In an annoying development, my story seem to have caught itself into somesort of an error, where it doesn't move up to the line to signal that I have added a chapter. So, after trying whatever I have in my power, I decided to come out with chapter 6. This, if works, would means I have written 3 chapters in the span of 24 hours. Well, I guess that what's days off are for anyway. Ah...It seems you guys can still actually see the chapter if you enter to read, but regardless, I'm pissed off and ready to continue.
Chapter 6 begins here! Rate and review please!
"Take care, senpai."-Nakiri Erina walks away as the Shokugeki is finished with her absolute victory.
With that, Chan RS is gone, and more room for her kitchen.
She don't need their opinion. Call her merciless they can, but even the best of the best is powerless before her.
But, on rare occasions, she allowed some true talents into her faction in order to strengthen it and to not waste time showing herself for lesser prey.
For now, Yukihira Souma is a target of interest.
Normally, with talents like him, she would have offered one long ago.
But the redhead's unpredictable attitude plus his common (at first glance) upbringing are huge hurdles for her to accept. Mostly the former, because she can't stand that stupid grin and carefree expression.
Walking by the hallway of the second floor, Erina glanced down to unexpectedly see the Yukihira chef and that shy girl she met last night. Apparently, they are checking out research clubs.
The God's Palate bit her lip.
'What should I do...'
Unexpectedly, the answer came almost flying into her face later that day.
...
...
...
"Erina-sama, I have good news!"-Mito Ikumi knocked the door to Erina's private office.
"Enter."
From the look on Ikumi face, perhaps it's about the case she given to her about the Don RS. After hearing the ice queen chose that as target, every member of that RS has fled. Perhaps that means she don't need to even bother organizing a shokugeki.
"I have seized an oppotunity that would certainly most interests you, Erina-sama!"
"Really now? What's it about?"
"Yukihira Souma."
If Erina was drinking something, she would have done a spit-take.
"E-Erina-sama? Are you okay? You don't look too good."
"What did the bastard do?"-The blonde asked slowly.
"He wanted to have a shokugeki with me. If he loses, he'll be force to leave the institution."
"And if he wins?"
"Don RS stays, its budget increases, and...I would have to join it."
"..."
"Erina-sama?"
"That idiot..."-Erina groaned.-"I knew it..."
This puts her at a tough spot.
"Hold the announcement. I must verify a few things."-Erina stood up.
"Erina-sama? Is something wrong?"
Erina passed Ikumi as she exists the room.
But, in contrast to seemingly being mad, Ikumi swore she heard the ice queen murmured something.
"Yukihira-kun..."
Yukihira Souma drooped as he drags his feet back to Don RS.
"This might be bad..."
In his hand are the tiny 1500 yen and a few change he didn't bother counting, along with a bag of groceries.
This is Joichirou's meaning of 'some money to live on', apparently.
At a crossroad, with it being near night time, street lights began to shine.
Out of his slump, Souma noticed someone.
There, sitting on a bench.
Is Nakiri Erina.
"Erina?"
The girl opened her cold eyes as she looked at him.
"Yukihira-kun."
"...I guess you heard of it."
"Yeah. I heard it all from Ikumi a few momments ago."
"Then...why come out all this way?"
"It's because I have questions to asks, and proposals to make."
"..."-Souma eyed her as she stood up, and then stood on the road, opposite of him.
"I am willing to add you into my faction, Yukihira Souma. If you cancel the shokugeki you proposed."
To anyone else, it would have been an honor to be able to join in as an official faction member. It means Nakiri Erina, God's Palate, has trust in your abilities. That alone worth more than a lot of "A"s you can get from the teachers, and almost an instant recognition in the culinary world.
"Does that mean that you acknowledge my cooking skills?"
"I have acknowledged your skills the momment I accepted you into this academy. You are special, but not enough. A position like this is already the best you can get. If needed, I will buy you into that seat. State your number and it's done."
"..."
"Be mine, Yukihira Souma."
For a second, she could not see his expression.
But his lips soon moved.
"I refuse."
That surprised Erina to no end. She has never been rejected. No one has dared to challenge her authority.
Clenching fist, she voiced trembly.
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to."-Souma stated boringly.-"If I abandon Don RS, then that means I have let a great club meet it's end, and turn back on my own cooking ideals."
"Why would you defend such a small club, and even willing to go against me?! Those useless clubs are just a waste of space, aren't they? They have to give way, they have to be brought down for true culinary development!"
For a momment, silence.
Souma's grip on the bag of groceries and money tighten as he broke it.
"I want to try everything."
"Huh?"-Erina locked eyes with him again.
In those eyes, that flame she saw when she accepted his challenge.
That overwhelming confidence and endless desire for cooking and ways to do it.
"I respect people in their choice when they enter their clubroom each day. I respect their result, their own innovation. Small but meaningful innovation, rather than perfect ingredient, perfect preparation. The process of trying, failing and succeeding is what made cooking what it is today. And it will make cooking tomorrow too. It is where the true joy of cooking can be found. That is how we advance. Not just from improving successes, but from failures as well. That's what I believe."
"...Yukihira...kun..."
