Hungry! (ハングリー！)

You can only use 9 of them for the restaurant.

The last one is for me. Think of it as my challenge to you.

I'll definitely win the fight!

Hanako-san told me she wrote

a recipe book for you.

Where did that recipe book go?

I'm really glad

you opened the restaurant.

I'm sorry. - So you put your guests first. How wonderful.

But as a member of society, you're greatly mistaken.

Why don't we just take a break?

Isn't this the worst birthday ever?

Those hands used to be such pretty hands.

It's top quality stuff picked in Perigord.

These are the black diamonds I've been looking for!

Yes.

What a nice smell!

We got mushrooms here. - What? Seriously??

See? They're pretty.

It's not about pretty or not, you can't eat those.

They're poisonous mushrooms, no matter how you look at it. -Poisonous?

It's so hard to find them.

Found them!

Enoki mushrooms!

Yay!

Eisuke!

Eisukeeee!

Then, he rolled down while still holding the mushrooms.

I think I almost heard

the Super Mario 'game over' tune.

Okay! -Ouch!

You deserve it. -Is your ankle okay?

Shut up, I'm fine. I got them anyway.

Enoki mushrooms!

Even though you don't have money,

picking mushrooms in the morning isn't something that a former rocker would do.

Don't talk about rock anymore. I no longer have anything to do with it.

I loved Eisuke the musician.

Why don't we

just take a break?

Ow!

Get away.

Is he really alright?

He couldn't sleep. That's why he went mushroom picking in the morning.

Did something happen to Eisuke-san?

Seem like something has happened with his girlfriend.

I see.

This is your big chance!

You should get in between them, when their bond has weakened. It's your chance to steal him away.

Steal him!? I can't do that...

Then, how about Valentine? -It's that time already?

That's right! You have to pay attention to these things,

if you keep laying back like that,

you two will only ever be the chef and the restaurant guest.

Not to mention that guy seems very insensitive about these things.

He does seem insensitive. He acts cold and unfriendly to everyone.

So, what's so good about that guy?

Huh? Oh... but...

he looks excited when he talks about cooking.

He can make good stuff and he knows a lot about vegetables.

Cooking, huh?

Oh, right.

I just had an idea.

The ultimate Valentine strategy. -Ultimate Valentine strategy?

It might be a good idea. Let's get on with it.

Hold it. Get on with it, what do you mean?

Higashi-san, have you ever tasted his cooking?

No. But when he was a child,

I watched him cooking together with Hanako-san once.

He truly has skill. -No,

it's not about technique.

Anyone can learn that as long as they

have a certain level of training and common sense.

The most important thing for a chef is...

a tongue that can sense whether or not his cooking is delicious.

You might be right.

What was that taste?

It has been about a month since the new Le Petit Chou opened.

I paid the balance of their wages ten days ago,

and finally got to quit the part-time job.

We're getting our own regular guests bit by bit,

but I'm barely keeping the business going.

I don't even know what's going to happen next month. The finances are quite tight.

Mariya.

Why would I see an illusion?

Is it because I smelled those poisonous mushrooms? Shit!

Ouch.

But, well, a bad situation might be good too, for a change.

Before when I was heartbroken, I always wanted to write songs.

I only have to channel that creativity into cooking now.

The Ultimate Valentine's Strategy.

No. 1

Get close to him with cooking.

Can you teach me how to cook?

In brackets, say it nonchalantly. Just that one sentence is OK.

Can you teach me how to cook?

Nonchalantly...

Teach me how to cook, please.

Teach me...

Smells so nice.

Good morning.

What are you doing here so early? -I'm going to the campus now.

Passing by your place, I smelled something good.

So, I thought you might be here.

Did you come to eat something? I haven't done cooking yet.

That's not it. I had my breakfast.

Rice with natto, nameko miso soup, dried mackerel and grated radish.

That's a nice breakfast menu.

Don't you think? The grated radish today is especially sweet.

Wait... I came here to ask you something.

Um... I... Would you... Uhh...

Please...

Say it already!

Please go out with me!

What!?

Huh?

Translator - yanie

Editor - kimurafreak, Enggrrl

What?

What did I just say!?

That's not it, no, no, sorry. I mean...

Please teach me how to cook.

How to cook? -Yes, how to cook.

I love Eisuke-san's cooking,

the gruel you made the other day was so delicious, so...

I thought it'd be nice if I could make that myself one day.

Yes. That's what I meant.

I'd like you to go out to

teach me how to cook, so...

Are you stupid?

Why do I have to teach you that?

I have no time and money. There's no way I'd do that for you.

Oh, I see...

I understand...

Good. Alright, brat, just hurry and go to campus.

Brat....a brat...

Are you crying??

I'm not.

But I couldn't say it nonchalantly in the end...

I mis-said what I wanted to say, I just don't know what I'm doing...

How annoying. Don't cry just because I let you down.

Morning!

Huh? What? What happened? A morning-after fight?

No, it's not. What are you doing here so early?

Who's this round kid?

How rude. This is my cute son.

His name is Hyuma.

I'm sorry, but could you please take care of him until the 14th?

I suddenly have to go to Kobe,

and I can't find an available sitter. -Take care of him?

I trust you.

What are they called? Mama Friends?

His friends' mothers hate me.

Cause I never help with school activies or that stuff.

You can't just bring your kid here and...

It's fine, it's fine. Relax. I'll pay you.

30,000 yen per day. Not bad, huh?

30,000 yen per day?

Hyuma, be a good boy, okay?

Once I finish my job, I'll be right back to pick you up.

Have a fun trip. -Good boy!

When you feel lonely,

you can call him Papa.

Oh, right. Here. Okay.

It's a bit early for Valentine Day but just take it.

Alright then, so I'm leaving him to you. Bye.

Wait a sec!

Shiroyama-san, wait...

Hello.

Shit. Why all of a sudden? -So, you're a papa?

That's impossible! I'm not good with kids and girls.

You don't look like you understand

women at all, indeed.

Nothing. Well, I'll be going.

Hey, hold on...

You're a woman, so can I ask you one thing? -Yes?

What does it mean when a woman says "Let's take a break"?

Um...

It's not that she has come to hate you,

but perhaps she might not need you at the moment.

I'm sorry. Did that hurt you?

No, not at all. -It did.

It didn't. -It did.

It didn't hurt me. Who are you to say that, anyway??

Goodbye, then.

I'm not hurt.

I'm the one who's hurt.

Geez.

Yamate Eisuke, 30 years old.

Influenced by his mother who was a French chef,

he started cooking in childhood.

When he was in the 2nd grade of elementary school, he won a cooking contest

with "Fish baked in a pie crust" and beat a high school student.

However, he was attracted to rock music during junior high,

formed a band with his hometown friends and played bass.

This information means nothing to me.

He was mixed up back then.

He argued with the lecturer,

and said nonsense like his right hand exists for rock,

and that cooking is secondary for him.