579Gale-Dragon: I tell myself to try to work on this, but I end up mulling over what I have to do with the story and having to reread this section of the series I don't know how many times before I worked on this. I ended up scrapping most of what Canon did and went a different route that still got the same results, hopefully.
~}I{~
Shokugeki no Sōma: Nashi Saito de Chīfu, Chapter 17: The Festival of the Elite.
~}I{~
The invitations came as if they were a regular letter coming in by postcard. Almost as if it was done purposefully to obscure the importance of them. Just like how a geode is. None of the first-year students were sure if the whole thing was planned that way or was by accident…
Well, it's not something to dwell on, so…
}{
Isshiki-senpai was happily telling his dorm mates about the Momiji Meet and Greet.
"The current Elite 10 Members and the eight 1st-year Autumn Election Finalists are invited to attend the viewing to see all the wonderful colours of the fall scenery! While we enjoy the view, everyone there will get to know one another so we can make Totsuki a better place for all!" Isshiki-senpai explained in a rather blissful manner as if it were one of the most special events for the school or something. It was hard to tell with this 2nd-year student.
Megumi did comment that it sounded like a normal Meet and Greet. She then went all fidgety when she realised that she would have to make small talk with students she had never met before, which was already making her nervous, even more so when she remembered that these would be her senpais.
Sōma scratched his cheek when he asked in a conflicted tone, "Ano… Is it all okay for me to attend? Since, well, you know."
Isshiki-senpai's smile twitched slightly at the comment. But he was unwavering when he happily said, "Oh, come now Sōma-kun~. You were one of the three finalists in this year's Autumn Election. Your attendance is a must! Plus you can meet the Elite Members you haven't met yet." The 2nd-year student wanted to get everyone invited to the Meet and Greet to come. To both continue the tradition and to have everyone be acquainted with one another.
Sōma had his doubts and wasn't keen on this whole event, but the 2nd-year student persisted in his endeavour to have all the top participants of the Autumn Elections at the Meet and Greet. Ultimately, the blind redhead agreed to attend, but on one specific condition! None of the Current/Remaining Elite members are to ask about what got their former members kicked off of the Elite 10, if any of them did then Sōma would leave the Meet and Greet immediately, no exceptions.
Isshiki-senpai took the condition without hesitation. He would make sure that the other Seated Elites would adhere to that too.
~}I{~
"Alright! Alright! We heard you the first time," Kuga Terunori got out in an exasperated tone as he slid into a lounging position on the couch in the Elite 10 Meeting Room. The former 8th Seat, now 5th Seat, looked at Isshiki Satoshi when he added in annoyance, "No need to repeat yourself."
Saitou Somei glanced up from his book when he stated, "I doth agree with him, thy are being far too persistent in this." The former 5th Seat, now 3rd Seat, went back to reading when he added, "Tis there a story behind that? Or doth just enjoy the Momiji viewing a little too much?"
Megishima Tosuke stirred the cup of his cooked instant ramen with a pair of chopsticks when he said, "He's just being obsessive with everyone participating." He pulled a few strands out when he added, "Besides, there are fewer spaces this time around and even one absence will be noticed." The former 3rd Seat, now 2nd Seat, then slurped the noodles up.
"Precisely!" the former 7th Seat, now 4th Seat, stated with that big smile still on his face. Isshiki then added in a calmer tone, "Besides, that will give us more chances to get to know our precious Kohei at least two at a time."
Tsukasa Eishi, still the 1st Seat, did have to agree that the 2nd-year student had a point. He then sighed before mumbling that he wanted to do something involving cooking to bond over instead.
Tosuke swallowed what he had in his mouth before he commented towards Eishi, "The problem with that is that you would hyperfocus on cooking and tune out anything that has nothing to do with it. Which includes 'bonding' with the 1st-years."
The other members of the remaining Elites could practically see the figurative daggers plunging into Eishi's chest without much trouble. The 1st seat went embarrassingly quiet at these words as his cheeks turned bright pink. Eishi knew he should say something, anything to end this topic, but he couldn't come up with anything.
Kuga could not hold back his laughter at the rather true statement despite doing his best to keep a hold of it. The others were able to keep their cool, but not for long with the now 5th Seat's laughing like he was.
If Eishi could turn any redder, he certainly would've, right then and there.
~}I{~
The day of the Meet-and-Greet was quickly drawing near. It was almost unbelievable that time went by so fast, but when you take a step back and look at all the classes, activities, and Shokugekis... It was understandable as to where that time went.
}{
Megumi rode on her trusty bicycle as Sōma used a 3-sectioned hooked pole to keep up with the bluette while he skated. The hooked end was attached to the back of the bike where a large basket or some other large object can be tethered. It was a simple section, but it was useful to the young chef.
Of course, the two were wearing the recommended safety gear for their respective recreational means of transportation. Helmets with a visor (Megumi had a tinted visor), elbow pads, knee pads, and wrist guards.
Megumi saw the directional signs that indicated that they were nearing their destination and told Sōma, "We're almost there, Yukihira-kun."
"Okay!" Sōma got out as they glided over the paved road with ease.
It might've looked weird to anyone who wasn't aware of this arrangement, but it was a Polaris Dorm normal by this point. Though given the other 'Normal stuff' at the Polaris Dorm, this was one of the more mundane ones.
When they got there, Megumi slowed before coming to a complete stop. As the bluette hitched her bike and got off, Sōma collapsed the hook to fit safely into the bag he had and took off all his safety gear. Both placed the safety gears in different locations, Megumi's carefully hanging off the bike's handlebars and Sōma's on the flat section on the back of the bike in a particular order so he doesn't mix-up the gear parts.
When the blind redhead pulled out his collapsible came and straightened it out, the duo made their way to the nice picnic-like area.
The other 1st-years from the Autumn Elections were already there.
Of course, Akira, Ryou, Sōma, Megumi, Alice, Takumi, Mimasaka, and Hisako started chatting about their Stagiaire Challenges while they waited for the remaining Elite Members.
