Sweet and Spice

by MizukixTsukiyomi

The culinary world isn't all about eating. Behind the kitchen wars of food and love are taken inside the ground of Totsuki Academy!

3. Reason

Title: Sweet and Spice

Rating: T (language warning)

DISCLAIMER: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Shokugeki no Soma belongs to Yato Tsukuda and Shun Saeki. Two respected mangaka! I do not own the characters in any way nor the story plot. Only the idea of this fanfiction!

MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes: I was actually surprised that so many people requested Sweet and Spice, but here it is! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed thus far! The stories wouldn't continue without this support!

Chapter 03: Reason

---

"Damn it. I am hungry; it's cold."

An eyebrow twitch.

"Why the hell is this hill so steep!? Who the heck even makes a dorm this far away?!"

Another twitch.

"Dried squid isn't even cutting it to fill my hunger," an elongated sigh escaped the red head's lips as he adjusted the strap of his belongings and papers in his hands. "I just want to sleep-"

"Will you shut it!?" Kagome shouted from the back. For the last twenty minutes they had been walking to find their dorm all she had been hearing were Soma's complains. She was just as tired, but the least the Yukihira guy could do was quicken his pace. Sunset only lasted a few minutes and the nights were cold in April! Sure she was accustomed to sleeping outside, but that was months ago. Her body was getting use to the luxuries of the modern era. The least she wanted was a bath.

A low grumble in her stomach made her sigh.

After their classes they had gone to the main administrative office to get directions for their dorm, but even they were baffled to hear they had a dorm called 'Polar Star Dormitory'. They had given them the weirdest looks until an old man who had heard of the name gave them a map. But even he was surprised to hear the dorm was still present.

At least they hoped.

"Are you sure you are going the right direction, Soma-kun?" the miko sighed. Knowing this baka, he would easily get them lost. This long walk had given her a preview of the large Totsuki grounds and their hundreds of buildings in different architecture. 'Why would they even need so many?' she scratched the side of her cheek. 'Then again…this is known as an elite school.'

"Yeah, yeah," Soma replied, looking down at the papers in his hand. "It isn't my fault this trail is so long." He grumbled under his breath, seeing no end to their path. He wanted food!

A gust of wind blew towards their direction making them block their eyes with their arms. Trees and trees were all they could see at that point and the sounds of crows (probably getting a laugh) were beginning to annoy them. Continuing their way upwards, Soma gave a sigh of relief after coming to flat ground.

"Finally!" he exclaimed. "I was sure I was going to be found dead on that hill tomorrow morning!"

"Or maybe not," Kagome shrugged, walking past the Yukihira, "people didn't even know this dorm existed. You probably would have stayed dead there."

"Oi!"

Kagome took a few more steps down the dirt path until she came to a clearing introducing her to the crows flying up, down, and circling around the western-style dorm. Vines on the walls and gates and the echo of the crows made them blink a few times hoping their eyes were playing games on them. The sunset having turned into a dark purple and red did not help to make them feel safe about their new home.

"S-Seriously?" Soma whispered, feeling his skin pale at the ominous home. "They expect us to live here?"

"Don't tell me you were expecting to live in a luxurious dorm," Kagome scoffed as she adjusted the straps of her own luggage. She never expected living somewhere outside her shrine, but at least her mother was supportive to let her go. Her family knew she needed to get out of the shrine instead of letting the home drown of her memories. 'Well, at least I brought I few things from home to help me with home-sickness.'

Making her way forward, Kagome slowly pushed the outer gates. The creaking sound made her shiver while Soma sighed after having his hopes being thrown down the window. After seeing so many high class buildings around the campus he had put his hopes up.

"Tch," he clicked his tongue, "wonder what weirdos live inside."

"Soma-kun, don't say that!"

Ignoring her scold, Soma made it to the front of the doors and gave a gentle knock.

No reply.

"Hmm, is no one in here?" he whispered to the miko. Before she could stop him from barging in, Soma was quick to open the door and step inside. "Ano~?" he called out.

"Soma-kun, you can't just go inside without permission," Kagome whispered, following him behind. Stepping into what looked to be the lobby of the dorm, they blinked their eyes to adjust to the darkness. The only light coming inside the dorm was from the windows, but even that was slowly diminishing from the darkness. From what they could make out in the dark room, the could see the dorm was two floors and multiple rooms were available judging from the long hallways.

Kagome came to stand beside the red head, both of them looking left and right for any sign of the living. "Is there really no one here?" she whispered.

"Ah!"

Hearing Soma's voice, she blinked at his finger pointing at the upstairs balcony only to see black smog slowly crawling between the bars of the rails and down to the first floor. "Smoke?" Soma tilted his head to the side. "Is there a fire!?"

A sudden rumblr and crash made them jolt. Looking up, they watched the chandeliers on the ceiling rock back and forth, making them take a few steps back in fear they would fall on top of them.

"A-An earthquake?" Kagome gulped, feeling the floor slowly calm down before another shake called their attention to the dark hallway to their left. Multiple red eyes quickly came towards them before finally seeing the shape of pigs, ducks, and deer. "W-What the-!?

"Usako! Kamosuke! Shikanoshin!"

The two of them blinked once again as the animals ran in front of them as a girl with orange hair held in two buns chased them down.

"No!" she shouted again. "Don't leave me!"

"Oi! Room 116! Don't you dare let game animals into your room! If you do it again, I'll flay you alive!"

"Sumimazen!"

Having heard an older voice come from one of the copper cones connected by pipes on one of the walls, Kagome and Soma watched the unknown girl disappear in midst of catching what seemed to be her "pets"?

"And Room 208!" the older female voice was heard again. "You turned an empty room into a smoke without permission again, didn't you!? You want me to string you up above some smoke chips, too!? And Room 205! If your floor falls out, I will punch a hole in your gut!"

A sweat drop loomed over the red head as he heard a few shouts from the top floor. He never expected a greeting of yells from this school. "Just what is this place?" he whispered.

The miko looked around; her shoulders relaxed down while doing her observations. Although her guard was up, she did not feel any threatening auras around. Judging from the rooms the old woman had called, so far there were three people occupying the dorm.

"You must be Yukihira Soma and Higurashi Kagome – the two transfer students who want to live in the dorm?"

Looking to their lefts, the two adjusted their eyes to new person in the lobby. An older woman with gray hair spiked and held back by a headband gave them a grin as she placed her hands over her hips. "I am the caretaker, Daimido Fumio. A.k.a Fumio-san, the Madonna of the Polar Star. That is what you two are to call me."

Soma's brow twitched as he gently elbowed the miko on the side of her ribs. "Oi~," he whispered, "I told you there would be weirdos."

"Don't go judging her," she elbowed him back. "And don't be using your boney elbow on me!"

Chuckling at their silence and taken back looks, Fumio's smirk stretched further. It was surprising to have two transfer students come into her dorm, but that only made it further interesting to see what kind of people they were to be accepted by Totsuki. "So?" she spoke. "What did you bring for your dish?"

"Huh?" Soma raised a brow. "Ingredients? What ingredients?"

"What else!?" Fumio exclaimed. "It's our famous challenge for anyone who wants to live here!"

"No one told us about this…," Kagome added. Make a meal right off the bat? Not even the administration knew about the dorm so how were they supposed to know about this 'special' meal they had to make. "Did you know about this, Soma-kun?"

He shook his head with a shrug, "you got me."

Fumio sighed, shaking her head. Every student coming into Polar Star knew about the challenge, but this was the first time she received clueless kids. "It was on the paper leading you to the dorm. All the instructions are on there."

"Paper?" Soma raised his hand, looking at the sheet of paper with his schedule from class. "Oh?" he blinked as he turned the page over. "W-Where did the second page go?"

Eyes narrowing down, Kagome held back a slap. "You lost it!?"

"Huh…," he shrugged again, "must have been blown away when that wind came by-"

Pulling him by the collar of his shirt, the corner of Kagome's lips twitched. "Don't say that like it isn't a big deal. If this dish thing was on that paper, then we are in the wrong here!" She huffed as she released him before turning to the older woman. Judging the woman's expression, she could see she was being serious. Leave it to Soma to lose something that important and not notice. "What exactly are the rules?" she asked, hoping to hear some kind of key to salvation.

"Dorm applicants must make one meal," Fumio replied. "Only those whose cooking passes will be allowed to stay in the dorm. I will be serving as the examiner. The applicant can choose their ingredients, or should I say, have to."

"Oi! I had no idea about this!" Soma took a step forward. "We don't got any ingredients on us!"

Fumio returned a shrug: "guess that means you lose by default. I won't let you two cross over the threshold without seeing what you two are made of."

"Tch, more like we lost because this baka lost the paper," Kagome blew under her breath. The idiot caused them a kick-out.

"Wait a minute!" Soma exclaimed. "Then that means tonight we will have to-!"

"Yup," Kagome grabbed the back of Soma's shirt before beginning to pull him towards the exit, "camp out."

