Chapter 6
"Literally, how is it physically possible to mess up so bad?"
"Sayuri-"
"It's a simple process. How does one screw up so badly?"
"Sayuri."
"You don't add oil when you're boiling water, Ryuu!"
"Sayuri!"
"What?"
"At the very least...I didn't burn the house down."
Before I can respond, the other end of the line clicks, signaling the end of the call from my oh so beloved brother.
Rolling my eyes, I set my phone down just as a knock sounds on my door.
"Yo, princess. Open up."
"What did I say about the nickname?" I groan, covering my eyes loosely with my right arm as I stretch out on my bed.
"I'm coming in."
"As you usually do." I mumble sarcastically. "I must have to be naked for you to not just enter my room when you please." He enters with a roll of the eyes before plopping down on my desk chair.
"Actually..."
I chuck a pillow at him. "Pervert."
"Apparently that girl with the God-tongue or whatever? Yeah, apparently she took over a club room in a cooking contest to expand her cooking needs." He lets himself in before helping himself to her desk chair. "Freaky, right?"
I give him a blank stare. "Please tell me the point of what you just said."
"Fine." He sighs, puffing a strand of hair out of his eyes. "I'm bored."
"So bothering me is the next option?" I scowl, flipping over so I'm facing him on my left side.
"Was that your boyfriend on the phone?" He responds, ignoring my question as he begins to fiddle with small knickknacks on my desk.
"Were you listening to my conversation?"
"No. You're just really loud."
I chuck a second pillow at him with spot-on aim as he catches it swiftly, smirking all the while before his eyes find the small picture frame on my desk. He tilts his head slightly. "That your mom?"
All playfulness in the atmosphere before suddenly dropped as I feel the playful annoyance quickly fading from my face, the corners of my mouth suddenly feeling like they've been cemented down.
"Yes." Is all I say, my fingers suddenly becoming very interesting.
"Are your parents divorced?" He questions carefully, noticing the sudden tension.
"No." I pick up the small frame, tracing a finger across the glass that covered the picture. "She died. When I was younger."
Silence engulfs the room for a good view minutes, the lump in my throat only growing as I felt his irises burn into me.
"I'm sorry." He says softly as I quickly clear my throat, blinking away any sign of wetness that formed in the midst of our strangely deep moment.
"So I think I know why you bother me so much." I force a smile onto my face, switching the subject quickly.
"And why's that?" Hatori responds with mock interest.
"Because you like spending time with me."
"You're funny." His deadbeat tone doesn't miss a beat as I giggle, standing up and wrapping my arms around his neck in a playful hug from behind the chair.
"What the hell are you doing?" He pulls at my arms. "Let go!"
"Not until you admit you looooove hanging out with me!"
"Seriously, let go!" He pulls my arm, and suddenly I'm leaning over my desk chair with his face inches from mine, his grip on my forearm suddenly tightening. His hot breath tickles my face.
It's like we freeze in place entirely.
I gulp as his eyes suddenly soften, his hand slowly reaching up to the side of my face-
"Are we interrupting?" A shy voice questions. Both Hatori and I leap away from each other as I grab the calendar on the wall as he grabs a random book lying on my desk.
"N-nope. Just checking if the month's right...haha, September!"
"Sayuri-San...it's November."
"Which is um, why I needed to change it. Duh."
"And Hatori-San...why are you holding the book upside down?"
"I mean...I just wanted to read," he looks at the title as he turns the book the other way only to give me a long blank look before sighing. "Loveless romance at Early Dawn."
His ears turn red as Ryoko clicks her tongue, leaning against the doorframe. "Acting natural isn't your thing."
We both hang our heads simultaneously.
"What's up?" I'm the first to lift my head with a bright smile, attempting to change the subject.
"S-Soma-Kun and I were wondering if you two
wanted to come with us to look at clubs to join." Megumi smiles warmly. "N-not quite sure why Ryoko came."
"You." She points directly at Hatori. "Pretty boy. I need you to help Yoshino and I haul some kitchen supplies to the dorm."
"Wow, that doesn't sound like an order at all." Hatori deadpans before knocking his fist lightly against my forehead. I blink. "Later, your highness."
I palm my forehead once the two exit, raising an eyebrow before looking to Megumi. "What was that all about?"
She blinks a few times at me before releasing a little sigh.
"Oh, Sayuri-Chan."
--
"A food society?" I tilt my head as we walk along the hallway of the school. "What's the point of that exactly? A society that worships food?"
"Baka." Soma rests a hand atop my head as we walk along. "We're just checking some clubs out."
"Don research society! Here it is!" Megumi exclaims brightly as we enter the classroom.
"Don...?" I trail off. I knew what it was, of course...hm. This could be an interesting club to join.
"I apologize," a voice croaks, catching me off guard as I yelp slightly. "The Don RS will soon be...shut down!"
The guy who owned the voice had a strange haircut (if he cuts it at all), and a slight mustache on his upper lip. His facial expression screamed despair as did his posture.
This club...must mean a lot to him.
"You said your names were Takodoro, Yukihira, and...what was your name again?"
"Hatoshi."
His face immediately pales before he falls into a state of sadness.
"A-are you alright?" I question.
"You seem depressed." Soma comments from. beside me. "Senpai?"
"I couldn't even protect Don RS." He laughs miserably. "And now Ren Hatoshi's daughter's here standing before me to see what a complete failure I am."
"N-no! I don't think that way at all!" I say quickly, mustering up a bright smile as Megumi hands Soma the compilation of recipes book. "In fact, I think it's really great you made a club about something your so passionate about. Don is a pretty great choice!"
His eyes immediately light up with stars before he suddenly has his arms wrapped around me. I sweat drop when I feel slight tears falling onto the shoulder of my shirt.
"That-that means so much!"
