Kawashima Urara: "Let's congratulate the winner of the third match, Kurokiba Ryo!"
Although winning and losing are normal in a competition, this main event must have been a big blow to Takumi.
When Takumi returned to the audience seats, he thought his close friend Isami would say a few words of comfort, since he was his older brother, but...
Isami: "Brother, you were just bragging again, saying you would definitely win..."
Like a cruel blade, it pierced Takumi's last defense without warning, completely breaking him down in that moment.
Takumi: "Idiot, who breaks their own brother's stage like that!"
Isami: "Hahahaha..."
Seeing that the two brothers were acting like nothing had happened, the tense emotions of the crowd finally eased a little, but...
If you truly witnessed the dishes Kurokiba made in the preliminary rounds, you would realize that he probably didn't even use his true skills this time.
Ryoko and Ibusaki Shun, who fought their way out of Venue B, also seemed to have noticed something, but... it felt like they were missing something.
Before the two could react, the next match quickly began. The remaining two matches had already been widely criticized before they even started. After all, the strength of the remaining four contestants was simply not enough to compare directly with the previous six. Their unexpected presence here was just a bonus of luck.
You would think this atmosphere would make the contestants' morale low, but... the more it was like this, the more relaxed Ryoko and Tadokoro Megumi became. It was because they were two of the unpopular contestants, so they didn't have any pressure. They just needed to go all out and perform their best.
So...
Kawashima Urara: "Please welcome the next contestants. Interestingly, they are both girls from the Polar Star Dorm."
"Ryoko."
"And... Tadokoro Megumi!"
Without any encouragement, and not for anyone, this match was different from the previous three. There were no goals to achieve, no one to take revenge on. The opponents they faced were their closest friends, but even so...
In Totsuki Academy, only going all out counts as respecting your opponent, so from the beginning, their choices were the same.
Since there was only one spot to advance, they would each rely on their own skills.
Marui: "I feel like the tension in this match is much less intense."
Yoshino: "But isn't it interesting? At least we can witness the match between Megumi and Ryoko. These two guys with completely different personalities might bring us a very memorable match here."
Although she was recognized by everyone as the weakest contestant, Yukinoshita's eyes still showed no contempt. She just sat on her stool and focused her attention on the stage.
She wouldn't make any basic mistakes like underestimating her opponents.
If Yukinoshita was observing the movements of her opponents, then what Hachiman was doing now was just letting everything go on a fair path.
Unknowingly, a faint smile had formed on his lips:
"This is enough."
Headmaster: "The theme is dessert, start cooking!"
As the bell rang, the two started moving almost at the same time.
Kawashima Urara then started hosting non-stop, but... precisely because she was hosting, she unexpectedly discovered:
"Everyone, the movements, content, and ingredients prepared by these two are actually the same!"
"Did they decide to use the same dish beforehand? Or is it simply because they have lived in Polar Star Dorm for so long that they are too familiar with each other?"
If you followed Kawashima Urara's gaze, the two were indeed doing the exact same thing: cutting vegetables, cooking, everything seemed the same.
Mito: "Are these two in on something? But... I've never heard of it."
Yoshino: "No, I don't think so... These two wouldn't use such tricks."
In the distance, Senior Isshiki seemed to show a faint smile, his eyes unable to move away from the stage.
"It's getting interesting, Ryoko, Tadokoro, now, the stage belongs to you."
On the other side, Hachiman also seemed to realize that the contestants who participated in the Autumn Election wouldn't be stupid enough to want to submit two identical dishes. After all, they were criticized contestants from the beginning, and everything they had done from just now until now was just to focus everyone's attention on them.
Hachiman also showed a faint smile: "What idiots."
On the stage, even though their bodies were back to back, Ryoko and Tadokoro's minds seemed to be connected at this moment, but under the dazzling operations, they revealed a calm smile.
At this moment, the movements of the two suddenly stopped. After five seconds of deep breaths, they took out completely different materials.
