Chapter 217: Hinako's Troubles

As Sui prepared to respond, he noticed Hinako glancing at him nervously, her expression tinged with girlish unease. Scratching his head, Sui smiled awkwardly and said, "Nothing happened. We left right after you did yesterday."

"Is that so," Ono and the others chimed in, nodding absentmindedly, not giving it much thought. They had only been joking before. Despite Hinako being single, the age gap between her and Sui was almost ten years.

None of them noticed the subtle sigh of relief that escaped Hinako's lips from behind.

"What a headache... If they knew what really happened yesterday, how would I even face them?" Hinako thought as she stroked her cheek, quietly sighing to herself. 

"But... Sui-kun was so mischievous yesterday, teasing me by touching my feet like that..." The memory caused two red spots to bloom on her cheeks. Amid her shyness, there was also a hint of joy, which in turn scared her a little.

Before long, the lunch rush began.

"Two orders of Sui's steamed dumpling, clam and fish flavour for table 10."

"One assorted flavor steamed dumpling for table 9."

"Two chicken and mushroom steamed dumpling for table 20."

Today was the official launch of Sui's new dish. The waitstaff introduced it eagerly to each customer, and Su's steamed dumpling quickly became the talk of the restaurant. 

Yesterday, Sui had made further improvements to his steamed dumpling, offering a variety of fillings like mentaiko, pork with pumpkin, and chicken with mushrooms.

Seeing such an inventive menu, many diners were intrigued, and soon Sui found himself with numerous orders to fulfill.

"Megumi, is the chicken prepped?"

"All done!"

"How about the clam-flavored steamed dumpling?"

"Already steaming."

Today, Megumi officially took on the role of Sui's assistant. Their countless collaborations at school made them a seamless team, each understanding the other without needing many words.

"Phew, finally done," Megumi sighed, wiping the sweat from her brow. Though tired, she was content knowing she could help Sui.

"Sui, your cooking seems to be a huge hit," Ono marveled, impressed by how quickly Sui's dish garnered so many orders.

"Yes, and from what I hear, the feedback is overwhelmingly positive. Every guest who has tasted it raves about it," Miyuki added, somewhat envious. He couldn't help but compare his new dishes to Sui's, feeling discouraged by the vast difference in reception.

However, he found solace in knowing that after Sui helped refine his tofu tempura, it had regained popularity among the patrons. It was yet another testament to Sui's talent.

"Really?" Sui smiled, feeling a quiet satisfaction. The dish was still under evaluation, but if the positive reviews continued, it would soon become a permanent fixture on Kirinoya's menu, and he would have completed his mission.

While Sui busied himself with the rest of the kitchen duties, Hinako, still simmering with frustration, mumbled under her breath, "How indecent! How could he casually touch a girl's feet like that? Doesn't he know that's inappropriate?"

She didn't realize it yet, but her view of Sui had subtly shifted. Initially, she regarded him as a younger brother, but after last night, when his playful teasing had left her both flustered and intrigued, she had begun to see him in a new light—as a man.

After graduating, Hinako had devoted all her time and energy to managing Kirinoya, leaving little room for romance. While she hadn't given it much thought before, the truth was that she was a little lonely and yearned for love.

Now 27, she was at the age where one naturally longs for romantic companionship, especially after having been single for so long. During her school years, she had a fleeting admiration for Shinomiya Kojiro, but it had been an immature, innocent crush rather than real love.

Once they graduated, Kojiro went to France to open his own restaurant, while she focused on Kirinoya. Over the years, the admiration had transformed into a friendship, and the feelings she once harbored became akin to those shared between close classmates, with nothing romantic left.

What happened last night, however, felt like a pivotal moment. Without her realizing it, Sui had slowly entered her heart. Yet, with no experience in romance, Hinako was completely unaware of her changing feelings.

"Hinako-senpai, do you need any help?" Sui asked as he approached her.

"Hmph! I can manage on my own. I don't need your help!" Hinako replied, sticking her tongue out at him playfully, still holding on to her small grudge.

Sui was left speechless. Although Hinako usually appeared to be the composed, caring older sister type, she had moments where she could be surprisingly childish and capricious.

"Uh, Hinako-senpai, your tamagoyaki is burning," Sui pointed out, noticing the slightly scorched egg roll in the pan.

"Ah!" Hinako yelped in alarm, snapping out of her distracted thoughts.

"Sui-kun, this is all your fault!" she cried out, half-heartedly pounding on his chest with her small fists.

Sui: "..."

How was this his fault again?

"What happened to the chef today? She's usually so meticulous."

"Yeah, it's really odd," Miyuki and the others whispered to one another, puzzled by Hinako's behavior.

Finally, the lunch rush came to an end.

"Sui, congratulations! The guests loved your dish. Starting tonight, your steamed dumpling will officially be added to Kirinoya's menu," Ono said, patting Sui's shoulder with a satisfied smile.

Sui nodded, feeling a wave of contentment. The response to his dish had been overwhelmingly positive during lunch, with guests praising the flavor and creativity.

Just then, the restaurant phone rang. After answering, Hinako turned to everyone and said, "An important guest is coming tonight."