The young Yukihira's expression dropped, mostly because he was surprised to hear Kagome, a girl, was okay with the idea of sleeping outside. Did she even know how cold it was at this time!? "Oi, Kagome! I am not camping out! We don't even have food to eat! And it's freezing cold outside! I am already half dead from exhaustion and hunger!"

"I got some herbs that I brought home."

"What the hell am I supposed to do with that without any other ingredients!?" Looking back at the caretaker, Soma stopped the miko from going any further. "Is there any way we can be allowed inside? Or at least me? This girl can sleep outside for all I care-!" His head bent forward as he heard Kagome slap her hands clean from the hit.

Shaking her head, Fumio replied. "The challenge is an absolute requirement. Just give it up and listen to the girl. You can try again tomorrow. Today must be your unlucky day; we only have leftover scraps in the dorm kitchen, anyway."

Feeling Soma's stance loosen under her hand, Kagome blinked to see his shoulders having relaxed down from his mild tantrum. Glancing over to see his expression, she knew something had struck him after having heard 'leftovers'.

Soma chuckled under his breath, "does that mean I can use those leftovers?"

"Nani?" Fumio raised a brow.

"I'll take on the challenge," he smirked back. "Where's the kitchen?"

"C-Chotto, Soma-kun-!"

"Come on, Kagome!" he grinned, pulling her by the wrist. "We can work with whatever they have!"

Hearing a snicker from the older woman, Kagome could not help but sigh in defeat. She did not mind sleeping outside, but Soma was right: she wanted a bed. If Fumio said there were not many leftovers, then what could she even make? All she had on her were herbs she had been planting back at home so she could plant them here.

Her eyes landed on the back of Yukihira's shirt; she noticed his family's restaurant logo on the back. He had the confidence, but what did he expect out of her?

She was not a Yukihira.

---

As the lights flickered on, Soma and Kagome were awed by the spacious kitchen presented to them. For a rundown dorm on the outside, the inside was well kept and extravagant in its own way. Taking a step forward, Soma whistled at the sight of the many stainless steel counters and equipment. "It's a really nice kitchen, considering what the place looks like from the outside!"

"No kidding…," the miko whispered. There were countless bowls for mixing, utensils, and even three stoves available to them. Not even regular boarding schools would have this big of a kitchen.

"Listen up," Fumio spoke, catching the attention of the two. "I hate know-it-all brats the most!" her eyes landed on the red head, making him point at himself.

"W-Why are you looking at me?"

"Can you blame her?" Kagome whispered with a scoff.

The caretaker chuckled, noticing their bond being more than just mere classmates. "How many student-cooked meals do you think I've tasted so far? Don't presume to think I'll give you two a passing grade for something you're going to slap together!"

From the corner of their eyes, the two females blinked noticing Soma having taken the first step to observe the so called left over ingredients he was free to use. The miko's shoulders relaxed down upon taking a look at Soma's confident expression. He was a skillful chef, that was for sure, but could she pull it off? Her eyes wandered around the kitchen, noticing the same things Soma had. 'Onions...and other common vegetables.' Hearing Soma open the fridge, she noticed the six eggs left and only a carton of milk. Some panko bread crumbs were left at the pantry along with rice. Aside from the common spices like pepper, salt, and garlic seasoning, there was not much to work with.

"All right!" Soma exclaimed. "This should be enough!"

Kagome and Fumio were taken back by his quick reply: he was ready?

"Are you going to take the challenge?"

Looking back at the caretaker, Kagome noticed the challenging smirk on Fumio's expression. How could she forget this school was anything but normal? She had never cooked a fancy meal before, but she had cooked for her feudal friends thanks to Kaede and her mother showing her basic recipes. Turning her head back to take a look at the little ingredients offered to her, she noticed could not help but noticed Soma already preparing the stove before beginning to drain the juice of something he had got out of can.

What could she make?

Kagome walked over to the pantry, noticing the spices and dry ingredients. Her eyes landed on the bag of rice; the herbs she brought clicked in her head. 'Perhaps I could try that?' she hummed to herself, wondering if the dish she had thought of would be good enough knowing Soma would do something extravagant and surprising.

'Well, it's better than nothing,' she told herself before grabbing a bowl from the nearby counter and beginning to scope two cups of rice. Walking over to her side of the counter across from Soma's area, she began to wash the rice.

"White rice?" Soma questioned, the corner of his lips curling into a smirk. "That's basic."

"I never said I was you, Soma-kun," she raised a brow. "You all dragged me into this to begin with."

Judging by the panko Soma took out and the eggs he had on the side, she guessed he was going to fry something. She shook her head, deciding it was best to concentrate on her own dish. Noticing the small amount of kombu dashi in the fridge, she quickly went over to it before the Yukihira had any plans of using it. She remembered using the fire pits of the feudal era to make the dinners she and the rest of her friends contributed to. This only made her realize how easy cooking had become simply with the use of a stove.

Kagome reached for the washed and rinsed rice before putting it inside a sauce pan along with the dashi stock. Eliminating any clumps of rice with a spoon, she lowered the heat before going over to the side and beginning to mix tepid water and flour to create a small ball of flavorless mochi for the dish.

The sound of slapping mimicking his own caught Soma's attention. He raised his view from his task, noticing his childhood friend having rolled a dough-like substance over the table. As an eyebrow crooked upwards, Soma began to wonder what the miko would be doing with rice and what he guessed was mochi? He chuckled under his breath; it was a bit surprising to him to see the girl who had a hard time learning tricky skills actually cooking with him. Placing his round meat patted down into a patty on the frying pan, he quickened his pace.

There was no way he was going to lose to his childhood friend.

---

Fumio blinked, taken back by the sight of the two first-years having no trouble with the ingredients the kitchen had to offer. The smell of meat and fresh herbs made her mouth water and her appetite slowly awakened. She was never hungry this late at night but the scents easily made her greedy for a bite.

'There wasn't a speck of ground beef or pork left! Let along, fresh herbs…,' she gulped, watching the miko cut up a few green herbs on her cutting board as the red head flipped the meat on his pan. In less than ten minutes, she was presented with a hamburger steak and a bowl of rice with specs of green herbs mixed in.

"W-What magic is this?" she spoke, feeling her stomach rumble. "How did you two make this meat-filled hamburger steak and rice with herbs?"

"This is a canned mackerel burger," Soma chuckled.

Fumio's eyes widened, noticing the empty can on his side of the counter. "Canned mackerel!?"

"I used eggs, onions, and panko, then I added drained canned mackerel, and seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook it up, and you get a fluffy mackerel burger! To top it off, I took the drained mackerel juice and made an easy light sauce by adding ponzu and thickening it with potato starch!" Yukihira scoffed with a grin. "I'll call it the Yukihira-brand Kitchen-Clearing Mackerel Hamburger Set! Enjoy!"

Gulping her taste buds once more, Fumio grabbed the chopsticks beside the plate. "Don't be ridiculous," she whispered. Parting a piece from the mackerel hamburger, she could see the juiced overflowing from the inside dripping down onto the plater. "A hamburger made from canned mackerel would be way too fishy…"

Kagome had to agree with Fumio's statement. She never heard of a steak-like burger being made out of mackerel. The taste would be overflowing with fish and she was not sure if that would be something someone would want. Then again, it was Soma they were talking to. Watching Fumio slowly bring the piece to her mouth, Kagome was taken back by the sudden wide-eyed caretaker the moment she took her bite.

Fumio felt her insides electrify the moment the juices of the hamburger coated her tongue. 'T-This is delicious!' Her expression softened, allowing the warmth of the food push her for more. 'If he were to tell me that there was actual meat inside, I might actually believe it! Yet it's light; the texture is excellent!'

She never dreamed of tasting such a meal in her life. 'I can't believe he managed to concoct something this good from just those ingredients…' Grabbing another piece, she brought it into her mouth, allowing her senses to take her to her youthful days. She craved for the warmth and she was starting to fall in love with the dish itself.

Kagome jolted at the sudden lunge Fumio took as she wrapped her arms around Soma's neck and tried pulling him in for a kiss.

"Take me!" Fumio exclaimed.

Horror shadowed Soma's face as he tried pushing the old caretaker away. "Let go of me, babaa!"

With a sweat drop looming over the miko's head, she could not help but chuckle at the effect Soma's food had on the older woman. Just how much had he improved?

Set free from a nightmare, Soma patted his chest as the miko patted his back to console him. "I was about to die…"

"Well I guess you are the one attracting the older women," she snickered.

"Shut it," he sighed.

Hearing Fumio clear her throat, she adjusted her blue apron before walking over to the miko's awaiting plate. "Kagome, was it?"

"Hai…," she nodded back, watching the older woman grab another pair of clean chopsticks. "This is Nanakusa-Gayu."

Fumio raised a brow, taken back by the simple dish. "Seven-Herb Rice Soup?" she questioned. "How did you make this without any fresh herbs?"

Glancing at the miko from the corner of his eyes, Soma raised a brow what had brought her to make such a simple dish. But Fumio was right; he did not see fresh herbs anywhere. The fresher the better for this kind of dish.

"I had some with me," Kagome shrugged. "I plant herbs as a…hobby I guess. I put in some seri, nazuna, gogyo, hakobera, hotokenoza, suzuna, and suzushiro."

