Why is it always so fun when Usami Chisako’s involved?
‘Donghu-senpai is the best!’
Every day had been a joy recently for Chisako.
After all, she could spend ti—albeit virtually—with the senior she admired so much.
It wasn’t a physical closeness.
‘Though I really wish it were.’
Still, being in the sa space, exchanging ssages, and working together in so capacity felt like a huge step forward.
Before, they had simply been celebrity and fan.
Now, it was closer to celebrity and the colleague’s daughter.
Their “eye level” had definitely shifted, if only slightly.
‘I need to beco a voice actor quickly so I can do all sorts of things with Donghu-senpai.’
She imagined scenarios—working on dubbing projects like her father,
or even getting invited to one of his future concerts.
To make that a reality, though, she needed professional accomplishnts of her own.
‘Donghu-senpai is soone who keeps work and personal life completely separate.’
Frankly, Chisako had never t anyone so strict about compartntalizing their private and professional worlds.
Most people would at least acknowledge her as part of the Usami family.
But Donghu didn’t care about such things.
Personal ssages from him were exceedingly rare,
and even when they did co, she had to initiate them first.
This was a first for Chisako.
‘I an… I’m cute and pretty, aren’t I?’
This wasn’t just her opinion—it was an objective fact.
Her makeup emphasized natural charm and cuteness,
with see-through bangs for added sweetness, and long, silky black hair.
‘It’s even more attractive because it’s black.’
Back in middle school, this exact style had won her countless love letters.
Not that any of them mattered.
Most confessions felt like attacks, and she’d turned them all down.
The important part was that her look worked. It captivated people 100% of the ti.
And yet… the one person she wanted to captivate showed no reaction at all.
‘Why? How co?’
After a brief mont of thought, the answer beca clear.
‘There are too many beautiful won around him!’
Simply dazzling soone with her looks wasn’t enough.
Kim Donghu was surrounded by stunning won—all the ti.
The biggest competition at the mont? Kim Sujin.
‘Sujin-senpai… She works with him on projects, goes on variety shows with him…’
And her signature tsundere twin-tails? Unreal.
It was like Sujin had stepped right out of a romance ani heroine role.
‘And that’s just the start of the problem.’
Then there were Ryu Jaerin and Shin Yerin—Donghu’s peers and fellow rising stars.
Chisako considered all of them rivals.
But—
‘I want to get close to him too!’
She couldn’t just sit back and do nothing.
Chisako decided to actively seize the opportunity she’d been given.
She had a plan.
Operation: “Heartbeat Maid”
The Day of the “Date.”
I stood waiting in a hoodie, cap, sunglasses, and a mask.
‘People are starting to recognize here in Japan too.’
Whether it was thanks to Twitter or The Noble Gourt,
my popularity had skyrocketed, and disguises had beco mandatory.
‘Sure, most people still don’t know , but once one person notices, everyone crowds around.’
Having dealt with that in Korea plenty of tis, I was already used to it.
‘Anyway, the etup ti is almost here. What are we doing today?’
I’d asked Chisako what we were going to do, but her reply was—
Secret! It wouldn’t be fun if you knew ahead of ti!
Clearly, she had sothing special planned.
But what, exactly? I had no clue.
Then—
Tap.
“Co to the maid café.”
I heard a familiar voice and a strange sentence from behind .
“...Chisako?”
“Yes, it’s Usami Chisako!”
Her outfit, though, was… unique.
No, “unique” wasn’t the word.
It was perfectly tailored to fit Japanese subculture.
She was wearing a maid outfit.
When people think of Japan, they think of subculture, and when they think of subculture, they think of maids.
By that logic, it seed Chisako had dressed up to match the the.
‘Yeah, okay. This makes sense as a secret plan.’
I muttered lightly and replied,
“How far is it? If it’s too far, I’m not so sure…”
“Eh? A-ah… W-we have to walk a little… Do you not want to go?”
“I’m joking. I’m joking. Lead the way, please.”
“Y-yes! Right this way!”
What was it in my words that made her panic just now?
I set the thought aside as Chisako started walking ahead, leading to our destination.
Eventually, we arrived at a small café tucked away in an alley.
“Ta-da!”
Chisako struck a pose with a playful “sound effect.”
And then, simultaneously—
“Welco ho, Master!”
I froze.
‘Am I… actually hearing this?’
Honestly, maid cafés had always piqued my curiosity.
But at the sa ti, the indescribable embarrassnt of visiting one had always held back.
‘And it’s not like I’d co here personally anyway.’
Now that I was actually here, though, my emotions were a mix of joy and awkwardness.
Happiness and embarrassnt swirled together.
