#hydrangea salad

^^ Could this really happen? — Tonight’s Hydrangea Dream Galaxy

“Hydrangea Salad”

It’s Monday lunch break. The four of us have gathered in the break room next to the office as usual.

“Whoa, Minamin, what on earth is that?”

“Um… Hydrangea salad.”

“Wait— hydrangea? Like the ones that bloom at shrines?” “Yep, shrine hydrangeas. There’s an edible cultivar, apparently. I found it at that fancy organic‐select shop where our O-chic Section Chief buys groceries. First time I’d seen it, so I had to try.”

Lucky-senpai—her last name is Yotsuba, so everyone calls her Lucky—leans closer, face half curious, half alarmed. “So why the shrine‐only specification?” she asks. You said ‘shrine’ first, I think, but say aloud, “Ah—sorry, I mean the kind that often bloom at shrines.”

Inside the clear pack are pale blue-green petals, about the size of one of those help-yourself peanut-butter jars at a trendy supermarket.

Miya-san, two years my senior, squints. “They’re so pretty… almost too pretty to eat, aren’t they?”

“True, but they’re gorgeous, so I figured I’d post #HydrangeaSalad on Insta.”

Akari-senpai pipes up. “Put the caption ‘Salad Anniversary’. Total classic—people will love it.”

“Akari-chaaaan, Minamin has no idea what ‘Salad Anniversary’ is,” Lucky-senpai laughs.

“Oh—right. Okay, just ‘Hydrangea Salad’ then. Anyway, let me taste it!”

Before I can answer, Lucky-senpai—the oldest—snatches a blossom and munches it. Akari-senpai and Miya-san dive in right after.

“H-hey, that’s my lunch!” I yelp. All that’s left in the pack, apart from a few lettuce leaves, is a single lonely floret.

“It’s like we all chipped in to buy it!” Lucky-senpai grins. “I’ll grab you another tomorrow, promise,” says Miya-san. “But this definitely goes down as ‘The Day Minamin Didn’t Get Her Salad’,” Lucky and Akari declare in unison.

“Ugh, and I didn’t even get a photo—seriously, the ‘Hydrangea Salad I Never Got to Eat’ Anniversary!” Akari-senpai groans. “…Which makes this a ‘Salad Anniversary—Almost’,” I add.

“Dry, you say? — Tonight’s tale from the Hydrangea Dream Galaxy” “Hydrangea Salad 2”

Tuesday lunch break. Same break room, same group — and yesterday’s “incident” still fresh.

“I brought Salad Memorial Day! Mum had it on the shelf at home,” said Minamin.

“Wait, seriously!? Your mum!?” “No way, such a throwback…” Lucky-senpai and Akari-senpai looked truly surprised.

Just then, Miya-san entered the room with a proud little smirk, holding up a clear plastic container. “Tadaa! Just like I promised, I bought it!”

“What, you really bought one!?” “Of course I did. Yesterday, poor Minamin didn’t even get a bite. …Oh, and I see we’ve got the book now, too.”

This time, the hydrangea petals were a bold mix of pink and purple—more intense than yesterday’s soft blues and greens. Even through the plastic, they looked refined, elegant.

Akari-senpai: “It might actually taste better than yesterday’s…” Lucky-senpai: “Hmm, yesterday’s looked gentler. It blended with the lettuce. Today’s got a bit of red cabbage energy.” Miya-san: “Well, either way, it didn’t taste like anything.” Me: “Yeah, maybe because it’s a flower?” Lucky-senpai: “Still, it’s really pretty…” We all nodded in agreement.

And then, silence. None of us moved to eat it—just gazing at the salad like it was art.

Lucky-senpai: “…If no one’s going to eat it, maybe we should dry it and keep it?” Me: “Ooh, great idea. Especially since it’s Salad Memorial Day now.” Miya-san: “A salad-flower dried arrangement, made with the Salad Memorial Day book…”

Akari-senpai grinned. “Then it’s officially a Dry Salad Memorial Day!”