Waifu Wars: A Food Wars Fanfic

Ch. 104 Love and Basketball

Monday Morning, Second Period

Torrey stands alone in the locker room, while the other members of his class wait patiently for him to step foot on the court. The moment he does so, he'll be the center of attention. This is something that he's gotten used to, ever since his very first Shokugeki here at Totsuki.

In a Shokugeki, it's generally the pride of the competing chefs that's at stake, along with whatever the contestants decide to wager. With the rare exception of the Regiment de Cuisine, these battles exist solely as a platform for students to risk it all in order to prove their mettle.

That's exactly what Torrey did against Hojo on Friday night, but he wasn't content to simply defeat her and claim the accolades. Today's battle represents something even more important. Today, Torrey fights...for mankind.

This is the true test, and he knows it. While he laces up his Nike Air Force One Dunk Highs, Torrey takes a few deep breaths to steady his nerves. It should be noted that he bought these shoes just last week, with the hopes of improving his game.

You can do this, he tells himself. Just trust in the hard work you've put in. No more embarrassments. Not for you, and not for any of the other guys who've been shamed for lackluster performances in sports.

The crowd continues to wait, and Torrey enters the bathroom. He turns on a sink, lets it run for a moment, and then splashes the cold water on his face. Just like the waterfall ablutions performed with Saito during samurai training, the purpose of this is to cleanse both mind and body.

Next, he glares into the mirror with the best tough-guy look he can muster. It's so good that he breaks character with a smile. Now he's ready.

The walk from the locker room to the gymnasium is short in distance, but time seems to slow for Torrey as he focuses on what needs to be done. Visualizing success beforehand is an important routine for any athlete. When he finally steps onto the court, he's met with a standing ovation.

"You can do it, Torrey!"

"Last time was just a fluke!"

"Show her who's boss!"

"Whoo-hoo! Kick her ass, Kohai!" yells Rindo, the loudest of the group.

So this is what it's like to play in the NBA, thinks Torrey. Of course, the average NBA crowd had over 17,700 more people in attendance than this game did.

He keeps walking until he reaches center court, where Miyoko Hojo stands opposite of him. The crowd begins to quiet, sensing the importance of this confrontation.

If you asked someone whether they thought that Hojo looked better in the red Cheongsam or her curve-hugging PE uniform, most people would choose the Cheongsam. But Torrey wasn't even thinking about the dress anymore.

"Damn it," says Torrey, shaking his head. Hojo looks concerned.

"What's the matter?" she asks.

"I forgot how good you look in that uniform," he says. Hojo's cheeks turn bright red.

"BOOO!" yells Rindo, standing up in her seat. "T him up, ref!"

Given that most of Totsuki's funding went to cooking facilities and equipment, the gym was really just your average high school gym. The bleachers were close enough to where Torrey and Hojo's exchange could be heard by all of the other students.