It was hard to describe their feelings at that moment.

However, if Shishio had to say, it felt like when the intense storm had stopped, but only found out a tsunami came from behind.

How did you feel?

Shishio wasn’t sure since he had never encountered such an experience, but that might not be much different from what he felt at this moment.

‘Just one problem after another…’

He had just finished his problem and wanted to solve Hina’s problem, but there was again another problem. Still, he observed the girl for a while and felt this girl was quite easy prey.

‘Well, she’s a cutie.’

Her petite body didn’t make her appear thin. Instead, it made her appear cuter than most girls.

Shishio must admit among all of his women, there weren’t any cute types, and most of them were unique ones with adult bodies.

‘Wait, is she a middle school student?’

If so, Shishio decided to put this matter on hold first.

“Can you not see my father again?” The girl said and caused the two to be in a daze for a while since no one would expect such words from a stranger they had never seen. “I am Mikimoto Hibiki.” However, she didn’t seem to care about their reactions and continued with what she wanted to say. “I think you can already guess from my family name, but I am the current daughter of your biological father, Mikimoto Jou.”

“Huh?”

“……..”

Shishio didn’t say anything and just stood by their sides. Still, he must admit Rui’s mental strength was as strong as steel. This girl wasn’t even fazed and just stood still even after all of that.

‘As expected of my girlfriend…’

Shishio was slightly proud. Still, he wondered whether Rui just didn’t know what to say at this moment. Anyway, he wasn’t going to join unless the situation was out of control.

However, the girl, whose name was Hibiki, started to get annoyed by Rui’s lack of response.

“Like I said! I am the current daughter of his remarriage! I want you to stop seeing my fat—”

“Huh…?!” However, Rui was full of annoyance toward Hibiki. “Who do you think you’re for saying something like that…?!”

When Shishio saw the sign that it was about to get out of control, he quickly joined and calmed them down. “Okay, okay, calm down. How about you two talk to each other first?”

Hibiki was quickly attracted by Shishio, and she was stunned for a while before she blushed.

“……..” Rui.

“Wh-Who are you?” Her voice sounded quite nervous since she was afraid to make a bad impression on him. After all, she must admit Shishio was her type.

However, the one who answered wasn’t Shishio. Instead, it was Rui.

Rui hugged his arm intimately and said, “This is my boyfriend.”

“……..” Hibiki.

‘I’ve won.’

Hibiki caught such an expression on Rui’s face, and she became even more annoyed. She didn’t even care anymore and said, “Anyway, her father is mine now! From now on, don’t…” She hadn’t finished her words and caught sight of her father. “Father!”

“……”

Jou was on his scooter, watching this charade in a dumbfounded manner.

“Wait, father! Like I thought, you were meeting your ex-family! Why?! Didn’t I say you can’t?!” Hibiki shouted.

“Eh-ah- well… it’s…” Jou was stunned, unable to say or comprehend anything, before he changed the direction of his scooter and escaped. “See ya!”

“He’s running away!”

“Damn,” Rui muttered with a unique expression.

“Rui!” Shishio was stunned when Rui started to chase after her father.

“My dad always runs away when faced with a serious conversation! I’m going to catch him and make him explain everything!” Rui then turned and chased after Jou with all of her might. “Wait!!!”

“…….”

The two left them behind.

Shishio and Hibiki looked at each other for a moment.

“Should we enter first?” Shishio asked since, as a man, he still had a duty to break this awkwardness.

“Ok-Okay…” Hibiki nodded with a low and shy voice.

“…….” Shishio.

—

“Why are you all here? This restaurant hasn’t been opened yet, right?”

When they entered, Hibiki couldn’t wait anymore, looked at him, and asked the question she had always wanted to ask. The interior of the restaurant and how the kitchen seemed ready to be used might distract him. Yet, she didn’t forget her purpose in coming here.

Jou might have planned to open the second restaurant, but it wouldn’t start until next year. However, he opened it. Even if some of the furniture was still unfinished, there was this single small table near the counter with four chairs. The table might seem lonely, yet somehow it gave elegance and a warm feeling to the people who saw it.

However, it couldn’t be helped since there were many things that hadn’t been finished in this restaurant.

Rui’s situation happened so suddenly, and it was impossible for Jou to let her use her first restaurant since it had to open every day, so even though this second restaurant was unfinished, they decided to use it.

It was also the reason why the chairs were located at the table counter since if it was located in the middle, or even the side of the room, it would make people feel uncomfortable since they would feel they had attracted everyone’s attention.

The reason why people wanted to visit a restaurant was to eat delicious food.

Shishio wanted to empathize with that point by placing the chairs on the counter table. He also hoped Tsukiko Tachibana, Rui’s mother, could see how hard her daughter worked from the place where she ate.

