BiTTER (Shokugeki no Souma Fanfic)

30. Senpai and Kouhai.

Eda yawned as he rose from his bed, roused by the noise from outside. It sounded like some kind of fight was breaking out.

He picked up his clock and wondered why it was seven and it didn't ring.

Right, it's Saturday. It's a week into the school's new term, this was right about the time the freshmen trying to join the dorms gave up— five days of being rejected and camping was usually where they threw in the towel and went elsewhere.

He got up, rubbing his eyes as he pulled his windows— before he could close them, though, he caught sight of the commotion.

The newbies were sleeping around the stables and sheds, since it was raining heavily last night. But that unfortunately meant that it was Nakagawa-senpai and Shinomiya that were quarrelling with one of them.

"Don't you think it's ridiculous that that dropout newbie got in so easily, but that dorm mother has refused to even taste my dish?!" the guy snarled, jabbing a finger in Sekimori's direction. Sekimori was working the farm, looking after the new saplings they've planted just a week ago.

"That dropout you're speaking of passed the insanely difficult transfer exam into first year," Nakagawa groused, a basket of eggs in his hand clearly freshly taken from the storage. "Unlike you, who laddered up on the significantly less biased advancement exam. Take your complaints up with the Chef."

The guy didn't like that snarky attitude. "You've got to be kidding! Everyone in class is talking about it— that guy's a grade-repeater! He literally failed last year and came crawling back shamelessly, he's not going to last any longer than the rest of us who actually earned our way in here and intend to graduate!"

Nakagawa sighed. "Him being a grade-repeater just means he actually knows how hard it is to survive up here in the High School division. You, on the other hand, will not last long here with that exclusionist attitude. What next, your specialty cuisine is the superior cuisine? Traditional Japanese cuisine is boring and lackluster?"

"Well, he clearly failed to impress with it last year. Traditionalists like him aren't creative enough to make it through to this academy's standards!"

"Holy shit you're serious."

Up on the window, Eda wondered if he should get comfortable to watch the show. Shinomiya, cradling a basket of fresh vegetables, looked as if he would have hurled a punch already if Nakagawa didn't stand in front of him.

"Oh no, please," Sekimori sounded tired, sarcastic, and yet so very amused— "please don't fight over me, boys."

"Who's fighting over you?!" the two yelled. Nakagawa belatedly adds, "just for that, you're cooking breakfast you little shit!"

"Yes, sir Elite Tenth seat," Sekimori drawled, "how could I ever defy the orders of the esteemed Tenth seat."

"Once you get up here, I'm giving you all my paperwork forever."

"Have mercy," Sekimori chuckled. "So, uh— Kita-kun, were you? I'm sure it must be awkward to hear I'm a grade-repeater... honestly, I don't see why it matters much. I was born in the same year as you, so technically, I just gave up my early start. But if you have any complaints about me, how about we take it up in the kitchen?"

"Huh?" Kita seemed ready to argue, but this seemed like a very good proposition.

It must hurt his pride, to know he worked so hard to get into the school where one failure means the end of your career— only to realize there's a kid in your class who found a loophole to make a mockery of the school's cutthroat culture.