Food Wars: Conquering the Mountain
Chapter 7: Strength of the Heart
With their first testing portion done, Luke, Kaia, and the rest of the group boarded a bus and headed back to the Hotel. Each student had at least two more testing sites they had to attend today but they wouldn't know which ones they had to do until they got back.
The entire ride, Kaia had her arms wrapped around Luke's with her head on his shoulder. Luke smiled at the girl and couldn't help but remember their kiss. While it was true that he had feelings for Kaia, strong feelings in fact, he also found himself falling for the other girls in his life. Hearing that in his mind made him sound like he was a player who just wanted to get with as many girls as he could, but Luke wasn't like that.
Each girl he met made his heartbeat like a jackhammer. Just being near them made him smile. He didn't want to hurt the girls, but he also knew that if he wanted to go any farther in his relationship with any girl, then he needed to make up his mind soon. It wasn't fair to the girls to keep stringing them along.
The bus eventually returned to the hotel, and everyone disembarked. Kaia still had her hands wrapped around Luke as they walked towards the front door. She seemed happy she had him all to herself. Once they entered, they saw Josuke and Gen waiting with a few other students. Luke looked at his schedule and found himself in a different group for a different workshop. He and Kaia approached the two boys.
"Hey guys, you waiting for a workshop too?" Luke asked his friends.
Gen nodded, "Indeed. We are supposed to be getting our lesson from Isami Aldini-dono and his wife."
That sounded interesting to Luke. He knew that the younger Aldini brother had become a bit of a household name along with his brother after they left Totsuki. His name only grew after marrying the scion of the Mito Group. Together they had become one of the most famous power couples in Italy and Japan. From what Sonoka had told him, Chef Ikumi was to be expecting their second child.
Kaia looked at Luke, "Well, I have a workshop to get to myself."
She gave Luke one last look and rubbed his arm, "I'll talk to you later?"
Luke nodded and she gave him a wink before leaving to join her group. Luke watched as she walked away, leaving him feeling all warm and fuzzy.
Josuke gave his friend a curious look, "So…what was all that about?"
Luke gave Josuke a smile, "I'll tell you later."
Food Wars
Luke and his friends were soon taken to a large banquet room set for, well, they didn't really know. There were numerous tables set up with red and black table clothes, roses on every table, low mood lighting, and even a string quartet setting up at the front of the room. Around the edges of the room were cooking areas set up.
Josuke whistled, "Damn, when did we get transported to Paris?"
Gen nodded, "It certainly has the aura of a high-class restaurant."
Luke had to agree with his friends. The setting reminded him of some of the French restaurants he had seen pictures of. The thought made him nervous. While he knew how to combine flavors from numerous cultures, he didn't have much experience in French cuisine save for a few desserts he'd made every now and then. He found it too stuffy and rigid. But if it was their task for today then he would have to find some way through it.
They noticed Antonio and Eri standing in one of the cooking areas, so the trio made their way over.
"Nice to see some familiar faces." Luke said as he approached.
Antonio waved at all three of them, "Yo amigos. Good to see you. Any ideas what we're doing here?"
Josuke shook his head, "No idea. Seems pretty fancy for anything that I've been in."
Eri looked nervous as she gripped the hem of her coat, "I just hope that I can handle what we're about to do."
Luke placed a hand on Eri's shoulder, "Don't worry Eri. You got this."
Eri gave Luke a smile before she looked around, "Huh, I don't see Kagura-chan."
Luke raised an eyebrow as he looked around as well, "Is she supposed to be here?"
Eri nodded, "I saw her earlier. She said she was going to see the cooler where the ingredients are stored."
Luke nodded, "I'll go look for her."
Luke left his group of friends and began walking the floor. He asked some of the surrounding attendants where the cooler was, and they directed him to a nearby hallway that had a cooler where the different workshops could grab ingredients for their lessons. Luke headed that way, and he did in fact see Kagura but the situation he saw her in wasn't something he enjoyed seeing.
Some blond-haired pretty boy had Kagura up against a wall with a hand on the side of her head. Now Luke would have been okay with a situation like this if the girl looked like she was enjoying herself but the look on Kagura's face told him she was not here for it. So, he immediately made his over to her.
