Dish.21 – Artful Child – [part.01]
"What's wrong... Karen?"
...
"Did they... speak something bad again to you?"
...
"Don't be upset, girl. They just... envied your talent."
...
"You've created another masterpiece, haven't you Karen? Not only it has unique flavor, the appearance itself is beautiful."
...
...
...
"From now on, Okaa-san want you to make dishes only for Okaa-san. Can you do it, Karen?"
"... Why?"
"... Because..."
"... Okaa-san?"
"Because Okaa-san love you, Karen. Okaa-san love you so much..."
Kriiing! Kriiing! Kriiing!
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.
.
Tap!
Karen got up on her bed with heavy breath. Her right hand which clutched the blanket trembled continuously. Slowly, she brought her knees to her chest as she rested her face on it. Her hold on the blanket got tighter as her left hand pulled some of her messed hair.
Such a bad timing, she thought.
Before she could decide on what the next thing she should do, soft knocks on her door took her attention.
"Ren, I'm coming in."
Just right after she heard Haruki's words just now, that boy appeared as he entered her room.
Haruki stopped after he taken two steps ahead the doorframe. Seeing the most unexpected sight in front of his eyes, Haruki then continued to go further to Karen's room. He sat on the left side of the bed, then slowly reached on the silent girl.
"A bad dream...?" Haruki posed a simple question with calm tone, when his right hand swept some of her messed hair, tried to see Karen's face.
"Can't you tell... Haruki."
Haruki got a bit taken aback by her calling. It was... only 1 amongst 1000 chances that Karen will called him by his full given name. And only 1 valid reason behind it.
That Karen didn't want Haruki to be involved with whatever 'matter' she was into.
Haruki showed a pained look on his eyes, as he saw the girl still hid her face behind her knees. As well as didn't say another word other than that answer.
"I'll be back to bring you something to eat."
Karen moved a bit as she heard the door got closed by Haruki as the latter was gone to get something for her to eat, just like his promise just now.
Haruki let out a heavy sigh as he finished preparing the breakfast set for Karen on the tray. Since he saw the current state of Karen, he can't let go of his restless feeling.
He has made sure that he always by her side whenever she spent her time in the training kitchen to test out her recipe design, back in their summer vacation. To make sure that the girl didn't get her 'panic attack'. Even every night before he drifted off, he always checked on the said girl. Read on her sleeping face, prepared for any consoling words to calm the girl in case she experienced nightmare which that girl often had.
Last night wasn't an exception. He stayed by her room till half an hour past midnight. Early in the morning too, he had checked on her if there's something wrong with her.
"I hope that it's not a bad omen for her."
With that short wish, he got back to Karen's room with a tray full of meal and tea.
Toutsuki Culinary Academy – Autumn Election Judge's waiting room.
A man with glasses, black hair which got combed so neatly, read the booklet of the 43rd Autumn Election of Toutsuki Culinary Academy which he became one of the judges in less than half an hour. He read on the list of the participant for the big event.
Several names that he recognized in that list, so he expected that the match will be fierce. But then, the small sigh he let out made his already strict face looked scarier.
"Too bad that the girl isn't in B block." He muttered as his eyes focused on certain name in A block's participant list. "It's been so long... since the last time I heard about her."
"Her...? You already have someone in mind that will shine in this match, Andou-san?"
Another judge asked the man with glasses with his happy voice. He is Kita Osaji, the leader of 'Kita Gastronomy Club'.
"Maybe. But, she's in the other block."
"Mind if you spilled out the name, Andou-san?" Kita Osaji gave another question.
Andou Shingo placed the booklet on the table in front of him then leaned on the sofa where he sat on. Pulled up his glasses, he spilled out a name.
"Nakiri Karen."
Kita Osaji looked like in deep thought after hearing that name. Moreover it was the first time he heard that name. It was quite surprising, as the said student was coming from the famous Nakiri family and he has never heard of that one.
"Does that girl have something special? Other than the fact she came from Nakiri family."
It took several seconds of silence for Andou Shingo to answer that question. "... That's right. She once got titled as child prodigy in cooking competitions, which was... suddenly disappeared without any news. I once saw her creation as the child chef. Her dish... was beyond any imagination could ever happened for a child in her age that time. Not only had a marvelous taste, her dish was a masterpiece. So artistic."
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.
.
"Some called her as... artful child."
The hall where the preliminary match got held was noisy with chit-chat here and there. The spectator benches already full of students as well as teachers and instructors. The guest lounge was not an exception, as all the invited guests already presented.
On the stage, there already set 30 workstations, and five chairs for the judge in that match. One by one, the participants made their appearance, walked towards their assigned workstation. As the promised time for the match was about to start, the spectators got livelier than several seconds ago when they noticed that someone hasn't made her appearance yet.
Not only on the spectator benches. The rest of participant in A block too started questioning.
