Flavors of Fusion: Catalina's Culinary Journey

Chapter 28: Block A, Soma's Dish and Catalina's Presence

As Soma confidently served his dish, the atmosphere in Block A grew tense with anticipation. Akira observed Soma closely, noticing a smile forming on his face after tasting the curry.

 Curiosity piqued, Akira couldn't help but wonder what Soma had up his sleeve.

To everyone's surprise, Soma grabbed a spoon and playfully hit the dish, revealing the hidden rice inside, which caused another aroma to explode in the air. Ryoko and Ikumi were impressed by this unexpected twist, while Shigenoshin found Soma's dish to be on par with Akira's in terms of expectation. The judges proceeded with the tasting, their taste buds caught in a whirlwind of flavors.

Makito felt himself on the verge of breaking down as he savored the dish, appreciating how the risotto's viscosity perfectly harmonized with the moisture of the fried eggs. Natsume marveled at the sauce, noting the delightful combination of tastes it created with the risotto. Shigenoshin couldn't help but acknowledge the contrast between Akira's dish, which exploded from an odorless state, and Soma's dish, which induced an explosion of aroma.

It was at this moment that Soma revealed his inspiration, and mentioned his good friend Catalina for the mango inspiration. As Soma's words reached the ears of everyone present, they turned their attention to Catalina. She softly smiled at Soma, her presence gathering the attention of many students, including Ryo, Akira, Isshiki, Eizan, the judges, Erina, Hisako, and the Aldini brothers, as well as the Polar Star Dormitory roommates.

While Zenji and Roland found Soma's method unconventional, considering that adding chutney to curry was typically done only in Japan, they couldn't deny that the result was undeniably delicious. Satoshi noticed how Soma had combined elements from his previous failed dishes, showing growth from his past experiences. Fumio agreed, playfully dubbing Soma as "the ultimate sore loser." Erina overheard their conversation, finally understanding what Soma meant when he mentioned the "experience of failure."

The judges found it challenging to rate Soma's dish, given the greatness of Akira's creation. Shigenoshin acknowledged that both of them fought with their unique styles, exchanging blows in their quest for first place. The audience recognized Soma's talent, but in the end, he scored 93 points, losing to Akira by a mere one point.

Initially relieved, Akira discovered that three of the judges had given Soma 19 points, while only awarding him 18 points. On the other hand, judges Natsume and Makito gave Soma 18 points but granted Akira 20 points. This led to a heated debate between Makito and Shigenoshin about which dish was truly superior. Despite Akira ultimately claiming first place, Roland pondered who would win in a direct confrontation.

Following the intense competition, a celebratory party was held at the Polar Star Dormitory. The Aldini brothers, Alice, Ryo, Akira, and Ikumi were among the guests invited to join the festivities. In a flashback right after the Preliminaries ended, Miyoko Hōjō approached Megumi Tadokoro and apologized, admitting she had misjudged her. She expressed her support for Megumi in the Main Tournament. Yūki Yoshino also congratulated Megumi, recognizing her achievement. As Megumi was called away by the fishermen, Fumio commended Yūki's efforts as well, leading Yūki to shed tears of joy.

Back at the Polar Star Dormitory, the students gathered in Zenji's room, enjoying each other's company. Satoshi welcomed Ikumi, Akira, Alice, Ryo, Takumi, and Isami. However, their attention was drawn to Satoshi's conversation with Catalina, who happened to be present. They couldn't help but notice the chemistry and playful flirting between the two, which left some people feeling both jealous and annoyed.

Amidst the socializing, an interesting revelation surfaced—Catalina had scored the highest in the previous round, surpassing Akira, Soma, and Ryo. Naturally, the others demanded that she cook her dish again so they could taste it for themselves. However, Catalina merely laughed them off, offering a sassy comeback that left everyone amused.

Ryoko then shifted the topic to the mysterious student who had qualified for the Main Tournament, sharing rumors she had heard with Yuki's help. Satoshi, in turn, initiated a discussion about the upcoming Main Tournament, scheduled to take place in two weeks' time. Isami wished his brother, Takumi, the best of luck, vowing to finally defeat Soma and challenge Catalina.

As the socializing continued, Catalina excused herself and stepped out onto the balcony. Akira soon joined her, their conversation starting with questions about her dish as he caught a whiff of leftover spices on her fingertips. In a playful gesture, Akira grabbed Catalina's hand and brought it to his face to smell, causing her to blush and him to smirk. Their conversation shifted to the confrontation with Soma, with Catalina advising Akira to take him seriously, which he assured her he would. The genuine interest Akira showed in Catalina's inspiration ignited a spark within her as she went off on a tangent, passionately discussing all the various influences that had contributed to her unique blend of flavors. Akira found himself captivated by the look on her face as she spoke.

Back inside, as the party continued, Satoshi approached Catalina, expressing his admiration for her cooking style, which he had observed while watching over her and the others in Block B. Their conversation grew more intimate, and Satoshi couldn't help but soften as he looked at Catalina, witnessing her spark reignite. Just then, Yuki entered the room, dragging Shun along, and announced that the second round was about to begin. Soma, with his trademark eagerness, expressed his desire to liven up the party with a dish, although Yuki and Ryoko quickly intervened, urging him to sit down, as they feared he would prepare one of his eccentric creations once again.