I apologize for taking so long on this, but it’s done. Lots of things happened, but it’s fine now so I hopefully won’t take this long for another chapter again. There’s gonna be an OVA or something about this chapter soon too, so look forward to that. Enjoy Takumi being bullied.

Takumi’s Suburban Battle

Takumi’s Suburban Battle

「Hey Nii-chan, look! Hahaha, the people look like ants!」

「Well, you can’t really see people from this height. You just wanted to say that, didn’t you, Isami…」

Apalled, Takumi Aldini sighed at his twin brother Isami Aldini, who had been observing the scenery outside, pressing his face against the glass.

Tokyo’s newest hot spot, the Tokyo Sky Tree.

Even though it was a normal weekday in the middle of June, the place had been pretty crowded. Even though it’s been a while since it opened, its popularity as a sightseeing spot didn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.

The twins Isami and Takumi had come to enjoy themselves to the Sky Tree’s skyline corridor. During their break from school, many students chose to go to their homes and visit their families, but the Aldini brothers couldn’t go home that easily.

It’s been two years since the Aldini brothers arrived at Japan from Tuscany and transferred to Tootsuki Culinary Academy on their second year of middle school. Their mom came to visit from time to time, but the two would usually only go to Italy during their summer and new year breaks.

Because of this, they made it customary to go sightseeing around Japan whenever Tootsuki goes on break at this time of year. By the way, they visited Kyoto last year.

「Nii-chan, you should come closer here. You can see Tokyo Tower over there.」

「Geez, why did we have to come all the way here? It took us seventy minutes just to buy a ticket, that’s crazy.」

「Well they say it takes about 5 hours on the weekends. If I hadn’t suggested it, you would have never come up here, right?」

「Well…」

「That means you had a precious experience thanks to me, right? Be a little grateful. Oh, is that Shinjuku over there? Amazing!」

Isami developed a peculiar and convenient theory, and started happily looking out the window again.

Looking at his brother, Takumi too peeked outside the glass window out of curiosity.

And there, a grin. Isami’s eyes started glimmering, and he thought about binding Takumi’s arms behind his back, pushing him against the glass window in front of them.

「H-Hey, what’s the big idea?」

「I just thought you’d be able to see better like this. Quite a nice view, isn’t it?」

「How could it possibly be good? Let go! Let me go, Isami! I’m, I’m…」

「I’m scared of heeeeeights!」

Takumi’s shout echoed through the entire observation deck.

「Uhhh, it still hurts. You didn’t really have to kick me…」

After coming down from the skyline corridor, Isami and Takumi walked around the shopping mall area. As payback for earlier, Takumi had kicked Isami’s shin with all his strenght.

「If I hadn’t done that, you’d just do the same thing again, right?」

「Well, Nii-chan’s really funny when he’s flustered.」

Putting his hands behind his back, Isami laughed casually at Takumi.

「Give me a break…」

Takumi let out another sigh. Still, he understood what Isami was trying to say.

How many years has it been now, that some part of Takumi had started to subside. Isami had probably noticed it as well.

Takumi thought this was the reason why his father and uncle suggested they go to Japan.

With his excellent technique and cooking sense, Takumi had been demonstrating his ability in Trattoria Aldini since he was little. His popularity spread through Tuscany, and while being a public diner, Aldini became a shop that didn’t take reservations.

There was no other cook of Takumi’s age who could stand above him. In fact, Takumi himself had become aware of the fact he was starting to surpass his father as well.

It’s precisely because of this that Takumi had subsided.

There was nothing left in Tuscany that could set Takumi’s passion on fire.

But then, he finally found it.

That guy…The one Takumi met at their training camp just recently; who Takumi challenged to a showdown which ended in a draw.

Yukihira Souma.

Up until now, there hadn’t been anyone who’d make me say something like “I’ll challenge you to a Shokugeki one day”.

Finally, after all this time. I’ts the first time I’ve found someone who can get me fired up.

Even after having returned from the camp, those feelings haven’t gotten any weaker. Rather, there’s no way they could.

Constantly fired up, Yukihira Souma’s very existence was burning within Takumi’s heart.

「Ah, Nii-chan, you’re thinking about Yukihira again.」

Isami had probably guessed what Takumi was so worked up about, and was poking Takumi’s cheek with his finger.

「Wha-?! I-I’m not…!」

「But you looked so eager just now. Bububu, Nii-chan, seems like you have a surprisingly cute side too.」

「I-I wasn’t getting eager or anything…! Come on, let’s just go look for souvenirs.」

「Yeah, some souvenirs to send to Italy. We’ve gotta send them something soon or mom and dad will start nagging us. Oh! Nii-chan, look!」

「Hehh, food samples, huh.」

Takumi took a cake-shaped keyholder that was on display.

One thing that surprised the Aldini brothers when they came to Japan, were these food samples. In Italy, they’d usually just write the menu in a blackboard or paper and put it up outside the shop, but japanese restaurants go out of their way to exhibit these food samples so you can tell what kind of dish it is by simply looking at it.