Where's Nakiri Karen?
"To think about it, I also didn't see Ren-san in the opening ceremony earlier." Ryouko commented.
Ibusaki and Marui nodded in the same time, agreeing on Ryouko's words.
"It's unusual for Karen-sama to be late as she's a person whom always be on time." Ikumi added.
Souma whom heard his friends' talk was about to join in but stopped before he started as suddenly the atmosphere change.
All the noisy talks died down completely, as all the spectators' attention got into one place.
"I'm afraid that I won't see you on the stage, Ren."
Hayama greeted the jet-black haired Nakiri girl when the latter made an appearance.
Dressed in her chef uniform which had the same color as her hair and her cooking set case in her right hand. Her asymmetrically cut jet-black hair which has got longer styled in wrap side braid with white ribbon.
As the girl didn't speak a single word out of her mouth, Hayama added.
"I'll definitely win against you, Ren."
Karen stopped as she heard it, given the white haired boy a short glance as she replied. "Do what you want, Kira-kun. Moreover, I'm not fond of the top place."
She continued her steps towards her workstation and when she placed her cooking set case on the counter of her workstation, another thing caught the whole hall's attention.
"NAKIRI KAREN! GANBATTE! FIGHT!"
The sound of drum strike followed after those loud cheer made by a large group of students which seated on the east wing of the spectator benches. Those group was so lively like cheerleaders group cheered on baseball team in Koushien.
And, just the cheers ended as well as the clock shown at 11 o'clock, the big LED monitor which hanging above the stage showed the headmaster Nakiri Senzaemon's face.
"Cooking... start!"
Karen closed her eyes after hearing the headmaster's scream just now. The caramel cube candy she had several seconds ago already finished, only the leftover of its sweet flavor which still stayed on her taste-buds. She tried to calm her mind and heart which previously in chaos, like a never-ending storm.
She opened her eyes then opened her cooking set case to find her finely polished utensils. She sharpen her smelling sense. So many interesting aroma surrounded her. Be it came from others' workstation as well as her own. She let out a very small smile on her face when she heard the unusual music orchestra coming from chopping ingredients, pound spices, boiling water, melted butter against hot pans.
Letting out a relieved sigh, she spoke to herself.
"Let's make a masterpiece today."
The last time Erina saw her sister be on the stage of cooking match was... the Shokugeki the latter had with the former 9th seat – Eizan Etsuya – months ago. Just like that time, the girl named Nakiri Karen looked so focused on her works. Too focused that it looked like she was in another world – in her own world.
But, unlike the time when Karen had the Shokugeki when she looked like wanted to conquer the world with her dish, Erina saw her sister had different look in her eyes.
At first it looked calm, then filled with enthusiasm mixed with happiness. Sometimes, a curious gaze in it.
Just reminded Erina about the little Karen in their childhood days.
"She looked so devote in her own work that she didn't get swayed by the enormous aroma battle in this hall, does she?"
Erina got back from her reverie once she heard one of the judges spoke those sentence.
"That's right. I'm quite curious about the dish she's making."
The three hours of cooking flied away like in the blink of eye. Each participant already finished their work and was about to serve their dish in front of the judges. The judging started by them whom 'not too well-known' in 92nd generation but lucky enough to be chosen as Autumn Election's participant.
And, to everyone's surprise... the hall which previously filled by various praises fell into dead silent when the judges showed an unexpected score for the dish got served in front of them. Moreover on the score given by the head of judge in A group – Sendawara Natsume.
Even after tasting more than ten out of thirty, the said lady gave the same score. That was 'zero'.
Leisurely put a new caramel cube candy into her mouth, Karen looked uninterested with the 'tensed judging' which happened there. The dishes maybe looked interesting, but the judges themselves not the ones who could be fooled by the appearance. The unforgettable taste, not one has served it.
"H-h-how many is the score..."
"Didn't you hear me?! It's not delicious at all!"
Karen had a pity on the poor MC girl – Sasaki Yua – whom looked in the brim of tears as she heard that rude answer given by Sendawara Natsume.
"T-t-then... the next contestant... please..."
It was when Kurokiba Ryo – the one whom well-known as Nakiri Alice's aide served his curry dish to the judges. The big contrast of his red lobster curry with the elegant saffron rice already caught the attention of many.
"Hmm... finally an interesting dish got served." Karen mumbled when she saw the different reaction given by the judges.
Kurokiba Ryo.
When the first time she met that boy, Karen questioned herself about how in the whole world that her cousin – Alice – could tame that boy and brought him with her to Toutsuki. His cooking style was always filled with rage. Full of the taste to make someone knelt down, admitted their defeat to him.
And today, Kurokiba Ryo showed it in front of Toutsuki audience.
"T-t-the total score for Kurokiba Ryo is... 93!"
