COTE: Collect All the CGs Chapter 127: Yamauchi Haruki: Born as a Human, I Am Very Sor

Shiki Natsu's slightly teasing 'chicken soup for the soul' made Ichinose Honami feel a lot more relaxed.

Listening to him, Ichinose Honami felt as if a corner of the heavy stone that had been suppressing her heart for so long had truly been lifted. That suffocating sense of guilt also miraculously dissipated a great deal along with Shiki Natsu's words.

"Mn..."

She nodded vigorously, and a smile from the bottom of her heart appeared on her face.

"Shiki-san really is a very gentle person."

If not for Shiki Natsu, she didn't know how much longer she would be tortured by that secret. Perhaps she would have really been trapped in the shadows of the past, unable to extricate herself, just as he said.

"Since Shiki-san helped so much, then... as a reward, let treat you to dinner?"

Ichinose Honami proposed sowhat shyly.

"Whether it's the school cafeteria or the various restaurants at Keyaki Mall, anywhere is fine."

Ichinose Honami wanted to express her gratitude, and she also wanted to stay with Shiki Natsu a little longer.

That sense of security from being understood and accepted by soone made her sowhat greedy for more. Although she had always played that role for others, she also yearned to et soone she could rely on.

"Sure."

Shiki Natsu agreed readily.

Being able to have dinner with a top-tier beautiful girl was an enjoyable thing in itself.

Moreover, although Ichinose Honami's current state seed to have improved a lot, this kind of issue couldn't be completely solved just by words and listening; it still required a certain period of stabilization.

If he let her go back alone now, and she started letting her imagination run wild again, wouldn't his earlier counseling be in vain?

Therefore, it was very necessary to stabilize her emotions and consolidate the results.

"However..."

Shiki Natsu changed the subject, speaking with a smile.

"I don't plan to eat at an outside restaurant.

"If you don't mind, would you like to co to my dorm? I'll cook personally and let you taste my skills."

"Eh?"

Ichinose Honami froze instantly, obviously not expecting Shiki Natsu to extend such an invitation.

Go... Go to his dorm?

And... he would cook personally?

A blush instantly spread across the girl's cheeks, and her heartbeat involuntarily sped up a few notches.

Isn't this... progressing too fast?

Looking at Ichinose Honami's sowhat flustered and cute appearance, Shiki Natsu roughly guessed what she was thinking.

"Don't worry, I'm not the kind of person who would take the opportunity to do sothing bad.

"If you're not at ease, you can invite Amikura-san to co along. It's livelier with more people anyway."

"N-No, that's not it!"

Ichinose Honami shook her head hurriedly, her face turning even redder.

"I don't distrust Shiki-san... It's just..."

She explained sowhat incoherently.

"It should have been thanking Shiki-san, so how did it end up with you treating instead? And troubling you to cook personally...

"And... I trust Shiki-san quite a lot."

Towards the end, her voice beca very small, like the buzzing of a mosquito.

"After all... Shiki-san was willing to listen so gently to my past that I can't bear to look back on, without showing the slightest bit of disdain..."

How could such a person be a bad guy?

"No need to be polite."

Shiki Natsu waved his hand, speaking with a relaxed expression.

"Actually, I haven't eaten cafeteria food for a long ti. Whether it's lunch or dinner, I basically prepare it myself.

"Besides, I can guarantee you that my cooking is highly acclaid. It definitely won't disappoint you."

"Then... I'll look forward to Shiki-san's cooking."

Looking at Shiki Natsu's confident appearance, that trace of apprehension in Ichinose Honami's heart vanished into thin air, replaced by a faint anticipation.

Cooking made by Shiki Natsu?

I wonder what it will taste like?

...

The two walked side-by-side on the road back to the dormitory. Suddenly, several familiar noisy voices ca from not far ahead.

Shiki Natsu looked up and saw the "Idiot Trio" of Class D—Yamauchi Haruki, Ike Kanji, and Sudou Ken—walking out of the convenience store with their arms around each other's shoulders. They actually didn't go to the study group?

Kushida Kikyou and Horikita Suzune really have it hard. Since that's the case, he would help them punish Yamauchi Haruki a little.

Anyway, the cooldown ti for this Skill Card wasn't too long, and using this kind of negative effect on soone like Yamauchi Haruki could be considered making the best use of everything.

Yamauchi Haruki was bragging about sothing with a beaming face.

With a thought, Shiki Natsu directly used the Skill Card: Guilt on Yamauchi Haruki.

