A Toast with Shizuka

"Of course!" The shadow of demon horns and flames appeared behind the dumpling girl.

The two headed to a café that had recently become very popular online. The owner was said to be a highly acclaimed pastry chef who had won awards overseas, and the café was known for its weekly introduction of new desserts, which had made it popular among female college and high school students.

Previously, when she possessed and summoned Ibaraki Doji, she had indeed suffered a lot in the online world. So Yuihama decided early on that she would make up for all the fright and grievances she suffered back then with just as much sweet happiness today.

Led by Yuihama, the two arrived at the café and saw windows with symmetrical lattice glass around the perimeter, and a French Mediterranean-style rosewood door. Pushing open the brass doorknob, which was the same color as the wooden door, they saw a brass bell hanging above the store, which rang.

The interior is decorated in a sophisticated French style, with small cages containing potted plants and symmetrical, graceful curves. Stepping inside, one feels as if they have entered a different time zone. Melodious piano music plays inside, making even breathing seem to slow down.

"Welcome!" The waiter inside bowed slightly and led the two to their seats.

Because it's a popular spot for young women, I expected it to be a trendy themed café or a more common maid cafe. Surprisingly, the staff were dressed very formally, with both men and women wearing Western-style jackets and black trousers.

When the waiter brought the menu, Yuihama ordered four desserts and began to enjoy them. Ibaraki Doji, who was already inside her, showed an incredibly happy smile.

"But eating this much will make me fat, so Shirou, please eat half of it for me!" Yuihama pleaded, clasping her hands together.

"I just can't do anything with you!" Shirou replied.

At this moment, the waiter brought over four desserts, each with a long, silver-white spoon on top of the cup, and then quietly walked backstage.

Shirou felt something was off; it turned out a spoon was missing. He tried to call out to the clerk, but the clerk quickened his pace.

"Why? Why are we going further and further away?" Shirou asked, puzzled.

The reason this cafe is so popular isn't just because of its delicious desserts, but also because it offers a hidden service: it spontaneously matches up couples who come to the cafe but aren't quite lovers.

The waiter, now in shadow, revealed a handsome, sculpted face. He gave a thumbs-up and said to Shirou from afar, "Brother, this is all I can do for you!"

Because the male waiters were all avoiding him, Shirou had no choice but to ask other waiters for help.

Just then, a waitress passed by carrying a tray of clean bowls and plates, which should also have clean spoons on it.

"Hello, could I have a spoon?" Shirou said, raising his hand slightly.

"Ah!!" The waitress next to her stumbled dramatically on flat ground, but didn't fall. She just accidentally touched the spoon, causing it to fall to the ground.

"Young lady, he looks like a good man, you should grab him!" The waitress winked at Yuihama over there.

"Honestly! Stop dawdling! Come on!" Ibaraki Doji took over the body, pinching Shirou's chin with one hand, making his mouth open involuntarily, and then stuffing a scoop full of chocolate cream into the boy's mouth.

"Isn't it delicious, Shirou!" Ibaraki said proudly, just like a primary school student recommending a delicious snack he had accidentally discovered to his best friend.

"Mmm... so sweet." Shirou nodded blankly.

"Right! Right! Yuihama, she really is a master of appreciating sweets! She always manages to introduce me to all sorts of desserts I've never tried before! Although her own attempts are completely terrible, the kitchen is a complete mess, and she even got scolded by Mom." Ibaraki chuckled as he scooped up another spoonful and stuffed it into his mouth, laughing gleefully.

"Come on! Ah!" Ibaraki Doji once again held the spoon towards the boy's mouth.

Because the object of his affection was Ibaraki Doji, Shirou relaxed and opened his mouth to accept being fed. He and Ibaraki Doji shared the four portions of sweets, taking turns eating them.

The staff, who were crouching under tables, peeking out from behind walls, or sneaking into various inconspicuous corners of the store, all wore expressions of shock.

"Wow, that little girl is so cool!"

"That boy ate it obediently, that's amazing!"

"I guess I really did meddle," the waiter who had previously offered a helpful assist chuckled self-deprecatingly.

