Hello, dear reader(s)... hishashiburi ^O^
Taking me long to update this story, here I go with a new chapter. By the way, the Autumn Election is still far awaaay... let our characters enjoyed their upcoming summer holidays first.
Don't forget to leave your review after read it, okay?!
- rionnaru -
Dish.16 – On Summer Holiday, unexpected news
He didn't remember when the last time he gave that prestigious academy a visit. It felt like just yesterday, but it felt like has been years too. And, that day... he decided to take a short stop there. To his old school, Toutsuki Culinary Academy. He has several things in his agenda of visiting that place. The utmost thing was... gave a visit to his son, maybe gave that red head boy a small cooking match won't hurt.
"Yo, Fumio-san. Hishashiburi." He greeted the dorm care taker once the older lady opened the dorm's front door.
"Heh, look who is here?"
"What will you do with all of this, Ren?" Haruki asked as he eyed the mountain of 'congratulatory presents' from Karen's business clients, which intentionally or not got sent to Nakiri mansion. A mountain of various culinary products, be it was beef also poultry meat, egg, veggies, seafood ingredients, chocolate, cheese, and many more. Haruki didn't exaggerate it, as it was what he saw right now. Each of it came since the news of Nakiri Karen got selected as Autumn Election's participant.
"Who knows?"
Haruki got more annoyed once he heard Karen's indifferent answer. Unlike usual when she will blabbered out her plan about the products upcoming fate, Karen hasn't said a thing. Except thanked the maid for picking it up from the mail carrier.
"What kind of answer is that?" Haruki mumbled, seated himself on the vacant chair next to the cupboard.
"You can have it if you wanted, Ruki-nii."
Haruki heard another unusual words from the younger one. Oh, he should take it back. Sometimes, Karen has said the same thing to him. Maybe, this one was concluded into those 'sometimes'.
"Nah, I don't have time to deal with it, Ren." Haruki got up from his chair, he gave Karen – whom busy with her phone – a short look. "I have to go to Osaka tomorrow morning. Ayaka nee-san already giving me nonstop call since yesterday." He paused as to see Karen's reaction to his words just now. But, the latter even didn't cast a look away from her phone. "Better you decide to keep it for yourself or send it to somewhere else." As you seem didn't plan on spending all of that into a party, he added in his head.
It was when Karen heard the last part, she placed her phone on her laps. She was about to say something to Haruki, but the older one already left that place. Thanked to him, she had decided – barely.
Haruki placed the last box just right in front of the double doors of that dorm. Five big boxes in total, stood in front of the dorm together with him and Karen.
"Should we just go in? I have rung the doorbell continuously and yet none answer it." Karen asked for Haruki's opinion.
"Should we? It's unusual for them to..." Haruki hasn't finished his words that the front door opened, revealed Fumio Daimido – the dorm care taker.
"Ara, Ren-chan and Kimura?"
"Finally, Fumio-san. What is taking you long to open the door for us?"
"Ah... we are in the middle of preparing for a party." The old lady opened the door wider, to let the guests got into the dorm as well as their presents.
"Party? What party?" Karen has turned into her curious, excited mode. She walked towards the kitchen with Fumio, forgotten about the boxes which in the end became Haruki's task to bring it in.
"Fumio-san! Don't forget to send someone to help me bring this boxes!" Haruki shouted out loud, hoping that the old lady heard it and sent someone to help him.
Once Karen and Fumio reached the kitchen, Karen only got silenced. She has imagined that all the residents of the dorm was busy making one dish to another, but the scene she saw there was far from that. Only a pair of grown-up man and the red haired boy whom busy in front of the stove. While the others, they watched the whole cooking process like a marvelous movie.
"Fumio-san, who is he?"
"Oh, he is an alumni of this academy as well as this dorm, a former Elite Ten's member, and... it's a bit surprising though, he is Yukihira's father."
He is?
So, it was the reason why their movements were in sync? Like they had worked together under the same kitchen for years. Also, it didn't take a long time till the food got served in front of them. From the various dishes on the table, Karen concluded that the man whom to be Yukihira Souma's father was a man with so many experiences.
