The tension in the arena lingered long after Azami had left. No one had any idea what to say to Torrey, so instead they waited for him to speak first.
It took him awhile to put any sort of coherent thoughts together. When he finally spoke, it was a release of all the frustration he'd endured in the previous months.
"What the hell is going on at this school?! I came all the way to Japan so that I could learn how to cook, and it's been nothing but madness here since day one! Spur of the moment Shokugeki's, bribed judges, girls tripping over themselves left and right just to get my attention...well that one's not really an issue, I'm still just having a hard time wrapping my head around it. What else...oh, there's an evil supervillain who just threatened my mom so that he could use me as a pawn for his schemes. No offense, Erina, but your dad's kind of an asshole."
"None taken; I don't think anyone in this room would disagree with that statement," said Erina, with a sad look in her eyes. After working so hard to find her own purpose and to break free from her father's clutches, it hurt her to see Torrey falling into a similar trap.
"Torrey, we all understand how you feel, but..." started Ryoko.
"The hell we do! No one could understand how he feels! If that creep said something like that about my mom, why I'd...I'd..." said Ikumi, her passion faltering quickly.
"She was just trying to be supportive," said Yuki, defending Ryoko.
"Ikumi's right, though. Uncle Azami's, like, the biggest creep," said Alice.
"Maaan, this sure puts a damper on things...I guess we're done here?" said Soma.
Erina looked down at the plate that Torrey had served her. She still hadn't taken a bite, but it had long since grown cold.
"I guess we are," she concluded.
"Well then I'm gonna head back to the dorm and fine-tune a few more recipes," said Soma, moving towards the door.
"Soma-kun! That's really insensitive..." said Megumi, her amber eyes welling up with tears.
"No; Soma's got the right idea," said Torrey. Everyone turned to him with looks of confusion (except for Soma, who simply nodded). "I appreciate your concern, but you all need to be focusing on your exams, not worrying about me. I chose to do this..."
"Torrey..." said Erina.
"Erina, you did great, getting everyone this far. Make sure you see them through to the end," said Torrey. "I'm pretty tired, so I think it's time for me to head home."
Once he reached the door, Torrey turned back to see everyone's eyes still on him.
"Oh, there's one more thing. I hope everyone passes their exams. But if we end up facing each other in Hokkaido...I won't hold back. Night."
On that note, he was gone.
Facing each other? Is there something he's not telling us? thought Erina. And just what is Father plotting...
***************************************************************
While walking up the stairs to his apartment, Torrey noticed a small figure on his balcony. It was holding a cup of tea, with wafts of steam drifting off into the night sky.
Hearing his steps, the figure turned to face Torrey.
"Tor-myan."
Momo was almost unrecognizable, as she was wrapped tightly in her Totsuki coat, with an extra layer of blanket bundled over that. Torrey immediately noticed that she wasn't carrying Butchy, and for a moment he wondered if he was dreaming.
"Momo? What are you doing out here? It's freezing!" said Torrey, shivering even after the walk back from campus.
"Which is why I dressed accordingly."
"I can see that. Is it really a cute look though?"
"Hmph! And here I was trying to be the bigger person..."
"You might have to try harder, unless you've grown a few feet since we last talked."
"This snippiness is unlike you, Tor-myan. THAT, is definitely not cute," said Momo, shaking her head. With only the moonlight illuminating the porch, Torrey could still feel her bright green eyes scrutinizing him.
"Sorry...it's uh, been a hell of a day."
"Well hurry up and let me in so we can get this over with."
"Get what over with?"
"Our reconciliation! It's time for us to make-up already."
"Wah?! S-senpai..."
"Perish those lewd thoughts! I'm talking about a proper apology."
"Oh, right. Just give me a sec," said Torrey, taking out his keys to unlock the door to his apartment. Momo went right in and plopped down on the couch.
"Can I get you some...never mind," said Torrey, as Momo indicated her thermos.
"It's getting awfully late. Where were you, anyway?" she asked.
"At the arena. Aiding the Resistance," confessed Torrey, waiting to see her reaction.
"Your sympathy for them is a weakness, but I'm not going to bother with a lecture," said Momo, shrugging. Torrey raised an eyebrow.
"Did you hear what I just said?" said Torrey.
"Tor-myan...if you expected me to be shocked after hearing that you decided to help out your friends, the ones you eat lunch with EVERY DAY, then you must take me for a fool," said Momo, rolling her eyes.
