Chapter 70: Lost in Paradise
Two days later.
Seated outside a small cafe on a bridge overlooking cobbled streets in the heart of the Italian old city of Matera, Kensuke Tadokoro winced as he felt the eyes of his central-supporting aide wash over him, appraisingly, before the woman in question dropped a huge stack of papers and files on the table. Interrupting his free time in between evaluating potential Central supporting restaurants as well as meeting with gourmands whom Azami wanted to get onside, Kensuke sighed loudly and gestured to the waiter to bring him another cup and of his expresso macchiato.
"You know Jin..." the third seat spoke slowly, "Director Azami said that I could complete these tasks in my own time. You don't have to keep bringing them over..."
"Chef Kensuke", the aide replied tersely. "The Director specifically asked that you have these documents ratified, as well as having prepared a list of potential restauranteurs, expats and industry figures for consultation upon your return to Japan".
Biting back his returned unease, as well as his discomfort, the third seat unconsciously shuffled in his seat as he looked forlornly at the 'agenda' now before him before taking a sip from his expresso macchiato. Nodding his head in gratitude at the retreating waiter, the third seat ran a hand through his dark hair before resetting his glasses firmly on his face.
With a renewed sense of purpose, even as he tried to ignore his anxiety at being away from his friends, Kensuke took strength from imaging their smiling faces, as well as from Megumi and Isshiki, of how proud they'd all be of him for managing to uphold all this amount of responsibility by himself.
"Fine. Let's begin with chef Cesarini and his restaurant in Alberobello. I'm sure that Director Azami will be happy with him as a fellow gourmet elite".
Opening the restauranteurs file before him Ken remained oblivious to the fact that, as the third seat of Tōtsuki's Council of Ten, he was currently the centre of attention for all passers by as well all business owners in the immediate vicinity.
"Very good chef Kensuke..." the aide, a blonde haired woman, asked from her seated position next to him, "I believe you are right. The Director will be indeed pleased that you have brought Chef Cesarini into Central". Feeling a surge of positivity surge through him as hearing that the Director would be pleased by this decision the third seat looked up with a smile on his face, but it was then that he suddenly noticed the eyes watching him.
Gripping the sleeves of his jacket, he dug his nails into his arms desperately trying to quell the severe anxiety attack that he could feel bubbling up within him. As if sensing what was going on the female aide turned around and spoke into a mobile phone, ordering some other suited Tōtsuki officials to cordon off the area for them.
"Yes sir...", the aide whispered making sure that her charge didn't overhear her conversation. "I am making sure that chef Kensuke is constantly busy. I'm sure that he will falter eventually".
Simultaneously, as the conversation between aide and Director occurred, the third seat sent a text message to Isshiki stating where he was and what Central had him doing. However, as the message reached its destination Isshiki remained unconvinced by the seeming good intentions that Kensuke believed he was conferred by Central - and so he dispatched Kuga to Hokkaidō to meet with Sōma.
'Students of Tōtsuki,
By request of Tōtsuki Academy Director, Azami Nakiri, the Third seat of the Council of Ten: Kensuke Tadokoro is henceforth named Academy International Envoy.
Chef Kensuke shall represent Tōtsuki Academy at all international culinary events and ceremonies, with intent to further the credibility and importance of Tōtsuki as the gold standard in Japanese cuisine on the global stage. Moreover, with his experience working in overseas restaurants, Chef Kensuke shall work to achieve more likeminded allies whom also agree with the Azami Doctrine.
This is not rescinding the Third Seat, but merely placing an experienced chef in a place of fomenting agreement with outside colleges, culinary industries and corporations who see eye to eye with us. Yet, at the same time, as Chef Kensuke is going to be spending a lot of time out of the country and not much time on campus, he will be allotted extra time to complete his second year and then progress to his third year.
This will not affect the Food War system, even if one of the Ten is absent, Central is still more than capable, prepared even to strike down any food wars issued by certain 'rebels' trying to resist this Tōtsuki Reformation. Neither will Kensuke being absent affect the teaching syllabus nor the need for additional teachers. The curriculum has now been finalised and any staff who refused to align with Central have been let go.
From the desk of the Tōtsuki Director
[dictated but not read]
- Azami Nakiri'.