"Wow, really a splendid banquet we had here, Ren." Haruki who became the last to join the group, commented as he whispered to Karen.
"As expected of a former Elite Ten's member." Karen commented back.
"He was?"
Karen nodded for Haruki's question just now. Karen let a small smile appeared on her lips once she realized how 'unusual' approach Souma's father did in his dishes. Combined different cooking techniques in one dish. Such a frightening chef, she thought.
"Oh, you didn't want to have a taste of it, Ojou-san?"
Karen lifted her sight from the dishes on the table to the one whom asked her just now. A man, maybe around her father's age or a bit older, with brown long hair. That man's face, Karen felt like she has seen it. Somewhere, but when?
Yukihira Joichirou almost screamed out once he saw the jet-black haired girl's face. A nostalgic face, he should call it. He even blinked for several times, and still same. It looked same, but different at the same time. What it was?
"Ren-chiii! I didn't know that you give us a visit?!" The energetic Yuuki immediately run to Karen with a plate full of Joichirou's dish on it. Those interruption was succeed in ended the staring contest between both Joichirou and Karen.
"Nah, I just want to drop something and Fumio-san brought me here."
Joichirou didn't leave his attention on Karen whom already engaged into a cheerful conversation with the dorm's residents.
"Fumio-san, who is she?" Joichirou asked to Fumio whom in the middle of munching her food. The older one looked at the one whom got asked by Joichirou, then looked at Joichirou before said her answer.
"She is one of the headmaster's granddaughters. Nakiri Karen."
Nakiri? Did he hear it correctly? Which part that made her a Nakiri? She was alike to...
"You... don't belief it, right?" Fumio asked back once she only got a silence after her answer. She placed her plate on her laps, had her sight on the merry conversation where that jet-black haired girl involved into. "It's... nostalgic, isn't it? It is like you see him got back alive when you see that girl." Fumio added, then was about to resume her eating. "But, trust me. She is a Nakiri. She's the older sister of Nakiri Erina."
"She is... the 'other' Nakiri twin girls, huh?" Joichirou didn't know why bringing out that topic gave him uneasy feeling. "The hidden and unknown Nakiri heiress."
Fumio chuckled at Joichirou's remark. She has imagined that since Joichirou left Toutsuki, the latter never paid attention to whatever happened to Japan culinary business – included Nakiri family's story. But, it seemed that he knew several of it – even though he seemed exaggerating that issue.
"What's funny, Fumio-san?"
"No. It's just... I don't know why you called her as 'the hidden and unknown heiress', but here... in Toutsuki Academy, she is well-known. Not a single student or teacher, that didn't know her. She... had a big influence, you know?"
It was supposed to be... not surprising, right? She is a Nakiri, given by that name, she was sure had influence in Toutsuki. But, when Joichirou took a look at the girl, she was like a vivid image of his senior back in the academy.
"I thought... she is too generous for a Nakiri."
It was when Jouichirou decided to have a peaceful night sky gazing, his memory flied back to his young days, when he was student in Toutsuki. It was in his third year of middle school that he met the one whom became one of seven wonders of Toutsuki Academy that time. The one whom got called as 'the phantom member of Polar Star Dorm'.
[Flashback]
"Fumio-saaan! I'm baaack!"
Joichirou whom in the middle of cleaning the kitchen – because of his usual morning training – stopped wiping the counter. It was unusual for someone shouted out loud in front of their dorm, calling for the dorm care taker, moreover in the early morning. Maybe he misheard it? So, he resumed his activity.
"Fumio-saaan! You haven't up yeeet?!"
Joichirou heard that shout again. As to make sure, Joichirou decided to go to the front door.
"Fumio-saa... an. Dare?"
It was the question given to him once he opened the front door. Joichirou didn't answer it immediately, as he questioned back the boy in front of him through his confused face. It was the first time he met that boy. A boy with tall stature, had a pair of emerald-green eyes – which looked intimidating, and short jet-black hair which styled slicked-back with several lock falling and framing his face. That boy wore Toutsuki uniform – in unusual style, Joichirou noted.
"You are really loud, Okazaki!"
