Chapter 14 – Chizuru's Secret


"So… you… umm… what?" The punk-ass looking midget chef, who followed Tadokoro-san pressed words out in an unsuccessful attempt to formulate a cohesive sentence. His brown, slanted eyes twitched like it was the weirdest thing he heard. It probably was.

Chizuru sat and observed the morphing faces of the three chefs standing around her. She was used to people taking their sweet time trying to grasp the concept of being born without something, and still living. She internally rolled her eyes. Surely they've heard of people who were born blind, deaf or both? Congenital anosmia was fundamentally the same, just extremely rare.

"So you you're born without a sense of smell. But that doesn't strip out all of your sense of taste, right?" said Yukihira.

He kept a stern face. He crossed his arms across his broad torso and leaned forward. There was a keenness in his eyes that Chizuru wasn't familiar with, as if he was analysing her inside and out and it made her feel on edge. Did he want to figure her out? She already told him one of her best kept secrets. One she was sure she would've taken to the grave and leaving only her two best friends, her family and doctor to know the truth.

But why did she reveal it to a bunch of chefs of ALL people?

'To prove myself right…'

"Yep, that's correct. Taste by the true definition is gustatory perception. What I mean by gustatory perceptions are sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami. Those sensations are only sensed by the taste buds".

"I-I see…" Tadokoro-san piped up.

Tadokoro-san shuffled over to sit beside Yukihira on the other side of the bench. She'd almost forgotten the mousy girl was still there. She was too damn quiet. Probably because Chizuru gave off a bit of a hostile aura when she often didn't mean to. It wouldn't be the first time. The blue-haired chef folded her arms politely on the table and looked on at Chizuru. Every now and again, she would avert her gaze to an inconspicuous spot on the bench as to not stare impolitely. Chizuru didn't know if they understood enough about the neurological side behind the human taste experience to understand her condition.

"When you guys talk about taste in food, what you actually mean is flavour. Don't ask me why, but for some reason people use the wrong word to describe what they actually mean. I can't sense flavour at all. Like, to me, an apple and a pear tastes exactly the same. Sweet. There's no 'appley-ness' or 'pearly-ness' when I put it in my mouth that can help me distinguish it's difference except for how it looks and its textures. Flavour is seventy percent aroma and thirty percent gustatory perception. Anyway, taste by your definition, is a combination of flavour and gustatory perception. Let's go with that for now. So half of the sensation will give less than half of the actual flavour quality. Therefore people with anosmia will sense less than half of what normal people will taste" she pointed at them.

"Why less than half?" asked Tadokoro-san

"Because smell is ten thousand times more powerful than gustatory perception and I said that aroma was seventy percent of the whole taste experience" said Chizuru with ease as she continued to eat the unfinished bowl of dandanmian in front of her.

"Oh man! This is so fascinating! I've never met anyone like you before!" Yukihira relaxed his shoulders and took off the white strip of cloth from his forehead before tying it securely around one of his wrists. He flashed her a toothy smile and nestled back into his original position, looking ready to hear a bedtime story.

"You're the second person who's said that…" Chizuru smiled ruelly, dipping her head to gaze forlornly on the left over noodles of the dandanmian dish.

A loud cackling erupted from beside their bench. Good god. She completely forgot about the punk-ass midget with the gaudy Chinese palace was still there. He clutched his belly and doubled over, shaking with viscous laughter. His facial muscles contracted completely as he wrestled to catch his breath between bouts of cackling. She hoped he died from laughter-suffocation. Chizuru was completely used to people like that back in elementary and middle school. People around that age were prone to taunt, prank, ostracised and abused people who were different. People like herself and Ayame-chan.

"Doesn't anyone here find this totally hilarious?! I mean, you're a person who can't smell or taste and yet here you are at a food festival! That's crazy ironic. Besides, how do you freaking live if you can't taste what you eat?!" Terunori wiped a stray tear from his eyes as he made a show of gathering himself.

"T-Terunori-san…" Tadokoro-san squeaked.

Chizuru placed her wooden chopsticks carefully over the rim of the bowl. Yes. She was very much accustomed to people like that, but it never stopped the furious bile from rising to her throat. Chizuru had fought back against those people many times in her life, but not for her sake. Never for her sake. Because she wasn't the only person in the world with this sort of problem. A problem that she was born with, and just had to live with like every other person. For a long time she hadn't fought back, and was cold and apathetic to every nasty comment that came her way. Until one day, she realised something while she was in hospital at the age of thirteen. She could've chosen to fight back or remain holding her head up high and ignore the taunts and teasing until the bullies got bored. That was her parent's suggestion. Show them that they couldn't hurt her. But she chose to fight back. Why? Because she could while there were others in worse cases, who were weaker than she was who couldn't. She had to set an example. Ignoring wasn't going to help anyone or anything, but rather bury the anguish and hurt inside.

She needed to show people views like that should be challenged.

"Because I still need to eat to survive, you fuckwit" she seethed at him.

