From the mont Ichin slled the aroma of Umiko's ribs, he sensed sothing was off and refrained from eating them imdiately.
Only after observing everyone else's reactions did he cautiously pick up a piece and take a small bite.
Unlike the others, Ichin didn't display any signs of discomfort. Instead, he frowned slightly and asked, "Umiko, what kind of chili peppers did you use?"
"I used Chinese Facing heaven peppers, along with a mix of several other chili varieties from different regions to make the chili powder. It's supposed to give a layered flavor," Umiko explained. "It shouldn't be that spicy, though."
Ichin took another bite before comnting, "Ah, I see. I thought the spiciness slled familiar—it's the heat of Facing heaven pepper. While it's not the spiciest chili out there, it's certainly not sothing most people can handle, especially these few here. For , though, it's within acceptable limits."
Finishing off the rib in a few bites, Ichin sipped so milk and smiled. "Although the spice level is fine for , I'm not one of the judges, so the results are pretty clear, Umiko."
"How... how could this happen?"
Umiko stumbled back a couple of steps, her disbelief evident as she glanced at the judges. With a forced smile, she muttered, "You guys... you're all so useless."
Her words were a direct jab at everyone except Ichin.
Utaha, watching Ichin munch on a second rib, curiously asked, "Is it really not spicy for you?"
"Not particularly, at least for ," Ichin replied after swallowing the at. "Aside from the spiciness, the ribs are incredibly well-marinated. If you hadn't used chili peppers or had toned it down, this dish might have scored first place. But sadly, Umiko, you overestimated everyone's tolerance for spice."
Umiko sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead. "You're right. I completely forgot that we've never ordered anything spicy when eating out together. That's on . I'll take the loss this ti—it's just a month of cleaning duties, right? I'll handle it."
Yagami Kō, after finishing a glass of ice-cold milk, finally felt so relief and said, "Phew, thank goodness soone ended up in last place. Now I don't have to face any punishnt!"
With the competition over, the group settled down for lunch. With all the dishes from the contest combined with so takeout, the al was more than abundant.
Sitting beside Yukino, Eriri glanced at her and asked, "Yukino, did you learn anything today?"
Yukino, having just finished a piece of sweet-and-sour ribs, had fully recovered from the earlier spiciness. She calmly replied, "Yes, I learned quite a lot."
Opening a small notebook beside her, Yukino revealed several recipes she had jotted down, including the sweet-and-sour ribs, sake-stead clams, and the stew.
When Yukino said she ca to learn, she clearly wasn't kidding.
After the hearty al, everyone, with their bellies full, moved to the lounge area, relaxing on sofas and chairs to rest.
Ichin brewed tea for everyone using the tea leaves his father had sent, smiling as he said, "It looks like everyone's satisfied with today's activities. You all ate well. Let's just relax and enjoy so leisure ti in the studio this afternoon."
Yagami Kō nodded, raising her hand. "I need a break first. I'll take a nap later. Because of this competition, I haven't slept well for several nights."
Suzukaze Aoba chuckled. "Kō, isn't that a bit too much? Even if you had lost, I doubt Ichin would have made things too hard for you. After all, we still have developnt work to focus on!"
"Exactly," Ichin agreed with a nod. "I wouldn't impose a harsh punishnt. At most, I'd ask you to tidy up the studio desk and take out the trash. As for the floor, I've ordered a robot vacuum. It should arrive in a couple of days."
anwhile, Hazuki cradled Sakura Nene, who looked completely defeated, and playfully nuzzled her slightly chubby cheeks. "Your studio is well-equipped, Ichin. You've thought of everything! And the setup here is pretty nice. By the way, can you keep pets in this apartnt? I've been thinking about bringing my cat, Mozuku, here when I'm working."
At Hazuki's words, Suzukaze Aoba suddenly stood up, realization dawning on her. "Oh! That's what's been missing these past few days! It's Mozuku! Ichin-kun, Mozuku is Hazuki-san's cat. She used to bring him to the office all the ti. He's super adorable!"
"A cat, huh?" Ichin nodded. "This apartnt does allow pets, but I don't have anything prepared for a cat—no bowls, scratching posts, or litter boxes."
"That's no problem at all," Hazuki said confidently, giving him a thumbs-up. "The stuff I used to keep at the office is all at my place now. I can bring it over the day after tomorrow!"
"Alright, then it's settled," Ichin said with a smile. "But let be clear—you can bring pets, but you can't spend the entire day just playing with the cat, okay?"
Everyone readily agreed, and the matter was decided.
Unbeknownst to them, Yukino had been listening to the conversation. When the topic of bringing a cat ca up, her ears perked up, and her hands unconsciously clasped behind her back.
The truth was, Yukino hadn't petted a cat in days, and she was itching to do so. And the fact that it was Hazuki's cat only made her more anxious.
Thankfully, Hazuki hadn't brought the cat today. Yukino could already imagine Hazuki using her cat to tease and tempt her if she discovered Yukino's fondness for cats.
Still… Yukino couldn't help but wonder what this cat looked like.
While Yukino was lost in her thoughts, Eriri noticed the changes in her expression and asked curiously, "Yukino, is sothing wrong?"
Exhaling softly, Yukino shook her head. Then, to Eriri's dismay, she pulled out a practice workbook from her bag. With a calm yet firm tone, she said, "Sawakura-san, you haven't forgotten our previous agreent, have you? We didn't have ti this morning, but now we have plenty of free ti this afternoon. I won't let you waste it. Let's study to improve your grades."
"Ichin-kun!!!" Eriri cried, looking to him for rescue.
Ignoring her plea, Ichin nodded and pointed toward the studio's bedroom. "The lounge has desks and chairs, perfect for studying. The soundproofing is excellent, so you won't be disturbed."
"Thank you," Yukino said with a polite nod before turning to Eriri. "Let's go, Sawakura-san."
Faced with the inevitable nightmare of tutoring, Eriri could only sulk as she reluctantly followed Yukino to the bedroom.
....
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