"I hope Dojima-senpai can find a way to fix this guy's problem, or his career will be over." Fuyumi Mizuhara said.
back when they were students she'd treated Shinomiya Kojiro as a rival. Even now, though his cooking had long since surpassed hers, she still hadn't given up trying to catch up.
But if Shinomiya kept staying the same, his career as a chef would be stuck at the Seven-Star level.
Fuyumi wasn't a Seven-Star chef yet, but she was close. If Shinomiya stayed put, it would only be a matter of time before she overtook him.
Early the next morning, students and graduates went through the usual assessments. Roland Chapelle might randomly drop by a graduate's testing area to inspect, but they weren't worried.
Their courses had been carefully arranged and they wouldn't behave recklessly like Shinomiya, so even Chapelle's surprise checks didn't faze them.
Meanwhile, in Gin Dojima's office, Gin Dojima sat opposite Shinomiya Kojiro.
"Shinomiya, do you know why I invited you to be an examiner this time?" Gin asked. Shinomiya had been silent, so Gin spoke first.
"No."
Shinomiya answered after a pause. He honestly didn't know why Gin had invited him. Totsuki normally invited graduates around the Six-Star level for the residential training, this was only a trial for the students after all, and didn't require top-tier alumni.
If Totsuki wanted them, Seven-Star graduates could be brought in without much trouble.
By rights Shinomiya shouldn't have been on the invite list, but this time he had been invited. He'd come partly to curry favor with Totsuki and pave the way for his future.
"It's simple. Shinomiya, your cooking has been stagnant for years, hasn't it? You've been holding back when you cook, and anyone who looks can tell."
Gin's words made cold sweat break out on Shinomiya's face.
He knew his situation well, his cooking had stalled for a long time, and he had no way to fix it. A twisted mindset had frozen his chef's heart; without resolving that, his skills could only stagnate.
He knew one reason people paid attention to him as a celebrity chef: potential. He was young, full of promise, a bright future ahead.
If the world discovered his true state, that attention would disappear. Even as a Seven-Star chef he could get by, but most of what he had now would vanish.
He hadn't wanted that. So he pretended—deliberately not giving his all when he cooked, hiding his real level so others couldn't see. At first it had worked, but over time people noticed.
If you keep holding back at every opportunity, people assume it's intentional. Why would you hide your skills? Clearly something was wrong.
Shinomiya had never expected his plan to be seen through.
"When did you all figure it out?" he asked, bitterness on his face, he realized he'd been nothing but a clown.
"We've known for some time. You came back now looking for a way out, didn't you? Your problem hasn't been fixed, and sooner or later it would show."
"Tell me, Shinomiya—what made you end up like this? What turned you into who you are now?"
Gin wanted to know the cause. Only then could he hope to help Shinomiya change that twisted heart.
"Why should I tell you?"
Shinomiya's face hardened. That meeting back then was the memory he least wanted to revisit, so he refused to answer Gin's probing.
"Because I want to help. Your talent isn't weaker than mine. You've wasted years—how many more can you afford to waste?"
Gin's words made Shinomiya flinch. Indeed, for someone of his talent, losing years was unforgivable.
After struggling inside, Shinomiya finally told Gin about what had happened all those years ago.
"So it was in the kitchen—you were targeted. No wonder so many people told you not to rush overseas back then."
Gin looked at Shinomiya with a complicated expression. He'd faced the same choice years ago: go to a bigger stage, or stay and hone his craft first. He'd chosen to stay and steady himself. Now, as an Eight-Star Chef, Gin still had clout in the culinary world.
"Yes. Back then a lot of people warned me. Even Chapelle-sensei cautioned me, but I didn't know what I would face. Being ranked first among the Elite Ten numbed me."
Shinomiya remembered how he'd fallen from heaven to hell. If he hadn't been in the Elite Ten, if he hadn't tasted that power and those resources, his inner contrast might not have been so severe.
"It's true, the Elite Ten's status can do that. But Shinomiya, have you ever thought why it happened to you and not to Hinako and the others?"
Gin caught a hint of blame-shifting. He admitted the Elite Ten could numb someone's senses and create a harsh contrast after leaving school, but Totsuki hadn't done anything wrong, Totsuki had invested resources in graduates; it couldn't force them to stay.