As I tried to compose myself—
“Don’t worry! I rented out the entire café today!”
Those words brought back to reality.
“Wait… you rented it out?”
Even for a small café, renting out an entire space couldn’t have been cheap.
‘Co to think of it, there really isn’t anyone else here.’
The blend of fantasy and realism in this mont was striking.
So this is what it ant to be part of the Usami family.
“Please, take a seat, Master.”
“...Do you really have to call that?”
“Yes! This is a maid café, after all!”
“Ah, well… that’s true.”
This was bizarre.
‘Why do things like this always happen when I co to Japan?’
Is it because Japan is the land of light novels? The heart of subculture?
The rom-com scenario unfolding in front of left stunned.
“Still, I’m glad you’re enjoying it, Senpai!”
“Huh? What? Uh… yeah?”
“Don’t pretend otherwise! You’re smiling so much right now, Senpai.”
Was I?
Was I really smiling?
‘But how could I not?’
Maid cafés are secretly a dream for a lot of people.
You act embarrassed, but once you’re there, you actually enjoy yourself.
I couldn’t help but want to defend myself.
“Would you like to try so omurice?”
“Oh? Uh… sure.”
“How should I draw the ketchup design?”
“Uhh… a rabbit?”
“Usami, then?”
“Yeah, uh—wait, no… Um, yeah. A rabbit, please…”
Even as she carefully drew the design with ketchup—
“Do you know the magic spell?”
“Magic spell?”
“Yes!”
“‘Beco delicious, beco delicious, moe-moe-kyun?’”
“You have to say it too!”
“...I do?”
“Yes!”
And even when she tried to feed the first bite—
“Normally, I’m supposed to feed you the first bite. Is that okay?”
“Huh? Wha—uh, huh?”
“Senpai—no, Master, say ahh~.”
“Ah…?”
Even as the neatly shaped omurice entered my mouth,
I desperately defended myself internally.
This was strictly a “bonding mont with a junior.”
Ti spent with a colleague’s daughter in a casual setting.
I had to think of it that way to maintain my sanity.
“Finally, let’s take a cheki! A photo! Any poses you want?”
“Uh… I don’t know. What’s the most standard one?”
“What about matching hand-hearts?”
“Oh… sure. That works.”
Did it, though?
Honestly, I was enjoying myself far too much to care.
How else could three hours pass so quickly?
Chisako’s ticulous preparation ensured everything went perfectly.
The cara clicked, spitting out four Polaroid photos.
We split them, taking two each.
‘Yeah, no one can ever see this.’
That instinct was undeniable.
It wasn’t a matter of not wanting people to see it—
‘This just cannot get out.’
Looking at the happy person in the photo, grinning and holding up hand-hearts?
No way.
‘I’m taking this to the grave.’
Still, I’d probably look at it regularly.
Today had been that happy.
For the first ti in a long while, I felt truly healed.
Even the “Moe Soda” tasted better just because of its silly na.
‘And the omurice—no, moe-rice—was great too.’
Just as this dreamlike day was winding down—
“Oh, co to think of it, should I cook for you soti?”
“R-really?!”
Feeling a bit guilty for only receiving, I offered to cook for her.
“Yeah, the dishes from my family’s restaurant are trending on Twitter right now.”
“They are! The Noble Gourt feels like a restaurant showcase. People are lining up like crazy to eat there!”
“I heard. Korean diners overseas are seeing a huge boost right now.”
Following the broadcast of The Noble Gourt,
“Our Ho” had been enjoying unexpected success.
Word was, people were waiting up to four hours for a seat.
So even camped out overnight.
‘The nu was basically the sa, after all.’
Anyway—
“I’ll cook for you. You worked hard to prepare all this, so it’s the least I can do.”
“Will you feed too?”
“Uh… what? Oh, uh…”
“Feed , please!”
“....”
And so ended a fulfilling holiday.
Ti flew quickly, and before I knew it, it was early September.
“Donghu, isn’t rest great sotis?”
“Yeah, it really is.”
After a long vacation, I finally returned to Korea.
“By the way, did you think about it?”
“Oh, Ilyang Foods? I’m absolutely doing it.”
“Really? Absolutely? Got a good feeling about this one too?”
“Haha, it’s not a hunch. I just feel good about it.”
“That’s the sa thing.”
The Ilyang Foods advertisent was just icing on the cake.
****
No matter how great it was to be away,
there was no place like ho.
I was lying comfortably on my bed when—
Can I co over?
Like she’d been waiting, Sujin sent a ssage.
And, as expected—
“What’s this photo?”
“Huh? What photo?”
“...You went to a maid café? With Chisako?”
I got caught.
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