picked up her chopsticks and stole a glance at Mineo. She then took a small portion of the potato and brought it to her mouth.
She closed her eyes, letting the flavors wash over her. She could feel the perfect balance of sour and spicy dancing across the tip of her tongue. As a star—even if she was currently on hiatus—Mai had never been short on money. She had eaten at countless high-end restaurants and tasted world-class delicacies. But in her entire life, she had never experienced a dish that brought this much joy to her palate.
More importantly, this delicious meal was made specifically for her by her "only friend," who had come all this way just for her sake.
The sheer deliciousness sent a tremor through her. As she ate, her eyes suddenly welled up. She stopped moving, letting a tear like a shimmering pearl roll down her pale cheek.
"Why... why do you treat me like this?"
"Is it even worth it?"
"What do you mean, worth it or not? Why are you crying over a meal? Are you really that moved by how good my cooking is?"
Mineo set his chopsticks down, grabbed a tissue, and handed it to her.
"I was just thinking... if I took a photo of us right now and posted it online, would the netizens want to beat me to death?"
At that, Mai-senpai looked up, her gaze slightly dazed and confused. Mineo continued with a grin:
"Think about it. Mai-senpai is a top-tier star in Japan. Having dinner alone with a man is scandalous enough, but seeing you crying like this? If anyone saw, they'd definitely think I was bullying you!"
Hearing Mineo's logic, Mai-senpai didn't even have time to wipe her tears before she let out a small, soft laugh. Even though it was fleeting, Mineo could feel just how breathtakingly beautiful she was when she smiled. It was like watching a rare flower bloom.
After a moment of laughter, Mai-senpai realized she had lost her composure. She quickly forced her "ice queen" mask back into place.
"Hardly anyone remembers me anymore. Even if you uploaded it, no one would care."
"Who says no one remembers! Within the next few days, I guarantee the whole world will know your name again!"
Mineo reached out, gently wiped the corner of her eye, and gave her beautiful cheek a playful pinch.
"The price of chasing a Senpai like you seems a bit high, but that's fine. I'm willing to pay it!"
"What are you planning to do?"
"It's a secret! If I told you now, there wouldn't be a surprise. By the way, are you going to school tomorrow?"
"It's a school holiday tomorrow."
"Perfect. Since you're off, we're going to go see your manager. Don't be nervous, Mai-senpai. I'll make sure to have a very 'nice' chat with my future mother-in-law! Didn't she want to turn you into a massive star? We'll prove to her exactly how wrong her methods were. There are plenty of ways to build a superstar's career—especially when Mai-senpai is this beautiful. Why would you ever need to do provocative photoshoots? That's just small-minded thinking..."
As she watched Mineo eat while rambling on to comfort her, Sakurajima Mai didn't say much. She picked up her chopsticks again and continued eating the food on her plate. A sentence Mineo used to say often crossed her mind:
"Even if your heart is unhappy, never hold a grudge against food."
Once she was full and well-rested, she would face whatever obstacles lay ahead head-on.
Mai-senpai chewed the food Mineo had prepared, her gaze lingering on him as he ate with his head down. At that moment, she didn't even realize just how much tenderness was reflected in her eyes as she looked at him.
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