Judge Anton: "These two are planning to treat this place as a real stage, aren't they... This is completely a cooking performance..."
Headmaster: "Hmph, isn't it quite interesting? Totsuki hasn't had something like this happen in a long time."
Erina: "I didn't expect that someone would dare to do such a thing in the Autumn Election competition, but..."
Hisako: "Amazing, such understanding and cooperation, it doesn't seem like something that can be practiced in just a week. Only those who live together day and night can do it..."
While saying this, Hisako obviously revealed a hint of envy.
Erina quickly noticed Hisako's unusual behavior. If it was in the past, she might not have thought anything of it. It was because she understood that the world was not made up of just herself that she paid more attention to others.
In fact, she wasn't stupid. When she saw Hisako's expression, she already guessed what she was thinking. If Tadokoro Megumi and Ryoko had lived together in Polar Star Dorm since they were young, then what about Hisako and her?
It was just that...
The two were friends, but the two were not friends.
Only when she looked back at the memories of the past did Erina suddenly realize that there were too many things she couldn't do in this world.
She couldn't respond to Hisako, but in her heart, she silently remembered this moment.
When the stage became a performance for the two, the excessive desire to win was no longer important. Whether it was Tadokoro Megumi on the left or Ryoko on the right, they both began to use their strengths to continuously improve the same dessert.
Vegetables and winemaking were clearly two different styles, and this also determined that these two dishes were destined not to be on the same path. In just a moment, the dish that was just the same had become completely different under the styles of the two.
The smell of lemon acid was gradually spreading, and those who were immersed in it were not just the audience.
Only by completely devoting yourself to this performance could the tension that you couldn't let go of completely disappear at this moment. Facing the shouts of the crowd, only the more you fight, the braver you get, the smile seemed to tell everything.
...
Kawashima Urara: "After much controversy, Tadokoro Megumi has reached the end of this round of the competition. So... let's congratulate Tadokoro."
Judge Anton: "What an unusually interesting competition. I thought the taste of this kind of dish would be greatly reduced, but I didn't expect that it would still produce such a big difference. You two, your dishes don't have any outstanding problems. Just keep going."
Along with Judge Anton's summary, when the results of the two girls' competition came out, they quickly received applause from the entire venue.
Ryoko: "Congratulations, Megumi."
Tadokoro: "I never thought that I would get here one day... I was clearly a failing student who was about to be expelled not long ago..."
Ryoko: "Actually, you've always been amazing, Megumi. Just relax and overcome your nervousness. After all, your cooking always brings a rare warmth to people, so..."
Before Ryoko could say the last words, Tadokoro Megumi hugged her directly:
"Don't say thank you... I should be the one saying thank you."
After all, she, Tadokoro Megumi, had always been the one receiving help, so...
She only got to this point because of them.
Ryoko smiled lightly, but tears seemed to be stirred up by something, and she gently hugged Tadokoro Megumi:
"Okay, I'll win it back next time."
...
Yoshino: "It feels like a good ending."
Marui: "Indeed, this is good, this is enough."
Ibusaki Shun: "Then I will take back the victory in the last match."
With the end of the four matches, Ibusaki Shun and Hayama Hayato, who were the last to appear, would also announce the final result of this day's competition.
Hachiman: "Then I'll leave it to you."
Grandma Fumio: "Don't forget the new goal of revitalizing our Polar Star Dorm."
Ibusaki Shun: "I know, Grandma, and... Hikigaya, is it really okay not to say a few words to Hayama Hayato?"
In fact, Hayama Hayato had already walked over when the two girls were dueling, as if waiting for someone to greet him, but he was waiting alone.
Hachiman's eyes moved to Yukinoshita on the side. In his opinion, Hayama only knew Tadokoro and himself from the Polar Star Dorm, but neither of them had any extra words to say to Hayama to some extent. Therefore, to Hachiman, the answer was already largely in his mind.
