"So have you decided on what you will be making?" (Y/n) asked as she, Souma, and Megumi made their way towards the Don RS the next morning.
"I have a rough...raw recipe, and today we will proceed from there," Souma callously answered.
"What is it? Tell me about it," she pestered to the redhead boy.
"We have decided on Chaliapin steak," Megumi answered.
"Chaliapin steak, you say, huh?" She hummed thoughtfully.
"Wasn't it the dish specially made for Opera singer Fyodor Ivanovich Chaliapin, when he visited Japan? At that time, he was suffering from toothaches and said that he wants to eat tender steak. This dish was devised to answer his request. Because of that, it's an original Japanese steak that doesn't exist in foreign countries. You are going to make that?"
"It still needs some modifications, but yeah, this is what we have decided," Souma answered.
"We need to enhance the flavor or the don, id we want to win against Mito-san," Megumi informed.
"Have you tried adding different types of sauces?" (Y/n) asked the two.
"We are still experimenting."
"Okay."
"Yukihira-Kun!" The president of Don RS instantly shouted in glee when he saw the redhead and Tadokoro enter the clubroom.
What was different this time was that they were accompanied by a new person.
"Who is this person, Yukihira-kun?" Konishi asked, his eyes still locked on that beautiful yet unfamiliar figure.
"That's (Y/n)-chan," Souma simply answered before going off to prepare for the competition.
(Y/n)'s (e/c) eyes scanned the club room with an uninterested look, before eventually settling her gaze on the president. Her intense gaze made him cower in his place. She was excluding the same energy that Nakiri Erina releases. It makes them feel like those are a league of their own and untouchable by the others.
Konishi gulped when he saw that Nakamura was making her way towards him.
"I'm Nakamura (Y/n), a first-year. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, senpai." She greeted him with a straight face.
"I'm Konishi, the president of Don RS, a third-year," he nervously greeted back.
(Y/n) just nodded her head in response.
"(Y/n), come here. Taste this!"
The both of them heard Souma call for the (h/c)ette, and she immediately left to join his side.
"What happened?" The (h/c)ette asked him.
"Here, have this," Souma said while feeding her a spoonful of his experimental Chaliapin steak Don.
The (h/c)ette moaned lightly after the flavors burst inside her mouth.
'This is good. It certainly gets more and more delicious as you continue to eat it, but it lacks that powerful first punch. What could he use to substitute for it?'
"How is it?" Souma asked her with a hopeful expression on his face.
"Souma, have you tried..." she moved closer and whispered the rest of the contents in his ears.
Souma's eyes beamed on hearing her suggestions.
"Let's try this then, (Y/n)-chan."
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Soon enough, it was the day of the shokugeki, and Mito Ikumi was getting ready in her room.
A sudden crashing noise startled the blonde-haired female. She briskly walked out of her room and saw her father furiously pacing around the hall, her distressed mother, and an expensive broken vase.
"Mom, what happened?" Ikumi asked her mother.
"It was..." the older woman flinched when another vase crashed into pieces.
Fortunately, no one was hurt.
"The company's shares have fallen drastically," Her mother informed her.
"What?" Ikumi let out in disbelief. "But I thought that our stocks were doing pretty well lately."
"They were, but recently, the accusations that our company is facing are...harming our reputation," she sighed.
"I just don't understand why are they doing this now? Why are the NK corporations accusing us of providing them with low-quality meat? This is so bad!"
"But...I heard..." Ikumi stopped in the middle.
'But I heard the CFO of our company and Father's secretary talking about diverting our meat supply to somewhere else. Does Father not know about this?'
That'd what she wanted to say, to ask her mother, but she knows that her words won't be taken seriously in this household even though she's the heir to the Mito groups.
So she decided to leave and focus on her own thing.
'I have a shokugeki to win anyway!'
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"Are you all right, Souma? You're not feeling nervous, are you?" (Y/n) asked Souma, as she, the redhead, and the President of Don RS, made their way inside the arena where Souma will be having his shokugeki against Mito Ikumi – the meat master."
"No way!" Souma chuckled while answering, "but what about you? You look a little pale, and...tired."
"It's just..." (Y/n) halted while releasing a loud yawn. "Just a few things are going on...and you also made me stay up all night...tasting your dons. I'm just tired, and a little bit nauseous. Don't worry about me though. Focus on your competition."
