Chapter 1
I ordered the lightly vanilla scented "pudding a-la-mode"!
And I got a parfait filled to the brim with seasonal fruit!
I got this super fancy fruit waffle, and it even comes with a little parfait on the side!
All three treats in a row make for a pretty sweet sight~ All these sweets look tasty!
Just like the name of the place, “Fruit Parlor”, says, there’s a variety of different fruits on everything on the menu.
I’m unfamiliar with what a “parlor” is, but after following Shiina-san, I was able to discover beautiful food. I’m so happy.
When I go out to eat so that I can come up with new recipes, I usually go out alone. But I’m glad I let you both tag along~
Ahaha. When I heard you were coming to the Fruit Parlor, I couldn’t resist, since I’ve got a sweet tooth.
Umu. Likewise, I heard it was a good place with splendid food… There’s still so much in the city I don’t know about.
…Oop. I’m gonna dig in now. Thank you for the meaaaal~!
Hinata + Hiiro: Thank you for the meal!
Just so you know, a "parlor" is a Western-type restaurant that offers a bunch of casual foods and drinks.
Heeeh, I've learned something new. Thank you, Shiina-san!
Oh right, if you're gonna need a reference for a recipe, do you want a bite? Cuz this parfait is taaaasty~
Is it really okay?! I'd love to!
Please try some of my pudding as well. It's delicious, so much so that I can't think of any other way to describe it.
Uuu, you two are too kind! When I finish this recipe I'll absolutely let you try it...!
Fufu, I'm looking forward to it. Shiina-san always makes such delicious food.
Soooo true~ Shiina-senpai, we're lucky to be in the same room as you. Ah, that reminds me--
? Why did you just point your phone at me?
Oh, don't mind me! While you're eating so happily like that, just turn this way a bit please!
Like this?
Ohh, I got a pretty good shot~
What's with this all of a sudden? Are you posting it to SNS[1]?
...Not exactly, I actually overheard something back at the agency. Shiina-senpai's turn for a "Feature Live" is coming up.
Heeeh, my "Feature Live"...
Wait, what?! It's my turn already?! But didn't Rinne-kun just have a live performance a few days ago?!
That's true, Nii-san's show was recent. However, is there a specific rule for the order?
No clue. Anzu-san might be looking at the schedule and deciding that way?
...But let's just leave that be for a bit. The pamphlet for the "Feature Live" features a bunch of off-shots[2] of the idols. I thought having this fun time with Shiina-senpai was the perfect chance for an off-shot picture, so I took one~
Shiina-senpai, if you're out on your day off, that means you're "off" now, right?
I guess? I mean, I'm eating food and being really random, but it isn't any different from what I do everyday... So maybe it's fine for an offshoot?
I know, right? And here's....another shot~!
Then, I'll do my best to take pictures of Shiina-senpai too. I've improved at using a camera recently~
Having two cameras being pointed at me feels weird, but if it really is my turn, then it would be a big help if I had a few pictures. I'd be grateful if you randomly took a few.
Umu, please leave it to us. Would it be alright to send these to Anzu-san later?
That's right. Instead of sending them to Shiina-senpai, it'd just be faster to send them to Anzu-san first. I'll send them and explain~
Thanks a bunch, you two~
...Oh, once you're done taking pictures you should probably get back to eating. You'll miss out~
Uwah, the ice cream is gonna melt!
That's true, we need to eat it quickly...!
Even if they’re just sweets, savor them well, you two~
That Night.
(Tomorrow's prep, check. Sweeping the restaurant and keeping the kitchen clean, check. That's pretty much it for work today, all that's left is waiting for Nee-san here--)
--Ah, Nee-san, when did you get here?! Please come in instead of staying by the door!
You didn't want to get in the way so you watched and waited for me to finish work? Nono, Nee-san, didn't you contact me beforehand? You could've just talked to me at any point with no problem, y’know.
...So, um. About my "Feature Live", I know it's my turn for it, but what did you want to meet up for?
Eh? A picture? Oh, you're talking about the one the other two took? I'm happy you like them, it's all thanks to Hinata-kun and Otouto-san...
Is this...what I was hoping for? You're asking what kind of moments do I want to post and which off-shot pictures I think are good? Uummmm, I mean, if it's just a picture of good food then I have no problem, but it's gonna be in the pamphlet, so I have to be in the pictures, right?
.....
Sorry, I should stay quiet. It's an "off-shoot", so I was just thinking about my time off...
? You're asking if I even have time off, what do you mean by that?
...Of course I do, I spend it prepping food at night like this. I'm at the cafeteria or at "Cinnamon" in the kitchen when I'm not doing idol things too. But, today I used my time off to think up ideas for a new recipe.
Wait, wouldn't that count as a chef's job?
Uuu, I'm gonna go crazy. What in the world do I consider as time off?
You're asking if I don't have days off to at least tell you what I do in my spare time?
J-just wait a moment please. I'll try to figure out how I normally am!
Chapter 2
My time off, just what is it~…?
