It was Saturday, the day after her confession to Nishino. Gabriella returned to her temporary home, a luxury hotel in Tokyo, and found herself standing in the kitchen of her room. The kitchen was no less luxurious than the one in Rose's house. There, she looks at the freshly purchased ingredients with a troubled look on her face.
"........."
So far, Rose has been feeding Nishino every lunchtime at school. Although he was always a little indifferent, he was always eating. Gabu-chan had seen him do this and decided to follow her lead. Unfortunately, she is not an experienced cook. Recently she has been using the hotel's room service for her meals. Of course, she had never prepared her own bento before. But she was determined to do it, so she went to her local supermarket and bought the ingredients. She bought all the ingredients she needed, using recipes she had researched beforehand. She also used the money to buy her cooking equipment from the hotel's room service.
"Let's get on with it!'
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She mumbles to herself and reaches for the food. This is because Rose has been bringing in elaborate stacked bento's every day. The menu that Gabriella has chosen for tomorrow's bento is one that would take a lot of effort to prepare for a bento . It was a conscious choice that she hoped would appeal to Nishino in some way. This time it worked against her. It was some time after she stood in the kitchen.
"... I've run out of ingredients."
She looks at the result of her work. An egg omelet that had been cooked incorrectly and turned black. The teriyaki of the salmon, burnt only on the surface and raw on the inside. Too much soy sauce, then too much water, then too much soy sauce again, and so on. And many other things that are too risky for people to eat. Such items were lined up.
"........"
Gabriella was honestly impressed by her culinary talent.
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But she was not a giver. If she couldn't achieve a goal on her own, she would get help from others. When she thought about it, a conversation with a classmate came to her mind. When the topic of bento's came up in the classroom, a girl in her class said that the chairwoman of the next class made her own bento every day. She said it was of a good quality.
"Oh, and by the way, I know her......."
Gabriella decided to ask Shimizu for help. She is at the top of the school caste alongside Rose, so she doesn't have to worry about her contact details. She was invited by a classmate to join a group on a messaging app, and when she casually asked, the response was immediate. Fortunately, she decided to get in touch with the chairwoman.
◇ ◆ ◇
On the same day, Shimizu received a call from Gabriella and was at a luxury hotel in Tokyo. Immediately after receiving the call, the chairwoman thought of refusing, making up a proper excuse. However, the amount of money Gabu-chan offered her for making the bento was very attractive for a high school girl in need of something.
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With this in mind, Shimizu came to join in.
"You're quite skillful. What's that?"
"It's kelp for soup stock. ......"
"So that's what the real thing looks like?"
"Kelp, don't you know?"
They were dressed in aprons and lined up in the kitchen. On her first visit, the chairwoman was surprised to see how different the kitchen was from her own home. She had always felt that Gabriella was rich, but she hadn't realised that she usually lived in a luxury hotel. However, once she started cooking, she was ready. Gabriella, who had invited her in, watched her work with admiration.
"The recipe site says that powdered soup stock is useful"
"Oh, I think that's fine, but ..."
"What's the problem?"
"I usually take it here, so I just bought it out by habit."
By the way, the ingredients used in this way were purchased by the chairwoman on the way.
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Most of the items originally purchased by Gabu-chan were lost in the first cooking. Shimizu, who had been told of the menu that had been planned, had procured the items to suit this.
"It's so authentic."
"I don't think it makes much difference either way."
Gabriella's honest compliment did not make the chairwoman feel bad. In the meantime, it's important to remember that you'll need to have a good idea of what you're looking for. But now that she spoken to her, she can see that she's a surprisingly nice girl, is the thought that comes to her mind.
"I would like to help. I need to know that I have prepared a bento with my own hands!"
"Then can you take the scales of this fish?"
"How do I do it?"
"Use the back part of the knife, like this......"
The two of them made up the bento in a friendly manner. They did not dare to check the destination of the bento.
◇ ◆ ◇
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It was when they were preparing the last dish that they noticed a problem. The chairwoman, who had opened the fridge and was checking inside, noticed something and shouted.
"Oh, I forgot to buy some ginger......."
"Ginger, eh? What is it used for?"
"This is a ginger garnish for teriyaki fish."
"Is that the long, stick-like thing in the photo?"
"Oh yes, that long thin one."
"I'm going to the local supermarket to buy some!"
"Many of the supermarkets around here are very small, like convenience stores, so I'm not sure if they sell it. If you're going to go and buy it, you might want to phone before you drop in."
"I see, I understand."
Following the chairwoman's instructions, Gabu-chan picked up a phone. Then she started to contact this and that. Then, as Shimizu pointed out, all the shops in the neighbourhood were closed.
"...... It didn't work. No shops are selling it."
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"Well, if you don't have it, it's not a problem ... "
"I'll try to get in touch with someone else."
"Someone else? "
"There is a woman who is useful in such cases."
" ......... "
Gabu-chan murmurs calmly and makes a phone call again out of nowhere. At the same time, the name of the person on the screen of the phone flashed in the chairwoman's eyes. Four katakana letters, Obasan. Shimizu began to wonder where she could get in touch with her. She had no idea it might be not her aunt. After a few calls, the caller answered.
