"Yeah, I know the reason. It's my own issue, but it doesn't really matter."
Asuna nodded and didn't press further, but an idea suddenly sparked in her mind. She looked at Yusei with a playful smile.
"Yusei-kun, whose lunchbox do you think is tastier? Mine, or Kaguya's?"
"Kaguya's, of course."
Yusei answered honestly.
Asuna's cooking skills were indeed very good, but they were still several tiers below those of the Shinomiya Family's head chef.
He was eating the lunchbox when he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He couldn't help but look up.
He saw Asuna's smiling, beautiful face, which would normally be very lovely...
But right now, in Yusei's view, Asuna gave off a terrifying feeling, making him gulp.
'Is this my Asuna? My Asuna wouldn't be like this.'
Kaguya, who overheard Yusei's initial comment, felt a surge of joy inside, though she didn't show it on her face.
But then, she heard him continue.
"In terms of flavor, the food made by the Shinomiya Family's chef is indeed tastier. But in terms of the heart put into it, I'm very satisfied with your cooking, Asuna."
"Yeah, eating it gives me a particularly happy feeling. That's the feeling of your affection, Asuna."
Hearing this, Kaguya had a sudden realization. She finally understood why Asuna's food tasted delicious in her mouth but felt sour in her heart.
'So this is what 'heart' means?'
Kaguya, who had initially been happy that Yusei said her lunchbox was tasty, felt as if she had been doused with cold water.
There was no 'heart' from her in it, and she hadn't even made the food herself.
Looking at Asuna, Kaguya suddenly felt she couldn't compare.
'Maybe the 'distance' lies in the effort? When Asuna found out Yusei-kun liked manga, she taught herself how to draw.'
'When she cooks, she pours her feelings for Yusei-kun into it.'
'Is this what I can't match?'
But was Kaguya the type to give up easily? Of course not. She gritted her teeth secretly, a seemingly burning flame in her eyes.
"Hayasaka, when we get home, buy a lot of cookbooks and ingredients. I want to learn how to cook too."
Kaguya's [All-Rounder (Pseudo)] skill set didn't include cooking. But soon, it should.
…
Meanwhile, in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward.
In Kabukicho, at an ordinary fast-food restaurant, a girl with twin tails hanging in front of her chest, wearing a mask, was clearing tables.
The place was filled with drunkards, cursing delinquents, and some even openly carried weapons like baseball bats.
Gangs are legal in Japan, which is bizarre, but that's not the only strange thing. The scariest part is that they often have their own legitimate companies, incomes, etc.
Of course, on the surface, illegal activities aren't permitted, but such things are definitely conducted hidden beneath legitimate companies.
Local officials are often aware, but they turn a blind eye, collecting the substantial taxes paid by these groups and thus seeing nothing.
Suddenly, a drunkard slammed the table heavily, shouting and cursing.
"That bastard Yamashita, just because he's connected to the Yamaguchi guys, what's he putting on airs for in front of me?"
His companion quickly looked around and tried to calm him in a low voice.
"Don't shout so loud. There are a lot of their people around here."
"So what? They're nothing! I'm saying it plainly, what does the Yamaguchi stuff amount to? If they have a problem, let's settle it with guns!"
Bang!
As soon as he finished speaking, someone at another table stood up, overturning their table and grabbing a liquor bottle.
The drunkard from before sneered at the man.
"Yamashita, can't sit still anymore? I'm talking about you, you trash!"
The man named Yamashita didn't waste words. His eyes red with anger, he charged at the drunkard, swinging the bottle at his head.
But the drunkard seemed prepared. He laughed loudly and directly pulled a handgun from his jacket, aiming it at Yamashita.
Bang!
The bullet hit Yamashita directly, splattering a large amount of blood in the ordinary fast-food restaurant.
Other ordinary customers who had come to Kabukicho for fun saw this and ran out in terror.
The drunkard seemed completely intoxicated, and waved the gun around.
Gunshots rang out continuously in the fast-food restaurant.
Along with them came screams of terror.
The masked waitress watched all this in horror. She was terrified, her legs feeling too weak to even run.
There were already several bodies around… both gang members and ordinary customers.
This was a major incident. With the publicly shooting and killing ordinary citizens, the repercussions would be enormous.
The twin-tailed girl watched as the drunkard with the gun walked step by step towards her, her eyes filled with utter fear.
Especially when she saw the man pointing the gun at her, grinning viciously, looking completely irrational.
The girl knew what was about to happen next.
She instinctively closed her eyes and screamed.
"-Don't!"
A bolt of lightning suddenly struck down from the overcast sky above Kabukicho, slamming directly into that ordinary fast-food restaurant, accurately hitting the drunkard.
When the drunkard's companions saw this, their eyes widening in complete bewilderment.
They weren't afraid of this guy running around shooting people, as they could just pay more compensation money later.
But now he was dead...
He was the group leader's only son. If he died here, then they...
The two looked at each other, seeing the panic in each other's eyes.
"We need a scapegoat!"
This thought echoed in their minds.
But the problem was, everyone in this restaurant had been killed by the drunkard. Who was left? Only the two of them.
Suddenly, they remembered the waitress from earlier.
But when they looked over, they found that the waitress had already vanished. She must have run away long ago.
They glanced at each other and nodded, understanding each other's thoughts.
'The scapegoat would be that waitress.'
The heavy rain continued to fall. Soon, police sirens could be heard in Kabukicho.
The next day, Yusei arrived at school yawning.
Seeing Kaguya and Asuna were both there, he didn't even greet them, just went directly to his seat and sat down.
He had stayed up late last night finally finishing the manga. He was still a bit sleepy.
He patted Yui's head and noticed Kaguya and Asuna were discussing something. Yusei couldn't help but ask curiously.
"What are you two talking about?"
Asuna paused and looked at Yusei, her face showing concern.
"Haven't you seen the news? There was a vicious murder incident in Kabukicho yesterday. The perpetrator was a girl. She used a gun and killed several people."