A super great writer in the second dimension

　"Strange...did I dial the wrong number?"

　Sanzenin Arashi slammed her hand on the table: "No, when are you coming back?"

　"...I had a nightmare yesterday and I want to say a few words to the BOSS."

　Yukinoshita Haruno was uncharacteristically lacking in confidence, her tone filled with a strong sense of crisis.

　"What... happened to you?" Sanzenin Arashi asked uncertainly. "Don't hide it. There are few things in this world that I can't handle."

　"I'm very happy that the BOSS said that... um..."

　"What's wrong?" Sanzenin Arashi asked, seemingly...

　There was a hint of weariness and pain in Yukino's voice.

　On the other end of the phone, Yukinoshita Haruno was sitting in a large room.

　I got pregnant last year, but it wasn't until I was over five months pregnant that I found out. Now it's been more than six months and I'm almost due.

　I can feel very obvious fetal movements, and it hurts from time to time.

　The expectant mother, Yukino Yukinoshita, clutched her collar, swallowed the breath that was about to come out of her mouth, and looked somewhat pale.

　She had a nightmare yesterday and felt very insecure, so she wanted to call the child's father.

　Women...

　Is this basically the case?

　"...BOSS."

　"Ok?"

　"If you have a problem, just say it. Don't keep it from me, okay?"

　"All right……"

　Yukino Yukinoshita gave Sanzenin Arashi a strange smile. Don't try to find a sense of security with him. Isn't this just asking for her to comfort him?

　Sanzenin Arashi said, "It's really troublesome lately. I've been letting my feelings run wild, and now I almost got hacked to pieces."

　"A machete?"

　“...It’s that person, the one I’m with from μ’s…” Sanzenin Arashi recounted the whole story from beginning to end.

　For him, the only person he could talk to about this kind of thing was Yukino Yukinoshita. The older sister didn't care about this kind of thing and didn't want to get married because she was disgusted by the family's exploitation of kinship. She believed in second-rate feelings more.

　“I see…” Yukino Yukinoshita sighed. “Boss, let’s go.”

　"Huh?" Sanzenin Arashi's voice was somewhat dazed. "What nonsense are you spouting...?"

　“I said…” Yukino Yukino pursed her lips, “Boss, since you’re going to do it anyway, and there are girls who like you, just go for it. It’s not like you have to be like someone like Nishikawa Jun, doing those scumbag things and looking at girls with prejudice.”

　I know the boss well. If he's reluctant, then just go for it.

　Yukino Shino gently touched her belly while listening to her husband speak.

　"I understand, you make a lot of sense. Where are you?"

　"If the boss knows, then just do it."

　"where are you?"

　"I'm hanging up..."

　"Wait...where are you?"

　pat.

　Sanzenin Arashi glanced at her phone and shook her head.

　He decided to think about it for a few days, and after returning home, he simply stayed in his room and wouldn't come out.

　Actually, what Yukino Yukinoshita said wasn't entirely right. Sanzenin Arashi was thinking in her room, whether to go or not, but... well, no buts.

　For half a week, Sanzenin Arashi chose to work from home to handle basic tasks, usually ordering takeout and eating greasy food. Eriri lived next door, but the two shut-ins were very much committed to status, so they didn't interact much and only exchanged a few words each day.

　It's almost May Day.

　Mid-April is the time to eat fish, when seafood is at its fattest and most delicious. In early spring, fish enter their spawning period, and skipjack tuna has the least amount of fat, making its flesh fresh, tender, and elastic.

　While she was working, Sanzenin Arashi received a phone call.

　"Sister Xi?" He held up his phone. "Your grandpa is sending me fish to eat?"

　The old man's social interactions were more down-to-earth. Nanjo Shirai was very prestigious, and the freshest bonito in Tokyo was presented to him as a gift. At this time, any leftovers would be given away.

　"Okay, I'll wait for you at home."

　Sanzenin Arashi had also grown tired of fried food lately. Skipjack tuna can be used to make curry. Skipjack tuna in April is more elastic than beef, with a chewy but not tough texture and a satisfyingly firm meat fiber.

　After thinking for a moment, Sanzenin Arashi called Eri.

　She sings the opening theme for A Certain Magical Index.

　She and Nozomi Tojo are good friends, so tonight is just a get-together for friends.

　After hearing about this, Eriri took on the responsibility of cooking.

　Shortly after, the doorbell rang, and only then did Sanzenin Arashi put down her work and go to the door to open it.

　Eriri stood in the kitchen. She had gone to the supermarket to buy vegetables, and after cutting the fish, she was going to find salt to marinate it.

　"Where are the seasonings..." Eriri looked at the kitchen.

　She rummaged through the refrigerator for a while. She had just bought curry powder. She didn't know how to cook, but fish curry was no problem.

　They quickly found a bottle of salt and some butter to spread on bread.

　"This guy... he never cooks... he even uses leftover soy sauce from his bento box." Eriri exclaimed.

