The smell of spices, vegetables, and sizzling oil filled the air as the sisters stepped into the school's cooking classroom for the first time. Shiny stovetops lined the counters, bowls and utensils stacked neatly, and aprons hung by the door.
"Cooking class!" Mika shouted, immediately tying her apron backwards so it looked like a cape. "Call me Chef Mika, the Culinary Queen!"
"More like Culinary Catastrophe," Nari muttered, putting her apron on properly.
Sayo adjusted hers neatly and scanned the recipe sheet the teacher had handed out. "We're making omurice today. It looks simple enough."
Yua fidgeted as she tied her apron strings, ears twitching. "…I've never cooked before."
Mika grinned and patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, Yua! Between the four of us, we'll totally nail it."
---
Step One: Rice
"Okay," Sayo said, holding the recipe sheet. "We need to cook the rice first."
"I got it!" Mika declared, slamming her hand on the rice cooker button with dramatic flair. "See? Easy."
Ten seconds later, smoke began to rise.
"…Mika," Nari growled, yanking the plug out. "You didn't even wash the rice first!"
"It adds flavor!" Mika protested.
"Flavor of ash," Nari snapped.
Yua giggled quietly at the sight, surprising even herself.
---
Step Two: Vegetables
The girls began chopping vegetables.
Sayo sliced onions with perfect precision. "See? Proper knife control is key."
Nari worked quickly, chopping peppers like she was in a sword fight. "Hah!"
Mika tried to imitate her and nearly chopped her cutting board in half. "Look, I'm fast too—OW!"
"You cut yourself?" Sayo asked sharply.
"No, no, just… almost!" Mika said, holding up her bandaged finger after Nari had already shoved a plaster on it.
Meanwhile, Yua carefully cut a carrot into uneven chunks. They weren't pretty, but she beamed when she managed not to mess up. "I… I did it."
"Good job," Sayo said softly, ruffling her hair.
---
Step Three: The Egg
The teacher clapped her hands. "Time to make the omelet!"
Sayo whisked eggs calmly, making them smooth and fluffy.
Nari cracked hers confidently… then glared when a shard of shell fell into the bowl. "Don't tell anyone."
Mika slammed an egg on the counter so hard it exploded everywhere. "...It's abstract art."
Yua carefully cracked one into a bowl, her ears twitching with concentration. It slid out perfectly. She gasped in delight. "It… it worked!"
---
The Results
At the end, each team presented their omurice. The sisters set theirs down:
Mika's plate looked like an omelet had gone through a hurricane.
Nari's was decent but covered in too much ketchup.
Sayo's was neat and tidy, shaped perfectly.
Yua's was a little lopsided… but it had a smiley face drawn in ketchup.
The teacher tasted each one. "Hmm… Mika, yours has enthusiasm, but no balance."
"Enthusiasm is my secret ingredient!" Mika said proudly.
"Nari, yours is flavorful, but over-seasoned."
"Tch. I like strong flavor," Nari muttered.
"Sayo, very clean and professional."
"Thank you," Sayo said, bowing politely.
"And Yua… not perfect, but charming. This one makes me smile."
Yua's ears turned pink as her sisters clapped for her.
---
As class ended, the girls gathered their things.
"Next time," Mika declared, "I'll be the best chef ever!"
"You'll be the first one banned from the kitchen," Nari said flatly.
Sayo shook her head with a sigh. "…At least we didn't burn the whole place down."
Yua clutched her little recipe sheet, smiling softly. "…I want to try making this at home."
The sisters exchanged glances. Their tails swished in agreement.
Their first cooking class might have been chaos, but it was the start of something new—meals made not just with ingredients, but with laughter.