2026-06-17: Currying Favor
- Log: 2026-06-17 Currying Favor
- Cast: Ren Amamiya, Hibari Aoki, Haru Okumura, Kasumi Yoshizawa
- Where: Back Alleys - Leblanc Cafe
- OOC Date: June 17, 2026
- IC Date: Monday, November 26, 2012
- Summary: Ren, Haru, Hibari and Kasumi get together at Leblanc to cook and chat.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Some time back, Ren and Haru agreed to get together sometime at Leblanc to cook together, and respectively invited Hibari and Kasumi to join them. It's been a while since, but with Futaba's Palace settled, they finally have the time to get together and make that happen.
Ren, of course, is at Leblanc first. There's a relevant story about this, and it all started yesterday...
~ * ~
Early Sunday evening, after Ren gets home from helping Yoshida with his grassroots campaigning, Sojiro offers to give them a lesson in cooking curry as thanks for helping Futaba the other day. Although he doesn't know the half of it, Ren's happy to accept. By dinnertime, the restaurant is... well, it's always filled with the scent of curry. But this time, it's specifically Ren's curry.
Ren slowly stirs the pot under the watchful eye of Sojiro Sakura, who smiles in approval. He takes the ladle from them to spoon himself a shallow dish of the stuff and tastes it; that smile is crowned with a nod.
"Great work," he tells them. "You've still got a ways to go, but I have to admit, when you put your mind to learning something, you're like a little sponge--you just soak up everything you need to. The real test will be getting Futaba's approval."
They blink at him. "Is she coming by?"
"No, but I'm closing up shop early today to check in on her. She woke up today--sent me a text just a short while ago. When she hears you found her outside the house and got Dr. Takemi for her, I'm sure she'll want to thank you, and she might just do that by taste-testing your curry." Sojiro hesitates. "Just... don't expect it to be face-to-face."
Ren nods, choosing not to debate this point. "I hope she's okay."
"Me too." He sets the tasting dish down and hands the ladle back to Ren. "Now that we're done here for now, I'll get going. Make sure to clean and lock up after. Oh, and I probably won't open the store tomorrow, depending on how things go with Futaba. If not, feel free to invite some friends over to share dinner with." He chuckles. "Curry always tastes better the day after. And you want to get more feedback, don't you?"
Ren smiles back. Once Sojiro's donned his hat, flipped the OPEN sign to CLOSED, and left the restaurant, Ren looks thoughtfully back at the curry. Curry is of course delicious all on its own, but it could be a great base for something else...
That's what prompts them to call and text Hibari, Haru, and Kasumi and ask them if they're free tomorrow afternoon, and if so, if they want to get together at Leblanc to cook. There's a whole pot of curry that needs using up or dressing into something else, and it sounds like they'll have the kitchen to themselves--why not now?
~ * ~
Sojiro does indeed opt to not open Leblanc up on Monday. Ren has the run of the place, and Haru, Kasumi, and Hibari have all agreed to meet up to cook. That pot of curry has indeed continued to simmer on the lowest heat possible up 'til now, and it's gained all the more richness for it. Ren can't wait to see what they all think--and what they suggest they use it for to cook something new.
As such, when the others arrive, Ren's behind the counter with a spritz bottle and cloth, spraying and wiping down the place in anticipation for their arrival. They're almost done, and there's ingredients in the fridge already--but they encouraged Haru, Hibari, and Kasumi to bring their own if there's anything in particular they want to make with or for the plain curry.
AS: Ren Amamiya has readied for combat as Arsène! He is now fully healed!
<Pose Tracker> Hibari Aoki has posed.
Hibari's been up to a few things lately, but nothing as dramatic as what Ren and the Phantom Thieves have been busy with. She suspects they're up to something - she's close to Ichika and Tsubasa, or Ogre and Phoenix if you prefer, and she knows who *they* run with - but she said she wouldn't pry and she's not broken that promise.
(She *is* keeping an eye on the news, though, in case there's any unusual or surprising apologies, admissions, or acknowledgements that have happened after other Changes of Heart of criminals, like Kaneshiro. Little does Hibari know that there's not going to be one this time...)
