Days collected in weeks, turned into months, completed into years. The two little girls of Nakiri twin had grown into a beautiful, talented teen chef. Being famous in the culinary world, the two Nakiris had brought their own color. Unlike their predecessors whom got sent abroad once they reached fifteen years old to learn more about cuisine, both Nakiri Erina and Nakiri Karen got to spend their high school moment in the most prestigious culinary school, Toutsuki Academy. Since they enrolled there in the middle school, they have scored countless awards. It was two weeks before the high school entrance, still early in the morning even the sun hasn't shown up fully.
"Let me set it to you, Ren." Kimura Haruki, a boy one year older than Karen, begged the teen girl to stop her activity so he himself can fix the bike for the younger one.
"I can't." Nakiri Karen rejected Haruki's offer as she focused on the brake setting. "I felt like it's not my own when I let someone else set it." She added, then put back the tool she had before and changed it to another tool as she moved to another part of her beloved road bike.
The older one just could sigh at Karen's determination which was hard to break. It's not like he hasn't known the younger one. He has known her too well. So, the small rejection like that was his daily routine. "You won't make it long, right? Then, I will take your helmet and shoes." Haruki left the younger one before she could reply.
"You got the point, Ruki-nii." Karen shouted without left her bike a single second. She was really engrossed in her work even she didn't realized that someone came to that place. A young girl in sport outfit. Her shoulder length pink hair got tied up. She stopped when she noticed the older Nakiri twin in front of the front door of the main house of Nakiri mansion.
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Karen-sama." Arato Hisako - Erina's secretary as well as Karen's classmate, greeted the busy Karen. That short, simple greeting made the jet-black haired girl looked up.
"Oh, ohayo Hisa-chan. You're early today."
"Yes. Erina-sama asked me to join her in the morning jogging. It seems that you want to have a small tour with that, Karen-sama." Hisako talked excitedly to Karen but it just got a plain look from the latter. Since Karen knew about the pink haired girl at the age of eight, she couldn't understand why that girl was looked like obsessed about her sister. When Karen saw Hisako, she thought that the girl was always ready to give her own life just to serve Erina.
"Oh... that's right. I have let it rest in the garage for one week because of that stupid Shokugeki things."
Hisako just smiled a bit as she heard that answer. Unlike the younger Nakiri twin, Nakiri Karen was an expressive girl. That was Hisako's opinion since both of them met seven years ago. Deep down in her heart, she hoped that her master, Nakiri Erina, will be more open like her older twin sister.
"Better you hurry up. Erina became so annoying when she has to wait for too long."
"Ah... hai. Then, have a good day Karen-sama." Hisako said her goodbye as she bowed then left that place.
"It's my first time saw Hisako-chan dressing like that." Haruki commented when he has come back with a helmet and a pair of bike shoes in his hands. "Here for you." He handed the things to its owner once Karen packed the repairing tools in the box.
"Want to have a short race?" Karen asked Haruki with a hopeful look. But the latter didn't answer back. "Can't you?" Karen asked again.
"Maybe another time? You know I have to arrange our schedule for this week meetings." He took the box filled with Karen's repairing tools then looked back at her who has completed her appearance with the helmet and shoes on. "Also, I have to deal with that paperwork which is got abandoned by you, remember?"
Karen frowned when she heard the older one reminded her about that. "Tsk! Just like it was my fault in the first place."
"It is." Haruki said it with stern, but the girl in front of him looked like didn't get disturbed by that fact.
"You've won the Shokugeki, so you have to fulfill your task."
Karen didn't take a deep thought about Haruki's words as she mount on her bike. "But that one thing, I never agreed with it." She took the last look at her long term friend whom has considered as her own brother. "Ah... I didn't mind if you take that position instead. You're more responsible than me, Ruki-nii." With that, she drove her bike away from the house. Got farther as time goes by.
It hasn't reach noon, but the look on his youthful face made him like a man who haven't slept for decade. Heavy sigh get out one after another from his mouth. Hills of paperwork seems didn't reduce even for an inch how many he took it to finish. A knock on the door brought him from his misery, then his lavender eyes caught the figure who will save him from the never ending work of Elite Ten Council.