The next second, a shocking scene occurred.

Yamauchi Haruki, who had been laughing loudly just a mont ago, suddenly looked as if he had been possessed. The smile on his face froze instantly, and then he fell to his knees with a "thud".

"Boohoohoo... I'm sorry... everyone..."

He pounded the ground with both hands and wailed loudly.

"I'm really a piece of trash... I dragged down everyone in the class... Why am I alive...

"I'm sorry for being born human!!!"

Beside him, Ike Kanji and Sudou Ken were dumbfounded by this sudden turn of events. They looked at Yamauchi Haruki, who was kneeling on the ground crying bitterly, with faces full of horror, and then involuntarily put so distance between them. They had no idea what was happening—was he possessed?

Yamauchi Haruki: "It shouldn't be. Aren't I a phony? Why would I have a sense of guilt?"

Shiki Natsu confird it. Even on Yamauchi Haruki, this skill was effective, and the effect was quite good. He then spoke to Ichinose Honami beside him.

"Don't look. He probably wants to practice his acting skills. Let's go."

"Ah... O-Okay."

Although Ichinose Honami thought it was very strange, seeing Yamauchi Haruki's manic appearance, she still subconsciously quickened her pace to follow Shiki Natsu.

After this small interlude, the two returned to the dormitory building without any obstruction.

And it was the classic scenario of returning to the dorm with a girl without encountering anyone on the way.

Arriving at the door of Shiki Natsu's room, Ichinose Honami appeared sowhat reserved.

This was her first ti entering a boy's room, and with just a lone man and a lone woman together, she inevitably felt a little nervous.

"Please, co in."

Shiki Natsu opened the door and turned sideways, making a "please" gesture.

Ichinose Honami took a deep breath and stepped inside cautiously.

The scene that greeted her eyes made her freeze slightly.

The room was extrely clean, one could even say spotless.

The floor shone like new, the table and chairs were arranged neatly, and even the air was perated with a faint fragrance. It completely lacked that legendary feeling of a boys' dormitory.

"Wow... It's so clean."

Ichinose Honami couldn't help but exclaim.

"Shiki-san must clean the room often, right? It's really quite different from the boy's room I imagined."

"Heh, it's alright."

Shiki Natsu smiled.

Clean often?

Non-existent.

This was all maintained by the "Auto-Clean" effect of his superpower. He didn't need to lift a finger every day, and the room would automatically look brand new.

But naturally, he couldn't say such things out loud.

"Then what does the boy's room you imagined look like?"

He asked back.

"Mn... W-Well..."

Ichinose Honami tilted her head and thought for a mont.

"Although I can't say the specific feeling, at least... it should be a little ssier, right? Like clothes thrown around in disorder, or books piled up everywhere..."

"Then do you think my way counts as good or bad?"

"Of course it counts as good!"

Ichinose Honami answered without hesitation.

"That's good then."

Shiki Natsu smiled and turned to walk towards the kitchen area.

"By the way, what kind of cuisine do you like?"

"?"

Ichinose Honami froze for a mont.

She rembered that Shiki Natsu seed empty-handed when he ca back and hadn't gone to buy ingredients with her.

If he was preparing a al, he could only choose from inside the refrigerator, and she didn't know what ingredients were in Shiki Natsu's refrigerator.

Ichinose Honami tossed the choice back.

"As long as it's a dish prepared by Shiki-san, I look forward to it."

"Alright."

Shiki Natsu nodded.

He directly opened the refrigerator and took out so fresh ingredients that seed to have been prepared long ago.

Actually, this was still thanks to the System. He could manifest whatever ingredients he wanted at any ti, so there was simply no need to worry about problems like the refrigerator being empty.

While Shiki Natsu was busy in the kitchen, Ichinose Honami grew a little bolder.

She began to size up the room more carefully.

Mn, it really is clean and tidy everywhere.

Not only the floor and the table, but even the quilt on the bed was folded neatly, and the bedsheet was so smooth it didn't have a single crease.

The trash can was also empty, without even a scrap of paper.

As for under the bed, the girl wasn't such a rude person and didn't think about exploring it.

"Um... Shiki-san, do you need my help?"

Watching Shiki Natsu skillfully chopping vegetables and cooking in the kitchen, Ichinose Honami asked sowhat embarrassedly.

After all, she was here to mooch a al; sitting and waiting idly didn't seem quite right.

"No need, just sit tight."

Shiki Natsu said without looking back.