But that's beside the point. She had to check her schedule, but she accepted Ren's invitation once she had. If she was only going into Sumaru she would have accepted without needing to, but Yongen-Jaya's a bit of a trip. It's fine, though! The only thing she had on her plan was studying, and that'll sit for another evening.
For those who haven't met her before, Hibari is a heavyset teenaged girl with, currently, a pleasant smile. She has ombre-dyed hair falling a bit past her shoulders, shading from her natural colour near the roots ('dark') to a vibrant red closer to the tips in a way that would probably scandalize her teachers if she didn't go to Kasugayama. They're used to it. She's wearing a pair of dark wide-legged pants, a green top with a bit of ruffle near the shoulders, and is carrying what is probably her school backpack.
Hibari knows a lot of things to do with curry, but she decided that the thing that might be most useful to Ren to know would be how to handle leftovers. She decided on two ways to deal with it, but one of them requires no ingredients Leblanc is not likely to already have. The other does take a few, and that's what's in the bag. She did ask Ren if there were eggs already there, because she doesn't want to carry those around, even though she brought the other items.
Hibari looks at the CLOSED sign, knocks once, and only *then* tries the door. "Hello!" she says, as she steps inside. "Hopefully I'm not too late..." The result of having to come from Sumaru, though, is that Hibari is probably the last to arrive just by virtue of timing. She didn't dawdle, but there's only so fast the trains will take her.
<Pose Tracker> Haru Okumura has posed.
It's been a busy time for the Phantom Thieves lately. They fought hard to save Futaba, with a little help from Futaba herself. Although Haru is of course glad they succeeded in helping bring down the girl's Palace, she's certainly been left with just as many questions following the Wild Hunt's interference. Because she's had so much on her mind, Ren's invitation to cook together is more than welcome - cooking is always better with some friends!
Haru doesn't have a ton of experience with curry herself, yet, either. She's familiar with all the ingredients that come together with curry, but as they often say with cooking, it's more than the sum of its parts. But at the very least, Haru comes prepared to do her part - arriving alongside a paper bag of assorted vegetables, freshly picked from the garden - mostly including curry staples like beans and potatoes.
With the charming little ding of the Leblanc cafe door, she makes her arrival! "Hello, Ren!" Haru waves, stepping inside and taking in the fresh aroma of coffee and curry. "My, it smells nice in here." She laughs, setting down her produce near the kitchen area, and takes a seat in one of the tables until they're ready to start. "And hello to you too, Hibari-san. It's been quite a while, hasn't it? It's so very nice to see you again!"
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
Kasumi Yoshizawa arrives last.~ She gently raps her knucks against the door before letting herself in. "Good afternoon, Senpai!" She greets with a bow. "Thank you again for inviting me!" She enters Lablanc and sets her school bag down onto one of the booth tables, as she zips it open.
As she opens her bag, she smiles and nods to Haru and Hibari. "It's good to see you again, Okumura-senpai! And it's good to finally meet you, Aoki-san!"
Kasumi is still dressed in her Shuujin school uniform, a black blazer, plaid skirt, and black tights. She's a slender young woman, and her vibrant red hair is tired up in a ponytail thanks to a red ribbon.
From her school bag, Kasumi produces a large bento box and a small paper bag. "I decided to prepare some chicken katsu last night, and I just bought some fuji apples from the market down the street. I didn't want them to get bruised during school." She chuckles lightly, as she brings her additions to the bar, setting them down once Ren has finished cleaning the bar.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Keeping an eye on the news would be sensible for anyone watching out for The Phantoms' activities. Maybe the Wild Hunt is watching for the very same thing, given that they wouldn't have been able to re-enter Futaba's Palace after regrouping.
As for eggs, Ren does indeed have those in the fridge--they've been working on mastering not just curry but onigiri and omelets of late. The curry already has potatoes in it, but no beans--no protein at all for right now--and freshly harvested potatoes are always welcome at a curry place. So too are apples for a mild curry, and who doesn't love katsu curry?
Ren straightens when the girls arrive, smiling their way as the three enter in turn. "You're fine," they reassure Hibari. She might've had to come from Sumaru, but Kasumi has her rhythmic gymnastics practice, and Haru brought harvest from her garden. The sign might say CLOSED, but the door is unlocked, so it's no problem for any of them to just walk right in. Easy to know to do when you were invited over!
