Ch. 3 ~ Wanting to Get Closer to That Flavor
Mito: ... And that's what happened. Ever since eating Xue-chan's cooking, Iroha-chan has been completely addicted to Chinese food...
Hikari: Heh~ Xue is known as the genius fried rice master in Gingaza, but to think Iroha-san would also become a captive...!
Hikari: How fearsome, the genius fried rice master is!
Yep, yep.
Mito: ... Genius fried rice master?
Hikari: That's what Xue is called!
Hikari: Huh? Uhm, did I already bring it up?
Hikari: Apparently she improvises with whatever's there and doesn't use a recipe.
But the finished fried rice has the best taste~!
Mito: Without a recipe... Improvised!?
Hikari: Ah, she probably follows the recipe at work, at least! Whether at work or at the dorm, the fried rice Xue makes is first-rate, so I get how you feel~
Mito: So it's popular, even in Gingaza.
Mito also, thinks the fried rice Xue-chan makes... Is amazing.
Mito: (Enough to make me a little jealous...)
Hikari: Waah~! You think so too, Mito-chan?
Xue got mad at me, saying not to tell people where she's working, but I'm glad I mentioned it~!
Mito: Ah... Mhm.
Hikari: Having a friend acknowledge another friend is kinda happy~
It makes your heart all warm and fuzzy. Now I kinda want to dance!
Mito: Friend...
Right. Xue-chan is Hikari-chan's friend.
Hikari: Xue, you know, sometimes she's misunderstood, but she's a reeaally good girl~
Apparently she's taking her part-time jobs for her family.
Hikari: It seems she always made food for her family.
That's why she always treats us to hotpot... Such a good older sister~
Mito: Is that... So.
Mito: ... Come to think of it. She seemed busy, but she properly paid attention to... Mito and the rest.
Hikari: Mito-chan also gets it? We're at the same school anyways, so I want to talk while eating with everyone next time!
Mito: ... T, talk...?
Mito: Ugh, Mito can't...
Mito: ... If it's about cooking, then maybe?
I'm a little curious, about how to make that fried rice...
Hikari: How to make it?
You mean you want Xue to teach you how to cook?
Mito: Eh? Ah, I just thought about it a little...
Xue-chan seems so busy... I don't think we can do it.
Hikari: What, that sounds so much fun~!
I'll go ask Xue!
Mito: Eeehh!?
Mito: I, it's fine...!
Hikari: Don't worry! It's okay!
Hikari: When a friend becomes a friend of a friend, they'll definitely be happy! Leave it to me!
Mito: E, eeeehhh...
Mito: Hmm...
Mito: (Hikari-chan said that, but she's busy with part-time jobs...
Mito: It won't happen right? ... Nope, nope.)
Kamira: Wazzup, Mitorin? You've been groaning to yourself and shaking your head for a while.
Iroha: Perhaps, does your stomach hurt?
Mito: Eh!?
Mito: No, it's nothing.
Hikari: Ah, Mito-chaan!
Mito: Ah, Hikari-chan...
Mito: And Xue-chan!?
Xue: Oi, Shiromaru, what're you getting so surprised about just seeing my face...
Hikari: Perfect timing~
I've been thinking about it since then, and I wanna do Xue's Cooking Classroom after all!
Xue: Hah?
Mito: Hikari-chan...!
That was supposed...!
Xue: Oi, what do you mean about my "Cooking Classroom"?
Don't go deciding other people's schedules.
Hikari: Ehehe~ When they went out together the other day, she reeally praised Xue's cooking~
Mito: !!
Xue: That time they ate at my work place?
They praised me to my face, too.
Hikari: Yeah, yeah.
She said it was suuuper amazing!
Xue: Suuuper amazing...?
That good...?
Kamira: No really, I ate it, too, and it was seriously delicious~!
Iroha: The taste has been carved into my tongue...!
Mito: Ugh...
Mito: Actually... Mito, too...
Mito: At home, I tried to copy that fried rice...
Iroha: Hweh, is that true?
Mito: Y, yeah.
But I wasn't able to get it close to Xue-chan's flavor...
Xue: ...
Mito: Sorry... Trying to copy you on my own...
It's... Bothersome, isn't it.
Xue: Which one were you trying to copy? The tingling spice? Or the mixed one?
Mito: Ah...
Mito: Uhm, the tingling spice one.
Iroha-chan said that one was really tasty, so...
Xue: That one has different flavoring from normal fried rice, after all.
Mito: B, but... The mixed one too,
I thought the one Xue-chan made was also tasty...
Xue: ......
Hikari: You said you wanted to learn how Xue makes fried rice. Right?
Mito: Ugh... That's...
I did, but.
Xue: ... Hmph.
That flavoring is a trade secret.
Mito: Makes sense...
Xue: But.
If you're going this far, I can give you some instruction.
Mito: Eeeehh!?
Mito: ... Is that okay?
Xue: However, we'll borrow your place's kitchen.
Then, I'll do it if you cover the cost of ingredients.
Mito: ... Okay.
Got it...!
Hikari: It's decided~!
We're having a fried rice party!
Kamira: What's that? Sounds fun.
We're joining, too~!