"It's nothing, Hisako. I just got some soy milk on me. He didn't do anything to me."
Looking at Hisako Arato, who had been checking her for injuries since before, Erina Nakiri patted her shoulder and shook her head, though her expression was terribly grim.
"Asaka-nee, Rika-nee, please take Erina home to shower and change clothes. I'll stay here to serve this batch of customers. Let's close for the day."
He changed the sign at the shop entrance to "Temporarily Closed." Since his home was relatively close, he asked Yaxiang Lixiang to take Erina Nakiri back to shower and rest, while he stayed to serve the remaining customers.
"Mm, okay."
"Then we'll head back first."
After a brief exchange, the two parties separated. Hoshino Sora then turned his attention to the onlookers.
"Sorry to have startled everyone. This meal is on me today. I hope you can be understanding, and please don't spread what happened today."
"Don't worry, Boss, our mouths are sealed."
"Exactly, these secret photographers are too despicable nowadays. It's truly a decline in public morals. Boss, that kick of yours was satisfying."
As Hoshino Sora spoke, the dozen or so customers in the shop responded one after another. Fortunately, it was the transition period between breakfast and lunch, so there weren't many people present, and there was no one else near where the yellow-haired guy was sitting.
Overall, the impact was minimal. Now, it depended on Erina Nakiri's handling ability.
As the daughter of the highest culinary academy in Japan, Hoshino Sora didn't think she couldn't handle this small matter. So, apart from closing for a day, this incident had no impact on him.
Returning to the kitchen, he packed some pork hocks to take back, but it wasn't enough. There was still a lot in the pot. After a moment's thought, Hoshino Sora packed them separately, counted the customers present, and gave them all away as hush money, while also avoiding waste.
Cleaning the stove, tidying the tables, washing the dishes—everything was done by two in the afternoon. He was so tired his back ached. He locked the shop door and went home.
During the cleaning process, some diners came by, but Hoshino Sora politely turned them away.
"I'm home."
Dragging his tired body, he arrived home at 2:10 PM. What greeted his eyes were two pairs of beautiful, unfamiliar shoes. Well, not entirely unfamiliar, as he had seen them several times, but he hadn't paid close attention before.
They haven't left yet? Erina Nakiri and Hisako Arato…
With this thought, Hoshino Sora took off his shoes, preparing to step onto the genkan. The next moment, Yaxiang Lixiang appeared out of nowhere, thoughtfully preparing slippers for him.
Ya Xiang (Lixiang): "Welcome home~"
Ya Xiang: "Do you want to eat first?"
Lixiang: "Or shower first?"
Ya Xiang (Lixiang): "Or perhaps, eat us first?"
Looking at the two sisters kneeling on the floor, one on each side, speaking in turn with charming smiles on their faces, Hoshino Sora helplessly patted his head.
"I want to go inside first."
Hoshino Sora said, putting on his slippers and entering the house, ignoring the two sisters who looked a bit disappointed. The main reason was that he really didn't know how to respond to what they said.
He couldn't possibly say, "I want to shower while eating you two," could he? That would be a bit inappropriate.
"Did you make something? It smells so good."
Just a few steps past the genkan, Hoshino Sora smelled the fragrance from the kitchen—a very rich aroma of eel. Immediately, he became interested.
"Eri Nai said she was hungry after her shower and wanted to make lunch. Then she called someone to deliver a few eels. She's been busy for about an hour, so it should be almost ready."
Hearing Hoshino Sora's question, Ya Xiang counted on her fingers. After they got home, Eri Nai went to take a shower first, changed into her original clothes, and then, with a tsundere expression, asked if their house had any ingredients.
She said she was hungry, but after seeing the promotional ingredients in their refrigerator, she made a disgusted face and called someone to deliver a few Japanese eels.
"Is she making grilled eel rice? The aroma is so strong, it must be almost ready. Hurry and wash your hands to eat."
"Hmph, a commoner like you should feel lucky to eat a dish personally cooked by me, Hoshino-kun."
As Hoshino Sora stepped into the kitchen, Erina Nakiri looked at him with a confident smile, holding a silver platter. Don't think that being good at imitation is impressive; what truly evaluates a chef's skill is always only the taste of the dish at hand!
"Hoshino-kun? I remember you should call me Master, right? You called me that quite well yesterday, why have you forgotten today?"
Hoshino Sora feigned a puzzled expression, then seriously corrected Erina Nakiri's slip of the tongue. This guy must have been too busy and confused, otherwise, why would she forget to call him Master?
"There are no customers now, and it's not working hours!"
"Then why was it last night? Did you just want to call me that, or was Erina's not-so-bright mind not reacting, and now it finally has?"
"You're the one who's not so bright!"
In a simple verbal exchange, Erina Nakiri was defeated, her cheeks puffing up like a pufferfish. Hisako didn't join the battle, knowing she couldn't win against Hoshino Sora.
This man was truly terrifying; his words were incredibly sharp. Yesterday, even the two of them together were no match, and they were even tricked into becoming maids by him. Fortunately, it was only for a month.
One could only say they were too naive, and this incident served as a lesson. Because of this, Hisako developed a faint sense of awe towards Hoshino Sora. In any case, she wouldn't argue with him.
They were chefs, after all! If there was a competition, it should be in cooking. What kind of skill was it to win with verbal attacks?
After finding some simple self-comfort, Hisako Arato didn't feel so bad. Then, looking at Erina Nakiri, who was hanging her head like a defeated rooster, she couldn't help but sigh.
Erina-sama, why do you provoke him?
"Wash your hands and eat."
Looking at the deflated Erina Nakiri, Hoshino Sora's mood, which had been irritated by troublesome matters, immediately improved significantly. He then washed his hands and came to the dining table where five silver platters were placed.
Needless to say, these were definitely sent by Erina Nakiri. The young lady truly was particular.
The rich aroma of grilled eel was wafting from the covered edges. Hoshino Sora eagerly opened the platter, and a steaming bowl of grilled eel rice appeared before him.
The aroma, at the moment the lid was opened, transformed into a golden light wave, wildly assaulting Hoshino Sora's nostrils, making him involuntarily step back. A large amount of saliva began to secrete without his brain's consent, finally culminating in a "gulp" sound.
"So fresh, so tender!"
He picked up a piece of eel, suppressing his appetite to examine it. It was fresh and tender yet resilient, not falling apart, emitting the rich aroma of grilled sauce. Its exterior was yellowish-brown with some charring, and the fatty parts were particularly plump and round. One bite would definitely be incredibly satisfying!