"Okay, senpai, I'll cook. Can you please release me now..."
"Good! That's how a kohai should act; just follow my lead." Asuka let go of him, setting him free, before retrieving strips of horn rabbit meat and vegetables seemingly from nowhere. She was using her Storage skill, originally intended for weapons but now repurposed as a food storage ability.
Once released, Haruto took a deep breath, inhaling the oxygen. Though he felt a bit disappointed, missing the previous sensation. He glanced at Asuka with a puzzled expression as she prepared the ingredients. He hadn't expected Asuka to have so much food stored in her weapon storage. Typically, everyone brought along whatever weapons or items they could find to ensure their survival in the dungeon, but seeing Asuka made him question whether they were there for a picnic.
"You're probably wondering why she brought so much food with her, right?" Haruto shifted his gaze away from Asuka, who was busy searching through her storage, and glanced to the side. In his line of sight, he saw Ai dressed in a nun's outfit and Hikari in a revealing warrior outfit, appearing before him unexpectedly. He felt puzzled by the sudden appearance of his two senpais, doubting their reasons for being there. However, his doubts quickly faded as he remembered Watanabe-senpai clinging to him from his left side.
"Do you mind if we sit here, Haruto-kun?" Ai's serene smile was directed at Haruto as she asked.
"...No, feel free to sit wherever you like; this isn't my place, Suzuki-senpai." Despite Ai addressing him directly by his name, Haruto's mood remained unchanged.
With a slight nod, Ai and Hikari took seats beside Haruto, positioning themselves with Ai on his right and Hikari beside her. After setting her staff aside, Ai turned towards Haruto and began, "Wondering why Asuka-chan packed her storage with ingredients? Allow me to explain, Haruto-kun. Since childhood, Asuka-chan had an insatiable appetite and explored various cuisines while traveling with her parents. She became entranced by the flavors of different dishes. At the age of 14, she embarked on travels to different cities, visiting restaurants to savor their cuisines. Within just a few months, Asuka-chan had sampled dishes from various countries, after which she delved into cooking. During high school, as close friends of the same gender, Hikari-chan, Asuka-chan, and I focused on cooking. Our aim was to create a dish that would bring even more joy to Asuka-chan."
"...My only desire was to witness the joy on Asuka's face," Hikari mentioned, a soft exhale escaping her lips.
"Yes... we truly longed to witness her in that state, except for the glimpses we've seen in her childhood photo albums... Asuka-chan has never displayed that expression to us, despite our close friendship...!" Ai's lips twitched as she concluded her statement. She seemed slightly irritated and made an effort to keep her emotions in check.
"Now, Ai, perhaps it's best to calm down... we wouldn't want others to notice, would we?" Hikari felt a cold sweat forming on her forehead as she watched Ai, who seemed on the verge of revealing another side of herself. While addressing Ai, she discreetly signaled to Haruto with her eyes.
Haruto, somewhat oblivious to such cues, didn't understand Hikari's implication. However, seeing his senpai's subtle request for assistance, he expressed his thoughts, "So... Suzuki-senpai, are you suggesting that Watanabe-senpai enjoys my cooking? If so, it might explain her friendliness towards me... ...um, did I say something wrong!?" Haruto's back was soaked with sweat. Just before he finished speaking, Ai's expression shifted, her smile becoming heavier than the serene one she had previously worn. With a hint of discomfort in his voice, Haruto addressed her, raising his volume slightly.
Hikari's expression clouded with concern as she watched Ai, sensing a shift in her demeanor about to occur.
Haruto's voice rang out, audible to everyone present. All eyes turned toward him and Ai, curious about their interaction. The jealousy simmering beneath the surface was evident from their expressions. Haruka leaned on her palm, her elbow resting on her thigh, observing them with keen interest.
Mio and Ichika had been watching even before Ai and Hikari joined Haruto, their attention fixed on Watanabe-senpai and Haruto. Hiroshi and Jiro wore playful smiles, as if enjoying a show.
"No, you're right, Haruto-kun... your cooking could indeed bring joy to Asuka. But Hikari and I failed in that regard. We tried our best to prepare a dish that would bring a smile to Asuka-chan's face, but we fell short..." Ai's admission of culinary failure struck a chord with Haruto. He could hear the sadness and frustration in her voice.
"I understand. Let me cook for her now!" Who would have thought their relationship would become this close? It's fine if I cook for her until the dungeon excursion ends.
"Ai! Hikari! What are you doing here?" At that moment, Asuka, having finished gathering the ingredients, looked at her friends who had suddenly appeared and were now sitting beside Haruto.
