Planning the Alumni Ball (SouMegu and Akirako)
The 92nd generation, overflowing with talent and packed full of unpolished gems, had always been a cohort full of exceptions. It was a class in which students who could have easily been first or second seats three or four years earlier were completely locked out of the Elite Ten Council. It was a class that had overthrown a corrupt school administration and drew strength from the bonds of friendship.
And now it was up to Tadokoro Megumi, sixth seat of the Elite Ten Council and chair of the Alumni and Partners Relations Committee, to ensure that as many of them as possible got the jobs of their dreams.
Humming a tune to herself, Megumi placed a tray of warm chocolate chip muffins on the conference room table alongside a pot of coffee with fresh cream and sugar cubes on the side. Promptly at 7 am, her committee members arrived.
"Good morning Takumi-kun, Arato-san!" she greeted. "Please help yourselves to some breakfast."
"You really don't have to play the host, Tadokoro-san," Hisako said even as she poured herself a mug of coffee.
"It's fine! Especially since I called you guys here so early," Megumi said while she pulled a PowerPoint presentation up on her laptop. A black and white title slide flashed on the projector. The words Alumni Ball were displayed in an elegant, italicized font.
"So," she began. "As we already know, the alumni ball is an especially important event for Tōtsuki seniors because it allows the graduating class to mingle with potential employers and investors." She pressed a button on the clicker and a pie chart showed up. "In the past decade, sixty-eight percent of all Tōtsuki graduates were offered their first jobs at this event. And while Eizan-senpai and the others did a great job planning last year, I think we can do even better."
"You mean not having the second years cook," Takumi sighed. The three of them had discussed it at length already.
"It's all about the cooking at this academy," Megumi pointed out. "A resume can't really stand up to a dish. Every single year, alumni and partners stop in the middle of interviews because they tasted something amazing that a second year made. It's counterproductive, and doesn't help any of the students in the long run."
"It may be in their interest next year, but the second years won't be satisfied with this," Hisako warned. Their tenth seat, the sole representative of the underclassmen, had already told them as much. "Yes, there is the possibility that some of their skills will attract the alumni and partners away from the seniors, but besides the Autumn Moon Festival they don't really get to participate in any events."
"Yes, but I've accounted for that." Megumi fumbled with the notecards in her hands, brushed her bangs aside. "To give the second years more exposure, without having them distract potential employers from the third years, I propose that we create an event in the spring term that's just for them."
She switched slides again. "It would be a cooking tournament. Chefs would enter in pairs and face off against other teams. The winning pair would get early consideration for spots on the Elite Ten Council, and if we open the matches to the public there would be a stronger continuity in name recognition. In the best case scenario, potential employers and investors would follow a Tōtsuki student's career from the Autumn Elections to the Spring Tournament, and then proposition that student in the third year."
"Tadokoro-san, that's brilliant!" Hisako said. "That's Erina-sama level brilliant!"
"I agree," Takumi said. "But our division doesn't have a large enough budget to make that happen. The tournament alone would cost almost as much as the Autumn Elections, and finding chefs good enough to cater the ball who aren't affiliated with Tōtsuki is going to be expensive."
At this Megumi smiled, a pink flush dusting her nose and cheeks. "I don't think we need to worry about the budget. Souma-kun will definitely help us."
"Sorry, Tadokoro, I can't help you." The first seat scratched the back of his head. He wore a guilty grin.
"Really?" She glanced up at her best friend, her eyes wide. "You don't think it's a good idea?"
"I think it's an amazing idea, one that only you could have come up with," he said. "And I'll definitely pay for the second year tournament with my third of the budget. But as for this month..." He looked up at her sheepishly. "The only one who has any serious cash left is Hayama."
"W-what?" Megumi blinked once, twice, trying to do some calculations. "How did both you and Kurokiba manage to spend that much money?"
"Ah...well. We might've bought a couple dozen lakes. And part of the Mediterranean Sea."
"Souma-kun!"
"Hayama said we could do what we want," he defended. "But, if you want I could offer him another crack at the first seat in exchange for what he has left for the month."
"Oh no, we are not opening that door again." Megumi sighed, rubbing her temples. "Besides, it's my committee. I can't just let you fight all my battles for me."
Souma shrugged. "I've gotta be good for something, right?"
She rolled her eyes, laughing a bit. "Says the best chef at the academy." Then an alarm went off on her phone. "Oh! Emergency strategy meeting. I've gotta run. Wish me luck!"
"You don't need luck," he called after her. "But good luck anyway."
"So," Megumi sighed. "I'm sorry I got everyone's hopes up, but it seems that we won't be able to get the funds for our new plan so-"
"Yes we will," Hisako decided. She stood up slowly, resting her palms against the conference table. "Don't ask any questions, and don't tell anyone. But the two of you should keep planning as if there were unlimited funds available for this project."
