After Ren and the others departed, two figures erged from the shadows, their presence unnoticed by the departing group. It was Kurayoshi Rino and Hiyama Shunka. For reasons unknown, Shunka was clutching Rino's hand tightly, her grip a mixture of nervousness and trust. Rino simply smiled, her gaze following the taillights of the car as it disappeared down the road.
A faint blush crept up Hiyama Shunka's cheeks. "Kura… Rino… are you certain you know the way?"
Kurayoshi Rino's smile widened, and she gave Shunka's head a gentle pat. "Of course~ There are many things I know~ So, Shunka, let's go to my place and rest for a little while first, shall we?"
"Ah? But, Wakasa…"
"You're the president, aren't you? You've been gone for so many days and nothing has fallen apart. Co on, let's go~"
"Okay…"
"Hehe~ So adorable~"
Had Sōryūin Shion or any of the others witnessed this exchange, they would have been utterly dumbfounded. The air between the two won was charged with a peculiar, unspoken intimacy that was entirely new.
anwhile, in the car, Ichihara Yuko and the others felt a sense of anticipation they hadn't experienced in a long ti. Though their trip had been a whirlwind of luxury and indulgence, nothing compared to the deep sense of peace that ca with the thought of returning ho.
They say the longest road in the world is the one that leads you away from ho. But the road you've walked a thousand tis, the one you leave behind only to return to one day—that path, filled with excitent and a deep, comforting familiarity, is the road that leads you back.
This feeling was especially potent for Ichihara Yuko and Lucifer, two souls who valued the concept of 'ho' above all else. At this mont, their hearts were brimming with eagerness.
Ren glanced at the demon queen in the rearview mirror, a knowing smile on his face. "Lucifer, you look excited. Missing ho?"
Lucifer didn't deny it, simply nodding. "Yes. Being away for so many days… it feels a bit unsettling. But speaking of which, why are you asking and not Yuko? She's the one with the powerful case of hosickness."
Cerberus, from her spot, raised a paw. "Because Lucifer is a tsundere!"
"Hahaha!" The car erupted in laughter.
Lucifer's face went crimson. "I am not a tsundere! Besides, Yuko is the real tsundere here! Why is everyone always picking on ?!"
Ichihara Yuko shot back, feigning annoyance. "Hey, hey, hey, Lucifer. I'm not a tsundere, okay?"
A collective, disbelieving "Tch~" echoed from everyone else in the car.
Yuko's mouth twitched. While she did possess a certain tsundere streak, she always claid it was a trait she'd unfortunately caught from Lucifer, thus neatly redirecting any and all teasing back to the demon queen.
Momobami Kirari let out a delicate yawn. "If you ask , you two should really try being tsundere to each other. After all, the only way to deal with a tsundere is with another tsundere. It becos a contest of wills, a battle to see whose defenses are stronger. The one who breaks first reveals the true source of the trait."
Lucifer huffed, irritated. "Kirari, you certainly have the free ti to analyze such things. Speaking of which, just how many cups of coffee did you win from Shion?"
"Hmm… I believe I won a cup of everything on the nu, except for the Caral Macchiato. How lovely."
Kure Karura covered her face with a hand. "Kirari… you really are sothing else. But now that I think about it, you never seem to bet on the Caral Macchiato, do you?"
"A regular macchiato is fine, but a Caral Macchiato? No, thank you. The main reason has to do with Ren. Rindou should know, right?"
Kobayashi Rindou, scrolling through her phone, answered without looking up. "Isn't it just because Ren isn't a big fan of caral? What's the mystery? As I recall, Ren, your favorite is… Mocha, right?"
This was news to Lucifer and the others. Ren nodded in confirmation. "Mm. I prefer Mocha because it's more fragrant. After that would be a Latte, I suppose. Personally, the one I dislike the most is that super-concentrated black coffee. It's just sour and bitter."
Everyone knew about his aversion to black coffee. Suddenly, a mischievous glint appeared in Lucifer's eyes. "I seem to rember… you specifically requested two cups of Mocha when you made that bet with Shion, didn't you, Kirari?"
A subtle twitch in Kirari's eye was the only sign of her composure faltering. She smiled serenely. "Mm, that's true. But that's perfectly normal, isn't it? I happen to like Mocha as well. Oh, my. It seems we're almost there."
"Eh?! We're almost at Mr. Ren's shop?!"
Hearing this, Elena, who had been excitedly chatting with Jinx, imdiately pressed her face against the window. The streets, so vastly different from those of her ho country, were a source of endless fascination for her.
In her eyes, Mr. Ren was a figure of imnse power, with impeccable looks and a flawless personality. And according to Karura and the others, his culinary skills were beyond imagination. She couldn't even begin to picture what kind of restaurant such a person would run.
"Wow, so many shops! Mr. Ren, your restaurant is here? This is such a competitive location!"
"It's this way, Elena."
"This way… wait… huh?! This… this street… why does it feel like no one ever cos down here?"
A few muffled chuckles filled the car at Elena's bewildered complaint. It was a common reaction. Even if you gave soone the exact address of Ren's restaurant, they would likely dismiss it as a mistake.
"Cerberus, don't run ahead this ti," Ren called out as they got out of the car. "The shop has changed a bit."
"Changed?!" The word rippled through the group.
Lucifer and the others instantly understood. The shop had been upgraded. Courage, however, looked confused. "Did you have soone renovate, Ren? But that seems impossibly fast. Was it a high-quality team working around the clock to rush the construction? If so, they're an incredibly efficient group!"
Ren just smiled. "That's roughly the idea."
When they followed him inside, a collective silence fell over the group. Everyone, except for Ren, stood frozen in the doorway, their eyes wide with disbelief. The style was the sa, a familiar and comforting aesthetic, but the entire space was significantly larger. New features had appeared as if from nowhere. A handso wine cabinet now stood behind the counter, several large tables occupied a newly expanded dining area, and bookshelves were neatly fixed to the wall by the staircase. Most surprisingly, there was now a proper restroom tucked away in the corner.
Courage was the first to break the silence, her voice filled with awe. "Wow! It's been enhanced on the original foundation, more complete and even more beautiful! It feels so much… warr, more alive now!"
No one lingered by the entrance for long. They all rushed upstairs, discovering that the changes continued there. More rooms had been added, and the carpet underfoot felt impossibly soft. Every improvent, big and small, enhanced the comfort and feel of the space without erasing its original soul.
Ichihara Yuko ran a hand along the newly refined doorfra, a brilliant smile on her face. "What an amazing upgrade! Now even more people can visit! And the front door is so much more exquisite! Eh? Courage, what's wrong?"
The WGO inspector was staring intently at her phone, her expression shifting from surprise to elation. She looked up, her eyes shining.
"Lady Mana and the others are coming back tomorrow! This is wonderful!"
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