"Why didn't you compete with me in cooking yesterday?"
Erina, her cheeks flushed, stared down at her toes and asked in a low voice, "Was it because of the girl in your room?"
Though she denied it each time, Erina couldn't shake a slight discomfort because Sui hadn't initiated a cooking battle with her the previous day. In front of others, she always put on a front—insincere and shy, unwilling to acknowledge their relationship. But deep down, she had already come to see Sui as someone special, someone she wanted to entrust her heart to.
Unknowingly, she began to feel anxious, fearful that Sui might develop feelings for another girl.
"Huh? Erina, are you jealous?"
Sui was genuinely surprised. Erina, who always acted tough, was now voluntarily asking for a cooking competition? Usually, she looked like she was on the verge of collapsing after each defeat.
Though Erina had a tsundere personality, where she only protested for form's sake, once she was carried to the bed, she'd lie down compliantly, her cheeks turning a deep shade of red as she shyly responded to his affection.
"W-What are you talking about?" Erina snapped angrily, but her voice softened as she lowered her head, whispering, "But... didn't you say you were serious about dating me?"
"Shouldn't you spend more time with me?"
Her voice was so quiet that it was almost inaudible, and her face turned crimson, as if her embarrassment was about to spill over.
Sui quickly realized the truth. Though they lived together and attended school at Totsuki Academy every day, they didn't spend much personal time together. Since they weren't in the same class, and with Erina busy with her food-tasting duties, the two of them hardly had the opportunity to be close.
While Erina refused to admit it out loud, it was clear she wanted more of his attention.
After all, they were in the early stages of a passionate romance, but their relationship wasn't like that of ordinary couples. Especially with Erina's tsundere tendencies, she found it hard to express her true feelings.
"Erina," Sui suddenly said.
"Hm?" Erina looked up, a bit confused, as she saw Sui lean toward her.
Her face flushed even more, but she didn't shy away. She closed her eyes and gently kissed Sui. At first, she was nervous, but she soon began to respond, albeit shyly.
After a moment, Sui smiled and effortlessly scooped her up in his arms.
Startled, Erina stammered, "T-This is too sudden! Shouldn't we have a cooking competition first?"
"No competition today," Sui replied with a gentle smile and carried her directly into the bedroom.
Erina's face grew even redder as she buried her head into his chest, too shy to look up. Even though it wasn't their first time, she couldn't help but feel self-conscious.
Later, as Erina lay on Sui's chest, her face still faintly flushed, she panted softly, her perfect complexion glistening with a light sheen of sweat.
"Wait... did you just say Tōsuke-senpai is in conflict with the WGO?" Erina suddenly sat up in surprise after hearing Sui recount what had happened earlier that day.
But as she moved, her body inadvertently exposed itself, and her cheeks immediately flushed with embarrassment. She hurriedly covered herself.
Sui chuckled quietly. Despite how familiar they were with each other's bodies, she still became flustered so easily. It was moments like these that made him appreciate her innocence even more—something quite unlike Tohru's forthrightness.
"Yes, and tomorrow, I'm going to help Tōsuke-senpai," Sui nodded.
"You're going to help?" Erina blinked, a bit surprised. "But this year, the WGO has been far more aggressive than in previous years, and they've shown some rather disturbing ambitions."
Historically, Totsuki Academy had been a dominant force in Japan, and the WGO's influence had always been limited compared to other countries.
"Then I'll go help too," Erina declared.
"Don't you have food-tasting duties tomorrow?" Sui asked, curious.
"It's fine. I'll ask Hisako to reschedule them," Erina responded.
"Alright," Sui agreed. But as soon as he did, his hands began to wander mischievously across her body once again.
Erina's face instantly turned bright red, and she gritted her teeth, "Didn't we just finish? Why do we have to—"
Before she could finish her sentence, her lips were sealed by Sui's, and all that followed was a series of muffled protests.
The next day, after Sui had finished his class, he and Megumi made their way to the meeting spot with Tōsuke Nagashima. A ramen shop had opened in the same location where they had been yesterday, but it looked rather ordinary—just like any other ramen shop you'd find on the street.
"You're here," Tōsuke greeted them with a nod.
"It's already set up?" Megumi asked in surprise.
"Yes, thanks to the ramen craftsmen. They provided the kitchen equipment, tables, and chairs," Tōsuke explained. "But..." he trailed off, glancing across the street.
A lavishly decorated restaurant had opened there. It was enormous and elegant, clearly in a different league than the modest ramen shop they had set up.
"Isn't this a bit much? They built such a luxurious restaurant overnight?" Megumi remarked nervously. "Can we really out-sell them?"
"With the WGO's financial backing, this is to be expected," Tōsuke replied calmly. He then turned to Sui. "Today's battle will be tough. I'm counting on you."
"Understood," Sui nodded.
Just then, Ann approached from across the street, accompanied by five others.
"For such a low-level ramen shop, I must say, it's quite impressive that you managed to put it together overnight," Ann remarked with a slight smile.
"Having a place to sell our food is more than enough," Tōsuke replied coolly.
"But surely, the three of you won't be able to manage it all on your own, right?" Ann continued with a feigned look of concern. "Allow me to lend you a few skilled waiters as a gesture of goodwill."
"We don't need your pity!"
"Yes, Young Master, we're here to help!"
"We can handle any labor you need!"
At that moment, the ramen craftsmen from the previous day arrived, ready to lend a hand.
Ann covered her mouth, laughing, while the five people accompanying her also snickered.
____
Time for the Spirit Bomb!
Goal for a mass release: 0/1000!
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