Choosing the burgers to order took only three minutes for the three of them. I settled on a Deep In Cheeseburger that felt like it would cut my life short by about 30 minutes just by eating it, while Izumi obviously opted for the Emperor Burger, which was bound to be absurdly thick as it was the signature dish of Burger Emperor. Lastly, Haruna chose the Garlic Shrimp Chicken Burger, a mishmash of various ingredients.
As expected, since we ordered set menus, the side dish of French fries also arrived, and both of the other two showed their wisdom by ordering them Cajun style. Recognizing Izumi as someone deserving of praise is a bit of a stretch, but Haruna truly knows her stuff when it comes to flavors.
While waiting for the burgers to come out, Akari’s table began to fill with burgers one by one. Is it because they had such a high order volume? Despite the store’s policy requiring customers to pick up their burgers at the counter, a robot employee was impressively delivering them directly.
What surprised me a bit was that while the store was continuously serving Akari’s burgers, they weren’t falling behind on other customers’ orders at all. I wasn’t quite sure how a place like that operates, so I couldn’t gauge how impressive it was, but visually, it certainly struck me as an excellent sight.
“I’ll eat well~☆”
And thus, the eating show began.
One. Two. Three. Four.
Wait, Akari’s burger… disappeared?!
“Wow—oh…”
An unbelievable scene unfolds. A burger that didn’t look small at all vanished after just four bites. I felt full just watching.
“Every time I see Akari’s stomach, I can’t help but feel a little envious…”
I guess the envy comes from the fact that unlike most people, she doesn’t gain weight despite eating like that… specifically, it seems she’s the kind to only gain in certain areas.
Anyhow, for someone like me, with a small appetite, it’s a part I can’t help but envy. It’s really sad that you want to eat but can’t.
It’s not like we can enjoy the total quantity of taste forever by eating like ancient Romans and upchucking before eating again. For someone like Haruna, who truly loves gourmet food, it must be a heart-wrenching situation like no other.
“Ah, it’s out! I’ll go pick it up~!”
Izumi quickly jumped up, without giving anyone a chance to say a word, as soon as she saw our order number display. Her mint chocolate paste sitting at her table was really bothering me.
Isn’t it that thing where she feels minty whenever she uses shampoo, or is it the other way around?
I can’t remember exactly, but if she experiences mint as shampoo, then she’s probably tasting that mint chocolate paste like shampoo chocolate, which is a weird taste. Just imagining her happily eating something like that makes me shudder.
Izumi, balancing a tray in both hands, returns and places one burger down in front of me and Haruna before sitting back down.
After scanning the cheeseburger placed right in front of me with my eyes, I decided to ask Haruna for one small favor.
“…Haruna-chan, could you take a picture and send it to me later?”
“Hehe, of course.”
Haruna smoothly pulls out her Hyudaepon and points the camera my way. She tilts her head slightly to ensure my face appears just above the burger, then makes a heart gesture with her fingers.
“Okay, I’m going to take it. One, two, three…!”
Despite the inability to take continuous shots, Haruna snaps at least ten satisfying pictures and nods her head approvingly before handing me her phone, asking for a picture of herself.
Lowering my posture just like her, Haruna winks with one eye closed and brings two fingers near her lips, striking a pose as if blowing a kiss.
For a moment, I almost thought she was doing that toward me, and my heart nearly malfunctioned, but thankfully I managed to snap the picture quickly. I can’t believe how endlessly enticing Haruna seems! It feels like she might just be from an entirely different realm of seduction.
“By the way, Mika.”
“…Hmm. I think I know what you want to say, Haruna-chan.”
Between sesame buns lie two beef patties. And three overflowing slices of cheese seem to reinforce the idea that the visuals we saw on the menu were more about art than reality. The Deep In Cheeseburger I ordered perfectly met my expectation of wanting to die from cheese clogging my arteries.
In front of Haruna, her burger, featuring whole shrimp patties and chicken patties with garlic sauce and various vegetables peeking out, created an artistic visual. In particular, the chicken patty, slightly larger in diameter than the bun and retaining its fried texture, was fascinating. How on earth did they pull that off?
What can I say? I wanted both of them so badly. Once again, Haruna and I shared the same thoughts across the months.
“Please wait a moment, Mika.”
I gazed at Haruna as she approached the counter, resting her chin on her hand and wagging her tail slightly. It seemed that this restaurant we stumbled upon today was a hit, and I couldn’t foresee any disaster erupting from her devouring spree.
