The Door of My Bathroom Leads to the Comic World!

Miyoko didn't place the Butterspice in her hair but instead pinned it onto the collar of her white school uniform. Positioned like a delicate bow, it blended seamlessly with her outfit, going unnoticed by most at first glance. 

Ryoko turned her eyes to Sui, clicking her tongue in playful disapproval. 

"You're spoiling her, you know," she teased with a grin. 

Sui sighed, feeling a touch of resignation. He had gifted Miyoko the Butterspice just yesterday, patiently explaining how to nurture it. Yet, when she'd made her request in that soft, insistent way, he'd found himself unable to refuse. 

A faint blush crept across Miyoko's cheeks as she glanced away shyly. 

"Sui, you can't play favorites, you know," she said in a quiet voice. 

Ryoko chimed in with a mischievous smile. 

"She's right." 

Beside her, Yoshino eagerly nodded in agreement. 

The two had been eyeing the Butterspice that Megumi often wore for a while now, and it was clear they weren't going to let this opportunity pass. 

"Fine, I get it," Sui replied with a weary smile, sensing he had no way out of this. 

Since he had already given one to Miyoko, it would be unfair not to extend the same courtesy to Ryoko and Yoshino. At least, he consoled himself, the Butterspice wasn't prohibitively expensive. 

"Really?" 

Ryoko's smile faltered into surprise. She hadn't expected Sui to actually agree. Her request had been more of a lighthearted joke; she knew the charm's value and never imagined he'd consider it. 

"Oh, I was only teasing. You don't really have to, okay?" she stammered, her cheeks flushing slightly as she waved her hands dismissively. 

"It's fine," Sui reassured her with a casual smile. "As long as it makes you happy, I don't mind." 

Ryoko's flustered expression softened into a sheepish smile as she brushed her hair behind her ear. 

"Well, now I feel bad…" 

Suddenly, Yoshino's eyes gleamed mischievously as she leaned in. 

"Hey, Ryoko, wasn't it you who said last time that if Sui gave you a butterfly, you'd agree to be his girlfriend?" 

"W-what?! I-I didn't mean that seriously!" Ryoko's face turned beet red, and she quickly lowered her head, stammering in embarrassment. 

Even Miyoko blinked in surprise at the revelation. 

"I think I heard that, too," Sōma added with a chuckle from the sidelines, thoroughly amused by the situation. 

"Come on, Ryoko, you're not going to backtrack now, are you?" Yoshino teased further, her laughter ringing out as Ryoko squirmed. 

"It's not like that! I was just joking!" Ryoko protested, but her voice faltered as her blush deepened. 

Megumi, noticing her friend's increasing distress, stepped in to defend her. 

"Alright, Yoshino, give her a break. Ryoko was obviously joking." 

"Oh, so it 'was' a joke," Miyoko said, exhaling a small sigh of relief. 

Yoshino, unbothered by the scolding, stuck out her tongue playfully. "Fine, fine. I was just messing around!" 

Despite the banter, Ryoko kept her face down, her blush refusing to fade as Sui looked on with a bemused expression. 

"Hey, Sui, can you give me one too?" 

Sōma asked eagerly, his eyes gleaming. "Those spices are really useful! They can take the flavor of any dish to the next level." 

"Go away! This is for us girls only!" 

Yoshino stuck her tongue out at Soma, waving him off dismissively. 

With no classes scheduled for the afternoon, Yoshino pulled out a deck of playing cards. Everyone gathered around, enjoying a laid-back afternoon playing cards, munching on snacks, and sipping juice. It was a rare, relaxing moment. 

Initially, Sui had planned to spend the whole afternoon with the group in the activity room. However, midway through their games, he received a text message from Alice. 

"My mom's out for the afternoon. Come over and hang out with me." 

Sui chuckled to himself as he read the message. Over the past few weeks, he hadn't been able to spend much time with Alice because of Leonora's constant presence. 

After some thought, he stood up. 

"Hey, Sui, you're leaving?" Megumi asked, looking slightly disappointed. 

"Yeah, you don't want to play cards with us anymore?" Yoshino added with a pout. 

"Sorry, something just came up," Sui replied apologetically. 

"Alright," Megumi said with a kind smile, though her tone carried a hint of regret. "Good luck with whatever you need to do!" 

With that, Sui left the activity room and headed to Alice's residence. 

When he knocked on the door, it opened to reveal a strikingly beautiful figure—silver-haired, dressed in a purple gown, and wearing red high heels. 

"Eh? Auntie, you're still here?" 

Sui's brows furrowed in confusion. Didn't Alice say her mother was out? 

Leonora offered a subtle smile, saying nothing. She reached out, pulled Sui inside, and closed the door behind him. 

"By the way, where's Alice?" Sui asked, glancing around the living room. It was unusually quiet. Normally, Alice would have come bounding down the stairs to greet him by now. 

Before he could think further, the silver-haired woman abruptly stepped closer, grabbed him by the collar, and kissed him deeply, pushing him to the ground. 

Sui froze, his mind reeling. The kiss was so sudden and intense that, for a moment, he forgot to resist. 

It was unclear how much time passed before the woman finally pulled away. 

As Sui sat up, his expression was a mix of shock, confusion, and discomfort. His heart raced as the memory of the kiss lingered in his mind. 

"Wait a minute…" Sui muttered, squinting at her. Something felt off. 

That's when he noticed it—her hair was slightly shorter than before. 

The woman burst out laughing, her wine-red eyes twinkling with amusement. "Sui, what did you just call me? Say it again—I want to hear it!" 

Sui blinked, then realization dawned on him. His initial panic gave way to a mix of frustration and exasperation. 

"Alice!" he exclaimed, half-angry and half-amused. 

The "woman" stood up, smoothing out her dress. Sure enough, it was Alice, grinning from ear to ear. She pulled Sui to his feet, her playful energy radiating through the room. 

"How was it? Did I scare you?" she asked, sticking out her tongue mischievously. 

"I thought I was going to have a heart attack!" Sui exclaimed, his voice tinged with lingering disbelief. "For a second, I really thought—" 

"That it was my mom?" Alice interrupted, her grin widening. 

Sui nodded, still catching his breath. 

Alice twirled dramatically, lifting the hem of her dress as she spun. "So? How do I look? Do I look like her?" 

Sui eyed her up and down, noting how eerily similar she appeared to Leonora in both demeanor and appearance. 

"You… do look like her," he admitted with a wry smile. 

Alice beamed with pride, clearly pleased with the outcome of her prank.