A few of them commented about Takumi's new haircut, of which he retorted that he needed to cut it because it was getting too long for him to manage. Sōma added that he was thinking about getting his hair trimmed soon and asked where Takumi got his hair cut.
Soon enough, the Remaining Elite Members arrived at the Meet-and-Greet.
They took their places in order of their new seats in front of the Autumn Election Top 8.
(Not much to add here, just exchanging pleasantries. And on that note, NO Sōma doesn't issue a challenge in this!)
}I{ The Next Morning }I{
The first thing the 1st-year students were told the moment they sat in their assigned seats for class, was the upcoming School Festival.
Sōma couldn't help but think, 'Didn't we just finish the Stagiaire Challenge? And now a school festival? Esh, Totsuki doesn't let up, do they?' The blind redhead wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Sōma ended up settling on the notion 'whatever works for them.'
Soon enough, class started.
During the school day, Sōma debated on what he should do for the festival. Of course, he asked questions pertaining to this upcoming event when it was brought up to help him with ideas. But the more Sōma learned about it the more he was no longer sure if this was a school festival or some kind of extravagant party hosted by the school...
In the end, some settled on it being both just to make it easy on himself.
~}I{~
The next couple of days were relatively uneventful aside from the construction for the school festival. Although, it did make it a little hard to listen to the navigational app over the noise from the construction.
Sōma still wasn't sure what he should do for the school festival. He wondered if he should just go as a spectator, but since he was one of the Trinity and a Top 8 of the Autumn Elections, he had to participate. Sōma didn't understand why that was a thing but he got the mert for it.
Having Finalists from the Autumn Election participate in the school Festival would draw in a huge crowd. All expecting great dishes from them...
Sōma couldn't help but think, 'Man, talk about pressure on pressure. No wonder Pops preferred the diner scene over the glitz and glamour.' He was currently doing some stretches to warm up for PE. The blind redhead wondered what they would be doing today, only to be disappointed by the chosen activity.
Basketball...
Sōma didn't hate basketball, he would listen to a game if it was playing and understood the game enough to enjoy the play-by-play. The issue was that he himself couldn't play the sport.
Basketball involved a lot of passing and shooting, things that Sōma could not do unless everyone wore something that created a unique sound that would allow him to know who was a teammate and not, the ball having a sound coming from it, and the basketball hoop made a clicking sound so he would know where to aim.
So, yet again, Sōma had to sit out of the PE activity. He wondered if he could do something else while everyone played basketball. In the end, Sōma ended up keeping score, using one of these boards with the cards you can flip from one number to another. All he needed to do was keep an ear on the court and listen for cheers to signal that the basketball went into the hoop.
If the redheaded teen was being honest, he wished that there were more physical activities he could participate in that weren't so heavily focused on being able to see.
A sudden loud sound filled the gymnasium and then there was shouting. Sōma, of course, covered his ears to try to block it all out. The only thing he was able to hear was the PE teacher shouting, "Hojo! Bench! You're on time out!"
Sōma didn't need to ask as to why, he could still hear one of the other guys wailing from pain. The last time the blind teen heard that kind of scream was when some prick tried to... 'Oh! Do I even want to know what happened?' Sōma wondered as he heard someone move to sit next to him as they continued to grumble under their breath.
Things were a little awkward for about 20 seconds before Sōma asked in an unsure manner, "Uh, how hard did you kick the guy?"
"Hm? How did you know that's what I did?" Hojo Miyako asked as she looked at the blind teen in a mild shock. It was understandable, as far as she knew, this Yukihira couldn't have seen what had happened and she was sure no one said what she did.
Sōma's lips pressed in a line before he replied, "Some prick back in Jr High wouldn't stop flipping Mayu's skirt, teacher's didn't do anything, even after he's been warned by her several times. So she decided to make a show of warning the prick, for witnesses, and then proceeded to teach him a lesson as soon as he proceeded to repeat the behaviour as she finished speaking."
Hojo put the facts together before she got out, "Oh... Can't say that wasn't deserved..."
Sōma nodded before he stated, "And the sound he made was the same as whoever you kicked." He flipped the score on the board when he asked, "So what perverted stunt did he do to earn that? I heard you snapping earlier, so I'm going to assume he did something to provoke you."
Hojo let out a low growl when she stated, "He 'accidentally' groped my breasts twice during the game."
It took a few seconds for Sōma to process that before he replied in a tone that was a mixture of uneasiness, creeped-out, and flat, "Oh, That's what Sensei meant when he said to "keep the playing clean" during the game... Hope you kicked the perv hard."
THAT surprised Hojo when she looked at the redheaded teen and asked, "Okay, I know why I did what I did, but why are you on my side?" After all, wasn't the blind teen a guy?
Sōma turned an ear to the Chinese cuisine specialist when he asked in a confused tone, "Why wouldn't I be? The guy touched you in a way you didn't like, you hated it and told him to stop as did Sensei, he continued with the sexual harassment, so I have no sympathy for him for getting kicked in the family jewels." He let out a sigh when he added, "I know that sometimes I have accidently touched girls when and where they don't want to, but I have a legitimate excuse and I make sure I apologise about it."
Hojo was confused yet again when she asked, "If you don't mind me asking, but how do You accidently… You know?" She could understand there being some accidental collisions that could result in some awkward situations, but it didn't seem like the other was talking about that kind of thing.
Sōma flipped the score board number when he replied, "Usually when I'm still getting used to a new building, I have to keep a hand on the wall as a guide. Take a guess on what sometimes happens when it comes to corners." He held his left hand up at chest-level as his finger spread as if he was about to press it against something.
Hojo thought about that for a bit, realisation dawning on her pretty quickly. "Ah, I get it," she commented before she added, "But those are actual accidents, not the whole 'oh, sorry, my actions happen to touch you someplace you don't like, but since I didn't actually hurt you it's okay' kind of accident."
