A Path Unbound(Updates Monthly) (On Hiatus)

Short Story - Culinary Competence

Disclaimer:

This is short story that is not related to this series "A Path Unbound". This is published for Kiyozune Day! Please note that this is not accurate to classroom of the elite lightnovel lore as well just a fun short story. Thank you and hope you enjoy! 

Another afternoon, another day in Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School-the usual hum of tension hung between academics and social interactions. It was then that Kiyotaka Ayanokoji had been thrown into an act he could never have foreseen-helping Suzune Horikita out with her cooking project for home economics class. It was one of those assignments where they were supposed to cook some meal and then present it before the class-and quite seriously had Horikita taken this. "Are you sure you want my help?" Ayanokoji asked, his thin arm resting on the counter in the kitchen-inscrutable as always.

Horikita saluted him, her cool eyes sparkling behind her lenses, an apron already wrapped around her: "Of course. I just need someone who can follow instructions well. You have experiences, don't you?"

"Experiences? Not exactly. I can follow to the letter, yes." Low, almost amused.

A compact, orderly kitchen: the air thick with the smell of vegetables. As Horikita drew out a cutting board and started to slice carrots, her technique moving through the air, Ayanokoji watched intently, an onlooker of afterimages. Her brow furrowed. It was in such instances as these that he could see this passionate side of her, and then he felt this strange, warming feeling.-END.

Is this okay?" she said, looking at the mound of hacked vegetables. "We really need to make quite a bit for our presentation."

Ayanokoji peered more closely to get a better view of the pile. "It looks good to me, but we can always add more. Presentation's important, but the taste is too."

Horikita nodded, her resolution palpable. "Then let's make it taste good. What do you suggest?

"First, we have to sauté the vegetables and season them. It'll taste better that way," he said, approaching the stove.

Having warmed the pan, Horikita threw in the vegetables which crackled with heat. "It's not about the taste. I want them all to be amazed. We must outdo them."

The edge in her voice didn't elude Ayanokoji; that was proof this was how competing was generally done with her personality. "Why are you concerned with what they think so much?"

She stopped, her eyes retaining a shade of their vulnerability. "I want to show them that I can do things myself. That I am capable of doing so."

He nodded a great deal more understanding than she would have thought. "You already are, Suzune. You don't need their validation."

Horikita's expression softened up for just a moment before being masked with the usual resolution. "For now, let us focus on the dish. Still, there is much to cover.".

They continued cooking, little did he know, and Ayanokoji was finding it much funnier than actually how he thought he would. Teasing and jokes went on, and for the first time, he saw himself just like others with friends: comradeship. The sound of her laughing while they were arguing in the kitchen about the right amount of spices echoed in his mind as he realized just how much he really cherished such moments.

Finally, after an eternity, it was finally done. A beautifully colored stir-fry sprinkled with fresh herbs signaled to the great teamwork involved. Ayanokoji looked at the stir-fry. "Looks good, I think it'll pass this way."

Horikita brightened up, and her smile tugged the corners of her features upward in a rare expression. "We did it together. Thanks, Kiyotaka.

And with this cleanup, this strange sense of pride swelled up inside Ayanokoji. Perhaps this little act of cooking had bridged the gap between them. He finally turned to her then, catching her in that one short-lived moment of weakness.

"Let's do it again sometime," he said, catching himself off guard.

Horikita finally turned toward him, eyes wide with surprise. "You mean it?"

Why not? It's not so bad when you have a good partner, he said with a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

Afternoon sun nosedived below the horizon, the coloring of the kitchen changed along with it. Standing shoulder to shoulder, the bond of Ayanokoji and Horikita grew a little stronger with experiences beyond the reach of their usual rivalries.

An:

Hello guys hadn't been on this series for a while! I have decided for this series to release a chapter monthly as I don't really know what to write about. Today is Kiyozune day so I had to post something. Anyways thanks for reading and have a good day!                                                     - 𝖄𝖚𝖒𝖎

𝓒𝓸𝓶𝓶𝓮𝓷𝓽𝓼?

𝓞𝓹𝓲𝓷𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼?

𝓠𝓾𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼?

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