Chapter 7

A boy with medium length red hair and golden eyes walked out of the airport with a small smile on his face.

'I guess it's finally time.' Soran thought as he walked to the parking area outside the airport. He didn't look too long before he found who he was looking for.

In all his lazy glory, his father Joichiro stood beside a grey car, obviously expecting his arrival. With a small shake of his head, he walked towards the man.

"So you actually came." The man said with a laugh as Soran sighed.

"You're saying that as if I have a choice, old man. You said it was important." He retorted as the man ruffled his already messy hair, causing him to frown briefly.

"Yeah, that's right. Get in the car. I'll tell you on the way home." Joichiro said as he got into the grey car which Soran realized was a taxi, gesturing for Soran to do so as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Totsuki…' Just like he had guessed, Joichiro had called him back to Japan to attend Totsuki along with Soma for the next three or so years.

After his first victory against Soma six months ago, he had begun making other preparations and plans that he had neglected at the time.

One of the problems that had been overlooked in the series was the money aspect. There many situations where Soma's lack of adequate money had limited his choice in cooking and testing out a dish.

It was more of Joichiro not giving Soma enough money than anything else. Remembering that, he had picked up online stock marketing with the pocket money he was given. In brutal honesty, he knew nothing about it. It was only after the first month that he actually started profit.

Of course, this didn't take away from his cooking time. He had in fact become even more obsessed with cooking after beating Soma. With [Cooking] at a decent level at the time, it became even harder to level up but he didn't shy away from the work.

Soma didn't take the defeat lying down to which he declared another match against Soran the very next day. It had continued on like that until Soran finally gathered enough money to travel.

While he wasn't rich, he good enough to live decently if not a bit comfortably. With his stock trading providing him with decent income, he was able get himself a cheap ticket to America.

It wasn't more of a need to explore cooking as a whole than leveling up the skill that caused him to make that move. With Joichiro being laidback about parenting, it wasn't hard to convince him seeing as how the man himself was in agreement with his idea.

Soran had of course offered his twin the chance to join him but he refused. Soma was still hung up on taking over the diner which while it was a respectable goal, was too small in Joichiro's opinion.

Soran had only spent two months in America before Joichiro called him back for some 'important business' that couldn't be handled on the phone.

Soran kept himself up to date about anything related to Totsuki online so he had already figured out what his father wanted.

"You know you could have just told me that before I got here." Soran said, causing the man to chuckle.

"It wouldn't have changed anything, would it?" The man asked as Soran scoffed.

'You wanted me here before you told me so I wouldn't have a chance to decline. Jokes on you, I already planned on going to Totsuki.' Soran thought as the cab neared the diner.

Parking close by, the two got out of the car, Soran rolling out his box as the car drove off. They were met with the sight of Soma sitting on a ladder while cleaning the Yukihira sign which seemed to have been stained by some liquid substances.

"Dad? Soran, you're back!" The boy called out from the top of the ladder.

"Yeah, though the trip back was boring." Soran answered with a small smile.

"Looks like something happened while I was gone." Joichiro commented, seeing the dirty sign.

"Nothing important. I just had a rude customer." Soma answered as he went back to cleaning the sign.

"Soma…" Joichiro started, getting the boy's attention.

"For two or three years, I'll be closing the restaurant." Joichiro said, shocking Soma to the point that he fell off the ladder with a loud crash.

"Eh!?"

"Yeah, you know…I'll have to apologize to our regulars." Joichiro said as he entered the diner, ignoring Soma's reaction.

"Apologize to your son first!" Soma complained before turning to Soran.

"You're okay with this!?" He asked in shock, causing Soran to raise his hands with a helpless sigh.

"There's really nothing I can do to change his mind." He said helplessly and exasperated that Joichiro had waited till now to tell Soma.

"An old friend of mind suggested working together." Joichiro said as Soma followed him inside.

"Wha-" Soma was lost for words, still trying to comprehend the situation.

"I'll be living with them for a while, so I won't be back here." The man said nonchalantly.

"But you can't just…" Soma struggled to find his words, looking up to Joichiro.

"Hey Dad!" He called out but it was ignored.

"As soon as I get my stuff together, I'm leaving."

"Wait!" His words were ignored once again, causing Soran to sigh at the scene.

"I'll send you some money to live on."

"I said wait!" He said, Joichiro finally pausing.

"I always…want this restaurant to..." He struggled to say, his voice almost pleading. The emotion in his voice was clear to any who heard it.

Joichiro turned back to face him, walking forward. Upon reaching him, he raised his hand to ruffle his hair, taking the boy aback.

"It's time for you to go, Soma. Go figure out what you've got. I signed you both up for the transfer exam at a cooking school." Joichiro announced, only raising the boy's confusion and frustration.

"Cooking school? Why do we have to go to a school like this?" He asked, looking at the paper that his father now handed over to him.

"It's perfect timing, isn't it? I'm closing the restaurant and you can earn credits for a high school there. Just go and study for three years." Joichiro explained. He had already spoken to Soran about it on their way here.

Soma looked ready to argue but Soran next words shut him up.

"What he's neglecting tell you is that it's Japan's best culinary school with a graduation rate of less than 10%." Soran said, Soma's eyes widening in shock.

"You're exaggerating, right?" He asked but the gleam in his brother's eyes said otherwise.

"It's the elite of the elite. I promise you won't get bored there." Soran said with a smirk.

He had many plans for his time in Totsuki. He had spent his time honing his skills to the best he could.

'I'll accept nothing less than the top spot in Totsuki. Tsukasa Eishi…I wonder how I'll fare against him.' He thought, looking at his skills list.

••••••••••••••

[Name: Yukihira Soran]

[HP:100%/100%]

[Skills]:

[Gastronomy][39/50]

[Physical Conditioning][20/50]

[Knife Work][35/50]

[Cooking][34/50]

[Tap to Expand]

[Spice Mastery][28/50]

[Hyperosmia][24/50]

[Appraisal][N/A]

[Waiter][15/50]

[Business Marketing][21/50]

[Wild Dressing][18/50]

••••••••••••••

'This is going to be fun.'