The Top Idol Next Door Can't Help But Crave My Guilty Pleasure Meals-Chapter 9Volume 1 .3 - I Lacked the Resolve
ROUND 9 – I Lacked the Resolve 3
As I put my hand on the lid of my lunchbox, I felt a strong gaze from the front.
Mikami-sensei was glaring at me sharply as if trying to kill me with her eyes.
“How dare you brazenly take out your bento in front of me…!”
Perhaps I had been too casual with my homeroom teacher.
Although I intended to always be mindful of manners and etiquette, I tend to forget the very concept of manners in front of this person.
“Well, there’s not much of lunch break left, so—”
“And here I am, having eaten nothing but grass and beans for the past three days!”
Once again, the reply that came was completely beyond my expectations.
Come to think of it, this person has been cutting down on food expenses to the limit for the sake of supporting her favorite idol.
“Last night, I had stir-fried bean sprouts and pea shoots with five cans of chuhai (shochu highball). This morning, I had cold tofu and natto, and for lunch, I had bean sweets given to me by a colleague… I’m at my limit!”
Following her gaze, I realized it was not on me but on my bento.
If she was originally someone in financial trouble, I would definitely take care of her, but in this person’s case, it’s clear that her lack of money is due to her idol spending.
Still, ignoring a hungry teacher in front of me felt uncomfortable.
“…Would you like some?”
For a moment, Mikami-sensei’s eyes sparkled but then they quickly returned to normal.
“Hmph, I haven’t fallen so low that I need to be pitied and given food from a student.”
“I have another one, actually.”
“Really!?”
She leaned over the table, her eyes wide like a child’s.
“Yes. I made too much.”
I had actually planned to give it to Yuzuki at school if I saw her, but that seemed unlikely today.
Handing the second lunchbox to a visibly delighted Mikami-sensei, we both simultaneously lifted the lids of the willow-made boxes.
“Whoaaa…”
Mikami-sensei’s mouth hung open like a child who had just opened a treasure chest.
Today’s lunch is sandwiches.
The ingredients include classic options like tuna and ham, as well as luxurious tonkatsu for a katsu sandwich, and a fruit sandwich mixed with plenty of fresh cream and chopped strawberries, kiwi, and banana.
“Haaah…”
Holding a palm-sized square-cut sandwich in both hands, Mikami-sensei gazes intently at it like a common soldier bestowed with a reward from the king.
“Itadakimas—”
She quickly bit into it like a small animal, starting with the tuna sandwich loaded with black pepper.
“…Sweet potato shochu, on the rocks.”
“What?”
“Or, maybe white wine…”
” …… “
After muttering these mysterious phrases, Mikami-sensei next chose a ham sandwich.
In addition to the ham, it was filled with shredded cucumber, adding a refreshing texture and juiciness.
“Red wine, preferably the cheap stuff from a family restaurant… A highball would also be acceptable.”
“…Are you talking about what drinks would go well with these sandwiches?”
It seems that for Mikami-sensei, even picnic-style food was considered suitable for pairing with alcohol.
The third choice, making a grand entrance, was the katsu sandwich.
Her hands trembled slightly as she held it, perhaps it had been too long since she had meat or fried food.
Crunch- cruch- munch- munch-
With a snap, Mikami-sensei’s eyes flew open.
“Beer! Beer beer beer! A medium draft, and make it quick!”
“Sensei, please calm down! This isn’t a pub, it’s the school’s student guidance office!”
I shook Mikami-sensei’s shoulders, trying to bring her back to her senses.
The content of her comments aside, it seemed that Mikami-sensei genuinely enjoyed the sandwich.
She continued to munch away, leaving only the fruit sandwich.
Even Mikami-sensei, known for her love of drinking, appeared like a typical girl in front of sweets.
She took out a silver thermos, seemingly preparing for an elegant tea time.
“The rich whipped cream and the sticky sweetness of the banana combined with the sharp sweet and sourness of the strawberries and kiwi make a perfect dessert. This bread is also moist and fluffy, melting nicely in the mouth.”
After the fourth sandwich, I finally heard a proper food review from her for the first time.
This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.
“With my mouth filled with sweetness, drinking this is like——aahhh!”
Mikami-sensei’s face instantly filled with satisfaction as she gulped down the contents of the thermos bottle.
“…Just to confirm, that’s tea in your thermos, right?”
“…Did you know? Whipped cream surprisingly goes well with sake. The sweetness of the cream and the bitterness of the sake enhance each other. It’s good either warm or at room temperature, but my absolute recommendation is definitely cold sake. You see, the crisp coldness seeps through, giving you a sensation like plunging into a cold water bath after a sauna.”
“Uh, why are you so talkative all of a sudden? And isn’t your face getting a little red?”
“I’m such a bad girl, eating and drinking in front of my students——Ufu-ufufufu.”
This must be what they mean by ‘makes one’s skin crawl (身の毛もよだつ)’.
(TN: 身の毛もよだつ, expresses the sensation of all the hairs on your body standing on end or feeling as if they are.)
Mikami-sensei is giggling to herself, seemingly finding something amusing.
Then she stretched out her arms on the table and collapsed forward, tossing aside her low-heeled pumps.
“Ah… Yuzuki-chan… my precious… my love…”
With a dreamy look in her eyes, she suddenly expresses her love for her favorite idol.
She really does love Yuzuki.
“Hey, do you think I’m cute?”
“Yes?”
The Slit-Mouthed Woman——it seems that she appears even at schools during the day.
(TN: Something like an urban legend; she approaches people (typically children) and asks them if they think she is beautiful. If they answer ‘no,’ she becomes violent. If they answer ‘yes’, she removes her mask to reveal her slit mouth and asks again. )
“That’s right, I’m the cutest in the school, aren’t I?”
Though I responded with a question, it was taken as an affirmation, with an exaggerated topping added on.
Setting aside whether she’s the cutest or not, Mikami-sensei is certainly cute.
Round eyes, a button nose, and glossy lips. The short bob suits her, and she has a small face with an outstanding figure.
