Chapter 459: An Offer from Shion, and an Order to Unleash Kirukiru
It has often been said that the cruelest form of torture in a restaurant is being forced to watch others eat. It is an agonizing experience, made infinitely worse when the food in question is a masterpiece of color, aroma, and flavor.
One must understand, the individuals currently seated were no ordinary diners. They represented the most formidable lineup of food critics on the planet.
Three Executive Officers and one Special Executive Officer of the World Gourmet Organization. The mere sight of this assembly would be enough to make any ordinary chef resign on the spot, their hands trembling too much to even pick up a knife. A single, carelessly chosen word from any of these four could shatter a culinary career into a million pieces.
Yet, at this moment, these very Executive Officers were eating with an uninhibited delight that bordered on ravenous. Nakiri Mana, in particular, seemed utterly lost to the world, her chopsticks moving in a ceaseless, graceful dance.
"Mmm... this fish is simply divine!"
"Mm! As expected of Ren! I remember this dish... Husband and Wife Lung Slices, wasn't it? Such a peculiar name for a Chinese dish, but the taste is absolutely exquisite!"
"Anne, what is this green vegetable?"
"Lady Mana, that is dragon beard vegetable..."
Watching the scene unfold, Hiratsuka Shizuka let out a soft sigh. "I'm genuinely impressed," she murmured, turning to Shion. "Just how incredible is your fiancé to have Special Executive Officer Nakiri Mana and the others eating with such abandon?"
Sōryūin Shion considered the question for a moment, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Ren is just Ren. What else could he be? But you're surprisingly calm about all this, Senior Shizuka."
"I suppose I am," Shizuka conceded. "After all, your entire encounter with him already feels like something straight out of a manga."
"Shut up!" Shion shot back, her cheeks flushing slightly.
Shiina Mashiro, who had been quietly observing, tilted her head. "Cousin, where are you going?"
"Just going to wash my hands," Sengoku Chihiro said casually, stretching. "Shion, where's the restroom?"
Sōryūin Shion pointed toward a discreet door, and Chihiro rose to her feet and left. She was already buzzing with anticipation for the evening's dinner. Having just spent a considerable amount of time researching the WGO and its Executive Officers, she now fully grasped that these people were the absolute, undisputed authorities in the world of gastronomy.
'Mmm... How did Shion manage to catch a man like that? She's really something else...'Chihiro mused as she turned on the tap.'Hm? This water is a little cool... but it's a very comfortable temperature.'She splashed the water on her face. It felt impossibly soft and refreshing. Even without knowing its source, one could tell it was of exceptional quality. Her mind drifted back to Ren, who had been idly flipping a coin earlier.'Wait a second...'Her eyes narrowed, her fingers tracing the edge of the faucet.'What material is this... glass? No, that doesn't feel right...'Her gaze then fell upon the sink itself.'Hold on... what is this sink made of? It couldn't possibly be... jade, could it?'
Back at the table, Hiratsuka Shizuka was chatting with Shion when Sengoku Chihiro suddenly poked her head out of the restroom, her eyes wide. She waved them over urgently. "Shizuka, Shion, Kirukiru, get over here! Quick!"
Shizuka rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Honestly, Senior, are you a first-year student who needs company to go to the bathroom?"
Despite her grumbling, she, Shion, and Amou Kirukiru got up and walked over. Lucifer and the others paid them no mind, confident that nothing could possibly go wrong. Besides, they were still preoccupied with the mystery of the restaurant's front door.
"Hey, you idiot senior, what's all the fuss about?" Shizuka asked as they entered the restroom.
Sengoku Chihiro tapped the gleaming white sink with her knuckle. "Shizuka, take a look. What do you think this is made of?"
"Marble, what else could it be? You think it's jade?" Shizuka scoffed.
Sōryūin Shion leaned in for a closer look and let out a small sigh. "If I'm not mistaken," she said quietly, "it really is jade."
