chapter 382: Cannot Disturb Them
Because they were seated relatively far inside, Shinomiya Kaguya and Shirogane Miyuki did not notice Kaede and Eriri when they entered.
Of course, given the state the two of them were in, they probably wouldn't have noticed anyway.
Nevertheless, Kaede and Eriri quickly grabbed the menus nearby and held them up to shield their faces, just in case.
Soon, the two walked past them. It looked like they had reserved a private room and were being led there by a waiter.
Putting down the menu, Eriri sighed in relief. "Phew, thank goodness, thank goodness they didn't spot us. Otherwise, those two would have been mortified."
Right, Kaede and Eriri certainly wouldn't be embarrassed; the only ones who would be embarrassed were Shirogane Miyuki and Shinomiya Kaguya.
Nodding, Kaede chuckled and said, "The senpai have been dating for a while now, but it seems they haven't walked around holding hands in public very often. No wonder they're so shy."
"Kaede-kun, maybe we shouldn't let them find out we're here?"
"Yeah, I think so too. We arrived a bit earlier, so we should finish eating before them. Let them enjoy their date atmosphere properly. Oh, right, I should also tell Kushieda not to disturb them."
Although Kaede and Eriri both enjoy a good spectacle, this seemed to be a rare occasion for Shirogane Miyuki and Shinomiya Kaguya to eat together like this. They knew their limits and wouldn't interrupt.
The food was served quickly. The dishes Kushieda Minori recommended were indeed excellent and tasted great. Also, they wondered if she had spoken to the kitchen, as the portions seemed slightly larger than expected?
When the last dish was brought over, Kaede asked about it. Kushieda Minori smiled, nodded, and whispered, "Don't tell anyone, okay? This is a friendly bonus for friends. Enjoy your meal."
Swallowing a shrimp, Eriri smiled and said, "Thank you, Minori!"
Waving her hand, Kushieda Minori took the tray and went back to work.
Biting into a piece of crab, Eriri watched Kushieda Minori bustling about and said curiously, "Minori is amazing. Besides her activities in the Softball Club, she also works several jobs, and her grades are still pretty good. She feels like the same type of person as Shirogane Miyuki—always busy all day long."
"Shirogane Miyuki is doing much better now; the pressure on his family has eased quite a bit." Taking a sip of the Tom Yum Goong soup and thinking about the seasoning, Kaede said, "As for Kushieda, she mentioned wanting to attend a sports university and aiming to join the national softball team, didn't she? That's why she has to work harder than the average person and is constantly saving money."
"Mmm~~~~"
Resting her chin on her hand, Eriri whispered, "But that must be really tiring. Sports universities are highly competitive."
"In this day and age, everything is competitive." Peeling a shrimp and placing it in Eriri's bowl, Kaede continued, "But we know Kushieda. It's been a whole year, and her condition has remained excellent. If she truly couldn't handle it, her friends around her would notice and naturally stop her."
"Mhm, exactly. Especially Taiga, she wouldn't ignore Minori."
Nodding, Eriri happily picked up the shrimp Kaede had peeled for her and ate it in one bite.
"Mmm~~~ Delicious! I really never get tired of eating shrimp!"
Kaede smiled and said, "It's still spring now, but once summer comes, let's buy a lot of crayfish and make spicy and thirteen-spice versions ourselves. Eating them by the basinful will definitely be more satisfying than this."
"Sounds great!"
They had made it at home last year, but they bought them a bit late and didn't get many, so it wasn't very satisfying. They definitely needed to eat more this year!
After finishing their meal, the two glanced toward the private room before heading straight to pay the bill, saying goodbye to Kushieda Minori, and heading home.
Once home, after pouring Cat food for the Cat, Eriri went to the sofa, lay down on Kaede's lap, and said, "I don't want to move as soon as I get back..."
Untying Eriri's twin tails and stroking her long blonde hair, Kaede smiled and said, "You haven't done your homework yet today. If you're tired, how about you don't work after finishing your homework?"
"Hmm..."
A conflicted expression appeared on Eriri's face, but she finally shook her head. "No, I can't just stop drawing because I feel lazy. I still have to work. Kaede-kun, if you keep being like this, I'm really going to turn into a spoiled bum!"
"Isn't that fine? I'm perfectly happy spoiling you, Eriri."
Kaede chuckled and pinched Eriri's cheek. "Draw when you feel like drawing. If you don't feel like drawing, you can just take a week off from updates. What's the big deal? It's not like you're going to stop drawing forever."
"Hehe, no way. I don't want to follow the example of that old thief, Togashi!"
Grabbing Kaede's hand and slowly rubbing her cheek against it, Eriri said with her eyes closed, "While I never want to be constrained by manga work, since I started it, I naturally have to finish it! It was the same when I was a doujin artist—if I said I was releasing a book at a convention, even if I slacked off initially, I would pull all-nighters for the last few days to finish it. That's my awareness as an artist!"
"Mhm, mhm. Eriri is truly amazing."
Kaede brushed Eriri's cheek with his other hand and said softly, "If you want to draw, it's still early. Rest for a bit first. After you finish your homework, take a shower, and then you can draw for a while."
"Okay~~ Kaede-kun, I want to watch TV!"
Nodding, Kaede took the remote control and turned on the TV. The two of them rested in the living room and watched TV... The next day, Kaede woke up early as usual.
Opening his eyes and looking beside him, Kaede saw Eriri sleeping soundly in a twisted posture, half her body outside the blanket.
Shaking his head helplessly, Kaede sat up, covered Eriri with the blanket, and gently shook her: "Eriri, it's morning now. Time to get up."
"Ugh..."
Drowsily, Eriri opened her eyes, saw that Kaede was already up and looking at her. She nodded, rubbing her eyes, and said, "Good morning, Kaede-kun... Achoo!!!"
Oh no, she caught a cold.
Looking at Eriri, who was sniffing her nose blankly after sneezing, Kaede gave a wry smile and rubbed her head: "I didn't even notice you had slipped out from under the covers. Do you have a headache now?"
"My head doesn't hurt."
Eriri sat up, shook her head, and said, "It's just that my nose is a little blocked. It's uncomfortable."
"That's good then. Let's monitor it today and see how it goes. For today's lunch bento, I'll prepare something light. Alright, I'm going to wash up first. Eriri, don't stay in bed too long."
"Mhm, I know."
She nodded. After Kaede left, Eriri rubbed her nose, took the clothes nearby, and put them on.