That was Yukinoshita.
After all, during the "Stuttering Cookies" event, when he first met Yukinoshita, it was Hayama who invited him over, and their relationship shouldn't just be as cold as it looked on the surface. After all, Yukinoshita did agree to Hayama's invitation at that time.
But other than that... Hachiman had never seen Yukinoshita and Hayama Hayato say an extra word.
Yukinoshita must have seen Hayama Hayato's appearance. For some reason, Hachiman was so sure, but...
She pretended not to see him, focusing her eyes on the stage sometimes, and on Hachiman sometimes. She didn't intend to go to Hayama at all.
This was completely two different people from the Yukinoshita he knew. After all, Yukinoshita would accept and challenge any difficulty or trouble with a smile.
Although he couldn't understand it, Hachiman had no choice but to do so now...
Sighing helplessly, Hachiman was about to find out why Hayama Hayato had been staring at him before the last match started, but he noticed that his clothes had been grabbed tightly.
"Are you going to leave?"
Asking a question that Yukinoshita would never say, Hachiman's body couldn't stop trembling, because this sentence was said by Yukinoshita.
"No, just going to take care of some things."
"Okay..."
As if confirming something, she finally relaxed from the tension in her heart. After confirming that Yukinoshita had let go of his hand, Hachiman once again walked towards Hayama.
He briefly looked back and saw a scene he couldn't forget.
That was Yukinoshita who longed to be saved, that fragile face, Hachiman had never seen it before. That was an expression that was not allowed to appear on that beautiful face, but... it was so real.
In the blink of an eye, everything disappeared. Everyone, including Yukinoshita, who hadn't noticed everything, had returned to calmness.
Hayama Hayato: "It's you."
Seeming to have expected his arrival, Hayama just laughed lightly and then put his hands in his pockets.
Hachiman: "Who told you to keep looking over there? If this wasn't Totsuki, such strange actions would have been caught by the police for questioning."
Hayama: "No, no, it wouldn't at all."
Hachiman: "You..."
Hayama: "I really didn't expect that one day our conversation would completely change in another way. I thought you would say other theories more ruthlessly."
Hachiman: "Even I understand the principle of giving people a break, so? What's the reason you came here? I don't think our relationship is good enough to chat alone."
Hayama smiled lightly, seemingly not caring about the words Hachiman had just said:
"Well, aren't we chatting alone now? You're really weird, Hikigaya."
"The person who calls others weird is even weirder."
"Hahahahahaha..."
"Is this another kind of joke? It's too low."
"Because talking to Hikigaya always feels very interesting, and..." He clearly looked calm just now, but at this moment, he showed a self-deprecating smile.
Hachiman noticed his abnormality, and his words became emotional for a moment:
"I just hate guys like you who always act like you understand everything, feel sad for others without permission, and feel happy for others without permission."
Hayama: "Well, you're the only one who can directly say that you hate me like that, Hikigaya."
Hachiman: "After all, my hatred for you is not just a little bit."
Hayama: "That doesn't matter. Now I understand that maybe... you're the one who can save her."
As he said this, Hayama's eyes had already looked towards Yukinoshita. Unlike just now, Yukinoshita also looked over here from time to time because Hachiman was here. However, when Yukinoshita's eyes met Hayama's, her expression clearly became extremely calm, as if she had lost all emotions, like a calm river, extremely cold.
Hachiman naturally noticed who he was talking about, but...
Before Hachiman could ask, Hayama spoke again:
"Unlike you, the highest point I can reach while staying at this school is at this moment. I know myself very well. Even if I want to save everything I've destroyed and make up for the past I've ruined countless times, I can't continue moving forward at this point."
Hachiman could understand what Hayama said. From the beginning, Hachiman felt that it was impossible for Hayama, who had such outstanding academic performance, to choose the path of cooking. Moreover, unlike Yukinoshita, his cooking skills and talent were just ordinary. Even if he practiced day and night, he could only reach his current level.