Plenty of people struck out on their own after graduation without falling apart. Hinako, for example, had flourished. None of them ended up like Shinomiya.
"You haven't faced yourself. External factors were triggers, but the real fault lies with you."
"You wanted to make a leap too soon. What you chased wasn't something your skills could reach yet, so a fall was inevitable."
"You still have a chance. Think it through here. If you understand, apologize to the students. If you don't, pack up and leave."
Gin's words were blunt; if Shinomiya could be saved, he should swallow his pride and seek out the students' forgiveness. If he couldn't, words would be pointless. The choice was his.
Shinomiya remained silent, so Gin left—he had other duties. A few hours later Gin got a call from his assistant.
"He left? Understood. Don't bother with him."
Shinomiya had left without saying goodbye. Clearly he hadn't figured things out. Gin felt disappointed but not surprised, Shinomiya's warped mindset had been long-standing.
Though there'd been a chance Gin's words might reach him, it was unlikely. With Shinomiya's departure, his ties to Totsuki were effectively severed. Unless he himself changed, his future was predictable.
If lucky, he might spend his life as a Seven-Star chef. If not, his psychology would worsen and even that level might slip away.
That night at a meeting, Gin told the other graduates about Shinomiya's leaving and his issues.
"He took too big of a step back then. I kept telling him not to run off."
Hinako Iwai shook her head—she'd tried to stop him out of affection and worry. She knew Shinomiya's pride and ambition; as she'd feared, something had indeed gone wrong.
"This guy made his own mess and ignored everyone's goodwill."
Fuyumi Mizuhara also sighed, she was done treating Shinomiya as a rival. Now he was merely one of the people she'd someday surpass.
The other graduates decided to cut ties; Shinomiya had lost his value to them.
"Let Shinomiya be a warning to everyone."
Gin didn't say more, he just asked them not to follow Shinomiya's path, then dismissed the meeting.
After the day's assessments ended, Kael and the others heard news about Shinomiya from Alice Nakiri.
"Who knew one report would make him leave!"
Yuki Yoshino was surprised; a single complaint had brought down a Seven-Star graduate, once the top of the Elite Ten.
"Looks like he won't repent. Otherwise Gin wouldn't have pushed him out."
Kael guessed what had happened: Gin had invited Shinomiya to try to solve his problem, but Shinomiya had walked away, meaning Gin's attempt failed. Kael didn't care, whether Shinomiya succeeded later had nothing to do with him.
Given his current state, Shinomiya would fade from the public eye.
"Forget Shinomiya. Let's focus on tonight and tomorrow morning's assessments, the manual doesn't list tonight's schedule."
Megumi Tadokoro looked worried. The breakfast assessment was a Totsuki tradition; since there was no notice for tonight, it meant the breakfast test was coming.
From experience, the first-day assessment and the breakfast test usually eliminated the most people, so they were nervous.
"The breakfast assessment—so many people cooking breakfast together. Getting enough customers won't be easy."
They began discussing the breakfast test. It was hard in some ways, simple in others. Everyone left from previous rounds had decent cooking skills; their food wouldn't be bad. The issue was drawing customers.
If no one came to taste your dish, even the best food is meaningless.
"We can talk all we want, but we don't even know the theme yet." Marui reminded them.
Even though they knew a breakfast assessment was coming, they couldn't prepare in advance, the theme was only announced when the test began.
This assessment simulated running a business: a chef who only wants a job can just cook, but someone planning to open a restaurant must learn to operate it, or skills alone won't be enough.
Marui's words sank in. They dressed and waited for notice. Soon the announcement arrived and everyone gathered in the first-floor hall. Those who had prepared hurried down.
Gin Dojima didn't waste time, he took out an egg and held it up.
"You all know about the breakfast assessment, so I won't waste words. By tradition, we reveal the theme now. Tomorrow's breakfast assessment theme is: egg."
At his words the students erupted. Those not confident with eggs looked grim; those skilled with them perked up and began planning. A buzz of conversation filled the hall.
"The assessment starts at six tomorrow morning. You have until then to prepare."
With that Gin left, leaving the students to use the time as they saw fit.