"I guess I really didn't do a good job of hiding anything..."
"Not at all, though your naivete is somewhat charming. Anyways, I came to apologize. I...uh...may have gone a bit...overboard, with your punishment in class the other day," said Momo, her face turning red.
"A bit overboard? That was completely overboard! It was..." said Torrey, stopping himself. He realized how difficult it was for her to admit that she was wrong, so he decided to just accept it. "Well...you're right. It was 'a bit overboard'. I didn't mean to disrespect you or anything. You know I take your class seriously."
"Indeed. I think I overreacted because you're my star pupil, and I have slightly higher expectations for you than the others. You know, once I graduate, you'll easily be considered the top patisserie here at Totsuki."
"Once you graduate? Are you forgetting that I already beat you in a Shokugeki?" said Torrey, laughing. He was well-aware this his victory depended heavily on luck.
"Since I'm here to apologize, I'm letting that one slide," said Momo.
"And I accept your apology. But you said that we needed to 'make-up'...so shouldn't we at least kiss or something?" said Torrey.
"W-what are you s-saying?" said Momo, suddenly flustered.
"Hahaha, I'm just joking around."
"Oh...," said Momo, getting up from the couch. "W-well if we aren't going to k-kiss...I'll just be going then."
"All right. Have a good night Momo," said Torrey. She still hadn't moved from her spot, however.
"S-seriously...I'm g-going now."
"Yeah, I heard you. See ya."
"B-baka!" said Momo, dashing out the door.
*************************************************************
It was Saturday morning. The sky was grey and gloomy, and a bitter chill was sweeping across the mountaintop. Normally, the sun would be up by this time, but today it showed no signs of awakening.
Torrey and Saito stood across from each other, armed with katanas, though neither man had drawn his blade.
"Tormund Waldenpond- because I gave you my word that I would train you in the way of the samurai, I will continue to do so, for I am a man of honor. You, however, are not!" yelled Saito, his voice cutting through the wind.
"Oh...so you've heard the news," said Torrey.
"Indeed I have. It pains me to hear that my pupil has violated one of the most ancient and established tenets of the Bushido Code. In the 13th century, Hojo Shigetoki wrote, "When one is serving officially or in the master's court, he should not think of a hundred or a thousand people, but should consider only the importance of the master...even if the master is being phlegmatic."
"Phlegmatic...like mucus?"
"No! Not like mucus! It means that even if your master fails to exhibit emotion or concern, you must remain loyal to him no matter the circumstances."
"Hmm...what about those ronin guys you mentioned before? The ones who switched sides after losing their battles?"
"Those men were outcasts who aimlessly wandered the country in search of work. Many resorted to terrorizing local peasants, or becoming bodyguards for wealthy merchants."
"Sounds pretty lame."
"Correct, which is why you'd be better off committing seppuku!"
"Seriously?! That's way too excessive!" said Torrey. This guy could use a reality check...
"On the contrary. Keeping death in mind at all times is imperative for a warrior, and doing so helps to fulfill loyalty and familial duty. The Way of the Samurai is found in death. Meditating on your inevitable death is a practice that should occur daily."
"God-damn, Senpai! You didn't mention this before!"
"I didn't think you'd handle it well. Your reaction just now proves my point."
"All right, look. I respect your sense of honor and everything, but I refuse to stand by a master of phlegm!"
Saito facepalmed.
"Perhaps our next lesson shall revolve around the dictionary. In any event, let us begin," he said a moment later.
Torrey drew the katana and took up his stance. Saito immediately noticed something different about him.
He looks...serious. Determined, thought Saito. Drawing his own blade with a smirk, he beckoned for Torrey to approach him.
Not buying into the taunt, Torrey approached slowly with his blade raised. His senses were on high-alert, giving his body the best possible chance to react in time to a quick strike. Once they were standing only a blades-length apart, Torrey reached out with the weapon, but Saito quickly parried, before following up with a counterattack.
Clang clang clang. Their blades were dancing in a whirlwind of slashes and strikes, each one more vicious than the last. This went on for several intense minutes, until both men stepped back to gather their breath. Even Saito looked winded.
"You've improved since we last faced one another. Have you been practicing in your spare time?" asked Saito.
"Nope. I guess you could say I'm a little more motivated today."
"That may be so, but a samurai with no sense of honor will never prevail. Again!"
This time, Torrey charged forward aggressively, seeking to prove his Senpai wrong.
