Ch.211Storm’s Observation Class (5)

*Sizzle-!!!*

On one side, I made fried rice, and on the other, yakisoba.

The irresistible mouthwatering aroma filled the air. Some parents were unconsciously swallowing their saliva.

“Come on! One at a time!”

I said with a smile.

“Here you go.”

Eri was also busy grilling takoyaki on her side. She even served them on small plates as a bonus.

“Everyone!! No cutting in line!”

Hana, Mizu, and Konoha were working hard serving the customers.

“Thank you for the food!!!”

The kindergarteners immediately began eating the food they received with bright smiles.

The tense atmosphere caused by the curry incident had somehow relaxed.

The mobile buffet had been the object of envy, and eliminating that envy was my strategy.

My goal was to make freshly prepared food look much more appetizing than the mobile buffet. And it worked.

‘Food isn’t just about the price…’

Beyond luxury, what’s important is the sense of presence.

The aroma that spreads while cooking, and the warmth of freshly made dishes… these were things a buffet couldn’t match.

At this moment, my cooking was the more appetizing option.

“Now!! Everyone, don’t just eat, you should thank Big Brother Shota and Big Sister Eri, right?”

The kindergarten teacher said with a smile.

“Thank you!!!!”

The kindergarteners shouted in unison.

Yeah, yeah. It’s like they’re bowing down to me… but still, I appreciate it.

——–

The kids eating at the buffet seemed to have lost their appetite.

“Th-those low-class dishes are nothing compared to what we’re eating!”

Mori desperately tried to argue.

True, the buffet food was clearly better. But the atmosphere had already shifted in our favor.

Parents who couldn’t resist the fragrant smell lined up to get our festival food.

The parents from Goldbringer Kindergarten seemed to be restraining themselves for the sake of dignity. But they kept glancing our way.

At that moment, Eri, who noticed my intention, spoke up.

“Oh my. We made too much and might have leftovers?”

Eri said with a smile.

“Yeah. Would you like to come and have some?”

I said with a friendly smile toward the Goldbringer Kindergarten kids.

“………”

They clearly looked at the yakisoba and takoyaki with hungry eyes.

*Swish-!*

I took out a fan I had for hot weather.

*Whoosh-!*

And I gently fanned near the grill. This amplified the appetizing aroma even more.

“Give us some too!!”

A visibly chubby child from Goldbringer Kindergarten immediately got in line. Hehehe. I’d secured at least one. That would be enough to break their formation.

Hana, Mizu, and Konoha were also working hard.

“Um… we worked hard making this… won’t you try some?”

The three sisters appealed to everyone from Goldbringer Kindergarten with cute voices. Honestly, their cuteness was lethal.

“I-I’ll eat some.”

The boys seemed immediately captivated by the sisters’ charm. They all got in line with slightly blushing faces.

“Thank you!”

Hana, Mizu, and Konoha smiled brightly.

“Uh… yeah.”

The boys stared at those smiles as if enchanted. This… game over. It was obvious they were already smitten.

“Eri… your sisters’ future is scary…!!”

To display such man-manipulating abilities already.

“Yeah… sometimes they’re so precocious it’s scary.”

Eri agreed with my comment.

———

Anyway, what started as a lunch meant to create a gap became a fun event for everyone. The tense atmosphere had completely relaxed.

Lunchtime passed without incident.

“You… using such underhanded tactics…!!”

Mori glared at me.

“What? I was just donating my talents. It’s the donor’s choice.”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“N-next time I won’t lose!! I won’t let things go your way!”

Mori pointed her finger at me.

“But you were eating that yakisoba pretty enthusiastically.”

I said.

“Shut up!!”

Mori’s face turned bright red. Hehehe. This girl is really a comedian. She was equal to or greater than Sasitsu in talent. I felt like Coach Ahn Han-su when he first saw Seo Tae-woong.

———-

The afternoon class was to be held outside. Everyone headed to the playground. Since it was an attached kindergarten, we were borrowing the elementary school’s playground.

“Alright!! Now it’s time for an event to enjoy with parents!!! A dodgeball match with parents!!!”

The kindergarten teacher announced.

Right. Dodgeball. A safe pick. Simple rules and a game everyone enjoys.

But… enjoying it with parents?

“Now!! Five parent representatives! Five student representatives for the match!! So!! Any parent volunteers?!!”

The kindergarten teacher shouted, riding the atmosphere.

“I used to play rugby back in the day.”

A pot-bellied man came forward and said confidently.

Ah… there it is. The uncle who shows off at times like this. Always emphasizing how great he was in his youth. Especially when pretty young women were around, the bragging got worse.