"Oh, come on now. You can't just flirt with me and leave me hanging."
Kagura swallowed hard but stood her ground, "I didn't flirt with you! All I did was give you a smile for showing me where the cooler was."
The boy smirked and leaned in closer, "Well that sure seemed like flirting. And I know your type. You bat your eyes, flip your hair, sway your hips, and boys fall head over heels for you. But when it comes to me, I don't like being played with. So, I think you should…"
"What should she do?"
The boy clicked his teeth in annoyance and turned around to see Luke standing behind him with his arms crossed.
The color immediately drained from his face when he laid eyes on the American.
"Ah, Fenrir!"
Luke raised an eyebrow, "Fenrir?"
The blonde didn't even explain himself before he ran away leaving Luke and Kagura confused at his actions.
"Well, that was weird."
Kagura nodded and walked up to Luke, "Thanks for the help, Luke." She said holding onto his arm.
Luke looked at the girl and saw she was still reeling from the unwanted advances from the boy. He took it upon himself to comfort her, so he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in for a one-armed hug.
"Don't worry Kagura. What fools like that think don't matter."
Kagura looked up at Luke. She didn't know what it was about the young man but whenever he was around her, she felt…at peace. Growing up she always got attention from boys. It didn't matter whether she was in the kitchen or just hanging out with family, boys always looked her way. And she loved to use that to her advantage. Growing up, her mother encouraged her to embrace the natural things that she had been blessed with like her looks and charm. And while training to become a chef, she used that to her advantage to get a head start over some of the boys in her class.
She was a flirt, and she knew it but with Luke it was different. When she met him, she knew she would flirt with him. He was handsome and if she had the opportunity to get under his skin, she could use him to help get farther at Totsuki. That was what she originally thought but Luke wasn't taken by her charms like other boys were.
He was just nice to her. He was her friend. And slowly but surely, she found herself falling for him day by day. He was hardworking, dedicated, he cared deeply for his friends, and she couldn't deny, when he knocked Tendou out for how he spoke about Haruka and the others; she felt a shiver of pleasure rush up her spine.
She liked Luke a lot.
Kagura held onto Luke's hand, "Luke, do you think I'm too much of a flirt?"
Luke looked at Kagura and blinked, "Hmm, well, I think you do like to flirt but I don't think you flirt too much. At least from my perspective." He said scratching the back of his head.
Kagura wrapped her arms around Luke's body, "So, you don't think it's a bad thing?"
Luke chuckled, "No, I don't. I think everyone flirts even when they don't realize it. Especially us. I mean we're in high school. Flirting with other people is kind of in our job description. I just hope that when you find that person you really, truly like, that your flirting becomes something more for them."
Kagura swallowed hard. How is that he could have such an effect on her just by saying a few words?
Kagura decided to throw caution to the wind and pushed Luke to the wall and kissed him deeply. She moaned when their lips connected and she ran her hands over his neck and chest, trying her best to push her tongue into his mouth.
Luke was in complete shock at Kagura's boldness. Her lips were sweet, and her actions were fast and heavy. He didn't expect her to be so bold in a situation like this. He couldn't help but hold onto her hips as she pushed her chest into his. He moaned as they kissed and seemed to be drowned out by the moment, they were sharing but soon the hazy feeling in his mind began to fade. His hands clenched and unclenched as Kagura had her way with his mouth. In any other situation he would have told her to continue but Luke had other things on his mind.
Luke grunted and gently pushed Kagura away, "Wait, wait Kagura hold on."
She took a deep breath before she licked her lips, "What's wrong?"
Luke sucked in air before releasing it, trying to get his mind back in order, "Look, Kagura. I'm not gonna lie to you. I like you. A lot. But for me, it's not that simple."
Kagura smirked, "Because you like a bunch of other girls?"
Luke blinked in shock, "Am I that easy to read?"
She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Maybe not to some but for me it's obvious. I see the way you look at some of the other girls. Kaia, Haruka, Marina-sama, Karin-sama. You have feelings for them just like you do with me."
