Kitchen Prince
by MoonlightKirby9


Chapter 7- Luke and the Strawberry Shortcake


The next day, everyone was looking inside the Class A window.

"Hey. . . that boy over there. That's Kazami-kun!" one of the students said.

Dear Hagio-sensei,

It's a new semester, but I've got trouble already.

"He's the one without any special talents. But, he's still in the special class, right?" one of the other students said.

"He's going to compete against a Cantina pastry chef tomorrow."

"They're doing it at the cafeteria."

"It looks like fun! I'm gonna go watch."

A cooking contest. . . I wonder if I can pull it off.

"This will finally send him back." one of Mike's friends said.

"I can't wait." another one said.

"If you lose, you run back home to Hokkaido." Mike said with an evil grin. "What a relief." Luke only glanced over and scowled at him. He grasped his silver spoon.

I won't run away. I promised myself. I'm going home to Hokkaido with a smile.

Katie stared at him for a bit and thought.

*In the Student Body Room*

"What are you thinking?!" Katie exclaimed.

"What do you mean?" Chloe asked.

"There's no way he can win against a pro! You're okay with him leaving?!"

". . . I see. Sounds to me like you don't want Luke-kun to leave." Chloe said as she smiled.

"What?! No. . ."

"I just want it confirmed." Chloe continued. "Luke-kun's talent. . ."

*The next day in the Cafeteria*

"Wow. . ." Luke exclaimed as he saw the large number of students. "There's. . . so many people."

I'm going to cook in front of all of them? What should I do? I'm starting to get nervous.

Katie just stared at him. 'He's so nervous. . .' she thought to herself. 'But. . . I don't know what to say at times like this. . .'

"Luke-kun." Chloe called out. "Good luck today."

"Chloe-senpai. . ." Luke said as he smiled and blushed and Katie just stared silently.

"Hey, Chloe. Be fair. You should wish me luck too." Mike said.

"Mike. . ."

"I brought a chef over just like you said." he said as he introduced an awfully tall woman wearing an apron and a chef hat. "She's a real rising star. The pastry chef at Cantina. Nakama-san. She won the National Western Confectionary Contest last year."

Contest. . .?

"Hello. . ." Luke said shyly as he shook her hand.

I think I've heard her name before too. I'm challenging this great chef? There's no way I can win. . .

Mike looked over and smirked at Luke. "So, Chloe. What kind of contest is this?" he asked.

"Yes, well. . ." Chloe began to say. "I'll have both chefs make the same thing using the ingredients here. The time limit is two hours. We'll have everyone here try both dishes, and then line up for the one they like better. The person with the longer line wins. This is the menu item." Chloe explained as she took of the lid.

"A strawberry shortcake?" Luke wondered.

"Isn't this. . . Cantina's cake?" Mike asked.

What?

"I asked the owner to make it." Chloe replied. "It's a simple cake, so each cake's taste will be easy to distinguish."

"Using our cake for the contest? Are you sure?" Nakama asked as she chuckled.

"Really." Mike said as he walked over toward Luke. "I bet Chloe wants you gone too."

. . . Chloe-senpai.

"Trust me, Luke-kun."

No, no. I'm going to trust senpai!

Luke took a fork and began eating the cake. "It's so delicious!" Luke said cheerfully. "This is indeed Cantina's cake. I always wanted to eat the whole cake. I'm so happy!"

Mike and Katie stared awkwardly. "Hey idiot! This is no time to be eating!!" Katie yelled.

"But it's good." Luke replied.

"I think he's confused this with an eating contest." Mike said as he laughed. "Nakama-san, let's start."

"Yeah." she replied as she took a bag of flour. "Huh? Japanese flour? On sale, 98 cents? Hey, Cantina uses flour made in France. The milk and eggs, too. These are ones you can buy in any grocery store!"

"What's with all this?!" Mike complained angrily. "There's no way you can get the same taste as Cantina!"

Luke then took the bag from his hands. "Then I'll take it!" he said cheerfully.

"What?!"

"The spongey texture is a mixture of soft flour and hard flour. For eggs, there is one extra yolk. The sugar is granulated sugar, and there's some liquor in the whipped cream." Luke said as he licked some of the frosting.

"Whoa!" one of the students said.

"How can he tell?" another one wondered.

"When Luke-kun is cooking. . . he is completely different." Chloe said as she grinned.

Mike looked over and scowled. 'Why?' he thought to himself. 'I have a professional pastry chef with me. Why is Luke standing out more?'

