The next morning, Hoshino Sora woke up early. After a comfortable stretch, he opened his suitcase and began to pack.
Because he arrived too late yesterday, and with the welcome party, he didn't have time to pack his luggage. Now that he finally had some free time, he decided to tidy up his things while there were no classes in the morning.
"This is…"
Opening his suitcase, Hoshino Sora took out a brocade pouch from inside. The words "Pass the Exam" were written on the pouch, and a warmth spread through his heart.
But soon, he noticed something was off. Why was there a curved hair outside the brocade pouch…
To be precise, half of this hair was inside the pouch and half was outside. It looked a bit curly, and where it came from seemed to be debatable.
"Sniff, sniff…"
Gently twitching his nose, Hoshino Sora brought the item to his nose, closed his eyes, and inhaled. Then his face flushed, because he had smelled this scent before and knew exactly which part it came from.
"These two idiot older sisters!"
Hoshino Sora grumbled indignantly, then stuffed the brocade pouch back into his suitcase. How could he possibly carry this thing out? If people knew what was inside, it would be pure social suicide!
But how were these taken off?
A series of alluring images flashed through his mind, and Hoshino Sora quickly shook his head, not daring to think further, otherwise his little brother might not be able to calm down for a while.
After taking out the remaining items from his suitcase and tidying them up, Hoshino Sora left his room.
Since everyone went to bed late yesterday, the Yōbi Dormitory was unusually quiet at this moment. He glanced at the clock on the wall; it was eight in the morning. He had only slept for about 4 hours yesterday.
However, his spirits were good at this moment.
Having found clean clothes, he went downstairs. Hoshino Sora wanted to take a bath early, as he hadn't cleaned himself since his "battle" with his sisters that day.
Although there was no smell on him, he felt somewhat subtly uncomfortable inside. Last night, due to the welcome party, he didn't have time to deal with personal matters.
"Shizuka… Sensei?"
Changing out of his clothes and opening the bathroom door, Hoshino Sora looked at the scene inside with his mouth slightly agape, his heart pounding to the extreme. Before he could react, a wooden bucket flew towards him.
"Get out!"
The voice was sharp, urgent, and shy. Hoshino Sora hurriedly backed out of the bathroom and closed the door, but the sight he had just seen lingered in his mind, refusing to go away.
Meanwhile, Hiratsuka Shizuka, soaking in the bathtub, had a rapidly beating heart. She had a habit of taking a bath in the morning.
And because the dormitory was all girls, she never closed the door when bathing. Sometimes, she would even pull people in to bathe together, chatting and talking about dreams.
However, a situation like today's was a first in her life. It wasn't that she hadn't imagined similar things, but she really hadn't expected such a low-probability event to happen in reality.
Extremely ashamed internally, not only was she seen naked, but she also saw a male's… for the first time.
Was that size really normal?
The image in her mind also refused to go away. Because she hadn't expected anyone to be inside, Hiratsuka Shizuka hadn't made any noise while bathing, nor had she locked the door. Hoshino Sora had simply walked in unprepared.
By the time she came to her senses, it had already escalated into the current situation.
About ten minutes later, Hiratsuka Shizuka changed into her clothes. The blush on her face hadn't faded yet, but her heart was much calmer than at first.
After all, she was a mature working woman, and the other person was just a little kid to her. Although it was impossible for her heart not to be stirred by seeing such a scene, it was merely a ripple.
"Alright, don't take it to heart. Not locking the door was my mistake too; it has little to do with you."
Compared to Hoshino Sora's problem, Hiratsuka Shizuka preferred to find the reason within herself. If she had locked the door just now, this wouldn't have happened. The root cause was still with her.
"I'm also wrong. If I had knocked, it could have been avoided too."
"Then each of us takes half the responsibility. Aren't you going to take a bath? I'm done, you can go in."
Hoshino Sora lowered his head, listening to Hiratsuka Shizuka's thoughtful and gentle words, feeling inexplicably touched. Perhaps this was the unique charm of a mature woman.
She likes to find reasons within herself and doesn't easily blame others. She's truly! I'm crying my eyes out!
Entering the bathroom, shedding his restraints, and looking at the water that hadn't been completely drained, Hoshino Sora's heart raced a bit. Without hesitation, he locked the door, then stopped the half-drained water.
He didn't know if it was an illusion, but he always felt that the water smelled a bit fragrant. Out of some perverse psychology, Hoshino Sora refilled the hot water while soaking in it.
