"Then I'll go get ready."
Kirio Hikifune finished speaking, then suddenly turned to Senjumaru Shutara. Meeting her gaze, she spoke in a tone more serious than ever before:
"Senpai, it's time for you to grow up a little. You'll be handling your own dishes tonight."
Even Masatsuki Aozaki was caught off guard by such harsh words.
After all, this was Kirio Hikifune—a woman who was always easygoing and warm. It was almost unheard of for her to speak in such a stern manner.
Senjumaru Shutara, on the other hand, widened her eyes in disbelief.
She looked at Masatsuki pitifully, her face full of grievance.
Masatsuki, seeing her reaction, could only let out a helpless chuckle and shake his head.
"Yeah, you really need to grow up."
He spread his hands as if to say there was nothing he could do.
But before he could say anything else—
Senjumaru suddenly shot to her feet with a whoosh, her eyes burning with rage as she glared at him.
She—Senjumaru Shutara—a Zero Division member, a former captain of the Gotei 13's Twelfth Division—had been subjected to such humiliation in a single day?!
If they had simply been disrespecting her as a senior, she might have let it slide.
After all, she was used to Masatsuki's lack of formality.
But this—this—was something else entirely.
She had thought Masatsuki was a well-behaved junior, only to realize he was a cunning opportunist who took advantage of situations.
She had thought Kirio was a sweet, easygoing friend, but now—now—even she was treating her like this?!
Senjumaru had always seen herself as a mature and composed senior.
She had never been treated so cruelly before.
And the most infuriating part?
Neither of them even saw her as a senior in the first place!
If they treated her as a friend, maybe she could accept it.
But right now, they clearly saw her as nothing more than a child.
Her whole body trembled with rage as she clutched a nearby pillow and collapsed onto the couch.
"I'll make it up to you!"
"...Huh?" Masatsuki blinked in confusion.
"It's just a dessert, right? I'll make it up to you! Starting tomorrow, you're not running away! Tomorrow—we start tomorrow!"
Her words came out in a flustered mess, leaving Masatsuki completely baffled.
The once composed and dignified Zero Division officer had officially abandoned her pride.
All that prestige, all that nobility—gone.
In its place was pure, reckless desperation.
"You used to be so kind to me! Always doing whatever I wanted! That's why I let my guard down!"
Senjumaru's voice echoed through the room as she vented all her frustration.
"But who would have thought that behind that gentle, good-natured façade, you were hiding such sinister intentions?!"
"And then—you actually did that to me—!"
"...I did give you the option to refuse."
"I'm not listening! I don't care!"
Senjumaru shot up from the couch, throwing a full-blown tantrum.
"Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I'm going to learn how to make that tiramisu thing! You rotten junior—watch me!"
SLAM!
With a sharp bang, she slammed the door behind her and stormed out.
The room fell into dead silence.
Masatsuki sat there, momentarily stunned.
Then, without a hint of shame, he grabbed another piece of Wagyu beef and popped it into his mouth.
His gaze drifted toward the table.
"...That idiot senpai. She didn't even listen to a word Kirio said. Shouldn't she have at least washed her own dishes first?"
He sighed.
Was her brain really running on single-core processing, or was she just too adorable?
At noon, he had stolen a kiss from her, and it had taken her the entire afternoon to recover from it.
Yet, with just one sentence from Kirio, all that progress had unraveled in an instant.
Now, what would happen if he skipped all the buildup and jumped straight to the final step?
Masatsuki pondered for a moment—
Then let out a soft, amused laugh.
It'd be interesting, that's for sure.
Of course, he would never force her.
Even that kiss at noon—he had only followed through after she allowed it.
Senjumaru Shutara was not Bambietta.
Bambietta was... unique. She liked things being direct and forceful.
But Masatsuki could never treat Senjumaru the way he treated Bambietta.
...
After finishing up the dishes, Masatsuki made his way to his evening cooking lesson.
He stepped into Kirio's private kitchen, where she was already waiting for him, dressed in her cooking attire.
Her usual cheerful demeanor remained unchanged—
But Masatsuki could tell.
She did feel a little guilty about what had happened earlier.
So, as he stood beside her, he gently reached out and patted her head—
Like he was comforting a wounded animal.
"It's okay. You just have to be firm with a troublemaker. Senpai will understand your good intentions sooner or later."
Masatsuki Aozaki smiled, his eyes filled with amusement and understanding.
"But you might have a rough time from now on. It looks like she's completely given up on hiding her true nature."
Senjumaru Shutara: So you really do see me as a child, huh?!
"When are you ever going to grow up, Senpai?!"
Kirio Hikifune sighed, looking thoroughly conflicted.
She didn't mind taking care of kids—
But treating her longtime best friend like one? That was a different story.
Still, she didn't dwell on it for long.
Kirio's purple eyes flickered with curiosity as she turned toward Masatsuki.
"You kissed her, didn't you?"
Her tone was complex, carrying a barely noticeable hint of tension.
If it had been anyone else, she wouldn't have given it a second thought.
But because it was Senjumaru—
She couldn't quite put her feelings into words.
It wasn't dislike.
It wasn't anger, or rejection, or anything she could pin down.
It just felt... weird.
Masatsuki, completely unfazed, straightened up with mock righteousness.
Was he the type to lie? To deceive his girlfriend like some shameless scumbag?
Of course not!
Since Kirio had asked, there was only one thing to do—answer honestly.
"Yeah, you're right. She looked pretty cute at noon, so I kissed her."
Masatsuki stated it plainly, without the slightest hint of guilt.
"Really?"
Kirio blinked, as if unsure whether she should believe him or not.
But Masatsuki could tell—she wasn't exactly thrilled about it.
Now that he thought about it, the two of them hadn't shared any intimate moments since their reunion.
The last time they parted, the most she had done was give him a kiss on the cheek.
For someone with such a bold style and carefree personality—
Kirio was surprisingly reserved when it came to romance.
So despite being together again for days, Masatsuki had never pushed her boundaries.
"...Me too."
There was no mistaking it—she was jealous.
Kirio had realized it, too.
But even knowing that, she couldn't just let it slide.