BiTTER (Shokugeki no Souma Fanfic)

31. Spring Greens and Pinks.

By Monday, Hinako and Donato were officially members of the Polar Star Dormitory. No one in the High School section made it in this year.

"They're all just riding the high of the Polar Star Golden Generation," Fumio huffed, unhappy. "I miss it too, now that Shiomi's gone, but if they just want fame I want nothing to do with them."

"Look on the bright side, Fumio-san," Nakagawa said, "you got this one back."

The 'this one' in address, Sekimori, simply smiled like some kind of dachshund when his name was called.

Fumio sighed. "Yes, yes."

Shiomi had gone on her solo pilgrimage (so she said), starting her dream of travelling out of the country to personally discover spices all across the world.

"And it looks like we'll have a strong upcoming generation too," Sekimori turned toward the kitchen, where the Junior High kids were in charge of breakfast today.

Inui Hinako— she's the daughter of a high-end Japanese Food Conglomerate, but she's the youngest of six children (and the child of a mistress no less) so she was left to fend for herself after being dropped off here. She's got next to no actual experience in the kitchen due to the elitist nature of her household, but she's earnest, calculative and careful. She never takes unnecessary risks.

Then there's Donato Gotouda. The wayward family disappointment of a great Hotel chain in Italy— he apparently flirted with a girl he should have not flirted with, and had to escape the country to lay low for a bit. He's got many years of kitchen experience under his belt so he has proficiency across a large variety of skills, but he tends to rush his dish when too much pressure is suddenly put on him.

"The good thing about them is that they're still in Junior High," Fumio said. "I can be a little more lenient with them— but they're bursting with potential!"

If they were in the High School division, she probably would've sent them back out.

"Dunceda! Stop eating the damn pancakes, we're trying to serve them!" Shinomiya yells, whirling to the other side, "Donato, hands off!"

He earned a unison of eeps.

Eda's unapologetic, though, licking the honey off his fingers after he'd picked up the pancake and tore it in half by hand to share with Donato.

"Christ above, have some table manners!" Shinomiya gasped, "look at Hinako, she's shellshocked by your audacity!"

Donato simply accepted the hand-peeled pancake like an offering.

"How was it, Donato-kun?" Eda ignored Shinomiya, though his eyes lingered on Hinako's deer-in-headlights look from the pan. She'll probably burn the one she's making right now. "I think it's a little bit tough..."

Donato considered his piece deeply, "I think it's fine, but it is a little chewy. What a shame, it was such a beautiful colour too. The honey and butter are marvellous, though! I would gladly eat these as they are!"

"No, Donato, in Tootsuki we aim for greater heights than this," Eda told him. "It's not about being fast or serving more customers. We're in junior high, so we have to focus on making the perfect pancake. Once we're in high school they'll want us to make the perfect pancake a hundred out of a hundred times."

"Oooh, wise words, Eda-senpai! I shall keep it in mind!"

Eda whipped up more pancake batter while Shinomiya lectured a near-tears Hinako through the cooking station. Hinako's too short for the stove, so she's on a step stool.

"Stop yelling at me," Hinako pleaded.

"I will when you finally flip the goddamn pancake right!" Shinomiya doesn't lower his voice at all, "half of them are shaped like my sleep paralysis demons, and the other half is on the floor!"