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 have not updated this story since 2017 and for that, I apologize! Lots of things occurred in that time, but the inspiration for this story is still there (and I hope it continues). To be honest, I was really surprised to come back and see all the reviews that were left for the last chapter and I could never believe the high popularity of this story. Most of the motivation comes from the reviews because it helps me get these chapters done faster for all of you. So really, it is all thanks to you and I do hope you can continue to review. Now this chapter...ha...ha...I'm praying it is okay, that is all I can say.

Enjoy!

Chapter 07: Past Hearts Care

Observing the girl, quiet and lost in his eyes, the alumni chef could not contain the snicker escaping his lips. Sitting comfortably in his seat waiting for his food to simmer, his attention glided to the red head who also waited to hear from his head chef. "I feel for you, Yukihira." Shinomiya spoke, resting his cheek on his palm.

"Huh?" Souma's head turned to his speaker.

"You must be feeling anxious and despair with all the waiting you have to do for her." Shinomiya continued as he saw the girl's eyes shift from the available ingredients. "A shame your fate is riding on that half-wit's skills."

"Ugh, did you hear that?!" Hinako's eyes narrowed as she saw the French-cuisine chef giving the younger duo a smirk. She could not help but feel her own skin crawl with goosebumps at the lack of empathy the man contained. Leaning closer to her other alumni, she raised a brow while keeping a stink eye on the chef. "Look how rude he is."

Mizuhara nodded as she rested in a squat on her seat. "Shinomiya has a really nasty personality."

"Ma, that's why your relationships never last, Shinomiya-san." Gotoda whispered.

Turning to his ill-commenters, Shinomiya's vein throbbed on his forehead noticing their unregretful stares. "Outsiders should keep their mouths shut!" His eyes landed on the woman he thought had been tied up before pointing at her, "wait a minute! Hinako! When did you slip the ropes?!"

Shaking her head against her constraints, Hinako leaned forward to shout her spirit into the young girl. "Good luck, Kagome-chan! Kick his butt! Don't lose to that spiteful man!"

All was ignored in her head; all noises were muted. Her concentration solely on the ingredients being offered to her, and she was still unsure what she should be making. The sound of chopping, fire starting, and the simmering of food had her nerves hiked up, and it only made them worse knowing who she was up against. 'If it had been Souma-kun as the head chef, I am sure he would have already had something in mind.' Grabbing a few of the vegetables on the trays and inspecting their appearance, her attention seemed to land on a familiar ingredient she had come to hate since meeting the French-cuisine chef. Picking it up, she inspected it once more before turning around to face her awaiting sous chef.

"Souma-kun," she spoke, "I think I know what I want to make."

His eyes landed on the ingredient in her hands before a light chuckle escaped him. "Are you sure?"

Placing it on their counterspace, Kagome scanned her opponent from the corner of her eyes, "more like I want to use it against him, and," taking a hold of a chef's knife, she gave Shinomiya a smirk of her own, "show him I know what I am doing."

Nodding to her courage, Souma could not help but smirk at the fire in her eyes. Most people did underestimate her, but growing up with her, he learned it was a mistake to do so. She was never one to back out, especially if they were insulting her ability. Untying the white headband from his wrist, he began to place it on his forehead and turning to the ingredients before them. He would give it his all to crush the Totsuki alumni and support Kagome's dish.

"A Shokugeki with an alumnus?!" Yoshino shouted.

Megumi nodded as she sat in Marui's room with the others who waited for a clearer explanation. The Shokugeki was to be kept as secret as possible and sharing the news in the lobby would have been problematic for them and the staff alone. She sighed, looking down at her lap as she heard Yoshino grunt Souma's name and blame him for an eternity.

"But why!?" Yoshino grasped the sides of her head. "How did that even happen?!"

"Kagome-chan was about to get expelled," Megumi gulped remembering the acceptance of the expulsion Kagome agreed to, "but then Souma-kun…"

"Eh!?" They all shouted in unison. "Expelled?!"

Megumi's eyes narrowed with concern as she saw Yoshino shaking her head at the thought of their two new friends getting expelled. As Sakaki consoled her worries, Megumi's looked at the boys of their dorm also looking at each other with constant thoughts how this whole ordeal could go. There was no telling how this cooking challenge would go, but if Souma was involved to help Kagome she was sure they would come out it.

Unless another challenge came about.

Observing in silence, along with the other alumni, Shinomiya tapped his fingers on the counter as he waited for the last minutes of his dish to simmer. Eyes narrowed cautiously at the synchronization of their slicing, and the fast pace of their continuous change in tasks. The others were awed by the smooth flow of cooking both students displayed, but the transition of passing the ready ingredients to each other and the silent communication was something they did not see every day. For students and professional chefs to have that sort of flow it was a practice, and a continuous one.

"Shinomiya-senpai!"

A heavy sigh blew past his lips as he heard Hinako's voice. "What?"

Leaning down to the side of Shinomiya's head, Hinako chuckled as she whispered into his ear. "Amazing how Kagome-chan didn't seem fazed by you, that would be a first."

The anger throbbed on his forehead as he heard loud and clear. Turning his head around, he pointed at Gotoda to pull her back into her restraints. "Put her somewhere far away!" Her cries were ignored; her words echoed in his head. It was true, as much as he hated to admit it. Eyes landing back on Kagome's and Souma's calmness, he had to admit, they were unfazed. Did they not weigh the consequences to this Shokugeki? Did they not realize who they were going up against? Attention lowered to the ingredients on the counter and the big bowls of colored…water? What was she doing with that?

Watching Souma pass a bowl of cut cauliflower, Shinomiya's brow rose as the girl grabbed the bowl without giving him a glance and her hands already prepping the cauliflower with a few spices she had laid out. Both delivered ingredients and cooking without a pause, and neither of them broke their own concentration.

"What is going on?" Mizuhara whispered, watching the duo cook without faltering in their tasks.

"Hm," Gotoda hummed as he watched Souma prepare cherry tomatoes and cucumbers, "he isn't overstepping her, but he is fast."

