The home economics room.
Rows of simple kitchen stations lined the space. While they were far more basic than a typical household kitchen and likely unsuited for complex gourmet meals, for students, these facilities were more than adequate.
It was clear that the country placed immense importance on home economics lately; the funding allocated was significant enough for a school to provide such well-equipped stations.
"But even with a kitchen this simple, I haven't the faintest clue how to use it," Izuru muttered, slapping his forehead in resignation.
Hearing this, Itsuki nodded in solemn agreement, while Yukino watched the two of them with a look of utter bewilderment.
At that exact moment, the cooking teacher standing at the podium clapped his hands with a flourish. Having captured the class's attention, he began to speak with a practiced ease.
"Since the school year has just begun, Sensei is certain that all of you, currently in the throes of puberty, are starting to harbor faint feelings for the opposite sex, aren't you? I'm sure you're all wondering how to catch the eye of the person you like. If that's the case, let Sensei—who was once quite the winner at life—help you become winners in your own high school journey."
The subtext was loud and clear: he was going to teach these naive, lovestruck teenagers how to date—how to snag a guy or land a girl during their high school years.
Almost everyone caught the drift. Instantly, eyes sparkled with excitement, and some even looked at the teacher with a sense of worship, as if he were some grand master of romance.
{Snagging a girl?} Izuru shook his head in amusement. With his talent for a tongue so sharp it could practically poison someone to death, unless there was a beautiful girl who already had a maxed-out affection meter for him from the start, it was impossible for anyone to like him even if the world ended tomorrow.
If Izuru would just shut up, or at least offer a few sweet words, he'd have had a girlfriend ages ago. But as long as his mouth continued to spew venom, any prominent quality he had to attract girls was rendered utterly useless, even if he were handed a legendary manual on love.
Thus, the teacher's next words were nothing more than worthless white noise to him.
However, aside from Izuru, who had already given up on himself, and a few model students who were only in love with their textbooks, the majority of the class hung on every word of this "Romance Guide." The cooking teacher tilted his head with a bit of pride, intentionally letting the suspense build before speaking casually.
"What is the most effective tool to attract the opposite sex? Is it an extraordinarily handsome face? Is it bottomless pockets and a prestigious family background? True, those are all very attractive, but there is one thing that surpasses them all! And that is—Yasashii (Kindness/Gentleness)!"
"A person, no matter how handsome, how wealthy, or even how skilled they are in the bedroom, if they aren't gentle and kind, they won't earn the affection of the opposite sex. Just imagine—if someone's mouth was so foul that it made the opposite sex recoil in disgust just by hearing them speak, who would ever like them?"
The moment he hit this part, the entire class turned in unison to look at Izuru, whose lip was currently twitching. They nodded in agreement for a split second, but then, as if remembering something, they fell into deep, troubled thought with expressions that suggested they couldn't quite accept reality—as if they were starting to doubt the teacher's "truth."
Itsuki, finding herself the center of the class's meaningful stares, awkwardly turned her head away. Meanwhile, Yukino acted as if she were perfectly accustomed to the situation, remaining silent and expressionless, causing those weighted gazes to return to their owners in vain.
"Ahem! Cough, cough!"
The cooking teacher, feeling as though he had just been slapped in the face by a cosmic coincidence, coughed awkwardly several times. After reclaiming the crowd's attention, he forced a smile and continued.
"In short, based on the summary of Sensei's past experiences, whether male or female, as long as you can cook, it adds points to your 'boyfriend appeal' or 'wife appeal,' making the opposite sex take notice. Even bringing home the one you love is no longer just a dream!"
"After all, the male and female leads in light novels never lack for suitors as long as they're good at cooking. Becoming a winner in a harem system with multiple partners is practically standard! So don't be discouraged or envious, because now Sensei, your resident life-winner, will teach you youths who are just starting out!"
Once he finished, the room was silent for a heartbeat before exploding into cheers. Everyone leaned in, eager to hear the romantic wisdom of this self-proclaimed "former winner."
In a country that prioritized "studying until death," a teacher like this would have been cursed out. But in a nation facing a declining birthrate that practically begged people to date, teachers like this were everywhere and beloved by students just discovering romance. Even if a lesson was entirely filled with shared dating experiences, no one stopped it—not even the diligent model students.
"If you like someone but feel shy or worried about confessing, do you feel confused? Unsure of what to do? Don't panic, Sensei will teach you one trick: you can give that person handmade cookies."
"Regardless of whether that person shares your feelings, giving cookies won't cause a problem. Aside from being very cheap to make, those cookies contain your sincere feelings, making it very easy to gain a good impression. Sensei isn't lying; both my personal experience and the experiences of the students around me prove this!"
Then, the entire class looked at Izuru again, then turned back in silence to the cooking teacher, whose cheeks were beginning to feel a bit hot. They looked increasingly suspicious and hesitant regarding his advice.
The teacher finally reached his limit, the corner of his mouth twitching uncontrollably. How was it possible that with every other class he'd taught, these words sparked an incredible passion for cooking, yet in this class, it had devolved into an awkward situation that slapped him in the face twice in an instant?
He quickly gathered his tangled emotions and forced another smile. "Without wasting any more time, please form your own groups, and Sensei will show you how it's done!"
After speaking, he clamped his mouth shut tight, as if terrified he'd be slapped a third time.
Seeing this, Izuru felt a flicker of amusement. He turned toward Itsuki and Yukino, just about to say something, when he noticed a beautiful girl walking quickly toward their position.