Luke sighed and nodded, "It's true. I like a lot of you. You're all very important to me and while this does make me sound like a playboy, I don't want to hurt any of you. And that drives me crazy because it feels like no matter what happens, I must break a girl's heart."
Kagura was touched. Luke was so sweet when it came to girls, but he didn't know what to do when it came to relationships. Maybe that was one of the things that drew each girl to him. He treated them like they wanted to be treated but if he wanted to go farther with either one of them, then he needed to see if he had it in him to break a heart.
Kagura gave Luke a kind smile before gently kissing his lips, "I know you have some things you need to work out, but I'll still be your friend even if you don't choose me."
Luke blinked, "What makes you think I won't?"
"Don't tease me, Luke Anders." Kagura said biting her lip.
"Come on. We should be getting back."
Kagura took Luke's hand and the two walked back together. Neither one knew where their relationship would go but for now, they would just enjoy each other's company.
Unaware that a certain white-haired individual had been listening to their conversation.
Food Wars
Luke and Kagura made their way back to the main hall, walking hand in hand. Kagura separated from Luke as she went to her station shooting him one last wink. He gave a small chuckle as he felt the heat rise in his cheek, choosing to focus on his upcoming task and ignoring the looks he was getting from his friends.
"Alright, listen up!"
All eyes in the hall turned to see two people standing in the middle of the hall. The first was a stunning woman with tanned skin, short cropped blonde hair, full lips, green eyes, a curvy figure, and large breasts. She was dressed in a long black and white dress that hugged her figure and showcased her engorged belly with black shoes. This was none other than the Meat Master herself, Ikumi Aldini.
Standing next to her was the portly, black haired, smiling man that Luke recognized as Isami Aldini. He looked completely at ease standing next to his pregnant wife.
"Okay you grunts, I'm Ikumi Aldini and this is my husband. We are going to be your proctors for this workshop today."
Isami stepped forward, "Today, you will be working by yourselves to complete a task that you will be assigned at random. Now while each of you will have a random prompt, the overall theme will be the same."
Ikumi nodded, "You will each have to create an entrée and dessert for a couple who will be arriving shortly."
"Each couple will have different preferences, dietary restrictions, flavor profiles, etc. Your task is to craft them a meal that can satisfy their tastes." Isami completed.
Ikumi smirked, "This is a common thread for chefs. Whether it's a busy night at the restaurant or a slow weekday, chefs need to able to handle unannounced accommodations to appease their clientele. Majority of the time we will have no idea who comes into our restaurants, so we need to be able to handle whatever pressures are thrown our way."
Isami smiled as he produced a box, "You will receive your prompts now. Once you do, you will have 15 minutes to gather your ingredients and prep. Your guests will arrive soon after that so be ready."
Even Luke was feeling the pressures of this task. He knew that as a chef it was his responsibility to be able to please his customer's tastes, even when they might seem outrageous. And given that the task will be completely random, he won't know who he's serving or what to make until he receives his prompt.
As Chef Isami approached his station, Luke took a deep breath and reached into the box he held. He grabbed a piece of paper and pulled it out, reading what his prompt would be.
"An older couple in their late 40's, man and woman. Enjoy spicy and warm flavors but haven't had a lot of experience with flavors outside of Japan. Enjoy classic dishes such as Nikujaga, Curry, Hot Pot, Omurice, and dishes such as that. Appreciate traditional plating. Had their first date at a cheesecake bakery."
This prompt scared Luke just a little bit. He had experience with classic Japanese flavors, but this couple hadn't had experience with foreign flavors which was where he shined best. He was going to need to come up with an idea for how he could showcase his own style while following the prompt he was given.
Josuke and Gen came up to Luke as they had also received their prompts, "So, what prompt did you get Luke?" Josuke asked.
Luke turned to his friends, "I have a couple in their late 40's who enjoy spicy flavors but haven't had a lot of experience with foods outside of Japan."
Gen crossed his arms, "That sounds like it might be quite the challenge for you Luke-dono. Your specialty is combining flavors of various countries."
Luke nodded, "Yeah, but I think I have an idea of what I can do."
