Norn’s Jealousy

The dough is made by kneading flour with salt and water, then it is torn into pieces, rolled, and stretched. A lot of them are wrapped in minced meat filling that Couge made and lined up on the dining table. They are gyoza. They are five times bigger than the gyoza I know.

“The food in Shinobu’s world likes to be wrapped. Like what was it called, chankinsushi? The one where you wrap an egg in minced meat.”

“Ah, Scotch egg?”

“Yes, that’s it!! They really thought about it. I don’t know if they didn’t mind going to the trouble of eating something delicious, or if they’re just greedy for food.”

Couge holds the gyoza in his hand and looks at it from various angles. He’s probably getting tired of wrapping them. I understand how he feels. I’ve just made the 200th one. I need to make at least another 160.

 At first, he was excited because he seemed to like the chewy texture of the gyoza skin, but after making over 150, his pace gradually slowed down, and now he has completely stopped.

“Couge, your hands have stopped.”

“Did you notice?”

Couge shrugged and reached for the flattened out dough.

“By the way, did something happen between you and Norn?”

“Hm?”

Pretending to be nonchalant, I asked him about the main topic of the day. It’s too early to assume that something happened between Couge and him, but if there’s a problem between them, I want to help him.

I know it’s a bit nosy to stick my nose into my friend’s love life, but if Norn is suffering alone, Couge would want to know too. So I decided to ask.

 “There was something strange about Norn when he came the other day. He was fidgety the whole time and he left suddenly.”

“Ah, that day.”

Couge stirred the dumpling filling with a troubled look on his face.

“That’s probably my fault. No, it’s not like we had a fight or anything, so strictly speaking it’s not my fault. Well, if you trace it back to the source, is it my fault?”

Don’t ask me if it’s my fault.

It’s Couge’s fault, but it isn’t Couge’s fault? What’s that? I have no idea.

He didn’t say it out loud, but his feelings were showing on his face. Couge’s face became even more troubled, and he tried to scratch his head with the hand he had been stirring the dumpling filling with, but quickly lowered his hand.

That was close. His hair would have ended up covered in dumpling filling.

 “Actually, ever since we started serving fruit with our set meals, we’ve been getting more and more female customers, and one of them is the one I used to date.”

“You mean the one you said you dated for about a month?”

“Yes, that’s her. I think she probably took notice of us because our restaurant was getting more and more popular. She was always asking if we could get back together. Of course, I didn’t have any feelings for her, but she was a customer, so I couldn’t just turn her away.

I had no choice but to brush her off, but, you see, Norn…”

I couldn’t help but stare blankly at him. It was Couge after all.

“Why do you look a little happy?”

“Sorry, but I think he’s cute. Wouldn’t you be happy if he was jealous?”

I wonder? Would I be happy? I’ve never been in that position, so I don’t know. But when I misunderstood Annette-sama and Krish-san, it sometimes made my heart ache, so I think I can understand Norn’s feelings a little.

 Unlike me, they both had feelings for each other from the beginning, so it’s a different situation, but I don’t think I can stay calm if someone is actively approaching the person I like.

“Don’t make that face. It’s okay, I’ll take care of it properly. Even if it means fewer customers, it won’t change my feelings for Norn. Norn is the most important to me.”

It seems I had a sad face without realizing. Couge tried to stroke my head as he made this declaration, but I quickly avoided him because I didn’t want to get touched by his hands that were covered in minced meat.

“More important than us, I heard the customers talking about how Krish-sama and Annette-sama broke up.

There seem to be a lot of rumors flying around about the reason for the breakup, but it seems that Annette-sama was put on house arrest, so it’s probably Annette-sama’s fault.”

“Ugh.”

It’s been a month since I became Krish-san’s lover. I had been told that if word of the breakup spread, it would cause a commotion around Krish-san, but when I actually heard the rumors from someone I knew, I couldn’t help but make a strange noise.

