Miss Heir wasn't very kind to me.

Chapter 330, Section 16: "Mornings with Them"

The next morning, at dawn before the sun had risen.

Despite falling asleep exhausted yesterday, Masumi was unusually clear-headed.

After staring sleepily at the ceiling for a while, he slowly turned his head and looked at his right hand sticking out from under the covers.

A night passed, and Qian'ai's fingers were still intertwined with his.

Although she felt it was a pity, Masumi gently withdrew her finger.

Then I saw Mami wrap her arms around Chiai from behind.

The sleeping childhood sweetheart moved her lips, and as if feeling the heat and the feeling of being restrained, she slightly furrowed her brows.

She instinctively twisted her body, but Mami held her even tighter, making it impossible for her to break free.

"Chii... Mapo Tofu... It has to be spicy..."

That dream isn't over yet.

Masumi sighed quietly.

And weren't you a sweet tooth last night?
"Because... Masumi-kun... likes spicy food..."

Okay, okay, but you don't need to answer me.

The warmth of the hand that was released made him feel as if he were still holding Qian Ai's hand.

He looked at the other beds, where the women were sleeping soundly, and he thought he might as well go back to bed.

Masumi resisted the temptation, lifted the quilt, and sat up from the bed.

"...Masumi~"

A muffled sound came from the blankets next to me.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake Haiyue up?"

Like a small animal peeking out of its nest, a cute flaxen head suddenly popped out from under the covers.

The jellyfish girl quietly lifted her eyelids, looking at Masumi with sleepy eyes. Because her chin was resting on the pillow, she shook her head from side to side with difficulty.

"No...it's just that I...wanted to get up..."

"That's it."

Then two tiny hands emerged from under the covers.

"what?"

Masumi looked at Kaizuki, who was lying on the ground with her arms outstretched, in confusion. The girl was covered by a quilt and crossed her arms like a stag beetle opening and closing its mandibles.

He stared at Haiyue's movements, and after realizing what they meant, he simply said, "Huh?"

"Does Haiyue want me to help you up?"

"Um……"

Haiyue nodded obediently, looking completely half-asleep.

Come to think of it, last night when Masumi was lying on her pillow chatting quietly with Chiai, she seemed to notice a glowing phone screen in the corner.

"What time did Haiyue go to sleep last night?"

"It's very late..."

"How late is 'very late'?"

"It's very late...very late...sigh..."

Haiyue seemed dazed for a moment at his question, indicating that she was not fully conscious.

Although I really wanted to poke her soft-looking cheeks, I had to resist.

"Alright, since Haiyue is so sleepy, go back to sleep for a while. I'll have Rinne and the others wake you up later."

"No...I want to have breakfast with Masumi..."

Her long, flaxen hair, sticking out in the wind, hung down in a messy manner. Haiyue had her eyes closed, and her upper body swayed from side to side like a metronome.

An expression relaxed to this extent looks quite adorable.

"There's really nothing I can do about you."

Masumi shrugged, looking helpless, and stretched out her hands to Kaigetsu.

Haiyue immediately narrowed her eyes and gripped his fingers tightly like a baby.

After gently pulling the jellyfish girl up, Masumi was puzzled when she saw the loose-fitting yukata on her body, which occasionally revealed glimpses of her fair skin.

"Can Haiyue change her clothes by herself?"

"When you're sober... it's possible..."

"what about now?"

"Masumi... help me change..."

"I'm your boyfriend, not your male servant."

Masumi said helplessly:
"I'll go and bring the breakfast back."

"Thank you...Masumi..."

"You don't need to use honorifics in front of me."

"Go quickly... come back quickly..."

"And don't be bossy."

Masumi covered Haizuki with the blanket again, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and then went to the restaurant alone.

Having breakfast in a spacious and quiet Japanese-style room offers a completely different experience from eating breakfast in a restaurant or at home.

It was a bit of a stretch for one person to carry breakfast for six, but luckily a female hotel staff member helped.

After placing the tray on the floor in front of the room, the staff member smiled and accepted Masumi's thanks before turning and leaving.

Masumi slowly opened the paper door and carried the tray containing all the dishes back to the room in two trips.

The girls didn't seem to be awake yet.

Masumi first approached Umizuki, then reached out from under the covers and grasped the girl's slender waist, pulling her close to her chest.

"Have a sip of soup first."

