Chapter 2
Sayuri
Why the hell am I the only girl here? I think as I stand awkwardly in the group of guys, who all just kind of stare at me with smirks evident on their faces.
My long blonde hair's pulled back into a long ponytail, and my dark blue piece of fabric I use to cook for big events tied on my wrist. I decided to wear dark skinny jeans and a blue shirt that matches the color of my eyes. A pale shade of blue.
"Do you honestly think you, a girl, can get into Totsuki against all the guys here?" A boy with brown hair questions with a devious smirk at me as I glare at him.
Don't let them get to you...
I ignore the guy as more guys begin to shout out insults.
"You should just leave while you can, girlie!"
"Why don't you run home and practice folding laundry, hm?" Okay, that wasn't even a good insult...
"Only idiots think that girls can actually cook!"
"You'll never beat us! Everyone knows that guys-"
"That's enough." A new voice makes everyone stop talking at once. "Get away from her, now. I can tell you're just trying to psych her out because you're afraid of her, aren't you?"
I look at who's talking, a relieved look evident in my eyes. His red hair and gold eyes are the first thing I notice as his clothes are casual, like mine, instead of all the fancy clothing the guys in the room are wearing now. He grins at me reassuringly before grabbing my wrist and dragging me away from the center of the boys.
"Um...thank you." I say awkwardly, pulling my wrist out of his hold once we're located on the other side of the room.
He offers a lopsided smile. "No problem. I can't stand people like that."
I give him a small smile. "Me either. I'm Sayuri Hatoshi."
"Hatoshi...why does that sound familiar?" He mumbles the last part to himself, and I gulp. "Never mind, I'm Yukihira Soma. You don't seem like one of those stuck up idiots who come from rich and famous restaurants." He adds as I feel my hands begin to become clammy.
"Uh...yeah." I look away from his gold eyes, and swallow the lump in my throat. Would he think of me differently because of my father?
The conversation's in the room suddenly become silent, and the room stills.
"Greetings, transfer applicants." An elegant yet stern voice sounds as both Yukihira and I turn our attention to the front to see a girl with sort of dark pink eyes and long orange hair at the front of the room. "I am Nakiri Erina and I have been assigned to judge today's transfer exam."
"Ever heard of her?" Yukihira questions quietly from beside me as I shake my head.
"Nope." I've never been interested in the famous people cooking around the world, but for her to be the examiner, she must be important.
She turns to her attendant in the still silent room. "Any word from the exam division?"
Her attendant nods. "I'll read it now." She sifts through some papers before beginning the long explanation I was too uninterested in to listen to.
"Those who pass will-" she's cut off by that Erina girl, who sighs in annoyance.
"How pointless. I have an idea." She states before ordering the ingredients table to be rolled out. Murmurs of question fill the room as she reaches in the pile of ingredients and pulls an egg off the table.
"The main ingredient will be the egg." She says, a hint of slyness in her smile. "You will make one dish. Only those who's creations impress my plate will be transferred to Totsuki Academy."
Sounds of alarm and fear come off from the guys as I raise an eyebrow in question.
"Furthermore," she continues. "I will allow any examinee to cancel their application and do so in the next minute."
Why...?
"O-one minute?!"
"I withdraw!"
The boys all go running towards the door, and I sweat drop. Why are they so...afraid?
Both Yukihira and I exchange looks of confusion, and he nods before grabbing some guy by the shoulder and reeling him back.
"Why are you running?!" Yukihira questions.
"Y-you mean you guys don't know who she is?!" He asks in panic as I stare at him with plain confusion in my eyes.
"Huh? Nope, tell us." Yukihira says simply as he launches into this long explanation about how amazing her and her 'God tongue' is, and how she's been famous for her talent at a young age.
Needless to say, I still don't know why people fear her.
"Her evaluations spread far and wide in the industry!" He says loudly. "Should you be marked as an imbecile with no talent by her...your whole career could be over!"
Ah, that's why.
Yukihira releases his collar, and he bolts out of the room faster than I can blink.
"Well..." He states with a sweatdrop. "You better not be dropping out." He states with a smile towards me, as I return it.
"Wasn't planning on it." We both turn towards the front, and we see Nakiri Erina cupping her attendant's face lovingly as their faces are close together, a bright atmosphere around them.
Um...okay.
"We'll first have to report that no one passed the exams..." Erina says with a softness to her voice as her attendant gulps.
"H-hai..."
"So are there no other restrictions on the dish, or what?" Yukihira breaks them apart casually as I stifle a laugh.
She narrows her eyes at the two of us, and looks us up and down as I can just guess what's running through her mind.
--
"As long as you use eggs, the two of you can make anything you want." Erina says, her eyes obviously not happy. "But are you sure you want to do this? You should withdraw while you-"
"Oh thank god." I sigh, cutting her off as Yukihira places a hand on her shoulder, looking relieved as well.
"Oh I was really worried!" He exclaims. "I thought you were gonna fail us before we got to cook!"
She twitches as I stifle a giggle. She turns her eyes to me, and I immediately turn my face normal and professional.
"Hm. Let me see her file." She says, not taking her eyes off me as her attendant nods before giving her a folder.
She scans the papers as her eyes widen slightly, but she coughs to hide it.
"You're...Sayuri Hatoshi?" She questions as I slowly nod.
"Yes, why...?"
"You are accepted." She states bluntly as my pale eyes widen, and both Yukihira and I share wide eyed looks.
