"…And that's roughly what happened."
I scratched my cheek awkwardly as I finished explaining things to the two girls from the School Lunch Club.
After the explosion that occurred when Haruna and I secretly used the cafeteria kitchen, I came here alone early this morning to apologize.
It's said that some criminals return to the scene of their crime to admire the results of their handiwork.
But with Kivotos's level of infrastructure, and perhaps the School Lunch Club's abundant experience dealing with incidents like this, only a few hours had passed, and the kitchen was already spotless, showing no trace of last night's accident.
Fuuka, who had been staring at me with lifeless eyes the whole time, let out a long sigh.
"When I heard the cafeteria exploded and that the security cameras had been dismantled again, and nothing was missing except ingredients, I had a feeling it was probably the Gourmet Research Society. But I really didn't expect that idiot Haruna to do something so… indescribable."
If Haruna were here, she'd probably wish the floor would swallow her whole.
"So it was just a cooking accident?" Juri said with visible relief, patting her chest and smiling gently. "That kind of thing happens pretty often, you know."
"Huh?" I asked hesitantly. "I-It does?"
In theory, this should've been the first time Haruna was caught sneaking into the cafeteria.
The tall pink-haired girl froze, then drooped her brows. "U-Um… I actually mess up a lot too… W-Why does my cooking always fail…"
I instinctively glanced at Fuuka, only to see her lowering her head with a sigh.
…So that's why I've only ever seen Juri assisting Fuuka?
Thinking further, I did recall rumors that when Fuuka had once been kidnapped by the Gourmet Research Society, leaving Juri in charge of the cafeteria alone had caused enormous chaos.
For some reason, Juri's pink hair suddenly felt a little glaring in my eyes.
But she quickly pulled herself together. "I just need to practice cooking even harder!"
That spirit of striving after recognizing one's shortcomings was admirable.
Fuuka gently encouraged her. "Mm! I've been watching all your hard work, Juri. If you keep it up, someday you'll definitely become an independent chef!"
"Yes, Fuuka-senpai!"
Then the black-haired, red-eyed girl turned back to me. "Sensei, thank you for coming to tell us the truth… Sigh. I'm used to this kind of thing happening all the time."
How much bitterness was hidden in that word "used to."
Seeing that neither of them intended to hold it against me, I said, "I still need to visit the Prefect Team, so I'll be going for now."
"Sensei, won't you stay a little longer?"
Fuuka stopped me. "It just so happens to be a day off. Since you've made the rare trip to Gehenna… if you don't mind, I'd like to cook something delicious for you."
Juri nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes! I want to repay you too, Sensei! And lately I've heard some worrying rumors about you…"
What!? Who's trying to slander me? Faust? Getting impatient?
"Yes…" Fuuka's expression turned serious. "I heard you've been so busy with Schale work lately that your schedule's completely reversed, and you can't even eat meals on time. The School Lunch Club can't just ignore that!"
Oh. That's all.
"Fuuka-senpai is right!" Juri seemed fired up. "To protect Sensei's health, we must fight!"
"Good spirit, Juri!"
"Yes, Fuuka-senpai!"
Their reasons sounded perfectly noble, but I keenly sensed a slight logical inconsistency earlier.
It wasn't mealtime yet. If I went to the Prefect Team to report Haruna and came back afterward, the timing would be perfect. So why did they want me to stay now?
Perhaps Fuuka didn't just want to cook for me, she wanted me to personally witness her superb culinary skills again.
Long ago, I had promised to return and taste her cooking, but the opportunity never came. Last night, Haruna had nearly beaten her to it.
Given that Fuuka had a crush on me, and shared a bit of personal rivalry with Haruna, it wasn't surprising she might feel competitive.
As for Juri, aside from occasionally comforting her on Momotalk when she complained about being scolded, I couldn't recall doing anything worthy of repayment. Clearly, she just wanted to use this chance to win my favor.
Noticing the girls' little thoughts, I smiled faintly. "In that case, I'll gratefully accept."
Fuuka and Juri exchanged a determined glance.
"Today, we present to you: Gehenna School Lunch Club's Eighteen-Selection Banquet Course! Please prepare yourself, Sensei!"
"It'll be so delicious your tongue might fall off!"
Hearing that, I genuinely looked forward to it.
And so, the School Lunch Club, normally forced to prioritize quantity over flavor while cooking for at least four thousand students daily, began to demonstrate their true skill.
Juri assisted, while Fuuka handled the ingredients and cooking. Their coordination was seamless, dazzling to watch. Far more refined than Haruna's culinary adventure the previous night.
Before long, the fragrant aroma of steaming dishes filled the air, making the wait both agonizing and exhilarating.
At last, the first appetizer was complete.
According to Fuuka, it was made by blending white miso with red beans and tofu.
"It's delicious! This combination is incredible!"
"Right~?"
Seeing my delighted reaction and hearing my praise, both girls beamed. And, fueled by joy, poured even more passion into the subsequent dishes.
One meticulously prepared banquet dish after another was served. As I savored the flavors, however, a small concern crept into my mind...
Wasn't this… a bit too much food?
By the time my stomach began to swell and I realized there were still about a third of the dishes left to serve, I sensed something was wrong.
After forcing down two or three more dishes, I faced a grim truth!
No matter how delicious it was, I would soon have to make a difficult choice.
Should I honestly tell Fuuka I was full? Or Endure?
"Um, Sensei, please have this!"
Juri, who had been idle since she couldn't help much at the moment, thoughtfully brought me a glass of orange juice.
"I freshly squeezed this for you! I may not be very helpful with the dishes, but at least I can do this much… A-And I also added just a bit of love... my affection for you, Sensei…"
As she spoke, her cheeks flushed faintly.
So she really did have a crush on me.
Perhaps I shouldn't have been biased against pink-haired girls in Kivotos. Even if there were fools, clowns, stalkers, dirty-joke enthusiasts, closet perverts, eccentric radio-wave types, baby-cons, mind readers, philosophers, and all sorts of heavy hitters in various senses…
Wasn't this hardworking girl a perfect counterexample?
"Thank you."
I smiled and drained the seemingly ordinary juice in one gulp.
When I regained consciousness, I was staring at an unfamiliar ceiling.
…What happened? Wasn't I just in the cafeteria, debating whether to tell Fuuka I was stuffed?
"It's mild indigestion," came a familiar, cool voice tinged with confusion. "And severe food poisoning."
"Eh!?"
Fuuka and Juri cried out in disbelief in unison.
…Huh? What?
Lying on a bed in the Emergency Medicine Club, feeling discomfort in my stomach, I sank into even deeper confusion.