Chapter 119: Cerberus Wants to Play Too
The final course had been served.
Atobe Keigo picked up his silver fork and sliced through the delicate layers of the Matcha Opera Cake. The dark green sponge, infused with high-grade Uji matcha, was layered with ganache and buttercream.
He placed a piece in his mouth. The slight bitterness of the tea perfectly cut through the richness of the previous steak dish, cleansing his palate while providing a sophisticated, sweet finish.
Atobe didn't rush. He savored the texture, then leaned back in his chair, letting out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. The tension of the day, the noise of the city—it all seemed to fade away within these four wooden walls.
He looked at Ren, who was quietly clearing the empty plates from the table. Atobe's expression shifted from his usual arrogance to one of genuine, albeit begrudging, admiration.
"You really are amazing..." Atobe murmured, swirling the melting ice in his water glass. "As expected, this Restaurant suits you far more than a tennis court ever could. Your talent for controlling the flow of a meal is... imperial."
Ren smiled, stacking the plates effortlessly. "I think so too. Tennis is a battle, but cooking is a conversation. For me, compared to the cheers on the court, I prefer to hear the stories those cheers represent. The silence of a satisfied diner speaks louder than applause."
Atobe was stunned for a moment. He processed the philosophy, then smiled and shook his head.
"Hmph. Only you would say something so unglamorous."
It seemed that his impulsive decision to crash the street tennis court that day had yielded an unexpected treasure. If he hadn't gone, he might never have found this hidden gem.
At the neighboring table, the atmosphere was shifting towards departure.
Shusuke Fuji checked his watch, then glanced at his younger brother. Fuji Yuta was about to say something, perhaps to ask for a dessert menu, when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He checked the screen, grimaced slightly—likely a message from the strict manager of St. Rudolph, Hajime Mizuki—and nodded to Shusuke.
"We have to go," Yuta signaled.
Beside them, Fuji Yumiko was dozing off. Her head bobbed rhythmically, her chin resting on her palm. Her cheeks were flushed a deep rose color, and her breathing was soft and even. In this state, the mature, reliable elder sister looked particularly cute and vulnerable.
Shusuke stood up, adjusting his jacket. "Ren-ge, check please!"
Ren walked over to the register. "That will be nine hundred yen for the three of you. But... Yumiko is completely out of it."
"Nine hundred?!"
Atobe Keigo, who was pulling out a sleek black credit card, froze. He looked at Shusuke, then at Ren.
"Wait a moment," Atobe interjected, his brow furrowed. "Nine hundred yen? For a hot pot that fed three people? Are you running a charity, Shopkeeper?"
Ren shrugged. "I charge fair prices for home cooking. The ingredients weren't overly expensive."
Shusuke smiled, used to Ren's pricing model. He placed a thousand-yen bill on the counter. "Keep the change. And yes, that's right, Ren-ge... could I trouble you to look after Sister tonight?"
Ren looked at the sleeping beauty. "Oh?"
"Sister is drunk and clearly can't drive," Shusuke explained, his smile taking on an apologetic curve. "And since Yuta and I came by train and have curfews at our dorms... it's not convenient for us to drag her home across Tokyo. Is there a spare room?"
Ren nodded without hesitation. "Of course. It's not the first time. I have a guest room prepared. You and Yuta also be careful on your way back."
"Okay! Thank you, Ren-ge. We leave her in your capable hands."
Shusuke bowed slightly, grabbed Yuta by the collar, and dragged his protesting brother out of the shop before Yuta could argue about the bill.
After the Fuji brothers left, Ren turned his attention to the Hyotei duo.
Atobe Keigo stared at the register with a complicated expression. He slapped two thousand yen onto the counter for his Chateaubriand meal—a meal that would have cost fifty thousand yen in Ginza. Kabaji silently placed twelve hundred yen next to it.
"Keep the change," Atobe said stiffly. "If I paid you what it was worth, I'd have to buy the building. Don't undersell yourself, Ren."
"I'll keep that in mind," Ren chuckled.
After bidding farewell to the King and his shadow, Ren breathed a sigh of relief. The shop was quiet now, save for the Totsuki group lingering over their tea.
He walked over to the Fuji table. Yumiko was still nodding off, looking like she might face-plant into the empty pot at any second.
Ren sighed, a fond smile on his face. "She really let loose tonight."
He bent down, sliding one arm under her knees and the other behind her back. With a smooth motion, he lifted Fuji Yumiko into a princess carry. She felt surprisingly light, warm, and smelled faintly of plum wine and expensive perfume.
