Kaoru Yukishima stood in the doorway of the Polar Star Dormitory's kitchen, the morning sun slanting through the windows and painting the room in gold.
The air was thick with the scent of miso soup, rice, and something sweet baking in the oven.
For a moment, he simply watched, taking in the chaos and comfort of the place. It was so different from the cold, clinical kitchens of his past, so different from the lonely silence of his own room. Here, laughter and voices overlapped, and the clatter of pans was a kind of music.
He stepped inside, and the room seemed to pause. Megumi looked up from her cutting board, her face lighting up with a shy smile.
Soma, already elbow-deep in dough, grinned. "Morning, Kaoru! You're just in time. We need a hand with the bread."
Kaoru hesitated, then nodded, rolling up his sleeves. He moved to the counter, his movements precise but tentative.
The others watched him, curiosity and a little wariness in their eyes. He was still the new one, the outsider, the boy with the strange food and the haunted eyes.
But as the morning wore on, something shifted. Kaoru found himself drawn into the rhythm of the kitchen, the give and take of teamwork.
He showed Yuki how to use koji to speed up a miso fermentation, and helped Ryoko adjust the salt in her pickles. He even offered Soma a tip on kneading dough, earning a surprised laugh and a playful shove.
By the time breakfast was ready, the tension had eased. The table was crowded with dishes: rice, soup, pickles, fresh bread, and a small plate of Kaoru's own fermented vegetables.
The others eyed them warily, but Megumi was the first to try, her eyes widening in delight. "It's so good! The flavor is so deep."
Soma followed, nodding in approval. "You've got a real knack for this, Kaoru. We should do a fermentation booth for the Moon Festival."
Kaoru blinked, caught off guard. "The Moon Festival?"
Yuki leaned forward, excitement in her voice. "It's one of the biggest events of the year! Every dorm and club sets up a food stall. It's a huge deal."
Ryoko grinned. "We've been talking about doing something new this year. With your skills, we could really stand out."
Kaoru felt a flicker of pride, quickly smothered by doubt. "I don't know. My food isn't exactly… crowd-pleasing."
Soma clapped him on the back. "That's what makes it interesting! People come to the festival to try new things. Besides, we'll all be working together."
The rest of the day was a blur of planning and preparation. The dorm buzzed with ideas: fermented ramen, miso-glazed skewers, pickled vegetable tempura. Kaoru found himself swept up in the excitement, his usual reserve melting away in the warmth of the group.
That evening, as the sun set and the kitchen quieted, Kaoru lingered at the counter, cleaning up. Megumi joined him, her hands busy with a dish towel. "I'm glad you're here, Kaoru. You make the dorm feel… different. In a good way."
He looked at her, surprised by the sincerity in her voice. "Thank you. I'm still getting used to it."
She smiled, her eyes gentle. "It takes time. But you're one of us now."
Kaoru nodded, a strange warmth blooming in his chest. For the first time in a long while, he felt like he belonged.
As he made his way to his room, he passed Soma in the hallway. Soma grinned, tossing him a bag of flour. "Get some rest. Tomorrow, we start testing recipes. And I want to see what you can do with natto."
Kaoru caught the bag, a smile tugging at his lips. "You're on."
That night, as he lay in bed, Kaoru listened to the sounds of the dorm: laughter drifting from the common room, the distant clatter of dishes, the soft hum of conversation.
He closed his eyes, letting the noise wash over him. It was messy, chaotic, alive. And for the first time, he didn't feel alone.
The Moon Festival was coming, and with it, a chance to prove himself—not just as a chef, but as a friend, a teammate, a part of something bigger than himself. Kaoru drifted off to sleep, dreaming of flavors yet to be discovered, and bonds still ripening.
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Please gimme your power stones tehee.
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