Food Wars: Welcome to Culinary World

Chapter 29: A Friendly Stranger

(2nd Person's POV)

First class of your first day of high school, and it's not going so well already. The feeling of angry gazes stabbing both you and Soma was still around, but this time they were pretty clear for the predators came out of their hiding.

"Good God, it's like they're about to kill us..." you mused, furrowing your brows. Then, you glanced at a blue-haired girl who was standing right next to you and Soma, staring at both of you. She seemed to flinch and started trembling uncontrollably after you looked at her, it made you feel like she just saw a monster or something.

"What's up with her?" you thought with a raised brow.

"Hello, students, please prepare for today's class, so wear your chef attires and return" someone instructed, and everyone walked out and made their way to the changing rooms. You were in the girls' changing room, standing in front of your opened locker as you were taking off your uniform like the other girls do when you heard some whispers.

"That girl's Eguchi Kaya, right?", "That's right. She and that red headed boy are in the same class as us", "Why is she with him, anyway?? Did you hear what they both said at the stage?!", "Who does she think she is?".

Not that you cared for you continued to take off your uniform, revealing erotic looking underwear before grabbing the white chef uniform, and started wearing them. Once everyone was done, they walked out of the changing room, you met Soma on the way, but you were confused for he didn't wear the chef attire. But you shrugged it off for it was none of your business.

"Man, I haven't been to a place that teaches me how to cook since I learned how to at home. The last time I had to cook during a class was Home Economics" Soma spoke while tossing an onion up and down with his hand. You looked at him as you were surprised that you're not the only one.

"You learned cooking at home, too?".

"Yeah! You learned at home, Eguchi?" he asked, as you nodded. "My parents are Totsuki Alumni, so they taught me everything I need to know before I came here" you said, smirking.

"Woah, seriously?! They must be super cool!" the red head beamed; it made you giggle. As you were conversing, the eyes were still glaring at both of you.

"Look at those two...", "Those are the transfer students that talked shit at the opening ceremony", "I can't even believe that Eguchi is actually a chef! She must've bribed someone to let her into this school" you heard the mumbles of the students who seriously has a grudge against you and Soma.

It started to annoy you greatly as you rolled your eyes, but it also concerned you a little bit. Though you didn't care as your family is powerful and can handle things like that. But knowing that those rich snobs can do anything to hurt people, you were mostly worried about Soma.

"Hey, Yukihira-..." you were cut off by him. "Oh, you can just call me Soma" he smiled.

"O-Oh, okay, Soma" you stammered, slightly blushing. "Sorry, what were you about to say?" he asked, your eyes scanned the place a little before getting closer to him, he was a bit taller than you, your lips next to his ear as he slightly leaned down.

"I have a bad feeling about this class, keep your eyes open" you whispered. You both backed away, he seemed genuinely puzzled as he blinked twice while staring at you. When he looked around, he understood the message. But that didn't bother him at all for he smiled at you.

"Ah, don't worry about it!" his attitude radiated positiveness, which was quite infective for you couldn't help but smile as well. You looked around for a while and saw the same blue-haired girl standing alone at her counter. Maybe saying hi to her won't be a bad idea, she didn't seem like a harmful person.

Well, she's basically the only one that isn't glaring daggers at you and Soma. So, you approached her. The girl had her back facing you, so you gently placed your hand on her shoulder.

"Hi, I'm-..." you were cut off by her freaking out and looked at you with teary eyes, she was trembling uncontrollably again which made you sweat drop.

"H-Hey, it's okay! I'm not gonna hurt you or anything! Sorry if I startled you, I just wanna be friendly and say hi" you reassured. The girl then stopped trembling, she soon relaxed and blushed after seeing your smile.

"I-I'm sorry. I-I'm Tadokoro Megumi..." she stuttered.

"Hi, Megumi. Uh, you don't mind me calling you by your first name, right?" you said, totally in love with that gorgeous girl you just met and have no idea about her personality at all.

"N-No, not at all! And I know who you are, you're Eguchi Kaya. Your family own a successful restaurant!" Megumi said, her golden eyes were shimmering.

"That's right! Anyway, are you working alone?" you asked, and she nodded. You kind of felt bad for her, but after looking around, the angry eyes were still there, targeting you, Soma, and probably Megumi as well.

You looked back at Megumi and whispered in her ears, "Be careful, Megumi". She was confused, and before she asks anything, you returned to your counter with Soma. But suddenly she started doing a move of writing something on her hand and shove it in her mouth, it pretty much amused you.

The door slid open, and everyone's attention was directed up front, seeing a strict-looking chef walking in wearing the chef attire as well.

"He must be a professional chef" you mused.

"Good morning, my apprentices. I am Laurent Chappelle" the teacher introduced himself. You slightly grimace after taking a good look at his face.

"Sheesh! He looks like he's never smiled in his life!" you've seen many kinds of teachers who most of them look miserable, and the aura they give off are always intimidating even without saying or doing anything. And Chappelle is indeed one of them, a type of teachers who isn't exactly flexible or mellow, a teacher who is unbendable as a ruler. A teacher who makes everyone in the classroom nervous and frightened, which you took notice as you looked around and the other students were obviously scared of him. What proves your theory even more is the way Megumi was shivering and the expression on her face says it all.

"The moment you step into the kitchen, you are responsible of making delicious food. Regardless of the experience you have. Just keep in mind, any dish that is not an A will certainly be seen as E" he strictly explained. And right he is, for a chef is entirely responsible of making food that tastes good. You weren't sure how 'good' is for Totsuki in order to get an A in cooking, and you were feeling a little anxious about it, even those who have real-life experience such as Soma are not going to have it easy.

"H-He's been known as 'the chef that doesn't smile'!" Megumi said as she was still shivering next to you. Your eyes widened and suddenly grinned excitedly.

"Ooh, shit! I called it! I knew it! He actually looks like he never smiled in his life!" you whisper-shouted, while Soma snorted. Megumi was a freaking mess as she desperately tried to shush you both before the teacher hears you insult or laugh at him.

"E-E-E-Eguchi-San! P-P-Please don't say that out loud!".

-

Chapter End.