This day was the Autumn Leaf Viewing Festival.
It was an event where the upper-class Elite Ten and outstanding first-year students sat together, admired the autumn leaves, enjoyed dishes, and chatted about daily life.
"Ah. The weather today is truly lovely, and the scenery is beautiful. It's so pleasant to sit here with everyone and admire the autumn leaves."
Isshiki Satoshi, dressed in his impeccable school uniform, knelt opposite Satou, Erina Nakiri, and the others, speaking with a smile.
"It's rare to see Senior Isshiki dressed so formally. To be honest, I almost didn't recognize him with clothes on."
Yukihira Soma scratched the back of his head and said with a laugh.
"Haha, is that so?"
Isshiki Satoshi squinted his eyes and laughed heartily.
Originally, the Autumn Leaf Viewing Festival was a gathering for upperclassmen and underclassmen to get to know each other, but Satou, Yukihira Soma, Tadokoro Megumi, and the others were already quite familiar with the Elite Ten.
Only Takumi was a bit nervous, sitting upright and primly beside Yukihira Soma.
Mimasaka Subaru's long hair flowed freely behind him, and with the maple leaves dancing in the air, he gave off a refined and elegant vibe.
However, one look at his gorilla-like face instantly made people feel out of place.
Eishi Tsukasa and the others leisurely drank tea, appearing very natural.
However, what struck Satou as odd was that Kobayashi Rindo, who usually rushed over to ask for ingredients whenever she saw him, was acting very unusually today. She kept her head down, occasionally stealing a red-faced glance at him.
Did Senior Kobayashi have a change of heart today?
"Um, junior. Have you drunk the rice wine I gave you last time?"
Kobayashi Rindo, her face flushed, avoided Satou's gaze and asked somewhat unnaturally.
As soon as she mentioned the rice wine, Yukihira Soma felt nauseous again. He excused himself and ran off to a small grove to throw up.
Tadokoro Megumi and the others all felt a pang of sympathy.
"Oh, that bottle of rice wine? I've already finished it. It tasted good."
Satou said. Although it wasn't as good as his fruit wine, it had a unique sweet aroma. Satou occasionally drank a few sips over the past few days.
"Eh... Eh? Finished it?"
Kobayashi Rindo's whole demeanor changed instantly. She stammered, her face red, as she asked.
"Yeah. What's wrong?"
Satou said, somewhat puzzled, "By the way, Senior, do you have any more of that rice wine? If you do, could you give me some more?"
"No... No, I don't."
Kobayashi Rindo lowered her head, looking somewhat dejected, a rare blush appearing on her cheeks.
Thinking that Satou had drunk her kuchikamizake, she felt very uneasy.
Didn't that mean they had indirectly kissed?
Seeing Kobayashi Rindo like this, everyone was a little surprised.
"Rindo, what's wrong with you?"
Eishi Tsukasa couldn't help but ask.
"Th-that... that was actually my kuchikamizake."
Kobayashi Rindo, her face flushed with shame, lowered her head and whispered, occasionally stealing a glance at Satou, like a child who had done something wrong.
"Ku... Kuchikamizake?"
Erina Nakiri and Alice Nakiri exclaimed in unison.
"Kuchikamizake?"
Nene Kinokuni also quickly adjusted her glasses.
Kuga Terunori even spat his entire mouthful of tea onto Takumi's face opposite him.
Kobayashi Rindo's face grew even redder, her head almost touching the ground.
Satou was also quite speechless. So, that bottle of wine he thought tasted good was Senior Kobayashi's kuchikamizake?
In that case, wasn't he drinking Senior Kobayashi's saliva all this time?
The thought sent a shiver down his spine.
However, compared to Yukihira Soma, he was undoubtedly lucky.
At least he wasn't drinking an old woman's saliva, but a beautiful girl's saliva.
Moreover, reflecting on it now, it still tasted pretty good.
"Senior Kobayashi, why did you give Satou that kind of wine?"
Alice Nakiri puffed out her cheeks and cried out angrily.
Although Erina Nakiri didn't say anything, from her expression, she clearly cared a lot.
In her opinion, if anyone was going to drink it, it should have been hers!
"I'm... I'm sorry."
Kobayashi Rindo said, lowering her head, very embarrassed.
"Well. Rindo didn't do it on purpose."
Eishi Tsukasa said with a smile, "Isn't it great for all of us to enjoy the food and scenery together?"
"That's true. I've made a dish this time, please everyone, have a taste."
Saito Soumei also helped Kobayashi Rindo out of her predicament, presenting his tuna sushi.
As a sushi master, the sushi he made himself was naturally incredibly delicious.
The others also brought out their dishes one after another, inviting everyone to taste them.
"As expected of sushi made by a sushi master, the taste is incredible!"
Tadokoro Megumi exclaimed.
"Megishima-senpai's ramen also has a first-class texture."
"What beautiful desserts, they're like works of art! Akikubo-senpai, did you really make these?"
While eating the Elite Ten's dishes, Tadokoro Megumi, Takumi, and the others were filled with admiration.
In fact, they had also brought dishes this time, as it was a gathering, and it would be rude to only eat what others provided.
However, after tasting the Elite Ten's dishes, everyone felt a bit embarrassed to bring out their own; the difference was too great.
Eishi Tsukasa's dish was a French rabbit terrine, made by mincing rabbit meat, pork, pine nuts, and eggs, adding brandy, baking it in an oven, and then, after baking, pouring gelatin-infused water over it and chilling it for ten hours.
When eaten, paired with pickled cucumbers, the meat was tender and delicious, and the pickled cucumbers were crisp and very flavorful.
As soon as this dish appeared, it immediately became the focus of everyone.
"It's truly delicious!"
A hint of surprise flashed in Erina Nakiri's eyes.
"As expected of the First Seat!"
Takumi's heart was also greatly shaken, feeling the immense gap for the first time.
"Everyone, please bring out your dishes too, it's alright."
Isshiki Satoshi said with a smile.
With his encouragement, everyone couldn't hide their dishes any longer and had to bravely present them.
"The dishes we first-years made are a bit rough, so please don't mind them, seniors."
Takumi said, a little embarrassed.
"Not necessarily. The dishes Satou and Erina-san make certainly won't be inferior to the seniors'."
Tadokoro Megumi smiled slightly and said.
Hearing her say that, everyone's gaze indeed focused on Erina Nakiri and Satou, especially Eishi Tsukasa, who paid particular attention to Satou's cooking.
Satou smiled slightly and presented his dish.
"Please, everyone, have a taste."
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