(I just kept Nee-san in the dark for a while, and in the end the only thing I could think of was cooking... To be fair I did try to think of something apart from cooking, but all I could come up with was playing mahjong and pachinko with Rinne-kun!)
Sigh. Being optimistic is harder than I thought...
(...Even when it came to my "personalized outfit"[3]. I kept talking about cooking, only because it's something I love and am interested in. I couldn't think of any ideas. This time I really want to come up with my own ideas without Nee-san's help, even if it's just a bit.)
But, the more I work my brain the hungrier I get~...
Good thing I decided to make a night snack. I'll think about all this once the bowl is empty. Mogumogu.
Kunkun[4]... What's that tasty smell?
Harukawa-kun? What are you doing here at this hour?
Oh nothing~. But, it kind of smelled like rice so Sora found himself wandering over...?
If you're wandering around, then surely you're hungry. Here, I made this so you're free to eat some if you want?
HaHa~? Now that you mention it, Sora does feel a bit hungry. Could he eat together with you?
Absolutely~ Just sit and wait a sec please, I'll bring it over~
HiHi~, it's super warm and tasty! Chef Onii-san, you make a really good cook!
Fufuuun~ That's because I am a cook.
Right now it seems like something is bothering you though, Chef Onii-san.
Mugu!? ...Ngugu, gokun! H-how could you tell?!
Because that's what your "colors" looked like? It's hard to put into words but...
Ohhh, Harukawa-kun, could you tell from your senses? I'm the same way, since I can tell a lot of things by smell.
Eh?
I'm pretty sensitive to that kind of thing.
No matter how much someone disguises themselves, I can smell it out and see right through it~
Huhu ♪. Unexpectedly, we're closer than Sora thought~? It's surprising, but it's delightful...
Sora wants to hear your story, Chef Onii-san!
My story?
Right~ Sora is a magician that makes everyone happy! If there's any trouble with using the magic, then he can guide them to a happier direction!
That's why, why don't you try telling Sora about what's wrong? Sora wants to help Chef Onii-san with his cooking.
If you insist...I'm starting to feel like I want you to listen to me too. It's a silly personal problem of mine, but I want you to listen and keep this between you and me. So--
A few minutes later.
...And so, I don't know what my time off is!
So that's what's wrong~ Chef Onii-san, you're lost on what your off time is?
That's right. When I have time off, when I'm not working as an idol or in the kitchen...I've thought about it so much, but everything I do is for cooking: eating out, thinking up of a recipe, and going abroad to find new ingredients.
Even "Niki's Kitchen" is a Circle based on cooking. With the "Overnight Outdoor's Club" too, I was in charge of cooking. Everything just comes back to cooking...! I'm buried from head to toe in food!
Chef Onii-san, you really like to cook...
No, you really, really, really love cooking, don't you~? Sora thought it was amazing, so what would be wrong with it?
Because, if all I can think up of is cooking, then no matter how you look at it that's not an idea, right?
Not at all! You love it so much that you never get sick of it, you think about it everyday and get carried away with it. It's wonderful to keep constantly exploring something~
That's why, we should show that love to everyone. It would make you happy if you showed that "love" to others...wouldn't it?
...It wouldn't make a difference.
Thank you, Harukawa-kun. It's my call now...so I'll think about it for just a bit longer~
A few days later.
Nee-san! Sorry to call you so suddenly when you're busy. I really wanted to have lunch with you today, Nee-san. I'm happy you came!
Now? I'm finishing everything up, it'll be ready soon~
...Yep, perfect. Nee-san, I'm sure this'll suit your tastes~
Ah, that's right. Could you take a picture of me now? For the pamphlet's offshots...
How do I look? "Well, like a cook"?--
That's right, I'm both an idol and a cook.
I was thinking about that for a while, but then I thought, if all I could think of was cooking, I'd just make one ingredient called food.
That picture you just took is of me and food. It's a different taste than the picture of me eating sweets the day before, right? My facial expression changes depending on the kind of food I make and eat.
No matter what, I love cooking. I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea for my fans to see me like that, but...what do you think?
....? "Sounds like you, but it's going to make for one hungry pamphlet"?
Nyahaha. It really would make people hungry if all they saw was pictures of me and my food, right? But, that's all I've got.
Please give the pamphlet a read, and get as excited as you can for the live--I'll perform a live that will make the dinner after the show taste even better!
Well then, thank you for waiting. For lunch today is my very own special, a lunch plate with a side of sweets~
I want to think about everything together while we eat. About a "Feature Live" that will leave everyone full and satisfied...~
Translation Notes
(1): An abbreviation meaning “Social Networking Sites”, social media basically
(2): Hinata calls them off-shots in the dialogue box written in ktkn. The idea of it described in other FS2 stories is that the pamphlet needs candid (in the moment) pictures of idols in their free time.
(3): Referring to his FS1 story. Anzu helped completely with the design.
(4): JP onomatopoeia for “sniff sniff” like taking a short whiff of something.