Chapter 89: Irresistible Deliciousness, Kirari is Coming
Eel Tea—Hitsumabushi eaten as Ochazuke—is a dish suitable for all ages and palates. Even if you don't turn it into tea-soaked rice, just enjoying it as a grilled eel rice bowl (Unadon) is an incredibly delicious experience. But the tea elevates it to a spiritual level.
Under the roasting of charcoal fire, the eel is slowly baked. Its unique, rich oils render down until the skin achieves a perfect burnt aroma and a slight crispiness, while the white meat underneath remains soft, delicate, and succulent.
Whether it's eel rice or eel tea, any successful eel dish will not choose to use sea eel (Anago), because the taste of sea eel is relatively mild and the texture softer. If you want to experience the surprise of the entrance that makes you addicted to eel, fresh river eel (Unagi) is the only choice.
Ren had prepared the eel meticulously. After removing the bones from the fresh river eel meat, he grilled large chunks of white meat over high heat. The roasting did not dry it out; instead, it sealed the juices inside, enhancing the umami.
The core of grilled eel lies in three things: the heat of the charcoal, the quality of the meat, and finally, the sauce—the Tare.
Whether it's grilled meat or grilled eel, when it is wrapped in the thick, sweet-savory sauce and completely submerged... watching the bright, amber liquid flow down the delicate white meat and settle onto the steaming rice...
The sauce continues to flow, slowly seeping into the rice grains, dyeing them a delicious brown. This process is a kind of visual enjoyment and also one of the best ways to open up your appetite before the first bite. As long as you haven't eaten eel rice, and as long as you are a person who doesn't hate fish, then congratulations—you have found something that can make you addicted in one bite.
Tezuka looked at the steaming, fragrant eel tea in his lacquer box. The steam carried the scent of roasted nori, green tea dashi, and the rich, fatty eel.
He said in a very traditional Japanese style, his voice low and respectful: "Itadakimasu..."
Then he picked up the spoon and started eating.
With one bite, just as Ren had predicted, this was an addictive dish. The fragrance of the tea washed over his palate first, cleansing it. Then came the salty, smoky aroma of the grilled eel, the unique, melt-in-your-mouth texture of the fish, a hint of sourness and crunch from the minced Umeboshi plum, and finally, the nutty aroma of white sesame seeds and the freshness of the kelp dashi.
(To be honest, writing this made the author hungry.)
This bite was enough to calm anyone down. But you simply couldn't pinpoint what exactly in the eel tea was causing that calmness. Maybe it was the grilled eel's richness, maybe it was the nostalgia of the plum, or maybe it was the refreshing warmth of the tea. But this soothing feeling... it wasn't bad. It felt like home.
Tezuka closed his eyes, a rare look of total relaxation on his face.
Unlike Tezuka, the others weren't as particular or traditional. Tezuka's eating style was disciplined, focusing on health and flavor balance. But the others? They were in picnic mode.
Cerberus was happily munching on a caramel-colored Cola Chicken Wing in one hand, while holding a Melon Pan in the other. She alternated bites—savory, sweet, savory, sweet.
"Master! The chicken tastes like fizzy drink but without the bubbles! How?!" she exclaimed, sauce on her cheek.
"Magic," Ren replied, wiping her face with a napkin.
Yumiko was much more refined, using chopsticks to pick at a delicate salad and grilled fish. Her tastes were similar to her brother Fuji's—sophisticated but favoring milder, complex flavors. Fuji, on the other hand, kept eating the Sichuan-style spicy dumplings Ren had packed. He smiled with every bite that would make a normal person sweat.
Lucifer and Sonoko were the most interesting pair. These two were chatting happily about Kirari Momobami, bonding over their mutual wariness of the Gambler.
Sonoko was still uninhibited and didn't act like a refined lady at all, sitting cross-legged on the picnic mat. Lucifer, usually the Queen of Hell, was slightly more relaxed because of Sonoko's infectious energy.
At least with these Cola Chicken Wings, Lucifer wouldn't have previously eaten them while talking, skewered on chopsticks like a commoner. To be honest, Lucifer really liked these wings.
With a moderately salty and sweet taste, the chicken wings had a fragrant aroma beneath their smooth, glazed skin. The juicy meat was tender and fell off the bone. Every bite stimulated the appetite. This was a dish that children loved, and adults wouldn't refuse. It might not be the best for eating with rice, but when it comes to finger food for a picnic, Cola Chicken Wings are king.
Different from the peaceful picnic here, at this moment, in a place called Private Hyakkaou Academy...
In the Student Council room, which resembled a throne room more than a school office, a girl with platinum blonde twin-ring braids and cyan lipstick was playing with her phone.
"Let's go have some fun tonight~," she hummed, her blue eyes glinting with a dangerous light.
"Yes, President!" her secretary, Sayaka Igarashi, replied dutifully.
The girl was Momobami Kirari.
Kirari licked her lips, looking at the wallpaper on her phone—a picture of a certain silver-haired chef. She smiled, a predator spotting prey.
