Food Wars!: Delicious Food of the Heavens

Watching the busy figure in the kitchen, Isshiki Satoshi couldn't help but sigh:

"Yukihira-kun is such a spirited person! Just feeling the passion emanating from him makes me feel great."

"Yes, that's true."

Lin Yu chimed in, "Although I'm a lazy person, I have to admit that it's hard to dislike someone who's always full of fighting spirit."

"It's done!"

"Yukihira's Secret Recipe: Mackerel Rice Ball with Tea-infused Rice!"

Soma Yukihira placed three steaming bowls of ochazuke (rice with tea) in front of everyone.

Please enjoy.

Lin Yu picked up the bowl, and the steaming tea sloshed around inside.

The warmth seeped through the bowl and onto my hands. In the slightly chilly late night, this warmth alone was incredibly comforting.

"I'm starting to eat."

Lin Yu picked up a piece of fish and put it in his mouth.

Pan-fried mackerel with olive oil, the flesh is juicy and flavorful, while the skin retains a crispy texture. With each bite, you can feel the overflowing deliciousness.

Lin Yu ate a mouthful of rice with the tea soup.

Warm salted kelp tea, with a mellow salty aroma, paired with snow-white, glistening rice soaked in the tea.

It makes you want to take a second bite immediately after finishing the first, as if your body is instinctively craving it.

The delicious fish and fragrant rice are all soaked in the mild and salty tea soup, flowing deep into the stomach.

Feeling the comforting warmth emanating from his stomach, Lin Yu felt his whole body warm up.

"Ah, that feels so good."

Lin Yu felt that he had become increasingly sensitive lately.

Not only when cooking for himself, but even when tasting other people's food, he would experience hallucinations.

In early spring, the ice and snow on the earth have not yet melted.

As far as the eye can see, there is a vast expanse of white.

But winter has passed, and the first rays of spring sunshine pierced through the clouds and shone on the earth.

The warmth of the sun melted the ice and snow and awakened the seeds that had been dormant deep in the soil all winter.

The sprouting buds break through the soil and emerge from the ground, happily showing their figures to the sunlight, which is a kind of vigorous and upward life force.

"How is it?"

Soma Yukihira moved closer to Lin Yu and asked curiously.

As the first friend he made at the academy, Soma Yukihira cared deeply about Lin Yu's opinion.

"What a beautiful scene of melting snow!"

"Yukihira, you've shown your passion and fighting spirit in this bowl of ochazuke (rice with tea)."

"It's delicious, thank you."

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Upon receiving the positive feedback, Soma Yukihira burst into hearty laughter, so loud that it even woke up the sleeping members of the Polaris Dormitory.

"Hey! Isshiki-senpai, you guys had a cooking competition and didn't even invite us?"

"That's so unfair! I really want to eat Yukihira's cooking too."

Faced with everyone's protests, Isshiki Satoshi simply smiled faintly and said:

"It's not a duel, it's just an exchange through cooking, there's no winner or loser."

"Alright, now that everyone's awake, go back to your rooms and get some sleep. Sleeping on the floor can easily make you catch a cold."

"OK."

"Let's go, let's go."

Everyone yawned and left, leaving behind only the mess left after the party and Marui Zenji still fast asleep.

......

"Lin Yujun".

"Um?"

Lin Yu, who was walking at the back, was suddenly stopped by Isshiki Satoshi.

"Isshiki-senpai, what's wrong?"

"Can we just chat?"

"sure."

Strolling along the path outside the Polar Star Dormitory, Isshiki Satoshi and Lin Yu walked side by side.

A cold wind blew by, and Lin Yu shivered.

"Isshiki-senpai, just say what you want to say."

Does Lin Yujun understand Yukihira-kun?

Lin Yu shook his head. "I've only known him for a day."

"Besides, given my personality, I don't like to pry into other people's privacy. I only know that his family owns a small restaurant and that he learned cooking from his father since he was a child."

"Lin Yu-jun, did you notice how Yukihira handled the fish?"

"You mean [pan-fried dumplings]?"

"As expected, this is no challenge for Lin Yu-jun. Have you ever wondered why Yukihira-kun, who comes from a small restaurant background, would understand the techniques of French cuisine?"

"It doesn't matter, I don't care."

Lin Yu's casual answer surprised Isshiki Satoshi for a moment, then she laughed and said, "Lin Yu-kun has such a carefree personality!"