As Luke and his friends left their stations to grab their ingredients, Josuke said his prompt was for a couple of high school students celebrating their 4th year anniversary while Gen needed to create a meal for a same sex couple who just celebrated their approval for adoption. He didn't know what Eri and Kagura would have but he was confident they could conquer any challenge that comes their way.
Luke's friends' prompts were just as unique as his meaning this was going to push all of them in ways they didn't expect. Luke entered the cooler and looked over the ingredients. Thinking about his prompt and the people he had to cook for, Luke got an idea. He grabbed chicken, spices, rice, vegetables, some cream cheese and a few other ingredients he was going to need.
As he shopped, Kagura surprised him and kissed his cheek. He froze on the spot and turned to her, she giggled and winked at him.
Luke let out a breath. He really needed to figure out his feelings with these girls, but he would do that after he got done with his task.
As he got back to his station, Luke put on his hat and got to work. He sliced his chicken breasts into cubes and tossed them into a marinade of olive oil, salt, pepper, and a Cajun seasoning blend made of smoked paprika, dried basil, black pepper, dried thyme, dried oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, and just a little bit of cayenne.
He let the chicken rest and got to work on his rice. He took chicken broth and let that get to a boil before adding basmati rice, butter, and salt. He let that bubble before covering it and let it simmer.
After that, he could get started on the main part of his dish. He took a pan and put it over medium heat and added olive oil. He grabbed his marinated chicken and added it to the pan, cooking it until it was browned and just cooked through before removing the chicken pieces from the pan.
He quickly chopped up onion, garlic, and bell peppers. Added them to the pan and letting them get translucent and fragrant. He seasoned the vegetables with curry powder, ground cumin, paprika, and cayenne; letting the spices coat the vegetables. He proceeded to add diced tomatoes with their juice along with coconut milk. He stirred the whole mix together before adding the chicken.
With the heat on low, Luke let the vegetables get soft and let the chicken finish cooking in the sauce. Turning the heat off, Luke set his chicken curry to the side and began to work on accompaniments. He prepared some pickled onions, pickled jalapenos, some furikake mix, and a special salsa verde. But this one was different.
With all that done, Luke worked on his dessert. He wanted to incorporate their love for cheesecake in some way, so he came up with an interesting idea. He made a graham cracker sable and used it on the bottom of a circular pan. He set that aside and began to separate a few egg yolks. He then took cream cheese, butter, and some sugar and put them into a pot over low heat until they melted and joined together.
He removed the mixture from the heat and added the egg yolks, cornstarch, and a bit of flour. He mixed it all together gently until all the clumps disappeared. He added milk, vanilla, and just a bit of lemon zest to add some flavor. He then beat his egg whites into stiff peaks and added them to his batter. He then poured his batter into some prepared pans and put them in a water bath before popping them in the oven.
Now he just needed to wait.
As he finished putting together his dish, Luke saw that the guests they had been assigned began to arrive. Just as their proctors had said, the groups were varied from older couples, younger ones, even same sex couples. This workshop was a way for all of them to get a feel for what it's like to cook intimate meals for couples. Weddings, anniversaries, special celebrations, all of those were important for chefs as many of these events would want a special meal.
Luke looked at the table he had been assigned and saw his couple. They seemed to be lovely people in their late 40s like his card said with graying hair and fair skin dressed rather nicely if he said so. The man wore glasses while the woman didn't and the entire time, they either had their arms around each other or holding hands.
It made Luke smile to see that there was a couple who had been together for several years who could still act like kids in love.
Luke nodded to himself and plated up his first dish. He plated up some rice and added some of his curry on the side. He placed both plates on his right arm and carried his accompaniments on his left. He walked to the couple who smiled as he approached.
"Oh wow, talk about fast service."
Luke smiled as he placed the accompaniments on the table first before serving the woman and then the man.
"Yes well, it helps to get started early."
The lady smiled, "Well thank you for this meal young man. What do we have?"
Luke nodded, "Here we have a special take on a familiar dish. This is Cajun Chicken Curry Rice."
The man smiled, "Oh, curry rice. Now that brings back memories."
The lady nodded, "True, it was the first thing you ever made for me from scratch."
The man nodded, "I did. And it turned out terribly, but you still ate the whole thing. That's when I knew you loved me."
