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The wind howled on the rooftop.
It could already be considered early summer, but the wind still carried the coolness of late spring, making one feel exceptionally refreshed in the current restless mood.
Asakura stood by the railing, eating his lunch and waiting for Yanami Anna while the wind blew.
The latter said she would bring the client directly, so she didn't go up to the rooftop with him.
By the time he finished his thick-cut fried pork cutlet sandwich, someone finally arrived at the rooftop entrance.
"I didn't let you down, President!" Yanami Anna's playful voice echoed on the rooftop a moment before she appeared.
"You're too slow, Private Yanami!"
"...Is it just my imagination, or has my military rank dropped again?"
Yanami walked onto the rooftop from the doorway, then made a 'please' gesture: "Come, come, now I'll leave all the time to the young people~"
"Are you an old lady in charge of matchmaking...?"
Asakura retorted.
Then another girl walked up from the doorway.
She had healthy, slightly darker than wheat-colored brown skin, a good figure, and from her slender limbs, the coordinated yet powerful muscles indicated she must work out. Her expression was sunny, making her a very standard athletic beauty.
"Osu! I'm Lemon Yakishio... Huh, isn't that Asakura-kun from our class? Anna, the person you mentioned is Asakura-kun?"
The girl had just greeted them very cheerfully, but after seeing the person in front of the railing clearly, she couldn't help but ask.
"That's right, although he doesn't look very reliable, President-san is still very amazing..." Yanami tried hard to beat the drum for Asakura, but she hadn't seen Asakura's other side, so she couldn't help but add in a small, somewhat guilty voice: "...Probably."
Her attitude made the brown-skinned girl want to back out: "Um, I guess I'll just forget about it..."
"No way, Yakishio-chan, if you keep this up, you'll just be treading water. It's time for a change!" Yanami immediately rushed in front of Lemon Yakishio to persuade her, then she winked at Asakura: "President, you say something too!"
Asakura pondered for a moment, then solemnly spoke under the girl's expectant gaze.
"Yakishio-chan sounds a bit tasty."
"Don't pretend to be a foodie at a time like this!" As the true foodie, Yanami Anna loudly reprimanded: "You don't even know whether the school cafeteria's A set meal (curry pork cutlet rice) or B set meal (char siu tonkotsu ramen) is better!"
"Which one is actually tastier?" Lemon Yakishio, however, asked with great interest.
"B, I guess. The school's char siu seems to be specially made by the cafeteria auntie; the taste is different from outside. And it caters to students who are still growing and have a preference for strong flavors, so the soup is richer than outside ramen shops."
Asakura said.
He genuinely liked Soubu High School's ramen. Back when he hadn't sold Phosphophyllite and become a small rich man, and his monthly living expenses were pitifully small, his biggest hope was to find a good part-time job so he could eat ramen once a week.
"But A is not bad either, right? The school's pork cutlets are extra thick and generous, and the breading is crispy and delicious. You can also drizzle yuzu vinegar or Lemon juice, and you can get more rice after finishing it. It's very popular in the track and field club." Lemon Yakishio couldn't help but speak up for set meal A.
Then the two of them looked at Yanami, who let out a soft laugh.
"Naive, simply too naive!" The girl smoothed her hair, which was a bit messy from the rooftop wind, and said with absolute certainty: "The answer is A + B is the best!"
"Only by ordering both set meals can you experience the ultimate enjoyment: the pork cutlet, though losing its crispy breading when soaked in the rich soup, gains a softer, moister texture instead. The savory flavor of miso perfectly complements the lightly seasoned pork cutlet, which only has a hint of salt and pepper; the narutomaki, bamboo shoots, and char siu dipped in curry sauce—you won't find this way of eating even in an izakaya. Plus, the bean sprouts from the ramen can also be mixed into the curry rice to add texture, making every bite a delightful surprise that's hard to resist. It's great, simply too great! Of course, what's even more amazing is the soup-soaked rice made by putting all the white rice into the leftover soup after finishing the noodles. Although the soup base is a familiar taste, paired with the sticky texture unique to the cafeteria's communal rice, it takes on a whole new meaning. The taste is reserved yet has a satisfying finish. Is there any dish more perfect than a bowl of soup-soaked rice to end a meal...?"
Yanami, her face beaming with enthusiasm and emotion, loudly proclaimed to the two stunned people.
"Um, if I remember correctly," Lemon Yakishio quietly confirmed with Asakura: "The school's set meals are enough to fill even boys, right?"
"Don't worry about it. Normal people can't be compared to a monster who is the embodiment of appetite." Asakura replied without hesitation.
"Who are you calling a monster of appetite?!"
Yanami clearly heard their whispers and protested indignantly.
"I left a bag of half-price potato chips in the clubroom, want some?" Asakura asked abruptly.
"Are they salted? I've been trying to control my sodium intake lately..."
"Eight-treasure pickled vegetable flavor."
"I want some!"
Asakura rolled his eyes: So you don't actually care about the flavor, do you?
While Yanami excitedly ran down to the rooftop to get the potato chips, Asakura turned his gaze back to Lemon Yakishio, thinking about how to communicate with her.
"Yanami is really cute," Lemon Yakishio said first. "Boys must all like girls like her."
"I think it still depends on personal preference."
Asakura replied seriously: "Stereotypes are not good."
"Is that so?" Lemon Yakishio asked curiously.
"Yes, for example, I know some boys are very interested in tan lines." Asakura looked at the athletic girl in front of him: "So you don't need to doubt your own charm too much."
"Am I that obvious?" Lemon Yakishio muttered quietly.
"Mainly, that Yanami, besides food, only has a strange enthusiasm for romance." Asakura answered honestly: "So what's your request? If it's bride training, I suggest you go to the Service Club..."
"No, bride training can wait. I think the most important thing right now is to attack!"
"Is that so? Then I think you can go to the Service Club..."
"But because Kouki and I are childhood friends, we know each other too well, so normal attacks won't work. I need a surprise attack! Like a lightning five-hit combo!"
"Really? The Service Club..."
"So I hope Asakura will help me create an opportunity to confess to him!"
"..."
So listen to me!
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