"He is keeping an eye on her at all times." Hitoshi added as he observed the way Souma took care of the girl. "He doesn't really need to as she is doing just fine, and seems confident in her skill, but there is a small gap of skill between them. Do we have their files?" As Mizuhara gave him the student files from the counter in front of them, Gotoda and Hinako looked over his shoulder to see their pictures and the information of their transfer. "Yukihira Souma and Higurashi Kagome; they are the only transfers this year?"

"It looks like his family runs a diner." Gotoda read. "That maybe the answer to where he got his training."

Hitoshi nodded, eyes coming back to see him working. "Even so, I find it hard to believe he gained that much skill from home. His skill clearly surpasses that of any student."

"What about Kagome-chan?" Hinako questioned.

The alumni went back to reading her file only to see there was no experience in cooking. She had literally transferred from a normal middle school and nothing more. "That is certainly shocking…". Hitoshi's brow crooked up as he and the others observed Kagome once more. She knew what she was doing, from he looks of it, but where had her experience come from? "She had to get training from somewhere, especially if she was able to get into Totsuki."

Smirking at their conversation, Dojima nodded as he saw the time on his watch close to their end. "Both contestants, begin to finish up your dishes!"

Bringing out the plates to the counter, Souma watched as Kagome brought up the final piece of her dish. "Let's finish up!"

"Got it!" Souma nodded with a smile.

"Turns out I have to stay another two days here, at least."

Hearing the low growl on the other line, a mental sigh was given in return. "I was asked by Dojima-san to stay for tomorrow's test." Stopping in his steps, the youkai looked around the forest outside of the main hotel. "It is the least I can do, you know that."

He sighed, hearing the words from the other.

"Hai, hai." He nodded, relaxing in his stance as he made mental notes of what was being said – or more like told. Making money in this world was tougher than it was in the past, and he hated how over the years it only made the stress increase. "I'll make it to the meeting, don't worry." Bringing the phone down to hang up, his brow twitched. "That taiyoukai never got that stick out of his ass." For once he wished he could clear out his schedule, but to have strong connections with other corporations, and now schools, they had to keep up with these meetings. "Hate it." He exhaled loudly as he looked at the path ahead.

Dojima seriously owed him.

Taking a step forward, Dojima made his presence known once more as he shouted the end of the Shokugeki. "We will now begin the judging." Waiting for the other alumni to take their seats behind their table, Dojima's attention landed on Shinomiya with his dishes covered by silver domes. "Alright, Shinomiya's dish comes first. You may now serve the dish."

With a confident smirk, the vegetable magician made his way forward with two dishes on each hand while the third was balanced on his forearm. Kagome's eyes were glued with curiosity on the dish that he could have prepared for the judges, but it would also determine if he even saw her as a challenge depending on what he created. Never in a million years did she think she would be going head-to-head with a world known chef. Just a few months ago she had come back from battling demons and now she was picking a fight with this man.

A sweat drop loomed over her head, 'I should really watch my mouth sometimes…'. Her eyes glided to the silent red head standing beside her. 'Then again, he has a bigger fault right here.'

"I can't help but feel anticipation!" Gotoda chuckled as the plate was placed in front of him.

Nodding to the same anticipation Gotoda felt, Hitoshi waited as Shinomiya finally took off the silver dome covering their plates. Eyes blinked simultaneously at the sight before them. The simple, yet elegant, plating before them of a cabbage roll with what looked to be a sauce made of other vegetables and spices carefully and beautifully plated around it took them by surprise.

"Chou farci!" Gotoda explained, amazed by the presentation and the smells radiating from the simple dish. "This is unexpected, Shinomiya."

"It's regional cooking from the Auvergne region." Hitoshi added. "It's a dish where a filling of finely chopped meat and vegetables are wrapped in cabbage leaves, then steamed. It's similar to a cabbage roll in Western cuisine."

Grabbing her fork, Mizuhara's brow rose, "it's also a dish often made in French homes, if I am not mistaken."

Sighing heavily at the sight of the dish, Hinako shook her head. "I'm really taken back, Shinomiya-senpai. Don't you only make fancy dishes-ugh!" Head dropping from the sudden weight of Shinomiya's palm, fingers twitched from the pain as she heard him walking back to the front of the table. "H-Hold on a minute! W-Where is my share?"

"Didn't make you any." He glared. "Have Mizuhara share some of hers."

Silently watching from the sidelines, Kagome and Souma observed the expressions of the judges as they cut into the cabbage roll. The aromas instantly took them into a high. Gotoda was the first to express his pleasure to the aromas by closing his eyes and enjoying the waves of scents being pulled out of the inside. "The aroma of herbs whets the appetite!"

Mizuhara took the first bite, small, but enough of everything. Her eyes widened at the sudden explosion of flavors in her mouth, making her skin tingle. As the other judges took their bites, each and every one of them were awed by the smooth texture of the flavors, but how graceful they complimented each other.

"Meraviglioso!" Gotoda exclaimed as his cheeks reddened from the satisfying taste.

Puzzled over the flavors, Hitoshi divided the cabbage roll with his knife to look at the ingredients. "T-This stuffing is different from the typical pork and onion stuffing used in chou farci! It's…it's a farce of jidori chicken breast meat!"

"Ah," Gotoda nodded, remembering having seen Shinomiya slice a few chicken breasts, "he butterflied the chicken breasts which he later stuffed with morels, asparagus, and foie gras sautéed in beef fat, along with a smooth mousse-like paste made from chicken breast meat, butter, eggs, and heavy cream. So that is when the chou farci was then steamed."

The miko's brow twitched as she watched them explain all the ingredients that had been used in the one cabbage roll. They did not even have to ask Shinomiya about what he used. The alumni were able to capture almost everything just by taste! It began to worry her; her palms became hot, yet she felt her fingers go numb. Would her dish be okay?

