"Mmm… that smells amazing!"

As she got close to the apartment, Yurine was greeted by an incredibly rich and tempting aroma. It was both familiar and new.

Familiar because she recognized the deep, complex scent of a perfectly made demi-glace sauce, the sweet notes of caramelized onions, and the creamy, buttery fragrance of fresh eggs.

New because all these wonderful smells were woven together into something even more special, a scent that promised the ultimate in warmth and comfort. There was no doubt in her mind.

"This is the smell of Omurice!"

A jolt of excitement went through Yurine's petite frame, and her mouth began to water uncontrollably. Her visible reddish-brown eye lit up. She quickened her pace, her polished round-toed shoes clacking against the pavement as she ran back to the apartment building.

She dashed up to the second floor, arrived at Room 202, fumbled for her key, and opened the door. "I'm home!" she called out excitedly.

The wonderful aroma was even stronger inside, enveloping her like a warm blanket.

"Haha, perfect timing," Ryohei said, emerging from the kitchen as he untied his apron.

"You finally admit it!" Jashin-chan poked her head out of the kitchen, holding a plate. She looked at Ryohei, still thinking about their earlier conversation. "I knew you were making something special!"

"Well, it's a thank-you meal, after all," Ryohei replied with a smile.

"It smells wonderful!" Yurine said, her initial excitement giving way to a calm happiness. She slipped off her orange shoes at the genkan, her feet, clad in black socks with cute frills, padding softly onto the tatami mat.

"Please, have a seat. I promise you, this is the most authentic, most perfect Omurice you will ever have," Ryohei said, moving the low table to the center of the living room and gesturing for her to sit. "Today's lunch is Omurice with a special demi-glace sauce. Would you like an ice-cold beer with that, Yurine?"

"Yes, one bottle, please."

"Me too!" called Jashin-chan, who was carefully sliding a finished Omurice onto a plate.

"Alright," Ryohei replied, and went back to the kitchen to grab three cans of cold beer from the fridge.

Yurine followed him into the kitchen. Her eyes landed on the finished dish, and she froze for a second, her breath catching in her throat. She swallowed hard, then helped Jashin-chan carry the plates out to the table.

A mound of savory chicken rice was perfectly enveloped in a flawless, glowing golden omelette. The top was sliced open, revealing the creamy, soft-scrambled interior, which cascaded down the sides like a slow-motion golden waterfall. A rich, dark, and glossy demi-glace sauce had been generously ladled over the top, pooling invitingly around the base. The dish was garnished with a sprig of bright green parsley, adding a splash of color. It was a work of art.

"I can't wait any longer. Itadakimasu!"

The aroma was too much to bear. It was nearly one o'clock, and Yurine was starving. She put her hands together briefly and then began to eat. She scooped up a piece of the omelette with some of the rice and sauce.

"Mmm—!"

The first thing she noticed was the incredible, creamy texture of the soft-set egg, which seemed to melt on her tongue. It was followed by the perfectly seasoned savory rice, each grain distinct, with tender pieces of chicken and sweet onion. The rich, deep flavor of the demi-glace sauce tied everything together in perfect harmony. It was a flavor that was both complex and incredibly, deeply comforting.

"Mmm~~~, this is just too good~~~! So incredibly delicious~~~!"

Yurine tilted her chin up, her body tensing for a moment before relaxing completely. A drunken-like blush spread across her delicate, fair cheeks, and she squinted her eyes in pure bliss and enjoyment. Her vision grew hazy, as if she were intoxicated by the flavor alone.

"Hiss… So good! I can't stop!" Jashin-chan, having taken her first bite, was in a similar state of ecstasy. She shoveled the food into her mouth, eating with incredible gusto.

Ryohei couldn't resist either. He ate several large mouthfuls in a row, then grabbed his can of beer. Pssht! He popped the tab, tilted his head back, and downed half the can in a series of long gulps.

"Haaaah!" Perfect! The Omurice and the cold beer were a match made in heaven. He slammed the can down on the table with a satisfying thud. Yurine and Jashin-chan followed his example, and soon all three were lost in a state of culinary bliss.

One bite, two bites, three bites… countless bites. The deliciousness of the Omurice built up in their mouths until it finally exploded.

"I see it—!"

Suddenly, a landscape of memories filled Yurine's reddish-brown eye. She was no longer in her apartment, but in a sun-drenched meadow filled with wildflowers, a perfect blue sky overhead. She was a child again. A warm, gentle breeze rustled the grass around her.

Spread before her was a picnic blanket, and on it sat a kind, smiling woman—perhaps a memory of her mother, or an idealized version from a dream. The woman held out a spoonful of a perfect, glowing golden omurice.

Yurine took the bite. The taste was not just delicious; it was the taste of pure happiness, of a perfect, carefree day. It was the taste of being safe, of being loved. She saw herself laughing, a bright, genuine sound she hadn't made in years.

"I see it… I see it! The taste of a perfect, golden day!"

Yurine was completely lost in the moment, living in that beautiful memory. Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked, and it was Jashin-chan, who was wearing a crown made of omelettes and sitting on a throne in a castle made of rice, with rivers of demi-glace sauce flowing below.

The girl and the demon were both lost in their own perfect, delicious worlds.