At that moment, the pastry chef in the top hat backstage, who was also the owner of the café, gleamed with a sharp, hawk-like light in his eyes, and pointed at the girl with the chubby face, saying, "No! Look closely! Look, her ears are turning red. She seems to be working quite hard."

"Ah! It really is!"

"So cute!"

"I will always support you." At this moment, the store staff all offered their heartfelt blessings.

In the Inner World, the dumpling-shaped girl, her face flushed, was pinching her ears and rolling around on the ground.

'So! Ibaraki! What are you doing to Shirou?! You're so bold! I'm so envious! No! I'm so ashamed!'

However, Ibaraki Doji, who was focused on enjoying the dessert, was too preoccupied to listen to Yuihama inside. His ears turned slightly red, but he didn't say anything at all.

"But let me make this clear first, you won't get any of the strawberries or the chocolate cookies here!" Ibaraki said, looking at the boy warily as he scooped up the cream from his ice cream.

"Okay, I won't argue with you," Shirou replied with a smile.

"And I've fed you so many times already, it's about time you changed your mind! Feeding you all this time is such a hassle, just finish feeding me first, then you can eat again!" Ibaraki said, handing the spoon to Shirou.

"Yes, yes, come on," Shirou replied nonchalantly, scooping up a spoonful of the new cake and feeding it to the girl.

Ibaraki squinted his eyes, enjoying the spoonfuls of dessert Shirou offered him. The rich, sweet chocolate and thick, smooth cream melted in his mouth, flowing together, a delight that went from his tongue to his heart.

Shirou's hands were very dexterous, and he was also very good at serving people, so he put all the ice cream and cream into the girl's mouth without spilling a single drop. So she didn't feel any stickiness on her lips. She just needed to close her eyes, listen to the music, and open her mouth to enjoy it.

With his eyes closed, Ibaraki chuckled and exclaimed, "Mmm, mmm, whew, this feels so good! Now I think I understand why Shuten likes handsome guys so much..."

"Ah! I had this banana flavor last time, so you can have this one, Yuihama. I'm going back now, goodbye." Ibaraki waved to Yuihama in his Inner World, then dispelled his possession and returned to Chaldea side.

Meanwhile, in the real world, completely unaware Shirou once again picked up a spoon and offered the dessert to Yuihama's lips.

"Ugh... Hmm." Yuihama was in a daze when she habitually opened her mouth. Only after her taste buds tasted the overflowing sweetness did she come back to her senses. Her big eyes widened, she put the spoon in her mouth, and her body stiffened.

"Waaah..." Yuihama's face turned bright red, and at this moment, she couldn't possibly look up at the boy.

A satisfied Ibaraki Doji had already returned to Chaldea side.

The nearby waiters tacitly kept their distance, avoiding the nearby tables, and even when customers came in, they led them to seats on the other side, so that Yuihama would not be disturbed in any way.

'How embarrassing! What should I do? Why isn't anyone coming over?! Someone please come quickly, Yukino! Asuna! Someone pull me out of here!' the girl cried out in her mind.

"What's wrong? The ice cream is dribbling out of your mouth." Shirou looked at the girl who was shaking her head excitedly with a puzzled expression, took the spoon out of her mouth, picked up a napkin, and gently wiped the corner of her mouth.

Yuihama, her face flushed, spoke in a high-pitched voice, "Shirou! That's enough! Ibaraki has already gone back."

"Oh... oh, sorry." Shirou then realized that although he had fed Ibaraki with the intention of taking care of a child, everything would be different if they were classmates.

"Hoo hoo hoo... Not only did he feed her ice cream, but he even wiped her mouth for her. He's so doting! And he did it all so naturally. So sweet!" The people in the shop covered their mouths and laughed.

'Ah... so that's how it is. As expected, in other people's eyes, this is already a pretty stupid couple.' Shirou realized what was going on with everyone's gazes, and the boy felt ashamed. He withdrew his hand from wiping the girl's mouth.

Just then, Yuihama, her face flushed, looked up and her eyes met the boy's. Then they both looked away.

