Who says meal replacements can’t be eaten as meals?

"I know." Mu nodded and answered without hesitation.

But that’s all I know.

Chapter 240 Accomplice

Chihaya Aine regretted not wearing long sleeves when going out today. Although it is past the season for wearing long sleeves, at least she would have an extra layer of clothing armor that could serve as psychological comfort to deal with the ruthless claw attacks on her arms from Suzuyo.

There are marks left from pinching!

“We agreed to come out for afternoon tea, but now you’re following Sakuya-chan like a third-rate newspaper reporter. Suyo-chan has deceived my feelings~” Miss Aine dragged out her voice and complained without any sense of urgency. Anyway, there was still quite a distance between them, and with her 100-degree myopia, she could only roughly distinguish who was who among the three people standing side by side.

"I don't think Aine-san's feelings are worth my time and energy to deceive. Anyway, you're just a...guitarist who's friendly to everyone." Nagasaki Motoyo turned her head upon hearing this and shifted her gaze away from her own sister who was being attacked. She wanted to directly comment on the girl's arrogance, but after thinking about it, it was not elegant enough, and she was indeed in the wrong, so in the end she just chose to call her guitarist with a bland address.

“Hehe, it’s obvious that Su Shi subconsciously held my arm when she was panicking. Ah, it hurts!” Miss Aine was forced to reveal a cute wrinkled expression halfway through her arrogance, and she became more and more skilled in begging for mercy.

“I’m sorry, because what Aine said is so easy to make people angry, but I’m still following you for now, so please keep quiet.” Nagasaki Suyo said with a fake smile. Her tone was sincere, but Miss Aine always felt that it was not convincing.

"Su Shi directly said [tracking]."

“Because Aine is also my accomplice.”

Miss Su Shi said this with her eyes narrowed, then turned around again and followed the three people who walked into the clothing store, holding hands while walking. How shameless.

"It's really unexpected."

Ever since Chihaya Aine met Nagasaki Motoyo, she had never seen her endure the pressure of interrupting and allowing Sakuya and other girls to get close to each other. Although she still looked a little uneasy, she started the so-called stalking in a conspicuous orchid-printed dress and low-heeled sandals. If the three people in front had not had no sense of vigilance, this kind of criminal behavior, which was like playing house, would have been discovered from the beginning.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and follow me." Nagasaki Motoyo said, raised her hand to press down the large and round white sun hat, and waved to Chihaya Aine not far away with a little uneasiness.

"Don't treat me like a little puppy that you can order around. I committed a crime with Suyo. How are you going to compensate me?" Chihaya Aine walked quickly to Miss Suyo, who was trying pointlessly to hide her feelings, and complained in a low voice with dissatisfaction.

She had previously chatted with Sakuya about where they would go on the weekends, but the answer she got was that she would have to spend half of her time at home with her lazy sister who couldn't get out of bed. She already knew that Suyo-chan had no interest or experience in going out, but she dressed up like this today, so it could be considered a date, right?

Although Miss Aine herself didn't know what she would do to make herself feel more reasonable when dating Suyo-chan, she was sure that Suyo-chan didn't give her the impression that she was the type who would secretly follow her sister and spy on her. However, the blue-haired girl next to Sakuya always appeared with Sakuya, so it could be because the target this time was Shoko from the next class, or it could be because of Wakaba-san. Anyway, it wasn't the aristocratic afternoon tea that she had been dreaming of.

“Didn’t I promise to treat Aine to afternoon tea? This is a deal. It’s too late to regret it now.” Miss Su Shi carefully moved to the watch store opposite the clothing store and pretended to casually glance at the unclear trio.

"That means if I don't want to have afternoon tea, I can leave at any time, right?" Chihaya Aine was somewhat dissatisfied with Su Shi's bossy attitude. She crossed her arms and said in an unhappy tone.

Nagasaki Suyo was obviously flustered, anxiously took a step closer to Aine, then took two steps back after realizing what was happening. In the end, she just concealed her disappointment and said calmly, "...If you want to leave, go ahead."

