Author's Note:
Okay, now we can get to the proper greeting!
Guess who's back? Back again?
Exactly! This fan fiction!
Hooray?
Okay, I am gonna be serious now!
Welcome or Welcome back to "Shokugeki no Kimiko", formerly known as "Shokugeki no Soma - The Next Generation". Yeah I finally have a more clear plan and am now going to start to revise and then continue this lil fan fiction. To anyone confused right now: this is basically me starting over.
So yah, this is a Shokugeki no Soma Next Gen fiction. Before you start reading tough, let me make a few things clear!
1. English is not my native language and I apologize in advance for grammatical or spelling mistakes. I really try my best but if someone is open to be my beta reader, I would gladly accept.
2. I have like...1,5% idea about cooking. I try my best to do my research and stuff but...don't expect too much from me. If you have tips or actually want to play the Yuki Morisaki for me...It would be so nice, if you inform me. Really, you would be such a great help.
3. I am still a high school student, who is currently in between making her graduation. I don't have all the time in the world. Updates will be irregular and whenever I get to it.
4. This is a Next Gen Fic so yes...there will be lots and lots of ships involving the original characters here, as they are obviously the parents of the fanchilds that will make their appearance here. If your OTP doesn't appears in this fic, then I am sorry...I really am...But I can't include every ship. I chose those I wanted and I am fine with that. If you aren't, then just don't read the story but don't bash me for shipping choices.
5. The Fanchilds and any other Original Character that makes their appearance here belong to me. The parents of said childs and all the other canon characters belong to Tsukuda Yuto and Shun Saeki, as well as "Shokugeki no Soma" in general.
GOD! Longest Author's Note ever! So yeah, enough from my side and let's get to the story shall we. Featuring me, poorly trying to get a clue of cooking.
Inspiration was a german cooking book about bentos (For Germans interested! It's called "Manga Kochbuch - Bento" by Angelina Paustian)
Author's Note End
The Sumire Shopping District was most of the time crowded. It was a popular place where one can buy various goods and eat good food.
Not to forget, the sellers were all really friendly people, easy to talk to.
However at the moment it was rather empty. The sun got up not too long ago. It's the early morning, where the most shops aren't open yet. Also the students had holidays and it's a Saturday as well. Most people are still at home.
But if you listen closely, you can hear a noise coming from one of the many streets. A light noise, nobody wants to hear. A noise especially familiar to parents.
A Child's Crying.
There she is! A little girl sitting on some staircase out of stone, rubbing the seemingly endless tears out of her eyes while heavily sobbing. She wears a cute little hat and a cute little dress. Her hair is brown and short.
Suddenly there is another noise. It starts off to be barely able to be heard, but becomes louder by each second. It's the noise of footsteps, drawing closer and closer to the little girl.
Then the footsteps stop.
The crying child looks up and into the face of a teenage girl, looking at the younger one with concerned golden eyes.
Her hair is honey blonde and the morning sun is giving it a soft shine. It does look a little wild and spikey and it's been tied into two pigtails. She wears a blue shirt and black jeans, while her neck is covered by a white neckerchief. In both of her hands she carries two bags full of groceries.
"My, my, what's wrong little one?" The teenager asked. "Can I help you?"
With a whiny voice the other girl answered. "I..." She let out another sob. "I wanted to go and meet a friend and I took a Bento for both of us with me...But...But.."
The child buried her face into small, soft hands and cried into them. "I tripped and fell down. Now Hikage-Chan and me will have to starve!"
The teenager's head turned to a box lying on the floor, surrounded by spilled rice, vegetables and other things.
"Bento, huh?" She mumbled and suddenly a grin crept on her face. "What's your name, little one?"
Surprised the other girl looked up again and stuttered. "Hi...Hibiki...U...Umeko..."
"Well then Umeko-chan, I am very sorry about your bento. But don't worry! The Yukihira may not be open yet, but this is an emergency, isn't it? So I guess, I'll make an exception."
"Y...Yukihira?" Umeko repeated in confusion.
The older girl laughed and put her hands on her hips. "Listen here, Umeko-chan, nobody will starve when Yukihira Kimiko is around!"
