Chapter 272: Enemies in the Same Boat
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 272: Enemies in the Same Boat
Saionji Kumiko is Kim Yoo-Sung's first girlfriend.
She held a secret pride in this fact.
No matter what happened in the future, the fact that 'she was the one who took Kim Yoo-Sung's first kiss' and 'she was also the one who took his virginity' would never change.
Besides, they were dating because they liked each other, so as long as she didn't make any mistakes, there was no reason they would ever break up.
From the very beginning, she had been dating him with the serious intention of marriage.
Their romantic first night together.
From the moment they first held hands, Kumiko had imagined herself as a grandmother, even designing an ideal family of one son and two daughters. However, she had never anticipated the variable of Kim Yoo-Sung being an unexpectedly vigorous man.
While it was true they had both been each other's first, leading to a half-frenzied experience, the very first thought that crossed Kumiko's mind after their first night was, 'I don't think I can handle him alone.'
She had trained her body in her own way, but it was all for naught before Kim Yoo-Sung, whose stamina and vigor seemed to challenge the very limits of the human species.
Therefore, the solution Kumiko came up with was to bring in another 'wife' besides herself.
The so-called 'Kim Yoo-Sung Harem Project.'
And in the planning stages of this project, Shinjiro and Minami, who knew Kim Yoo-Sung better than anyone, unanimously chose the first candidate.
That candidate was 'Kishimoto Rika.'
In other words, the woman who could have been Kumiko's most formidable rival.
They had seen each other around, but since Rika was a year younger, the number of times they had actually spoken could be counted on one hand.
But even without intending to, her gestures that seemed to bewitch men, her cute way of speaking, and her beautiful features held a power that made Kumiko unconsciously wary of her.
And at this very moment, that feeling was solidified once again.
"Yoo-Sung-ah~ Ahhh~"
'That... that foxy woman!'
Kishimoto Rika was nonchalantly doing the kind of 'cutesy things' Kumiko could never bring herself to do.
*
I met the President and Rika at the DiverCity shopping mall, one of Odaiba's famous landmarks.
I tend to always go to places with a lot to do like Shibuya or Nakano, so I chose a destination I don't usually visit.
My most recent memory of visiting was during last summer's Comic Market, as the famous Tokyo Big Sight is located right here in Odaiba.
After meeting up at the mall's entrance, instead of heading straight inside, we decided to first stop by the festival park right in front.
This was because there was a landmark here that Rika had been dying to see.
"Wow! It's a real 1:1 scale Unicorn G*ndam!"
Like a child, Rika jumped up and down on the spot as she looked at the giant white robot.
Well, it's not like I couldn't understand how she felt.
It's a 1:1 scale robot, after all. If your heart doesn't pound, you're not human.
"Ohoho! Rika-san, you have a rather childish side to you, unlike how you appear!"
However, the President, who was a complete novice in this area, seemed unimpressed. She let out a prim, lady-like laugh as she mocked Rika.
Rika shot the President a displeased look.
Just as I thought a fight was about to break out before our date even began, I prepared to intervene.
Vwoom! Vwoooom!
Suddenly, the G*ndam above our heads began to transform, emitting a blue light.
"Oh my! Oh my!"
The President's eyes widened in amazement as she let out a gasp.
It seemed that even if you had no interest in robots, you couldn't help but be captivated by a spectacular transformation sequence.
The robot, which had finished its transformation in an instant, bathed the area in a bright green light, and gasps of awe erupted from all around.
"Didn't you just say something about me being childish?"
"W-Well, seeing it again, it is quite fascinating."
As Rika landed a critical counterattack on the dazed President, the President blushed and replied as such.
Perhaps thanks to that exchange, the awkward tension between them seemed to have dissipated a little.
"Since it's come to this, why don't you two try to get along instead of growling at each other? Besides, Kumiko-senpai, you were the one who gave us permission to date in the first place."
At that, the President seemed to think my words had some merit. She cleared her throat and extended a hand to Rika.
"If Yoo-Sung-kun says so, I suppose I have no choice. Let me introduce myself again. I am Saionji Kumiko. Yoo-Sung-kun's 'first' girlfriend."
Rika smiled brightly and extended her right hand as well.
"I'm Kishimoto Rika. But is there really a need to emphasize 'first' when you're just introducing yourself? It's almost as if that's the only thing you have to be proud of."
"Ohohoho. It is an undeniable fact. There's no need to be jealous."
"Ahahaha, when did I ever say I was jealous? I don't care about such trivial things."
