Totsuki Resort, inside the main hall.
Ryoko: "What's going on, I can't reach Hikigaya's phone at all, it's driving me crazy."
Tadokoro Megumi clasped her hands over her chest, almost praying to the charm hanging there: "Nothing bad will happen... He's Hikigaya after all."
Ibusaki: "Panicking won't help. If we don't know what's going on with him, we'll just have to ask students who were in the same class as him."
Yoshino: "That's our only option now. But... how are we supposed to know who was in the same class as Hikigaya?"
Marui: "Good question..."
Ryoko: "Come on, can't you guys be a little more reliable? Think of something already."
Even though she knew worrying wouldn't help, Tadokoro Megumi still poured all her hopes into her charm without hesitation.
Ryoko kept pacing back and forth as if she was waiting for something.
Just then, Hisako walked out of the hall and happened to hear their conversation. The name "Hikigaya" was very familiar to her. After all, when she and Erina went to be his examiners, the things that happened back then were still etched in her mind.
Although Lady Erina had denied his cooking at the time, Hisako herself had tasted it before. So she had some understanding of his skills. No matter what Lady Erina thought, at least she believed Hikigaya wouldn't be defeated by such an exam.
But as for what really happened, no one knew. And since she and Hikigaya weren't that close...
Maybe Lady Erina would want to know.
"Lady Erina! I just heard some news about Hikigaya. They say he hasn't shown up yet, maybe he's been eliminated."
At the mention of "Hikigaya," Erina's body trembled uncontrollably. Then, in the blink of an eye, her face flushed red, even her words became stammered:
"H-he-he... Why are you telling me about him? I-I'm not worried about him at all!"
"Huh? Is it because of his skill?" Hisako tilted her head in confusion, not really understanding. But her question only made Erina even more flustered.
"Of course not! I already knew someone like him would definitely be kicked out of Totsuki. So if he's ended up like this, he brought it on himself."
"Is that so?"
"That's right, exactly!"
Hisako still couldn't understand. His cooking skills were clearly much better than the usual transfer students, but in Erina's eyes, he seemed so pitiful.
Her eyes glanced over and once again, all she saw was Erina standing there with her arms crossed, looking all tsundere, as if she really wasn't worried at all...
Well, maybe she was just overthinking it.
The next moment, the quiet hall was suddenly broken by a student's voice:
"It's bad! That transfer student—Yukinoshita, Hikigaya, and Chef Shinomiya—they've been taken away!"
"Hey, hey, what are you talking about? Who's Hikigaya? What happened?"
That student, panting hard, finally caught his breath and then shouted in excitement:
"Yukinoshita wasn't happy with Chef Shinomiya's expulsion ruling, so she started a Shokugeki!"
Ryoko: "What does that have to do with Hikigaya?!"
Mito: "Yeah, why make such a fuss?"
Yoshino: "That weirdo transfer student actually disagreed with Chef Shinomiya's ruling?"
Marui: "Hey, hey, can you explain more clearly?"
"No, no, no—the question is, who is Hikigaya?!"
"Does our year even have someone like that? I've never heard of him."
"Something feels off. Yukinoshita has never once taken the initiative to start a Shokugeki."
All of a sudden, the whole hall was in chaos. Everyone wanted to hear this shocking gossip right away.
Erina, who had just said she didn't care, instantly turned her eyes toward the speaker. She was completely focused now.
"Ahhhhh, listen, listen! Hikigaya is a transfer student. Because he changed Chef Shinomiya's recipe without permission, he was immediately judged as unqualified and expelled. Just when everyone accepted that result, Yukinoshita—Yukinoshita stood up, rejected Chef Shinomiya's judgment, and challenged him to a Shokugeki!"
Even though he explained it all in one breath, many people still hadn't processed it.
...
"What? What did you just say?!"
"Wait, that ice-cold beauty actually challenged Chef Shinomiya just for that guy named 'Hikigaya'?"
"Hikigaya, who is Hikigaya! That's the only thing I want to know right now!"
"What did I just hear? Damn, my world just exploded!"
"And then? What happened after that?"
"Hey, hey, keep going!"