Ah~ so comfortable!
A look of enjoyment appeared on his face. The feeling of warm water permeating his skin—after a long day, nothing was more comfortable than taking a bath!
Closing his eyes, the scene he had just witnessed flashed through his mind. He told himself not to think about it, but how could he forget such a beautiful scene…
Seriously, I'm bursting with pent-up frustration!
——————
After showering, Hoshino Sora, with a sage-like expression, came to the kitchen. Thinking that he was new here and needed to make a good impression, he rolled up his sleeves, ready to go all out to make breakfast.
"Miyu, you're here."
Looking at Shiina Mahiru, who was busy at the stove in the kitchen, Hoshino Sora's expression showed a hint of surprise. Since everyone went back late last night, they should theoretically all be catching up on sleep.
"Yes, because I'm in charge of everyone's breakfast this month, I wake up a bit earlier. What would Hoshino-kun like to eat?"
Looking at Hoshino Sora walking towards her, Shiina Mahiru tilted her head and asked curiously. He was a new member, so he naturally had a share of the breakfast benefits.
"Wanting to eat steamed buns, soy milk, and fried dough sticks right now is a bit unrealistic. For now, let's see what's available."
Picking up the apron nearby and tying it around himself, Hoshino Sora spoke while checking the remaining ingredients. Due to the welcome party last night, there wasn't much left in the kitchen.
"Are you going to help too?"
"Otherwise, why would I wake up so early? I didn't expect you to be up this early either; I'm impressed."
"You say that, but you're not praising me properly. So what are you planning to make? Dessert is a bit too heavy for breakfast."
Knowing that Hoshino Sora was skilled at desserts, Shiina Mahiru kindly reminded him. Bread for breakfast was acceptable, but desserts were probably not a good idea.
"I'm not just good at desserts. There's still a bit of shrimp, eggs, and beef in the fridge. I'll just make a simple pot-stewed beef."
Opening the refrigerator in the kitchen and looking at the limited ingredients inside, Hoshino Sora smiled and offered his suggestion.
"Pot-stewed beef?"
"It's a Chinese dish, and it smells amazing!"
Smiling and giving a thumbs-up, Hoshino Sora said confidently.
"Is Hoshino-kun more skilled at Chinese dishes?"
Thinking of Hoshino Sora's eloquent talk about the shared drink last night, Shiina Mahiru couldn't help but ask curiously. Chinese cuisine was famously difficult worldwide, so people who could cook Chinese dishes were very impressive—that was her thought.
"My father used to study in China, and he taught me Chinese cuisine. Plus, most of the recipes in my family are Chinese, so I'm more skilled in Chinese food than Japanese food."
With a swift knife, he sliced the beef thinly. Hoshino Sora's gaze swept around, finally settling on a kiwi.
"Miyu, could you peel a kiwi for me?"
"Okay, what's this for?"
With curiosity in her eyes, she handed the peeled kiwi to Hoshino Sora. He then used a cleaver to crush the kiwi pulp, threw it directly into the meat, and immediately began to mix it by hand.
"Kiwi contains fruit acid. When fruit acid comes into contact with beef, it makes the meat more tender. Afterwards, add a layer of flour to help it stick to the egg, and then you can start cooking."
"I see, you know so much."
A faint admiration appeared in her eyes. Looking at Hoshino Sora, who was speaking eloquently in front of her, Shiina Mahiru suddenly realized that he truly had a lot of skill. No wonder he had made such a bold declaration in front of so many people yesterday.
"I only know a little bit, I'm still far from good."
He wrapped slices of beef in egg wash and put them into the pan, then used a spoon to slide the remaining egg wash from the side of the pan. A rich aroma instantly filled the kitchen, and saliva began to secrete in his mouth.
"Just a little bit, huh…"
Shiina Mahiru murmured to herself, then saw Hoshino Sora suddenly lift the pan and elegantly flip the pan-fried beef.
The crispy aroma of the egg and the fragrance of the beef spread through the air. Unconsciously, saliva had already reached the corners of her mouth. Then, she saw Hoshino Sora plate the dish.
"Your drool is about to come out, you little glutton."
Turning his head, Hoshino Sora saw Shiina Mahiru, whose drool was almost dripping, and couldn't help but chuckle. He then picked up a piece of pan-fried beef with his chopsticks and offered it to her directly.