What was this? They were just having a conversation, but it felt like they were exchanging invisible blades.
Even though I was dating them both at the same time, was a double date a bad move?
For a moment, all sorts of anxious thoughts flashed through my mind, but the water was already spilled.
I resolved to do my best to get them to get along today and changed the subject.
"W-Well, now that the pleasantries are over, shall we head inside the mall? Neither of you has had lunch yet, right? Let's go get something delicious."
As I said that and gently pushed their backs, the two of them reluctantly followed my lead and started moving toward the shopping mall.
*
Once inside the DiverCity building, we browsed through various character shops before heading up to the floor with the food court.
Perhaps because it was Christmas Eve, there were many families in addition to the couples out on dates.
We took the escalator up to the food court and decided to figure out what to eat.
The President was the first to speak.
"I'm fine with anything."
"Come on, don't say that. Just pick one. Isn't there anything that catches your eye?"
The President then gracefully opened the fan she always carried, covered her mouth, and said with a giggle.
"Really, I'm fine with anything. Just the experience of eating something I've never had before is a joy for me."
Having recently awakened to the world of commoner's food, the President passed the choice of menu over to us.
"Then…"
I naturally looked over at Rika.
"Rika, is there anything you want to eat?"
Rika, who had a classic old-man palate, licked her lips with a slurp and looked around at the nearby restaurants.
"Gyudon? Gyutan? Gyukatsu? Ah, suji would be good too."
It seemed she was fixated on beef today.
As all sorts of beef dishes poured from her lips, the President asked with an innocent face.
"What is gyutan?"
Rika explained with a look that said, 'You don't even know that?'
"It's beef tongue. It's delicious when you grill it."
"What?! You eat grilled cow tongue?!"
The President's eyes widened as if she'd experienced a culture shock.
Well, if you've never had it before, I guess that reaction is understandable.
The idea of eating a tongue does sound somewhat barbaric.
However, the President's reaction seemed to have provoked Rika, who put on a mischievous, impish look she rarely showed.
"Then it's decided! Gyutan it is!"
"Isn't that a bit too high-level for a beginner?"
As I tried to suggest a milder menu, the President herself stepped in and stopped me.
"No, it would be wrong of me to assume it won't taste good based on prejudice alone, without even trying it. Let's give it a try. Gyutan."
"Are you really sure, President?"
When I asked worriedly, the President giggled and said.
"Surely a restaurant wouldn't serve something inedible, would they?"
Did she not know how easily 'I'm sure it's fine' can turn into a disaster?
I looked worriedly at the President, who had a weaker stomach than one might think.
*
And so, we entered a restaurant specializing in gyutan.
Fortunately, they also served regular beef as a side menu, but following the President and Rika's decision, we initially ordered only the gyutan.
"Here is your order."
Before long, a small grill and a plate of gyutan were placed on our table.
"So this is a cow's tongue…"
The President looked down at the plate in front of her, looking slightly squeamish.
Thankfully, the tongue had been processed, so its original shape wasn't intact, but if you looked closely, you could tell it was thinly sliced tongue.
If she hadn't been told what it was beforehand, she might have just thought, 'What a strange-looking cut of meat,' and eaten it.
"Let's just try it first."
On the other hand, Rika, who apparently loved gyutan, rolled up her sleeves and began grilling the meat in earnest.
I offered to do it, but Rika insisted, refusing to let go of the tongs.
About five minutes after she started grilling the gyutan with great care...
"It's ready to eat now."
Rika personally placed a piece of the gyutan she had grilled onto the President's plate.
Perhaps unable to refuse Rika's gesture, the President picked up her chopsticks and asked.
"How am I supposed to eat this?"
"Put a little of the chopped green onions on top, and dip it lightly in the lemon sauce."
Following Rika's instructions, the President placed some green onions on the well-cooked gyutan and dipped it in the lemon sauce.
"..."
The President stared at the end of her chopsticks with a tense expression.
Amidst the suffocating tension, the President finally popped the gyutan into her mouth.
At first, her face was scrunched up in a deep frown, but as she slowly began to chew, her expression rapidly brightened.
Then, she smiled quietly and said.
"It's delicious."
Rika's face lit up, and she leaned in close.
"Right! Right!"
The distance between the two of them had closed in an instant.
"Ah."
As if realizing it a moment too late, Rika pulled back and sat down again, and an awkward atmosphere settled between them.
I looked back and forth between them before saying.
"Let's eat."
Hearing my words, the two of them nodded, their faces slightly flushed.