The First Plate - Enter Kimiko Yukihira! Meet Soma's and Erina's Daughter
Only the morning sun shed light into the house. Wooden tables and wooden chairs stood perfectly assorted on the floor. The wall was full of white papers which read various dish names and prices for addressed dishes.
It was not a very big place, but it looked comfortable and appealing.
The only noise that could be heard, was the soft humming coming from another room.
"I'll be reborn right here, right now...I'll go beyond the sky I looked up at..."
In the well equipped kitchen there stood a red-haired man. He had a smile on his lips and was cutting trough some vegetables. His hair was spikey, he had a small beard and the eyes were golden as the sun. The shirt he was wearing was a restaurant uniform, reading the name Restaurant Yukihira.
He just finished as the door was thrown open. "Dad, I am back! I can't help unpacking tough, there's an emergency I have to take care of!"
The smile didn't left his lips as the man turned his head to the opened door, facing the young girl entering the room. An even younger girl shyly accompanied the teenager, looking around unsure and wondering.
"Kimiko." The man simply stated as a greeting to the blonde girl who now laid two bags on a table.
Kimiko gave him a nod, while the child next to her stared at the man with big, curious eyes.
"Could I ask, who you brought to us here?"
While knotting a purely, white apron around her waist, Kimiko answered. "Dad that's Umeko-chan. Umeko-chan, this is my father Yukihira Soma. Umeko-chan's Bento fell down and got spilled, I'll make her a new one."
Soma looked at Umeko and right after it he looked at his daughter. His smile formed into a grin and he shook his head with a laughter.
Umeko's green eyes have started to shine. She looked at Kimiko with pure, childish amazement and questioned. "You're going to make me a new Bento?"
Kimiko turned her head back to Umeko and cheerfully responded. "Of course! Haven't I told you already? As long as I am around, nobody's going to starve!"
"Show her your best, princess!"
Soon the sound of a cutting knife, a boiling pot and the astonished gasps of a child filled the house. The fragrance of fried udon, miso soup and onions also awoke some of the other residents of the house.
Soon a young boy, just by one year older than Kimiko, and an old man entered the kitchen as well.
The boy was a redhead just like Soma, with spikey hair ending at his shoulders. The eyes violet and interested. The elderly man beside him had grey hair and golden, wise eyes.
"Is Kimiko cooking breakfast today?" The boy asked while turning his head to Soma.
"Mornin' Hiraku; Mornin' Pops!" Soma greeted the two and then pointed to Umeko. "This is Hibiki Umeko, as she told me, a customer, who lost her Bento. Kimiko is just making her a new one."
Hiraku yawned and tied his loose flame-red, spikey hair into a short ponytail, then casually leaned against a wall. "Well, I am curious of what you will show off Kimiko, leave some for me."
"Of course I will leave some, Mom has to have a taste as well." Kimiko countered without even turning around, absolutely focusing on chopping trough a pumpkin. Soma's father laughed.
Rice was boiling. Onions were added to the Miso Soup.
It sizzled as various carefully cutted vegetables were thrown into a pan with soy sauce.
Chop, Chop, Chop, Chop was the noise that filled the kitchen as the knife went trough potatoes. Immediately followed by the sound of the knife cutting trough bacon.
Kimiko's eyes were focused on the seemingly thousands of ingredients in front of her. On the boiling pot and the frying vegetables. On the baking potatoes and the cooking miso soup. She and the rest didn't even notice the woman standing at the door, watching Kimiko with critical but proud violet eyes.
"Done!" Kimiko finally exclaimed and her eyes sparkled as she turned to her family who looked back expectingly. Umeko showed wonder and curiosity.
To lunch jars, both containing three same-sized boxes inside, were placed on the table. "I present to you: 'Yukihira's Special Emergency Bento'!"
Umeko's pupils grew even wider and her cheeks reddened. "Let it hopefully satisfy you." Kimiko grinned and then looked at her father, brother and grandfather with slightly challenging eyes.
Hiraku just wanted to open the second lunch jar, as they suddenly heard soft clapping and everyone turned their head to the door.
