20XX – Tokyo
Toutsuki Culinary Academy
A week after the final battle of 158th John & co. Culinary Competition.
"Mind... if you came here and help me pack all of this things, Hinata-san?"
...
"How's your holiday? I heard that you helped Chef Takumi-"
"You should hate me, so why...?"
"... What do you mean by... hating you?"
"Because of me... you... "
*sigh*
"I think that you're overestimate yourself about it, Hinata-san. Didn't I tell you before? I have... no longer attached to you, since he laid his eyes on you. My loss last time... it's not related to you at all."
"..."
"Just like Kou-kun who want to end it all, I have the same thought. I did it in purpose so... I have no obligation to battle against him in the future. Having cooking match with Kou-kun... has no longer entertained me."
5th Plate – Scars of the Past (part.02)
Present time,
Tokyo - Nakiri Mansion
"They are... the worst nightmare."
Arato Hiroomi still looked at his friend whom given that unexpected answer upon his question several seconds ago.
"Do you think... I will say something like that?"
The cold gaze on Kei's violet eyes, as well as unfriendly face he made suddenly got replaced with Kei's cunning smile which made Hiroomi got annoyed in an instant.
That boy was really took the worst time to make a joke.
As annoyed as he is, Hiroomi immediately locked the ash grey blonde haired boy in his tackle. Instead of asking the older boy to let go of him, Kei laughed out loud.
That little commotion did make Nakiri Kana - whom previously had a conversation with Arato Hisako – spared her attention to the duo. She has got familiar with the tanned skinned boy whom tackled the ash grey blonde haired boy. That boy – Arato Hiroomi – is her childhood friend as well as her closest senpai. While the one whom now struggled in the middle of Hiroomi's hold... Kana only saw that boy in the events like that social gathering. Of course, she knew that boy.
Okazaki Kei.
The young heir of Shirafude Winery in Yamanashi. Despite coming from family which run winery business, that boy also excelled in cooking. His talent... some said that he's almost rivalled Arato Hiroomi – the boy whom gifted with Godly smelling sensory.
"Stop bullying others, Omi-kun."
Kana's smile which previously plastered on her lips was slowly vanished once she heard that familiar voice. The familiar voice which has long got unheard.
The boy whom got reprimanded stopped, as his eyes showed surprised look upon seeing the young man whom walked towards their place. The surprised look also showed on Kei's face once he saw that young man.
"Kouhei-sama."
"It's been a while... Omi-kun." That young man replied as he flashed a smile to the younger one.
"Hai. Kouhei-sama."
So, that young man is the famous Nakiri Kouhei?
Kei asked himself, while his gaze was still on the young man before them. He has seen Nakiri Kouhei's photo in several culinary magazines already, but seeing that man directly gave him a different experience.
In term of aura, that Nakiri Kouhei man supported similar aura with his big brother. Back then.
His big brother.
Suddenly his palms turned into fists remembering the fact about his big brother whom changed like someone else because of the young man before him.
"And... you...?"
"Okazaki Kei. Hiro's friend." Kei introduced himself after getting a questioned look from Kouhei.
"Okazaki... are you by any chance... coming from Okazaki family which run Shirafude?"
"Yes. It's an honor to be able to meet you, Nakiri Kouhei-san."
Kei gave a short bow to greet the older one in front of him. Even though he had a hatred toward that young man, he should still showed his politeness. It was all thanked to his grandfather's lecture which got fed through him continuously.
"Is there any business here that required you to attend to, Kouhei-sama?"
Upon Hiroomi's sudden question, Kouhei shifted his attention toward the white haired boy. Kouhei didn't answer it immediately, but as he gave the young Arato boy a small smile, he spoke.
"Kind of. Maybe... we can continue our talk later, Omi-kun."
With that, Nakiri Kouhei left the two boys.
Kei followed the orange haired young man with his sight till the latter was out of his sight as the said young man took a left turn at the end of the long corridor.
He didn't remember when was the last time he came back home. The vast Nakiri Mansion didn't change at all. Still looked marvelous, yet felt cold. Since he knew the outside world, he felt that Nakiri Mansion was no other than a giant gold cage.
Kouhei hasn't informed anybody about his arrival, as he didn't want to be bombarded by countless questions after that. So, he took the shortest route to the main house as well as to draw less attention towards him. It was when he reached the east wing long corridor that he saw two teenage boys joked around. He recognized the tanned skinned boy whom looked taller than the last time he saw the boy. But the other boy.
So, it was when he greeted the boy named Arato Hiroomi that he could see the other boy clearly.
That boy had a handsome face which maybe rivalled to Hiroomi, with a pair of violet eyes, a small mole sat under his left eye. He has unkempt short ash grey blonde with bangs that frame his face.
