Is reconciliation that easy?
Justeaze had her doubts. As Touko's best friend, she had heard countless complaints from Touko about how much she disliked her younger sister, how terrible her personality was, and how the expression of gritted teeth was something Justeaze could never forget.
Although Shinji said that was just a superficial phenomenon, Justeaze found it hard to believe. In her heart, Shinji and Sakura were the positive representations of siblings, while Touko and Aoko were the negative examples of sisters.
However, since Shinji said so, she was willing to give it a try. After all, there was nothing to lose—possibly, maybe, perhaps, maybe...
Taking back her words, it wasn't like that at all!!!
Feeling the terrifying aura emanating from the two sisters, Justeaze trembled all over, not daring to take a single breath. Fortunately, a spirit body doesn't need to breathe, or she would have fainted on the spot.
These sisters were truly terrifying.
As the saying goes, "Enemies always meet." On the second day of Touko's arrival, Aoko came to the shop again.
It was late at night, again at a time when no one else was around, and she ordered a bowl of soba noodles.
She had just taken a couple of bites when Touko arrived, also there for a late-night snack, and to check out what kind of place Shinji was running.
She lifted the curtain in the same manner as Aoko.
"A customer at this hour—"
Before she could finish her sentence, Touko froze, and Aoko, who was slurping noodles, also froze.
After two seconds, Touko crossed her arms, took off her glasses, and her face twitched continuously, emanating a coldness more piercing than a Siberian chill.
Aoko's reaction was even more dramatic. Her long black hair instantly turned red, veins bulging on her forehead, and her expression could easily become an emoji without exaggeration. Her aura, like her hair color, was like boiling magma ready to erupt from this human-shaped volcano at any moment.
Cold wave, magma.
Ice and fire, are two extremes.
Just as ice and fire were about to clash, a "thump" sound broke the nearly frozen atmosphere—Shinji's hand tapping on the counter.
"This is the Grievance Pavilion, not a dueling arena. Eating and complaining are welcome; anything else, please take it outside."
"You—"
Touko raised an eyebrow, about to say something, but swallowed her words upon meeting Shinji's gaze.
"Please follow the rules of this establishment, thank you."
Touko, her momentum suppressed, silently put her glasses back on and dejectedly sat on the other side of the long table.
"A bottle of sake, and you decide on the side dishes."
"Enjoy."
A serving of tamagoyaki and a bottle of sake.
Touko poured herself a cup of sake, downed it in one gulp, poured another, and drank again, faster and faster.
On Aoko's side, she also sped up her noodle eating, slurping down long strands as if competing with Touko.
The atmosphere in the shop grew increasingly tense due to the alternating sounds of drinking and slurping.
Soon, the sounds reached a critical point and erupted simultaneously.
"Ugh—"
"Cough, cough—"
That's right, Aoko choked from eating too fast, and Touko choked from drinking too quickly.
Seeing this, Shinji sighed helplessly.
"Customers, eating too fast is bad for your health."
"None of your business!"
The sisters replied in unison, then started glaring at each other for saying the same thing.
"Don't say the same thing as me!"
"Are you kids? If you have complaints, speak them out. This place is for venting—Miss Red Hair, you go first, just like when you talked about your idiot older sister."
Hearing Shinji say this, Aoko's hand slipped, and her chopsticks fell into the noodle soup.
Touko, on the other hand, spat out a mouthful of sake, speaking in a sinister and eerie tone.
"What a delightful topic... idiot..."
"You should listen too, glasses-wearing customer. That sister is really annoying."
Shinji winked at Touko, ignoring Aoko's forceful table slap in protest: "Look at the fourth rule, read it!"
"Elder siblings should take good care of their younger siblings, right? But that sister, when this lady here encounters trouble, she just listens with a blank expression and gives bad advice. Yet she always acts so impressively. If she's really capable, she should come out and help."
"So all my good intentions back then went to waste..."
Touko muttered softly. Feeling this resentment, Aoko lifted her noodle bowl to cover her face and slurped the soup.
Shinji wasn't about to let Aoko escape, and he complained deliberately.
"Seriously, as an older sister, you should be more considerate of your younger sister. But acting like a child, refusing to admit defeat, and competing with her in everything. I think there was more, what was it again..."
At this point, Aoko couldn't hold back anymore. She slammed the bowl on the table and shouted.
"That person is spending money everywhere in my name!!!"
"Hmph, talk about money, and your mind becomes narrow?"
Touko picked up her sake cup and looked at Aoko provocatively.
"With a reckless, self-righteous sister like you, I pity your 'older sister.'"
"Don't bother. She's the worst sister in the world, not worth any sympathy. I want to return those bills and credit card statements to her."
"Oh, it's impressive that a credit card company can send bills to a wanderer like you. Does your cardboard box have a house number?"
"Will you pay the money back or not? Huh? A deadbeat who doesn't repay debts."
"Talking about money, huh? Do you know how much Mystic Eyes Killer is worth, you ignorant savage?"
"Thump, thump."
Seeing the two of them getting closer and about to start a fight, Shinji began tapping the counter again.
But after just two taps, Aoko smashed it with a punch.
"This is a residential area, what are you trying to do?"
Touko lit a cigarette and reminded her.
"Anyway, I'm just a savage."
Aoko didn't give in verbally but sat back down and handed the broken signboard to Shinji.
Shinji placed a bottle of beer in front of Aoko:
"Here, have a cold beer and cool down. We've talked a lot about Miss Red Hair's issues. Let's switch topics. Smoking lady, haven't you complained a lot about your silly younger sister?"
"Poof"
This time, it was Aoko's turn to spit out her drink, and Touko dropped her cigarette.
"Do you know how to switch topics? You annoying shopkeeper."
"Sorry, I'm just a clueless shopkeeper."
Shinji shrugged and pretended to be dumb.
"I only know that since Miss Red Hair has vented so much about her sister, it's only fair you vent about your younger sister too."
"You did this on purpose."
Touko picked up her cigarette and glared fiercely at Shinji before looking at Aoko. The latter wiped her mouth and put down her beer bottle.
"Say what you have to say, no one's stopping you."