It was just any other day in SCHALE, with students going here and there. Some made use of SCHALE's facilities, but many were there to eat in the SCHALE affiliated restaurant. Among those students was one Kurodate Haruna, the infamous leader of the Gourmet Research Society, who was currently making her way to Sensei's office.

"Sensei! I, Kurodate Haruna, have come to once again partake of your delicious cooking!" Haruna exclaimed as she entered Sensei's office, only to be met by the silent stare of one Millennium student who was also the student assistant for the day. Said student had long glossy black hair and wore a headband and a clip on her left side while currently working on a pile of documents on one of the desks.

"..." The girl looked at Haruna with a slight frown before returning to her work as she placed another completed pile on her right before picking up a new pile from her left.

"Well, this is awkward…" Haruna said in a fluster as she quickly looked around hoping to find Sensei sleeping. Eventually, she approached the student assistant and asked, "Um…Do you happen to know where Sensei is?"

"Unfortunately, that man is currently out at the moment," the Millennium student replied without looking at her. "Now, if there's nothing else, please show yourself out."

"Oh my! For someone as cute as you, you're quite the rude one, aren't you?" Haruna said as she took a seat across the girl. "No, I think I'll wait for Sensei to return."

"Suit yourself."

And so, Haruna decided to wait for Sensei in his office, with her only companion being the standoffish girl from Millennium. She tried to initiate a conversation a few times with the girl, but each of her attempts were shot down.

"Would you like me to help you with that?" Haruna asked.

"No," the girl curtly replied.

"Is there anything you could use some help with?"

"None."

Haruna was perplexed as she watched the girl continue to check the documents. At this point she noticed that the pile of documents on the right, the ones that the Millennium student had gone over, had already increased by a lot since she arrived.

What's more— Haruna thought as she looked over the table and saw even more piles of neatly arranged documents on the floor. By her estimate it already tripled in amount since she arrived. It's not that she doesn't want my help…She probably didn't need it.

Haruna checked the time in the office's wall clock and realized that it hadn't even been 30 minutes since she arrived. It seemed that this girl was actually just that efficient with her work.

With that said, I don't see any sort of food or drink near here, Haruna thought before an idea crossed her mind.

"How about I drop by the restaurant and bring you some food here?" Haruna offered.

"I don't—" The girl started to say before she cut her words off. Haruna was glad the girl was actually contemplating on her offer. Food was a great way to break the ice, after all. Eventually however, the girl declined. "Thank you for the offer, but there's no need as I will be making food after this."

"Oh? So you can cook?" That merely served to pique Haruna's interest. "Are you perhaps studying the culinary arts under Sensei's guidance?"

"No." It only served to irritate the girl as she said, "That man caught me off-guard with his cooking once and I'm studying to avoid that from happening again by observing him."

So you are learning from him. Haruna kept that thought to herself as she focused on what the girl said.

"Sensei's cooking does have that effect the first time you taste his cooking," Haruna said with a nod. "Though it seems that Sensei himself still has a lot to learn since he's not able to recreate it a second time yet."

"Which is why I must understand what is causing it so I do not get off-guard by that man's cooking once more," the girl replied before muttering something about a princess, but Haruna didn't quite catch it.

"By becoming a better chef than Sensei?"

"If that is what is necessary to do so."

"Oh my! How delightful!" Haruna exclaimed as she clapped her hands together. "Then I, the president of the Gourmet Research Society, will be glad to lend you my aid in your quest to reach the peak of culinary art!"

"Kurodate Haruna of the Gourmet Research Society…That man mentioned you and your club to the Princess once," the girl muttered as she contemplated Haruna's offer. Eventually, she nodded before she made her way to the kitchen. "Please wait while I prepare some food for you to taste."

"I'll help you set the table," Haruna said as she took out some plates.

"That…would be helpful," the girl said as she wore a pink apron.

