ALL NOVEL In typical situations where two people dine together, nine out of ten times, they are likely to have a significant connection. They might be long-time friends, love interests, romantic partners, or family members — you get the gist. The last case is obviously a business meal.
Except for that last scenario, these dining experiences generally maintain a relaxed atmosphere. It’s pretty rare for anyone to have dinner while having an awkward relationship with the other person — which makes sense.
But what about dining with someone you hardly know, like someone you just met today? Unless you’re both overflowing with charm, the conversation tends to go thump-thump, interrupted, while both parties busy themselves with subtle glances. We’re talking about those so-called social butterflies who can casually chat with total strangers.
Why do I mention this? Because the conversation with Haruna flows a bit too well. I was never really what you’d call a social butterfly, but ever since I possessed Mika’s body, I’ve felt myself becoming chattier.
Not to mention, Haruna exudes a certain social charm herself. So, perhaps it makes sense that our conversation feels so natural.
“Mika, so you can cook to some extent? I admire that, as I have absolutely zero cooking skills. I dream of being a chef in spirit, but when it comes to results… fufu.”
With her hand on her cheek, Haruna gives a shy little smile. What’s up with her? Is she seriously trying to flirt with me?
Nah, she’s probably just naturally that alluring. She’s a devil, after all. Yep, that must be it. Who flirts so brazenly with someone they just met? Especially when it’s someone of the same gender.
Don’t fall for it. After all, she’s the one who feeds her teacher fish-shaped pastries while asking them to “Ah~” and realizes what gourmet food really means when eating with her favorite person. Nope, I’m not getting fooled.
“Aha, even if you say that… I’m only capable of the most basic cooking. It’s really nothing worth admiring. If my shortcomings were revealed, I’d probably die of embarrassment!”
“In my experience, those who downplay themselves like that tend to be quite adept in their field. Striving for humility while avoiding arrogance is the path to mastery in any area… fufu, does that make me sound conceited for pretending to know about realms I have no clue about?”
With that, Haruna takes a piece of focaccia bread, which the staff just delivered.
“Mmm…! This is delightful. The soft, fluffy texture! Soaking in olive oil with herbs, the flavor, which could have been overwhelming, is perfectly balanced by the cheese. It’s the ideal example of restaurant bread! A sign that the upcoming meal will be promising.”
That’s spot on. Italians take their table bread seriously, so if the pre-meal bread is lacking, you just know the main course is going to be a disaster. On the other hand, if the bread is edible or even tasty, the chances are high the main course won’t let you down either. Not a guarantee, but you know, generally speaking.
In fact, the better the bread tastes, the more one has to control their intake — especially since we’re about to tackle 500 grams of steak each! Stuffing ourselves with bread could lead to problems.
Still, good taste is irresistible, so while chatting with Haruna, we ended up getting a bread refill.
“Prosciutto e melone has arrived.”
On the plate set before us, melon pieces were wrapped in prosciutto, a kind of raw ham, and decorated with herbs.
“Hmm…”
“Is there something bothering you, Haruna-chan?”
I didn’t notice anything odd, but her reaction was curious. Usually, if it were someone else, I’d just chuckle it off, but since Haruna remembers and might blow up a restaurant for even minor grievances, I need to tread carefully.
“…I just found the peeled melon a bit concerning. Those who prefer the skin have lost their option, after all?”
“Huh? I don’t really see the problem. Prioritizing the customer’s convenience isn’t a flaw! Plus, if the flavor harmony between the prosciutto and melon was the intention, then that choice is totally valid! So let’s taste it first and think about it later☆”
“…fufu, was that your plan to persuade me? Dining with someone who sees things differently is indeed enjoyable. I get what you mean, Mika. If the taste is on point, then the method is correct. But if the taste is subpar, it’s okay to say the restaurant’s approach was wrong.”
…How does that follow? You just want to find faults to blow up the place, don’t you?
“Well then…”
As Haruna was tasting the dish, I also took a piece with my fork. As soon as it touched my tongue, the savory flavor of the ham hit me, but as I bit into the melon, a burst of sweetness harmonized beautifully with it. The texture of the ham was excellent too. If I crave another piece right after one, that’s already a successful dish in my book.
By my standards, it’s kind of delicious, but I wonder what that picky lady thinks of it?
Looking at Haruna, she had her eyes closed, savoring the taste. Or maybe she was even evaluating the lingering aftertaste?
“Mika, did you know there’s a condition for a high-level prosciutto e melone?”
A moment later, a slightly flushed Haruna opened her eyes, looking at me with passion blazing in her crimson gaze. Seeing that spark made me think that if a restaurant had disappointed her, it was their fault, not hers.
