Chapter 87: Meeting the Parents
Vigne pushed her cart over, her tone serious, her steps quiet but firm. "What are you doing here?" she asked, her expression both surprised and suspicious.
Coming to a supermarket means buying things—what else? To knead instant noodles?
"Kobayashi's housewarming party. I'm here to pick up some seasoning," Kouya replied casually. "What about you? You don't live around here, do you?"
"B-because I signed up for this supermarket's membership card…" Vigne said softly, her cheeks tinged pink as she avoided his gaze.
You came all the way here just because of a membership card?! You really are unusually frugal! That's some dedication to saving points!
Just then, Kanna finished throwing out the trash and trotted over, her small feet tapping lightly against the floor. The moment Vigne saw her, her expression changed completely. Her cold and serious gaze melted into gentle warmth as she crouched down with delight, her eyes glowing as she reached out and pinched Kanna's soft cheeks. "Good evening, Kanna-chan! You look adorable as always!"
What's so great about pinching her face anyway? Is it because she eats so much that her skin's tighter and springier than most people's?
"Don't pinch," Kanna said flatly, eyes deadpan and filled with faint irritation.
Vigne immediately released her, flustered, and stood up straight again. "S-sorry! Couldn't help it…" She cleared her throat, forcing her usual composed demeanor back into place. "So, your cousin moved nearby?"
"Yeah," Kouya nodded. "She's living in that complex down the street."
"I see…" Vigne tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her voice softening a little. "What kind of seasoning are you looking for? I can help you find it."
"Weren't you shopping for underwear?"
"Wh-who said that?!" Vigne's face went bright red, her entire posture stiffening as she bit her lip in embarrassment, avoiding eye contact.
Come on, I already saw it—it's just a B-cup bra! Nothing to hide! Sure, it's not as big as that dragon maid Tohru's, but at least you've got Kobayashi and Gabriel beat!
Her eyes narrowed. "What are you looking at!" she snapped, noticing his grin. "Just tell me what you need already!"
"A bottle of cooking wine and some star anise."
"So you're making stew? Got it," Vigne said briskly, turning on her heel. "Follow me."
The three of them made their way toward the ingredients section. As they passed through the household goods aisle, Kouya noticed two middle-aged men whispering suspiciously to each other, their backs oddly familiar.
"Hurry up, have you picked one yet?" the man with glasses muttered, glancing over his shoulder.
"Almost. You can't rush these things. If it's too big or too hard, you'll regret it later."
What the hell?! In broad daylight, what are you two even talking about?!
"The last one I bought, the textured one, broke after a few uses…"
You've got to be kidding me! You reused that kind of thing?! And broke it?! What the hell are you doing with your lives?!
"Same here," said the balding one with a sigh. "After this, let's grab a drink at the hostess bar. I can't go straight home or my wife will suspect something."
"Good idea…"
You know your wife will catch you, and you're still going?! That's suicide!
The two sighed heavily, picked up a pair of washboards, and walked toward the register.
Kouya froze mid-step, realization dawning on him. No wonder their backs looked familiar—it was those same two guys from before! The ones who bought washboards last time!
Looks like washboards aren't enough anymore. Maybe you should try kneeling on durian shells next time!
"Those two are terrible!" Vigne said suddenly, her brows furrowing as anger flared in her voice. "How can they go to such places when they already have wives? If you love someone, you should be loyal to them forever!"
Hey, hey, why are you looking at me like that?! I didn't say anything! Go scold them!
After buying the seasoning Tohru needed, Vigne held Kanna's hand and led her gently to the store entrance. The scene almost looked like that of an older sister walking her little sibling home.
"Weren't you going to shop?" Kouya asked curiously.
"I'll do it later. It's not like I have anything else to do after I get home anyway…" Vigne said, her tone softening. She reluctantly let go of Kanna's small hand, her expression wistful, as though something precious had just slipped away from her grasp.
Kouya watched her for a moment, then said casually, "If you want to spend more time with Kanna, why not come to Kobayashi's place for dinner?"
"D-dinner at your cousin's house?" Vigne's eyes widened instantly. Her heart skipped a beat as her voice trembled. She took a quick step back, holding up a hand defensively in front of her chest. "W-what are you even saying?!"
"It's just dinner. Kobayashi's friends are there too…"
"That's not the point! I just—" Vigne's voice faltered. She bit her lip, her face turning pink all the way to her ears. After a moment of hesitation, she blurted out, "I'm not going!" Then, flustered and red-faced, she pushed her cart and hurried off.
It's just dinner! Why the overreaction? You've met Kobayashi before—what's there to be so shy about?
At that moment, someone tugged on his sleeve.
Kouya looked down.
The blue-eyed dragon was staring up at him, her expression blank but her tone cool as she muttered, "kouya-Sama… idiot."
…
Half an hour later.
The dining table was filled with a rich spread of dishes, the smell of freshly cooked food filling the room. The light from the ceiling cast a warm glow over everyone's faces.
"Tohru's cooking is really something!" Lucoa, the one with the ridiculous chest, said brightly as she picked up a meatball, took a bite, and gave a cheerful thumbs-up.
"Hehehe," Tohru grinned proudly, her tail swishing behind her like an excited puppy. "Of course! I'm Kobayashi-sama's personal maid!"
Kobayashi sighed. "Please don't shout while we're eating."
"Hmph. Pointless dining manners… this troublesome world really should just be destroyed," Fafnir muttered, his cold tone sending a faint chill through the room.
"Sorry, but you still have to wash your hands before eating," Kobayashi said flatly, crossing her arms.
Takiya chuckled, lifting a bottle. "Since everyone's in good spirits, how about a drink or two?"
"Drink?" Kobayashi hesitated, glancing around the table.
Lucoa immediately flailed her hands in panic. "No way! I'm not drinking! Not a single drop! You guys go ahead without me!"
"Huh?" Kobayashi blinked in surprise. "What's wrong, Lucoa?"
Tohru, ever helpful, leaned forward cheerfully. "Lucoa used to love drinking, but one time a friend pranked her with cursed liquor. She got drunk and ended up… well, pushing down her sister."
"Wahh!" Lucoa's face turned crimson, and she let out a mortified squeak. "Don't say it out loud! That's ancient history! I told you to forget that forever!"
Tohru giggled, sticking her tongue out. "Because of that, Lucoa lost her divine status. Since then, she's never touched alcohol again."
Wait—hold up. That 'pushing down' wasn't onto the floor, was it? It was onto the bed, wasn't it?!
You're a female dragon! How did you even manage that with your sister?!
What did you do—lick her all over in a drunken frenzy?!
"You're one to talk!" Lucoa shot back, hugging her chest defensively. "You once stole Kanna's pudding, wrecked Fafnir's cave, and even gnawed on my tail in your sleep, saying it tasted amazing! You even tried biting your own tail after that!"
"S-stop!" Tohru's face turned a deep scarlet. "Those were my reckless younger days! Kobayashi-sama, please believe me!"
Kobayashi adjusted her glasses, blinking in mild surprise. "Didn't think you used to be such a troublemaker, Tohru."
"Waaah~ Kobayashi-sama's disappointed in me!" Tohru whined dramatically, rubbing her eyes as fake tears began to fall.
"Alright, enough of that." Kobayashi said dryly, setting her chopsticks down. "If you don't start eating, the food's going to disappear."
"Ahh!" Tohru immediately scooped up her bowl and leaned forward. "Put that meat down! It's mine!"