"Hmm…and the most fearsome ingredient of all," Dojima spoke as he grabbed a piece from Hitoshi's dish, "is the cabbage that envelopes the filling. The Savoy cabbage…in Japanese it's called the crepe cabbage. It has a strong grassy smell when raw, but develops a delicate sweet flavor once cooked." He smirked, taking the bite only to be more amazed at the steps Shinomiya took to bring the dish's strong yet smooth flavors. 'It's as if he cast a spell over the whole dish. He immediately went alone to France once he graduated, then opened a restaurant in Paris after several years of training and became an owner-chef. While there is a preponderance of met dishes in French cuisine, Shinomiya shone a fresh spotlight on legumes, or vegetables, shocking gourmands throughout the nation. Eventually, the chef from Japan gained the respect of the residents of the city of gourmet and was honored by the name, "The Magician of Legumes".'

Chewing into the piece she had stolen from Mizuhara, Hinako's cheeks puffed with warmth. 'I hate to admit it, but it's delicious!'

"Amazing," Gotoda whispered, "he took a common regional dish and reinterpreted it with his sharpened senses and elevated to a dish that could be served at a high-end restaurant."

Hinako and the others sighed in peace as they felt their souls warm up after the meal. Placing her hands over her heart, Hinako closed her eyes contently. "That was fantastic!"

"Well done, Shinomiya-san!" Gotoda nodded. "It is no wonder that you are known as the Magician of Legumes!"

A readied smirk appeared over Shinomiya's lips as he took off his glasses for a clean. Eyes still on the judges, he was pleased to see the joy on their faces - a joy he expected. "So, how did that taste, Mizuhara?" He raised a brow.

Wiping the corner of her lips, Mizuhara looked ahead, refusing to make eye contact with her past classmate. "It was perfect," she nodded, "once I wiped all my memories of you."

"Oh?" Shinomiya's brow twitched. "How unfortunate for you."

Chuckling at their interactions, Dojima set his fork down on the clean plate before turning around to speak. "Still, I wasn't expecting this, Shinomiya. I thought I'd be able to taste the specialty of your restaurant, Shino."

Shinomiya, putting his glasses back on, turned to face his alumni with a smirk. "That's a joke in poor taste, Dojima-san. My opponent's only a student. Would I be so cruel as to serve my signature dish?"

'You would…'. All the alumni agreed mentally.

Understanding his logic, Dojima nodded as he kept his eyes on Shinomiya. 'An up-and coming chef who has opened a restaurant in a prime location in Paris, the battleground of gourmet food…he believes he can't possibly lose to a student, an arrogance that may well be justified.' But something was missing. Something that not a lot of people could tell if they tried his food. Eyes landing on the waiting duo behind him, he gave the girl a smile, making her jolt in place. "All right. Higurashi, Yukihira, it is time for you two to serve your dish."

Kagome and Souma nodded back; the miko's eyes landed down at the plates before her with the meal she had prepared. Nothing compared to Shinomiya's; nothing fancy. It was a meal, but there was a lot at stake on this Shokugeki, and she could only hope for a miracle to occur once the plates were placed before the judges.

Her eyes immediately closed at the feel of the sting on the back of her head. Looking over her shoulder, her view narrowed on the red head holding one of her plates. "O-Oi…"

"Let's go." His smiled stretched.

Smile mimicked on her own lips, Kagome gave him a nod. If there was something she knew about the way he comforted others, it was through small talk and flicks. She chuckled under her breath as she grabbed the two plates on the counter before turning around to face the waiting judges. Was everything she had on this dish? Perhaps, but that did not mean it was her max. Thought after thought washed a shore in her head, only adding more worry in her quivering heart, but she knew she had to do it.

She had to show what she could do.

As both Kagome and Souma placed the dishes before the judges, all of them were taken back. They blinked a few times to take in the sight of the tri-color rice: lavender, light orange, and green. A few cherry tomatoes and other ingredients were mixed in with the rice, but the simple plating is what had them awed. A crystal soul bowl at a decent dinner size presented the light-yellow rice at the bottom followed by green and then purple. It was too simple, but there was something off about it.

"Rice?" Mizuhara questioned.

"Not exactly." Kagome replied understanding their confusion. "It's…cauliflower. It's a tri-colored 'rice'."

Eyes immediately dropped the dish before being brought back to the eyes of the girl.

"A Tabbouleh, huh? This is a common Mediterranean dish, but you decided to use cauliflower?" Mizuhara spoke again. "Isn't that the reason you are here…?"

With a sweat drop looming over her head, Kagome had to agree.

"Hmm…but this is different colors." Hitoshi commented, still awed by the three colors. "Are they different flavors?"

"How interesting." Shinomiya stepped in, scoffing at the sight of the dull dish. "Cauliflower? Are you trying to spark a fire using the very thing that got you here?"

"Not at all." Kagome's face melted in worry yet defensive. "I am using something in my own way." Then again, maybe it did look like she was picking a fight with Shinomiya, but it was not like she could have made anything else. The dish before them was something she remembered doing for fun as a kid with her mother and father, but of course, she had to mix it up and bit or she would have just given them the cauliflower as rice and nothing else.

"Ma, ma," Gotoda tried to quell the tension radiating between the two, "let's see how it turned out for starters." It was shocking to find Shinomiya annoyed by two students. If anything, it had everyone wondering if Shinomiya actually saw something in them to even give them this much attention.

The light clanks of their spoons being picked up and scooping up a bit of the meal echoed; Kagome and Souma waited with focus glued on their movements and expressions. As the three judges took their first bite at the same time, Kagome gulped. She was confident, but fear still rung within.

But what did she fear?

"This…," Gotoda's eyes opened to look at the dish once more, "is delicious!"

"Indeed!" Hitoshi agreed as he took another bite.

Having stolen a spoon from the side and scooped a bit for herself, Hinako was thrilled to taste the dish. The warm and inviting bite set her soul at ease.

Shoulders dropped from their heavy await, and Kagome' eyes remained glued on their joyous expressions.

"If one did not take a bite, one would believe this was rice." Hitoshi nodded, as he took another scoop of the dish. "I can taste the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes and the fresh taste of cucumbers gives it a lot of flavor, but it isn't heavy."

"Not to mention the colors!" Gotoda exclaimed. "Oh!" His eyes met Kagome's before his smile stretched. "You dyed the cauliflower?"