Lin Yu waved his hand dismissively.

"It's just simple laziness."

"Compared to this..."

Lin Yu met Isshiki Satoshi's gaze.

"Isshiki-senpai, just say what you want to ask. You don't need to use Yukihira as an excuse anymore. It's pretty cold outside, there's no need for us to stand in the cold wind."

"Alright, I knew I couldn't hide it from you, so I'll just tell you straight now."

"I'm all ears."

"Actually, I'm still bothered by Lin Yujun's ruthless rejection just now."

"Although I have never tasted Lin Yujun's cooking, nor have I ever seen you cook."

"But I've tasted Yukihira's cooking, and although it's still quite amateurish, it's enough to show his excellence. Yet he still speaks so highly of you, which makes me even more eager to try Lin Yu-kun's cooking."

"Isshiki-senpai, did you really want me to make a move just now?"

"Of course, guiding adorable juniors is a duty that every senior should fulfill!"

"If I don't agree, will you keep bothering me?"

"How can you call it harassment? That description makes me sound like a pervert."

Isshiki Satoshi waved his hand, then gave a strange smile.

"But maybe..."

"Eh—"

Lin Yu sighed deeply.

"What a hassle!"

"Does Lin Yujun have some unspeakable secret?"

Faced with Isshiki Satoshi's persistent pestering, Lin Yu was too lazy to delay any longer.

"Isshiki-senpai, which answer would you like to hear?"

"It seems there are different answers. What's the difference?"

Lin Yu held up one finger. "The first one is the nicer answer."

"I'm a very lazy person. I've already taken two serious steps today, which is already more than enough for me."

"If I make another move, it will feel like I'm working overtime, which I find exhausting and annoying, so I don't want to make any moves."

"I see," Isshiki Satoshi continued, "Then what's the second answer?"

"The second answer is the truth, but it's hard to hear."

Lin Yu held up two fingers and looked directly into Isshiki Satoshi's eyes.

"I just hate being overworked, but I love cooking and I'm proud to be a chef."

"Therefore, if I don't cook, I don't cook at all; but once I do, I will definitely treat cooking with a serious attitude."

"But what if a freshman on his first day of school defeats a second-year student in a cooking competition?"

"Hehe, Isshiki-senpai, this will seriously damage your reputation and image, won't it?"

"Although Isshiki-senpai has some weird quirks, I can generally tell you're a good person. Besides, I'm not as competitive as Yukihira, so I won't embarrass you."

Isshiki Satoshi was completely taken aback when he heard such words. He stood there stunned for a while before slowly speaking:

"That's... a truly remarkable answer!"

"That's true."

Lin Yu spread his hands, his face full of helplessness.

"Besides, it was Isshiki-senpai who insisted on asking, and now that you have the answer, aren't you satisfied?"

"This is not a question of whether I am satisfied or not."

Isshiki Satoshi's eyes narrowed to slits, revealing a terrifyingly dangerous aura.

"If someone else said something like that, I would think they've lost their mind."

"But looking at your calm demeanor, Lin Yujun, I'm inexplicably starting to want to believe you?"

Lin Yu calmly met Isshiki Satoshi's gaze, and the atmosphere between the two rose to an eerie tension.

Suddenly, Lin Yu keenly noticed a strange noise coming from the dormitory door.

"Who?"

Lin Yu roared and rushed over to push open the door, only to find the lobby on the first floor empty.

"Lin Yujun, what's wrong?" Isshiki Satoshi caught up and asked.

Lin Yu suppressed his doubts and said, "It's nothing, I probably misheard."

"Anyway, I've answered Isshiki-senpai's question. It's quite late now, so I'm going back to my room to sleep."

"Yes, thank you for your hard work, Lin Yujun. See you tomorrow."

Watching Lin Yu's figure disappear at the top of the stairs, Isshiki Satoshi lowered his head and revealed a strange smile.

"What to do? What to do?"

"I'm getting more and more curious!"

"I definitely have to try it tomorrow, otherwise I won't be able to resist..."

......

At this moment, in the kitchen on the first floor.

Tadokoro Megumi, leaning against the door, was deathly pale. She tried to curl up, but she was still trembling.

"How terrifying!"

"Lin Yu's statement just now was terrifying!"

"Isshiki-senpai's appearance is quite frightening!"