"Those sound delicious--but we were going to cook here," Ren points out to Kasumi. "Unless you mean you brought the marinated chicken with you to bread and fry here?" Anything marinaded does need a while to really let the juices soak in.
Haru's compliment gets her a grin with crinkled eyes. "Thanks. Let me get some for the three of you to sample. Sit anywhere you want." They sneak the cleaning materials under the counter, leaving space for the girls to sit and Kasumi to set her goods down; they accept Haru's produce bag and bring it over to the kitchen, then head over to the sink to wash their hands.
A moment later, they'll sit out three shallow dishes with the plain curry in it. It's nice and thick and rich, because curry really does taste better on the second day. It's also pretty spicy--not overwhelmingly so, but it's a heat that grows. Fortunately, as Ren brings the ingredients out from the fridge, they also bring out some milk for anyone who needs it.
"What d'you think?" they ask once everyone's had a chance to taste. They glance at Hibari in particular and add, "I thought it might make a good sauce to go with omurice."
<Pose Tracker> Hibari Aoki has posed.
Hibari is pleased to see Haru again, too. "It is," she agrees. "I don't come here as often as I'd like." Here as in Leblanc, or here as in Tokyo, or here as in Yongen-Jaya? It's a mystery. Kasumi gets another smile, too. "You must be Yoshizawa-san," she says. She doesn't know much about the other girl, having only heard her name a couple times.
It's notable that Hibari has a slight accent she's never been able to drop - or maybe she isn't trying to. Ren knows it, of course; she's from Inaba and she sounds like it. The others may take longer to identify it, and may never beyond 'countryside'.
Hibari takes a few moments to empty her own bag once she's inside. Out comes a jar of pickled vegetables. It's fukujinzuke, which is a traditional side for curry: daikon, cucumber, lotus root, eggplant, ginger, and shiso (a common herb), pickled in a soy sauce-based solution. It is probably homemade because most commercial variants are intensely red, and this one isn't.
It's followed by a bundle of produce - non-pickled lotus root, red peppers, garlic, a lemon - some white cheese, and some chicken.
"I haven't had your curry before, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect," she says. "There's a few ways to turn it into a meal that isn't just more curry... Some of them work better when the curry's chilled, but these are okay if it isn't. Not all of that goes in the same dish," she adds. She's not sure the chunks of lotus root would go well with the cheese...
"...it certainly smells good, though." Hibari does help herself to a seat, though she sits up near the bar where she can watch what Ren is doing. And when it's time to taste...
"That *is* good," she says, sounding slightly surprised. Not that she didn't think Ren could cook it; she just didn't know he'd gotten up to it. "I guess when yousaid that was what you were learning to cook mostly you meant it. It would certainly go with omurice; that's kind of what some of this is for, something similar and easy."
She nods at the cheese: "A baked dish. Rice in a dish you can bake, curry, sprinkle a bit of cheese on top, and once it gets going, add an egg until it's half-set and the cheese is brown. Works with any addition, really. Her chicken, her veggies..." She nods at Kasumi and Haru in turn.
"The other takes a little longer, and we might not get to it." She cranes her neck to look at Haru's paper bag. "Did you grow those?" she asks; they don't look supermarket-regular, so either she hit up a smaller place or they're home-grown.
<Pose Tracker> Haru Okumura has posed.
Haru waves at Kasumi as she makes her entrance last. "Hello, Kasumi-chan! I'm glad you could make it~" She smiles. "The more the merrier, right? We'll have far more ingredients to work with." Haru doesn't seem to mind that Kasumi has brought some dishes of her own.
But first of all, she's excited to try some of that curry! It might just be plain curry on its own, but that doesn't take away from the flavour any, as Haru appreciates the moderately spicy touch to it that gives it a kick of its own. Despite being a sheltered young woman, she has quite the adventurous palette. "It's really good! What spices did you use, may I ask?" Haru comments, when Ren asks them for their thoughts.
