C33 Be Careful Not to Get Burned

After quite a ruckus, the coffee machine finally began to settle into a quiet hum.

Despite the initial clamor, all it had managed to accomplish was grinding the coffee beans into a fine powder, nothing more.

Several more steps lay ahead before a cup of coffee could be brewed.

“Let go of me!” Shion tugged fiercely, attempting to free her hand from Nanami’s tenacious grip.

However, given Shion’s meager fighting prowess—barely enough to contend with a stray kitten—her efforts proved entirely futile.

All she could do was pout, her gaze fixed accusingly on Nanami.

Feeling Nanami’s unwavering stare like daggers piercing her back, Nanami reluctantly released her hold.

Stepping forward, Nanami retrieved the freshly ground coffee powder from the machine.

The finely ground powder, a beautiful light brown, exuded an even richer coffee aroma than before, filling the activity room.

“Well then, O esteemed barista and senior member of the Cooking Club, Kazama Nanami-san,” Shion began, her tone dripping with mock reverence, “what steps follow this?”

Nanami paused, contemplating for a moment, before pulling out her phone and beginning a search.

Shion leaned in, only to discover that Nanami’s search query was precisely the same: “how to brew a delicious cup of coffee”…

As Shion’s eyes beside her slowly clouded with a look of profound grievance, Nanami hastily interjected, “I’m making coffee for the first time too, you know! I only know the general steps, that’s all!”

Shion, sighing in resignation, poked her fingers together.

“Alright,” she conceded, “I’ll trust you just one more time.

What’s the next step?”

“Grinding is complete,” Nanami stated, her eyes glued to her phone screen.

“Next, we need to boil water to extract the coffee, and then add flavorings and such.”

A peculiar expression, reminiscent of an exaggerated emoji found on an old flip phone, crossed her face as she read from the device.

Shion gestured to Nanami with an encouraging “Go on.”

“Consider it done,” Nanami replied, taking the electric kettle from a nearby shelf.

She filled it with water and set it to boil with such practiced ease that Shion couldn’t help but wonder if operating an electric kettle was Nanami’s sole area of expertise.

Such was the marvel of modern “black technology” (TL Note: A common internet slang term referring to advanced or futuristic technology), that a high-powered kettle brought water to a boil in a mere two or three minutes.

Clutching the now-boiling kettle, Nanami meticulously cross-referenced the instructions on her phone.

“It says to… pour slowly, in a circular motion… Ah!”

A sharp yelp escaped Nanami’s lips as she poured.

Shion rushed over, her eyes immediately falling upon a sizable blister already forming on Nanami’s left hand, a stark testament to the scalding water.

“Kazama-san!” Shion exclaimed, instantly seizing Nanami’s hand and thrusting it under the cold tap, letting the water run over the rapidly swelling burn.

“You really are far too careless!”

Nanami merely chuckled awkwardly.

“It’s nothing, really,” she dismissed, “compared to getting a fish tail slapped hard across my face, this is practically mild.

It’s just a little blister.”

“You certainly have a way with words,” Shion retorted, a hint of genuine anger in her voice.

“What if it gets infected?

You could end up losing your hand, you know!”

While she might have been exaggerating the consequences to scare Nanami, Shion couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of unease regarding her friend’s profound clumsiness.

After rinsing the hand under cold water for a good four or five minutes, Shion then rummaged through the conspicuously placed medical kit beside the refrigerator.

As expected, she found ointment specifically for burns.

It became clear that the Cooking Club was exceptionally well-prepared; they stocked remedies for burns, scalds, and even stomach aches.

Upon entering, Shion had even noticed a fire extinguisher prominently displayed by the door.

Evidently, something extraordinary—and perhaps chaotic—must have transpired within this Cooking Club in the past…

“Don’t move; let me apply some ointment,” Shion instructed, her fingers deftly preparing a cotton swab with the burn cream.

She pulled up a chair and sat before Nanami, instructing her to rest her injured hand upon Shion’s lap.

Then, with a delicate touch, she began to apply the soothing medication.

