Dish.25 – Savior [part.2]
"Waaah... this place is huge!"
Yukihira Souma exclaimed loudly once he stepped into the Nakiri Mansion which placed not so far from the academy buildings complex. Both his hands held the pan with his updated beef-stew in it. While the member of journalist club – Soutsuda Mitsuru – followed him from behind, brought together his camera and small notepad in his pocket.
Earlier, when the two reached the front gate of the said mansion, both of them met the twin's cousin – Nakiri Alice, and her aide – Kurokiba Ryo. And that white haired girl let the two boys entered the mansion so easily.
It was when both of them were about to get to the main house that they met another Nakiri girl whom looked so busy with her tablet PC. That was the first time Souma saw that girl since the Autumn Election Prelim, as that girl was 'miraculously' got unseen for the last two weeks.
"Kuro Nakiri!"
Nakiri Karen looked up from her tablet PC to the one whom called her with that unique nickname. Despite showing her plain look on her face, actually she was quite surprised by the unexpected visit did by Souma. Not to forget about the pan he brought with, also the boy whom looked like a junior high student behind him.
She let out a small smile once the two boys got closer. She eyed the closed pan in Souma's hands shortly as she smelled something mild from its small opening. "What's bring you here, Sou-kun?" She asked.
"Nah... I'm in the middle of trying a new recipe for the upcoming match, and..." Souma paused, took a step forward as he leaned closer to Karen. He continued on with a lower voice. "I need someone with high taste to try my newest experiment dish."
Karen nodded at Souma's meant. Then, she looked at the younger boy behind Souma. "And you?"
"I-I... it's an honor to meet you, Nakiri Karen-senpai! I'm Soutsuda Mitsuru from journalist club!"
"Uhm... I see."
Actually, Karen already heard about a member of journalist club whom followed Yukihira Souma since the news about the upcoming Shokugeki between Yukihira Souma and Mimasaka Subaru got announced. As she met that boy directly, she can't helped but gave that boy a little advice.
"You seem to have high spirit in gathering information for your upcoming article, Tsuda-kun. It's good, but it would be better if you put more effort on your culinary studies too, boy." Karen said while taking a brief look on her tablet PC, then she got her attention back on Souma.
"And, Sou-kun... if you intended on getting my advice for your newest experiment, I'm sorry that I have to refuse it." She paused as she showed her tablet PC as if it was the cue for her next words. "There's so many businesses I have to deal with, I'm quite busy right now."
Souma's mouth formed an 'O' while his eyes still had an amazed gaze in it. Inside his head, he questioned himself. How that girl always got the right thing in her first guessing?
"Ah... by the way, Sou-kun. Does one of your dorm mates collect manga?"
Souma took about three seconds of silence, tried to remember if one of his friends in Polar Star Dorm suited Karen's short description. At the fourth second, he nodded. A bright smile came from Karen's face as she saw that answer.
"Then, that's settled. All you need to do is ring the bell, then someone will open the door for you. That person, surely will help you with your dish. Good luck!"
"Ah...! I don't have the next volume! Ah... I have reached the climax part. How's the continuation of Sachiko's love story?!"
Erina's face was red because of got annoyed by the ending of the manga she was reading. She put the finished manga next to her pillow, as she called her secretary.
"Hisako? Where's the next volume? Hisako?"
Ah, that's right.
Erina got up, sat on her bed as she came back to the current situation. After her loss in the Autumn Election Main Event's third match, Hisako decided to leave Erina. Erina still remembered well how awful Hisako's expression that day, when the latter left her even without asking about Erina's opinion.
In this kind of situation, Erina realized that Hisako was always by her side. That pink haired girl always prepared every single thing for her. She always be there whenever she needed her.
Ping! Pong! Ping! Pong!
Upon the ringing bell of the front door, Erina got her hope up – a bit. She dashed from her room straight to the front door just to meet the one whom pushed the bell nonstop. She put all of her energy into running as she kept chanting in her head.