Haru listens carefully when the other two girls give their thoughts as well. Hibari in particular seems to have a lot of ideas! "Ooooh... that sounds quite good. Let's give it a try! You know a lot about cooking, don't you Hibari-san?" Haru replies, impressed at how quickly she worked out a way to put their ingredients together.
Hibari even recognizes her veggies as homemade! "That's right! I have a garden up on the school rooftop. I'd say I grew them myself, but really, I couldn't do it without Ren helping me out." Haru nods, and the smiles to Ren, before regarding Hibari again. "If you'd ever like to try some, please feel free to stop by! Though... today's a good time for that in any case, hehe."
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
Kasumi gladly settles in. She nods to Hibari. "Guilty as charged.~" As soon as the words leave her mouth, she cringes a little at her wording choice. Ksumi might be able to pick up on the accent the longer she's around Hibari. She's definitly visited the countryside more than a few times! Her family takes it's gatherings very seriously. (Specifically from Inaba though? That's another story.)
As Ren asks about whether the chicken cooked or not, the redhead nods. "Yup, it's just marinated.~" She cracks the box open to reveal her marienated chicken cutlets.
Hibari starts explaining, and Kasumi listens along intently. "Really? That's so interesting, Aoki-san! The lotus root is really grabbing my attention though. It's very rich in vitamin C, and a good source for fiber and essential minerals, while being low in cholesterol and saturated fats. It's a very good pick! And it might even pair well with the cheese you brought, being great for fats, protein, and calcium. We'll have a well-balanced meal on our hands pretty soon!" Figures the gymnast can chime in with nutiriant facts.~ "Being able to use the cheese and rice to make a side dish that isn't just curry is pretty ingenius too... I feel like I learned something new!"
Finally, Kasumi starts tries out the plain curry. She takes in the taste very carefully... "Hm... It could be spicier?" She suggests.
A beat. "Ah, but that's just me... I'd hate for the spice to overpower it for everyone else."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren looks at the ingredients Hibari's brought with interest. Fukujinzuke is a given for curry, but there's a lot here that could be integrated into curry in different ways. They've even heard of cheese curry before. It's just like Hibari to know what's what. They try one of the pickled daikon and nod in approval, especially if it's still got a good crunch.
"I haven't been entrusted with the Leblanc recipe for long," Ren remarks to her. "We can try all of these." They look up in interest at the concept of dishes with chilled curry. That'd be a great use for it after it's been put in the fridge. "Yeah? Like what?"
Lotus root and cheese would be an... interesting mix. Ren would try it at least once--especially after Kasumi hypes the pairing up for its potential nutritional match-up. She really is an athlete; that's exactly the approach they used to have to food, too. There's a distant, rueful look in their dark eyes for a moment.
Then, when Hibari declares their curry Good, they smile in pride. "I had a good teacher," they reply, shrugging slightly; no need to explain who. Similarly: "I can't share all of the secret spices unless Sojiro-san says it's okay, but... there's a lot of the standard ones--turmeric, coriander, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, and so on." (Even the most basic curry has a LOT of spices in it.) "I like my curry spicy, so I leaned heavy on the black pepper and added some cayenne. The big trick is toasting the spices beforehand in a pan--it turns out it really brings out the flavor and adds a nice nuttiness."
Kasumi opines that it actually could be more spicy. Ren gives her an approving look. "I'll hit the cayenne even harder next time," they say.
Hopefully it's not Ann or Makoto taste-testing their curry at that point; they have significantly lower tolerance for heat by comparison.
They lean in to inspect the marinated cutlets and nod in approval. "They look great. Boss doesn't ever fry things, so that'll be an adventure." No deep frier for them! "We should be able to do that in a pan, right?" They look to Hibari for confirmation.
A baked curry... Ren looks intrigued by this--especially if they can all make good on Haru's vegetables and Kasumi's chicken. (Very much like Kasumi to bring protein. As a former athlete themself, Ren appreciates that.) "That sounds great." Haru and Kasumi both agree, so it sounds as though they're in unanimous agreement.
They turn to grab the bag of veggies and bring them to the sink to wash; they crook a smile over their shoulder at Haru when she mentions they've been helping her grow them. "It's been fun. It's nice to grow something yourself." They tilt their head to one side and add, "The knives are in that drawer, by the way. Cutting boards're right below, along with mixing bowls." For whomever feels like helping start on the prep work.