I may have 'betrayed' my master, but that's BECAUSE I have a sense of honor, thought Torrey, swinging the blade with all his might.
************************************************************************
Deciding that it was best to avoid his friends for a while, Torrey spent most of the day with Saito instead. All of their other training sessions had been on school days, so this was a great opportunity for extra lessons. Saito gave extended lectures on history and notable samurai, taking breaks only to teach Torrey the rules of Go and Shogi. At one point, Torrey even learned how to perform the tea ceremony, which Saito described as "an inner martial art that blends beautiful aesthetic with social expression."
When the clock struck 7:30, Torrey was finally kicked out.
"According to Hojo Nagauji, all samurai have to be soundly asleep before 8:00. Can you guess as to why this is?" said Saito.
"Umm...because they need to wake up early to exercise?"
"No, it's because thieves are most likely to break in between midnight and 2am. Staying up late for useless conversation will result in one falling asleep between 12 and 2, at which time your money will be taken, and the damage will be done."
"Riiight...that makes way more sense. Anyways, thanks for the lessons, even though you hate my guts," said Torrey, waving over his shoulder on the way out.
"Tormund...wait."
"What is it?"
"You're still here, in spite of your transgressions. Does that mean..."
"I'm not expelled or anything. Azami thinks I can still be of use, so for now I'm sticking around."
"I see...well then, perhaps there is hope for you yet."
Thanks to Saito's early bed time, Torrey hadn't eaten anything since the late lunch. He spent the short walk back to his apartment thinking about what to make for dinner. Even though cooking was the root of his current problems, it also afforded him an opportunity to escape them. Talk about a Catch-22, he mused.
After taking a quick stock of ingredients and getting out the necessary utensils, Torrey heard a familiar knock at his door.
"Just a minute," he yelled, setting down his things. He opened the door, and Rindo Kobayashi stood there, leaning against the frame. One of her golden eyes was regarding him with concern, the other was hidden beneath a lock of scarlet hair.
"Kohai," she said, wrapping her arms around him before he had a chance to evade the hug.
"Hey, Rindo-Senpai," said Torrey. While still embracing, Rindo whispered into his ear.
"I heard about what happened. Sorry, Kohai. I wish I could have done more to help...but I didn't want to risk getting implicated in this mess."
"That's okay. Apparently I was doing a terrible job of hiding my involvement with the Resistance," said Torrey, letting go of Rindo and indicating for her to enter the apartment.
"I could have told you that, you knucklehead!" said Rindo. "Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure I did tell you that."
"Oh that's right, the day you followed me over to Polaris."
"Followed? Don't you mean 'accompanied'? Or 'walked beside'? Or...well, something more dignified."
"Point taken. How'd you find out the news, anyway?"
"Eizan sent out a group text to the other council members last night. Look," said Rindo, pulling out her phone and holding it up for Torrey to see:
Eizan: We've been tricked, backstabbed, and quite possibly bamboozled. I told you that Torrey kid's nothing but trouble! He's been working with the Resistance this whole time. Saw him at the arena tonight cooking with them. Just thought you guy's should know.
"Ah, so that explains how Saito found out," said Torrey, thinking aloud. He continued on reading the replies.
Momo: Are you gonna cry about it?
Tsukasa: Aack! A Resistance spy?! I can't believe I asked him to be my assistant! Thank goodness he didn't accept.
Nene: Hmm...I was just starting to like him, too.
Nene: Tolerate. I meant to say tolerate. Damned auto-correct.
Unknown: How did you get this number? (Hayama, probably)
Erina: Oh my...I'm sure his intentions were pure.
Eizan: Oops, didn't mean to send this to you, Princess. Wait, who are you trying to fool?! You were there, too!
Kuga: I'm not even on the council anymore, you four-eyed douche!
Torrey couldn't help but laugh at the conversation, which made the events from last night suddenly seem a lot less worrisome.
"No response from you, Rindo-Senpai?" he said, looking up from the phone.
"Since I already knew what you were up to, I figured it best to remain silent on the subject," she said, glancing toward the kitchen. "Hey, whatcha makin' over there?"
"Pistachio crusted tofu, with a spicy peach sauce. You want some?" said Torrey.
"Hahahaha! You're so funny, Kohai," said Rindo, walking right over to the kitchen and sitting down on one of the bar stools. She looked over at him expectantly. "Well, get to it! That tofu ain't gonna bake itself!"