Memories sprang forth and made her vision bleed red. She calmed her breath. Everyone took what she lacked for granted. They all thought smelling was something trivial, A non-essential ability that couldn't really affect one's life that much. They were wrong. As the saying went: One couldn't miss what one never had. That's right, she didn't miss it, she had wanted it. Wanted to be normal. She missed the normality she felt before people found out. He thought not being able to smell was hilarious?

ONE. Would he find being regularly monitored for passive smoking because of a non-existent aversion reflex from the smell of cigarette smoke, which she couldn't tell, humourous?

TWO. Would he find attending an insane number of dietitian appointments to make sure she had the correct sugar, salt and cholesterol levels in her body, because she couldn't be trusted to judge what she ate, laughable?

THREE. Would he find being unable to detect the smell of dangerous chemicals and landing in hospital, waking up with a respirator over her face, funny?

FOUR. Would he find accidentally eating spoiled food as a cruel prank, and landing in hospital again with E. Coli, amusing?

FIVE. Would he find being completely confused and thought stupid when not understanding others chatting about how the amazing smell of freshly baked bread reminded them of a holiday to Europe comical?

SIX. Would he find spending an entire childhood with no concept of smell, but pretending she could smell anyway to not appear different by watching other children, entertaining?

SEVEN. Would he find being raised by parents who no longer put effort in their home-cooked meals and assumed soggy, plain and disappointing oatmeal was satisfactory enough just because they thought she couldn't taste anyway, a joke?

EIGHT. Would he find almost burning down the house in an effort to cook breakfast because of not being able to smell food burning and smoke, hysterical?

NINE. Would he find not knowing if clothing was already washed or not, and wearing it hoping it was so others don't loudly complained that she 'smelled' dirty, knee-slapping?

Those nine memories cut deep. Chizuru chose not to reveal all those experiences to scum like him. He did not have the privilege of knowing her.

"Hey, do you make fun of blind or deaf people like that too? It's pretty low of you to ridicule others who are born with any type of sensory impairment. Would you say the same for a blind person? What about someone who was deaf or paralysed from the neck down? Does it look like we chose to be this way?" she smirked at him.

"Haha.. uh what? I-It's not like th-that" realisation dawned on Terunori's face. He had made a grievous error going against someone like her. Revenge was tasted hearty and fatty. Yukihira and Tadokoro-san also had appalled expressions on their faces, like they couldn't believe he would do something like that.

'And that's how you turn the table'

"Geez, from one human to another, I must say, I didn't peg you for a cold-hearted bastard who didn't think twice to lampooning someone like me without understanding my circumstances" she sighed exaggeratedly and pushed herself up from her seat ready to leave them all behind.

"Oi! I'm sorry, ok?! I didn't mean it like that! H-Honest!" Terunori frantically waved his hands around and his chubby midget face was aflame, the colour of the hottest chilli from utter disgrace and embarrassment. He threw himself into a bow to desperately express his apology in front of her. How easy it was for them to seek forgiveness when the bullying was reversed. The brat had some shame after all in the cavity that was supposed to house his heart.

Chizuru leveled him with a cold hard stare as Yukihira and Tadokoro-san watched on.

"I j-just don't get it… why would you come here, if you knew you wouldn't enjoy it?" Terunori cautiously lifted himself from his perfectly perpendicular bow.

"My friend wanted me to come along. Simple as that" Chizuru crossed her arms under her breast and as she huffed to the side.

"I've got a question!" Yukihira sprang up from the side. God damnit! These people have some super-power to disappear and reappear into her vision like a clumsy bird flying into a window.

"You could taste spiciness and it isn't a part of the gustatory perception like sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami. Why is that?" asked Yukihira excitedly.

"I'll need to get into more detail about the nerves in our body. You sure you want to hear it?" she asked.

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't" smirked Yukihira.

He appraised her again with the same look that said he was studying her. He looked the type who wanted to learn anything and everything about the world of cooking. Just from the fact that his stall was in a really poor location, showed some amazing guts and that he knew the way to learn things was to really put oneself in the deep-end and test their strengths and grow. Or maybe he was just an idiot.

"Just sit your butt down. You look like a shot deer" Chizuru snapped at Terunori. He had the most pathetic and guilt ridden expression on his face, despite his attempt to mask it. He obeyed her and sat next to Tadokoro-san. This certainly was an odd sight. An ecstatic red-headed chef beside a nervous and fumbling girl, and a punk ass midget chef who just got bitch-slapped. She'll have to tell Ayame-chan this one day.

"There are twelve types of nerves in our body which allows us to feel or sense things like touching, hearing, smelling, tasting and balance, and to voluntarily move our muscles like walking, and involuntarily move like breathing whilst sleeping. They all come from the brain and we call them cranial nerves. Are you with me so far?"

They nodded.

"Ok. Congenital anosmia is super-rare, almost no one has ever heard of it and most doctors don't really know it. I was born without the nerves to smell which is called the olfactory nerve" She tapped her nose. "However, all my other nerves associated with sensing food are fine and dandy, nothing wrong with them. Which is why I can still taste sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami which are sensed through the facial nerve and the hypoglossal nerve" she said. Chizuru gestured to her face, the inside of her cheek and her tongue, demonstrating where those nerves were. They paused for a bit and then nodded their heads for her to keep going.