"This is the report you've asked two days ago, Tsukasa-san. I'm sorry that it's already too late from the appointed date." Kimura Haruki reported as he gave the said document to the upperclassmen who looked at him with his tired look.
"Kimura-kun... help me."
"Huh?" Haruki can't help but got dumbfounded when he met Tsukasa Eishi's tired look.
- 30 minutes later –
"Ah... you're really my life saver, Kimura-kun." Eishi said then sipped his tea while smiled for the first time in that day. Haruki who heard that words didn't reply back. He just... sat in silent as he felt his shoulders got rigid, as well as his hands felt like it has lost its strength. In other word, he was dead tired. "Karen-san... I didn't know that she's a hardheaded type." Eishi put back the tea cup on the table which separated him and Haruki in his office room.
"Nah... Since she was little." Haruki replied shortly. He took his own cup and look into the brown liquid in it before sipped it.
"But, you must have known the reason why I needed her in this team, right, Kimura-kun?"
Haruki looked at his senior. "Tsukasa-san, have someone told you that you're an egoist type person?"
Eishi giggled at the question given by his junior. He hasn't predicted the ever calm Kimura Haruki will asked him a question like that. "Of course. I have heard it countless times. But this matter, it's not only for my own benefit. It's for Toutsuki too."
Haruki bowed his head. Actually he also knew it, he agreed with Eishi's intention. But this time, he thought that it's not the right time for Nakiri Karen to accept that position offered to her.
"You didn't talk back to oppose my words, then I considered that you're agree with me, Kimura-kun. Moreover, not a single person in Toutsuki who know her better than you."
"More time." Haruki mumbled without he realized that.
"What?"
Eishi's short question made Haruki looked up at the older one. A questioned look appeared in Eishi's lavender eyes. "Give her more time to think about it. She has been in bad mood even since the Shokugeki, and she hasn't stepped into the kitchen this whole week. She even didn't complain with the tight schedule I gave to her. It seems she's..."
"Distance herself from cooking?" Eishi finished for Haruki. Then he got up from his chair which made Haruki surprised a bit. "I think we can discuss about it again in another time. Anyway Kimura-kun, you're free right now, aren't you?"
Haruki gave the senior one a questioned look before he answered. "Isn't obvious, Tsukasa-san? If not, then I won't help you finish those paperwork, right?" Sometimes, he didn't know what is running in the head of Tsukasa Eishi, the one who claimed 1st seat of Elite Ten Council of Toutsuki Academy.
"Ahaha... you're right." Eishi responded as he played with his tie. "Then, should we watch it? It must have begun."
"Watch what?"
"Transfer student's entrance exam."
It was the usual scene in front of the Toutsuki gate. Many rich people begged to the black suits dressed bodyguards with their terrified cry. It was just typical an egoist demand.
"Oh, please! I will pay for how many you asked me but... but please let my son stay in Toutsuki."
"Argh! I failed!"
"The decision is final! Don't make unnecessary commotion and please leave this place."
Karen stopped her bike as she saw the cheap soap opera in front of her eyes. She can't imagine why such parents were confident enough to send their child to the place as wild as Toutsuki Academy. Even the academy's reputation has wide spread all around the country. Only the selected chef who will survive in that place. Just then, Karen found someone who stood still in front of the gate like a lost puppy. Phone just on his ear but it seems he has too shaken with something he barely heard from his caller. That someone was around Karen's age, dressed in simple dark grey uniform without an assistant or rich, glossy car.
"Need help?" Karen asked out of the blue, made that stranger turned around. A pair of golden eyes, a scar on his left eyebrow. He has spiky red flame hair.
"Eh? N... not really." He replied as he scratched the back of his head.
"If you want to take the transfer exam, just go in. There is the committee member who will guide you where you should go."
"Ah... right. Thank you."
Karen took a fast look on the inner shirt that boy wore. A simple uniform colored in dark blue with the name of a place got embroidered on it. Yukihira Diner.
"Am I mistaken it?" Karen asked herself. Even for the child of the famous restaurant owner, many of them failed. But, someone from a diner tried to apply in Toutsuki? That boy, is he has something that made him equal enough to compete there?