Fumio raised a brow, wondering what was the soothing smell coming out of the rice. She had used so many herbs, some that were difficult to use, and yet she sounded very confident the way she executed them. Grabbing a bit into her chopsticks, Fumio slowly brought it into her mouth. Her senses immediately fervent over the calm euphoric feeling she was given. Never in her life had she tasted something so warm and so peaceful. This plate had filled the void of the hug she had been rejected. "What is this calming goodness? I have never tasted Nanakusa-Gayu like this!"

Curious himself, Soma scooped a bit with a spoon before giving himself a taste. The coldness he felt before was suddenly blown away by the calming scent and taste of the rice. He turned his head to the miko with wide eyes.

"W-What?" she raised a brow, letting the corner of her lips twitch with nervousness.

"There is more than seven herbs in here," he commented. "Did you use something else?"

"Oh," Kagome blinked, bringing out a small container with a label in the front. "I used skullcap."

"Skullcap?!" Fumio and Soma exclaimed in unison.

With a nervous laugh, she nodded. "Yeah…I know it isn't usually used, but…," her expression softened, memories of Kaede having taught her dish when Shippo had been shaken up after learning about the loss of his father, "skullcap helps to relieve anxiety and nervousness while also to help a person sleep. I guess it was by instinct that I put it in there."

Muting Fumio's muffled comments on Kagome's dish, Soma straightened himself. Since when was Kagome knowledgeable on herbs? They were the trickiest ingredient knowing there were so many to learn about. His eyes landed on the container in her hand. 'Skullcap? That is definitely a rare herb. You usually have to grow it yourself or find it in the wild.'

"Mah," Fumio sighed approvingly, "I never thought I would be hungry this late at night, but you two have proven me wrong." Turning her head to the silent miko, she sent her a genuine smile. "You, young lady, have surprised me. How could I say no to someone with your skills and knowledge." Taking in a deep breath, she dug into the pocket of her apron before bringing out two keys. "Very well! I will allow you two to enter this dorm!"

A grin overtook Soma's lips as he took off the white sash around his forehead. "Glad you liked it!"

"You'll be in Room 303," Fumio spoke, handing the key over to the red head. "Here."

"Yosh!" Soma shouted in victory.

"Kagome-chan, you will be in Room 304."

Nodding while taking the key into her hand, her thumb ran over the number label. She had been given a new home; would she be okay?

"You two are welcome to relax for the night," Fumio added, walking over to grab a bite of the miko's dish.

Glad to hear their welcoming, Soma quickly turned around to face the miko as she began to pick up a few dirty dishes from the counter. "Do you mind if I go use the bath first, Kagome?"

"No, go ahead…," she blinked, watching the red head pack his knifes and leave the kitchen in a flash. Sighing at his desperation for a bath and finally getting a breather, she could not help but shake her head. The day had been rough and long – something she never expected considering her past with dealing with demons. She reached for his own dirty dishes, making a mental note to have him clean the next time he cooked.

"Who would have thought we would have such talented first-years coming into Polar Star," Fumio chuckled under her breath, catching the miko's attention. "Are you close with that kid?"

"Soma-kun?" she blinked. "I guess you could say that." A little too much, in her opinion. "We met when we were kids."

"Oh youth." Fumio smirked, reaching for a bottle of wine from one of the cabinets at the top. "Well I must warn you: Totsuki is dangerous territory."

"Is everyone…this competitive?"

A scoff was given in reply, "competitive doesn't even cut it, young one. It is like war in this school. Dreams are easily crushed and if you mess up one simple technique," her eyes narrowed as she looked at the miko from over her shoulder, "it could mean your expulsion."

Kagome found it difficult to believe the kitchen would turn into something so chaotic. Then again, having met the other transfer students and Erina made her believe it. As she walked over to the sink, a screech from a female was heard from upstairs.

"Ah…," Fumio blinked, looking up at the ceiling, "I forgot to mention it was the girls' turn to use the bath."

The miko tilted her head back as she heard a few shouts of 'get out' and 'sorry'. She sighed tiredly, hoping Soma had no scared anyone in particular.

"Leave everything there, Kagome-chan," Fumio spoke, noticing the miko beginning to turn the sink. "Go get some sleep. Tomorrow is another day, right?"

"Are…you sure?" she asked, looking back at the many dishes she and Soma used.

Given an up and down wave from Fumio's hand, Kagome gave her thanks with a bow before wishing her a goodnight. All she looked forward to was getting some sleep.

---

A long sigh escaped the Yukihira teen as he slumped himself on his bed. Grabbing the towel around his neck, his eyes came to stare at the door of his new room. Rushing into the bath had been a mistake on his part, but he hoped apologizing to the girl would be enough to alleviate her embarrassment.

'Probably not,' he grinned weakly. Finally having had his turn to take a bath, he felt his muscles slowly relax. He loved cooking, but he never thought he would be challenged so much – not that he minded. Resting his elbows over his knees, his eyes landed on the suitcase with his personal knives.

The memory of seeing Kagome mince the herbs she had brought from back home still had him puzzled. He would never admit it to her, but she did have a talent for cooking. After all, she learned with him in his father's restaurant. Although she had been a slow learner in the beginning, her dishes came out with no problems.

She was slow, but precise.

He leaned back, resting over his bed with his legs and arms sprawled. 'When did she learn about herbs anyways?' He remembered his father having taught him a few things about fresh herbs, but never about such delicate ones, especially ones you do not hear about every day.

He gave himself a low hum, eyebrows knitting together. 'Kagome seemed confident about working with them, but overall, she wasn't confident in the cooking part.' He made himself a mental note to ask her about her knowledge on herbs.

It would benefit him to know something knew about ingredients.

A small smile formed over his lips as he stared at the ceiling of his room. Looking around from his spot, he noticed the simple wooden desk at the corner of his room and the round coffee table in the middle. He raised a brow upon noticing the copper tubes coming out from the floor with one having a lid on and another off.

It began to hit him: this was not his room.

"I've left my home of fifteen years for the first time," he sighed. Memories of working in the restaurant flashed through his mind. "It's quiet…"

"Yo, transfer student!"

Soma's eyes immediately widened at the sight of a brunette wearing a bandana over his hair having appeared inside his ceiling after removing a tile. Incoherent words slipped past Soma's lips as he pointed at his intruder, "g-goh…o-oh…"

"Come on," the green eyed male smiled, "we are having a welcome party."

---

Dropping her bags down on the floor, the miko quickly fell face-first onto her mattress. Almost sixteen and already with aching muscles.

'I must be getting out of shape…'

Rolling onto her back, she closed her eyes. She never thought of herself joining a high school elite as this one, let alone, a culinary school. A few months ago she had been battling demons and in a war against Naraku, and now here she was living in a tranquil life.

Would her family be okay without her? Could they manage taking care of the shrine alone?

A pout formed, thinking about the workload her grandfather had just maintaining the exterior of the shrine. She only hoped everything would be okay while she finished her first year here.

Who knew what Totsuki had in store seeing so many students over worry themselves. After seeing Megumi's state, it could be possible she would be in those same shoes soon if she did not take the school seriously.

"Transfer student~ are you there~?"

Kagome blinked as she sat up. Looking around her room, she found nothing out of the ordinary. She was sure she had heard a voice.

"Transfer student?"

There it was again.

Noticing the copper pipes sticking of the wooden floor, she crawled towards them before standing up. The same voice was heard once again, making her tilt her head to the side. "Uh, hai?"

"Ah!" the same voice spoke again. "I am glad you're awake! Please come to Room 205! We are having a welcoming party!"

"Welcoming party?" she asked. 'Why am I having a conversation through this?'

"Yes! Please come!"

Left in a vacant confusion, Kagome blinked at the pipe. Who was that?

---

After a few minutes of wandering through the halls to find 'Room 205', it had been the noise of other people leading her to the right door. She blinked as she stood in front of it while hearing the noises and chatter of what she hoped were students. Knocking on the door, she waited a few seconds for a reply.

Nothing.

Going for another knock, she blinked at the male voice on the other side.

"Like I said! I'm busy studying for the written exam! Go have your party in some other room! Why do you guys always party in my room!?"

The door slowly opened, surprising the miko with the appearance of Megumi. "Ah…Megumi-chan?" she blinked, not expecting to see the double braided girl again.

"K-Kagome-chan!?" Tears began to well up in her eyes at the sight of her first savior against Soma. Clasping her hands into hers, slow tears streamed down her cheeks. "K-Kagome-chan! I am so glad you are here!"

"I-Is everything alright?" she questioned with a raised brow. She guessed Megumi was another resident in the dorm, but what was with the frightened look?

"Oh? You came, too!"

Her eyes moved to the red headed male sitting on the floor. A salute was given to her before she could blink her shock. "S-Soma-kun?" What was he doing in here?

"Mah, mah, Marui-kun, calm down." The miko's eyes glided over to the orange haired girl sitting on the bed; she remembered having seen the same girl chasing after the stampede of animals in the llobby when they arrived. "What choice do we have? You have the biggest room."

