Silver Sakura

Totsuki Training Camp

  "Oh, it's Nikumi!"

  "Yu-Yukihira?!"

  "It's been a while, Nikumi." Soma waved at the girl playing with a strand of her hair.

  "You don't seem nervous at all."

  "Wait, Yukihira! Why are you calling her that nickname?"

  "Huh? But she agreed to it. Right, Nikumi?"

  "Why on Earth would I agree?"

  "See? It makes her happy."

  "She's yelling at you." I rose my brows while sliding my hands into my pockets.

  "Be careful, Yukihira."

  "Huh? Of what?"

  "Good morning, everyone. I will now quickly go over the details of this training camp. We'll be here for five days and six nights." A blond middle-aged man was on stage with a mic. "You will be split up into groups, and for the next few days, you'll tackle various food-related challenges. Any student who falls below the standard set by the instructors will receive a failing grade. You will be returned to the academy, and then you will leave for good." The man explained.

  "Incidentally, we've invited some guest instructors to act as judges for your challenges. Though incredibly busy, they've gathered here for this event: The graduates of Totsuki Academy!" The crowd of students gasped and began to whisper as a group of chefs walked onto the stage.

  "You there." The pink-haired man pointed. "In the ninth row from the front. The young man with the wound on his brow." Soma pointed at himself. "No, sorry. Next to you." The brunette on the other side of the redhead pointed at himself. "Yes, you. You're expelled. You can go. Your hair products have a citrus scent to them. That would mask the scent of your cooking, yes? It's important to look good. If a chef looks frumpy, the food he makes will lose its sultriness. But next time, you should choose an unscented hair oil."

  "Please, wait! I'm expelled? For something like this?!"

  "'Something like this' can be enough to lose customers. Are you out to destroy my restaurant, bastard? That will be all, Mr. Student."

  "Who is that?"

  "Chef Kojiro Shinomiya! He's the first Japanese chef to ever win France's Brousse-Poiret Award! And over there, that's Chef Fuyumi Mizuhara from 'F'! And from sushi restaurant 'Ginza Hinowa,' Head Chef Hitoshi Sekimori!"

  "Amazing! They're all featured in magazines almost every month!"

  "You there, as unassuming as a Dutch clover!"

  "From Auberge 'Tresor,' that's Donato Gotoda!"

  "I may have been born just so I could meet you." The man grabbed Megumi's hands. "Care to talk back at my auberge until the sun rises?"

  "Uh, what? Huh? Huh?"

  "Please let go of those hands, Chef Gotoda." A nice-looking brunette pushed the man back. "I'm sorry. That must have been frightening. By the way, you certainly are cute." She cupped Megumi's cheek. "You look like you'd be a filling meal indeed."

  'Please tell me I'm not just dirty-minded and those two really were hitting on Megumi....' I thought as the two chefs were made to return to the stage.

  "Welcome to Tosuki Resort. All the graduates you see here are chef-owners, masters of their domains. For the six days you're here, we're going to treat you as if you were employees at our restaurants. Do you know what that means? Anyone who doesn't perform to our liking....is fired!" The man with a shaved head dragged his thumb over his throat. "Meaning you're expelled. As you've seen, your teachers have the prerogative to send you home at a moment's notice. I wish you good fighting. Now then, you know your groups.... Get going!"