“Master, let’s go into this restaurant.”
“Huh? Oh.”
“I’m going in.”
With that, Hanako pulled Kent’s hand and entered the restaurant.
“Welcome. Are you two?”
“Yes, two people.”
“Then, I’ll show you to your seats.”
The place Hanako had pulled him into was a casual restaurant that had recently become the talk of the town. It seemed to be popular for its delicious tea and light baked goods. Guided by a clerk, Kent and Hanako took their seats. About eighty percent of the seats inside were occupied, indicating it was quite bustling.
“It’s almost all female customers, isn’t it?”
“Yes. The male customers all seem to be on dates. I hope we don’t look like that too.”
“Hmm, who knows.”
Kent felt the stares of the other customers intensely, but since he couldn’t look at them directly, he pretended not to notice and spoke to Hanako.
“Have you decided on your order?”
“I’ll have the baked goods set, please. What about you, Master?”
“M-Master?”
A young female clerk came to take their order. Hanako quickly placed her order and then asked Kent what he wanted. When she said “Master” at that moment, the clerk’s expression changed.
“Ahaha, I’d be happy if you didn’t mind. In that case, I’ll have the same thing.”
“Certainly. Please wait a moment.”
The female clerk seemed wary of Kent, who was being called “Master” by a woman. After taking their order, she quickly retreated to the back.
“It looks like she was really on guard.”
“It seems so. In that case, how about I change how I address you just this once? I usually call you Master, but to avoid suspicion, I’ll call you You.”
“Uh, that…”
When Hanako called him “You” with a hint of sensuality, Kent’s heart skipped a beat.
“It’s a charming proposal, but please just call me by my name normally.”
“I can’t help it. Kent.”
“You’re calling me by my last name all of a sudden. Well, I guess it’s fine.”
“Then, I’ll call you Kent just for this outing.”
And so, for this outing only, Hanako’s way of addressing Kent was changed from “Master.”
“Thank you for waiting. Please enjoy.”
Two baked goods sets were placed on the table where Kent and Hanako were seated.
“I see, what is this supposed to be?”
“It seems to be primarily made with sweet potatoes. They appear to have been kneaded together and baked.”
“I see. But you could tell just by looking at it.”
Hanako, with just what was on the table, guessed what the baked goods were made of.
“My abilities are at full power right now, with no restrictions, so guessing something like this is easy.”
“R-Really?”
Kent was surprised by Hanako’s unfathomable abilities.
“Now then, Kent, please say ‘ah.’ I’ll feed you.”
“Kent? Ah, I mean, Kent.”
“Hm? Ah, Josette.”
Whether by chance, the woman next to them who was silently eating baked goods with a delicious expression on her face was Josette. She had reacted to the word “Kent,” casually looked up from where the voice came, and was surprised to see that it was indeed Kent.
“By the way, who is she next to you?”
Josette looked at Hanako, who was clinging to Kent’s side, with a wary expression.
“Uh, well, that…”
“Could it be that you’ve brought another woman with you, even though we have established us?”
Kent, thinking he couldn’t reveal Hanako’s true identity even to Josette, was at a loss for how to respond. Seeing his dilemma, Josette’s suspicion towards Kent deepened.
“I don’t think it’s cheating, but, well, how should I put it?”
Kent was trying to figure out how to answer.
“Kent, please open your mouth quickly.”
“Don’t add fuel to the fire like that.”
Hanako, knowing it was on the verge of becoming a disaster, said this provocatively in front of Josette.
“And even I still call you ‘san,’ so why are you on such familiar terms that you call each other by your last names?”
Provoked, Josette’s attitude hardened further.
“Hm, let’s calm down.”
“Munch, oh, this is delicious.”
Before Josette could confront them, Hanako threw a baked good she was holding into her mouth. After chewing and swallowing for a while, she had a satisfied look on her face.
“The tone you used earlier was yours, Hanako. If that’s the case, you should have said so. I can’t help it then.”
When Hanako intentionally spoke in her usual tone, the intelligent Josette seemed to understand immediately.
“Kent, what are you doing having Hanako dress like this?”
“She said that when she’s in her normal form, she has difficulty communicating due to restrictions on speaking, but in this form, she can talk normally.”
“I see. So that’s why her way of speaking is different from usual.”
Josette asked Kent, and he explained the circumstances behind Hanako’s attire, to which she showed an understanding expression.
“By the way, Josette, what are you doing here?”
“Huh? Me? Well, I’m here for a stroll and bite. I’ve wanted to visit this place that’s been talked about for a while. Recently, too many things have happened, so I couldn’t come, but I finally made time to visit.”
“I see.”
When Kent asked Josette why she was at this store, she answered honestly. Kent and Hanako ended up having a pleasant time talking with Josette, having added her to their group of three.
“Well then, I’ll be going to the next shop. Kent and Hanako, please enjoy your holiday too.”
“You’re leaving already? See you tomorrow, Josette.”
“Please enjoy your holiday as well, Josette.”
After spending some time together, they left the restaurant, and Josette parted ways with them to head to her next destination.
“What should we do next?”
” anywhere you like, Kent.”
“Anywhere I like, huh.”
After they were alone, Kent asked Hanako what they should do next.
“Then, I’ll take you to a place you like.”
“Huh? Then I’ll leave it to you.”
Since Hanako said she would take him to a place he liked, Kent decided to entrust it to her.
“Ah, my Older brother is walking around with a beautiful woman!”
As Kent walked down the street holding hands with Hanako, he was suddenly called out to. Since there was only one person who called him Older brother, Kent immediately recognized who had called out to him.
“Rachel?”
“Yes, your soul-bound sister. In other words, your soul sister. So, where did you buy this one?”
“Buy? There are better ways to put it, my dear sister.”
“Kent, I’d like to hear the full story too.”
Caro, who was next to Rachel, also spoke with a suspicious look.
“Uh, this is…”
Just like with Josette, Kent was at a loss for how to answer.
“Sniff, sniff. Ah, this scent. It’s Hanako.”
“Huh? This beautiful older lady is Hanako?”
Caro seemed to notice a scent and quickly realized Hanako’s true identity. Rachel was surprised by Hanako’s appearance, which was completely different from her usual self.