The two held hands while Luke smiled warmly. The couple reminded him of his brother and sister-in-law. They were just so in love, and it made Luke wonder if he would ever find a relationship like they did.
Luke nodded his head, "Well, I don't know if it'll be as good as yours but I'm keeping my hopes up."
The lady gave Luke a kind smile, "So, you said Cajun? That's a cooking style in America, yes?"
Luke nodded, "Correct. It's a very familiar cooking style in the American south. It incorporates a lot of different spices and cooking styles from numerous cultures that integrated and settled in that part of America."
The man now looked skeptical, "Well, we haven't had a lot of experience with American food. Save for a hamburger."
Luke chuckled, "Well, as much as I love a good burger, I think the flavors of this curry will be something you both can enjoy. If you feel like changing the flavors after you've tasted it, I have some pickled onions and jalapenos, a homemade furikake mix, and a special green sauce. It's a riff on a salsa verde my grandmother makes but I tweaked it to suit the curry more."
The lady seemed like she was more into the dish now, "My, how interesting! I don't think I've ever had a dish like this."
Luke smiled and bowed, "Well, please enjoy. I will be back shortly with your dessert."
As Luke left to finish his dessert he took a few glances back at the couple. He could see that the man was a bit reluctant to taste his dish but a few words from his wife made him conquer that feeling. They both took a bite, and their faces broke out into immense smiles. Luke sighed in relief and was high-fiving himself internally.
The couple continued to eat as well as adding a few of the other accompaniments he made. Luke even saw the man drizzling a lot of the green sauce on his curry.
Feeling a bit more at ease, Luke made sure his dessert would be spot on. After Luke pulled his cheesecake out of the oven, he let it chill and prepared the rest of his dish. He created a quick batter sugar, flour, butter, egg yolks, baking powder, and salt. He mixed it together until it formed a light dough and baked it until it was golden brown. He let that cool and made a mixed berry jam.
He then took his sable, placed a portion of his jam on top of it, added his cheesecake layer, followed by jam, a light layer of vanilla cream, and the pastry top. Luke slid it out of its pan and was happy it all stayed together.
He smiled and placed it on a platter and brought it out for the couple after he took away their plates.
Luke smiled at the two, "I take it you enjoyed it."
The man chuckled, "Young man, your curry was not only delicious, but it brought back so many memories for us. It was warm, had some heat, the chicken and vegetables were tender, and that sauce. Oh! I might have to steal that from you."
The lady gently slapped her husband's arm, "Oh darling stop it! But it was amazing sweetheart! It was filling but I don't feel heavy after it. Leaves me enough room for dessert."
Luke smiled, "Well, thank you very much. It makes me feel great you enjoyed it. Now for your dessert, we have a Cheesecake Gateau Basque."
They both blinked and gasped at the incredible dessert before them, "This looks incredible. We love cheesecake. But what is a Gateau Basque?" The lady asked.
"Gateau Basque is a French Cake that consists of a dough on the top and bottom with a filling of pastry cream and jam. I modified it so you have a cheesecake filling to incorporate your love for the creamy cake, on the bottom is a graham cracker base, and on the inside is a traditional Japanese cheesecake with a mixed berry jam and a sweet vanilla cream. It's a sweet treat and perfect to end your meal tonight."
Luke went ahead and cut a slice for each person. They both took a bite and smiled as they tasted it.
"This is incredible! Its creamy, its soft, the lemon taste is just enough to bring out the flavor of the berry and that cream is just delightful!" The lady said as she continued eating.
The man nodded, "This is quite possibly the most delicious thing I have had in a long time. I'm just gonna keep eating."
Luke chuckled and bowed to them both. Chef Isami came up to Luke and smiled at him.
"Well done, Anders-kun. You not only appealed to the tastes of your guests, but you also showed them a new taste they weren't expecting. Very good work. You have completed this task."
Luke smiled and bowed to the elder chef, "Thank you very much, Isami-senpai."
Luke went over to his station and cleaned up after himself. He wished his friends good luck before heading on his way. He looked over to see Kagura working her magic on the couple she had been assigned to, her smile as bright as it ever was. When she looked over at him, her smile made his heart kick like a jackhammer.
