A Purpose ¦ Shokugeki no Souma ¦

C11. Shokugeki Challenges

I was right, I do not like today; today is not my day.

Throughout all my morning classes with Hanako, we were partnered up. The teacher had also said that our partners will be our permanent partner from now on in that class, unless a teacher changes it.

And now that it's break, Hanako has been following me around like a puppy.

She acts different towards me now unlike yesterday when we first officially met; Hanako was less snobbier, less demanding, and I think she's taking into account my feelings. What an individual.

"So where will we have our lunch?" And even now, Hanako is still following me to where I'm currently heading to, outside of the school building.

"You'll see," I answered her question very vaguely, not wanting to reveal to her where we were going. I didn't really want to, because I myself don't specifically know where Nao is.

As we exited the school building, I scanned our surroundings to spot another black haired female.

When my eyes landed on a certain sakura tree, I then find the person I was looking for. I gestured Hanako to follow me, and we head towards the very same tree.

"Nao!" Hollering the name of my friend, a smile lit up my face as I approached her. Nao was sitting under the sakura tree, taking shade as she ate her bento.

".. Hello, Momoka, and friend?" Nao's eyes landed on Hanako suspiciously, and I think she was already judging her without even getting to know her.

That's Nao for you.

"Greetings! I'm Ueno Hanako, the cousin of Momoka!" Hanako introduces herself to Nao, bowing in respect. Her act was definitely different from when she met Akira yesterday.

"Oh, she's the one you were with earlier," Nao looked at me as she said that, confirming with me if that was true. I only nod my head, and Nao hums in reply.

I sat down beside Nao, my back leaning against the tree, and Hanako had taken the empty spot next to me, and she ate her bento quietly.

I started eating my bento as well in silence. Nao was usually blabbering about her day by now, ranting about who irritated her and all that, but maybe since Hanako was here she didn't do so.

Nao and I's friendship had grown over the years. And I can't believe it all started because Nao wanted to be friends with Erina; and even now, she was still obsessing about Erina. However, in our second year during middle school, Nao had challenged Hisako to a Shokugeki, thinking that she could finally defeat Hisako because she had defeated me in our cooking battles a number of times. But that resulted in her losing, and staying a good amount of meters away from Erina since then.

"Hey, Momoka, did you hear?" Our silent lunch atmosphere was broken by, of course, Hanako who had asked me a question. It seems like she never shuts her mouth, she always finds something to say even though it's suppose to be silent.

Shaking my head, I answered, "Whatever it is that you are implying, no," I tell her and then used my chopsticks to get a piece of meat and placed it in my mouth, chewing on it.

"I think," suddenly Nao spoke, still chewing a bit of her food, swallowing her food, she resumes, "I think I know what you're talking about. The Shokugeki the transferee student is taking part in?"

Huh? Did I just hear right?

"Yeah, that one," Hanako then agrees, nodding her head at Nao, "It all happened this morning, or so I saw and heard from earlier."

From what is happening to that transfer student, Yukihira Souma, he seems trouble to me. Because, really? A Shokugeki? It's only our second day of our first semester and all that.