Chapter 44: 44: It Will Stick Out

"Uh... what else would happen?" Takashi was confused. He thought about it—he hadn't done anything wrong, had he? Was he supposed to use it directly without wiping? "Are you disgusted by me?" Eriri narrowed her eyes. The refreshing cool air from the air conditioner suddenly felt thick and oppressive. "This isn't a matter of being disgusted or not..." Takashi paused, took off his glasses, and pressed his fingers against the inner corners of his eyes. "If I don't wipe it, wouldn't that mean we're indirectly kissing?" Eriri froze. Her soft lips parted slightly as if she wanted to say something, but Takashi had already closed his eyes and continued, "I'm just worried Aki will misunderstand. Besides, you said it yourself—I'm just a stand-in." Wearing glasses for long periods made his eyes feel sore. As expected, he still wasn't used to wearing them. "Holding hands is one thing, but an indirect kiss crosses the line." Holding hands was just part of the job, but any other possible forms of intimacy—Takashi preferred to avoid them if he could. Eriri: "..." She had already opened her mouth, but now she found herself at a loss for words. Because she couldn't refute him. That's right. Why was she even upset? Takashi had been considerate of her from start to finish. Yet, when she saw him wiping the chopsticks, she felt inexplicably uncomfortable, an oppressive tightness swelling in her chest. "Or... do you want me to give you an indirect kiss?" Seeing Eriri's silence, Takashi suddenly smirked and leaned in mischievously. "Indirect kisses are so boring. How about we go straight for the real thing?" As he spoke, he puckered his lips on purpose. "Get lost!" Watching Takashi approach her, lips pursed like a pouty fish, Eriri's chaotic thoughts vanished—she just wanted to laugh. She knew he was doing it on purpose. But she still found herself amused. That was just how it was with Takashi. He might piss you off, but he always had a way of making it up to you. Being with him, Eriri found herself happy most of the time. Chizuru who was watching Takashi effortlessly smooth things over with Eriri, gave him a silent thumbs-up from her lap. As expected of the man who aspired to befriend rich women. "Alright then~" Takashi immediately sat back down. He was just messing around. If Eriri had really wanted a kiss, he wouldn't have agreed so easily. Kissing came with a different price. That would cost extra!!! Now that he didn't have to take care of Eriri anymore, Takashi could finally eat in peace. A bite of beef, a bite of rice—he looked absolutely content. In some places, pairing grilled meat with rice might seem strange. But this was Japan. In Japan, anything could be paired with rice. Chashu with rice, stir-fried noodles with rice, ramen with rice, dumplings with rice... If you could think of it, you could pair it with rice. Takashi was a hardcore rice lover. If he didn't have rice with his meal, he felt like his stomach was empty—like something was missing. The first time he went to a Western restaurant, he ate steak while imagining how much better it would taste with rice. Now that he had crossed over to Japan, he could finally do it without worrying about weird looks from others. Eat, eat, eat, eat, eat. 'Is it really that good? Why does he look like he's enjoying it so much?' Resting her elbow on the table and her cheek against her smooth palm, Eriri watched Takashi eat with such blissful satisfaction that she suddenly felt like eating again. 'Weird.' Pressing a hand against her stomach, Eriri felt puzzled. She had already been full when Takashi fed her earlier. So why was she hungry again so soon? When she ate alone or with her parents, her appetite was never this good. 'I shouldn't keep watching... If I keep watching, I'll want to eat again.' Eriri thought about looking away. But if she didn't look at him, she didn't know what else to do. Playing on her phone? Didn't seem as interesting as watching Takashi eat. As she kept watching, seeing how deliciously he was eating, she unconsciously picked up her chopsticks. "?" Takashi looked up, startled. Didn't she just eat? Why was she eating again? Had he not fed her enough? "Didn't get full?" Reluctantly, Takashi put down his bowl. To him, eating was one of life's greatest joys. He loved food and found satisfaction in every bite. Being forced to stop eating mid-meal felt as painful as having to break off something halfway through. "Stop!" Seeing him about to feed her again, Eriri quickly raised her hand to stop him. "Just eat your food and don't worry about me." Eriri didn't mind being fed by Takashi, but right now, she just wanted to watch him eat. Because if he fed her, she wouldn't enjoy eating as much. "You really don't want me to feed you?" Takashi asked cautiously. From his observations, Eriri was the type who liked being spoiled—like a little princess. Eriri frowned. "I'm not a child! I don't need to be fed!" "But you looked pretty happy when I fed you." Her cheeks turned slightly red as if she had been caught in a lie. "Just eat your food! Can't you shove rice in your mouth instead of talking?" "Alright, alright." Seeing her like this, Takashi didn't insist and went back to focusing on his meal. 'He makes eating look so good.' Eriri continued eating while stealing glances at the person sitting across from her. Takashi had a way of making food look incredibly appetizing. No matter what he ate, it always seemed delicious—enough to make others hungry just watching him. Eating with him around made everyone's appetite better. It was like even a simple meal could feel like happiness. ... Sitting diagonally across from them was a tall woman with long black hair, bold red lips, a gold necklace, and an impressive figure that could rival Western proportions. Watching Takashi eat so heartily, she covered her mouth and chuckled. "That boy sure eats with enthusiasm. How charming." Katsura Kotonoha and Katsura Kokoro both turned their heads. "It's him?" Her husband also turned to look. He recognized the boy instantly—it was the same one he had encountered in the restroom, the one who had left him... a slight shock. He put down his chopsticks. "Honey, do you know him? Should we go say hello?" Katsura Manami asked curiously. Could he be the son of some company executive? "We just bumped into each other in the restroom. I don't actually know him." Katsura's father shook his head. "Earlier, I saw that big brother feeding the pretty lady. Being his girlfriend must be really nice." Katsura Kokoro pressed her little hands against her face, already imagining Takashi feeding her. Despite her young age, children in this country matured early. Katsura Kotonoha only glanced at Takashi before losing interest and resuming her meal. "That doesn't necessarily mean she's happy." Kotonoha's father subtly swept his gaze over Takashi from an angle no one else could see. Then, he looked at Eriri's slender figure and muttered inexplicably— "She wouldn't be able to handle it." If it went in, it would definitely stick out. ___ 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] ___