Chapter 19: Sensing Danger.

Sizzle.

As long as the person grilling flips them properly, yakiniku cooks well. Regardless of whether the person grilling is crying or sniffling. High-quality yakiniku cooks deliciously even if it’s burnt.

“Are you okay now?”

A 153cm beautiful girl who was sobbing just ten minutes ago can grill deliciously. Incredibly so. I wonder if it’s because a beautiful girl is grilling.

Sayo, still red-faced and wiping away her tears, grilled the meat, evoking a sadistic pleasure. This cuteness makes things dangerous.

“Hee. sniffle. Hmph. Yeah…”

…Seriously, unbelievably cute.

She’s nine… no, ten years older than me. Quite a significant age difference, but even if this cute woman is sobbing while grilling, it’s incredibly delicious.

Still, feeling sadistic pleasure doesn’t mean I don’t feel guilty. I’m truly sorry. Making such a small animal cry…

“Sorry for teasing you. You’re so cute, unnie.”

I even used the word “unnie,” which I rarely use.

To begin with, this isn’t a place I usually come to.

The staff are all wearing kimonos, and there are so many bamboo decorations. The private room with antique wooden walls and yellow lighting created a luxurious atmosphere.

And what’s with this spacious room…?

“Hmph. You don’t have to look around so much. Be grateful to me for reserving such a nice place…”

She glanced at me while blowing her nose into a tissue. Taking off her mask once was like fan service. She immediately put it back on and didn’t take it off again until we arrived at the yakiniku restaurant.

Well, she’ll take it off now and properly enjoy the sweet and savory flavor of yakiniku.

Slide.

She pulled down her mask with her index finger again.

The restricted aroma of meat hit my nose directly.

Hiya. It feels like my excited heart stopped.

This is too good.

“You can take off your mask now… what’s wrong?”

Her small mouth was agape, as if drool was about to drip out. By the way, I feel like my reflection isn’t showing in her eyes, are they some kind of special eyes…?

“Ah! Th-This isn’t right!”

As if snapping out of it, Sayo shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut. What? Was she always like this? This person. Vtubers are really different from their real-life counterparts. Her image is usually a drunkard, an idiot, a fool…

She’s too cute.

Even her appearance is completely different. How can a gyaru older sister… turn into such a cute little animal? Or is it the other way around?

Sayo fidgeted with her small hands and picked up her chopsticks. Her mouth was moving, so she must be saying something, but unfortunately, I couldn’t hear her. More importantly, Sayo. Your hands are abnormally small. I want to squish them…

“Eat this.”

“…!”

Thud!

I came to my senses when my knees hit the table. The tingling pain woke up my numb brain. Ugh… that hurts.

I was staring blankly.

Sayo’s kindness, picking up yakiniku and rice with her chopsticks and offering it to me. I’m touched. I opened my mouth obediently and accepted her kindness.

Chomp.

“Mmm. Thank you.”

Ooh.

The tender yakiniku coated in sweet and savory sauce went well with the plain, fluffy rice. Hmm. A meeting of tenderness and tenderness. Beautifully beautiful.

Sayo watched me chewing happily and rested her chin on her hand. She looked like a child trying to imitate an adult, but it didn’t make her look childish. Her expression and posture were mature, and the gap was unbearably cute.

“Even your eating is pretty. Are you some kind of idol…?”

I know better than anyone that my face is pretty, even without the plane ride. But I can’t help but listen when she keeps saying it.

It’s only natural to make a smug face when such a cute older woman keeps complimenting me, right? If you don’t feel good about that, you’re… frigid?

Is that a bit different?

Ah, leaving those things aside…

“You’re really good at grilling, Sayo unnie.”

The meat is delicious.

It’s the best-grilled meat I’ve ever had.

The meat is juicy, but the outside is crispy and savory.

She’s not a beginner. She must have grilled many times before. I didn’t expect her to go to yakiniku restaurants with friends.

“Heehee. Right? I’ve always been good at grilling meat. I practiced every day at one-person yakiniku restaurants.”

Sayo smiled as she grilled the meat. The sizzling sound masked the sound of my sharp intake of breath.

“…I see.”

Suddenly, a sad story… or not.

She doesn’t even realize it’s a sad story.

“Unnie, a Mama like me…”

“Hmm… I think we should sort out the way we address each other first.”

The way we address each other is a bit messy. It’s not organized at all, sometimes using formal language, sometimes informal… It’s confusing.

Sizzle.

She placed three pieces of yakiniku on my plate, took one for herself, placed it neatly on her rice, and chewed daintily. Sayo’s small mouth was full with just half a spoonful of rice and a piece of meat.

“Why did you switch back to formal language after using informal language earlier?”

Ha.

