Tokyo: Idol Girls have absolutely no bad intentions!

The shopping cart made a soft "clunk" sound as she neatly arranged two cabbages and then tossed in two bunches of discounted bok choy.

Looking at her skillful demeanor, Ito Yujin was truly somewhat dazed.

"What are you standing there for, senior?" Mori-gami Chinatsu suddenly grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward the seafood section.

"There's a buy-one-get-one-free deal on saury today, so we can make salt-grilled saury with radish..." she muttered to herself as she planned out dinner.

Just as Ito Yuujin was lost in thought, she suddenly turned around and looked at him, "Senior, what kind of food do you like to eat?"

"Anything is fine."

Without me having to lift a finger, this guy would intentionally or unintentionally bring me the discounted items I wanted.

As the "sale period" came to an end, the shopping cart was already piled high with discounted items.

At that moment, Chinatsu Mori turned around abruptly, clasping her hands together in front of her chest: "I'm sorry, senpai! I was so focused on myself that I didn't even ask, and I picked some out for you too."

The two were standing in the warm light of the dessert area when Mori-gami Chinatsu suddenly stood on tiptoe and pulled out two boxes of caramel pudding from the freezer, waving them in front of Ito Yuujin.

“How about—” she tilted her head and looked at him, a sweet smile appearing in her dimples, “I’ll treat you to this, senior? I heard that when the cream melts to the third layer, the caramel layer and the milk sauce will swirl together.”

"You'd already planned this all along, hadn't you?" Yuuji Ito reluctantly accepted the pudding.

Chinatsu Mori stuck out her tongue, turned around, took the shopping cart from Yuujin Ito, and walked towards the checkout counter. Her bun hair bobbed back and forth, making her look especially cute.

The scanning sounds from the cashier were constant. Mori-gami Chinatsu carefully placed the pudding into an insulated bag, and as her fingertip traced the receipt, she suddenly pointed to the bill:

"Look, senior, the amount used is exactly two thousand five hundred."

Chinatsu Mori looked up at him, the scent of her hair wafting over again. "We agreed to share half, but now it's two boxes of pudding and a bag of vegetables. Isn't that a better deal?"

The automatic door opened with a "ding," and the evening breeze of February, carrying the scent of blooming plum blossoms, rushed in.

Chinatsu Mori's bun was blown to one side by the wind. He suddenly reached out and grabbed Yuujin Ito's sleeve, stuffing the insulated bag into his arms: "Senior, take the pudding, I'll carry the vegetables!"

Yuujin Ito watched as Chinatsu Morikami walked ahead, her school uniform skirt brushing against a shopping bag full of discounted vegetables.

So this is what the "trap" was.

"Senior, how about I come to your place tonight?"

Chapter 23 The saury's caramelized aroma masked the fishy smell.

Chinatsu Mori's words put Yuujin Ito on high alert.

She spoke in a casual tone, as if discussing the weather, with her usual sweet smile still on her face. She even had the leisure to explain herself, her small canine teeth faintly visible between her lips.

The two walked down the street; at this time, the sun was setting rather quickly.

“I think you really want to participate in the school festival performance, so, senpai,” she suddenly turned around, her backward steps allowing her to speak better to Ito Yuujin, “when we have dinner at your house tonight, I can give you some inside information—”

Before she could finish speaking, she abruptly stopped in her tracks, looking anxious. Her eyelashes fluttered twice. "Oh no! The bag of saury is dripping water. I have to get home right away."

The evening breeze in February carried the aroma of the corner bakery as it swept by. Chinatsu Morishita's school uniform bow tie was blown to one side, but she still looked up at him, her canine teeth faintly visible under the streetlights.

“By the way, senior, the reason I told you about the president’s plan is because—” she suddenly leaned closer, her warm breath brushing against Ito Yuujin’s collarbone, “I want to be with you, senior.”

She laughed and ran away as soon as she finished speaking, the shopping bag rattling behind her.

"Six o'clock sharp! I'll be there on time with a dish I made myself."

As Ito Yujin watched her skip and disappear around the street corner, a strange sense of admiration welled up in his heart, in addition to his initial wariness.

This girl... if she were to enter the entertainment industry, she could probably become a top actress, or at the very least, a leading lady of her time.

Every movement, including the expression on his face, was perfectly timed; even his departure left him no chance to refuse.

He shook his head and walked home.

Perhaps she really is a person with unique talent, but because everything is too perfect, she loses her authenticity.

......

When Yuujin Ito returned home, he saw Sakura Asada wearing a winter Japanese school uniform and a pleated skirt of the same color, looking like an abandoned kitten, squatting by the railing, holding a paper bag in her arms.

The wind was strong at that moment, whipping her long hair wildly. Her small face, red from the cold, was expressionless, but it revealed her loneliness.