"Nah... it would be interesting if that boy managed to pass the exam."
Once Yukihira Souma stepped into that big academy, he couldn't help but awed. That place was too big just for an academy, it was his opinion. More rich people he saw there, with those rich attitude which ached his eyes. Then suddenly he remembered the girl at the gate before. She looked... modest and beautiful. Actually it was his first impression about her as he saw that pair of rose gold eyes. Not to forget the small mole under her right eye. The way she looked at him, it's different from the rich children he has met there, so he noted her as a modest girl. Who is she?
"Wait, what am I thinking?" Souma shook his head to clear his head from unnecessary thing. First thing to do is... he has to pass the transfer exam so that old man of his didn't underestimate him.
All the transfer exam's participant already had gathered in the hall A where they will get the instruction about the exam. But once their examiner stepped into that hall, all voices died down.
"Hey, it's her."
"Yeah, definitely it's her."
"Don't tell me that our examiner will be her."
"All the participant, good day. I'm Nakiri Erina, will be the examiner of the exam today. Nice to meet you."
Souma didn't find something is off of the girl who claimed herself as the examiner, because from the appearance of that girl, she must be one of the student in that academy. But he can't ignore the dreadful look on the other participant around him.
"Hisako, can you read the instruction of the exam?" That girl, Nakiri Erina, asked her secretary who stood two steps behind her.
The pink haired girl nodded. "Hai Erina-sama. The participant will be grouped in two groups then from each group will be..."
"It's too boring also too long." Erina cut off even before Hisako can finished it, which made all the transfer students except Souma sweated in cold. "That's right, bring in the ingredient."
"Hai."
A metal workstation full of various kind of cooking ingredients placed in front of the participant. Erina looked at it for a while then took something from it. An egg. "I have decided what kind of exam you should have." She showed the egg to the participant. "Make a dish which will satisfied my taste. The main ingredient is egg. It's a liberty for you to take it or not. You have... three seconds to decide it."
The hall fell into chaos once that announcement got brought out, as almost all the participant run away from that place as if they run for their dear life from a dangerous predator. From the second floor, Eishi and Haruki who witnessed it from the beginning just could drew a small smile.
"Isn't she become too merciless?" Haruki commented. That question even sounded stupid in his own ears as he already knew the answer for it. Just like he already knew about Nakiri Karen's character, he also has known about Nakiri Erina's. Being the one with 'God's Tongue', it wasn't his first time he saw the latter looked down on other chef.
"It can't be helped, isn't it? Even for Toutsuki's student, how many of them who have failed? She must have very little faith in the transfer student to pass this exam. But, I never imagine that the situation will turn like this." Eishi replied back as his lavender eyes still looked at the almost empty hall. "It seems that there is someone with a nerve to take Nakiri's challenge."
Haruki looked back at the hall and found a sole, remained transfer student stood there in front of Erina and her secretary. A boy with spiky red flame hair. "Is he stupid?"
"Or he is brave enough to challenge Nakiri." Eishi talked back, his sight never left the scene in the hall.
"Hmm... then it's a pity for him, I guess?"
Eishi looked at Haruki soon after he heard that. While the younger one still watched every moment happened at the hall. The three freshmen looked like having a small debate before the red haired boy proceeded to the vacant workstation to prepare his cooking.
"Even for Karen who had lived for years with her, had cooked countless dishes for her... that almighty Nakiri Erina hadn't said 'delicious' to Karen's cooking."
Eishi widened his eyes at that little secret. He has tasted Karen's cooking even for once, and that time he got surprised because of the marvelous flavor he tasted. Yet, that kind of dish still hadn't got a praise from her own sister. "Then, it will be tough for that boy."
Haruki sighed, then he looked back at the older one with disbelief look. "Truth to be told Tsukasa-san. Since the first place you gave this examining task to Nakiri Erina, you must have thought that it will be a tough exam for the transfer student, right?"
- 20 minutes later –
"It's terrible!" Erina's loud scream rang all around the hall as well as the second floor where Eishi and Haruki watched the whole show.
