The marble dining table in the dining room was covered with dishes carefully prepared by Akemi.
Aside from the chilled appetizer and the vinegar-pickled side dish, which Ritsu wasn't particularly interested in, the other three dishes were all his favorites.
Seated at the table, Heiji was already starving after a busy day. He politely put his hands together.
"Thanks for the meal."
Already familiar with Akemi's cooking, Conan immediately picked up a skewer of miso-grilled pork cheek.
He didn't get many opportunities to eat yakitori-style skewers, since they were traditionally considered the perfect accompaniment to alcohol in Japan.
Whether as Shinichi or Conan, he was still underage, so alcohol naturally had nothing to do with him.
Still...
After turning back into Shinichi just by drinking a cup of baijiu, and with his bad cold finally recovered, Conan couldn't help glancing toward the liquor cabinet.
He wondered if Onizawa-sensei happened to have any baijiu here.
"Mmm! This is my first time eating this. It's so delicious!"
Heiji was the first to voice his praise. As an Osaka native, his enthusiasm was practically overflowing, and compliments came to him as naturally as breathing.
The combination of pork cheek and Kyoto green onions was both delicious and refreshing. The specially made white miso sauce contained ten different seasonings, including chili peppers, sesame oil, soy sauce, and more.
Honestly, if you wrapped a shoe in that special miso sauce, it would probably still taste delicious.
The pork cheek was tender yet pleasantly chewy. One bite released a burst of flavorful juices that soaked into the green onions, making them exceptionally savory while retaining their crisp texture.
On top of that, Akemi had grilled everything over fruitwood.
The sweet aroma released by the burning wood blended perfectly with the fragrance of the meat, giving the pork an even richer, more distinctive flavor.
Her precise control of the heat also kept the meat juicy instead of greasy or dry.
"Akemi-san, it's really, really good!" Conan exclaimed after finishing two skewers.
Even the eggplant, which he normally didn't enjoy, had become delicious after being coated in miso and grilled.
It honestly wasn't any worse than the meat.
Ritsu was quite satisfied by their praise.
Contentedly, he picked up the serving chopsticks and helped himself to a piece of chicken thigh from the Asuka Nabe.
He remembered that when he first saw the dish, he'd thought it looked like something straight out of a culinary horror show.
The pot bubbled gently over low heat. The broth was made from kombu and bonito stock, with chicken bones and milk added in.
At first glance, it didn't look appetizing. But surprisingly, it had none of the unpleasant milkiness one might expect.
The generous amount of vegetables made the broth especially refreshing. The chicken thighs simmered inside retained all of their juices, resulting in firm yet tender meat.
They had also been marinated in wine beforehand, making them so tender that even an elderly grandmother without teeth could enjoy them comfortably.
Conan happily ate the vegetables and chicken that had simmered in the broth. While chewing, he said,
"Mmm... I think Ran would really like this."
Hearing that, Ritsu couldn't help raising an eyebrow.
This guy really did think about Ran every time he ate something delicious. How had Conan managed to show off his relationship again?
Akemi smiled.
"I think girls would especially like it. Asuka Nabe is relatively low in calories. Like soy milk hot pot, it's perfect for satisfying cravings while dieting."
Conan mercilessly exposed the truth.
"Hahaha, Ran really has gained about two pounds recently!"
Heiji was the complete opposite of Conan. He preferred focusing entirely on eating.
The towering pile of miso-grilled skewers that had been stacked high earlier had already been reduced to only a few scattered sticks.
If one didn't know about his family background, they'd probably think he was a refugee who hadn't eaten for days.
The way he devoured his food made it look like he was about to swallow the plates along with it.
"Why aren't you eating the Fukagawa-meshi? You specifically requested it," Akemi asked.
"The best food should naturally be saved for last. Looking at the two of them, they probably can't eat anymore, so this bowl is all mine to—"
Before Ritsu could finish speaking, the two people who had been busy eating simultaneously looked up. With utterly serious expressions, they shouted,
"I can still eat!!!" x2
"..."
Ritsu's gaze shifted between the older and younger pair.
He was beginning to question reality. Were these two actually refugees who had somehow wandered into Tokyo from somewhere?
What kind of monstrous appetites were these?
Looking down at the rather modest portion of Fukagawa-meshi in his own bowl, he shot Akemi a dissatisfied look.
'We're pretending to be husband and wife, aren't we? So why do I have the smallest serving?'
"They're guests, so naturally they should eat more. You can have it anytime," Akemi explained, clearly sensing his resentment.
Hearing that, Ritsu immediately felt much better.
Sometimes happiness really was that simple.
Ever since his cousin had come to live with him, he was no longer the pitiful man who survived on instant noodles and convenience store meals after work every day.
Thinking about it that way, a certain long-haired workaholic really had it rough. Fortunately, Vodka knew how to cook.
The ingredients for Fukagawa-meshi were actually very simple. Making it well, however, was anything but easy.
A carefully balanced blend of red and white miso was mixed into a sauce, then simmered together with shredded Kyoto green onions and a generous amount of clam meat. Once the clams had absorbed the flavors, they were set aside to cool.
The rice and seasoned clam meat were then mixed together with the broth. Next, the inside of a clay pot was lightly coated with vegetable oil before the prepared mixture was added.
The rice was steamed until perfectly cooked.
Finally, a generous sprinkle of chopped green onions and white sesame seeds completed the dish.
Scooping up a spoonful with a wooden spoon guaranteed a plump piece of clam in every bite. The mild miso flavor blended beautifully with the delicate sweetness of the clams.
The lingering aftertaste was filled with the fragrance of green onions and the rich aroma of toasted white sesame.
Even Ritsu, who normally didn't eat very much, finished every last grain of the Fukagawa-meshi in his bowl.
At this rate, if Akemi kept feeding him like this, he felt his appetite might one day rival that of the legendary big eaters from his Police Academy days.
.
Somewhere else, a certain wheat-haired man currently carrying out an intelligence-gathering mission suddenly sneezed.
Rubbing the tip of his nose, he wondered if he was coming down with a cold. He should have worn another jacket.
.
After enjoying the lavish dinner, Ritsu took the initiative to wash all the dishes.
After drying his hands, he walked into the living room, only to find the two of them curled up on the sofa eating fruit.
His eyes immediately narrowed into exasperated half-moons.
"Do your stomachs connect directly to the ocean or something? You just ate that much, and you still have room for fruit?"
Perhaps because he had chatted with Conan during dinner and relaxed a bit, Heiji grinned.
"Hahaha, Inspector Onizawa, don't you know? Being able to eat is a blessing. Besides, these Fuji apples are really good. They're juicy and sweet. Want a piece?"
Looking at the apple slices cut into little rabbit shapes, Ritsu waved his hand.
"I'm not capable of eating as much as you two."
Conan sat cross-legged on the sofa. After swallowing the apple in his mouth, he asked,
"Onizawa-sensei, can we talk about the important matter now? Your identity isn't that simple, is it?"
Haibara had told him before that there was someone in the Organization named Augier who looked remarkably similar to Onizawa.
Originally, Conan had trusted Onizawa completely. But after seeing him effortlessly disguise himself as Shinichi, he couldn't help becoming suspicious.
Even so, Conan still believed that even if Onizawa had ties to the Organization, he was on the side of justice.
After all, his teacher clearly knew that his true identity was Shinichi. Yet the Organization had never sent an assassin after him.
That proved Onizawa had chosen to conceal the fact that Shinichi was still alive. So there was no way his teacher could be standing on the enemy's side.
"My identity... Then I'll satisfy your curiosity."
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