"Hmm, do you want to go?" Miss Aiyin looked down at the famous brand watch that her father would probably like, but was scared away by the six-digit price. She put her hands behind her back and jumped to block Su Shi's absent-minded sight. "I thought about it, and it's not that I don't want to have afternoon tea with Su Shi."

"Then don't do anything unnecessary." Nagasaki Motoyo breathed a sigh of relief, and even felt a bit of gratitude towards the pink-haired girl in front of her.

"But wanting to have afternoon tea is not the same as being willing to spend time with Su Shi here." Chihaya Aine reached out and held Su Shi's uneasily clasped hands. "I want to buy a long-sleeved dress, Su Shi, please accompany me."

"...Why?"

Chihaya Aine took Suyo with one hand and walked straight to the clothing store, and began to look for long-sleeved clothes that she liked. The clothing store had a large enough area, and the two layers of hangers also blocked the view very well. They wandered around until the trio passed by at the end of the corridor, and then Miss Suyo, who was holding her breath and dared not breathe, interrupted Aine's action of selecting clothes with a pat.

"How dare you do that? Sakuya and the others will find out!" Nagasaki Motoyo said anxiously in a low voice.

"Be more natural and keep your distance. You don't have to worry about bumping into each other. And Su Shi wants to hear what they are talking about, right?" Miss Aine picked two shirts of the same style and put them in front of her to compare them. After answering, she asked in a relaxed tone. "Su Shi, do you think white suits me better, or does this light brown look better?"

“Am I not here to accompany Aiyin to buy clothes today?” Miss Su Shi clenched her fists and tried hard not to lose her temper.

"Okay, I'm angry, but if I lose my temper, it'll be exposed right away." Aiyin pouted and pointed in the direction of the noise, which immediately made Sushi's anger disappear. "I felt the same way when Sushi dragged me out today. I was a little angry."

"So, this is revenge?" Su Shi listened attentively, took the brown T-shirt that he appreciated more, gestured to Aiyin, and asked in an emotionless tone.

"Compensation, compensation, Su Shi, please help me choose a set."

"why?"

“Because that would make me very happy, and it would offset the unhappiness from before.” Ms. Aine made a gesture of clashing her hands together and said seriously.

“Aine can obviously invite me alone next time.” Nagasaki Motoyo sighed, lengthened her sleeves, and pinched Aine’s arm for comparison.

"It's Suyo-chan." Chihaya Aine laughed softly. "You could have just told me that you were worried about Sakuya."

"you...!"

She frowned, pursed her lips, and pinched her arms, all done skillfully in one go, but Nagasaki Motoyo finally hurriedly pulled Chihaya Aine into the small fitting room.

“It felt like I heard my sister’s voice.”

"It's not elegant to avoid making a choice. Which one do you want to choose from the clothes that Hemu and I have chosen for you?"

"Clothes... I can take them all, right?" Ichinose Sakuya blinked innocently.

Chapter 241 Jealousy

Ichinose Sakuya doesn't particularly like or hate shopping.

Because most of the time I just wander around to waste my remaining time and energy, and occasionally I come across some cute designs, and even less often I actually pay for them. But it's a different scene when I'm with someone I like. Even if I'm not in the mood, just looking at the clothes and imagining changing clothes for Shoko in my mind is enough to stimulate the hidden shopping instinct of high school girls. But it seems that the dignified and elegant Toyokawa Shoko and the quiet and virgin Wakaba Mutsu also think so.

"Sure enough, let's try this British-style shirt and long skirt first." Toyokawa Shoko stretched out her hand to show the maroon long skirt that was half lying on her arm, and naturally put her other hand on Sakuya's waist, measuring her size by feel.

"......This one looks good." Wakaba Mutsuya approached from behind, holding a Lolita-style warm yellow printed dress in both hands.

