Author's Note: This one took place prior to the Regiment de Cuisine. I thought that the manga did not have enough insight as to how Megumi went through her training with Shinomiya, and this is how I imagined it. This could potentially lead to more Shinomiya X Megumi stories BECAUSE I FREAKIN' NEED MORE SHINOMIYA X MEGUMI FLUFFS IN MY LIFE.
For now, I am sharing this prequel to a previous fanfic I published entitled Restraint. Hoping for you to read and enjoy!
Something in Common
Shinomiya frowned so hard almost all of his angry facial muscles twitched. He was the unhappiest taster of this plate of a disaster made by the country hick Megumi Tadokoro.
What happened to the girl who brought him to tears with an amateurish dish called Rainbow Terrine?
Why is she committing more mistakes now than during the school's training camp? She had a determined look a while ago but watching her spill the sugar in the pot, missing out a main element, how was she able to be a part of the top 8 during Autumn Elections?
She was worse, more than ever, since they started training this morning, even when he got through her with his scolding. She even called him coach, and he thought that was even a signal that she was about to go through a dramatic improvement.
Shinomiya started having an unbearable headache.
Megumi apologised profusely at her senpai, and with the many times she bowed, Shinomiya counted all the imperfections that lingered in her dish.
Megumi was stuttering. "I..."
BANG! Shinomiya swatted his hand on the counter which made Megumi jerk. He was so pissed off he could not even form the right words to say. Five seconds of glaring down at his mentee and Megumi already had the face of someone who is about to get executed.
Five seconds became ten, then finally, Shinomiya took a deep breath and exhaled releasing a deep sigh.
"We're done for today..." he said coldly with so much control over his anger as he propped his glasses and turned around quickly. He rushed out of the kitchen without even looking back.
He had so much resistance from releasing all the fumes infront of his student. He just couldn't... because it was not just her mistakes that ticked him off. It was his failure to figure out the most suited method to transfer his knowledge as her mentor.
"I should call her..." he said to himself.
Megumi stood still in the kitchen staring blankly at the door where her senpai trailed off. She could have sworn she saw his anger change to pure disappointment.
No matter how bad she was, it never came to that point. Shinomiya was either calm and collected, or explosive, but never that... The anxiety of the whole situation they were in pushed his patience beyond his limits, and now...
"What should I do?" she asked worried. She looked back at the counter where there were leftover ingredients. She approached and held them one by one. Feeling the texture... Breathing in the scent...
Megumi suddenly remembers the training camp, and her unofficial shokugeki against her senpai Shinomiya. It was the first time she took the lead in the kitchen, and that was the time she was able to build her confidence in cooking.
Soma was mainly the reason, but she can't help but think that Shinomiya and the other alumni played a role to it as well.
I messed up... she thought sulking.
"Megumi! It's almost time for dinner!"
She heard Soma calling out for her outside the kitchen.
"I'll be there in a bit!" she responded trying her best to conceal her voice from wavering.
Her tears came out as she started cleaning up the counters then left.
During Dinner Time...
I'll make sure to apologize to senpai again... she thought.
Megumi prepped herself up and went to the dining area where Soma, Erina, Takumi, Doujima and Jouichirou have already gathered around the table.
The plates were ready and Megumi looked around the room trying to spot her Coach Shinomiya.
"He's not joining us." said Chef Doujima to Megumi as he patted her shoulder. "I'm sure he's a little tired."
Megumi bowed and nodded sadly.
I'm sure was because of me...
She was silent over dinner. Everyone had a productive day. Soma and Takumi were both boasting of the techniques they learned over the afternoon, fighting who had the better chance of taking down the Elite 10. Meanwhile, she cannot even get over her carelessness in the kitchen.
"It's not to your liking, Tadokoro?" asked Jouichiro with much concern. He noticed her almost giving up on her plate.
"Oh! It's lovely... Thank you. I am just exhausted after today's training." she said defensively.
The flavors bursting in each spoonful of Jouichirou's cooking was heavily made bland by her worries.
Did she even get to train properly?
What if Shinomiya-senpai suddenly leaves? There must be something I can do.
