A/N: I lied xD, expect 1 ch. a week at this point. Too busy with irl stuff and these 1.5-2k word ch. are at the back of my mind sadly. With that said try to not kill me and here's a new chapter.
1 month later
In Polar Star Dorm, all members were anxiously awaiting the news about the Elite Ten Election's schedule which would take place in two weeks. Isshiki-senpai would be returning anytime soon, with the bracket in hand. The tension that everyone felt was a mixture of fear and excitement, no one but Yukihira Soma himself could be more eager and excited to find out about who he would face off against first. He growing so impatient to the point that he was about to go out himself and get the bracket when the main doors to the dorm flew open letting in cold air. Isshiki-senpai entered shortly followed by Erina and Hisako.
"Sorry it took me so long guys" Isshiki-senpai apologized.
"Enough with the apologies senpai just show us the bracket!" Ikumi impatiently demanded. Isshiki-senpai dropped the bracket in the middle of the table and took a step back allowing the rest of the members to take a look at who they were matched up against in the first round of the election.
Soma took a glance and instantly found his name...
Yukihira Soma v.s Hayama Akira
Others noticed this match up as well and looked nervously at Soma's direction wondering if he felt any pressure or not. To their amazement, they found the Red-head standing tall, with eyes that had fire and determination inside of them which could melt steel. Inside Soma could not ask for anything else, yes he would've preferred if he met Hayama in the later rounds of the elections but this was his chance for revenge. His loss against Hayama during the Autumn Elections finals would be avenged. He would not let this chance slip and planned to show Hayama just how much he truly learned since then.
He wondered who the others were matched against and his eyes began scanning the paper looking for their names.
Nakiri Erina v.s. Nakiri Alice
Tadoroko Megumi v.s Hisako Arato
Ikumi Mito v.s Takumi Aldini
etc.
He looked around the table and noticed their stoic faces, the people who they would be facing and possibly eliminating from the Elite Ten Election were right here. He understood how they felt, to be the one to keep your friend from becoming one of the Elite Ten seats but this was how it would have to be. He decided that this uneasy silence needed to be broken so he began clapping to get everybody's attention.
"Listen everyone, I know that some of us who are currently in this dining hall will be facing each other right from the start, but I don't want anyone to hold back. I don't know about the rest of you but for me, that would be a personal insult to not only my pride and but to my cooking as well" Soma announced. Leaving the whole dorm who was silenced by the news now silenced and shocked by the bold declaration Soma just made.
"Yeah! Soma-kun is right, Hisako I'm gonna be going full out so you better watch out!" Megumi shouted, a uncharacteristic thing for her to do. Hisako gave Megumi a nod which said "Challenge accepted!"
Cheers arose throughout the dorm and Isshiki-senpai offered to make dinner tonight so that the others could be thinking about what dish they would be making for the election.
Soma was currently inside his room thinking about what type of dish he would be making against Hayama when his thoughts were suddenly interrupted.
"Hey Soma-kun...could you help me out real quick?" Erina who seemed embarrassed with asking him of all people about the predicament she was in, whispered.
"Yeah sure Nakiri, what's up?"
"Well I was wondering if you could get me something?" Erina tugged at her skirt and bit her lip after asking.
"Ok is it on a really tall bookshelf or near somewhere covered in dust?" Soma asked jokingly.
"No! I need you to go get it from someone...Tadoroko to be exact"
"Oh Megumi? What do you need from her and why do I have to be the one to go ask" Soma tilted his head curiously wanting to know why the blonde couldn't just go ask herself.
"Because IreadalltheromancenovelsIhaveandneedthelatestone" Erina quickly said.
"Come again?"
"I said...I need the latest romance novel for the series I read and I know Tadoroko has it..." Erina blushed after this confession, to HIM of all people as well. Even if he already knew since she made him back when he asked her to taste his beef stew dish.
"Again? Nakiri I'm sure Megumi will gladly let you borrow her novel" Soma tried to assure her.
"Yeah but even after partnering with her for the summer, I don't think we are that close"
"Well if it's that much trouble then I'll go ask for you"
"Thank you Soma-kun and just hand it to Hisako when you have it" Erina then left his room returning back to the dining hall.
All-non members soon began to leave the dorm and back to their own when Soma decided that it was time to hand the novels which Megumi had happily gave to him (who would've expected) to Hisako. He walked out and towards the car which had the Nakiri symbol and called out to her before she took off.
"Hey Hisako give this to Nakiri, she said to hand it to you" Soma put the novel in Erina's best friend/secretary's hands.
"Ok, I'll be sure to let her know Soma-kun as soon as I see here again" Hisako said. Before she entered the car and left to rejoin Erina, who had left earlier, back at Nakiri Mansion.
Soma couldn't get any sleep so he decided to put on his coat and boots and wander off around the Dorm's massive garden and see what nature and the stars could do for him this quiet and chilly night. He saw the empty holes which plants had once been harvested from, covered in snow. The carrots he had picked out that one evening for himself and the dorm for Isshiki-senpai were great in his eyes but he needed another opinion on such a trivial matter.
He was walking around when he heard rustling in the nearby brush. Soma threw caution out the door for knew nothing that harmful could make it inside the garden decided to approach the brush and check out the cause for such noise. What he discovered was none other than a rabbit who had found two carrots and was currently deciding on which of the two was the better. From watching this interaction between the Rabbit and carrots, Soma was struck with an idea.
"I know who will be my other opinion on my carrot problem!" Soma thought to himself and decided to follow the rabbit back to his hole. He discovered that the rabbit actually lived inside the garden and its hole was in the outermost corner of the Northwest section. If only the rabbit knew that it's life would be more busier than usual...and complicated.
Soma brought out all of his saved up carrots and decided to test the rabbit, he thought about establishing a sort of control so that the rabbit wouldn't eat his carrots either. He began calling the rabbit over to him and laid down 2 carrots at a time, surprisingly the rabbit would choose one. Signaling that one was better than the other by putting his paw on it and backing off. Shocked by the unnatural actions of a wild rabbit, Soma blamed it on the Totsuki environment. It made even the creatures have a respect over the food they ate. Soma would reward the rabbit the lesser of the two choices hoping it wouldn't become grouchy for letting it eat something it clearly would never eat if given the choice, and luckily it seem satisfied. Soma guessed it kept that animal instinct part of itself.
After a couple hours of testing, both were exhausted. Luckily, they had finish testing all carrots and Soma thanked the rabbit unsure if he could understand his gratitude (but hey you never know) and both parted ways. Back inside his room, Soma lay on his bed, now with the perfect carrots in his disposal, was ready to brainstorm the best dish possible with such god-tier ingredient. Before falling asleep Soma couldn't help but feel excited and grinned, one which was filled with arrogance and confidence (you couldn't tell the difference).
"Thank you little "chef" for helping me" Soma thought to himself before allowing himself to finally fall asleep.
