"Well, if you don't mind, you can stay here for as long as you like," Minato said with a bright smile and put his hand on Koji's head.
"Here, it is only us and Marina," Kara said, smiling as she held Marina's tiny hand, "we would welcome an addition."
"Thank you," Koji said with gratitude as he felt like tears were about to come through the corner of his eyes. "Thank you. I mean it."
Minato stood up from his seat and put his arm around his wife's shoulders, "Let's give Koji more time to rest. And, of course, fill your stomach with delicious cooking!"
Hearing those words, Koji's small stomach gives a disgruntling sound of hunger. Of course, everybody heard that loud sound of his stomach asking for food.
They all laugh together as Koji also gives a shy smile as he ruffles his hair in awkwardness.
"My dad's cooking is the best," the little girl said with proudness as she looked up at his father's smiling face.
He has the same dark hair as his daughter, while his wife has a more brown color to her hair.
"Alright! Let's get started," Minato said. He walked over to the kitchen and picked up his cooking gear to make new food.
From a distance, he could already start to smell the flavor of the food with such a delicious aroma.
Smelling the heavenly aroma, Koji could feel the energy of his body regaining. He could also feel the fog clearing away with quick speed in his mind.
It is like all his cells are screaming and wanting the food. It had already been forever since he had tasted the touch of cooked food on his lips. More correct to say that coming to his world, he had not eaten cooked food at all.
Today is his fifth birthday, "It has already been five years since I have been in this world. Such a long time has passed."
Then Koji could hear a sound from inside his mind. The sound is so familiar, and it is the sound of the system that he first heard upon being in this world:
[System Reward: Heightened Sense of Smell]
In an instant, Koji could feel his nose able to detect the minor details in the aroma in the air. He could smell the spices that were inside the cooking.
Soon, Marina brought over a bowl of ramen noodles as the couple behind her looked happy to see him eat.
"I could smell cinnamon, star anise, white pepper, red chile flakes, curry powder, and cumin," Koji said. He was giving the aroma from the noodle a slight sniff.
The father, Minato, looked at Koji with a slight surprise in his eyes, "I didn't expect you were able to smell it. Yes, those were the main ingredients inside. Boy, you do have a strong nose!"
"And also chili oil," Koji said as he tested his new ability. Before putting the noodles to his lips and started eating. His face filled with happiness as he tasted the noodle.
He feels the chewiness of noodles inside his mouth and how it contains a broth flavor.
Enjoy the springiness of the meat as it overflows with the taste of spice. In an instant, Koji could feel his cells absorbing the energy from the food with great speed.
"There is still a lot more," Marina said as he watched Koji wolf down the food. "We all had our dinner already. All the ramen in there is for you."
She goes back to the kitchen and fills a couple more bowls with ramen, and places them in front of Koji as he finishes up.
"I should go make more for him," Minato said as he went back into the kitchen to create more food.
"Mom, it seems like he is getting better after eating Dad's food," Marina said as he noticed his cheeks' color.
Marina then put some noodles into a new bowl for herself, "Seeing you eat like that is also making me hungry again."
"It is not only you. I'm also feeling a bit hungry now," Kara said as she picked up a clean bowl to fill up with noodles. "Minato, some for all three here!"
From the kitchen, Minato said back, "Right up! Almost done!"
The family eats with Koji. But finds themselves unable to win against the boy in an eating competition.
They watch as the bowl in the kitchen begins to stack up high in the sink. His stomach is like a great vacuum, wondering where all the food he eats goes.
From eating the food, Koji could feel his fever dissipating and his body's muscles growing. It is like his body is brimming with limitless energy. And he could go for a couple of laps in a track field and would not tire.
Putting down the last bowl on his lap, Koji wipes away the oil from his face.
Minato takes away the bowl into his hand, "You still feeling hungry for some more?"
Koji then looks over to the empty bowls realizing that he had eaten so much food, "I was so hungry, I didn't know I ate so much! I'll repay you guys."
Kara laughs as she puts her large hand on his tiny head, "Don't worry, Minato owns a restaurant. He has customers eating a lot of ingredients every day."
"The food is delicious, right?" Marina asked, her large brown eyes looking at him and his stomach with curiosity.
"Yeah," Koji said with embarrassment. He knows that he was freeloading off the kind family.
"Say, do you want to learn cooking from me," Minato asked. He remembered how he was able to detect the details of the ingredients. "You have a natural talent for detecting the ingredients from the smell."
"Do you mean it?" Koji asked with happiness in his eyes. He always wanted to learn cooking. It seems like today is a lucky day for him.
"Of course!" Minato said, "lesson starts when you are ready!"
"My fever seems to be gone already," Koji told them, "I'll be ready tomorrow!" Putting his hand on his forehead to feel the temperature.