That must be Hisako! She's really know all about me.
"I've been waiting for you!"
Click! Flash!
Erina's smiling face immediately turned into a confused one once she opened the front door and got her picture taken by unknown photographer. In front of her, it wasn't Arato Hisako like in her expectation. But, two boys – one held the camera which he used to take the photo just now, and the other one whom already got familiar to her.
"Yo, want to take a taste of this if you aren't busy?" Souma greeted the surprised Nakiri Erina.
Actually, he got surprised too. Earlier, Karen told him that there's someone who will helped him with his experiment dish. Since he didn't see the sophomore student – Kimura Haruki, he expected maybe that 'someone' Karen mentioned was that boy. But, to his surprise. That 'someone' was Karen's sister – Erina.
"Yukihira Soumaaa!?"
"What a beautiful smile." Soutsuda Mitsuru commented with his smiling face toward Souma.
"You're right. I'm really happy, it seems that she's welcoming us." Souma replied with his usual grin.
"Not at all!" Still with her annoyed tone, Erina answered. Seeing the 'stupid' face of Yukihira Souma always made her blood pressure sky-rocket. "W-why are you here? You two must have threaded way through the security to enter Nakiri Mansion." Erina accused both boys in front of her.
With the same 'stupid' expression on his face, Souma told her about his short journey to the Nakiri Mansion – except his short talk with Karen as that girl already asked him to not mention about their encounter. Not long after that, Soutsuda Mitsuru bragged about his amazement of the possibility that Nakiri Erina will take a taste of Souma's beef-stew, also about things he has heard related to the both Erina and Souma – with his dreamy look. And to Erina's misery, the red haired boy responded to Soutsuda's words.
"Don't play with me!" Erina's loud and firm voice as if became the finish line for Soutsuda's and Souma's little talk. "Listen! First, before I take a taste of your dish, you have to follow the tight rules to determine your worthiness. Then, pay big amount of money for me! That's it!"
Souma looked like he took that words seriously. He even asked the younger boy next to him if that boy had money to help him paid for Erina's service.
Erina felt like her patience got thinner in each second passed. All she got whenever she met Yukihira Souma was no other than headache, and another boy added only got her stressed out more. That boys' sudden visit was really ruined her peaceful time.
"Anyway, I have no time to deal with you two as I'm really busy right now!"
"You're 'busy'... reading manga?"
Souma's question just like an arrow went straight to the bull's eye. Erina was really wanted to talk back to that annoying boy but there's nothing in her head.
"Shoujo manga, huh?" Souma added as he took a better look on the manga's cover. That time, Souma immediately understood with Karen's question which related to manga earlier. A crazy idea suddenly appeared in his head, and he tried his luck on it.
"T-that isn't your business. Now, go..."
"I think someone in Polar Star Dorm has all the volumes of it."
Another Souma's words which made Erina speechless. Upon seeing Erina's reaction, deep in his heart Souma felt like he had hit the jackpot. But, it's not the end. He wanted to make it more dramatic.
"Alright. It can't be helped if you refused my request. I'm wondering if Fumio-san was free..."
"Wa-wait!" Erina's sudden – unexpected – word was succeed in making both Souma and Soutsuda stopped their walk. "It's... only today that I'll make an exception, and accept your request to taste that dish." With her usual haughty tone she added.
"Eh? You want to taste it for me?" Souma replied with his shocked tone. He didn't belief that his trick will got him that respond.
"Well... all I will tell you is the plus and minus of your dish. I can't give you advices because I'm a part of the committee."
"But, I don't have money..."
"Don't worry, the payment isn't always with money. We can discuss about it." Erina said it without facing him.
Then, not long after that - with her 'unhappy' face – according to Souma's interpretation upon her expression, that girl let both Souma and Soutsuda got into the house and headed straight to the training kitchen.
"Ne, Otou-san. What are you doing when you felt bored of cooking?"
