Because there were many things to do and her financial situation wasn't that great, Suiharu Chizuru didn't buy any expensive ingredients except for the beef.
She bought a total of 800g of thinly sliced beef, a few scallions, 300g of chrysanthemum, a large head of cabbage, a bunch of enoki mushrooms, a bag of fresh shiitake mushrooms, a pack of yuba shreds, 4 pieces of baked tofu, a handful of kudzu starch, a handful of burdock shreds, and an onion.
Oh, and she also bought some butter specifically for the sukiyaki.
Suiharu Chizuru had already prepared all the ingredients and was just waiting to start cooking.
She used a non-stick pan and added a little olive oil, pan-frying the tofu until both sides turned golden brown.
She then removed the tofu and added more olive oil to the pan, quickly stir-frying the onion and beef until the beef changed color before removing it.
The chrysanthemum and cabbage were already washed and cut into appropriate sizes.
The scallions were cut into segments, and the mushrooms were all washed.
The yuba shreds were blanched in boiling water for a short time before being removed, and the kudzu noodles had already been soaked to soften.
Suiharu Chizuru heated the iron pan over medium heat, then turned it down to low heat and spread butter on the pan before adding the burdock shreds, onion shreds, and scallion segments, stir-frying them for a while.
Finally, she added the soup base and then the rest of the ingredients to simmer.
"Alright, it'll be ready in a few minutes."
Suiharu Chizuru walked from the kitchen to Kazuya's side.
"Thanks, Suiharu Chizuru-san, it smells amazing. I'm getting hungry just smelling it."
Kazuya knew his culinary skills were limited. Besides washing vegetables, he couldn't help much, but it seemed like Suiharu Chizuru was already prepared and didn't need any help. He decided not to meddle.
"Thanks, I only prepared enough for one meal, so please eat as much as you want, Mukodono-kun. I'm quite confident in my cooking."
Suiharu Chizuru smiled and nodded with confidence.
...
"Mukodono-kun, the food is ready. You can wash your hands now."
Suiharu Chizuru said from the kitchen.
"Okay, I'm coming."
Kazuya put down his phone, got up, and walked towards the sink.
Besides the aroma of sukiyaki in the kitchen, there seemed to be a sweet fragrance of a girl. It was a sweet and sour milky scent, different from the soft milky scent of a child.
"By the way, Suiharu-san, I brought some coconut juice. Is it alright to drink this tonight?" Kazuya wiped his hands with a paper towel and threw it in the trash can.
Suiharu Chizuru nodded: "Yes, I actually like coconut juice too."
"Itadakimasu!"
Kazuya and Suiharu sat opposite each other and officially started eating.
Kazuya picked up the serving chopsticks and decisively picked up a piece of beef, put it in his bowl, then took a bite with his rice.
"Hmm!!!"
The chewiness and deliciousness of the beef made Kazuya perk up.
"Delicious, Suiharu-san's cooking is really good."
Suiharu Chizuru's eyes narrowed, looking confident: "I told you, I'm quite confident in my culinary skills."
She also picked up a piece of beef with her chopsticks, ate it, and then closed her eyes, savoring the aroma and texture of the beef.
From Suiharu Chizuru's unconscious smile, it was clear she was also satisfied with the taste of the sukiyaki.
Suiharu Chizuru said, "You can try the other dishes. They should not disappoint you."
"Really?" Kazuya picked up a piece of fresh shiitake mushroom and took a bite.
"Not bad." As a meat-lover, Kazuya's approval of this vegetarian dish was already a high compliment.
Kazuya looked at Suiharu Chizuru staring at him, feeling that she was paying too much attention to his opinion.
"Suiharu-san, don't mind me, just eat yourself."
Kazuya and Suiharu Chizuru were alone, not sure what to say. Their relationship was still a bit ambiguous. It wasn't quite friends, but Kazuya felt like he knew more about Suiharu Chizuru than her friends at school.
…
After quietly finishing dinner, Mukodono Kazuya watched Suiharu Chizuru take the dishes to the kitchen to clean, while he remained seated, feeling awkward.
Suiharu Chizuru finished washing the dishes and came out of the kitchen, seeing Mukodono Kazuya still sitting there bored, drinking his remaining beverage.
"It's getting late, thanks for the hospitality. I'll take my leave now."
Even though Suiharu Chizuru was undoubtedly an S-class beauty, Kazuya didn't want to stay any longer, so he bid farewell.
"Don't mention it, I'm the one who should be thanking you. I'm grateful for your help yesterday, and for the trouble your grandma caused." Suiharu Chizuru tidied a strand of hair behind her ear, showcasing her beautiful features to the fullest.
"It's no trouble at all. It's just that an elderly person who cares so much for her granddaughter asked me so sincerely, and I'm just doing what I can. It's nothing to worry about."
"Really?" Suiharu Chizuru thought for a moment: "Anyway, thanks again."
"Okay, see you."
Even though their rooms were next to each other, it was still polite to follow proper etiquette. Leaving without saying goodbye was rude.
"See you."
Suiharu Chizuru smiled and waved goodbye to Mukodono Kazuya.
…
"Hey, Kazuya."
That sweet voice on the other end of the phone rang again: "Are you there?"
"Hey, Mami-chan." Kazuya answered the phone: "What's up?"
"You know, you lost a date with me before, right?" Mami's voice was a little bit complaining: "You wouldn't have forgotten, would you? I was really looking forward to it."
"No, sorry, Mami-san." Kazuya scratched his head on the other end of the phone: "I'm busy this weekend. I'm not free?"
"What's going on?" Nanami Mami asked, concerned.
"It's nothing serious. Didn't I tell you my grandma was hospitalized? "Kazuya put down his phone, turning on speakerphone: "She's been discharged recently, and this weekend we're planning a family trip, so I'm not free."
"Really?" Nanami Mami's voice was a little disappointed: "That's alright then, Kazuya, you go ahead and take care of things."
"Seriously…." Kazuya had no solution to his inability to clone himself. "Don't worry, Mami-san. A man's word is his bond, how about we go on a date next weekend?"
"Okay!" Mami's voice returned to its energetic tone: "Then, Kazuya, it's a deal."
"Deal."
Kazuya recalled Nanami Mami: sparkling yellow short hair, a petite and cute body, bare white legs in summer, shining sapphire eyes, and soft, tender lips.
"There's no way anyone would dislike her, right!"
Even now, Kazuya was already looking forward to his date with Mami next week.
…
"Hey, Kazuya, are you ready?"
Kazuya's father, Kazuo, was waiting downstairs at the apartment.
"I'll be right there."
Kazuya checked the room, ensuring there were no safety hazards, before closing the door.