Chapter 45: Two Tables

The teasing and the embarrassment began immediately.

"Oh crap! Rindō-senpai... w-w-why are you here?" Before he could even bolt away, he was pounced upon by the grinning red haired second seat, carrying a large bag of food from other stalls. "Aww! You are soo adorable when you're pouting Kuga!"

Looking up through his spiky blonde hair, Kuga tried very hard not to show any semblance of annoyance towards Rindō's teasing, for he knew it would only increase her will to continue. So instead he attempted to wriggle out of his senior students arms and get inside his restaurant, where he could sulk in peace, unfortunately the redhead girl simply held him tighter and noogied him harder.

"You were brave to face an underclassman in the festival", Rindō spoke freely, "but you do know why you lost right. It's because you spent all your time inside your restaurant whereas Sōma and his friends were in clear view of their clientele, and could work according to what they wanted".

With his temper slowly rising, Kuga managed to yell out. "You're the last person I want to have any advice from! You didn't even compete in the festival, you just went around stuffing your face. It's no wonder Tsukasa and Kensuke call you glutton..." The friendly smile vanished on Rindō's visage as she levelled a harsh glare at him. "Watch it Kuga..." she snapped back. "Only those two can call me that and get away with it".

Kuga winced at the sharp coldness of Rindō's words as they cut deep into him, causing him to slink back into himself. "I'm sorry..." he mumbled breaking free from the girls hold. "Just remember", the second seat replied tersely before returning to her smiling self. "Also, what do you mean not competing? Walking around eating is the best way of competing!" Kuga, wisely, remained silently staring at the ground as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck and fumbled with his chef's attire.

It was then that he saw an opportunity to free himself from this moment, and divert Rindō from him and on to someone else. "Ohh look..." he stammered, "it's Sōma and Megumi". In the brief moment that Rindō had moved her attention towards the redhead boy and the blue haired girl, Kuga sent an apologetic glance at the boy in question before bolting into the safety of his restaurant.

Such was the embarrassment induced by simply watching Rindō and Kuga's interaction, that Sōma and Megumi had to turn away from the scene before them. The second seat had held the eighth seat in a headlock and had been giving him a noogie, as she teased him about his loss to an underclassmen. "They look act like siblings..." Megumi whispered to her boyfriend beside her, who stifled a laugh, as he wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"If these siblings are on a good standing, then I'd hate to know what kind of position chef Nene's would be described as..."

It was then that chef Rindō made her herself known to them, making her way towards them with a very prominent grin on her face and drool around the corners of her mouth. "Ooh Sōma", she cooed, "this smells so good! Can I have some?" Pointing to the mapo curry noodles and meatball, the second seat practically dove in and helped herself, just as Sōma replied with a grinning.

"Of course! Help yourself, Rindō-senpai".

Beaming with joy and deliciousness, Rindō wolfed down her mapo curry noodles within minutes, and telling from the redness of he cheek it was clear that she had most defiantly enjoyed what we had eaten. With wide puppy dog eyes pleading for more food as she held out her empty bowl, Rindō pouted upon being told that they were out of ingredients.

Pushing past her obvious disappointment, the redhead girl placed the empty bowl back down on the side work surface, sighing she then spoke to the four first years before her. Looking around, as she realised that their had been five first years here moments ago, she realised that Mimasaka must have left to go and undo release the 'worlds most impenetrable security' on his motor bike. Chuckling to herself at her internal monologue, Rindō moved forwards and pointed to each of the four chef students in front of her.

"I guess it'll just be the five of us then".

"Wait... what? Where are we going?" Ikumi and Megumi both asked, flummoxed by chef Rindō's statement. Smiling, the second seat pointed up towards the mountain area, "I'll treat you to the first and third seat's restaurants. I know that Ken already gave Sōma some pine tickets but I want to treat you all the same. So I'll cover all costs".

The look on all their faces was priceless, and for once Rindō really wished she had a camera to capture this moment of pure shock as a result of her selflessness. "I-we were going up anyway", Sōma stuttered, "but Kensuke gave us a whole wad of pine tickets to spend, so let us pay you back..." He was cut off by Rindō placing a finger over his lips and chuckling. "You don't owe me anything, nor do I want you to part with the pine tickets that Ken gave you. So come on, I've reserved two tables for us".

