I am ashamed to write this, but I deeply apologize to all you readers who read this before I decided to continue. It's been almost an entire year and I thought about it from time to time, but lately i've been investing myself in a book I want to publish. Unfortunately I have writers block, so I looked back at my unfinished projects and felt there was a lot invested in this story not to finish. maybe when I complete this, my juices will be flowing again. So I must apologize sincerely With that being said, Season 3 is coming up and I am pumped to finish this. So to all the new readers and old, I will finish this story.Where we left off last, Tsozin's plan seems to be coming along just well. Takumi was humiliated and now he is after his friends. Let's jump back in, and as always, comments are appreciated.
Chapter 9: Perhaps it's the saké
Just as Tsozin had ordered, his loyal dogs Mitsuru and Hayami successfully pulled two of Yukihira's friends into the plan. The entire plan revolved around the Polar Star Dormitory, a very prestigious staple of Totsuki and if Tsozin could manage to degrade the longstanding honor of the Dorm, nobody would challenge the authority of the Elite Ten.
Zenji and Yūki did not realize the gravity of what they just initiated. By giving the Elite Council another reason to challenge students, it only served to solidify the new rule. The others in slight disarray after realizing they had just been lured into a trap. Satoshi couldn't help but hang his head, as this move smelled of Tsozin's doing. Despite their best intentions, everything was working against them and in Tsozin's favor. He couldn't help but faintly respect the tenacity and cunning it takes to be so bold. At the same time it angered him with an unholy rage that Tsozin was getting what he wanted, as usual.
"Hehehe. Run along now, 'Polar Star Losers.'" Mitsuru mocked pompously.
"You haven't set the rules for shokugeki yet! What are the terms? What are we actually going to wager?" Zenji said between his gritted teeth.
"Oh? Like telling you would give you a chance to win anyways hahaha!" Hayami began.
"Let's see, what do two losers like you have to lose anyways? I mean, you're both practically side characters and have no relevance to the story anyways! Hahahahaha!" Hayami stated loudly, as she started laughing hysterically.
"What!? How dare you say that to us! We are important all the same." Yūki shouted innocently with a hint of shame as she felt slightly unnerved by the hard truth.
"Please Hayami, be respectful now. Their 'friends' have been through a lot today. 'Would be disrespectable as their seniors to kick them while their down." Mitsuru bragged, hiding back an urge to laugh loudly.
"Just get on with it dogs. What are the terms!?" Satoshi shouted with rage.
"Jeez, lighten up Satoshi. Anger doesn't suit you." Hayami said condescendingly.
"The terms... Hmm. Our Shokugeki will be a private match, held in two days time at evening. The stakes, if Zenji Marui and Yūki Yoshino miraculously defeat us then on behalf of the Elite Ten council, Polar Star Dormitory residents can no longer be challenged by the Elite Council to a shokugeki for the remainder of the school year. However, when Mitsuru and Hayami of the Elite Ten Council win, the Polar Star Dormitory will go under academic review according to Totsuki academy standards!" Mitsuru stated boldly.
"Which means, that the Elite Council will decide if funding the 'prestigious' Polar Star Dormitory is financially appropriate for the school." Hayami added smugly.
The group felt slammed by the announcement. The look of shock and horror overwhelmed them, was this the true intention of Tsozin all along? None of the members could move. Their minds raced with confusion as comprehending the idea of losing their home in Totsuki was in jeopardy. Satoshi and Ryōko both clenched their hands into fists so rigid, it almost drew blood from their palms. Their beloved home during their time at Totsuki academy, about to be put in jeopardy on the whims of a weasel like Tsozin was too much to bear. Ryōko felt like attacking the two right there, but Satoshi's hand grabbed her arm quickly with a silent look of understanding between the both of them.
"How dare you guys make such a proposition! Polar Star is a hallmark of Totsuki! You cannot just place it under 'review!'" Zenji stated with fury in his eyes.