"Uh, yeah." She nodded with a smile. "It's something my father and mother taught me when I was younger." Scratching the back of her head, she was not sure how to present to them she had been a little picky eater with cauliflower, but when her father and mother showed her how to dye cauliflower, it became fun.

"What did you use to dye it?" Mizuhara asked, intrigued by the trick.

Taking out her fingers to count, Kagome brought one finger each time as her eyes went up in thought. "Hmm, I used turmeric and onion scraps for the orange, spinach for green, and beetroot leaves."

"I'm impressed." Mizuhara had to nod at her quick thinking to use other foods to dye the one ingredient. Not to mention, they soaked up the flavors of each used ingredient and were balanced in the end. Nothing overpowered the other, but the hidden spices still lost her. She felt…too at ease. Her eyes came up once more to meet the miko's, making her jump again from the sudden eye contact. It was a refreshing taste rather than a heavy one.

"Ah~," Hinako sighed as she stole another bite, "this dish is full of Kagome-chan's heart."

Gotoda chuckled under his breath, having to agree with Hinako's statement. "If Shinomiya-san is the Magician of Legumes, Kagome-chan would be someone that subtly is looking after us and providing us with nature's bounty. She is like a Koro-pok-guru of Legumes!"

"No!" Hinako shook her head as she made an 'X' with her arms. "That's wrong! Kagome-chan brings happiness and she brings it to everyone! She is the Household God of Legumes!"

"Perhaps," Hitoshi added, "but she is someone who could be the reincarnation of Uke Mochi!"

Another twitch to her brow was felt by Kagome as she heard the comments and arguments going back and forth between the judges. 'Perhaps not the reincarnation of her…but why are they connecting me to folktales?'

"No!" Shouted Hinako once again. "I don't think that fits!"

"Well the Koro-pok-guru should be fine!" Gotoda added.

"She is definitely a Household God!"

Put in the middle of the bickering, Mizuhara exhaled. "Wait, why are all of them of the yokai variety?"

'Seriously…'. Kagome closed her eyes, trying to find the reasoning behind their bickering. Then again, hearing them say they were enjoying her dish really calmed her nerves. Her eyes landed on the dishes she had made and having alumni of a well-known culinary school try it. It almost made her want to laugh at her own life. The thought of her coming from battling demons to cooking like this was now a laugh only she could enjoy, but that was not to say she did not enjoy it. Cooking was something that she enjoyed when she was little and when her family and Souma's family taught her, but of course the past was a blur at times. But at least she remembered some of the good times.

Hearing a low sigh beside him, Souma peeked at the girl from the corner of his eyes. He blinked to the sight of a tear clinging at the corner of her eyes before she closed them to stop them. Stopping himself from chuckling, he had to admit he was impressed by Kagome's quick thinking. She was not the old little girl who feared trying new recipes and took minutes to think of something to make on the spot. For her, this was probably the biggest accomplishment.

"All right then," Dojima took a step forward, "let's begin the judging." Taking out foreign coin for each judge, he then placed one plate in front of Kagome and one in front of Shinomiya before giving out the instructions. "The coin represents one vote. Each of the three judges have one coin; they will pick between Shinomiya or Higurashi-kun."

Kagome's eyes lowered to the counter to see the empty plate before looking across from her. Shinomiya held his confident smirk, and although her hopes were high, she had to remind herself she was going against someone who held the first seat in the Elite Ten.

"Cast your vote for the dish that you felt tasted the best." Dojima continued, seeing the judges ready with their coins in hand.

"Well, I'll start." Mizuhara spoke, taking the first step forward.

The room was covered in echoes of Mizuhara's steps and the kitchen's solitude. All eyes were on Mizuhara as she stood before the counter and looked at both plates. Feeling her stomach twist, Kagome tried to feint a courageous front. Holding onto her oxygen, Kagome's eyes narrowed as she saw the first coin land.

"One point for Shinomiya." Dojima spoke.

Mizuhara took a small glance of the girl to give her an apologetic look but was unable to do so as she saw Kagome's own view drop before her own eyes closed.

Hearing Mizuhara walk away, Kagome prayed for that miracle she needed. She was not sure what she had expected with Mizuhara. Maybe she had hoped for the first point, but she knew Shinomiya had the upper hand. He had the experience.

But…she wanted to stay. She just needed a miracle.

Any miracle.

Taking one step at a time down the stairs leading to the basement kitchens, exhaustion blew between the youkai's lips as he saw the dark hall leading to the one open door with light brimming out of it. Dojima was seriously doing some rule breaking if he was holding an unofficial Shokugeki after hours. Not to mention it was with an alumnus like Shinomiya and a student. Scratching the back of his head, Kouga closed his eyes as he remembered his boss's words. He was definitely going to be hearing a lecture the next time he saw him for missing both the video conference and now he had to book it to make it to the actual meeting in two days.

Putting both hands inside his pockets, Kouga was only a few steps away from the door frame but a sudden scent hit his hidden memory. Eyes snapped open before they narrowed. Was it in his head? The scent was all too familiar, yet there was doubt. Head rising, Kouga's mind clouded with uncertainty. Was he imagining it?

'This scent…' He took a step towards the open door before the light consumed his sight. Eyes cringed before they adjusted to their surroundings and slowly pupils dilated at the sight before him. The scent, her hair, her…tears…all too familiar. Lips parted to speak her name, but as soon as he took a step forward, he heard Shinomiya's voice.

"My condolences." Shinomiya scoffed as the corner of his lips curved upwards.

"The gap between your and Shinomiya's abilities was obvious." Dojima spoke, eyes on Shinomiya's plate: three coins. "Shinomiya won by a landslide."

Vision blurred by her tears clinging at the corner of her eyes, Kagome continued to stare at her empty plate. She gave no movement, no words, no blink.

"Kagome…," Souma whispered, taking off his headband, "I'm sorry. I…couldn't help you. "

The miko remained still, and all reason to her silence and shock was not for herself, but the risk there was to in losing. Her head slowly shook as she closed her eyes once again hearing the forced smile on his face.

