"Nakano… Nakano Yu…"
Watching Nakano Yu appear at the entrance of the restaurant, Kiyoura Setsuna froze. Just as she was about to greet Nakano Yu, her gaze fell on the beautiful, gentle girl beside him, whose bearing resembled a Yamato Nadeshiko.
The key thing was that the girl was holding onto Nakano Yu's arm at that moment!
Looking at that intimate and sweet couple, Kiyoura Setsuna's desire to step forward and greet Nakano Yu instantly disappeared, and the smile on her face froze. Looking at the two of them, for a moment she didn't know what to do.
"That girl must be Nakano Yu's fiancée, right? They look… so harmonious, so beautiful…"
Her eyes flickered, her thoughts racing. Almost at the same moment she saw their close relationship, she realized that the other party was very likely the fiancée Nakano Yu had mentioned to her before.
At that moment, a curious voice sounded behind Kiyoura Setsuna, and then a cute brown-haired girl ran out of the kitchen behind her:
"Yeej? Are there guests?"
The girl placed one hand on Kiyoura Setsuna's shoulder and stretched her neck to look toward the entrance. When she saw Nakano Yu and Katsura Kotonoha, she froze.
"Wow! Setsuna, Setsuna! Look, a handsome guy!"
Poking Setsuna in the waist, the girl whispered, but for Nakano Yu there was no difference whether she whispered or not.
"Sekai, stop fooling around!"
As the girl poked her in the waist like that, Kiyoura Setsuna's complicated expression eased considerably. She turned to the side, waved away the girl's hand, and said angrily.
After letting Katsura Kotonoha find a seat first, Nakano Yu walked over to Kiyoura Setsuna at the counter.
"Hey, hey! Setsuna-chan! That handsome guy is coming over here!"
Seeing Nakano Yu approaching, the girl quickly took half a step back, leaned toward Setsuna's ear and spoke, not taking her eyes off Nakano Yu.
She wasn't someone obsessed with appearances, but who doesn't like handsome boys? Moreover, he had an incredible pair of beautiful purple eyes, as if they contained the whole world, and his demeanor was warm and approachable, truly like an older brother from the neighborhood.
Listening to her friend's words, Kiyoura Setsuna didn't speak, but her expression was somewhat strange as she watched Nakano Yu walk toward her.
"Setsuna, good afternoon. Are you working here part-time?"
Nakano Yu raised his hand and greeted Kiyoura Setsuna.
"Not really, this is a friend's restaurant, so I sometimes come to help. Nakano Yu, you're… on a date with your fiancée?"
Shaking her head, Kiyoura Setsuna explained, and while speaking, her gaze fell on Katsura Kotonoha sitting by the window and watching them, and her expression darkened.
"Yes, we haven't gone out together for quite some time. Then this is Setsuna's friend, right?"
Nodding, Nakano Yu said, looking at Saionji Sekai.
As soon as their eyes met, the other party quickly hid behind Kiyoura Setsuna, and then Nakano Yu heard Saionji Sekai whisper softly:
"Hey, hey, Setsuna-chan, this handsome guy isn't the one you told me about before… is he?"
Listening to the conversation between the two girls, Nakano Yu still had a smile on his face. He didn't think too much about it; since Kotonoha had chosen him, he would naturally give her the appropriate status, rather than possess her while leaving her unsupported in front of others.
"Hello! I'm the daughter of the owner of this restaurant and Setsuna's friend. My name is Saionji Sekai, like 'world' in WORLD, you know? Quite a magnificent name, right? So just call me Sekai!"
After finishing her whispering, Saionji Sekai stepped aside and smiled as she introduced herself to Nakano Yu.
While speaking, Saionji Sekai also extended her hand to Nakano Yu with a smile, showing exceptional warmth, just like the sun.
"Sekai, it really is a very magnificent name and sounds nice. I'm Nakano Yu, you can call me Yu."
The boy smiled and gently touched the tips of Saionji Sekai's fingers, maintaining a polite distance.
"Then I'll call you Nakano Yu, like Setsuna does?"
Saionji Sekai asked tentatively, glancing at Kiyoura Setsuna. Seeing that her expression didn't change, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
She had just noticed that Kiyoura Setsuna's gaze toward Nakano Yu was unusual and thought that the handsome young man in front of her was the person Setsuna had often mentioned in recent days. Fortunately, he wasn't, because he already has a girlfriend, and even a fiancée!
If Setsuna truly liked that young man, she would probably long for something she could never have.
"Of course, you can. My fiancée is a little impatient, so I'll go to her now."
Nakano Yu nodded, looked at Katsura Kotonoha sitting by the window, and seeing the girl staring at him without blinking, he couldn't help but feel slightly amused and helpless.
"Mm, then I'll come later to help you order, lovebirds."
Without waiting for Kiyoura Setsuna to say anything, Saionji Sekai cheerfully agreed.
After seeing Nakano Yu sit opposite Katsura Kotonoha, Saionji Sekai leaned against the counter and said with a hint of envy:
"What an enviable relationship, and he even has a fiancée. They'll surely spend their whole lives together."
However, after saying that, Saionji Sekai waited for a long time, but received no response from Kiyoura Setsuna.