As Erina read the writ in her hands she wondered whom had scrunched up this document and thrown at her back. Whomever it was, they were either trying to keep her and her friends informed about Central's inner workings or they just really hated her. Shaking her head, the god Tongue dismissed the second thought as pettiness rather than being actual hate. Moreover, Council documents were extremely well protected meaning that whomever threw her this writ did so because they wanted her to know this news.
Taking another look at the train station for any blindspots from where a person could hide in waiting for her to arrive and then slip her this writ before she boarded the train, the only other people she saw were some tired looking commuters, the black suited Tōtsuki Central aides whom had traveled with then to the station and facing away from her, hunched over a drinking fountain, was a young blonde haired woman.
"Erina... are you okay?"
Just as she was about to turn back to face her friends and show them the notice in her hands she noticed the blonde woman stand tall which ever so slightly dislodged her hair, revealing more masculine features beneath. With her eyes now practically popping out of her skull she realised that the woman was actually Isshiki in disguise. Balking in utter shock and surprise, and cursing herself for being fooled by how convincing Isshiki had been disguised as a woman, made her suddenly understand now why and how this council writ had reached her.
"I'm fine Yuki..." Erina replied tiredly as she stepped into the train and rubbed her stunned expression, and sleep, off her face. "Can you please inform everyone, Megumi especially, that I have have just found something that should either not be a problem or worry us".
Yuki's playful smile became visibly less playful but retained its usual quirkiness. "Of course Erina!" Yuki announced spinning around and hurrying off to find the others, leaving the god tongue to glance across the moderately busy platform to the 'woman' nodding their head as she spoke into a phone.
Narrowing her eyes would have been how Erina used to deal with someone throwing something at her before but now, since having had her world changed by Sōma, and then getting together with Hisako, she had a developed a clearer view of how she wanted to define herself as a chef. And it was not in anyway, shape or form connected to her fathers doctrine. Holding firm under the watching eyes of the suited Central aides, Erina closed the train carriage door behind her as she stepped aboard.
Breathing a sigh of relief, the god tongue found herself immediately surrounded by her friends, everyone of them beaming with joy. Allowing herself a moment of revelry, she smiled brightly and then threw her arms around Hisako who appeared alongside, a returning Yuki. "Thank you for being here with me" she whispered into her girlfriends ear, before pressing a kiss to the rose haired girls cheek. Resulting in everyone cheering and blushing for the two girls new relationship.
Red faced and slightly out of breath, Hisako and Erina let go of one another and faced their friends; purposely ignoring the 'I told you so' grin being sent their way by Alice. "Now look here everyone..." Hisako announced, only for Ryōko grinning interjected," I think we already were".
"Even aboard the train we'll still be holding our study sessions right up until bedtime" Erina exclaimed finishing what Hisako had been going to say. "Remember, the further north into Hokkaido we go the more difficult the tests will get. Central will surely come after all rebellious elements at any opportunity, we must be prepared for those time".
Beaming with adoration of cooking and determined to not be thrown out of Tōtsuki, the first year chefs all smiled as they followed Erina through a sleeping car towards the carriage where they could resume studying. As they entered the main study carriage Erina gently coughed getting everyone's attention.
"Before we begin tonight's study session I have something that I think you all should be aware of. I do not believe that we will be affected by this news but it does relate to Central... and will be particular interesting to Megumi".
At the mention of her name, Megumi; as well as Sōma, broke away form each other and stared at the god tongue with a mixture of concern and confusion shining in their eyes.
"Earlier, moments ago as I was boarding the train, someone threw this scrunched up paper at me" Erina explained, holding up and then passing around the creased paper to the blue haired girl. "At first I thought that it was just someone's petty grievance for a criticism of mine against their plate of food... but then I noticed the emblem of the Council of Ten". Noting a scowl etch its way across the other girls face, she instantly saw a scowl grace Megumi's face.
This directorial edict had royallly pissed the blue haired girl off.
"What the fucking hell is Azami playing at!"
The sudden abrupt angry yell combined with profanity expressed by the normally shy and quiet blue haired girl made the carriages occupants flinch. Even Alice and Ikumi, who weren't strangers to being induced to anger by others, shied away from her glowering expression. "Why is he doing this! My brother isn't part of any rebellious factions against Central!" Gripping the paper tightly in her hands, Megumi glared intently at the directors signature.
"The only reason I can think of..." Erina thought placing a hand on her chin, "is that by preventing the closure of Kyokusei Dormitory, Chef Kensuke is being punished by my father for perceived disloyalty to Central". Apparently, whilst true, that further angered Megumi as her scowl grew larger and more pronounced. Stepping forwards and wrapping her in his arms and placing a kiss to the crown of her head, Sōma managed to calm her down to the point where she no longer looked as if she would commit murder is she ever came face to face with the school director.