The staring contest between Joichirou and that boy ended once the dorm's mother hen showed up, with her annoyed look over her face.
"I didn't hope to get that kind of greeting first thing I got back here, Fumio-san." Without asking for permission, that boy – whom got called as Okazaki by Fumio – entered the building. He gave the older lady several goody bags. "Your souvenirs."
Fumio took the bags and peeped into it. A satisfied smile already changed her previous annoyed look. "You know how to bribe me, aren't you?"
"Eh? You can't call it like that, Fumio-san." Then, that Okazaki boy turned his attention toward Joichirou whom barely closed the front door. "So, who is that brat? I didn't recall him being here last time."
"He is new member, Saiba Joichirou. He is one of the two most brilliant new members. You will like him, Okazaki."
"New member, huh?" Okazaki walked toward Joichirou, then out of the blue he offered his right hand. Joichirou looked at Okazaki's odd, sudden gesture. "Fumio-san has said an incredible note about you, so I hope we can help each other in the future, Jou-kun." Okazaki reached out for Joichirou's right hand, gave the latter a handshake after that. "My name is Okazaki Ken, just call me Ken. Ken-senpai also welcomed."
The sharp, intimidating look given by Okazaki Ken's emerald-green eyes already melted once that boy smiled as he introduced himself to the new member of the Polar Star Dorm.
[Flashback End]
"It will be plausible if she is to be Ken-senpai's daughter than his." Joichirou mumbled, when he remembered the jet-black haired Nakiri girl.
About the twin granddaughter of Nakiri Senzaemon, he has long known about it. Years ago, he has met the one whom blessed with God's Tongue – Nakiri Erina. That time, he even asked the old headmaster about the other girl, and that old man stated that the older girl was resembling their father than their mother. So, Joichirou imagined that the other girl will looked like their father – Azami. Who knew... that his prediction was a big failure. Once Joichirou saw her – Nakiri Karen – he didn't see any trait of Nakiri family on that girl. Not only in physical features, when that girl behaved in front of her peers she didn't looked like a Nakiri at all. Who is that girl actually?
"You seem deep in thought, Oyajii." Souma's voice brought Joichirou back to the reality.
"Am I?" Joichirou asked back, then saw his son gazing at the night sky. He remembered that his son looked like has befriend with that jet-black haired Nakiri girl. "Ne, Souma. You have befriend with that Nakiri girl?"
"Oh, Kuro Nakiri? Nah, I can't call it as befriend. Maybe, acquainted? We haven't that close to be called as friend yet, Dad."
"Is that so?"
"What?!" Souma asked back with a bit annoyed tone in his voice.
"Nothing. Just, seeing her reminded me of my old friend back in school. I saw that girl was quite friendly to everyone."
Souma nodded, agreed to his father. Souma barely realized it. That Nakiri Karen was the first one whom friendly enough to him – out of his dorm mates – back in his early days in that academy. Despite of coming from such high class family, that girl didn't judge his background like others.
"You have seen her cooking?" Souma looked at his father when he heard the older one asked him another thing but still related to the girl named Nakiri Karen.
"Yeah, quite unordinary she is. She has... so much knowledge. I... once considered her as a genius."
"And she will be your biggest obstacle in the upcoming Autumn Election, right?"
Souma can't say no to that remark. To be grouped in the same team, Souma had high expectation to see what kind of dish which will be made by that girl. Two times. First was the Chaliapin steak, the second was the rabbit meat miso soup at training camp. She has beaten him two times – even it was indirect. He can't helped the feeling of getting lose after he poured all of his creations in his dish. The next time, at Autumn Election, he has to pass her and her dish.
"Nah, ganbatte."
Just before the midday of the next day, the theme for Autumn Election got announced through a paper got sent to each participant. It was when Karen has her usual monitoring at the greenhouse that she got the said announcement paper. She remained calm even after read the word got typed on the paper.
Curry dish.
It was the theme for Autumn Election that year. Her brain started browsing all the information related to curry in her own memory. She sighed when she realized the base information related to that issue. Curry, then it related to spices. The annoying matter, she should call it. As she wasn't the type whom fond of playing with spices when it came to make a dish.
