Chapter 143

"It's alright, it's alright. Compared to you, Miss Haruno, who always wears a mask, mine is nothing." Feeling a bit annoyed by the topic, he simply replied like this.

As expected, upon Yukino Shita Hiyori stopped dwelling on these trivial and unproductive points, her gaze hardening as she fell silent.

Hiratsuka Shizuka stared at Sakurakoji Talent in surprise, not expecting him to be so brave and have such accurate judgment.

Yukino Shita Hiyori's eyes flickered slightly as she glanced at him casually. "Eh~ what do you mean by that?"

"What does 'sa' mean?"

"..."

She stopped what she was doing, observed him intently for a long time, but still couldn't see the slightest sign of wavering in him. Finally, she reluctantly looked away.

"Young man, you really are something else!"

"After all, I'm handsome."

He tried to lighten the mood, but only received eye rolls from Hiratsuka Shizuka and Ichiji Hoshika.

"I'm really interested in you. How about we go on a date outside sometime?"

"Hey~ Isn't it a bit much to skip confessing and go straight to a date?"

"It's okay! These kinds of relationships happen sometimes! And dating isn't just for couples, even same-sex couples can do it!"

"Is that so? Being alone with a mature older sister like you makes me a little nervous."

Don't worry! I'm not going to eat you!

Hiratsuka Shizuka's eyelids twitched as she listened, suppressing the urge to step forward and punch him a few times.

You get nervous? I never saw you nervous when we ate together.

But what kind of scheme is Hino up to now? Why is she being so eager? She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

Could it be that he's actually fallen for Sakurakoji?

Probably not. After all, she shouldn't be so superficial as to fall in love so quickly, even if the other person is handsome.

So you wanted to play a trick on him, but didn't you pick the wrong opponent? That guy won't let you get your way so easily.

Well, anyway, there might be some fun to see later.

She was happy to see these two annoying guys fighting, no matter who came out on top, and she took a small sip of her hot cocoa.

"Then, can we exchange contact information?"

After a brief conversation, Yukino Shita Hiyori took out her phone and offered to add her contact information.

"Sure." Sakurakoji Talent readily accepted the free sales opportunity.

But if the plot continues to develop like this, will he become intimately involved with her, who is three years older than him, before even meeting the Second Miss lady?

What will happen next?

Hopefully, nothing serious will break out.

For some reason, an image suddenly flashed through his mind: heavy rain, two people fighting, one person trying to break it up, "Stop!"... Just thinking about it made him want to laugh.

Happy.

"Um, let me think... Young man, your name is Sakurakoji Talent, right?" Yukino Shita Hiyori recalled the name she had heard before and confirmed it.

"Yes, that's right, thank you for not forgetting me." He bowed in a perfunctory manner.

"That's quite a rare surname." After setting the nickname, Yukino Shita Hiyori slightly raised her gaze from her phone screen, her expression meaningful.

"Well, after all, there are six-digit surnames in Japan, so it's not surprising that there are all sorts of surnames." He shrugged, his expression as calm as a passing breeze.

Although some might think his name sounds very prestigious and that he must be a descendant of the Old Kazoku, that's not actually the case.

While it is true here, in his previous life, this family and surname did not exist in Japan at all; it was simply a creation of the story.

While it's true that some noble surnames are based on place names, making them easily recognizable, this is simply a misconception.

If she does develop suspicions and launches an investigation—there's nothing he can do about it.

He couldn't just start using a pseudonym now, nor could he stop her from taking action.

"That makes sense." Yukino Shita Hiyori nodded without saying anything.

However, I was still a little concerned. Sakurakoji, that surname sounds familiar. Have I heard it somewhere before?

Volume 1: The Daily Life of Attracting Bees and Butterflies: Chapter 183 Should Be the Romance Every Boy Pursues

Sakurakoji Talent didn't seem to care much about this issue either.

While a family name with a long history may sound impressive, it doesn't have much use in modern society.

If they cannot maintain their position through generations of political activity or secure a place in the business world, their decline will only take a few decades.

For example, the Sakurakoji Family of the previous generation, if it weren't for the fact that they had a third daughter who was disliked, would probably not be much better off now.

Without Sakurakoji Luna's help and the influence of the Okura Family, their very existence would be in question.

Not to mention, Japan has accumulated so many noble family names over the years that they're like stray dogs on the street. There are hundreds of noble titles alone. Can you really expect every single one of them to receive good treatment?

Nowadays, nobles who can still exert influence in their localities, like the hometown of Yōkadō Sakuri, are considered to be doing quite well, comparable to local hereditary councilor families like the Yukinoshita Family.

Moreover, his family had long since moved overseas, and he himself had been living in the cabinet for a long time. Without a thorough investigation, it would be questionable whether he could even be found to exist.

We chatted for a long time about all sorts of things. After going through the daily routine of opening the doors to sell tickets, selling food and drinks, and starting the performance, it was past dinner time when the two women got up to say goodbye—they were going out to eat.

"Sakurakoji, are you going or not?" The person asking him was still Hiratsuka Shizuka.

"Should we have Ramen again, like last time?" He wasn't too keen on it.

If you specifically invited him out, you should at least take him out for a nice meal. It's not a matter of taste, it's a matter of formality!

"What? You're not convinced?" Hiratsuka Shizuka's eyes sharpened.

"... No, Ramen is the best!"

"Alright, what do you want to eat?" Hiratsuka Shizuka asked helplessly, scratching her hair.

"At the very least, it has to be fried rice that makes people's clothes explode after eating it, or a fantastical dish that would make a dieting monk choose to return to secular life. At the very least, it has to be a golden dish that makes people glow and cause hallucinations after eating it..." Sakurakoji Talent gave examples.

