"Eh? A 'Shokugeki'?"
Sonoka was immediately taken aback.
"That's right. Let's settle this with a 'Shokugeki' to determine whose intern is superior!" Taki said resolutely, clearly wanting to defeat Hinako.
"Isn't that a bit extreme?" Sonoka hesitated.
"You're too noisy! Just be quiet!" Taki snapped, slapping Sonoka's chest in frustration again. Clearly, her jealousy was showing.
Megumi couldn't help but feel a bit envious herself. She wondered if having a fuller figure might make Sui like her more.
Meanwhile, Sonoka, still reeling from the "attack," looked dazed and defeated, tears welling up in her eyes.
"You're as rough as ever. How did someone like you even become one of the Elite Ten?" Hinako sighed, shaking her head.
"Hmph! Are you afraid?" Taki challenged.
"Of course not! I just don't want my Sui-kun to take part in something like this, right, Sui?" Hinako clung to Sui's arm affectionately, like a protective older sister.
"How gross! You're not trying to make this kid your lover, are you?" Taki showed no mercy, even toward her senpai.
"That's way too harsh! I'll get mad if you keep talking like that, you know!" Hinako pouted angrily, pounding her small pink fists on Taki. Despite her anger, she looked more like an upset puppy, completely harmless.
At that moment, Akira Hayama broke the tension by addressing Sui directly. "I regretted not seeing you in the Autumn Elections. One day, I'll defeat you and Miss Erina to become the top at Totsuki," he declared, driven by his ambition to prove himself, no doubt influenced by Shiomi Jun.
"Well then, you should try hard," Sui replied with a calm smile before turning to the kitchen to continue preparing the next dish.
"Are you avoiding my challenge?" Hayama's expression darkened, taking Sui's indifference as an insult.
Sui paused, turning back to face him. "If that's how you feel, then let me show you the gap between us."
"Wait, what's going on?" Hinako and Taki were caught off guard by the sudden tension between Sui and Hayama.
"Oh, so you're going to have a shokugeki after all?" Taki grinned. "Hayama, show this old woman your strength."
"I'm still in my twenties!" Hinako retorted angrily. "Fine, then! You'll both cook a dish for us, and we'll treat it like an afternoon tea contest. Loser has to get on all fours and bark like a dog!"
"Deal!" Taki agreed. "You'll both cook a dish using the ingredients in the kitchen. No limitations."
"But, isn't this a bad idea?" Sonoka still hesitated.
"Keep quiet!" Taki smacked Sonoka's chest again, ignoring her protests.
"As for the judges, we five will do the honors. Each of us gets a coin. Place the coin on the plate of the dish we like best," Hinako instructed, distributing the coins to Taki, Sonoka, and Ono Kenro.
When she handed the last coin to Megumi, Megumi was surprised. "Is it really okay for me to be a judge? I'm not qualified for that!"
"It's fine, Megumi-chan," Hinako reassured her with a smile.
Meanwhile, Sui and Hayama walked into the kitchen, ready to begin cooking.
The chefs at Kirinoya had full confidence in Sui. To them, it was inevitable that he would one day become Totsuki's top chef. How could he lose to someone like Hayama?
"Miss Taki, I'm afraid you'll lose to our chef this time," Ono Kenro remarked with a smile.
"Hmph! As if I'd lose to that old woman!" Taki was adamant.
Sui, now in the kitchen, began working on his dish. After being entrusted with the responsibility of designing the menu, he had been thinking about what dish to create. Since Kirinoya is a Japanese restaurant, it had to be a dish rooted in Japanese cuisine.
However, after the guidance and support he had received from Hinako and others over the past few days, he had gained a much deeper understanding of Japanese culinary traditions. A concept for his dish was already forming in his mind. This would be a perfect opportunity to test it out.
Time flew by, and an hour later, Megumi was sipping her tea, though she was clearly distracted. She kept glancing toward the kitchen, wondering how Sui was faring. As this was a head-to-head competition, she couldn't simply go in and assist him.
"Don't worry about your little boyfriend. Trust in his abilities," Hinako said lightheartedly, noticing Megumi's nervousness.
"Sui isn't my b-boyfriend!" Megumi blushed, lowering her head.
Finally, Sui and Hayama emerged from the kitchen.
"Great, I'm getting hungry," Hinako said, her eyes lighting up in anticipation.
Everyone perked up when they caught the aroma of the food. It was almost time for tea, and the smells were making them all eager.
"Please try this. It's my seafood-baked egg dish," Hayama presented his creation first.
*
"Spanish cuisine?" Hinako noted, recognizing the dish.
"That's right. Since Taki-senpai's restaurant specializes in Spanish cuisine, I've been learning a lot of relevant techniques during my time there," Hayama explained.
Seafood-baked eggs is a classic Spanish dish. It involves sautéing seafood and vegetables in butter before adding milk and eggs, resulting in a rich and flavorful dish.
"Then we won't hold back," Sonoka said eagerly, grabbing her spoon and taking a bite.