"I will win this, Erina. If can't win against your underling...If I become your underling...how could I possibly make you acknowledge that my cooking is delicious?"
"The 'you' right now isn't capable of it, Yukihira Souma! If you fail, then you'll be expelled! Then, what would be the purpose of challenging me in the first place?!"
"I just have to win right?"-Souma asked.
"Hah?"
"Then I will. I'll take the first step in order to be closer to you!"
Doki!
"You..."-Erina felt like throwing the biggest tantrum ever, but she held herself in.
"Have trust in me, Erina."-Souma spoke softly.-"I won't fail you."
"You've already failed me idiot!"-With this, she's not getting him into her faction for real.
"Well, either way, you won't get it."
Isshiki's word rang in her mind.
This is what he meant?
This difference?
"I see...From the start there was no way for you to accept anyway..."-Erina murmured.
"...?"
"If..."
"Erina?"
"If you don't win the match...then never show your face infront of me again. Because there's no way I'm going to forgive you if you lose!"
Diving into this tiny affair of her and made a mess just by standing there. There's no way she can forgive him if it turns out he had nothing to start with.
In reply, Souma grinned as he pumped his fist forward.
"I'll give you my word! Chef's honor!"
During the next few days, Erina hardly catches sight of Souma. Which shouldn't be a surprise, Tootsuki's was huge and they have their own bussiness. But what gave her both a frown and a smile is how the lights are always on in Don RS, coupled with smells and sounds of different dish always getting cooked up. Some have their own charm, but seems no where near enough.
Such conflicting feeling and distracting topic has won her over. She made room in her appointments to watch the Shokugeki match. It's rare for her to come to such a small match, but Erina could not sit still.
It was a long time since she last felt 'excited'.
Before she knew it, she was wondering to herself.
She knows Ikumi's abilities, strength and weakness, and the girl herself has told her what she would make for the Shokugeki.
But Souma...
What is he going to use?
What strategy did he came up with to match high quality A5 meat?
If the last two times were anything to come by, then Erina knew that boy is just a bundle of surprises. Build expectations, destroy it, then hidden a refreshing gem inside.
It was so exciting she really have trouble picking a side!
Thankfully, that did not hinder her in her work, nor did it ever showed to the outside world.
And finally, the day came.
Sitting on her VIP perch, Nakiri Erina waited in anticipation as the redhead chef take out the ingredient.
And once again, expectations are destroyed.
"Is that...steak from the supermarket?"-Erina saw it, but she didn't want to believe it so much that she asked her aide.
"It also said...half price..."-Hisako too, heaved a huge sigh.
Yukihira Souma realized everyone gaping faces, and grinned stupidly.
"The supermarket was having a sale, lucky me!"
And of course, that didn't go well in the eyes of the audience.
"Ah! Stop! Stop throwing things up here everyone!"-The MC dodged a can.
Back on the VIP seat, Nakiri Erina sighed. If she was down there then she might have throw a huge tantrum at the redhead cook, but since she's up here, plus her recent experience in tasting his dishes still gave her a small gleam of hope that Souma had an Ace up his sleeve.
"Normally at this point, if such a thing happened, I would have abandoned my seat here, saying this is a waste of time."-The blonde spoke, catching her aide's attention.-"But here I am, even more excited than before...I wonder why..."
"Maybe...because it's him, you are interested? Because he is interesting?"-Although she hate the redhead to the core, Hisako really do admire his many talents in cooking. If Erina always say she hates him, then he is just the right ingredient to spice up the academy.
"Hm...perhaps..."-She had a thin smile on her face as she watches-"This is the first time he's showing his abilities to everyone to see."
'You have better not fail, Yukihira Souma. I'm looking forward. Both to see you fail miserably, and to see you climb up until you touch my pedestal. Either thought excites me. Both your cocky grin, and the face of despair as you lose. Whether you fail disgracefully or win magnificently, show it to me! Now, impress me! What kind of face will you show me today?'
Through the isolated room, Erina couldn't observe clearly what Souma is doing. But the onions suggest he's doing Chaliapin Steak, which is a way to tenderize the meat, but not adding into any other quality. Unlike A5 meat, which is perfect from the get go.
'How would he close up the gap? Then what would he do to surpass?'
"Time's up!"
Just in time, Souma had completed his dish.
The boy then looked up to Erina with that confident grin, earning a surprised blush from the blonde, althoug he couldn't see it clearly.
Ikumi's dish, Rôti don, received excellent ratings. Erina expected nothing less from one of her underlings.
But while the entire audience and even the judges thinks it's over for Yukihira, she alone waited.
As expected, he made Chapialin Steak don.
Despite the initial cold reaction to the dish, once they saw it for real, the judges does felt a good ammount of apetite.
"W-well, I guess we'll take a bite then."
"Momment of truth."-Erina waited.
...
...
...
The judges did not stop their chopstick.
"Eh?!"-Ikumi can't held in the surprise.
A reaction that's even stronger than her A5 meat? How?!
"I-I can't stop my hands! It's just not the tender meat but...-"
"The sauce! It's the sauce! This onion sauce increases apetite with it texture, but what taste is it that made it so good?!"
