Suzuki Haruto and Sakaki Ryoko had not ridden far when they ran into Tadokoro Megumi and Yoshino Yuki, who were also cycling back to Polar Star Dormitory.
Both girls looked surprised to see Haruto and Ryoko sharing the same bicycle.
"Haruto-san is moving into Polar Star, but he didn’t prepare any transportation, so I’m giving him a ride," Ryoko explained calmly.
Megumi and Yuki immediately nodded in understanding.
It was a long way to the dormitory, after all.
"I didn’t know you were moving into Polar Star too, Haruto-san!" Megumi said in surprise.
Then a worried look crossed her face. "But... the entrance cooking test is really difficult."
Even if the academy assigned someone to Polar Star, they still had to pass the dorm manager, Daimidō Fumio’s, cooking test before they were allowed to move in.
And Fumio’s standards were extremely demanding.
Megumi herself had needed three months to pass.
That was why so few students managed to earn a room at Polar Star.
If Haruto failed at this hour, he would have no choice but to camp outside in the dormitory courtyard for the night.
Haruto glanced at Megumi and smiled.
"Well, I’m fairly confident in my cooking."
Megumi and Yuki exchanged looks, unsure how to respond to his confidence.
Neither of them knew how skilled Haruto actually was.
Still, anyone who had passed Totsuki’s transfer examination could not be that bad.
...
"In that case, we can have a proper celebration tonight for our newest resident!" Ryoko said with a cheerful smile.
Yuki studied Haruto and Ryoko for a moment, her eyes turning thoughtful before she looked at Ryoko curiously.
"Oh? You sound pretty confident in him, Ryoko."
"Did he do that well in class today?"
Ryoko nodded without hesitation.
"He did."
"Haruto-san had never made pan-seared foie gras before, but his movements were smooth from start to finish. He didn’t make a single mistake."
"His control over heat was even better than mine."
"You’re giving me too much credit."
Haruto smiled modestly and waved a hand.
"I still have a long way to go. I’m just a little more sensitive to temperature than most people. There are plenty of other things I still need to learn."
Yuki looked at him with growing interest, now even more curious about his cooking.
Then she seemed to remember something.
"By the way, Haruto-san, did you prepare ingredients for the entrance test?"
"If you didn’t, I can give you one of my Polar Star chickens. For Ryoko’s sake, of course!"
The Polar Star chickens were free-range birds Yuki had personally raised in the dormitory courtyard.
Their meat was firm, springy, and full of flavor, making them excellent cooking ingredients.
"I already prepared what I need," Haruto replied with a smile.
Since he knew he would be moving into Polar Star, he had naturally planned ahead.
There was no reason to trouble someone else for ingredients.
Yuki nodded and did not press the matter.
...
Ryoko suddenly seemed to remember something and turned toward Megumi.
"Come to think of it, Megumi, weren’t you paired with that transfer student, Yukihira Soma, today?"
"How did he do?"
Haruto had performed so well that Ryoko could not help wondering how capable the other transfer student was.
The moment she heard Soma’s name, Megumi’s smile stiffened.
Her expression became complicated, and after a short pause, she answered with some difficulty.
"Yukihira-kun’s cooking ability... really is impressive."
That much was true.
The talent and creativity Soma had shown in the kitchen had genuinely amazed her.
Then Megumi’s tone shifted.
"But his personality is awful!"
The memory of Soma’s honey-marinated squid tentacles made her feel sick all over again.
The taste had been so terrible that the experience had felt almost like a personal attack.
Haruto immediately understood her expression.
She had probably fallen victim to one of Soma’s culinary abominations.
When it came to that particular kind of twisted humor, Soma had inherited his father’s talent perfectly.
Back in the day, Yukihira Joichiro had repeatedly tormented one unfortunate girl with his bizarre experimental dishes, leaving her with psychological scars that would probably last a lifetime.
"You’ve had a rough day, Tadokoro-san."
Haruto looked at Megumi with genuine pity.
"Yukihira can be a real bastard sometimes."
Just imagining the taste of those disastrous creations made his stomach churn.
Unfortunately for Megumi, this was only the beginning.
Soma was also moving into Polar Star, which meant she would probably be forced to sample his "experimental dishes" many more times in the future.
Her prospects looked painfully bleak.
For some reason, Haruto had to fight the urge to laugh.
...
"Wait... Haruto-san, have you tried one too?"
Megumi suddenly looked up at him, a tiny spark of hope hidden in her voice.
Perhaps the thought that she was not the only victim had brought her some comfort.
"No. I refused."
Haruto answered calmly.
Soma had once invited him to taste one of his so-called test dishes, but Haruto already knew exactly what sort of games the Yukihira father and son liked to play.
He had rejected the offer immediately.
"Oh..."
Megumi’s shoulders slumped, disappointment filling her voice.
She had thought she had finally found someone who shared her suffering, only to discover that she was still the sole victim.
"What was it? Come on, tell us!" Yuki urged eagerly. "I really want to know!"
Ryoko was looking at Megumi with equal curiosity.
Unable to resist Yuki’s relentless questioning, Megumi finally blushed and quietly told them how Soma had "treated" her to honey-marinated squid tentacles, placing particular emphasis on the dish’s horrifying flavor.
After hearing the full story, Yuki and Ryoko exchanged a glance.
When they looked back at Megumi, their eyes were filled with heartfelt sympathy.
That truly sounded awful!
Honey-marinated squid tentacles were bad enough as an idea.
They could only imagine how dreadful they had actually tasted.
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