At Polar Star Dorm, Ryoko repeated everything that had happened. Her tone already showed her frustration. And for the others, knowing that such an opponent awaited in the Autumn Election, it was hard to keep up their usual cheerful mood.
After all, no one wanted to face an enemy like that right from the start…
Sure, the trip to the research lab was useful, but to seriously take on someone like Hayama, who had always specialized in curry—it sounded like a bad joke.
It wasn't just Marui. Even Mito, who had been confident a moment ago, looked disheartened.
As for Tadokoro, her anxiety showed plain as day. For her, just joining the competition was already exciting. But when she imagined going up against someone like Hayama, her head shook nonstop in fear.
Ryoko tried hard to comfort the girl, but deep down, that fear couldn't be erased so easily. After seeing that kind of skill firsthand…
Tadokoro: "I feel… kind of crushed."
Hearing her, Ryoko wanted to say something, but then realized… wasn't she the same?
Tadokoro: "There's still a month before the election, but the idea of coming up with a dish strong enough to stand against someone like Hayama… there's no way to do that in such a short time."
Everyone's faces said it clearly—they were shaken. But unlike before, Hachiman wasn't discouraged at all.
After all, his whole life had been filled with failure. Losing was normal for him, almost expected. Winning, on the other hand, would be a miracle. So if he lost, that was nothing unusual.
So...
"There's no need to put so much pressure on yourself. Whether it's Tadokoro, Ryoko, or any of you, it's the same."
Hachiman's words quickly pulled everyone's attention toward him.
Tadokoro Megumi clenched her hands tightly at that moment.
Hachiman:
"To be honest, trying to beat someone like Hayama Akira, who has every possible advantage, is really hard—no, it's extremely hard."
Comforting people was not something Hikigaya Hachiman was good at. Since he wasn't good at lying, all he did was speak the plain truth. But even so, that didn't mean they had no chance.
"As challengers, we get countless tries. Even if we fail this time, there will be a next time, and another after that. We're not the ones who should be afraid. Just because he's been around curry since he was a kid doesn't mean he understands it completely. It's like people—living together since childhood doesn't guarantee you'll be close friends. In fact, that might even give us the advantage."
Hachiman wasn't skilled at comforting, but when it came to twisted logic, he wasn't bad. After all, he once got scolded badly by his middle school teacher for spouting nonsense.
Hearing him, Tadokoro couldn't help but want to laugh. Covering her mouth, she said:
"Hikigaya, that makes no sense at all."
Ryoko: "Yeah... but the fact that you can still stay this confident after eating that dish, I think that's good."
Mito: "It's true. We won't know until the very end whether we lose or not. As long as we push ourselves until the last step, that's enough."
Marui: "Hikigaya, do you have any good ideas?"
Hachiman touched his chin as if remembering something funny.
"Actually, when I was little, my dad was too lazy, so he handed the job of creating new dishes to my little sister, Komachi."
Tadokoro: "That's way too much! If it were me, I'd be crushed by the pressure."
Hachiman shook his head.
"No, it wasn't like that. Back then, Komachi was only in sixth grade, and I was just starting middle school. Even so, we found a good way to manage."
At that time, Komachi was being crushed by pressure from both school and home. To lighten her load, Hachiman took on the task of updating the menu. What he did was simple: he listed out all the ingredients they already had on the menu, and without adding anything new, he created fresh dishes just by changing the combinations.
As long as you understood the traits of the food, you could make simple innovations. That way, customers could enjoy new flavors without making things overly complicated.
Now, Hachiman wanted to start from that same idea. Hayama's curry skills might be refined, and he even had Professor Shiomi supporting him. But...
Cooking has no limits. If existing dishes couldn't beat Hayama's curry, then he would just create a brand new one.
"As long as we can find a side of curry that Hayama hasn't discovered, we still have a chance to win."
"Eh?"
Not just Tadokoro, but everyone in Polar Star Dorm was stunned by Hachiman's words.
Their opponent was a curry specialist, with a scientist researching curry backing him up. How could they possibly catch up in just a month? It sounded impossible.
But looking at everyone's doubtful eyes, Hachiman was unusually firm.
"If you keep running away from your weaknesses, you'll just keep failing—just like I always did. So..."
"If I want to win, then no matter what it takes, I have to make it happen."
The moment Hachiman awakened his will to win, he seemed like a different person. In daily life he was still the same, but when it came to cooking, he was no longer careless. He wanted to give it his all.
Everyone was still doubtful about his words, but then Granny Fumio stepped forward.
"Very good, Hachiman."
"As expected of Joichiro's son—no, you are you, Hikigaya Hachiman. Back then, Joichiro and Gin expanded Polar Star Dorm step by step with this same spirit. I never thought I'd see that same fire again, years later, in you."
"To be honest, I'm really looking forward to it. Whether you win or lose, I'm excited for your future."
Encouraged by Granny Fumio, everyone else couldn't keep looking down. They put their hands together.
Ryoko: "Anyway, let's just do our best."
Marui: "If we survived the school trip, there's no way one Hayama Akira can wipe us all out."