Her hair had the same colour as Kimiko's, a warm honey blonde. The eyes shone in a noble violet. She smiled, but still gave off the impression that she could end your whole career with just one fingersnip.
"Good Morning, everyone."
"Mom!" Hiraku and Kimiko simultaneously call out. "Good Morning", Soma's father nodded into the woman's direction.
"Well, Well Mornin' Erina." Soma chuckled and sent a smug grin to his wife. "What a dramatical appearance! Nice way of overplaying that you slept the longest again!"
For a moment Erina's cheeks reddened and she feels busted. But with a playful "Hmph..." she turned away from Soma and back to Kimiko.
"Well, do you want me to taste?"
Hastily Kimiko gave her a nod. "Defiantly Mom! Just wait a second."
She took one of the two lunch jars into her hands and walked over to the shy Umeko. "Here Umeko-Chan, you should get to Hikage-Chan now shouldn't you? I hope the bento will taste good for you two...oh and you can keep the box if you want."
"Tha...Thank you so much, Kimiko-San!" Umeko stammered with admiration. She then bowed and left with millions of "Thank You"'s and one last "Goodbye" the restaurant.
"Well then..." Kimiko sighed and turned to her mother. The glim in her golden eyes practically voiced what she was thinking: "Bring it On."
"Time for the Taste Test."
The lunch jar was opened and revealed the three boxes inside, which where separated and now being inspected by the Yukihira family.
"Orange Rice?" Was the first thing Hiraku noted. "You mixed Pumpkin into it, didn't you kiddo?" Joichirou asked. "Indeed." Kimiko nodded in response.
Miso soup with onion and bacon was filling one of the boxes. The other one held orange rice with small pumpkin slices in between and plastic separated it from the fried udon with Karaage mixed into them laying next to it.
And last but not least, the last box contained fried vegetables, potatoes with a slice of bacon bond around it and some kind of rice sandwiches filled with salmon and asparagus.
Soma's first words addressed the miso soup. "Well, look who cooked her favourite soup." Kimiko shrugged and scratched her head. "Well it was for Umeko-chan and I thought I should give her a taste of the miso soup you always made for me as kid."
"Well, I guess it's my duty to taste the soup first then!" With that Kimiko's father took a spoon. Kimiko's grandfather decided he would try the Udon first.
"Rice Sandwiches?" Hiraku questioned and took one of mentioned into his hands.
It looked quite like sushi. As nori was wrapped around the pile of rice in which you could find asparagus and salmon with a mayo dip.
"Exactly, brother." Kimiko replied, while her mother took the chopsticks and set her focus on the potatoes with bacon around it.
"Thanks for the food!"
And then the bites were taken.
"Oh, the asparagus is cooked perfectly." Hiraku complimented. His tongue was quite sensitive and critical, means it was a pretty good thing to hear from him, making Kimiko a little proud.
Soma praised with a satisfied smile. "You adapted the Miso Soup greatly."
Joichirou patted his granddaughters head. "You get better everyday, kiddo."
While Hiraku, Joichirou and Soma now also tried the other things, Kimiko turned to her mother.
"How do you like it, Mom?"
Erina looked up. "So...you formed meat balls and gave them a cheese filling, then your formed potatoes around the meatballs, to lastly bond a bacon slice around them, right?" "You got it!"
"Well it certainly is a nice idea and you translated it quite good into action. But..." There it was, the famous 'but'. With a little sigh, Kimiko took a notebook and a pencil, to write down her mothers critique. "You boiled the Potatoes a little too long."
Erina's tongue was even more sensitive than Hiraku's. Her critiques were spot on and detailed. Kimiko was always asking for them, forever searching for ways to improve her cooking.
It was her ultimate goal to get her mother to not add a 'but'. And someday she would reach it, she was sure.
-.-.-.-
With the arrive of the evening, Kimiko and her family got more and more busy, as more and more people entered their restaurant. One of them being Tadao Moto and his mother.
The fragrance of soy sauce, meat and other things was filling the halls. Various voices were cheerfully chatting in many different conversations, not minding the mild sizzling coming from various pans.
