Served - Shokugeki no soma (ON HOLD)

Chapter 2

"Congratulations you are now a second year of junior high at Totsuki Culinary Academy and all those fancy words that I should be saying. Here's your acceptance letter that'll tell you all you need to know. Goodbye for now Kamiko-san"

I bow as Senzaemon walks to his car "Thank you very much Senzaemon-san, I hope we meet again soon."

****

For me it was like a blink of an eye as morning came, Tamotsu has packed everything for me while I was doing paperwork and now he's outside putting everything in the car while I get dressed in the Totsuki uniform which consists of a white blouse, navy blazer, brown plaid skirt and red striped bow or tie and black shoes but I leave the bow off, open the top button on the blouse and put on short heeled boots. I put all my paperwork and laptop in a briefcase and head out, closing the door I hand Tamotsu the briefcase after he opens the car door to look after during the entrance ceremony.

****

I stand off stage waiting for my name to be called to be introduces as the only transfer student this year. Waiting side stage, I listed to the ceremony speeches that puts the scare factor of being expelled in everyone listening.

"And I would like to introduce the only student that passes the transfer entrance exams for second year of junior high; Dōji Kamiko."

Oh yeah, last night I called Senzaemon asking if I could shorten my last name as I didn't want me being here to be questioned if it was because of Onii-chan or because of my talents, I wanted the latter.

Show time. Slowly I walked to the centre of the stage with my chin up and eyes down to stand behind the microphone, bringing my eyes up I look into the audience with a blank face pausing for a bit. Letting them get a good look of my grey eyes, curvy build and long legs as I know they are going to do it during the halls and classes anyway. It's not like I'm cocky or anything it's just I've gotten used to it even though it's still relatively annoying.

"Good morning, my name is Dōji Kamiko. I do hope we can get along." I step to the side and bow slightly as I was taught to as it looks most elegant, who knew etiquette lessons would be useful.

As soon I'm off stage the ceremony is finished and we're off to classes. As its second year of junior high we have alternating days of learning and cooking. So, my schedule is:

Monday – Technique Practicals

Tuesday – International cuisine styles, Culinary theories, Nutrition

Wednesday – Gastronomy Practicals

Thursday –Public health, Management

Friday – Worldly Foods and Cuisine Practicals

And as soon as classes are done we're allowed to attend clubs but compared to the high school the clubs aren't that accomplished and there are no labs in the middle school section of the academy only in the high school section as it takes up the most space.

****

As it's Monday were doing practicals so putting on my chef uniform which consisted of a white Yasmeen chef coat with green buttons and matching white pants and white sneakers the outfit all together was an altered version of what I would usually wear.

I enter the kitchen that was empty of students. Were they really that slow at changing? Walking to a station I pull my hair clip from in between the buttons of the coat which felt odd as I usually have it by my chest, but the coat prevents me from doing that. With the clip I twist my hair into a bun with one hand and leave it in there to keep it in place. And while I was doing that the first people other than myself arrive.

"Good morning, Ka-mi-ko-chan!" I hear from behind me

Turning around I see Alice Nakiri an acquaintance I meet when I was a child and behind her a slender boy with black hair, dark circles under his eyes, a red scarf around his wrist and black and white balls that he switches in his right hand.

"Alice-san, good to see you are well"

"Aww, don't be like that. We're childhood friends!"

"More like acquaintances, how did you know it was me? I look different from when I was five"

"Your aura was the same! Anyway, why is your surname-" I quickly but softly put my left hand on her waist and my right hand holding her face to silence her.

"I wouldn't talk about that if I were you. Its just the way it is." I feel my eyes go slightly blue "Don't mention this again, ok?" I lightly swipe my thumb across her lower lip.

She just stared up into my eyes and nods at my request. When I got that confirmation, I stepped back and look to the boy behind her, though I think Oto-san and Onii-san is more intimidating than what he's trying to be.

"Oh! I forgot." She runs to his side and motions to him with her hand "This is Kurokiba Ryō, call him Ryō like I do, I met him when I left to live in Denmark. Ryō this is Dōji Kamiko call her Kamiko, we meet when we were five, she used to always beat me when it came to cooking."

That's when her innocent façade melted as she walks to stand in front of me with a challenging glare.

"I've grown in my skills and I will not lose to you now. How about it Ryō can judge-"

"Are you bothering Dōji-san, Nakiri-san?" As I was facing the front of the kitchen the whole time it made it look like Alice was bothering me, on the inside I was laughing but on the outside my face was blank.

Alice and Ryō each went to an empty bench top, Alice with a pout and Ryō with a blank face like the whole time I've meet him, but I see his eyes looking at me curiously. Shrugging it off I concentrate on what the Instructor chef was saying.

"Ok, everyone! Today we will be working on the techniques used to make 'de bœuf en croûte' or otherwise known as 'Beef Wellington' you can watch as I make it with you or you can go off on your own and make it yourself. Start cooking!"

We all went to our stations and in the crates on the bench were the ingredients. I set out all the ingredients in a grid, so I can work quickly, it's not how I work normally but I want out of this student kitchen. I look at the ingredients and envision myself preparing them and it was when Alice started to speak up that I started prepping.

"Oi, Kamiko don't tell me. You don't know how to make this? Hahah-"

I lift the knife which made a deadly metal on metal sound which shut her up and instantly prepped all the ingredients. Making the marinade while putting in some secret ingredients, leaving the tenderloin to sit. I am preparing the side of roast potato by placing them in salt water and bringing it to a boil, while it boils I sear the tenderloin and placing it in the oven for 10 minutes with the soft potato's that are now skinned and quartered. Rolling the pastry, I place the tenderloin in and it goes back in the oven while I prepare the roast potato salad. Then I bring out the tenderloin package and slice it and finally plating it with the salad, dressing and sauce. Throughout this process I cleaned up as I was working making my work station spotless.

"Chef I'm done"