The moment Ito Yujin's figure came into her view, her previously lifeless eyes instantly lit up.

Why are you here?

Yuujin Ito was somewhat taken aback; he had assumed that Sakura Asada would at least go home today.

So... how long has she been waiting here?

Asada Sakura seemed to want to stand up and respond immediately, but her legs had already gone numb from squatting for so long.

She had just stood up when she stumbled and fell forward uncontrollably.

Even in that moment of losing her balance, her arms instinctively and tightly protected the paper bag in her arms, as if it were something more important than herself.

Seeing this, Yujin Ito quickly stepped forward and reached out to support her.

Asada Sakura's face flushed slightly, showing some embarrassment and panic.

"Th...thank you."

She carefully handed the paper bag she had been holding tightly to Ito Yujin, but because of her actions just now, the paper bag had many wrinkles.

Asada Sakura frantically tried to smooth it out, but only made the creases deeper.

"I'm so sorry... This is an apology to you, Ito..."

She bit her lip before she could finish speaking, her hand holding the paper bag hanging in mid-air.

I wonder if the method that guy taught me actually works.

Asada Sakura felt uneasy, recalling the confident promise made by the stylish girl in her class.

"If you apologize with a gift, he will definitely soften his heart."

Even if it's useful, the bag is in this state, so the contents inside are probably not in good condition either.

I feel like crying. I spent so much money on caramel pudding that I wouldn't even eat myself, but nothing changed.

Yuji Ito's gaze fell on the paper strip, and through the translucent kraft paper, he could vaguely make out that it looked like pudding.

But regarding the situation...

But looking into Asada Sakura's eyes, which were like glass beads filled with water, he couldn't help but relax and take the paper bag from her hand.

"Thank you."

Yuji Ito opened the door, and the light in the entryway was turned on.

"Come in, what would you like for dinner?"

Yuji Ito shook the shopping bag in his hand and saw the surprise flash in her eyes.

What she said really worked!

"Anything is fine."

Are there any dietary restrictions?

"No...no." Asada Sakura stood in the entryway, rubbing her frozen fingers somewhat awkwardly.

"Then I'll just make whatever I want." Yuujin Ito carried the things towards the kitchen.

Under the soft kitchen lights, Yuhito Ito, wearing a floral apron, skillfully moved between the stove and the cutting board.

Asada Sakura sat in the chair, keeping her attention focused on him.

The only sounds in the room were the soft hum of the range hood and the chopping sounds on the counter.

As time went by, Yuujin Ito prepared a few simple home-style dishes and served them on the table.

The clock hands also swung around the same time, and at six o'clock, the doorbell rang.

"Ding-dong-"

The two people in the room simultaneously turned their gazes toward the door.

For some reason, Asada Sakura felt flustered.

She unconsciously sniffed through her small nose. In addition to the increasingly rich aroma of food, the persistent fishy smell coming from the sink seemed to become particularly clear and pungent.

"Senior~ I've come to keep my appointment!"

The voice carried an indescribable joy, causing Asada Sakura to raise an eyebrow.

It's that philandering cat!

Yuji Ito got up and went to open the door.

"Senior, look!" Moriue Chinatsu waved the insulated box in her hand, like a child showing off a treasure to their parents, "I made two saury."

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Asada Sakura sitting in the room. Both of their expressions became unnatural for a moment, then flashed with a sly look before returning to normal.

After being led into the room by Ito Yuujin, Morikami Chinatsu's tone suddenly brightened, and her face beamed with undisguised delight, "Asada-senpai! You're here too? That's wonderful!"

The insulated container was slammed onto the dining table. "If I had known, I would have cooked an extra saury."

Asada Sakura noticed Morikami Chinatsu's gaze sweep past her ear and land on the crumpled paper bag on the table.

"I... I just came to apologize..."

Asada Sakura regretted saying those words.

The words were barely out of her mouth when she immediately regretted them, wanting to bite her tongue off. Had she really started acting like a fool after playing the fool for so long? Why did she even bother explaining herself to her?

She was the one who arrived first... so why does it seem like she's the guilty mistress?

She was clearly the one...

That uninvited cat that steals fish!

Chinatsu Morikami moved closer to Sakuri Asada and pointed at the paper bag: "Is it a limited edition from TORAKU?"

She paused, lowering her voice even further, with a hint of barely perceptible regret, "But... my senior doesn't really like things that are too sweet. I heard the caramel layer on this pudding is incredibly sweet."

While Yuujin Ito was still cleaning up the mess in the kitchen, Sakura Asada watched as Chinatsu Mori returned to the dining table and began deftly untying the straps of the insulated box.

The aroma of caramelized saury wafted out, masking the fishy smell in the tank.

I've been... utterly defeated?