"Oh but you simple fool, the Elite Council reviews the budget for everything within the Academy, including its funding for Dormitories!" Hayami snickered bluntly.
"Aside from your bold terms, you have yet to inform us of what the competition will be concerning!" Nikumi shouted at them.
"The shokugeki is to be held in private, nobody will know the competition guidelines until we meet. The judges will decide the appropriate challenge for such an occasion." Mitsuru said with a wide grimace, revealing an ugly side of pure evil.
"Later losers! We have to get approval from the council, which I doubt will be voted against." Hayami stated, as she turned her back to them and motioned for Mitsuru to follow.
The rest of the Polar Star gang were still trying to absorb all that had just happened. They unanimously decided to walk back to the Dormitory without uttering a word. Several emotions swirled inside their heads, as each of them tried grasp what had just happened. Zenji and Yūki were both challenged to a private match between two Elite Ten Members, and the fate of Polar Star Dormitory was thrown into question. Should they lose, Polar Star would be on a chopping block; and worse what would become of the friendships they have made and the history of the Dorm altogether. It wasn't just them they had to represent, but the entire legacy of Polar Star! Several great chefs stayed at that Dormitory, and to have it all undone because a maniacal brat would have it removed to undermine the very spirit of chefs everywhere. It was insulting, it was inconceivable; Yet reality was this. Polar Star could become nothing more than a memory.
Yukihira was walking up to the Polar Star dormitory still shaken by Erina's outburst. Im his mind he couldn't understand what he did wrong. All he did was mention his father's name. Could that be it? Did Erina have a bad experience with his father? That couldn't be it though. Yukihira never met anyone who disliked his father. His father was always well liked and even strangers grew to like him within moments of meeting him. He reviewed the entire encounter and realized that whatever changed Erina's opinion, it had to do something with his father.
As Yukihira reflected more on the issue, he developed a new train of thought in his mind. Could the great chef Erina had mentioned, be Jōichirō? That couldn't be! Yukihira's father never mentioned being a personal chef to one of the most famous names in the culinary world! Yet, the more he pondered, the more things started to fall into place. Erina was so captivated by his father's cooking, that perhaps when she learned that he was his son, it put her into a confusing state. Despite this connection being realized, Yukihira couldn't understand why she would be so dismissive. Just how much did his father's impact have on her life?
Before he could continue his line of thinking, he saw the rest of the Polar Star gang heading to the Dormitory as well, but something was off. They all had their heads low as they carried bags of groceries, and even Nikumi looked glum amongst them. He wondered what happened on their way to the market that had them all in such a gloomy mood. It must've been one of those days it seemed. Takumi took a massive hit to his pride, and Erina brushed him off after he thought he was making way. He shook his head, as he hardened himself to his inner feelings and hoped he could do something to make them feel better.
The gang entered the Dorm to see Alice and Takumi sitting in the kitchen with solemn looks on their faces. Shortly after they entered, Yukihira also entered with a slightly broken face as well. Surprisingly, Ryō, and Akira appeared right behind Yukihira before he could close the door.
"Ryō! Akira! What brings you boys out tonight?" Alice asked.
"We saw the match between Takumi and Tsozin, and decided to offer some support to our fellow classmate. It isn't right what happened." Akira said with a slight undertone of frustration
"Oh..? Well you're just in time! We were going to make Dim Sum for Takumi and eat together! You can join us if you like." Ryōko said half heartedly, trying to be warming to their guests.
They all pitched in to make dinner, but nobody uttered a word. The atmosphere in the kitchen was more depressing than a graveyard. Everyone had thoughts running through their minds that weighed them down. Takumi was still bothered by his humiliating defeat. Yukihira wouldn't comprehend why Erina just shut him out so coldly. The rest of the gang were remorseful over the Shokugeki challenge issued by Hayami and Mitsuru. Everyone wanted to say something, but the tension was too thick it could almost be cut with a knife.
