Chapter 5 – Handy Helper Utaha

Utaha's anticipation wasn't in vain. When she spooned the plain congee into her mouth, she once again experienced the shockwave of a flavor bomb.

"Too delicious... I have no clue where he picked up these skills, but my taste buds are completely conquered," she thought.

Whether it was a big or small bowl, it didn't matter. In no time, the bowl of congee Sadao served her was wiped clean.

As she finished the bowl, Utaha sighed with a mix of disappointment and satisfaction. Today, she truly understood what genuine deliciousness meant.

"Kohai-kun, you should go to Totsuki for school..." After a while, Utaha sincerely expressed her thoughts.

It's not that she thought Toyogasaki High School was bad. The teaching staff was decent, and the school facilities were okay—just a bit below those so-called prestigious schools. However, even with that, she felt that Sadao shouldn't be going to a regular high school. With his cooking skills, there was no need for him to attend a normal school. He should be honing his skills in Totsuki.

"Going to Totsuki... even though I've already been expelled," Sadao chuckled. The matter of being expelled was long forgotten.

Although he regretted not forming a connection with that proud rich girl, these days of a peaceful life made him realize one thing: why bother with the hassle of life? Without savings, he had to rely on part-time jobs to support himself, but the money he earned in Totsuki was enough to sustain him for a lifetime. In this situation, lying low and enjoying a slow-paced life was the way to go.

"Did I overstep?" Worried that she might have offended him with her words, Utaha asked, "I can be quite outspoken."

As if you didn't know you were being too nosy!

"How could that be?" Despite wanting to retort, Sadao kept his basic sanity intact. He smiled and shook his head, "With my current cooking skills, I won't survive in Totsuki until the end."

"Totsuki has that high of a level?" Utaha subconsciously thought he was lying. She had visited restaurants run by Totsuki graduates, and none could compare to this peculiar and exceptional place. In fact, comparing the two would be an insult to this unique restaurant.

The skill levels of Totsuki graduates varied, but the problem was, no matter how exquisite his Chinese cuisine skills were, lacking in other areas would render everything meaningless.

"I can only cook Chinese cuisine..." Sadao didn't explain much, just provided a simple answer.

"What's the difference between Chinese cuisine and Chinese food?" Intrigued by his words, Utaha's curiosity was thoroughly aroused. Earlier, she thought the two terms were interchangeable, but now it seemed like there was a vast difference.

"The so-called Chinese food are essentially localized cuisine born under the shell of 'Chinese'... whether it's the taste or the texture, there are many differences from authentic Chinese cuisine. For example, there is no dish like Tianjin rice in China." (t/n: Chinese style omurice.)

Utaha realized, "I never expected such a huge difference."

"That's right. That's why this place is a Chinese cuisine restaurant and not a Chinese food restaurant..." Sadao suddenly woke up to the fact that he was chatting with an uninvited guest. Why did he get into this conversation in the first place?

Better eat lunch!

Shaking his head, Sadao gently brought the spoonful of plain congee to his mouth.

Even with a seemingly bothersome beauty in front of him, the dish he cooked was still as delicious as ever.

This is the life... I must have been crazy before to foolishly dive into the chef's world. With so much savings, living a laid-back life is the way to go.

So comfortable... well, as long as there's no meddling guest like her.

Speaking of which, why are you staring at me? Even if you look at me like that, I won't share the congee with you... No kidding, you already snatched my lunch, and now you want my dinner? Forget it!

Sadao had a heart of steel. No matter how pitiful Utaha acted, he wouldn't be moved... Absolutely not!

...

"Utaha-senpai, I wanna ask you for a favor!" After serving Utaha a bowl of congee, Sadao casually threw in a request for help.

"Help?" Utaha Kasumigaoka looked at him with some surprise. Apparently, she didn't expect this "stingy" kohai of hers to actually ask for her help. Hasn't he been treating her like a disaster from the beginning?

However, driven by curiosity, she still inquired. She wanted to know what Sadao was up to. "What kind of favor are we talking about here?"

Sadao showed a "torn" expression. After a while, as if making up his mind, he said to her, "I want you to help me approach a girl."

"Help you approach a girl?" Utaha was astonished. She didn't anticipate that Sadao would seek her help for something like this. But can she really assist in matters of the heart?

Perhaps understanding her confusion, Sadao explained, "I want you to invite her to my shop. I want to try treating her and see if there's a chance to get closer."

Utaha finally caught on. He wanted her to help create an opportunity for him to get acquainted with that girl.

Helping with this kind of favor wasn't impossible, but she still had some doubts. Would this guy really shrink in front of a girl he likes? Or does he have some ulterior motive?

"What's in it for me if I help you?" These were questions Utaha couldn't answer. Nevertheless, it didn't stop her from agreeing. She was curious about what this interesting person was plotting.

Rolling his eyes in secret, Sadao thought, "I've given you plenty of benefits already... I even shared my precious lunch with you."

But, not dwelling on it for too long, Sadao quickly made a decision. He smiled and said, "If things go well, I'll treat you to some extraordinary Chinese cuisine dishes that ordinary folks rarely get to taste. How about that, Utaha-senpai?"

"Deal!" Utaha wanted precisely that.

Seeing her so satisfied with this bait, Sadao chuckled. You get your benefits, and I get mine. 

"So, who do you want me to help you approach?"

****

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