"But you can stand up straight and proud." He chuckled under his breath. "You gave it your all, and you made a really good dish."

Kagome bit her lower lip as she heard him tie his headband around his wrist. No. No. No. This was not how it was supposed to go. This was not how Souma's path had to end. All through her cooking against Shinomiya she was thinking on getting him back for looking down at her she slightly forgot on the heaviness of the Shokugeki.

The real consequence.

Shoulders shook as she gave it her all to hold back the guilt she held; her head hung in shame. What could she do now? She wanted nothing more than to yell at him for his arrogance, but she had to bite her tongue. This was not a place where she could give them a lecture, especially when Souma's attendance in Totsuki was also being risked.

"Well," Shinomiya sighed, smile still glued to his lips, "no need to be so down about it. It was inevitable. Anyway, I have an early start tomorrow, so excuse me. Have a good night-". Turning around, Shinomiya stopped in his steps. "What…" Eyes narrowed; the adults and Souma followed his line of sight to the black-haired male wearing dark brown pants and a black button up shirt making his way towards the counter. "Oi," Shinomiya called, "what are you-?"

The room fell silent as a coin landed on Kagome's plate.

The miko's eyes fluttered open in response to the clank and noticed the one coin on her plate.

Turning around to face the newcomer, Shinomiya's glare hardened. "What do you think you're doing, Kouga?"

The name…the voice…Kagome's head snapped up only to follow with her eyes widening as she stared at the male's ponytail, tan skin, and smirk being sent to her opponent. Was that…?

"Oh, Kouga-senpai." Souma blinked, taken back by his appearance.

"Kouga, the judging is over." Shinomiya spoke. "There are no other outcomes to this." If Kouga was trying to escalate the issue, then so be it, but he had done his part, fair and square.

"Actually," Dojima intervened, "I asked him to."

"I'm just a little late." Kouga snickered, holding his hand up with his thumb and index finger showing a small gap in between. "I thought I would have made it to my video conference, but then I remembered this Shokugeki occurred at the same time, so~ I decided to come here."

Dojima's brow crooked up, "yet you're still late."

"Ma, ma!" He waved his hand up and down, "I had to call him to apologize, and you know that isn't easy to do. Besides, it is a good thing the others here could fill in the seats for judging, right?"

"Oh! Kouga-san!" Hinako jumped out of her restraints – much to the surprise of everyone else – before making her way to the new judge. Holding out her palm towards Kouga, she flashed him a smile. "Nee, nee, Kouga-san, can I have a coin, too? Shinomiya-senpai here thought it was not fair for me to vote."

Shinomiya's nerve was struck once again the moment Hinako stuck out her tongue at him. "Oi…".

Taking out a coin from his pants' pocket, Kouga placed it on Hinako's palm. "Of course you can, Hinako-chan! You go vote!"

Slapping his hand on the counter, Shinomiya gained everyone's attention, stopping Hinako from placing her coin on Kagome's dish. "This is absurd! Kouga, you have no right to meddle with the results of this, and even if you could, you have not tried the girl's dish nor mine to compare." He scoffed under his breath as he straightened out his posture, "you think you have a right to say something in this Shokugeki?"

"No." Kouga blinked. "Just really want to piss you off."

Another twitch to his brow.

"But," Kouga continued, as his eyes landed on the shocked girl standing beside him, "I judge character, and I can tell when a person puts their heart into something." A smile was sent her way, which only made her pupils dilate with shock. No doubt in his mind she was in a storm of confusion, but just like him, she was holding back everything. Holding back five hundred years' worth of lost connection. "Also," his head immediately turned to the chef as he pointed a finger at him, "I don't like men who make girls cry."

"I didn't make her cry!" Shinomiya shouted. Ready to object to his logic, Shinomiya stopped the moment he saw Kagome's dish being pushed to him. Following the arm at fault, Shinomiya's eyes narrowed tightly. "What is the meaning of this, Dojima-san? I believe the outcome has been decided."

Before Dojima answered, the sound of another coin on Kagome's plate run in everyone's ears. "I simple wished to acknowledge this dish and cast my own vote as well."

"I hate repeating myself," Shinomiya's tone darkened with annoyance, "but once again, you are not even one of the judges. What are you and Kouga trying to pull? And what do you mean you're acknowledging that dish?"

"Really?" Dojima scoffed with a smirk before throwing a coin towards Shinomiya's way. "The dish Higurashi-kun made…that is where the answer to your question can be found."

Catching the coin in his hand, he heard Dojima's next words.

"You're stagnating right now, aren't you?"

Shinomiya's eyes widened; heads turned to the chef. The past memories of his first years in France sprouted up. The countless times his own staff stabbed him in the back to change his recipes and the moment his restaurant was shattering. That was the moment he decided even his own staff were his enemies and trusting only yourself is the belief to live by in the kitchen. This set of thinking made him rise to the top, and he was not going to change it.

"You must have realized it yourself." Dojima continued, taking Shinomiya's silence as a 'yes'. "Now that you've earned the Pluspol award, you have lost sight of your path moving forward. You're at a standstill at the pinnacle, and don't know where to go. For us, stagnation is akin to regression. The reason you didn't cook your specialty in this match is because you didn't want us to find out that your cooking has hit a wall."

"Shut up!"

The room fell into a deeper and shocked silence the moment Shinomiya opened his mouth to stop Dojima from saying any more.

"What would you know about any of this?!" He exclaimed, taking a step back. "You're a hired chef for the Totsuki Group! You know nothing!"

"Then try it."

Shinomiya's eyes dropped back to the plate Dojima presented him with.

"Try Higurashi-kun's dish."

"Hmph," he smirked, "why would I do that?"

"I said try it."

