Unveiling 3
“Which side dish would you like next?”
“The chili shrimp sounds good. That’s the main dish, right?”
Foll𝑜w current novℯls on ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm.
“Yes, I worked hard on it.”
Confident, she puffed out her chest slightly before picking up a curled shrimp with the chopsticks and bringing it to my mouth.
The shrimp, coated in a shiny red sauce, looked plump and very appetizing, and the sweet and spicy aroma was stimulating my appetite.
Chika eagerly put the glossy shrimp in his mouth.
And then, he let out a loud scream that drew the attention of the entire classroom.
“It’s too spicyyy!!”
It felt like his mouth was on fire.
In a panic, he grabbed a bottle of tea and gulped it down.
The shrimp disappeared from my mouth, but the burning sensation didn’t subside; it was getting even more painful.
“What is this!? It’s ridiculously spicy! Are you trying to burn my throat!?”
“I didn’t intend for that at all. But, well, I didn’t taste this one.”
“Taste it! Tasting is a basic part of cooking!”
“But I’m not good with spicy food…”
That’s right, this girl had such a hard time with spicy things that she secretly used sweet curry roux when making curry.
“Childish taste buds.”
“Hmm. That seems a bit harsh.”
Apparently offended at being called a child, she pouted her lips in dissatisfaction.
“I’m not that childish when it comes to taste buds. I can handle wasabi with sashimi and sushi just fine.”
“Then try eating this yourself.”
He snatched the chopsticks, picked up a remaining red shrimp, and held it out to her, causing her face to contort.
“No, I’d rather not…”
“A cook should take responsibility for what they make, that’s what I think.”
He pushed the shrimp closer to her.
“Uh, uuuuh…”
Chika, who has a hard time with spicy food, hesitated for a while, but eventually made up her mind and took a bite of the shrimp.
“~~ッ!!”
She then let out an inaudible scream while covering her mouth with both hands.
“See? You look even more overwhelmed by the spiciness than I was!”
Sōma laughed mockingly, but Chika, who had no time to pay him any attention, snatched the plastic bottle.
“What is this!? It’s so spicy!”
After gulping down all the tea, she shouted something that one wouldn’t expect from the creator of the dish.
“You’re the one who made it.”
“That’s strange… Maybe I added too much doubanjiang?”
Chika tilted her head, wondering what had gone wrong, and then her face fell with disappointment.
“Unfortunately, this seems inedible.”
“No-no, it’s a waste not to eat it.”
“But it’s extremely spicy, you know?”
“I think I can handle it if I brace myself. Probably.”
Saying this, he took a deep breath and then devoured the remaining chili shrimp with all his might.
A stabbing pain ran through his tongue, but he somehow managed to forcefully finish eating it.
“…Thank you for the meal.”
“A-are you okay?”
He no longer felt anything in his mouth. Still, he put on a brave face, pretending it was nothing.
“Yeah, it was super spicy. I couldn’t taste anything but the spiciness.”
“…I see.”
Chika slumped down, disheartened by Sōma’s assessment.
“So, next time, pay attention to adjusting the spiciness. And make sure to taste it.”
“Are you going to eat it again next time?”
“Of course. Otherwise, there’s no point in having eaten this failure. Plus, I made you taste my failed baby castella last time, so it’s only fair. Just make a tastier shrimp chili next time, and that’ll be fine.”
“Yes! Next time, I’ll make one that will earn a perfect score from Sōma-san!”
“Alright, I’m looking forward to it.”
As Chika regained her spirits with a smile, Sōma thought about what to have her taste next—when he belatedly noticed that the surroundings had become unusually quiet.
It was too silent for a lunch break.
The noise from the next classroom could be heard through the walls.
“…What’s going on?”
“I wonder?”
Chika also noticed the strange atmosphere in the classroom and looked around restlessly.
The moment the two exchanged glances, the silence was shattered, and the classroom atmosphere exploded.
“What was that just now!? No seriously, what was that!?”
“Ichinose and Satomi have done something outrageous!”
“Does ‘cooperation’ mean they’re dating!? Can you believe it!?”
The entire classroom surrounded Sōma and the others all at once.
“Have you guys always been doing this kind of thing!?”
“Since when!? Since when have you been in that kind of relationship!? How far has it gone!?”
“I never thought Chika would beat me to it!”
“I’ve been outdone by Ichinose!”
They were bombarded with questions and expressions of dismay.
This must be what they mean by stirring up a hornet’s nest.
It was no longer a situation where one could calmly eat their lunch.
“Hey, we’re just taste-testing lunch. Don’t make such a big deal out of it.”
“That’s right.”
Sōma and Chika tried to calm the excited classmates, insisting they hadn’t done anything significant, but their excitement showed no signs of subsiding.
“It’s not just on that level!?”
“You were feeding each other!”
“And you were casually drink the tea from the same bottle!”
In the end, the circle of people surrounding them didn’t break up until lunch break was over.
“Everyone still doesn’t get it. The true terror of these two isn’t just this. The real hell is just starting.”
“That’s right. Kikuchi is spot on.”
Shōhei continued to eat his lunch at his own pace on the opposite side, and Miki nodded in agreement with her arms crossed, but no one, including Sōma and Chika, was listening.
***
The sixth period was physical education, and Sōma was more tired than he had imagined.
“I underestimated the popularity and recognition of the ‘Angel of Peace’…”
While changing back into his uniform from his gym clothes in the locker room and on his way back to the classroom of 1-4, he grumbled wearily.
“I saw it coming.”
Shōhei laughed as he walked beside him.