Yoshino: "Idiot, don't jinx us. But... this time I'll give it everything too!"
Mito: "Let's go for it, everyone."
Meanwhile, Isshiki, still pretending to sip tea, gave a faint smile and casually turned his eyes toward Hachiman.
Hikigaya Hachiman, you really are an amazing person. Looks like my feeling back then wasn't wrong. Maybe your arrival will bring real change to all of Totsuki.
...
There were six weeks left until the Autumn Selection, and during this time almost everyone had thrown themselves into researching curry.
Of course, one person stood out. Hachiman's original plan was to study curry on his own, learning through books and practice to find a way to get ahead. But maybe because he and Shiomi got along too well in their last talk, Shiomi started pestering him every day to come see her. In the end, a helpless Hayama Akira had no choice but to visit Polar Star Dorm to invite Hachiman over.
It wasn't that Hayama was arrogant, but when it came to curry, he was confident no one could beat him—not even Erina. So he didn't really try to restrict Hachiman at the research society.
At first, Hachiman only came to listen to Professor Shiomi complain. But later, after a small accident, Shiomi realized Hachiman was actually very sharp. With him around, research problems she had struggled with for years suddenly began to unravel.
Uh...
That wasn't exactly a bad thing, but it definitely wasn't a good thing either.
After all, Hachiman was Hayama Akira's rival. But Hayama wasn't the type to hold grudges. To him, a true match should be like this—it made things more exciting. On the other hand, having too many advantages actually made it less fun.
So, he didn't mind much.
And just like that, Hachiman's harsh summer began. He still attended classes, but right after, he would rush off to the research society. Even Yukinoshita was dumbfounded. This guy, who usually had no drive at all, suddenly looked so motivated—it had to be fishy.
A thought she didn't want to admit popped into her mind. Could it be... a female friend who made him like this?
No...
She had to check.
So one day, Yukinoshita followed Hachiman to the research society. Of course, with Hachiman's sharp eyes, he noticed her right away. But telling her not to follow him felt too self-important. After all, it was possible she was just headed in the same direction.
So he pretended not to notice.
Just as he was about to step inside Shiomi's research society, Professor Shiomi was already waiting at the door, waving happily at him. After so many years of stress, she finally had someone to vent to—someone just as unlucky as herself. Of course she was thrilled.
But when Yukinoshita saw the overly "enthusiastic" Shiomi, she froze for a moment. Her calm face suddenly turned cold.
She always told herself she didn't care about things like that. But without comparison, there's no jealousy. Only women know just how much envy burns inside.
And so...
After that day, Yukinoshita stopped partnering with Hachiman for class projects.
Hachiman was left speechless. By now, most students had already formed fixed teams. He had already decided not to drop out, so this girl throwing a fit behind his back—wasn't that just asking to fail together?
Luckily, the teacher was understanding, saying:
"Well, little couples arguing is normal. Just make up quickly, don't let it affect your studies."
Yukinoshita's cold face instantly turned bright red. She kept snapping at Hachiman, saying things like "anyone who likes Hikigaya is an insect." But in the end, while they talked less, their teamwork was as solid as ever.
After all, during the school trip, they had already learned to work in silent understanding. Handling Totsuki's class projects wasn't difficult at all.
Well, in the end, Hachiman never figured out what he did to upset her. But women were unpredictable—he was already used to that.
Time flew by. A month earlier, Hachiman had been completely clueless about curry. But now, his memory and theory allowed him to help Professor Shiomi solve a year's worth of research in just a month.
Even Hayama Akira was shocked.
This guy—skipping proper study just to come to a cooking academy?
Shiomi Jun, who at first just liked having Hachiman around, was now completely taken with him. Despite the age gap, walking together on campus, they didn't look twenty years apart at all. Shiomi looked so young that even Joichiro would sigh and say:
"Damn, did you eat some kind of eternal youth pill?"
In just a month, so much had changed. Over at Polar Star Dorm, everyone was making progress too. With Hachiman's help, they all blended curry into their own cooking styles.
Like Ibusaki's smoked curry, Tadokoro's vegetable curry, Mito's beef curry, and Ryoko's sake curry...
Even though a month was short, the progress was obvious. Grandma Fumio had taken note of it all too. Since Hachiman's arrival, every member of Polar Star Dorm had grown.
If at the start it was Polar Star Dorm that pushed Hachiman forward, now things had flipped. With a burning desire to win, Hachiman was no longer the weak version of himself.
But even so, it still wasn't enough...
Day after day life was dull, but no one really complained about the pressure they were under.
Ryoko had just come out from a shower, simply wrapping herself with a towel, before sitting back down at the table again.
Hachiman was already giving Yoshino and Tadokoro advice. After all, everyone in Polar Star Dorm had their own specialty when it came to cooking, which meant their curries were all different too.
Hachiman: "Normally, curry uses about 40 kinds of spices. But just these past few days, Professor Shiomi and I made a breakthrough in our research, so now there are around 45 spices available to use."