“I was in the special forces…”

Another man stepped forward confidently.

“Aren’t you going to join, Shota?”

Eri asked me, crossing her arms.

“This is a stage for the uncles to shine. A young guy shouldn’t steal their thunder.”

I smiled and patted Eri’s head. It was their chance to show off their skills to their wives and children. I couldn’t take that away.

“Shota, you’re weird but surprisingly considerate.”

Eri said with a smirk.

There were more volunteers than expected, and our Starising Kindergarten team was set.

“Now for the Goldbringer Kindergarten side!!!”

The kindergarten teacher immediately looked toward Mori.

There stood a massive Westerner. He was so muscular that his clothes looked like they might burst. Even among Westerners with better physiques than Asians, his was overwhelming.

“…………!”

All the uncles shrank back. Shit. This isn’t right. I thought the same.

“This is Igor, my guardian and bodyguard. My parents couldn’t come, so he’s here instead… is that okay?”

Mori said with a grin.

“Ah… yes.”

The kindergarten teacher replied with a stiff expression.

Just having someone with that build on the opposing team was enough to instill fear. If that man threw the dodgeball, it wouldn’t end well.

Damn you, Mori…! How unfair!!! Do you want to crush our spirits that badly?!!

“W-well… shall we start?”

The kindergarten teacher clapped her hands.

The pot-bellied uncle party had already lost their fighting spirit. However… the uncles couldn’t ignore the expectant eyes of their children watching them.

“Let’s do this!!!”

“What are these foreigners?!! Defend our country!! Protect the king!!”

The uncles immediately fired up their spirits.

“Oh. I’ll fillet you right away.”

Igor said as he picked up the dodgeball. Due to his size, the dodgeball looked about the size of a baseball. The fact that he could comfortably hold the dodgeball with one hand was horrifying.

“Then let the match begin!”

The kindergarten teacher blew her whistle.

*Tweeeeet-!!!*

And Igor took his throwing stance.

“Oh! Let’s turn them into proud pieces of meat!”

Igor immediately threw the ball with an underhand motion.

Hmm… his Japanese is good. But there was no time to admire that as the ball flew at an incredible speed.

*Whooooosh-!!*

The ear-splitting sound was momentary.

*WHAM-!!!!!!*

The ball bounced off two uncles’ bodies like a two-cushion shot.

“Argggh!!”

“Guhak!!!”

The uncles rolled across the playground, their bellies jiggling.

They fainted on the spot, showing only the whites of their eyes.

“D-Dad!! Get up!!”

The children tried desperately to help their fathers stand.

But reality was crueler than movies. It was Unlucky Clementine. The uncles showed no signs of getting up.

“T-two out!!”

The kindergarten teacher said with a trembling voice.

“You are no match for me. Bring stronger people. Though I doubt you have any.”

Igor said with a smile.

“Igor is an elite member of the Russian special forces.”

Mori seized the opportunity to show off her bodyguard.

“……….”

With that, everyone on the Starising Kindergarten side lost their motivation.

“Um… are there any other participants?”

The kindergarten teacher looked at the parents with pleading eyes.

But there was no one. Everyone had learned that getting hit by that ball would leave nothing to bury.

Finally, that gaze turned to me.

“Big brother… help us.”

Hana, Mizu, and Konoha looked at me with encouraging eyes.

“Shota. Looks like you have no choice but to step in?”

Eri said with a smile.

I guess there’s no helping it.

“I’ll participate.”

I stood up resolutely.

“Sh-Shota!! Thank you for volunteering!! Show us a high schooler’s spirit!”

The kindergarten teacher was looking at me like I was a savior.

“Ohoho. You… step back. You’ll get hurt.”

Igor smiled as he picked up the ball that had rolled toward him.

“Stop flapping your gums and throw the ball.”

I said.

“Oh! Young man’s spirit!! Wonderful!”

Igor sneered and threw the ball again.

*Whoooosh-!!*

With a sound that tore through the air, the ball flew toward me at high speed.

It was fast, but I completely tracked its movement.

“Hmmmmph….!!”

After charging my Scorching Stance, I raised my arm.

*WHAM-!!!*

I caught the ball perfectly.

“…….!”

Igor’s expression hardened.

“Hmph. Even my grandmother could throw better than that.”

I immediately taunted Igor.

“Ho. Interesting.”

Igor grinned, baring his teeth.

“Big brother!!!! You’re the best!!!”

“Marry me when I grow up!!!”

“Kyaaaah!!”

Hana, Mizu, and Konoha shouted loudly.

“My boyfriend is so cool!!!”

Eri, who had been blushing, gathered her courage and shouted.

With this… the match would be evenly contested.