Chapter 18: Cute…

Due to Natsuki Hanaya's visit, the restaurant closed earlier than usual that day.

After finishing the cleanup, Sui was preparing to leave when Manager Mita suddenly stopped him.

"Here's your pay for today." 

He handed Sui an envelope.

Sui took it, surprised by its thickness. Curiosity got the better of him, and he opened the envelope to find a thick stack of 10,000 yen bills—roughly 200,000 yen in total.

"Isn't this a bit much?" Sui frowned, feeling uneasy. He had only worked for about four hours, and his wages should have been closer to 20,000 yen. This was ten times more than expected.

"It's a thank-you bonus. Please accept it." 

Manager Mita bowed sincerely.

"It's really not necessary," Sui replied, though he was short on cash. "It's my job as a chef to satisfy our customers."

A glimmer of admiration appeared in Manager Mita's eyes. He then explained, "We also give chefs a share of each dish sold, and since you used high-quality ingredients, this is your portion."

Sui paused, then nodded. "That's true."

In the end, he couldn't refuse the gesture and accepted the money.

"Sui, starting today, you are officially contracted as one of Kagura Sakaya's chefs!"

Manager Mita announced with a proud smile. "Congratulations!"

"Thank you, Manager," Sui replied, humbled.

"No need to thank me," Mita laughed. "You've earned it through your own skills."

Yuzuki, who had watched the exchange, couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. She had been working at the restaurant for a year and still hadn't achieved this level, yet Sui had done it in just one day.

Later, Sui and Yuzuki boarded the tram together to head home. At one of the stations, they parted ways, and Sui returned to his rented apartment alone.

Feeling pleased with his day and the 200,000 yen he'd earned—enough to last for a while—he settled in. As he sat down and took a sip of water, the bathroom door suddenly opened, and Erina walked out. Without a word, she tossed something at him.

"This is your school uniform for Tōtsuki Academy," she said with a huff. "Make sure you wear it to the freshman ceremony tomorrow."

Sui held up the uniform and compared the size. It fit perfectly. 

"Thanks," he said.

"Hmph, no need to thank me," Erina replied with her usual pride. "If you really want to show gratitude, work hard and make more exceptional dishes."

Suddenly, Sui looked at her in surprise. "Wait... how do you know my clothing size?"

Erina's face immediately turned red. 

"Why are you asking so many questions? I just picked a random set," she stammered.

"Really?" Sui squinted at her, suspicion creeping into his voice. "You didn't go through my clothes, did you?"

"Of course not! I would never do such a thing!"

Erina's face flushed even more, her voice growing louder and more frantic. She fumbled over her words, clearly flustered.

Sui continued to eye her suspiciously. He had only been joking, but her reaction made it clear—she wasn't great at lying.

"What's with that look?" Erina snapped defensively. "As if I'd ever go through your smelly, dirty clothes!"

Erina Nakiri shouted angrily.

"Okay, okay, I got it," Sui responded helplessly.

Seeing his indifferent attitude, Erina felt her anger flare up even more, her teeth clenching in frustration. 

How infuriating!

After Erina stormed off, Sui wandered into the bathroom and noticed that everything was labeled with her name. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Is she really this strict about keeping things separate? he thought.

He then absentmindedly walked into Erina's bedroom, only to realize she was in the middle of changing. Her face flushed bright red the moment she saw him.

"Didn't I tell you not to enter a girl's bedroom without permission!?" she yelled, flustered. "And close the door!"

Sui, catching a glimpse of her soft skin and a cute bear pattern on her underwear, quickly turned away, embarrassed. "Sorry," he muttered as he closed the door behind him.

From the other side of the door, Erina's frustration only grew. "I said to leave first, then close the door!" she shouted, her forehead covered in metaphorical black lines of anger.

Sui awkwardly scratched his nose. "I saw the labels in the bathroom," he said, trying to change the subject.

"That's right!" Erina snapped. "From now on, our personal belongings are strictly separated. Don't touch anything of mine!"

"Understood," Sui replied, nodding. "By the way, Erina, I need to borrow your kitchen."

Erina's forehead twitched in frustration as she ground her teeth. "We're not close enough for you to call me by my first name! You can call me 'Erina-sama' or 'Miss Erina'!"

"No problem, Erina," Sui said casually. "But can I use the kitchen?"

Erina stared at him, speechless. This guy was going to drive her crazy! "The door's unlocked—just go!" she snapped.

"Thank you," Sui replied as he turned to leave. Suddenly, he stopped and looked back at her.

"What now?" Erina asked impatiently.

Sui grinned slightly. "Actually... I think the pink underwear from yesterday was cuter."

"Get out!" she screamed, her face flushed with embarrassment.

---

After entering the private kitchen, Sui took out the reward he had received: two enormous cabbages.

"Wow, these are huge!" Sui exclaimed, marveling at their size. Normally, cabbages were the size of a human head, but these were three times bigger.

"Almond Cabbage

Grade: C-Class Fantasy Ingredient 

Origin: Gourmet Captive 

Description: Though a vegetable, it has a taste and texture similar to almonds. It is a premium ingredient with the protein and sweetness of almonds and the crispness of cabbage."

After reading the description, Sui checked the recipe.

—Shredded Cabbage 

Recipe Grade: Bronze 

Effect: Energizing.

"Alright, let's practice shredding cabbage today!" he said eagerly.

Just as he was about to start...

"Wow, what a huge cabbage!" came a surprised voice. Erina had entered the kitchen, her eyes wide with curiosity. She had never seen such a massive cabbage before.

"It smells fresh and vibrant," she said as she tore off a small piece of a leaf and popped it into her mouth. Her eyes widened with delight. "It's so crisp and sweet—just like almonds! What an incredible flavor!"

For a moment, surprise flickered in her usually composed expression.