Seat Number Zero

Part 20

"That's why I told you to work at the hall, Tsukasa-senpai," Isshiki said.

"No way," He waved his hands aggressively, dismissing the idea. "I'm no good at standing in front of others... I'd leave that stuff for you guys. Isshiki!"

"Haah, me being the First Seat is really troublesome." If it was possible Tsukasa got even more depressed. "I think I've been sighing a lot more lately..."

"Uwah, Tsukassan went into timid mode, what a pain! Well, it's ok I'll just ignore him." Kuga said. "It's about time you understand just how much weight the Elite Ten carry."

"Then in the worst-case scenario, you wouldn't have to bet your seats. For the time being, I just want to fight strong people." Soma said with a thumbs up. "We can have a match betting the Elite Ten Seat sometime later!"

"Look you totally don't get it, Yukihira-chin!" Kuga depressingly remarks. "I'm talking about the weight of even having a match with us! The Elite Ten isn't something that can be taken so lightly! We're different from the normal students!"

"Huh? Is the Elite Ten such a huge bargain?" Soma blanked at his seniors.

"Just using the word 'bargain' is enough to tell that you understand nothing!" Kuga screams. He looks ready to rip out his hair from frustration. "Those Elite Ten are also owners of Tootsuki's authority and assets."

If it's for the sake of cooking, you can use as much of Tootsuki's enormous budget as you want. Things that cooks all around Japan desperately wish for, ingredients, cooking tools, and facilities, whether they're the newest or highest class, you can get a hold of as many as you want.

You can do anything. Go anywhere. Everything is forgiven as long as it's part of your studies.

"And the authority increases as you go up in the Elite Ten." Isshiki added, "Because in this academy-"

"Cooking is everything," a voice from above cuts in to finish his sentence. A familiar redhead sat leg crossed over the other on one of the lower branches of a cherry blossom, she waved at the group with a rather bored expression on her face. "I really hate that policy."

"You're late," Eizan said.

"Did I ask? Ninth Seat." Yumi scowls, obviously doesn't think too highly of him. Her head tilted upwards as she glared down at him.

"Yumi, I can see your panties," Isshiki calls out to her.

Upon hearing this, Yumi furrows her brows into a frown and jumps down from the tree. She stepped onto the bamboo flooring of their seating area and leaned over the table. Yumi grabbed her boyfriend by the tie and craned him towards her. "Oh yeah? What color are they?"

"White grandma und-" His answer was cut short when he felt a sharp pain to his forehead.

"Wrong! The correct answer is shorts!" Yumi shouts, releasing him after painfully headbutting him. Her brain rattled so hard Yumi thought she saw three of everything. "I never wear skirts without shorts," She growls, "Whoever invented skirts is a curse to humankind."

"It was a joke," Isshiki said, rubbing his head.

"Tasteless." Yumi glares.

"Vulgar..." a foreign comment enters the conversation.

Yumi turned her attention towards the Sixth Seat, she blinked once then lit up with a smile. "You're as beautiful as always Nene!" Yumi beams at her.

Nene immediately averts her eyes from the bright light radiating in her direction, "I won't accept your cheap flattery."

"Sharp-tongued as always." Yumi laughs giddily. "Well anyway, greetings to my fellow first years and I'm glad you didn't get expelled, Soma." She gave her classmates a light nod.

Unsure of what to make of her, the other first years only awkwardly nods back, while Soma and Megumi who's more familiar with the human-wildcard, waved back.

"Carry on with the meeting," Yumi said. "You were saying something about the ones to enjoy all of Tootsuki's privilege are The Elite Tens. Only the finest... blah blah blah."

"Well of course, while the rest of the student body gets the leftovers, the Elite Ten holds the greatest authority," Kuga states. "Something not even you can challenge, Yumi Yukihira." His chipper attitude turns hostile towards the mentioned redhead.

"Then how about I take that so-called authority from you," Yumi replies with the same animosity. "Or did you forget what happened before my suspension? How I vacated those seats you're so comfortably sitting on. Eighth Seat."

Tension was high as the two stared each other down in the form of a fierce staring contest. To any outsider, this exchange probably looked extremely dumb, but to the ones at the table, it was... slightly less dumb.

"You are mistaken to believe that you were responsible for terminating nearly half of the Elite Ten. They already had dirt on their hands, it was only a matter of time before they were kicked from the council anyway. You only made the situation worse to fulfill your selfish desires, hence the suspension." Kuga retorts. "You're not even considered a threat. There's nothing in the field of cooking, you're better than me."

"Height..." Nene murmurs from the sidelines.

"I said 'cooking' you bitch." Kuga cursed.

Yumi angrily clicked her tongue and pulled away from the childish bickering, but not before giving him one last chilling glare. Under normal circumstances, she would have laughed and called out his arrogance but she only just sank back in her seat grumbling curses under her breath.

Satisfied by his supposed victory over the redhead he turns to address Soma. "And Yukihira, I'll think about accepting your shokugeki when you actually beat me in."

"Are you serious?" Soma asked.

"Sure, you better believe me," Kuga replies, waving his hand dismissively. "Well then let's finish this. See ya first years."

One by one the members of the Elite Ten left, leaving with a simple wave. Nothing more nothing less, they returned to their previous task.

The first years stood silently watching them leave. Whether it was intentional or not, Kuga's words provoked their fighting spirits.

"That was horrible," Yumi said bitterly.

"Of course it went horribly," Erina reprimanded her. "What were you thinking causing such a scene?"

"I was thinking about how much I hate the Elite Ten Council," Yumi replies, finally touching the tea served in front of her. "The system encourages competition, but the process is so tedious." She said frowning between every sip of the lukewarm drink. "Especially the betting conditions, as if the average student could have something valuable enough to bet on a chair."

To the majority of the Elite Ten Council Yumi was nothing but a thorn to their side, a speck of dust in their eyes, a personified wildcard. She is a strong cook, one that's egoistic but not ambitious. She could have easily seized a seat but chose to spit on it and leave it empty.

With so much of her reputation made up and twisted out of recognition, little of the truth was left. But what the Eighth Seat said was right, it was for her own selfish gain to 'terminate' the parasites of the Elite Ten three years ago.

"But don't worry, I won't upset the hierarchy. Have fun, I'll meet you at the top." Yumi said getting up and walking away. "Good luck!"

*************

"Satoshi, what are you making?" Yumi asked sitting on the floor back leaning against his bed.

"Why are you sitting on the floor? There are foldable chairs." He asked looking over. "I'm making ramen."

"I want pasta," Yumi said.

"Then why did you bother asking?"

"..." Yumi gave a cheeky smile then immediately changed the subject. "What are you planning for the Moon Offering Festival?"

Satoshi just shrugs and continues his ramen concoction. "Hmm, something fresh."

"Like from your fields?" She glances towards the window.

"Sure... feel like helping?"

Yumi helped herself to a cup of tea and chirped. "Nah."