Chapter 213: Yukino - Is he finally making a move on me?
During the break after lunch, Hachiman entered Shizuka's office.
Since it was lunchtime, most of the teachers had gone to have their meals, leaving Shizuka alone, enjoying her takeout ramen.
As she noticed someone approaching, Shizuka, who was eating her noodles, lifted her head.
Seeing Hachiman, a hint of panic flashed in her eyes.
Ever since the last time Hachiman kissed her on the rooftop, that image had occasionally flickered in her mind, making her feel uneasy these days.
Being a mature single woman suddenly kissed by her student could indeed leave one feeling disoriented.
"What brings you here today?"
Despite feeling uneasy, Shizuka maintained a calm exterior.
However, Hachiman noticed the subtle signs of her inner turmoil. Seeing her act like nothing happened amused him.
Looking around to ensure there were no others nearby, a mischievous smile appeared on Hachiman's face. He slowly leaned closer.
"Hold on, what are you trying to do?!" Sensing him getting closer, Shizuka panicked, subconsciously throwing a punch.
But Hachiman was prepared. Sensing the wind, he quickly raised his right hand, and with a crisp sound, effortlessly caught her fist.
Holding onto her fist, he pulled her up.
His left hand once again climbed the slender waist of Shizuka as he lowered his head, kissing her lips.
Feeling the warm sensation on her lips once again, Shizuka froze.
But it only lasted a moment. Hachiman released her lips, a slight hint of disdain on his face.
"You're eating garlic ramen, of all things."
Hearing his words, Shizuka snapped back to reality, her face turning red.
"Who said you could kiss me!"
Being kissed and then criticized nearly made her pass out from anger.
"This is the reward I promised to deal with your parents."
Hachiman explained calmly.
"But you already got your reward the last time."
"Who said rewards are a one-time thing?"
This statement left Shizuka in shock. She never expected Hachiman to be so shameless.
"You, you, you..."
"Alright, stop with the 'you, you, you.' I came to you for a different reason this time."
Seeing Hachiman shamelessly deflecting the blame, Shizuka gave up resisting.
"Fine, what do you want, you jerk?"
Unable to beat him in words or actions, she felt quite helpless.
Seeing her resigned expression, Hachiman smiled and explained the purpose of his visit.
"Totsuki Resort? The one at the Totsuki Vacation Village?"
After hearing his words, Shizuka also became interested.
That's Totsuki Resort, where staying for a night costs eighty thousand yen. Even under normal circumstances, she wouldn't be willing to spend so much money on a hotel room.
"No problem, I'll rent a minibus and take them all there."
Since it's not her money being spent, might as well make the most of it.
Let this brat take advantage of me; I'll make him pay this time. Shizuka thought with determination.
Hearing her agreement, Hachiman smiled.
"That's settled then. They'll arrange my leave at Totsuki, and I'll head to Totsuki Resort tomorrow. As for Komachi and the others, I'll leave them in your hands."
"I understand. Hurry off; I don't want to see you right now." Shizuka waved dismissively.
Seeing her reaction, Hachiman didn't mind. He shrugged and left the office.
"Do I really find this kid likable?" Feeling her somewhat abnormal heartbeat, Shizuka muttered to herself.
Even though Hachiman had kissed her forcefully twice, she didn't harbor dislike. On the contrary, there was a hint of secret joy.
Seems like I still have some charm.
Wait, what am I thinking? This brat is too young; there's no possibility between us.
Suppressing the flutter in her heart, Shizuka resumed eating her ramen.
After school, at the Service Club.
Having invited Shizuka, Hachiman's target was now only Yukino.
Opening the clubroom door, a breeze swept through, lifting the girl's waist-length black hair.
"Good afternoon."
Seeing Hachiman, Yukino greeted him calmly. After a month of spending time together, their relationship had grown a bit closer.
"Yeah, good afternoon." Seated, Hachiman nodded as well.
"Yukinoshita, do you have any plans for this week?"
"This week? I don't have anything particular. Why do you ask?" Putting down her reading material, Yukino looked puzzled.
"Well, I was thinking of inviting you to Totsuki Resort this week." Hachiman revealed his intention.
"Inviting me to Totsuki Resort? Has Hikigaya-kun finally decided to make a move on me?" Yukino crossed her arms, feigning fear.
Seeing her act this way, Hachiman was utterly perplexed.
Hey, hey, is being this self-centered okay?
While I do have feelings for you, there's no way I can be so straightforward about it. And why are you holding your chest? You don't even have...
"I..."
Just as he was about to explain, the clubroom door swung open again, and a familiar greeting echoed.
"Yahallo."
It was Yui, and upon seeing Yukino's expression, she looked puzzled.
"Yukinon, what's going on?"
"Nothing much. It's just that Hikigaya-kun has unleashed his wild side and is planning to make a move on me." Yukino said with a serious face, implying a misunderstanding.
Hearing her words, Yui widened her eyes.
"Hikki, what's happening?"
Even though he hadn't confessed to me yet, he's apparently making a move on Yukino.
"Silly Yui, don't believe whatever she says so easily."