Eyes glued on the simple cauliflower tabbouleh dish, Shinomiya's brows furrowed, hesitant to grab the spoon next to the plate. Slowly grabbing the silver utensil, he scooped only an inch of the dish before coming to taste the girl's food. Immediately after savoring it, he chuckled. "Seriously, this needs some work. The plating and the flavors are subpar. To think Dojima-san, Kouga, and the others have lost their touch to give you such high praise." Eyes narrowed as he tasted it again before he slammed both of his hands on the counter. 'And yet…why is it that the dish speaks to the heart so much? There are many flaws to this, but each detail speaks to the chef's care for the customer. It is as though the dish unravels your tightly wound heart.' The taste brought him back to the simple days in the country side where he lived with his mother. The days where he would get into fights with the neighbor kids and scolds from his mother, but in the end, his mother understood him and his dreams. Her soft touch to calm him down missed for years. 'This taste is like…a parent's love.'

Slowly letting the coin drop on Kagome's plate, everyone waited in silence to hear from him. Kagome's mind flickered back and forth to worrying about the Shokugeki and Souma to the fact Kouga was present in her time. What was she supposed to say?

"Hey, halfwit."

Kagome jumped in her spot after hearing Shinomiya's voice before her eyes narrowed, annoyed at the nickname. Halfwit?

"The spice you used in the dish…it's ginger and mint, right?" He questioned.

"That's right." Kagome nodded.

"I guess she used it to add freshness to the dish." Mizuhara spoke, remembering having tasted the mint, but the ginger as mild. "Mint has a cooling effect."

"But that isn't the only reason, is it?" Shinomiya's eyes narrowed on the miko.

Looking at the miko from the corner of his eyes, Kouga waited for her response. Who would have thought to have a reunion in the middle of a Shokugeki of all possible events? To also think the legendary miko that saved their lands in the feudal era was attending Totsuki.

Kagome scratched her cheek as she thought to the reason why she chose to use both mint and ginger. "Well, all of you have been eating different types of food since you are our instructors, and you all have been doing it since yesterday. That's why I added in mint and ginger to help with inflammation and digestion. That is also why I decided to go for a lighter dish, but something that still helps to make the person feel full."

"I knew it! Kagome-chan is a great person!" Hinako's tears gushed out as she felt Kagome's care in her words.

"Yes, it seems we have a good eye for people." Gotoda sniffed.

"You just like her type…" Mizuhara sighed.

"See~," Kouga's lips curved into a grin, "she knows what she is doing!"

"Pft," Shinomiya shook his head, "you don't even know her, Kouga."

Giving each other a second glance, Kagome and Kouga sweat dropped at the statement.

Coming forward, Dojima turned to Shinomiya with a smile of his own. "It may be clumsy, but the dish speaks to you. That's the kind of dish it is. Even in a competition, Higurashi-kun tried to be considerate toward the people who will be eating her dish. That may be something you need in order to find a way to proceed beyond the pinnacle."

Scoffing in reply, Shinomiya gave his back to the others. So this Shokugeki was Dojima's plan since the beginning. 'I see…this whole time I've been turning a blind eye to my customers and my staff and cooking by myself.'

"There!" Hinako shouted, placing the coin on Kagome's plate. "There! Now Kagome-chan has won! Looks like I took charge of this match!"

"Hm, if that is the case, then that means Higurashi-kun has won and means the expulsion is taken back." Dojima nodded as he looked at Kouga with a smirk of his own.

Shinomiya sighed under his breath, knowing he was not going to win this even verbally. "Whatever. This has all been very irregular." Turning his glare to the miko, who simply stood with a blank face of her own, he chuckled. This girl was not the least bit intimidated by him. "Well, do you best to survive as long as you can, day by day. I guess people like you have their own ways." And perhaps that courage of hers would help to also deal with future cooking obstacles. Eyes moving from the girl to the red head, he took note of his own skills that he had observed. 'Yukihira Souma, huh.' As he took a step to leave, he was stopped by Kouga placing his hand on his shoulder.

"Boo, don't be such a poor sport, Shinomiya." Kouga's tongue stuck out as he crossed his arms. Watching Shinomiya exit the kitchen, he could not help but chuckle. That man really needed someone to get under his skin and it turned out to be her. His eyes landed back on the silent miko who was looking at the now empty door frame. Placing his hands on his hips, he gave her a wink. "Congrats! You have accomplished a task not many can: annoying Shinomiya!"

Kagome blinked, realizing it was Kouga who was speaking.

"But if you ever need rescuing from him, give me a call, okay?" He winked again.

The miko's lips parted to speak, but her voice would not find the volume she needed. This was not a dream, was it? He was really here?

"Kouga-senpai!" Souma called out with a smile of his own. "Good to see you again!"

"Oh! Onsen guy!" Kouga turned to face him. "Um, what was your name again?"

His grin stretched, "Yukihira Souma!"

Watching Kouga and Souma talk to each other had Kagome lost in her mind. Did they know each other? 'Onsen…?' She questioned herself. What onsen? And when? Whatever the case was, too much was happening at once, and the win itself was not registering.

"Higurashi-kun."

Turning to the call of her name, Kagome blinked to see Dojima giving her a smile.

"Your cooking reflects your stance toward providing a warm welcome to your guests – your hospitality and your emotions! Continue to hone that valuable edge you have here at Totsuki. Consider these four coins to be an investment towards your future."

"Well," Souma cut in, coming forward to place a hand on Kagome's shoulder, "guess we made it out alive. Congrats, Kagome!"

It hit.

She won.

Her eyes landed on the man standing behind them as he spoke with the other alumni; shoulders dropped as she saw the familiar youkai existing in her time.

She had won, but she wanted nothing more than to talk to him and thank him.

In the past and in the present, her feudal friends still came to save her.

"So Shinomiya hit a wall because of his keen talent." Hitoshi spoke, eyes on the dish he created for them. With the kitchen now vacant and only leaving him, Dojima, and Kouga, the three were quite curious how this Shokugeki would take them to the next level.

Dojima nodded, "he was focused on getting to the top, that he cast off everything he felt was extraneous. He reached the top before he matured as an owner-chef. But in order for chefs to aim for the top, it is imperative that they possess a hunger to absorb everything from anything. You saw that in her, too," his eyes landed on the late comer, "Kouga-san?"