As dinner was finished, they all grabbed their portion and proceeded to eat in silence. There was nothing remarkable about the meal. While it was very good to normal standards, it lacked any passion or uniqueness to it. It almost felt as if there was no point to even dining in the kitchen. Migumi lifted her head and began to smile as she was about to try and lighten the mood with words of encouragement, only to be looked at with ghoulish faces. Her face flushed red.in embarassment and kept to herself silently. As everyone was nearly finished, another person entered the dorm.
It was Fumio carrying a large cardboard box, cut in half carrying several bottles of Saké. Fumio had a large smile on her face as she just found the best bargain in the Spirits store in the market. Twelve bottles of Saké for 4500 yen! A steal for what the normal price of Saké was. She took a quick glance to judge the aura of the room, only to find a tangible air of despair. Against her better judgement, and her role as a warden, she thought that perhaps the young students needed some Saké to ease their troubled minds. She was no stranger to the inner workings of her Dormitory, and knew they had all endured a lot today as a result of the Shokugeki. Her duty and honor as a warden almost eclipsed her judgement, but seeing the normally cheerful Polar Star gang in such glum moods prompted her to take action.
"Why the long faces young chefs? I haven't seen the Dorm this gloomy since Jōichirō made that "Calamari and Caviar" dish soaked in vinegar." Fumio said with a smile.
The rest of the gang shuttered harshly at hearing the possibility of such a dish being made.
Fumio chuckled loudly. "Haha, none of the students could eat for two days after that incident. For all his talent, Jōichirō could make dishes that made trash seem appetizing!" She quipped.
Looking around the room, she realized the situation was much worse than she realized. Nobody even bothered to crack a smile. Things were very grim in the Polar Star, and Fumio started to get slightly perturbed that the cheer in the Dorm was nowhere to be found. She grinned and malicious grin, as she knew that her instincts were true and she knew the remedy for such a dark occasion. She paused her innerself for a moment, then spoke with an authoritative voice that shook the room.
"Now listen here young chefs, I'm not sure what you're all so gloomy for and it's apparent that you guys need to relax." She briskly hovered over to two massive tea kettles and started dumping Saké into them as she lit up the burners.
"Now, you all are going to have some sips of hot Saké and I don't want to hear any protests! Anyone who even tries to get out of drinking warm Saké will be on kitchen cleanup duty for a month!" Fumio stated with a powerful aura of authority.
The rest of the room felt a hard cringe in their spine as nobody wanted to be on kitchen cleanup duty for a month straight. Reluctantly, albeit silently, they all gritted their teeth as they could see Fumio was not joking in even the slightest regard as small auras of uncomfort radiated from their bodies. Fumio's face turned from rigid and strong, to a light hearted smile as she poured the warm sake from the tea kettles into small bowls and passed them around to each of the students.
Fumio knew all too well the school policy on underage drinking, but it was her Dormitory and not even the administration bureau could contest her strong will. It may have been reckless, and even careless but the students we're burdened and she knew hot Saké would clear the air of whatever foul mood these young chefs were dealing with.
The night continued to go silently for the next hour, as the young students disdainfully drank the Saké bowls in front of them. Interestingly enough, the students were more cautious about the underage drinking stigma than they were about the warm Saké. It went down easily, and almost tasted like hot water without the harsh burn it filled their throat when they sipped regular Saké. The room was still quiet for a moment until Satoshi clenched his fist and smashed it on the table.
"You fools! How could you let Tsozin's goons so easily manipulate you like that!" Satoshi angrily said, leering darkly at both Zenji and Yūki.
The room snapped their heads back at Satoshi, with a look of intrigue on their faces.
"What!? What happened guys!?" Yukihira said innocently, as this news finally registered in his mind.
"Mitsuru and Hayami stopped us on our way back from the market, and lured Yūki and Zenji into a shokugeki." Satoshi said flustered with bitterness.
"What!? How is that possible!? What did they say!?" Takumi exclaimed, also shocked by the news.
