Episode 4: The Woman Who Can't Make Small Talk #TheEndOfTheSadAlien

"If someone asked you, 'What ingredients do you want to put in a hot pot?', how would you answer?"

My manager had spoken to me. During my lunch break, of all times. What on earth was she thinking?
I suppose she meant for us to have some small talk as part of the communication between a supervisor and a subordinate. I understand that much, even I do. But this is my lunch break. At our company, the lunch break is set at exactly sixty minutes for all employees. No, I have never heard of some secret rule where anyone spoken to by the manager gets a fifteen-minute extension. So why did she speak to me? I don't think it was anything that required urgent confirmation from a subordinate. Yet, she asked. I knew there was no way she would be satisfied with a half-hearted answer.

What ingredients do I want in a hot pot?
I don't think I'm the right person to ask. It's nothing to be proud of, but I'm the kind of woman who replies with a refusal within seconds of receiving an email inviting me to a drinking party. I don't do solo hot pots either. I have absolutely no interest in hot pot ingredients. They aren't part of my daily life.
Oh, just to avoid any misunderstanding, I don't dislike my manager. She is a kind person who cares about someone like me. But I had other things to think about right now, and I wanted to do some research during my lunch break. Therefore, I had to end this conversation as quickly as possible.

"Tofu, I suppose."
"How boring."

My manager looked at me as if I were a disappointing person. Isn't that harsh? Did I say something wrong?

"You don't need to be told to put tofu in, do you? I'm not asking about the default stuff. I want you to suggest something more innovative."

Huh? Innovative ingredients? Could this be a comedy routine? I don't dislike comedy, but this is impossible, Manager. I don't have any innovative answers. I'm a person who has no interest in hot pot. I can't even imagine what an innovative ingredient would be.
I was in trouble. At this point, I had no choice but to say the thing that had been on my mind for a while. It wasn't something I wanted to put in a hot pot, but something I wanted to cook well, but in this situation, I had no choice but to put it in the hot pot.

"Then, how about braised pork belly?"
"Braised pork belly? Are you serious?"
"I'm serious. It's innovative and delicious."
"No, I can't believe it. Braised pork belly is a proper dish on its own. A hot pot is a dish where you put in raw ingredients and simmer them. You shouldn't put a finished dish into another dish."
"Manager. With all due respect, you are too bound by common sense. Please try putting braised pork belly in a hot pot just once. Don't forget the boiled eggs, too. You eat various ingredients coated in the sauce where the pork belly has melted into the pot. It's delicious."

My manager gulped.

"M-maybe I'll try it. Thank you, Yamamoto-san."
"You're welcome."

I never thought I'd get through it with braised pork belly. Mamoru-san saved me. It's thanks to the fact that when I went to see Mamoru-san the other day, he told me he wanted to eat it.
I recently looked it up and found out that delicious braised pork belly is sold at convenience stores too. But I want to make it for him. I want to spend plenty of time for Mamoru-san's sake.
I still have fifteen minutes left of my lunch break. There are many people who have posted recipes for braised pork belly online, and I haven't even looked at half of them yet. I think I'll check as many recipes as I can.
Ah, I'm busy. But I don't mind at all. Even if my lunch break is cut a little short, it seems my good mood won't change.

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※ I participated in the following Shirokuma Literary Club prompt 🙇‍♂️

#ShirokumaLiteraryClub
#HotPotIngredients
#ShortStory
#Novel