13: Chapter 12: Natsume-kun, Are You Admitting It?
13: Chapter 12: Natsume-kun, Are You Admitting It?
Tazuna Hayakawa.
Within Tracen Academy, not every single person might recognize that name.
But if you mentioned her other title— The Green Demon.
Everyone knew it.
Exaggerating slightly, the name could probably stop children from crying.
Tazuna’s reputation had really been victimized.
Outside Tracen Academy, however, the name Tazuna Hayakawa meant almost nothing.
Nobody in this yakiniku restaurant recognized her.
At least…
Not until Li Ze arrived.
Guided by a server, Li Ze entered the private booth and saw the woman dressed entirely in green.
Li Ze’s unflattering mental description wasn’t really his fault.
Tazuna’s fashion taste genuinely worked that way.
Green hat.
Green jacket.
Her lower body was hidden beneath the table.
“You came, Natsume Trainer.
“Would it be all right if I called you Natsume-kun?” The meat sizzled on the grill.
Li Ze sat opposite her.
“That’s fine, Miss Hayakawa.” “Then you can simply call me Tazuna.
“Natsume, what did you think of the honey drink?” Tazuna asked casually while grilling meat.
That single sentence immediately activated Li Ze’s alertness.
The person sitting here was Natsume Sawa.
Not Natsume Reiko.
The honey drink had been Tokai Teio’s gift to Natsume Reiko.
Their conversation that afternoon had ended before Reiko drank it.
When leaving the apartment, she’d placed it in the refrigerator.
Therefore…
Natsume Sawa should not know what it tasted like.
Once he understood that layer, Li Ze replied: “Honey drink?
“So that’s what the drink in the fridge was.
“It belongs to Reiko.
I wouldn’t touch her things.” Thinking one layer deeper…
Why had Tazuna asked?
Was this a test?
She had suspicions but no decisive evidence?
So this yakiniku dinner really was a Hongmen Banquet.
Then why did I still come?
Li Ze checked the time.
Around eleven.
He remembered sending Tazuna and Teio away around eight.
Three hours had passed.
And now, sitting inside a restaurant filled with the smell of grilled meat…
Li Ze actually felt hungry.
Earlier, he’d eaten a bento at home in human form.
Normally, one bento was enough for him.
Afterward, he transformed and went out for ramen with Tazuna and Teio.
That ramen portion was Uma Musume-sized.
A normal person couldn’t even finish half of it.
And now…
Li Ze was hungry again.
His appetite differed between human and Uma Musume forms.
But how was energy consumption transferred between them?
The system offered no explanation.
Li Ze didn’t understand the mechanism.
So he decided to use the simplest rule possible.
Eat until full three times a day.
Right now…
He’d simply blame the smell of grilled meat for making him hungry.
That still didn’t explain why he’d accepted the invitation at all.
Someone says “yakiniku” and I immediately show up?
That’s way too shameless.
“Natsume-kun, here.
This piece is ready.” “Thank you, Tazuna.” Exactly.
I came for the meat.
After weeks of cheap bentos, Li Ze was watching every yen.
He’d even rented a training ground, which would become a major expense.
The price he’d negotiated was already incredibly low.
Practically a gift.
But over the course of a year…
It still added up.
He’d recently splurged on fruit.
There was no way he could afford another luxury meal.
So if someone offered free yakiniku…
That was irresistible.
“Actually…
“Natsume-kun is Natsume-san, isn’t he?” “Hm?!!” The instant the meat entered his mouth, Li Ze jerked his head up.
His eyes widened at Tazuna.
She wore the faintest smile.
Sister.
Who starts a conversation like that?!
Going straight to the point doesn’t mean launching a nuclear strike in the opening sentence!
I still want to eat!
Li Ze understood that his next answer needed to be extremely careful.
This directly affected how much yakiniku he could consume tonight.
“Tazuna, what are you talking about?
I don’t understand.” Only after swallowing the meat did Li Ze speak clearly.
Meanwhile…
He was already reaching for another cooked slice.
The man had come fully prepared.
This situation was simply one possibility he’d anticipated.
A tiny obstacle like this thought it could prevent him from eating beef?
Delusional.
“Don’t rush to deny it.
“And don’t focus so much on eating.
“We have plenty of time to talk.
“Natsume-kun, you know…
“You overlooked quite a few things.” Li Ze didn’t answer.
Silence was golden.
At a time like this, explanations became concealment.
All he needed was to deny the critical claim at the right moment.
Besides…
His mouth had a more important job.
Chewing beef.
Unless you’d spent days eating nothing but bargain bentos, you couldn’t understand how delicious beef truly was.
This was the kind of luxury the part-time warrior Li Ze normally refused to buy.
Food expenses in Japan were no joke!
He surrendered all initiative to Tazuna.
His eyes.
His heart.
His hands.
Everything focused on the beef.
If he’d studied this seriously in school…
His grades would’ve been incredible.
Tazuna began.
“Your apartment looks like two people live there.
“You remembered to prepare separate bedding and clothing.
“But the bathroom had only one toothbrush and one tube of toothpaste.
“Even the body wash seemed shared.
“How should I put this…
“Natsume-kun, you really don’t understand girls.
“An Uma Musume might not own makeup.
“But skincare products?
“Almost everyone has at least something.” Li Ze remained silent.
He continued attacking the beef.
This level of evidence didn’t worry him.
He’d already thought of an excuse.
One word.
Poor.
Everything in the bathroom was bargain-priced.
He could buy a second set tomorrow.
Tazuna couldn’t possibly have taken photographs inside his bathroom.
He would’ve heard the shutter.
Japanese law required smartphone cameras to make shutter sounds.
“Second point.
“The day of Natsume-san’s debut race, I met you outside the racetrack.
“You appeared to have a serious muscle strain.
“At first glance, nothing seemed strange.
“But think about it carefully.
“If you’d already been injured before entering the venue, why didn’t you go to the doctor?
“There was no smell of medication on your leg.
“That means the injury occurred during the race.
“But how does a Trainer sitting in the spectator stands strain himself that badly?
“And coincidentally…
“I left later than most spectators.
“After the race ended, I personally saw Natsume-san walking slowly.
“She looked injured too.
“Once I returned home, I compared the two walking patterns.
“What a coincidence.
“Natsume-kun…
“You and Natsume-san walk exactly the same way when injured.” Tazuna smiled.
Like a demon holding out a contract.
“Natsume-kun…
“Do you have anything to say?
“Or should I consider your silence an admission?” ————————————————————————————— Thank you so much for reading until the end.
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