"So about spiciness? It's sensed through something different. Spiciness, alcohol, minty stuff or menthol and ammonia, which are pungent, are sensed by the trigeminal nerve. I can't smell it, I can't taste it, but I can feel it, which is something at least" she traced against her jaw, showing them where parts of the trigeminal nerve was roughly located.

Chizuru waited patiently. Yukihira, Tadokoro-san and Terunori seemed to be in deep thought. She felt somewhat lighter after explaining it to them, like the releasing a tap slowly and letting the water flow smoothly down the sink. She had to admit, it was easier than she thought it would be.

"Ah I see, that does make sense. Each nerve is responsible for a different type of perception. Our sensations in eating is very complex, given by a combination of nerves that work together to give us the full experience. There is more than just taste and smell that make up the whole picture. Pungency is also important for specific types of food and have a different nerve all together. If one nerve is defective, others are relied on by the person" said Tadokoro-san.

Chizuru suddenly remembered the tan skinned spice master she had met during her visit to Tootsuki. He was all about the sense of smell and talked about it as if aroma was a cuisine in itself. She had a bad feeling about him and decided that the two of them weren't going to get along well, and he probably should be avoided. They wouldn't understand each other in the slightest. That was why she had escaped from him after accidentally ending up in front of his curry stall after Ayame-chan ditched her for Mario. As soon as he tried to get her to taste one of his curry she ran for it.

"What makes food… nice …for you when you eat?" said Yukihira.

"Umm… spiciness, because it allows me to feel something funky when eating... Uh, I eat for colour. I like food that has pretty colours and are aesthetically pleasing… I like crunchy food, and cold stuff. I eat for texture and temperature as well" Chizuru slowly lowered herself back on her seat, facing the three chefs like a Q&A panel.

"I could imagine there may be some advantages to having anosmia" smiled Yukihira. "Like you can't smell people's farts and body odour, especially on public transport because it's totally gross. You won't get nauseous by smell too, am I right?"

"Yeah… that's right" said Chizuru slowly. "In saying all this, my gustatory perception is heightened so I'm a bit sensitive to some food that I find overly sweet, overly sour and stuff, because I don't have a sense of smell to drown it out. I like to drink hot milk sometimes because it's hot and creamy, but I can't tell if I've burnt the milk because I can't taste it. I do have to wait for hot food to cool down a bit longer because I'm also a bit sensitive to temperature"

Chizuru felt a bit embarrassed, telling a bunch of strangers, who specialised in areas she physiologically lacked, so much about herself. At the same time it felt refreshing. All those years, she had been seething, snarling, barking and biting people who dared say something against her just because she was born different. Somehow, meeting these people like Mario and Luigi, Yukihira and Tadokoro-san was not as regretful as she had thought.

"So what's it like…"

"Huh?" that voice was too quiet to hear over the noise of the festival.

"So what is it like? For you"

It was Terunori Kuga. His eyes darted to look elsewhere and his arms were folded behind his head, trying to be cool and maintain his dignity. He still had a thick blush adorning his cheeks, but his lips were pursed. Chizuru hadn't noticed before, but he didn't appear that short when he was sitting down. Maybe a few centimetres off of Yukihira, but it wasn't that much. His face had so much baby fat that Chizuru could have mistaken him as a middle schooler if he was on the street. He wore a traditional tangzhuang reminiscent of those characters in Chinese dramas her mum sometimes watched. His hair was wildly styled. He had spiky dark brown hair which ran down to his nape and it jutted in every direction. His fringe, which reached down to his cheeks, were dyed blonde. He also had tresses tucked behind his left ear and were embellished with two bobby pins, fastened in a "Z" pattern. If she looked closely, she could spy a stud earring on his right ear.

He actually didn't look half bad for a big-mouth midget.

"Well, if I compare it to something we're all familiar with… Well, when you guys eat, it's like seeing a rainbow that is full of colours. When I eat, it's like seeing a black and white rainbow." said Chizuru, tapping her finger on her chin. That sounded about close to what she thought.

She thought about it herself. She certainly painted her life like a dismal portrait, but it was the truth. To her food was black and white, grayscale, only light and dark. Others could taste a variety of things and talked about as if it were out of this world, like a rainbow.

"That's kinda sad. But I learnt a lot of cool things from you. I just have to put it out there, though. I noticed that you say things like 'You people', 'People like me', 'them' a lot. But we are all the same, despite our differences, Namikaze-san" said Yukihira, smiling widely.

"Yeah… I suppose"

"Yukihira! There you are!"