"I can handle this little thing alone. You just wait to enjoy the al."

Hearing him say this, Ichinose Honami could only sit obediently on the chair, resting her chin in her hands, quietly watching his busy back in the kitchen.

In that mont, a warm current surged in her heart.

Shiki-san... truly is a person who is both kind and gentle.

Not only was he willing to spend ti listening to her speak of that heavy dark history without the slightest disdain or accusation, but now he was also so thoughtfully preparing dinner for her.

This feeling of being treated with care was really nice.

Soon, a tempting aroma wafted out of the kitchen.

Before long, Shiki Natsu walked out carrying two plates of cuisine that were perfect in color, aroma, and taste.

"Sorry for the wait."

He placed the plates on the table.

It was a portion of exquisite-looking Western-style stew, paired with bread baked to a golden crisp, emitting a fragrance that made one's index finger twitch.

"Wow... It looks so delicious!"

Ichinose Honami couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, her eyes lighting up.

"Enjoy your al."

Shiki Natsu said with a smile, handing her a set of cutlery.

"Then I won't be polite!"

Ichinose Honami put her hands together and said "Itadakimasu," then couldn't wait to taste a mouthful.

"Mn?!"

The mont the food entered her mouth, her eyes snapped open wide.

Delicious!

It's truly too delicious!

But this wasn't just an enjoynt of the sense of taste.

The mont she swallowed the food, an indescribable emotion seed to well up from the depths of her heart.

That was her mother's expectation for her, her sister's expectation for her after she had been decadent for half a year, and then the feelings of her resolving to work hard to change, to strive upwards, and to grasp the future again.

This was, of course, the magical effect of Shiki Natsu's cooking.

As a person possessing a Legendary Cooking Skill, the food he made could not only drug people and glow, but more importantly, it could trigger emotional resonance in people, amplifying certain emotions deep within the consur's heart.

Previously, Ichinose Honami was troubled by guilt because the image of her crying mother, her mother's kindness to her, and the guilt of having let all that down kept looping in her mind.

But now, through this dish, Shiki Natsu deliberately amplified the positive emotions on the other side of her heart—that desire to grasp the future and to beco better.

Just like how Tadokoro gumi in Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma moved the cold Chef Shinomiya with her warm cooking.

Shiki Natsu felt that relying solely on the "speechcraft" just now, although effective, wasn't thorough enough.

Only by truly awakening her yearning for the future emotionally could that guilt be better suppressed.

This was also the real reason why he had specially invited Ichinose Honami to the dorm for a al.

"Ugh..."

As she ate, Ichinose Honami suddenly felt a stinging sensation in her nose, and tears flowed down involuntarily.

But these weren't tears of sadness.

Different from the tears filled with regret and self-bla she shed when recounting her sins earlier, this ti, her tears carried a trace of relief, and a joy of rebirth.

"What's wrong? Is it not good?"

Shiki Natsu asked deliberately.

"N-No..."

Ichinose Honami shook her head desperately while wiping her tears, but a smile was on her face.

"It's because it's too delicious... D-Delicious enough to make one want to cry...

"Thank you, Shiki-san."

She raised her head, grateful light shimring in those azure eyes.

"Really... thank you so very much."

"No need to thank . We are friends, so... I want to do what I can for a friend."

Shiki Natsu nodded, looking at her gently. He really was a good person; he was even moved by himself.

"As long as it can make you happy, this al wasn't made in vain."

Ichinose Honami looked at the young man before her, her heart filled with being moved.

Being able to muster the courage to tell Shiki Natsu that secret was truly great.

Being able to choose to pull herself together again, co to this school, and then et soone like Shiki Natsu was truly great.

[Ding~]

[CG42: Treated with Gentleness (Ichinose Honami)]

[It's really great to be able to et Shiki-san]

[Congratulations Host on acquiring Skill Card: Mind Purification (Eliminates all current negative emotions. Can only be used on one target once per day)]

Ichinose Honami.jpg

Two CGs in one day? Shiki Natsu was also very moved.

Just as the two were enjoying dinner.

Suddenly, the phone on the table vibrated, and the screen lit up.

Shiki Natsu picked up the phone and took a glance.

The person who sent the ssage was actually Sakayanagi Arisu.

That white-haired loli who always liked to cause trouble.

Looking at that familiar na, Shiki Natsu's eyebrows raised slightly.

This smug brat, sending a ssage at a ti like this... what does she plan to do now?

____

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