They certainly have the ability to stir up one’s appetite through sight alone, but what’s really surprising is how elaborate they are. The samples are made to look exactly like the real thing, and one cannot help but admire such craftsmanship. One can really see through their sense of beauty towards food.

But one the other hand, one can also wonder if these food samples are pointless things.

Thinking logically, is there any meaning in wasting time and effort into making something that can’t be eaten?

But, working with all their might towards that which at a glance might seem meaningless was part of japanese culture, a trait of the japanese, Takumi understood this. Takumi gladly accepted the fact that half of the blood running inside him was japanese.

Italy’s cheerfulness, as well as Japan’s delicateness.

There’s no mistaking that if I manage to combine these two qualities, and translate them into my dishes, I will be able to make more wonderful things.

「Nii-chan, look! It’s dry-cured ham!」

Isami happily brought with him a bookmark shaped like dry-cured ham.

「Hehh, this is really well made.」

「This thinness! It’s transparent to the other side. You have to be careful not to confuse it for the real thing and cook it.」

「…Yeah, I don’t think that could happen.」

「Ah, Nii-chan, pizza!」

「This one’s well made too.」

What the two had found next, was a pizza sample in a glass showcase.

Just like one of those floating forks one usually sees in food samples, the pizza had one of its slices floating as well. The melting cheese was replicated really well, stirring up one’s appetite.

「It looks so good.」

「What!? This sample is 100,000 yen!? That’s 50 times the price of the pizza I make. Even though you can’t even eat this one…」

Takumi kept complaining as he looked at the display, while Isami was just drooling next to him.

But then, he got an idea.

「I see, food samples huh. Wait…」

Takumi started daydreaming about his future self.

「Please, Takumi Aldini-san! Let me make your Phantom Margherita into a food sample!」

「No, the Phantom Lasagna!」

「No, the Phantom Pescatora!」

Many food sample artisans had gathered around Takumi. They all spoke in unison, praising him, claiming they wanted to transform Takumi Aldini’s cooking into food samples.

「Grazie. I’m honored. If it can be of any help to the japanese, I’ll gladly do it.」

「That’s our Takumi-san!」

「Thank you very much!」

As the artisans thanked Takumi, he quietly smiled back at them. Such a smile was full of confidence. As if saying, “I’m Takumi Aldini, a first class cook!”.

But, that situation crumbled away. The artisans had realized something.

「Oh, hey, look!」

「You’re right! Let’s make his cooking into food samples!」

「Goodbye, Takumi-san!」

「Huh? Wait!」

One after another, the artisans left Takumi’s side. Confused, he looked towards where the artisans went.

And there he was.

Turning his back to Takumi, Yukihira Souma!

At that moment, Takumi returned to the real world.

「Uhh, damn you Yukihira! I won’t forgive those who stand in my way!」

「For him to even appear in your delusions, you really care about Yukihira huh, Nii-chan.」

While Takumi clenched his fist in frustration, Isami let out a sight in amazement while lifting his hands.

The two now walked around a shopping mall.

Many different shops could be seen side-by-side. A warring states era commander shop decorated with a samurai’s armor, shops selling wrapping cloth, stationery, among other things. The two brothers had bought various wrapping cloths, sundries and canned goods to send to Italy as souvenirs.

「We’ve bought plenty of souvenirs. Shall we head back?」

「What are you talking about, Nii-chan? This is where our sightseeing in Tokyo begins!」

「What do you mean? Where are we going?」

「That should be obvious. If we’re talking about sightseeing through Tokyo, then…」

Isami chuckled with a grin in his face.

「We’re from a maid cafe! Please come visit!」

「Please stop by!」

Changing subways, the two get off at Akihabara station, and find various maids lined up trying to attract customers.

「Maids…?」

「Nii-chan, could it be you didn’t know about maid cafes? Even though you’ve been in Japan for two years?」

「Well, I’m not too interested in anything other than cooking…Actually, how come you know? You shouldn’t have had any free time to fool around while we were at school.」

「I asked some friends and looked it up myself. Japan’s maid cafes are really famous, and you even see them on TV in Italy. Many tourists from overseas have been visiting the maid cafes too. Though, I only know what I’ve heard or read. I haven’t actually been to one myself.」

「Hmm.」

「Alright, let’s try going inside a cafe.」

「Eh!? Why should we bother going into such a place…!?」

「What are you saying, Nii-chan? Maid cafes have now become a legitimate part of japanese culture.」

「Japanese culture?」

「Yeah. Just like karaoke or cosplay, its popularity isn’t limited to just Japan. You could even open up a shop in places like Mexico, Canada, America and the Czech Republic.」

Unlike his usual calm way of talking, right now, Isami seemed to be fired up while speaking.

「You really know about this stuff, Isami. Wait, could it be that you were an otaku, or something…?」

「No! I just like japanese culture. The subculture, pop culture as well as the standard. Putting them all together, I really love Japan! It should be in you as well, Nii-chan. That japanese spirit! We’re half-japanese, after all!」

「…Well, I’m not going to deny it…」

「I think visiting a maid cafe will surely be useful for our cooking. Come on, come on! Andiamo! (Let’s go!)」

「Is there really anything there that could benefit our cooking skills?」

Paying no attention to the mutering Takumi, Isami kept walking at a quick pace.