"Ah, sorry," the redhead apologized and (Y/n) just shrugged her shoulders in response, too tired to give a verbal reply. The feud with the Mito groups was getting exhausting for her, but on the other hand, the positive turns in the case are what keep her going.
"Wow. I never thought that there will be so many people coming to watch this?" (Y/n) asked out herself when she saw the giant arena and the number of people that were waiting for them.
The emcee, who is a black-haired cutesy-cutesy girl, appeared on the stage with a 'bam,' and she started speaking, "thank you for waiting, everyone. The shokugeki administration bureau has recognized this match as an official shokugeki. We have three judges here. The theme is Don, and the main ingredient is meat. It's now time for the entrance of the contestants."
The hoard of boys cheered at the emcee and gushed on and on about her cuteness.
'Seriously guys! I know that she's cute and all but try to lower your volume a little bit!' (Y/n) thought herself while giving stinky eyes to all the boys who were fawning over the emcee.
"The first to appear is the meat master -- Mito Ikumi!"
On cue, a girl walks in with a hooded cloak covering half of her face with two bodyguards trailing behind her. To (Y/n), Mito looked like a boxer ready to knock down her opponent. When the cloak was finally taken off, it revealed a tan-skinned girl with short blonde hair. Her outfit was what some people may think as...racy but the (h/c)ette was quite impressed that Mito has the confidence to carry that with grace. But why do the blonde-haired girl's confidence and toughness look like a facade?
"Next is the one who created buzz instantly when he first stepped inside of Totsuki -- Yukihira Souma!"
The four of them walked into the center of the arena, and the spectators started hurling abuses at them, at Souma to be more precise,
The president of Don RS was quite surprised at the number of people that showed up to watch this shokugeki as well as the amount of discouragement Souma was receiving from the audience. So, naturally, he grabbed Souma to ask what he had done to receive this sheer amount of hatred.
"Well, nothing. I'm pretty sure I was quite normal," Souma replied nonchalantly.
Megumi and Konishi were quite surprised at the redhead's obliviousness, while (Y/n) just rolled her eyes in annoyance.
Having grown up with the redhead, it didn't take her long to realize that Souma is pretty dense and immature to almost everything but cooking.
The emcee then went on to read out the agreements of the shokugeki. "If Mito-san wins, then Don RS will be abolished and Yukihira-Kun will be expelled. If Yukihira-Kun wins, then Don RS's budget will increase, their clubroom will be enlarged, and they will be getting more cooking equipment. Furthermore, Mito-san will also join the Don RS."
(Y/n) glanced at Souma from the corner of her eyes and noticed that he was visibly fidgety, and that was not normal for him. Sighing loudly she turned to face him and grabbed him by the collar and brought him closer and rested her forehead against his. Souma's hot breath fanned over her face and a slight tint of red covered her cheeks even though she's the one who initiated it. She shrugged off all the unnecessary thoughts that were clouding her mind as she concluded that this is not the right time to get those thoughts. Right now, she needs to focus on Souma and Souma only.
"Listen to me carefully, Souma," she started and the said boy blushed furiously at the minimal amount of space between them. No matter how much he tries to deny it, deep down he knows that he feels something more than just friendship for her.
"If you lose today, you will be expelled," she deadpanned and he couldn't help but flinch at her response.
"I know the stakes are high, the price of failure is heavy but it's not the end of the world. It's nowhere near the failure that we experienced when we weren't able to fulfill our customer's apatite. Okay, so now, I want you to relax and do it how you've always done it. Do you understand me?"
The redhead's heart fluttered inside his chest when he heard (Y/n)'s words. He enclosed his hands and stared deep into her eyes with nothing but determination and adoration while he whispered the next words. "I will win this shokugeki...for you...for us."
"Now go and win this for the Don RS," (Y/n) cheered as the redhead walked to his cooking station.
"Let the shokugeki, begin!" The emcee and the crowd roared in excitement.
"Please win this one Souma. I don't want to lose you," (Y/n) whispered to herself in desperation while her eyes lingered over the opponents as they drew out their weapons or their cooking utensils to be more precise.