"Eh? Isn't it too fancy?" Ms. Sakuya, whose aesthetic taste is only at the level of a junior high school student, was holding the short-sleeved shirt and cropped pants she had chosen for Xiangzi and Mu, feeling a little embarrassed. Mu's choice was too cute and didn't match her, Xiangzi's outfit was too mature, and she was not good at wearing a skirt that took up almost 2/3 of the body. "If I wear it out, I always feel embarrassed..."

"I think Sakuya's choice is too plain. She usually wears a shirt and pleated skirt similar to her school uniform when she goes out. I want to see a more beautiful Sakuya occasionally." Toyokawa Shoko changed into a larger shirt, put the skirt in Sakuya's hand like a spoiled child, and then exchanged it for the summer suit that she had picked out for her. The style was simpler, but the color combination was still quite pleasing.

"I want to see it." Mu was even simpler. He imitated Xiangzi and gave the clothes to the model, then looked at her with bright eyes. The corners of his mouth showed obvious fluctuations that could be observed by the naked eye.

"I'm not the model for you two to change clothes." Miss Sakuya complained softly. Perhaps she felt that the clothes were more suitable for her sister, or maybe it was just telepathy. She seemed to vaguely hear her sister's unhappy and kind voice, but when she turned around to look for it, she found nothing.

"What's wrong?" Miss Xiangzi asked casually while calculating the price of clothes.

"I felt like I heard my sister's voice." Ms. Sakuya blinked repeatedly, thinking about how to get out of this situation. It might be a bit hypocritical, but she just wanted to watch Xiangzi change clothes, and she didn't want to be the puppet who changed clothes at all.

"It's not elegant to avoid making a choice. Which piece of clothes do you want to choose when Hemu and I picked it for you?" Xiangzi raised his eyebrows and asked with obvious hints.

"Clothes... I can still have them all, right?" Miss Sakuya said this rather boldly in a timid tone, successfully earning Shoko's rolling eyes and friendly intimacy. But before the topic could get any deeper, she trotted away to fight with the complicated clothes that she didn't know how to wear.

Ms. Sakuya ran into the dressing room holding her clothes.

Toyokawa Shoko first coaxed Wakaba Mutsuya into the dressing room next door before slowly counting down in her mind. When she almost counted to one hundred, a small crack appeared in the country girl's dressing room, and a small head with disheveled hair half popped out. Her eyes, as if asking for help, coincidentally met the golden eyes that were waiting for her.

"Didn't Xiangzi go to change clothes?" Miss Sakuya shrank back cautiously and asked while holding the door handle. She really wanted to find someone who knew how to wear such clothes to help her tidy up, but Xiangzi, who was smiling, looked like he had bad intentions.

"There are only three changing rooms in this store, and they are all full, so I have to wait outside for Sakuya to change her clothes." Miss Xiangzi put away her mobile phone whose screen was not even turned on. It was indeed a standard action of someone who was just idly waiting on the phone.

Toyokawa Shoko's reason was reasonable, and Miss Sakuya's long skirt continued to slide down. After all, the desire for security overcame the girl's unique sense of shame. She took a small step back with her skirt in one hand, making a small entrance. Anyway, she would accompany Shoko to take a bath in the evening, and it should not be considered a bad behavior to be seen by her lover.

"Shoko, can you come in and help me?" Miss Sakuya spoke in a low voice, but the soundproofing of the locker room was not very good. At least the sudden short cry of pain from next door sounded quite familiar.

"Since it's Sakuya's request, there's nothing we can do." Toyokawa Shoko patted the non-existent dust on her clothes and walked in leisurely. She could see the awkward movement of the stupid country girl with her clothes half covered.

The short and thin white accordion pleated shirt was propped up by her well-developed chest, and the high-waisted burgundy slim skirt hung loosely below her belly, as if she really didn't understand how to cover her belly and calves at the same time. The girl just used both hands to fix the skirt on her body, opened her mouth shyly, paused, and finally could only give a cute look for help to Miss Xiangzi who came to help.

This does make me look a bit mean, but since Sakuya is so cute, I can't blame myself for using a little trick, right? Thinking this, Ms. Xiangzi pulled the bolt on the door.