It was their first meeting, but for unknown reason... that boy looked familiar to Kouhei. And, as it to kill his curiosity, Kouhei asked that boy's name.
Okazaki Kei.
A boy whom coming from Okazaki family which owned Shirafude Winery.
"Is there any business here that required you to attend to, Kouhei-sama?"
Kouhei didn't know how to answer that question. So, he told the boy a little lie then chose to left the younger two.
At first, he got back to Japan was solely because of his restlessness about the meeting his little sister had with that certain young man whom used to be his biggest rival back in his high school days. And, thanked to the phone call he had with his uncle earlier, he had another 'important' reason to come back home.
Why... it should be Rei?
Kouhei just wanted more information from his Uncle Asahi related to the thing they talked about earlier. He has thought about it thoroughly.
Nothing in all universe that Kikuchi Rei will accept that position. That young man even didn't have any interest to take the leader position in Kyusei Group – the business affiliation founded by his own family. Also, knowing the bad history he had with Nakiri family in the past.
Knowing the fact that Nakiri family which made him giving up on his own dreams.
"Welcome back, Kouhei-kun."
Kouhei just wanted to know the reason... why those directors chose Kikuchi Rei as the prominent candidate to dethrone him.
Tokyo - Sumire Shopping Precinct, Yukihira Diner
After closing the diner...
"What's with that long look, Rei?"
Jouichirou joined the younger man with a glass full of iced beer in it. The younger one sighed as he leaned on his chair. Playing with his glass of beer, Rei answered with defeated tone.
"Just wondering... what kind of answer I should give to her question last night..."
"Her question? What question... wait, who has questioned you?"
Rei looked up at Jouichirou, then with his smirk on his lips he spoke. "Not telling you."
"Rei-kun... you're not-"
Braaak!
Both Rei and Jouichirou jolted in surprise by the sudden outburst of the front door being opened abruptly, not to mention with loud noise too. A not so pleasant yell followed after it.
"Rei! Are you really he... re..."
The shout got descended in its tone as it reached the end, when the one whom yelled out those question found the subject he was looking for.
"Rei!"
Jouichirou couldn't formulate any kind of words as the sudden scene in front of him happened so fast. Somehow, he recognized the one whom already hugged Rei so tightly right now. The thick Italian accent in his speaking, the gold blonde hair he inherited from his father, as well as that brash act he got from his mother.
"You know what?! I've taken the fastest flight to Japan right after I got a notice that you've come back to Japan!"
Blah... blah... blah...
Jouichirou chose to drink his beer in silent as he joined in listening on that Italian young man's the called-so-long story – which became an annoying thing to the other young man in front of him.
That two haven't changed at all either, Jouichirou thought.
"Oh- I almost forgot!" That young man spared his attention to Jouichirou whom began to munch his late night snack. "It has been long, Chef Jou!"
"Hmm... it's been long, Nic. How's your business go, kid?"
The young man – Nicola Aldini – smiled brightly at the question. And with that happy mood, he answered. "It's pretty good, Chef Jou. And now, I'm in the middle of scouting my soon-to-be head chef for my upcoming second restaurant."
"Eh..."
It was when he took a better look on the gesture made by the Italian young man as well as several mentions in his long story earlier that something got into Jouichirou's brain.
"Then... good luck on persuading him." At the mention of that last part, he sent a short glance over Rei whom already had unfriendly look in his eyes. And with that little goodbye, he excused himself leaving both Rei and his uninvited guest.
It was almost two minutes after Jouichirou left both young men that Nicola opened up another conversation.
"So... why here... out of all places in Japan?"
Nicola asked as he opened a new mint flavored candy then savored its refreshing flavor. His eyes which previously focused solely on Rei already shifted its focus on his smartphone. His fingers tapped on its screen continuously like it has its own mind. That was when he didn't get the answer even after fifteen seconds since he asked that question, Nicola stopped typing on his phone. He looked up at the younger one whom 'miraculously' looked at his own drink without a blink. So deep in his own world.
Since back then, Nicola always wondered about that rare trait owned by Rei.
"You know, Rei... you're not a stray cat. You... still have a family whom cared about you, right?" Nicola continued, started typing again on his phone to reply several messages sent to him.
"Not yet."
Nicola stopped his movement, after hearing Rei's first reaction over his talk.
"My head hasn't cleared yet. I can't go back home to Kyoto nor meet my family yet."
The Italian young man didn't comment on it, as he watched Rei finished his beer.
"So... you haven't healed yet...?"
"Here, your blanket, Nic." Jouichirou entered the room where Nicola used to rest for the night.
Receiving the blanket, Nicola didn't say a single word. It was when Jouichirou was about to reach the doorframe that he stopped the older one with his calm voice as he asked.
"Mind if you tell me what have happened to Rei, Chef Jou?"
