"How could there be a strange man in Erina-sama's bedroom? I must be dreaming. Yes, that must be it."
Hisako mumbled to herself, dazed, as she walked out of the room.
"Hisako, she…" Erina was at a loss, her expression bewildered.
"She must be terrified," Sui speculated.
"Oh no, oh no, what do we do? Our secret's been discovered!" Panic welled up in Erina's eyes, her voice trembling. "If word gets out, it won't just be my reputation at stake, but the entire Nakiri family's!"
"You don't think she'll tell anyone, do you?" Sui asked.
"What if she does?" Erina shot back, clearly distressed.
"In that case, Erina, there's only one option left," Sui said.
"What option?" Erina asked hastily.
"Obviously, we'll have to acknowledge our relationship," Sui replied, feigning seriousness.
"I have nothing to do with you!" Erina snapped, her frustration boiling over. "I was just forced to share a bathroom with you!"
——
The next morning.
"Another button is missing, and the cuffs are torn... I should've known better than to let an ojosama tsundere do the laundry." Sui sighed, pulling on his wrinkled school uniform. He made his way to Erina's room, only to find her sitting there, staring into space.
"Hey, hasn't Hisako come by to fetch you today?" Sui asked, puzzled.
"She's not answering," Erina said, her worry evident. "I called her several times, but no response."
"Seems like yesterday's shock was too much for her. She still hasn't recovered," Sui nodded thoughtfully.
"And whose fault do you think that is?" Erina glared at him, gritting her teeth in frustration.
"Like I said, we could always clear things up by making our relationship official," Sui teased.
"I told you, we have nothing to do with each other!" Erina roared, her voice echoing through the room.
——
For the next few days, Hisako remained absent from school, clearly still in shock after discovering that her beloved Erina-sama was living with someone. During this time, Sui continued his daily routine: attending classes by day and working at the shop with Erina by night.
The business was thriving. Each day, the limited-edition dishes sold out in no time.
"You have successfully completed the task of selling 300 bowls of food using the system recipe. Your reward: the recipe for Four Happy Dumplings."
That afternoon, halfway through service, Sui received his notification. He immediately opened the recipe details.
Four Happy Dumplings
Recipe Level: Silver
Effect: Improves physical fitness.
"Physical fitness?" Sui's eyes lit up.
"Ding! Yes, host. The more you eat, the more your physical strength improves," the system explained.
"Interesting," Sui nodded in satisfaction. Just then…
"Sui, are you there?" Luna, who hadn't visited in days, appeared in the shop's doorway. She glanced around, surprised by how packed the shop had become.
She recalled how deserted the place had been just a few days ago. How did business become so good so quickly?
"I'm here," Sui greeted her with a smile.
Luna nodded, but her attention quickly shifted to Erina, who was manning the counter. "Sui, is she your girlfriend? She's beautiful!" she asked, genuinely surprised. It was the first time she'd seen such a strikingly gorgeous girl.
Before Sui could respond, Erina quickly interjected, "I'm not his girlfriend! We're just… friends."
"Really?" Luna looked skeptical. If they're just friends, why would she be helping him with his business? It was clear that the relationship between these two was far from ordinary, and the thought dampened her spirits.
"Have you eaten yet?" Sui asked, trying to change the subject.
"I already had dinner," she replied, though she seemed a little distracted.
"You haven't been around lately. Busy with the shop?" Sui inquired.
"Yeah, somewhat," she answered absentmindedly.
Sui noticed her uncharacteristic mood and asked, "Is something wrong? Did something happen?" He was genuinely concerned for his childhood friend.
After a brief hesitation, Luna explained, "A new restaurant opened across from our house. It's doing really well, and it's been drawing away a lot of our customers. My father's been in a bad mood because of it."
"Ah, I see," Sui nodded, understanding the situation. Seeing the sadness on her face, he suggested, "How about this: I'll come by tomorrow and help out. Let's see if we can bring back some of your customers."
"Really?" Luna's eyes lit up. She had almost forgotten how capable Sui was now! With his help, maybe her family's izakaya could bounce back after all.
"Of course," Sui nodded. Since he had already completed his task, he could afford to close his shop the next day. He couldn't bear to see Uncle Laat's izakaya fall into ruin.
After saying goodbye to Luna, Sui kept the shop open for another hour before closing up and heading home. That evening, he seized the opportunity to practice making the newly unlocked Four Happy Dumplings.
——
The next morning, as Sui and Erina left for school, they were surprised to find Hisako waiting for them in the living room.
Since Hisako had taken leave a few days ago, Erina had been going to school with Sui. Seeing her secretary now, Erina blushed, flustered by the situation.
"Hisako, about us…" Erina stammered, unsure of how to explain.
"It's alright, Erina-sama, I understand." Hisako smiled warmly. "You've always been so isolated, with no real friends other than me. To see you open your heart and find someone you care about—it makes me really happy."
"Don't worry, I won't tell a soul!" Hisako then turned to Sui, her expression serious. "Please take good care of Erina-sama. And if you ever mistreat her, I won't forgive you!"