Kinokuni: "I thought you were going to keep hiding."
Yukinoshita: "If I could, I wouldn't want to be in a match like this, but... since he has a goal to chase, I don't have any objections. After all, I'm not who I used to be."
Kinokuni looked at Hikigaya. It had to be said that after witnessing those four straight wins, Hikigaya Hachiman's strength had been proven once again. But... perhaps because of age and experience, Kinokuni didn't think he could beat Haruno. After all, Haruno had achieved what he was achieving many years ago.
Kinokuni: "You should know that your sister came to this competition for you, and your mother is watching this competition too. What does it mean to you?"
No matter how much she denied it, this was a reality she couldn't escape. Whether it was her mother or her older sister, they were waiting for her to appear. Yet, she had been unable to face them because she couldn't get over her inner conflict.
However, since Haruno was determined to have a match with her, she had no reason to back down. Now, all she had to do was defeat the opponent in front of her, so that she could face her sister.
Yukinoshita: "That means I have to win against you."
Kinokuni: "With your strength, it's not hard. Actually, if we hadn't drawn the soba noodle theme, I wouldn't have been able to beat Erina. I must say, your skills are far beyond my expectations."
"But even so, I'm not planning to let you pass so easily. If you want to have a duel with your sister, why not earn it yourself? How about it?"
The two girls' eyes met in the air, and even the atmosphere became heavy. As Kinokuni casually drew a piece of paper, the theme of this match would be announced at this moment.
[Coffee Beans]
When it comes to cooking with coffee beans, there are very few dishes to choose from on the market, because coffee beans are generally used to make coffee, which obviously makes this competition difficult.
However, the current Yukino is not the Yukino of the past who only knew how to imitate her sister's cooking. If she had been losing herself in the past, simply chasing after her sister without realizing it, then now... after spending time with Hachiman, she had a new definition of her own self.
No need to chase anyone, just be yourself.
Use what you have learned to make a dish that belongs to you.
In the hands of the two, coffee beans seemed to become ripe ingredients. After pressing them into powder, they each began their cooking time.
Haruno: "I didn't expect Yukino to give up her previous cooking style."
Tsukasa: "Isn't that a good thing?"
Haruno: "From a normal point of view, it is indeed a good start, but... what if she just changes from chasing me to chasing someone else?"
Haruno's words made Tsukasa calm, because he knew very well what Haruno was talking about. After witnessing Yukino and Hachiman's cooking with his own eyes, he was even more certain that the two's cooking techniques were exactly the same, as if they were made from the same mold. Without the bright techniques of Akira, they could still show the charm of the dishes with their unique appeal.
Tsukasa: "You mean..."
Haruno: "In order not to let my cute sister be snatched away by someone else, all I can do as her sister is to defeat that clumsy leader."
Tsukasa: "You're really a sis-con."
Haruno laughed freely, but her eyes were a little distracted.
In fact, neither she nor her mother wanted to see Yukinoshita as an imitator. Even if Hachiman won against her, that negative fact would not change. What they needed to see was a Yukinoshita Yukino with her own will. If she couldn't show this in the competition, then winning or losing didn't matter at all.
Hachiman seemed to notice something, and just focused his attention on Yukinoshita, with a look of worry on his face.
Erina: "Hikigaya-kun, you thought of something, right?"
Hachiman: "Indeed, but if we can't win this match, there's no way to continue."
Although she didn't quite understand the meaning of Hachiman's words, since he said so, Erina's attention returned to Yukinoshita.
This opponent whom she once recognized was actually standing on their side one day, belonging to the same team as her. Life might really be incredible. At many times, some unexpected things always happen in an incredible way.
She thought she was just a passing figure in her life, but at that moment, the gears of fate turned in her life, and even her memories and heart were completely left in the other person.
The cooking had reached its climax at this moment. Both of them perfectly expressed the coffee beans, completely breaking people's traditional idea that coffee beans can only be made into coffee. This fixed idea had become a thing of the past.
As the coffee slurry was constantly stirred in the basin, a coffee aroma was constantly emitted at this time. If there was anything more attractive than the coffee in front of them... then it was probably the coffee dish on the other side.
The plate cleaning work had been completed. The first to finish was still Kinokuni Nene. With the ability of the 6th seat of the Ten Elites, she made full to use the coffee bean theme dish, with a solid foundation in various basic skills.
"Central Cuisine: Coffee Snow Flake Pudding!"
"Please enjoy."
The aroma of coffee beans wafted out, and even after being made into pudding, it still couldn't hide its unique scent. Eriri, as an artist who stayed at home all day, also saw such a dish for the first time, and the first thing she felt in her heart when she saw this dish was curiosity. Almost subconsciously, she waved the spoon in her hand over.
The spoon seemed to bounce back the moment it touched the pudding, but that small tremor continued to echo in Eriri's hand. As the pudding was cut open, a white liquid flowed out.
Sakurajima Mai: "This is... mango cheese?"
No longer speculating about the mystery of this dish, the judges just put it in their mouths. Although it was a pudding, it melted like a dessert the moment it entered the mouth. The mango and cheese aromas also continuously collided in the mouth. More importantly... of course, it was the aroma of coffee. Even when paired with mango and cheese, it still didn't hide its unique taste. This was the strength of the 6th seat of the Ten Elites.