Sōma chuckled at the sarcasm the other was using when he replied, "Yeah, true, you have a point." He then went serious when he stated, "But, I honestly don't understand why people purposefully touch others who don't want it?"
Hojo scoffed when she replied bitterly, "I don't get it either, I especially don't get why that kind of behaviour doesn't get punished."
Sōma clicked his tongue when he said, "Same. Mayu got in trouble for her actions." He flipped the score card when he heard the cheers from one end of the basketball court before he continued, "But the prick who would not stop flipping her skirt didn't, at least until Pops got involved. That had to be one of the few times his over-protectiveness was validated."
Hojo couldn't help but ask, "Do I even want to know?" She didn't know the Yukihiras' dad, but the wording he used was concerning.
Sōma's lips pressed into a line but said nothing, which was answer enough.
The PE teacher came over to the two when they said, "Okay, Hojo-san, your time-out is up. You can return to the game. Just keep the low kicks to below the knees next time."
Hojo was a little surprised when she asked in confusion, "I thought I was benched for the rest of the class?"
The PE teacher shook their head when they replied, "No, I told you to sit on the bench for a time-out." They let out a sigh before they added, "Listen, I get it, the guy touched yah in an inappropriate way one too many times and he did deserve a good smack, but rules are rules even if it's warranted." They nodded to the court when they said, "But you did need to cool off before you could get back into the game." They waved a hand when they added, "Also, don't worry, the little pervert is the one being reported. I don't need to explain why."
This was a nice little revelation. And Hojo wasn't going to complain. It didn't take long before she was back in the game. Sōma couldn't help but smile.
~}I{~
Sōma still didn't have much of an idea on what to do for the school festival. He's heard some of the other participants had their themes for their stalls and already reserved the spaces for them. Sōma needed to think of something soon, and before all the good spots were taken!
But there was the ParadOx. In order to reserve a stall space, he needed to have a theme, but not knowing where he could set up a stall is affecting the creative juices.
Maybe Sōma should check to see what's available, it might help.
}I{
After hearing that a good location was still available, Sōma finally got an idea. So right then and there he asked if he could take that spot with his theme being Chinese cuisine.
However, he didn't get a reply right away.
Sōma asked if everything was alright, but the person at the registration asked, "Are you sure you want to do that?"
Of course, Sōma was confused by this. He did tell the other that he was sure and asked if there was something wrong with his choice.
The receptionist gave the redhead the form to fill out when they told him, "Chinese cuisine in that location is a recipe for failure..."
Sōma took the form that he knew that Mayu was going to fill out for him, in confusion. The reply didn't answer his question at all.
}I{
Isshiki-senpai was more than happy to explain the areas and rough price-range to his precious Koheis.
There were three major areas for the students to set up their booths. Main Street, Centre Campus, and the Slopes.
The first and most popular of the three was Main Street. This area was lined with tents and temporary booths. They wend its way up into campus from the main gate. It was one of the liveliest and most travelled areas of the whole festival. The price range here was 500 to 1000 yen.
Then there was Centre Campus, where all the class buildings and cooking wings are. These booths offer cuisine that requires specialised equipment or facilities generally congregate in this area. The price range here was 1000 to 5000 yen.
And lastly, there were the Slopes. Of the three areas, this one tends to attract the most wealthy and affluent guests. The varied buildings that dotted the area are turned into hidden resorts and high-class restaurants. Unless the chef has some strong name recognition, attracting customers in this area is exceptionally difficult. This is where most of the Elite 10 usually set up their boots. The price range here was 5000 yen and up.
Lucky for Sōma, the space he wanted was in the Centre Campus area and it was in a good location. This was perfect!
If it was still available.
~}I{~
After Mayu looked over the form, just to double-check everything, she asked her older twin brother. "You do have a back-up location if this one isn't available, right?" She looked at him as they made their way to the registry area.
Sōma nodded when he replied, "I do, they're not as good as my first choice, but they should be fine." He was getting a little worried about how much noise and how many people were here, it was getting hard for him to navigate. Thank goodness his sister was here or else he certainly would've gotten turned around.
Submitting the request form was easy, but all the comments about the Yukihiras being sure if they wanted THAT location with THAT specialty were annoying. Of course, they asked if the space was unavailable, who wouldn't think that? But when the people at the desk told them that the space WAS still available, they asked what was wrong with their choice of cuisine. THAT was met with the weird comments of, "No... But... If you're sure," The Yukihiras got their booth location, but...
What WAS the issue that no one was telling them about that particular spot?
Wait a second... This scenario seems familiar...
Oh!
Both Mayu and Sōma stated to each other at the same time when they could see the Polaris Dorm, "Maybe that spot is cursed by a spirit!"
~}I{~
The sounds of a chuckle filled the air as an androgynous voice said, "My, my, my, we were expecting to run into the both of you while we were working on the commission, but I didn't expect to be doing a side job." The voice belonged to Soulkin Mellow, who was following the Yukihira Twins towards the location they reserved for their booth.
Mayu was keeping ahead of her brother when she said, "Sorry to ask you to do this..."
Sōma then said, "But if that spot is haunted by a spirit, wouldn't it be best to take care of it before it gets worse?"
Soulkin-san nodded when he replied, "Very true, but let me see what I'm working with before I can do anything regarding that." He looked around the area as they continued walking before he commented, "It's already pretty lively despite it only being in the start-up stage."
"From what we've heard, it'll get even livelier once the school festival starts," Sōma replied as they came to the spot that's been reserved for their booth.
Soulkin-san let out a low whistle before he said, "Pretty good location for what you're going to be doing. Lots of foot traffic that'll be going right by, so plenty of potential customers. I'm surprised you were able to reserve it despite being late to do so."
Mayu nodded when she said, "Same, hence why I told Ani to make sure to have back-up locations just in case."
Sōma agreed with his twin sister when he added, "So we were kind of surprised that my first choice was still available and the back-up wasn't."
