Chapter 10: The Bonds Forged Through Appetite (Preparation)
In the classroom after school, Hiyori-sensei’s cheerful voice rang out.
“Alright, everyone! Please settle down for a moment!”
Spreading her arms wide in front of the teacher’s desk, Hiyori-sensei managed to calm the excited students.
“The next field trip will be a barbecue!”
At those words, the classroom buzzed with energy. The more outgoing students cheered, “Seriously? Awesome!” while the quieter ones muttered, “…I’m not good at those kinds of things.”
“It’s a great chance to strengthen your bonds, so have fun!”
Hiyori-sensei encouraged them with her trademark carefree smile, though the students’ responses were mixed.
“Alright, let’s form groups mixed with boys and girls! There’s no limit to the number of people per group, so feel free to form them however you like!”
Her announcement caused a stir in the classroom.
“Hey, it’ll be boring if we split up!”
Reo, having pushed his chair to the back, stood up boldly and declared,
“How about we make one big group for the whole class? The purpose is to strengthen our bonds, so doing it all together would definitely be more fun!”
Reo’s suggestion was met with agreement from some of the outgoing boys: “That’s a great idea!” However, others were less enthusiastic.
“Um, I’ll pass on that.”
However, Maria, with a polite smile, gently declined Reo’s idea.
“Smaller groups feel more relaxed. Besides, I’d like to spend more time with Sorano-kun and Yasaka-san.”
“What the heck? Doing it as one big group is definitely more fun!”
Reo retorted, irritation creeping into his voice, but Maria remained unbothered and kept her cheerful expression.
“I’ll excuse myself too.”
Chiharu, standing beside Maria, added her opinion calmly,
“It sounds lovely to do it all together, but I prefer smaller groups. Tendou-kun, have fun.”
Her composed tone only seemed to further irritate Reo.
“Sorry, but I’ll pass too.”
Yuto shrugged as he stood up.
“I prefer doing things at my own pace. Big groups tire me out. Sorry about that.”
“Wait, come on, guys!”
To calm Reo’s growing frustration, with a slightly annoyed look, Kanon stood up.
“Wait, Reo-kun, if they don’t want to join, there’s no need to force them. Right?”
Her voice was gentle, but a flicker of jealousy and possessiveness flashed in her eyes, revealing her dissatisfaction with Maria and Chiharu’s rejection of Reo’s idea.
“It’s weird not to join Reo-kun’s group, don’t you think?”
Her comment felt like a jab at Maria and Chiharu, but the two merely smiled gracefully, unbothered.
Ultimately, Reo gave in under Kanon’s persuasion, though his dissatisfaction was evident.
“Tch, so lame.”
Clicking his tongue, he began organizing the outgoing students into a single large group. Meanwhile, Subaru, Maria, Chiharu, and Yuto opted for a smaller group and moved at their own pace.
Subaru felt a bit bewildered by the situation but was somewhat relieved that Maria and Chiharu chose him.
The four of them gathered in a corner of the classroom to discuss their menu. Maria smiled warmly and addressed Subaru first,
“What would you like to eat, Sorano-kun?”
“Huh? Me? Uh…whatever everyone else wants is fine.”
Subaru answered shyly, causing Maria to pout faintly in disappointment.
“I thought you’d say that. But sometimes, it’s okay to voice your own preferences, you know?”
As they chatted, Yuto crossed his arms, a serious expression on his face, and spoke up,
“Me? I want to eat meat, of course! Like that manga-style meat on a bone, you know?”
“Manga-style meat?”
“You know, the one with a huge chunk of meat around the bone! It’s so manly and exciting!”
Maria’s eyes sparkled at Yuto’s description. Subaru chuckled softly, shaking his head.
“That’s a bit much, but if you want some hearty meat, how about churrasco?”
“Churrasco? What’s that?”
When Yuto tilted his head in confusion, Subaru explained,
“It’s a Brazilian dish where you season a large piece of meat with salt, skewer it, and grill it. Normally, it’s served with various sauces, but we can marinate it with shio koji (koji marinade) for extra tenderness and flavor.”
