Kariya was so enamored with Hechikan the person, he seemingly decided to bring him forward in time, just so he can physically interact with his Oishinbo characters.
This guy's been writing fanfics way before it was cool.
Loved the depiction of Hechikan in this chapter, just this wandering cryptid of artisan hospitality. The anecdote included in the notes is really charming too. It all comes down to love...