First match

"Why is my room again?..we have Cooking Extraordinaire to hang out at and it much better than my room."

Marui questions in a weak voice, but his plea was ignored. Again, his room was filled with people. This time, not just his dormmate but others join in as well.

"This room is so small and stiff!"

Amount them was Alice, who was invited by Lovin and she gladly accepts. Seeing Ikumi, she sits down beside her.

"So...how did you improve so much in such a short time. In the camp, you were...how can I say this without sounding bad..."

She put her finger on her cheek, trying to think out a better way

"The only thing you know how to cook is meat and even that wasn't very good, and you lack class."

"Why you-"

A small irritation grows in her heart, hearing the white hair, Nakiri's word but Ikumi quickly brush that off and answer in honest.

"I guess it from watching Lovin and seeing all those crazy ideas of his."

"Hmmm..." Alice mumble.

Maybe she should give some thought of Lovin's invitation of joining his club, it's not a bad idea if she can raise her cooking like the girl beside her did and help her beat Erina.

"By the way, where is that guy?"

For the past while, since they were in this room, she hasn't seemed Lovin at all. Alice turns to her aide and asks him, "Ryo-kun, have you see Lovin-kun?"

"The bastard said something about bathing in the moonlight."

***

"You'll two will be competing in the first round, Lovin-kun, and Alice-kun."

In an office room, talking to the two first-year was Isshiki. With him are two other members of the Elite ten, Erina, and Eizan.

"Oh, I'll be going up against Lovin-kun, huh? That'll be interesting."

Alice said that with a smile but inside, she was a little uneasy. She might not see it personally on how he cooked, but from what she hears and know so far. She not sure if she could beat Lovin right now.

"So, what is the theme?"

"Bento... finish all the preparation you need today for the match tomorrow."

Heating the theme of the dish, the anxiety in her heart lessens a bit. With bento as the theme, she doesn't think he could come up with something extravagant like the curry she hear he made.

He could make an animal shape rice balls or some other thing like it, but it was within her expectation. For what she knows so far, he cooks like Ryo, not a lot of artisans.

And with her molecular gastronomy, she has just the dish to make her food look beautiful.

"Since we'll be competing, why don't we make it more fun, a Shokugeki. If I win, you'll join my club and if I lose, you can ask anything of me."

When Lovin speaks up, everyone in the room was caught off guard. More so was Erina, as she was instantly on his neck about it but not the Shaokugeki part.

"Why do you want her to join your club?!"

"So we can get to know each other better, of course," Lovin replied casually, not at all bothered by the glare Erian was giving him.

Seeing her cousin's reaction to her join Lovin's club, Alice has some form of an idea on what going on and smirk.

"Alright, if I win, you'll be my boyfriend."

In the past two weeks, she has been thinking of whether to joining Lovin's club or not. If even he didn't ask again, she was going to join anyway. But, with this, she can mess with Erina and don't see the point in refusing.

"W-what do you mean boyfriend!... Do you have a feeling for Lovin-kun?"

"Not telling!"

Alice sticks out her tongue at her cousin and runs out of the room, with the letter running after her.

"Get back here, Alice and answer me!"

With just the three guys left in the room, the 9th Seat of the Elite Ten Council, stare at Lovin, not masking his angry expression.

"Why did you request a Shaokugeki for such a stupid reason?"

Lovin show at him a smirk before walking away, leaving his voice behind, "Because I can."

"I hate that guy" Eizan stated, crushing the paper in his hand.

"Well, it not as we can deny him."

***

[Alright, Everyone! We have a thrilling first round, the two competitors are the winner of their own group in the preliminary.]

In the hall of Heaven and Moon, it was full of people and excitement. In the evaluation table, the judges were already sitting in their seats. Among them was the culinary, demon king himself, Nakiri Senzaemon.

[Our first contestant is Lovin, who receive a perfect score in the preliminary!]

With his name called, Lovin enters the arena and points his finger upward while not much attention the gaining of boos from the student's part of the audience were giving him.

"Right here, in this place. The culinary world will know that I'm their king and their perfect, golden child!"

Lovin's word immediately triggers the students into a burning rage of hate for him.

"I hope you lose, you bastard!"

"Go kill yourself!"

On the other hand, the older part of the audience finds it amusing and what to see if he can back it up.

"That a big word coming from a student"

In the spectator seat, the Polar Star has grouped themselves together. With them, were flags but they weren't waving it or cheering for Lovin.

"You know...he make it really hard to cheer for him," said Royko.

[The next contestant Nakiri Alice, winner of Group B in the preliminary!]

Alice walked to her station, already has all the necessary equipment for molecular gastronomy cooking in place and share some word with her opponent.

"This is exciting. Now, I can personally see for myself and teste if everything I hear about you is real or a lie."

"I wouldn't disappoint you."

When everyone thought, the match can begin, the host girl brings up a surprise announcement.

[Everyone, this is not just any match, but a Shaokugeki! if Nakiri Alice loses, she will join the winner club. And if she will, Lovin will become her boyfriend."

"What?..." Senzaemon, who was leaning on his fist, lost his cool hearing the context of the Shaokueki and almost fall off his chair.

"What kind of reason is that!?"

Hearing the Shaokugeki, which use for a serious match or even life-changing one use for such a childish and idiotic motivation, everyone was stun.