Ayame underestimated the insane speed in which Takumi-kun bolted when his mind was set solely upon Yukihira-kun. She huffed and puffed to try and match her boyfriend's pace as he left her in the dust. She lagged behind with Isami-kun. The Aldini twins had completely used up all their ingredients and had reached their second tin full of credit tickets. Ayame couldn't have been prouder but she did wish there was a balance between female and male customers coming to their stall. It wasn't that she wanted Takumi-kun and Isami-kun to have less customers, that wasn't the point of her trying to mess with the fangirls' mind. She had to make them know where they stood. Truthfully, she shouldn't have felt the need to manipulate the fangirls' mind to form their own conclusions that she and Takumi-kun were dating. She did anyway.

Over the crowd's head she spotted a humungous and gleaming Chinese Palace within the heart of the Central Area. The Central Area overall was a nifty looking location, it wasn't as marketplace-looking as the Main Street area, but it did look like it would cost more than just a melon ticket to purchase their food. The Chinese Palace rose up into the sky majestically, dominating the view of the Central Area. She could practically taste the oriental flavours of the 'Main Continent', in archaic Japanese terminology, from just looking at it. Finally Ayame could see Takumi-kun skidding to a stop by a small and plain looking stall. She needed to have a word with him later.

Was that Chizuru-chan?

"Yukihira! There you are!" yelled Takumi-kun, jabbing his finger at him "Ah, Namikaze-san, Tadokoro-san. You're here too"

"Eh? Ayame-chan! What are you doing here?" asked Chizuru-chan, completely ignoring the Aldini brothers.

She stumbled up from her seat at the bench. Sharing the bench was also Yukihira-kun, Tadokoro-san and another chef she hadn't met before. All four of them looked like they were in the middle of some serious discussion. Ayame gave her a smile and a warm hug. A wave of guilt washed over her as she remembered Chizuru-chan was having a miserable time at the Summer Solstice Festival, but she was glad to see she wasn't all alone and was actually hanging out with some of Takumi-kun's friends.

"Hey… thanks for taking me here… They uh… th-they know about it now…"

Hmmm? Did she tell them about her condition?

Ayame leaned back to read her best friend's expression. She had an incredibly sour look. Yep, she did. She twisted her arms behind her back, grasping at the elbows and scuffed her shoes against the dirt. Her eyes were turned to the side, not really focusing on anything in particular and her brows were furrowed deeply. This was the familiar behaviour Chizuru-chan exhibited when she thought she was proven wrong about something. Ayame was glad to see her in this way, because it was a good thing.

"Now you see why I really wanted you to come?" Ayame smiled serenely at her friend.

She nodded.

Chizuru-chan was nihilistic by nature, simply from the way she had been treated all her life. Chizuru-chan knew she was very different from other kids at a very young age and being different meant one was alienated. She had grown up see the world was against her. That was why she convinced herself that every utterance had a double meaning and that pessimism outweighed optimism. Hence her habit to 'read the subtext'. Ayame wanted to prove her wrong. She wanted to prove that the world and everything on it wasn't her enemy or out to get her in some shape or form. Everyone had bullies in their life, which was pretty normal. It's having hope that there were genuinely good people still out there that kept one strong. Chizuru-chan's strength was born from hatred and fighting. Ayame's strength came from belief in goodness. She knew that the people Takumi-kun associated with, should actually be the most understanding people in the world for people like Chizuru-chan. They must know the key role smell played in food and experiences of eating, and therefore, understand her plight on a level that other typically developing people wouldn't be able to grasp. Not only that, Chizuru-chan's eating experience could open up a window for Takumi-kun and his other chef-friends to get insight into the other side of the culinary looking glass.

We learn a lot about things, not from the way it works perfectly, but from what happens when they are broken. New understandings, are thus born. That is how humanity progresses.

At least she hoped that her theory was correct. It could have gone the other way and that Takumi-kun and his friends wouldn't be able to understand the concept of someone not being able to smell or taste, as their world inexplicably revolved around those two senses.

She was willing to gamble it.

"Oh! Takumi! Isami! How'd your stall go on the Main street area?" Yukihira-kun got up and waved to herself, Takumi-kun and Isami-kun.

"A resounding success. But it looks like I can't say the same for you. It seems like you only made peanuts compared to Isami and I, you've been slacking?" he smirked, looking over Yukihira's stall.

Was that Tadokoro-san?

Ayame left the Aldini twins, Yukihira-kun and Chizuru-chan and skipped up to her, enthusiastically greeting the familiar face. She hadn't seen Tadokoro-san for a while and greatly missed the sweet and kind blue-haired chef. Ayame dived head first into her story of visiting the Polar Star okonomiyaki and monjayaki stall but was disappointed to not see her there. However she explained that she did try some duck egg okonomiyaki and it tasted gorgeous. Tadokoro-san lead her to the bench and told her that it was her dorm mate, Yoshino Yuuki's idea for it and pointed out that she was the owner of the Polar Star Dorms chicken that Ayame had petted on her visit around the Polar Star plantations.

"Oh! Ano… This is Terunori Kuga-san" Tadokoro-san suddenly jumped in her seat, hastily introducing Ayame to the fourth unfamiliar chef who was still sitting on the bench.

"Hello, my name is Kanda Ayame" she smiled politely.