"The two goons of 'Tsozin...'" Satoshi emphasized flamboyantly, clearly venting his inner hatred.
"...Started to insult you, Takumi, talking about your defeat with disrespect and those two decided to play into their trap and snapped back!" Satoshi finished aggressively.
"Hey! We were just defending our friend! Tsozin is the real villain here not us!" Yūki snapped back angrily.
"Yes, Tsozin is the real instigator in all of this; but you know the gravity what we are dealing with here. To act so brashly, and without forethought just made the situation worse!" Ryōko answered, defending Satoshi.
"I don't care! Nobody deserves to be humiliated like that and then dismissed so easily by two goons who have no care for honor or decency!" Zenji stated loudly, defending Yūki.
"What is this shokugeki you mentioned?" Ryō asked, unsure of what was going on.
"Mitsuru and Hayami challenged Zenji and Yūki to a private shokugeki in two days, with the fate of Polar Star on the line!" Satoshi exaggerated.
"What!?" The entire room exclaimed in unison.
"You fools! How could you so carelessly allow yourselves to be goaded by those goons!" Ryō stated in an outburst.
"I'm sorry that people can't stand to watch their friends be further degraded by lowlife scum!" Megumi said uncharacteristically, trying to challenge Ryō.
The room was in shock as they never expected Megumi to be so blunt about her feelings. Even Ryō was taken back by her sudden outburst; at the same time he felt challenged by her intense reaction to his statement.
"Just because you're their friend doesn't mean they are above blame. Now they've gotten themselves in an unwinnable position because they were careless!" Ryō said sharply.
"What do YOU know about friends Ryō!" Megumi snapped harshly.
After the words escaped her mouth, she felt slightly guilty about what she had said and looked down in embarrassment. The rest of the room was stunned. The usually sweet and gentle Megumi was fierce in her speech and even Ryō was caught off guard by her outburst.
"Let's settle down now guys! Yeah it's unfortunate what's going on but we have to stick together in this. We're a team right?" Nikumi interjected trying to ease the tension.
"But what are we going to do now? Tsozin once again has us at a disadvantage!" Alice stated, taking another sip of her third bowl of Saké.
"While Tsozin intentionally sent his goons to taunt Zenji and Yūki, he also made an error..." Yukihira began.
The room looked at Yukihira with puzzled expressions.
"...because of this sudden challenge, Tsozin revealed his plan and now we know what this is all about. If his goal is to institute fear across Totsuki, what better way than to shut down Polar Star and the top chefs at Totsuki for first years?" Yukihira said wisely.
"What do we gain by knowing this though? We already knew his plans, so how does this change anything!?" Alice asked, taking another sip from her Saké bowl.
"Now we know how to counterattack. If Polar Star is his goal, maybe we can use this to our advantage!" Ryōko considered out loud.
"You don't mean to actually imply that we let those goons go through with their plot to put Polar Star on the chopping block!" Yūki exclaimed, spilling some of her Saké on the table.
"It's a risky move, but considering the options and how our enemy likes to operate, we could at least gain something useful." Akira chimed in.
"Easy for you to say! You have no affiliation with Polar Star or what this dormitory means to us!" Megumi said bitterly, as she inhaled her fourth bowl of Saké.
Everyone was floored at how aggressive Megumi becomes when she's drunk. Zenji attempted to take her fifth bowl of Saké she poured for herself, but she flashed him a demonic look that made him quickly abandon his efforts. Ryō, also starting to feel a buzz, witnessed this and had a chill run down his spine. Oddly, he found Megumi's antics to be faintly intriguing.
"Relax Megumi, there is logical reasoning behind this. The odds for Zenji and Yūki winning tomorrow are very slim at best. Despite their talent, we know that in a private shokugeki held by the Elite Council, their loss is already pre-determined." Yukihira began.
"So you expect to us to just roll over and lose!?" Yūki huffed out, after finishing her bowl of Saké.