He turned to Erina and the others. "Do you all want anything else to eat? Dessert?"
Erina, Alice, and Rindou shook their heads in unison. They were craving more, spiritually, but physically, that plate of toothpick meat had filled the last remaining void in their stomachs.
"We're good," Rindou said, leaning back.
Ren nodded. "Then you all chat for a bit. I'll take Yumiko upstairs to the guest room."
As Ren walked toward the stairs leading to the living quarters, Kobayashi Rindou watched them go with narrowed, gleaming eyes.
"Oh my..." Rindou drawled, her voice teasing. "I really didn't expect Sister Yumiko's alcohol tolerance to have gone down so much~"
"Eh?"
Lucifer, who was wiping the counter, paused. She looked at Rindou in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Rindou grinned, showing her sharp canine teeth. "Because in my impression, Sister Yumiko back then could out-drink half the faculty! One bottle of plum wine shouldn't be enough to knock her out cold."
[Second Floor - Guest Room]
The room was quiet and dark, illuminated only by the moonlight filtering through the curtains.
Ren walked in and gently placed Fuji Yumiko onto the soft bed. He pulled the duvet up to cover her shoulders.
He stood there for a moment, watching her breathe. Just as he turned to leave, a hand shot out from under the covers and grabbed his wrist.
Ren stopped. He didn't look surprised.
He turned back, smiling down at the woman on the bed. Her eyes were open now, clear and bright, with only a hint of haziness.
"I found it strange," Ren whispered. "You usually handle your liquor better than that. Getting drunk after one pot of shochu mix? So, you were pretending to be drunk~"
Fuji Yumiko sat up slowly, the duvet pooling around her waist. She chuckled softly, a sultry sound in the quiet room.
"I wanted to stay," she admitted, tugging on his hand to pull him closer. "And... I really didn't expect Lucifer to be the first one to cross the line. We all sensed the change in her aura today. Everyone still has some lingering anger about being beaten to the punch, you know~"
Ren sat on the edge of the bed, trapped by her grip. "So? Yumiko, what do you want to say? Are you going to scold me?"
Yumiko leaned forward. Her face was close to his, her breath warm.
"Of course not," she whispered. "I want some comfort~"
She closed the distance. It wasn't a deep, devouring kiss, but a soft, lingering seal of possession. She pressed her lips against his cheek, then moved to his neck, leaving a deliberate, tangible mark of her presence.
Ten minutes later.
Ren walked back down the stairs. He felt refreshed, though slightly guilty.
When he entered the dining area, he immediately felt the weight of several gazes.
Lucifer was staring at him with scrutinizing intensity. Kobayashi Rindou had a playful, knowing look on her face. Even Erina seemed to be looking at him strangely.
"What's wrong?" Ren asked, touching his face self-consciously. "Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?"
Originally, this was just a joke to break the tension.
But to his surprise, everyone nodded in unison.
"Yes," Alice chirped, pointing.
Ren was startled. He reached out and wiped his cheek, then his jaw. He pulled his hand away and looked at his palm.
There, smeared on his skin, was a faint trace of pinkish-red lipstick.
Ren froze. He shook his head with a helpless smile. 'Yumiko... that was calculated.'
Upstairs, in the dark room, Fuji Yumiko quietly took a tube of lipstick out of her pocket and slipped it under her pillow. She touched her lips, smiled a victorious smile, and slowly drifted into a genuine sleep.
[The Aftermath]
"Lucifer... Let's chat later in the group."
Kobayashi Rindou and the others stood up to leave after settling their bills. As she passed Lucifer, Rindou whispered the reminder, her tone dripping with intrigue.
Cerberus stood by, looking bewildered. She tilted her three heads (metaphorically). She didn't understand the subtext, but she felt that Lucifer and Rindou were using words that carried heavy, predatory meanings—like 'tiger' and 'wolf'.
After the guests had gone, the shop fell silent.
Ren stretched his arms above his head and sat next to Lucifer at the counter.
Lucifer looked at him. She looked at the faint red mark he had mostly wiped off. She snorted, crossed her arms, and turned her head away, ignoring him pointedly.
"Hmph."
Cerberus, however, didn't read the room. She ran up to Ren, her tail wagging.
"Master, Master, Master!" she chanted, bouncing on her heels. "What did you and Lucifer do today~? Why did Lucifer sprain her ankle? And why is she refusing to treat it with magic?"
