46 Event 46: Memories of the distant past (2)

[2 years ago]

[Tootsuki secondary division]

[Haruta Ichijo age 13 years, two years before the original Haruta disappeared]

[Erina Nakiri age 12 years]

"Uhaaaa" the small silhouette of a young man walking from the high school dormitories could be noticed when he went to class carrying his small bag and a wooden box in his right hand.

He joined the main road where several students of the same age passed, all would have passed when they noticed the black-haired young man on the road, all looked at him with respect and even the students who were in their senior year of high school walked away.

Haruta was the young man who was all marginalized, not because of his blood ethnicities or because of a social class that affected economic gaps, it was all because Haruta was already recognized for his talent in the kitchen, even the teachers postulated him as one of the ten advisers in the future a fact that was not in Haruta's plans.

For Haruta the looks of his companions were already normal, it was the punishment of being better than the others in an insatiable search for the ultimate flavor, a childhood dream but it was what motivated young Haruta to continue in the kitchen.

Within high school, Haruta did not have to appear in the classroom because, in terms of knowledge, he had already finished high school but due to Tootsuki's rules, he could not graduate before the necessary age, that is, when he turned 14 and said school year will end.

Haruta commonly spent the school day in a special kitchen where every week he was a coach for a different teacher who taught him various tricks.

It was well known to teachers that Haruta was a prodigy and that he could learn easily so that they did not bother to go step by step, it only took a week for Haruta to steal the recipes from her teachers and improve them.

The hunger for Haruta's knowledge began before his mother passed away, at the time Haruta was only six years old, Haruta remembered how his mother and father searched for the ultimate flavor for their meals while attending the family restaurant.

When Haruta was eight years old, she had knowledge of her parents' dreams, it was the same year that Haruta's mother became ill and later died without being able to complete her dream.

Haruta's father was devastated and because of this he decided to make Haruta take the entrance exam to Tootsuki where he was instantly admitted, due to Haruta's father's work plans they could not be seen for a time and therefore Haruta decided to live in the Tootsuki's bedroom.

In elementary and high school many students live in the school dormitories so it is normal.

Haruta's mother's dream now Haruta's dream, a way to remember her.

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In a small traditional Japanese-style room stood a small coffee table to one side stood Tootsuki director Senzaemon Nakiri, a tall, elderly man with a fully muscular body.

"It is a waste that the son of Riko Ebisawa and Yoichi Ichijo does not want to be a member of the ten councilors" the director snorted in annoyance as he raised a cup full of green tea that was in the center of the table.

"I regret that director, but in addition to fulfilling my mother's dream I have no more intention of following in his footsteps" on the other side Haruta was sitting on his knees as was usual for him during his talks with the director.

"The son of the fourth place of the seventieth generation and of the sixth place of the sixty-ninth generation does not want to take his place in the future ....." without paying attention to Haruta's words, the director kept mumbling to the air.

Haruta was still sitting in front of the director with the same expression "But well I suppose it is not of much importance after all I heard that we already have other applicants, Tsukasa Eishi senpai, Rindo Kobayashi senpai, Tōsuke Megishima senpai, Momo Akanegakubo senpai and Sōmei Saitō senpai, for any of them taking a position will be a piece of cake after all they have unusual abilities "Haruta said without changing his expression

The director let out an approving smile "I see that in addition to winning kitchen duels you were doing a little research on your senpais," said the director.

"Well if I had to list other candidates I could say that in my generation there are also talents such as Kuga Terunori, Satoshi Isshiki, Etsuya Eizan and Nene Kinokuni, they all have a lot of skills with Kuga being the most outstanding of the group" Haruta listed all the candidates he had in mind as the director counted them using his fingers.

"Coincidentally you named nine members, it takes one to finish the group" the director let out a phrase full of relief "It is good that you keep counting yourself in the group, it will not be difficult for you to get first place ..." laughed the director .

Haruta said nothing just limiting himself with a weary sigh "Unfortunately I have no intention of being a counselor, it is too much work for a person like me" Haruta said, finishing drinking his green tea.

The director kept looking at Haruta like he was examining this "what do you think of doing a shokugeki so we can decide our problem?"

"I don't want to" replied Haruta without problems

"that because?!" exclaimed the director, rising from his seat.

"I don't feel like responding to any duel this week, I already made my quota" said Haruta normally

"But today is only Tuesday ..." the director murmured with a smile on his face imagining all the battles that Haruta carried out in two days.

"In the rest of the week I will be practicing with the teacher assigned to me, I will learn everything about Indian food" said Haruta happily as he imagined everything he would learn.

The director couldn't help but look at Haruta with a certain pity in his eyes after all he was equal to his mother in character and his father in terms of laziness "Sigh ..." sighed the director "I wanted you to have a duel against my granddaughter ... "said the director, drawing Haruta's attention quickly.

"A duel against a member of the Nakiri family?" Haruta asked, remembering how the third place of her parents' generation was called Nakiri after marrying one of the director's daughters "Is she the daughter of Nakamura senpai?" Haruta asked

"Yes," replied the director, watching Haruta's eyes fill with a strange light

"I accept the duel, I always wanted to face a member of the Nakiri family" Haruta said getting up from his seat and leaving the room without saying goodbye.

A black-haired man in a full suit approached from a side door "Senzaemon-dono are you sure you should just let him go like this?" asked the man with a tone full of respect towards the director

"Are you blind?" asked the director calling his assistant's attention "Didn't you see his eyes? His eyes have more fire and light than Saiba Joichiro himself in his time as second counselor" said the director with a rejoicing smile looking at the door through which Haruta was out.