Chapter 481: Another Ignorant Girl Who Fell into a Trap (7)

"This is my rice ball. Hmph, it's easier than I thought," Nino said confidently, folding her arms.

"My... my rice ball..." Miku murmured, blushing as she nervously presented hers. Her hands trembled slightly, betraying her anxiety.

As she placed the rice ball on the plate, it shook, and a chunk of rice fell away, revealing a dark filling beneath.

"Let's dig in!" Yotsuba eagerly picked up one of Nino's rice balls and took a bite. 

"Wow, it's delicious!" she exclaimed, her face lighting up in delight.

"Really?" Ichika followed suit, tasting one for herself. Her eyes sparkled as she nodded. "Mm, it's really good!"

"See? I told you, it's no big deal." Nino beamed, clearly proud of herself. "I can pick this up in no time."

Utaha took a bite as well but quickly set the rice ball back down, her expression calm and unimpressed. "It's... just okay. Barely edible."

"What? A girl who can't even wash her own underwear has no right to judge!" Nino shot back, eyebrows raised, her temper flaring like a true tsundere. "Are you just siding with your boyfriend?"

Utaha froze, her face stiffening. She wanted to retort, but thinking back to Sui helping her wash her clothes, she felt she had no ground to stand on.

"Tell me," Nino demanded, folding her arms, "whose rice balls are better, mine or his?"

Ichika thought for a moment. "Well, if you're asking... there's still quite a gap between this and the ones Sui made before."

"Yeah, that's true," Yotsuba chimed in, nodding in agreement.

Even Itsuki gave a slight nod, reluctantly acknowledging it. Though she always tried to hide it, she had to admit that Sui's cooking was far superior.

"See that?" Utaha smirked, a glimmer of pride in her eyes.

"What? Ichika, are you siding with him too?" Nino grumbled, her frustration clear as she gritted her teeth.

"Let me try," Sui said, picking up one of Nino's rice balls. After a taste, he calmly evaluated it. "The rice wasn't packed tightly enough, the pork wasn't marinated long enough, and there was too much honey, making it overly sweet... I could list thirty more issues."

Nino started off with a disdainful expression but quickly grew embarrassed as Sui's critique hit closer to the mark. She couldn't deny he was right.

"If you really want to improve your cooking, Maybe start by removing that nail polish," Sui suggested, glancing at her brightly painted nails. "A good chef needs clean hands."

"Hmph! I won't scrape off my nail polish just because 'you' said so!" Nino pouted, sticking her tongue out in defiance, though she knew deep down that Sui's advice was sound.

"Well... you don't have to taste mine," Miku said softly, looking uneasy.

Sui glanced at Miku's dish. He could already tell it wasn't great just from its appearance, but he still decided to try it.

The rice ball she made fell apart the moment he picked it up, more resembling a loosely formed rice clump than an actual rice ball. The taste hit him like a wave of disaster, but seeing Miku's downcast expression, he chose to offer her some encouragement.

"Well, it's not 'that' bad," he said gently. "It has its merits. For one, the rice is cooked properly. It just needs to be packed a little tighter next time."

Unable to think of any real positives, Sui awkwardly tried to comfort her.

Miku looked at him in surprise, her eyes softening as she clasped her hands in front of her face. A sweet smile spread across her lips, and for a moment, her entire face seemed to glow with gratitude.

Utaha glanced at Miku and felt a twinge of irritation. She could almost see the metaphorical "harem member (+1)" label floating above Miku's head. She clicked her tongue in mild annoyance. "What a troublesome fate," she muttered to herself, feeling a hint of dissatisfaction rising.

"What are you mumbling about now?" Sui asked, looking at her with exasperation.

Utaha simply snorted in response and shifted her focus to the orange chiffon cake and cream pudding Sui had made. Every bite was a delight, the flavors so rich and delicious she wanted to savor each one forever.

The other girls enjoyed their snacks as well. Even though Nino didn't want to admit it, Sui's cooking skills were far superior to hers.

Soon, all the afternoon snacks were devoured. Itsuki and Utaha, in particular, had eaten the most.

Utaha licked her green-tinted fingers with her pink tongue, rubbing her perfectly flat belly with a contented sigh. Her wine-red eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "As expected, dessert really does make you forget your worries."

"But that doesn't change the fact that you're still a lazy slacker," Sui remarked, eyeing her as she sprawled on the sofa like a contented cat.

"I'm a beautiful and refined senpai, not a lazy slacker," Utaha retorted, raising a hand to touch Sui's lips with her slender fingers, correcting him with mock seriousness.

"Yeah, a beautiful and refined slacker," Sui quipped, licking his lips absentmindedly. The lingering taste of orange chiffon cake made him pause—hadn't she just licked those fingers?

The five Nakano sisters lingered for a bit longer before preparing to leave.

"We'll come back soon!" Yotsuba chirped, waving happily at Sui as they headed out.

"Sure, see you next time," Sui waved back.

"Don't get too full of yourself! I'll surpass you one day!" Nino called out from halfway down the path, pointing dramatically at Sui with her signature fiery attitude.

Utaha chuckled to herself, as if seeing yet another "harem member" label rise above Nino's head. She sighed, shaking her head.

"Ah, another ignorant girl walking straight into the trap," she murmured to herself. "My Kohai truly has a sinful charm."

"What are you mumbling about now?" Sui asked again, rolling his eyes at her.