In a quiet alleyway where Ito's Golden Fried Rice was located, the street lay still, most of the neighborhood buildings already dark with their lights shut off for the night. Typically, the small restaurant would have been closed as well, but tonight, the lights inside were still on.
"I knew he'd show up since I was the one inviting him..."
Tsuna muttered, his voice barely above a whisper as his hands moved deftly behind the counter.
The rich aroma of his cooking filled the air, making Korosensei visibly salivate with anticipation.
Tsuna's gaze shifted to the other two unexpected guests, a slight frown crossing his face, "But why are you two here as well?"
"I always come along, don't I?"
Karasuma responded with a nonchalant shrug, settling comfortably beside Korosensei.
Tsuna shook his head, conceding with a sigh. "Fair enough..."
"But you..." Tsuna's eyes narrowed as he turned to Irina. "I don't recall inviting you."
"Hmph! I can do whatever the hell I want..."
Irina retorted, her cheeks tinged with a flush as if the intoxicating aroma wafting from the counter had already gotten her tipsy.
"Sigh... whatever..."
Tsuna sighed, shaking his head as he continued preparing the food for his guests.
Though his body ached from exhaustion, he showed no sign of pain, moving with seamless precision.
His hands worked swiftly, placing four bowls on the counter.
He then carefully added a spoonful of tare to the bottom of each bowl, followed by freshly cooked ramen noodles.
With each step, Tsuna's movements were fluid and controlled, but as he continued, a vein in his forehead throbbed with irritation.
He ladled the hot, rich broth over the noodles, filling each bowl nearly to the brim.
Finally, he turned to Karasuma and Irina, who had been staring at him intently since he began. His lips twitched in annoyance, "What? You got a question or something?"
"Ahem... No, sorry..."
Karasuma muttered, clearly embarrassed as he coughed lightly and closed his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest.
Irina's eyes darted around nervously before she stammered out a weak excuse that Tsuna could see through immediately. "I-I... No, of course not... Why would I ask you anything?"
"Ohohoho..."
Korosensei's eyes gleamed with greed as he stared at the bowls of ramen, completely ignoring the others.
Meanwhile, Karasuma and Irina still looked at Tsuna as if he were a rare animal in a zoo.
They couldn't help it since Tsuna had demonstrated speed, durability, and reflexes far beyond what any 15-year-old should possess.
The thought nagged at them—was Tsuna another experimental product, like Korosensei?
Karasuma couldn't shake the feeling.
He had done a thorough background check on Tsuna before, yet the boy's abilities had blindsided him.
"That move he pulled, turning into a puff of smoke, and the log that appeared in his place… it's just like that historical story about…" Karasuma's eyes widened in realization as the thought clicked into place, "...A ninja!!"
"No, I'm not whatever you're thinking of..."
Tsuna interrupted, rolling his eyes again. He could tell Karasuma was piecing together some wild theory in his head.
Despite using jutsu and all that ninja way of his, Tsuna considered himself to be a cook more than a ninja after all.
But Karasuma wasn't convinced. He narrowed his eyes, the idea of Tsuna being a descendant of a legendary ninja clan in Japan taking root in his mind.
The precise moves, the stealth, the uncanny reflexes—it all fit too perfectly.
"..."
Tsuna sighed, shaking his head as he carefully arranged slices of chashu on top of the ramen, adding a soft-boiled marinated egg, chopped green onions, nori, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
To finish it off, he drizzled aromatic garlic oil over the bowls, releasing an irresistible fragrance that filled the room.
"..."
Irina watched him intently, her eyes narrowing as she observed how naturally Tsuna moved in the kitchen.
It was unsettling as she continued to watch, a thought crossed her mind that made her scoff, her face flushing slightly.
"This kid can fight, has those strange tricks, a sharp mouth... and..."
Her thoughts trailed off as she added with a huff, "...a damn pervert too..."
Irina's initial curiosity quickly morphed into anger as she recalled how every single interaction with Tsuna seemed to end in his favor.
To her, it felt like a series of humiliations!
But when Tsuna placed the bowls of ramen before them, her irritation was momentarily halted as she stared at the beautiful creation in front of her.
She couldn't help but let out a soft, "Whoa... It looks delicious..."
"Huh? You're going to eat too?"
Korosensei asked, noticing that Tsuna had seated himself with his own bowl. Tsuna shrugged, "I got hungry after all that..."
"I see, that's natural," Karasuma nodded in understanding. "I'd be surprised if you didn't eat anything to replenish all that stamina you lost..."
"Hahaha, you're still young. Just eat half and give the rest to me—"
"Shut it..."
"Aye, sir!"
Korosensei obediently responded, making Tsuna shake his head with a sigh.
Meanwhile, Irina had already started devouring her bowl, completely disregarding her usual composed image as she ate like she hadn't had a meal in days.
Tsuna couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.
They all began digging into the food. As Tsuna sipped the broth, warmth spread through his throat, easing the soreness in his muscles. The comfort of the meal made the lingering pain subside, and he sighed in relief.
"Anyway..." Tsuna spoke up slowly, turning his gaze to Korosensei. "That organization... Do you know what it's called?"
"Hmm? The name? Well, I'm not sure, to be honest," Korosensei replied thoughtfully. "It's some sort of top-secret international research organization..."
"Huh? Not a criminal organization?" Tsuna asked, puzzled. He fell into deep thought, wondering if the High Table wasn't present in this world.
A frown creased his brow. "No High Table, huh? Seems like my current world is pretty chill..."
However, his eyes narrowed as he considered the possibility that the system might send him on a mission to an alternate world where the High Table existed, giving him a chance to take revenge.
"...!"
The air in the room grew noticeably colder, and the other three could feel an intense chill as they looked at Tsuna with curious eyes.
"Ahem, my bad..." Tsuna muttered, noticing their stares. He stood up, gathering the empty ramen bowls from the counter. As he did, he couldn't help but notice the way Karasuma and Irina eyed the bowls longingly. Shaking his head, he turned to them and said, "Anyway, that'll be 40,000 yen for two. Are you paying in cash or with a card?"
"Wait a minute..." Karasuma blinked, tilting his head in confusion. "Didn't you say you'd treat us?"
"Ito-bastard, don't be so shameless..."
Irina growled, her expression resembling a cat that had its tail stepped on.
"Korosensei..." Tsuna calmly addressed, causing Korosensei to suddenly stand at attention and salute, "Sir, yes, sir!"
In an instant, Korosensei vanished from sight, only to reappear at the entrance.
His usual teaching attire was gone, replaced by a sharp suit that made him look like a security guard. Both Karasuma and Irina stared in stunned silence, feeling a sudden, uneasy shift in the atmosphere.
It was clear they were in this together as Tsuna's voice broke the tension, "I never said you both would get a free meal..."
"...isn't that right, Korosecurity?"
"Sir, yes, sir! I distinctly remember you only inviting me for a free meal!"
Korosensei's voice echoed through the small restaurant, his expression twisting into a mischievous grin.
Tsuna's face mirrored his, eyes narrowing as he looked at Karasuma and Irina, who now resembled lost lambs caught in a trap.
"Well, that's what happened. If you don't want to pay..." Tsuna let the threat hang in the air.
"Y-You shameless bastards..." Irina stammered, her face flushing with frustration as Karasuma nervously grabbed his wallet that was almost empty as he muttered, "I fucked up..."
"...I will never let you go," Korosensei added, his tone dripping with mock seriousness as both he and Tsuna broke into evil giggles, their laughter filling the quiet alleyway.
The unsettling sounds earned a few curious stares from passersby, adding to the bizarre scene.