As they wash the veggies and hand them over for chopping, they add, "That reminds me, Haru--I met a girl over in Port Island recently named Aigis. She looks like a foreign exchange student." At least, she looks like one. "She's into gardening too; I chatted her for a bit about the gardening I've been doing with you. If you ever happen to run into her, I bet she'd appreciate tips."
Hibari definitely knows a lot about cooking, but she can share about that for herself.
<Pose Tracker> Hibari Aoki has posed.
Does Hibari know a lot about cooking, Haru asks.
"Well," Hibari says, "when I was younger, before I moved to Sumaru, my family ran a shokudo, so I've got some experience. When I graduate I want to see if I can get a commis position." It's a French word, like plenty of cooking terms; Hibari pronounces it more or less correctly. "It's like an apprentice spot in a big kitchen. You can do it before you go to culinary school if you have kitchen experience... in fact, a lot of culinary schools like to see it or a formal apprenticeship."
Which is important, because she hasn't yet figured out how she's going to pay for culinary school. One step at a time! But she's a third-year student, so this is something that's really been on Hibari's mind lately. Especially after she kind of avoided thinking about her future for a while.
She brightens. "Oh, so you do garden! I never got the hang of it. And Ren helped?" She looks at Ren a little thoughtfully. She wouldn't have guessed it out of them. "You help a lot of people, huh?" That with another slight smile. "I'd love to try it, but it looks like we'll be doing that anyway!"
Hibari explains to Kasumi, "The way I was thinking about it, the lotus is for... well, it's not *really* a paella, but I've heard it called curry paella. You use chicken or shrimp or squid, cook that a little bit with some spices and the garlic, and fry it - you don't need to deep fry, just a pan is plenty! And then you take the rice and curry with a bit of water to thin it down, the peppers, the lotus root... heat it for about fifteen minutes, then steam it a bit more." Hibari gestures when she speaks. She has a lot of hand movements. It's just the way she is; she gets into her talk.
"I could see this one with a bit more spice if you like it that way, but I don't tend to go for the really spicy stuff," Hibari says. "I mean, I *can* eat it..." And, indeed, she had no problem with the heat in Ren's curry. "But it just seems like it covers up the rest of the flavours for me past a point. This is about where I like it. And yeah, toasting the spices makes a big difference.
Hibari automatically gravitates to doing prep work. As an added advantage, she really does have experience, and is quick and efficient with a knife. (Maybe Ren should have asked her for *that* practice... though it probably wouldn't be any good for combat, as Mujina doesn't carry one.)
"Port Island? Gekkoukan, right?" Hibari, of course, already has a pretty good idea. She's been to Port Island more than once or twice. "But an exchange student - where is she from, if you know? I don't recognize where the name's from. Unless it's Greek? But that's a pretty weird thing to have as a name..."
No, that's Aegis. Totally different.
<Pose Tracker> Haru Okumura has posed.
"That's quite the variety," Haru nods, when Ren explains the standard spices that go into curry. "But it sounds like I'll have to work hard to earn Sojiro-san's trust!" She laughs.
"More spice...?" Haru glances over to Kasumi as she makes her own comment on the dish. It was already pretty spicy as it was! "I don't terribly mind spice, so I can see the appeal. Though... I have to agree with Hibari-chan. It wouldn't do for the spices to overwhelm the rest of the dish's flavours."
Hibari explains why she knows so much about cooking, and Haru certainly looks interested. "So you're planning on going to culinary school?" Haru tilts her head. "That's wonderful. I think... it's important to pursue doing something you love!" She sounds oddly enthusiastic about that for some reason.
As they continue talking, Haru approaches the kitchen area, grabbing one of the knives. Not in a sinister way! Thankfully. "Yes! I do most of the gardening work, but Ren helps me with bringing supplies up to the rooftop." She explains. "It's... slow work, but it's rather nice to bring something into the world with your own hands, isn't it?" She smiles, mirroring Ren's own sentiment.
