Princess Connect Academy: Hungry Hearts and Love Storms - The Lost Recipe and the Rampaging Shockwave: Kyouka's Hostility, Pecorine's Tears, Yuuki's Exile

When Yuuki opened the door to the cooking club room, a soft, sweet fragrance drifted out. Butter, and a faint hint of citrus. He wrinkled his nose. "Welcome. I've been waiting for you." The girl standing by the window turned around. Her long black hair shimmered glossily in the spring light. Shizuru — second-year at Hoshien Academy High School, and president of the cooking club. Rumored to be the most beautiful girl in her grade, she looked stunning even in an apron. "Um, I made this. Brought it for you." Yuuki held out the bundle he'd brought. Inside were three onigiri he'd shaped that morning. Salt, plum, and kelp. The basics, taught to him by his landlord, Taro Tanaka. "Oh my, onigiri." Shizuru took the bundle and carefully unwrapped it with her pale fingers. Yuuki found himself watching her hands for no reason. He'd never seen her hold a knife, yet somehow the way her fingers moved felt familiar. "Let me try one." She brought the salt onigiri to her lips and took a bite. Chew, chew. Her movements stopped. "...Huh?" Shizuru's eyes flew wide open. Her dark pupils trembled — and then, a single tear spilled down her cheek. "This taste... it's exactly the same as the lost recipe I've been searching for all this time." "Huh!? A-are you okay?" Yuuki rushed toward her. Shizuru stood there clutching the onigiri, her shoulders shaking. "I'm not lying. This saltiness, this firmness of the shaping... all of it, all of it is the same as the taste I remember. How? Why do you know how to make this?" "It's just onigiri. The old man at my boarding house taught me, that's all..." "It's not just onigiri! This is... this is my recipe!" Shizuru stepped closer, closing the distance between them. Her tear-streaked face was right in front of him. The desperation in her eyes made Yuuki flinch back. "S-sorry, I don't really understand..." When Yuuki tilted his head, Shizuru seemed to snap back to herself and pulled away. "...I'm sorry. I startled you, didn't I." She wiped her tears and let out a deep breath. Then she slowly tried the remaining onigiri as well. With each bite, her expression softened. "...I knew it. This taste — my body remembers it." When she'd finished the onigiri, Shizuru headed for the prep counter. She picked up a knife and began chopping vegetables on the cutting board. *Ton, ton, ton.* The crisp rhythm echoed through the room. Yuuki's breath caught at the sound. A sharp, prickling pain shot through the back of his skull. *(That knife work... I know it.)* The way her hands moved, how she shifted her weight, the angle she drew the blade. All of it was familiar. He had no memory of it, yet his body reacted. "Is something wrong?" "Ah, no. It's nothing." Yuuki pressed a hand to his forehead. The pain faded quickly, but a restless unease lingered deep in his chest. "Hey, Yuuki-kun. You're good at cooking, aren't you? If you'd like, why don't we cook together sometime?" Shizuru's voice was sweet, with a somehow nostalgic ring to it. Yuuki was about to answer when— "Sis." A cold voice flew in from the doorway. He turned to see a girl standing there with features closely resembling Shizuru's. But her aura was the exact opposite. Her narrow, sharp eyes pierced through Yuuki like needles. "Sis, you don't need to bother with a guy like this." "Kyouka! What are you saying? That's so rude." "But he transferred here less than two weeks ago, right? And there are already rumors he's been messing around with girls all over the place." Kyouka crossed her arms and stared Yuuki down. Her hostility was completely undisguised. "I haven't been messing around with anyone." "Oh really? Then what about giving onigiri to that Pecorine girl every day? Getting called in by the student council president? Even the middle school kids look up to you with '-sama'?" "That's..." Yuuki was at a loss for words. Every bit of it was true. But none of it was something he'd asked for. "My sister is kind, so she'll be nice even to someone as shady as you. But I won't allow it. Stay away from my sister." "Kyouka, stop it!" Shizuru scolded her sister. But Kyouka wouldn't listen — she didn't take her eyes off Yuuki. "Well? Answer me." "...Sorry. Um..." Before Yuuki could finish, Kyouka turned her face away sharply. "...Don't come near her. Don't get in my sister's way." Leaving only those words behind, Kyouka strode off. "I'm sorry, Yuuki-kun. She's really a good girl. She's just worried about me, that's all..." "No. It's fine." Yuuki forced a smile. But deep in his chest, something ached sharply. *(She hates me... I guess.)* His very existence was hurting someone. That fact weighed heavily on Yuuki's heart. --- The next day, during lunch break. The light streaming through the classroom windows felt unbearably bright. Yuuki spread a small bento box on his desk. It was a new recipe he'd tried making that morning. Tamagoyaki, and hijiki simmered with dashi. And an onigiri with just a touch of secret seasoning. "Yuuki-kun! What's that!?" Along with the voice, fluffy brown hair bounced into his field of vision. Pecorine was peering into the bento box, her eyes sparkling. Her big amber eyes looked like a hungry puppy's. "It's a new tamagoyaki recipe. Want to try some?" "I want it! I want it, I want it!" Pecorine pressed her hands together and bounced up and down. Yuuki smiled wryly and held a slice of tamagoyaki up to her lips. "Say ahh." "Ahh!" Pecorine opened wide and took a big bite. Chew, chew. "So good! Yuuki-kun, you're a genius! The egg is so fluffy, and the dashi just bursts out... huh?" Pecorine's movements stopped dead. "Pecorine?" No response. The color drained from her face. "...Pecorine!?" The next moment, Pecorine crumpled to her knees. "No... Nooo!!" A sudden scream. Every eye in the classroom snapped toward them. "I let my people starve... I couldn't protect them! Everyone, everyone died... because of me!" Pecorine collapsed onto the floor, clutching her head with both hands, sobbing and screaming. Her voice was so anguished, so piercing — unimaginable from the cheerful girl she usually was. "Pecorine! Snap out of it!" Before he knew it, Yuuki had his arms around her. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry, everyone... because I couldn't protect the food..." "It's okay! Pecorine, it's okay!" Yuuki shouted. Pecorine trembled violently in his arms. Her tears soaked into his uniform. And then— *Thump.* Deep in Yuuki's chest, something pulsed violently. The next instant, an invisible shockwave exploded outward from him. *CRRAAASH!!* The classroom windows shattered into a thousand pieces. "Whoaah!" "What the—!?" "Kyaaah!" His classmates fell one after another. Desks toppled, chairs flew. Screams echoed from the hallway too. "W-what is this... Did I...?" A searing pain ripped through Yuuki's head. A kingdom in flames. People fleeing in terror. A castle crumbling. Unknown scenery poured into his mind. "Ghh... Aaah!" Yuuki clutched his head and doubled over. His vision flickered white. Consciousness slipped away. --- When he came to, Yuuki was seated in a chair in the chairman's office. Before him sat an elderly man in a black suit. The chairman of Hoshien Academy. Expressionless, looking down at Yuuki. "Your resonance magic has caused tremendous damage to the academy. Forty-two windows shattered. Twenty-three students with minor injuries, five of whom are still being treated in the infirmary." "...I did that?" "You can't deny it. There were plenty of witnesses. A shockwave emanated from your body." Yuuki bit his lip. He couldn't even understand what had happened himself. All he'd tried to do was help Pecorine. "A resonance magic user is far too dangerous for this academy. Therefore, you are hereby given a temporary expulsion." "Expulsion...!? Wait, I didn't do anything—" "You did nothing, is that it? Then what was that shockwave? Who takes responsibility for the students who collapsed?" "That's..." "It's decided. Leave the academy by the end of today." The chairman's voice was cold, devoid of emotion. Yuuki couldn't say a word. --- When he returned to the boarding house, Taro Tanaka was waiting at the entrance. "Yuuki... I'm sorry. The academy got in touch. I can't keep you here any longer." "Grandpa..." "I believe in you. I do, but... it'll cause trouble for the other boarders. I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry." Taro Tanaka bowed deeply. His wrinkled face was filled with anguish. "...I understand. Thank you for everything." Yuuki bowed his head slightly. He had nowhere left to go. --- Meanwhile, in the student council room. "This is ridiculous!!" Kyaru slammed her fist on the desk. Beneath her white gloves, her fingers trembled. "Expelling Yuuki? What is that chairman thinking!? Yuuki didn't do anything wrong! That was an accident — an accident!" "President, I understand how you feel, but..." "Silence. ...Fine. I'll go talk to the chairman myself." Kyaru stood and stormed out of the council room. The other members watched her go, dumbfounded. But Kyaru's direct appeal was rejected without a second thought. "Student council president, know your place. This is the academy's consensus." "Then I'll resign as council president! A council president who can't protect Yuuki is worthless!" "...Do as you like." Kyaru slapped down her resignation letter and left the chairman's office. --- Kokkoro was walking through the shopping district of Hoshien Ginza. "Yuuki-sama... where are you...?" She passed the onigiri shop "Musubi no Sato," peeked into the café "Nocturne," and paused in front of the used bookstore "Luminous." Yuuki was nowhere to be found. "If only I had noticed sooner... I might have been able to stop Yuuki-sama's power before it went out of control..." Kokkoro clutched the star-shaped pendant at her chest. Her jade-green eyes brimmed with tears. Then she headed for the Hoshien woods. Maybe Yuuki was in that forest. She had a feeling. But Yuuki was not in the forest. --- Dusk. Yuuki found himself wandering to the back garden without thinking. He crossed the off-limits fence and stood beneath the five-hundred-year-old cherry tree. The wind blew, and petals scattered through the air. *(I've lost everything.)* The academy, the boarding house, his place in the world. *(Am I just supposed to live alone, somewhere I won't be a burden to anyone?)* Yuuki touched the cherry tree's trunk. The rough texture of the bark felt strangely nostalgic. "...Who am I, really?" His murmur dissolved into the wind. And then— "...I finally found you." A voice came from behind him. He turned, and there stood a girl. A white dress. Black hair falling to her shoulders. And large eyes, brimming with tears. "I'm so glad I got to meet you..." Yui smiled through her tears. "Um... who are you?" "I'm Yui. Someone who has known about you for a very long time." "About me?" "Yes. ...Yuuki, the reason your memories are lost is that the cost of your resonance magic consumes your own memories. Every time you use your power, it shaves away your past." "W-what are you talking about?" Yuuki was confused. What did this girl know? "That's all for now. ...I'm sorry, I can't tell you everything." Yui smiled sadly. Then she slowly stepped back. "But remember this. You are not alone." Leaving only those words, Yui vanished into the twilight. "Wait! Who are you!?" Yuuki shouted. But there was no answer. Only cherry blossoms continued to flutter down. Yuuki stood there, rooted to the spot. Yui's words echoed deep in his chest. *(The cost of resonance magic... consumes memories?)* The reason he had no memories. He felt like he'd touched a fragment of the answer. But beyond that, he understood nothing. Why wouldn't she tell him everything? Yuuki slowly unclenched his fist. The sun was sinking. A long day was coming to an end.

日本語

What is Novelia? →

Episode 4

Name: Princess Connect Academy: Hungry Hearts and Love Storms
Author: Novelia

What is Novelia?

Novelia is an AI-powered platform to read original light novels and fan fiction, create your own in just a few taps, and chat with the characters. New, illustrated episodes arrive daily — free to start.

Learn more about Novelia →New sign-ups get 5,000pt