He sighed to himself as he walked back to his room, while he should have been thinking about what his next workshop should be but instead; his thoughts were of the women in his life. Kagura, Kaia, Haruka, Marina, Karin, each one made him feel a different kind of way and he knew he would be lucky to be in a relationship with any of them but there was still a part of him that was worried if he did end up choosing one of them, he'd lose the rest of them. And that wasn't something he could bear with.
Luke groaned, "This is not what I expected when I chose to go to cooking school." He entered his room and dropped onto his bed. He had a couple hours to get some rest in before his next workshop, so he chose to make the most of it.
Food Wars
As Luke rested in his room, all his friends had finished with their workshops as well. The boys chose to go and bother Luke before the rest of the programs they had to do. The girls, however, all met to talk about something that had been on their minds for a while.
Marina sat down with the others around her, Karin had dragged her there for some reason she couldn't understand.
"Karin, why did you drag me here? I have Elite Ten duties I need to complete."
Karin rolled her eyes, "So do I but I called us all here because there's something all of us need to discuss."
Haruka leaned forward, "Is everything okay Karin-chan?"
Since Karin and Marina had been spending a lot of time with Luke and the other members of Polar Star dorm, she had gotten close with all the girls, so they tended to speak on more familiar terms. Marina too but she still had some difficulty due to her shy nature.
Karin nodded, "Everything is fine but there's something we all need to talk about. It's about how we all have feelings for Luke."
The girls gasped while Marina nearly slid off her seat.
"Wha-what are you talking about Karin?! I don't feel anything towards Anders-kun except professional admiration!"
Karin groaned, "Marina, stop kidding yourself. You're into Luke just as much as the rest of us are. And I know that he feels the same, especially since he's already kissed at least one of us."
Kaia and Kagura both stiffened at the notion and looked at each other. They both had wide eyes when they realized.
"You kissed Luke?!"
Karin giggled, "Wow, I only thought it was Kagura-chan, but I guess Kaia-chan got to him first."
Both girls blushed and turned their heads. While they weren't ashamed of their kisses with Luke, they weren't too keen on being called out by it.
Karin nodded, "See. And I think it's clear to all of us that Luke has feelings for each one of us. He likes all each one of us for a different reason but he's afraid that if he chooses one of us to date than he'll lose the rest of us."
The girls were all shocked but Kagura even more so, "Wait, did you hear us?"
Karin shrugged, "Maybe a little. But it's true. Luke likes all of us, but he doesn't know how to deal with his feelings because he doesn't hurt any of us. So, I was thinking…"
All the girls leaned in and listened to what Karin had to say. Her suggestion shocked them all and while there was some arguing they all agreed with what she said. It was something none of them had ever considered before but with how each of them felt about Luke they agreed to it.
Now they just had to see if Luke was willing to go for it as well.
Food Wars
Luke was lying on his bed, now fully awake thanks to his friends. With all of them there, he chose to tell them about the situation he was in with the girls.
Josuke couldn't help but laugh, "Jeez man, I don't whether to feel sorry for you or be jealous of you."
Luke groaned, "This isn't exactly a situation to be envious of Jo."
Gen nodded, "Indeed. Luke-dono is faced a crisis that many of us men will have to deal with during our time on this earth. The problem of dealing with women."
Drake scoffed, "What would you know about dealing with women? You've barely spoken to any girls outside of our group."
Gen blushed fiercely, "Th-that is not true! I have spoken to many women…in my family."
"Doesn't count." Every guy said.
Gen groaned and sat down.
Drake looked over at Luke, "In any case dude, what are you going to do if you must choose a girl bro? Not like it'll get any easier once you're in a relationship and the other girls got to see you with someone that isn't them."
Luke nodded, "Believe me Drake, I have run through every possible event about how this could go down and each time I think of something, all I think of is someone I care about ending up in tears."
Luke was at a loss. He didn't want to hurt any of the girls in his life, but his heart was telling him that if he wanted to find love during his time in this world then he might need to make some tough decisions.
A knock at the door caught his attention and he stood up to go check it out. He opened the door to his room and saw all the girls standing.
