Chapter 59
Soma was about to say something else when a light, savory aroma drifted through the room.
Marui appeared carrying a tray laden with several bowls of chashu ramen.
Pearl-white noodles rested in a creamy broth, every strand clearly separated.
The thick slices of chashu laid across the top were especially eye-catching.
They were accompanied by softened kombu soaked in broth, tender green vegetables, golden kernels of corn, pale bamboo shoots, chopped scallions, and boiled eggs sliced neatly in half.
The colorful presentation was beautiful enough to stir everyone’s appetite at once.
"This looks great, Marui!"
Haruto immediately took a bowl and picked up a slice of chashu with his chopsticks.
The meat contained a perfect balance of lean and fat, its surface gleaming gently beneath the light.
The tender lean meat touched his tongue first, followed by the rich fragrance of melting fat.
The two textures blended between his teeth without the slightest trace of greasiness, leaving a mild, savory flavor spreading through his mouth.
Haruto followed it with a sip of broth.
The deep richness of pork bones mingled with the umami of kombu and slid warmly down his throat, leaving his entire body feeling comfortable.
Every topping added something different—the salty savoriness of the seaweed, the freshness of the greens, the sweet crunch of corn, and the tender bamboo shoots.
Layer after layer of flavor unfolded across his tongue, making it difficult to stop eating.
Haruto was enjoying the ramen when the aroma of smoked meat suddenly reached him.
He looked up and saw Ibusaki Shun enter carrying a plate of smoked ribs.
The golden-red ribs had been cut into even sections. Their exposed centers revealed rosy meat glistening with clear juices.
"They just finished smoking," Shun said calmly as he placed the plate before everyone.
Haruto picked up a rib, dipped it in the special sauce, and took a bite.
The sauce’s sweet-and-salty flavor came first, followed by the distinctive richness of smoke.
The meat was firm without being dry, growing more fragrant with every chew, while even the flesh around the bone was packed with flavor.
Soma and the others naturally refused to be left behind and quickly helped themselves.
The moment they tasted the ribs, satisfied expressions appeared on every face.
Before anyone had fully recovered from the smoked ribs, Ryoko approached with a plate of thick-cut shio-koji pork.
The golden slices were each roughly the size of a mahjong tile and arranged neatly across a porcelain plate.
"Give me a moment."
Ryoko produced a culinary torch and ignited it.
As the flame swept across the pork, patches of caramelized brown appeared on the surface.
A rich meaty aroma immediately burst into the air, making everyone’s appetite surge again.
Haruto eagerly tried a piece.
The savory flavor of the shio-koji had already penetrated deep into the pork, tenderizing it until the meat almost melted in his mouth.
A touch of yuzu kosho added refreshing citrus that balanced the pork’s richness, while the finish carried a faint heat and roasted aroma.
The layers of flavor were remarkable.
Next came Daigo’s pork cutlet and tamagoyaki sandwich.
A thick golden omelet was placed between two crispy pan-fried pork cutlets, then wrapped inside a flaky flatbread.
The crisp pastry complemented the savory cutlets and tender egg perfectly.
With one bite, the fragrance of wheat, the gentle sweetness of egg, and the richness of meat blended together, sending a warm sense of happiness spreading from the tongue.
After that came Shoji’s cheese-stuffed pork cutlets.
The moment the crisp golden crust was bitten open, melted cheese flowed out from within.
The smooth richness of the cheese paired beautifully with the firm, juicy meat, leaving its intense flavor lingering between the teeth.
Last was Isshiki’s ginger pork with salted cabbage.
The Great Stamp’s pork collar had been sliced thinly and coated evenly with flour.
After pan-frying both sides until golden, Isshiki quickly tossed the meat in a ginger sauce.
Each slice absorbed the sauce’s fresh aroma, becoming tender, rich, sweet, and juicy.
The distinctive heat of ginger came through in every bite without ever becoming overpowering.
Beside it was finely shredded salted cabbage, lightly seasoned and crisp enough to crunch with every chew.
Its refreshing saltiness cut perfectly through the richness of the pork.
The two were a flawless combination.
The lively feast continued until well after midnight.
Only when nearly all the ingredients had been used did everyone finally rise and return to their rooms.
As for the mountain of dirty plates and cups left behind...
Well, Marui could clean those after he woke up tomorrow.
Haruto returned to his room and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
...
Early the following morning, just as the sky began to brighten, Haruto jolted awake.
He quickly relaxed again, rubbed his sleepy eyes, and stared helplessly at the ceiling.
"Isshiki-senpai, wouldn’t a megaphone be enough in the morning? Do you really need to crawl through the ceiling?"
As soon as he finished speaking, one of the ceiling panels above him slid aside, revealing Isshiki’s brightly smiling face.
"Good morning, Haruto-kun."
Isshiki cheerfully greeted him from above.
"I thought coming to invite you personally would feel more sincere."
"There’s something I’d like your help with."
"Could you get dressed and come outside?"
His tone sounded perfectly earnest.
Haruto stared at Isshiki’s face sticking through the ceiling and had no idea where to begin.
Did crawling through someone’s ceiling to wake them up truly count as sincerity?
Despite his exasperation, Haruto quickly changed his clothes.
When he stepped through Polar Star’s front door, cool morning mist drifted around the grounds, carrying the refreshing scent of grass and trees.
Soma and Yuki were already standing nearby, both looking equally half-asleep.
"Yaaawn—"
Yuki covered her mouth as she released a huge yawn, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.
When she noticed Haruto, her expression filled with the sympathy of a fellow victim.
"So Isshiki-senpai woke you up too! He got Soma as well."
"Still, having you two here makes me feel a lot less bitter about getting dragged out of bed this early."
Soma scratched his head and looked curiously at her.
"Anyway, what exactly do they need us to help with so early?"
"Harvesting vegetables from the fields behind the dorm," Yuki answered immediately.
"Harvesting vegetables?"
Soma’s eyes brightened.
"Polar Star has its own vegetable garden? We even grow our own ingredients?"
Although his family ran a restaurant, they always purchased carefully selected produce from the market.
Soma had never personally grown or harvested vegetables before.
Now that he thought about it, he had noticed a lush green field beside Polar Star when he first arrived, though he had not paid much attention at the time.
"Of course we do."
Yuki folded her arms and spoke with complete seriousness.
"Great ingredients are where great cooking begins. That’s one of Polar Star’s principles!"
"She’s absolutely right."
Haruto nodded in firm agreement.
Nearly all the ingredients he possessed were exceptional products that he had personally hunted and gathered.