Surprised looks and talks changed the atmosphere of the previous silent hall. And now, the event looked more like 'a proper cooking competition'. As following Kurokiba Ryo's excellent dish, several dishes after it got good reviews from the judges.
It was the time for the golden child for the theme of the competition – Hayama Akira – to serve his dish. As the white haired boy already showed his skill earlier, the small appearance of his dish did surprise all of the audience.
Yukihira Souma wasn't an exception when he saw the said dish in front of him.
"Be careful! It's still fresh from the oven." Hayama reminded the red haired Yukihira boy as he threw a spoon to the latter.
Once the pie cracked open, it was like an aroma bomb burst. The delicious curry aroma filled the whole hall, reached even till the spectator benches.
Playing with the two remaining caramel cube candies in her right hand, Karen showed an amused look on her rose gold eyes. From the aroma itself, it already showed that the dish Hayama made was something so far different than the previous dishes which already got scored.
Karen was too tired to list each component of spices used in Hayama's curry by that marvelous aroma. But, one thing that she was sure of it.
"It's... holy basil."
The kind of spice which not commonly found in Japan. About how Hayama got that thing, Karen didn't need to ask it. The boy himself and his guardian – Prof. Shiomi Jun – already tended in that kind of subject for years.
"And... the ingredient he used to neutralize it... " Karen mumbled, hanging her sentence mid-sentence as she gazed on Souma whom looked deep in thought analyzing the dish's flavor.
"Yogurt?!" Souma spoke when he realized it after tasting the sour flavor in it.
"That's right, Yukihira. In fact, holy basil can destroy your dish if it got cooked in wrong way. And you can save it by using yogurt."
Maybe he will get the highest score...
"It's... 94 points! He's on the first place!"
While almost all the audience got surprised by the high score Hayama got, Karen got surprised by another thing. The fact that Hayama scored one point higher than Kurokiba Ryo had, it... made her disappointed, a bit.
"I've expected of him to get more than that." Then Karen shifted her attention to Yukihira Souma. "So, what kind of dish he's making?"
Joined the ciel étoile squad, Haruki stayed silent in his seat as he watch the show on the stage of battle. The marvelous dish by Hayama Akira did like made the judges under his spell. Haruki even got surprised when he saw two judges given the perfect score for that dish.
"He's really the biggest opponent Ren-kun should defeat, isn't he?" Kuze Kairi, one of the respected members of the group muttered as he slurped his favorite red juice.
"That's right. And those perfect score, it will be hard." Kozuki Ann responded. "But, don't worry. Our Ren-chan still have the chance."
"Nah... with that kind of attitude she showed earlier, she looked so confident in making her dish. Ne, Haruki-kun..."
Kairi hasn't finished his sentence yet another aroma burst filled that hall. That aroma burst was coming from the dish got served by the transfer student – Yukihira Souma.
"Eh...? Both of them... have the same idea, huh?"
Haruki didn't comment any single word as he stayed calm. His sight never left Karen – whom miraculously looked too calm in that tense situation. Not only that. That girl even looked like have her usual amused look on her face at the interesting showdown given by both Hayama Akira and Yukihira Souma.
"Oh... that transfer student got 93 points. Second place, huh...?"
"What is it? Three judges given one point higher on Yukihira's dish than Hayama's dish."
Should Haruki call the match in A group was really interesting? As the judges fought each other for a trivial matter. It was when the MC girl called for the next contestant that the quarrel stopped.
Haruki posed an unfriendly look when he saw the newcomer's score on the screen. 91, which made that giant alike boy secured the third place.
"Ren..."
Karen pushed the trolley with six plates on it. She placed each one in front of the five judges, then gave the remaining one plate to both Hayama Akira and Yukihira Souma.
"I hope that you two didn't mind sharing it together, Kira-kun, Sou-kun." Karen said as she handed both boys a small spoon. A spoon to enjoy sweets. Then, she turned around to face all of the judges. With her elegant smile which rare to be seen, she started.
"It's an honor for me to serve this dish to you all the judges. As the closing of this competition..." Karen paused as she opened up the cover which hidden her dish. "I hope you all enjoy the dessert I have made."
All the eyes focused on the said 'dessert' on the plate which got served in front of the judges. A beautifully arranged sweets which they haven't ever seen.
"W-what is this...?!" Sendawara Natsume asked, rather with her stern voice. "The theme is curry dish. And what you've made is-"
"Of course, it's a curry dish." Without any remorse look on her face because she stopped Sendawara Natsume mid-sentence, Karen continued her speaking. "Why don't you take a taste of it first before criticizing it?"
Yeay... finally we got to see the Autumn Election Preliminary...
For you whom curious about the dish served by Karen, you can browse 'Thai green curried pineapple' or 'Molecular Pineapple Dessert'. It was the dish which miraculously I found in a culinary website and it served Karen's specialty.
