Crossover: After deciding to give up, i became popular

Perhaps it was the enchanting nightscape that muddled Kanade Natsukawa's senses, causing him to doubt his hearing. He asked once more for confirmation.

"Yes, that's right!"

Chika Fujiwara's cheerful reply left no room for misinterpretation.

"…"

Fine, then. North Pole Ramen it is. Though Kanade had never heard of it, surely it couldn't be anything that extreme, right? He wanted to trust Chika. Whatever her eccentricities, surely she wouldn't steer him toward disaster... right?

However, with the store owner already preparing the ingredients, there was no chance to change the order. Sighing, Kanade resigned himself to the unknown. Perhaps, against all odds, this North Pole Ramen might turn out to be a hidden gem of deliciousness.

The wait wasn't too grueling, especially with Chika's lively chatter keeping him company. But just as the bowls of ramen arrived at their table, Chika abruptly stood up.

"Where are you going?" Kanade asked.

"To grab some ice water! Go ahead and start without me," Chika called back, already halfway to the self-service station.

In Japan, it was common to drink cold water, even in winter. Most eateries, including ramen shops, offered unlimited free ice water for diners.

Kanade nodded and turned his attention to the bowls of ramen the owner had just placed before him.

First, he inspected Chika's soy-based tonkotsu ramen. Garnished with sliced chashu pork, shredded nori, green onions, pickled ginger, and a soft-boiled egg, it looked like a quintessential masterpiece. The aroma alone was enough to make his stomach rumble.

Then came his North Pole Ramen…

Though it had the standard toppings, its vivid red hue seemed almost radioactive. Compared to Chika's mild and inviting bowl, this one looked like it had been dredged from the pits of a fiery inferno.

Why does it look so aggressive…

"I'm back!" Chika returned, handing Kanade a glass of ice water before sitting down.

Kanade accepted it with a nod and then slid the soy-based ramen toward her.

"So… are you really going to eat the North Pole Ramen?" Chika asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

Kanade frowned, puzzled.

"Wasn't this your suggestion?"

"Well… not exactly! I was just teasing you, President." Chika stuck out her tongue, clearly delighted with herself.

"Actually, I wanted to try it! I've always been curious, but I was afraid I couldn't finish it. With you here, though, it's no problem! If I can't handle it, you'll help me, right?"

Kanade sighed, a wry smile tugging at his lips. Typical Chika. Well, there was no point in refusing.

"Fine, if you can't finish, I'll take over."

"Yay! Let's eat!" Chika cheered.

Kanade clasped his hands together in a gesture of gratitude.

"Let's dig in."

Snapping apart his chopsticks, he twirled a portion of noodles and sampled it.

The rich broth coated the firm noodles perfectly, its savory complexity bursting across his palate. The tender toppings added satisfying textures, and the warmth of the soup felt like a comforting embrace.

Just as Kanade was savoring the delightful meal, a loud gasp interrupted him.

"Ugh! Ughhh!"

Kanade looked up, his brows furrowed. Chika's eyes were wide, her hand covering her mouth as she flailed about dramatically.

"…What now?" Kanade asked, exasperated.

For all her bravado, Chika had crumbled after a single bite. Tears welled in her eyes, and she looked as though she'd bitten into a live coal.

"Drink some water," Kanade said, sliding the glass toward her.

Chika grabbed it like a lifeline, gulping it down in two large swallows before exhaling in relief.

"I'm alive!"

The ice water briefly numbed the fiery pain on her tongue, but Kanade knew it wouldn't last. Sure enough, within moments, Chika clutched her throat, groaning softly.

"It… it burns…" she whimpered.

Kanade sighed. "Maybe you should stop. There's no need to force yourself."

"No way! I won't waste food! Tonight, I'm taking on this Red Devil—head-on!" Chika declared, pumping her fist in determination. Beads of sweat betrayed her bravado, dripping from her forehead like a leaky faucet.

Kanade shook his head. Stubborn as ever.

As Chika continued her teary-eyed struggle—one bite of noodles followed by frantic gulps of water—Kanade's patience wore thin. Finally, he decided enough was enough.

Without asking, he swapped their bowls, sliding the North Pole Ramen toward himself and giving Chika his untouched bowl of soy-based ramen.

"Here. Eat this instead," he said firmly.

"Huh? But—"

"No 'but.' Just eat it."

Chika hesitated, fidgeting nervously. The commanding tone in Kanade's voice caught her off guard, and a soft blush spread across her cheeks. Whether from embarrassment or residual spiciness, her flushed face glowed under the warm lights of the ramen shop.

"…Alright," she mumbled, finally relenting.

