Chapter 11: Part 1 - Day 2 (Afternoon)

Osuka Beach: Advice for Customers and Flounder Fishing

It was cold, unsettlingly so. Especially for early autumn but the news had said that an uninvited 'Russian cold spell' was expected, which explained why there was a chill in the air. Six hours of traversing the market roads around the harbour and the shop fronts generally pigging out on food, or what Sōma called 'learning', from Hokkaido and Aomori cuisine, had left them both teenagers tired and stuffed.

So after a second walk around the harbour, to ease their stomaches, they then decided to explore the covered market and the array of food stalls and merchants stands within. They had only thought to stay an hour in the covered market but, as Megumi belatedly realised, an hour food exploring with Sōma was an extremely loose concept.

decided that they had had enough food to last them until dinner. So the qui y decided to walk back to the Tadokoro restaurant, a good distance away, and see if Shirō or Emiko knew of anywhere around town that was relaxing to spend the rest of the day at. So nearly three hours later, they decided to walk back to the Tadokoro inn and then head on over to Osuka Beach. Not to go swimming, as it was far too cold but instead to sit on the sand and enjoy the openness of nature together. And perhaps take a picnic, or ingredients to cook there.

So as they walked into the car park of the inn and restaurant they were surprised to see the Suzuki jeep with Shirō beside it, all decked out in fisherman's gear. Spying an opportunity for a lift down to the beach, Megumi raced forwards and asked her grandfather if he could take them with him to Osuka Beach.

As they expected, Shirō was only too glad to offer them a lift down to Osuka beach it did cut out them having but to go to the train station. Even if the distance was only half an hour train ride to the beach. Shirō had told them that he was going out flounder fishing, and he invited them to either partake or watch. "I'll just be twelve minutes", the older man announced as he disappeared into the garage, seeking out more fishing gear. "Okay, grandpa", Megumi replied, "We're just gonna to change our clothes, and then We'll meet you out by the jeep".

Fifteen minutes later, dressed in a green blouse, jean shorts and a pair of black plimsoles, Megumi stumbled downstairs fumbling with the buttons of her cardigan. Her mother met her at the bottom of the stairs and handed her a basket of food and drink, if they got hungry fishing for hours. "If you decide to cook, then this may be helpful", she had stated.

Upon exiting the inn, she saw Sōma hoisting a small portable grill into the jeep, and according to the tail end of the conversation he was engaged in with her grandfather, her boyfriend was determined to cook on the beach.

"If we catch any flounders, I'll grill them for us to eat", the redhead smiled determined. "So not a banquet then", Megumi giggled, knowing that as a flatfish there wasn't much meat on a flounder. Her tease made Sōma pout but then he smiled and lean into her and ruffle her hair, too which caused her to pout. Yet, seeing the grin on his face was enough for Megumi to know that the redhead had regained more of his culinary resolve. Smiling, and re brushing her hair, allaying the butterflies in her stomach and goosebumps across her arms, she murmured. "I love you", she as she kissed him.

"Aww..." a cooing came from the front entrance of the Shōkeien Ryokan inn and restaurant, "you two are adorable". Spinning around both red faced teenagers were confronted by two middle aged guests staying in the inn and two customers exiting the restaurant. "That's my daughter Megumi", Emiko spoke, appearing at the guests side from the direction of the reception desk, "and this is her boyfriend Sōma Yukihira. They're both students at the Tōtsuki Academy in Tokyo". The guests smiles turned into stunned gawks.

"No way! You're Tōtsuki students!" The female guest spoke, stunned. "My son was invited to take part in the entrance exam. Unfortunately, he didn't manage to pass. He is now quite despondent and seems to lack his usual energy". Walking forwards, Sōma bowed his head. "I'm sorry to hear that", Sōma spoke comfortingly.

"Although, take heart, just because he didn't get in doesn't mean he isn't a good chef. Cooking is about passion and the freedom of culinary expression. Being a chef is difficult at times. But it's also a constant learning curve. So tell your son to not give up hope and never despair, I'm sure once he regains the spark that made him love cooking then your son will get in next time he applies".

The woman, had dark reddish hair and was dressed in a green dress and sandals, smiled fondly back as she nodded her head. Her husband, beside her, was practically beaming with joy at hearing such hope from a current Tōtsuki student for a comparative stranger. "Thank you", the brown haired, suited man supplied, bowing his head in respect and admiration.

