"Huh?" Sakura was taken aback for a moment, then she retorted, "Isn't it obvious? You're charging such ridiculous prices for your dishes. What else could this be but fraud?"
"This doesn't actually constitute fraud," a calm voice spoke up. It was Umetaro Nozaki, standing behind her. "Fraud involves deceiving people intentionally. The owner clearly displayed the prices, so there's no deceit involved. Therefore, it isn't fraud."
"See?" Sui said, turning to Sakura, "Told you so."
Sakura was fuming. She squinted at Nozaki. Whose side is he on? she thought angrily.
"Alright, even if it isn't fraud, it's still outrageous! Now that I've come across such a shady establishment, I can't just ignore it!" Sakura declared, her sense of justice flaring.
Sui was speechless. Does she have to be this righteous? he wondered.
"And if you're going to keep calling my shop shady, you need some proof, don't you?" Sui asked.
"The proof is right there, written on your menu!" someone in the crowd shouted. "A dish for 20,000 yen? How can that not be a rip-off?"
"Exactly! That's the proof!" Sakura echoed.
Sui smiled calmly. "And how do you know my food isn't worth 20,000 yen?" he asked.
"Because it's just a street-side shop, not some fancy restaurant! How could it possibly be worth that much?" Sakura exclaimed.
"That's because our food brings happiness. Once you've tasted it, you'll see it's worth every yen," Sui said with a soft smile.
"Happiness? Are you kidding me?" someone scoffed from the crowd. "If your food could really bring happiness, people would pay 20 million yen for it, not just 20,000!"
The crowd murmured in disbelief. Happiness can't be bought with money, they thought. If food could truly make people happy, the rich would never frown.
Initially, most thought Sui was just overcharging, but now they were convinced he was a scam artist.
"In that case, let me be the judge of this so-called 'happy food'!" Sakura declared. She marched into the shop, sat down at a table, and glared at Sui. "I'm going to expose your ugly face to everyone!"
"This doesn't really concern us, does it?" Umetaro Nozaki commented from the side.
"What are you saying?! As responsible citizens, it's our duty to take action in situations like this! Only then can we make the world a better place!" Sakura lectured, her face glowing with determination like a magical girl on a mission to save the world.
"Well said!" someone from the crowd cheered.
"Yeah, this girl's sense of justice is admirable," others chimed in.
Sakura smiled proudly, clearly pleased with the praise.
"Alright then, you'll need to pay first," Sui said, extending his hand toward her. "That'll be 20,000 yen."
Sakura gritted her teeth as she reluctantly handed over two 10,000-yen bills. It was her entire week's allowance! "I will expose your ugly heart!" she vowed, her heart aching.
Sui took the money, smiled, and said, "Please wait a moment," before heading into the kitchen.
"Hey, are you sure about this? She looks so determined... what if she lies and says the food's terrible?" Luna whispered nervously, following him into the kitchen.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine," Sui reassured her with a smile, patting her head.
He then retrieved the ingredients from his system space, including some cream matsutake mushrooms, and began preparing the Sinangag fried rice. His movements were fluid and practiced. He diced the pork, sliced the ham, and chopped the matsutake mushrooms. Heating the oil in a pan, he poured in the beaten eggs, mixing them with the rice and ingredients.
Time flew by, and after half an hour, the Sinangag fried rice was ready.
—_—
Sui brought the steaming dish out from the kitchen.
"Finally! Now, I'll reveal your ugly face and heart for everyone to see!" Sakura declared, sitting at the table with a defiant expression.
A crowd had gathered at the shop entrance, eager to watch the confrontation unfold.
"Whatever you say," Sui said with a shrug, setting the fragrant dish in front of her.
Huh? Sakura's nose twitched involuntarily as the delicious aroma wafted toward her. A hint of surprise flashed across her face.
The golden fried rice glistened under the light, and the rich aroma of butter filled the air, stirring her appetite. The unique scent of the matsutake mushrooms heightened her anticipation.
Could this dish actually be worth 20,000 yen? The thought slipped into her mind, but she quickly shook it off. No! I can't be swayed so easily! I must expose this outrageous shopkeeper!
Her heart still stung as she remembered the two bills she had given up. Taking a deep breath, Sakura picked up a spoonful of rice and brought it to her mouth.
The soft, fluffy rice melted on her tongue, and as she chewed, the sweetness of the corn and the savory flavor of the sausage blended together perfectly. The tender matsutake mushrooms added a delightful texture, making it feel like they were dancing on her taste buds.
"This… this flavor…" Sakura murmured, momentarily lost in thought.
—_—
In her mind, she was suddenly transported to a sunny day. The sky was a brilliant blue, and a quaint white church stood against it. She found herself walking across a field of grass, wearing a pure white wedding dress, stepping on flower petals.
"Am I finally walking into the church?" she thought dreamily. "Who will be the groom? He must be a gentle and handsome man."
A radiant smile spread across Sakura's face. Like most girls, it was her dream to one day wear a wedding dress and walk down the aisle with her beloved.
At that moment, a groom in a crisp white suit appeared at the end of the aisle. He turned toward her slowly, a bright and handsome smile lighting up his face.
But... something about him seemed familiar…
—_—
Sakura Chiyo's eyes fluttered as she snapped back to reality, her face showing an expression of blissful intoxication.
"Hey, young lady!" someone called out in front of her.Nee