Prince Of Cooking

"How!? How did I lose?"

Looking at the large paper with Lovin's name, that her grandfather has written down using a large brush, Alice questions the judges.

Since she was the one who creates it, she knows better anyone how the taste of her bento is and there no way a dish with just rice, vegetables, and some sauce could beat it.

"And you said it yourself, the dish was incomplete so...how?"

She's not the only one who was lost on what happened either, everyone watching was also wondering how Lovin come up as the winner when even the judges who have eaten his dish didn't have a satisfied look on as they did when they finished Alice's bento.

In the private booth, Erina was deep in thought on why Lovin end up as the winner when every sign indicates he was certain to lose.

"Do you know how Lovin-kun win, Erina-sama?"

Hisako's question broke her out of her thoughts and shake her head, "No...his cooking is the one thing I can't figure it out but what bothers me is how his Bibimbap be incomplete when it looks fine to me."

"You have any more of the Bibimbap for Alice?" instead of answering the white hair girl's question first, Senzaemon turns to the winner boy and asked.

"For her, alway" Lovin take the extra bento box with the main dish in it to the girl in question, "Here, I make this just for you."

Everyone quietly watches as Alice mix the rice, vegetable, and sauce together and eat it.

Swallow the food in her mouth, Alice's eyes widen and she froze on her spot, staring at the mixed dish.

"I can't tell...I'm seeing it but...I can't tell the texture of each vegetable."

"What?"

"What she means by that?"

The audience looks around lost and confused, not knowing why she can't differentiate the texture of the vegetables when they can clearly see it.

That was until Senzaemon speaks up to clear out the confusion.

"That's exactly right! If you eat the vegetable one by one, you can recognize its texture but if you eat them together, your tongue can't tell the difference. It is if though eating one vegetable that has the component of many others."

That statement sends shock throughout to all who were listening and watching.

"Then what do you mean when the dish is incomplete?!"

After the crowd calms down somewhat, they ask the other part of the mystery. This time, the older of the judges answer their question.

"When we said incomplete, we didn't suggest the Bibimbap. The dish itself was amazing, what we meant what the combination of vegetables used in the Bibimbap. Its taste was superb, but It seems like it could be better... like it hasn't reached its true form. That's what disappointed it us, we couldn't taste it"

After all the explanations were done, the students watching accept that Lovin has won again and an air of depression fall on them.

But not Alice, she wasn't satisfied and still has a question in her mind and turns to her opponent.

"Okay, I understand I lost this match but Lovin-kun...why did you try to serve an incomplete dish. Are you looking down on me?"

"No" Lovin shakes his head, denying her assumption, "That vegetable combination dish is suited for someone with skill like yours. That dish true form can be completed with molecular gastronomy cooking."

"I see..." Alice smile, pleased with his answer while he turns toward the spectators and continues with his speech.

"I want everyone to not give up hope and show them what they can strive for with that incomplete dish. If they can come close to the level of that dish, then they can truly be proud that they have evolved to a better version of themselves."

"That a lie, you just showing off!"

"You're mocking us, asshole!"

Immediately after he finished, the students start to throw insults at Lovin, not believing a word he said.

"I meant what I said..." Lovin sighs and c.o.c.ks his head toward Alice, "After I get change, I will be going toward Erina to watch the second round. You wanna join us?"

"I think about it."

***

Walking back toward the participant waiting room, Lovin finds Megumi with a tense expression, waiting beside the door.

"Congratulations on winning, Lovin-kun..." she gazes down at the flood, "I wish I can do things like you, but I'm just so nervous about my match."

Usually, Soma would be the one to give the girl a boost of speech, but since he not here at the moment, Lovin will take his place for this moment.

"Don't worry, you'll be alright..." he said, patting her shoulder, "Just fouse on you cooking and nothing else but know that your friends will be watching you and cheering you on."

It seems his little speech work as the girl smile and makes a fist pump.

"Yeah, you're right. Thank you, Lovin-kun!" Megumi said and make her way toward the entrance of the tournament's hall.

[Ok, everyone! We're about to start the second round!"

As the announcement of the next match rang out, Lovin feels his phone vibrate in his pocket.

Turning the phone on, he finds he got a message from the Curry Queen, Sendawara Natsume, saying (Why don't you quit Totuski and be with me, I'll give you anything) along with a picture of herself in a white, one-piece bikini.

***

"So strong!"

They thought the light looking broth wouldn't such powerful flavor, but he moment the judges ate Megumi's ramen, they were struck with strong umami that on pair with the previous ramen.

"Oh, that girl got some skill." Overlooking the match in the private booth, Alice comments, sitting beside Erina.

She came here after her match with Lovin was over, but the guy hasn't shown up yet. He one the one who asked her to come here and the second round is almost over.

Right as she was wondering where he is and as if to answer her, the door to the booth was open and Lovin walk in.

"Sorry, I'm late."

Alice got up and folded her arm, questioning him with a suspicious look, "Late, you two hours late, what were you doing that took you so long?"

"I was thinking about you and lost track of time."

Hearing his answer, Alice goes beet in the face but she quickly shakes the embarrassing thought of her head.

While at the same time, Erina got up and demand his for an answer, "What do you mean by that, don't lie and tell the truth!"

"The winner of this round is Kurokiba Ryo!"

The two girls stop with their questions and pressure on Lovin when the winner of the second match is announced.