Feeling exasperated that this gullible dumpling believed her so readily, Hachiman sighed.
"I'm just inviting Yukinoshita to Totsuki Resort, like I told you this morning."
"Oh, is that so? Hehe..."
Hearing Hachiman's clarification, Yui heaved a sigh of relief, chuckling awkwardly.
"By the way, Yukinon, why don't you come too? It's the Totsuki Resort."
"What's this, Yui? Are you going too?" Yukino looked puzzled.
"Yeah, Hikki invited me, so why not join us, Yukinon?"
"Well..." Yukino hesitated.
"It can be considered as our club activity. I've already asked Hiratsuka-sensei, and she'll take you all there on Saturday," Hachiman added.
"Us?"
"Yeah, I've invited some other friends you've met before, the girls we hung out with at the beach last time," Hachiman explained.
Upon hearing this, the girl agreed without much hesitation.
"Alright, I'll join."
Her sudden agreement caught Hachiman off guard, but it worked out in the end, achieving his goal.
With this, everyone was invited.
The next morning, leaving enough living expenses for Komachi, Hachiman boarded the car sent by Totsuki and headed to the destination.
Totsuki Resort!
Chapter 214: Collision with Graduates
After about an hour of travel, the car came to a slow stop.
Stepping out of the car and looking at the majestic skyscraper in front of him, Hachiman raised an eyebrow.
"You must be Hikigaya-kun, as mentioned by Chief Nakiri."
At that moment, a hearty voice echoed, and Hachiman turned to see a tall man in a suit standing at the hotel entrance.
With a robust physique that even the suit couldn't conceal, his closely-cropped hair revealed distinct contours. Under flame-like eyebrows were piercing, vibrant eyes.
This person was Gin Dojima, the Head Chef and a member of the Board of Directors at Totsuki Resort.
"You must be Dojima-senpai, right?"
Walking up to him, Hachiman smiled and nodded.
"Haha, don't call me 'senpai.' I've heard from Chief Nakiri that your culinary skills are not inferior to mine." Gin Dojima laughed heartily.
However, upon hearing his laughter, Hachiman felt something was off.
Muda! Muda!
Weak, weak.
Kono Dio Da!
The world!
Unfamiliar sounds echoed in Hachiman's ears, but he quickly dismissed them, maintaining his smile.
"Haha, not at all. I don't have the confidence to surpass you, Dojima-senpai."
Dojima naturally caught the undertone of Hachiman's words.
Not confident to win, but also confident not to lose.
If it were the high school days, Dojima would have definitely couldn't resist challenging Hachiman, but now, in his middle age, he has become much more composed.
"Alright, let's get down to business. The other graduates have already arrived, so let's briefly discuss various matters during our stay and training." After saying this, he walked ahead, leading the way.
"Sure." Hachiman nodded and followed behind Dojima.
The two took the express elevator and arrived on the 18th floor.
Guided by Dojima, the host, they entered an elegantly decorated hall. Inside, around two to three dozen people were scattered, some chatting in groups, others meditating. However, without a doubt, each person emitted an aura of competence that students typically lacked.
Evidently, these were the outstanding graduates from various years at Totsuki.
Hearing approaching footsteps, everyone instinctively turned their gaze toward the entrance.
Dojima returned with a young boy around sixteen or seventeen by his side.
This surprised them a bit. Many among them had received early information that for this training, Chief Nakiri had specially invited someone with profound culinary skills as a guest lecturer, in addition to the graduates. However, looking at Hachiman's young face, it was hard to discern advanced culinary skills.
Could it be the type that looks young but is highly skilled?
A thought emerged in the minds of a few graduates.
At this moment, Dojima took the initiative to speak, "This is the guest lecturer for our training, Hikigaya Hachiman."
Upon hearing the introduction, the group of Totsuki graduates exchanged puzzled glances.
However, Hachiman took the initiative to continue.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Hikigaya Hachiman, a second-year student from Sobu High School. I've been invited here by Chief Nakiri because he thinks my cooking skills are passable. I'll be serving as a guest lecturer. I hope to receive guidance and support from all of you in the coming days."
Surprisingly, he was a current high school student and not even from Totsuki.
If it were Totsuki students, they might have been more accepting since they had heard about many of the current Elite Ten members.
For instance, the current first seat of the Elite Ten, Eishi Tsukasa, was known for his outstanding culinary skills, and even these graduates had heard about him. He wouldn't be inferior to them just because he had recently graduated.
Initially, they had speculated that the guest lecturer might be Eishi Tsukasa, the current first seat. However, that speculation was now shattered.
The person who arrived wasn't Eishi Tsukasa, not even a student from Totsuki. Instead, it was a student from another school. Some among them found it hard to accept.
"A high school student as a guest lecturer?" A man with red hair, sharp glasses, and an intimidating gaze spoke up. He didn't hide his disdain as he pushed up his glasses, fixing an oppressive look on Hachiman. "And not even a student from Totsuki? Don't play jokes on us, Dojima-senpai!"
His voice silenced the room. Even though he was the only one speaking, many graduates shared the same sentiments.
