Two Identities

Chapter 70: The Flavors of Freedom

(3rd Person's POV)

Hours have passed and now it's nighttime, as you and everyone wore the school uniform again, watching the big screen as the battle between Erina and Soma had begun. However, you couldn't keep your mind from being busy with what happened earlier.

*Flashback*

Around sunset, you just left the girls' room once you finished wearing the uniform and were about to make your way back to the others. Turning a corner, you spotted a man in black clothes which made you stop in your tracks, eyes wide as soon as you saw the one white lock of hair between the black ones.

"It's him..." you thought, he was standing alone, seeming to be deep in thoughts. You pondered whether you should ask him or leave him alone with his thoughts.

Letting out a huff, you finally decided to go ahead and ask him. It's not like you've got anything to lose.

You just wanted to know...

"E-Excuse me, Azami-San?" you called, approaching the man who flinched and looked at who called him.

"Yes?".

"Um...I'm Mochiduki (Y/N). Remember, you said you knew my father when you came to our dormitory to see Erina" you recalled.

"Ah, yes. I do remember you. Is there anything you need?" he asked. You fiddled with your fingers nervously, "Well, I have a question that I've been wanting to ask you". Azami raised a brow as he stared down at you.

"Do you know why my dad got...expelled from Totsuki right before he graduated?".

His dark eyes now filled with both shock and fear, he could hear his own heartbeats getting louder in his ears, and he started sweating a little and his hands were trembling slightly.

"I...I..." Azami felt like his tongue was disappearing.

"Please, I just want to know. My dad used to do so well in the academy, and suddenly things went wrong in that final exam! You said that you were partners with him before, weren't you taking that exam with him, too?" you begged, your mixture of purple and brown eyes glimmered with tears as you stared up at the quivering man.

Seeing that he had been cornered like a little rat, he let out a sigh of defeat as there was no escape from the situation he was in.

"I did. And I do know the reason why he got expelled" Azami finally spoke. You stared at him expectantly for him to continue. "During the exam, I noticed that one of the other students was eyeing Hiroshi's cooking. I was confused but I didn't think much of it. Until Hiroshi walked away just for a few seconds to grab an ingredient, when the other student walked behind him, passing by his counter, and dropped something into his pot while the teacher was looking somewhere else".

Silence choked the both of you as you stared with eyes filled with pure shock.

"H-His dish was...sabotaged?" you mused, even inside you were afraid of asking yourself that question.

"No, no, no, Azami-San, please! You must've seen it wrong, are you sure that someone purposely ruined my father's dish?!" you pleaded the man to be wrong.

"I'm afraid so, Mochiduki-Kun" Azami frowned.

"Why would somebody do that to him?!" you asked, desperately. "It was a tough time back then, Totsuki was filled with students who would do anything to get rid of competition. It doesn't matter what year they are, so long as they take down their enemies" Azami clarified.

You already knew about this, the entire environment in Totsuki was like dog eat dog. Everyone is everyone's enemy, the strongest will live and the weakest will die. And sadly, your father was one of the victims of those who chewed him like a pack of wolves and spit him out.