"Shoko, why... aren't you talking?" The clicking sound of the door bolt made Miss Sakuya, whose face was flushed, react belatedly. She stepped back while wondering if she was inviting a wolf into the house.

"Because I want to do something bad secretly." Miss Xiangzi took two steps forward, pushed Sakuya against the wall behind her, and whispered in a voice just loud enough for her to hear.

"Just before I met Xiaomu, wasn't it... um..." Miss Sakuya, whose ears were red, separated one hand and pushed twice before she ran out of strength. This was because the malicious Miss Xiangzi had already gently sucked her hot earlobe. The warm touch and the shame of being pressed against the wall alternately came over her. She couldn't tell for a moment whether Xiangzi's lips were hotter or her own ears were hotter.

"It's because we met in harmony..." Shoko bit the warm soft flesh with enough force that it would not leave a mark before whispering faintly. "...I'm jealous, so Sakuya, you have to hold back and not make any sound."

"Well... why?" In fact, Miss Sakuya, whose head was almost steaming, was no longer listening to what Xiangzi said specifically. She just agreed subconsciously and asked back a little confusedly.

"Because Mu is right next to us." Xiangzi said softly, covering the girl's cheek with one hand, so that Sakuya's watery gray-blue eyes could only look at him.

"And I'm going to kiss you now." Toyokawa Shoko said this, and did as she declared.

Chapter 242 Gentle or Not

Ten minutes later, on the streets of Omotesando.

The new clothes and the flaxen-haired girl walking beside him made Ruoye Mu feel genuinely comfortable and relaxed, and he even felt a little more excited than Xiangzi, as if the sky had become clearer.

Because Sakuya finally chose the dress she picked, but Xiangxuan refused to buy any of the clothes she chose, and finally just changed into a light blue T-shirt of the same style. In terms of clothing taste, Miss Mu felt that she had won an undisputed victory!

Toyokawa Shoko was in a similar mood. Although she was a little mean and had her tongue bitten back by the angry country girl, and had to reapply her lipstick for the second time in the empty dressing room, the unhappiness caused by Mu had long disappeared. At this moment, she was walking with an elegant pace, quite relaxed, letting Wakaba Mu quietly close the distance between her and Sakuya. Anyway, she had already won the final victory.

Ichinose Sakuya tried to clear her mind, not to think about the smell of her lipstick, and also to not think about the shame she had just felt. She actually felt a little bit of anticipation and blushed because of Xiangzi's semi-forced behavior, and she didn't even have the strength to fight back. Could it be that she really had to just lie down and let Xiangzi do whatever he wanted?

The troubles that were not really troubles were quickly forgotten. As a person who knew how to self-regulate and worked hard to make her brain smoother, the fact that she was about to go out to eat something delicious perfectly occupied Miss Sakuya's limited thinking process.

After turning two corners and walking down the alley at the corner of the street, you will see narrow stone paths and Japanese-style restaurants lined up in a row. The drifting ink-style signs glow lazily in the afternoon sun, mixed with the aroma of prepared food.

This kind of snack street-like food scene usually becomes lively in the evening. Miss Sakuya, who was looking forward to trying it next time, hummed classic jazz music coming from the roadside speakers, walked to the street, touched the fat orange clerk, and waved and smiled at the gray-haired old grandfather chef before finally wandering to the designated afternoon tea restaurant.

It is not as magnificent as imagined, nor is it luxurious with glass exterior walls that let light through. Instead, it is a clean courtyard with a strong sense of history. If the sign at the door was not the same as the one on the meal ticket, the country girl would have thought that this was the private garden of some important person.

It’s different from what I imagined, but maybe I can eat the salty sakura mochi I’ve been craving for, which is not bad.

Ms. Sakuya has always been a firm believer in daily desserts, and she is also a matcha-specialist. After all, she has been eating matcha desserts since she was a child. If you go out and stroll for two or three steps, you can find matcha dessert shops that are open one after another. The quantity is large, cheap, and delicious. If you can't finish it, you can share half with Mio or take it back to feed Ms. Ritsu. It is the perfect choice for elementary and middle school students in Uji.