"That just sounds like just the sort of thing uncle would do, he's just a petty bastard!" Alice growled angrily. "Exactly!" Ryōko interjected, taking Alice's hand in his. "Whatever his reasons are for siding with Central, Chef Kensuke is a sitting member of the Ten and for him to be treated like this by the director is just sadistic!"
"Not to mention potentially damaging to the third seat's physical and mental health" Isami spoke up.
Noting that Megumi was growing increasingly pale faced about the conversation going on around her, and recognising that its longevity probably wasn't doing much for allaying her fears worries about her brother, Erina decided to give the group a fifteen minute break before they started their next study session. "Guys! Let's reconvene back in the study carriage in fifteen minutes. This way everyone can relax and settle in for the journey".
Hearing the god tongue's acquiescence to the idea of a break before studying even started shocked everyone into silence, staring open mouthed at the tenth seat as if she'd just said something heretical. Fortunately, the silence ended when Hisako began describing the available amenities onboard the train: a small spa being popular with Ryōko, Alice and Yuki, whereas the dining car had a glass ceiling allowing for a excellent night time views of the starry sky; for which Takumi and Ikumi seemed rather impressed by.
"I think I'll retire to my room..." Zenji announced, "I need to sleep away the nervousness of that first test". Yet before the glasses wearing boy could walk back in the direction of the sleeper cars, he was grabbed by Shōji and Daigo whom immediately drew him into an argument about the proper way to cook vegetables in Indonesia cooking. Inadvertently dragging him away from his sleep.
Meanwhile, Shun and Ryo simply walked with Erina and Hisako into the study carriage, leaving Sōma and Megumi alone in a corridor outside one of the sleeper rooms.
"I'm sure he's fine..." Sōma whispered as he held his girlfriend in his arms. "Kensuke may be socially awkward and anxious but in this instance those two qualities may actually protect him from understanding why exactly Director Azami is doing this".
"I really want to believe that Sōma..." Megumi sobbed as she buried her face into her boyfriends chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. "But Ken isn't like normal people, he's always been a fragile person and I'm worried that Director Azami is purposely trying to inundate him with so much work that he'll break. Which will give the Director an excuse to remove him from Tōtsuki without having to resort to expulsion".
"That hadn't occurred to me" Sōma realised "I can phone Rindō if you'd like? She gave me her number after she'd barged into my food war against Eizan".
Upon hearing that admission Megumi instantly looked up and narrowed her eyes at Sōma. "Nothing happened" the redhead responded backing away and waving his hands in front of his face. "She just said that my food was delicious and that if I ever needed advice... I should call on her".
Failing to conceal her jealousy Megumi stalked forwards, pushed herself up on tiptoes, grabbed each side of her boyfriend's face and pressed her lips against his for a feverish kiss that left them both out of breath and staggered on their feet.
"Maybe we should follow Zenji's advice and retire to a room" Sōma laughed playfully gazing into the bluenette's eyes. "You know as we're both so tired..."
"S-S-Sōma!"
The redness of her face was so pronounced, as well as the pitch frequency of her embarrassment rich yell was so high, that Erina, Hisako, Ryo and Shun all burst out of the study car looking concerned. Yet, upon seeing Megumi's blush and Sōma's chuckling they simply rolled their eyes and went back to pre-study, muttering about over the top 'lovey-dovies'.
Lifting Megumi up in his arms the redhead couldn't help but chuckle as he noticed the cute pout on her face at being held in such a matrimonial way. "One day you'll be doing that for real" Yuki's voice traveled down the train carriage. "And then you'll be having real fun".
Before anyone else could further embarrass them, Sōma carried Megumi away in the direction of the sleeping car where their shared room was located; hoping that they could obtain some actual sleep before they were roused for Erina's next study session.
"Remember Megs..." Sōma chuckled as he closed the door behind them, "after we've gotten through these tests we will then find Ken and get him to be more open about his struggles at Tōtsuki. We will help him". Shutting her eyes Megumi rested her head against her boyfriend's chest remembering her brothers favourite song, 'Sotto Toketeyukuyouni' , and humming the tune, desperately trying to convince herself that he was fine.
N.B. - The manga is brilliant.