"Sui, you were amazing just now!" Luna's face was flushed with excitement as they left the store. She clenched her fists and beamed.
"Haha, it wasn't a big deal," Sui chuckled.
Back at their restaurant, Luna excitedly recounted everything that had happened to her parents.
Uncle Laat and Yoko were stunned as they looked at Sui and Erina, unable to speak. They had initially assumed Erina was just a spoiled rich girl, but they were shocked by how talented she turned out to be. Sui had also left them astonished.
"Sui, when did you become so skilled?" Uncle Laat asked in bewilderment.
"We can talk about that later," Erina interrupted calmly. "Now that we understand their cooking, let's take a closer look at yours. First, prepare the dishes you're best known for."
"Uh, right away!" Uncle Laat snapped out of his daze and hurriedly began cooking with newfound enthusiasm. With these two helping, he had a gut feeling they might actually have a chance to turn the tide.
A short while later, three bowls of steaming ramen were placed in front of Sui and Erina.
"This is our signature ramen. Please, try it," Uncle Laat said respectfully, assuming Erina must be Sui's girlfriend. He could tell she was someone of importance and didn't dare to slight her.
The three bowls consisted of udon, soba, and tonkotsu ramen—fairly standard fare. In truth, Luna family restaurant wasn't solely focused on ramen; they also offered fried dumplings and rice bowls, making it somewhat similar to Sōma's restaurant. Still, ramen was their primary specialty.
Sui and Erina nodded and began tasting. Meanwhile, Laat's family watched nervously from the side.
"The tonkotsu broth has a strange flavor, and the char siu wasn't cooked properly," Erina remarked flatly.
"The ratio of buckwheat flour to water in the soba is off, which is why the texture is so poor."
Her blunt criticism made Uncle Laat blush in embarrassment.
Seeing their reaction, Sui quickly stepped in. "Sorry about that—she's just really direct. Please don't take it the wrong way."
"Haha, it's alright," Uncle Laat said with a good-natured laugh. "But Sui, your girlfriend is really something! After her feedback, I think our ramen will definitely improve!"
Erina's face turned crimson. "I'm not his girlfriend!"
Uncle Laat and Yoko exchanged knowing smiles, as if they completely understood the situation.
Luna's expression faltered slightly.
Erina, noticing their looks, grew even more flustered. Why does everyone think I'm his girlfriend?
"I'll give you more detailed feedback later to help improve your ramen," Sui offered, attempting to shift the conversation back.
"Really? Thank you so much, Sui!" Luna responded, eyes sparkling with excitement.
"We're so grateful to you," Yoko added, not sure how else to express her thanks.
"Haha, it's no trouble," Sui replied casually.
"With your help, we might be able to hold our own against the competition," Luna said optimistically.
"That won't be enough," Erina cut in, her tone serious. "If we were the ones cooking, we could easily beat that ramen shop across the street. But once we're gone, even with improved recipes, you'll only be able to match them at best."
"Isn't that good enough? At least we'd still be in business," Uncle Laat said.
"Don't be so short-sighted," Erina reprimanded him. "That arrogant chef taunted you, didn't he? Let's give him what he asked for—crush him so thoroughly he has no choice but to close his shop for good!"
Sui smiled to himself. She's a tsundere, all right, he thought, though he shared her sentiment.
"Besides," Erina continued, "your menu hasn't changed in over a decade, right? The locals are probably tired of it. You should think about introducing one or two new dishes—something fresh and exciting that will attract customers, even when we're not around."
"A new dish?" Luna pondered.
"Exactly. Something unique," Erina said.
"Unique, huh?" Sui's mind drifted to a dish from Cooking Master Boy and a lightbulb went off in his head. "Why not try that dish?"
"Hm? What did you think of?" Erina asked curiously.
"I've got an idea for a dish that's definitely unique," Sui said with a confident smile.
He was thinking of the legendary Galaxy Noodles from Cooking Master Boy. A dish like that would surely leave a lasting impression on their customers.
Just then, a group of strange individuals walked into the restaurant.
They were peculiar not just in demeanor but in appearance. One was a tall girl with thick glasses, wearing stereotypical otaku clothing. Another was a petite girl with pale skin, long black hair, and a Gothic Lolita maid outfit. The last one looked relatively normal—a beautiful girl with long brown hair, casual clothes, and an air of elegance.
"Huh? Are these people otaku?" Erina frowned in mild distaste, clearly not impressed.
"The ramen shop across the street is too crowded. If we're going to have a meetup, it should be somewhere with fewer people," the tall girl with glasses said.
The Gothic Lolita glanced around the restaurant. "I really wanted to try the Hell Ramen over there, but with so many people, I guess we'll have to settle for this place."
Sui suddenly realized why they looked so familiar—weren't they the otaku trio from My Little Sister Can't Be This Cute? The tall girl must be Saori Makishima, the Gothic Lolita was surely Kuroneko (Ruri Gokou), and the brown-haired girl had to be Kirino Kousaka.
"Excuse me, do you have anything good to eat here?" Saori asked as she approached.
"Yes, we have a unique dish you can only get here," Sui said with a mysterious smile.
"Oh? A unique dish?" Even Kuroneko and Kirino looked intrigued, their attention piques.