Family business

The school cafeteria buzzed with youthful energy, banners and tables arranged in a colorful jumble as the event setup unfolded. Amidst the cheerful chaos, Asahi and Olivia moved through the bustling scene. Olivia's expressions reflected a hint of sadness while Asahi remained silent.

Olivia couldn't contain her curiosity any longer. She gave Asahi side glances and finally said, "I-I can't help but wonder why Maria chose a different group. I thought we'd be collaborating for sure."

Asahi looked at her, his eyes thoughtful, and replied, "It's natural to feel that way, Olivia. It's a shame, but I feel like our synergy could have brought something truly unique to the event. But don't be so sad about it; let's go see the others."

Olivia nodded in agreement, and they continued to the cafeteria. As they entered, they noticed Alex and Miguel deep in conversation with one another. The other group also noticed their arrival and got up to greet them.

---MC POV---

The conversation inevitably gravitated towards Maria, who had unexpectedly joined another group for the event. I explained what had transpired to them, and I could see that Miguel's and Olivia's faces looked concerned and melancholic.

However, Alex, with a glint of playfulness in his eyes, joined in with a grin. "Perhaps Maria's got some grand plan with her new group. Maybe they're making cakes that bend reality!"

Miguel, his curiosity ignited, chimed in. "You really think so, Alex?"

Alex shrugged with an infectious smile. "Who knows? People do crazy things to stand out."

I leaned against the table as I voiced my thoughts. "Actually, I've been observing Maria quite closely. Her decision seems to be driven by more than just what appears on the surface."

Olivia's attention shifted to me, intrigued by my insight. "What do you mean?"

"I've been watching her interactions," I explained. "There's an intensity to her commitment to the other group. It's as if she's pursuing something beyond just winning the event."

Alex, eager to delve deeper, leaned in. "So, you believe there's a hidden motive?"

I nodded. "I'm convinced Maria is harboring personal motivations. Something that goes beyond the surface."

Miguel, who had been biting his nails nervously, asked, "B-but why not talk to us? Doesn't this mean that Maria doesn't like us no more?"

I approached Miguel and patted his shoulder to reassure him. "Don't worry; I don't think she did this for no reason. I feel that she is focusing too much on this competition for an unknown reason, which we need to discover. And for that, the only way to know is if Maria herself tells us straight away. She wants to win, right? So let's make some competition to challenge her; eventually, she will tell us herself."

Olivia's eyes sparkled with amusement. "In other words, we'll put pressure on Maria throughout the event?"

I straightened up and told them, "Exactly. If we get in the lead of the event, she will genuinely talk with us and express her feelings. After all, we are all friends."

I started walking towards the kitchen, leading the way. "So, let's not lose too much time here; we have a lot of work to do!"

Alex then followed along. "You're right; let's go." While Olivia and Miguel were still feeling quite down, they followed in my direction.

---GENERAL POV---

Amid the lively preparations in the school cafeteria, Asahi, Olivia, Alex, and Miguel gathered around their designated table inside the kitchen, ready to bake the cookie dough. They had enlisted the help of James, one of the cooking staff members, but it was Asahi who was leading them.

Olivia, clutching a bag of ingredients close to her chest, looked around at her friends with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. "Okay, guys, this is it. We're going to make the most amazing cake ever!"

Alex, his eyes wide with anticipation, chimed in. "Yeah, with Asahi's skills and our enthusiasm, there's no way we can fail!"

Miguel, as if remembering something from a distant past, said with enthusiasm, "Yes, he once made an egg and rice dish for breakfast; I forgot the name of that, but it was so good."

Asahi couldn't help but smile at their enthusiasm. "Hahaha, that's called Omurice, bro." He then looked to the other side. "Alright, let's get started. Olivia, can you hand me the ingredients?"

Olivia eagerly handed over the bag, and Asahi began to inspect its contents. "Okay, we have flour, brown and white sugar, eggs, baking soda, butter, chocolate chips, milk chocolate, and some vanilla extract. That's perfect for a basic cake. We'll add some salt, too."

Alex looked at the ingredients with a puzzled expression. "What? Why are we adding salt to a cookie? It will make them salty!"

Asahi, ever the patient teacher, explained, "Relax; salt adds a complex flavor to the cookie dough; otherwise, the cookies would be too sweet, affecting our sales. First, we need to measure the flour and sugar. Olivia, can you help me with that?"

Olivia nodded and took out a measuring cup. She carefully scooped out the flour and sugar, and Asahi showed her how to level it off for precise measurements. Miguel and Alex watched with rapt attention.

With the dry ingredients measured out, Asahi directed Olivia to crack the eggs into a separate bowl. She did so with care, ensuring no shell bits made their way into the mix. Alex and Miguel observed her every move, absorbing the basics of egg-cracking.

Asahi then took a cooking pan and put all the butter in it to melt it all.

James, who was observing the whole process, couldn't help but wonder and asked, "Why are you melting the butter? Won't this make the cookie dough too flat, making them more likely to spread during the baking process?"