Luke blinked, "Hey guys, what brings you here?"
Marina looked back at the girls then to Luke, "Can we talk to you?"
Luke swallowed hard; he figured something like this would happen, but he didn't expect it to happen so soon.
He nodded, "Sure come on in."
As the girls entered the room, the other boys got the signal and headed out. Giving them the space they needed.
Each girl took a seat while Luke sat on the bed, "So, what did you guys want to talk about?"
Karin went ahead and spoke first, "Well, we wanted to let you know that we all have feelings for you. And we can tell that you do for us as well."
Luke sighed, "Damn. Okay, look. Yes, it's true. I have feelings for all of you. I know that makes me sound like a dude that's just trying to get with as many girls as he can but you know I'm not like that."
The girls giggled, "We know that, Luke. That's what we came to talk to you about." Kaia said.
Luke looked down, feeling too ashamed to look any of the girls in the eye, "What, are you gonna tell me that I need to suck it up and choose one of you?"
The girls looked at each other before back to Luke. Karin stood up and went over to Luke, "Not exactly. We all talked, and we were wondering, how would you like to date all of us?"
Luke's head shot up and his eyes widened, "Wait, what?"
Kagura stood up and moved over to Luke, "Karin-chan told us all about this idea. She knew that having you choose one of us would be too hard on any of us. Considering how much we all care about you and how you feel about us, this seemed like the best option."
For the first time in his life, Luke was speechless. Sure, he had just been given the best possible option that any guy would greatly ask for, but he'd never been in one relationship let alone five.
Luke looked at all the girls, "And you're all okay with this?"
Marina stood up and smoothed out her skirt, "While it is unconventional to say the least, I have no issue with this. But I will have you know I don't share very well so I might be stingy at times." She said with her face red and her voice sounding cuter.
Luke chuckled as he looked at Kagura who was smiling, "I'm cool with this. If I get my time with you, I got no problems."
Karin giggled and wrapped her arms around Luke's body in a hug, "Well this was my idea so I'm okay with it. After all, I haven't had my kiss yet."
Luke chuckled. He always found this side of Karin adorable.
Kaia smiled, "Hey, I already kissed you and I still my time with you. Yeah, I'm okay with it."
The only one left was Haruka who had a smile on her face, "As long as you treat us all fairly then I can get behind this. Besides, if we do become a couple then I can at least get my mother off my back. And be with someone I like."
Luke felt himself getting more and more interested in this plan. He didn't know if it was the fact that he could be with girls that he enjoyed being around or the fact that he had five women all saying they wanted to be his girlfriend. He never expected anything like this to happen to him but if this worked, he could keep all the women he cared about in his life. And maybe even go farther if he wanted to.
Luke smiled, "Well, if your girls don't mind being in a relationship with someone who has no experience. Then I have no problem with having you all as my girlfriends."
Each girl smiled and they all joined around Luke in a group hug. He didn't know why but he felt incredibly happy. Each of these girls made him happier than he ever expected and if they were going to let him be their boyfriend, then he would do everything he could to keep them all happy.
Luke looked down at the girls and smiled. Karin looked up at him, "You know, I still need a kiss."
Luke chuckled, "You certainly know what you want don't you, Kari-chan?"
The girl giggled and raised her tip toes to get her kiss but a noise outside the room made her stop.
All the girls turned their heads and Luke rolled his eyes, "Oh, for the love of…"
Luke went over to the door and opened it, each one of his male friends falling inside the room.
Luke crossed his arms, "Well now, what were you guys doing?"
Chris looked up at Luke with a nervous smile, "Well, uh, you see, we uh…"
Luke shook his head, "Don't even try. You are a terrible liar. But if you guys want to know, the girls and I have agreed to a joint relationship."
All the boys' eyes looked at Luke and then the girls, going back and forth between them, "Wait, you mean…"
Luke smiled and crossed his arms, "Yeah, I'm going to date all of them."
The looks he received from his friends were something that Luke wouldn't forget. His friends were something else, but he was happy to have them by his side.
He had friends by him and now he had girlfriends. If this was how his high school life was going to be now, then he was excited to see what else his time at Totsuki would give him.