"What up!" he replied.

He gave a feral smile and his sharp, white canines poked out. He exuded a sociable and lively aura. There was an overly-confident and cheeky look in his eyes but their sharpness told her he was smarter and probably older than he looked. From the way she sensed Chizuru-chan shooting daggers at the back of her head, something was amiss. Her guts told her that they were aimed more at Terunori-san than her. Both of them must've got off on the wrong foot. She couldn't predict who started what first. Normally at school, Chizuru-chan was a sucker for provocation…

"Which stall is yours, Terunori-san?" she asked.

"You're looking at it! Right there!" He leapt on top of the bench and threw his hands towards the magnificent Chinese palace. "I'm the president of the Chinese Cuisine Research Society Club and also the eighth seat on the Elite Ten. A big deal, by the way". He puffed out his chest.

"I'm sure…" Ayame uttered a strained laugh at his loud and gleeful personality. She was stunned.

"Hey, that girl… is she your friend?" Terunori-san calmed down and pointed to Chizuru-chan who seemed to be stuck in a banter with Yukihira-kun and Takumi-kun whilst Isami-kun moderated from the side.

"Yeah, she's my friend" said Ayame curiously.

"I said something I shouldn't have… about her anosmia. I feel shitty about it" Terunori-san grumbled as he retook his seat and slouched back onto the bench. Ayame thought as much. "How long does it take for her to forgive someone?" he asked.

"Well, I can't give you a definite time-frame. She has a belief for an-eye-for-an-eye. Perhaps you could do something for her to show that you are sorry, and then she'll probably waver whatever you said to her" said Ayame.

"Like what?"

Ayame looked around the Central area, thinking. Her gaze was gravitated towards The Chinese Cuisine Research Society's stall. It looked more like a high class restaurant than anything else. There was a huge banner stretched across with their name in huge calligraphic script. Just underneath the main heading was the writing for 'Sichuan Cuisine'.

"She likes spicy food. Maybe you should start from there" Ayame winked at him and Tadokoro-san nodded.

The two girls giggled as Terunori-san had the most confused expression. He got up from his seat and muttered his thanks while his rounded face bloomed into a blush. He casted a long look at Chizuru-chan in the distant and his blush intensified. Ayame and Tadokoro-san shared a knowing smile.

"Goodness, I almost forgot!" Tadokoro-san cried out from Ayame's side. She started running around the stall like a headless chicken, flapping her hands about with hysterical worry. "Souma-kun! We forgot to submit all our tickets to the tallying booth! They're about to announce the winner with the most sales!"

"Oh Crikey! It completely slipped my mind. Catch you later guys, Megumi and I gotta dash off and make sure the tallying booth doesn't close" Yukihira smacked Takumi-kun across the back earning a high pitched yelp before running off with Tadokoro-san with a rectangular tin similar to Takumi-kun's and Isami-kun's.

"Dio mio. Yukihira-kun is quite careless as always" Isami-kun sighed, rubbing Takumi-kun's back as his elder twin fought back stinging tears.

"Yoho~ How's everyone going?" came a sing-song voice.

"Ah Alice-san, Kurokiba-san" Ayame turned around in pleasant surprise.

Alice-san grinned like a Cheshire cat as she sauntered her way towards their little group. She looked absolutely glamourous as she was dressed in a red silk yukata with pink sakura blossoms. Its delicately embroidered pink and silver petals floated across her chest, drifting, drifting, drifting in a smooth winding motion and gathered at the bottom hem of her robe in light smooth piles at her ankles. Her obi was the moon-silver and was also embroidered with light, dainty patterns. Alice's eyes glittered, the colours matching the vibrant scarlet hues of her eyes. Behind her was Kurokiba-san and he looked just as tired as the day she met him. Or maybe he always looked this tired because the eye-bags beneath his tired eyes neither looked worse nor better. He was dressed in a plain navy blue yukata.

"Alice-san, why are you dressed in a yukata?" asked Takumi-kun. He and Isami-kun were still dressed in their orange trimmed Aldini chef's uniform. They even had some oil splatters on it. Ayame looked over at Takumi-kun and she could spot the butterfly pin that was securely fastened on his double breasted front. She smiled.

"Oh, I finished ages ago. I used up all my ingredients just like that!" She snapped her fingers. "So Ryou-kun and I thought we'd change out and enjoy the rest of the festival. Didn't we, Ryou-kun?"

"Ous"

Ayame went over and greeted Alice. She didn't miss the way her eyes drooped ever so slightly upon seeing her. She probably instantly reminded her of her traumatic experience when she came to visit the Cutting Edge Cooking clubroom. But Alice-san immediately sprang back to her upbeat and fun self as if nothing had happened.

"Good evening Ayame-san, Namikaze-san! Long time no see. I trust that you've been enjoying your evening?' Alice-san leaned forward and offered her a light hug around the shoulders with one arm as she was carrying a nice, silk traditional coin pouch in her other hand. She did the same with Chizuru-chan.