"Mmm, hot! The egg is so fragrant, and the beef is so tender! The taste is amazing!"
She mumbled her evaluation of the dish, and little stars even appeared in her eyes. The extreme tenderness of the beef and the perfectly pan-fried crispiness of the egg were truly delicious to the extreme!
It felt like swimming in a world of eggs!
"It smells so good, what delicious food are you making? The aroma has drifted all the way to my room."
Lazily stretching her waist, her impressive figure was perfectly displayed with the stretch. Kobayashi Rindo also appeared in the kitchen. Seeing the two people in aprons, she immediately approached with a greedy look, then discovered the pan-fried beef on the table.
"Delicious! Good craftsmanship."
Without any politeness, she picked up a piece of beef and put it into her mouth to taste. Kobayashi Rindo showed an expression of enjoyment, then turned her head to praise Hoshino Sora. His craftsmanship was indeed good; he had mastered the heat for the pan-fried beef very well.
Moreover, the beef was handled very tenderly, the egg had a rich aroma, and the heat was controlled very precisely. To be able to make a dish to this extent was already quite good.
If he refined his skills for another two years, he would definitely reach the level of the Elite Ten.
"What a fragrant smell!"
People gradually arrived in the kitchen, and the dormitory became lively. Those upstairs were woken up, or perhaps they were already awake and just came out when they heard movement outside.
During this process, Hoshino Sora was not idle. He continued to make pan-fried beef with the remaining beef and eggs. Those who came later, seeing that only he was busy, also came to help, making their own signature dishes with the remaining ingredients.
The scene was very lively. Everyone helped each other, pouring all their heart into their own cooking.
Hoshino Sora also experienced the joy of communal living for the first time, inexplicably having a sense of déjà vu of married life with many beautiful girls.
"Shizuka, breakfast is ready, come and eat quickly."
Seeing Hiratsuka Shizuka appear at the doorway, Kobayashi Rindo enthusiastically raised her hand to greet her, then went over and pulled her in.
Their eyes met, and both Hoshino Sora and Hiratsuka Shizuka felt a bit awkward, but neither of them mentioned what had just happened, trying their best to maintain an appearance as if nothing had occurred.
The people around them didn't notice anything unusual either.
The morning meal passed peacefully like that.
——————
"Akikubo-senpai, where are we going?"
After breakfast, Hoshino Sora was taken out of the dormitory by Akikubo Momo. Since he had no classes in the morning, he was quite free, which was why he accepted her invitation.
"To join my research society."
Hearing Hoshino Sora's question, Akikubo Momo didn't hide anything and directly stated her purpose: to have a junior who liked desserts join her research society.
"Oh? Dessert Research Society, huh... No need, Akikubo-senpai, are you short of a research society member like me?"
Hearing Akikubo Momo's words, Hoshino Sora quickly refused. He didn't want to be bound to the Dessert Research Society. It wasn't that he disliked desserts; the key was that his main field of study wasn't desserts.
If he were to join the Dessert Research Society, he might as well go to Kuga Terunori's Chinese Cuisine Research Society, which would at least be of some use to him. But the Dessert Research Society, for him, was completely useless.
"Sora, do you dislike desserts?"
"Sora? No, I don't dislike them. In fact, I quite like them, but I don't want to focus on desserts as my main direction of study. I don't mind making desserts occasionally."
"Do you like eating desserts?"
"I do like eating them. Is there some special meaning behind that?"
"Yes, besides pastry chefs who make desserts, our Dessert Research Society also welcomes students who enjoy desserts to come and taste them. You just need to provide your evaluation afterward."
"If that's the case, I'm not entirely against it, but my appetite is a bit large."
"It's okay, I'll take you there, no one will dare to say anything."
"Then I'll leave it to Akikubo-senpai."
Thinking of the Gourmet Cell he possessed, which required a large amount of delicious food to evolve, tasting and sampling seemed like a good path as well.
"Ryo, target found, begin tracking."
Forming his fingers into a frame and moving to lock on, Alice Nakiri's lips curled slightly as she looked at Hoshino Sora framed in her sight, as if she had discovered something interesting.
"Yes, my lady."
With a headband wrapped around his hand, Kurokiba Ryo said weakly, then dragged himself behind Alice Nakiri.
The two of them were like thieves, cautiously hiding behind various obstacles, silently following Hoshino Sora.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
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If you guys wanna check it out.