Once again feeling like he lost to Isami’s peculiar logic, Takumi just follows him.

Arriving at a maid cafe on the second floor of a building facing the main street, there were many people lined up at the entrance. Seems like this was a popular shop even in Akihabara. Just like Isami had mentioned earlier, there were some foreigners here and there.

「…Another line?」

「Don’t worry, it won’t take us over an hour.」

「If I have to wait that long I’ll just leave. Anyway, why am I even at a maid cafe…」

Takumi muttered again. Frankly, he wasn’t interested in maids.

Takumi was quite popular during his time in Italy.

He was asked out to dates by girls his age, older women, and even others crossing the line of gender.

But he wasn’t interested in anyone. The thought of spending time on anything other than cooking had never crossed his mind. Even when they went sightseeing like today, his feelings remained the same. If there’s time to fool around, he’d rather absorb other knowledge as greedily as he can.

But then, Takumi suddenly thought “Hm? Wait?”.

Looking at it another way, “absorbing” the experience from visiting this maid cafe might not be such a bad thing.

The maids serving food makes the cafe just another restaurant. There might be a lot to learn here. Just like Isami said, rejecting it out of idealism might just be narrow-minded thinking.

Just when Takumi had taken a proactive attitude towards the maid cafe, he heard a maid’s nasal, high-pitched voice.

「Sorry for the wait, come on in~」

In the end, a maid appeared to guide the two who had been waiting for about 30 minutes, inside the shop. The inside didn’t seem that different from a normal cafe.

「Welcome back, Master!」

A girl dressed as a maid took a cute pose in front of Isami and Takumi.

「I-I’m home.」

「No, Nii-chan. It’s just a greeting so you don’t have to say that.」

「Eh!? N-No, that was…」

Hearing that from Isami made Takumi’s face go red, and unintentionally look downward.

「Bububu, Nii-chan you’re getting all embarassed.」

「S-Shut up! Leave me alone.」

In response to Takumi getting all sullen, Isami just grinned as if scheming something.

「Umm…I’ll have a café au lait. What about you, Nii-chan?」

「…Just coffee.」

「Also…An omurice for Nii-chan! Pupupu.」

For some reason, Isami seemed to be holding back a laugh when he mentioned omurice. Takumi kept looking at him in suspicion, but once the omurice was brought to them, he understood the meaning of it.

「Alright then, let’s put a magic spell on the omurice to make it tastier!」

「A spell?」

Takumi looked at the maid, who looked back at him and gave him a sweet smile.

「Repeat the magic words after me, and shake your spoon in the air while you do it, ok?☆ While you’re at it, I’ll write something with ketchup!」

「Ohh, it’s the rumored ketchup writing! It’s my first time seeing it.」

「Ok then, Master! Together now?」

「Eh? Together? I-I can’t…」

「Nii-chan don’t be like that, even though the maid went out of her way to tell us…I’d feel sorry for her, so I’ll do it!」

「Eh!?」

Isami looked at Takumi with a grin on his face.

「Please, Master!」

The maid said with a high-pitched voice, and gave Takumi a spoon with a ribbon attached.

「……」

Isami was ready with the spoon in his hand. Next to him, Takumi couldn’t help but put a bitter expression on his face after being given the spoon.

「Alright, let’s go! Kyun kyun!」

「Kyun kyun.」

「Kyun…Kyun…」

「Doki doki!」

「Doki doki.」

「Doki doki…」

「Waku waku!」

「Waku waku.」

「Waku waku…」

「Kira kira!」

「Kira kira.」

「Kira……Kira……」

Isami and Takumi shaked their spoons together.

Seeing Takumi’s face stiffen even further, Isami couldn’t help but laugh.

While she recited the magic words, the maid drew Isami and Takumi’s faces with ketchup. At the end, she wrote “LOVE” along with a heart-shaped mark.

「Geez, your voice is too soft. For the end let’s all speak loudly together!」

「Become tasty!」

「…B-Become…Tasty…!」

Takumi’s voice that had become somewhat desperate echoed through the shop.

「Well, Nii-chan’s “Moe moe” was pretty nice!」

Isami grinned as he looked at Takumi red in embarassment.

After leaving Akihabara, the two went to the usual bath-house and got in a bathtub. It was Takumi’s request. This was because Takumi’s self-defense instinct started operating, telling him he could be taken to some other strange place if he just let Isami pick the next destination again.

「Geez, you took me there knowing what would happen!」

「But the omurice was tastier because of the magic, right?」

「…It was neither good nor bad, just normal. The taste won’t change with just some magic. The half-cooked state of the egg was good, but the ketchup rice on the inside wasn’t salty enough. Though I think adding more saltiness with bacon could be a way to add flavor to the dish without destroying its balance.」

「Ohh, even though you looked so embarassed, your sense of taste was spot-on! As expected of Nii-chan.」

「Of course. Give me a break, in the end it didn’t serve any purpose at all for our cooking.」

「Now, don’t be so mad. I’ll treat you to a meal.」

「You say “treat”, but it’s just allowance money, right?」

「Don’t say that! So, what do you want? Sushi? Tempura? Sukiyaki?」

「Those aren’t really places for high-schoolers to go to. We’d be too out of place in those shops.」

「So what do you want? I mean, we came all the way to Tokyo for sightseeing.」

「Maybe something that’s cheap, and Tokyo-like…In that case!」

Takumi quickly stood up from the bathtub, and looked at Isami.