"Why are you sitting on my bed, Yoshino!?" Marui exclaimed.

A chuckle from another female grabbed her attention. "Your room is always clean, too," the maroon haired beauty spoke.

Kagome took a step back as soon as she identified the average height male with glasses being Marui, made his way forward to clean up the cups the rest of the group littered around his floor. "I had just finished cleaning up, Sakaki!"

"Keh! There were books scattered about earlier," a blonde male with hair slicked to the back spoke as he received a nod from the muscular male beside him.

"That is because you guys were on a rampage in my room!"

"You should have more chairs around," the other male suggested, looking around for a place to sit.

"Like hell I should!"

When Kagome had heard about the 'welcoming party' she never expected such a ruckus. Her eyes wandered to the other male whose haired covered his eyes as he chewed on the edge of his cup. With an argument on one side and the gloom over Megumi's person along with Soma's cluelessness, she wondered what kind of group she had mixed herself into.

Hearing the patting on the wooden floor, the miko's focus lowered to see Soma having offered the space beside him. "What are you doing here?" she questioned, coming to sit on the spot.

"Well," he snickered, "I got a personal invitation from this guy in my ceiling."

Kagome's eyebrow twitched; something about that sentence did not make sense.

"Ah!" Soma exclaimed. "Guess who I ran into in the bathroom!?"

Megumi quickly buried her face into her palms, scared by the memory and story Soma was about to say.

"Tadokoro was in there!" Soma gave out a laugh, remembering the embarrassing positions both he and Megumi were in the moment he slid the door open. Scratching the back of his head, he ignored the glare delivered by his childhood friend.

'So that was who screamed earlier,' Kagome huffed. That would explain the panicked aura around Megumi.

With her shoulders shuddering, Megumi's head hung low in disappointment. Her mother's words of keeping the sight of her skin away from boys' eyes echoed in her head. 'Gomen, okaa-san…I can't get married anymore…'

"Well," Soma chuckled, leaning forward to face Megumi, "who knew us three would end up in the same dorm, huh?"

"I don't think she wants to be reminded of you at the moment," Kagome whispered.

Megumi's shoulders relaxed down as she heard the miko's defense. Although Soma was right, she never thought she would see them in the same dorm, but she did get the surprise of a life time…and a little too much to her liking. "Wait!" she blinked, turning her head to the two, "does that mean you passed the dorm entrance challenge in one try?"

"More or less," Soma nodded. "I'm just glad we managed to scrape by, huh, Kagome?"

"I guess…," she sighed, scratching her cheek. It was a miracle she had even thought of a recipe with the little ingredients Fumio had available to them.

"T-That's amazing," Megumi whispered. "Almost no one makes it through on the first try."

Tilting his head to the side, Soma blinked back, "huh? How did it go for you, then?"

"H-Huh? Oh, um…," avoiding their curious eyes, the corner of her lips twitched. How else was she supposed to tell them it took her almost three moments to get Fumio's approval? 'I rather die than to tell them…'

"Here, Yukihira-kun. Kagome-chan."

Hearing another female voice calling to their attention, the two turned to see the maroon haired female offering them a cup. Taking the cup into their hand, Yukihira gave his thanks while Kagome raised a brow at the sight of the cloudy white liquid inside.

Kagome raised a brow, wondering what kind of drink was it for it to be that cloudy. Looking at the big bottle in Sakaki's hands and with her innocent smile, the corner of the miko's lips twitched. 'A one point eight-bottle with a handwritten label on it…'

"It's just rice juice," Sakaki snickered, giving Kagome a nudge with her elbow.

"Y-You don't say…," the miko replied. She noticed Soma quickly chugging down the drink, having ignored the color of the substance and smell all together. Her experience in the feudal era and having seen Miroku and Koga drink this too many times told her something entirely different. Another avalanche of books made her flinch, watching Marui panic at the sight of his disorganized room. "A-Are you sure we're not going to get in trouble for partying this late at night?"

"Don't worry. The dorm is in the middle of a forest," Sakaki smiled. "You're the new transfer student, correct? My name is Sakaki Ryouko."

"Higurashi Kagome," the miko introduced herself.

"Oi! Miina!"

Both Kagome and Soma jolted at the sound of Fumio's voice echoing into the room. As all student turned their heads to the same copper pipes sticking out of the floor, the waited for Fumio's to continued.

"I have some buri daikon!" she shouted through the pipes. "Come get some!"

"Yeah!" shouted the blonde male. "I love that babaa!"

Surprised by the caretaker's free nature, Kagome could not help but let her shoulders relax down. Seemed everyone in the dorm was carefree.

"Just come back before Fumio-san starts her spiel about the Elite Ten," Yoshino hiccupped, watching the two taller males of the room walk towards the exit of the room.

Kagome looked over her shoulder, having heard the emphasis on the words. 'Elite Ten?' If she remembered correctly, Erina's assistant had introduced her to be part of some 'Elite Ten'. If Erina was at a high pedestal with that label, then it meant something big to the school, at least she hypothesized.

"Nee," Soma called out with his interest piqued, "what's this Elite Ten thing?"

"E-Eh?" Sakaki blinked, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Are you seriously asking that question?"

"I am curious about it, too…," Kagome added.

"Wah~, you two really came here without a clue, huh?" Yoshino tilted her head to the side, wondering how these two even made it in without knowing anything about the elite school. "Well, then," she turned her head to the side, "Marui! Explain!"

"Why me!?"

"Oh, quit whining," Sakaki smiled once again, "they are the newbies; be a little nice."

Seeing he was going to find no way out of this one, Marui adjusted his glasses before taking in a deep breath. "Fine. I guess there is no other option but me. The Totsuki Elite Ten Council is a committee composed of the top ten students within the academy. Students are allowed to decide many of the academy's affairs, so a wide variety of issues are settled by the Council. They are, in effect, the academy's highest decision-making body. In the academy's hierarchy, they are second only to the director himself, and not even the instructors can disobey their decisions."

"Decades ago, when the dorm was consistently at maximum capacity, a bunch of Elite Ten members were from Polar Star," Yoshino added, completely pulling the group away from Marui's explanation. "There were even years when all of the Ten were from Polar Star."

"Oi! Don't go telling me to explain and then ignore me!" Marui shouted, noticing the two newbies having placed their attention to the other two girls.

Sakaki chuckled, "once Fumio-san gets going about those times, it turns into a long story."

Kagome nodded, surprised to hear that such a group with so much authority existed in a high school. 'So…Nakiri Erina is currently one of the Elite Ten.' If Erina was seen as a 'ruler' to the school, then what were the other nine like?

Having no time to ask for Soma's opinion, the front door of Marui's room was open once again revealing both Sato and Aoki coming in with a hot pat in their hands and a container with more food for their small party.

"Hello there, Yukihira Soma-kun! Higurashi Kagome-chan!"

The two tilted their heads upwards, blinking at the sight of the same brunette that had infiltrated Soma's room offering them a hand shake.

"Welcome to Polar Star Dormitory! We are glad to have you both! I'm Isshiki, a second-year at Totsuki. Please feel free to call me Isshiki-senpai! Oh, I'm so happy to have you join us! It means we have yet another comrade with whom to share our youth! There is nothing better!" Extending his arms out, his expression softened as he turned to face all of his first-years. "Listen, everyone! We all live under the same rood and eat the same food! That's youth right there! The epitome of student life! I joined the dorm because I aspired to that kind of life. Now, let us savor this shining dorm life together!"

"That's fine and all," Sato spoke, "but can you please stop coming through the attic to call on us?"

Isshiki looked over his shoulder, "eh? I can't?" Coming to stare at the copper pipes, he crossed his arms. 'Well, maybe I'll use this for guys, too. Whenever I use this, Tadokoro-chan comes over every time!"

"W-Well…," she gulped. The memories of his voice echoing in her head made her shudder. The endless nights he would try to communicate with her non-stop until she replied had her sleep deprived at times. At that moment, she learned to listen to him at the first call just to make him stop. "If I don't go," she shivered again, "he continues to talk to me every other minute."

Sakaki brushed her hair back once more, "he gives up eventually if you ignore him. Then again, it would be annoying to have him talking to us all the time."

"I guess the attic is better," Aoki chuckled nervously, thinking of having to hear Isshiki's voice endlessly continue through the night.

"Ah!" Kagome pointed, the voice triggering a memory. "A-Are you the one who called out to me in my room?"

"Yeah! This is the guy that popped in my ceiling!" Soma exclaimed.

Chuckling at their youthful reactions, Isshiki could not help but feel a sense of warmth to know the dorm had two more people to become part of their family. "Oh, I do apologize for that, but it is the way we communicate in here!"

Blinking with an eyebrow twitch, Soma watched as they all put their own thoughts into Isshiki's way of communication. "Uh…guess this dorm is full of weirdos," he whispered. The sight of someone in his ceiling almost gave him a heart attack, but he was sure to hear Isshiki's voice would only make him go crazy.

"I think you will fit right in, Soma-kun…," Kagome whispered under her breath.

