Saburo ramen.
It's a ramen that's picky about who eats it.
A ramen that only the chosen ones get to taste.
The minced garlic mixes with the broth and fat, creating an unusual smell.
The greasy fat covers the bowl with frost.
The medium-thick noodles have absorbed too much broth, making them soggy and not easy to swallow.
The vegetables haphazardly placed on top look like scraps of rejected vegetables, reminiscent of a discount corner.
The soup and egg yolk that don't fit in the bowl spill out during the plating process.
The whole container is covered in yellow broth, dripping down the sides.
Holding the slimy container itself feels repulsive.
That is Saburo Ramen.
Fans of Saburo Ramen are called Suburians.
They are the chosen ones.
Suburians have their famous quotes.
―――"All leftovers once they're in your stomach."
―――"The most important things in life, I learned from Saburo Ramen."
―――"Even beasts eat better food than us."
―――"There are seven gods even in leftover food."
Saburo Ramen.
It's a mysterious ramen that continues to captivate a specific group of people.
Ayaka Chiaki is a Suburian.
.
.
.
Today, the weather was good and clear, making it convenient to meet up. Ayaka Chiaki is a resident of the dormitory, so it's most convenient to meet up at the school. I was waiting for her at the park near her dormitory.
I'm meeting up with Chiaki, and of course, I plan to treat her to her favorite Saburo ramen. Of course, that's just a bonus. The main topic is different.
"Let's just get started with the main topic instead of beating around the bush."
The outline of the Phantom Operation Plan is explained, along with a request to the party members to "help with member training." These are the two main requests. Also, my party's atmosphere is not very good. I hope Chiaki's presence can help improve the atmosphere.
I want her to be the intermediary. Business partners need to stay in touch. I have to do my best to make her come along with me.
"Hmm?"
A petite and beautiful girl walked towards me. It was Ayaka Chiaki. She was wearing a white dress with a lavender-colored cardigan, which would be an appropriate description.
"It's different from usual."
I have never seen her in casual clothes, so I don't know anything about her private life. Today, she had her hair down instead of her usual pigtails. It was a Gothic Lolita two-fashion wig. I couldn't tell, but her hair was long enough to reach her shoulders. Did she change her image?
I've never seen someone with their hair down before," or something like that...
Or rather...
"She's dressed like a Madame living in a quiet residential area. She must be from Shirogane."
That kind of Madame fashion will get dirty if we eat at Saburo Ramen. Saburo Ramen is a place where everything gets dirty.
"Jeez, what are you thinking?"
It's hard to deal with your childishness.
"Hey, Suguru-kun. You're escorting me today, right?"
She smiled at me with a smile I've never seen before.
"Yeah."
Even though it's a ramen shop, we just need to feed them ramen and make them happy.
"Speaking of which, Chiaki, where are your glasses? You had a spare on yesterday, didn't you?"
Her glasses broke before, and she had been wearing a spare pair since then. Today, she wasn't wearing her glasses with circular lenses.
"Oh, right. Did I forget them today? Hahaha. Anyway, your outfit is all black. Aren't you hot? No, it's fine, but..."
Chiaki looked at my outfit with a puzzled expression.
That's right.
My fashion is all black.
It was taught as "advice" in a men's fashion magazine from a past life called "Men's Knuckle."
"Be dyed black if you're a man."
It's a bit awkward when someone like Komachi complains about my fashion.
I've even toned down my fashion to only 70% of its former glory.
To put it mildly, it's plain.
Like the damn fool of a self-proclaimed charismatic designer that Komachi saw on the noon wide show, she started to meticulously fashion-check my clothes.
As a result, I lost confidence in my own fashion sense.
Komachi harshly criticizes me.
Saying things like, 'If you weren't trying to look bad, your aesthetic sense must be at the bottom of the earth' or 'Your fashion sense is infested with maggots in your head' or 'Your hairstyle is so ugly that it makes me want to vomit. Your parents must be crying.'
So, I restrained myself with an all-black fashion.
A dark suit set-up with a dark gray shirt.
Shoes are black with medallion decoration as a single point.
Isn't it cool?
It's also the perfect outfit to eat Saburo Ramen.
No matter how dirty it gets, it won't stand out.
This is a fashion that has been calculated to the fullest.
"Chiaki. If you're a man... you should dye yourself black."
"Yes?"
"To survive on the front lines of the street, it's necessary to be a fake badass."
I chuckled and looked up at the sky.
"Eh... You're... Creepy."
Oh, Chiaki. The word "creepy" became weak at the sight of such coolness.
The usual sharpness is missing.
I want you to say 'creepy' louder.
It gives me goosebumps.
Repeat after me."
"Why...? Why is he so weird? If he acted normal, I could still watch him."
Chiaki made a complex, bitter expression.
"Uh? You're not saying it? 'Creepy.'"
"Never mind. Let's go. Suguru-kun, I have something to talk about, Maybe it's the last one, Haha..., I wonder what it is ~I wonder what it is~"
Chiaki is in a good mood for some reason.
Don't panic, me.
It might be possible to deal with it in one word.
But it's not time to panic yet.
I put on a solemn expression.
"I have something to tell you. Just wait a bit.
I'm not ready to say it yet. If only I had more courage..."
I try to obscure my words.
"It's okay. Don't worry. I'll wait for you. It can't be helped, can it?"
Chiaki still has a smirk on her face.
"I'm sorry."
It's all about timing. I can't mess up my timing.
Chiaki seems to be in a good mood today.
Things are looking good so far.
The first step is the gift operation. It's a naive idea, but I don't think there's a woman who doesn't like jewelry. I'll buy Chiaki some jewelry that she seems to want. This should earn me 30 points towards her good mood.
Next, I'll listen to her whims. That will earn me another 20 points.
If necessary, I'll buy her some glasses. That will add an additional 20 points.
Finally, I'll take her to dinner at Saburo Ramen to win her heart through her stomach. This should earn me another 30 points.
With this plan, I can earn a total of 100 points towards her good mood.
"It's perfect."
My brain simulator has created a perfect plan.
My brain AI has drawn up a blueprint for the Ayaka Chiaki brown-nosing operation.
The success rate of her good mood is judged to be 100% by my brain AI.
Isn't it wonderful?
I can't stop grinning.
I try to hide it by covering my mouth.
"What's wrong?"
Her worried, round eyes look up at me.
I'm in trouble. I've gotten lost in my own world again.
"No, back to the topic at hand."
"Oh, I see. Well then, will you be my escort? I'm looking forward to it!"
"Kukuku." He licked his upper lip and nodded.
Chiaki let out a big sigh and said, "You have an evil look on your face... Maybe this guy really is creepy... Or maybe my eyes are clouded."
Ah, that's what I thought.
"I have a favor to ask. Tell me I'm even creepier."
To be honest, it excites me when Chiaki says that.
"I may be hopeless... I'll go on ahead," ignoring my request, Chiaki put on a bewildered expression and walked ahead of me.
The moment I tried to chase after his small back...
<
I felt an extremely unpleasant gaze. I looked around frantically but there was no one in sight. I have too much to do and want to do lately and have been sleep-deprived as a result. That's probably why.
"Hey, wait up!" I chased after Chiaki.