Moving his fork around Shinomiya's dish, Kouga nodded with a smirk. "Well, he needed it. Shinomiya will regain that hunger he used to have, but those two, especially that girl," he chuckled, "is not one to stay on the same level the next day." Nitpicking on the dish, he sighed loudly. "I am all about creating dishes that will awe the audience, but I will never understand that vegetable chef and not using meat."

"He did." Hitoshi blinked. "He used chicken."

"Not even a good amount, though!" He scoffed. Like he could survive the day with just plants. He was a carnivore, for Kami's sake.

Exiting the building, Souma blinked as he came to face the darkness of the forest surrounding them. Had the day passed by that quick? Hands in his pockets, he turned his head over his shoulder to see Kagome slowly taking her time to leave the building. His brow rose, questioning her silence. She had won against Shinomiya, and usually she was never quiet about it, but something had silenced her.

Or more like confused her.

"You alright there, slowpoke?" He snickered.

Pulled out of her thoughts, Kagome blinked up to see Souma waiting for her. "Oh, yeah…just trying to process everything that just happened." It was still a cluster in her head, but one thing was for sure, Kouga had appeared. He saved her and Souma from getting expelled, but was that something she should be proud of?

"Kagome?" Souma softly called out again.

She turned to him, a smile decorating her lips. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go back. I'm sure everyone is worried about us."

"Oh, you right." Taking out his cell phone, Souma's eyes widened the moment he turned the screen on and saw the accumulated missed calls and texts from their friends. Looking at the miko, he snickered as he saw the same shock on her face. "Guess we have been worrying them."

"Yeah…" Kagome nodded as she scrolled down the numerous texts – mostly from Yoshino. Sighing under her breath, she put her phone back in the pocket of her chef pants. "Let's go."

"Oi."

Looking over their shoulders, both Kagome and Souma blinked and stopped the moment they saw a third person walking out of the shadows of the buildings to meet them under the moonlight. Kagome's eyes widened once more as she saw the toothy grin and wave the youkai wolf gave them.

"Oh! Kouga-senpai!" Souma saluted him. "Yo!"

"Yo!" Kouga replied with a nod. "Both of you retiring for the night?"

Kagome nodded slowly.

"Good. Both of you need to get some rest for tomorrow. This camp, seriously." He shook his head knowing well how Totsuki liked to give hell to their students, but they knew what kind of training they needed for the real world. "Sorry for not being able to talk to you two after that, but Dojima and the others had to talk about a few things after Shinomiya left."

"No problem." Souma grinned as he swiped his index finger under his nose. "You saved our butts there, Kouga-senpai!"

'Senpai?' Kagome blinked, realizing Souma was talking to Kouga on friendly terms. 'Do they really know each other?'

Kouga shrugged with a smirk, "to be honest, I did it to annoy Shinomiya." He laughed, remembering how he had given up at the end and gave Kagome the win. "He sometimes needs to learn to loosen up and just learn there is always room for growth. Isn't that right," his eyes landed on the miko, "miss?"

With his question directed to her, Kagome blinked before giving him a nod herself.

"Besides," Kouga continued, "I have a lot of faith in the young generation. The older generations can be pricks sometimes to the young."

"Aren't you part of the older generation?"

The two males blinked having noticed it was Kagome who gave out the question.

Sweat drop on the side of her head, Kagome gave out a sheepish laugh realizing she had slipped the question out loud. "I mean…well…"

"She's right." Souma nodded, as he pointed at her with his thumb. "How old are you-oomf!"

Retreating her elbow from Souma's gut, Kagome gave Kouga a nervous smile. That question was going to open too many doors that even both of them were not prepared to answer. "Souma-kun, we should probably get back to the others. Who knows if they will start looking for us outside the hotel."

"R-Right…". He grumbled. "You go on ahead, I have to make a call."

Kagome blinked, as she saw him get support by placing his hand on the wall near the door. "You sure?" She asked.

He nodded.

"I'll walk you back." Kouga spoke. "I am heading there myself."

Kagome's eyes met his before looking back at Souma's smile. Giving her childhood friend a nod, she turned around and walked beside the youkai.

Watching them take their time to disappear into the shadows of the forest leading to the resort, Souma waited.

Waited.

Out of sight, Souma's fist roughly met the concrete wall beside him. Gritting his teeth together, Souma held the fumes of his anger as the Shokugeki replayed in his mind. Throughout the whole event he was positive they would win. He wanted to come out victorious, but ultimately, they had lost.

"Dammit…"

He had lost.

Silent, but comfortable.

The soft ruffles of the branches against the wind set their walk down memory lane. There was no need for words, but the presence of each other was enough to let reality set in. Walking along side each other was something neither of them pictured in the five hundred years wait, but if this was what fate had in store, then they would not question it for now.

Stopping in his steps, Kouga turned around to face the miko who stopped a second after him. A grin stretched his lips as he looked around his surroundings and let his senses catch for any other sign of life. "Yosh, looks like we are far enough to talk alone." His eyes landed on her once more to see her blue hues glued on him. "So? How is my woman doing after five hundred years?"

Her pupils dilated; tears slowly sprouted out. Laughing softly under her breath, Kagome shook her head. "Usually I would get mad at that, but I am happy to know that after all this time you haven't changed," her hand reached out to cup his cheek, "Kouga."

A huge grin appeared the moment her skin touched his.

"You really are here…" She held back her tears.

Relaxing at her touch, Kouga grabbed her hand into his. A bittersweet moment, but one he knew would have to be kept short. "I'm happy to see you are safe and doing well here. Five hundred years was a long wait, Kagome, too long." He scoffed, "but then again, for you the time was shorter than us, huh?"

"Shorter?" She raised a brow. If only he knew how long her days were knowing she would never again be able to see her friends.

"Geez, the others believed you would come up sooner or later, but I don't think they would believe it had to be under these circumstances."

Kagome blinked again as his words registered in her head. As a breeze softly blew in their direction, her hair swayed to the left as her eyes slowly widened. "The…others?"

His grin softened; his hand gave hers a gentle squeeze. "Let's just say five hundred years is nothing for a demon, Kagome."

"You mean…?"

Turning the knob to the room, Souma sighed as he walked into the room. "I'm back-oomf!"

