Kaede Saiba. (Shokugeki no Soma)

Step Five

It was a bit awkward at the dinner table, with half the people there knowing each-other and the other half not. Even their brief afternoon chat could not force the grown ups together as they nervously poked their meals before steeling their nerves and finishing their plates in silence. It was a rather grand meal for Fumio to cook - eighteen dishes with the perfect balance of vegetables and protein, packed with flavour was no easy feat. However, squished between Soma and Megumi's mother - one person sat in silence whilst monotonously slurping on cup noodles. 

Didnt you cook enough? Signed Yuki, waving her arms silently as not to draw attention to herself

 I thought I set down her plate? Signed Ryoko in defence of Fumio

You think or you know? Zenji communicated, quickly catching onto the made up language that the females had made 

I DID! Ryoko puffed, and just as she was about to defend herself - the sound of a chair scraping loudly interrupted the nothingness, Kaede had finished her meal and was going to head to bed.

"A-ah, let me get that for you!" Ryoko said, rising from her own chair and making a grab for the container in her hand. 

"Huh? Oh, dont worry. I got this." Kaede spoke, tucking in her chair before making her way to the kitchen. This piled on even more guilt for Ryoko, who assumed that with all the hustle and bustle that was going on - she must of forgotten to get a portion out for Kaede. However, there wasnt much that Ryoko could do; it was already embarrassing enough that Kaede had to settle for 2 minute noodles, but she had also rejected her attempt to help (even though it was unnecessary for Ryoko to bin an empty noodle cup that wasnt hers).

Sliding back down on her chair, the Koji maker flushed with embarrassment - resigning to poke the vegetables on her plate with a fork as if each stab would ease the tension in the air. Sensing the awkwardness - Kaede patted the girl on the shoulder as she walked out of the room as if to say that she didnt really mind anyways. Cup noodles were fine for her.

Sadly, this just made everyone else feel more awkward as they poked their luxuriously made meals.