Fair and soft—such were the sensations Nanami now perceived.

Despite the sting of her burn, the hand resting on Shion’s thigh experienced an inexplicable…

Comfort.

Yes, utter comfort.

The sensation of being gently massaged was profoundly soothing, akin to kneading a plump yet yielding teddy bear stuffed with softest cotton.

“If you dare to squeeze again, I’ll chop off your hand…”

Nanami, utterly lost in the blissful act of kneading, abruptly lifted her head, only to be met by Shion’s utterly disgusted gaze—a look that unmistakably branded her a pervert.

“Are you some kind of pervert?! Go pinch your own leg!” Shion declared, her voice devoid of mercy.

“It was just so comfortable to knead that I unconsciously…” Nanami trailed off, swallowing hard, unable to finish her sentence.

The look of utter revulsion on Shion’s face intensified.

“Kazama-san,” she ventured, her voice laced with suspicion, “you’re not actually a pervert, are you?”

Despite her clear discomfort, Shion remained seated, allowing Nanami’s scalded hand to rest on her lap.

With remarkable patience, she continued to apply the ointment, before gently wrapping the blistered wound with gauze.

“Alright, that’s done,” Shion announced.

“Now, release your hand.

I need to get up and continue making coffee.”

“Just one more knead,” Nanami pleaded.

“You truly are a pervert!”

Nevertheless, Nanami obediently withdrew her hand, her gaze shifting back to the half-brewed coffee.

“What was the next step again?

Just add hot water, right?

Move aside; let me handle this.”

Shion, stepping into Nanami’s former position, picked up the hot water kettle.

“And try not to get scalded again, you perverted classmate.”

Following the tutorial precisely, Shion poured the water in a slow, steady stream, meticulously tracing circles over the coffee grounds…

“So, that’s it?” Shion murmured, gazing at the now-full coffee cup, the rich, overflowing aroma wafting tantalizingly towards her.

“It smells wonderful,” Nanami remarked, leaning closer to inspect the cup.

Without hesitation, she picked up the coffee, blew gently across its surface, and declared, “Let me try it.”

“Wait, Kazama-san,” Shion interjected, “I’ve heard that coffee brewed directly like this can be…”

Nanami promptly set the cup down, her face contorted into a grimace as if she had just consumed a bitter Coptis root (TL Note: A traditional Chinese herb known for its extreme bitterness).

One might have mistaken her expression for an actor preparing to portray a fearsome demon in a Hyakki Yakō (TL Note: ‘Night Parade of One Hundred Demons,’ a popular motif in Japanese folklore) play for the cultural festival.

“…very bitter,” Shion finished, sighing as she pressed a hand to her forehead.

“Couldn’t you have just waited a moment?

You don’t always have to be so impatient…”

“Well, you should have said so sooner!”

From a nearby counter, Shion retrieved sugar and milk.

According to the tutorial, specific proportions were likely required.

The white-haired girl meticulously sprinkled a measured amount of sugar into the coffee cup, followed by a careful pour of a small half-cup of milk.

Then, with a delicate, slender spoon, she began to stir gently.

As the milk blended in, the deep brown coffee gradually lightened, delicate white swirls of cream emerging on its surface, until the liquid finally kissed the rim of the cup.

“And just like that, a perfect latte is made!” Shion declared, letting out a relieved sigh after completing the final step of the tutorial.

“Allow me to be the first to taste it!” Nanami volunteered eagerly, picking up the cup once more and taking a cautious sip.

“Well?” Shion prompted, her eyes alight with anticipation.

Nanami smacked her lips thoughtfully, then nodded.

“It’s perfect,” she affirmed, “truly delicious!”

Shion, eager to confirm, swiftly took the cup and sampled a sip herself.

The rich depth of the coffee, perfectly complemented by the creamy sweetness of the milk, swirled delightfully on her palate.

It was, indeed, incredibly delicious!

Setting the cup down, a smile of profound satisfaction unconsciously bloomed on Shion’s face.

“It’s truly, truly delicious, as expected of me~” The girl’s triumphant expression was utterly impossible to conceal.