Later, under the envious gazes of his classmates, Sui returned to his seat.
"Wow, when did you get so good?" Luna ran over, smiling with delight. "5,000 yen per hour! That's better than running a family business! And you're just a trainee chef!"
"Yeah," Sui nodded, smiling back, feeling a bit pleased himself.
"By the way, do you still have any of that Sinangag fried rice left?" Luna asked, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.
"There's still a bit left. Would you like to try some?" Sui laughed.
"Yes, please!" Luna eagerly nodded.
Sui scooped a small bowl of the remaining fried rice from the pot and handed it to her. She grabbed a spoon, excitedly taking a bite.
"How is it?" Sui asked.
The moment the fried rice hit her tongue, Luna's body trembled slightly, as though struck by lightning. Her eyes widened as she exclaimed, "Sui, this is amazing! I've never had fried rice this good! With skills like this, you'll never go hungry in the future!"
"Really?" Sui smiled, amused. "Not going hungry? What does that even mean?"
At that moment, a cool voice interrupted them. "Can I have a taste too?"
Sui turned and saw Yuzuki Shizunoya standing there.
"Of course," Sui replied, handing her the last portion of the fried rice.
Luna stared longingly at the dish, swallowing hard, while Sui chuckled. "You can always come to me if you want more in the future."
"I'll hold you to that!" Luna grinned mischievously. "From now on, whenever I want to eat, I'm coming straight to you!"
"No need to say that," Sui laughed. "Don't we have that kind of relationship already?"
On the other side, Yuzuki accepted the fried rice from Sui. The rich aroma filled the air as she curiously took a bite.
Her eyes immediately widened, a flash of surprise crossing her face. The sweet corn, tender diced pork, and fragrant rice, coated in a light egg wash, were indeed flawless. In terms of ingredient handling, it far surpassed her own pork curry.
Yuzuki had always prided herself on being the best in class, but now, she had to admit—Sui had outdone her.
"Your dish is much better than mine," Yuzuki sighed.
"Can I taste yours?" Sui asked.
Caught off guard, Yuzuki hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Sure."
She offered Sui a portion of her pork curry, which he tasted with a spoon, and Luna quickly grabbed her own spoon to try it as well.
"It's delicious!" Luna exclaimed, eyes wide.
Sui nodded in agreement. "It's good. You marinated the chicken with white soy sauce and sake, didn't you?"
Yuzuki's eyes widened in shock. How had he tasted exactly what she used to marinate the chicken?
"That's right," she nodded, still amazed.
"You marinated it for a bit too short, so the flavors haven't fully developed. Also, the curry sauce is a little thin—next time, try using less water." Sui suggested.
Yuzuki fell into deep thought, her eyes growing brighter. Sui's insights pinpointed the exact weaknesses in her dish. If she applied his advice, she was certain it would turn out even better next time.
Yuzuki looked at Sui intently, as if seeing him in a new light for the first time. "Thank you, Sui."
"No problem," Sui responded casually.
The other students, who had been quietly watching, were stunned. Sui… was giving cooking advice to the class leader? And she seemed pleased with it?
"Sui, you've suddenly become so impressive!" Luna exclaimed, still unable to believe how much Sui had changed over the break.
From that moment on, the attitude of the students toward Sui shifted noticeably—there was now a hint of respect and awe in their eyes.
Sui, however, didn't mind. He never had close ties with them, and wasn't looking to form new friendships anyway.
Later, while taking a short break, Sui received a system notification:
"The mission is complete. Would you like to see the new ingredient?"
"Yes," Sui replied.
Suddenly, a long, slightly ominous-looking matsutake mushroom appeared in his hand, giving off a rich, creamy scent. He quickly clicked on the ingredient description.
—Cream Matsutake Mushrooms
—Grade: C Fantasy Ingredient
—Origin: Gourmet Captive
Description: With the natural fragrance of matsutake mushrooms enhanced by a rich, creamy aroma, this ingredient is delicious whether eaten on its own or cooked with other dishes.
Sui caught the enticing creamy aroma and felt a rush of anticipation to try it in a dish. However, now wasn't the time, and he had to hold back his excitement.
"The host has received a new task: cooking fantasy ingredients for the first time.
Mission Description: Attempt to create a dish using fantasy ingredients and gain the taster's approval.
Reward: One almond cabbage (fantasy ingredient).
Time: Within three days."
"A second fantasy ingredient?" Sui's eyes lit up. However, the next few classes were all theoretical, with no cooking sessions in sight, so it seemed impossible to complete the task during class hours.
"When I get home, I'll make it for the tsundere girl. Maybe she will like it too." Sui thought, imagining how delighted Erina would be tasting the fried rice made with new ingredients.
The school day soon ended.
"Sui, let's go home together!"* Luna beamed as soon as the bell rang. She approached Sui's desk with a smile as bright as a flower.
"Sure, let's go," Sui replied, returning her smile. He, too, enjoyed the lively and sincere company of his childhood friend.
At that moment, a colder voice interrupted, "Sui."