"So cute, so youthful and innocent." The other office ladies in business suits exchanged smiles with their friends.

"Mmm, it's so nice to see them like this. It makes me feel so nostalgic!" The woman sitting opposite me, who looked to be under twenty-five or twenty-six, sighed, cupping her face in her hands.

They also seem to be caught up in their first love from their student days, though they don't know that it's a romanticized version of that memory.

There were also waiters around who seemed to be smiling in a rather ambiguous way. The waitress who had dramatically knocked over the spoon earlier even raised her clenched fist in their direction, as if to cheer them on.

'It seems they're not just being seen as a silly couple, but rather a very conspicuously obnoxious one; almost everyone in the store is staring at them! It's like they're being roasted under a magnifying glass in the sun.'

Shirou gave a helpless dry laugh, then looked at the girl sitting opposite him, his eyes widening in shock.

"Wait! Yuihama- san! Your face is as red as a boiled shrimp! And what's with the steam coming out of the dango?! Don't let it get cooked!"

'This is bad! This won't do! We can't stay here any longer!'

Shirou decisively pulled the receipt from the shelf and broke the awkward silence by saying, "... Yuihama! If you've finished eating, let's leave."

"Ah! Yes! Shirou! I'm full! I feel so hot, let's go out for some fresh air!" Yuihama quickly agreed, though her voice still sounded a little nervous.

The people in the shop nodded kindly, understanding: 'Yes, yes, even though it's early spring and the snow has just melted, and you were just eating ice cream, you still feel hot?'

For some reason, the gazes around them seemed to soften. The young man and woman quickly stood up, put on their coats, walked to the cashier, paid, and left.

"Hey buddy, keep it up!" The cashier patted the boy on the shoulder as he was leaving.

"Shirou! Let's go!" Yuihama grabbed Shirou's wrist and dragged him away quickly.

The people inside the shop smiled kindly, offering their blessings to the departing young man and woman.

The girl, head bowed, dragged the boy along, running all the way to a nearby park. Only after escaping the noisy crowds did Yuihama finally calm down.

However, after they stopped, the atmosphere became very awkward, and they didn't know what to say to smooth things over.

Shirou looked at the bun on the girl's head; at least she wasn't puffing smoke anymore, which was better than anything else.

"Oh, right, Shirou, take a look at this..."

To break the awkward silence, Yuihama suddenly remembered something and pulled a colorful piece of paper that looked like a flyer from her bag.

Shirou looked at the picture the girl handed him, which depicted a place filled with red lanterns and dragon and lion dances lit up in gold and red—a place with a distinctly Chinese style.

"Yes, it's a temple fair, a spring festival."

"Hmm, it seems to be held in accordance with the Chinese New Year in January. The Chinese New Year is different from January 1st in Japan's Gregorian calendar. It seems that Japan uses the lunar calendar." Yuihama raising her finger.

"I see. Yuihama is surprisingly knowledgeable, even though she's completely inept at studying and cooking," Shirou remarked with some surprise.

"How rude of me! But that's what it says on the back of the flyer." Yuihama playfully patted Shirou, then stuck out her tongue cutely.

"I see." Shirou nodded in understanding, then asked, "The spring festival, huh? School will be in session by then, so everyone should be free, right?"

'After all, sneaking away once is already quite cunning... and I don't want to ruin our current relationship...' Yuihama, then muttered very softly.

"Hmm?" Shirou asked, looking at him.

"Hmm... Let's call everyone out together and have a great time!" Yuihama bit her lip, looking conflicted, but still said.

"Yeah, I know! Let's invite everyone to go together then." Shirou said with a smile as he took the promotional poster.

"Yeah! It's definitely more fun with more people!" Yuihama usual bright smile, though she was a little disappointed, she was also relieved.

It was really fun to be able to go out and play alone with Shirou like this, even though things had been a little too exciting before.

But if that disrupts the balance and creates a distance between her and Yukino, and Asuna, their harmonious and pleasant friendship will be impossible to maintain, which is definitely not what she wants to happen.

"Yes! This is for you too~!" Yuihama thought to herself as she took out a package tied with a red ribbon from her bag and handed it to the boy.

