Soma: The Phantom Seat (Abandoned)

Chapter 33 Final Week Stagiaire Part 2

After some beeping sounds, Joichiro manages to get the call and says, "Oh, Soma? What's up?"

"What do you mean what's up?" Soma asks. "Where are you right now?"

"Aren't you the one who called me through the phone? And I'm just in New York for my next client. So what's the matter?"

"Did you know that the old gramps made our restaurant one of the Stagiaire places?" Soma asks.

"Is that so? Then this should be easy for you, Soma." Joichiro says.

"It's not!" Soma yells. "We have been doing what those Stagiaires were doing in the past years! What am I supposed to do to leave visible results?"

"Is Soma-kun yelling at his father that much?" Megumi asks the other two girls, who nod with a little wry smile.

After Soma ends the call, Megumi asks, "So Soma-kun, What did your father tell you?"

Soma sighs and says, "He didn't tell me that much, because he is still serving his own customers overseas. I guess we can try to continue our work here in the Stagiaire."

"What do you mean by that?" Megumi asks with a little panic.

"It means, Since have told the customers that we are going to open the restaurant for a week because of our Stagiaire, we still need to do our work for the customers." Soma says. "So Tadokoro, let me teach you some of the restaurant's recipes."

"Sure!" Megumi says with determination as they all go to the kitchen. Aki asks, "So Soma-kun, we want to know about something, are you two dating?"

Soma turns to Aki and Mayumi and he says, "We are, is there something the matter?"

This causes both girls to yell in surprise, and Mayumi can feel her heartbreaking at the news. "No way...Soma-kun...and Tadokoro-chan..."

Aki slaps Mayumi's back and says, "I told you! You should have confessed to Soma-kun fast, or else he would be taken."

"But..." Mayumi says with tears in her eyes.

Megumi turns to Soma and asks, "Is there something the matter?"

Soma sighs and says, "Nothing else. Let's continue."

At the same time, the inspector is watching from the windows, and she says, "Yukihira Soma, Tadokoro Megumi. Headmaster has sent you two here for a specific reason. Now let's see what will you do to pass this Stagiaire."

After several days, Megumi is now working at the same speed as Soma when cooking his family's recipes, Megumi also tries to change the recipe like what she did to Shinomiya's Vegetable Terrine. But Soma doesn't get mad at her for doing so, as he thinks that what matters is that the customers like it, and he also asks Megumi to write down the changed recipes so that Soma and the others can learn in the end.

Megumi also teaches Soma how to cut the Monkfish, while in return, Soma teaches her how to make his mother's specialty: Fried Rice. While they are cooking, a lot of customers that know Soma well start to murmur at the two people.

"They really look like a great couple, don't you think?" "Indeed. They reminded me of Tamako and Joichiro when they were younger, I really missed those days." "Soma-kun really find a nice chef and a nice girlfriend."

As for his childhood friends, Mayumi feels very sad to see that she never gets a chance to be with Soma because of Megumi, but they also try to learn more about each other after school. And they can see why Megumi is the perfect choice for Soma.

The final day has arrived, and both Soma and Megumi are approached by the inspector. The two of them are very nervous as they don't think they have done something for the Stagiaire.