Only when she was seated as she was guided and looked at the luxurious decorations, the exquisite plating, the gleaming silver knives and forks, and the white napkins folded into the shapes of thousands of paper cranes did the ignorant country girl suddenly understand what it meant to be a hermit in the city. She could only sit upright with a little trepidation, trying her best to act like a swan with its head held high on the Ya River, watching Xiangzi communicate with the waitress about the meal in a calm and generous manner.

"Ox tongue cherry cake, fruit tart, sorbet, almond tofu, and for mousse, two kinds of sandblasted and glazed, that's about it." Ms. Xiangzi skillfully announced the names of the dishes before turning around to look at the reserved country girl and asked with a smile. "Is there anything else Sakuya wants to eat?"

"Do you have any matcha flavored snacks?" Miss Sakuya did not forget her original intention, looked at Wakaba Mutsu and added, "There are also mango snacks and that black tea cake."

"Then let's add another Earl Grey tea cake." Ms. Xiangzi handed the menu back to the waiter naturally, picked up the tea in front of her with both hands, and said elegantly, as if she had become the lady who took care of everyone attentively. "The fruit tart contains mango, and there is also a mousse with a matcha theme. But then again, Sakuya really cares about Mutsu and even knows his preferences clearly."

"I've only seen Mu drink mango juice occasionally." Sakuya looked away, fiddling with the paper cranes on the table, not daring to meet Xiangzi's slightly aggressive eyes.

"It's a wrong sentence to put the words 'occasionally' and 'often' together." Miss Xiangzi laughed and complained, and stopped teasing the embarrassed stupid village girl. She turned her head and looked at Mu, who hadn't had afternoon tea with her for a long time, and asked curiously. "What is Mu thinking about?"

"......" If Ye Mu was indeed thinking about something, he would quietly raise his eyes and speak calmly. "I was thinking... maybe it's because mango is easier to remember than Earl Grey tea cake."

Toyokawa Shoko put down her teacup in annoyance, wondering if she had nothing to do and why she had to ask Mu what he thought. As expected, it only made her feel uncomfortable but she had no place to vent.

"......I'm sorry." Miss Mu, who had not yet accomplished her great ambition, rarely apologized on her own initiative. Although it was Xiang who asked first, she might have said the wrong thing again.

"It's okay. I'm actually surprised that Mu would take the initiative to apologize to me." Miss Xiangzi skillfully controlled her breathing and let out her anger, regaining her usual elegance. She didn't pay much attention to Mu's somewhat competitive offense. As a half-body, she had almost gotten used to it.

"......" Mu didn't say anything and sipped the mango juice in front of her, because she had a premonition that she would take the initiative to apologize to Xiang in the future.

"Shoko is still criticizing me, but he obviously dotes on Xiao Mu as well." Miss Sakuya, who was sitting at the other end of the round table, held her chin with both hands and smiled at the blue-haired hedgehog who was furious and had arranged it by himself. "He ordered the things that Xiao Mu and I like in advance, but he didn't think about his own preferences. Even if he was angry, he was only angry for a while and then held it back. Shoko is really gentle."

And she is very cute. I am really lucky. Even though the person I am in love with is a girl, she is also an excellent person who cherishes feelings.

"It's just because the other person is Mutsu." Xiangzi sighed, not quite agreeing with what Sakuya said. Maybe she could be called gentle in the past, but this tenderness only existed between this not-so-big round table. To everyone in Crychic, she was ultimately the bad guy who destroyed the band.

The waitress came back with the tray. The atmosphere of the afternoon tea among the three people was a little subtle but still harmonious. Chihaya Aine finally had time to pull her arm covered with red marks from someone's hand. Nagasaki Suyo was left with hatred as she watched her sister completely fall.

She had made up her mind that she would never acknowledge the hateful blue-haired hedgehog downstairs!