Just looking at the visuals of these two burgers alone suggests they wouldn’t taste bad. The Deep In Cheeseburger’s cheese, slowly oozing down, was solemnly declaring, “I am here!” while the Garlic Chicken Shrimp… no, the Garlic Shrimp Chicken Burger was loudly proclaiming, “Deliciousness confirmed!” all around. Given the cumbersome name, you shall henceforth be known as the Garosh Chicken Burger.
“Hehe, so, Mika, will you cut it for me?”
Handing me a knife, Haruna donned the disposable gloves placed on the tray and gently pressed down on her Garosh Chicken Burger. Watching the garlic sauce ooze out made my mouth water…!
After expertly slicing Haruna’s burger in half, I passed the knife back to her, put on gloves myself, and repeated the same action. The bottom half of my already cheese-loaded burger had now turned into a gooey cheese fondue, and I had to squeeze my eyes shut for a moment before turning my gaze toward Izumi.
In front of her stood a burger about the size and height of ours combined, and she was devouring it with vigor. Could it be that she had smeared mint chocolate paste between the layers? The bizarre color had stained the top of her burger.
Phew. Thanks to that, my appetite was controlled. If you could look at that without feeling your appetite diminish, you’d have to be something other than human.
“Hehehe… it’s nice that Mika seems to understand me so well.”
“Ahaha, I feel the same! Yes, indeed, it means we’re truly connected☆”
Exchanging half of our burgers, I picked up the Cheeseburger with my gloved hands. Coincidentally, Haruna did the same.
Thanks to the thorough pressing down, the burger was now a size manageable for my small mouth. As I took the first bite and began chewing, I almost shed tears of emotion.
This is it. The banquet of salty richness and gooey cheese that I’ve always desired was here. The beef patty was tender, blending harmoniously with the cheese.
If you asked whether it was an astounding taste that made my eyes widen in surprise, I would have to say probably not. I was merely enchanted by how faithfully it captured the essence of a cheeseburger.
“It might never reach S-rank, but I think I can dare to say it deserves to be praised among A-rank burgers. Yes, I shall call it that. That’s the right call.”
What kind of nonsense is that, you ask? I don’t know. I just felt that way.
Since I’m not a chef critic capable of expressing tastes in convoluted terms, I simply spoke about how I genuinely felt.
“Hehe, I can understand why you say that, Mika. Perhaps this truly is the ultimate representation of the image we expect from a ‘cheese’ burger, don’t you think? Deep In Cheese… I wonder if there’s a name that suits it better.”
After taking another bite of the burger, I naturally took a sip of cola. Without reaching for the bottom of the cup but rather the lid, I made sure it wouldn’t be a hassle when I took off my gloves later.
“4 out of 5 stars!”
“I think a score of 3.5 seems too harsh, so how about 3.8?”
After exchanging opinions with Haruna, we both burst into laughter.
Next up was Haruna’s Garosh Chicken Burger. Personally, it’s my first time trying a burger with two patties, so I’m filled with anticipation. Since I’m Korean, I really want the garlic sauce to pass the test.
Crisp.
Unlike the cheeseburger that made no noise when bitten due to the absence of veggies, the freshly fried chicken patty emitted soft cries of crispness. Plus, I could hear the refreshing crunch as the vegetables were chewed.
The first flavor hitting me was that of the garlic sauce. While the software might be Korean, Haruna’s taste is distinctly her own; just because something has garlic in it doesn’t automatically mean it’s favored. Yet, the fact that I felt close to acceptance at this point was already a success.
Next, the whole shrimp patty burst with its distinctive texture as I chewed it. This quickly mixed with the garlic sauce, creating a spicy yet sweet, salty flavor.
But this burger didn’t end there. As I bit into the crispy chicken patty, its tender flesh and juicy flavor were revealed. I wouldn’t exactly call it a perfect harmony, but the flavors combined well without overshadowing each other, which was more than enough.
As I chewed on the lettuce and other veggies dotted throughout, I found myself nodding instinctively at the delightful crunch.
“Mmm…!”
Haruna, with her eyes closed and savoring the taste, brought one hand to her cheek and let out a pleasurable sigh. But Haruna, you do know you’re wearing gloves, right… the ones covered in cheese.
“…Mmm?!”
“Hahaha! Haruna-chan, you look so cute right now!”
Realizing it late, Haruna quickly pulled her hand away, but it was already too late—the cheese was smeared on her cheek. Given her refined nature, I couldn’t help but want to treasure this innocent moment.
I felt so regretful for forgetting my phone and missing capturing this scene. Her phone, of course, would inevitably be locked, and asking Haruna to unlock it for a snap might be pushing it. Unfortunately, I resolved to keep this memory carefully stored in my mind.
“Hahaha! Wait a minute, Haruna-chan. I’ll clean you up.”