“Whoa…that sounds amazing!”
Yuto nodded enthusiastically.
Meanwhile, Maria placed her hand on her chin thoughtfully, muttering,
“I kind of yearn to eat chicken with my hands…”
“Yearn?”
Subaru asked curiously. Maria nodded slightly.
“At home, I was raised with strict manners, so eating with my hands wasn’t allowed…but it looks so fun in movies.”
Hearing this, Subaru pondered briefly and made a suggestion,
“Then how about buffalo wings? They’re a classic finger food. You grill chicken wings until crispy and coat them in a spicy sauce.”
“A spicy sauce…sounds fun! Let’s go with that!”
Seeing Maria’s satisfied nod, Subaru looked relieved as well.
“I think I’d like ajillo.”
Chiharu made her suggestion with her usual gentle tone.
“Ajillo?”
“Yes. It’s a dish where ingredients are simmered in olive oil and garlic. I’ve heard it’s delicious.”
“That sounds great. If we use seafood and vegetables, it’ll be colorful, and the aroma from the olive oil will make it even better.”
However, Chiharu hesitated slightly, adding,
“But… the smell of garlic might be a problem, don’t you think?”
“Good point. In that case, we can skip the garlic and use ginger and thyme for flavor instead.”
Subaru’s quick solution reassured Chiharu, who smiled with relief.
“Still, do you think this will be enough?”
Yuto asked, his tone slightly worried. Subaru nodded confidently.
“Then how about we make oil pasta using the leftover oil from the ajillo? We just need to boil some noodles, and it’ll be ready quickly and use up all the flavorful oil.”
“That sounds perfect!”
Maria clapped her hands excitedly. Yuto and Chiharu agreed enthusiastically, and the group finalized their menu…
Meanwhile, in another corner of the classroom, Reo was enthusiastically making his own suggestions.
“When you think of barbecue, you have to think of burgers! That’s a no-brainer, right?”
Declaring with absolute confidence, Reo’s suggestion earned a few nods from his classmates.
“Yeah, burgers are a classic!”
“Let’s keep it simple.”
Amid the voices of agreement, someone spoke up.
“We should do fries too! You can’t have burgers without fries!”
“Great idea! Grilled over charcoal, they’ll taste amazing!”
“Alright, let’s just keep it simple—grill the patties and put them in buns. Easy, right?”
The topic quickly shifted to “what toppings to add,” and the group buzzed with excitement.
“Let’s load it up with cheese! The richer, the better!”
“No way! Bacon and tomato are the ultimate combo!”
“Don’t forget lettuce! You need the crunch, right?”
Ideas flew around one after another, and everyone’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. However, no one considered the logistics or preparations required. Clapping his hands loudly, Reo tried to wrap up the discussion.
“Alright, it’s settled! Burgers and fries it is! We’ll figure out the details on the day!”
A chorus of “Yeah!” filled the air, and the atmosphere grew even livelier…
Watching from the edge of the classroom, Subaru, Maria, Chiharu, and Yuto exchanged glances.
“They’re really fired up, aren’t they?” Maria said with a gentle smile, though her gaze remained calm.
“I wonder if they’ll be okay with the preparations.” Chiharu quietly voiced her doubt.
“Well, knowing Reo, he probably plans to figure it out as he goes,” Yuto replied with a wry smile.
Without making any further comments, the four left the scene.
At a supermarket near the school, Subaru’s group began shopping while checking their menu’s ingredient list.
“First, we need seafood mix and frozen vegetables for the ajillo.”
As Subaru spoke while scanning the list, Chiharu pointed toward the refrigerated section.
“Wouldn’t fresh seafood be tastier?”
“That’s true, but frozen is more cost-effective. Plus, it can double as an ice pack, so we won’t have to worry about it spoiling during the trip.”
Subaru explained carefully, and Chiharu nodded in understanding.
“I see! That’s impressive, Sorano-kun.”
At the vegetable section, Maria picked up a fresh bell pepper.
“This looks so colorful. Don’t you think it would be nice?”
“If there’s a frozen option, let’s go with that instead. Pre-cut frozen vegetables will save us a lot of prep time.”
