Minami no Hanashi : Yume - Prelude
A few minutes later
-(Azumi) It's finished~! She said, clapping her hands.
Minami, who had been asleep for a long while, woke up abruptly. Shinsuke put his book down.
-(Azumi) Well, you'll serve your dishes one by one! Sanae, can you start?
-(Sanae) Yes!
Sanae approached the jury with her two plates. Minami, whose hunger had made her lose all lucidity, was drooling with wide-open eyes.
-(Sanae) I don’t know why, but I feel kind of… stressed?
Of course, she didn't let it show on her face.
-(Sanae) On one hand, Mr. Shinsuke looks very focused...
As you may have noticed from the beginning, Shinsuke naturally exudes an imposing aura.
-(Sanae) On the other hand… Minami—
Sanae directed her gaze towards her friend, who was drooling, hypnotized by the aroma. Her facial expression reassured Sanae. She placed the plates down with confidence, smiling brightly.
-(Sanae) Here is my dish. For this first phase, I decided to make porcini risotto. Enjoy your meal!
-(Minami) Thank you!
Shinsuke and his daughter began to eat.
-(Azumi) Don't forget to be impartial.
A few minutes later
Minami and Shinsuke finished their tasting. Suddenly, the young girl pulled out two sheets of paper and two pens. Her expression had radically changed, likely because she was no longer hungry.
-(Minami) We'll give our opinions at the end. Your turn, Narumi.
Narumi took her tray and stepped up to the jury.
-(Narumi) Here is my dish. Since the required ingredient was rice, I decided to go with sushi. While the idea might not be the most original, mine will surely delight your taste buds, and you'll see for yourselves that they are unique.
-(Sanae) She’s so confident, it’s impressive!
With their eyes closed, Shinsuke and Minami took a first bite. Not a word was spoken; only the sound of pens scratching on paper could be heard. Narumi's confidence began to waver. What had seemed unshakeable was slowly turning into doubt. "Are my sushi really up to par?" she wondered.
Azumi smiled from the corner, watching the scene.
-(Narumi) ...
Minami put down her pen and asked her father: "Are you done, Dad?"
-(Shinsuke) Yes.
-(Minami) Let’s discuss this outside. We'll be back soon!
Shinsuke followed Minami. The jury left the room in silence.
Narumi exhaled to release the tension.
-(Azumi) It's going to be alright, girls! While we wait for them to return, I’ll taste your dishes too.
-(Sanae) Mr. Shinsuke’s opinion scares me a bit.
-(Narumi) Huh? Really?
-(Sanae) Doesn't it scare you?
-(Narumi) Yes, but… it’s Minami’s opinion that scares me the most.
-(Sanae) Really?? But…
Sanae looked at the ceiling, recalling the face Minami had made before eating. She had seemed starving and appeared easy to satisfy. However...
-(Narumi) When it comes to food, she's very demanding.
-(Sanae) It's true, now that I think about it… She is very picky. She sometimes refuses to eat lunch when the food isn’t good.
-(Azumi) Excuse me?
-(Sanae) Uh… Yes… But it doesn’t happen anymore! At least not since the beginning of the school year.
-(Azumi) I suspected as much. She said, shaking her head.
-(Sanae) Minami critiquing my dishes… It’s true that I’ve never asked her to critique my cooking. Hmm…
-(Azumi) It should be fine, your dishes are well done! She said, smiling.
-(Sanae) You think so??
-(Azumi) Oh yes!
After a few minutes, Minami and Shinsuke returned to the room.
-(Shinsuke) Well, we are going to give our verdict.
-(Minami) We want to clarify that, obviously, there is no winner. The goal is not to determine who is the best cook, but to find the strengths and weaknesses.
-(Azumi) Very well said, my dear—Madam Judge.
-(Minami) So!
Minami turned to her father: "Which one do we start with?"
-(Shinsuke) Let’s do it in reverse order, starting with Narumi.
-(Minami) Okay!
-(Shinsuke) So, the rice is obviously well cooked, and that applies to both dishes. The seasoning is well managed, and the salmon is very nicely cut. The presentation is also really beautiful. The little spices you added are well measured, creating a nice combination of flavors, making the dish very pleasant to the palate. For me, it’s a success.
