The moment Mrs. Kasumigaoka accepted the chopsticks Haru handed her and decided to taste his dish, the outcome was already sealed.
Unsurprisingly, with just the very first bite, she instantly realized her daughter's earlier praise had been far too modest.
The flavor and texture, this level of cooking utterly outclassed her own skills.
At first, she only intended to sample one bite and leave it at that.But once she swallowed that first mouthful, her appetite was completely hooked.
She hadn't eaten much during dinner earlier. Though she was a housewife, she still made efforts to control her weight and maintain her figure.
Yet now, an impulse stirred within her: Forget restraint, I'll eat to my heart's content this time. I can always double my workout later.
Haru, watching her subtle changes in expression, smiled lightly.
"Auntie, please, have a little more. I've already eaten my fill. If these cutlets are left to cool, they'll lose their flavor."
Utaha quickly chimed in, "I'm full too. Mom, why don't you finish the rest? Otherwise it'll just go to waste."
At the word waste, her mother's hesitation vanished.
As a homemaker, she naturally hated wasting food. And with her appetite already ignited, how could she resist the temptation before her?
With both Haru and her daughter urging her on, she gave a small smile and agreed.
Haru and Utaha returned to the living room, leaving her mother behind in the kitchen.
It was no longer dinner time, and eating alone in front of guests would be awkward, so she had decided to quietly finish the food in the kitchen.
That suited Haru's plan perfectly. After all, the last thing he wanted was to "drug" Utaha's mother right in front of her.
He waited in the living room for several minutes, extending his [Perception] skill throughout the house.When he confirmed there was almost no movement from the kitchen, he murmured, "That should do it."
Utaha blinked. "What do you mean?"
Haru deliberately kept it vague. "Auntie probably won't be trying to test me anymore."
"Really?"
Her eyes lit up with delight. Glancing toward the kitchen where her mother still hadn't emerged, she whispered, "Could it be she's so absorbed in your cooking that she's forgotten all about us?"
Ordinarily, even if she wanted to eat in the kitchen, ten minutes was far too long to leave guests unattended. At the very least, her mother should have appeared at the door to say something.
To simply leave her daughter and guest alone like this—such behavior was not only impolite, it was completely out of character for her mother.
Which led Utaha to only one conclusion: her mother must have been swept away by the bliss of the food, losing herself so completely she'd pushed everything else aside.
"Something like that," Haru replied with a small smile.
Of course, he couldn't exactly tell her: Your mom's in "Sage Mode" now, there's no chance she'll be trying anything further tonight.
Even someone as formidable as Haruno, under the buff of Sage Mode, could only manage idle chatter with him at best—sitting up straight was already out of the question.
So for Mrs. Kasumigaoka to stay hidden in the kitchen this long without even greeting her guests, it could only mean she too had sunk fully into that same mode, utterly detached from everything else.
Ten minutes later, Haru rose to leave.
Utaha escorted him to the door, watching his figure fade into the night. Her thoughts, however, were already racing ahead choosing tonight's "decisive battle outfit."
Of course, the decisive lingerie and the decisive stockings, those were absolutely mandatory as well.
Alone at the doorway, Utaha blushed for a moment before closing the door and returning to the living room. Seeing that the kitchen was still quiet, she couldn't help but step inside.
The moment she entered, she froze.
Her mother sat there looking utterly content, a plate clasped in her hands scraped clean… no, more like licked clean.
Utaha was dumbfounded.
Was the pull of good food really this strong?
Then she remembered her own habits—how she, too, couldn't resist sneaking into the kitchen to sample Haru's dishes before mealtime, every single time.
Ah… I guess I'm guilty of the same thing. Never mind, then.
Still, seeing her usually composed and capable mother wearing such a blissful, indulgent expression because of food was startling.
Tentatively, she called out:
"Mom?"
"It's you, Utaha. Did you need something?" her mother replied lazily, still clutching the plate.
Utaha almost laughed. She's not a kid anymore, how can she act like this?
Keeping her smile under control, she said, "He's already gone home."
"Huh? He left that quickly?" her mother answered in the same languid tone.
She really didn't ask further… and she's not probing anymore, either.
Utaha's heart leapt. Doing her best to keep her face neutral, she continued, "I might have to go out tonight as well. It's about that filming project he mentioned earlier, I need to discuss things with my classmates."
"Alright~"
"And if it runs too late, I might end up staying over there."
"Alright~"
Utaha stared, dumbstruck. That easy? She agreed just like that?
She had never noticed before how much of a weakness her mother had when it came to food.
Maybe… I should invite him over to cook more often?
The thought flashed in her mind before she shook it off. Either way, with her mother's consent, she could now focus on picking out her outfit and stockings for the night.
Before heading out, she messaged a senior at school she was close with, asking her to play along later if needed.
…
Elsewhere—
After returning home, Haru recounted the entire situation to Yukino.
"So, you really resolved it completely?" she asked carefully, only speaking after he finished.
"Yes. It's all handled."
"And how exactly did you manage that?"
"I cooked a dish for Utaha's mother. She was so captivated by it that she completely lost herself."
"???"
Yukino's expression mirrored Utaha's earlier utter confusion.
Haru's calm demeanor gave her pause. After two seconds of hesitation, she asked uncertainly, "So… Senpai's mother has a strong fondness for good food?"
"That I'm not sure about. But you like my cooking too, don't you?" Haru countered smoothly, clearly prepared.
"…I do. I'll admit that." Yukino nodded.
She'd grown used to his meals over time, spoiled by the variety and the quality, especially since Haru also had a solid grasp of Chinese cuisine. Unknowingly, her palate had become refined, though she hadn't realized it until now.
Listening to the Kasumigaoka episode, a thought slipped into her mind: Next time I want to refuse my mother's demands, maybe I could have him cook at our house instead.
Given her mother's strong will and discipline, Yukino doubted she'd be swayed so easily. But considering Haru's cooking had won over both her and Haruno, there was no reason to think their mother wouldn't enjoy it too.
I'll have to test it someday.
Thus, after Utaha, Yukino too began entertaining the idea of "drugging" her own mother with food.
Perhaps this really was the kind of unspoken understanding only beautiful girls shared.
~~~~~~~~~~
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