Kanade gave a small nod and braced himself for the challenge ahead.

Despite Chika Fujiwara's odd behavior, she at least stopped her self-destructive attempts to conquer the infamous North Pole Ramen. While she settled down, Kanade Natsukawa found himself in a tough spot.

The intimidating bowl of ramen glistening with fiery red chili oil was no small challenge.

It wasn't that Kanade couldn't handle spicy food. In fact, in his past life, he quite enjoyed spicy dishes, especially paired with grilled meats. But after moving to Japan and adapting to its more subdued culinary traditions, his tolerance for heat had dulled.

Still, it wasn't his style to back down.

Gathering his resolve, Kanade picked up a small portion of noodles, twirled them with his chopsticks, and cautiously took a bite.

"…"

"How is it?" Chika leaned in, her pink eyes gleaming with curiosity, momentarily forgetting the protest her own taste buds had lodged.

"…Not bad," Kanade said, raising an eyebrow in mild surprise.

The ramen was spicy, but not the overwhelming inferno he had braced for. It was well within his tolerable range.

"You've got to be kidding me! How are you not fazed?!" Chika exclaimed, covering her mouth in disbelief.

"Could it be? President… are you secretly some kind of spice superhero?"

"What kind of ridiculous title is that?" Kanade replied, rolling his eyes.

The Japanese had a strange fascination with nicknames, often concocting whimsical monikers for the most mundane things. "Spice superhero" was just another addition to the list of quirky labels.

"But how? That ramen is insanely spicy!" Chika insisted, her voice tinged with awe.

"Maybe I've got a unique constitution?" Kanade shrugged.

He wasn't entirely sure why he was unfazed. Perhaps his body had simply adapted, or maybe this ramen just wasn't as fiery as advertised.

Another possibility—one he wisely kept to himself—was that Chika's spice tolerance was just pathetically low. No need to risk her wrath by voicing that theory.

Satisfied that the dish was manageable, Kanade dove into his meal. With him handling the North Pole Ramen, Chika enjoyed her soy-based tonkotsu in peace.

Occasionally, she couldn't resist sneaking a bite of the North Pole Ramen, only to immediately regret it. Her teary eyes and fiery protests became a running joke for Kanade, who found her antics amusing.

Finally, both bowls were cleared.

"Phew… thanks for the meal!" Chika beamed, her radiant smile rivaling the moonlight outside. Her mood was contagious, lifting Kanade's spirits as well.

"So, President, what did you think? Wasn't it great?"

Chika's expression was one of barely-contained excitement, as if she were fishing for praise. Kanade chuckled softly and nodded.

"Yeah. It was delicious."

For a first-time experience, it hadn't been bad at all. While Chika's suggestion to have him try the spicy ramen might have been a playful prank, her ultimate decision to eat it herself showed she had a warm, caring side, too.

She's not entirely a troublemaker, Kanade mused.

Hearing his words of approval, Chika grinned ear-to-ear, her expression silly but endearing.

After paying their bill, the two left the ramen shop together, chatting casually along the way.

When it came time to part ways, Kanade hesitated. Something had been weighing on his mind all evening, and he finally decided to speak up.

"Hey, Fujiwara…"

"Hmm? What's up?" Chika turned, tilting her head curiously. Seeing Kanade's hesitant expression, her tone softened.

"What's wrong?"

"I…" Kanade hesitated, took a deep breath, and finally asked,

"Do you think… I'm not cut out to be the student council president?"

"…"

Chika froze, her cheerful demeanor replaced with an unreadable expression.

Kanade's heart sank. Her silence stung more than he expected.

Does she think I'm inadequate, too?

Just as his thoughts spiraled into doubt, he felt a gentle hand on his head.

"You always do this, President. Doubting yourself over silly things," Chika said softly, her motherly tone catching Kanade off guard.

The warmth in her gesture and voice was almost enough to make Kanade call her "Mom."

"President, you need to be more confident! Stop worrying about what could go wrong and start being firm and decisive. That's the kind of president everyone looks up to!"

"…Fujiwara…"

"And another thing! Stop trailing off when you talk! If you don't speak clearly, people might misunderstand you!"

"Huh?" Kanade blinked in confusion.

When do I ever trail off? He was pretty sure he didn't have such a habit—tonight's hesitation notwithstanding.

But Chika gave him no chance to argue.

"Did you hear me?!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Kanade straightened up and saluted mockingly.

His exaggerated response made Chika burst into laughter. Her laughter was infectious, and Kanade found himself smiling back.

Under the moonlight, their shadows stretched long across the ground, blending into the quiet, serene night.

Though the night was long, Kanade no longer felt lonely.