As Luke finished whisking his eggs, he looked at the clock. "It's already this late? It took me a while to whisk the eggs." he said to himself as he poured the warm water into the sink. "I hope the oven's warmed up."

"Ow!!!" Mike screamed as he held his finger, of course, faking it. ". . . ow. . ."

"Are you okay?" Luke asked.

"It's hot!" Mike replied. "I need to put water on it!!" he said as he shoved Luke into his bowl of eggs on purpose, causing it to tip over and spill. Luke had a devastated look on his face as Mike stuck his tongue out. "Oh, sorry. I was in a panic." he said sarcastically.

M. . . Mike!! There's no way the water was that hot!

Luke looked over at his spilled bowl and stumbled to the floor.

What. . . should I do?

"What's going on?" Katie wondered.

"Luke-kun is acting strange." Chloe said.

I don't have enough time to whisk the eggs. . . I can't win. . . What should I. . .

"What are you doing?!" Katie yelled. "I'll whisk the eggs, so focus on your cake."

Luke just stared in amazement and inspiration as Mike came over. "Hey. . . why are you helping him?!"

"You guys are a team of two. Besides, I'm an amateur." she replied as Mike scowled and watched how the two worked together on the cake.

Katie. . . That's right. I can't focus on winning or losing. I need people to eat my cake first.

Both Mike and Nakama stared at their teamwork as Mike gave him a shaker. "Mike-kun. Not salt, I need sugar." Nakama said as Mike gasped. Luke started to decorate the cake with frosting and strawberries.

I want everyone to eat it. Because I want to hear. . . the magic words that make me happy. That it's good. . .

Luke and Katie smiled as they looked at their finished cake. "Finished!" Luke exclaimed as he wiped his forehead.

"Wow!" one of the students said in amazement of the two cakes.

"They look the same." another one said.

"The taste should be different. Mine will be much better." Mike said as he handed everyone a slice of his cake. Everybody took a bite.

"It's really good!"

"Yeah!"

"The cream melts in my mouth!" the students said as they enjoyed the cake and Mike and Nakama smirked.

"Next, Kazami-kun's cake. . ." one of the students said as they took a piece off with the fork.

"It looks good. . ." another one said as the students took a bite. Every one of them was silent as Katie, Chloe, and Luke switched to worried expressions.

I knew it. . . They don't like it. . .

"Then. . . line up for the one you liked." Chloe said.

I can't cook here anymore. People won't eat my food. Katie. . . Chloe-senpai. . . Never. . .

"Luke-kun." Chloe said as Luke opened his eyes and turned around. He was shocked to see 43 students in his line, while 7 lined up behind Mike.

"What's this?! Why. . ." Mike said angrily.

"Because. . ." one of the girls in Luke's line began to say. "We've eaten Cantina's cake many times. But today's tasted a little different. The sponge on Kazami-kun's cake was softer, and I wanted to eat more. I was so surprised, I couldn't say anything."

"What?!"

"No way. . ." Nakama said as Mike and her took a bite and gasped. "It's the same taste as the owner's cake. Even the amount of oil is perfect. How did you do it with those ingredients?"

". . . I used to do it all the time in Hokkaido." Luke replied as he remembered the girls in the orphanage.

"That looks so good. I want some."

"We can only eat the cake here on birthdays."

". . . Yeah."

I can't buy the one at the store. But maybe if I make one that tastes the same as the store's, then the little ones will be happy. . .

"It's good!"

". . . I see. We lost." Nakama said. "You're amazing."

"Why?! Didn't you make it like usual?!" Mike yelled at her.

"I can't help it. I couldn't adjust with the ingredient changes." she said as she licked some frosting. "And. . . my assistant was too caught up in cheap tactics. You made a mistake here and there." she said as Mike blushed.

"So, do you still think Luke-kun is not fit for the special class?" Chloe asked the students.

"Well. . ." one of the students said. "If a professional chef approves of him. . ."

"Yeah, and the cake was really good." another girl said.

Luke wobbled to the ground, on his knees. "I'm. . . so happy. . ." he said as he wiped a tear of joy from his eyes.

Katie and Chloe exchanged looks, and held out their hands to Luke. "Welcome. . . to Seika Academy." they said as Luke took their hands and helped him up.

Today. . . is probably my real first day here.

And as Luke continued to talk to the sisters, Mike walked away with a worried and angry look.


To be continued