I temporarily removed my gloves and picked up a napkin. As I raised myself to wipe the cheese off Haruna’s cheek, I noticed her face was much redder than usual.
“Haruna-chan, was it really that good?”
“…Yes? Y-yeah, the taste is definitely there!”
Oh, what’s gotten into her? She seems to be malfunctioning all of a sudden…
Could it be that at last, my narrative potential has handed her a crushing blow?! Is the long-standing humiliation and torment finally coming to an end?!
Oh wait, getting too excited over just a slight victory isn’t the way to go. I still remain abysmally weak in front of her. Calm down. It only takes a moment for me to be swept up in Haruna’s rhythm again, so I must tread carefully.
“Yup, I think I could agree on that point too. It may not be perfect, but it’s a beautifully crafted burger. Now I understand fully why this place is so reputed for its taste. My score is 4.5.”
In fact, this Garosh Chicken Burger might truly be the real representative dish of Burger Emperor? I couldn’t help but think that way. Just glancing at the overly large Emperor Burger next to us, it’s too giant to sell widely. No matter how delicious, if a burger is that difficult to eat, that’s bound to incur deductions.
Although her face maintained its original shade, it seemed that Haruna could finally gather her senses as she softly closed her eyes and spoke.
“Hmm…! Huh, that was really somewhat risky…”
“Huh? What do you mean it was suddenly risky?”
“…Hehe. It’s nothing. More importantly, as for my score for this burger… I’m afraid I can’t really give it a rating.”
“…?”
“The issue is, I’m too emotionally invested in it now. I regretfully can’t rate it.”
What on earth is she talking about? I curiously looked at Haruna, but she didn’t seem to have any intention of clarifying.
“Instead, how about we discuss something a bit different today? Yes, let’s talk about why you’ve come to dislike Gehenna, Mika.”
Haruna, with an expression that seemed relieved as if she had moved on, brought up a topic unrelated to culinary matters, and while it was unfamiliar, I didn’t find it undesirable.
After that, we engaged in surprisingly calm conversations during the meal. Completely detached from the world, where Akari had finally eaten every burger and had moved onto a second round, and Izumi was exclaiming as she battled with her Emperor Burger.
*
The ultimate gourmet. A goal I’ve sought since childhood, now a singular purpose that has become my life’s compass…
But no cuisine has ever given me the conviction of ‘This is the ultimate gourmet.’
Even after realizing that not only expensive foods could be the ultimate gourmet, only failure has followed.
Since creating the Gourmet Research Club and embarking on a journey seeking gourmet food with like-minded friends, I’ve gotten a step closer to that ultimate gourmet. As for where to take that last step, I still couldn’t fathom the direction.
Amid all this, you, Mika, appeared almost like a comet. Requesting to join me with the audaciousness I could never have imagined and openly presenting your opinions, challenging my culinary path.
How could I not be interested? Just sharing a meal with you made me feel as if I’d drawn a half-step nearer… or perhaps a quarter-step… toward that ultimate gourmet; it was such a delightful experience that you’ve etched into my memory.
I’ve longed for the day when I could share such experiences with you again. I felt just a bit sad when you sold me off to the student council president, but my passion for gourmet is far too strong to be so easily quashed.
What stung me more, though, was when I realized you were avoiding making the next appointment. I couldn’t grasp the cause, but I decided to wait a little longer.
“President, how about just kidnapping her?”
That was before hearing Akari’s suggestion.
After a series of ups and downs, you now find yourself here before me. Just having you by my side illuminates everything that was previously troubling me, transforming the unsolvable puzzles into something so effortlessly resolved.
“Wow—oh! Haruna-chan, these fries might taste even better than the burgers! So, you know what that means, right? Hehe?”
I absorb the smile you’re offering as you extend the fries toward me. I’m embarrassed, but there’s no hesitation left.
I finally realized what I genuinely wanted… what that ultimate gourmet I searched for so long truly is.
Now I understand why I wished for you to support me.
Gourmet food is a river that runs through my life, Mika.
Gourmet is my life, and my life exists for the sake of gourmet.
Then, a companion in gourmet naturally serves as a companion in life, wouldn’t you say?
However, one unsolved question still lingers.
Is the path of gourmet I tread with you the ultimate gourmet I’ve sought… or is it you, the person standing before me, that I have truly been seeking all along?
…Hehe, I see. That’s a dilemma that didn’t need too much pondering. It’s a problem so fundamentally simple that one could determine it after indulging a bit.
The world of gourmet is so vast that its end remains unfathomable.
Yet, there is only one ultimate gourmet in this world. I’m ready to do whatever it takes to obtain it.
So, Mika?
Please, do become mine willingly.
