Chapter 48 – The Half-Blood Teacher (Patreon)

The standoff between Sayuri and Touko didn't last long. Touko quickly pulled Kouma back to her place for dinner.

Though Touko had invited Kouma over with ulterior motives, the dinner she prepared was exquisite. Her cooking might not have rivaled Mieko's, but among young housewives, it was well above average.

Kouma ate to his heart's content, and Touko watched him with quiet satisfaction.

"Kouma, make sure to come over for dinner often!" she said as she saw him off.

"Yeah, Kouma, come play whenever you can!" Miko noticed that after this meal, her mother had grown noticeably warmer toward Kouma—almost as if she were treating him like the little brother she had lost. Delighted by the thought, Miko beamed at them.

"Thank you, Mrs. Yotsuya, and thank you, Big Sister Yotsuya, for the octopus..." Kouma hefted a bag of frozen octopus tentacles—a thoughtful addition Miko had made while shopping for her mother after hearing Kouma mention his cooking class.

...

Back at the Yukinoshita residence, only Yukino was home, as usual. With the Spider Mountain demon threat eliminated, the amusement park project had officially entered its proper track, keeping Mrs. Yukinoshita busy. Haruno hadn't yet secured her off-campus living permit and was still locked in a battle of wits with her academic advisor.

Yukino, curled up on the sofa with a book, lit up the moment she saw Kouma return. He had messaged her earlier that he would be eating at a friend's place, but he hadn't mentioned who. She hadn't asked—it wasn't in her nature. Yukino never pressed him about who he was with or how he had spent his time; that would only invite unnecessary worry.

From her half-month with Kouma, she had developed a clear strategy for strengthening their bond. The central principle was simple: Create moments and memories that belong only to the two of us.

"Kouma, you're making takoyaki in cooking class tomorrow, right? Want to practice with me first?"

Her eyes fixed on the octopus tentacles he was holding, and her tone was deliberately casual. Kouma was about to say that takoyaki wasn't particularly difficult and probably didn't need practice, when he caught the faint flicker of nervous anticipation in her eyes.

What a complicated big sister, he thought. Swallowing his initial response, he nodded seriously. "I'd love to, Yukino-neechan!"

"Then let's start right away!"

That was when Kouma noticed she had already prepared a takoyaki grill and even a notebook filled with detailed instructions and key techniques. It was clear she had quietly prepared everything for him after learning about his class.

"Yukino-neechan... I'm really glad you're here." His soft, straightforward words made her body tremble slightly. Such a simple sentence sent a violent ripple through her heart.

"L-let's get started!" After a brief pause, she turned away, her voice trembling. In this house, it was the first time she had felt truly needed—not like the "inferior copy of Haruno" others often called her.

As they made takoyaki together, Yukino was filled with an overwhelming sense of warmth. But that feeling was soon overtaken by something else.

After an hour or two of practice, they finally produced passable takoyaki. Yukino tried one of Kouma's. The piping-hot ball released a savory aroma—not scalding, but just right. The tender, juicy octopus blended perfectly with the seasonings, unleashing a rich, mouthwatering seafood fragrance.

At the same time, Yukino felt as if her very soul had been soothed and healed, sinking into an indescribable state of bliss.

"Mmm~" After a long moment, she let out a satisfied sigh. "So good!" Her eyes sparkled with pure amazement. Compared to the takoyaki from the shop she had tried earlier, this was on a completely different level.

Kouma tried one too. It was indeed incredibly delicious. But, glancing at her chest, he noted quietly to himself. Still no burst effect, just like last time.

Yukino then tried one of her own. She froze, a look of existential crisis flickering across her face. "This is way too ordinary..."

They had made them together—so why was there such a massive gap in flavor? She couldn't understand it. She tried several more rounds, stubbornly refusing to believe the results, but the outcome remained the same. She would have kept going all night if Kouma hadn't said he wanted to shower and sleep.

...

The next day.

Shuchi'in Elementary School — Cooking Classroom.

Kobayashi-sensei was introducing today's guest instructor. The woman who stepped forward had long white hair, delicate and sculpted features, and an elegant, noble bearing—a beautiful older woman with an unmistakable half-European charm.

"This is Leonora Nakiri, department head of the research division at the culinary academy, Totsuki Institute! For the rest of this semester, Chef Nakiri will be teaching our cooking class..."

Kouma looked at Leonora on the podium with mild surprise. Totsuki Institute, huh... So it exists in this world too. If his memory served him correctly, Leonora Nakiri was the mother of Alice Nakiri. Shuchi'in's pockets were certainly deep—to hire someone of her caliber to teach an elementary school cooking class.

After Kobayashi-sensei left, the elementary students eyed Leonora nervously. She was undeniably a flawless beauty, but her half-foreign features and the commanding aura of a long-time executive made them instinctively shrink back.

"Class, begin your cooking directly. If you're unsure about anything, you may ask me. I will guide you." Leonora's tone was flat, her words a little stilted—clearly not her native language.

Watching the children scramble about, Leonora's expression was one of bored detachment. If not for the generous compensation Shuchi'in had offered and the lack of pressing matters at Totsuki, she would never have agreed to teach a bunch of elementary students. They weren't even Totsuki students—what kind of cooking could they possibly manage?

"As long as it's edible," she thought dismissively.

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