A whole slice of A5 Wagyu was placed on the grill, sizzling as the fat dripped onto the charcoal, producing a sound that seemed like whispers from the devil himself.
Takashi kept a close eye on the heat, constantly flipping the meat, while Eriri wore a sour expression as if someone owed her millions.
Before long, the aroma of grilled meat spread through the air, making anyone who caught a whiff crave a bite.
Once the Wagyu was grilled to a golden, crispy perfection, Takashi took it off the grill, sprinkling just a little black pepper and sea salt on top—nothing else.
A good cut of beef didn't need excessive seasoning.
Of course, that all depended on personal preference.
"Here, try my cooking. Ah~"
Takashi skillfully sliced the Wagyu into bite-sized strips and held a piece up to Eriri's lips.
The tantalizing scent wafted through the air, causing Eriri's delicate nose to twitch slightly.
She hadn't eaten much for lunch, and by now, she was truly hungry.
But the thought of Takashi laughing and joking with Chizuru Ichinose earlier made her fume.
Not just a little angry.
It felt as if she had caught her loyal, well-behaved husband breaking the sacred rules of manhood by cheating on her.
Frustration, rage, jealousy… a storm of negative emotions surged through Eriri's mind.
She was even angrier than when she had discovered Aki Tomoya getting close to Kasumigaoka Utaha.
"No matter how mad you are, you should at least eat first, right?" Takashi remained calm, adjusting his tone as he said softly, "Let's make a deal—let's eat first, and then you can be mad, okay?"
The combination of the delicious aroma and Takashi's conciliatory tone softened Eriri's expression slightly.
She parted her lips and took a small bite of the meat.
Takashi had grilled it to absolute perfection.
With one bite, her teeth broke through the crispy outer layer, like cracking into a crisp shell, revealing the juicy, tender inside.
The rich, meaty flavor of the Wagyu burst in her mouth, perfectly blending the crunchy exterior with the soft, succulent interior—a taste that left one wanting more.
Seeing this, Takashi let out a small sigh of relief.
From what he knew about Eriri, if she was willing to sit down and eat, it meant she wasn't as angry as she was at the start.
Feeling slightly reassured, Takashi was about to relax when Eriri suddenly spoke in a sarcastic tone:
Silently, Takashi dipped the meat into the sauce, wrapped it in a lettuce leaf, and once again held it up to Eriri's mouth.
The other girls in the barbecue restaurant noticed and started whispering amongst themselves.
Eriri brushed her hair behind her ear, and before taking a bite, she flashed a sweet smile.
Takashi silently made a mental note of all these grievances, planning to take it out later by mercilessly punching the Eriri-themed body pillow he had at home.
"He's way too patient."
"His emotional control is insane. If I treated my boyfriend like that in public, he'd walk out immediately."
"Ugh, this brat is so lucky."
The women in the restaurant watched as Takashi remained completely unbothered. Their eyes were filled with envy as they looked at Eriri.
This wouldn't even be a topic of discussion back home.
Most girls there believed that men taking care of women was just common sense.
Nothing worth talking about.
The peak days of Japan's so-called "three wallets for every woman" era were long gone.
Those days ended when Japan's economic bubble completely burst, bringing the stock and real estate markets crashing down overnight—along with women's social standing.
Men in Japan no longer catered to women.
Which was precisely why they envied Eriri so much.
Eriri may have been nearsighted, but she wasn't deaf.
On the contrary, her hearing was very sharp.
Hearing the whispers around her and feeling their jealous gazes, she struggled to suppress a grin.
The corners of her lips twitched like she was struggling to control the recoil of an AK-47.
But the moment Takashi looked at her, she immediately switched back to a sour expression, repeatedly firing off her sarcastic "Thank you, kouhai" and "You're so kind, kouhai" in the most insincere tone possible.
Chizuru, who had been glancing over frequently, couldn't help but chuckle.
What a coincidence—her date for today happened to be sitting diagonally across from Takashi.
From Eriri's angle, she couldn't see them.
But every time Takashi looked up, he could see her.
So, every time he fed Eriri, he would shoot Chizuru a glare.
All of his suffering right now was her fault.
He would remember this.
Chizuru, however, simply gave him a playful wink, her expression radiating innocence.
"I'm full now. Thank you, kouhai~"
After finally stuffing Eriri with food, Takashi put down the chopsticks she had been using and called over a server.
"Excuse me, could I get a new pair of chopsticks? Thank you."
Eriri, who had just been wiping her mouth with a napkin, suddenly froze.
Her expression darkened as if she had just stepped into a horror movie.
Takashi accepted the new chopsticks and was just about to start eating when he noticed Eriri's terrifying glare.
"Huh? W-What's wrong?"
Takashi was completely confused.
What did he do this time?
Did she somehow see him exchanging looks with Chizuru?
That shouldn't be possible.
He had been very discreet.
How could she have noticed?
Eriri's expression shifted several times before she finally gritted her teeth and smiled.
"I'm suddenly hungry again."
Takashi reached for the chopsticks Eriri had used, but she immediately snapped,
"You dare use those chopsticks?"
Takashi's hand froze in midair.
He silently picked up the new chopsticks and fed her another bite.
This time, Eriri bit deeply.
Uh, I mean, the chopsticks.
Her sharp little canines clamped down hard, as if she wanted to snap them in half.
After just one bite, she stopped eating.
Instead, she locked eyes with Takashi, staring intently.
Takashi furrowed his brows, hesitating whether to ask the server for another pair of chopsticks.
But then he remembered he had just asked for a new pair a minute ago.
Bothering the server again wasn't really his style.
After thinking for a moment, he decided to just let it go.
Then, under Eriri's icy gaze, he casually wiped the chopsticks with a napkin.
He was actually wiping them.
He disliked using them after she had!
He actually disliked using them!!!
Eriri slammed her palm against the table, making the dishes jump.
Takashi looked up in confusion.
He genuinely didn't understand.
What had he done wrong this time?
"Do you find me disgusting?" Eriri asked, her chest tightening as she clenched her jaw hard enough to nearly shatter her molars.
Takashi admitted that, sure, sometimes he mentally insulted her.
But who didn't mentally insult their boss at some point?
That didn't mean he actually disliked her.
Grumbling was one thing, but who would actually hate their financial backer?
"Then why are you wiping the chopsticks?"
20 Advanced Chapters available on p@ tr eon (.) com/HalflingFics
Also, please point out my mistakes in the comment, thank you!
Don't forget to leave a review too~ [5 bonus chapter if we reach 10 reviews]
Check out the other translations too: [Mash-Up: Anything For Money]