The Twins then jinxed, "And then with everyone being cagey about why taking this spot was bad, how could we not think it's been cursed by a spirit."
Soulkin-san understood the logic the two were going with as he told them. "Then it was a good call to not start on the construction right away until you got confirmation on the spirit." He then pulled out a Shikigami paper doll with a piece of very thin string tied around it from an inner pocket hidden in his longer and wider sleeve and started inspecting the booth spot.
Mayu folded her arms in worry as Sōma wondered what the story behind the curse could be. The younger twin watched the adult 'work' while the older was already thinking up ways that could work without angering the spirit or activating the curse.
After exactly five minutes, Soulkin-san walked back to the Yukihira Twins as he tucked the paper doll back into that hidden pocket in his sleeve and told them, "Aside from the energy from Totsuki, there isn't any curse nor any spirits with ill intent."
Both Sōma and Mayu were confused when they responded at the same time. "There isn't?"
Soulkin-san could understand their emotions, but he had to ask the older of the two, "Sōma-chan, are you sure that the other students avoided saying anything regarding this spot?"
Sōma nodded when he replied, "They were, no matter how many times I asked why this spot was bad or why me choosing Chinese cuisine was a, I quote "Recipe for disaster", end quote." He shrugged when he added, "Since no one would tell me what the issue was or why it was bad, I couldn't help but think it might've been some kind of spirit or curse." Mayu nodded in agreement.
Soulkin-san let out a low hum when he mused, "You have a point, even if it wasn't what it is." He looked at the spot and the other booths nearby when he stated, "But it is rather strange that a spot with a very good location hasn't been touched, especially at an event as big as this."
Mayu went a logical route when she suggested, "Maybe someone started a rumour about this spot? Or something along that line,"
Sōma had to admit that his sister did make a point, but couldn't help wondering why anyone would do such a thing. It was a counterproductive thing, especially during events like this one.
Soulkin-san had to wonder if something else was going on, but since he had to get back to his main job, he had to leave the Yukihira Twins. Of course, the blonde man told them to keep him updated on the situation.
}I{
Both Sōma and Mayu agreed that something simple yet movable would be a good idea for their booth, just in case it was a spirit that was smart enough to hide or was 'away'. Plus a movable cart was practical for a temporary set up like this event! And it would catch a lot of attention from the festival goers, which meant more customers!
}{
Sōma smiled when he asked his sister, "So, how's it looking so far?"
Mayu took a step back to admire the appeal of their 'Booth' when she replied, "It's looking pretty good. If you don't mind me saying."
Two push cooking carts were placed precisely at a 45 degree angle from one another. These two had a simple yet pleasing Eastern aesthetic with decorative yet functional red paper lanterns at the corners, and had all the cooking appliances that were needed for cooking street foods.
Sōma was practically beaming, as he was already thinking about the type of dishes that could be served. Mayu couldn't help but add that they could use some benches and their spot would be perfect.
The Yukihira Twins talked about where they could get the benches they needed as the other Totsuki watched them and whispered some things from a distance. All wondering how the Yukihiras could be so crazy.
}I{
Ryō and Akira were crashing (hiding) at the Polaris Dorm for a bit, more to get away from the 'prep' for the school festival. So they were willing to give Sōma's dishes a taste test. At least the legitimate test dishes, the 'experimental dishes' were left untouched for obvious reasons
"Why would you make shit like that?!" The two non-Polaris residents snapped at Sōma when they saw the peanut butter and blueberry wonton soup.
Sōma held up another 'soup' dish when he said with that cheery smile, "I have a peanut-free version." As if he didn't hear the pure disgust in the others voices.
"Seriously?" Both Akira and Ryō commented in disbelief as they looked at the crazy concoction.
To Mayu, this was a normal thing.
}I{ A Week and a Half Later }I{
Mayu cautiously directed her brother as they brought a nice looking picnic bench to their booth space. They carefully placed the bench in place with a relieved sigh. They managed to get four benches for the patrons to sit and eat for their booth space, and a place to sit in general.
They were pretty proud of their work as they drank their water to cool off.
Even after Soulkin-san confirmed, three times, that this spot was not cursed, haunted, or had a lingering spirit that hated Chinese food, Sōma still got the weird comments about him taking THIS spot with THAT cuisine. What was worse was that every time he asked why his choice was bad, no one gave him more than "Nothing, if you're sure... "
It was ANNOYING!
Was there something else going on with this spot in particular that neither of the Yukihiras have noticed? Well, whatever the hell was going on, it would be great if SOMEONE would let them in on it!
Both of the Soulkins came back to the Yukihiras' booth, to both see how things were coming along and to check on the 'curse'. Mellow and Sora were impressed with how the 'booth' came along but were still confused by why no one was telling either of the Yukihiras what was 'wrong' with this spot.
Sōma offered to make the Soulkins lunch, Since he could and wanted some unbiased critics. It was a nice little break.
As the Soulkin ate the noodle-based meal, Kuga Terunori dropped in on them from across the walking path. Mayu assumed that the rather overly-exquisit Chinese palace-like booth was his. "Yo! Yukihira-chi!" Kuga-senpai greeted chipperly, a few of his followers trailing behind him.
Sōma recognised the voice when he vocalised with a smile, "Oh, hi Kuga-senpai, what brings you here?"
Kuga-senpai still had that smile on his face when he said chipperly, "Oh~, just checking up on yah~."
Sōma and Mayu were confused when the older vocalised, "Uh, that's nice of you... " Even then he didn't seem sure about what he was told.
Kuga-senpai noticed the Soulkins and asked in interest, "Oh, are your parents here to visit?"
The Soulkins were quick to say, "Oh, no. Sōma-chan and Mayu-chan aren't ours."
Sōma then added, "They're a friend's parents."
Mayu followed up with, "They happen to be working on some construction Totsuki was doing."
Kuga-senpai let out a hum when he commented, "Ah, right, there's been a lot of that for preparation for the festival." He couldn't help but wonder what these two adults did, but not his priority now. Kuga-senpai still had that grin on his face when he said cheerfully, "By the way, Yukinira-chi, you're quite the cheeky little Kohei~."
