Disclaimer: I don't own Shokugeki no Soma; the honour belongs to Tsukada Yuuto-san.
Chapter One: on top of the world
After breakfast, Soma seats himself on the steps of their house, enthusiastically scribbling down improved recipes with a pencil. "Hmm, maybe if I add the risotto after that..."
"Whatcha' doing, Soma-chan?" Said boy's head almost hits the ceiling in his fright.
"Ahhh, Old Man! Don't scare me like that!" 'Old Man' chuckles, ruffling Soma's hair from behind, "I see, since I'm an 'Old Man' and you're clearly a Master Chef, I can't teach you any more new recipes, huh?"
Soma shakes his head so fast, His vision blurs. "No! You're the youngest and most handsome man ever!" Jouichiro just laughs at this, pushing his son towards the direction of the kitchen. "Yes yes, go on, brat. Get changed into your apron!" The cook chuckles again at the faint 'Yes Sir!' That floats back through the corridors, but he spots something from the corner of his eye.
"Hm?" He picks up the battered blue notebook, raising an eyebrow at the scrawl of 'Property of Yukihira Soma: DON'T TOUCH!' On the faded cover. Opening it, he flips through the pages, eyes widening with each word he reads.
This is...!
Soma nearly gets a heart attack when he sees his Old Man walk into the kitchen holding his recipe book. How on earth did I drop that?! He supposes, though, he was so elated to cook with Jouichiro that he simply forgot about it, as during his harsh education in Tōōstuki, he was extremely homesick, as international calls were expensive, therefore conversations with his father were few and far in between. He had really missed his home.
"Hey Old Man, where'd you get that? That's mine, you know!" Jouichiro grins roguishly and hands the blue notebook to his son. "Yeah, yeah. I found it on the steps." At Soma's slightly alarmed look, he adds, "I didn't read it, if you're worried about that." The nine year old sighs in relief, then perks up again, jumping childishly. "Come on, let's cook!" The cook chuckles softly as he follows the red head to the stove. "Alright, I'll teach you how to...flip pancakes!"
"Ehhhhh?!"
"Haha, just kidding, just kidding..."
"Don't kid about that kind of stuff!"
"Yeah yeah; now watch me..."
Soma never realized that his father's smiles were just the tiniest bit forced that day.
Jouichiro knows his son has changed. He sees that Soma's eyes have become a bit more older, his steps a bit more graceful, his movements a bit more focused; perfect for a chef.
And he isn't sure if he likes it or not.
Because he knows the world of cooking; knows its competitiveness, its prejudice, its harshness, and he doesn't want Kazuha's child to ever step foot in that world. Yet even so, he sees his son's blinding potential and talent and burning desire in the kitchen, and he knows he can't stop Soma from heading into the world he came from.
(And when he sees the pathetic money-grubbers hanging around his son to 'invest' in him, he wants to destroy something, because he won't ever let Soma be used like that.)
So even though he wants to stop his son now, before he dives head-first into Tōōstuki (because some way or another, all great chefs arrive at Tōōstuki), all he wants is for Soma to be happy, and Soma is happiest in the kitchen, so when the time is right, he'll let him go.
He'll let him go.
So please, please let him cherish his precious child just a little bit longer.
Soma is sprawled on his bed, lazily jotting down his time line on a piece of paper. If Tōōstuki's a hallucination, it's one hell of a hallucination... He stops writing for a moment, looking over his work.
Timeline
1. Clash with Minegasaki Yaeko - Roast Pork, Just Kidding!
2. Sent to Tōōstuki - Yukihira (Restaurant) closed for three years
3. Fail and pass Erina's entrance exam - Transforming Furikake Gohan
4. Pair up with Megumi for Chapelle-sensei's assignment - Boeuf Bourguignon + honey
5. Pass Dorm Mother Daimido Fumio's entrance test - Mackerel Burger Meal (Improvised)!
6. Welcomed into Polar-Star Dorm - Meet strange people.
7. Battle against Isshiki-senpai, verdict: 'Draw' - Mackerel Onigiri Chazuke (Revamped)!
8. First Shokugeki: Battle against Nikumi, verdict: Win - Chaliapin Steak Don!
"Whew, this is enough for now." Soma grins triumphantly, proud of himself.
"What is enough for now, Soma-chan?" 'Soma-chan' jumps again from fright, (manly) shrieking.
"Gahhh!" The culprit puts his thumbs up, flashing a white-toothed grin. "You sound like a girl, Soma-chan!" Heart still hammering furiously, Soma crosses his arms, scowling, and looks away, flushing red when Jouichiro snorts in his hand. "W-What do you want, Old Man?" The black haired chef seems to brighten at this, and as Soma gives his father a questioning look, he answers his question, grinning widely.
"We're going on a vacation!"
"A vacation? Really?"
"It's a compromise! Besides, he'll meet the characters you love so much."
"But really? A vacation?"
"S-Shut up! Not like you could think of anything better!"
This chapter is longer than the first, since this will be mostly centered around the vacation and Soma's time at Tōōstuki, and it won't do if I spend three or four chapters on the prologue. You like? :) Also, in case you haven't noticed, I just recently put up a poll on my profile. IF you don't want to vote there...
Q: Who do you want Soma to meet during the vacation?
Hayama Akira
Nakiri Erina
Nakiri Alice
Kurokoba Ryo
Tadokoro Megumi
Aldini Takumi
Aldini Isami
Mito Ikumi
-Maximum choices: 4-
Questions, comments, answers. They're all accepted any time of the day!
