Food Wars: Taste Reversal

"You've tasted the food from both of them, so it's time for the review!" Alice clapped her hands, attracting everyone's attention. She walked to the front and said, "Between Ryo-kun's dish and Soma-kun's dish, which one is more delicious? Please make a fair judgment!"

"..."

Yoshino Yuki and Ryoko Sakaki glanced at each other, understanding each other's thoughts through their eyes.

Although they wanted Soma to win in their hearts, their dignity as chefs wouldn't allow them to lie. In this match... Ryo Kurokiba's exquisite "seafood noodle soup" was indeed superior!

Don't be misled by the A+ and S- grades seeming close; the actual difference in taste was significant. Yoshino Yuki silently voted for Ryo Kurokiba, and the choices of others were similar... Except for Shoji Sato, who thought Soma's "pork chop bowl" was better and voted for him. Everyone else, including Megumi Tadokoro, voted for Ryo Kurokiba.

"Looks like we have a winner."

Alice clapped her hands happily and praised Ryo Kurokiba, "Good job, Ryo-kun."

"..."

Kurokiba, having removed his turban, glanced at her lightly. Then he looked at Shiraki across from him, a sudden trace of sympathy appearing in his eyes. Although he didn't say it outright, Shiraki could read his expression as if it said, "You better jump, or you'll end up in a bigger pit."

Of course, sympathy was just sympathy. It was impossible for Kurokiba Ryo to throw the match on purpose; otherwise, Marui wouldn't see the sun tomorrow—it's even possible he'd vanish from existence. So, the outcome of this match followed Alice's expectations entirely.

As for Soma Yukihira, when he heard the results of everyone's votes, he was a little incredulous at first. But he knew in his heart that the members of Polar Star Dorm wouldn't show bias. So, he immediately tasted Ryo Kurokiba's dish.

The moment the rich seafood soup touched his tongue, Soma frowned, thinking deeply. He could taste the experience of countless battles in Kurokiba's dish. The opponent... was also a chef burdened with the weight of a restaurant!

Unlike most students at Totsuki Academy who lacked practical experience, Kurokiba Ryo was a chef seasoned by real-world challenges, just like Soma!

And this rich flavor... Soma didn't want to admit it, but his own "pork chop bowl" fell slightly short.

So there are chefs like this at Totsuki Academy?!

Soma Yukihira's vigilance shot to its peak. The intensive training of the past few days, where he consistently outperformed most students, had made him somewhat complacent. But after experiencing Kurokiba's cooking, he realized he had underestimated his peers.

This level of cooking... If only he had been more serious earlier and displayed greater strength... He could have competed evenly. But now, the gap was apparent just by tasting.

Damn it!

"Then, as agreed, Shiraki-kun, please fulfill the terms of the bet."

Before Soma could dwell further on his defeat, Alice clapped her hands again, drawing everyone's attention. Under the watchful eyes of Ryoko and Yuki, she slowly walked toward Shiraki.

Looks like I can't escape this time...

Shiraki stood up helplessly, forcing a smile at Alice. Truthfully, he lacked the confidence to kiss a girl in front of everyone. So, after some thought, he took Alice's hand, gently held it, and kissed the back of her hand.

"Huh, is that all?"

But Alice clearly wasn't satisfied. She winked at Shiraki and teased, "At this level, it's just a greeting, isn't it?"

"Hey, don't push it too far!" Yoshino Yuki protested immediately. "Shiraki fulfilled the bet, didn't he?"

"Yes, yes... That's enough for today, right?" Megumi Tadokoro added nervously, her face red as she fidgeted with her fingers.

Hearing the two girls, Alice puffed out her cheeks but didn't argue. Instead, she suddenly lunged toward Shiraki when no one was expecting it. She kissed him firmly, leaving everyone stunned, and then slipped away like a mischievous cat.

"You, you, you!"

Yoshino Yuki pointed a trembling finger at the retreating Alice, too flustered to form coherent words.

Meanwhile, Alice closed the door with a victorious smile. Ryo Kurokiba, who had been watching calmly from the sidelines, remained still. But given his intimidating presence, Yuki didn't dare confront him, so she turned angrily toward Shiraki instead. Her eyes fell on his lips, now slightly red.

"She's so ruthless..." Shiraki muttered under his breath.

"Shiraki-kun, are you okay?" Megumi quickly handed him a tissue before rushing to find medical supplies. Thanks to Marui's well-stocked room, Ryoko soon found disinfectant and began treating Shiraki.

"No... You don't need disinfectant for this. Just rinse it with water..." Shiraki protested weakly as the three girls fussed over him.

"No! Sit down and let us handle it," Yuki insisted firmly.

Meanwhile, Shoji Sato and Daigo Aoki stood frozen, still processing what had just happened. When reality hit, they simultaneously shed the tears of single men.

"Damn it, Shiraki, I envy you so much!"

Their exaggerated reactions were ignored by everyone else. Jun Ibusaki remained indifferent, Marui Zenji silently celebrated that his first kiss had been spared, and Soma Yukihira, still fixated on his earlier defeat, resolved to challenge Ryo Kurokiba again.