Sōma chuckled when he replied with a smile, "I've been told."
Both the Soulkins chuckled while Mayu rolled her eyes at the comment.
Kuga-senpai placed his right hand on his chin with his pointer finger and thumb extended when he said cheekily with one eye closed. "But I would've appreciated it if you'd have made your challenge directly."
The Yukihira Twins were confused by that statement. Then Mayu leered at her twin when she got out sternly, "Ani, what is he talking about?"
Sōma was still very confused when he replied, "I... Have no idea..." The younger Yukihira knew her brother the best and could tell that he wasn't lying, which made what the upperclassman said all the more puzzling.
Before anyone could ask any more questions, an excited Sotsuda appeared on the scene with the recent Totsuki Spotlight issue in hand and was already peppering Sōma with questions. Kuga-senpai would've found this very amusing, if it weren't for the fact that the redheaded teen had no idea what the Newsie was talking about.
The current 5th Seat of the Elite 10 raised a brow in confusion at this as Mayu took the Spotlight issue and read through it. The younger Yukihira Twin's brow twitched in aggravation when she turned to her brother and asked with a menacing aura, "Ani... Why does this newsletter say that you issued a challenge to Kuga-senpai?"
Sōma got out in a confused tone, "I beg your pardon?!"
Mayu was quick to retort in a serious tone, "Then start begging! Because I told you that I would help as long as you didn't do any of your stupid challenges!"
Kuga-senpai, and his followers, had potent 'what?' expressions on their faces when Sōma tried to explain frantically, "Mayu! I swear! I didn't!" He turned to where he last heard the upperclassman and asked, "The last time we met, we only had a pleasant chit-chat! Nothing about any kind of challenge, right?"
Sotsuda seemed to be multitasking. Writing down everything he was hearing and seeing while trying to figure out what was going on.
With confusion written all over his face, Kuga-senpai replied honestly, "Uh... Yeah... Only that," He pointed at the Yukihira Twins when he asked, "Hang on, when did the two of you make that 'No challenges' agreement?"
The Twins responded with, "When we were going over the paperwork to procure this spot."
Mayu was stern when she added, "I told Ani point blank that I would help, but on the condition that he doesn't issue any Shokugekis or challenges during this festival. This could also double at points for my civics class."
Sōma shrugged when he said, "Which is fair, and I kind of wanted to do this for fun. Besides, I can challenge someone after this is all over." His attention was where he heard the jr High student when he asked, "So how on earth did the Totsuki Spotlight think I issued a challenge?"
Sotsuda paused in his actions as he thought about that question. He let out a low hum when he finally replied, "Um, the senpai's started talking about it some time last week, but only published the article yesterday."
One of Sōma's brow twitched when he said, "That's… Good to know, but it doesn't answer my question."
Soulkin Sora spoke up by asking, "How strange for a newsletter to publish something only partially researched." She pointed at the redheaded teen when she added, "Had any of those at the Totsuki Spotlight talked with Sōma-chan, they would've found out right away that he made no such challenge or current interest in any for now."
The Yukihiro Twins stated at the same time, "This has happened before, so we're not that surprised by this crap." The two were officially getting sick of the so-called newsletter half-arsing their job when it comes to the blind redhead.
Sotsuda was more self-conscious regarding this information. Not that anyone could blame him. He was somehow still writing.
That was when one of Kuga-senpai's underlings threw in his two yen when he vocalised, "Hang on," He pointed at the Yukihira Twins when he asked, "If neither of you had planned to challenge Kuga-sama, then why did you chose the location in front of ours? And using the same cuisine?"
Mayu looked at the upperclassman when she asked, "Wait? You're making Chinese cuisine too?"
Kuga-senpai nodded in somewhat a dumbstruck manner when he replied, "Uh, of course, it's my specialty after all."
As a glooming realisation loomed over the younger Yukihira twin, the older asked in an unsure confusion, "And my booth is right in front of Kuga-senpai's?"
Now Terunori was sure something was screwy here. After all, how could the Yukihiras NOT know that he was setting up shop right next door! Kuga-senpai nodded, out of habit, when he said, "That's correct. This is the second time I've requested this spot." He stared at the redheaded teen, watching for any tells of lying, when he asked, "Yukihira-chi, you really had no idea that you picked the booth spot next to mine?"
Sōma shook his head when he said honestly, "No, senpai, I didn't! And I would've assumed someone would've told me this!" He had no idea how no one had told him this rather important information, especially after all this time!
Soulkin Mellow had a thought when he asked the Totsuki upperclassman, "Kuga-kun, has anyone taken this spot the prior time?"
Kuga-senpai shook his head when he said, "Not really. I was a powerhouse during my first year so the other students gave me a lot of legroom by keeping a distance during events like this." He did throw in a cheery, "I should also say that I'm still a pretty big powerhouse, being a member of the Elite Ten and all, so no one usually takes any spots so close to mine."
Mellow placed a hand on his chin when he asked, "And you specialise in Chinese cuisine, correct?" He was starting to get a clearer picture of this situation.
Kuya-senpai nodded again when he replied, "Yup, I'm all about Chinese-based dishes. The spicy kind in particular is my main appeal, though." He could practically see the sudden grey cloud hanging over the Yukihiras when he asked them if they were alright.
Sōma ran a hand over his face when he grumbled out in aggravation, "So... That's what everyone meant when they kept asking if I was sure about taking this spot and how me picking Chinese cuisine was a 'recipe for disaster'..."
Mayu's evil aura was clear as day when she asked in an aggravated tone that matched her brother's, "Ani... How many times have you asked what was wrong with this spot again?" When the older Yukihira Twin responded that he lost count, the younger twin cracked her knuckles in anticipation.