“It was a disaster for Krish-sama, but it’s good.”

“Good for what?”

“It’s a chance. Now he’s free, do your best. I don’t think Krish-sama is all that upset about Shinobu.”

“Uhh.”

The truth is, I haven’t told Norn or Couge that I’m lovers with Krish-san. If I told them we were lovers, I wouldn’t have an explanation if they asked me, “Eh, what about Annette-sama?”

It’s not like I was told to keep quiet, but no matter how close I am with Norn and the others, it’s not okay to just talk about it.

A month has passed while I was thinking that things would calm down, but maybe it’s better to wait until the rumors about Krish-san and Annette-sama die down.

Is it “Rumors last for 75 days”? If that proverb is true, then I have to keep it a secret for another month.

Norn and Couge have both supported me so much, I feel bad that I’m lying about things I can’t talk about.

I’m sorry, I’ll tell you all about it soon.

“Welcome. Take a seat wherever you like!”

Couge’s restaurant is bustling today as well. Customers started lining up just before noon, and the restaurant was almost full shortly after opening, so I went from place to place with water.

Today’s menu is gyoza hotpot, onion soup, salad, and apples cut into the shape of a rabbit.

I made a lot of gyoza and put them in a big roll of bread about the length of my upper arm, along with shredded cabbage. This way the bread soaks up the meat juices that spill out when I bite into it, and it’s very filling.

The old men finish their meals quickly, so the customers turn over quickly. Couge and I are overwhelmed. Usually, Couge does all of this work by himself, he’s amazing.

Initially, the lunch limit was 60 meals, but due to customer requests, the number increased, and now it’s limited to 120 meals. As Krish-san’s subordinate, the Pumpkin Knight, said, there were many people who wanted to eat it but it was always out of stock.

It’s hard for Couge to double the number, but it seems to be very popular with customers.

After the rush right after opening died down, and more customers, including people with time to spare and women started to appear. The mood in the store became more relaxed and that person appeared.

The bell at the entrance rang, and two young women walked in. One was a cute girl with long wavy hair, and the other was a cool, slender beauty.

“Welcome. Take a seat wherever you like!!”

I called out to them as usual, and they took their seats closest to the kitchen. The slender woman sat on a chair, while the cute one peered in through the window of the kitchen, which was like a counter kitchen.

“Couge. I came again today.”

She spoke to Couge in a sweet voice, like she had a heart mark after his name. Just hearing that, I knew that Couge was talking about her.

“I didn’t ask you to come.”

Couge had a sullen look on his face. It looked like he was annoyed, but she didn’t seem to mind at all.

“Say that again. There’s no need to be embarrassed. Hey, you have time after work, right? Let’s go on a date.”

“I don’t have that kind of free time. Even if I did, I wouldn’t go on a date.”

And a carnivorous girl…!! She was really pushing hard, and I’m sure Norn would be worried. How should I put it, her eyes were glaring like a carnivorous beast that had found its prey.

“Shinobu, two set meals are ready. Can you bring them?”

“Eh, no thanks. Couge will bring them.”

Before I could reply, she puffed out her cheeks and looked at Couge. I don’t know, but I guess some people are turned on by this kind of behavior.

“Go home as soon as you’ve finished eating.”

“Okay, I’ll eat slowly.”

Couge started to say something, then sighed as if he’d given up.

It’s hard to win an argument with a woman. Even my grandpa, who is usually the most important person in the house, would just stay quiet and listen when grandma was angry.

Do your best, Couge. Don’t lose. Make Norn feel at ease.

 She ate her meal slowly just as she had said. She chatted with her friend about the clothes they had bought recently and the lipstick they had on, and so on and so forth, until finally the two of them were the only ones left in the restaurant.

“Can’t you just go away already? We’re closing.”

The set meals had long since sold out, and Couge was annoyed that the two of them wouldn’t leave even though he wanted to clean up.

“Well, if I don’t do this, Couge won’t even talk to me.”