He's off of me in a second flat as Soma pulls him off swiftly, and I swear I catch a look of annoyance flash across his face before he begins to question.
"All of these Don are interesting!" He exclaims as his facial expression changes to a bright grin. "Why does it have to be shut down?"
"You...YOU UNDERSTAND, YUKIHIRA-SAN!" Kanichi exclaims as he embraces the redhead.
"Let's go check out food societies he said," I blankly share a look with Megumi as Kanichi gets into his rant about Don and all it's glory. "It'll be fun he said."
"If it weren't for that Nakiri Erina!" He suddenly growls.
"Nakiri?" Soma and I share a look.
"It's how she does things." Kanichi continues with a darkened look. "She cuts the budget or tries to reduce the funding for certain clubs and classrooms she doesn't like. She forcibly gets approval until their situation gets worse. It all eventually leads up to a Shokugeki, where her conditions are ensured to make her win. That's how she gains her influence."
He sinks lower in his chair. "But when my fellow club members realized who my opponent was...they went running for the hills."
"What kind of opponent are you facing?"
Megumi questions quietly.
"That is..."
A loud sound from outside makes us all jump a little as construction workers walk in and begin writing layouts and such to completely change the room.
"Destroying it completely and rebuilding it would be much more faster than remodeling." A construction worker nods to a woman with blonde hair and tan skin. She wore clothes that showed...(ahem)...a lot, her bust was pretty much hanging out for all to see.
What really intimidated me though was the cockiness that clearly shone in the irises of her eyes.
"Ikumi Mido! What do you think you're doing?!"
"Just getting a preview." Ikumi smirks. "Since it's clear who the winner is. If you're confident in beating me, however," she leans close to him so he's pressed up against the wall. "That's a different story."
My hands curl up into fists. Bullies really did irritate me to no extent. I remember being picked on when I was younger, and it made me feel like a lesser person. No one should ever have to feel like that.
"The match isn't settled yet!" Kanichi protests.
"Erina-sama already said." Ikumi clicks her tongue. "Don is nothing more than a B-rank dish at best, therefore it's not needed in Totsuki academy."
She smirks cockily as she grabs the front of his shirt and pulls him close to her intimidatingly. "No matter what dish you choose to make, it won't beat my A-grade meat!"
"Is that so?" My voice comes out before I can stop it. I tilt my head slightly, letting my blonde locks fall to the side in an innocent manner before smiling sweetly. "And who might you be to go boasting around like that?"
"You haven't heard of me, little girl?" She drops his shirt to stalk over to me, her face way too close for my liking. "What a surprise. And who are you?"
"Sayuri." I respond blankly. "Sayuri Hatoshi."
"Well I'll be damned!" Her eyes light up. "Erina-sama's told me about you! I was hoping we could get along, Sayuri-Chan." She takes another step closer. "I suppose not, though if you're willing to defend someone as lowly as the Don RS chief. I heard you were about to be accepted just by your father's name."
I'm about to make a sharp retort before Soma pulls me back gently by the shoulder only for his arm to wrap around me. He grins at Ikumi as my cheeks flush slightly in anger.
"I think rejoicing over your ingredients' cost is a disgrace to all chefs out there." He jerks his head to Kanichi. "That Shokugeki. Can you leave it to me?"
Silence ensues the five of us as Ikumi finally arches an eyebrow.
"Outsiders should stay out of this...wait." She stops to look Soma up and down, which strangely struck an irritation cord in me. "You're the one from the opening ceremony. I wanted to try and talk with you..and here you are sticking your nose in others' Shokugeki's." She crosses her arms. "You must have confidence in your skills."
"I'll win either way if it's a meat dish." Soma smirks as I blink in surprise.
"Then if you lose..." another step. "Will you quit Totsuki academy?"
Soma physically stiffens next to me, and his hand on my shoulder momentarily turns clammy before he takes a deep breath, his bangs covering his eyes.
Ikumi smirks. "You shouldn't go talking big-"
"Yeah! That's fine with me!"
Shock is evident on her face as Megumi and I share a surprised look.
"If I win, however, you have to join Don RS!"
"Huh? You actually plan to win against me? Then I guess I'll take the courtesy of picking the theme." She takes one more step, and she's basically nose to nose with the redhead as she tilts her head. "The theme is meat. You must prepare a Don dish. You can have that Hatoshi princess join you in the competition if you want. I'll show you that names won't get you far in this world."
My nails bite into my palms as my lips curl upward in a smirk. "You're on." I shove off Soma's arm to take my own step towards her, my eyes never leaving her fiery ones. "I'll show you that I'm more than a name, and while I'm at it...I'll show you what kind of skills a man like my father has passed on to me."
She blinks in slight surprise before her own smirk takes over her features. "Huh. The kitten bites. I'll be sure to bring a ball of yarn for you to play with next time so you don't get so aggressive."
With that, she turns on her heel and leaves with the construction crew with her.
"H-hatoshi-San, Yukihira-San, why are you helping?" Kanichi questions in bewilderment.
"It would be a shame to let a club like this shut down. Especially to the likes of someone like her." I grin enthusiastically as the adrenaline fades away.
"I can't overlook it when someone says expensive meat is all of what it takes to be a chef." Soma says with a pat on Kanichi's back.
"Sayuri-Chan, Soma-Kun...do you have a chance of winning?"
Me and Soma share a look before I scratch the back of my neck. "It's two against one, right? I have to show her I'm not all bark with no bite."
"I'm thinking about that now." Soma tilts his head in a thoughtful manner before Megumi anime falls.
Soma looks to me. "Three days before this Shokugeki. She said you didn't have to participate if you didn't want to. So are you with me or not?"
I look at his outstretched palm as her words echo in my head before taking his hand.
"Let's do this."