So... he would say such words.
Hayama: "I can't make up for my past, so... I'm very grateful that you appeared here. No matter the reason, I'm grateful that you can stand by her side."
"You're the one who can truly save her. Being able to witness all of this is also a kind of salvation for my heart."
Hachiman sneered: "As expected, I still can't empathize with you in the end. You put such a label on me without permission, and you think you've been saved."
Hayama also responded with a light smile: "That's right, it's my fault that you hate me. After all, I've never been a good person."
Hayama: "Then, I'll leave the next things to you."
"You may go further in the near future, but listen to my advice, Yukinoshita's family is definitely not as simple as you think."
Although Hayama only said a bunch of riddle-like words in the end, Hachiman just sighed helplessly as he watched the unburdened figure walk away.
"As expected, I still can't empathize with him in the end."
But...
When he glanced at Yukinoshita, Yukinoshita's eyes happened to meet Hikigaya's.
At this moment, Hachiman didn't feel any shyness or escape. He just focused his eyes completely on her black eyes.
He knew that she had some unspeakable secrets. Whether it was from Shinomiya, Dojima Gin, or Hayama, they had all revealed it.
That was a large family, so large that the entire cooking world would tremble for it, but even so, what did it represent? No one said.
Only by walking further can you get the truth.
...
The final result was just as Grandma Fumio imagined. The glory of Polar Star Dorm was revived at this moment. In the last match, the battle between Hayama Hayato and Ibusaki Shun was long and controversial, but in the end, Ibusaki Shun, who was more characteristic, won the match.
Hayama Hayato just smiled calmly after losing. Although many students in the audience still felt sorry for him and cried for him, Hayama Hayato didn't say much.
In his opinion, his end had long been set here. Even if he worked harder, he would only take one or two steps forward, but compared to the others who shone in this school, he was just a grain of sand.
So, that was enough.
Being able to see so many classmates still cheering for him after losing at the last moment, Hayama also thought that this journey has been very successful.
After the match, he gently handed in his application to withdraw from the school.
Marui: "What! Hayama Hayato wants to drop out of school?"
Yoshino: "It shouldn't be, he is also a competitor who broke into the main competition, then what am I, waaaa..."
Ryoko: "This expression doesn't seem like it was a recent decision."
Hachiman didn't say anything, and Yukinoshita didn't say anything either, they just watched quietly...
In the audience area...
Yuigahama: "What happened? Yumiko, do you know something?"
Miura shook her head helplessly: "Even he has unspeakable secrets, but... I'm really happy to see that relieved smile."
Headmaster: "Have you made up your mind? About your future path."
Hayama Hayato: "Thank you for everything so far, my task has been completed, but I will return in another way."
Headmaster: "Since you have decided, I don't need to say more, but... you, who can break into the main competition of the Autumn Election, are also the pride of Totsuki, so... Totsuki will welcome you at any time!"
Hayama Hayato: "Thank you, Headmaster."
He was clearly a contestant representing Totsuki in the Autumn Election just now, but in the next moment, he directly took out his application to withdraw from the school and left this place. No one had expected such a turnaround.
But even so, this feast would not stop.
The five who advanced will compete in a series of matches to determine the final competitors, and for the final battle, the final topic will be decided by on-site draw.
Yukinoshita Yukino, Kurokiba Ryo, Hikigaya Hachiman, Tadokoro Megumi and Ibusaki Shun will ignite the final battle of the Autumn Election in its entirety one week later.
During this week, the Totsuki school will send the students the topics for each matches. In this case, the cooking to be prepared has already not just one dish so easily.
How the same topic doesn't become the same dish and what needs to be prepared is something that is predictable.
Marui: "This is too bad..."
Yoshino: "An unusual way to lose, I didn't expect Totsuki to choose such a method..."
Mito: "No matter what, you can only bite the bullet and keep going."
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