"Ren... I'm coming to find you. I crave... entertainment."
As soon as these words came out, a trace of envy flashed in Sayaka's eyes, but she said nothing, bowing her head.
Just as Momobami Kirari was wondering what chaos to cause, her phone pinged. A notification from the group chat.
She picked it up. Her smile froze.
The picture was a group photo of Lucifer, Yumiko, Cerberus, Ren, Fuji, Tezuka... and Sonoko. At a picnic. Under cherry trees. Eating delicious food.
The most important thing was that Sonoko had taken the selfie and sent it to the group with the caption: "Jealous yet, President? Ren-nii made the best food!"
Kirari's eyes narrowed. She was not happy. This idiot actually managed to steal a march on her? While she was stuck in meetings, Sonoko was enjoying Ren's cooking outdoors?
Kirari clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palm. She gritted her silver teeth. That girl... she needs a lesson in hierarchy.
Just as Sayaka was wondering if she should call security, she saw Momobami Kirari smile again. A cold, terrifying smile.
She typed a message.
Back at the park, Sonoko's phone buzzed. She looked at it and shuddered all over, dropping her chicken wing.
Lucifer and Yumiko also checked their phones and sighed in unison.
Kirari had only sent one sentence: "Sonoko, dear... I'll see you at the Restaurant tonight. Prepare your wallet."
After saying that, her profile picture dimmed. She went offline.
They didn't know if Kirari really went offline or was just lurking, but Sonoko knew one thing: she might be in trouble tonight.
Because just twenty minutes ago, she had loudly told her family (and the group chat) that she was going to have dinner with friends tonight at Ren's place and wouldn't be back until late. She had practically invited the vampire into her house.
Yumiko sighed, putting her phone away. "If I were going tonight, I should be able to keep Kirari in check. She listens to reason. But I won't have time until tomorrow night... I have a family dinner. Sonoko, you should be fine... probably."
Sonoko wailed, "That black-bellied monster Kirari went offline because she saw Sister Yumiko wasn't coming! She waited for the protectors to leave! She probably wants to gamble my allowance away! Sigh..."
That's right. There were very few people who could control Momobami Kirari.
One was Shinonono Tabane, who was as much of a genius as she was eccentric and simply ignored Kirari's mind games.
Another was Fuji Yumiko, who radiated such gentle "Onee-san" energy that even Kirari felt bad teasing her.
And Orimura Chifuyu, who would probably just hit her if she got annoying.
So if no one was there to control Kirari, she would really make Sonoko cry... Of course, everyone is friends (in a twisted way), and at most Sonoko would just lose a meal or be forced to wear a silly hat, but such humiliation is really terrible for a Suzuki heiress.
Ren, seeing Sonoko's distress, poured her some tea. "Don't worry. Kirari is very quiet when she comes to my place. She respects the food. And she's here to see me today, not you. As long as you don't argue with her or accept any bets, she shouldn't be interested in playing tricks on you."
Sonoko nodded, calming down. She almost forgot that besides those people, Ren could also control Kirari. In fact, Ren was the only one who could make Kirari behave simply by withholding dessert.
Thinking of this, Sonoko became tough again. "Hmph! I have Ren-nii! I'm not scared! By the way, let me see if I can call Ran over tonight. Uncle Mori seems to have gone out on business today and will probably come back drunk, so she's free!"
Ren gave Lucifer and Yumiko a piece of cold beef salad and said softly to Sonoko, "You're very welcome to invite her. But I remember, Sonoko... didn't you make an appointment with Miss Ran at one o'clock to go shopping? Is it still in time now?"
He pointed at his watch. It was 12:45.
Sonoko froze. She screamed. "AHHH! I forgot!"
She suddenly stood up, pulled out two paper towels to wipe her mouth, and turned to run.
"Wait!" Ren stopped her.
"I'm late! Ran will karate chop me!"
"There's a shortcut from here to the shopping district," Ren said calmly, pointing. "Go through the path on the right side of the park, cut through the shrine, and you'll be there in ten minutes. Don't run too fast right after eating, or you'll get a cramp."
Sonoko's eyes lit up. "Ren-nii, you're a lifesaver! Bye everyone!"
She waved to Fuji Yumiko, Tezuka, Lucifer, and Cerberus before sprinting away down the path Ren indicated.
Ren smiled and shook his head as he watched her disappear. "She doesn't look like a high school student heiress at all~. More like a tornado."
Fuji Yumiko chuckled, sipping her tea. "I was like that when I was in high school, too~. Energetic."
"Yeah. Youth."
At this time, in the back of a luxury car speeding towards the city...
Momobami Kirari licked her cyan lips. She tapped the armrest with her fingers in a rhythmic beat.
She looked out the window, her reflection smiling back at her.
"Want to win against me, Sonoko-chan...?" she whispered. "You're far from it. But tonight... the game isn't about money."
She looked at the destination on her GPS.
"Tonight, the prize is the Chef."
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