"This taste...it's red wine! He added red wine and potato starch after done frying the meat, then added the onions into it! The sauce then eat into the meat and rice, making it irresistably tasty!"
"And he added burnt soysauce to complete the taste!"
"But sauce is just sauce! How could that go against my A5 meat?"-Ikumi couldn't believe what was going on.
"What's this...even though the flavor's very strong, I get hungrier with every bite!"
"That's true! I feel like I can eat this forever!"
"This hint of acidity..."-One judge finally noticed.
"That's right."-Souma voiced, raising a bottle-"The secret's in the rice. I've added some pickled plums into it."
"I KNEW IT!"-One judge spoke-"It's pickled plums! That's what gave me that refreshing aftertaste, making me want more!
"The soft, tender meat..."
"The dense sauce with delicious flavor!"
"And the refreshing pickled-plum rice!"
"Everything combined into boosting eachother's flavor!"-They co-ed -"I simply couldn't stop eating this! !"
"Look at that."-Erina smiled tenderly-"He won."
"I ate it all!"
"Second? What about a second?"-A judge finished a bowl.
"It's true that the A5 meat don is very tasty, but the one that made me want more is this don!"-Another asked for seconds.
That brought forward the truth.
"They...they didn't finish my rice..."-Ikumi now realized that despite the incredible taste, they did not finish her meal.
"That's right. I was wondering what you would do with the rice. If you made both the meat and the rice has strong flavors like that, they are just gonna compete. That means while your dish looks like a don, it actually isn't a don."-Souma grinned.
"What?!"
"A don must be quick, cheap and tasty to the last bite. It is made to eat with rice after all, so what's the point if you don't actually eat up all the rice?"
"! ! ! You! ! Are you trying to mess wi-"
"If you still won't accept then...listen."-Souma offered her a bowl of his don-"Listen to the story my don tells. Dig in."
As Ikumi took the bowl, other judges demanded a second again, after they all pressed him won.
"Ah ha ha, I only have one left...sorry guys"-Souma laughed stupidly.-"Then uhm..."-He seemed to have sparked an idea.-"Oh well, I'm eating this myself!"-The redhead chef then leaved it there, lid still on, before celebrating his victory.
"Confiscate the kitchen we've been providing to Mito Ikumi."
"Yes, Erina-sama."
As the two were walking along the hall, they met that face again.
"Yukihira Souma..."-Hisako groaned.
"Well done, Yukihira-kun. You've won."-Erina congradulated with her trademark smirk.
"Like I promised."
"Hmph."-Erina's expression soften.-"That's true. So why are you here then, Yukihira Souma? You wanted to hear it that badly?"
"Well, yes."-Souma said light as a feather, breaking the Tootsuki's Princess' ice shield almost instantly as she blushes.-"Here. This last portion's for you."-He said with his classic grin, however, now look much more charming rather than stupid.
Staring at it, Erina realized it's the bowl he said he was going to eat himself.
He...saved it for her?
Doki!
...
...
W...what was that just now?
Erina felt an awkward feeling she can't properly decribe.
But, regardless...
"You eat it."-Erina refused-"How can I eat something bought from a supermarket sale? Such low quality dish is not to my liking. Ever."-However, she had a much softer smile and a faint blush as she past by him.
"Then, if I buy them with full price, will you try it?"-Souma asked.
"...Good bye Yukihira. Have fun at Don RS."
"Hah? What do you mean? I didn't join Don RS."-Souma asked dumbfoundedly.
That halted Erina's steps almost immediately.
"Say...Yukihira-kun."
"Uh...yes?"-Souma sweat-dropped.
"I never bothered asking, but why did you accept the shokugeki?"-The blonde asked slowly.
"Uh...I was passing by to have a look when Nikumi came by and...I felt closing Don RS was a shame since they have so manny good recipes, so I decided to help."
"So, you picked a fight, risked getting yourself expelled, and made me, Nakiri Erina, actually feels worried about you...for something that has nothing to do with you?!"
"Ah...Nikumi did touched my ideals a bit so I guess I got annoyed a little bit maybe? Ha hah hah hah?"-With two hands holding the bowl of don, Souma realizes there's no way for him to defend himself should Erina decides to throw a tantrum.-"B-but, you were actually worried about me?"-He properly used the tray now so he can held it in one hand.
Doki!
"It's-It's nothing! Just start thinking properly and reasonably! This one ended well for you"-In fact it ended bad for her-"But you can't honestly hoping to beat everyone with just small tricks!"-Erina forced down her blush as she stumbly replied.
"Well, that's partly true. But now...I'm one step closer to you!"-Souma grinned.
Doki!
'What-...what is this...what is this feeling? I...lately I've been thinking a lot about him...interested in him...smiled and laughed with him and his friends...and now...this...weird feeling in my chest!'
If this is a shoujo manga, what would it be?!
There! Chapter 6 finished! Please website, don't undo all of my hardwork! I'm counting on you!
Please fav, follow and review as you please. I love interacting with people that reads my story, again, you guys are the motivation for me to keep writing, so please, any ideas, advice you have, I'd gladly listen.
Yes, 3 chapters in 24 hours. Take that!
DsCrystalEyes.