　Even the salt is kept in the refrigerator...

　Eriri searched for quite a while before finally finding a bottle that was hidden very deep.

　The bottle contains a bunch of small white granules with a crystalline sheen; it's probably sea salt.

　There was a note stuck to the bottle.

　Xinhu Feishazi.

　..

458. The Spirit of Drug X!

　Eli Ayase was wearing a standard spring outfit.

　As the weather began to warm up at the end of April, sleeveless tops revealed a small portion of the collarbone, and the fair upper arms were as smooth as cream, giving a supple feeling.

　Judging from her appearance, the mixed-race girl is similar to Arashi Sanzenin. Eri's grandmother should have had some Germanic blood, as evidenced by her pure blonde hair and blue eyes.

　Sanzenin Arashi sat at the dining table with a cup of black tea in front of her.

　"I called Eri here today because I have something to discuss with her."

　"Yes." Eli Ayase showed great respect to the person in front of her.

　Two o'clock.

　One is admiration, and the other is the feeling that this person is very capable.

　She was very serious when facing Sanzenin Arashi.

　"I'm about to release a big movie."

　"Huh?" Eri looked puzzled.

　“I didn’t issue any announcement, so of course you wouldn’t know. It’s about this movie, and we need you to do something,” Sanzenin Arashi said. “It’s work-related.”

　"Huh?" Eri was startled. Could it be that she was going to play...something?

　Although I'm very happy, this is a bit too sudden, isn't it?

　Becoming a movie actress is certainly something to be happy about, but isn't this honor coming a little too early? Well, I'm just a little happy.

　“I want you to sing a song,” said Sanzenin Arashi. “This song will be played at the beginning and end of the movie.”

　"Sing?"

　Isn't it just a performance...?

　“Because I’m making a 3D visual effects movie, there won’t be any real people in it.” Sanzenin Arashi smiled. “If I were to make a live-action movie, there wouldn’t be any characters that are both smart and cute, so Eri is already out of the running in that respect.”

　"..." Ayase Eli didn't react for a moment.

　When she realized the meaning of those words, her face turned bright red.

　"Arashi-kun, stop teasing Eri-chan." Tojo Nozomi suddenly appeared from behind and patted Sanzenin Arashi on the shoulder. "What are we having for dinner tonight?"

　“Fish curry,” Sanzenin Arashi succinctly stated.

　Eriri Sawamura is making fish curry, holding a bottle containing white crystalline powder.

　It seemed like a fraction of the stuff had been used. She poured some over the fish, then added a little soy sauce and stirred. While it was marinating, she chopped the potatoes and carrots and set them aside.

　Boom~

　A faint sound of fire.

　After turning on the stove, heat the pan, throw in the butter, and a sizzling sound of oil fills the air.

　After melting, pour in the curry powder and fry in oil.

　Eriri is holding her phone, which contains a curry-making tutorial.

　Yes, so far everything has gone smoothly, absolutely perfect!

　'Now even I can make perfectly delicious curry!' Eriri thought smugly.

　"Let me see..." she said, looking at her phone. "Put the meat in and turn it over until the surface changes color and seals in the juices, keeping the fish or beef tender inside. Then add some purified water and salt, or sea salt if you have it..."

　Seeing this, Eriri felt even more certain of success this time, since the sea salt was right here!

　She opened the note with the name "Hisako Shinto" on it and suddenly frowned.

　'Oh dear, this bottle doesn't have a cap...'

　Ordinary salt containers are either put into a box and scooped out with a spoon, or they have a leaky lid like pepper to prevent adding too much, right?

　Eriri carefully held the bottle and poured it into the pot.

　Eriri, who has absolutely no cooking knowledge, places her hand over the pot.

　The scalding hot white smoke settled on that delicate, jade-like hand.

　"Hiss..." Eriri gasped, it's so hot!

　Her hand reflexively withdrew.

　I rushed to the tap, turned it on and rinsed her hands with cold water. This silly girl didn't even know that adding water to a hot oil pan would cause it to boil. Her hands were burned red by the oil and water fumes, which were almost 100 degrees Celsius!

　As she rinsed her hands with cool water, Eriri breathed a sigh of relief, but then her heart skipped a beat.

　I think I just heard a thud...

　'Oops……'

　The salt shaker fell in there!!!

　Eriri quickly returned to the pot and looked inside...

　Sure enough... a glass jar fell inside, and the white powder inside exhibited a state of "dissolving upon contact with water," dissolving rapidly as soon as it touched water.

　Eriri quickly grabbed a spoon from the side and scooped out the 'salt shaker'.

　This…this…

　Adding a little more water should be fine, right?

　Thinking about some impossible things, she reached out and dipped her finger into the broth on the salt shaker, then put it in her mouth and tasted it.

　The broth spreads across the taste buds.

　"Huh?" The girl was taken aback; it wasn't salty at all!

　That's strange... Eriri paused, scratching her forehead.