"If you don't want to say, fine. I'll just send a LINE message."
Without softening at all, Yuu walked straight to the staff break room and took the spare umbrella.
Iroha followed him in and out like a pesky little hamster. She just hadn't yet physically blocked his path—Yuu suspected she refrained because she knew he had a girlfriend as beautiful as that, so she held back a little.
"Senpai, I'll tell you where the manager is, but you'll keep me company and chat for a bit, right? As you can see, I'm almost dying of boredom—"
"If you're bored, then clean something. I still need to go home and cook."
"I already cleaned! Look, the table's shining. That just proves how bored I am—so bored I cleaned this thoroughly..."
(...How dare she say that.)
Yuu turned around, looking at the small girl swaying her body with a pair of beautifully blank eyes, then pointing at the cashier's table: "Then, deepen your skills in coffee and pastry-making. At least help lighten the manager's workload."
"The manager isn't here, and I'm not allowed to touch his precious coffee equipment. What if I get scolded later?" Seeing Yuu finally willing to look at her, Iroha immediately stood straight, puffed out her small chest, and said confidently, "As for cakes, would you eat them if I made some? If no one eats them, wouldn't that just be a waste?"
Yuu glanced outside the shop. The rain was getting heavier. "Can't you eat them yourself or give them to the manager?"
Iroha widened her eyes in disbelief. "How could I do something so suicidal and murderous!"
Yuu tilted his gaze. "But killing me is fine?"
"Senpai's different~ I'm sure you're the type who can eat the worst cooking and loudly declare it delicious, then stand tall. You're so reliable!"
Iroha smiled sweetly, her lively eyes sparkling with clever mischief, and her short hair swayed gently like ripples on a summer pond.
She tilted her head, gazing up at his face from below. From her dewy eyes to the curve of her upper body, she always tried to maximize her charm—unconsciously triggering the desire to protect her.
"So, Senpai, these are the biscuits I secretly made in the kitchen. Try them, okay?"
As she said this, Iroha pulled out a small bag of biscuits from her uniform pocket. The biscuits looked ordinary—only the packaging was cute.
"Ah, so this was what you were waiting for." Yuu took it, examined it briefly. "If I say I'll tell you stories from the field trip, you'll serve this bag of biscuits as a snack and naturally let me eat them, right?"
"Yes, Senpai is indeed clever!"
Deliberately using honorifics like a maid from ancient times, Iroha answered loudly, then winked and stared at him.
Yuu didn't make her wait too long. He took a piece of biscuit from the bag and put it in his mouth. After chewing, he nodded slowly.
"You followed the recipe, didn't you? The taste is too stiff, not smooth. It's edible, but it wouldn't sell."
"Such a harsh evaluation." Her small shoulders slumped. Iroha pouted dejectedly, muttering, "Really can't do it, huh… Even though I copied every step from the video, somehow there's always one step wrong. No matter what I do, I can't make delicious biscuits..."
Yuu took another piece, chewing while thinking: "It's because you're not used to it yet. Have the manager guide you beside you, make a few more batches, and it should be sellable… Recipe choice is also very important. Biscuits without a distinctive feature won't be popular."
"That's not important. Besides, the biscuits I make won't be sold—they're just for..." Iroha shifted her gaze, her cheeks slightly reddening, and her voice grew quieter.
Yuu didn't miss that reaction. He smiled warmly and kindly.
"If it's a hobby, no need to rush. Take it slow—someday, you'll surely get good at it!" He quickly finished the remaining biscuits, returned the empty bag, and encouraged her like an older brother, "If you're making them to give to someone else, as long as you're cute and the taste isn't too bad, they can be more valuable than biscuits worth tens of thousands… What you made now is already good enough."
"That's too realistic!" She grumbled while putting away the empty bag. Iroha suddenly froze. Her cute, pretty face showed a slight enlightenment.
"Oh, wait—according to Senpai… Because I'm cute, does that mean this biscuit bag is very valuable to you?"
"I'll crown that as this year's best conclusion." Yuu brushed the remaining crumbs from his hands. He didn't deny or confirm it, only said casually, "Anyway, your cooking is decent—not at the level of the worst food. All you need is experience through trial and error."
"So, Senpai agrees to help me taste future biscuits?" Without hesitation, Iroha raised both hands and cheered loudly, "Yatta! Iroha-chan's great victory!"
"You've got so many tricks..."
Yuu stared at her speechless, but didn't refuse as he expected: "Fine. Make the biscuits and send them, or give them to me when I come to the shop. I can give you some advice on sweets."
"Eh?" Iroha was surprised. Her small mouth slightly opened, and she suddenly became nervous. "R-really? Won't Senpai's girlfriend mind?"
"If you're that scared, why did you just shout 'great victory'..." Yuu rolled his eyes and said casually, "It's no different from coworkers at a restaurant tasting each other's food. What's the problem? Besides, for me, whether I eat or not depends entirely on whether you're willing to give them."
"Wow, being able to eat homemade biscuits from a junior without feeling guilty… Truly Senpai…" Iroha murmured while sighing. Her expression was unsure whether to feel relieved or regretful, and finally she sighed in resignation, "Well, an answer like that is very much Senpai's style… Then, I humbly ask for your help, Senpai! Whenever I make biscuits, I'll share them with you."
Yuu nodded, crossing his arms and looking at her: "But as a chef, I'll seriously evaluate the food I taste… If next time it tastes the same, I hope you're ready for criticism."
"Hih, that sounds so scary..."
Her small body trembled slightly. Iroha quickly warned him: "Listen well—my cooking skills really aren't good. Senpai, please remember I'm a beginner. Don't be too harsh!"
Yuu smiled brightly. "Don't worry, I'm a very kind person."
Iroha immediately stepped back three steps. "There's no smile in your eyes! Your eyes aren't saying that at all! Scary, scary—cruel Senpai is terrifying!"
After the commotion, Yuu prepared to leave Angel Cafe.