Masumi picked up the bowl of miso soup and blew on it to cool it down slightly.

The soup inside contains tofu and shiitake mushrooms, with a smooth and soft texture, making it perfect as an appetizer for breakfast.

Haiyue took a small sip, her eyelids, which had been closed, slightly opened.

Her delicate white throat rose and fell slightly, and a little bit of miso soup spilled out, drawing a line from the corner of her mouth.

Masumi wiped the corners of her lips clean with a tissue, followed by a thick omelet with chopped green onions added to enhance the texture. It was a dish that Kaigetsu really liked.

Haiyue, her sleepy eyes half-open, ate more this time, like a hamster chewing on nuts, feasting heartily.

Sometimes in comics, there are scenes where the main characters secretly keep abandoned cats in the shadows of their school buildings. Do they feel the same way you do now?

Thinking of this, Masumi remembered that she had also met Kaigetsu, who looked like a stray cat with wet fur, during the rainy season.

He gazed at Haiyue's profile, which seemed to have gained a touch of color as if spring had arrived.

Now, it's a well-cared-for house cat with shiny fur, who loves to lazily sunbathe and purr, enjoying the care of its owner.

"Have some more lettuce salad," Masumi said.

Haiyue is a person, not a cat or a jellyfish, so she needs a balanced diet.

"..."

Haiyue turned her head away without a word, and closed her half-open eyes completely.

"You can't be a picky eater."

Masumi made a troubled sound, but Kaigetsu refused to open her mouth no matter what.

With no other option, he put down the bowl of salad and picked up an octopus hot dog with his chopsticks.

Cut the hot dog sausage in half, make four cuts on the cross-section, put it in a frying pan and heat it. The part of the hot dog that was cut by the knife will curl up when heated, forming the shape of an octopus.

It's also a dish that Haiyue really likes.

She likes to eat omelets and octopus sausages, but doesn't like vegetables... Suddenly I realize that Haiyue's appetite is easy to understand.

Just like a little child.

Do you want a hot dog?

Haiyue's small nose twitched, and then she turned her head back, "Awooo—" and bit into the hot dog octopus at the end of the chopsticks.

Releasing my lips, the tip of the chopsticks suddenly became smooth, with only a few shimmering spots of shine.

Her eyes, which had been half-open, suddenly snapped open and became bright. The jellyfish girl was now fully awake and quickly finished the octopus hot dog on her plate.

Masumi took out a tissue and wiped her mouth. After wiping, Kaigetsu said in a serious manner:

"Grateful."

"I already said there's no need for such formal thanks."

Masumi handed her a bowl filled with white rice and chopsticks.

"Now that you're awake, can you eat by yourself?"

"I also want... Masumi to feed me..."

"How about I call you Rinne?"

"Ugh... I'll eat it myself..."

Haiyue, wrapped in a quilt, obediently picked up her rice bowl and began to eat breakfast.

The aroma of the food seemed to have lingered in the air long enough, and Mami, who was closest to Haiyue, still had a completely unguarded sleeping face, but her nose unconsciously started to sniff.

"Mmm...it smells like rice...hehehe...Mapo tofu..."

Asami gave a slouching smile. Why is she so obsessed with Mapo Tofu?

Masumi brought the miso soup to her nose.

"Hmm... Bean miso soup, is the broth made with tofu and matsutake mushrooms? As expected of the culinary master, Master Matsutani..."

Matsutake mushroom... wait! Who is Master Matsutani?

That said, this guy can even correctly name the ingredients in his dreams; his sense of smell is just too sensitive.

Moreover, this was done while both sight and taste were sealed off.

"……what!"

Mami suddenly opened her eyes and looked around.

"I feel like I ate a ton of delicious food in my dream!"

"Good morning."

Masumi looked at her and said.

"I've already brought breakfast to my room."

"Wow! Masumi-kun is so thoughtful. It was worth protecting you from the executives of the Dark Cuisine World yesterday."

"Isn't your dream series a bit too long? One Piece?"

"It really is an amazing dream. Tell Masumi-kun about it when you have time."

"No need, let's eat breakfast."

Masumi handed the chopsticks to her.

"Hey, Masumi-kun, feed me."

Although she was awake, her eyelids looked heavy, and Mami opened her lips like a fledgling bird begging for food.

A pink tongue can be faintly seen between the white teeth.

"You're already awake, so eat by yourself."