Meanwhile, Ren mentions a girl named Aigis from Port Island... who seems to enjoy gardening herself. "Ai... gis? That's quite the strange name, isn't it?" Haru laughs, but not in an overly judgmental manner. As Hibari points out, it's not a common name, even for a foreign exchange student. "It's been a while since I've been to Port Island, but I'd love to have someone to talk gardening with." She says, while preparing to chop up some onions. "Perhaps we might run into each other next time we're picking up supplies!"
<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
Taste and texture might not be Kasumi's forte on this particular combination, but gymnasts tend to focus on compacting as much nuitriants in per calorie as possible. If it works, might as well.~
Kasumi is thrilled to hare a smile with Amamiya-senpai. Fellow spice appreciators.~ "Oh! Is the spices homemade...?" Kasumi asks, interested. "Hehe, I'll have to ask Sojiro-san about it. I've only ever used packets."
Both Haru and Hibari are at their spice limit, and Kasumi stifles a little giggle. "Maybe we'll have to put some aside for just us then, Senpai.~" She says to Ren.
"A pan should be fine...probably!" She might as well get started on breading the cutlets and preparing a pan.
As she breads the cutlets, she listens to Hibari's explaination. "Oh! Paella makes so muh sense." She giggles lightly. She mentally catalogs the recipe into her head. It'll be fun to try out another time. "I could probbaly spice it up some..." She notes, for her future cooking possibilities. "Thank you, Aoki-san!" A shokudo, no wonder she's so good!
"Aigis...-san, huh? I wonder where that name came from? Finland?" Kasumi wonders. She feels like she's heard that Japan and Finland are close culturally...
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Gardening isn't normally Ren's thing, no--but it's important to Haru, so it's important to them. Besides, it's part of their deal. They shrug a little at Hibari's comment, smiling slightly. "I try." They nod at Haru, a silent agreement with all points. "It makes the veggies tastier too, in my opinion. Maybe we've got your green thumb to thank there, though."
They try a lot, very hard. Ren's schedule is generally packed to the brim--they're always doing something. At least they can be efficient about their time; for example, right now, where they're combining cooking practice with spending time with friends.
Curry paella... "We'll have to give that a shot later. That sounds really interesting," they say. It's no surprise to them that Hibari's aiming for culinary school, even without their mutual hometown history. "Let's do that cheese dish you described first, though. It seems pretty straightforward, and we'll make good use of the ingredients we all brought."
"Yep," they confirm of Gekkoukan High. Where Aigis is from beyond that, though... "I didn't ask," they say--which is true, they didn't, but that's because they know she's a robot. This is a weird thing to just tell people, though, especially ones who don't all know everyone else is a Persona User. "She's blonde and blue-eyed, though, so I don't think she's supposed to be Greek."
Of course, the words 'supposed to be' might be a hint there's something unusual about her. Ren just hands washed and dried vegetables to Haru and Hibari to chop, though.
"It's Aigis No Last Name, too. As in, Aigis is her only name," they add to Haru. "She's an interesting person. We ran into each other because she watched me play chess with someone in a park." Their smile fades into a more neutral look. "She's friends with Minako-chan too, so we also talked about that. No hard feelings, fortunately, since Minako-chan and I are still friends."
They nod to Kasumi. "Yup--no pre-made mixes here. Boss is always working on tweaking the spice ratios to make his curry the perfect complement to his coffee. That's the first big lesson he gave me--toasting, grinding, and combining the spices--when he finally started teaching me how to make it."
...'So good luck getting him to share,' is the implied message there. Ren doesn't try to dissuade her, though. Sojiro's always sweeter on girls than anyone else; maybe Kasumi could get him to spill, at least to some extent.
"I like it spicier too, honestly," they remark, nodding again to Kasumi before looking at Hibari and Haru. "Most people I know don't, though, so I didn't go too wild. Glad that was the right call." With Kasumi handling the chicken and Haru and Hibari handling the vegetables, it's time to get out the pots and pans. They'll take care to do so, moving the curry pot off the stove and over onto a coaster on the counter to clear up space. After that, they'll get to work on grating the cheese. The eggs can come later.
Between the four of them, it won't take long at all; after all, they've all got experience in the kitchen, so this is more about practice than learning. The four of them might even have time for that curry paella too after all.