"Oh, it seems the outcome is clear," Hinako smiled gently as she spoke.
"Hey, Taki-senpai, aren't you going to vote?" Sonoka asked, turning towards Taki.
"Shut up!" Taki growled, a vein bulging on her forehead, before proceeding to aggressively squeeze her own large breasts in frustration.
Sonoka stood by, frozen: "Q_Q"
Both Megumi and Sui looked on, their faces betraying a hint of envy. Though their feelings differed—Megumi envied Sonoka, while Sui was envious of Taki.
Grinding her teeth, Taki hesitated for a moment. Despite her reluctance, she eventually dropped her coin into Sui's bowl. As outstanding as Akira Hayama's dish was, Sui's blend of two cuisines gave a revitalizing twist to the traditional 'Kaki Meshi(oyster and fish rice)', making it a mouth-watering delight.
In contrast, Hayama had only prepared a standard Spanish dish, albeit with masterful use of spices. But it lacked the creativity and flavor combination that Sui's dish offered.
"Well, looks like my Sui-kun wins this round!" Hinako clapped her hands in delight.
"Damn old woman! Don't act so smug!" Taki's forehead pulsed as she shouted in irritation.
"Oh my, you're not even twenty yet and you're always so cranky. At this rate, you'll age faster!" Hinako teased, tilting her head with a playful smile.
Sui couldn't help but feel his heart stir at this. Even though Hinako was twenty-seven or twenty-eight, she still carried the charm and playfulness of a girl. Her youthful innocence made her quite endearing.
Meanwhile, Akira Hayama's expression darkened. Gritting his teeth, he stood silently, feeling the weight of defeat. He never expected to lose to Sui, and by such a large margin—5-0, no less.
It was a harsh reality. When he faced Sōma and Megumi, he had only barely won. Could the gap between him and Sui really be this wide?
The onlookers shared Hayama's disbelief. After all, he was the champion of the Autumn Elections. Even if he lost, no one imagined it would be so one-sided.
Could Sui really be 'that' powerful—so far ahead of his peers?
"Wow, you actually beat the Autumn Elections champion 5-0!" Sonoka exclaimed, looking at Sui in awe. For the first time, she was beginning to truly recognize his strength. Hidden talents like Sui were rare, not just Erina, but now this young man stood out as well.
She realized that Sui's skill level far exceeded his peers—enough to challenge the top chefs at Totsuki. Becoming one of the Elite Ten in his first year was almost unheard of, and those who managed it often went on to become world-renowned chefs.
This filled her with admiration for the handsome kohai standing before her.
"By the way, Sui-kun, when did you become so well-versed in Japanese cuisine?" Megumi asked.
"Oh, I've been studying Japanese cuisine recently, and that's when I came up with this dish. I thought I'd give it a try, though it's still not perfect. There are some areas that need improvement," Sui replied with a modest smile.
"You just started thinking about this dish a few days ago and cooked it for the first time today?" Taki asked, surprised.
"Actually, it was just last night," Sui admitted with a nod.
"You're amazing!" Sonoka gazed at him with awe. Though she was once a second-seat graduate herself, she felt that when she was his age, she wasn't anywhere near his level.
Even Hayama seemed to have accepted Sui's superiority.
"You're much stronger than me, I'll admit that. But I won't give up so easily," he said seriously, looking Sui in the eye.
"Of course," Sui nodded with a smile. "And don't forget the agreement. Now that you lost—"
"Ah, Taki-senpai, it's almost afternoon. We should start preparing for dinner service," Hayama suddenly interrupted, his face turning red as he addressed Taki.
"Huh? Are you trying to run away?" Sui asked, slightly amused.
"Taki-senpai, didn't we run out of mussels last time? We should hurry," Hayama urged, his face flushed with embarrassment.
"Oh, so someone's trying to sneak away," Hinako said with a giggle, covering her mouth to hide her laughter.
"I get it, alright! Woof, woof, woof! Satisfied?" Hayama barked a few times in mock imitation of a dog before fleeing the room in embarrassment.
Megumi laughed quietly to herself. She never imagined that someone as serious and cold as Akira Hayama would one day run away like that.
But as she reflected on how she and Sōma had fought so hard in the Autumn Elections, only to be beaten by Hayama, she now saw Sui defeat him with ease.
The gap between her and Sui was wider than she thought. Determined, Megumi clenched her fists, vowing to work even harder.
"Let's get going. It's almost time to open the restaurant," Taki said, her face still clouded with frustration.
"Huh? But can't we rest for a bit longer?" Sonoka asked timidly.
"'Move it!'" Taki roared, once again squeezing her large chest aggressively in a fit of annoyance.
Sonoka teared up. 'Is having big breasts a sin?' she thought miserably.
"Hinako-senpai, I'll take my leave now," Sonoka said with a polite bow, her eyes filled with regret. Before leaving, she glanced at Sui. This young, handsome kohai had left a lasting impression on her.
With that, the group from Kirinoya prepared to open for business later that day.
"By the way, Sui-kun, I think your dish was fantastic earlier. Could we add it to the menu tomorrow?" Hinako suddenly asked.
Everyone in the room was stunned.
In a high-end restaurant like Kirinoya, adding a new dish to the menu required extensive trial runs, tastings, and approval from all the chefs. This process usually took a month. Yet, Sui had only been at the restaurant for two days, and now his dish was being considered for the official menu.
It was unheard of.
This young man wasn't just talented—he was extraordinary. In just one day, he had earned the title of head chef, and in two days, he was poised to add his own creation to the menu. It wouldn't be long before he ruled Totsuki.
The others thought the same, as they looked at Sui with admiration and respect.