Chapter 47: Delectation Continuation

It happened again.

The group found themselves just as overwhelmed by the second course as the had even by the first, the only difference this time was that they were struck by the power of ancient culinary practices. "Wow! Kensuke's amazing! I couldn't tear another bite", Takumi and Ikumi groaned patting their full stomachs. "Aww come on, don't say that", the second seat grinned. "There are still two more courses to try, and then I'll be taking you to see Tsukasa's restaurant".

"As much as I would like to see what the first seat is capable of..." Takumi responded, paling slightly, "I don't think I'm gonna have any room left to eat any more after here. So I'm probably gonna leave to get some sleep". The blonde Italian then felt a hand on his shoulder and heard Ikumi's voice, making him immediately blush. "I'm gonna have to take a rain check on seeing the first seat as well", Ikumi added. "Membership of Bowl Club is high at the moment, and I need to show the new recruits some new recipes".

Suddenly the smirking faces of Sōma and Rindō, were looming in the two blondes faces. "You're going off to cuddle aren't cha?" The grinning redheads chanted. "We are not!" They yelled back blushing at their synchronised retort and averting each other's gaze, "we just have school matters to attend to".

"Guys!" The unusually stern voice of Megumi Tadokoro broke through the morass of giggling and blushing. "Chise is waiting with the serving staff with the third course!" Rindō chuckled as she ruffled the girls blue hair, before flashing her a catlike grin. "I see why Sōma likes you, you have a fire inside you. Ken is the same, although it takes lot for him to actually show it..." turning her head towards Sōma she continued her speech, "that's why I was really surprised by him accepting you're challenge", she mused looking at the redhead boy next to her.

"Anyway..." she interrupted herself before Sōma could narrate her with questions regarding Kensuke. "Food glorious food! Let's eat course number three!" Throwing her arms wide, and smiling as Chise gestured for the wait staff to begin serving, Rindō suddenly caught sight of the dark-haired glasses wearing third seat staring at the group and hiding behind the curtains, either side of the french windows. A mixed look of worry and stress upon his face.

"For the third course we have Puhādi. A Stew of Lamb with Barley Cakes", Chise introduced as the bowls were placed in front of the five people. "Lamb shanks sautéed in sheep fat, whilst parboiled barley is mixed with emmer flour and fat and then toasted into cakes, which are then crumbled over the meat and vegetable broth".

Drool was immediately visible around the edges of Rindō's mouth as she grinned hungrily at the bowl of stew before her. Sōma and Takumi were both struck dumb by the falling apart texture of the lamb contrasted against the stew-steeped barley cakes, which retained a crunch to them but also when the stew was added to them the flavour was heightened.

"I-I-I cannot not finish this, it would be an insult to extraordinary food!" Ikumi yelled scarfing down the bowl of stew in record time before letting out a sigh of content. "I'm glad I let you drag me here", she groaned as she sank into her chair, to exhausted and full to move but managing a tiny glance over at the Italian boy. "It's okay..." Takumi replied wiping his face with a napkin, which conveniently hid his blushing face. "Chef Kensuke gave Sōma plenty of pine tickets, and chef Rindō reserves us a table... so erm-I think that maybe you should thank them as well..."

"Idiot!" He was then had a hand slapped over his mouth by both Rindō who then grinned at him, "You should know when a girl is trying to help you understand yourself".

Standing up from her seat, Sōma walked around the table and stood appeared behind Megumi before wrapping his arms around her shoulders and placing a kiss to the crown of her head. "Just you guys wait", he grinned, "before too long Megumi and I will be at this level of cooking. Rivalling her brother". Blushing bright red from embarrassment, the blue haired girl simpered as her lips turned upwards into a small smile. "Oh really Sōma", Rindō replied eyebrow raised, "I'll await those two food wars with great expectations then".

Immediately Megumi's smile faltered, and a slowly a frown took its place. "Sōma... I don't think I could ever face my brother in a food war. Not because I wouldn't believe that maybe I could beat him, but instead we would both be too nervous to even begin cooking".

Turning her head around, the girl expected to see a frown on her boyfriends face but instead she was met by a sincere smile. "I know you have stage fright, and I know that Kensuke suffers really bad social anxiety, but I will always believe in your culinary ability. Megs!"

Blushing even more than she had been before, the girl threw her arms around the redhead boy and hugged him so tightly it almost appeared as of they both would keel over from exhaustion. "Wow, you sure do have a way to encourage people Sōma", the second seat replied just as the empty bowls were removed and replaced with the final course.

"Yay! Dessert!"

