Kurosawa Ren shrugged.
He found Mizaki Ming's sudden change of expression amusing—like one of those quick-change acts from Sichuan opera.
"No way! It's way too late to be bringing a boy home. You need to leave, now!"
The enthusiastic girl suddenly went cold. She opened the door with an icy expression and tried to push him out.
It looked like Narumi Mizaki had taken back control of her body.
"No!" Misaki Mizaki pouted, puffing out her cheeks and locking horns with her sister again.
"I want big brother Ren to see my bedroom!"
"What's so great about your bedroom?! That's my room!"
The two sisters bickered at the door, their voices overlapping and chaotic, while Kurosawa Ren couldn't help but laugh.
What a hilarious sight.
"…Fine. You can come in—but just for a little while."
Eventually, Narumi Mizaki gave in, defeated by her noisy sister.
With a sigh, she pinched her own arm hard, grumbling in frustration, before giving control back to Misaki.
"Yay~ Brother Ren!"
"Ow! My arm hurts… Sis is so stingy."
Misaki's face scrunched into a pained grimace for a second, but her expression quickly brightened as she hopped around and pulled Ren toward the back of the house.
Mizaki Ming's home was cozy and well-kept.
As Ren stepped into the spacious entryway, he noticed that despite having six rooms and a living room, the overall space was compact and efficiently arranged.
"Brother Ren, please sit down. I'll get you a glass of water."
Misaki's big eyes sparkled mischievously. Her slender legs wrapped in black stockings as she trotted into the kitchen.
Ren nodded and sat down on the sofa, his eyes casually scanning the surroundings.
Suddenly, gentle footsteps came from the second floor.
Turning his head, he saw a beautiful woman with long black hair descending the stairs. Her headscarf had come undone, and she glanced at him with mild curiosity.
The woman bore a striking resemblance to Mizaki Ming—similar facial structure, same delicate features—but with a much colder aura.
"Ming, do we have a guest?"
"Mom, this is my friend. Kurosawa Ren."
"Hello. Just call me Aunt Wu Guo."
Wu Guo was dressed simply—black jeans and a fitted black shirt. Her figure was slim and trim, but her curves were prominent and well-proportioned.
The snug jeans highlighted her long legs, and she walked barefoot across the wooden floor. The smooth skin of her feet gleamed under the white lights, and faint blue veins were visible beneath her fair skin.
Scene 17: Emiya Family's Legendary Housekeeping Skills—EX Rank
"It's rare for you to bring friends home."
Wu Guo's tone was calm, her demeanor quiet and reserved.
Even though this was the first time her daughter had brought a male friend over, she didn't seem particularly enthusiastic.
She simply took the glass of warm water Misaki handed her, sipped it silently, and said nothing more.
"..."
This mother-daughter dynamic felt painfully awkward.
Kurosawa Ren, caught between them, couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable.
Even though he knew Wu Guo was Mizaki Ming's adoptive mother, her frosty demeanor made it hard to ignore the emotional distance in the room.
"Mom, have you eaten yet?"
Misaki Misaki—now back to her bubbly self—seemed uncomfortable with the silence too.
Seeing that, she quietly passed control back to her sister, Mizaki Ming.
"No."
Wu Guo sat upright on the sofa, holding her water glass with dignified poise. Even when relaxing, she exuded a composed, elegant air.
Her slender back contrasted strikingly with her curvier front. From the side, she looked like a sculpted ridge; from the front, like a mountain peak—poised and refined.
"Me neither. Should we just order something?"
Mizaki sighed and suggested the obvious.
"Sure."
"…"
The girl with heterochromatic eyes seemed used to these short, clipped conversations.
She took out her phone and checked the delivery apps, frowning slightly.
"It's too late. Even with late-night delivery, it'll take at least an hour."
"I don't need to eat. Order for yourself."
Wu Guo set down her cup, indifferent.
"Um… do you have any groceries at home? Can either of you cook?"
Ren was puzzled.
Did neither of them know how to cook?
"…"
"…"
The silence that followed gave him his answer.
Apparently, not.
So this was how Mizaki Ming lived? Coming home late, unable to even get a warm meal?
Ren let out a small sigh.
Luckily, he hadn't eaten yet either.
There was a 24-hour supermarket nearby. He could grab some ingredients and whip something up in thirty minutes.
Thirty minutes later.
Kurosawa Ren casually removed his apron and waved toward the mother and daughter, who sat silently staring at each other on the sofa.
"Mizaki, Aunt Wu Guo, dinner's ready."
He hadn't had time for anything fancy.
Ren—blessed with a "King's Stomach"—was already starving.
So he made the simplest and fastest meal he could think of.
Anyone who's seen Today's Menu for the Emiya Family knows that Shirou Emiya had a gift for cooking.
Ren, equipped with the [Projection Magic: Concept Dress], seemed to have inherited the red-haired cook's culinary genius.
"I'll dig in."
Without waiting for the others, Ren picked up his chopsticks and began slurping down a big bowl of soba noodles.
It was the same New Year's Eve Soba that appeared in Today's Menu for the Emiya Family.
The noodles were store-bought—boiled and rinsed in cold water for extra chewiness.
He had dipped shrimp in egg batter and fried them into crisp tempura.
He made a light broth from kombu and bonito flakes, added blanched spinach, fish cake slices, chopped scallions, and even a bit of yuzu peel.
In no time, the steaming bowl of soba was complete.
"Slurp, slurp…"
The chewy, elastic noodles soaked in sweet and salty broth. The crispy tempura added texture. The spinach and red-and-white fish cakes were fresh and tender.
Every bite was satisfying—impossible to stop.
"This… Is it really that good?"
"This guy is eating like it's heaven in a bowl…"
Even Wu Guo and Mizaki Ming, who normally didn't care about food and only ate for survival, were intrigued by Ren's enthusiastic eating.
Skeptical but curious, they approached the table and tasted the noodles.
The very next second—
Their eyes widened in shock.
It was like every cell in their body had awakened.
The aroma, the texture—it was all too perfect.
Their chopsticks moved faster and faster as their appetites kicked in.
Ten minutes later.
Qi Ming—now back in control—reluctantly finished the last sip of broth and licked the corner of her mouth.
"This is insane. You sure you didn't go to culinary school? These soba noodles are unreal!"
"I don't even like food that much, but I drank the whole bowl down to the last drop."
"It's nothing special. Just takes practice."
Ren played it cool, brushing it off modestly.
Scene 8: Housekeeping EX – Max Level Achieved
"Ren, can you come cook at our house from now on?"
"To be honest, my daughter and I can't cook at all… We haven't had food this good in ages."
Even the cold-hearted Wu Guo was won over by the soba.
Her eyes sparkled as she rubbed her full stomach and extended an unexpected offer.
"I work in the puppet-making industry, and we're not short on money. If you're willing, I can pay you—name your price."
"Uh… Cooking is no problem, but I'm still a student. I can't promise I'll be available for every meal."
Ren scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed.
"That's fine. You can cook in advance and have it delivered to my house… or stop by when you're free."
The soba had clearly left a strong impression on Wu Guo.
She was even willing to eat reheated meals just to taste his cooking again.
"…Alright then."
Ren thought it over and agreed without much hesitation.
After all—why not?