「Let’s eat monjayaki!」



This evening in the middle of June was still bright, but on Tsukishima‘s streets, the paper lanterns were starting to light up.

As everyone knows, Tsukishima is the holy land of monjayaki, and the neighborhoods are filled with monjayaki shops all lined up. In this place, various tourists and salarymen coming back from work can be seen going all around the place. Mixing with the crowd, the Aldini brothers walked around these streets overflowing with Japan’s charm, looking around curiously.

「With these many shops, there’s no way to know which ones are good.」

「Yeah, should we look it up?」

Isami had started looking up shops on his smartphone, when…

「Hey, those foreigners over there! Come on, come here!」

Isami and Aldini turned around, and they saw a man wearing jeans, a t-shirt and an apron, who was waving at them.

「……」

Takumi put up an indignated expression at hearing the word “foreigner”, while the man just made a face that said “uh-oh”.

「Oh right, gotta talk in english to foreigners! Umm, come in, come in!」

The man started calling out to Takumi and Isami again.

「We can talk in japanese. And by the way, we’re not from an english-speaking country either, we’re italians!」

「Eh, i-is that so. Umm, sorry about that.」

The man smiles at the two brothers with a friendly face.

「Give me a break, why do the japanese always talk in english when they see a foreigner?」

「Shh, he’ll hear you, Nii-chan. Besides, we should be thankful he even talked to us. Usually they wouldn’t even speak english and just run away if we asked them something.」

「You’re right, but isn’t this guy just trying to attract customers?」

Then, the man put his hands on their shoulders in an overly-familiar way.

「Alright friends, stop complaining and come on in! You’ll see my monja’s amazing! Come on!」

Invited by the man, Isami and Takumi entered a shop with a sign that had “Hanaichimomen” written in hiragana.

There were already some clients inside the shop, but it looked like some seats were still empty. Everyone was using a hot plate to roast the monja that was brought to them. There were also some clients eating okonomiyaki after having finished their monjayaki.

It seemed liked that man just now was the owner. He was corteously teaching how to prepare the monjayaki to clients roasting it.

Takumi looked around the store, and saw tapestries of the Tokyo Tower and Sky Tree, as well as happi coats, folding fans and accesories with japanese patterns as decorations.

「They look like souvenirs from a school trip.」

「I’m sure people like simple stuff like this.」

There was a menu with Edo-style writing that had “Recommended! Monja with Alaskan Pollock and cheese” and “Traditional! Tsukishima Monja” written in it.

「Well then, what will you have?」

Holding a voucher on his hand, the owner took the brothers to their seats.

「What should we order?」

Isami cheerfully took out a black cloth from his pocket and put it on his neck like an apron.

「Oh, what’s that?」

Isami was wearing a black apron that he used to wear in the kitchen back home. What got the owner’s attention were the words “Trattoria Aldini” written in white on the apron.

「Is that english? What does it say?」

「I already told you, we’re italians…! “Trattoria” means diner. We may look like this, but back in Italy we’re both cuochi!」

「Kyoushi?」

「Cuochi! It means we’re cooks!」

「By the way, Aldini’s our last name. We do everything ourselves.」

「Hehh, so you guys are cooks too.」

The owner handed them the menu while smiling.

「Have you ever eaten monja?」

Isami and Takumi both looked at eachother after hearing those words.

「Now that you mention it, this is our first time…」

Isami nodded along with Takumi’s words.

「In that case, try one of my more popular dishes. The monja with Alaskan Pollock and cheese. Other stores serve it too, but my pollock’s brought from Hakata. The taste’s quite different, you see!」

「Then, should we order that?」

「I guess.」

「Kahh! You just don’t get it!」

He was looking at Takumi and Isami with an asertive tone fitting of someone born and raised in Edo. Sitting in the other side of the room, a man somewhere in his 50s kept looking was them.

「Putting cheese on monja is heresy! All it needs is flour, sauce, green laver and cabbage!」

That man, who could be perfectly called an old geezer, was wearing a happi coat and a towel twisted into a headband. He truly had the appearance of an Edo person.

「To begin with, foreigners don’t understand the greatness of Edo, right? That means I’ve got no choice but to teach you!」

「Wait, Bun-san!」

The owner was scolding the man he called Bun-san, but Takumi and Isami had unintentionally put an indignated expression on their faces while looking at him.

