The Classmate Who Is Adored by Everyone Smiles Teasingly Only at Me-Chapter 2Volume 3 .3 - Autumn Festival and Baby Castella

Autumn Festival and Baby Castella 3

As he watched Wakui leave in high spirits, Shōhei, who had overheard their conversation, approached.

“Sōma, it’s surprising that there’s a sweet you haven’t made before.”

“There are plenty of sweets I haven’t made.”

There are countless types of sweets in the world.

“To be honest, I haven’t made castella either, not just baby castella.”

“That’s even more surprising. Castella is such a famous and classic sweet.”

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“That’s because it’s a type of Japanese confectionery (wagashi), not a Western sweet.”

Castella is a baked sweet that originated from the Nanban trade and was adapted by Edo period craftsmen using ingredients available in Japan to suit Japanese tastes.

Although its roots are foreign, it is considered a true wagashi.

For Sōma, who aspires to be a patissier, it lies outside his area of focus.

“So, I’m actually having a bit of trouble.”

“What kind of trouble?”

“I want to taste commercially available baby castella before I actually make it, but I can’t find any. Do you know any shops that sell baby castella, Shōhei?”

“You mean like an actual baby castella shop? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

“Figures…”

Ever since the decision was made to feature baby castella at the cultural festival, Sōma had been searching on his smartphone during class, but he hadn’t found a single store.

“There are food trucks that sell them, but their locations are inconveniently far away.”

They seemed to open mostly at events or in supermarket parking lots, but Sōma couldn’t find any locations that were convenient for him.

“If it’s a fixed store, I’d have to go all the way to Tokyo.”

“I recognize your passion for sweets, Sōma, but going to Tokyo just for baby castella seems a bit much. How about settling for castella?”

“That’s a last resort, but castella and baby castella are different sweets.”

Castella typically has sugar crystals at the bottom, while baby castella does not use them.

More importantly, their shapes and the way they’re baked are completely different.

As Sōma hummed in thought in front of Shōhei, two girls returned to the classroom, chatting happily.

“Chika, Saito, perfect timing.”

He beckoned Chika and her friend, who had just finished cleaning, and asked them the same question.

“A baby castella shop? I’ve never heard of it.”

“I don’t know. I’m not interested, so I wouldn’t know.”

Both girls shook their heads in unison.

“You guys don’t know either?”

He was somewhat disappointed, especially since he had thought Chika might know.

“Could it be that a takoyaki shop might offer them as a side menu item?”

“It’s possible, but I couldn’t find any online.”

“I see…”

Chika’s brow furrowed in sympathy with Sōma’s troubled expression.

“Isn’t baby castella not that difficult to make? Maybe you don’t need to go so far to research it.”

Miki wasn’t wrong to encourage him. After all, it’s just an event for the cultural festival.

There’s no need to go all out.

He understood that, but Sōma still wanted to give it his all.

It was just his nature.

“Should I compromise with a castella shop in the city, chase down a food truck, or maybe even make a trip to Tokyo…”

Each option has its pros and cons.

As Sōma pondered while fiddling with his smartphone, Chika, who overheard the word “Tokyo,” began to jump up and down with sparkling eyes.

“Tokyo sounds great! I want to go too! I want to buy a Tokyo-exclusive plush toy!”

Then Miki also got excited and chimed in.

“A trip to Tokyo, just the two of you!? What kind of manga-like event is that! I really want to see it. Can I come along too? Don’t worry. I’ll walk at a distance and make sure I never enter your field of vision!”

“No, no, no. I’m not going. Even I wouldn’t go to Tokyo just for baby castella. And don’t just assume you can tag along. That’s out of line in many ways.”

Trying to calm down the two excited girls was futile. They were not settling down at all.

“Come on, let’s go together. I’ll introduce you to a cake shop owned by my father’s acquaintance.”

“That’s right, Ichinose. You should definitely go.”

Cornered by the two girls who were getting carried away, Sōma became flustered.

“Calm down, both of you. To go to Tokyo, we’d have to take the bullet train. I can’t afford that kind of money. I was only joking about going to Tokyo. I never seriously considered it.”

“Is that all the passion you have for sweets, Sōma-san!?”

“Show some guts and courage. Besides, if we use the night bus instead of the bullet train, we can get there cheaply.”

“Night bus! I’ve never been on one, so I want to try it!”

“Shall we look it up right away?”

“I said I’m not going! No matter what, I’m not going to Tokyo!?”

As the two girls continued to push enthusiastically, Shōhei, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up.

“Sōma, should I help you out now?”

“Please!”

Desperate for help, his best friend deliberately cleared his throat to draw attention.

“Hey, I hate to break up the excitement, but we don’t have to go to a specialty store. Why not just go to a festival? It’s autumn now, and they’re happening everywhere.”

“A festival…?”

“At a festival, you’d find plenty of stalls selling baby castella.”

Baby castella is a staple food at festival stalls.

“…Right, a festival. I hadn’t thought of that.”

Because he had only been searching on his smartphone, he completely forgot about festival stalls, which obviously wouldn’t show up in an online search.

Relieved from the prospect of going to Tokyo, he started to feel a bit embarrassed.

“Aww, we’re not going to Tokyo? I wanted to go with you, Sōma-san, that’s too bad.”

“I wanted to track Chika and Ichinose’s journey…!”

Chika let out a disappointed voice, and Miki, looking frustrated, bit her nail and put away her smartphone.

Shōhei soothed the girls with a gentle smile.

“Tokyo is nice, but festivals are good too.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“There’s the Ebisu festival coming up this weekend. How about the four of us here go together?”

He suggested this with a smile.

***