Jhin had successfully gained Eriri's trust (?), escaped the baptism of her anti-pervert taser, and also promised to do one thing for her unconditionally. Jhin could now openly discuss all sorts of otaku-related topics with Eriri in the classroom, marking a successful first step toward solving her problem.
"Eriri, did you read 'The Demon Who Wants to be a Noble,' the manga that came out last week?"
"Oh, that one. I'm not that interested in business-themed stories."
"You prefer romance, right?"
"I like hot-blooded action series too."
Kasumigaoka Utaha rested her chin on her right hand, her gaze filled with suspicion as it fell upon Jhin and Eriri, who were discussing manga in the classroom without a care in the world.
Very suspicious!
Putting Jhin aside, the mere fact that Eriri was chatting with someone so openly about her hobbies was enough to make Kasumigaoka Utaha suspect she might have picked up something strange off the ground and eaten it, scrambling her brains.
That textbook tsundere, Sawamura Spencer Eriri, could actually be so candid about her hobbies in front of someone else?
If Kasumigaoka Utaha had heard someone else describe this, she could have laughed for a whole month. But seeing it with her own eyes made it somewhat baffling.
Could it be that Sawamura-san has resolved to start a new life and swapped out her brain for a new one too?
While talking with Jhin, Eriri's cheerful and natural expression showed no signs of being fake. Even from her own seat, Kasumigaoka Utaha could feel the relaxed and joyful atmosphere surrounding her.
As much as I want to figure out what's going on, my biological clock still isn't adjusted. I should probably just sleep for now.
Lately, Kasumigaoka Utaha hadn't been able to sleep in class at all. Her long-standing nocturnal habits were torturing her, forcing her to catch up on sleep during breaks. This was also the umpteenth time she had sworn to never pull an all-nighter again.
"Mmm~"
Her voluptuous legs, wrapped in black stockings, stretched out straight before closing together again perfectly. Kasumigaoka Utaha buried her face in the crook of her arms on the desk. The cheerful atmosphere and chatter of the break didn't bother her in the slightest; instead, it was like a soothing, gentle lullaby helping her drift more quickly into dreamland.
Eriri had no idea that in Kasumigaoka Utaha's eyes, she was already considered to have a new brain, a "factory-new" Eriri. At this moment, she was lost in the intoxicating feeling of being able to freely discuss her favorite manga with someone.
Ever since she had chosen to wear the disguise of a "prim and proper lady" in public, she could only discuss these topics online with strangers she didn't know and would never meet.
In real life, she could only wear her mask and chime in on topics that didn't interest her in the slightest, pretending to be enthusiastically engaged with classmates and friends.
Cosmetics, trendy clothes, celebrities, TV dramas—she wasn't interested in any of it, yet she had to spend time learning about these time-consuming and sleep-inducing things just to maintain the facade she presented to others.
Jhin's actions had simply and crudely ripped the mask from Eriri's face.
At first, it had terrified her, because she had never revealed her true interests in public, not even a trivial hobby like enjoying manga.
Fortunately, while ripping off her mask, Jhin had also stood before her like a reassuring barrier, blocking any potential malice.
Having cast aside her disguise, Eriri was like a canary freed from its cage, indulging in the sunlight and warm breeze within the comfort zone he had created.
This is so wonderful. Talking face-to-face with someone about topics I love is actually this enjoyable.
During their conversation, even just partially shared opinions made Eriri feel a sense of validation from Jhin. Joy crept onto her face, and her cute fang would occasionally peek out with her irrepressible smiles.
...
"Jhin! Come over, it's time for lunch!"
"Brother, this is a super-duper delicious bento that Amane-nee and I made together!"
"Makina, you didn't do anything besides hand me vegetables and seasonings, did you."
"It's the participation that counts, Amane-nee."
Suou Amane was also at a loss with the increasingly excuse-prone Irisu Makina. She gave her a couple of what looked like fierce but were actually harmless karate chops to vent her inner helplessness.
"Oww... Brother, Amane-nee hit me." Irisu Makina took the opportunity to play it up, her small, soft body diving into Jhin's embrace with a unique, milky scent. Squeezing a few tears from the corners of her eyes, she pitifully pleaded for comfort, "I want some of brother's fried chicken."
"Next time, remember to participate a little more, and maybe Amane won't hit you." Jhin reached out and consolingly stroked Irisu Makina's soft hair, then looked at Suou Amane. "Is this a return gift for last time?"
"Of course. Go on, try it."
Brimming with confidence, Suou Amane lifted the lid of a four-tiered black bento box that was half the size of a desk. The first layer contained a bright red lobster swimming in a sea of red chili rings. It didn't look like a Japanese-style preparation; it seemed more like a dish made in reference to Jhin's spicy stir-fried prawns.
Jhin picked up his chopsticks, took a small piece of lobster meat, and put it in his mouth. As Suou Amane watched nervously, he offered his critique: "Amane, your idea for this dish is great, but there's an even better way to prepare it."
"What way is that?"
"You could try boiling it in a spicy broth instead of cooking the lobster first and then adding stir-fried chili oil like this. A lobster is too large, so boiling it is an easier way for it to absorb the flavor."
"I see."
Seeing that even Suou Amane's cooking couldn't escape Jhin's critique, the other girls became even less confident in their own culinary skills. Luckily, Jhin offered them another option.
"Actually, your return gifts don't have to be this extravagant. Even just making food you yourselves like to eat is fine. Oh, right, and if you're too embarrassed to let others see your cooking, you can just find me in private."
After saying this, Jhin threw himself into the battle against the four-tiered bento box. With Irisu Makina and Suou Amane's help, they barely managed to finish all the food, with Jhin contributing eighty percent of the effort.
Eriri had been agonizing over what kind of dish to make and how she would give it to him in front of everyone. Jhin's words solved the latter problem, leaving only the question of what to cook.
Eriri was well aware of her own cooking abilities. For someone who either ordered takeout or waited for meals to be served at home, just successfully making a fried egg would be a miracle.
Maybe... I should ask Mom for help? Though I've never seen her cook in person either.
After much hesitation, Eriri decided to ask her unreliable mother for help.
She's a married woman, after all. There's no way she doesn't even know how to cook a meal, right?
Eriri: "Mom, do you know how to cook?"
In the Sawamura household, Sawamura Sayuri, who looked just like Eriri apart from her hair color, wore a puzzled expression as she received her daughter's text.
Sawamura Sayuri: "When did you get the mistaken impression that I could cook?"
___
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