"What kind of shrimp dish are you planning to make?"
In the kitchen of Yōbi Dormitory, Yumeko Jabami walked around the kitchen, curiously asking Hoshino Sora and Erina Nakiri, who were busy at the stove.
"Still haven't decided."
Shaking her head, Erina Nakiri was making shrimp cakes. This was the twenty-third shrimp dish she had tried, but after making so many, she wasn't satisfied with any of them.
This made her feel a bit agitated, so much so that her tone carried some impatience when Yumeko Jabami asked. Hearing her voice, Hoshino Sora, who was closest to her, immediately sensed her emotions and went forward to comfort her.
"Don't be anxious. No matter what, the top four have already been decided. Just relax now. When cooking, if you do it with a nervous mindset, it won't turn out well, you know."
"This is a highly anticipated competition. If I don't do well, I'll be ridiculed by the public. It's not a small competition like the Autumn Elections. How can I relax?!"
Being highly renowned, Erina Nakiri naturally worried about failure.
Although she didn't think her cooking would fall behind others, it was precisely because of this that she feared failure and hesitated in choosing a dish.
Even though she could produce top-tier quality for any dish, she insisted on choosing the absolute best among them, but there wasn't much time given. How could she possibly do everything perfectly?!
"Sakura Shrimp Cake, have a taste."
Looking at Hoshino Sora, who walked over, the young man's eyes were pure, calmly gazing at her. At his own cooking station, there were several oranges, and the air was filled with the fragrance of fruit.
As she spoke, Erina Nakiri plated the freshly fried Sakura Shrimp Cake. Hoshino Sora picked up his chopsticks to taste it. As the dish entered his mouth, a strange sensation emerged from the depths of his heart.
Thump—
The moment he ate the dish, it was as if water rippled in his mind. The sakura shrimp bowed and leaped in his mind, creating a feeling of clarity.
"Such a rich flavor! Although sakura shrimp are a spring ingredient, by autumn, sakura shrimp can grow larger, and their inherent flavor becomes even richer.
There's a feeling of the ingredient itself leaping in my mind, even more vivid than seeing a live one! You truly live up to your reputation. Every dish you make demonstrates an exceptionally high level of skill."
The praises continued. The Sakura Shrimp Cake was very thin, and when paired with a sauce that enhanced the shrimp flavor, it achieved perfect harmony. It could definitely be called a very high-end dish.
"Let me have a taste too."
Hearing Hoshino Sora's praise, Yumeko Jabami blinked and walked over. Looking at the exquisite dish in front of her, she couldn't help but swallow, wanting to savor it.
"Here."
"Mmm…"
She took the dish, picked up a shrimp cake, and tasted it. A clear and bright sensation rose from her brain. Images of sakura shrimp appeared in her mind, leaping, as if right before her eyes.
"Amazing! The sakura shrimp has a very delicious taste, with a certain chewiness and elasticity. The flavor is fresh and delightful. This shrimp cake, paired with a slightly salty sauce, is simply a match made in heaven!"
Yumeko Jabami's voice came from deep within her throat, and her body twisted uncontrollably as if struck by something, appearing incredibly seductive, her ample chest swaying with her movements.
"I understand."
Having received the evaluation, Erina Nakiri nodded, then lowered her head and continued cooking. This time, she was making Six Shrimp Noodles, which Hoshino Sora had made for her to taste before, leaving a deep impression.
At the same time, she was also making Typhoon Shelter Shrimp, Kung Pao Shrimp Balls, and various other shrimp dishes that Hoshino Sora had once made. She wanted to try all of them, to get a feel for things.
"Take your time. After all, there's still plenty of time."
Hoshino Sora's voice was gentle. In his opinion, Erina Nakiri was just too stressed. Relaxing a bit would help a lot, and her thoughts would become clearer.
"There are only four hours left, and I still haven't decided on a dish. My opponents are Tsukasa-senpai and Kobayashi-senpai. They aren't minor characters who can be dealt with using ordinary dishes."
"Alright, it's break time now. Don't cook anymore. Let's go back to the room."
Noticing Erina Nakiri's unusual state at a glance, Hoshino Sora stopped his cooking. In front of Yumeko Jabami, he lifted her by the waist, then headed towards his room.
"Eh? What are you going to do? At a time like this, it'll go over time…"
Suddenly picked up, feeling the warm chest in front of her, Erina Nakiri's expression froze. Then, as if she realized something, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes trembled slightly as she whispered.
But Hoshino Sora ignored her protests. He simply continued walking, up the stairs, opened the door, threw Erina onto the bed, and closed the door—all in one smooth motion.
"Look at you, you're so tense. It's just a small Elite Ten competition, is it really worth it? It was the same before; you could have presented a much better dish, but because of nervousness, you weren't satisfied with anything, and in the end, you only presented a Flaming Pork Ribs."
Pinning Erina Nakiri onto the bed and looking into her eyes, Hoshino Sora clearly had no intention of letting her off easily.
At this point, there were still four hours until the competition began. Allowing one hour to travel to the venue, the remaining three hours were completely sufficient.
The reason Hoshino Sora was doing 'bad things' to Erina at such a critical moment was mainly because doing 'bad things' could help people relax, as they wouldn't have time to think about other things.
Especially Erina Nakiri at this moment; words could no longer make her clear-headed. Now, only action, attack after attack, a few times would be enough to make her relax.
What's more, it was for several hours?
Outside the room, listening to the sounds from within, Yumeko Jabami's cheeks flushed. She never imagined that Hoshino Sora and Erina Nakiri would be engaged in 'illicit affairs' in the room in broad daylight!
She had heard such sounds enough times at night; Hoshino Sora changed partners almost every day, all of whom she had eaten with at the same table during the day.
Even though the dormitory's soundproofing was decent, those enchanting shouts directly penetrated the walls. Who could endure that? Who could withstand it?
Even though Yumeko Jabami herself was extremely indifferent to matters of men and women, hearing such sounds still affected her, so she often self-stimulated in bed.
Her fantasy object was naturally Hoshino Sora.
Of course, none of this was shown, as it was too embarrassing. However, it seemed that only she and Shizuka-sensei in Yōbi Dormitory hadn't fallen. Kobayashi-senpai and Akikubo-senpai hadn't been 'conquered' because they weren't in the dormitory.
In all fairness, she didn't dislike Hoshino Sora; in fact, she quite liked this big boy.
He was handsome, good at cooking, and willing to agree to her strange bets, competing with her in cooking, discussing dishes, and being incredibly kind to her.
It must be normal to fall for such a man, right?
But it was only a liking. Yumeko Jabami, naturally slow to express emotions, didn't know how to convey her feelings. She remained in a state of unrequited love for Hoshino Sora.
"Mmm…"
Leaning back against the wall, Yumeko Jabami slowly slid down and closed her eyes. The scene inside the room seemed to become vividly clear. The more she listened to the sounds, the more aroused she became, and her eyes even seemed to show hearts.
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded over 40 chapters of this story on Patreon.
If you're enjoying it and want to read ahead, feel free to check them out here:
[patreon.com/TripleCrown07]
Thanks a lot for your support, it really helps me keep going.