Lucifer's face immediately turned crimson. She slammed her hands onto the counter. "Cerberus!"
Ren smiled calmly. He reached out and patted Cerberus's head, enjoying the soft texture of her hair.
"We played games," Ren explained smoothly. "And then... Lucifer and I played a special game to increase our trust. It requires a lot of physical effort. After that, Lucifer said the pain was a memory of our victory, so she wants to keep it for a while~"
Cerberus's eyes widened in wonder. She nodded enthusiastically.
"Trust game!" she shouted excitedly. "Master, Master, Master! I want to play that trust-building game too! I want to win!"
The air in the room froze.
Ren choked slightly on his own saliva. Lucifer looked like she was about to combust from embarrassment.
Ren cleared his throat. "Cerberus... you don't need to build trust~"
"Why?" Cerberus whined, ears drooping. "Am I not good enough?"
"No, that's not it," Ren said gently. "Does Cerberus trust me?"
"Absolutely trust Master! With my life! And my pudding!"
Ren pinched Cerberus's chubby cheek. "See? Is there any need to play that game then? You already trust me completely. But look at Lucifer... she's a suspicious demon Queen. She really needed the convincing. Right, Lucifer~? Do you believe me now?"
Lucifer, with a face redder than the hot pot broth, stared at Ren for a long time. She puffed out her cheeks.
"You..." she hissed. "You still have a long way to go before I fully believe you!"
Ren smiled, turning back to the dog girl. "See, Cerberus? Lucifer really needs to play the game more. But you are a good girl."
Cerberus looked at the flushed Lucifer, then at Ren. She nodded in sudden realization.
"Oh! I get it!"
Then, she crossed her arms and snorted, mimicking Lucifer perfectly.
"Master, Master, Master! I don't believe it either! Hmph!"
Lucifer's mouth twitched. Ren laughed out loud.
"If you don't believe it, then don't~" Ren teased. "I guess no snacks for non-believers."
"Ah? How can you say that!" Cerberus broke character instantly, panicking. "I believe! I believe!"
"Just teasing you," Ren soothed her. "Cerberus is indeed much more interesting than those ordinary little animals."
Cerberus preened under the praise. "Hmm... Of course! Wait..."
She stopped, her nose twitching. She leaned in closer to Ren, sniffing his shirt.
"Master! You really went to see other animals today! That's too much! You said you wouldn't!"
Ren blinked. "Other animals?"
"I smell... dog! And... bird!" Cerberus accused. "Did you pet another dog? Is it cuter than me?!"
Ren realized she was smelling the lingering scent of the Dong Tao chicken and the farm animals from his interaction with Rindou earlier (or perhaps the scent clinging to Rindou transferred to him).
He shook his head with a smile. "Lucifer and I have been in the Restaurant all day, and before that, we were gaming. How could we see other little animals? Cerberus, your worry is unnecessary. You are the only dog for me."
"Oh!" Cerberus looked relieved, but she narrowed her eyes. "But Master! You absolutely cannot get another dog! Otherwise, I'll... I'll..."
"You'll what?"
"I'll eat all the inventory! And bite the furniture!"
"Scary," Ren deadpanned.
Lucifer looked at Cerberus. A strange thought crossed her mind—perhaps regarding the true nature of the 'trust game' and Cerberus's eagerness to join. She covered her mouth to hide a chuckle, then composed herself.
"Cerberus," Lucifer said, her voice assuming the authority of the Queen. "It's late. You should go up and rest. Don't wake Yumiko."
Cerberus nodded obediently. She turned to run upstairs.
However, she hadn't even run a few steps when she stopped. She turned back, her expression deadly serious.
"Lucifer, Lucifer, Lucifer!"
"What is it?"
"Absolutely do not let Master look at other dogs! Guard him well!"
Lucifer's mouth twitched again. She nodded helplessly. "I... I will ensure no stray dogs approach him."
Satisfied, Cerberus happily ran upstairs. Her steps became lighter once she reached the landing, tiptoeing so as not to disturb the sleeping guest.
Often, simple girls have the most delicate hearts, picking up on shifts in affection even if they don't understand the mechanics.
Ren watched her go, then turned to Lucifer. The shop was finally empty, save for the two of them.
"So," Ren whispered, reaching for Lucifer's hand. "About that lipstick mark..."
"Shut up," Lucifer muttered, though she squeezed his hand back. "Just... close the shop."
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