“Amanda, please just give up already. No matter how many times you come, my answer won’t change.”

“Really?”

Talking about Amanda, she stood up and clung to Couge’s arm.

“Hey!”

Just as Couge raised his voice, the door slid open with a clang. No, this was the worst possible timing. Norn was standing there, breathing heavily.

 “Amanda! Get away from Couge.”

“Oh dear, you’re here again? It must be hard coming all the way here from the management office during your lunch break.”

I see, Amanda rushed home that day because she was visiting Couge. If that’s the case, you could have canceled your plans to hang out with me.

“It’s none of your business. Rather than that, get away from Couge!”

“Hey, let go.”

Couge tried to pull away, but Amanda dug her red painted nails into Couge’s clothes to resist. If she pulled away too roughly, her long nails might get caught on the clothes and tear them off.

No matter what, male Couge was stronger than female Amanda, and it seemed like Couge was at a disadvantage because he had to resist with less force to avoid injuring her.

 “Hey, I know. I hear Norn’s mother is against your marriage? Poor Couge. There’s nothing she can do if she’s against it because of his gender, you know?”

Norn’s face stiffened. Norn and the others’ attempts to persuade him hadn’t gone well. Since the topic hadn’t come up since then, I thought for sure it had gone well.

 “Well, it can’t be helped. Only a man and a woman can have children, and even if the Tree of Life isn’t functioning as it is, parents would want to avoid completely destroying the opportunity to see their grandchildren.

That’s why same-sex couples more or less have family disputes.

It’s going to be hard. Couge will have to live his whole life feeling uncomfortable and always reading Norn’s parents’ moods. Couge no longer has parents who were supposed to be on his side. I really feel sorry for him.”

As she said it was a pity, Amanda smiled in amusement. Norn was upset, and looked back and forth between Couge and Amanda, biting his lip in pain and looking down.

That’s not right. Other people shouldn’t make fun of it.

It may be inevitable for family members to interfere in their marriage, but they must be saying it out of consideration for their precious family. Both Norn and Couge know this, which is why they are continuing to try their best to persuade them.

But Amanda isn’t even currently in a relationship with Couge, so what right does she have to blame Norn?

As Amanda chose to say spiteful things to clearly hurt Norn, I instinctively took a step forward.

 “On that point, there’s no objection between Couge and I, so why don’t you try to meet a girl yourself? If you want, I can introduce you to one of my friends. For example, Elise, who is over there.

Norn will be able to fulfill your parents’ wishes, and Couge and I will be happy, so it won’t be a closed case.”

“Hey, stop dragging me into this. My only target is a knight. He pays well, is reliable, and has a lot of night shifts and expeditions, so I can relax in between. He’s the perfect marriage partner.

I heard that Krish-sama broke up with Annette-sama, so I’d like to apply to be his next lover. But I don’t have a chance to get to know him.”

I was so shocked when Krish-sama’s name suddenly came up that I stumbled. I lost my balance and hit my back on a nearby chair. While writhing in agony, Elise looked at me from the side, thinking I was a “strange child.”

I never thought Krish-sama’s name would come up in a situation like this. Krish-san, you’re really popular with girls.

I wonder if it was really a good idea to make someone like me your boyfriend.

I wonder if Krish-san’s parents also want him to end up with a woman.

I wonder what Krish-san would do if they opposed our relationship, like Norn’s mother did.

I love Krish-san. I want to be with him forever. But if Krish-san were to have a quarrel with his family over this, then I would…

Just like Norn, I drooped my head like a sunflower that had finished blooming, and clutched my trousers tightly.

“Hey, shut up for a second.”

His voice was so low that it shook the air in the store. Norn and I both raised our heads.

We had never heard Couge sound so angry before.

 We looked up and saw Couge pushing Amanda’s face away from his. He stretched his arms out, and Amanda, who had been pushed in the face, became like an octopus.