Seat Number Zero

Part 1

92nd Generation
Autumn Election
-Preliminarily Round- Hall B
Theme: Curry

"You all have thirty minutes remaining," Urara announced.

Bam!!!
"What's this, someone has entered the arena."

"Looks like I'm late" The intruder turns around to leave. "Oh well, I suppose I'm disqualified by default"

"I don't think so, Yumi." She stops and looks towards the voice. "...Isshiki"

"I was told that your flight was delayed, so I took the liberty of informing the headmaster." He took out a piece of paper. "He had this personally arranged for you."

It reads. 'Due to an unforetold incident, the student, Yukihira Yumi, will have an additional 30 minutes.'

Murmurs echoed through the hall.

"Yukihira?" Megumi whispered.
"Grandfather?" Alice muttered.
"Extra 30 minutes..."

"Heh really, and none of you elite ten refutes this statement," Yumi asked with a smile that's not really a smile.

"We agreed, on this condition." He placed another piece of paper in her hand.

"Is this a threat?" She asked shoving it in her pocket. Isshiki just smiled.

"The theme is curry right." She threw away her sweater revealing an all black chef uniform. "How much time do I have."

"55 minutes."

"That's plenty of time" she ties up her hair.
Causing her concentration to spiked. (Anime logic, am I right.)

***********

"And now the final dish of the preliminary, made by our latecomer, Yumi."

"No need for the commentary, you 2-faced hostess" Yumi spoke as she lay out the trays in front of the judges. "My food speaks for itself."

They each lift the lid, revealing a bowl of rice and a bowl of jelly substance.

"It's the same as his dish" Hisako exclaimed.

"My family's diner, secret menu: rice seasoning- curry style" Yumi reveals.

• • •

"Are you mocking us!!!"
"Do you know who you are serving" the crowd started rioting.
"I thought you would have decent talent because the headmaster seems to think highly of you. But I see now that you're nothing but a joke."

"You should judge the food by its taste not by its presentation." Yumi coldly glares at them. "Be it serving a king or a dog, I will not tolerate those who speak ill of my cooking without even eating it."

"The rice is still hot, dump that bowl of jelly onto it." They followed her instructions.

"The jelly is melting from the heat."
"Its curry"

"Well duh, that is the theme" she rolled her eyes. "Go on eat it not like it's poisoned"

"What is this—" one of them asked.

"Aren't you guys experienced gourmet eaters shouldn't you be able to just tell?" Yumi questioned causing the judges to become slightly enraged. "Well, I figured you guys ate a lot of spices today and decide to cool you off a little."

Ignores the angry glares she's receiving from the judges she continues.
"Well whatever I borrowed one of Alice's freezing machines"

"I never gave you permission to do that." Alice huffed.

"Yeah, you did two years ago. I won a shokugeki against you. I can use your machines whenever I want."

"Oh, I remember now. But that wasn't an official shokugeki." She complained again causing to Yumi covers her ears.

"Now then honorable judges the score," Urara exclaims. "Incredible, for such a simple looking dish it received a whopping 98 points, a near perfect score."

"What? but they didn't really compliment it."
"They were quiet the entire time."
The audience is filled with doubt.

"Yes, it was a surprise, and I didn't notice it in the beginning but the aftertaste has left me speechless." The rest nodded in agreement. "Her dish is on another level than the ones before."

"What are you guys talking about. The dish wasn't that great. I was on a time crunch and used a recipe I came up with around 4 months ago when I was in India." Yumi let out a sigh. "The ingredients I needed weren't available so I had to improvise on the go."

"Is she insulting us or is she trying to be humble." Alice huffed.
Isshiki let out an amused chuckle.

"Anyway I believed I have fulfilled my end of the bargain am I right, Isshiki," Yumi asked him with a knowing look.