"Is me. What happened ? ”
“Is there ginger in the refrigerator at Obasan's house ? ”
" ...... Yes?"
"This is no ordinary ginger. It is a long, thin ginger."
" ...... "
Francisca, the obasan who received the call, was speechless. She wondered why she was suddenly asked for ginger.
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At the same time, she remembered an incident in the past when Rose had asked her for the same thing. Since then she has had ginger in her fridge at home. She has been using it as an addition to her evening drinks, which have been quite good, and it has recently become a favourite of hers, along with beer.
"There is something, but what's wrong with it ? "
"Please deliver it to my place as soon as possible . "
"It's okay to deliver it, but what is it used for ? "
"Buri I'll use it for teriyaki. "
" ... I understand."
I've heard this story before, she thought.
◇ ◆ ◇
Francisca arrived not more than an hour later. She had a cooler box on her shoulder, probably filled with ginger. She is dressed in a fine suit, but her outdoor gear looks a little out of place.
"Oh, you were with her?"
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" ...... Sorry to bother you."
She walked to the kitchen and reacted when she saw the chairwoman there. She hadn't expected to find a schoolmate with her.
"Is there ginger in it ? "
"Yes, I do. What is your relationship with this girl, by the way?"
"I'm learning how to make bento."
"I see, that's how it is."
A cooler box was opened in front of the chairwoman. There was indeed ginger. It was a snack that was supposed to be in Francisca's stomach this evening. This confirmed Gabriella's suspicions and she turned her attention to the chairwoman.
"Please allow me to check the product."
"Here you go"
The cooler box was opened in front of the chairwoman. It is true that Yayoi ginger is stored there. Originally, it was a side dish of sake that was supposed to fit in Francisca's stomach even tonight. Having confirmed this, Gabriella turned her attention to the chairwoman.
"Is this all right? "
"Eh? Oh yeah, I don't think there's a problem...... "
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"It seems to be a good enough product. I'll pay for it."
Gabu-chan took out a cheque from his pocket and ran the pen over the paper. It's like watching a dangerous drug deal, the chairwoman thought. In fact, the amount written on the cheque is close to that. Francisca is not happy about it. If it had been Rose, she would have taken it without a second thought. But when it comes to Gabriella, she takes a step back, which is her position and status these days.
"I can't take this much. It's just ginger!"
"The value of an object can vary greatly from time to time."
"But......."
After repeated persuasion by Gabriella, the cheque ended up in Francisca's pocket. Gabriella's reputation was on the rise, not only with the chairwoman but also with the old lady. With an unusually apologetic look on her face, Francisca left the hotel. With the food safely delivered, the work of making the bento continued. With the ingredients safely delivered, the bento making process continued, and it only took about 30 minutes to complete, thanks to the work done while waiting for Francisca to arrive. All that was left was to pack the bento the next day.
"It's not easy to make a bento!"
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"It's not so bad once you get used to it. But is it too many items this time?"
Their eyes are focused on the food in the kitchen. The chairwoman has bought a good amount of food, as she has been informed of the menu in advance. Of course, she doesn't think it's enough for one person. Shimizu has mixed feelings when she starts to think about where the food is going.
"My sister brought more than twice this every day."
".... "
The thought crossed the chairwoman's mind that she might have been too quick to be lured by the reward.
◇ ◆ ◇
The next day Gabriella manages to get Nishino to meet her for lunch. The place was an empty classroom where the breakdancing club was held. There, on a lunch mat, they meet face to face. There were other members of the club present, but Gabu-chan didn't mind that much. The most important thing is that Rose is not present.
"How is it? I think the fried chicken there is pretty good."
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" ...Oh, it's good."
"And I think I've made a delicious stew of kochira!"
You'll be able to find a lot of people who are interested in this type of thing. The futsumens who were being fed, having done the same thing with Rose in the past, stretched out their chopsticks without hesitation. It's an unpleasant sight for Takeuchi. However, it is difficult for even the most handsome man to join in with this.
"We have also prepared miso soup. I have put it in a pot for you to drink"
"...... Ah"
The pot lid is turned upside down and the steaming soup is poured in. The soup is made from kombu seaweed and is the perfect accompaniment to a Shimizu family morning. It is also a drink that the chairwoman has inherited from her late mother. The day before, she made the base without miso. The next day, Gabriella finishes it with help over the phone. The chairwoman is a woman who takes responsibility for her work. The aftercare for the bento was also excellent.
"But you can cook too"
"No, that's......."
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When it came to cooking, Gabriella was no stranger to the kitchen, but when it came to scenes that required skill and seasoning that required experience, she had to defer to the chairwoman. This was probably why she was unusually brusque in her reply. However, Nishino did not seem to mind and continued eating. Of course, he doesn't know. A girl in his class who he is slightly attracted to. He and his schoolmates eat their homemade bento together during lunch break at school. He never imagined that he would be experiencing such an adolescent event.
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gracias por la traducción
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