The sweet milk intended to alleviate the spiciness was snatched away and gulped down by Yukinoshita, but Hoshimi didn't pay much attention to it either.
He held his chopsticks, calmly savoring the Sichuan-style ramen meticulously prepared by the master chef.
After finishing his meal, Hoshimi set down his chopsticks, took out a tissue, and casually wiped the water stains from his lips and the light sweat from the sides of his nose.
The taste was excellent, truly meeting his expectations by ensuring the overall deliciousness despite the discomfort caused by the spiciness.
No wonder he was a renowned chef from Totsuki Academy; his reputation was well-deserved.
Click, click--
Hoshimi closed the two bento boxes and placed them back into his drawer.
Then, he looked towards Yukinoshita, who was sitting on the chair contemplating life, and a faint smile gradually appeared on his lips.
"Yukino, how about some fruit after lunch? Like a banana?" Hoshimi asked, taking out a perfectly shaped banana from the drawer.
"...", Yukinoshita cast a sidelong glance at Hoshimi and replied coldly, "No need."
"Is that so?" Hoshimi put down the banana and then retrieved a box of fresh hawthorn berries from the drawer. "Yukino, how about some hawthorn berries?"
"...", Yukinoshita glanced at Hoshimi from the corner of her eye, her expression growing even colder, "No need."
"Hmm... Yukino, are you sure you don't want any?" Hoshimi asked, holding the hawthorn berries in one hand and the banana in the other.
"No need." This time, Yukinoshita didn't even look at Hoshimi directly, simply giving a cold refusal.
"Just to be sure, I'll ask again, Yukino, are you really sure you don't want them?" Hoshimi's expression gradually became more subtle, a strange color flickering in his crimson eyes.
"...", This time, Yukinoshita couldn't be bothered to respond to Hoshimi.
She turned her head, gazing silently out of the window at the scenery.
"It seems Yukino really doesn't want any fruit after lunch."
Seeing Yukinoshita's reaction, Hoshimi shrugged helplessly. Holding the banana and hawthorn berries, he prepared to enjoy them alone.
After eating spicy food, having a banana to soothe the intestines was an excellent choice to avoid discomfort in certain areas.
Moreover, consuming acidic food helps stimulate gastric acid secretion, accelerating the digestion of spicy food entering the stomach, which can effectively alleviate the subsequent effects on the body.
So, his consumption of bananas and hawthorn berries now was actually to prevent some troubles later.
As for Yukinoshita, he had already suggested several times, but if she didn't appreciate it, then whatever happened next had nothing to do with him.
"Hiss~~ so sour..."
Hoshimi's eye twitched involuntarily from the sourness of the hawthorn berries he had just bitten into.
But in order to feel better later, he gritted his teeth and ate nearly half of the box of hawthorn berries.
...
In the afternoon, Yukinoshita returned to her apartment and sat on the sofa, continuing to contemplate.
After what happened at noon today, she realized her attempt at "Dark Cooking" had failed.
She admitted she didn't have Hoshimi's thick skin to exaggerate her efforts in public.
On this point, she couldn't compete with Hoshimi. So, in the future, if they both brought out their "Dark Cooking," she would definitely be at a disadvantage.
Therefore, she needed to think of a new way to get back at Hoshimi. But what exactly should she do?
For a while, Yukinoshita was lost in thought.
"Umm..."
Suddenly, Yukinoshita felt a bit uncomfortable in her stomach.
She rubbed her belly and, finding no relief, got up and headed towards the bathroom.
Some time later, Yukinoshita emerged from the bathroom, holding her stomach with a slightly pained expression.
She slowly returned to sit on the sofa but as she sat down, just as her buttocks touched the seat, her whole body stiffened, and her delicate face twisted slightly.
She lay down on her side, gritting her teeth tightly, and muttered angrily,
"Hoshimi Kiyokawa! I will make you understand what true cruelty is!"
...
At the same time, on the 27th floor of the apartment building, Hoshimi lay on the sofa in the private family theater, leisurely watching the blockbuster of this world.
"Ha~~"
Watching the unscientific dismantling of the mecha by the female protagonist in the movie, Hoshimi yawned and casually picked up a bottle of Happy Fat Boy soda to take a sip.
So boring... Let's change to another movie.
Hoshimi picked up the remote control and switched to an artistic film with vibrant colors.
Watching the blonde-haired, blue-eyed heroine, Hoshimi's thoughts drifted inexplicably.
Without any basis, he thought of the one-eyed, one-legged "Monster Princess." What was she doing now? Would she come looking for him?
Thinking of this, Hoshimi couldn't help but shudder.
It would be better if she didn't come looking for him. That "Monster Princess" was definitely not an easy opponent. If she got involved, it would mean big trouble.
He didn't want his leisurely days filled with all sorts of dangerous monsters and ghosts.
Thinking this, it was indeed safer with Yukinoshita in various senses...
...
Night fell, and as people with normal circadian rhythms gradually entered the realm of dreams, Hoshimi's dreamworld, a majestic modern city, remained as grand as ever.
Hoshimi sat on the edge of the rooftop water tower of a high-rise building, waiting.
After an unknown period of time, Yukinoshita, exuding a low-pressure coldness, appeared behind Hoshimi.
She looked at the relaxed Hoshimi in front of her, her cooling system fully engaged, her icy breath as piercing as a Siberian cold snap.
Sensing something, Hoshimi looked back at Yukinoshita standing not far behind.
"Oh~ You're here."
"...", Yukinoshita walked up behind Hoshimi without saying a word.
She stared down at Hoshimi from a higher vantage point, gradually clenching her delicate fists.
"What's wrong? You seem to have a lot of killing intent in your eyes~" Hoshimi looked up at Yukinoshita and saw nothing but curiosity and playfulness in his eyes.
"...", Yukinoshita remained silent.
She was contemplating whether to kick Hoshimi off the water tower with one blow.
No, simply kicking him off wouldn't vent her anger and resentment. What she really wanted was for Hoshimi to experience the same pain and anguish as her!
Seeing Yukinoshita's overflowing malice, Hoshimi blinked and, decisively slipping away to the rooftop of the opposite building.
"Are you afraid of me, Hoshimi?" Seeing Hoshimi slipping away, Yukinoshita sneered.
"No, I just want to tell you one thing." Hoshimi stood on the rooftop of the opposite building, raised his hand, and conjured a pile of bananas and hawthorn berries behind him.
Then, he looked at Yukinoshita with a subtle expression and said, "Those who do not heed the advice of the elderly will suffer immediate losses."
After speaking, without waiting for Yukinoshita's reaction, Hoshimi disappeared from Yukinoshita's sight.
Judging from his assessment, Yukinoshita's anger was overflowing due to something, and in such a state, provoking her further might lead to Yukinoshita giving him a backstab tomorrow morning.
Therefore, for safety's sake, tonight's dream game would be canceled, allowing Yukinoshita to explore his dream world autonomously after a long absence.
===
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