Jouichirou didn't answer it immediately. He turned around, and saw the younger one still had his clouded eyes as well as that grim face. Not only that. His grip on the blanket got tighter too.
Letting out a small sigh, Jouichirou leaned on the doorframe as he asked back. "What do you want to know?"
"All of it." Nicola put the blanket on top of the mattress as he confessed it. He looked up at the older one, with his serious look. "Precisely, after his legendary battle with Nakiri Kouhei at 158th John & co. Culinary Competition two years ago."
"You ask too much, aren't you?" Jouichirou replied, taking the vacant chair in that room and positioned it not far from the bed where Nicola sat on.
"Beat me, Chef Jou." Nicola paused, and after about three seconds of silent, he continued. "You know, that I'm late in realizing it. In this recent two years, I kept guessing yet I pretended that I knew nothing."
Silence befallen in that small room after that. Jouichirou guessed that Nicola had so much things he wanted to say that he stayed silent, waiting for the younger one to continue.
"It felt so wrong, knowing the fact that Rei has given up on his dreams just because of his losing in that cooking match. There must be something else that made him took that decision."
Jouichirou still hasn't said a single word out. He shifted his attention to the night sky through the window. Once he had the same thought as Nicola's. So, that time he sought the answer for it. Rather than asking Rei, he chose to ask his own grandson.
"I hope that I can answer your question just now, but... too bad that I have no word to tell about that matter, Nic."
Nicola sent his questioned look after hearing that reply.
"That decision... since in the beginning, had become their agreement. Both Rei and Kouhei even recorded it in a contract document. And truth to be told, it was Rei whom suggested that deal."
"The winner get anything, the loser give up everything."
Rei stayed outside the diner, leaned on the closed front door. He rummaged his pants' pocket, searching for something. Then, he let out the small black box and opened it. His slender finger run along the well-lined up brown colored small sticks in that box. Took one of it and placed it in between his lips, he closed the box and put it back into his pocket.
It was when he was about to savor the flavor of that brown colored stick, he saw a black sedan stopped right in front of the diner. A teenage girl came out of that glossy car. The car left as the girl walked toward the diner in her slow pace.
"Welcome back, Kana-chan."
The girl – Nakiri Kana – stopped once she heard her name got called. Her eyes which previously focused on her phone, changed its focus on the one whom greeted her just now. And she saw his handsome face. Again.
Unlike this morning, Rei already changed his appearance in his usual night-mode. His long platinum blonde hair got tied in loose bind, a simple black oversized pants and vintage themed robe covered his shirt. The same look she always saw when the work time has over.
"I'm... back."
"It's seemed that you got a long day. Hurry up get into the house and have a rest. It's not good for your health to have lack of sleep."
His smile, his gentle voice, he made her felt special.
"Can I ask you something... Rei-san?"
Taken a bite of his coffee flavored candy stick, Rei nodded as his reply over Kana's question just now. He waited patiently, for her next question. But, it seemed that something wasn't right as the said girl looked so nervous.
"Just say it, Momo-chan."
Kana didn't know what Rei has put into his words, as at the mention of that nickname, all of her nervousness vanished. Carefully enough, she spelled out the question.
"Do... you know... someone named... Nakiri Kouhei?"
The smile on his face slowly disappeared, got replaced by a cold look. An appearance that hasn't seen by Kana, and for unknown reason... it scared her.
"I do."
The cold gaze on his eyes still looked so vivid. Kana was too focused on it that she didn't realize that Rei walked towards her. It was his next sentence that made her regret for asking that question to him.
"I don't know where you heard about my relation to him, but... don't ever bring that name in front of me again."
With that cold words, he left her. Stood like a statue, Kana felt a sudden pain in her heart after hearing it. There's no hate feeling in Rei's words earlier. That words got heard like a pleading.
What have happened between him and her brother?
Okinawa – Hoshishiro Inn
He is really coming back to Japan. He stayed at Yukihira Diner, together with Chef Jou. Do you know, Hina-chan? He hasn't changed at all. Still played the act of hard to get.
Tadokoro Hinata read the message sent by her older cousin for the fifth times already. Then, she looked at the picture got attached together with the message.
He hasn't changed at all.
Maybe she should agree on it. The young man in that picture still looked same like in their school years back. He still looked so breath-taking with long hair. His segmental heterochromatic eyes together with a single mole under his left eye.
For certain reasons, Hinata regretted about realizing her true feeling at the wrong time.
...
...
...
"Why don't you stop chasing after him...?"
"... I... can't."
"Why...? Look, he even didn't spare a single look on you. Why do you keep-"
"Because I have fallen for him!"
"... Why him? What I'm lacking of that made you choose him over me?"
"..."
...
...
...
"How I wish that I haven't made you said it back then, Rei-kun."