「We’re being called foreigners again…?」

「Hey, our father’s a foreigner, and we’ve lived in Japan for two years already! We’re trying to understand the greatness of japanese culture, you know?」

This time, Isami agreed with the angry Takumi. As self-professed fans of Japanese culture, they couldn’t let that go

「Keh, that’s not enough. In the first place, foreign tourists always come to Japan to fool around, thinking they can do the same things they do in their own countries. I hate how they think their english will work even though they’re in Japan. Japan should just kick all foreigners out. Yeah, kick them all out!」

「Bun-san, cut it out! You can’t even speak english! Sorry you guys, he’s always been like this.」

The owner looked at Isami and Takumi with an apologetic smile and talked while trying to conceal his voice.

「No, there’s no need for you to apologize. Big-headed people like him can be found just about anywhere.」

Takumi put more emphasis on the “big-headed” part so the man could hear him.

「What did you say?」

Bun-san glared in his direction. But Takumi continued without flinching.

「It’s true that some of the tourists here may have terrible manners, but the same goes for some of the Japanese when they go abroad. And there will also be those who can’t speak the language of the country they visit. Basically, we’re equal in this. Saying that only the tourists who come to Japan do this, and criticizing them for it is wrong, don’t you think?」

Takumi talked with a gentle tone, but made sure to sound firm with his words in order to transmit an intimidating air.

「It’s true that we may not have been born here. But we truly love and respect Japan. Ignoring us and saying all you want without understanding anything upsets me!」

「That’s right! I love japanese culture too!」

「Hehh, you guys sure can talk.」

Bun-san slowly got up and walked towards the brothers’ table. Neither Takumi nor Isami faltered, and just kept sitting there.

「…Heh, some “Italian cuochi” you guys are. Alright, I get it!」

Bam. The sound of Bun-san putting his right hand on the table echoed. The water inside the cups that were on the table shook along with it.

「If you insist so much, let’s have a duel to see who can make the better dish.」

「Duel?」

「That’s right! Let’s duel by making monjayaki! Right here, right now! Hey owner, lend me the kitchen!」

「Ehhh!?」

「What? Is there a problem?」

「…No, it’s fine.」

「What about you guys?」

Bun-san looked at Isami and Takumi as if trying to provoke them.

「…Fine.」

Takumi’s hands made a loud noise as he put his hands on the table and stood up. The cups on top the table fell.

「I’ll take you on!」

「Hey, you don’t really have to do this. This guy’s always forcing duels on other people and getting them to treat him to a meal.」

「I won’t lose.」

When the owner tried to stop him, Takumi directed a serious gaze at him.

「I’ll wager my name as an italian cuoco, and I’ll make a monjayaki I can proudly show off to Japan…no, to the world!」

「Heh, I’ll make sure to break that impudent spirit of yours!」

After a fair game of rock paper scissors, it was decided that Bun-san would use the kitchen first. They could use anything inside the shop as ingredients, and ten of the customers inside would act as judges.

「Sorry for getting you involved in strange things like this.」

The owner of the shop spoke in an apologetic tone to Takumi and Isami who were staring at the monja menu.

「Not at all. If you keep letting people like that have their way, they’ll just get worse. We used to have customers like that coming to our shop too.」

「We won’t lose to someone like that. Don’t worry.」

「But…It’ll be bad if you underestimate Bun-san’s skill.」

「Eh?」

「Bun-san loves monjayaki so much, he’s been made chief judge for the annual “Create a new monja dish” contest. He’s never had his own shop, but his skill is the real deal. Also, because he has that kind of personality, I don’t think he’ll use any special tricks. If he appeals to the customers with that, he might be pretty tough.」

「……」

Isami and Takumi just kept listening as the owner talked in an unconcerned way.

Takumi looked at the menu again.

If he won’t be using any special schemes, that must mean he plans on facing us using nothing but flour, sauce, green laver and cabbage.

I heard that monjayaki used to be considered a cheap snack. If he’s not using anything else on it that must mean he’s trying to recreate the taste from that time.

Takumi inspected the customers.

The customers currently in the shop were a young and a middle-aged couple, a family, as well as a group of three girls. Their age range was scattered from the 10s to the 50s. So basically if there were people who had eaten the monjayaki from before, there were also those who hadn’t. It didn’t seem like age range of the customers would have an effect in a direct confrontation.

How do we look in their eyes? Do they think of us as just reckless foreigners going against a stubborn old man?

The sense of “just a foreigner’s japanese dish” was probably considerably present here. Just like how the sushi you eat abroad goes through changes and becomes something entirely different from the one found in japan. That kind of feeling. An arrogant attitude and abandon saying “In the end, there’s no way some foreigners could understand japanese culture”.

If that were the case, we’d have quite a disadvantage.

By taking up a challenge where japanese culture is most highlighted, it may be difficult to win. That’s whan Bun-san is expecting. Ending it by dragging them into the enemy’s field.

「What would he do…?」

Takumi muttered those words spontaneously.

“He” is, of course, Yukihira Souma.

What would Yukihira Souma do if he were here?

「If it were me, I’d just put everything I’ve got on the plate.」

Just now, it was as if Yukihira’s voice could be heard here.

Cooks are those who put their whole being on top of a plate.

「T-That’s what I was trying to say just now too…!」

In his absent-minded state, Takumi refuted without thinking.

「…Nii-chan, were you daydreaming again?」

Isami looked at Takumi as if looking at some crazy person.