Ryoko and her group couldn't squeeze in anymore. The crowd was too packed, and the hall was a total mess. Far away, Erina stood frozen in place after hearing those words, looking like she'd lost her senses. Her trembling hands quietly showed what she was really feeling inside.
Hisako: "Lady Erina, are you alright?!"
Erina: "Hahaha, what could possibly be wrong with me? And whatever happened to him has nothing to do with me, right, Hisako?"
Hisako: "That's not quite true. Yukinoshita is still Lady Erina's rival. To keep your spot in the Elite Ten, you'll need to treat her as a serious threat."
Erina hadn't expected Hisako to think the "him" she mentioned was Yukinoshita. She only nodded slightly and didn't say anything more.
The classmate trapped in the crowd could barely talk. Faced with all the questions, he could only shout helplessly:
"I don't know! Later, Chef Dojima Gin showed up, along with Chef Inui, Chef Sekimori, Chef Gotoda, and Chef Mizuhara. They took them away, but where they went, nobody knows."
"Damn, even Dojima Gin had to step in? Who the heck is this Hikigaya?"
"Wait a second, with so many chefs involved… are they really going to hold a Shokugeki? And what gives Yukinoshita the right to challenge Chef Shinomiya in the first place?"
"Oh no, I really want to see that Shokugeki with my own eyes."
...
Takumi looked completely annoyed:
"Hikigaya, don't you dare get expelled before losing to me."
Erina: "Hisako, let's go."
Hisako: "Yes..."
Ryoko: "Now we can only wait for news. I don't know what kind of connection Hikigaya and Yukinoshita have, but the fact that she stepped up to challenge means there's still a chance this can turn around."
Tadokoro: "I'm sure Hikigaya will come back safely. He always surprises us with what he can do."
Marui: "By the way, aren't you curious about what's going on between the two of them? You all know what Yukinoshita's personality is like."
"Curious!" everyone said in unison.
At the same time, inside Dojima Gin's private office, as soon as everyone arrived, he evenly divided the dish Hikigaya had just made among the chefs present.
Dojima Gin: "Give me your most honest feelings. This situation is too unusual, so from this moment on, don't let anything that happens here be spread outside."
The chefs nodded one after another. Under the watchful eyes of Hachiman and Yukinoshita, they directly ate all of the remaining Nine-Vegetable French Terrine.
After just a few chews, Chef Inui broke into a hearty smile:
"Huh? Isn't this delicious? Hikigaya's dish clearly outstanding."
Saying that, she once again turned into a ghost-like presence, lingering beside Shinomiya's ear and nagging:
"Honestly, this level is good enough to pass him, right? Old stubborn Shinomiya-senpai, all talk and no action, narcissist, always putting on a show."
From Hachiman's point of view, it was clear that Shinomiya's expression darkened rapidly. In the next moment, he grabbed Inui's head with one hand and said coldly:
"Hinako, shut your mouth."
"Y-yeah, sorry..."
The remaining chefs also finished their portions and quickly gave the same opinion as Inui.
"It's truly an excellent dish, without any flaws."
"Well, if I had to say something, maybe the plating could be better."
"Even so, it doesn't affect the whole picture. At this level, he's already reached our standards."
Shinomiya's face grew more annoyed as he spread out his hands and said:
"Dojima-senpai, this assignment was supposed to be under my control, wasn't it?"
"Of course, Shinomiya. I have no objections to the test you designed or the evaluation standards. But at the very least, he responded to the situation he was faced with, right? Given that kind of determination, don't you think this matter is still worth reconsidering?"
"I don't think so. Not at all."
Chef Inui raised her hand high, speaking in a rather cute tone: "I think there's room to reconsider. A lot of room."
The other chefs also chimed in at that moment:
"Yeah, if someone who can make a dish like this were eliminated for such a reason, it'd be too much of a waste. I think there's still room to save him."
"Right. I believe if this guy stays at Totsuki and gets some training, he might become something amazing in the future."
"Well, since everyone feels that way, then I… feel the same."
With his arms crossed and a serious face, Dojima Gin spoke calmly:
"Looks like the majority is on this side, Shinomiya."