Ugh, come on! Get a grip! At this rate, I’ll end up joining the Gourmet Research Club…!
“Aha, sorry! Honestly, I don’t really know those fine points☆ So please enlighten me, Haruna-chan!”
“Fufu, of course! Since you asked, I’ll gladly explain. The condition is simple: the quality of the melon shouldn’t be too high. If it’s not sweet enough, it won’t balance out the ham’s salty flavor. But if it’s overly sweet, it’ll overpower the taste of the ham. Properly mediocre melons are needed to complete a wonderful prosciutto e melone. Of course, if a totally subpar melon is used, it should definitely be blown up!”
Now she’s casually talking about blowing things up. Looks like her true nature is finally showing…!
“To balance flavors, lower-quality ingredients are necessary; that’s quite an interesting concept. Considering your expression, it seems this restaurant managed that well?”
“Right now, I think I can agree with you, Mika. They succeeded in flavor, so if I were to claim their method was wrong, I’d be arrogant…”
“Oh, is that so? I’m glad to hear you say that!”
“Yes, this is definitely gourmet. I liked it.”
Looks like we’ve passed the first round? There are still challenges ahead, but if it continues like this, the restaurant might survive today.
“But Mika, is there a special reason you dislike our Gehenna?”
While the waiter took the empty plate away, Haruna asked me. Honestly, I hadn’t expected to receive this question today.
“Haruna-chan, don’t you think that’s a slightly strange question to ask a Trinity student? The enmity between us is practically ingrained in our genes. Trinity calls you ‘horned ones’ and keeps their distance, while Gehenna dismisses us as ‘pigeons.’ It’s natural that we’re seen as unworthy of each other’s company — it’s almost fact. Nobody questions it, not even students who have never directly experienced any harm.”
“Fufu, I know that too.”
“So then why ask if you already know? Is there something you want to talk about?”
“It’s not a serious discussion. But when I see us here now, I wonder if that long-standing feud seems kind of pointless. Dining together and having peaceful conversations makes it feel a bit meaningless, you know? Don’t you think so, Mika?”
Ah, so sitting down for a meal made her wonder, “Why are we so eager to tear each other apart?” How intriguing.
If more students began thinking this way, it could lead to the Eden Treaty concluding successfully, so I might have struck luck meeting Haruna today.
But that’s that, and it seems too obvious that you want to drag me to Gehenna!
“Hey, Haruna-chan.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“Maybe you just don’t know anything besides cuisine, so that’s why you’re asking? If from the beginning I dismissed the ultimate taste you seek, I’d say this place would have been destroyed for a different reason by now~ What do you think of that?”
“Fufu. Looks like the next menu is about to arrive.”
Look at this girl dodging the issue!
If we fought here, I’d win without a doubt. To begin with, Haruna uses a sniper rifle, whereas I could fold her in half without a gun at all. I’d need to bring someone like Neru to make an even fight.
So there shouldn’t be a chance of the place getting destroyed, but she could explode it without a care. I might be able to stop her before that, but if today’s meeting doesn’t go well, the chance of the place blowing up is about fifty-fifty.
“Bucatini all’Amatriciana has arrived.”
Bucatini all’Amatriciana.
Bucatini is a type of pasta with a small hole in the middle, allowing the sauce to fill it up and give a richer flavor. The latter part, “all’Amatriciana,” means it originates from the Amatrice region.
…Now I’ve decided to just roll with it when I see regional names in Kivotos. Adult reasons, you know.
Anyway, many people think of Amatriciana as just spicy bacon tomato pasta, but that’s a misconception.
Bacon is merely a substitute for guanciale, which is made from the cheeks of the pig that have been salted over a long period. The traditional recipe uses Italian chili, ‘peperoncino,’ for spice, and it’s finished off with a sprinkle of pecorino romano cheese. If cheese’s odor isn’t your thing, this dish might be a bit burdensome.
It’s a beloved pasta dish, but it’s not easy to find one prepared entirely to the authentic recipe due to ingredient accessibility and cost.
The expectation-filled ruby eyes of Haruna looked ready to finish an entire plate already with just a glance. Thinking that her passion made her all the more captivating, I wondered if I had been enchanted.
“First off, the visual earns a passing grade. The plating is definitely above average. For a restaurant accepting only reservations, this level is a given. Fufu, how about you eat first this time, Mika?”
Only then did I realize that reaching the ultimate culinary experience version ‘Trinity’ was still far from over. She managed to ensnare me this much already…
Will I end up joining the Gourmet Research Club?