Narumi started to smile.
-(Minami) I also liked it a lot! This time, the salty doesn’t overpower the dish.
-(Narumi) Hmm…
-(Minami) There’s a nice sweet-salty taste, which I really love. The tray is generally of very good quality. However… it’s not consistent. Some sushi aren’t as perfect as the ones Dad ate. The texture is lacking, and the rush you felt is evident. But the tray is still impressive. You managed to do a lot in a short time, so kudos!
Minami had barely finished speaking when Shinsuke moved on to Sanae’s dish.
-(Shinsuke) Now, Sanae. Right off the bat, the parmesan makes all the difference, the ingredient is of high quality, and there’s nothing to criticize about its freshness. It also gives a good texture, and personally, I find it pleasant on the palate.
-(Shinsuke) The broth is also perfectly balanced with the rice, the mix is homogeneous. You managed the cooking well, and the rice absorbed the broth correctly.
-(Minami) The consistency…
Minami smiled awkwardly, struggling to find her words. She continued: "I don’t know if that’s the right word. It’s creamy and good! But it’s a shame it’s not a bit… um… crunchy?"
-(Azumi) That it doesn’t have a slight firmness to it?
-(Minami) Yes, that’s it! It must be right if Mom says so!
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-(Azumi) Yes, probably because it’s not special risotto rice. Despite that, the result is very satisfying! It shows you’re talented! She said, smiling.
A smile appeared on Sanae’s face. Azumi clapped her hands and continued: "Alright! We’re done with the introduction. And thanks to the jury! Your feedback was very pertinent, I have nothing else to add regarding your dishes."
-(Narumi) Come on!! I want to know who cooks better!
-(Azumi) The jury can leave now!
-(Minami) Okaay! I’m going to finish my homework.
-(Sanae) Really??
-(Minami) Yep. See you later, have fun cooking!
Shinsuke took his book and stood up: "I’ll be in the garden if you need me."
-(Azumi) Okay!!
Azumi waited and discreetly checked if her husband had left. She turned to the girls and continued curiously: "So! Tell me everything, girls. Were you feeling the pressure?"
-(Sanae) A lot!
-(Narumi) Really? You didn’t look it. I’m kind of used to cooking for the family, so it was okay. The fact that we were competing also played a big part!
Azumi observed Sanae with narrowed eyes.
-(Azumi) It’s true you don’t show any weakness on your face. But when you cook, it shows.
-(Sanae) R–Really!?
Sanae looked away, pretending to fix her hair. Azumi noticed and smiled.
-(Azumi) Nothing too bad! The more you cook for people other than your family, the less panicked you’ll be. And especially, I imagine the time limit affected you the most.
-(Sanae) Yes…
-(Azumi) I’m going to prepare dinner for tonight, we still need to eat! And you girls will watch me, assist if needed, and especially listen to my advice and remarks. Okay, girls?
-(Narumi, Sanae) Yes!
Azumi pulled some hair ties from her pocket and addressed Sanae: "To start with, Sanae, since you don't usually cook at home, I’m referring to the day of the test, it's important that you follow good practices. This goes beyond just cooking."
Sanae nodded with a determined look.
-(Azumi) Sit here, please.
She sat down and Azumi began to tie her hair back: "Tying your hair up when it’s long is highly recommended in the kitchen. Doing this prevents hair from falling into the food or catching fire and also makes a good impression on the judges."
-(Narumi) I always do it!
-(Azumi) Keep in mind that the test the principal will give you is a real-life scenario. That means you should assume—and I’m sure this will be the case—that you won’t be guided at all. So, you need to know the best practices. You’ll make a good impression. Our jury judged you only on the dish, but on the day of the contest, your entire performance will be evaluated. You’ll be assessed from the moment you enter the room.
-(Sanae) Yes!!
-(Azumi) I’m done! It suits you very well! She said, smiling.
-(Sanae) Thank you!
-(Azumi) Good! I’ll start cooking. Tonight, we’re having roasted chicken!
The girls watched Azumi as she gathered the necessary ingredients for the meal. They noticed that she always paused for a moment in front of each ingredient. And after several minutes, the process began.
