Yukie prepared a traditional Japanese meal: wasabi salad shrimp, salmon sashimi, okra tofu miso soup, and vegetable and seafood tempura.
Yukie's cooking skills were excellent; at least the dishes looked much more appealing than Misae's cooking.
"Here, whether it suits your taste or not, just eat what's available!"
Shizuka came out of the kitchen, carrying a plate of slightly burnt and faintly charred-smelling sanma (saury), and placed it in front of Shinnosuke.
This was already the limit of her cooking ability. Even under her mother's guidance, this sanma was still a bit overcooked.
Ryoka's eyes widened.
Shizuka's homemade cooking! He wanted to try it too! This should be Shizuka's first cooking since she was little. Of course, instant noodles didn't count.
However, after being glared at by Yukie, Ryoka didn't dare to speak. The lesson from just now was still fresh in his memory; he didn't dare to say much.
Shizuka tossed the sanma to Shinnosuke, sat down in her place, her eyes constantly stealing glances this way.
Shinnosuke was a little helpless. Shizuka's character breakdown was a bit too fast. Why was there such a strong Eriri vibe?
If she had shown this side earlier during blind dates, she wouldn't have always failed.
A woman who looked strong on the outside like Shizuka, in her heart more or less yearned to be conquered, only it required a man strong enough to appear, on the condition that the man was quite remarkable.
For example, having her own career, or achieving considerable accomplishments in a certain field, or having a strong enough physique.
Shizuka thought that Shinnosuke's sudden greeting earlier only made her slightly interested, but just now Shinnosuke easily blocked her punch, completely collapsing her psychological defenses.
Having been raised like a boy by Ryoka since childhood, she who had always been the older sister found herself powerless in front of Shinnosuke. In other words, every time before, Shinnosuke had always given her face.
However, due to the special relationship between the two of them, Shizuka didn't dare to face her own heart, and then turned into a tsundere.
"It still tastes pretty good, it's just that there's too much salt, and it's a bit burnt..."
Under Shizuka's gaze, Shinnosuke sincerely tasted the sanma and gave an honest evaluation.
"It's already pretty good that there's something to eat! Ugh..."
Hearing Shinnosuke dare to say something negative about this sanma, Shizuka was just about to get angry, but was immediately pinched by her mother, and she obediently shut her mouth.
Apart from the sanma, the other dishes tasted very delicious. Shinnosuke thoroughly enjoyed this meal. Of course, in the end he still finished the sanma, which also made Shizuka's expression much better.
"Alright, Shizuka, please take Shinnosuke home later."
Yukie handed over the task of taking Shinnosuke home to Shizuka.
"Hurry back, I still have business with your father."
Yukie saw off her guest. Clearly, she still had to educate Ryoka properly.
Being seen off and even pushed into the car by Yukie, Shizuka now didn't even dare to look at Shinnosuke.
"Where is your house?"
Hearing Shinnosuke mention his address, Shizuka felt it was somewhat familiar.
"Isn't this Yukinoshita's house address?"
Her gaze sharpened, her expression as she looked at Shinnosuke became very dangerous.
"Yukinon and I are neighbors."
"Don't let me find out you have bad intentions towards Yukinoshita."
"Shizuka-chan, how many times have I told you, I like sexy, beautiful, and most importantly gentle mature women. Do you think Yukinon meets those criteria?"
"Yukinoshita is indeed a bit flat..."
Shizuka quickly shook her head.
"Don't change the subject! Maybe everything you said is just an act!"
"An act? Why would I need to act?"
Shinnosuke found it a bit strange; suddenly he felt Shizuka resembled Matsuzaka Ume. Although her face and figure were decent, it was just that her temperament was a bit bad. But now Matsuzaka Ume should be called Gyoda Ume, because she had married Gyoda Tokuro a few years ago.
'I wonder how Matsuzaka-sensei and Doctor Tokuro are doing. The last time I saw him, Doctor Tokuro seemed quite busy with work.'
"Take Shizuka-chan for example, if Shizuka-chan's character could be a little gentler, she would definitely be the type I like."
"..."
Throughout the drive home, Shizuka didn't say a word, wanting nothing more than to floor the accelerator and drive as fast as possible.
She drove all the way to the apartment, and after seeing Shinnosuke get out, she finally uttered threatening words and sped away.
"Damn brat, you just wait!"
Truly troublesome, Shinnosuke shook his head and walked towards the apartment.
"Shiro, why are you here? Hurry up and come home with me!"
If Shiro could talk, he would definitely give him a good scolding. Clearly, you were the one who went off with that bald uncle and forgot me by the riverbank!
Just as he got home, he saw a message from Eriri.
Riri: {Master at home? How about I bring the painting over now?}
Fatso: {Okay, I happen to have time.}
Riri: {Wait for me! Almost there!}
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Putting down her phone, Eriri was very excited. She could finally go to Shinnosuke's house!
After some members of the Kasukabe Defense Force left yesterday, Eriri chatted with Utaha for a while longer.
The situation at that time was like this.
"Eriri, actually there's one thing I wanted to tell you."
Utaha's expression was serious; she looked at her earnestly.
It was time for her to tell her about using Eriri and Shinnosuke as material for writing her light novel. The first volume of her novel was about to be completed. Once she submitted it, this matter would definitely no longer be able to be hidden. It was better to tell her earlier.
"What?"
Utaha, who was suddenly so serious, made Eriri a little uneasy.
"Is it about you having no love experience? I already guessed. Kasumigaoka, you definitely haven't dated since birth, right?"
"Huh?"
Utaha didn't expect herself to be completely read.
"Don't worry, Kasumigaoka. Even though you have no love experience, I will still be your friend."
"Th-that's not it! I'm writing a light novel! With your relationship and Nohara-kun as the basis, so I thought I needed to tell you!"
"A li-light novel based on my relationship with Shinnosuke?"
Eriri's eyes immediately lit up. She had a lot of material! If it could all be written down, it would definitely be a bestseller!
Unfortunately, Riri's issue was a secret between her and Shinnosuke, it couldn't be written into a novel or drawn into a comic.
"As long as our two names don't appear!"
Eriri unconsciously thought that Utaha was writing a pure love story, but she completely didn't expect that Utaha's novel wasn't pure love, but a stock market (a guessing game of which character would win) from the beginning! And the female protagonist wasn't based on Eriri, but on herself, Utaha. Eriri was just a defeated tsundere!