"That's good," Yuto smiled, stroking the little girl's head. "But Shouko, you must be careful and protect yourself, okay? You're so kind and gentle that I'm worried someone might bully you. If anyone really does try to bully you, you have to remember to tell me! When that time comes, your big brother here will teach those people a lesson for you."
The warmth of his palm made her face turn slightly rosy. "Yuto-ni, you don't need to worry. My homeroom teacher takes very good care of me. She said that if anything happens, I should tell her, and she'll help me."
Hearing Shouko mention her homeroom teacher made Yuto smile inwardly.
"That's good," he said.
"Today, my homeroom teacher asked me several times about you," Shouko admitted. "There were a lot of things I couldn't answer."
"It's fine. If you can't answer, just say you don't know."
"Mm, that's what I said. But my homeroom teacher seemed disappointed."
"Then tomorrow, say this to your homeroom teacher: tell her that I'm grateful for the way she takes care of you, and praise her a little on my behalf."
Confusion appeared in Shouko's eyes. "Will sensei stop feeling disappointed if I do that?"
"Maybe," Yuto shrugged with a soft laugh.
The little girl nodded, only half understanding why Yuto wanted her to do that.
She figured she would ask her mother when she got home.
Today, Shouko had accumulated several questions she wanted to ask her mother: Why had those older sisters and aunties stuffed notes into Yuto-nii hands in the morning?
Why did her homeroom teacher keep asking about Yuto-nii?
If she praised her homeroom teacher the way Yuto-nii said, would the teacher really stop feeling disappointed?
These questions kept circling in the little girl's heart.
Since her Yuto-nii had not explained them clearly, she would just ask her mother.
Her mother would definitely know!
"Shouko, would you like something to eat?"
"Not today. In a while, I'm going out to eat with Mommy, Grandma, and my little sister. I'll have to leave soon," Shouko answered cheerfully.
Moved by the news, Yuto nodded with a calm smile.
Seeing life in the Nishimiya household slowly beginning to regain hope made him happy.
"Does your mother not have to work today?"
"Mm. Mommy said she wants to resign in a few days, so it doesn't matter if she slacks off once in a while."
Yaeko was about to begin looking for a new, easier job so she would have more time to spend with her family.
Looking at the little girl's smiling face, Yuto felt happy.
Shouko took out her notebook. Now that she was going to school, she had homework to do.
Watching her prompted Yuto to think of his own student days, a past unbearable to look back on. And so, the little girl began carefully practicing her writing in the small restaurant.
As a first-year elementary school student, her homework was merely simple, repetitive handwriting practice.
Watching the little girl lower her head and write, Yuto couldn't help smiling before deciding to leave her in peace.
He turned his head toward Kaguya. "Have you finished talking?"
Both Kaguya and Senzaemon nodded.
While Yuto had heard the beginning of their conversation earlier, he had felt it was inappropriate for him to be there.
Disliking the tense atmosphere was part of the reason he had retreated to the kitchen.
Senzaemon looked at Yuto, then quietly glanced at Kaguya. With age comes wisdom, bringing clarity to certain situations.
Having made his choice of which side to stand on, he naturally needed to show it.
How to show it was an art in itself. Being too direct would be excessive; subtlety was the true art.
"Kamisaka-kun, may I ask you for a favor?" Senzaemon looked at Yuto with a burning gaze.
Yuto's brows moved slightly.
"If it's still something like becoming a teacher, then forget it," he joked.
"Of course not. Since Kamisaka-kun is unwilling, I naturally will not force you," Senzaemon laughed.
Beside him, Kaguya's gaze shifted slightly, her thoughts entirely her own.
Every year during the long holidays, Totsuki Academy arranged for students to intern at various restaurants.
These included top hotels both domestic and overseas, as well as small roadside shops.
While the assignment system was complex, the school tried its best to place students somewhere suitable.
Senzaemon's request was that this restaurant become one such internship location, an offer intended to draw him closer to Yuto.
While a low-level way of getting closer to someone involved simply giving them things, those well-versed in the social arts acted through other means.
If Yuto agreed to this request, it would mean he had formed a direct cooperative relationship with Totsuki.
Through this relationship, there would be a reasonable basis for deepening their friendship, providing a foundation for future favors or gifts.
This graceful, hidden approach was the way of social interaction.
Listening to Senzaemon's request, Yuto fell into thought.
He had previously considered the issue of staffing in the restaurant. With Tohru handling the waitstaff duties, there was no shortage in that area.
However, with the increasing number of customers, having a kitchen assistant to help him would make things much easier.
Moreover, Yuto had considered expanding the restaurant's cooking styles and flavors, and having another chef would be beneficial.
Although confident in his own cooking, Yuto was not arrogant, there were countless cuisines in the world he had never encountered.
With another chef, he could absorb new techniques.
When he had been thinking about this matter a few nights ago, he had even considered possible candidates.
"Of course, I will not ask you to agree to this for nothing," Senzaemon continued. "As long as you agree, Totsuki's ingredient warehouse can be opened to you from now on. If you need any ingredients, you may contact the warehouse as you wish!"
"As for the warehouse itself, I can guarantee this: in this country, no other ingredient warehouse dares compare itself to Totsuki's! Furthermore, Totsuki's database can be opened to you without restriction. You may freely search for any cooking information you need. If you have any other needs, you may also bring them up with Totsuki. As long as they are not excessive, they can all be agreed to."
While listening to Senzaemon's assurances, both Erina and Hisako looked shocked.
Being much more perceptive than ordinary people, they could roughly guess Senzaemon's intention.
However, what he had promised was so generous that they could not help being startled. When ordinary shops cooperated with Totsuki, they received preferential treatment, but that was usually no more than financial support.
This was the first time Totsuki's ingredient warehouse and database had been directly opened like this.
Erina glanced at her grandfather, wanting to speak, but Senzaemon's gaze directly stopped her.
Choosing to trust him, Erina stayed silent.
Yuto pondered briefly.
He felt that among the conditions Senzaemon had mentioned, only the first one—the ingredient warehouse—was relatively practical.
As for the database, he didn't really have any information he needed to look up.