Happy Halloween! 3
“I understand. I’ll think about it.”
As a future patissier, he would think about it.
This might be what Chika’s father had pointed out. Sōma didn’t want to take the easy way out if that was the case.
To make vegetable sweets that didn’t feel like vegetables.
It was a riddle-like problem. Even professional patissiers might struggle with it.
Sōma tried various experiments.
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He reduced the amount of pumpkin, increased the sugar and cream, extended the baking time, and even tried using liqueur, testing every method he could think of.
But none yielded a satisfactory result.
Reducing the pumpkin just turned it into a plain pudding, while increasing the sugar and cream made it too sweet and cloying. Baking it longer made it dry and crumbly. The liqueur was out of the question, resulting in a pudding with an awful smell.
“This is no good.”
He had hit a dead end.
Sōma, who had always focused on the basics and hadn’t thought much about innovation, lacked the ability to adjust recipes.
He didn’t have the talent to come up with a game-changing solution.
“What should I do…”
He muttered weakly while staring at the strange-smelling pudding.
He wanted to clear this task by any means necessary. If he couldn’t even clear a challenge he set for himself, he felt like he would only ever be a ‘pathetic patissier’.
That fear was what drove Sōma to stubbornness.
“…I wonder how Chika is doing.”
Thinking too much can be as bad as not resting. Perhaps it would be better to actually take a break. To distract himself, he decided to call Chika.
『Oh, hello?』
He was sure he had called Chika’s smartphone, but the voice that came through the speaker was that of an older woman.
“Um… by any chance, are you Chika’s mother?”
『Right on the mark. You recognized me quickly. Impressive.』
“Well, I’ve heard Chika’s voice countless times.”
『Oh my, you two must be very close. To recognize someone immediately over the phone is quite something, isn’t it?』
“I don’t think it’s that big of a deal.”
『It is a big deal. It took my husband years to distinguish between my voice and my sister’s over the phone. Sōma-kun, Chika’s voice must have really made an impression on you.』
“Made an impression?”
His voice involuntarily rose in pitch at the strange comment, and on the other end of the line, Chika’s mother chuckled with amusement.
『Just kidding, just kidding. I can picture your troubled face, Sōma-kun.』
“Well…”
He was certain that Chika’s S-like nature was definitely inherited from this woman.
“Um, why are you answering Chika’s phone? Where is the owner?”
『That child is busy and can’t come to the phone, so I answered for her. I wouldn’t have picked up for anyone else, but I thought it would be okay if it’s you, Sōma-kun.』
“No, I would still appreciate some consideration in that regard.”
There was nothing to hide, but anyone would be surprised if they intended to call someone and their parent answered instead.
『To be serious, that child left her smartphone in the living room and has locked herself in her room. She seems to be preparing for an event this weekend.』
“Is she working that hard?”
『As a parent, I worry that she might be overdoing it. But it must be a good thing. It’s the first time I’ve seen her work so diligently. Perhaps we have been depriving her of such opportunities all along.』
Regret and guilt seeped through the voice on the phone.
“I see. She’s really putting in the effort.”
Chika was giving it her all. Yet, he was stuck in a rut.
He felt envious and a little jealous.
Sensing his impatience,
『It seems like you’re having a tough time, Sōma-kun?』
She asked.
“…well, yes, I’m struggling.”
He confessed honestly. At the same time, he thought about consulting this patissière. Maybe a professional could provide a precise answer.
『I won’t be giving you any advice.』
However, my expectations were preemptively dashed as she sharply retorted.
『Just as my husband said, this is something you and Chika should do on your own. You can’t always expect the world to lend you a hand.』
“…You’re quite strict with other people’s children.”
『That’s a painful thing to hear. But this time, I won’t be lending a hand to you or Chika. My husband and I have decided that. Instead, why don’t you come over and help Chika out? It might be a nice change of pace, and you might even get some hints from her.』
“Right now?”
『I’ll treat you to dinner at least.』
He hesitated for a moment. But continuing to mull over it here didn’t seem likely to yield any answers.
So, it might not be a bad idea to follow her suggestion and take action.
“I understand. I’ll head over right now.”
After hanging up the phone, he quickly got ready and headed to the Satomi residence.
Riding the bicycle he was accustomed to, he arrived in about thirty minutes like before.
“Welcome. She’s upstairs.”
Chika’s mother greeted him with a gentle smile and pointed to the second floor.
“Yes, thank you. I’ll be right up.”
He bowed and took off his sneakers, ready to head straight to Chika’s room.
“Oh, by the way.”
Chika’s mother called out to him, stopping him in his tracks.
“My husband is out on business tonight.”
“I see. He must be busy with work. Thank you for your hard work.”
“As for me, as long as they take responsibility, I don’t mind high school students doing whatever. So, I won’t come to check even if it gets noisy upstairs. Please feel at ease.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He replied with a grimace to Chika’s mother, who was smiling cheerfully, and then proceeded upstairs.
Knock knock.
He knocked on Chika’s room door.
No answer.
Knock knock.
He knocked again.
There was a sense of someone inside, but still no response.
“Hey, Chika?”
This time, he called out her name while knocking.
Finally, there was a reaction.