Sotsuda just kept writing all this down when he asked in shock, "Wait! Yukihira-senpai! No one told you that this spot was right in front of Kuga-senpai's?" The junior high student was baffled by the fact that this upperclassman had asked multiple people the same question, and not a single person gave a direct answer.
Soulkin Mellow folded his arms when he stated seriously, "It seems like there is a curse affecting this spot. A curse of ignorance." He glanced at the Yukihira Twins when he added, "Apparently, the other Totsuki students whole-heartedly assumed that Sōma-chan already knew that he was setting up shop next to Kuga-kun and assumed he was doing it to challenge him."
Soulkin Sora nodded when she stated, "Funny enough, that 'curse' would've easily been broken if any of those children had bothered to either listen or talk to Sōma-chan regarding this spot."
Now Kuga-senpai felt something he hasn't felt in a long while... Guilt.
Yeah, sure, if the situation had been Yukihira going ahead with setting up shop next to his while ignoring all the other students warning him and being completely aware of what he was doing, then Terunori would've easily told himself that the redhead brought it on himself and wouldn't feel guilty about the situation. But the older Yukihira wasn't aware of who the neighbour of this spot was, he was never told nor did anyone around him bother to tell him due to already thinking he already knew and not bothering to confirm it... Terunori felt guilty over the fact that he saw the Yukihiras setting up their booth the whole time and didn't think to pop over to say hi or ask what they were doing… Surely if he had done that, he would've found out this situation sooner that would've given the Yukihiras enough time to either find a new location or change their menu type...
But with a few days left until the festival... There weren't any more open spots for boots, so the Yukihiras couldn't move to a new location... And there certainly wasn't enough time to overhaul the current menu, make test dishes, and rework a new theme...
'This wasn't right,' Terunori thought as Sotsuda asked what Sōma was going to do, throwing in that if he got in the red by the end of the festival he would be expelled.
"I'm sorry, WHAT?!" the Yukihira Twins exclaimed in dismay and shock, before shouting, "SINCE WHEN?!"
That was when Sōma snapped, "THE TEACHERS FOR THE MORNING CLASSES NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THAT DURING THEIR SPEECHES ABOUT THE FESTIVAL!? AT ALL! AND TRUST ME I ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FESTIVAL!"
Wait? Really? But that was in the School Festival pamphlet... Hang on, did anyone of the morning class teachers mention that there were more important details in those?
...
...
...
Oh... That was a whole different issue... One that the Soulkins were going to have a nice, long conversation with the Headmaster about.
~}I{~
When the Yukihira Twins returned to the Polaris Dorm, they explained their situation to the other residents. And dang were they also kicking themselves for not asking for more details when they had a chance.
Sōma couldn't fault any of them, as far as they knew, he knew all the parameters of the school festival and found a good spot for his booth. Mayu threw in that she did see Kuga-senpai's name on the map the students were using to tell who took what space, but she didn't know he specialised in Chinese cuisine. That showed that they all kind of messed up regarding this situation...
The Yukihira Twins weren't mad at their dorm-mates because they didn't know what was happening. However, They most certainly be mad at the people who Did know but chose to say absolutely nothing while assuming the blind teen was aware of what he was doing despite evidence showing otherwise.
As much as being upset over others' actions was natural to feel, especially if it affects you, it won't do anything to solve the current problem at hand...
Sōma and Mayu couldn't switch food themes and reworking the menu from scratch would take time they didn't have...
Issiki-senpai did tell them that Kuga-senpai leaned towards spicy Chinese dishes. It wasn't much, but it was something that the Yukihiras could use to at least eliminate those dishes from their menu.
Well... There was enough time to switch out a few recipes and make a few test dishes, hopefully it'll be enough to break even and stay out of the red...
~}I{~
All too soon, the 5 Day Totsuki School Festival came and started on time with a roaring cheer.
}{
When guests arrive at the festival, the first order of business is acquiring food tickets.
Guests use these tickets in place of cash to purchase food on the festival grounds. Each evening, boots tally up the tickets they've collected to report their 'earnings', and the top sellers by area are announced.
There were three types of food tickets; the Plum Ticket being worth 500 yen, the Bamboo Ticket being worth 1000 yen, and the Pine Ticket being worth 10000 yen.
There are free-service shuttle buses, available for guests to use to move from area to area within the festival grounds.
}{
The first hour was hectic, so many people at once can be, but the fact that there were this many guests first thing was a sign of how well-known and anticipated this festival was. Which made the Yukihira Twins wonder how their father was so nonchalant when he talked about this! The way he did made it sound like it was a simple school thing!
But considering that it was Totsuki, they went big or went home... That should've been expected to the Yukihiras by now in all honesty, but… Meh, probably not the best time to linger on it.
Their current priority was attracting customers and making sure they broke even. For five days… This was going to be a challenge in itself…
}I{ The Next Two Days, Days 1 and 2 of the Totsuki School Festival }I{
It wasn't that big a surprise that the Yukihira Twins' booth didn't make it to the top 3 for their area on day one and two, but at least they weren't dead last like the Edible-Insects Research Society was. They were under breaking even for Day One but they managed to break even on Day Two, so they needed to do some more things to attract more customers for tomorrow and the following days. But at least it wasn't THAT severe... At least for them…
Mayu was staring at the newest issue of the Totsuki Spotlight with a disbelieving expression on her face. Not because of who was in the top spots, but who was dead last in the Main Street area.
Sōma had to pinch his sister's arm to get her attention when he asked, "Mayu, have they issued an apology yet?"
Mayu rubbed where her brother pinched her when she replied bitterly, "Unfortunately, not yet, but..."
Sōma tilted his head to the side when he questioned, "But what?"
Mayu opened the issue to that section to find the spot she was looking at when she got out, "Uh... The Shiomi Seminar is... In the 60th place of the Main Street area..."
Sōma paused to think about that before he asked, "Aren't there 60 booths in Main Street?"
"Yeah..." Mayu vocalised sheepishly.
