"I'm just finishing up the last dish. Everyone, take your seats—it'll be ready in a moment," Hayashi said with a smile. Since he didn't have to pay for these ingredients, he could cook however he liked. After all, he didn't have much money on him right now; the funds that Tōdō Aoi had given him had to be used sparingly.
"Then let's sit," Gojo Satoru gestured for everyone to sit down. But as soon as they all sat, they could hardly contain themselves as they gazed at the table full of vibrant, steaming dishes.
"I usually just eat whatever's around—this kind of food is something I never even dreamed of," Yuji Itadori said, barely able to resist the urge to grab some food.
Fushiguro Megumi, initially indifferent about Hayashi's cooking, couldn't deny that both the aroma and the sight of the food had stirred his appetite. He hadn't expected Hayashi to be such a skilled cook.
"Here's the last dish!" Hayashi said with a grin as he brought out a bowl of tomato and egg soup—the only soup on the table.
"Can we dig in?" Gojo politely asked.
"Of course, go ahead and help yourselves," Hayashi replied as he sat down after tidying up.
Seeing Hayashi seated, the others no longer held back. They all picked up their chopsticks and began to eat.
"This is delicious!!" Yuji's eyes widened, and he could only manage to say, "I've never tasted food this good!"
"Are you serious?" Fushiguro shot Yuji a glance, slightly annoyed at how dramatic he was being over a meal.
However, when Fushiguro picked up a piece of red-braised pork and put it in his mouth, his eyes widened as well. He almost spoke aloud but quickly stopped himself, remembering his earlier criticism of Yuji. Instead, he chewed in silent appreciation of the flavor.
Gojo, on the other hand, had already been digging in, enjoying the food in complete silence, his face showing pure satisfaction.
Seeing their reactions, Hayashi felt relieved and began eating as well.
Ten minutes later...
Burp~~
Burp~
BURP!
Three loud burps signaled the end of dinner. Yuji rubbed his bulging stomach, saying, "That was so delicious—I couldn't help but eat too much."
cough cough. "It was really good. Thanks for the meal," Fushiguro said a bit shyly, giving Hayashi a nod of gratitude. After all, they'd likely be eating Hayashi's cooking more often now, and as the saying goes, "A mouth fed is a mouth softened."
"So full, so satisfied," Gojo leaned back in his chair, looking at the empty plates. "You all sure didn't waste anything, huh?"
Hearing this, both Yuji and Fushiguro blushed slightly. The three of them had eaten the most, while the one who cooked, Hayashi, had eaten the least.
"As long as you all enjoyed it, I'm happy. Was the meal to your satisfaction?" Hayashi asked with a smile.
"Satisfied, very satisfied," came the chorus of replies from Yuji, Fushiguro, and Gojo.
Seeing their unanimous approval, Hayashi was pleased. He had successfully won over their stomachs.
After dinner, Yuji and Fushiguro stayed behind to clean up the dishes, insisting that Hayashi rest. He didn't resist too much since they were so enthusiastic about doing the cleaning—there was no stopping them.
That night, Jujutsu High was quiet, with only the sounds of insects chirping in the background. It was peaceful enough to help Hayashi sleep soundly.
...
The next morning, at sunrise...
Gojo arrived to wake everyone up. "You three head to Harajuku Station and wait for our new recruit. I won't be going with you; I'll meet you all there later," he said, waving at the three sleepy figures with a smile.
After Gojo left, the three of them changed into the dark uniforms of Jujutsu High and made their way to Harajuku Station in Tokyo's Shibuya district.
"Wait, we're walking there?" Yuji pouted, glancing around at the trees lining the road. At this hour, there wasn't a single passerby in sight.
"Is it far from here to Harajuku Station?" Hayashi asked Fushiguro, who had likely been there before.
"It's closer than when we picked you up. The walk isn't that far," Fushiguro responded, unfazed by the idea of walking. It wasn't a long distance for them.
The three of them walked toward Harajuku Station, chatting along the way. Yuji and Hayashi did most of the talking, with Fushiguro occasionally chiming in.
As they approached the city, the number of people on the streets increased, and the surroundings grew livelier.
Hayashi, who had never visited Japan in his previous life, took the opportunity to soak in the experience. This time around, the experience was different—after all, there were no cursed spirits or curses in his previous life.
The streets were full of people, many of them fashionable young men and women. The buildings varied in height, and Hayashi found himself dazzled by the sights.
"Life is beautiful," Hayashi said with a sigh. He made a vow to himself that he would earn enough money to buy a place in Tokyo and maybe even open his own shop.
"Yeah, but we barely have any money," Yuji pulled his pockets inside out to show they were empty.
Hayashi chuckled, "Yuji, stick with me, and I'll show you how to make money."
"Yuji?" Yuji looked at Hayashi, confused by the nickname. "You're younger than both of us, and you want to show me how to make money? You got the skills for that?"
As soon as Yuji said "skills," he exchanged a glance with Fushiguro. They both knew that Hayashi had real talent—just his cooking skills alone would allow him to stand out. Some restaurant dishes weren't even as good as what Hayashi made.
cough cough. "Forget what I said earlier. You definitely have the skills," Yuji quickly changed his tune. "But right now, making money might be tough. We're going to be busy, right Fushiguro?"
"Yeah, things won't be easy," Fushiguro nodded. As Jujutsu Sorcerers, they'd have a lot to deal with. The bigger the city, the more tasks they'd face.
That didn't mean they'd be busy every single day, but there would definitely be hectic periods.
"Hey, look! Ice cream! Want some?" Yuji pointed across the street at an ice cream shop that was buzzing with customers.
"We're here to pick someone up, not to fool around," Fushiguro said, giving Yuji a sympathetic look. "Besides, do you even have money?"
"Fushiguro, you underestimate me!" Yuji pulled out some cash from his pants pocket. It was more than enough to buy some ice cream.
"Weren't you just saying you had no money?" Fushiguro looked puzzled. Just a moment ago, Yuji's pockets had been empty—how did he suddenly have cash? A magic trick?
"Yeah, my jacket pocket was empty, but I had money in my pants pocket," Yuji grinned, earning a light punch from Fushiguro.
"If you're treating, I'll have some," Hayashi said cheerfully. After all, if someone was offering to pay, why not enjoy?
"Of course! After that great dinner you made, this is the least I can do," Yuji replied as he headed toward the ice cream shop, "Sweet Sweet Sugar."
Fushiguro glanced at Hayashi. By Yuji's logic, he owed Hayashi a treat too. Indeed, eating someone's food makes it hard to say no.
But, then again, not eating wasn't an option—the food was just too good.