"Speaking of curry, it will be the smooth road for him, didn't it?" Karen mumbled, then she continued.
Ping!
Karen let out her phone which got kept in her pocket. A message from someone she expected the least to send a message to her. Karen swipe up the screen, and tapped several times on it.
[from: An-senpai]
Reeen! I need you right now!
What was that?
"Well, thanks for the feast. Your curry was really good!" Souma said as he clapped his hands together. "I'll pay you back for it later." He added.
"Later?" Hayama Akira asked back as he stopped his step, and turned around facing the red head boy with his calm face.
"A curry even better than yours. I'll let you taste it during the election." With his confident grin, Souma continued his rambling.
After hearing such words from the transfer student, Akira had his calm face turned into blank, didn't believe with that confident words spoken out by Souma. "You... didn't realize anything after eating my curries?" Akira asked again, just to confirm Souma's answer.
"I did. They were terrific."
"Huh?!"
"There's someone who can make something I can't... that makes me filled with envy." With the same grin of his, Souma spoke. "Thank you for everything. Let's meet again at the prelim-bugh." It was when Souma was about taking his leave, his face met the practice room's door which got opened abruptly. He even can't stood right after that as his stomach met the doorknob, giving him a shocking pain.
While the one behind that incident – Prof. Shiomi Jun – can't stopped her complaining about the three left her lecture earlier.
"Yukihira Souma." Akira called the red haired boy's name once the situation got calmed, a bit. That calling, made Souma got his attention back to Akira. "Facing curry means facing spices, facing aromas. Moreover, my nose is special. You don't have any chance to win." Akira stood tall while declaring that fact in front of Souma.
"We won't know till we..."
"I'm really meant it, Yukihira." Akira cut off Souma's unfinished words. "In our block, you're not only will facing me, but that girl too."
Souma immediately understood whom the one Akira had mentioned even the latter didn't say the name.
"Have you heard of ciel étoilé squad?"
Karen walked slowly – almost looked like a snail crawled on the ground with its slimy stomach – under the heat of that bright day. Using her large white sassy straw hat as the sunshade, it seemed didn't help much. It was when she reached the dense canopy made of the branches of the trees that she looked like got back alive. That time too, her phone began ringing. Another unexpected one reached her phone number.
"It's unusual of you to call me, Kira-kun."
"Am I? Nah, it's just that I have the urge to tell you about something."
Karen didn't reply to that. For someone like Hayama Akira has something urgent to be told to her? Karen can't figure out other things rather than the things related to Shiomi's seminar.
"Today, we got an unexpected visitor. He barely left." Akira paused before continued on. "Just like what you said, Ren. He's really an interesting student."
From the other line, Karen stayed silent as she listened and tried to look for the one matched to Akira's simple yet short explanation. It hasn't the time for her to pull the conclusion yet, Akira already spilled the answer.
"Yukihira Souma."
Karen stopped her step at the same time Akira spoke out those name. So, that red head boy gave a visit to Shiomi's seminar, huh? "Just in case, you didn't say unnecessary things to him, right?" Karen asked for the first time in their phone call.
"You suspect me? Seriously, Ren."
Karen heard the little amused tone in Akira's voice. "You guess?"
There was no reply from Akira after that. It silence, which became a bit annoying – to Karen. She needed to hear Akira's voice or the heat really burnt her.
"Nope. I just gave him a short entertainment with my curries." He spoke, finally.
"Is that so?"
"Ah... I did mention about them too." Akira added.
"Them? Who?"
"Your fateful followers, ciel étoilé squad."
Karen made a stop again after the last words. Moreover, she has reached her destination. The same words got spoken out by Akira just now, she saw it got printed on a board which hang in front of the door of the old building in front of her.
ciel étoilé squad
"You're sure have so many free time as you voluntarily share several things about them to Sou-kun, aren't you?" Karen continued on as she opened the door then headed to the farthest practice room in that building.
"Nah... I just wanted him to look at the reality, Ren. Being in the same group as us in the preliminary, moreover with that theme. He should know that he didn't has the chance of winning."