"Yep! I've been looking after Takumi-kun and Isami-kun. Had to make sure they weren't giving anything away for free" Ayame chuckled behind her hand, giving the Aldini brother's a side-long look.

"Who was looking after who?" Takumi-kun lifted a lone eye brow at her and pinched her side. Ayame yelped and punched him in the arm.

"If it wasn't for me, your broken electric stove would've stayed broken. Then your risotto would've been all soggy or something. Like my fish. I should be checking over all your kitchen appliances" she huffed at him, crossing her arms and turning away, but still looking at him from her periphery. Takumi-kun bristled, a cute blush spread across his cheeks. He grumbled and suddenly hugged her from behind, burying his face in the back of her head, hiding himself away. Ayame could feel him groan in exhaustion into her hair and it was tickling her.

"I a-already thanked you enough haven't I…" his voice was muffled and had a hint of whining. Ayame froze up in shock as Alice-san gave her a very mischievous look and she wiggled her perfectly manicured silver eyebrows at her. It was then Ayame's go to turn beet red.

"Hey Mario, could you like, not touch Ayame-chan like that? We're in a public place" Ayame could hear her best friend's scolding.

"Ah, not to worry Chizuru-san. Fratello, does that because it is the sure-fire way for Ayame-san not to see how embarrassed his face is. By being directly in the ultimate blind spot.

"Congratulations to all students who participated in Tootsuki's first Summer Solstice Festival! Also a huge thanks to our sponsors Igakono Senbei Corps and TopRamen Limited for funding this wonderful event. First up is the ranking for the Main Street area" The announcement rang out across the area.

"Shhhh! I'm in this category!" Alice-san floundered her hands around trying to get everyone to stop chatting. Chizuru-chan and Isami-kun ceased conversing and Ayame found herself holding her breath as well, resting against Takumi-kun's chest.

"In third place is the Polar Star Dorm's Okonomiyaki and Monjayaki stall!"

"Woohoo! Alright, Polar Star Dorms made it to first day rankings" Yukihira's voice boomed from the distance as he ran back to the group. Tadokoro-san closely followed and both were panting. Alice-san bounced towards him and gave him a crushing hug. The relieved expressions on their faces told her that they successfully submitted their tickets.

"Ah, hi Alice, Kurokiba" he pulled himself from Alice-san's tight hold and gave them a salute.

'In second place is Trattoria Aldini!'

"FORZA ALDINI!"

Ayame was ecstatic. She suddenly felt her feet leave the ground in a split second as Takumi-kun picked her up and twirled her in the air! His strong arms gripped her waist tightly against his body, letting his centre of gravity take them into a heavy spin. Then he set her back down in front of him, whilst he still held her waist securely. She was completely dizzy. He had the biggest smile and Ayame felt her heart reach out to him. Any accomplishment of his were her accomplishments too. She cupped his face and gave him a chaste kiss, taking him be delightful surprise and he kissed back, filled with unbridled triumph.

Once they broke apart, he went over and gave his brother a hi-five and a brotherly hug. Soon everyone scooted towards them offering them their sincerest congratulations. Including Chizuru-chan.

'Lastly, first place is Nakiri Alice's Molecular Gastronomy Bar!'

"Nothing less" She placed her hands on her hips and cocked it out to the side. Everyone clapped as Alice-san executed a perfect curtsy despite being in a yukata. She patted Kurokiba-san on the shoulder and he just sighed. However, she could see just a glint of pride in his eyes.

'Next is the rankings for Central Area. Third place is Yukihira and Tadokoro Vietnamese Food Truck!'

"Woohooo! Yeah! Great job Megumi!" cheered Yukihira.

Since the first announcement, Tadokoro-san had her hands firmly pressed together as if in an intensive prayer. Her eyes clenched and her knees shook as she muttered a mantra over and over. Yukihira went over to her and … slapped… her hands! She broke out of her bubble and flapped her stinging red hands painfully blubbering all over the place as the red-headed chef grabbed her shoulder to still her.

"We came third place Megumi! We're in the rankings. So you can relax now" he said.

"Oh thank goodneeeessss~" she wheezed through her escaping tears.

'Second place is The Chinese RS 'Kuga's Restaurant'!'

Everyone immediately turned their gaze towards the entrance of the Chinese palace. Standing on the top of the steps was Terunori Kuga, his face was ashen and his small body was trembling. He fell to his knees and gripped his head as despair and anguish was clearly visible from all the way up the top of the stairs.

"A-Again?! How could this be…!" he roared.

"Karma, I tell you" Chizuru-chan smirked and Ayame tsked at her. Yep, there was definitely a row between them.

'Finally in first place, is Kinokuni Nene's Tapas Bar and Grill!'

"Fuck! Nene, that bitch of a menstrual sixth seater!" Terunori-san continued to yell into the air as his subordinates, dressed like shaolin monks tried to calm him down, but to no avail.

"Who's that?" asked Ayame, turning to the Aldini brothers.

"Kinokuni Nene is the current sixth seat, or sixth best, of the school. I don't really know her" said Takumi-kun, who now had his fingers laced with hers.