「Y-You’ve got it wrong! It was my heart’s voice!」

That’s right. Hasn’t every dish I’ve cooked up until now been crammed with all the knowledge and techniques I obtained?

There’s nothing I can do but offer the customers a plate fitting of myself, with no deception involved.

Half italian and half japanese. The twins Takumi and Isami.

A combination of italian and japanese culture. This is exactly what Takumi was intending to do.

They must pour everything they’ve got into the monjayaki.

Wagering their pride right here, both parties began a monja shokugeki…!

First up is Bun-san.

「Let our monjayaki show begin!」

Oil was drawn to the hot plate on one of the tables, and white smoke started gently rising. Bun-san who had a bowl with seeds with him kept steadily holding a spoon.

Together with the customers, Takumi and Aldini kept looking at him.

「Hahhhhhhh!」

With a sharp sound, the shredded cabbage was thrown into the steel plate. Using an iron to quickly cook it, he turned it into a dote. There was indeed something to brag about here. His handling of the ingredients which seemed like water flowing.

In the meantime, he carefully mixed the flour and sauce in a bowl of water.

「For a monja, this is all you need!」

As he’s shouting, he pours the seeds into the cabbage dote. When the seeds were simmering and boiling, he immediately spread them on the hot plate. By doing that, the sauce’s sweet smell tickled everyone’s noses.

「Hmm, it smells good!」

「The smell of the sauce burning is great.」

「The parts which aren’t mixed with other ingredients, as well as the cabbage’s smell just make you feel hungry.」

The customers kept getting more interested in Bun-san’s performance.

「Look, this part’s very important. When you’re talking monja…」

At that moment, Bun-san took something from his pocket.

That which he had raised up high…Was green laver.

「When you’re talking monja, you gotta have green laver!」

He immediately sprinkled the spongy green laver all over the seeds. The beachy smell released by the green laver mesmerized the customer’s hearts once more.

「Wahh, it smells so good!」

「This green laver is seaweed of the highest quality, harvested right from the Shimanto River! It’s completely different from the normal kind! Just like this, I’m always carrying this green laver with me to use it in monja! Alright, eat up, eat!」

Signaled by Bun-san’s words, the customers gathered around the hot plate carrying their irons. Holding down the seeds with their irons, and blowing on it to cool it down, they carry the monja to their mouths.

「Kuhh, delicious!」

「Such a simple and nostalgic taste!」

「It reminds me of when I was a kid.」

「Monja really is just a cheap snack.」

「The burnt parts are delicious too!」

Every one of the customers kept praising Bun-san’s simple monja.

Takumi and Isami had a taste of it as well and were surprised.

「Even though he didn’t do anything special…」

「I guess you could say this is a shared japanese experience for us, huh.」

While Isami was acting insecure, Takumi calmly analized this.

「But, we still have a chance of winning.」

This time, Takumi and Isami entered the kitchen along with the owner.

「Hey, it’s your first time making monja seeds, right? If you don’t know how to distribute the flour, or if there’s anything else you don’t understand, just ask me, alright?」

「I appreciate it. In that case, we’ll be using less flour than usual…Actually, we’ll use half as much.」

「Eh? Half?」

「And then, we’re free to use anything there is here, right? Just like how Bun-san used his green laver.」

「Yeah, probably…」

「Just in case, could you confirm this with Bun-san again?」

「Got it.」

「Well then Isami, shall we begin?」

「Ok, Nii-chan. Should I start with the cabbage?」

「Yeah. I’ll take care of the seeds.」

「Alright.」

Saying that, Isami started quickly cutting the cabbage. Seeing his brilliant skill, the owner couldn’t help but stare in amazement.

「Amazing.」

「I told you, didn’t I? We’re the cuochi from Trattoria Aldini.」

Isami and Takumi showed the owner their composed smiles.

Takumi and Isami brought the seeds they made to the shop’s hall, and Bun-san stood with a confident expression in front of his hot plate.

「Well then, it should be quite a sight to see what these outsiders cooked up.」

「Geez, Bun-san, cut it out…」

The owner next to them got angry at those words, but Takumi calmly held him back with his hand.

「It’s true that we’re outsiders, but that’s precisely the reason why we can do things like this.」

「Hmph. Cut out that pretentious talk and just show it to me.」

「Let’s go, Isami.」

「Yeah, Nii-chan.」

「Forno accendere. (Start the fire).」

As Takumi yelled, they quickly started the fire on the hot plate. The customers surrounding them kept looking quietly, waiting for something to happen.

「Isami, the cabbage.」

「Got it.」

Getting the hang of how to make monja, Isami skillfully put the cabbage on the plate to cook it.

「Oryahhhh!」

While quickly cooking it, he used the iron to cut the cabbage into even smaller pieces.

「Amazing! He’s shredding the cabbage!」

To the customers admiring him, Isami should look really cool, but…

「His moves with the iron…They’re somewhat scary.」

「He’s looking like some wild animal…」

「How rude! No I’m not!」

Isami refuted as he kept clacking the iron with both his hands, but he then quickly spread the cabbage on the hot plate.