Shirou took it from her, finding it very light, and asked, "Thank you, what is this?"

"An early Valentine's Day chocolate!" Yuihama a playful smile.

"Ah, so in China, Valentine's Day does indeed fall before the Spring Festival. But here, Valentine's Day is the biggest holiday," Shirou remarked with a sigh.

Yuihama puffed out her cheeks and said with dissatisfaction, "What kind of attitude is that? It's infuriating! You receive so many chocolates every year, don't you care at all? Show a little bit of happiness!"

Thinking about what would happen next, Shirou couldn't be happy at all. He said, "Everyone just wants a White Day gift in return. If I hadn't firmly refused, even the boys in my class would have wanted to give me a Valentine's Day present."

"Haha, after all, Shirou's sweets are delicious, and some people definitely think so. But there are also people who make handmade chocolates with their hearts. So please enjoy my chocolate."

"Well... although it's quite delicious, it took me several days to make it!" Yuihama said softly, pointing to her index finger.

'Although I don't know why making chocolate can take several days, Ibaraki mentioned before that the girl probably got scolded by her mother for it. Anyway, I'll accept it with deepest respect.'

Shirou thought for a moment and carefully put the chocolate into the breast pocket of his coat.

"I know, this will be the snacks for the next couple of days. It's chocolate made by Yuihama. It'll probably go well with unsweetened black coffee," Shirou said with a smile.

"What do you mean!? I tried my best. At least it won't be like before, making you eat burnt cookies!" Yuihama said angrily.

"No, no, that's already cookie-flavored charcoal," Shirou said, waving his hand.

Yuihama swung her hands, slapping Shirou's shoulders repeatedly, and shouted angrily, "You actually said it! If you have any objections, then teach me properly! I've already asked Yukino and Mom for advice on both desserts and cooking!"

Shirou blocked the dango girl's attack, saying, "It's just a joke, just a joke. I'll savor it, and look forward to your return gift."

"Yes, that's good!" Yuihama flashed her signature bright smile, then muttered to herself in a low voice, "... Let's just get this far this year..."

After that, the two went shopping and sightseeing together. He escorted the girl back to her doorstep, and it was already past 7 p. m. The boy then walked out onto the street, preparing to go home as well.

Just then, Shirou noticed a somewhat familiar luxury car parked at the intersection in front of a shop on the sidewalk. The glass door opened, and a tall woman with long black hair, wearing a suit jacket, walked out, carrying a hard paper bag and swinging her car keys.

"Yo! Shirou."

"Ah, good evening, teacher." Shirou frowned as he looked closely at the bread in the paper bag and said, "Is this all you're eating for dinner? It's already a holiday!"

"Stop nagging! I've been eating ramen for three days straight! Can't I change things up?! I've even been avoiding my mom at home, so don't come and nag me on her behalf!" Shizuka Hiratsuka complained in frustration.

"Huh? You haven't been home or seen your family since you returned to Japan?" Shirou asked his teacher with even more surprise.

"I can't go back! Every time I go back, my mom nags me about blind dates, and I have to see my dad's grumpy face. Who can stand that?!" Shizuka Hiratsuka said, holding her face as if she were constipated.

"Haaah... Well then, goodbye." Shirou chuckled dryly, finding it all rather troublesome, and turned to leave.

"Since we've already crashed, do you think I'm going to let you go back? Get in the car!" Without saying a word, Shizuka Hiratsuka dragged Shirou into the car, started the engine, stepped on the gas, and drove off quickly towards the suburbs for a spin.

Chapter 296 Cheers to Shizuka

In the darkness, on a quiet road, the white light cast by car headlights illuminated the scene. A fleeting shadow whizzed past, and the trees outside the window were instantly out of sight.

The woman's eyes gleamed, and an excited smile spread across her face as she reveled in the exhilarating feeling that speed brought her.

The car's engine roared as it swerved around corners, the tires screeching against the ground like a wild beast, before finally crossing the border of Chiba Prefecture. The woman in the driver's seat let out a joyful shout and checked the time.