"Does everyone have their drinks?" Isshiki asked, raising his cup in the air. "So, here is to the future of Yukihira Soma-kun, Higurashi Kagome-chan and the glory of Polar Star Dormitory. Kanpai!"

A small smile formed over the miko's lips as she joined everyone else in the cheer. The lively atmosphere made her forget she was even in the culinary war. As Sakaki continued to pour drinks to everyone, she watched the red head chef kneel on one knee as he raised his cup for what seemed to be his third.

"This rice juice is awesome!" he shouted.

'He fits right in…,' a sweat drop loomed over her head. Suddenly feeling Soma's arm over her shoulder, she felt herself being rocked side-to-side as the others joined in with a clap as he sung.

"Born again, right here and now! Fly beyond the sky we only dreamed of-oomf!"

Kagome huffed, having clamped his mouth with her hand while the other raised his arm over her shoulders. "You are putting all your weight on me, baka!"

"Food!" he shouted, freeing himself from his silence. "We need more food!"

Megumi and Kagome sighed in unison, having only gone for one drink of Sakaki's 'unique' rice juice. They were not wrong to think Soma would become one of Polar's this quick. As Kagome rested her back against the tall bookshelves while sitting on the floor, she blinked at the sight of a plate beside her with different cheeses and jerky.

"Would you like some?"

She looked up, blinking at the male with a black turtle neck and eyes covered by his hair pushing the plate towards her. "Oh, is this yours?"

He nodded, "Ibusaki Shun."

"Higurashi Kagome," she nodded back.

"Oh!?" Soma barged in, spotting the plate of the food he needed with the drink. "What is this?!"

"Smoked cheese and three kinds of jerkey," Ibusaki replied. Continuing to sip on is drink, he watched Soma and Marui quickly dive into the snack while hearing compliments.

The miko took a bite of the smoked gouda; her eyes widened the second she felt the cheese melt on her tongue. 'Delicious…' she thought to herself, amazed with the dish. She never tried smoked cheese in her life, but this was definitely an experience. She did not even think cheese could be smoked. 'I wonder if this is specialty?'

"Here!" Aoki smirked, presenting another dish of his own to the newbies. "Eat up! Fried mixed veggies fresh from the garden out back!"

Reaching for a portion, the miko blinked with irritation as Soma quickly dived in to steal the last one. Watching him munch on it like a starving man, she could not help but feel embarrassed to know him as her childhood friend. Some people would think Soma, being the son of a chef whose reputation was out of this world, would know some manners.

"It's good, right!?" Aoki laughed, making a fist in the air. "Of course it is!"

"Well, the fried shrimp I made last week was better," Sato added, munching on one of Ibusaki's jerky.

Aoki quickly butted heads with the blonde as veins from the insult sprouted out of fhis forehead. "Do you have the worst palate in Polar Star?"

"What did you say?!" Sato gritted his teeth.

Yoshino exhaled, watching another wave of books fall to the ground from their sudden push on each other. Fights from them could never be stopped and the atmosphere quickly soured. "Chotto!" she exclaimed, feeling her own eyebrow beginning to twitch. "This is why you keep making too much food every time! Hold back!"

"Shut up, game animal bitch!" the shouted together. "You stink of wild game! Especially around your room!"

Her shoulders shook with each word; a smile slowly curved onto her lips. "Oh, boys~ for saying that, I'll have to school you on the charms of my wild beasties." Cracking her knuckles, she jumped off the bed and headed out towards the door. "Wait about an hour."

"O-Oi!" Sakaki exclaimed, trying to pull Yoshino back. "You're going to strangle a duck or something at this hour!?"

"Yuki-chan! Calm down!" Megumi whispered, hoping to break Yoshino's anger away.

Kagome chuckled, observing the interactions from each person with each other. How long had it been since she was in the same room with people of her age? Although she never felt too old or young with her feudal friends, there was a problem when it came to talking about things that interested her. They were people of different times. Perhaps her mother was right for her to take this journey. It was one that had no plan nor path, but thinking back how she decided to collect all the scattered shards, it was the same thing: she took a risk.

"Oh? How about one of my own creations from today?"

The miko froze into stone at the sound of the Yukihira's voice and another of a container being opened.

"Yukihira! Bring it on!" Sato cheered, being the first in line to try the mysterious dish.

Kagome's head quickly spun over her shoulder before her eyes widened in horror as Sato grabbed a piece of squid with his chopsticks and brought it to his mouth. "C-Chotto-…"

Silence.

"Oh," a smirk slowly crawled over Soma's lips as he watched Sato's face pale, "sorry. That one was a fail."

Sato spitted out the contents of the slimy squid tentacle, making the miko's head drop down in defeat. There was just no stop to Soma's wickedness to lure innocent people to taste his death-plates.

Hearing everyone's laughter as Sato tried to drink away the lingering taste, Soma wiped the tear at the corner of his eyes. "Sorry, sorry!" he chuckled. "Guess I brought my squid plate instead!" His head was slapped down, moaning from the smack right after.

"You are going to kill him, baka!" Kagome shouted. Before she could continue on her scolding, she was given another cup by Sakaki. "U-Uh…"

"Here," Sakaki smiled, "just relax for the night. You can scold him tomorrow."

Kagome took the cup into her hands, glaring at Soma as he sighed in relief after being rescued. Exhaling herself and wanting to 'relax' as Sakaki offered, she jolted at the sight of a bare butt cheeks being moved side to side as an apron was tied around-'I-Isshiki-senpai!?'

"Ah!" Aoki chuckled, moving back from Isshiki's 'display'. "There it is! It's Isshiki-senpai's impromptu naked apron getup!"

"Nice job, senpai!" Soma shouted from the audience, as the rest of the gang clapped and cheered (with Megumi, Kagome, and Ibusaki at the back sipping on their drinks in silence).

Although the miko was taken back by their personalities, it did make her laugh.

Something she had not done in a long time.

---

A tired, yet joyful chuckle escaped the young Yukihira as he observed the residence of the Polar Star sleeping on the floor – you could definitely tell a person's personality by their position when they slept. Having dimmed the lights for everyone to sleep comfortably and only letting the moon's light come into the room, he was glad to see the darkness having darkened out the mess they created. Crossing his legs on the floor, he took one last sip of his cup before hearing the light mumbles of the female beside him. Soma blinked, keeping the cup to his lips while looking at the miko curled in fetal position with some of her hair covering her cheeks – the juice must have really hit her hard at the end.

"Baka Soma-kun…," she whispered in her sleep, making him shake his head with a smile. Even in her sleep she was scolding him.

"Are you two close?"

Changing his focus ahead of him, Soma lowered the cup to the floor to see none other than Isshiki with a smile. "I guess you could say that," he chuckled again, glancing at the miko once again from the corner of his eyes. "She just puts me in check at times."

Isshiki's eyes softened as he stared at the sleeping girl beside Soma. Two transfers were able to enter Totsuki and obtain Fumio's approval? That was not an everyday nor year thing. "Did you two have fun?"

"Yeah," Soma nodded, turning back to face the second-year.

"Well, you two are very welcome here."

"Oh, thanks!" Soma shrugged, quite surprised to get this kind of hospitality.

Looking around and noticing the empty and clean plates on the floor, Isshiki scratched the side of his cheek. "Guess we're all out of food. Are you still hungry?" he asked, slowly coming onto his feet. "I have some filleted Spanish mackerel. I'll go make something."

Although the temptation of food made his mouth water, Soma would not help but feel a gloom coat him as he saw Isshiki's naked form from the back as he walked away. "Y-You're going to cook dressed like that, huh?"

---

Eyes fluttering with a blur, the white glow from the moon illuminated the room enough to help the blur focus. Sitting up, the miko rested the side of her head with her palm as she looked around the semi-trashed room: everyone had fallen into slumber.

'I knew that rice juice was something else,' she yawned.

"Oh, you're awake."

Her head turned to the side, surprised to see Soma giving her a sincere smile as he sat on the floor. "Soma-kun?" she questioned, blinking to make sure it was him. "You didn't go to sleep?"

"Nah," he shook his head.

"I see…"

Observing the miko from the corner of his eyes and watching her see the others on the floor, a grin came over his expression. "You were drooling the whole time. I can't believe you still sleep like a baby-!" A pillow silenced him on the spot.

"I did not nor do I drool, baka," she sighed. "So much for having a normal conversation with you." Coming to sit on her knees, a sudden aroma filled the room. Kagome looked around to find the source of the spring-like smell before a sound of dishes echoed in the hall, making her look towards the open door. "Is…someone cooking?"

Soma nodded, "yup. Isshiki-senpai is making food."

"At this hour?" she blinked.

"Something about mackerel."

Before she could question what had sprung this sudden cooking, the light stomping of feet made her turn to the door once more. Kagome was greeted with a smile from the second-year as he carried one plate that quickly took over her sense of smell. "Isshiki-senpai?" she whispered.

"Oh! You're awake, too, Kagome-chan?" he smiled. "I'm glad! I was hoping you could taste my dish!" Walking over to the duo, he carefully placed the dish between them before taking a seat himself. "Dig in! It's Spanish mackerel with Chinese pepper and a puree."