"Humph!"

Mami puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.

"Whether it's eating or anything else, he always expects people to eat by themselves... Masumi-kun is really high and mighty."

Is it really okay to talk about this kind of topic so early in the morning?

"They're all just different manifestations of the same desire, it's no big deal... Chulu chulu."

Mami shrugged nonchalantly, took a big gulp of miso soup from her bowl, and you could even hear her swallowing. Then she exhaled.

"I really admire how generous and open you are usually, but when it comes to the important part, you become timid and hesitant, and even beg me like a nobody..."

"You're so long-winded, Masumi-kun!"

Mami interrupted him, her stunningly beautiful face flushed red with embarrassment and anger.

Since her hands were occupied by the bowl and chopsticks, she switched to gently kicking Masumi's knee with her toes.

The noise the two of them made gradually woke up the others.

"Hey, Masumi-nii, Asami-nee... you're awake already..."

Perhaps she was already close to waking up, because Qian'ai suddenly opened her eyes.

Good morning, Qian'ai.

"Oh, good morning, Masumi-nii."

Then her eyes began to focus, and she slowly came to her senses. She looked at the hand that had let go of Masumi with a regretful expression, her face showing some melancholy.

Mami, who was standing to the side, put down her chopsticks and bowl at some point, crossed her arms, and nodded, saying "uh-huh."

"Chiai showed a very feminine look first thing this morning."

"Female?!"

"In short, it's an unsatisfied look in their eyes, radiating a pink aura. Once a spark is ignited, it will transform into a breathtaking collection of desires."

Asami muttered to herself, and Chiai couldn't help but stare in disbelief.

"What's wrong with you! You've made me sound so terrible!"

Chiai pouted shyly, and Mami clearly enjoyed her reaction, laughing mischievously.

"I accidentally overheard a little bit of my childhood sweetheart's whispered conversation last night."

"Hey!"

Qian Ai opened her eyes wide in surprise:
"How could you do this! Asami-nee was eavesdropping on other people's conversations. By the way, where did you start hearing it?"

"Hmm... Let me think. I was being chased by people from the Dark Cuisine world. I rolled down a mountain and woke up suddenly. That must have been the time."

"The world of bizarre cooking... what is that?!"

"Anyway, that's it. To be honest, I'm still worried. What should I do if Chiai and Masumi really get into a relationship? After all, trying to fall asleep in that kind of situation is a bit... too shocking."

Asami's stammering voice sounded muffled, as if she were drowning.

His face showed a lingering fear.

...Isn't this exactly what I did with Masumi-kun on the bus!
"I would never do that."

Qian Ai blushed and vehemently denied it. How could she possibly do such a thing with everyone present?!

It will take at least a while... How about a while?
Upon thinking of this, Qian'ai's expression changed as if she had suddenly realized something. She began to hold her head in distress, and then shook her head vigorously as if saying "no, no, no".

The other two girls in the room also woke up at this time.

"Sister Mami, you're very energetic this morning."

Rinne peeked out from under the covers to greet her, her messy black hair draped over the sheets.

"Hmph, that's because I soaked in the hot spring last night, of course."

Asami said casually:

"Speaking of which, today is the last day, and I feel a little unsatisfied, since I'll have to keep working on my manuscript when I get back."

His tone suddenly became heavy.

"...So, is the essence of travel simply escapism?"

Masumi sighed.

"Oh, here comes Masumi-kun, who inexplicably entered sage mode. This is usually a continuation of the previous mode after it ended."

"Don't say such strange things, this is just a way to help me generate creative inspiration."

"Relying on intimacy with girls to generate inspiration? I think what will come out isn't inspiration, but other things, right?"

Asami said something meaningful, which elicited a silent sigh from Masumi.

"...As expected of the famous doujinshi artist Ryujinin Michiyo, every word and sentence goes off-topic to suit her own creative content."

"I absolutely hate to hear Coffee Boy, who's known as 'the most depressing web novel author,' say that about me!"

"That's enough for you two."

After noticing the intense chill emanating from Rinne, the two quickly changed the subject to change the atmosphere.

"Oh my~ Speaking of which, we're going to Cat Island today, I'm really looking forward to it."

Mami scratched her head and awkwardly changed the subject, but Rinne closed her eyes in satisfaction and nodded vigorously.

"Yes, it's exciting."

(End of this chapter)