"What's that? Have you been reading too many comics?" Hiratsuka Shizuka looked him up and down. "I didn't expect you to prefer food comics over romance comics. Is it to get inspiration for cooking?"

"Oh, by the way, I prefer reading fighting comics!"

"..." Sakurakoji Talent fell silent, sadly accepting reality. "Is that so? No? What a pity..."

What exactly are you talking about?

"I'm saying that superpowers and abilities should be a kind of romance that every boy should pursue."

"It's a girl's way of being romantic, you know," Hiratsuka Shizuka added. "Okay, stop talking nonsense, are you coming or not?"

Although I wanted to tease her that she shouldn't even be considered a girl anymore, I still said, considering she was going to treat us later, "Come on! Of course I'll come! Teacher Shizuka personally invited me, how could I not come!"

"Loquacious."

After speaking to Ichiji Hoshika, he was easily allowed to pass.

Although he wanted to call on others, not everyone was his. Ichiji Hoshika had to manage the venue, and the PA had to constantly adjust the sound—it seems that being a limited-edition catering chef is a pretty good job.

After leaving the Starry, the three began to Shimokitazawa.

After wandering around for a while, for some reason, I ended up at the same Ramen shop as last time.

"What do you want this time?" After asking Yukino Shita Hiyori on her right, Hiratsuka Shizuka turned to Sakurakoji Talent on her left at the long table.

"Last time it was tonkotsu, this time let's try soy sauce."

"Wow~ That's quite courageous, commendable." Hiratsuka Shizuka raised the corners of her cute, delicate lips. "That's right, young people should have the courage to try everything!"

"Let's put courage aside for now," he said, trying to get Yukino Shita Hiyori's attention. "Miss Haruno, would you mind having Ramen for dinner?"

"Hmm? You don't mind? Don't let my appearance fool you, I actually quite like junk food!" She smiled and made a cute gesture.

"I see."

"Don't call Ramen junk food! Are you looking for trouble?!"

Ramen Cult follower, extremely displeased with her remarks, punched her on the head as punishment.

"Ouch~ That hurts!" Yukino Shita Hiyori clutched her head and massaged her injury, tears welling in her eyes. "You still love Ramen so much, Shizuka."

"Hmph, you could eat Ramen your whole life and never get tired of it," Hiratsuka Shizuka said calmly. "Ah, didn't I just say something pretty good? I feel like it could be considered a famous quote!"

"Such a casual saying shouldn't exist." X 2

"Tsk, you two are only so in sync at times like this." She clicked her tongue.

Suddenly, she thought of something.

"Oh, right, Sakurakoji! Do you still have that mackerel from last time? Give me some more!" Hiratsuka Shizuka leaned towards him, her plump, soft cushion pressing against his arm.

The deformation unfolded like a water droplet falling to the ground, causing Sakurakoji Talent's talent to spread outwards like ripples from the splashing water.

Whether it's because she exercises regularly or because of her natural genetic advantages, thank you very much!

The small distance between seats isn't without its advantages, he thought apologetically for the initial assessment he had made when he first entered the building.

"Yes, there is. Teacher Shizuka likes it very much?" He composed himself and turned his head to meet her beautiful face.

At such close range, not only could one clearly see her fair and delicate skin, but also the number of her long, fluttering eyelashes.

"Hmm, that tastes surprisingly good! It's perfect for eating with rice or noodles, no need to cook anything else, so convenient!" Hiratsuka Shizuka placed her left hand on his shoulder, leaning against it for support.

"You should eat your meal properly, don't treat that as the main course!" He sighed, knowing he probably couldn't persuade her, and felt utterly defeated.

If you want her to develop good sleep and lifestyle habits, you can probably only hope that she marries a man who is good at all housework.

"I understand. I'll get you two more cans when I get back."

"Yay! Ta-da!" Hiratsuka Shizuka cheered excitedly.

"Nani?! Delicious?" Yukino Shita Hiyori had smelled something tasty, curiously came closer.

"It's none of your business, go away!" Hiratsuka Shizuka waved her hand to shoo him away.

"Eh~~ Aren't we like-minded partners, Yuuki-chan~~"

"Who said you're a partner? I don't recall ever doing that."

After watching the bickering of this pair of bickering lovers for a while, Sakurakoji Talent interjected to end it. "Last time I gave Teacher Shizuka some local specialties, and she seemed to like them quite a bit. Miss Haruno, would you like some? If so, I'll get you some later."

"Yes! I want it!" She accepted without hesitation.

"You're hopeless." Hiratsuka Shizuka was disgusted by her shamelessness.

Before long, their food arrived, and the fragrant soup made them abandon their argument and focus on dinner.

After finishing their meal, the three of them went to where Hiratsuka Shizuka had parked her car.

To get the marinated mackerel, Hiratsuka Shizuka drove to his residence first. Because she was intercepted by Yukino Shita Hiyori after school, she was driving her Land Cruiser instead of a supercar.

Thanks to this, Sakurakoji Talent didn't have to take a taxi home by himself.

"Hey, here you go, one for each of you later." After coming downstairs, he placed the two bags on the passenger seat.

Because he couldn't carry that many by himself, he had to put them in a bag.

Thank you!

"See you next time, buddy!"

After saying goodbye, he watched the vehicle gradually disappear into the distance, thus concluding his journey for the day.

Yeah, right!

Back in his room, looking at Aoyama Nanami and Shiina Mashiro entangled together, Sakurakoji Talent felt a headache coming on.

"What's wrong? Why is Mashiro here?"

They weren't here when he came up earlier, so how come they appeared in the blink of an eye?

Speaking of Marcy, he inexplicably thought of the medicine seller in the Tsukinomori.

He shook his head, almost hallucinating.

"Ah, Young Master!"