"The theme for their battle has been revealed and it is a milk!" Urara announced.
"Milk, eh? Well, this is starting to get interesting right, Fuichi-chan?" Saitou smirks at her.
"Yeah, interesting yet bad news enough for me." Fuichi sighs in defeat.
~ flashback ~
"Fuichi-chan, how if we have a little bet?" Saitou asks her while they're preparing their wooden sword to train.
"A bet?"
"Yeah. If I win against thou in this duel, thou shalt try my sushi's new creation. If thou win... well, thou can decide thyself."
"I can try your newest creation? Senpaii that's not even a punishment~! I'll gladly do that!" She chuckles.
"Oh, really? I've been trying to make sweet sushi these past days. It would be great if I succeed it."
"...sweet... sushi...? You mean, you're trying to make sushi with toppings like strawberry? Chocolates...?"
"No chocolates, but more of fruits." He snickered at her paled face. "So, what is thy answer?"
"...I must definitely not lose to you."
Later that night.
"Ugh... I can't believe I lost to you in such an important match..." She hung her head down to the counter.
"Why am I here again?" Eizan, who is sitting beside her protests.
"She said it shalt be good if we invite thee too. Thou art great at this kind of thing. Maybe thou could give me some recommends. I even closed the restaurant only for this." Saitou said from behind the counter in front of them.
"My consult is not free, y'know?" Eizan tch before getting a smack on his head. "Ow! What was that for?!" He turns to glare at Fuichi.
"He's your friend and senpai and co-worker in Tootsuki's Elite Ten, how could you say you want money from him?!" She scolds him.
"There's no such thing in business, Chisaya! I thought you're not stupid enough to not knowing that." He retorts.
"Who are you calling 'stupid', you dumbass?!"
"B*tch!"
"NOW, NOW." A clattering sound was heard and Saitou had put his sword in between them. "I don't really like these colorful words. We wouldn't want any blood spluttering here, do we?"
Even though he said it in calm voice, they could feel his dark aura emitting from him.
"Y-yes, senpai." They both answer him.
"Good. Now if thou don't really want to help me, thou can leave this place anytime thee want, Eizan."
"No... I want to try your food too, Saitou-senpai. If you could make a good creation, we could make a good business someday."
"Heh, so be it." He chuckles then starts to make the sushi. "I'm starting with the most normal one, an avocado sushi with strawberry jam for the sauce."
"W-wai- what did you just say?" Eizan's face suddenly turns pale.
"Oh, looks like I haven't told you that he's trying to make a sweet sushi~" Fuichi makes an innocent face.
"A sweet sushi?! Are you purposely dragging me into this nightmare, Ichi?!" There he used her nickname when he started to get annoyed.
"Tch, man up, Etsu-kun. You won't die just by tasting it."
"You won't be dead too if you tried Rindou's chocolate that time. The one with tar-"
"OKAY YOU WIN. Please don't even say that thing in front of me. It makes my appetite lost." She thrust her hand to cover his mouth.
He rolled his eyes and just snort.
"Here thou go." Saitou places the sushi in front of each of them. "Doesn't look bad, right?"
"It actually looks really pretty but..."
"The main problem is its taste." Eizan finished.
"That's why thou here. Please take a bite and give me some critiques from it."
"I'll go first." Fuichi takes the sushi with her chopstick and gulps at the sight. 'Well, here we go!'
She finally brought it to her mouth and takes a good chew on it.
"...how is it?" Eizan asks, knowing that he couldn't tell what she feels since she doesn't react too much with food.
"...it's not that... bad?" Her eyes widen in surprised. "It's not actually that bad!"
"Really? Then... let me have a taste too." Eizan brought one to his mouth too. "You're right. This doesn't taste that strange, but..."
"Something's still missing, isn't it?" Saitou said.
"Yeah... I think it's really important as the finishing touch."
"I thought of some ideas." Eizan said.
"As expected from The Alchemist." Saitou chuckles.
"First, it looks like you can do something with the rice. The topping is perfectly fine, but it just doesn't go well with the rice. As for the second, it's only my way to get my business done. Knowing you, I don't think you would choose the second option."
"Then we must do something with the first option." Saitou put his hand on his chin and gave a long thought.
"Do something with the rice, eh...?" Fuichi mutters to herself. "I think I know what we can do. I should try it first either way."
"The door to the kitchen is open for thee." Saitou smile as he lead the way for her.
"Thank you~ let me try it first then." She rolled her sleeves and started to cook.
After a while, she came back from the kitchen, bringing fresh pot of rice and set it on the counter.
"Done with the rice?" Saitou asks.
"Yeah it's done. I've tasted it and I think it should be good with sweet toppings. Can you do the toppings, Sou-senpai?"
"Of course. I shalt make some so everyone could try it."
Saitou went to behind the counter and start making the sushi again while Fuichi went back to her chair.
"Here thou go." He placed a plate full of sushi on the counter. "Let's try it, everyone."
When the other chefs have tasting it, their clothes started ripped off as their reaction.
"This is so great, Saitou Chef!!"
"The combination of the rice and toppings matched perfectly. This has no any weird taste at all!"
"I think this is the answer we're looking for. With this rice, we can match it with other ingredients!"
"I think so too." Saitou nods. "Well, care to share thy magic with us, Fuichi-chan?"
(FYI I JUST IMAGINING THIS, I very doubt this would really work x'D)
"Oh, come on, senpai. Magic sounds too much for me." She chuckles. "I once read a book that said if milk soybean matches with making bread for salty toppings, then I thought regular milk would match with sweet toppings. So I just use milk as the water and add a little bit of coconut sap so the rice texture will turn into sticky. It adds flavor too."
"It didn't even take 5 minutes for thee to figure out the solution. I was right to take thee here." He ruffles her hair.
"Heyy did you just ruffle my hair with your hand after making those sushi??" She complaints and slaps his hand playfully repeatedly.
"Is that what thou art worrying?" He chuckles. "Don't worry, I have washed my hands. I'm more worried with the man beside thee who was glaring at me all these time." He smirks at Eizan.
"What?? Me?! I DON'T glare at you, Saitou-senpai." He scoffs.
"Ah." She just remembers there is Eizan sitting beside her. "It's all thanks to Eizan too, senpai. If he hadn't figure it out that we should do something with the rice, we would take more time. Glad I bring you here~" She pats Eizan on his back.
"Tch, stop doing that, woman." He grunts and leans away from her. "So, did I could still get commission from this session?"
"............"
"...fine." He sighs in defeat.
~ end of flashback ~
"I'm actually looking forward with your dish. You won't be making the same recipe as that time, right, senpai?"
"Of course I won't. You would have the advantage if I make the same dish because you know how it tastes. I will make another dish you won't even match it."
"Heh, fine." She looks at him with fire in her eyes. "Bring it on!"
And then, the battle between them starts.