Cold. Cold and freezing. People felt a chill run their spine as you stepped into the halls of Totsuki. Almost everyone did everything they could to leave your sight, fearing they might turn into statues.

There was a rumor. When you were in junior high. A second year challenged you, only to not show up to the day of the shokugeki, making you win without much effort. They said that the student was found standing at the same stop where he challenged you when they looked for him. He was frozen to the bone and was cold. He's not dead. He just got scared for some reason.

Rumors just love to exaggerate.

"(L/N)-SAN!" Someone called out, stomping their way through the halls and finally catching up to you. "Where have you been the last week!? What were you thinking leaving all of the work to me, the vice president while you just go running around! Do you job as the president dammit!"

You turned around and faced the steaming face of your senpai, Mitsue Amabi. You won against him in a shokugeki in your second year in junior high, taking his position as president in his RS.

Pastry and Sweets RS.

"Let's go to our building! We've been flooding with challenges from a lot of people you know." He sighed, calming his nerves, and going back to his people-pleasing personality. "Let's go back, let's help our kohais, alright?" He asked with a smile, offering a hand.

If it wasn't obvious enough, this boy that looks as fluffy as a marshmallow with his fluffy pink hair and lime green eyes is a total two-faced person.

You ignored his hand, moving forward and leading the way to your building. You also won this through a shokugeki in your third year. You hated the small club room, so you chose a new building and challenged the leader of that place.

Mitsue scoffed, following behind you. 'Just as usual... people really can't take a hint. Once they've been defeated they should just stay down.'

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"We're back!" Mitsue cheered, opening the door to the building, immediately met with the sweet scent of freshly made confectionaries. "I've brought the empress back!"

"Ah! Senpai! She's finally here!" Someone exclaimed, gaining the other's attention. They stopped what they were doing and immediately crowded around you and Mitue. They asked where you've been, what you were doing and why you haven't visited them yet.

You raised a hand, instantly silencing them. You glanced over the stairs, the students immediately making way for you. You went upstairs and into your office, Mitsue following behind you. Your office has been kept well, not a single paperwork in sight.

You squint your eyes, looking over to Mitsue, demanding an explanation for the envelope on your desk.

He sighed, taking the paper from your desk and handing it to you. "You've been summoned by one of the heads, our very own sponsor, (L/N) Masafumi." The paper in hand crumpled as you chucked it to the side. "He's on the third floor, being served by Hano."

You nod and left your office, making your way to the third floor, a place where visitors are usually entertained. This building was originally a two-story building only, but you remodeled it with the funds you had outside of school.

You knocked on the white frosted french doors. Soon after someone opened it and let you enter. Hano Mayo, a third year. You motioned for her to leave.

"Dear granddaughter of mine, I hope you've been well." There on the table sat your grandfather, wearing a traditional yukata. His grey mustache covered his mouth, making it almost impossible to see him talk, his beard reached his chest and none left on his head. "I've come to check up on you after getting a call a few days ago."

You took a seat on the free chair, inspecting what your members have served your esteemed guest. First, you took the cup of tea close to your lips, smelling the fragrance.

'Tea. Black tea. Da Hong Pao.' You set tea down and sigh in disappointment. 'Why would they use that!? I haven't ordered new batches yet! I was planning on using that! It can't be helped...' You sigh, glancing over the various snacks laid out. 'I would give them four out of ten. They should've removed the ones made by the first years and juniors, their emotions are too much...'

"Are you done criticizing your workers, (Y/N)?" Your grandfather asked. You didn't answer and just waited for him to continue. "... I see... Yvon was right... (Y/N), in summer, go visit your grandmother in our estate. Spend some time to clear your head..." He stood up and left but before he could shut the door, he said, "Don't let your past control you." [👁👁]

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You ran to your office, looking for the one thing that you despise, but at this moment, it was something that you needed right now.

"Pres." Mitsue stood by the door, holding into a box. "This is what you're looking for. Shokugeki challenges."

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"Maaan~ I haven't seen (Y/N)-chin since sunday!" Kuga complained as he sat on his 'throne', watching his men train for something. "And here I was thinking of making her my specialty! What a meanie!"

"U-um, Chief, are you talking about (L/N)(Y/N)?" One of the men on break asked, the others also listening with curiosity.

Kuga sat up straight, nodding with him. "That's the one! Do you know where she is?" The guy stood up and handed Kuga a tablet. "What's this- ah..." He smirked, reading the article on their school site. "A Shokugeki... well, well, she looks like she's having a lot of fun causing trouble for Tsukassan."

Kuga handed the tablet back to the guy, standing up from his seat, the others stopping what they were doing and asking where he was going.

"Where else, to watch the match of course." He put his hands on his pockets, his carefree smile was gone and was replaced by a frown. "I wanna see how great this shokugekis of her are."

They all stood up, following their leader out of their building and making their way to the arena.

It didn't take long for them to finally arrive at the arena. A large place resembles that of a Chinese temple. A grand place to settle feuds and debates between students. The perfect place to destroy your enemy in a one-on-one cook-off.

Kuga and his men all went their separate ways, he had a special place to view the whole show from a VIP room, just for the elite ten. From above, he examined the arena. There were quite a lot of people present that he was honestly shocked.

'But then again, (Y/N)-chin did place fourth in our autumn elections.' He thought, going over to the window, looking at the stage. Two people standing at different stations, two of them concentrated and motivated. 'Geez... that guy must absolutely hate you, (Y/N)-chin. What did you do?'

Your opponent was one of the random students Mitsue has collected from the pile. He was classified under 'useful lands', so why not take their RS land and have a new plantation there?

Most students were divided, one side wanted to see your downfall, the other wanted to see you rise up from where you are now. As for you... you honestly just want to know how much exactly you can make from the new plantation, what will you be planting, will it make a profit, how much will you gain. In other words; money.

"Now! The judges have all arrived!" Kawashima announced from below, making the crowd roar in excitement. "Now, on the blue side, we have the leader of the Farming RS!" A guy that looked like he hasn't seen the sun in years stepped into the stage, anger radiating from him. "And on the red side, we have (L/N)(Y/N)! The one and only empress of the Pastry and Sweets RS!!!"

You stepped into the stage, Mitsue and Hano watching the stands with confident smirks.

"(L/N)! You have been running this place like you own it!" Your opponent exclaimed, pointing at you while you fix the tie in your apron. "After taking 45% of our lands you want to take more!? I'll show you who's gonna go home crying to daddy!"

'Oh no...' Both Hano and Mitsue thought, biting the inside of their cheek, watching as your aura suddenly changed from relaxed to agitated. 'This is bad...'

Kuga watched as you walked over to your station, face as blank as ever. He watched as the guy screamed some words to you but ignored him and continued on. 'Hm... as unbothered as ever... what an ice block.' He thought. [wellokthen-]

For a split second, Kuga felt an icy stare burn in his mind. 'what the heck was that..?'

The buzzer rang through the arena, marking the start of the shokugeki.