-(Azumi) Always ensure you choose quality ingredients. When you cooked earlier, most of the ingredients at your disposal were of very high quality. But Sanae!
-(Sanae) Y–Yes??
-(Azumi) During the test, pay close attention to the various ingredients available. Later, I’ll show you how to discern different qualities.
-(Sanae) Alright!
-(Azumi) Another good practice to follow, Sanae, is to always clean up your workspace as you go. She said, putting away some utensils.
The culinary trio glanced at Sanae's workspace.
-(Sanae) I—
-(Azumi) I saw it! You did! But when you have a set time to work within, always reserve a moment near the end to tidy up. The state of your workspace can also be graded.
-(Sanae) I understand.
-(Narumi) Mom? At school, have you ever taken tests like this?
-(Azumi) No. But there were people in neighboring classes who did. However, they were not organized by the principal but by the club.
-(Narumi) Oh… An admission test?
-(Azumi) Yes! In fact, it used to be just an activity club. The cooking club came much later.
-(Sanae) Oh, I didn’t know that!
While washing her hands, Azumi continued: "Do you know the general judging criteria for a cooking contest?"
-(Narumi) I have a bit of an idea, yes!
-(Sanae) Hmm, I have a vague idea too.
Azumi explained to the girls while peeling potatoes: "So, as I said earlier, there are already good practices. They can make a good impression, but following them won’t necessarily add extra points. These are considered fundamentals. So, respecting them is seen as normal. Failing to do so can negatively affect the score. Other criteria include taste, presentation, originality of the dish, techniques used, hygiene, adherence to the theme, and finally, meeting the imposed deadlines. Any questions about that?"
-(Narumi) When you say the originality of the dish… What exactly do you mean?
-(Azumi) It’s simply the creativity of the dish. This includes the use of innovative culinary techniques and new ingredients. Ingredients that the judges might not have thought of, for example.
-(Narumi, Sanae) Hmm…
-(Azumi) Any other questions?
-(Narumi, Sanae) No!
-(Azumi) Good! She said while chopping the potatoes.
Thus began the little journey of Sanae and Narumi alongside Azumi. To ensure she helped Sanae as much as possible, Azumi began advising her on all the crucial aspects of a cooking contest. Her goal was to boost Sanae’s confidence as she had noticed Sanae was sensitive to stress. Breathing exercises, managing intense and relaxed moments… Azumi took her role very seriously. The technical aspect became very detailed, to the point that Narumi and Sanae felt Azumi had experienced a similar situation in the past. She highlighted the different nuances regarding the use of certain appliances commonly seen in cooking contests and provided practical tips for very specific scenarios. Sanae and Narumi learned a lot.
After enjoying an excellent roasted chicken
In Minami's room
Sanae entered the room.
-(Minami) Are you done with your shower?
-(Sanae) Yes, it feels so good~
Sanae stretched and lay down on the mattress while Minami flipped through some pages.
-(Minami) I’ll shower after you. I just need to finish something first.
-(Sanae) Ooh, I didn’t think you were such a diligent student~ Feel free to ask if you need help. She said teasingly.
-(Minami) Hm? I’m not working at all; I’m browsing a catalog of new toys.
-(Sanae) Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me…
-(Minami) Aside from that, did you enjoy today? Were you able to follow everything my mom said?
-(Sanae) Yes, it was really good, though I have to admit, sometimes I struggled to keep up. She said, looking embarrassed.
Sanae thought for a few seconds and continued: "You have an amazing mom."
Minami's face lit up with a nostalgic smile: "Once, she tried to teach me some cooking… She was very patient with me. It was a disaster."
Sanae, who was very attentive, asked: "And what happened next?"
-(Minami) I wanted to throw everything away. But she made me… eat a little to see my mistakes.
-(Sanae) Your mom is really incredible. She said with a smile.
-(Minami) Yes, that's for sure. But… she tends to overdo it.
-(Sanae) It's because she loves you a lot and wants to make sure you have everything you need.
Sanae paused to think and continued: "It's like she's doing her best to live up to something, you know?"
-(Minami) Yes, that's true. But still, she shouldn't do so much.
-(Sanae) Really? But doesn’t it make you happy that she does all these things for you?