"But how-"
"No questions," she repeated. Then the seventh seat slid on a pair of dark sunglasses—yes, it was November, and no, she didn't care—and then she strolled out of the room. It was mission time.
Target: Hayama Akira
Location: Target's Research Facility
Objective: Acquire the remaining funds by any means necessary
Agent Arato was on the case. Step one, of course, was reconnaissance. In order to determine the best course of action, she would have to accurately gage the subject's mood. She had a simple test that could be conveniently administered via text.
Hisako: Good morning.
If he responded with Good morning, beautiful, he would be putty in her hands. If he responded with Morning Arato, he'd cave after she started kissing him. Anything else would be a bit of a challenge, but she was confident.
Hayama: gm.
"Shit," she mumbled. He didn't even bother to capitalize it. The only thing worse than that would have been no response at all.
Hisako: Long night?
Hayama: Extremely.
"Shit!" she said again. Hayama Akira on no sleep was one of the least reasonable, and most irritable people on the face of the earth. But still, she could do this. She had to for the sake of the committee and the entire senior class.
Hisako: Come to my place. I'll make you breakfast.
Hayama: No time to eat. But thanks.
Hmm. This would prove difficult indeed. "What would Erina-sama do in this situation?" she thought aloud. Erina-sama would just fund the project herself. Hisako could, in theory, do the same. But the Arato clan would not appreciate her philanthropy in any capacity.
"Hmm...in that case, what would Tadokoro-san do?" Be so sweet and sincere by nature that people—like Hisako herself—wanted to do her bidding? The seventh seat sighed. That would never work for her. She supposed she would have to go with her strengths.
Hisako: [Insert nagging rant about the importance of food and sleep]
Hayama: Noted.
Hisako smiled. He laughed at that. She knew he laughed at that. But she would have to work fast if she wanted to use this window.
Twenty minutes later, Hisako arrived at the third seat's research lab. She found him with a test tube in one hand and an oversized coffee mug in the other, probably willing the lab report to write itself.
"Coffee is a stimulant, not an energizer," she chided, standing in the doorway.
"I thought the nagging was already implied."
"Couldn't resist." She reached into her bag and handed him a flask.
"What's this?"
"A smoothie," she explained.
He unscrewed the lid. "Let's see. Mango, passion fruit, açai-"
"Must you always?" she huffed. It was impossible to surprise him.
"So, you're here on business," he observed.
"How'd you know?"
"You have your Agent Arato shades on." He smirked when he saw her blushing. "What do you need?"
Hisako took a seat on the counter. She crossed her left leg over the right one, and tipped her sunglasses down in a way she hope looked seductive. "Nothing much, really. Just your third of the Elite Ten discretionary budget for this month."
"What for?"
"An elite, non-Tōtsuki affiliated cooking staff to cater the alumni banquet."
"Don't the second years do that?"
"Well, Tadokoro-san thinks it would be better if they didn't. And I agree with her, so I'm asking you to help us."
"It's not that simple. Those two idiots-"
"Both ran out of money, I know," she said. "But if something strange occurs, Headmaster Senzaemon won't leave the council stranded. I know you tend to be risk averse but I think this is something that could make a huge impact, and our legacy as a council shouldn't only be about our own skills so..."
"It's like I'm turning into Kurokiba." With a sigh, Hayama reached into his wallet and pulled out a credit card that seemed to shine with an ethereal light. "Do as you see fit."
"R-really?" Hisako took the card and tucked it into her teal wallet. She hadn't expected it to be that easy.
"I'm too tired to fight with you," he admitted. "Just try not to go crazy."
"Thank you." She stood on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Try not to work too hard," she warned before making her way back to their Parliament, the Elite Ten headquarters. Her mission was complete.
It was minutes to midnight. Finished testing his newest dish, a lobster ravioli, Souma ventured out into the Polar Star living room. Last time he checked, she'd been eyes deep in paperwork, sending emails and making phone calls.
"Hey Tadoko-" He found her fast asleep on the floor in a pile of paperwork. A pen rested at her fingertips. Shaking his head, Souma lifted her and started carrying her up the stairs.
Halfway up, Megumi stirred. "S...Souma-kun?" She gazed up at him through bleary eyes. "I have to finish my work."
"Your dreaming, Tadokoro," Souma told her as he turned onto the third floor. "You finished it all hours ago."
"Really?"
Souma placed her down on her bed and pulled the plum colored covers up to her chin.
"Yup." It was a lie, but when she woke up in the morning all the forms would be filled out and all the emails sent. He had to be good for something, after all.
Authors Notes: It's my personal headcanon that Megumi kicks ass as an event planner. Also, most of this was written on my flight from Vienna to New York last night and I'm a little messed up because of jet lag right now so I sincerely apologize for any mistakes! If anyone's interested, later I could write a one shot about the ball and the jobs everyone ends up with. Thanks for reading, and have a great day.