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"Transfer student!" Mito mocked him openly. "I'll show you an ingredient that a lowlife piece of trash like you could never hope to touch for the rest of his sorry existence."
"Behold, the ultimate meat!" She yelled out.
Konishi gasped out beside (Y/n), making her turn her head towards him in question.
"I knew she'd for that," Konishi muttered. "It's A5 beef."
Megumi trembled in fear.
Everyone present there believed that Mito Ikumi will secure absolute victory in this shokugeki. Everyone except for these two – Souma and (Y/n).
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Time's up. We'll now start the judging process with Mito-san's dish in front of them."
"It's an A5 beef Roti don," the blonde-haired female announced.
"This carved meat looks like a flower," says Kuraki Shigeno, owner of a traditional Japanese Restaurant – Kuraki. "To think I got to see such a beautiful don." She took a bite of the Roti don and instantly all her senses were overpowered by the juiciness of the premium quality meat.
"This is it! This deep deliciousness is what makes the A5 meat amazing and this meat – even the angle of heat was calculated while cooking," said the Japanese food critic – Bitou Yoshiki.
"Below the flower petals – there's delicious garlic rice that was fried with Beef Tallow and butter. I could eat three bowls of just this garlic rice," said Okamoto Katsunori, the producer of a TV program.
Praises and cheers filled the arena as Mito Ikumi sported a triumphant look on her face. She was sure of her victory now.
The compliments of the judges and the crowd almost scared Megumi and Konishi to death. They looked so down and dejected as if Souma has already lost. As a matter of fact, not only them, but every single person present there, including the spectators, the judges, the emcee, and even Erina and her secretary, who had come to see the match, were sure that Yukihira is a lost cause. Everyone but (Y/n).
She still sported a look of indifference as Megumi and the president of Don RS inwardly begged her to show some kind of emotion. The (h/c) haired female was silently watching everything unfold in front of her. She knew that they are in a tricky situation. She knew that everyone is looking down on them. She knew that Souma believed in himself and she believed in him. No doubts whatsoever.
"Now, it's time for Yukihira Souma to present his dish," the emcee announced and then asked him to name his dish.
"It's called Yukihira Style Chaliapin steak Don."
"
So, you made the cheap meat tender using onions?" Bitou Yoshiki retorted with a bored look, "but let's be real, after that dish," he trailed off – referring to Mito Ikumi's dish.
"I'd like to go home with the aftertaste of that A5 beef," Okamoto Katsunori completed him.
"Just try it once," Souma urged them to while he lifted the lid from his dish. It was written in their faces that they were comparing his dish with Ikumi's and are quite skeptical about it as they got ready to take the first bite.
'There's no way he could make a decent dish using that cheap meat!' Ikumi thought to herself as she turned to face the judges. A surprised gasp left her lips when she saw them devouring Yukihira's don like crazy as if they haven't eaten anything for the past day or so.
"The meat's tenderness goes without saying, but not only that, the finely sliced onions that were abundantly placed – it only further stimulates the apatite," states Bitou Yoshiki. "He also put red wine in the frying pan where he fried the steak, so the remaining juices became concentrated, and he used these juices to fry the onions."
"In addition, he also used potato starch dissolved in water to give it thickness. I can't get enough...of the way that thick sauce entangles and entwines with the meat and rice," stated the TV producer.
"...and yet the flavor is well arranged by the parched flour and soy sauce. He's using 'burnt rice' as a seasoning to lend a deep flavor," stated Kuraki Shigeno.
"He modified the method of cooking the onions that are indispensable to Chaliapin steak to create a special sauce. Moreover, both the meat and sauce have a defined taste. The more I eat, the hungrier I get," Bitou Yoshiki said. "Why is that I feel as if I could eat this forever? Is there another secret to this? The trick must be in the rice..."
"The rice in that don is mixed with pickled plum," Souma clarified as he held out a jar filled with (Y/n)'s homemade pickled plum. The judges were visibly impressed by Soma's out-of-the-box thinking and creativity.
'Thank you (N/n) for giving me the inspiration to cook this don!' Souma thought to himself as he glanced back at the said girl who was watching him from the sidelines.
