I brought them to a well-known yakiniku restaurant and told them to order whatever they wanted without holding back.
"Did you win the lottery or something?" Misaki joked.
When I casually replied, "Yeah," she stared at me in shock.
Well, considering the hefty compensation I received, it might as well be a lottery win.
This restaurant didn't require reservations, so after a short wait, we managed to get our own table. Without holding back, we ordered a feast—various premium and regular cuts of meat, along with a good amount of vegetables. After all, a balanced meal is important.
As we waited for the food to cook—since I had taken on the role of the grill master—Misaki suddenly turned to Yuka and asked, "Takahashi, do you mind if I call you by your first name? You can do the same for me if you'd like."
Here she goes again, already trying to get on a first-name basis. Extroverts really are something else. But that made me wonder—why did it take her so long to do the same with me? Was it because I'm a guy and she wasn't as comfortable with it?
"Well, I don't really mind," Yuka replied casually.
"Great!" Misaki grinned, clearly pleased. "In that case, Yuka, can you tell me how you got close to Hayato? If I remember correctly, you were pretty irritated with him at first."
Why is she asking Yuka that? If she was curious, she could've just asked me directly.
…No, wait. She did asked me before—I just never gave her the details. Either way, she's definitely up to something!
Despite my growing suspicion, I focused on grilling, making sure the meat didn't overcook.
Meanwhile, Yuka began recounting the story from her perspective—and as expected, it was quite different from how I had experienced it.
"Thank God, that was really dangerous. I'm glad neither of you got seriously hurt," Misaki said, her shock evident.
Then, she turned to me with a smile. "Who would've thought that a simple act of kindness from you would end up saving her life?"
"It wasn't much," I shrugged—though I did died more than a couple of times but nobody have to know that. "Also, I grabbed the wrong handkerchief and mistook it as hers… but I'm glad I did." I said that with a smile, glancing at Yuka.
I then proceeded to serve them the grilled meat and vegetables that were finally ready. We all took a bite at the same time, and if I do say so myself—it was perfectly cooked. The meat was tender, juicy, and absolutely delicious.
"It's delicious," Yuka and Misaki said in unison after taking their first bite. Yuka then turned to me with a curious look. "Have you done this before?"
I responded casually, "I used to visit yakiniku restaurants often with my family." Of course, I was referring to my family from my previous world.
Then, I noticed Misaki grinning before leaning in to whisper something into Yuka's ear. Since they were both sitting across from me, I couldn't hear a word of what she was saying.
I didn't have to dwell on it for long, as the mystery was quickly revealed.
When Misaki finished whispering, Yuka's face flushed slightly. Hesitantly, she picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks and held it out toward me.
"S-Say ahh."
Is this what I think it is? The classic *hand-feeding* trope—the one I've only ever seen in anime? Is it finally my turn to experience it?
But now that it's actually happening… it's kind of embarrassing. I can vaguely understand how Misaki must have felt that day. And on top of that… this chopstick—Yuka just used it.
Wouldn't this technically be an indirect kiss?
No, stop that train of thought. What am I, an elementary school kid?
Even if Yuka does have romantic feelings for me, overthinking it won't do any good. Besides, I promised her that I'd be comfortable around her—so I should just go with it.
Maybe I was taking too long to respond because Misaki suddenly urged me, "Come on, Hayato, don't make a lady wait." That grin on her face… it's practically screaming that this is only the beginning.
I let out a small sigh to clear my head before finally leaning in and taking the bite.
"Thanks, it was good," I said with a smile. Yuka gave me a small pleased smile in return, though the red tint on her cheeks didn't fade.
And just as I thought, this wasn't over yet.
"Where are your manners, Hayato?" Misaki teased, that mischievous grin still on her face. "When someone gives you something, shouldn't you return the favor?"
This little—! Tch. Though, annoyingly enough, she wasn't wrong.
I glanced at Yuka, and sure enough, she was looking at me with eyes full of expectation. Ugh… I can't disappoint those eyes.
Resigning myself to my fate, I picked up a piece of meat from my plate and held it out to her.
"Here, if you don't mind me feeding you."
Without hesitation, Yuka slowly took my meat in her mou— Wait, no! that sounds wrong! But I swear, that's exactly what happened.
"Thank you," she said, a hint of shyness in her face.
After that, we simply enjoyed our meal, savoring the delicious food. Though at some point, I excused myself to go to the restroom.
"Why are you helping me?" Yuka asked Misaki once Hayato had left for the restroom, now that it was just the two of them.
"Huh?" Misaki blinked in confusion, pausing as she placed a piece of mushroom in her mouth.
Then, realization dawned on her, "Oh, you mean that? It's because you love Hayato."
"And you don't?" Yuka asked, now the one looking at Misaki in confusion.
She was pretty sure Misaki had feelings for Hayato—or at least a crush on him. Yet here she was, helping her instead. Not that Yuka minded. She appreciated the help, especially since she didn't have much experience with this sort of thing.
"No, no! I just see him as a friend!" Misaki denied strongly, shaking her head vigorously while waving both hands for emphasis.
Yuka stared at Misaki, unconvinced. Given how Misaki acted around Hayato, it was hard to believe her words entirely.
But then again… if she was denying it so strongly, there had to be a reason, right? And as selfish as it was, Yuka couldn't help but think—the fewer rivals, the better for her.
"Then," she paused, making sure she had Misaki's full attention before finishing her sentence. "You wouldn't mind if I take Hayato for myself, right?"
A brief silence followed. Yuka couldn't see Misaki's expression as her head was down, her shoulders slumped.
Just when Yuka thought she had caught Misaki in her lie, the girl suddenly lifted her head—grinning widely. Without warning, Misaki grabbed Yuka's hands, eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Wow! I never thought you'd declare something like that so boldly!" she exclaimed. "I knew you were a good girl, and I'm sure Hayato would be happy with you!"
Then, with a determined nod, she added, "In fact, I'll help you win his heart! No matter what he says, I know he has a thing for you!"
Yuka remained silent, her eyes fixed on Misaki. She wasn't an idiot—she could tell that something was off about her "enthusiasm".
But for now, it didn't matter. If Misaki was offering to help, Yuka wasn't going to reject it.
After all, as long as she ended up with Hayato, nothing else matter.
When I returned from the washroom, I saw Yuka and Misaki whispering to each other. The moment I sat back down, they both turned to me with innocent smiles.
"...What happened?" I asked, unable to shake my curiosity.
"Nothing~ We just got a little closer~," Misaki replied in a sing-song tone, while Yuka nodded in agreement.
I smiled at them feeling relieved that they are getting along. That's good and all… but why do I have a "bad" feeling about this? Especially that innocent smile—it felt "ominous."