I had expected high-end French, but what we were served was a slightly unusual take on Chinese cuisine. The first dish, the pig trotters, was undeniably delicious... though eating them with a knife and fork felt a little out of place.
If it was a Chinese-style full course, I wondered if the salad would be next.
"It definitely feels like a full course meal, doesn't it?" I remarked.
"Yes," Aoi replied. "Since they skipped the amuse-bouche and started right with the hors d’oeuvres, I imagine the salad is next."
"Um... Aoi-senpai, what exactly is an amuse-bouche?" Hina asked.
"Hmm. I suppose it’s like the starter they bring you at a pub back home."
"I wouldn't know even if you told me about pubs..."
Compared to Aoi-chan, who seemed perfectly at ease, Hina-chan and I were noticeably lacking in culinary knowledge. Honestly, I was just glad Aoi-chan was at our table.
Just then, a colorful salad was served. We continued our conversation while eating.
"Hina-chan, a 'starter' is a dish small enough to eat in one bite. Usually, it’s served before you even order, like a courtesy from the restaurant."
"Heh... As expected, Kaito-senpai is such an adult!"
"No, it's not like I'm an expert or anything... Aoi-chan, is the soup usually next after the salad?"
"Yes, in a standard French course, that would be the case," she explained. "Bread might also be served. After that, it depends on whether the main course consists of just one of either fish or meat, or both. If it’s only one, I think a palate cleanser would come out first."
"I'm sorry... I have no idea what any of that meant."
In that one sentence alone, Aoi-chan had dropped about four terms I didn't recognize. Man, full course dining really had a high barrier to entry.
"The 'plat' refers to the main dish," she continued patiently. "Usually, they're categorized as either fish or meat. However, it varies greatly by restaurant. If the main dish is raw, it might be called an entrée. As for the granité, that's a frozen dessert meant to refresh your palate. The timing depends on how many main dishes there are."
"I-I see..."
"However, since this place is Chinese-style, they might serve dim sum—like dumplings—instead of bread. If they do, they might skip the palate cleanser entirely."
"Aoi-chan, you're amazing... Do you eat full courses often?"
When I asked her that, the answer came from a different source.
"Well, Aoi-senpai is the daughter of the Kusunoki Group, after all," Hina chimed in.
"Wait, Hina-chan..."
"The Kusunoki Group? You mean the one that’s always listed as a sponsor on TV?"
"It’s just a slightly large company," Aoi said modestly.
No way. Even I knew the name of the Kusunoki Group. It was one of Japan's leading conglomerates, with interests ranging from cosmetics and apparel to IT.
I never would have guessed Aoi-chan was the daughter of such a family. The fact that her surname matched theirs wasn't enough to make me leap to that conclusion.
"Hina-chan, you’re the granddaughter of a Diet member, aren't you?" Aoi shot back.
"Is that true!?" I blurted out.
"I-I mean... ahaha..."
Aoi-chan was the daughter of a corporate titan. Hina-chan was the granddaughter of a high-ranking politician. They were both true members of high society.
"Wow, you both come from such incredible backgrounds. My family was just a regular salaryman household, so I’m a little shocked."
"If you're going to say that, Kaito-san, then you're the one who's truly incredible," Aoi countered.
"Huh?"
"I mean, look at your lovers. You have the chairman of the world's largest corporation and literal royalty. The worlds might be different, but you're on a completely different level than us."
"Mumu... now that you mention it, that's true."
Kuro was the wealthiest person in the world. Isis-san was a billionaire with vast territories in the Demon Realm. Lilia-san was the King's sister. Sieg-san was the daughter of the former Court Mage, and Alice headed the world's largest intelligence network. Yeah, my lovers were definitely high society.
"By the way, Kaito-senpai... your reaction is pretty casual, isn't it? You aren't put off by us?"
"Hmm... I don't think I'm put off. Like Aoi-chan said, I might just be numb to it because the people around me are so extraordinary. Besides, regardless of who your families are, it doesn't change the fact that you're both my cute juniors."
The two of them stared at me with interest for a moment before letting out small smiles.
"I knew it. That side of you, Kaito-senpai... I really do like it."
"Well, I've known you for a long time, Kaito-san. I knew you'd say that."
"Wait, a long time? It's only been about six months, hasn't it?"
"For me," Aoi said with a smirk, "it's been four years and six months."
"Ehhh!? What do you mean by that?"
Hina-chan had no way of knowing that Aoi-chan was referring to the time we spent together in our game as Shell and Hibis.
But she was right. If we counted those four years, Aoi-chan had actually known me longer than anyone else here.
"It's a secret."
"Hey! I'm curious! Aoi-senpai, don't be mean, tell me!"
"Fufufu... No way. This is a precious memory of mine, so I won't give it up that easily. Right, Shell-san?"
"Ah... haha..."
Aoi-chan laughed and gave me a wink. It was clearly a sign to keep our past under wraps.
Still... Aoi-chan seemed to be having a lot of fun.
Dear Mother, Father—My first impression of Aoi-chan was that she was cool and a little distant. But spending time with her like this has changed that. Or maybe it wasn't my impression that changed, but Aoi-chan herself. At the very least, she seemed more vibrant now than the day we first met.