"Well, Kojiro, calm down."
Fortunately, at this moment, Dojima intervened to diffuse the awkward situation.
"Hikigaya-kun, let me introduce you. This is Kojiro Shinomiya, the first seat of the 79th generation Elite Ten at Totsuki, and also the head chef at the renowned French restaurant, Shino's, in Paris."
Hearing the introduction, Hachiman nodded in understanding.
Just as he expected, this guy was Kojiro Shinomiya, known for his unpleasant tone and abrasive personality. He was overly obsessed with perfection, demanding that employees follow recipes precisely and not allowing any deviations.
It's precisely because of this reason that, in the original story, Megumi Tadokoro was expelled for secretly altering his recipes, sparking the private battle with Megumi and Soma.
Despite his unpleasant personality, his culinary skills are unquestionable, specializing in French cuisine, particularly excelling in the cooking and handling of vegetables, earning him the nickname "Magician of Légumes."
After being influenced by Megumi and Soma, he later became a mentor to Soma and Megumi, becoming a positive character.
"Hello, Shinomiya-senpai!"
Although he was rebuffed by him, Hachiman still smiled and greeted him.
However, the disagreeable Shinomiya showed no gratitude and continued, "If you really want us to accept you, show us your cooking. Let your skills speak for themselves!"
"Uh, but..." Dojima hesitated and spoke up.
"Dojima-senpai, Kojiro is right. If you want us to be impressed, you have to demonstrate your skills." A tall, handsome blonde man interrupted him.
This man was Donato Gotoda, a graduate from the 80th generation at Totsuki and currently the head chef at the Tesoro hotel.
"I also agree with Kojiro's statement." A stern-faced man with squinted eyes added.
This man was Hitoshi Sekimori, the head chef at Ginza Hinowa Sushi.
"That's right, Dojima-senpai. I share the same opinion. Since Hikigaya-kun was recommended by Chief Nakiri, he must have outstanding culinary skills. After all, cooking is the most direct way to showcase culinary talent, and I believe he won't refuse, right?" With a dignified and charming appearance, Hinako Inui, also known as "The Mist Empress," said with a squinted smile.
"I happen to be a bit hungry now. Why don't we ask Hikigaya-kun to make some dishes to fill our stomachs?" She even touched her small belly, wearing a pitiful expression.
"I'm hungry too," another woman chimed in. Seated with an emotionless expression, she was Fuyumi Mizuhara, also a graduate from the 79th generation, just like Shinomiya.
The other graduates remained silent, their expressions mirroring a shared curiosity about Hachiman's qualifications as a lecturer.
"Well, since that's the case, let's ask Hikigaya-kun to prepare a few dishes. It's a perfect chance for him to showcase his skills. And not just Hikigaya-kun; why don't each of us make two dishes? Consider it a solution for everyone's breakfast," Dojima suggested.
The graduates accepted the proposal without objection.
However, Hachiman couldn't help but roll his eyes discreetly. Despite Dojima's seemingly supportive words earlier, he was convinced that this seemingly righteous guy was the mastermind behind this scenario.
In the original story, it was no different. Kojiro Shinomiya gradually fell into the trap, agreeing to the private Shokugeki with Megumi.
As the saying goes—not only beautiful women cannot be trusted, but also men with honest faces
A friendly face conceals a sinister heart, and that perfectly describes Dojima Gin.
This suits Hachiman's taste, as he isn't one to engage in lengthy conversations. He prefers proving himself through culinary skills in a simple and straightforward manner.
With a decision made, everyone followed Dojima to a spacious kitchen designated for testing students.
"This is one of the kitchens used for assessing students, and the space is more than sufficient."
Hachiman observed the kitchen, appreciating the well-equipped facilities. It truly lived up to the standards of Totsuki Resort.
The kitchen was enormous, easily the size of two or three basketball courts, with all the necessary equipment.
The graduates quickly decided on the dishes they would prepare and began instructing assistants to gather ingredients.
"Dojima-senpai, could you arrange for someone to help me prepare the required ingredients..."
Hachiman, having decided on his dish, approached Dojima and listed all the utensils and ingredients he needed.
"Red snapper, ice, flour, crab roe, eggs..."
Does he also need sashimi and dough?
Hearing Hachiman's requested ingredients, the experienced Dojima immediately guessed the dish he intended to make. Waving to a kitchen assistant, he instructed them to prepare the necessary materials.
Many graduates were now busy at work, and the original kitchen staff efficiently transported ingredients.
Soon, the rhythmic sounds of knives hitting cutting boards and the sizzling noise of ingredients hitting the pan began to intertwine throughout the kitchen.
After about ten minutes, the kitchen assistant responsible for helping Hachiman returned.
This assistant wheeled in a cart carrying a large fish tank, inside of which swam a lively sea bream.
"Oh, Hikigaya-kun, are you making sea bream sashimi?" Seeing the sea bream, Hinako, who had been observing, spoke up.
"That's right. This is one of the dishes I'm preparing." Hachiman smiled but didn't immediately handle the sea bream. Instead, he turned his attention to the dough.
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