'For the final announcement of the night. I once again thank all the students who participated and our sponsors. Now as a special treat, we'll be having a special performance at the main stage featuring… YOSHIOKA YUIICHI!'

Something God-awful screamed into her ear.

"OH MY GOD! Yoshioka Yuiichi is here?! We have to go see him. He's like the best singer-song writer Japan has ever seen!" Chizuru-chan jumped up and down like a caffeinated guinea pig. She harshly yanked Ayame out from beside Takumi-kun and dashed off, dragging her in the direction of the main stage. Consequently Takumi-kun was pulled along too, who grabbed Isami-kun in the last second as well. It was like being pulled along with as a chain through an ocean of people.

The crowd quickly grew thicker and thicker and the lights glowed brighter and brighter as they made it towards the main stage. Shrieking teenagers occupied every square metre and almost all of them had their phone out, snapping selfies and the stage. The stage was large and had a plain white back drop and strong stage lights arched overhead. Tootsuki had put in a lot of effort for this. Soon the cheers and cries exploded as a tall figure emerged from the side of the stage, a handsome looking Fender acoustic strapped over the shoulders.

'I don't remember Yoshioka Yuiichi being this tall… And if I remember correctly, he dyed his hair blonde only last week according to Chizuru-chan's magazine… Oh my gosh! He can't be!'

She.

Was.

In.

So.

Much.

Trouble.

"HOLY FUCK! Is that Kuchiyose-kun?! Shit, I completely forgot about him! What the hell is he doing on stage?!" Chizuru-chan screamed from in front of Ayame.

Her stomach dropped. It was definitely Kuchiyose-kun.

His hair was tied back in a pony man-bun leaving lots of loose strands of lilac locks framing his chiseled face, and his neck. He wore a simple, black v-neck t-shirt and a dark pair of jeans. He was also wearing the belt she and Chizuru-chan got for him last Christmas. Chizuru-chan fumbled for her smartphone and slammed her fingers on the screen to bring up her messages. She clapped her hand over her mouth as she stared in shock at all the missed calls and missed text messages sent by Kuchiyose-kun's phone. Ayame's knees shook. Oh no, no, no, no. How could she have been so forgetful! She felt instantly bad and she will never feel as bad as this. Ayame looked over Chizuru-chan's shoulder and scanned the missed texts. She started with the second text of the evening.


'Hey. I changed my mind. I'm coming
to the festival straight from the music shop
instead of going home first.
I'll let you know when I get there'
- KB


'I'm waiting by the front entrance now'
- KB


'I'm in. Should we meet up near the water fountain?'
- KB


'I've been at the water fountain for
the past 20min. Where are you'
- KB


'My guitar and my new loop pedal are
getting heavy to carry around. I need you
to be my pack mule for a bit'
-KB


'The food here is good. It would taste
better if you picked up my calls.
-KB


'Hey, some entertainment official
has mistaken me for someone.
Come to the main stage quickly.
- KB


'Now they won't let me leave the
main stage area or listen to a word I say.
They think I'm
a singer and going
to hold a concert because I'm carrying
around my guitar and loop pedal.
I hold you, Namikaze Chizuru, responsible.
- KB


Each text message was approximately twenty minutes to half an hour apart. Ayame quickly pulled out her phone too. Damn it! It had been on silent the whole time! Her phone was flooded with similar missed text messages from Kuchiyose-kun. Her stomach squeezed tightly. She felt incredibly guilty. She was the worst friend ever!

"Is that… Is that K-Kuchiyose-san?" gasped Takumi-kun in her ear behind her as he patted her on the shoulder.

"Yes… Yes it is…" She felt her soul abandon her.

She looked around and spotted Alice-san in the crowd near them, flanked by Kurokiba-kun. Her face was deathly pale and her eyes were wide, like a deer caught in head lights. They glistened with unshed tears. Oh no. Nakiri Alice, was rooted to the spot and her hands were clutched to her chest as she stared at Kuchiyose-kun on stage. Her ruby red eyes were haunted and Ayame sensed a messy jumble of sadness, grief, sorrow and regret swimming in their depths. She suddenly saw Alice-san in a different light. Right now, she wasn't the confident, cheeky and boisterous self she come to know her as. Instead, what stood there was a much more vulnerable, broken and insecure girl. A person who initiated a break up with someone shouldn't ordinarily be gazing at them in such a manner, unless…

'Could it be… she's still in love with him?'

The sound of thumping caught her attention and she refocused to the main stage. Kuchiyose-kun shuffled forward and plugged his acoustic into the speakers and then shifted his brand new loop pedal to the front. He had the most distraught looking face. At least, as distraught for a face like his to express. Also, his sullen eyes were definitely saying 'What the hell am I doing here…' He straightened his back and released a big sigh into the microphone after adjusting its height. By now, most of the crowd had caught on that he wasn't actually the famous singer-song writer Yoshioka Yuiichi, but they didn't really look like they minded all that much. He hesitantly strummed his guitar and its melody burst from the speakers. Ayame tried to look closer and she spotted something glistening on the tips of his fingers. That's right. Kuchiyose-kun style was finger playing. Somewhere within the time to spare between playing soccer and school life, Kuchiyose managed to teach himself finger-style guitar or finger picking. This involved plucking the strings directly with the fingertips, fingernails, or in Kuchiyose-kun's case, shiny metal picks attached to each of his long fingers. This style created crisp tones and clear melodies.

