One way or another, the Dark Hot Pot party was finally getting underway.
After banishing my sister—the war criminal who’d tried to drop that outrageous bombshell—to the second floor, we lit the gas stove on the large table and the six of us gathered around the pot.
"Well then, things got a bit chaotic, but let’s start the Dark Hot Pot party!"
Airi announced the opening of the festivities, her massive breasts bouncing with every word.
They were freaking huge... No, get it together. Focus on the hot pot.
"So, what are the rules? A high-class, shitty loner boy like me has absolutely zero experience with these kinds of extrovert events."
"Are you high-class or are you shitty? Which is it?"
"I’m a loner, and I definitely lean toward the 'shitty' side of the spectrum."
In any case, only extroverts could find joy in making something as nonsensical as a Dark Hot Pot. I was certain of it.
"In that case, Airi will explain the rules!"
Airi, the one who’d suggested this whole thing, puffed out her large chest and began her explanation.
"For an Airi-style Dark Hot Pot party, we start by filling the pot with hot water. Then everyone closes their eyes, and we take turns opening them one by one to add our ingredients to the pot!"
She pointed inside the pot, which contained nothing but hot water with a faint trail of steam rising from it.
"Then we put the lid on and let it simmer until it's finished. Right before we open the lid, everyone has to announce what they put in! Well? Doesn't that sound fun?"
I see... with those rules, it definitely captured the spirit of a Dark Hot Pot. It sounded like it might actually be fun.
Surprisingly, extroverts actually put a decent amount of thought into their parties. I felt a strange sense of admiration for them.
Though, to be honest, you’d be able to see exactly what the person before you put in once it was your turn.
"Let's start right away, then! As for the order... well, since we're all here, let’s go counter-clockwise, starting with Ryouta!"
"What do you mean 'since we're all here'!?"
Still, if I was going first, it meant I’d have no idea what was in the pot until the final reveal.
Well, that sounded entertaining in its own way.
And so, it was decided that I would be the first to toss an ingredient into the pot.
While the other five waited silently with their eyes closed, I opened mine and threw in the shredded kelp I’d prepared specifically for this occasion.
Even if it was a Dark Hot Pot, kelp was a staple of any good broth.
By using shredded kelp, my strategy was to give the soup a slimy, gooey texture that would freak the other five out.
By the way, I wondered what the others had brought.
Airi, the mastermind behind this, seemed likely to have brought something dangerous, but I could only hope the others had chosen something reasonable.
Wishing for the best, I closed my eyes once more.