"You guys!"
Dojima Gin patted Shinomiya's shoulder. As the director of Totsuki Resort, his words naturally carried unquestionable authority here.
"Yukinoshita, for the Shokugeki you initiated against Shinomiya, I'll be the one to oversee it."
"Still, we can't just mess up the training camp schedule. Time is really tight, so why don't we just start right now?"
Yukinoshita's expression didn't change at all. Facing Dojima Gin's suggestion, she only gave a calm nod.
"I'm ready anytime."
Dojima Gin: "Good. Then next, the two of you will face Shinomiya together."
Yukinoshita: "Wait a second. I'm the one who challenged this shokugeki, so why should he take part too?"
Shinomiya: "Hold on, why do I have to compete with you two?"
Hachiman: "No, wait… why is no one asking what I think about this?"
Dojima Gin: "Since this is an unofficial shokugeki, the rules are mine to set."
Shinomiya: "Heh… if that's the case, then I'll go along with your selfish request, Dojima-senpai. Yukinoshita, if you win, I'll cancel this guy's expulsion. But if you lose, remember the terms you brought up."
Yukinoshita: "Bringing this guy along into the match might be a bit troublesome. Still, Shinomiya-senpai, for you to say such arrogant things before the result is even out… I thought I was the only one who had that privilege."
Even though she was facing someone more than ten years older, Yukinoshita showed no fear. Or maybe it was better to say her presence hadn't been shaken from the start. Just by standing there quietly, it felt like she was already saying everything that needed to be said.
Dojima Gin: "I'll give you thirty minutes to rest. After that, you'll go to a private area at the Totsuki resort for the match. Until then, don't meet anyone else and don't send out any messages."
Shinomiya: "Yeah, yeah, I get it. Making such a big fuss over a small shokugeki. I'd rather get this over with quickly, but since you just finished cooking not long ago, I'll let you rest so you don't complain later. Works out for me too—I can grab some sleep."
With everyone watching, Shinomiya left the office first. After saying goodbye to Dojima Gin, Hachiman and Yukinoshita also walked out.
Only the two of them remained in the hallway, and the silence grew heavier.
Just moments ago, Hachiman was already someone marked for expulsion, maybe even on the bus back to Totsuki. But now, because Yukinoshita had stepped in, he suddenly had another chance to face Shinomiya.
Even though she had said more than once that she wasn't doing it for him, only because she couldn't accept the result, Hachiman still felt that in a way, she had helped him. So…
"Thanks." This was the second time he said that today. He never thought he would say it to anyone other than his sister. After all, only friends thank each other. And Hikigaya Hachiman had never had a friend.
Yukinoshita didn't nod or reply. Maybe she didn't want to accept the thanks, so she just walked straight ahead beside Hikigaya.
"Tell me, why did you give me that whole cauliflower? Don't tell me you 'didn't notice it' or something like that."
Faced with her sudden question, Hachiman didn't know how to answer right away. His usual way of dodging questions didn't work on her.
He turned his gaze aside, trying not to meet her eyes.
"If I have to say… I just wanted to follow what I felt was right."
"What a vague answer." Yukinoshita let out a helpless sigh. It was as if she had already expected him to answer like that, so she didn't press any further.
At the same time, Hachiman asked in confusion:
"If that cauliflower wasn't there, would you still have started the shokugeki?"
The moment he asked, Hachiman regretted it. His self-righteousness was probably going to create an awkward mood right away.
Yukinoshita seemed to throw him a scornful glance, making Hachiman lower his head in embarrassment.
"I already said, I didn't go against Shinomiya-senpai's evaluation because of any reason like that. I simply disagreed with the result."
"But still, thank you, Hikipedia."
"At least call me by my real name at this point..."
"Eh? Isn't that what it is?"
"Of course not..."
"Then is it Hikki-kun? Or maybe Hikki-kun-chan?" Yukinoshita pressed a finger against her lips, looking as if she truly couldn't understand.
"You're doing this on purpose, definitely on purpose."
...
Half an hour wasn't that long, but for a chef, it was enough to recover to their best condition. After all, they weren't ordinary people—they had gone through special training.