"EH?!" The both of us exclaim.
"B-but...the exam..." I stutter, and for once, she smiles at me, instead of her cold eyes and taunting smile.
"You're father is an amazing chef, and no doubt, do I think that your skills are sure to mirror his." She says. "You must've been the girl I've heard so much about. You plan to surpass your father, don't you?"
I merely nod, too shocked to form words.
She nods at her assistant. "Hasiko."
"Hai, Erina-sama." Her attendant nods before she offers me a letter in an official looking envelope.
It's silent, and no one dares make a move. I finally break it with a large sigh.
"I'm sorry, but I refuse."
"W-what?!" Hasiko and Yukihira exclaim in unison as Erina remains silent, her eyes turning into ones of suspicion.
"If you'd let me...I'd really like to take the exam." I say, offering a small nervous smile. "I don't need my father's name to mean something to you or this school. I'm...Sayuri. Just think of me as...just, Sayuri. I'd like to prove my skills to you instead of getting in with my father's last name." I bow my head in respect.
"I knew there was something about you. You're strange." Erina says as I gulp, not knowing how to respond. She begins to smirk. "But, that's a part I now admire of you. Very well, you may take the exams."
She then looks at Yukihira with narrowed eyes filled with suspicion. "And you...do you really want to take my exam?"
He blinks. "Huh? I just have to make you say it tastes good, right?" He throws a knife up in the air and catches it. "Of course I'll take the test."
"Erina-sama." Hasiko shows her a pile of papers, most likely his file, and she begins to scan through it.
"His family runs a diner. He's obviously a second-rate cook. He doesn't understand my noble pedigree." She mumbles to herself. "Just like a stray dog who doesn't know a gemstone's worth."
She seems to really have take a disliking to him. I think with a sweat drop.
"Very well. If that is your attitude, I'll taste your food." She smirks. "The food of bottom feeders all over the world."
So cold...
His bangs cover his eyes, and the smallest hint of smile crosses his face.
"Let's do this, Sayuri!" He exclaims as he looks down at my dark blue wristband, and I grin before snapping it off and tying it around my forehead, him doing the same.
"Hang onto your seat! I'll show you my specialty!" He grins at the orange haired girl, who remains indifferent. "Examiner Naikiri!"
It begins. We both head for separate work stations before he looks over to me and gives me a big grin and a thumbs up.
I tune everything out, my hands moving at skillfully at the speed of light. Eggs, huh?
I let a small smile of satisfaction cross my face as I know what I'm going to make. The first dish I ever made for Ryuu...with a twist.
I crack eggs and mix them in a bowl, throwing spices to balance each flavor out. I heat up the pan and begin to flip and cook, moving quickly and soundly as I hear Erina and Hasiko conversing off to the side. I can tell by the sounds of chopping and cooking from Yukihira's side, he's doing well as well.
I finish before him, my dish is plated and presented beautifully. Erina comes over and examines the plate.
"An...omelette?!" She exclaims quietly. "I was expecting more...from Ren Hatoshi's daughter."
I gulp at the sound of his name. "Please try it."
She doesn't respond as she hesitantly leans forward and takes hold of a fork. She cuts open the soft cooked egg on the front, and the aromas waft out immediately. The sauce begins to spill out of the spot she cut, and her eyes widen slightly.
"What is...this sauce?" She questions as I smirk softly.
"It's my concoction of citrus juice, soy sauce, and cream cheese." I answer as she hesitantly places the portion in her mouth."
Yukihira's finished, and he's watching from his own work station as he grins at me reassuringly.
The fork's in her mouth, and her eyes are closed. Her cheeks begin to redden.
"You...stuffed dried plums and onions into the omelette as well?" She asks quietly, her cheeks still red.
I nod as her body begins to shake.
Third point of view
Erina Naikiri thought it was delicious. Of course, she had to be professional about it, and she would never admit it.
The smooth, fluffy scrambled egg on the top was perfect with the spinach and baby tomatoes cooked into it, hints of rosemary burst on her tongue as many fantasies swirled through her head. The sauce was creamy and lemony, the dried plums matching evenly and the onions giving it that tang that pushed her over the edge. Each component had balanced each other out beautifully and carefully, a dish she never thought a young girl at her age could pull off.
She clears her throat, setting the fork down before turning to the blonde girl, who was in the midst of tying her wristband off her forehead.
"H-how was it?" Sayuri stutters as Erina smiles once again.
"I never expected anything less from Ren Hatoshi's daughter." In reality, Ren Hatoshi is one of her role models, and she has no idea the cruel and abusive man that really lies underneath.
Sayuri
"You were doubting her awhile ago..." Yukihira's voice sounds as I give him a signal to shut up. He chuckles and raises his hands in surrender.
"It was...exquisite. The way you balanced each flavor out was amazing, and I praise you for it. Well done. You pass."
A smile breaks out into my face as she nods. "We'll be seeing you soon at Totsuki academy."
I skip happily over to Yukihira who highfives me before I hand him the separate plate I had made him while cooking.
"You better not fail." I warn playfully with a smirk as he accepts the plate with a hint of red to his cheeks. He shakes it off and grins before handing me a bowl of his own creation, the final form of it at least, making sure it was out of view of Erina.
"Wasn't planning on it." He throws my words back to me and winks before I offer one last smile before racing out the door, my phone in hand to tell my brother and grandmother the amazing news.
I...I did it! I passed!