"Yūki, we are still going to do our best and give it our all. To do any less would arouse suspicion from Tsozin and his cronies. However, this is our chance to focus not on the match but get info we can use to exploit them. We already know that we most likely won't be victorious, so instead of intensely focusing on our match, instead we can observe both Mitsuru and Hayami's techniques. We still pose enough of a threat for them to not pull any punches." Zenji stated clearly, adjusting his glasses nonchalantly.
"So in essence, you two will get to be undercover spies for us! Oh, how amazing!" Nikumi cooed as she was clearly feeling the buzz from the Saké.
"This is a sound plan. There is still another matter to discuss; what are we going to do for Takumi?" Ryōko said
"I'm fine guys... no really... I'm great. Whatever I can do to help out, we'll get Tsozin back!" Takumi slurred, clearly drinking more Saké than the rest of them.
"For Takumi!!" Alice said loudly as she raised her bowl for a toast, spilling most of it on the table.
They all rose their bowls, and were unwittingly getting drunk on their own willpower. They may have hesitated at first, but after feeling the nice buzz they got from drinking, they couldn't help themselves but to consume more. The mood in the room went from grim and unsettling, to vibrant and rowdy. They all deserved this moment; the incredible stress they went through since they arrived and all that has happened up to this point seemed to be irrelevant to the carefree attitude of drunkenness they felt
Yukihira was starting to feel dizzy after drinking for a bit and decided to slip outside for fresh air. The rest of students were rambling on about nonsensical topics trying to talk over one another, and generally being typical drunk folks at small gathering. Fumio was observing intently, knowing she may catch some serious penalties if anyone found out was transpiring. Still, as she considered the repercussions, she knew the teens needed this and took another swig from her bottle and chuckled quietly to herself.
These youngsters are going to have a rude awakening in the morning hehehe.
Megumi slipped down the hall, as she carefully tried to place each step so as to not fall over. She needed to get away from everyone for a bit, to compose her thoughts. Her mind, while starting to feel eerily scatter-brained, was focused on Ryō and his attitude towards her yesterday. As she continued to walk, she felt herself trip over someone and fell down. Luckily she was wearing her pajamas, so nothing embarrassing transpired like a cliché panty flash or other pervy incident common with females falling suddenly.
She quickly tried to recover, her face red with embarrassment. She looked around trying to find who she tripped over. Suddenly she felt a hand grab her shoulder gently, and a soft voice spoke to her.
"I'm sorry; are you hurt Megumi?" Ryō said sympathetically.
Ryō was feeling uneasy being drunk, and decided to take a seat in the hallway to compose himself. He remembered in his youth, the fisherman would get really rowdy and sloppy drunk. Ryō didn't want to end up like the idiotic sailors he recalled. His mind was also focusing on the conversation he had with Megumi the day before, and was still unsure what he felt after she made him vulnerable.
Megumi registered the voice, and instantly started to feel a wave of anger and nervousness rush through her body. Given that she was intoxicated, there was little restraint to her sharp tone, she brushed Ryō's hand off and snapped.
"I'm fine! Thank you. I don't need your comfort."
Ryō was unsettled by her disposition. Usually Megumi had a gentle aura, and an innocent lightheartedness about her. Yet now, she was being cold and intense. Ryō couldn't help but get a feeling of attraction towards her. Despite her wearing her pajamas, she still looked pretty. She was wearing a dark yellow cami, that accented her small bust nicely. She wasn't showing any cleavage, and her dark yellow pajama bottoms showed a nice backside, without being too scant. What Ryō actually noticed, besides the fact that she looked like a cute banana, were her dark blue braids that sat on each of her shoulders. Her eyes were like golden honey combs and she was still wearing her flower pin to hold back apart of her bangs.