Turning to look, she saw that at some point Kiyoura Setsuna had crouched down, hidden behind the counter, and was secretly wiping her tears.
Seeing Kiyoura Setsuna like that, Saionji Sekai's heart sank.
Only then did she realize that Kiyoura Setsuna had lied to her earlier; the young man who already has a fiancée was precisely the person Kiyoura Setsuna had been constantly talking about lately!
"Ugh."
Sighing, Saionji Sekai now didn't know how to comfort Kiyoura Setsuna. She had never been in love, nor had she ever loved anyone, but she knew that a third person who interferes in someone else's relationship would not have a good ending.
After sending Kiyoura Setsuna upstairs to rest, Saionji Sekai took the menu and walked over to Nakano Yu and Katsura Kotonoha. Despite the incident with Kiyoura Setsuna, the girl still smiled as she served them:
"What would you like to eat?"
"Hmm, do you have any recommendations?"
After looking at the menu, Nakano Yu noticed that there were many dishes, practically covering both Western and Japanese cuisine. However, most were suitable for dinner, so Nakano Yu didn't know what to order for a while.
He looked at Katsura Kotonoha and saw that she was also shaking her head, obviously not knowing what to eat, so he had no choice but to ask for a lunch recommendation.
"Well, like this, since more people come to the restaurant in the evening, most of the dishes are for dinner. But for lunch, how about eel rice? With miso soup and some side dishes, like an omelet with small fish…"
Taking the menu from Nakano Yu's hand, Saionji Sekai thought for a moment, then immediately recommended a series of dishes.
"What do you think, Kotonoha?"
After listening to Saionji Sekai's recommendations, Nakano Yu didn't order immediately, but looked at Katsura Kotonoha and asked.
After all, this date was centered on Katsura Kotonoha, because she is his fiancée.
"Wouldn't that be a bit too much? It's better to have fewer dishes, we shouldn't waste food."
Seeing Nakano Yu asking her, Katsura Kotonoha said cautiously, worried about offending Saionji Sekai.
"That's true, if there are too many dishes, there will be leftovers. Nakano Yu's fiancée is really virtuous! Then I'll reduce the number of dishes and choose the tastiest ones."
Saionji Sekai nodded in agreement, praising Katsura Kotonoha.
Praised by an unfamiliar girl, Katsura Kotonoha immediately blushed and lowered her head, softly replying:
"No, I'm not virtuous at all…"
In the world of girls, a sincere compliment from the same sex is much more convincing than superficial praise from the opposite sex and is also the highest form of recognition.
"Then I'll leave it to Saionji Sekai."
Seeing Kotonoha like that, Nakano Yu also smiled and left the decision to Saionji Sekai.
"Mission accomplished, guaranteed!"
Replying, Saionji Sekai took the menu and walked toward the kitchen.
"Kotonoha seems quite withdrawn."
Nakano Yu said, looking at Katsura Kotonoha sitting shyly in her seat.
"Um… there are many people, and that girl was so energetic…"
Katsura Kotonoha nodded and explained. It was already dinner time and people were constantly coming into the restaurant. Besides, she was introverted and not good at communicating with strangers.
"Well, she is a friend after all… Maybe she and Kotonoha will get along well? Probably."
Nakano Yu said, stood up and sat next to Katsura Kotonoha, taking the girl's hand:
"I'll sit with Kotonoha. Maybe that will help a little?"
"Mm, much better."
Feeling the warmth of his palm, Katsura Kotonoha felt warmth in her heart.
Being by Nakano Yu's side was her greatest happiness.
She just wondered why the girl who had been with Nakano Yu earlier had gone upstairs.
But Katsura Kotonoha always had the feeling that that girl also loved Nakano Yu, and that her feelings were no weaker than her own.
Looking at Nakano Yu, Katsura Kotonoha's expression was complicated.
Earlier, Katsura Manami had told her that Nakano Yu could not have only one partner in his life. For Nakano Yu, he was an existence far above humans. Therefore, as Nakano Yu's fiancée, Katsura Kotonoha had to be mentally prepared.
Katsura Kotonoha understood that in her heart, but she hadn't expected that the day she would share Nakano Yu with others would come so quickly.
"Kotonoha, what's wrong? Is there something on my face?"
Seeing Katsura Kotonoha looking at him, Nakano Yu scratched his cheek and asked.
"No, nothing."
Shaking her head, Katsura Kotonoha replied with a gentle smile, trying to hide the complicated emotions behind it.
"Really?"
Looking at Katsura Kotonoha, Nakano Yu knew that she was hiding something from him, but he could roughly guess why.
After all, he had just talked so much with Kiyoura Setsuna and Saionji Sekai. If Katsura Kotonoha hadn't noticed that something was wrong, that would truly have been strange.
While they were talking, lunch for Nakano Yu and Katsura Kotonoha was soon brought by Saionji Sekai.
"Enjoy your meal!"
After saying that, Saionji Sekai returned to the kitchen, because the restaurant was becoming busier as the number of guests increased.
Not long after, Kiyoura Setsuna also came down the stairs. After giving Nakano Yu a deep look, she helped Saionji Sekai divide the work.
However, just when the restaurant was at its busiest, a group of uninvited guests suddenly pushed the door open and entered:
"Hey, where's the landlady? Won't you come out to receive important guests?"