Chapter 138: Each with Their Own Motives
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 138: Each with Their Own Motives
"Muen!"
In the quiet, secluded street, the girl’s pleasantly surprised voice, accompanied by the jingle of the windchimes above the door, finally made Muen feel it—the biting chill of late autumn.
"Sha... Shali?"
Muen turned his head with stiff movements. Even as he chanted a mantra in his heart that this was a hallucination, that familiar, pretty face framed by oversized black-rimmed glasses inevitably filled his vision.
"You... what are you doing here?"
"What am I doing here?" Shali’s expression turned slightly odd. "This is my home."
What?
Home?
Muen’s brain stalled for a second. Then, he whipped his head around toward the restaurant’s sign at a speed that made his cervical vertebrae practically scream in protest.
15 Durank Street!
Shit!
I knew there was a reason this address looked so familiar, a reason it stood out to me instantly among a sea of information.
This was the address Shali had given him!
In other words, this was her family’s restaurant!
Strange. Did soaking in the Mercury Well for thirty hours turn my brain to mush? How could I forget something so important?
"Muen, what are you muttering about?"
Shali leaned closer, her slightly flushed cheeks radiating pure joy. "Come on, it’s cold out here. Don't just stand there, come inside with me. I knew you’d come eventually, so I specifically asked my dad to close the shop for a bit and wait inside."
So that’s why your restaurant is closed on a weekend!
"No, actually, I have other things to do, so I won't be going in..."
"Eh? Muen, didn't you come because of my invitation?"
The excited highlights in Shali’s eyes suddenly vanished. Even though she was empty-handed, Muen was struck by the sudden, terrifying hallucination that she was standing before him brandishing a meat cleaver.
Muen couldn't help but shudder.
Is this girl really this scary?
And haven't we only met two or three times? Is she really this obsessed with me?
Could it be...
She covets my stunning good looks?
"Um, Shali, actually today..."
Even so, Muen remained determined to refuse Shali’s invitation.
Compared to the minor issue of being hacked to death by a cleaver, he was far more concerned about this date becoming even more complicated.
A second woman appearing during a date was a cardinal sin!
"Oh my, Junior. Won't you introduce me to this lovely classmate of yours?" Just then, Anna rested a hand against her cheek and spoke with a smile.
Muen felt a chill run down his spine, followed by a violent tremor.
Senior, please, don't add fuel to the fire right now!
Sure enough, the moment Anna spoke, Shali’s attention shifted instantly.
It was as if she had only just noticed a great beauty standing there. Her expression immediately turned guarded, as if she were entering a combat state.
"Who are you?"
"This is Senior Anna, a senior from my club."
Muen hastily wedged himself between the two, forcing himself to handle the introductions. "And this is Shali, a classmate from my year."
"Hello, Shali. I am Anna Kabulin."
Anna extended her hand with poise, acting every bit the broad-minded senior, seemingly unbothered by Shali’s sudden appearance.
"Hello. I’m Shali Friend."
Shali reached out and gave Anna’s hand a light squeeze.
In the moment their hands met, Shali’s body stiffened slightly, and a flicker of confusion crossed her eyes.
However, she quickly returned to normal.
"Senior Anna... are you on a date with Muen?"
Shali’s gaze swept over the two of them from behind her black-rimmed glasses, filled with suspicion.
Here it comes!
Muen flinched.
According to his experience from reading countless romance manga in his past life, the answer at a time like this had to be tactful. He couldn't escalate the conflict.
Otherwise, a girl like Shali—who looked soft and weak but was actually prone to overthinking—could easily "blacken"!
Tact.
He had to be tactful.
"That’s right. It seems my junior here wants to pick me up~" Anna said bluntly.
Aaaah!
Senior, what on earth are you saying?!
Didn't you explicitly deny this was a date earlier and warn me not to have any ulterior motives?
Why the sudden change of heart?!
"I... I see? Haha, so that’s how it is?"
As expected, the highlights that had barely managed to return to Shali’s eyes vanished once more.
Looking at her, Muen felt like she might pull out a cleaver at any moment, scream "Let's just split him in half then!" and charge forward to hack his head off and disembowel him.
At the thought of that gruesome image, Muen couldn't help but shrink back.
But to his surprise, Shali recovered quickly. In fact, she looked as though her fighting spirit had been ignited.
"I... I won't lose!"
She clenched her fists as if cheering herself on. "That’s right, I won't give up that easily!"
With that, she extended the invitation to Muen once more.
"Looking at the time, you must be hungry, Muen. Since you’re already here, why not come in for a bit and try my father’s cooking?"
"No... I think I'll pass." Muen shook his head vigorously.
Was she joking? Going in under these circumstances was like jumping into a pit of fire.
Not going. Absolutely not going!
"Sure."
But Anna answered with a smile.
"I happen to be hungry too. I trust you don't mind an extra person, Junior Shali?"
Senior, what are you doing?!
Muen looked on in horror, but Anna acted as if she hadn't noticed, her face still wearing that charming smile.
She stared at Shali, seemingly confirming something, or perhaps deep in thought.
Seeing that Anna had agreed first, Shali was clearly unhappy, but she knew this was the only way to persuade Muen.
Thus, she turned a pitiful gaze toward Muen once again.
"Since it’s come to this... Muen, surely you won't refuse?"
"..."
*
They entered the restaurant.
Just like the pictures and descriptions in the travel guide, this small private restaurant had an elegant atmosphere and exquisite decor. It truly was a perfect setting for a date.
"Let me introduce you. This is my father."
After they were seated, Shali dragged over a middle-aged man who looked stern and unsmiling.
"Hello, Uncle."
"Hello."
Muen and Anna greeted him politely, but the man only gave a silent nod before retreating back into the room at the far end.
A moment later, the rhythmic sound of chopping vegetables drifted out.
"Sorry, my dad isn't very good at communicating with people," Shali said with an apologetic scratch of her head.
Naturally, neither Muen nor Anna minded.
"You two sit for a while. I’m going to help in the kitchen. This time, I’m definitely going to make Muen fall for my cooking!"
Full of determination, Shali headed into the kitchen.
And so, in the pleasant atmosphere of the small restaurant, only Muen and Anna remained.
"So, Senior, what exactly are you trying to do?"
After a brief silence, Muen looked at his senior—whose motives he still couldn't fathom—with a look of helplessness.
"Are you just trying to make a fool out of me?"
"How could that be? Am I really such a wicked senior?"
"Aren't you?"
"Giggle... then let's say I am."
Anna laughed softly, then shifted the topic.
"Junior, that girl Shali seems to like you."
"But I don't like her."
Muen looked Anna in the eye and said seriously, "While she is indeed a very nice girl, the truth is we’ve only met a few times. I don't like her, Senior."
"I see. In that case, could you do me a favor?"
"What favor?"
"Help me..."
Anna looked at Muen, a mischievous, "little devil" smirk suddenly playing on her lips.
"...make her cry."