Shizuka froze. She hadn't bothered to look closely before, assuming it was just high-quality marble or a similar stone. Now, examining it properly, she saw the subtle, milky translucence and the flawless, cool surface. Her mouth twitched. "This has to be the finest white jade... and it's even been carved!"
Amou Kirukiru nodded, her expression unreadable. "Now look at that washbasin," she said, pointing to the container for hand soap.
Shizuka's gaze followed, and her jaw tightened. She picked it up, feeling its weight and tapping it gently. A soft, clear ring echoed in the small room. She sighed in defeat. "Definitely not glass... This texture, this clarity... It has to be crystal."
Sengoku Chihiro leaned against the wall, a weary smile on her face. "I'm not even surprised anymore."
Hiratsuka Shizuka swallowed hard. "Shion," she said, her voice a little shaky, "you really haven't been giving him any of your family's money, have you?"
Sōryūin Shion waved a dismissive hand. "He's not exactly a person who lacks money, you know. Otherwise, why do you think he opened this restaurant?"
"Why?" Shizuka and Chihiro asked in unison.
"For fun."
Hiratsuka Shizuka looked utterly defeated. "I have nothing more to say. Shion, did you save the entire world in your past life or something?"
"Senior Shizuka, you've been reading too many shonen manga," Shion chided playfully. "This is what I call destiny. And Kirukiru feels it too. If you're interested, you should give it a try."
"Try what?" Shizuka asked, confused.
"Chasing Ren, of course."
The statement hung in the air, leaving Hiratsuka Shizuka completely stunned. 'Is that something a fiancée should be saying? Isn't that a bit... outrageous? What about Lucifer and the others?'
As if reading her mind, Amou Kirukiru spoke up, a hint of exasperation in her voice. "This idiot Shion plans to settle down for good within two years, so she gave Ren a deadline. Once that time is up, if he even thinks about flirting again, he's a dead man."
Sōryūin Shion sighed dramatically. "Don't even talk about it... I have no idea why my words have such an effect on the universe. Right after I gave him that deadline, Pandora showed up."
"So you should have just run away with him then!" Shizuka exclaimed. "Why go back and give him a deadline in the first place?"
"Sigh... But Ren is still very reliable," Shion defended. "He just has a hard time refusing people. He's never once actively pursued anyone else."
"That's true," Kirukiru conceded.
The words from Shion and Kirukiru sent Hiratsuka Shizuka's heart into a frantic rhythm. 'This is actually possible? This is more like a manga plot than an actual manga plot! If only I'd read more romance stories instead of all those hot-blooded battle series, I'd know what to do right now!'
Sōryūin Shion stretched languidly, a predatory glint in her eyes. "Senior Shizuka, if you're really interested, you've only got a little over a year left. Good luck. But if that time passes..."
"What then?" Shizuka and Chihiro asked, leaning in.
A wicked grin spread across Shion's face. "Heh... Then it's simple. Close the door! Release Kirukiru!"
"Eek!" Shizuka and Chihiro yelped in unison, stumbling back a step.
Amou Kirukiru, who had been nodding along stoically, completely lost her composure. Her face flushed a deep red. What in the world was "close the door, release Kirukiru"?! Did Shion not even know the original phrase she was butchering for this joke?!
"Shion?!" she snapped, her voice sharp.
"See?" Shion said to the other two with a triumphant smirk. "Very fierce."
With that, she slipped out of the restroom, cackling. An enraged Amou Kirukiru shot after her. Hiratsuka Shizuka and Sengoku Chihiro were left standing in the opulent bathroom, utterly bewildered.
"Why do I feel like my brain just short-circuited?" Shizuka asked blankly.
"Same here," Chihiro admitted with a sigh. "Let's just go back out... I'm suddenly starving."
"You ate all that barbecue at lunch for nothing?!"
"I mostly just drank wine," Chihiro whined. "Come on, let's go, let's go!"
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