"Aaaah, your Yakisoba is always so delicious!" Tadao beamed. He was one of the few people from school Kimiko called her friends.
Next to him his mother nodded in approval. "You really do improve by each day, Kimiko-chan."
"Thanks Mayumi-san, Tadao-kun." Kimiko hummed but commented right after that. "But you see, I still have a long way to go." Mayumi gave her an encouraging, honest smile. "Oh but I am sure, you will walk that way and reach your goals."
Mayumi Moto was a very friendly woman. She was a childhood friend of Kimiko's father and had often took care of Kimiko and Hiraku when they were younger.
"By the way Kimiko, me and some other people from our class are going to a karaoke bar tomorrow. Want to join in?" Tadao suddenly asked, with expecting eyes and raising eyebrows.
Kimiko turned to him and scratched her head. "Sorry, but I have to help in the restaurant."
As soon as the words were from Kimiko's lips, Tadao sighed. "You always help in the restaurant." "Well it will be my restaurant someday." Kimiko proudly announced. "What's with Hiraku-kun?" Mayumi chimed in. "Well okay then, it's going to be mine and Hiraku's restaurant. But still, I at least partly own it."
Mayumi chuckled, while Tadao shook his head. The three did not notice the yellow eyes of Soma, watching them intensely.
"Kiddo! Get over here, will ya? I need help with the Ramen."
"Alright, alright, old man!" Kimiko responded and turned to the Moto's again. "Well, you heard grandpa. Gotta work."
Mayumi nodded, while Tadao mumbled. "...like always." But Kimiko had already turned away and ran into the kitchen.
"Take care of the stock for me, please." Joichirou said without even turning around at the very moment Kimiko took the first step into the kitchen. "Sure thing, grandpa." Kimiko replied and made her way to the work stations.
"Kimiko..." Joichirou suddenly interrupted the silence that had come up.
"Yeah?"
"Do you have the feel there is anyone who can match you in cooking? Aside from your brother and cousins?"
Kimiko cocked her head over this strange question and shrugged. "Sounds Unlikely. I mean, I do have to beat you, aunt, uncle, Hiraku, Mom and Dad. But you're the only ones I know that cook better than me. While my cousins are pretty much on my level, I'd say. Not to sound bigheaded, but I do think I've got quite the skills. I mean, I am the daughter of one culinary genius and the 'God Tongue'. Who is there, that could match me, grandpa?"
All Joichirou did was smiling and simply saying. "Sounded totally bigheaded." Then he concentrated on the ramen.
Later that evening Kimiko was called out of the kitchen again.
"Look who visited us!" Erina laughed. She stood next to a small group of seven people. Two families to be exact.
And Kimiko spotted a familiar face.
"Umeko-chan?" She called out at the sight of the , little girl smiling and fiddling with her dress.
Umeko was accompanied by her parents and a slightly older boy, probably her brother. Then there was another little girl, with black hair and hazel brown eyes, standing between another adult man and adult woman.
"The Hibiki and the Ota family." Erina introduced. The woman next to the black haired little girl spoke up. "Umeko-chan here, visited us today and she brought a truly delicious bento with her. She said something about Yukihira so we decided to check it out."
"We had to tag along of course. You know, find out who gave our daughter that amazing bento." Umeko's mother added.
Kimiko gave the new guests a bright smile. "Well, welcome! I'm so glad I drove your attention to this place. You defiantly won't regret this. Shall I show you a seat?"
Erina chuckled and exchanged meaningful looks with her husband. Both of their eyes said the same.
"I'm gonna miss her."
-.-.-.-
The next morning, Kimiko was awoken early.
She just had been in an amazing dream sequence of a squid befriending a peanut, as her mother's voice interrupted the charming scene.
"Kimiko, dear! Wake up!"
Kimiko felt how her body was mildly shaken.
"Kimiko!"
With a yawn, addressed slowly opened her yellow eyes. She turned the tired face to her mother, who warmly smiled at her. "Good morning, Kimiko."
