BiTTER (Shokugeki no Souma Fanfic)

24. Precision and Development

"You can take them out now!"

Jouichirou laughed, fond. "It's nice to meet you, Kojirou, what's the Special of the Day today? It's not Tamako's cooking, is it?"

"It's not!" Eda said. "She's not allowed in here!"

"I can hear you!" she hollered from the other end of the restaurant. 

Right on cue, the oven pinged.

And when Shinomiya opened the oven— well, Jouichirou knew, instantly. The velvety melt of cream, cheese and onions in a bed of vegetables, and of course, the heavenly waft of crispy, buttery pie crust.

"A quiche? How unusual for our shop," Jouichirou beamed, looking up at Shinomiya, "I suppose it's your doing?"

Shinomiya grinned. "Yeah! I scored a round of Roshambo against the wimp," he jabbed a thumb at Eda, who whirled around and hissed.

Uncle Yukihira sighed longsufferingly.

Apparently, after their big fight in the cafe, they spent the rest of the morning— playing Rock Paper Scissors— and then fighting over this quiche recipe. They couldn't come to an agreement on anything at all, especially because Eda wanted so much more influence on the very vital pie crust, and Shinomiya was very adamant on it being an authentic French quiche lorraine. Or not, since they had the cheese. And then there was the argument of a vegetarian dish not suiting the palates of the Sumiredoori regulars, and so on.

"Then," Jouichirou leaned his hand upon his cheek and watched, enamoured by the passion in the kitchen, (a passion he had lost,) and, simply felt endeared by the sight. "I'll have one of those, then."

"Will do, sir! Would you like the one with bacon or the original?"

"Oh, there are varieties?"

"Because Dunceda said people wouldn't like not having some meat in their main dish in these parts, so—"

"Ah. Well, I'm fine with the original, then."

"Alright, order up!"

They're so cute. Jouichirou missed having juniors.

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"Oh wow! You used smoked cheese."

"Ah— yeah. The seniors smoked everything perishable for the summer, so everyone got to take home a bunch."

Jouchirou can tell in a single bite.

The bursting warmth filled his mouth with a creamy indulgence of vegetables— and these were very fresh vegetables, he just knows the taste of Polar Star anywhere— The crust, crispy and just the slightest tinge of sweetness, melded harmoniously with the savoury fillings that spilled over generously. He almost regrets not opting for the bacon for that extra kick, but the nutty notes of the smoked cheese comes through stronger without it, and that's so worth it.

It's good.

Personally he'd add so much more to it, and he can already think up so many ways to make this better, a little more cook time here and a little less there, the minor imperfections in the dough and the filling needed a little more salt for the rest of the flavours to come through; oh, there needs to be an enhancement to the toppings, a new layer of filling to the crust to give it that kick it's missing—

—but it's really good. And they're just thirteen.

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