"It's obvious. She won't say 'delicious' so easily, moreover for unknown chef like him." Haruki get up from his chair then walked away from that place, left his senior without any kind of goodbye.
"Kimura-kun? Where are you going?" Eishi shouted but just got replied by nothing.
Haruki has seen it. Erina's face when the girl took a taste of that boy's dish. It was the same face she always had whenever she tasted Karen's dish. She was enjoying it, but her almighty pride has demanded her to not admit it. A small smile appeared on his lips at that realization. That red haired boy is more interesting than his prediction. It would be exciting if that boy passed and applied in Toutsuki. Maybe, just maybe, the girl who barely took a distance with cooking will get her passion back again.
2 weeks later...
"You want to go with those in the first day, Karen?" Haruki's first question that morning. The boy was looked stunningly handsome in his uniform. White shirt under black colored Toutsuki vest, and navy blue pants. He let the blue jacket opened, and didn't wear the striated red purple tie.
"Yeah. What's wrong with that?" Karen answered. She still busy with folding her sleeves up to her elbow. It was kind of a bit difficult for her as she folded it together with the jacket sleeves. Instead of wearing the usual dark-light brown skirt, she wore the same navy blue pants as Haruki's which is also folded up to 30 cm higher than her ankle. She wore the same black vest over her white shirt and tied the striated red purple in low bow.
"Nothing." Haruki replied then he headed to the garage. He got out from that place with his black colored road bike. "I just thought that you won't ride it since today you will have many cooking classes." Haruki wore his helmet, then mounted his bike and placed his right foot on the pedal.
"Gah... since when you underestimate me like this, Ruki-nii?" Karen mounted too, then put on her helmet. "Let's go!"
That day is the first day of the new semester. At the day when the cherry blossoms petal got flown by the spring wind, around a thousand freshmen of Toutsuki Culinary Academy high school division gathered at the vast yard with the freshly green grass as its carpet. It was just a usual entrance ceremony, where the freshmen will heard so many speeches about the high school life at the academy. It included the headmaster's speech as well. The old but scary Nakiri Senzaemon even gave a marvelous speech which succeed in burning the freshmen's fighting spirit. The best student of the year, Nakiri Erina got up to the podium right after that.
"It's Erina-sama."
"Today she looked so beautiful."
"Ah... I wished that I can date her even just for a day."
Karen kept hearing that dreaming whispers soon her sister was on the podium. She wondered, how her sister who looked unreachable like that got million fans who wished to date her. Her sister was really something mysterious. She bowed her head low. Lately, her mood was hard to be controlled. She kept hearing things which she didn't want to hear.
"But, I think... date Karen-san was not a bad idea."
"You're right. She is also beautiful in her own way."
"Today, she change her hairstyle again."
"Her earrings too."
God damn it! Can this thing finished already? Karen screamed out those words inside her mind.
"A...ano, I'm sorry for being in this high place, hehe..."
Karen raised her head once she didn't hear those annoying murmurs. All the attention got pointed at the podium. A boy, with spiky red flame hair stood there with his ridiculous grin. That boy started mumbling something random as he played with the tip of his outstanding colored hair.
"Ehm... I'm Yukihira Souma. I didn't expect to enroll in this place, moreover this is just a stepping stone for my career."
Such a provocative talk that boy gave, Karen thought as she folded her hands against her chest. She could feel the anger kept raising around her, no wonder. Child with high pride like the ones around her must be got furious because of that over confident boy.
"But I don't plan to lose from some of you who never stand in front of the clients. Short to be told, I will take the top spot." He declared with so much confident in his voice. Then he stepped away from the podium, bowed to all the audience as if nothing wrong happened before. "So, best regards for the next three years."
Karen closed her eyes as chaos fell all around the place. For her who wished for a peace, that little commotion created by that transfer boy just added pain in her head. She didn't mind with the students who threw their things to the podium or their anger scream. She walked away from that place without any intention to join the rest of the event. The first day of her high school was terrible. Without she realized, Karen was walking toward the backstage of the podium. Even got separated with the big flag of Toutsuki Academy, she still can heard the childish quarrel between her sister with the transfer boy.