Ryoko leaned close against Hachiman's shoulder, her smooth skin pressing against him, which made him lose focus for a second. She, however, spoke casually without caring at all:
"For Yoshino's dish, since her strength is in meat, how about choosing 10 to 20 spices and mixing them together for her curry?"
Hachiman shook his head:
"Even though each spice has its own flavor, mixing many of them might create something new… but it could also cancel out their strengths. More doesn't always mean better."
"And that's not the only thing to consider. Each spice tastes different depending on temperature, humidity, or whether it's used whole or ground into powder. The cooking method also changes it—whether you stir-fry in oil, roast, or age it, the result is completely different. So in the end, there are literally thousands of possible combinations. In this situation..."
Listening to Hachiman's explanation, the three girls were completely lost.
To them, this wasn't cooking anymore—it felt like cramming for an exam. Just for curry, he had found this many ways to play with it. And since it also had to match with other ingredients, they were sure if they stuffed all that knowledge into their brains, their heads would explode.
Yoshino: "Hikigaya, what is your brain even made of? I really want to cut it open and see."
Hachiman: "Don't say something that creepy. I really won't be able to sleep tonight."
Ryoko: "But I really am curious."
Tadokoro: "Me too..."
Hachiman: "Alright, let's end this topic. Honestly, I've already figured out the best combinations for you guys. Now it's just a matter of whether you'll accept my plan."
Before Hachiman could even finish, Yoshino thumped her chest and declared:
"Don't worry, Hikigaya! Life and death together, I'll definitely trust you."
Tadokoro: "Um... Hikigaya's choices are usually very well thought out. Even though it feels like I'm just leaving everything to him, thank you, Hikigaya."
Hearing that she didn't need to think, Ryoko hugged Hachiman tightly from behind without hesitation. In her excitement she completely forgot she was still naked under just a towel, her bare skin pressing against him and leaving him at a loss.
After struggling with himself for a moment, Hachiman finally pulled free, his face slightly red as he said:
"Alright, I'll send your plans to your phones. From now on, practice is all on you."
Since the Autumn Selection wasn't like the school trip with team challenges, this time was purely individual battles. The only help Hachiman could give was the theory before it started.
If there was more time, he wouldn't have held back. He'd even taste-test their dishes and give feedback. But time was running out, and he hadn't even decided on his own dish yet, so...
From here on, they had to rely on themselves.
At school, things were split into extremes. Students who didn't make it into the Autumn Selection had way too much free time, while those who did were constantly short on time.
Of course, there were exceptions. For example, Alice had already settled on her dish, so she was pretty relaxed.
Her assistant Kurokiba Ryo, forced to keep her company, was banned from practicing any further. Hayama Akira, as always, looked laid-back—curry was his specialty, and after practicing for so long, he wouldn't let himself lose to anyone.
Another one who didn't really practice much was Erina. After all, she wasn't even joining the Autumn Selection, so every day she was basically free with nothing to do. She was so bored that she even started playing identity-swapping games with Hisako during this time.
Of course, that didn't mean she never paid attention to Hikigaya. After all, he was the student she insisted on keeping for the Autumn Selection. Even though she kept saying she didn't think much of him, she didn't actually want Hikigaya to get knocked out in the first round. That would basically be a slap in her own face.
But…
Just like Yukinoshita, while pretending it was just on the way, Erina only saw Shiomi there. For some reason, the very first thought that popped into her mind was…
Tear down the Shiomi Lab.
Maybe even Shiomi herself didn't realize just how close she came to trouble. Luckily, on her way back, Erina got so worked up that she accidentally banged her leg against a wooden post. The pain made her tear up, and she even forgot about the anger in her heart.
And so, the Shiomi Lab narrowly escaped disaster.
...
A month and a half went by quickly. At least for Hachiman, it felt like his brain hadn't stopped the whole time. Probably only while sleeping did he get a bit of rest, and even then, most of the time he was stuck thinking about what kind of combination, what kind of dish, could really shine.
Maybe he was too focused, because he even forgot to sleep. He just lay on his bed until the rooster crowed and the sunlight hit his face, and that's when the dark circles under his eyes really showed.
He sat up without even thinking, opened the door, and headed toward the Polar Star Dorm's dining table. It was breakfast time, and a good day always starts with breakfast—even if Hachiman hadn't actually slept.
Just then, Isshiki brushed past him and immediately noticed something was off.
Isshiki:
"Hikigaya-kun, you really should get some proper rest..."
It was like Hachiman didn't even hear his senpai. Muttering what sounded like some kind of spell, he walked straight to the dining table.
"Pineapple, apple, honey, mango..."
From behind Isshiki, everyone peeked out, watching Hachiman chant away like nobody else existed. They kept staring until Grandma Fumio came out of the kitchen:
"Alright, alright, today's breakfast is dumplings. There's some hot and sour sauce in the kitchen if you want to dip."
"Hot and sour sauce!"
Bang!
Hachiman suddenly shot up and dashed straight into the kitchen, clearly having realized something.
---
You can read 30 advanced chapters at my patreon.com/YeyeQiu
Free member can read 2 chapters in advance