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Today is the day we’ll be cooking for the catered lunch. We were told to gather at the student council room after homeroom ended, so I went there and saw someone I didn’t expect to see at all.

「What’s the meaning of this, president?」
「It was the principal who brought her.」

An individual silently standing in the student council room. It was the girl that was obstructing me during the ball games. Her name, I don’t know. I only know her year and that’s from class 1. I have no idea why she’s inside the student council room.

「Is there something wrong, Kotone?」
「Well, not with me in particular…」

Kishita, who came a bit later, asked me so before seeing the girl and immediately looking at the president with a questioning look. Yeah, if there’s anything unusual, you’d definitely think it’s the president’s doing.

「This time, even I didn’t know about this.」
「Is that so? Pardon my rudeness.」

The president showed a troubled smile, but it’s the consequences of your bad habits, so give up. Still, I have no idea why the principal would bring her here.

「I was just told by the principal to observe the student council activities.」

Hmm, I guess I can understand that. After all, I’ve been told that the reason she hates me is because she’s under the impression that she’s better than me. That’s why, perhaps the idea here is that if she sees how I work, maybe that’ll change her mind. However, there is a problem.

「Why did it have to be now of all days…」

I get what Kishita wants to say. There’s no student council work today. What Kishita and I are here for is the preliminary prep for tomorrow’s catered lunch. It’s hardly the usual job.

「Wrong timing, right?」

It’s not a laughing matter, president. The term-end finals are nearing, the student council itself is in the middle of self-regulating the activities. With that being the case, she’ll be coming to the student council room everyday. The mood is so heavy.

「Well then, let’s have our introductions!」

As usual, pretty high tension there, president. She’s a bit taken aback by how you act too.

「I’m Kirigamine Kirihane of 2nd year, class 1. I look forward to be working with you, president Hadzuki, vice-president Kishita.」

Ignoring me, is it? Is that so? Seeing how she won’t meet my gaze at all, she’s pretty thorough. Still, Kirigamine, is it? It seems to be in Kotone’s memory. As a name of some company. In other words, this girl is also a young lady from a well off family, I guess. I don’t know her, so I have no idea.

「Now, what sort of activities are planned for today? If I may be so forward, I would like to help.」
「Cooking.」
「Ha?」
「As I said, it’s cooking.」

Somehow, Kishita’s voice sounds stiff. Did something rub her off the wrong way? I’m used to this, so I don’t really mind it. So I’m keeping quiet.

「President, are the ingredients ready?」
「The ingredients should have been carried to the H.E. room below, so yes. Well then, let us go now.」

Ignoring her, who’s unable to keep up with the sudden developments, the president and Kishita leave the student council room. Frankly speaking, if your brain freezes from just this, then you won’t last in the student council. After all, to last here, you’re required to be either quick to ride in the mood or highly adaptive.

「We’re going.」
「I don’t need you to tell me that!」

Don’t be snappy at me. There’s no reason for her to be so expressively hostile towards me.

「Well, this is quite luxurious.」

As I arrived at the Home Economics room, that was my first statement. Anyone would think so if they see the mountain of ingredients occupying the table. Rather, what’s this meat? It’s clearly something beyond the run of the mill commercial products.

「These are the various top grade ingredients I’ve gathered.」

No, it wasn’t you, but someone from your family, right? Still, top grade ingredients, huh.

「I’m surprised these fit our academy budget.」
「It’s from pocket money. On the surface, let’s call it a donation. After all, these really can’t be passed off as part of the budget.」

Thought so. Just how much money is needed to gather ingredients of this level and variety, I have no idea at all. As expected of the Hadzuki family, I guess.

「Let’s try sampling some. Kotone, please heat the frying pan. I’ll prepare the sample.」
「Understood.」

Kishita and I are probably worrying about the same thing. I wore an apron and put the frying pan on the stove to heat it as instructed. As it got hot, I switched with Kishita and observed her cook.

「It’s cooked now, so add a bit of salt and pepper and it’s complete.」

What we used was a pork cut. A simple fried pork. We distributed the mouthful to everyone and took time to taste it.

「Fuwa~」
「Kotone, your cheeks are melting.」

It’s the meat’s fault for being too delicious. And then, I heard the sound of several people running off in the corridor. I know that they came to watch, but did they have some sudden matters to attend to?

「There should be Kotone x Kaoru talks by tomorrow. With this, Kaoru is part of the victims club now. Welcome to this world.¹」
「Why, what, and where talks of those sorts will result from this, I really don’t understand. Besides, I think you’re on the complete opposite world, president.」

What are they talking about? Still, after tasting the meat, our fears are now confirmed.

「Kishita. Cooking this is impossible for me.」
「I feel the same way. It’s well beyond our abilities.」
「Is there a problem?」

Hearing the president’s question, Kishita and I nodded to each other. Honestly, we’ve concluded that making something delicious with this ingredient is impossible.

「I don’t think we can make delicious meal befitting the ingredients.」
「Why so? Wouldn’t the use of high quality ingredients such as these result in something delicious? Such as the meat just now, that was delicious.」

I can understand Kirigamine’s point. Certainly, the cooked meat just now was delicious. However, it’s because of the simple preparation. What we’re trying to do is to add and combine ingredients to make a complete dish.

「Our cooking skills are absolutely lacking for handling these ingredients. Certainly, boiling such strong tasting ingredients in a pot will result in a flavourful broth. However, we don’t have the skill to balance its flavours.」

We’re currently lacking in level, you see. Maybe we can make something delicious from it. But it’s much more likely that it’ll end up with a chaotic taste. What’s impossible for Kishita is impossible for me. This isn’t an ingredient a typical family can handle.

「But the president gathered all of these ingredients, so wouldn’t giving up from the start be…」
「Then, Kirigamine, would you like to try cooking these? Kotone and I have already given up, so feel free to do so.」

For some reason, Kishita is pretty harsh with Kirigamine. Still, it’s not like all the ingredients are unusable. But, forgive me, o pork meat. You alone are impossible to handle.

「A-ah, I, um… have never cooked before…」

That, I could somewhat tell. It’s natural, for a lady of a well-off family. I know that me and Kotori are outliers.

「Still, what do we do, Kishita? Even if we start now, I don’t think we have the time to go buy ingredients.」
「That’s true. This is a problem.」
「Fu fu fu! I’ve expected this, so~!」

1. Lyly: Lol, so you’re being shipped with Kotone too?