"Let me tell you. I haven't accepted it, not you nor your cooking. It's a mistake. You came to Toutsuki Academy is because of a mistake. You said that you will take the top spot? Don't make me laugh, Yukihira Souma!"
Oh, here she started that almighty speech again, Karen thought. Just then, her eyes met her grandfather's as the latter stood not far from her current place.
"All the students whom passed the internal entrance exam has got the best education in ultra - fine gastronomy. An outsider like you is still have a long way just to beat them. Don't ever dream to take the top spot."
"Is that so? But you know... I've learned cooking since in the age of three. It's meant, I have twelve years of experience in the kitchen. I think, that made I'm qualified enough to challenge the rest of you."
Karen didn't know if she should called that transfer boy as big stupid or the over confident boy. The way he talked back to her sister, it just gave Karen a conclusion that the boy never paid attention about Erina's status.
"Your insult about my cooking in the entrance exam, I'll never forget it. So, just you wait. I'll make sure to make you say 'delicious' to my cooking with those mouth of yours."
Karen stood still in her place once she heard that determination. The same thing she has ever had years ago. The same oath she had once she decided to join the culinary world. "You're the one who brought him here, right, Jii-san?" Karen asked her grandfather who also listening all the conversation since the beginning. But the old man didn't answer it, just looked at his jet-black haired granddaughter. Through that look, he is sure that the younger one already found the answer. A small smile emerged from her lips. "You're really... brought someone interesting, Jii-san."
Karen called it for the day. She was really in foul mood right now. Annoying thing came in one after another.
"Skipped all classes in the first day, seriously Ren?"
The said girl didn't intend to open her eyes just to face the annoying Kimura Haruki who found her laying on top of the grass hill behind the library building. Haruki who saw the younger girl didn't reply got silent soon after that. It seemed that her bad mood has reached its limit. He sat beside her laying posture, looked at the tall library building with countless glass windows on its wall.
"Something happened?" Haruki asked, but it got unanswered again. Even it was that case, he can't imagine how bad that it could made her darkened like that. "Want to have a short race?" Haruki offered one of her liking. No respond. "Caramel ice cream?" He offered another thing as he noticed the pocket where she stored her favorite caramel has already empty. The younger one still didn't move for an inch.
"He said that thing." Karen mumbled which made Haruki looked at her face. Even she closed her eyes, but Haruki can't helped but kept starring at her face. A face which looked like reminiscing old memory. The old memory which is she hold so dear, but crushing her in return. And Haruki already knew the answer of it. The only one thing that made Karen like that was her own determination of her cooking. Her dream, to satisfy her sister's taste.
"Then... what will you do about it?" Haruki asked back, he retreated his sight from her face toward the tall library building again.
"Don't know."
"What kind of answer is that? Isn't that you're the one who will made her said 'delicious' first?"
Karen opened her eyes soon after Haruki spoken out his words. In strange way, the last phrase was stung her heart badly.
"Then fulfill it. Don't ever lose from someone who talked big like that."
Karen looked up at her brother alike friend who didn't looked back at her. It seemed that the tall library building over there was more interesting than her. "You talked like that as if I intend to lose in the first place."
"Am I wrong?" This time, Haruki looked at those rose gold eyes which gleamed beautifully against the afternoon light of the sun.
"Big wrong!"
"Then, what's with those gloomy act minutes ago? You even reject the race and your favorite caramel ice cream."
Karen pouted her lips, she really didn't like Haruki's insult. "I just... angry with myself." Karen diverted her sight away from Haruki's. "For giving up my dream." She muttered. The next thing she saw was a hand offered to her. Haruki's hand.
"Let's go back. We have many things to be prepared for tomorrow. You must have forgotten your meetings tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah... the strict Kimura Haruki has come back." Karen whined as she accepted Haruki's hand, got up from the grass carpet then left that place.
Two days later...
"Ren-kuuuun!"
A loud scream of the sophomore student as well as the member of Chanko Nabe Research Society, Goudabayashi Kiyoshi, greeted Karen once she stepped into the said RS building. She has got a report that soon the building will be rebuilt because of someone's request. Being the one who has resided there longer than anyone else in the Toutsuki Academy, the Chanko Nabe RS member must have opposed such a request then it ended up into a Shokugeki.
