Gehenna Student Cafeteria, afternoon.
"Everyone, stop this."
I tried to reason with them. "Violence can't solve everything! The Prefect Team might already be on their way here!"
I had been handling "work" at Schale when I received Haruna's message. I thought she wanted to use "exploring gourmet food" as an excuse to ask me out again, so I hurried over.
What I hadn't expected was that the moment I stepped into the empty cafeteria, I found all four members of the Gourmet Research Society gathered there.
Given how possessive Haruna was, there was no way she'd willingly share what could have been a perfect chance to be alone with me.
Then I noticed Fuuka, trembling in the middle as they surrounded her, and I instantly understood everything.
It was obvious. Fuuka had offended their delicate gourmet sensibilities again and had been taken hostage.
I patiently tried to persuade them.
"Whatever complaints or requests you have, we can talk them out. But Fuuka is innocent... Aren't you all close friends?"
Even if it was only in name.
"Sensei...!"
Tears welled up in Fuuka's eyes.
"Don't worry about me... It was my fault for not serving the meal according to the menu... Sob..."
"Fuuka..."
Deeply moved, I wrestled with myself before finally making a decision that would betray both Yuuka and Aoi-chan. (GSC, Oki Aoi)
"How about this? If you're willing to let Fuuka go, then tonight I'll treat all of you to a high-end restaurant overlooking the night skyline..."
Before I could finish, Fuuka's face turned pale.
"You can't, Sensei! If you treat them to dinner, you'll go bankrupt!"
It's okay...
Compared to Fuuka's place in my heart, what were a few worldly possessions?
Besides, I was charging it to the expense account anyway.
"Shut up, Fuuka! Don't ruin this for me!"
Junko snapped viciously before swallowing hard and wiping the corner of her mouth. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at me.
"Sensei, are you really going to treat me to dinner? I love you..."
Thanks.
Everyone says that.
So when are you going to awaken a Divine Authority for me already?
Unfortunately, after showing its presence four times in a single day last time, the card hadn't responded ever since.
Izumi also cheered excitedly, while Akari simply rested a hand against her cheek, smiled softly, and shook her head.
"Hehe, thank you for your kindness, Sensei. But I'm afraid we can't accept this time."
My heart sank.
Could it be that the Gourmet Research Society had heard Hina had taken an unprecedented day off, and planned to use this rare opportunity to stir up chaos in Gehenna's School Lunch Club?
The thought made me feel a little guilty, since I was the direct reason Hina had taken the day off.
Incidentally, when I told Ako that morning that Hina hadn't slept well and planned to catch up on her rest, her delight practically overflowed through the screen. She solemnly promised that she'd defend Gehenna's disciplinary order with her life during Hina's absence, so the President could rest without worry.
Then, after quite a while, she finally seemed to realize something and immediately called me, demanding to know what I'd done to Hina, completely unaware that the whole thing was entirely her own fault.
And now, with the Gourmet Research Society running wild like this, what exactly had Ako managed to protect!?
Filled with dissatisfaction toward Ako and guilt toward Fuuka, an even worse possibility suddenly occurred to me.
Could it be that they'd been lusting after me for a long time, but couldn't satisfy their desires, so they planned to use Fuuka as leverage until I'd fed every last one of them?
Looking at the Gourmet Research Society girls' lovely faces, my spirits immediately soared. A tragic yet heroic resolve, one that declared there was no one but me for the task, instantly filled my heart.
"Wait, Akari, don't phrase it in such a misleading way!"
Haruna hurriedly explained.
"Sensei, it's not what you're thinking! We didn't come here to accuse Fuuka this time. Otherwise, why would we have called you here? If anything, our purpose is exactly the opposite."
...Really?
I remained highly skeptical, though I kept a straight face and decided to hear them out first.
"The truth is..."
Haruna revealed a mysterious smile. While looking at me, she wrapped an arm around Fuuka's shoulders.
"The reason we invited you here, Sensei, is so you can witness the wonderful friendship between the Gourmet Research Society and Fuuka!"
Hearing that, I couldn't help falling silent.
Fuuka also stared at Haruna with half-lidded dead-fish eyes, looking like she wanted to say something but held back, probably because she found it shameless that Haruna could say something like that with a straight face.
In short, after listening to the girls' explanation for a while, I finally understood what had happened.
It all began when the Gourmet Research Society discovered during lunch that one of today's side dishes wasn't the fried egg listed on the menu, but a boiled egg instead.
"I already said it... It was my fault for not serving lunch according to the menu..."
Fuuka said miserably.
"But Juri took the day off today, we were short on cooking oil, and there was only one frying pan... Making four thousand fried eggs by myself in just two hours was really asking the impossible."
"Mhm, I completely understand your predicament, Fuuka."
But...
Were they about to say that failing to show proper respect for gourmet cuisine was unforgivable, unless it was for Sensei's sake?
That was what I expected Haruna to say next.
"We're not unreasonable people."
Haruna declared righteously.
"Since our dear friend Fuuka ran into this kind of trouble, then as her close friends, it's only natural that we lend a hand!"
As she spoke, she pulled a large container of cooking oil out from under the table.
"See? We even anticipated something like this might happen, so we specially prepared some oil!"
"Oh... So it wasn't for burning down the cafeteria after all."
Fuuka let out a sigh of relief.
"The kind Gourmet Research Society helping the School Lunch Club in its time of need..."
Akari wiped away imaginary tears, deeply moved.
"What a beautiful sight. This is friendship, through and through. ☆"
"That's right!"
Junko folded her arms confidently.
"I knew it would turn out like this all along. Heh, since Sensei's here too, I'll show off my skills for the first time in a while!"
Only then did Fuuka finally relax.
"You should've said so earlier. So it was all just my misunderstanding."
Izumi immediately criticized her.
"No, you're the one who overreacted!"
Fuuka actually looked embarrassed.
"Sorry..."
At first glance, it really did seem like nothing more than a misunderstanding.
The problem was, why had they called me over before taking their sweet time clearing everything up?
Even if they genuinely intended to help, it didn't rule out the possibility that they also wanted to tease Fuuka and earn some goodwill in front of me.
"Then let's begin!"
The girls of the Gourmet Research Society immediately sprang into action, full of enthusiasm.
"W-Wait, hold on!"
Fuuka hurriedly tried to stop them.
"Don't just touch things without...!"
Not long afterward, the kitchen erupted into a chaotic clatter of bangs and crashes.
Amid the girls' startled cries and screams, the kitchen descended into complete chaos.