"...?"
"You must have experienced it yourself, haven't you, Otou-san?"
"... Ren..."
"Ne, Otou-san. Lately, cooking has been a boring routine to me. I can't enjoyed the dishes like I used to as its flavors were tasted just like what I've predicted."
"...!"
"Ne, Otou-san. Is something wrong with me?"
.
.
.
Nakiri Karen got out of her own world when she felt the car stopped. She has got back to Nakiri Mansion, after the short visit she had at one of Toutsuki's business partners. She wished to have another visit, but too bad that her business visit for that day already finished. Her Ruki-nii was busy with his academic assignment that he even banned her to step into his room as well as his private training kitchen.
Her daily life in Nakiri Mansion was boring... and a bit frightening.
Karen smiled sourly at her own definition about her daily life in a place which she supposed to call as 'home'.
"I'm sorry, Karen-sama. May you wait for a while? It seems that the engine got trouble again." The driver asked her, after almost two minutes he tried to switch on the engine but failed yet the girl on the back seat still made no movement.
"Uhm..." Karen was loss of words as she realized that she was too engrossed with her own train of thought. She even didn't pay attention to her surroundings. She opened the car window, and knowing the fact that she was still in the middle of the long road toward Nakiri Mansion, with the car at a dead set. "I think that you don't need to fix it by yourself, Amamiya Oji-san. I will call the technician to take this car and fix it in their workshop."
"But, Karen-sama..."
"I hope that you listen to me for this time, Oji-san. Today, you have brought me to many places around Tokyo. You must be tired. Also, it hasn't reached two weeks since your comeback from the hospital. I can let this car 'sick' but you, Oji-san."
The driver – Amamiya, smiled at Karen's words. It has been years since he became the private driver for that girl. Just like how he has memorized all the places which often got visited by the girl, Karen also has memorized all the things related to that driver. That girl, not a day that she won't surprised him. That made every trip they had felt exciting.
Amamiya looked at Karen whom busy with her phone call through the rear-view mirror. He should admit, that between all the Nakiri family members, Karen was the most generous one. Not only once that the other drivers in Toutsuki showed their envious looks towards him whenever they saw both him and Karen had a lively talks together.
"They will be here in a minute, Oji-san." Karen informed, but then her sight caught something from afar. "Sou-kun?"
That late afternoon, the boy whom became the hot topic for the upcoming Shokugeki against Mimasaka Subaru – Yukihira Souma – accompanied by the member of journalist club – Soutsuda Mitsuru – walked leisurely through the long way surrounded by countless tall trees at both sides, after getting not-so-pleasant comment about Souma's beef stew from Nakiri Erina.
While Soutsuda Mitsuru mumbled about several things related to Erina's comment earlier, Souma looked deep in thought.
"For unknown reason, Nakiri's words keep ringing in my head." He mumbled. It was when he lifted up his sight from the pavement, that he saw someone. "Kuro Nakiri?"
"Yo, I guess that you have got an amazing advice, Sou-kun."
Souma just showed his half smile at Karen's greeting once he got to her place. "Kind of. By the way, what are you doing here, Kuro Nakiri?"
"Ah, the car is dead, and we're waiting for the technicians to check it."
"We?"
"I and the driver, Amamiya Oji-san." Karen answered leisurely. "So, what kind of advice did my dear sister give to you?"
Karen couldn't help but asked him. The reaction Souma gave to her guess earlier was a bit suspicious. Knowing the nature of Nakiri Erina, as well as her position as a member of the Autumn Election committee, her sister won't gave a straightforward advice. And it was like her question just now already answered her suspicion. It was unusual of Souma to not answer her question immediately. So, she waited as she leaned against the car. It was when Souma was about to speak a word, Soutsuda already stepped into their conversation.
"Nakiri-senpai said that Yukihira-senpai didn't understand the theme of the match."
Such an unexpected answer she got.
"Heh...? Sou-kun, may I take a look over your beef stew?"
