Himejima Akeno was angry.
She was certain this guy had feelings for her, but she just couldn’t get the words she wanted to hear out of him.
So even after Shinki left the room, she sat on the bed fuming.
But she couldn’t help worrying, so she ran to the kitchen.
When she saw Shinki cooking with broad, sweeping movements, she barely resisted the urge to facepalm and kicked him out.
“Move, move.
You can’t even cook.” Himejima Akeno yanked the apron off his body and put it on herself.
Though she was young, growing up watching her mother had already honed her cooking skills.
As for Shinki?
It wasn’t that he couldn’t cook—he could make decent food that was edible and not bad—but he was especially stubborn about it.
Grumble…
While waiting for the food, her stomach growled with hunger.
“Sorry to keep you waiting!
One serving of Akeno’s special tonkotsu ramen!” Himejima Akeno carried a wooden tray with a large steaming bowl of ramen on top.
Pale yellow noodles floated in the white broth, dotted with several large slices of cooked pork and a few pork ribs, along with some vibrant green vegetables.
White mixed with green, creating a striking visual effect.
“Akeno, bring me some chili sauce and chicken bouillon powder.” The smell made Shinki’s fingers twitch with anticipation.
He hadn’t liked noodles much at first, but after tasting Himejima Akeno’s mother’s cooking, he’d fallen in love with the flavor.
Akeno went to the kitchen and brought the seasonings.
But the chicken bouillon powder was missing.
“Still missing one thing?” Shinki said.
He was the type who preferred strong flavors—he could skip the spice, but the food had to be savory.
“No.
The pork bone broth is already very savory, and eating too much chicken bouillon powder is bad for your health.
Mom said that boys your age need balanced nutrition.” Hands on her hips, Himejima Akeno stood beside him and lectured like a little adult.
“Fine.” He who takes food is short-tongued.
Shinki stopped complaining, picked up his chopsticks, and started eating.
It tasted good!
“Hehe…” Himejima Akeno watched him for a while, then lay down beside him, staring straight at Shinki, unable to look away.
Watching him like this, she always felt a fluttering in her heart.
“What’s wrong, Akeno?
Is there something on my face?” Shinki smiled and looked over.
“No, it’s…
nothing.” Himejima Akeno looked away.
“If you like it, eat more.
There’s more in the pot.” Shinki didn’t think much of it and continued filling his stomach.
Himejima Akeno kept staring at him from the side.
Her mother had once told her that when you meet someone you like, you have to act fast and seize them with lightning speed.
Shinki was a very good man.
When no one else wanted to play with her, he was still willing to buy her all sorts of fun things and tasty snacks, so Akeno’s innocent heart had already found its home.
But the methods her mother suggested were simply too embarrassing.
Things like drugging, electrocution, knocking him out, forcing herself on him—totally unreliable, okay?
What girl uses tactics like that to pursue a guy?
Shinki had no idea what Himejima Akeno was thinking at that moment, but even if he did, he would only sigh that the Himejima family’s education was truly special.
Also, it was a good thing he had met Himejima Akeno when she was young.
If he had met the Akeno from the main series, his chastity would probably have been long gone.
“By the way, I’ll probably be staying here for a while.” Shinki pretended to say it casually.
“Huh?
Why?” Himejima Akeno asked in surprise.
“I ran out of living expenses, and I can’t go out to work, so I’ll have to crash here for a bit.
Is that okay?” Of course, he hadn’t actually run out of money.
He just didn’t know when the Himejima family would make their move, so he decided to use this excuse to stay.
Otherwise, by the time he heard the news, it would be too late.
“Yay~~~” Hearing this, Himejima Akeno couldn’t help but bounce with joy.
But when she saw Shinki’s strange look, she shrank her shoulders and said, “Mom…
she’d be really happy to know.” “It would be even better if Suzaku Himejima could come too,” Himejima Akeno said wistfully.
In the entire clan, the only people who were good to her besides Shinki were Suzaku Himejima.
But toward Suzaku, Akeno felt a sisterly affection.
Then, all her favorite people could live together.
Though, when that time came, she would have to be careful not to let Sister Suzaku seduce Shinki.
“Another bowl.” Chewing the last piece of rib, Shinki handed the bowl to Akeno.
The sound broke Akeno’s train of thought, and the way she looked at Shinki now held a hint of possessiveness.
Then the girl took the large bowl and walked lightly toward the kitchen, ready to fill it with all the noodles left.
This tonkotsu ramen also had pork kidneys in it.
After all, her mother had said that a man’s waist needs good protection.