The takeout arrived.
Shu was the one who went to open the door. Even if Kiana's reaction speed was seven times his, Shu, armed with the advance notification on his phone, managed to open the door before Kiana could even stand up, accepting the heavy plastic bags from the delivery driver.
Open door, take food, recite last digits of phone number, say thanks, close door.
All in one smooth motion.
The delivery driver didn't even have time to ask anything before his hands were empty. He looked down at his phone, looked up, and was met with a closed door.
Well... at least the last digits were correct.
Having completely avoided any two-way communication, Shu carried the takeout back to the dining table and set it down.
Kiana's eyes were glued to the bags in Shu's hands, like a cat eagerly awaiting feeding time.
"Let me see, let me see, let me see—"
She leaned over impatiently, helping Shu take the containers out of the bags one by one.
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven..."
She counted, then looked up at Shu in surprise, tears of emotion uncharacteristically flowing from the corners of her mouth.
"You ordered so much good food!"
Shu opened a pair of chopsticks with a straight face. "Is it enough?"
"Enough, enough, enough! Definitely enough!"
Kiana had already eagerly opened the first container. The aroma of braised pork wafted out, and she took a deep breath as if she were about to perform some kind of qi-sucking technique to clear the plate in one go.
"I'm digging in—!"
She naturally took the chopsticks Shu handed her, picked up a piece of braised pork dripping with sauce, and stuffed it into her mouth.
"Mmph————!!!"
An expression of pure bliss materialized on Kiana's face. She covered her mouth, her eyes squeezed shut into slits, squirming in her chair and making a sound that left Shu stunned.
"Delicious! Delicious! So delicious!"
Shu admitted he was a little spooked. He didn't expect this girl to actually make such exaggerated expressions in front of others, the kind you only see in games and anime.
And... how should he put it...
Her behavior wasn't just the kind that made him curl his toes in embarrassment; she was also... uh... completely unconcerned with her image.
She was simply ignoring everyone!!
At this moment, Kiana had one leg bent up, foot resting on the edge of the chair, while the other leg was stretched out, swinging under the table.
She was leaning crookedly against the back of the chair, one hand holding chopsticks, the other propped on the table, her posture as casual as a ragdoll in Human: Fall Flat.
There was nothing inherently wrong with the posture; Shu was absolutely not the kind of pedant who would nitpick someone's eating posture in private.
The problem was—
She was wearing his T-shirt. For Kiana, that shirt was huge.
With her leaning like that, the collar naturally slipped, exposing an entirely bare shoulder...
Shu's gaze darted away instantly.
Does she just not see me as an outsider?
No.
Does she just not see me as a person?
He took a deep breath and silently fixed his gaze on the rice bowl in front of him.
Whatever, let's just eat.
Kiana didn't notice anything unusual about him because she was also busy chowing down.
Her chopsticks moved in a blur, picking a bit of every dish onto her rice, then she shoveled a huge mouthful of food and rice into that small mouth of hers.
"Shu, why aren't you eating—this is so good—you gotta try it—"
Shu: "...Mhm."
I don't dare eat. I'm afraid if I take one more bite, you'll faint from hunger.
...
Fifteen minutes later.
Shu put down his chopsticks, leaned back in his chair, and looked at the devastation before him.
It was all empty...
Shu's gaze moved slowly from the pile of empty containers to the white figure opposite him who was still picking up food, his pupils trembling.
Kiana was vigorously eliminating the last two pieces of meat.
Shu's Adam's apple bobbed.
He couldn't help but ask.
"...Are you full?"
Kiana's movements paused.
She looked up at Shu.
Those azure blue eyes blinked.
Then—
She slowly put down her chopsticks, held the empty rice bowl with both hands, and looked at him with an extremely innocent expression.
She didn't speak.
Just looked at him.
Her eyes seemed to glisten with a hint of moisture.
Shu: "..."
An ominous premonition welled up in his heart.
"You..."
Kiana's mouth puckered.
"Not... not yet..."
Her voice was tiny and weak, as if she had suffered a immense grievance.
Shu fell silent.
He looked at the empty containers on the table.
Then at Kiana's "I'm so pitiful" face.
Then at her impossibly slender figure under that thin T-shirt—
Is this human?
How did she eat all that?
Where did all that food go?
Is her stomach connected to the Cocoon of Finality?
"...You want more?"
Kiana nodded vigorously.
Shu took a deep breath.
He picked up his phone, opened the delivery app, scrolled to the same restaurant, and opened the menu.
Then he looked up at Kiana:
"How much more?"
Kiana tilted her head, rubbed her stomach, thought for a moment, and then quite confidently held up three fingers.
"Three more portions!"
Shu: "...Three portions? Of the same thing?"
Kiana nodded. "Yup, yup, yup! Those were all so good just now!"
Shu was silent for two seconds.
Then he lowered his head and started ordering.
After placing the order, he put down his phone and looked up.
Kiana was resting her chin in her hands, smiling at him.
"Shu, you're so nice."
Shu: "..."
He silently looked away.
"Just eat."
To be honest, he was starting to believe she really was Kiana now.
What normal human being eats that much?!
By the time the second batch of takeout arrived, Shu was already somewhat numb.
He watched Kiana open the containers with an almost reverent attitude, pick up the first piece of meat from the second round, stuff it into her mouth, and once again reveal that "ascension" expression...
He didn't feel a ripple of emotion anymore.
He just silently watched Kiana, who continued to sweep through the food like a whirlwind, his eyes filled only with curiosity about identifying a hot new species.
Fifteen minutes later.
The second batch of takeout also failed to defeat the terrifying monster Kiana and was completely consumed by the Demon King Kiana.
Kiana put down her chopsticks, leaned back, collapsed into the chair, and let out a satisfied sigh:
"Burp—"
She covered her mouth and looked at Shu a little embarrassedly.
Shu: "...Full?"
Kiana nodded contentedly. "Full, full! Really full!"
Shu looked at the pile of empty containers on the table, even more spectacular than before.
He looked at Kiana's still slender figure.
He maintained his silence.
Biology has left the chat!!
He sighed and started cleaning up the containers on the table.
"I'll help!" Kiana jumped up and started helping him clear the bowls and chopsticks.
She bustled around him, her long white hair swaying, the hem of the oversized T-shirt swinging with her movements, revealing the waistband of the black athletic shorts underneath—
Shu silently took a half-step to the side, increasing the distance.
Maintain boundaries.