Kagome blinked, noticing the fillet fish being delicious and gorgousely cooked and placed over a bright yet elegant green puree. Although her hunger was not there, she was curious. Grabbing chopsticks after Soma, the two thanked him for the meal before grabbing a piece of the tender and juicy mackerel. Taking a bite, both Soma and Kagome were quickly blown away by a spring wind. Their eyes immediately widened from the taste and the feel of their bodies enveloped by the warmth and juiciness of the fish.

'This is delicious!' Soma gulped, staring at the dish wide-eyed. 'This dish maximizes the seasonal ingredients of spring! How could he put together such a delicate dish in so little time!? He's head and shoulders above all the other students in this dorm!'

Slowly lowering her chopsticks, the miko's eyes remained glued on the fish. Never in her life had she tasted such a delicate plate. 'How could do this? No teenager would be able to conduct a professional chef's level dish…Is he really just a second-year?'

"By the way, Soma-kun, Kagome-chan…"

Kagome's head quickly tilted back the moment she felt an eerie aura coming off from the said second-year. Feeling a trickle of sweat crawl down the back of her neck, she and Soma remained silent as they saw Isshiki's smile curve into a deeper smirk.

"I heard you two said some pretty interesting things at the opening ceremony," Isshiki spoke, eyes hidden behind his bangs. "Gunning for number one at Totsuki may not be as easy as you think. Allow me to re-introduce myself…," he slowly took off the white bandana over his head, "I'm one of the Totsuki Elite Ten…"

The two were unable to contain their shock at the news.

"The seventh seat: Isshiki Satoshi." His eyes narrowed upon noticing the surprise the two had taken. Keeping his smirk, he continued to speak. "I would like to try either of your cooking, Soma-kun. Kagome-chan. Just one of you would suffice. Show me what narrative you'll create on your plate."

Kagome's brows pinched together, mimicking Soma's taken back expression. "You're…one of the Elite Ten?" she whispered. Judging from Isshiki's tone, she felt the challenge. At this point, it was not a senpai leading a kouhai, but a senpai trying to keep their spot in the top. Kagome gulped, unsure how to reply to such a daring statement. She never expected to have one of the high-spoke Elite Ten in the same room. If anything, she pictured them to be more intimidating than the naked form in front of her.

"Kagome…"

The whisper made her glance at the red head from the corner of her eyes. The miko jolted slightly at the sight of Soma trying his best to contain what looked like excitement. Was he actually considering going against Isshiki?

"I guess I kind of get why oyaji sent me here now," Soma whispered under his breath. Standing up from his spot, Soma quickly unwrapped the white sash around his wrist as he presented Isshiki with a smirk. "I will take the challenge!"

"S-Soma-kun!" Kagome exclaimed, making sure to keep her voice low from waking everyone up. What the heck was he thinking? They did not even know what this Elite Ten was made of! Let alone, Isshiki as a person!

Ignoring her protests, Soma stared at the plate below a he knelt back down to get a closer glimpse on the fish. His eyes observed the grill marks on the fish before noticing the light black specs of Chinese pepper in the sauce. "Does your family run a traditional Japanese restaurant, by any chance?" he asked, coming to stare at the male across from him.

"Why do you think that?" Isshiki questioned.

"Spanish mackerel grilled with Chinese pepper is a common Japanese dish, but it can't be made this well by just any establishment." Hearing Isshiki's amused laugh, Soma's eyes lowered back down to the dish. 'The mackerel is grilled to delicate perfection. It's paired with a surprising puree featuring spring cabbage. But its mild smooth sweetness is a perfect complement to the mackerel. Spanish mackerel is in season in spring, and the spring cabbage heighten each other's flavors in this pairing. It's so festive, it's as if I'm basking in spring sunshine.' Soma stood once again, before turning to face the silent miko. If he wanted to show Isshiki his skills, he would go against him with the same ingredients with a few changes. "Kagome, do you have any tea leaves?"

"Tea leaves?" she repeated. "Well, I brought some green tea leaves if that is what you're asking-?"

"That will do!" he smiled. "Watch! I will bring a dish that is par with yours, Isshiki-senpai! I will be making Yukihira's secret menu item number twenty!"

Watching him leave the room, Kagome's shoulders slumped knowing it was too late for her to stop him. More than likely he was going to go into her room and find the ingredient he needed. 'Although I am not exactly sure what he is going to make.' Looking back down at Isshiki's dish, she had to admit the details and beauty of the dish were something else. It was hard to believe someone at his age could conduct something like this.

"Yukihira's secret menu?" Isshiki questioned.

"Ah, Soma-kun's family runs a small diner," Kagome replied.

"I see," he nodded, "and your family?"

Eye-to-eye, Kagome felt unsure how to reply to that question. As far as she heard, almost everyone had a background in the kitchen or cooking world, but her? What exactly could she say? Then again, what was there to be ashamed of? She came from a place with a lot of history of its own – a history she experienced herself and saved with her friends. Giving him a small smile, Kagome tilted her head slightly to the side. "My family owns a shrine."

Isshiki was taken back; he never expected such an answer. "A shrine?"

"It's a small shrine, but I got my cooking 'experience' with Soma-kun in the restaurant when we were kids – nothing special," she chuckled, remembering the times she and Soma completely messed up the dishes at the beginning stages. As they heard Soma begin his cooking process, the soft groans from Yoshino and Sakaki grabbed their attentions.

"Ugh, I guess I passed out," Yoshino yawned, sitting up from the bed.

"Oh no! I drank too much rice juice!" Sakaki exclaimed as she grabbed the empty bottle from the floor and checked inside. Every last drop had been gulped down. The sound of food frying over a pan made them look towards the open door, curious to know who was cooking.

Yoshino looked around the room, seeing no sign of the red head. "Is Yukihira-kun cooking?" she asked. "Is he still hungry?"

"Unfortunately," Kagome replied, making the two girls jump from her voice.

"K-Kagome-chan, you're awake, too!?" Yoshino exclaimed.

"It's apparently a cook-off between him and Isshiki-senpai."

The three females jumped in unison upon hearing another male voice join the conversation. Looking over their shoulders, they blinked to see Ibusaki drinking from his water bottle.

"W-Were you awake?" Kagome's sweat drop appeared. 'Wait…how long had he been awake for?'

"Wait!" Yoshino shouted again as her eyes sparkled. "A cook-off!? Why!?"

"No idea," Ibusaki shrugged, all heads turning to face the smirking Isshiki as he sat on the floor with his knee propped up with his arm resting over it. "But Isshiki-senpai started it."

Although the sound of a competition between the transfer student and their senpai sounded appealing, the girls could not help but take Isshiki as a joke the more they stared at his apron covering the little they did not want to see.

"Are we really going to let senpai's attire pass without comment?" Kagome whispered. "Is this even normal?" Last time she checked, clothing was essential in the cooking world. She sighed, knowing it was to no use to use her own logic against theirs. If this was acceptable, then who was she to say otherwise. As the girls came to sit on the floor to accompany the miko, they were all surprised to see Soma already at the door with a tray of bowls. 'Just how many did he make exactly?'

"Here we go!" Soma grinned. "Yukihira's secret menu item number twenty, revised! It's tea over a mackerel rice ball! It's typically made with salmon, but I changed the dish to accommodate mackerel. I had a feeling people would wake up to the smell, so I made enough for everyone, so you can all dig in."

Tilting her head to the side, Kagome slowly reached out to grab a bowl for herself. A small white mountain of rice sat in the middle of the bowl as the green and warm tea pooled around it. She blinked, noticing the little peek of mackerel he hid underneath the rice, but garnishing it with a few toppings. "Did you…use the tea leaves I had in my room?" she questioned.

Sitting beside her, he chuckled at her mild-glare while scratching the back of his head. "Sorry, but when you mentioned you had some, I couldn't help myself. It took me a while to find it, but you really did bring a lot of herbs with you – good thing you labeled them!" The moment he found her bag of herbs, he became astonished to see so many and ones he had never heard of. She had even brought a book on medicinal herbs. It definitely heightened his curiosity to know what exactly she was learning, but at the moment, he had a challenge to win. "Surprisingly, Kagome's green tea leaves were of high-quality. Fresh and ready to use for this type of dish. So the tea in the bowl is made from freshly brewed tea leaves."

"Mah! How can my appetite say no when served something like this!?" Yoshino moaned, feeling her stomach slowly make room for the dish in front of her.

Isshiki brought the bowl closer for observation, noticing no extravagant display on the dish. If anything – 'this all looks too pedestrian…,' his eyes narrowed, wondering how this teen was able to make it into Totsuki with such a commoner skill. 'It practically screams that it's a dish served in a diner for the masses. But perhaps…,' his eyes glided to the right, watching as Soma gave Kagome a grin.

"All right, then!" Yoshino exclaimed, grabbing her chopsticks. "Itadakimasu!"