The lilac-haired giant sighed one last time and grimaced. He moved the microphone closer to himself. He languidly tapped onto his loop pedal and his fingers danced deftly across the strings at a fast pace. A strong tune instantly locked onto the audience and he rapped his finger picks against the strings between individual strumming, using it like a percussive instrument too, establishing a rhythmic beat. Such as the way of finger-styling.

He closed his eyes, and pressed his lips to the microphone.

"Doro darake yo najime nai tokai de
Onaji you ni warae nai utsumuite aruita no
Isogi ashi de surechigau hito tachi
"Yume wa kanai mashita ka?"
Atashi mada mogaite iru

Kodomo no goro ni modoru yori mo
Ima wo umaku ikite mitai yo
Kowagari wa umare tsuki

Hi no ataru basho ni dete
Ryoute wo hirogete mita nara
Ano sola koete yukeru ka na?
Nante omottanda

Tobitatsu tame no tsubasa
Sore wa mada mie nai
Kantan ni ika nai kara
Ikite yukeru"

The noise level steadily increased into a moderate cheer as they warmed up to Kuchiyose-kun. He went back to playing his acoustic with beautiful precision, moving away from the microphone. His guitar skills was really good! But he looked like he was starting to sweat on stage. Ayame was surprised that he sang in a higher voice, higher than she normally heard from him. Scratch that, she had never heard him sing before! Why hadn't she? Had she not pestered him hard enough? In any case, the song sounded familiar and it was probably a cover of another song. But his voice still retained a slight huskiness and sounded warm like honey which suited the country ballad. He pressed his lips to the microphone again.

"Nureta koinu hiroi ageta dakede
Chotto warae chau hodo
Namida ga koborete kita

Aisaretai aisaretai bakari
Atashi itte ita yo ne
Motomeru dake ja dame ne

Kodomo no goro wa mama no koto
Hidoku kizutsuketa
Hi mo atta yo ne kawari tai
Ima zenbu

Hi no ataru basho ni dete
Kono te wo tsuyoku nigitte mitai
Ano basho ano toki wo kowashite
I can change my life

Demo kokoro no naka subete wo
Totemo tsutae kire nai
Kantan ni ika nai kara
Ikite yukeru

Hi no ataru basho ni dete
Chizu wo hirogete miru kedo
I know, you know
Mayoi michi mo shikata nai
I can change my life

Sugite kita hibi zenbu de
Ima no atashi nanda yo
Kantan ni ika nai kara
Ikite yukeru..."

The crowd erupted in a round of applause and female screams dominated the main moshpit. He ended the lyrics with a yearning tone to really complete it but continued to pluck the strings with such intensity, the tone coming out clear and crisp. he rapped his finger-picks against the strings a few more times before completely ending it. Kuchiyose-kun looked like he was ready to throw up and his face had gone white. It seemed playing in front of a live audience wasn't agreeing with him. He disconnected his acoustic from the speakers, removed his metal finger picks and packed up his loop pedal. His eyes remained stoic as his tall, hunching figure shuffled off stage, without so much as a backward glance at the audience.

Ayame was absolutely impressed! He was an amazing singer. She felt proud for her two boys tonight, no doubt about it. Maybe if she showered Kuchiyose-kun with compliments and praise, he might forgive her for forgetting about him tonight. Ayame looked around and saw the smiling faces of Takumi-kun, Isami-kun, Yukihira-kun, Tadokoro-san and Chizuru-chan. She found a cluster of students screaming the loudest, recognising them to be from the Polar Star okonomyaki and monjayaki stall. Even Terunori Kuga was nearby, standing on an upturned crate to see overhead. In the distance she also spotted Mito-san and Hayama-san, changed out of their chef's uniform and into their casual clothes.

Alice-san and Kurokiba-san were nowhere to be seen.


I first came across anosmia during my hospital placement. His brain injury severed the olfactory nerve (nerve for smelling). Smell is processed in the back of the brain, near the vision centre. The receptive end of the nerve is deep inside your nose, closer to the brain, about the level of your eyes. So the whole olfactory nerve runs along the length of the brain. Therefore any injury to the brain could potentially sever the nerve at any point along its length, thus acquiring anosmia secondary to brain injury. Being born with anosmia is real, but extremely rare.

Did any of you guys remember Kuchiyose-kun? He'd been missing pretty much the whole time and we now know why... poor guy. He's too soft spoken and has stage fright hahahaha! If you did, good for you! If you didn't, don't feel bad, Ayame and Chizuru forgot too.

I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Let me know what you think. See you in 5 days' time.

Signing-off

-TripWire- dono