Chapter 243 This is a chapter title

There aren't many shops willing to do afternoon tea seriously. As long as you prepare a girly pink atmosphere and give out some limited small gifts, even if the dessert doesn't taste as good as the chocolate snails from Yamabuki Bakery, as long as it's suitable for taking photos and you invite three or two internet celebrities to promote it on SNS, there will still be customers who don't know the truth and will come one after another, and after eating, they will secretly swear that they will never come again.

But this little-known courtyard restaurant tucked away in a small alley is considered top-notch even among its serious peers.

The ox tongue cherry cake is well puffed, thin and bright, with a crispy crust and a filling that spreads like gravel with just a light lick of the tongue. The almond tofu with Dangui sauce has a strong southern almond flavor, which is prominent but not sharp. It looks chewy, but has an unexpectedly sticky texture when you put it in your mouth. The fruit tart is a combination of green grapes and mangoes. The cheese mousse is paired with lemon sauce to add harmony, the matcha mousse plays a smooth string sound with the milk fragrance, and the rare sorbet sings a unique song.

Even Ichinose Sakuya, who knew nothing at all, can give the highest praise now that makes her drool just thinking about it.

The jam and puree made from fresh strawberries are mixed into a slender cone. The fibers and particles of the fruit are soaked in liquid nitrogen and turned into a perfectly blended smoothie, which is then topped with lime peel and cheese. With just a slight movement of the silver spoon, the slightly sour and fruity aroma will spread evenly in your mouth, giving you the satisfaction of having eaten a whole portion of strawberry parfait.

"It's incredible. Now I understand why the young ladies in Tsuki Forest are so passionate about afternoon tea." Ms. Sakuya lowered her voice when paying the bill with the meal coupon sponsored by Fujimiya-san and quietly asked about the price. She finally understood that some things are indeed expensive for a reason.

"Lian Mu was very satisfied. He even finished a whole sakuramochi, which is rare." Toyokawa Shoko followed closely behind her lover with a rare relaxed expression.

"Because it's delicious." Ruoye Mu took the time to say this while covering her mouth. Not long after finishing her lunch, she stuffed her stomach with a lot of snacks and black tea. Miss Mu, who had a small appetite, was once again in the embarrassing situation of burping in public.

But no one would think she was rude. At least Miss Sakuya thought that the doll-like Wakaba Mutsu was more adorable.

"It's getting late. Do you want to go home directly when we get to the station, Xiaomu?" Miss Sakuya, who was walking beside Xiangzi, turned around and walked backwards on the road playfully. She turned around and met Wakaba Mu's eyes. Anyway, she believed that Xiangzi would not let her bump into a tree.

"......" Mutsu remained silent as usual, staring at the girl with his pale golden eyes for a few seconds before he quickly followed the two people in front of him and asked in a low voice. "...Where's Sakuya?"

"As for me, I have things to do later with Xiangzi." Miss Sakuya touched the prepared clothes in her bag, tacitly not saying anything. She hesitated and glanced at the pink-haired girl in the distance before turning back to the front, with her hands behind her back so as not to give the two men a chance to grab her.

"...What's the matter?" Mu continued to ask. She didn't want to separate from Sakuya yet.

"Inspecting the workplace." Xiangzi said honestly without changing her expression. Just as she could tell Mu's emotions, Ruoye Mu could also tell from the details whether Miss Xiangzi was lying or showing off, so she could only tell the truth.

"Is it...about the band?" Ruoye Mu asked with one hand on his chin and his head slightly tilted.

"I have some connections, so I'm asking for advice from my seniors." Toyokawa Shoko's words were not false. She had talked a lot with Sanjiao Chuhua on the phone these days, after a long time of separation. Yesterday, she even tried to contact her mother's personal assistant and briefly submitted the ideas and performance style of the band.

Perhaps in her mother's eyes, this matter was not worth mentioning at all, and was just a sign of her surrender, but Miss Xiangzi still insisted that this was a mutually beneficial transaction. The Toyokawa family paid, and she would double the return with the band's performance and economic benefits.