Things were dead silent for 15 solid seconds before Sōma exclaimed, "ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT AKIRA, RYŌ, AND ALICE ARE AT RISK FOR EXPULSION?!"
}I{ Later that Night }I{
(The interaction between Akira, Ryō, and Alice regarding the predicament of their booth is the same as the canon, so no need for me to write that out.)
~}I{ The Next Morning, Day 3 of the Totsuki School Festival }I{~
The Yukihiras added another dish to their menu, to hopefully attract more customers to get them out of the red and into the black.
Yes, there were more people coming today, but the vast majority went to Kuga-senpai's booth, again. That couldn't be helped due to the guy's position on the Elite 10 and him having a better known reputation, but at least the Yukihira Twins were getting some of the people who were either finished with their meal at Kuga's booth, tired of waiting in the long line, or just happened to be looking in their direction.
"Oh! This is refreshing!" a guest vocalised in delight when they finished their first mouthful. The vegetables were crisp and fresh, which paired nicely with the rice noodles and soy sauce. Some of the passersby heard and were quick to wonder what the fuss was about. So they gathered to taste the 'refreshing Chinese dish'.
It didn't take much longer before word started spreading about the Yukihiras' booth.
It was clear that today would turn a profit and get them into the black. If they rise in the ranks, then that's a plus.
Another fun plus to the day was Kashii Eiji stopping by their booth and ordering their dishes to eat. That was a fun conversation during the workday. It was nice to hear about what was going on around their home area after being away for so long.
}{ About Two Hours Later, Main Street }{
Akira was genuinely surprised that the curry with the colourful 3D printed chocolate was selling as much as it did.
Yes, it was true that the ingredients for chocolate were an excellent part of curry, especially dark chocolate, but the general populace wouldn't know that and would think that chocolate and curry should be kept completely separate. So that would've been the first major challenge when putting it on the menu. But the complex designs that were made by the 3D printer just drew the crowd in.
'I guess that hard talk was just what Alice needed.' Akira thought as he poured another plate of curry for the customer. Then he wondered when he started being on a first name basis with her and Ryo.
Well, as long as they got through the festival in the black, that was something to ponder another day. Preferably, when they don't have a major event looming over their heads.
~}I{~
By the end of Day Three, both Yukihira and the Shiomi Seminar were in the black and at a higher ranking for their respective area.
This was good, but both booths couldn't slack off on the next few days. They needed to stay in the black if they were to stay in Totsuki!
But for now...
A well deserved break for surviving the halfway point.
}{
"Wow! This tastes great!" Sōma said as he took another spoonful of the chocolate-sweeten curry. His bowl was decorated with a rather complicated-looking 3D printed chocolate heart, courtesy of Alice, of course. But Sōma was unaware of this as Mayu gave the albino a deadpan 'really?' expression. Alice seemed pleased with herself as Ryō and Akira opted to keep away from that so they wouldn't get caught in the middle of a possible fight... Again...
Akira was munching on a crisp rice-paper wrap stuffed with teriyaki drizzled vegetables when he mused, "The carrots bring this together."
Mayu thanked the white-haired teen when she said, "It's more something I threw together with a few leftovers than an actual menu item."
Sōma chuckled when he added, "We wanted to bring some of the dumplings for you to try, but we sold out."
Ryō sturred the noodles when he mused in his usual lackadaisical tone, "Mood, we sold out of the fish curry two hours before we closed the booth for the night." He scooped up a few strands of the rice noodles and slurped them up. "Speaking of, this could use some fish flakes." Ryō stated, expression unchanging, before he picked up a flower-shaped carrot and ate it.
"Hm, not a bad idea," Sōma mused before he told his sister, "Maybe we can make that an optional item to the menu."
Mayu thought about it when she asked, "How about we make it an alternative if the customer doesn't want chicken or pork toppings." Sōma ended up agreeing with his sister when he realised that her option made more sense.
The break continued until they had to go to sleep to get ready for the next day.
~}I{ Day 4 of the Totsuki School Festival }I{~
The fourth day ended up busier than either of the Yukihiras expected! Much, much busier!
Thankfully, Sōma had the foresight to ask Mimasaka to help out roughly a day before, but the influx of customers was too much for the three of them. Luckily, Mayu was able to pull in a few favours while she was cooking. Of course, Mimasaka made sure to keep Sōma between him and the younger Yukihira twin, since he still had nightmares of that whole 'wrong room incident'.
"Apparently, the middle ground is the busiest," Kon commented when Ishi and Ki came onto the scene.
Sōma, Mayu, and Mimasaka couldn't help but comment at the same time, "Seems like it." The younger twin realised what happened before leering at the copycat, who took a step away from her.
Soon enough, the three jumped into the cooking fray, which thankfully helped with satisfying the customers. Although, Ki more helped with seating and taking the customers' orders, Which played more to his strengths than cooking was. Mimasaka had a few double-takes when the heterochromatic teen recalled all the orders and which table the order came from perfectly and without writing anything down.
It was clear that the Yukihira booth was going to be in the black today too! Maybe even jump a couple of ranks!
}I{
When the tickets were collected and counted, the results of the Ranks shifted dramatically. Almost radically! The Yukihiras' booth leapt all the way to 3rd place! Even the Twins couldn't believe it!
}{
After getting comfortable in the Polaris Dorm, the students read through the newest Totsuki Spotlight. Which showed the current placements of all the booths in all three areas, and what caused the ranking to change so dramatically.
"A foodie blog?" Ikumi questioned as she read the section of the paper, trying to wrap her head around this.
Shun scanned the section when he stated, "Seems like it. And a rather popular one."
Ryoko was looking up the food blog in question to see what it was about on her phone.