"Seconds? Can I have a second serving?" Kuraki Shigeno asked, surprising everyone. Mito Ikumi was shocked at Kuraki's demands and asked for the reason, to which the older woman replied, "the roti don was splendid, but the one that makes me want to eat more – is this don," she said while gesturing towards the Chaliapin steak.
'What? They didn't eat all of my garlic rice?' Ikumi thought to herself as she glanced at the leftover rice of her roti don.
"You're thinking what happened to the rice, right?" Souma's question broke the blonde-haired girl out of her train of thoughts. "From the moment I heard that you were having A5 meat, I know that you will make the rice with a strong flavor to counter the beef's deliciousness, which meant that they would naturally fight each other.
Ikumi stood there shocked to her bones as she processed Souma's words.
"Your dish may look like a don, but it isn't. A don is completed in one bowl," Souma said while rotating his finger in a circular motion.
"It's impossible! There's no way you can win against my high-quality meat!" Ikumi protested, still in denial.
Souma smirked at her and offered a don that he had prepared for her, "try it then. If you can't accept it then listen to the words that my don says."
Ikumi begrudgingly took the bowl from him and took a bite. Flavor and warmth instantly filled her whole being for the first time. For the first time, she felt as if her existence has some other meaning than just taking forward her family's legacy. The memories of her rough childhood flashed in front of her eyes with every bite she took. How she was forced to grow up early? How she was forced to put up a tough stance? All of those memories hit her like a fucking tsunami wave.
'Damn it! Why am I remembering that now?' Ikumi thought to herself as she looked down at the don. 'This must be because of this don!'
"The judges have now cast their votes and it's a unanimous win for Yukihira Souma," the emcee announced, making Ikumi return to reality. The girl's eyes momentarily shifted towards the VIP seating, where Nakiri Erina was. She saw Erina get up and leave not before sending a look of disappointment towards her.
"Erina-sama," Ikumi whispered to herself as she saw her retreating figure. Out of nowhere, she suddenly felt something heavy resting on her shoulders. She glanced up and saw that it was another transfer student – Nakamura (Y/n).
"What do you think you're doing?" Ikumi let out angrily.
"You looked cold," the (h/c) haired female replied as her hands went up to fix her jacket that was now resting on Ikumi's shoulders.
"...and sad," she added while giving her a small smile. "I don't know your story, but I can recognize the lost look in your eyes because I've been there. I would've still been there if it wasn't for someone who went out of his way to reach out to me. He told me that's it okay for me to not be strong all the time. It's okay to let your guard down every once in a while and cry your heart out. After all, it only means that we are humans and have emotions."
Ikumi was still confused as she didn't understand the reason behind (Y/n)'s words.
"Why are you saying all this to me?" Ikumi questioned while giving the (h/c) haired girl a look that was full of skepticism.
"If you need someone to tell you that, I'll be more than happy to be that person," (Y/n) concluded while lightly patting Ikumi on her shoulders. She silently watched as the (h/c)ette made her way towards Souma as she pondered over her words. What she failed to notice was the faint blush that appeared on her cheeks and the feeling of warmth that filled her heart as she recalled Nakamura (Y/n)'s gentle words.
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"(Y/n)-chan! I won! We did it!" Souma cheered as he picked her up and spun her around.
"I know," she smiled while cupping his cheek making him melt in her touch.
They were lost in each other's eyes when they were rudely interrupted by their fellow dorm mates.
What a letdown!
"If you lovebirds are done, we should head back now," Ryoko teased the duo causing both (Y/n) and Souma to chuckle nervously.
"Whatever you say Ryoko-chan," (Y/n) casually dismissed the lilac-haired beauty's comments.
(Y/n) and Souma tried to deny whatever they were feeling, but the rapidly beating heart inside their chests revealed their true feelings.
Later that night, when the (h/c) haired female was about to head to bed, the sudden ringing of her phone stopped her. She checked it and saw that it was a message from her most trusted secretary. It simply said that they have won the lawsuit against the Mito groups, and now the Mito groups have to pay them 10 million yen as compensation apart from giving them a hefty discount on their dealings for the next 5 years.
'It was truly a good day indeed!' The (h/c) haired girl thought while going to bed with a smile on her face.
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Hope you liked the chapter guys. I'm back now, so I will try to update my books more frequently.
And one more thing.
What do you guys think about a Tokyo revengers fanfic?