"Is it already time for school...?" Kimiko muttered, while her eyes nearly closed again. Erina shook her head, mildly amused. "No, you still have holidays."
"Why would you wake me up then?" Kimiko was in mid-way of turning to the side again but Erina's hand stopped her. "Stand up now, will you?"
"Fine." Kimiko yawned defeated and her mother made way for her to get up.
She rubbed her eyes and sighed. "But what's the matter of this?" "We have an important appointment today. Now get dressed and meet me downstairs, alright?"
"Alright, alright." But before Kimiko could ask what this 'appointment' was about, her mother had already left the room.
Minutes later she met her again, as promised downstairs, next to her father who brightly grinned at her. "Good Morning, princess!" "Mornin'" Kimiko smiled back.
"We sadly don't have time to eat breakfast, but your father made you something and packed it for you." Erina explained and gave a small box into Kimiko's hands.
"Thanks but...could you tell me where we are going?" "You didn't figured out yet?" Soma snorted. Next to him Erina gave an excusing smile to her daughter while making hectic gestures to the door. "You'll see, you'll see soon enough. Just ignore your father. But we have to get going now, or else we miss the train!"
With that Erina took her bag and rushed out of the door, Soma and Kimiko followed but talked while doing so.
"What do you mean by 'haven't you figured out yet', huh? What's with that smug talking?""I thought you could guess where we are going." "Hmph! You know what, keep it to yourself. I'll figure out myself." "That's the spirit!"
"Hurry up now, will you? Soma, stop distracting Kimiko!"
"She's the one who started!"
After what Soma called an "amazing sprint", they did reach the train on time and entered it.
Kimiko still didn't knew where they were going. But she had the feeling that it was something obvious, completely obvious, but she couldn't think off the answer somehow. It drove her crazy.
After some time Erina announced that they have to get out next station and so they did.
Kimiko then started to follow her parents trough the city life. She curiously looked around, inspecting the thousands of restaurants and what they cooked over there.
Then, her parents stopped.
"Here we are." Erina whispered.
"It's still as huge as it was back then." Soma whistled.
Next to them, the scales finally fell from Kimiko's eyes.
Of course.
"Totsuki." She simply called out.
In front of Kimiko was the marvellous, gigantic view of the Totsuki Saryo Academy. Japan's most prestigious cooking school.
Kimiko remembered that she was supposed to transfer into the first year of highschool on Totsuki this year and now that she knew where they had been going, she quickly figured out that today the transfer exam was probably hold. Well how could she know beforehand? Nobody told her the date!
But she had to admit that the transfer hasn't been the number one thing on her mind either.
She didn't expected too much from the school, it was more like a stepping stone on her way to the top, to her.
Hiraku was sent here out of the sudden too last year and would begin his second year this year.
"Seems like the enlightenment has hit you, princess." Soma's chuckle interrupted her thoughts. "Well, the transfer exam is hold today. Don't worry..."
His grin got wide and he looked at Erina in a way that Kimiko didn't quite understood. "...you'll make it trough that within an eye blink. It's not very hard."
Erina let out a little growl but then turned to Kimiko. "We still wish you good luck tough. Just enter the gates, one of the staff members will bring you transfer candidates to the exam location."
Kimiko nodded and looked at the gate.
Well, time to take on that Academy!
"See you, later!" She waved and then ran off the the huge gates. She was kind off excited. Knowing that she could show of her skills, always excited her.
Soma and Erina watched their daughter with a laughter.
"There our little princess goes, not even knowing what kind off ride she just signed up for." Soma stated and looked at his wife. But her eyes were glued on the nostalgic sight. "This is...where we first met remember?"
"How could I forget? You being all 'God Tongue' and 'Disgusting'. Wonderful memories." She gave him a light, playful punch. "Gosh, when will you ever get over that? I apologised enough." "You think so?" "Yes, I do."
They both giggled and then turned their heads to the gate again, both silently wondering about what challenges, risks and people their daughter would met on the school which was so full of all three things.
Author's Note:
Hope you enjoyed it and that I can greet you again in Chapter 2!
Thanks for reading, have a good day and see ya!