The perfectly synchronised voices of of Ikumi and Rindō both exclaimed, making Chise chuckle as she watched their expressions. And looking over at the blonde boy; who was obviously trying to remain composed, she could see the hunger in his ocean blue eyes.

"Bakalava Île Flottante".

Eyes immediately widened and heads spun around as the five students, plus Chise, all noted the arrival of Kensuke Tadokoro apron around his waist and the collar buttons of his chefs whites undone. Removing his glasses, cleaning them and then replacing them ion his face, the third seat stood before the table and bowed his head.

"Turkish and French sweets combined into one dessert. I-I hope you enjoy".

Before anyone could stop her, not that anyone in the group would have, Megumi was on her feet bolting towards her brother and had wrapped her arms around him. Showering him with praise for the meal and for his success in the moon festival. "I'm so proud of you brother! Second place in the mountain area, and it appears as though your restaurant is super popular!"

Taken aback his sisters outpouring of happiness, Kensuke blinked several times to acclimatise himself to the situation before he could even reciprocate his siblings embrace. "Thanks sis. I'm glad you all liked the dinner", he responded turning his gaze towards Sōma, Takumi, Ikumi; and the grinning Rindō.

"It was as eye opening as it was delicious!" Sōma replied, "you'll have to show me how to make that lamb stew with barley cakes sometime". Elbowing, Takumi, the redhead boy subtly encouraged the Italian to speak up as well.

"It's certainly a unique flavour profile..." Takumi mused, smiling. "I can certainly see that you put your heart and soul into cooking". A look of confusion fell across Kensuke's face as Takumi spoke about heart and soul, making the Italian boy suddenly realise that the third seat was completely oblivious when it came to understanding why specialties were so called.

Noting the confused look on Kensuke's face, Sōma, who was now sitting back in his chair, used his spoon to shovel the Île Flottante with some crême anglaise into his mouth. As soon as the dessert touched his tongue, he was swooning. The expertly poached smooth meringue combined with the silky crème anglaise... it was a marriage made in heaven.

Turning his attention back to the additional side plate of baklava, that had been what Kensuke had called them, he couldn't help but compare their small size to sushi. That was where the similarities ended. Small but very obviously sweets, Sōma gingerly plucked one from the plate and plopped it into his mouth. Biting into the layers of paper thin crispy phyllo pastry, the redhead boy was immediately struck by the taste of honey, saffron, pistachio and dates.

"Here's something you might like", the third seat spoke handing over a small plate, that held five others kinds of dessert. "I heard that you like to experiment with flavours.. s-so I thought you might like to try some flavour combinations that I have been tinkering with".

Almost immediately the grin plastered across Sōma's face was ear to ear ecstatic joy, much to the unease and discomforting expressions from Megumi and Ikumi. Yet before they could even try to direct the redhead boy, he was on his feet and holding his hands out towards the third seat.

"Indubitably, please!"

Groaning from their seats, the fellow first years tried their hardest to not gag; as it had been reflexively conditioned into them since meeting Sōma. And whilst they managed to to not gag, Rindō and Chise still saw three faces turning green.

Sōma didn't even need to ask what the first of Kensuke's experiment desserts was. "Spinach and candied cranberries..." he mused aloud. "I've never even considered using those ingredients before... let alone as a dessert". For a moment, the boy almost thought he could see a sly grin amass itself on Kensuke's face but it was gone as quickly as he had maybe see it.

"I'm not surprised", Rindō interjected. "Spinach has a high iron count, meaning that to diffuse that aftertaste in a desert is quite difficult but as you can see... Kenny has achieved that". The following inventions were also hotly anticipated and debated by the redhead boy and the blonde Italian.

'Vanilla and black pepper shortbread',

'Rose and coconut panacotta',

'Banana and chilli sorbet, served with Rosemary and orange biscotti'.

Despite the strong flavours threatening to overwhelm her, as well as her wish to further congratulate her brother, Megumi held back as she and Ikumi both found themselves having it restrain Sōma and Takumi from throwing themselves at the third seat in further adulation. Much to the second seat's amusement. "You know you act like parents" Rindō laughed heartily, as she noticed the heavy blushes from the blonde and bluenette girls.

Remembering their earlier train of thought, Sōma turned his head towards Kensuke and asked if they could take away some of their uneaten food "to share with Kyokusei dorm". A momentary look of confusion graced Kensuke's face as he looked down at the remaining food on the table but Chise was immediately at his side whispering something in his ear, resulting in him nodding his head. "If you think that your dorm mates would like my food then sure, you may have as much to take away with you as you'd like".

"Anyway..." she Rindō continued, getting everyone's attention anew, "I can tell that Kensuke is tired. So we should leave and give him a chance to close up shop for today. And then I'll take you to see the first seat".