Karen did take a look on the beef stew inside the pan. She immediately recognized the mild aroma she smelled earlier once the pan got opened. A smile appeared on her face when she matched her own conclusion to Erina's advice which got reported by Soutsuda earlier.
"I see." Karen looked up to Souma, and with her innocent look she continued. "I'm sorry that I have to say this, Sou-kun. But, this beef stew is not good. If you served this in your upcoming match, you'll definitely lose."
"How are you so sure about it, Karen-senpai? You even haven't taken a bite of it yet." Soutsuda asked for the first time, both of his hands already held the pen and notebook, ready to write whatever explanation Karen will spilled out.
"Ah... it's based on my short observation. I didn't find something special in it." Karen took a pause as she took a candy cube from her pocket. While gazing at the candy, she continued. "It's still not enough... to be called as 'a main dish'."
Putting the candy inside her mouth, she looked at Souma as she began explaining further.
"I think, before you start modifying it, you should have a better understanding about the theme, Sou-kun. You shouldn't looking for it by yourself, as you know... you have your dorm mates, and others whom must be willing to help you." She stopped for a while as she looked at her phone when she got a sudden message.
"The thing that made Mimasaka Subaru's so troublesome... I think that you've realized it when you made this beef stew, Sou-kun. He doesn't have a special interest in his cooking that made you felt like fight against yourself. But, it's not only that." She took another pause, then continued at the next second as she put back her phone in her blazer pocket after finished replying message she got earlier.
"He peeled off each information about you, and people around you. Then, he used all the information he got to make his 'advanced' thing to get a higher place than you. So, the thing that I want to tell you is- what?"
Souma, with his usual goofy smile, looked at Karen whom had a questioned look on her face. "Yah... you're really amazing, Kuro Nakiri. Every time you analyze something always left me in awe."
"Just for your information, Sou-kun. I'm not happy even you've praised me like that, you know?"
"Playing the role of a good friend, aren't you, Karen-chan?"
It was about three minutes after Souma and Soutsuda left her place that she heard it. A familiar male voice which Karen wished to not hear for the rest of her school life. She turned and met the sophomore student with square glasses stood not far from her place. A cocky grin plastered on his face.
"Then, you must be playing the role of a bad senior, Eizan-senpai."
"Hah! Your words are lovely as always, Karen-chan."
The sophomore student as well as the former 9th seat Elite Ten – Eizan Etsuya – commented as he instructed the technicians behind him to start working on the dead sedan which Karen rode earlier. Karen looked at the three technicians whom already started moving their hands on things which related to the sedan's engine as well as on their tools. She recognized their faces as they were technicians whom worked for Toutsuki and hired exclusively by some higher ups in Toutsuki Group.
"Oh, you recognized them, Karen-chan? Nah, it's just a coincidence that I heard you need technician to fix your car." Eizan informed even without Karen asked.
"I think that you already knew, Eizan-senpai." Karen took a pause, focused all of her attention towards the sophomore boy. "I'm not quite like to have a business with you."
Pulled up his glasses on the bridge of his nose, Eizan got the cocky grin on his lips turned into a sinister laugh. He laughed like a man whom won a lottery. "So do I, Karen-chan." He replied after his laugh died down. He took two steps forward, then leaned toward her. "I'm fed up looking at you become the savior for those hopeless businessmen which shamelessly put their names under Toutsuki Group, and those pathetic students which gathered like a bunch of annoying bees in your Monthly Banquet. Why don't you stop your acting... and show your true color, Nakiri Karen."
Karen looked hard on Eizan at the mention of the last part of his sentence. Seeing such reaction from Karen, Eizan showed his triumph smile. On the next second, Eizan showed a disk to her.
"I don't know if getting your deepest secret will be this easy, Karen-chan." Putting back the disk in his pocket, Eizan added. "Before becoming a savior to someone else, don't you think that you need a savior for you first, our dear Karen-chan?!"
