In the early morning, Asa woke up quite early. He looked at the slender hand resting on his waist and carefully moved it. After being bathed by Mrs. Yukinoshita last night, Yukino had offered to sleep next to him and tell him bedtime stories. Asa, deeply aware of the art of equilibrium, naturally gave equal treatment to all.
He glanced at the lightly closed eyes of Yukino. Asleep, she lacked her usual aloof demeanor. A comfortable and serene expression was on her pale, delicate face, making her look exactly like a lazy cat.
"System, Check In!"
Ding!
[Host has Checked In at Yukinoshita Yukino's boudoir. Ability acquired: [LV1. Exploding Clothes Cuisine]]
[LV1. Exploding Clothes Cuisine: Food prepared by the Host will have its deliciousness doubled, causing the consumer to experience pleasurable emotions, with a small probability of making the consumer's clothes explode.]
Asa recalled the anime from his previous life, often jokingly called the Spiritual Pheromones or Aphrodisiac anime. Actual Exploding Clothes Cuisine? A sudden excitement surged within him.
He crawled to the edge of the bed and, after a short stretch, managed to put on his slippers. Leaving Yukino's room, he headed straight for the kitchen.
"Young Master Asa, are you going to cook?" Mieko, the versatile housekeeper who was already up preparing breakfast, looked surprised by Asa's actions.
"Mhm, I cooked for myself all the time at the orphanage."
"Today, I want Yukino-neesan and Auntie to try my cooking," Asa said enthusiastically.
Hearing this, Mieko's eyes showed a trace of pity. She now felt that Mrs. Yukinoshita's decision to adopt Asa was an extremely correct one. With the boy's gentle nature, he would surely integrate into the Yukinoshita Family. Perhaps he could even act as a lubricant between Mrs. Yukinoshita and Yukino-san, allowing their relationship to mend!
Watching Asa's practiced movements, Mieko became curious about what the little shota's cooking would taste like.
....
On the pristine white bed, Yukino, wearing a thin nightgown, stretched languidly.
"Asa-kun woke up already..." She looked at the empty space beside her, a look of contentment on her beautiful face. Sleeping next to the soft, small shota felt genuinely good!
However, she vaguely recalled entering some unpleasant dreams last night. More critically, she distinctly remembered that the object of her dream was Asa-kun...
As she got up, Yukino felt a wetness. The girl froze for a moment, then immediately realized what had happened. Her face instantly became covered in a deep blush.
"Thank goodness Asa-kun woke up first..."
She quickly changed her clothes from the inside out.
"Honestly..."
"It must be because it's my first time sleeping next to a boy... It definitely won't happen again if I sleep with him a few more times," Yukino analyzed logically. Yes, absolutely not making excuses for myself!
After washing up, she and her mother walked out of their rooms simultaneously. Both were somewhat surprised to see Asa emerging from the kitchen, carrying breakfast.
"Madam, Yukino-san, this is the breakfast Young Master Asa specifically prepared for you!"
Hearing Mieko's words, both mother and daughter were even more astonished.
"Asa-kun, did you make this yourself?" Mrs. Yukinoshita and Yukino sat down, gazing at the bowl of tomato and egg noodles, their beautiful eyes flashing with admiration at the dish's vibrant color and aroma.
"Yukino-neesan, Auntie Yukinoshita, eat it while it's hot; the noodles will get soggy soon." Asa chuckled good-naturedly.
The two women picked up their chopsticks. The noodles, glistening with the rich, red tomato and egg soup, looked tempting. As they put the food to their lips, the springy noodles and the soup moved in rhythm in their mouths. The sweet and sour of the tomato blended with the fragrance of the egg, and the firm texture of the noodles simply intoxicated their taste buds.
It was an undeniable masterpiece of flavor!
Mrs. Yukinoshita and Yukino's beautiful faces were tinged with an enraptured blush, their eyes filled with intense surprise.
"Mmm! It's so delicious!" Mrs. Yukinoshita exclaimed repeatedly. As the leader of the Yukinoshita Family, she had encountered countless master chefs. But she was certain that no bowl of noodles could compare to the exquisite taste before her.
She praised the dish while opening her red lips, sending the noodles into her mouth. Every bite gave her a feeling of satisfying and joyful pleasure.
Bang!
Vaguely, there was the sound of fabric tearing. Immediately, a button on Mrs. Yukinoshita's chest flew off! The lapel of her small suit jacket sprang open, revealing a patch of pale, smooth skin. Mrs. Yukinoshita was slightly startled. The noodles she was holding in her chopsticks swayed, and a few drops of the bright red soup stained the exposed skin, making it extremely conspicuous.
"Madam, here is a napkin!" Mieko quickly offered a tissue, simultaneously glancing at the tomato and egg noodles with surprise, murmuring to herself, "Is it really that delicious? I've never seen the Madam react to food like this..."
Asa's gaze subtly swept over Mrs. Yukinoshita, and he felt a trace of disappointment. "Only one button? Is that all the Exploding Clothes ability does..."
But then he considered: the ability was only LV1; there was still plenty of room for growth. Besides, the food he made was genuinely delicious. Asa slurped a mouthful of noodles, nodding in satisfaction.
At the same time, Yukino, who was also enjoying the sublime taste, suddenly found her mood souring. Drawing her eyes away from her mother's chest, she looked down at her own. They're mother and daughter, after all...
....
Shuchi'in Academy Elementary School
After school, Asa immediately received a message from Hoshino Ai.
"Asa-kun, come watch oneechan perform live today."
Asa stared at the message for a moment. He had used this as an excuse to trick Yukino yesterday, and now it was actually happening today.
Stepping out of the elementary school gate, Asa immediately spotted a somewhat familiar white sedan. If he recalled correctly, it belonged to Ai's manager, Saitou Kyoko.
"Asa-kun, over here, over here!"
Just as expected. After Asa appeared, the car window immediately rolled down, and Ai's flawless face peeked out. Under the astonished gazes of the surrounding people, she waved her small hand at him, her face full of excitement. Every time he saw her cheerful face, Asa felt a sense of calm and relief.
"No choice now, Yukino-neesan..."
Meanwhile, inside the Service Club room, the aloof girl who had been periodically looking up at the door received a message.
After reading the message, Yukino grit her teeth.
"Two days in a row! That woman..." She now realized that her rival was absolutely determined and showed no signs of letting up. "I can't just sit here and do nothing!"
The time she could spend with Asa-kun was limited. If Ai monopolized all of it, Asa-kun's feelings for her would undoubtedly deepen more than for Yukino. Yukino couldn't tolerate her little brother becoming attached to another woman!
Bam!
She shut her novel collection. A sharp light flashed in her cool eyes. She had to formulate a detailed plan to win Asa-kun back!
....
After a long session of hugging and cuddling with Ai, they finally arrived at the performance venue: STARRY!
Looking at the name of the live house, Asa felt a jolt of familiarity. Upon entering, his memory was immediately confirmed.
"W-we... welco... welcome!"
A socially anxious girl in a rather rough maid uniform stood by the door, seemingly trying to avoid any human interaction with every cell in her body.
"Bocchi-chan, you're too nervous!"