On the other side, after she also completed her dish, she nervously brought her dish to the judges. If it had been any other time, Yukinoshita wouldn't have had any emotions, but because the person she had to face now was her mother, it was impossible to ignore her at this time.
"Yukinoshita-style Coffee Molten Lava Cake."
It was still Yukinoshita's specialty of dessert cooking, but this time her dish fully utilized her own style. After choosing to forget all the techniques of the past, she only hoped to get her mother's approval.
Yukino's mother's eyes stopped on Yukino's dish for two seconds, and then before everyone could react, she tasted it first.
The molten lava flavor paired with coffee beans did show its special aroma. Unlike Kinokuni's dish, this cake clearly showed the advantages of the cake. With the addition of cream, it was obviously a greasy presence, but it was still completely eliminated. And the reason for all this...
Chestnuts.
The fine chestnut powder added some flavor to the cake, and also eliminated the greasiness from the coffee and cream. As Yukinoshita, who was famous for her cakes, she gained further growth in this cooking, and it was no exaggeration to say that she had already rivaled the cooking of the 1st seat of the Ten Elites.
There was no doubt that after tasting these two dishes, their different flavors were very obvious, and the outcome of this cooking match became obvious.
Yukinoshita Yukino will advance to become the sole two contestants of the rebel army.
She thought she had done all she could, but... even if others didn't know, with her mother so close to her, her expression didn't change at all, which made Yukino's heart hit hard.
Although she won, it was precisely because of the difference between her and her sister Haruno that she still couldn't get her mother's approval. She thought that she would be recognized by her mother as long as she did what she could with her own strength, but now...
Yukino's mother didn't say anything, just looked at Yukino with some disappointment. If this was the answer she gave, then as it stood, it was impossible to surpass Haruno. Not to mention the current Haruno, even the one four years ago couldn't compare at all.
Yukino's mother wanted to say something, but she was suddenly interrupted by Hachiman's words.
"Since we've already competed to this point, I have a suggestion. Would you like to hear it?"
Yukino's mother showed a faint smile, but tilted her head with some doubt:
"Of course."
Haruno: "It seems our Hikigaya classmate has some good ideas."
Yukino didn't react either, but her eyes suddenly turned to him, and her face was full of incomprehension:
"Huh?"
Hachiman didn't hesitate either. After getting everyone's approval, he said calmly:
"Since we've reached the final stage, why don't we have a 2v2 team battle?"
"That way, maybe you'll get the answer you want."
The people in the audience didn't react for a moment, because most people couldn't understand the Yukinoshita family's conflict. Haruno, who reacted first, soon began to giggle, and just spread her hands and said:
"If it's to avoid failure, it's indeed a good way, but are you sure? You're going to face Tsukasa and my sister."
Hachiman: "In fact, I think there's even less chance of winning in a one-on-one match."
He said this without avoiding it, which caused everyone to fall silent again.
Hoshino Ai: "Aiya aiya, what's going on now?"
Sakurajima Mai: "Let's not talk first, this is the insiders' business."
Eriri: "Leave it to Yukino's mother to handle."
After thinking for a while, Yukino's mother still maintained a faint smile:
"If Hikigaya classmate knows what I want to see, it's indeed a good proposal, but you should know that this will make you lose the competition that you had hoped to win completely."
"Because in my opinion, you clearly have a better chance of winning one-on-one."
Hachiman: "For me, winning or losing is important, but for you, winning or losing is not important, so... all we need is a condition that can move both sides."
Haruno: "That's interesting."
Yukino's mother: "In that case, I have no objection. Of course... as the organizer, Nakiri Azami, I need your consent."
Nakiri Azami, who was far away in the VIP room, also quickly gave instructions. He nodded, and the matter was quickly answered.
The temporary change of the final from a normal 1v1 to a 2v2. Of course, perhaps Yukinoshita hadn't realized all of this yet.
Kawashima Urara: "Then, please both contestants make your final preparations. The final will begin in one hour!"
Yukinoshita Yukino was clearly a little anxious, after all, she knew that her level was limited. Such cooperation was just a burden.
"Hikigaya-kun, haven't you realized it yet? Although we cooperate a lot, but... I've always been holding you back."
"This kind of match is meaningless to my sister."
Hachiman shook his head: "You're wrong, because this time, the one who will be the chef is not me, but you."
"Since this kind of match is meaningless, then let's have a meaningful match."
"I will do everything I can to help you. Right now, you don't need to think too much."
Although she knew that Hikigaya was thinking of her, and that what he was doing was to get her mother's approval, if they lost the match, then all the previous efforts would be in vain and turn into nothing. Not only that, but Tadokoro Megumi, Takumi, and even Hikigaya would be expelled because of her.
Erina would also therefore return to those dark days.
Burdened with so much, Yukinoshita couldn't calm down at all.
"I... I can't do it."
Just thinking about facing her sister made Yukinoshita's heart flutter. This was a fear from the soul, and it was a shadow that had been impossible to erase from birth until now.
"There's nothing you can't do. With your personality, you shouldn't give up so easily."
"Back then, you stood in front of me and stopped me from being expelled. Now, it's my turn to help you."
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