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In the studio, Shinjii Takahashi, the assistant director, approached with a tone of rebuke.

"Furukawa, do you have a problem?" he demanded, addressing the talent scout.

Rank often dictated power, and though Shinjii, in his thirties, wasn’t long in the television industry, his Kyoto University pedigree carried weight. He’d also been fortunate; within a few years of joining Tokyo TV, a restructuring phase had allowed him to rise to a vice-director position, overseeing a specific content segment.

Furukawa, the talent scout, had more years under his belt at Tokyo TV, but seniority meant little when there was a significant difference in position.

"This is our program’s talent. It’s not right for you to poach people at this time, is it?" Shinjii hinted, his gaze falling on Renz, who was surrounded by people.

He momentarily lost himself for a second.

Are you telling me this is the same person?

When they met at Totsuki Academy, Shinjii hadn’t paid much attention to Renz’s appearance, focusing instead on his calm and otherworldly demeanor. Now, Renz had transformed—trading casual wear for formal attire. From a distance, he looked like a male protagonist straight out of a manga, with impeccably refined features. That serene, otherworldly aura was a natural result of life’s experiences, bringing a clear perspective and a desireless state regarding worldly views. It exuded an almost ethereal quality.

This "ethereal quality," combined with Erina’s meticulous styling, made Renz seem out of place among ordinary people. Paired with his already outstanding looks, Erina had truly brought out Renz’s full potential. He could easily make it into the Top 100 Most Handsome Faces in Asia.

Renz’s previous disadvantage was his disinterest in makeup. He felt that as a man, he had no need for it, and if Erina hadn’t insisted on giving him a light touch-up, he certainly wouldn’t have wanted her painting on his face. In reality, most male celebrities look just average without makeup; many even rely on heavy makeup, applying thicker foundation than female stars.

Renz, with just Erina’s light makeup and his own innate charisma, radiated brilliance from his existing foundation.

---

"Uh, wasn’t there a promotional video to shoot? Can we start?" Renz asked.

He’d been in many public situations before and would continue to attend such events with Erina daily. Being observed by many was common for him, so he remained unfazed by the crowd.

"Yes, yes. I’ll design a script for you. You can say what you want, and I’ll refine it," Shinjii replied, regaining his focus and shifting into work mode. A promotional video was essentially a self-introduction—it needed to be engaging but not overly complex.

"What’s your contestant number?" Shinjii inquired.

"I registered as number 7," Renz answered.

"What kind of cuisine are you skilled in, or what do you plan to mainly feature in your promo?" Shinjii asked, getting serious about the task. "Let’s go to my office to discuss it, and then we’ll talk about how to record it."

Renz followed him, with Erina and Akemi Tenzaki trailing behind.

---

"Miss Nakiri? Why are you coming along?" Shinjii asked, a little surprised. He was unaware of the relationship between Erina and Renz, only knowing they’d collaborated in a friendly match at Totsuki Academy.

"I’m Renz’s girlfriend. I’m part of his support group," Erina stated concisely. "Isn’t it normal for me to come along?"

Shinjii narrowed his eyes and sniffed. He feigned composure and asked, "And you, what’s your situation?"

"I am Mana Nakiri’s secretary, entrusted to look after Miss Erina," Akemi Tenzaki replied, reverting to her cool, proud secretary demeanor. Working around Mana Nakiri required interacting with many people; without a certain degree of self-assurance, showing timidity in conversation could easily invite disdain, which would indirectly affect Mana Nakiri’s prestige.

Shinjii pondered for a moment. Impressive. This Renz guy... Not only did he snag Erina, a scion of a wealthy family, but he also seemed to have won over her mother. A secretary was a crucial position, and sending her to look after them signified a form of approval, didn’t it?

Damn it. Compared to him, he felt like a pathetic loser. In his thirties, no partner, no girlfriend, still a virgin, with only a prestigious Kyoto University diploma to his name—and he hadn’t even held a young girl’s hand. Even more terrifying was that all his close friends were male.

However, Shinjii didn’t let his changing emotions show. On the surface, he nodded and said, "Oh, is that so? That’s really great. Is this early in your relationship?"

Great my ass, can you two break up already?

Whenever Shinjii thought of being surrounded by only male colleagues, his mouth felt like it was filled with a sour lemon; a slight bite and it was all acid.

The next second, another crucial thought struck him. The hotel rooms here were prioritized, and if the support group wanted to stay, they’d have to squeeze into a single room. Did their families agree to them cohabiting?

At that thought, the single lemon in Shinjii’s mouth multiplied into two—one for each cheek.

---

In this state, he finally arrived at his office.

"Tell me what you want to convey in the promotional video," Shinjii said, believing he was a very generous person who wouldn’t let such things breed jealousy.

I must give my blessings! Do you understand? Blessings!

"Just a normal self-introduction, I guess. I’m Renz, a student from the Philippines. As for cooking, I just know a little bit about everything," Renz said, unsure how to promote himself. To be honest, claiming to be a master of all cuisines would sound arrogant and invite criticism. It was better to be modest—saying he "knew a little about everything" sounded more palatable.

"What’s your goal for this competition? Do you expect to win the championship, or is reaching the top four enough?" Shinjii asked, already writing down an introduction on his paper.

"My goal this time..." Renz paused.

The championship, of course, there was nothing else to say. But saying he aimed for the championship felt too generic, needing more thought.

---

"The goal this time is to satisfy my mother’s God’s Tongue," Erina interjected.

"Right, it’s to satisfy my mother-in-law’s God’s Tongue—to create a dish that even the God’s Tongue finds fulfilling," Renz echoed, realizing Erina’s suggestion was far more clever than his own cliché championship declaration.

"Is he competing, or are you?" Shinjii snorted. "Don’t interfere with the contestant’s thoughts."

"Keep going, I’m writing," Shinjii said. "Anything else to add?"

"If I can create a dish that satisfies the God’s Tongue, I want to propose to Erina on this show," Renz said after careful consideration.

---

Shinjii put down his pen, interlacing his fingers.

What does that mean? What do you mean by that?

Are we even filming a promotional video anymore? This is a cooking competition—what kind of drama are you trying to stir up? The dating show is next door! Damn it! Get a hold of yourselves!

Akemi Tenzaki, listening nearby, watched Shinjii’s bewildered expression from the couple’s combined assault. Her usually cold and proud face couldn’t help but want to break into laughter. She subtly raised her hand, covering the rising smile at the corner of her lips.

---__________________________

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