"Ah, Sui-kun, is that really you?" Sonoka exclaimed in surprise.
At the sound of the voice she had often heard in her dreams, Hinako quickly raised her head, a look of surprise flashing across her face. But the moment her eyes landed on Sui, an unexpected panic gripped her.
"Yeah, it's the holidays, and with nothing much to do, I thought I'd drop by and visit everyone," Sui said with a casual smile.
Sonoka still looked the same, her long grayish-coral pink hair flowing behind her with a small tuft tied by her ear. Her youthful, innocent face radiated the vibrancy of a young girl. Taki, on the other hand, wore her usual stern expression, as if perpetually in a bad mood, looking noticeably older compared to the others.
What surprised Sui most, though, was seeing Hinako there.
Though she was in her mid-twenties, her innocent demeanor and the simplicity of her surroundings made her appear much younger, like a girl not yet out of her teens. Her long brown hair was braided and fell neatly over her shoulders, with bangs cropped just above her eyes, lending her an air of youthful cuteness.
The moment Sui saw her, the memory of their impulsive kiss flashed vividly in his mind, and he felt a swirl of complicated emotions toward his former lecturer.
Noticing Sui's gaze, Hinako blushed and quickly lowered her head, though she couldn't help sneaking nervous glances at him, her concern evident.
"Sui-kun, it's so great to see you again! I'm really happy you came to visit," Sonoka said, clasping her hands in delight, a wide smile lighting up her face.
"This girl had you listed as her sous-chef for a while now, but clearly, she hasn't been able to stop thinking about you," Taki remarked nonchalantly from the side.
"N-No! Taki-senpai, stop teasing me!" Sonoka protested, her cute face flushing with embarrassment as she lowered her voice.
"Though, to be honest, I have been hoping you'd come back and take your place as my deputy chef, Sui-kun." She looked up again, giving Sui a sweet smile.
"Well, that's why I'm here," Sui replied with a grin. "Since I have free time over the holidays, I thought I'd come back to help."
"Really? That's amazing!" Sonoka's eyes lit up, her voice filled with joy.
"But I won't be able to come every day, and the hours will be short," Sui added apologetically.
"That's perfectly fine! I'm just happy that you'll be joining us again," Sonoka reassured him, her voice soft and warm.
Meanwhile, Hinako hesitated, opening her mouth as if to say something but then staying silent. Deep down, she also wished Sui would visit her shop so she could see him more often, but after a moment of indecision, she kept her thoughts to herself.
"Oh, by the way, I brought a gift," Sui suddenly remembered, pulling out some food as a gesture for his visit.
He revealed beautiful bluefin tuna sashimi, juice from Sakeyashi Fruit, and some frozen bison beef. The bison beef, in particular, had been a hit when he'd previously sent some to Alice's family, and her mother Leonora had loved it. Sui had sent more since then—after all, what could he do when his mother-in-law had such a fondness for it?
"This juice is incredible!" Taki's eyes widened with surprise after taking a sip. It was the first time she'd tasted something so sweet and refreshing.
"This sashimi is exquisite. It must be very high-quality," Sonoka said after trying a piece. A hint of guilt crossed her face as she continued, "This must've been expensive, right? I feel bad accepting such a generous gift."
"Don't mention it," Sui smiled.
The group spent the afternoon chatting, drinking juice, and enjoying the sashimi. However, Hinako seemed somewhat distracted, barely reacting to the delicious food.
As the day began to wind down, Sui stood up. "Well, that's it for today. If I'm free tomorrow, I'll come by and work. Is that alright?"
"Of course! Though I'm worried I won't be able to pay you properly, Sui-kun," Sonoka joked with a smile.
With that, Taki and Hinako prepared to head back to their shops for the evening.
Soon, Sui and Hinako found themselves walking together, the atmosphere between them tense and awkward. Neither of them spoke for a long while, and Sui couldn't help but feel the pressure of having to break the silence.
After a few moments, Sui finally spoke. "Hinako-senpai?"
"H-Huh?" Hinako stammered, blushing as she lowered her head. "W-What is it, Sui?"
"It's nothing much," Sui said awkwardly, scratching his head. "I just wanted to apologize for what happened last time. I was careless. I hope you don't hold it against me."
He was referring to the kiss they had shared.
"Careless?" Hinako suddenly lifted her head, her eyes reddening as she bit her lip. "So, Sui, you're saying you didn't mean it? But you made me… you made me like you so seriously…"
Sui blinked in surprise, taken aback by her words.
'Does Hinako-senpai like me?' he wondered. All this time, he'd thought she was still upset with him over the kiss.
Looking at her now—her red eyes brimming with emotion, and her expression that of a young girl on the verge of tears—Sui felt a headache coming on. He wasn't sure how to respond.
"Well… it wasn't entirely unintentional," he confessed, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "I guess it's because I thought you were cute, that's why…"
"W-What?" Hinako's tears stopped as she stared at him, stunned. A deep blush spread across her cheeks, her heart suddenly pounding in her chest. "Sui… you think I'm cute?"
The anger that had been welling up within her dissipated in an instant, replaced by a shy, happy expression. Her voice faltered as she spoke. "Oh no… how embarrassing. You actually said something like that to your senpai!"
She covered her face with one hand, playfully patting Sui's shoulder with the other, clearly flustered but overjoyed.
Sui stood there, speechless, watching this senpai—who was clearly several years older than him but acted like a girl half her age.
After this exchange, though, the awkwardness between them melted away, and their relationship became more comfortable, even better than it had been before.