"I know that my son loves cooking, and he is trying his darnedest to improve, and I will drill I to him your words of encouragement!" The man continued. It was then that the woman interjected, "could we... by any chance- erm ... recommend you to our son, for advice?"

Sōma blinked several times to make sure he hadn't misheard. Whilst he thought of himself as encouraging through practical demonstrations of cooking, he had never once considered himself as being good at encouraging someone with his words. So to realise that this husband and wife thought that his words of encouragement could help their own son's culinary adventures, was a genuine surprise and a boost to his own confidence.

"Sure... my father and I have a restaurant down in the Sumeridōri shopping district of Tokyo. It's called Yukihira", he replied brushing at the back of his head, not noticing the looks of sheer excitement on the man and woman's faces. Not to mention the stunned expressions from Emiko, Shirō and Megumi.

Megumi felt a warmth spread across her face as she witnessed the strength of Sōma's will increasing the hope and conviction within others. His kindness was something she really admired, and truly believed was on of his greatest gifts assets. Moreover, his never give up attitude, his penchant for continually experimenting with flavours and loyalty towards his friends were tremendous boons as well.

"Oh thank you, again", the two people replied shaking the redhead boys hand in turn before leaving the restaurant and inn for the shuttle bus into town. Following them were the second two guests, whom were still in awe at having witnessed such a moment of great fortitude.

Before he could do anything, Sōma found himself embraced by Megumi who was smiling with tears in her eyes. Thinking that he had upset her he was about to ask her what he'd done wrong, when Shirō beckoned them back to the jeep. You really do have a great spark within you, Sōma Yukihira", Shirō stated. "Now let's go. I remember promising to take you two kids to Osuka beach, right?"

"That was a really nice thing you did for those people", Megumi uttered, once thy were inside the jeeps back seats. "You raised that couples spirits for their son's cooking career. You gave them hope... just like me back at Tōtsuki". A furious blush adorned the boys' face as he stared wide eyed back. "I-I-I just said what I believe was right", he began.

"Well then..." Shirō interjected, from behind the steering wheel, "you have good instincts. Trust them, and they'll never lead you astray". Turning on the engine and beginning the drive out of the inn's car park, Shirō noticed his daughter, Emiko, wipe a tear from her eye knowing that she was happy that her own daughter had found someone truly special. And for Shirō that made him feel happy as well.

"You ever been flounder fishing Sōma?" Shirō asked, as he drove the jeep on to the highway. "No, I haven't really any proper experience fishing before", the redhead replied, before suddenly turning to Megumi. "Except back at the training camp, where chef Hinako told us to go source our ingredients from nature".

Megumi nodded her head in agreement, "but that wasn't to catch flounder. We only got Char. Is there a different way to catching flounder, grandfather?" She asked.

Chuckling, Shirō began describing the process of flounder fishing. "Flounders are flat fish and, unlike other catches are caught at a short range, so a cast of 10 yards would be too wide. As the tide starts to flood in, the flounders will be at the waters edge seeking food picked up by the incoming tide" he explained, whilst keeping his eyes on the road.

"The bait I've got is peeler crab, and we don't need a lot only a quarter on a size 1 hook will be enough. Plus a few brightly coloured beads and sequins on the line above the hook will help attract flounders as well". Megumi and Sōma nodded their heads in appreciation as they noted the change in scenery past the windows. The quiet town roads that led to the inn gave way to busier roads that went it the harbour and marina. Which in turn gave way to the main road out of Hachinohe, past the railway station and on towards the headland where Osuka beach was located.

Arriving at the headland, and parking the jeep, Shirō pointed out the trail that led down to the beach front. And along side it were some other cars that he explained belonged to other flounder fishers. Jumping out of the jeep and unpacking the equipment plus other supplies from the vehicles trunk, Shirō and Sōma carried the fishing gear plus the small charcoal grill, leaving Megumi to carry the cool box to store any catches.

As they walked down the trail to the sea, Megumi noticed the gorgeous autumnal band of blue, orange and purple in the sky which totally clashed with the wintery air. Taking out her phone she placed it in landscape and took a photo of the scene in front of her, before she attached a text to Yuki and the others back at Polar Star dormitory:

'Fishing with Sōma at Osuka beach! No swimming though, as the air is too cold! Sorry Yuki. But the scenery is beautiful!'

She was about to send when she suddenly got an idea. Running after Sōma she called out to him, and when she got within arms length of him she pulled him towards her an arm around him, with her scarf around both of them they shared a kiss. Simultaneously, with a click, and whoosh, the text and it's attached photo were summarily dispatched.