「What? You’re not gonna make a dote?」

The owner looked at them with a puzzled expression. Even Bun-san, who looked composed up until now was surprised. Takumi put up a broad smile.

「Well, even if we don’t make it, all the seeds spread on the hot plate won’t flow out.」

「Huh? What do you mean?」

「These are the seeds we prepared!」

Fwoosh. A light sound echoed, and the seeds spread all over the hot plate.

「T-This is…!

「Monja seeds and rice…A risotto monja!?」

All the customers looked at the seeds in surprise.

「Though the risotto monja itself isn’t that rare. There’s other shops around that serve it.」

「Shrimp, squid, shellfish…The main ingredients are seafood.」

「Even so…Hmm, the smell of the burning rice is irresistible!」

「How will this turn out?」

Because of the smell filling the inside of the shop, the customers were in a mood where they couldn’t wait any more.

「Keh, that’s just some imitation monja.」

Bun-san whispered absentmindedly, but just for a moment he looked towards the brothers, and quickly turned his face away. His composed attitude had disappeared somewhere.

「Next up is…」

Isami then takes out some grated cheese and starts heartily spreading it all over the risotto monja.

「It’s not melted cheese?」

Isami turns towards the customer who asked and answers with a dignified expression.

「By mixing it with the risotto, it’ll become sticky no matter what. And because there was some grated cheese ready at the kitchen, we decided to use it instead of parmesan.」

「I see.」

「And now, the finishing touch is…This!」

Takumi kept sprinkling something all over the food. At that moment, the customer’s expressions changed to surprise.

「It’s giving out such a fresh smell! What is this?」

「It’s…Seashore seaweed! A substitute for green laver?」

Thanks to the beachy smell, the customer’s faces looked ecstatic.

「It was in the kitchen, so we decided to use it.」

「I’ve seen seashore seaweed being used for cream pasta in some italian dishes before, but…I never thought it could be used in this way. Do you use this seaweed back in Italy too?」

Takumi replied to the impressed owner with a “yes”.

「There’s kinds of zeppoline that use it.」

「Zeppoline?」

「It’s a Naples dish that mixes bread and wheat flour, which you can then add seaweed to and fry it.」

「Hehh!」

「Of course, the compatibility of the seaweed and the seafood was extraordinary, and I thought I could get closer to the monja I envisioned by using ingredients found in both japanese and italian cuisine.」

「I see…」

「Don’t give me that “seashore seaweed” crap. If it’s not green laver, I won’t accept it!」

Bun-san declared with a smug look, but nobody listened to him.

「Uhh…!」

Bun-san was at a loss for words, and right next to him the group of three young girls happily surrounded Takumi.

「Hurry up, I want to eat! I want to eat!」

「Hahaha, you don’t need to rush, it’ll be done soon.」

「The truth is Nii-chan is really popular in spite of being such a clutz.」

「Calling me a clutz was uncalled for, Isami!」

As he was getting mad at Isami’s words, Takumi cleared his throat and put up a serious face.

「Buon Appetito! (Eat up!)」

「Thanks for the food!」

The customers who had become impatient at the smell of cheese and seaweed started eating the risotto monja all at once.

「Ahh hot, hot! Hahh, the burned rice is so good!」

「The depth of the cheese’s taste and the seaweed’s flavor bring about an indescribable harmony.」

「The dashi’s made from consommé, but it has enough taste that it won’t lose to the sauce.」

「We also used ketchup as subtle seasoning.」

「Ketchup?」

「In italian cuisine, tomato can be used instead of stock too.」

Isami showed a triumphant smile as he held the ketchup.

「But…There’s something else in the dashi, right?」

「It looks like shellfish…But what is it?」

「You’re right…」

The owner who was eating the monja together with the customers suddenly realized something.

「…This, could it be…Blue mussel?」

「Appunto. (Exactly).」

Takumi nodded happily at the owner’s assertion.

「But there should have been any blue mussel in the kitchen. Just where did you get it from?」

「That would be…This.」

What Takumi overemphasized while showing everyone was…A can of blue mussels.

「Canned mussels!」

「This is a souvenir we bought for our parents when we went sightseeing to the Sky Tree earlier.」

「But, you can get blue mussels in Italy too, right? So why go through the trouble of buying it here and then sending it?」

「To show them how amazing japanese technology is.」

Hearing Takumi’s words, the owner turned to look at him. The customers, as well as Bun-san, turned that way too.

「These canned mussels were boiled in white wine beforehand. These were made with the intention of being eaten off the can as a snack to have a drink with. In Italy, such complicated things won’t be made into canned food. Dried mullet roes, anchovies, tomatoes and even olives are cooked, as we do anything that needs revision first.」

「Yeah, yeah. Japanese culture seems to be extremely thorough. Even though at first glance there seem to be many meaningless things.」

Isami agreed with Takumi’s words too. Then Takumi kept talking.