Shinomiya was early the next morning. As he walked through the hallways of the kitchen, he heard a crackling sound that made him fully awake. He peeked through the round window of the kitchen door to find Megumi frying on what seems like an omelette. There was a breakfast set beautifully laid out on a tray, and from afar it already exhudes radiant warmth and comfort cultured with the same hospitality during their unofficial shokugeki. As he shifted back at Megumi, he was mesmerized at how she was delicately laying the omelette on a plate as if it was the most important thing in the world.
His curiosity took his foot one step into the kitchen as he opened the door.
Megumi got startled as Shinomiya slowly approached her.
"Shinomiya-senpai..." she uttered trying to face him with much effort. "I didn't think you'll be up this early."
"Morning habits..." he reasoned.
He satisfied his curiosity by turning his head to the tray. Looking at it closely there is a note that says "Shinomiya-senpai".
Shinomiya was at a loss for words not knowing if he should feel grateful for the gesture, or annoyed over how well-thought it was. The more he analyzed the food, its possible ingredients of the whole meal, the further he can confirm that they were all created to boost the energy of a stressed and fatigue person.
"I was supposed to serve it to you..." said Megumi meekly feeling embarrassed that she was caught. "It may not be my best, but mother always said that I should always think of the person I am cooking for..."
Megumi bowed down so low "Senpai... Please don't give up on me... I promise to push myself more."
Shinomiya sighed and pushed up his glasses. "I was not giving up on you." he said sternly.
His eyes shifted his focus on Megumi. "Make up for the time today. We have a lot to do."
Megumi's doe-eyes beamed at him and she nodded. "Yes Coach!"
Shinomiya smiled at her as he remembered a conversation from last night over the phone.
He put on an apron. "Hand me the tray of eggs." he commanded Megumi.
"Oh! My serving was not enough, senpai? I made sure to put extra knowing you have not eaten anything last night..." Megumi fetched the tray and handed it over to Shinomiya.
"They're not for me." he said quickly breaking the eggs. "They're for you... It's going to be a long day and..."
"No no. It's alright senpai." Megumi objected waving her hands. "I'm not really hungry... Just enjoy your meal."
Shinomiya got ticked off once again. The one time he shows kindness and he gets rejected. "You want me to eat alone?!" he yelled.
"N-n-no senpai!" Megumi tensed up.
"Then get me those condiments!" Shinomiya raged.
"Yes senpai!" Megumi rushed to help him.
"Keep up. Alright?" said Shinomiya softly.
Megumi nodded and smiled in response as they prepared a new set of breakfast planning their training for that day together.
The night before...
Kojiro calling her was not the least of her surprises. Her son does not call often and she of all people should know why, but tonight's call was an exception and it was quite fascinating.
She controlled her giggles listening to her son's complaints over the phone with just as much passion as he puts in his French cooking.
"She deliberately placed a bottle of salt instead of 1 teaspoon. What kind of idiot makes such a mistake?" Kojiro was almost shouting.
She has never heard of her Kojiro getting so worked up over a girl to a point that he called home to talk about it, and it continued on for the next few minutes. The more she listened, the more she is able to pick up what kind of girl her son is dealing with.
"Mother, you're a woman. What should I do?" Kojiro finally settled his voice.
Mrs. Shinomiya smiled and said "I remember a certain someone whose cooking was limited by his hometown, just like this girl... That boy did great things eventually. I'm sure she can show the same potential."
"But Mother, we're both different! How do I push her? I have no words for her lack of confidence! I can't believe she even passed the Autumn Elections!" said Kojiro still sounding frustrated.
"Perhaps that may be the reason why you're there for her..." She waited for her little boy to reply, but he didn't and she continued. "You have always been strong-willed Kojiro, and it got you into trouble so many times. This girl may not have the same determination, and it may take a while, but won't you help her out a bit?"
They ended the conversation with him agreeing, and of course, she wished for him to do his best on his Tokyo restaurant.
As soon as she put down the phone, she smiled gently.
"Oh my... That girl sure made an impression on Kojiro... I wonder if I'll meet her one day." she said almost wishing.