Karen kept listening, but didn't has the will to reply back. About Yukihira Souma didn't has the chance of winning the preliminary, she can't agree to that entirely. That red haired boy, always had his own way to surprise everyone, included her. Who knows, what will happen in the upcoming Autumn Election preliminary.
"Of course, I won't lose against you, Ren."
The call ended right after Akira said those words. She sighed, tired of hearing challenge got addressed to her one after another. It was when she already reached the practice room, even she saw the one whom sent her the message earlier, together with other students. A table full of plates with delicious-looked foods on it.
"Oh, Ren-chan. Welcome back!"
"You sent that message for... this, An-senpai?"
Later, at the evening... still the same day
Polar Star Dorm - rooftop
"Something is bothering you, Souma-kun?"
Souma turned around once he heard his senior's voice from behind. Isshiki walked toward Souma, offered a cold canned drink to the younger one.
"Since you got back from Prof. Shiomi's seminar, you became silent. Care to share with me?"
"A-ano... that was not a big thing actually. Isshiki senpai, do you know about ciel étoilé squad?"
Isshiki didn't answer that question immediately. Just like usual, he showed his grin till his eyes formed like crescent moon. "Take you long enough to ask me about that group, Souma-kun."
"You're really knew about it, Isshiki senpai."
Ah, he is the member of Elite Ten. Of course, he knew all the things related to this academy. Souma narrated those in his own mind. He sent a short glance toward his senior from the edge of his eye, but Isshiki still stayed silent.
"ciel étoilé squad. Some said that it's a group filled by Nakiri Karen's fans. But actually, it was a group of Toutsuki students whom dedicated themselves to be Ren-kun's subordinates." Isshiki began telling the fact about the said group.
Souma nodded absentmindedly. "That was what Hayama has said before." Isshiki got a bit surprised that Souma already knew that, even it was just the smallest thing related to that issue. It seemed that Souma was about to say something, so Isshiki let the younger one to continue. "Does it go the same like Nakiri Erina's subordinates? Like, Nikumi for example."
Isshiki shook his head immediately. "No. It's so much different from that. How to put it? While Nakiri Erina and her subordinate were like a princess and servant, the relation between Ren-kun and ciel étoilé squad was like a designer and pattern maker. In other word, ciel étoilé squad was in charge of making Ren-kun's recipes to be the real dish on a plate."
Souma became a complete muted human being after hearing that explanation. He can't imagined it at all. For someone with that carefree aura, modest and friendly, to have that kind of underling, it was hard to belief.
"It's kind of unbelievable, right? Then, want to give them a short visit, Souma-kun?" Isshiki offered something unpredictable to him. "Hmmm, but... calling it visit them isn't the right term because actually they're the one whom invited us."
"Invited to what, Isshiki senpai?" Souma even didn't miss a beat to ask back at his senior.
"Monthly banquet. We're not invited only to taste their dish, but to learn several cooking techniques too. It's perfect to start your summer holiday, isn't it?"
Karen looked at the screen of her computer once again, read the event schedule showed on it. Lately, she has been busy with Toutsuki Resort's things. The training camp which barely finished took all her attention too, which made her almost forgot about the monthly banquet she always held each month. After finished examining the rundown, she shut off the computer then took her phone. Her fingers danced beautifully on its screen, typed each letter to form word by word.
[to: An-senpai]
I've finished examining the schedule. There is none to be added. Thanks.
[from: An-senpai]
Don't mind it. So, about the Autumn Election Preliminary.
You have thought about something, right?
[to: An-senpai]
Not at all.
[from: An-senpai]
Seriously?!
Karen chose to not send the reply to that message. She got up from her chair to her bed. Placed her phone on the small table next to her bed, then she shifted the bright light in her room to the dimmer one. Laid on her bed, her rose-gold eyes stared at the ceiling which got decorated with small stars picture on it. She changed her position, facing the double windows which she let the curtain tied up. Several notification ring came from her phone, but she let it be. She was tired, because of all her activities that day. She will dealt with the other thing later, tomorrow.
[from: An-senpai]
No need to rush things, Ren-chan. Just belief that we're always by your side.
This year's Autumn Election, we will make sure that you're the winner.