Megumi scanned the section in the newsletter as she read it out loud, "For those who aren't aware, the 'Grazing Ox' food blog appeared one day with their honestly straight reviews of eateries across Japan and even a few spots in other countries. They are known for not sugar coating their reviews and have no interest in taking commissions or bribery. Whoever runs the 'Grazing Ox' blog has made their mission very clear with this quote, "I am only interested in enjoying a good meal and sharing my thoughts and opinions of the places I choose to eat at. Nothing more, nothing less." End quote. For obvious reasons, the creator of the 'Grazing Ox' refuses to reveal who they are and has managed to fly under the radar at every place they have been to since the blog's creation." The bluette let out a hum when she mused, "I think I've heard some of the other students talking about this blog, but I thought it was the online version of the Totsuki Spotlight that went over eateries outside Totsuki's branding."
Alice looked over the article that the staff on the Totsuki Spotlight decided to use to show that helped some of the food stalls in the Main Street and Centre Campus area spike in popularity. The albino placed a hand on her chin as she read the sections from the Grazing Ox's posts when she said, "Hm, whoever this is, they hit a lot of stalls, but not all of them."
Ryoko's eyes never left her phone when she said, "According to the pinned tab on the Grazing Ox, they won't go to anyplace with extreme food choices, bars, elite eateries, and places that have been cited for poor cleanliness." She scrolled through the blog, to check out the recent posts on the Totsuki School Festival. Her eyebrows shot to her hairline when she vocalised, "Wow! The spotlight wasn't kidding when they said that this food blogger is brutally honest, and they're also quite detailed."
Sōma snapped his fingers in realisation when he said, "Now I remember where I've heard that blog's name!" He turned an ear to where he last heard his sister when he said, "Mayu, do you remember when we had a sudden uptake in non-locals for roughly two weeks?"
Mayu thought about that when she replied, "Was it when Hiro started helping out in the kitchen or when we entered jr high?"
"Latter," was Sōma's immediate response.
Mayu closed her eyes to recall the memories of that time. She opened her eyes when she said, "Ah, right, Pops asked a couple of these passerby customers what brought them to our diner and they replied that they read about it on a blog. It praised our menu-of-the-day dishes and posted a warning about ordering the 'Chef's Special', calling it a Russian Roulette of food." She placed a hand on her chin when she got out thoughtfully, "Ah, right, they said the blog was called Grazing Ox."
Ryoko found that particular post about the Yukihiras' diner and shared it with the group.
And as stated, the blogger of the Grazing Ox went over the bulk of the Yukihira's menu with clear wording so there wasn't a chance of anyone misinterpreting the meaning. The post talked about how it was a family diner, how the atmosphere was pleasant, and that there were five customers who dared tried the Russian Roulette that was the Chef's Special with only one of them getting a surprisingly good dish While the others gagging over how horrible theirs were.
Ryō couldn't help but comment, "Oh… This is making me glad we didn't think to try that when we were there…" Akira had to agree while Alice wondered how something like that was allowed.
Sōma chuckled when he said, "Yeah, mom made some crazy combinations and let the customers be the judge on whether or not it was good enough to put on the menu or not." He couldn't help but laugh as he remembered the rather horrible combinations that his mother created, sometimes with whatever random food stuff that was laying around the kitchen.
Mayu sighed when she explained, "Since mom was the main chef of the diner when grandpa passed the torch, she called her crazy creations the 'Chef's Specialty'. I swear, half the time just threw together whatever she thought would work…" She thumbed her brother when she added, "Pops and Sōma decided to continue that 'item' to keep mom's spirit and memory alive."
'Oooohhh, so Sōma also gets THAT from his mother,' the Polaris Dorm residents thought while the ones there who didn't live at this dorm thought, 'Oh, so that's where he gets it from.' This made sense, since only the Polaris Dorm residents have met the Yukihiras' father.
Isshiki-senpai looked the blog up on his own phone when he mused, "So, this Grazing Ox is only interested in affordable places to eat. That's probably why they never even ventured to the Slopes to sample any dishes there." The second-year student had to admire how this person was able to take so many good pictures of the Totsuki students cooking without somehow being seen with a camera or phone out, but then again, there were several people doing just that at an event like this so it was possible that the Grazing Ox was overlooked because of this. Isshiki-senpai was also impressed with the pictures of the dishes that were ordered that were paired with the Grazing Ox's thoughts about it.
Yuuki had to comment, "I guess that's just the effects of an influencer at work. There are a lot of them now-a-days thanks to the power of the internet."
Well, that was true… And it was also true that that was going to play a part in the last day of the Totsuki School Festival.
~}I{~
Day 5 started out fine enough, not as hectic as the previous day but certainly busier than Day 3. On the upside, the Yukihiras' and Shiomi Seminar would still be in the black, but rankings might be a different thing… Well, maybe on the latter.
}I{
Erina's restaurant-like booth was as busy as the past four days of the school festival. The Nakiri figured that it was because it was the last day and last chance for people to eat here. Which was probably true.
Erina note of all the tables, all Were occupied with customers enjoying their meals. All except one table, one that the honey blonde had reserved for someone important.
Normally, Erina would've left that seat open for her beloved Saiba-sama just in case he magically showed up to visit, but he hasn't for this event and it was the only table that hasn't already been reserved by other people. Erina logically told herself that Saiba-sama would've understood.
Hisako wondered why Erina-sama told her that someone different would be sitting at the table that she left open the past four days. The secretary couldn't help but wonder who the originally intended person Erina-sama was waiting for, and who this other person was. Hisako smiled when she thought that she was going to meet the latter soon enough.
"Ah, I guess it was a good call to dress up a bit for this, yes?"
Hisako turned to the entrance to see two relatively tall figures in the entranceway, both with long green hair but of different shades. One had long, shimmering emerald green hair that was loosely tied back and the other had mossy green hair that looked like it had braids within the braid he wore. Hisako couldn't help but think, 'Who are these two?'
~}I{~
To be continued.
~}I{~
Gale-Dragon: Okay, giving everyone the heads up regarding the next chapter. I am going to end up lingering on it because I… I honestly hate the character that has to appear due to plot and storyline… So don't be surprised if this takes another 2 years to update… I mean, hopefully it won't but in all honesty Erina's biological parents are just .
~}I{~