With the other four giving their thanks, they slowly brought their lips to the bowl as they scooped a bit of the fish and rice together with the tea into her mouths. Immediately after the slurp, the five were taken into a spring heaven; their cheeks reddened at the warmth of the tea and the juiciness of the fish.

Isshiki's expression melted all together as he felt his heart flutter. "Delicious!"

"T-The mackerel is really juicy, and the skin's brittle texture is superb!" Yoshino added before taking another bite of the fish. "Mmm~ the umami just gushes out with every bite!"

"You can't just get this mouthfeel from just grilling the fish," Sakaki gulped, blushing herself to feel such an explosion of warmth from Soma's dish. "How did he-?"

Kagome could not believe what she was tasting; her senses had been completely satisfied with just one bite. She had her fair tastes of ochazukes in the past, but this one had been brought to another level. Feeling eyes on her person, she turned her head to the left and blinked at Soma staring back at her with an awaiting smile. Was he waiting for her to say something?

"Poêlé."

Everyone's focus was pulled to their senpai.

"This mackerel has been cooked using the poêlé method," Isshiki explained.

Yoshino blinked: "Po…"

Sakaki lowered her bowl: "..ê…"

Soma tilted his head to the side: "…lé?"

"Wait a minute!" Yoshino pointed an accusing finger to the red head. "Why are you acting all surprised!?"

"Huh? I was just wondering what this poêlé thing is…," he replied.

Chuckling under his breath, Isshiki faced the newbies of the dorm. "Poêlé is a cooking method in French cuisine, a type of sauté. It's a method where you pour olive oil and the like over the ingredients from above. Tell me, Soma-kun," he continued, "how did you come to know a French cooking method?"

"So that's what it is called…," Kagome whispered, remembering when Soma's father had taught them the little 'trick' when one side of their fish burnt and the other came out undercooked.

"Well, I just learned this from my old man," Soma replied. "He said it's the best way to make fish crispy. You can eat it all crunchy with rice, or enjoy a slightly different texture altogether by softening it a little in tea."

"Your father learned how to cook French cuisine?" Isshiki asked.

Soma laughed, waving his hand side-to-side. "Oh, I'm not really sure. I think he went around cooking in a lot of different countries."

"I see…," the seventh seat nodded, looking back at the basic dish. He never thought of using Japanese ingredients and French technique together. 'His cooking isn't bound by culinary traditions or genres. How liberated! The poêlé method is suited for ingredients with a thick skin. Salmon and Spanish mackerel are a perfect fit. Soma-kun determined its potential in an instant and rearranged the menu. The radiant rice is like pristine white snow…through which the Spanish mackerel bursts, as though it symbolizes the vitality of spring itself. He has expressed the very moment spring begins in this dish.' Taking a sip of the tea in the bowl, Isshiki closed his eyes as he felt his insides melt and bloom into a new warmth. 'And this green tea…it is nothing like I have ever tasted. It is so fresh and aromatic.'

Bringing the bowl back down, a puff of heat passed between his lips. He could not believe it; was this real? Focusing his eyes on the miko, who occupied herself with Soma trying to steal a bite for himself, he found it more mysterious to know Kagome had no true background in the culinary world. But he had heard Soma asking Kagome for the tea leaves, so where did that knowledge come from?

"It's supposed to be mine!" Kagome exclaimed, kicking Soma away from her. What was the pointing of presenting her a dish to taste and him wanting to eat some of it?

"Oi! I made it!" he argued back.

Isshiki chuckled, watching as the rest of the other first-years placed their finished bowls on the tray. Feeling tears slowly crawl down his cheeks, he felt his chest fill with pride knowing he had two more talented chefs joining the dorm. "How beautiful," he sniffed. "It was a beautiful thaw, Soma-kun. Kagome-chan."

"Huh?" the miko blinked, wondering where his praise to her was coming from.

"Well," Soma chuckled, scratching the side of his nose, "yours was, too, senpai. I felt a refreshing spring breeze for sure."

The miko's eyebrow twitched, completely forgetting about finishing her food, the moment Isshiki and Soma shared a handshake. The gesture was not the problem; the problem was finding Soma completely unfazed by Isshiki's lack of attire.

Megumi slowly opened her eyes; her eyesight quickly going from a blur to a bright sparkle the moment she set her sight on the naked second-year with his apron slightly hanging low to his hips. Her whole body froze; she was confused. Crawling to the miko, whose appetite had sunken, Megumi hesitated to bring out her question.

"W-What did I miss, Kagome-chan?" she whispered.

"Nothing…," Kagome sighed. "Nothing important."

"Marui!" Yoshino called out, trying to pat the boy's head to wake him up. "Marui! Marui!" She pouted upon only hearing a grumble from the megane male as he curled into a tighter ball. "He's out cold. Well then, dismissed!" Jumping onto her feet, she began to walk towards the exit with the rest of the first years yawning their way out.

Sato gave them a way, being the first out of the room. "See ya! We should clean up before going home next time, guys."

"Yeah~," Aoki added, "next time."

Sighing again, Kagome gave the girls a wave goodbye before watching Yoshino pushing a confused Megumi out of the door. Although it had been a weird 'party', she was glad to have met so many people she would be sharing this journey with. Standing up from her spot, she watched Soma unwrap his sash from his head before placing it back around his wrist.

"You two," Isshiki called, "with this welcome party, you're now officially a member of Polar Star. If you have any questions, you're welcome to ask me."

Before Kagome could give her thanks, she blinked the moment the young Yukihira took a step forward while placing his hands inside his pockets. "Ja…then how can you get into the Elite Ten?"

Hers and Isshiki's eyes widened at Soma's sudden confrontation and straightforward question. The miko's head quickly spun to take a look at his expression: he was being serious. 'What the hell is he thinking? He just started and he already wants to get into this Elite Ten?'

A low chuckle from the seventh seat caught their attention, making Kagome slump her shoulders hoping Isshiki had not been offended in any way from Soma's bluntness. "Oh, that's right," he exhaled. "You're going for the top spot in this academy, right? Is there a specific reason why you're so determined?"

"I'm kind of in a middle of a fight with my old man," Soma replied. "I have to pull off something major if I'm going to get any respect from him. Although our match just now was a draw…," his eyes narrowed to match his smirk, "if I win against you now, will I become the seventh best at Totsuki?"

Curious herself, Kagome waited for a reply as she stood behind the red head. Was that how it worked? You beat one of the Elite Ten and take their spot? It sounded to simply for an elite and chaotic school like this.

Isshiki scoffed with a smirk before he threw his hands up in the air and more tears streamed down his face. "Wonderful!"

The two jolted.

"I admire your ambition, Soma-kun!" he continued. "I'm super impressed by you right now! It's how students who live at Polar Star should be!"

"R-Right…," Soma nodded, taking a step back to stand beside the miko. "Not really what I was expecting…," he whispered.

"What did you expect from a guy just wearing an apron?" she whispered back.

"But!" Isshiki held a finger up, "I'm going to call it a night. It's getting late. Let's get some rest, you two."

"W-Well, I guess…," the corner of Soma's lips twitched. "I guess I will go to my room. Oyasumi!" he waved away, making his way out of the room.

Waving back, Isshiki's eyes narrowed in wait the moment Soma took a turn and only the miko was left. As she took one step towards the door, the seventh seat cleared his throat. "Kagome-chan." She blinked, looking over her shoulder. Reading his posture and aura, the miko could tell this was no joyful praise that was coming out of the second-year. "What about you?" he asked.

"What…about me?"

"If Soma-kun's ambitions are to get to the top in this academy, what are yours? What Soma-kun doesn't know is his words carry real weight from now on." His focus tightened, wondering what goals the miko could possibly have. "You come from a shrine, correct? Many of us attending Totsuki have our goals to take over our family restaurants, manage the culinary world, or simply to be the best in this profession. Totsuki is the first of many steps to build up our reputations. Tell me, Kagome-chan…what is your goal?"

Silence.

What else could she say? There was nothing she could say. Unlike others, she was an amateur to the world of cooking, but Isshiki was right. She would not survive without a goal.

"Well," Isshiki cut in, "think about it. I am sure it will come to you soon. Just…don't take too long. The worst is yet to come, Kagome-chan. In this academy, cooking is literally everything."

Her eyebrows furrowed together in concern upon hearing Isshiki's mild-warning. No doubt in her mind he was calling her 'weak' if she had no idea why she was here in the first place. If anything, she was easily being overshadowed by Soma's personality alone. Memories of her first day in Totsuki: taking the exam, the speech, meeting Erina, and her first class now all made sense.

This was war and no one had plans of losing.

---

Her eyes stung; her head pulsed slightly.

Kagome closed them for a second for a small breather. The whole night she had remained awake thinking over Isshiki's words and they still pestered until dawn. She scoffed, having seen the glow in her room go from a cool night to a warm orange as the sun rose for the new day. Just her luck.

Resting her arm over her eyes to cast a resting shadow, she exhaled. 'Should I even be here? I mean…it isn't like I have a restaurant to take over or dreams of becoming a chef…,' she slowly raised her forearm to her forehead, catching a glimpse of the ceiling, 'but I didn't have any other plans…'

She sat up, scratching the back of her head with a yawn. Deciding it was best to go with her day without thinking about Isshiki's words, she walked over to her closet to grab a simple dress for breakfast before having to get ready for classes.