Hachiman: "Even now, I still can't believe I'd actually be facing off against Shinomiya-senpai one day..."
Yukinoshita: "What I didn't expect was for Chef Dojima Gin to assign a zombie to my side. If you went over there and messed things up, maybe we'd have a chance to win."
Hachiman: "Hey hey, that's harsh. We're on the same team right now, you know."
Yukinoshita: "If Zombie-kun could sleep like Shinomiya-senpai and then rest in peace forever, that'd actually help me a lot."
Hachiman: "Can you not say something that sounds like a death notice but pretend it's out of concern?"
The two of them just walked along, tossing words back and forth. It had only been half an hour, yet the atmosphere already felt better than before.
During that time, they hadn't talked about cooking at all. To be honest, even now, Hachiman still didn't really understand who this girl named Yukinoshita was. Maybe to her, he was the same.
Even so, neither of them tried to pry. With the shokugeki coming soon, it felt more like a simple bit of teamwork than something nerve-racking.
Following Dojima Gin-senpai's directions, they walked down the hallway. At the end, they finally saw a heavy door leading to the basement—this was the underground kitchen of the Totsuki Resort.
It was like a maze. Even though it was just the basement, the place wasn't shabby at all. It had every ingredient and seasoning you could ask for. Once the door was locked, no sound could escape. You could say... this kitchen was built for private duels.
Dojima Gin: "So, you've arrived?"
Chef Inui: "Looks like the show's finally starting! Do you have any idea what these thirty minutes were like for me?! Hikigaya, Yukinoshita, make sure to beat that narcissist to a pulp!"
Shinomiya: "Hinako, if you keep yelling, I'll throw you out."
Just one short sentence, and Chef Inui instantly went silent.
That was some serious pressure.
Not only them—Chef Sekimori, Chef Mizuhara, and Chef Gotoda also appeared as judges.
Since they already knew these chefs would be there, neither Hachiman nor Yukinoshita looked surprised.
Dojima Gin: "As you can see, since Hinako would definitely be biased, only three head chefs will be the judges, while I'll be the referee."
"As for the theme, it's simple: using the leftover vegetables from today's class, make a dish. Of course, the type of dish is up to you. The time limit is two hours. Like I said before, this is a 2v1 match."
"Oh, and there's one more condition. Hikigaya Hachiman, you'll be the one cooking. The recipe and the dish are all up to you. Yukinoshita Yukino, you can only act as an assistant."
Yukinoshita: "Wait a minute, this food duel was my idea. No matter what, it's not right to put all that pressure on him."
Dojima Gin: "Objection denied. I'm the referee, and since this is a two-against-one, there are naturally two-against-one rules. Besides… Yukinoshita, you don't seriously plan on finishing this task all by yourself, do you?"
It seemed like an unexpected problem had come up. Yukinoshita bit her lip tightly, and for the first time, clenched her fists.
Dojima Gin: "Alright then, the Shokugeki begins now!"
With Dojima Gin's announcement, Shinomiya immediately slipped into his rhythm, starting his dish with flair and flash.
Hachiman and Yukinoshita only exchanged a glance before getting to work.
'What should I make? With the theme this open… what kind of dish gives me the best chance of winning?'
'Yukinoshita probably never thought it would come to this. But… there's no backing out anymore. What's on the line isn't just my own expulsion, but Yukinoshita's terms as well. No matter what, we have to win this.'
'If it's a vegetable dish… then it has to be this one…'
Since the early stage was just ingredient prep, the three head chefs casually looked over Hikigaya and Yukinoshita's files.
Chef Sekimori: "Even after what happened, they still dare to challenge Shinomiya? That's gutsy."
Mizuhara: "Something doesn't add up… Dojima, is Hikigaya's file wrong? It says he became a chef just over a month ago?!"
Gotoda: "Seriously? That's gotta be a mistake, right?!"
Dojima Gin chuckled faintly: "No mistake. That's his real record."
Mizuhara: "Impossible! He only just became a chef—how could he possibly beat Shinomiya? No… wait, even making it into Totsuki would already be a once-in-history miracle! This guy…"
"What's his deal?!"
---
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