Ryō couldn't understand why, but he was captivated by her. Even in something as simple as pajamas, Megumi made him feel uneasy and unsure. This is what scared him yesterday. For the first time in his life, he felt unsure of himself. Seeing Megumi, and feeling her gentle soul break through his hardened wall made him unsure of what he wanted. Cooking was everything to him, and meeting Megumi put him in unfamiliar territory.
"Uhh... Megumi... Listen. I'm not sure how to say this... but I've never done this before. I'm sorry for what I did yesterday. I was rude to your kindness, and I apologize." Ryō forced out. He never really opened up to anyone, and his personality was very isolated, so this change of character seemed strange for him. Still, Ryō felt a desperate need to have Megumi forgive him, and he would do what we had to do.
Like a lightswitch, all of Megumi's frustration and resentment towards Ryō vanished and left her flustered with anxiety and shyness. In an instant, she looked up at Ryō and saw him for the first time as someone she didn't know. His red eyes had a glimmer of deep pain, and were usually sullen and tired. He had always had an expression of blank exhaustion when he wasn't cooking. However, right in front of her his eyes were different. There was sympathy and remorse, like the eyes of a little puppy who felt bad for doing something wrong.
Megumi's face shifted from a scowl, to flushed red cheeks and embarrassment.
"It's... It's okay Ryō. I'm sorry I said what I said too. I just wanted to be your friend, and I guess I don't know you like Alice does." Megumi said softly as she looked away sadly.
"It's not your fault Megumi. I have a complicated history, and you mentioned something that I don't fully understand yet. Damian said that I need to realize where my true passion comes from, and maybe it's not just about being the best. I don't know, but if you'd like; maybe you can help me figure it out?"
Ryō's words were coming from a place he couldn't believe. Perhaps it was the slight intoxication, maybe it was an existential crisis unfolding, but whatever it was Ryō felt an uneasy shyness overcome him. He was completely vulnerable and in a state only Alice has seen once. Ryō was asking for help. He felt intensely conflicted, and it was as if he was beside himself wrestling with what he knew he was, and what he was doing. Waves of tension filled his body, and for a reason he couldn't explain, he didn't try to fight it. Ryō was lost, and he was looking for a light to guide him.
Megumi felt a sting in her chest. Suddenly her heart started to flutter and race out of control. She had always cared about people, and deeply sympathetic to anyone who needed help. Ryō gave her a different feeling. A part of her wanted to hold back, afraid of getting too close. Another part of her wanted to get closer and reach out with everything. Was this love? She thought to herself. Her face became even more red at the idea. Maybe she was really tipsy, and maybe she couldn't think clearly, but without a slight misstep she stepped forward and hugged Ryō.
"I'd like to help you friend. You can trust me to always be there for you." She whispered softly as she squeezed just a little tighter.
Ryō's face was in utter bewilderment. He had no clue what to do. As Megumi's arms tightened softly around his back, his body felt warm. Alice had always fawned over Ryō, but this was different. His mind was now completely scrambled, and his body was shaken to the core. He knew that he was slightly impaired due to the saké, but this hug overwhelmed him into sobriety. Afraid to upset Megumi again, he laid his hand on her back gently accepting the moment.
Alice was in desperate need of the restroom, as she felt her bladder was about to burst. She pulled herself away from the rest of the group, who were enjoying their silly conversations, to walk down the hall. She was being very quiet as she walked by the kitchen towards the hall, as Fumio was passed out in a chair at the table. As she crept, she saw Megumi and Ryō. The two looked innocent as they were hugging. Alice was almost shocked for a second, only to lower her head and think to herself with a slight smile.And viola! There you have it. Chapter 9 after all this time, I hope I didn't dissapoint. Now i'm sure some of you have questions, and i'm sure Ryō's character seems a bit unusual from how his manga/anime counterpart is. Simply put, my story, my characterization. Plus, how else are you supposed to write a generally bland personality in a romance? Anyways, what do you think of the first pairing? Can you see the story heading into the final acts? Is the party's over? Stay tuned, and always leave your feedback!