OoO

"Ohayo, Kagome-chan!"

The said miko looked over her shoulder to see Yoshino and Megumi walking together side-to-side. Presenting a smile of her own, Kagome gave them a small wave. "Ohayo, Yoshino-chan. Megumi-chan."

"Ohayo," Megumi gave a small bow with her head. "You're up early."

Yoshino leaned in, making Kagome lean back at the close proximity. Blinking into her eyes, Yoshino pouted as she saw her eyes slightly reddened with irritation. "Did you not sleep, Kagome-chan?" she questioned with a tilt of her head.

"Is it that noticeable?" she chuckled nervously. "I was hoping washing my face would have cleared that off."

"Is something bothering you?" Megumi asked with worry.

Shaking her head, Kagome continued her way down the hall. "Nothing. I guess I am just not used to the bed here. Don't worry, I will be fine." It was not the first time she had gone a night without sleep. There were countless times she had to be on guard even though Inuyasha stated he was watching over them. One night would do no harm – she hoped.

"Ohayo, minna!" The three girls blinked upon reaching the last step of the stairs and coming to face Isshiki, Aoki, and Sato. Isshiki greeted them with a wide smile: "I hope you three got your beauty sleep."

"Well," Yoshino chuckled, hooking her arm over the miko's shoulder, "Kagome-chan here might need the whole day to sleep."

"Oh? Was the room not up to your comfort?" Isshiki pouted.

The wave of concerns quickly made the miko feel a bit overwhelmed. She understood it, but she was fine. Not to mention the origin of her problem had been Isshiki's words that kept her up all night. "I'm fine," she reassured them, "I just want to eat and rest a bit before going to class."

"She's right!" Isshiki exclaimed, "let us go and share a wonderful meal together!"

Glad to divert their attention elsewhere, Kagome followed them behind as they walked towards the dining room. Her only hope was to get some food and a small ten-minute nap before having to get ready all over again. Reaching the entrance to the dining room, the whole group stopped upon noticing Isshiki having stood right under the door frame.

"Senpai?" Megumi asked.

"What is it?" Yoshino yawned, pushing her way through to catch a glimpse what had stopped the second-year.

All of them blinked in unison as a gust of wind from the open window curtained the display before them. In the middle of the room, sitting on a chair with arms and legs crossed, sat none other than their red head resident already with his case of knives on the floor and his white sash tied around his forehead.

"Yesterday, I had to table this, but let's put the Elite Ten's seventh seat on the line! It's time for a cook off, Isshiki-senpai!"

Once again the group blinked, silence draping over them as they stared at the red head with a blank stare. The only one showing a reaction, Kagome, could not help but let the corner of her lips twitch. Soma's personality was too much at times, but to deal with it this early in the morning was something she did not want to handle.

As Yoshino, Sato, and Aoki yawned and ignored the declaration, they walked towards one of the dining tables. It was too early to deal with someone who had no idea what they were asking. Kagome sighed, shaking her head as Yoshino pulled her and Megumi to the side to make them sit beside her. From the corner of their eyes, they watched Isshiki simply tilt his head to the side only to have Soma mimic his moves.

"Huh?" Soma blinked, wondering about the silence.

"I'm starving~," Yoshino whined, stretching her arms out on the table.

"When's breakfast, Fumio-san?" Aoki asked.

"Shut your traps!" Fumio shouted back, peeking out of the kitchen. "Sit and wait!"

Resting her chin over her palm, Kagome glanced at her childhood friend. As far she could see, Isshiki was not taken back by the declaration, but more by the sudden way Soma took it.

"Sorry, Soma-kun," Isshiki spoke. "I should have explained better."

"Huh?"

"About challenges here at Totsuki Academy. Let's go take a seat." Waiting for Soma to take his seat across the miko, he took his own on the other side. He chuckled, loving Soma's ambitions to take any challenge despite not knowing all the rules that needed to be followed. As his senpai, it was up to him to take care of his first-years.

Kagome's eyes dropped into a dead-eye fish look the moment Soma took his seat. "I can't believe you woke up early just for this. I can't even believe you're even going for the seventh seat. You really are a baka."

"Well I wanted to be in the Elite Ten," he huffed back. "I even woke up at five today to get myself revved up."

"There is an established policy at this academy to settle disputes among students," Isshiki began, smiling at Fumio as she gave each students their trays of food. "There are several rules. Should you wish to challenge me for my seventh seat, you must wager something that is equal in value."

The miko's eyes narrowed in curiosity: "a wager equal in value to the seventh seat?"

"Hai. If we are talking the seventh seat…," Isshiki hooked is chin with his index finger and thumb in thought, "…not even Soma-kun's expulsion would be enough."

"Eh~," Kagome nodded. To hear that this school would 'bet' things or titles was absurd in some way, but then again this was a different school compared to the rest where people fought to be in the top.

"Seriously!?" Soma shouted.

Turning to the red head, Kagome gave him a smirk: "guess no one wants you."

"Uruse!"

"Indeed," Fumio chuckled, coming to sit beside Megumi, "the Elite Ten is worth that much. After all, they are the highest decision-making body in the entire academy. Not even instructors can oppose what the Elite Ten Council has decided. In the past, this dorm used to produce several Elite Ten members every year. It was the golden age of Polar Star." Her eyes lowered into a glare: "in comparison, you lot are pathetic!"

Shrugging at Fumio's appreciation for them, Isshiki cleared his throat to get the newbies attention again. "Well, so anyway, I can accept your challenge, but I would not want you to leave the academy. In conclusion, there can be no cook-off."

"Why not?" Kagome commented, ignoring Soma's sudden glare. "I wouldn't mind him gone; save everyone's taste buds while we are at." And she was not lying. The horrors of his dishes were still in her head, and on her tongue, and it would be a blessing for many if they could avoid him for that sole reason.

"Well, he can't just do whatever he wants, Kagome-chan," Isshiki continued. "There are three things you need for an official cook-off. First, an adjudicator to certify that it is a formal challenge. Second, an odd number of judges. Third, an agreement between the contestants about the conditions of the challenge. All must be met for the formal challenge to be valid."

"I see," Soma nodded. "Sounds like a huge bother."

"No kidding," Kagome agreed for once. All this work for one cooking challenge? How difficult could it be?

"But on the flip side, as long as you can meet those three conditions, you can challenge anyone in the academy." Isshiki could understand how hard it was to wrap their heads around the whole concept, but soon enough they would learn just how important cooking was to each individual student. "All who oppose you shall be struck down through your cooking. Totosuki's traditional cooking duel is called…Shokugeki."

"Shokugeki, huh?" Kagome nodded, trying to understand the whole thing. Drinking the last sip of her tea, she slowly stood from her seat along with the others.

"Ah, Kagome-chan?"

The miko turned to the caretaker, noticing an envelope in her hand.

"This came in for you."

Taking the envelope, the miko blinked upon noticing the Totsuki emblem in front of it before slowly opening it. "What is it?" Soma questioned from over her shoulder. She ignored his question; she took out the pieces of folded paper. Scanning the contents, her shoulders slumped. "What is it?" he questioned again.

"I got transferred to another class," she replied.

"What!?"

"Well, it was bound to happen. There was an odd number of students in the class, remember?" Kagome sighed, looking back at the paper where it gave her, her new class. She pouted, thinking about how she and Soma would be in different classes. She was not afraid, but she was worried about the people that she would have to deal with.

---

Taking in a deep breath, Kagome looked around her new class. The same structure of the last one could be seen. Where there any normal-looking classrooms anywhere in this school? She sighed once more, adjusting the buttons of her white cooking blouse. It was weird not being around Soma, and she was starting to regret pushing him away even with his sarcastic comments. After witnessing just how competitive this place was, it gave her a wave of nerves.

'Why am I even nervous? I have dealt with bigger things than this,' she scoffed at herself.

As she stood beside her station, alone, she began to wonder if she would even get a partner for this class. Observing the other stations, she could see some people already making teams of two. 'I think these teams were made since the first day…'

"Are you the person I am working with in this class?"

The miko jolted at the low-tone voice. Looking over her shoulder, she blinked at the sight of the silver haired tied back into a ponytail and tan skinned male. She blinked again, memory clinking in to the day of the orientation. This had been the guy that had dropped the weird cinnamon stick he carried."Ah…," she whispered, "you're the guy I bumped into at the entrance."

He lifted a brow, wondering where that had come from. Keeping his eyes on her person, it hit him what she was talking about. Nodding to the unnamed girl, he placed his schoolbag on the stool. "Yeah, I remember you."

"Sorry about that," she gave out a sheepish laugh. "I was nervous about coming here and well…," she exhaled with a smile, "Higurashi Kagome. I hope I can be of help to you here."

"Hayama Akira," he introduced himself, "and I hope so, too."

---

MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes: Thank you for reading and please leave a review (they do help for motivation). Thank you again for the support!

Ja~ne!