"Hai... I hear you, Gouda senpai." Karen replied shortly. Actually, she didn't has a clear image of the reason why she got called there.
"It may be disgraceful to ask from you but... can you give us a recipe which will blow up that damn Nakiri Erina's cooking?"
Erina?
"You will have a Shokugeki against her?" Karen asked back as to confirm that fact.
"I... I'm too furious that time so I accepted the challenge first hand. But, it's not my fault, right? It's her selfish way to get whatever she wanted."
Karen didn't say a thing to the older student. Even she only stayed in short span of time in that research society, she already memorized all the recipes created by the RS. Even for the best of it won't outshined the cooking made by her sister. She knew it, because the said RS didn't intend to develop their recipe. "I can't say more than good luck to your Shokugeki, Gouda senpai."
"Ren-kun, how could you..."
"If you're proud enough of this research society, then proof to her. Make a dish which will made her knelt to you."
With that final speech, Karen left that place. The Shokugeki itself was planned to be held two days from now. Even she didn't need to see it, she has predicted who will win the battle.
- Along the way back to Karen's next class -
"It's Ren-san."
"It seems she barely visit the Chanko Nabe RS."
"Maybe, she gave them an advice to win against her sister?"
Karen stopped her steps once she heard the last sentence. All the student at the corridor became died silent. Karen looked at the student who talked before then looked back at the front. "It seems that I need to remind you all." She started speaking her disturbed mind. "I never interested in the thing such a Shokugeki. So, whoever or whatever research society - seminar you all attended in a Shokugeki... Don't ever ask for my advice for a recipe. I'm really hate someone who didn't believe in themself."
The student got alive again when the older Nakiri twin was out of their sight. It was Yukihira Souma who still stood like a statue there. He has listened to every word spoken by the student whom addressed as Ren-san.
"Who is that student?" Tadokoro Megumi who stood beside him looked at Souma. "He talked big like he has created great recipe to every research society." Megumi didn't know where she has to explain to the boy next to her. Moreover, all the things spoken by the boy were a big misunderstanding.
"So... Souma-kun, firstly... it's not he but she." Megumi started which got a disbelief look from Souma.
"She? But with that name, voice, short hair, posture and uniform?"
"She is Nakiri Karen, Nakiri Erina's sister. She has been dressing in male uniform since in the middle school, also... she has been in big contribution in each research society and seminar in this academy."
Souma got dumbfounded by that little fact. Moreover, about the fact that the latter is that Nakiri Erina's sister. She must be another talented chef just like that blonde girl, he thought. "Such an important person, she is." Souma retorted.
Megumi nodded, agreed with Souma's words. "It's not like Ren-san herself who developed the recipe but she gave many advice in it. She gave many ideas and let the RS members to create their own recipe." Megumi looked at the way where Karen took before. "It seems that the Chanko Nabe RS has asked her for something which made her upset."
"Tadokoro, you seem have idolized her, aren't you?" Souma asked as he saw Megumi's eyes sparkling when she gave him the explanation before.
"Heh? Is that so? Maybe you're right, Souma-kun. But, it's not only me. Look at those student."
Souma looked at the students in front of him. They looked a bit different, there was a fire lighted up inside their eyes. "So, it's like that. Then, she must be a talented chef, isn't she?" Souma looked back at Megumi with his grin.
"Of course. Just three days after the internal entrance exam, she got challenged in Shokugeki against 9th seat of Elite Ten Council, and she won it."
"Heh?!"
"Even it was her first Shokugeki."
Souma can't help gawking at that news. It must be unlike his cooking contest he has had with Isshiki back at the dorm. That girl, has defeated a member of Elite Ten Council. Then... "Then, the 9th seat became hers?"
"I don't know. It should be, but the Elite Ten Council itself hasn't announced anything."
"Nakiri Karen, huh?" Souma grinned as he thought that the academy he just enrolled in was really an interesting place filled many interesting people.
============== Dish.02 – Welcome to Toutsuki Culinary Academy ===============
