Social Hitman Side Story 10: The Blue Nostalgia Tasting Party

I am Dan Neraiuchi. I am a hitman.

Though I say I'm a hitman, I don't actually kill people.

What I kill is... well, let's just call it 'social standing'.

Because I had been washing dishes at the World Blue Corporation cafeteria for a while, my main business had been neglected, but I was finally able to resume it. However, the dishwashing experience wasn't entirely wasted. Just the other day, I infiltrated as a day-laborer dishwasher, mixed the super-strong adhesive 'Heberize' into the sauce of the dish the target celebrity was eating, and branded the target a 'talent who is bad at food reviews' because the food stuck to the plate and they couldn't eat it at all. I made them taste humiliation, not the food. I think I put that quite well myself. Because things like this happen, it's better to adapt to the surface world to some extent.

With the 'Social Hit' case settled, I have no plans today for the first time in a while. But why is it that I wake up unnecessarily early only at times like these? When I woke up, it was 5:00 AM. I could binge-watch the girls' anime 'Peach Pine Porcupine' from season 1, but somehow, my stomach is empty. Pon, pon, pon.

There is nothing to eat at home. It's a choice between a convenience store or eating out.
Surprisingly, there are no convenience stores nearby. That being the case, eating out is the only option.

The only place open at 5:00 AM is 'Cafe Hana'.

Hmph, it can't be helped. I haven't shown my face to Master Kobana sinceBlue Summer after all.

I got dressed and left the house.

◇

Clang-clatter...

An indescribably nostalgic sound echoed.

'Welcome~! Oh, Dan-san! It's been a while!'

Master Kobana greeted me brightly as usual. She's beautiful today, too. Please marry me.

I thought there wouldn't be any customers since I arrived right at opening, but there was one person. Hmm, is that...

'Oh, if it isn't the one who was washing dishes at Blue Summer... Neraiuchi-kun, was it?'

That's right. It's the owner of the long-established Japanese confectionery shop 'Ohachido'. What business does he have here so early in the morning?

Hey, Master! Why don't you ask Dan-san too? Dan-san loves sweets, right?

Uh... oh... yes.

Is that so? Well then, I suppose I'll ask him...

A request for me? Do they want to humiliate someone? No, that doesn't explain the 'loves sweets' part. While I was panicking, Master Kohana explained it to me.

We released a new dessert at our shop a little while ago. Oh, did you eat it too, Dan-san? It was well-received, so now we're thinking of a new dessert for autumn. Today, I was just tasting it with the owner of Ohachido.

I see, a prototype for a new dessert. In that case, isn't it my turn, the Sweets Hitman?

If I'm good enough... yes.

You'll take it on? Thank you! That's a big help!

Thank you, Dan-san! You're the best!

Yes, I got a 'You're the best!' from Master Kohana.

Then let's get started right away! First, there's this...

The owner of Ohachido handed me a plate. On the plate was a round, yellow, full-moon-like dessert about 5cm in diameter.

It's a sweet potato, but I want to adjust the flavor for younger people.

I see. Well then... here I go.

Chomp.

...Hmm, this is.

...Delicious.

Oh, really?

It's delicious. It makes full use of the sweetness of the sweet potato while using fresh cream and the like to make the texture smooth. It's not overly sweet because there's no unnecessary sugar added, but that actually makes it easier to eat. It's delicious, no flattery intended.

It's to my liking. However, this wasn't made just for me.

“...It's delicious, but maybe a little underwhelming. Sweet potatoes aren't really the kind of thing you eat a lot of at once, right? They make you thirsty. If you made them a bit sweeter and made the appearance cute enough to look good in photos, wouldn't they be a hit with the young girls?”

“I see...!”

“Amazing, Dan-san! You suddenly became so eloquent and gave such precise advice! And, hehe, ‘young girls’ lol”

Oh no. I ended up speaking condescendingly without thinking.

“Ah, no, s-sorry...”

“Not at all! I'm happy to hear such frank opinions! So, are you ready for the next one? This one is...”

Like this, I ended up eating a ton of prototype sweets. This is too much of a perk.

Even while pointing out areas for improvement, the original flavor level was so high that I kept eating more and more. It's delicious. Too delicious.

“...They really are similar.”

I didn't miss Master Kohana muttering that unexpectedly.

“Huh?”

“Hehe, it's nothing.”

She brushed it off easily.

Instead, the owner of Ohachido spoke up.

“Man, Negouchi-kun, you really eat like it's delicious!”

“Oh, thanks.”

“It kind of reminds me of my late father.”

“Your father?”

“The previous owner of Ohachido. I'm the eighth generation, so he was the seventh. He was an eccentric guy who was quiet, unsociable, and indifferent, but he would have such a happy look on his face only when he was eating sweets. Oh, I'm not calling you an eccentric, you know?”The eighth generation owner says with a laugh.

My mother passed away early, so I grew up in a single-parent household with my father. He was a strict man, but when it came to Japanese sweets, he was honest and full of love. Seeing that is probably why I ended up taking over the business. Oh, I'm sorry! An old man's trip down memory lane must be boring, right!

Oh, no, not at all...

I should get back to my prep work. Negorouchi-kun, thank you so much for today! See you later, Kohana-san!

With that, the eighth-generation owner left Cafe Hana.

As if just remembering, Master Kohana spoke up.

Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't prepare your drink! Um, would you like the usual?

No... make it black.

Even for me, after eating that many experimental sweets, the Golden Ratio Coffee (7 parts sugar, 2 parts milk, 1 part coffee) is a bit much.

Understood! I'll bring it right out!

Master Kohana disappeared into the back of the kitchen.

...The eighth generation of Ohachido, huh.

Socially Hitman, Dan Negorouchi.

He is a die-hard sweet tooth.

(To be continued?)

[Related Articles]

↓ Cafe Hana

↓ Ohachido

↓ The episode where the seventh generation's story comes up briefly

[World Blue Story]

["Socially Hitman" Series]

#WorldBlueStory
#EnjoyTheGreeting
#66DayLiran