Smiling. Megumi and Sōma, accompanied by Takumi and Ikumi followed Rindō through and along the main avenue, past the closing down stalls and their exhausted chefs. As they past the Shiomi seminar's stall, they saw the thoroughly exhausted faces of Alice, Ryo and Akira watching them through a haze of tiredness, and a small amount; as much as they could muster, of envy as they watched their fellow first years follow the pine ticket wielding second seat towards the mountains.

"We should should bring a doggy bag of food back for them", Sōma mused. "That is if Ken or Tsukasa, even allow customers to take away any uneaten food". From his immediate left, the Italian boy agreed. "If they do then I would like to take some for Isami, we are here at Tōtsuki together". Ikumi and Megumi both smiled as they walked beside the two boys, admiring their wish to share in their trying the Ten's food with friends and family.

"I'm pretty sure Ken won't mind", Rindō replied. "He may be a bit awkward when you ask him though but he really cares about others. Tsukasa on the other hand is really pernickety about his food, so you may have your work cut out for you with him". Grinning, as he mentally noted that tidbit of info about the first seat down, Sōma held his hand upwards and reached for the moon hanging high in the night sky. "I will reach the heights of Tōtsuki someday", he whispered to himself.

'And all my friends will be there with me'.

Upon reaching the mountain area, the four first years were overwhelmed by the layout of the area, huge hotels and massive mansions were spread out all over the place. The sights were so blindsiding that they had were being distracted by everything around them. Women dressed in the latest articles of high class fashion and glittering jewellery, and the men attired thusly: coattails. Some even wore top hats, yet none of the first years could say that anyone they saw looked out of place.

"Erm.. Rindō-senpai?" Takumi asked, taking a look at his dirty chefs clothes. "Don't you think we'll stick out here... I mean we're not dressed up like any of these people?" The second seat simply laughed as she tuned to face the blonde Italian boy, running a comb through his hair, and brushing down his chefs whites.

"Nah, you'll all be fine", Rindō smiled winking at Takumi. "You may even get the attention and curiosity of future high class customers here. Networking is very important for chefs, and the moon festival allows everyone the chance to see new talent and enjoy the cooking of those they already love".

Gesturing to an awaiting black Bentley Continental, Rindō ushered the first years into the back seats whilst she sat in the front passenger seat. "Wow! So comfy!" Ikumi exclaimed practically melting into her seat, and having Takumi sit next to her, did little to hinder the blush that bloomed across her face.

Megumi too was blushing, having realised that she would have to sit in Sōma's lap, which in turn had brought her mother's words back into the forefront of her mind.

Although once the Bentley had begun driving the two of them had taken the opportunity to cuddle together, which only fuelled Rindō's cooing and Takumi's second hand embarrassment.

"Ahh, you two are so cute together!" Rindō spoke, as she leaned over the seat. "You're like Romeo and Juliet, just without the family feud and the eventual suicides". A sudden snort shrift of laughter erupted from Ikumi, as she grinned at her friends. "Rindō senpai is kinda right", the meat master replied, before she suddenly realised that her snort had been extremely unladylike. "I'm sorry", she murmured as her face flushed crimson.

However, she was met by the equally red face of Takumi Aldini staring at her. "You-erm have nice eyes..." Takumi stammered trying very hard to even out his blushing face. "Smooth Takumi, very smooth", Rindō giggled smirking at them as she leant around the passenger seat. "it's not like that!" The way that Ikumi and Takumi both retorted, only made the second seat, plus Sōma and Megumi chuckle louder.

"Methinks you protest too much", the redhead boy responded ruffling the Italian boys blond locks. "So when's the date?"

"S-s-shut up Sōma!" With faces blushing so much, it looked as if they could burst a blood vessel, the Italian and the meat master tackled the redhead boy, as much as they could inside the car to get him to cease his teasing.

"Hahahah. Oh man no wonder Isshiki loves you guys so much", the joyful laidback voice of Kobayashi Rindō interrupted them. "You definitely have a mixture of childishness and the determined in you that he would empathise with, and want to protect". Grinning from behind her fringe of red hair, Rindō turned back to face the windscreen view.

Then pointing ahead of her, she drew the first years attention to a medium sized neoclassical colonial building with a standing fountain at its front. "There were are guys..." the redhead girl grinned looking up from her wristwatch and drooling. "It's Kenny's restaurant, so prepare yourselves!"