"Yukihira!" Skin against skin echoed as everyone in the room chuckled nervously as Souma dropped to the floor from the sudden slap to his cheek. Grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, Yoshino shook him back and forth as tears from her stress and anxiety poured out. "You're so damn reckless, Yukihira! We were so worried! We heard you had challenged an alumnus to a Shokugeki, and thought you had both gotten expelled! Now where is Kagome-chan, Yukihira!"

Souma's eyes snapped open, "huh? She's isn't here…?"

Shaking him again, Yoshino dropped him to the floor as the worst possible outcome flashed in her head. "N-No! Don't tell me she was expelled! No!" Jumping into Sakaki's and Megumi's arms, Yoshino let her tears drop like a waterfall. "No! She's is gone!"

"Is she really?" Ibusaki took a step forward as Souma stood up from the ground.

Looking around the room, Souma's brow rose. Kagome should have arrived before him, right? Then, where was she? "I'll go check the lobby!" Giving them a wink, he left the room leaving everyone with more questions than answers.

"A-Ah, Souma-kun!" Megumi called. Shoulders dropped, hoping both of them had good news, but something told her the outcome of the Shokugeki left them with more than just a win or loss.

As the sliding doors to the entrance of the hotel opened, Kagome sighed while turning off the screen of her phone. She returned with no answers and only a mountain of questions for Kouga.

"Now, do I really want the others to know about me finding you? They will try to hog you."

He had said that with annoyance, but no doubt he was trying to humor her about the others.

The others…

A small smile decorated her lips as she thought to the demons that could have survived. Sesshomaru? Shippo? Inuyasha? They had to make it, right? It did not help that Kouga had an incoming call from Dojima calling him again for another important matter. It was a weird sight to see Kouga talking on a cell phone and being a busy man in her era, but it amazed her how quickly demons were able to adapt to the time change. Kouga apologized for cutting their reunion short but promised her he would pay for a lunch so she could ask all she wanted to know. After exchanging phone numbers, Kagome was left to walk the last mile back to the hotel a Kouga went to the other building where meetings were held.

"Maybe I can call him in a bit…?" Before she could turn the screen to her phone on again, her front bumped into hard surface. A few steps were taken back as she rubbed her nose. "O-Oww…ah, s-sor-".

She blinked.

His eyes narrowed.

She blinked again noticing his "rebellious" look of messy black hair with some hair strands framing his face and one in between his eyes, black eye liner under his eyes, and his well-built body.

The glare remained.

Matching his stare, Kagome's brows furrowed with the same level of annoyance. There was a tension already in the air others around could feel and neither of the two had said a word. What the heck was his problem to be glaring at her when she was about to apologize?

"Hmm, you don't look like much."

Kagome snapped out of her glare as his low voice was heard. 'Huh?' She blinked as it registered. "Excuse me?!" She exclaimed. She blinked as he saluted her with the same lazy expression.

"Well, sorry about that, but make sure to watch where you are going next time."

The vein popped again on her forehead as he turned around and walked away. What the heck was that supposed to mean? Was that an apology with blame? She took a step forward to stop him from escaping her anger, but her eyes landed on the familiar uniform: Totsuki. "Totsuki?" She whispered. "One of ours?"

So he was a student.

Her eyes narrowed again to match her puffed cheeks full of anger. That just fueled her more.

Coming out at the ring of the elevator and doors welcoming him to the lobby, Souma blinked right away upon finding the girl in his search. Huh, he did not even have to go and walk to look for her. Had she been there the whole time? Souma scratched the back of his head, 'nah, I came in here and I didn't see her…'. Noticing her line of sight was directed to the stairs leading to the second floor of the lobby, he followed to see no one there. What had her fuming now?

He made his way forward hoping for the best. "Oi! Kago-chan-!" Souma jumped in his spot the moment Kagome's swiftly turned to his direction with the glare still glued to her eyes. He gulped with a smile as he took a step back. "W-Woah…," he put his hands up in defense, "I-I didn't do it!"

Kagome blinked; her shoulder relaxed. "Ah…Souma-kun?"

"The one and only!" He grinned. "And here I thought you would be here before me but the others told me you still hadn't arrived."

"Ah…yeah…" She laughed nervously. "Kouga…san was telling me a lot of things on our walk here."

Souma's eyes brightened as he leaned forward, bursting into Kagome's bubble. "Any tips on cooking?"

Finger placed on his forehead, she pushed him back for personal space. "Nope, more of him talking about Shinomiya-senpai."

"Senpai?" Souma blinked.

"I recognize him as an elite chef, although his character needs some work. It would not be a bad thing to get some lessons from him though." It was a tough thing to admit, but Shinomiya did know what he was doing, and learning his confidence was key to cooking as well. Curiosity pulled her to Souma' right hand to see a bruise forming on the side of his palm. He did not have a bruise while they cooked, right? Did he hit something coming here?

"So?" Souma spoke again. "What happened to Kouga-senpai?"

"You know, you keep calling him that. I didn't know you were on friendly terms with a guy like him."

"I didn't know either." He grinned. "But we had a bonding moment in the onsen."

She did not even want to know the details of what had occurred in that onsen, but knowing Kouga, he probably had some talk to bond over. Shaking her head, she cracked her neck. "Kouga-san left to speak with Dojima-san on some things. He seemed to be busy…".

Unfortunately.

Souma observed the girl in front of him, wondering what had tuned her down. Once again following her line of sight, he blinked at the other side of the lobby only holding employees and a few guests who were in the middle of checking in. "You alright?" He asked with a raised brow. "You look like you had seen a ghost and still awed by it."

With his laugh echoing in her ears, Kagome could not help but chuckled back.

"I thought I did…"

MizukixTsukiyomi's Notes: If you are familiar with the next part of Shokugeki no Soma, you know what is next! Don't worry, Kagome and Kouga will talk more in detail, so be patient.

I really do hope you all enjoyed this chapter (and if the meeting between Kagome and Kouga was not to your liking...I am so sorry. I tried, I promise!). Please review, it would be much appreciated!

Ja~ne!