With a smile, Subaru replied. Though Maria looked a bit disappointed, she said, “Alright,” and placed frozen vegetables into the basket.
“Next up is chicken for the buffalo wings. We’ll need drumsticks, so let’s head to the meat section.”
As Subaru took the lead, Yuto chimed in with enthusiasm. “I want something big and hearty. Something like a giant bone-in steak!”
“Giant bone-in steaks might be hard to find, but drumsticks are satisfying and easy to cook. Plus, marinating them at home will make them even more delicious.”
Subaru explained as he picked up a pack of drumsticks.
“Alright, sounds good to me!” Yuto replied with a grin.
At the condiments aisle, Chiharu picked up a bottle of olive oil and asked, “Is this okay?”
“Yeah, that’s perfect. Let’s also grab some shio koji while we’re here.”
Subaru responded while checking the list.
“What kind of meat do we need for churrasco?” Yuto asked, tilting his head toward Subaru.
“Basically, any meat will do, but a tender, lean cut is best. How about sirloin? It’s low in fat and delicious when grilled over charcoal.”
As Subaru explained, Yuto’s eyes lit up. “Sirloin? Never heard of it, but it sounds delicious! Let’s get it!”
“Do you think they’ll have it at a regular supermarket?”
Maria asked with a hint of concern, and Subaru reassured her, “Don’t worry. Supermarkets these days have a great selection. I’m sure we can find it.”
As they searched the meat section, Subaru spotted a block of sirloin.
“Here it is! We can grill it and slice it for everyone to enjoy.”
Holding up the package with excitement, Subaru turned to Yuto, who exclaimed, “Wow, this looks awesome! It’s going to taste amazing over charcoal!”
Maria looked at the price tag and asked, “Isn’t this a bit expensive? Are we still within budget?”
Subaru calculated mentally. “Yes, it’s fine. We chose frozen ingredients for the ajillo to save money. Plus, this sirloin will become even more tender when marinated in shio koji, so we can slice it thinly and make it go a long way.”
Chiharu smiled with admiration, saying, “Sorano-kun, you’re so organized. This is my first time trying churrasco, and I can’t wait!” Maria also gazed at Subaru with a proud look, adding, “As expected. With Sorano-kun around, everything seems to go perfectly.”
At the drinks section, Subaru began speaking.
“I’ll bring lemonade syrup from home, so let’s just buy some sparkling water. That way, we can easily make lemonade.”
“That’s so chic!” Chiharu exclaimed in awe, while Maria smiled and said, “I’m looking forward to it.”
Once all the shopping was done, Subaru double-checked the list.
“That’s everything. I think we stayed within budget without any waste.”
“We’re lucky to have you, Sorano-kun,” Maria said with a satisfied smile. Yuto, holding the basket, joked, “My work as the luggage guy was pretty good too, wasn’t it?” prompting everyone to laugh as they left the supermarket…
Meanwhile, Reo’s group showed no sign of planning whatsoever during their shopping.
“Alright, everyone, just grab whatever you like! As long as we have bread and meat, we’ll manage somehow!”
With that shout from Reo, the group scattered throughout the store.
However, their lack of planning quickly caused problems.
“Wait, which patties are we supposed to buy for the hamburgers?”
“What seasonings do we need again? Let’s just go with ketchup or something!”
Key ingredients were overlooked by several members, and no one had a grasp of the overall situation. Meanwhile, unnecessary items like juices and snacks kept piling into the baskets, making their load heavier and heavier.
“I’ll handle the drinks! Coke and Fanta should do, right?”
“That’s gonna be super heavy, but… whatever.”
Even the conversations in the bread section were all over the place.
“Are these buns okay? Or should we go for bigger ones?”
“Who cares? Let’s just pick by appearance!”
In the end, their shopping concluded with no clear plan. At the checkout, they barely stayed within budget, causing mild panic among the group. However, Reo didn’t seem bothered and laughed, saying, “Well, we’ll figure it out somehow!”
Afterward, as the group carried their heavy bags, they regretted their choices a little, but despite grumbling, they managed to haul everything out.