"If it weren't for you, do you think we would have come here at this time?!" Hikari teased, playfully pinching Asuka's cheeks and shaping them into various forms. She tugged at Asuka, causing her to jump and sit on Hikari's lap. Hikari then playfully molded Asuka's breasts over her clothes, eliciting embarrassed moans from Asuka.
"No.. ahh... Hikari, don't... ahhhh uhmmn.....!" Asuka let out a moan, displaying her embarrassed state to Haruto. Ai, positioned nearby, blushed slightly as she observed Asuka groaning while being handled by Hikari.
"You nearly got Ai and me into trouble. Allow me to discipline you first, then you can have Haruto-kun cook for you!"
"Asuka-chan, I won't be assisting you this time," Ai said, her face showing a visible blush.
Observing the unfolding scene, Haruto was flooded with a rush of flustered excitement. Hikari-senpai's hands delicately slipped inside Asuka-senpai's garments, skillfully shaping her bare, pliable assets into a captivating array of forms. Each subtle movement heightened the anticipation in the air, captivating Haruto as he became fully immersed in the intimate display. Despite a hint of reluctance, Asuka leaned against Hikari's chest, her gaze shyly fixed on Haruto, concealing a trace of bashfulness within her eyes.
Haruto-kun is observing me...! He's witnessing my state of embarrassment, but he wouldn't dislike me for it, would he? Yet, despite my struggle, I'm unable to resist Hikari at all... She understands my vulnerabilities, and the pleasure I'm experiencing now surpasses anything before...!! Could it be because I'm revealing my embarrassing side to Haruto-kun? I want him to see me like this...
Such a spectacle remained concealed from others, as Ai had already enveloped them with a barrier. Why Haruto had been left to witness it was a mystery known only to Ai. After a few minutes of playful antics, both Hikari and Asuka straightened their clothing. Returning to their seats, they settled in silence. Awkwardness filled the air, compounded by the fact that both sides remained silent, their faces flushed and heads bowed. Breaking the silence, Haruto addressed Watanabe-senpai, "Could you pass me some meat and vegetables? I need to start cooking now. Didn't you ask me earlier to prepare a meal?"
"I almost forgot! Here you go!" With a bright smile, she handed him the ingredients, momentarily oblivious to the previous events.
"Haruto-kun, could you also please cook some for us...?" Ai inquired, gesturing towards the ingredients Asuka had given to Haruto.
"Me too! If it's not too much trouble, Haruto-kun!" Hikari's cheeks tinged with a faint blush as she avoided meeting Haruto's eyes.
"Don't worry, senpai; I'll make enough food for all three of you."
I retrieved the skewers and prepped meat that Watanabe-senpai had already prepared. All the necessary steps were already taken care of. With my culinary skills, I didn't even require utensils to cook. Placing the marinated horn rabbit meat on the campfire, I carefully arranged the sliced meat and cut vegetables. They hovered over the flames, which I controlled effortlessly, simmering the meat and sautéing the vegetables simultaneously.
After spending a few minutes frying both the meat and vegetables, they took on a delicious brown and red hue, filling the air with an enticing aroma. I then placed the cooked meat on a paper towel to soak up any excess oil. With that done, I carefully skewered the meat and vegetables, one by one. Finally, I presented the finished skewers to Watanabe-senpai for her to sample.
"Mmm, this is absolutely delicious!" Asuka exclaimed with a hint of intoxication in her voice, eagerly devouring a skewer within seconds. Handing her another piece, I also distributed portions to Suzuki-senpai and Sasaki-senpai.
"Thank you, Haruto-kun."
"Thanks a lot, Haruto-kun."
Accepting the skewers from Haruto's hands eagerly, Ai and Hikari wasted no time in taking their first bites. Almost immediately, their bodies quivered with delight, and their cheeks flushed with excitement. The flavor of the skewers was beyond ordinary, evoking almost involuntary groans of pleasure from the duo. Haruto, watching their enthusiastic consumption, also began to eat, relishing each bite at a leisurely pace while the senpais devoured theirs with remarkable speed. As they finished each skewer, they quickly reached for another, and Haruto, skillfully preparing them, ensured a steady supply.
Nearly fifteen minutes passed, during which each of them managed to consume an impressive 15 to 16 skewers, except for Asuka, who astonishingly devoured 25. Satisfied, she patted her stomach contentedly before reclining against Haruto for support. Ai and Hikari, equally satiated, leaned against each other in a similar fashion. Haruto, noticing their contentment, allowed them to rest, occupying himself by playing with the wooden stick and fire from earlier.