After Haruna finished preparing the table, she waited in silence, not wanting to disturb the girl's focus as she observed the way she moved was reminiscent of Sensei's skilled movements.

"And yet…" Haruna muttered with a frown. It was clear that the girl had skill, but she felt that there was something about the girl that was missing.

Perhaps it's merely my imagination, Haruna thought as she decided to judge the girl's cooking. Eventually, the smell of food coming from the kitchen reached Haruna's nose as she nodded in approval.

…

After that, Haruna tasted the dish that the girl served. It was a simple stir fry chicken dish served with rice. It was a dish that Sensei mentioned he cooked for himself when he was pressed for time.

It's delicious, Haruna thought as she kept eating along with the girl who sat across the table. Haruna quickly noticed that the girl had a frown on her face as she showed an unsatisfied expression.

Haruna understood why. While it was a delicious meal, when compared to Sensei's own cooking…

"Thanks for the meal~ It was delicious," Haruna said as she lowered her chopsticks and used a napkin to wipe her lips. "Would you like to hear my thoughts now?"

After the girl nodded, Haruna started with praising her dish. She pointed out how the blend of ingredients made way to a harmonious taste that elevated the dish further.

"As far as your technical skill in cooking is concerned, you are the closest to Sensei I've met," Haruna said. "Tell me, how long have you been cooking?"

"A w—no, about two months."

"Oh my, so Sensei really did find a genius!" Haruna said with a smile before her expression changed into a more understanding one. "Yet you understand that something's missing with the dish you made just now."

The girl nodded. "Do you know what it is? I have been spending a lot of time studying the way that man cooks and even researched other cooking methods, and yet my cooking is still lacking."

"Before I say what's on my mind, I have to ask whether you have asked Sensei for his input on your cooking."

"No," the girl replied sharply. "I have no need of that man's guidance. Not for this."

"Ahaha…" Haruna made an awkward laugh. It seemed that this girl had a complicated relationship with Sensei as she noted that the girl had refused to address their teacher by his title. Though considering the girl was helping out in SCHALE, Haruna supposed that it should improve over time.

"So, what is missing with my cooking?" The girl asked.

"It's 'love'," Haruna replied with a smile.

"Come again?"

"Love!" Haruna exclaimed with a smile before she continued, "By that I mean that while your technical prowess in cooking might rival, or even be better than Sensei's, you lack the same care that he puts into his cooking."

"I don't understand," the girl said. "Please elaborate."

"There are many ways to show 'love' in your cooking, but perhaps the easiest way to show it would be to ask the other person their preference," Haruna said as the expression of the girl in front of her slowly changed to one of realization. "You never asked for my preferences."

"I…This is an oversight…" The girl muttered. "But that man hardly does so…"

Haruna giggled as she added. "That's because Sensei has enough experience under his belt that he can more or less tell people's preferences just from looking at them."

"...Thank you for your insight, Miss Haruna," the girl said.

"You're very welcome, Miss…" It was there that Haruna realized that she hadn't even asked for the girl's name yet. "I seem to have neglected to ask your name."

The girl opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again as if she was thinking about how to introduce herself. Eventually—

"Kei," the girl from Millennium introduced herself. "Tendou Kei of the Game Development Department…tentatively."

"Well, Miss Kei," Haruna said as she glanced at the time before she stood up. "It was lovely meeting you, but I think it's about time I excuse myself."

"Were you not waiting for Sensei?" Kei asked.

"Admittedly I would have loved to see him before going, but it seems that I'll have to try again another day," Haruna smiled as she slowly made her way to the door. "Besides, while I didn't get to eat his cooking today, I was able to try his lovely cooking apprentice's dish instead~"

"Wha—" Haruna heard Kei said. A quick glance over her shoulder allowed her to see that the girl's face became flushed red.

Haruna giggled as she walked down the hall leading to the exit, she heard Kei yelling, "I AM NOT THAT MAN'S APPRENTICE!"