While helping with the decoration, Shishio also helped with the dishes, giving Rui and Jou pointers on where they could improve the dish.

Still, he answered Hibiki’s questions and why Rui was here. After all, it wasn’t like Rui hid this fact, and he also felt Hibiki had the right to know. While he wasn’t sure why this girl seemed reluctant to let Rui and Jou meet each other, he could ask this question later.

It might be because he was handsome, and his explanation was well-founded that Hibiki couldn’t find an answer to refute him.

After all, unlike in the original story, where the protagonist did something perverted from time to time with this girl. However, it was a normal thing since manga also needed fan service.

Still, in reality, would fanservice work?

Shishio felt it might work for him, but he liked to get permission to do it instead of doing something perverted by accident.

However, after a while, Hibiki seemed to harden her heart and persistently said, “No, she must have an ulterior motive!” Even though she must admit Shishio was handsome and he was also her type, this and that was a different matter.

“Just why don’t you want Rui to meet your father so much?” This was something he didn’t understand. Shishio felt there must be a reason behind it. After all, it was quite abnormal for the step-daughter to react so strongly like this.

Hibiki didn’t hide anything and told Shishio why she didn’t want Rui to meet Jou. “I don’t want her to meet his previous family because of my sake!”

“Your sake?” Shishio was confused.

“….” Hibiki hesitated, but she said, “My papa… I mean, my biological father… he had a daughter with someone else and left us. It seems that the mother was a hostess at a club he frequented. My mum blamed herself endlessly after that. ‘He’d have found me prettier if I were younger,’ she’d say.”

Shishio shook his head at Hibiki’s father since he felt older women had their own charm, and their charm was impossible to be sought by younger women.

“When my current father married her, everything started to heal, but whenever father brought up stories about his previous family, she would start shaking in fear. She’d constantly think, ‘What if his ex-wife was better? What should I do?’ That’s why, as much as possible, I don’t want him to mention anything about his previous family.”

Hibiki thought Shishio would understand, but unexpectedly…

“You’re selfish,” Shishio said plainly.

“Huh?!” Hibiki thought she had misheard something.

“I am sorry if my words are quite rude, but let’s say you meet your “papa” after a long time, and his child says, “you’re not papa’s child anymore. You’re not related to him, so don’t come to us anymore.” Shishio looked at Hibiki and asked, “How would you feel?”

Hibiki couldn’t say words, and her eyes brimmed with tears.

“I assure you that Rui doesn’t plan to do something you have imagined.” After all, Rui was going to stay with him. It was impossible for Rui to want to live with her father again.

While they were in silence, they heard the sound of the door opening. They saw Rui had entered the restaurant, then said, “I have heard the whole story.” She stood next to Shishio and then bowed her head slightly. “You’re right. Your fear that my appearance might disrupt your peaceful family life is understandable. I am sorry.” She then looked Hibiki in the eyes and said, “But I don’t have the slightest intention of doing anything to your family. I didn’t intend to come here to be with my father. I’m here simply to learn from a chef. Please believe in me.”

When the two were about to talk to each other, Shishio decided to leave the restaurant. Then he saw Jou was there, smoking while staring in the distance. “You’re not going to enter.”

Jou could only laugh while ruffling his messy hair. “Haha… let them talk to each other.”

“Just say that you don’t want to get involved.” Shishio sighed.

Jou was speechless, but he didn’t deny Shishio. Instead, he looked at him and asked, “Say, what do you think should I do?”

“Make a child,” Shishio said without hesitation.

“Huh?!” Jou was dumbfounded.

“If you have a child with your new wife, she won’t have to worry about anything,” Shishio said.

“I am already at this age!” Jou was in his 40s! His new wife also wasn’t much different from him. He also felt he had enough children.

“Well, just have sex then,” Shishio said.

“…….” Jou.

“Tell her that you love her every night.” After all, this was the only method for one to make your woman not worry.

Jou was even more speechless and sighed. “Shishio-kun, you’re still young. I am already at this age. My “little me” can’t work so hard anymore.” He was already in his 40s. His thing couldn’t work so well anymore.

“Then let me tell you a secret.” Shishio sat next to Jou and whispered a lot of things to him, so Jou could become a mighty man on the bed.

“Oh-ho?” Jou was dumbfounded, and his face was full of excitement when he heard Shishio’s words. He must admit he had accepted Shishio as his son-in-law.

However, those two didn’t know whether it was Rui or Hibiki. The two looked at them as if they were trash.

It wasn’t a moment later that Shishio and Jou realized Rui and Hibiki were staring at them silently.

“Die.” 2x

“……” 2x