「A great curiosity towards food, as well as an insatiable spirit of inquiry. Us italians tend to think italian cooking is the best in the world. But this is not the case for the japanese. While taking in dishes from many different countries, you make them into your own. Even if it’s curry, even if it’s omurice…And even the traditional monja all change shape by adding toppings. But even so, monja is still monja. There’s no way the japanese will ever forget their pride for their cooking and culture.」

「……」

Bun-san kept staring at them.

「I love those kinds of broad-minded aspects.」

Takumi stares back at Bun-san.

The customers started getting a little noisy with these two at a stalemate.

「You’re right. It’s monja precisely because there’s so many flavors.」

「It’s something that matches the changing of the times.」

「Even this risotto monja had that “monja” feeling to it.」

「Yeah, yeah, it was delicious!」

「I want to eat more!」

「Owner, add it to the menu!」

「I won’t accept this!」

In the middle of all the clients talking, Bun-san suddenly raised his voice. Thanks to that threatening attitude of his, the inside of the store suddenly got quiet.

「What’s with this “consommé” crap, or these “mussels”!?」

Everyone inside the shop was holding their breath, carefully watching each and every move Bun-san made.

「I won’t accept this kind of seaweed! When you’re making monja, green laver is the only thing you can use! You were disqualified from the beginning! This thing isn’t monja at all!」

Bun-san was looking at Isami and Takumi as if sending them a sharp glare.

「……」

Bun-san stood up and started slowly walking towards Takumi and Isami’s hot plate.

「…Hmph.」

Finding themselves expresionless in this unusual atmosphere, the customers all moved away from that place at the same time.

Taking one of the irons on top of the table, Bun-san takes some of the risotto monja in the hot plate, and takes it to his mouth.

「Nhh!」

Takumi couldn’t overlook Bun-san’s clearly changed expression.

Bun-san suddenly clenched his fist, and started glaring at Takumi and Isami.

「It’s so frustrating, but it’s delicious!」

「!」

「I had been at the edge of losing control for a while now! Thanks to this delicious smell!」

As if deep in desire, Bun-san kept devouring the cheese monja while talking.

「This sweet smell! This refreshing feeling! To think such things were possible with monja…If I hadn’t met you, I’d have never tasted it!

Sensing the truth in Bun-san’s words, the owner spoke up happily.

「Bun-san, then…」

「It’s my loss. I deeply apologize for saying you didn’t understand japanese culture. Sorry for imposing such a boring fight on you.」

Bun-san kept lowering his head to Isami and Takumi. Looking somewhat glad, Isami and Takumi exchanged glances.

「Alright, I’ll show you guys the spirit of an Edo native! Today everything’s on me! Eat as much as you like!」

Hearing Bun-san’s words, all of the present customers, including the two brothers raised their voices in joy. But what Bun-san took out next, was nothing but 1,000 Yen.

「No matter how you look at it, that’s not gonna be enough!」

「Bun-san, did you intend to get a free meal again?」

「Ahahaha, sorry, sorry.」

「I guess there’s no other way! Today everything’s on the house!」

「Yay!」

The owner raised his generous voice. And not weaker than him, Bun-san and the customers shouted in joy again.

「Alright everyone, while we’re at it, let me show you my respect for Japan!」

Isami said happily. He was holding something that looked like a ketchup squeezer, but had monja seeds inside.

「Kyun kyun! Doki doki! Waku waku! Kira kira!」

While reciting the magic words, Isami started drawing something with the squeezer with brilliant movements.

「Become tasty!」

The picture drawn with seeds on top of the hot plate was the painting of high waves from Katsushika Hokusai‘s “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji“, “The Great Wave off Kanagawa”.

「Ohh, Isami that’s amazing!」

「You’re really good at drawing!」

Next to Takumi and the owner who were admiring Isami, Bun-san happily commented.

「A long time ago, monjayaki also used to be called “monjiyaki”. It appeared on one of Katushika Hokusai’s manga sketches too. To think you’d know of such things…Kahh, how remarkable! I’m gonna cry!」

「Well, I was just imitating one of Akiba’s maid cafes.」

Isami calmly replied to Bun-san who had started to wipe his tears with a towel.

「This is true japanese culture!」

「You’re such a shrewd man, Bun-san…」

The customers inside the store laughed together, enveloped in a gentle mood.

Takumi and Isami looked at eachother, and smiled.

「Hahh, I’m so full. I’ve had enough monja for a while.」

「I wanted to have some more, though.」

Isami started hitting his swollen belly.

Leaving the “Hanaichimomen” behind, Takumi and Isami walked through the now dark town of Tsukishima, heading towards the train station.

「But still Nii-chan, you used up the canned mussels we bought as souvenirs. Mamma will get angry…」

「There was nothing we could do, right? We wanted to bring out a more italian-like feeling.」

「Being told to use whatever was lying around…It was just like when Yukihira used the kaki peanuts for his okakiage! So you were thinking about him after all!」

「N-No I wasn’t! That was just a coincidence!」

「There you go again. You don’t have to be so shy, Nii-chan. After all, I know that you really like Yukihira!」

「I told you that’s wrong!」

The voices of the brothers walking the way back shoulder-to-shoulder brightly shone on the town of Tsukishima, and echoed through the light of the paper lanterns.