…I really can’t hate this person. Even the people who make fun of Haru online wouldn’t be able to after seeing this. Those who call her an ajumma or say her head is visible even from Busan.

“I switched back after realizing you’re older than me… Anyway, finish eating before you talk.”

I wiped the yakiniku sauce that was about to drip from Sayo’s mouth with a tissue. Sayo, obediently closing her eyes and entrusting her mouth to me, was quite harmful to my heart.

“Okay.”

Munch, munch.

Her small mouth worked hard. It felt like watching a video of a hamster eating an almond bigger than its mouth. It’s healing…

Gulp.

After chewing for a while, Sayo swallowed the remaining food with her eyes squeezed shut and said,

“I want to call you Mama and use informal language.”

“Ah. Then what should I call…”

“Hmm! Wait…”

Sayo paused to think and took a sip of sake. It’s quite strong, as far as I know, but there wasn’t even a single “Ahh” sound.

With slightly unfocused eyes, Sayo fiddled with her fingers and said,

“How about Sayo-chan with honorifics? I like the Mama and daughter relationship.”

“If Sayo-chan wants that… let’s do that.”

Glug, glug…

Sayo grinned and placed a few more pieces of yakiniku on my plate, then drank only miso soup. This yakiniku is really delicious, but why isn’t she eating it…?

“You can’t drink alcohol, right Mama? You’re nineteen.”

“Ah. Yes. Sayo-chan… is fine, of course.”

Her appearance makes me forget.

That Sayo is already 28 and can easily drink and smoke…

“Hmm. I guess I’ll have to finish this alone then.”

Pour.

She filled the large glass to the brim, and the sake even spilled onto the square wooden… wait. Does it usually hold that much? The angle she’s tilting the bottle is strange…

Glug, glug… Even the wood is almost overflowing now. Is sake that strong? Or weak…? No matter what kind of alcohol it is, drinking that much won’t make tomorrow pleasant…

Sayo, watching the ripples of the sake, had a serious look in her eyes. Eyes so mature that I was strongly reminded that she was an adult.

Sayo dipped her finger in the spilled sake and stood up. She probably wasn’t drunk just from the smell, but she seemed a bit excited. It felt like watching someone get swept up in the atmosphere.

“Now! Let’s make a toast for Mama and my future!”

“W-Whoa…”

Is she being chased or something? Suddenly, a moo…

“Ugh.”

Someone’s arm wrapped around me from behind. Thin, it must be a woman. The movement was too exaggerated to be threatening. Since she wasn’t pressing on my throat, she wasn’t a professional. I quietly put down the scissors I was holding in my right hand.

“Yo, Haru-chan. Long time no see. Who is this beautiful lady?”

“Ah. Ookamikko-senpai… This is my Mama, White Palette-san.”

Aha. So Inuko-san’s name is Ookamikko…? A wolf, not a dog. What a strange coincidence. Anyway, I wish she’d let go of my arm. It’s starting to hurt.

Ookamikko-san gently lifted my chin with one hand. My entire face, free of mask and sunglasses, was exposed. Her gaze as she looked down at me was chilling. The thought of being devoured consumed my mind.

“…She’s seriously the best.”

Did she just mutter something…?

“Ookamikko-senpai. This is a private room.”

Ookamikko-san looked at Sayo, a hint of regret in her eyes, which had been fixed on me. She didn’t give Sayo the same strange look she gave me. Rather, it was a slightly… cynical look.

“Ah. I told them I was an acquaintance and came in. I mentioned Sayo-chan’s height and imitated her voice, and they let me in.”

Huh? Is it my imagination?

Looking at them now, they seem like close friends.

“Really… you haven’t changed, still so rude.”

“Like your height?”

“Eek…”

Exchanging playful insults while smiling. Yeah. They’re definitely friends.

Finally relaxing a bit, I pushed Ookamikko-san’s hand away.

“It’s Ookamikko… -san.”

The hand I pushed away grabbed my cheek again.

This is troublesome. I can’t escape…

“Yes. Oh. It’s the first time I’ve seen your face uncovered, White-san.”

Squish, squish.

Whoa. Treating my cheeks like slime…

Ookamikko-san’s hand moved all over my cheeks.

“Ooh. Like mochi. The texture is amazing.”

“Would you mind not evaluating people like that…?”

At this rate, she’ll really touch my chest…

“Eek!”

“You dodged that. You’re quite fast.”

Crazy b*tch… Seriously crazy.

This is dangerous.

Crash!

“Oops. There’s no need to rush.”

I quickly got up and moved closer to Sayo.

If I stay there any longer, I feel like I’ll wake up in a love hotel instead of this one.

Ookamikko-san licked her hand as I moved away.

The hand that was just holding me.

“…It would have been nice if you had stayed there a little longer.”

…Huh.

I think I should avoid her.