Asahi looked at James with a smile. "Don't worry; this is easy to solve, as salt also helps the cookie not break apart; we will add our secret ingredient for that."

After he finished melting the butter, he started mixing the brownish melted butter and sugar together until it turned light and fluffy. He demonstrated the technique, and Olivia, Alex, and Miguel took turns trying it out, their faces lighting up as they saw the transformation.

"Now, let's add the eggs one at a time," Asahi instructed. Olivia, Alex, and Miguel followed his lead, cracking the eggs into the mixture and blending them in. Their confidence grew with each step.

Asahi finally added the flour mixture, salt, baking soda, and vanilla extract, carefully folding everything together. The batter started to take shape, and the scent of vanilla filled the air. It was a team effort, and everyone contributed.

"Great job, everyone," Asahi praised, a proud smile on his face.

With the batter ready, Asahi directed them to pour it into a greased cake pan. James, the cooking staff member, had been observing their progress and couldn't help but be impressed by how well they were doing under Asahi's guidance.

As they placed the cake into the oven, Olivia grinned at her friends. "I can't believe we're actually baking a cake! And it looks amazing!"

Alex added, "Yeah, all thanks to Asahi's guidance!"

Miguel chimed in, "I can't wait to taste it!"

Asahi's face looked more relaxed after the whole process. "Yeah, we made it. You guys are a little better than I thought."

---MC POV---

Even though I was the one who did most of the job " I will be leaving to go to the bathroom, leave in the oven for about 8 to 10 minutes at 160C" "After that, assemble them together and follow Olivia's instructions, Olivia do the package just like we discussed before"

Everyone nodded in agreement, well I might as well go and see Maria to say 'Hello'.

---GENERAL POV---

As the aroma of their baking cake wafted through the bustling cafeteria, Maria's group was immersed in their own preparations for the event. Tables were filled with various ingredients, and the atmosphere was charged with anticipation.

Maria was at the center of the action, taking the lead of the team, meticulously assembling her team's food. Her eyes sparkled with determination.

Just as Maria was overseeing the placement of the final garnishes on a delicate dessert, a hush swept through the room. The reason for this sudden silence was the arrival of the school director, who had come to see Maria with a worried face.

Maria naturally noticed this and said, "Hey, Dad, what happened for you to be here so early? The event hasn't started yet."

The School Director replied, "Well... your uncle is here; he said he wants to talk to you and see the dishes you had prepared." He said it with a concerning face.

Maria trembled for a few seconds after hearing this, but then she steadied herself and said, "O-ok, I will just give my team some pointers, and I will follow along."

The School Director started walking in the direction of his office. "Okay... don't make him wait... you know how he is," he said as he left her behind.

After the School Director left, Maria's face turned even more strained. She began whispering to herself, "Why is he here now? I haven't prepared enough yet... alright, you can do it! Let's just finish this and go see him..."

She tried to cheer herself up and returned to her team's table. After dealing with all the preparations, she made her way to the School Director's Office.

Thinking of her uncle, Romero Fontinelli, a famous chef celebrity from BWC TV, with his well-tailored chef's coat and perfectly coiffed hair, exuded an aura of grandeur. Maria recalled all the painful memories she had with him, and her face reflected her distress. Her uncle was a celebrated figure in the culinary world, known not only for his exceptional skills but also for his fiery temper and exacting standards.

Maria, however, greeted her uncle with mixed emotions. She respected his culinary expertise but dreaded his visits for a different reason altogether. Her relationship with him was complicated, influenced by his abusive behavior and relentless pressure to follow in his footsteps.

They moved to the cafeteria together, where her uncle scrutinized the dishes she had prepared.

"Maria," her uncle barked, his voice cutting through the room like a chef's knife. "Is this the best you can do? These dishes are uninspired, mediocre at best."

Maria fought to maintain her composure. "U-uncle, we've worked hard on these recipes, and we believe in them."

Her uncle's eyes narrowed, his critical gaze sweeping over the dishes. "Belief is not enough, Maria. You need to aim for greatness, for perfection. That's what our family legacy demands."

Maria's teammates exchanged uneasy glances, sympathetic to her plight. They had witnessed her uncle's overbearing attitude, and it was clear that he wasn't here to offer encouragement.

Just when it seemed that Maria might crumble under her uncle's relentless criticism, a voice rang out from the crowd. It was Asahi, who had been observing the situation with a shrewd eye.

"Excuse me, Chef Fontinelli," Asahi began, his tone respectful but unwavering. "While I understand the pursuit of culinary excellence, it's also crucial to nurture creativity and passion in young chefs. Sometimes, the best dishes are born from a place of genuine love for cooking."

Maria's Uncle turned his gaze toward Asahi, his expression a mixture of surprise and irritation. "And who might you be?"

Maria looked dizzy at everything that was taking place. 'WHYYYYYY is he here?!'

Asahi stared at them and started smilling, moving forward to face them.