The Door of My Bathroom Leads to the Comic World!

"Erina, why are you so quiet?" 

Sui couldn't help but ask as he looked at the haughty girl silently eating beside him.

"She's always been like this, ever since she was a child," Leonora chimed in kindly. "She doesn't like getting close to others. Don't worry about her. Here, I made your favorite pork chops again!" Leonora placed a large piece of pork chop in Sui's bowl, smiling warmly.

"That's right," Sōe added. "This girl is always like this. You don't have to worry about her, Sui."

Erina was fuming. She slammed her bowl down on the table and turned her head away, pouting angrily. "I'm not eating anymore!"

"Oh, Erina-chan! You can't act like that in front of Sui. That's so rude!" Leonora frowned as he scolded her.

"Erina, your temper is too bad. What will you do when you get married?" Sōe lectured her as well.

"Even you, Uncle?!" Erina was on the verge of exploding. She didn't expect that after her aunt had taken Sui's side, her uncle would follow suit! At that moment, she truly felt like an outsider—like this was all happening even before she married Sui!

If Sui really became part of the Nakiri family in the future, wouldn't she have even less of a position in her own family?

Feeling upset, Erina shoved a large mouthful of rice into her mouth, chewing it aggressively as if imagining it was Sui.

Watching Erina sulk, Sui felt speechless. It wasn't that Sōe and the others didn't care about her; it was because they treated her like family that they felt comfortable speaking to her like this.

---

The next day, as promised, Sui accompanied Miyoko to the Hojō Restaurant at her request.

Although Yokohama's town is in Kanagawa Prefecture, it's right next to Tokyo, and there's a subway line that runs directly to town. It only takes about an hour or two. 

So, instead of asking for a special ride from Totsuki, Sui took the subway with Miyoko.

"Actually, Sui, it's okay if you didn't want to come," Miyoko said, blushing as she sat beside him, her head lowered in embarrassment. "My father was just talking."

Miyoko, normally cold and distant toward boys, was now acting like a shy, uncertain girl.

"It's fine. I didn't have much else to do today anyway. Think of it as a little outing," Sui said with a smile.

In truth, Sui didn't mind at all—he still had his mission to complete.

"Thank you, Sui," Miyoko sighed in relief, her gaze falling to the ground.

Soon, they arrived in town, where the streets exuded a strong festive atmosphere. A large, 15-meter-high archway with red pillars and green tiles greeted them at the entrance.

Perhaps because of the upcoming food festival, the streets were busier than usual, filled with tourists, both Japanese and international, who wandered about with backpacks.

"They're here! They're here!"

As soon as they arrived at the Hojō Building, a waiter called out excitedly. A large group of people quickly gathered to greet them with enthusiasm, as if they had been waiting for some time.

"Haha, finally! Sui, are you tired? Come in and have some tea," Chef Hojō, Miyoko's father, beamed as he patted Sui on the shoulder and warmly invited him inside.

Once they sat down, waiters promptly brought out tea and snacks. 

Sui couldn't help but feel a little awkward. Why did it feel like he was a son-in-law meeting his future in-laws for the first time?

They were a bit too enthusiastic.

Miyoko blushed, clearly embarrassed. She leaned close to Sui and whispered, "I'm sorry... My father can be a bit too forward."

"It's fine," Sui said with a laugh. "I don't mind."

"By the way, Chef Hojō," Sui began.

"If you don't mind, just call me 'Uncle'!" Chef Hojō interrupted with a wide smile.

"Uh... okay, Uncle," Sui said, a bit taken aback. "When will the food festival start?"

"Haha, don't worry about that! I'll take care of everything. You haven't seen the town yet, have you? I'll let Miyoko show you around!" Chef Hojō chuckled, clearly trying to change the subject.

"But... Uncle, haven't you been feeling unwell lately?" Sui asked, puzzled.

"Oh, I'm fine, perfectly healthy... Well, I have been feeling a bit under the weather these past few days," Chef Hojō quickly corrected himself, his face turning red as he realized he had let something slip.

Sui could only sigh inwardly. Didn't he say he needed me to help with the food festival?

He glanced at Miyoko, who was also blushing and lowering her head in embarrassment, clearly feeling the awkwardness caused by her father's antics.

The truth was, it wasn't entirely Chef Hojō's fault.

As the only daughter of the Hojō family, Miyoko would eventually inherit the family's restaurant. But the kitchens of Chinese restaurants in Japan had long been biased against women. Although Miyoko had earned the recognition of many, taking over Hojō House as its head chef in the future was a different matter. Her father didn't want her to bear the burden of running the restaurant alone. He believed it would be better to find her a husband who could manage Hojō Restaurant alongside her.

Sui fit all the criteria: he was talented, highly capable for his age, and respected by everyone in the restaurant. He seemed like the perfect candidate to take over the business.

Of course, the most important factor was that Chef Hojō had noticed Miyoko's growing affection for Sui, and he wanted to create opportunities for them to spend time together.

After sitting around for a while, Sui realized that Chef Hojō still hadn't mentioned anything about the food festival. Instead, the chef kept asking personal questions, like what Sui's parents did or where he lived, leaving Sui feeling exasperated.

Miyoko's cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. She wanted to disappear out of shame.

"Chef Hojō," Sui finally spoke up, unable to hold it in any longer. "Why exactly did you call me here?"

"Right! The food festival!" Chef Hojō coughed awkwardly, straightening up. "Sui, would you be willing to represent our Hojō Restaurant in the upcoming festival?"

"So you want me to compete for Hojō Restaurant? That's no problem," Sui replied, finally feeling relieved. "But... does it matter that I'm not officially part of the family?"

"Haha, don't worry about that! After all, you and Miyoko are practically boyfriend and girlfriend, aren't you? You're already part of the Hojō Family," Chef Hojō said with a chuckle.