-(Minami) Of course, everything she does for me makes me happy. But at what cost? I wouldn’t be able to stand it if something happened to my mom "because of me". If she gives too much, we’ll end up, unfortunately, relying on her all the time. And then? Who will think of her?... I think she should slow down.
Sanae, pensive, stared at the ceiling.
-(Sanae) I see… I kind of admire her; no matter what happens, you feel safe and it seems like you can rely on her for anything.
-(Minami) You admire her?
-(Sanae) In a way, I’d like to be like your mom.
-(Minami) Wait… What are you saying? Like my mom?
-(Sanae) *Teasingly* If I'm your friend… Maybe both, who knows? She said, thinking.
-(Minami) No, I don't want that. I prefer you as you are. If you become like my mom, what will happen to you?
Sanae got up and gave Minami a hug, jumping on her and laughing.
-(Sanae) Don’t worry~ I’m not going to disappear all of a sudden.
-(Minami) I hope not. Well, I’m going to shower now. She said, taking her things.
-(Sanae) I’m going to get some water!
-(Minami) Okay, if you can’t find any, you can ask my mom. She should still be downstairs.
-(Sanae) Okay.
Sanae left the room to go to the living room.
In the living room
-(Azumi) Did you forget something?
-(Sanae) I’m here to get some water. She said with a smile.
-(Azumi) Are you okay?
-(Sanae) Yes! And you?
-(Azumi) I hope I wasn’t too fast or too hard on you.
-(Sanae) No! It was perfect! I learned a lot from you!
Azumi smiled and encouraged her in a gentle voice: "You’re going to do great, Sanae."
Sanae took a bottle.
-(Azumi) Oh, I’m talking as if you’re not coming back. You’re coming back, right?
-(Sanae) Of course! I want to be at my best for the test.
Azumi was happy to see such determination in a young girl like Sanae.
-(Sanae) Ah, and before I forget.
Sanae pulled the hair ties from her pocket: "Here, these are the hair ties you lent me."
-(Azumi) I’m giving them to you. They look great on you! And you’ll think of everything you learned here when you wear them during the test!
-(Sanae) Thank you so much!
-(Sanae) Well, I guess—
Azumi, smiling, interrupted Sanae and called out to her.
-(Sanae) Yes??
Azumi's gaze seemed concerned but mostly filled with affection: "Don't overdo it. And stay true to yourself."
Sanae didn't quite understand what she meant...
-(Sanae) Hm?
-(Azumi) Keep your style, don't change your habits, as it could affect your performance.
-(Azumi) For example, the way you held your knife at the beginning was perfect, you didn't need to hold it like me. She said, smiling.
Sanae was very careful not to show her intentions and emotions. Given that she admired Azumi, Azumi was the last person Sanae wanted to show her weaknesses to.
-(Sanae) Oh, I-I-
She didn't know what to say and felt very embarrassed, apprehensive about the image Azumi would have of her. However, Minami's mother's cheeks began to redden, and she held them as if to hide: "Even though it made me veeery happy."
Azumi's reaction soothed Sanae, and her worries vanished as quickly as they had appeared.
-(Sanae) Thank you so much for your feedback!
-(Azumi) But it's normal!
-(Sanae) I'm going to go! Good night to you! And don't overdo it either!
-(Azumi) "Don't overdo it"... That's the second time I've heard that today. She said, laughing.
After a while, Minami returned to the room. She seemed ready to sleep. But... Sanae was not. While Minami hid under the blanket to sleep, Sanae pulled it off to do what is called: the evening routine. Minami saw no point in this, but Sanae didn't give her a choice. Finally, after Sanae applied the first cream on Minami's face, she started to enjoy it and let her do it. After the evening routine, the two friends eventually fell asleep peacefully.
In the middle of the night
Minami was tossing and turning noisily in her bed, and her night seemed restless. Sanae woke up, rubbing her eyes: "Minami... please be quieter."
Minami, who seemed to have heard her friend's voice, began to mumble barely audible words: "Who...is-..."
-(Sanae) Hm? What are you talking about?
Sanae thought she was having a bad dream and tucked the blanket back over her friend: "Put this back, you'll catch a cold."
Minami, still asleep, this time articulated her words a bit more: "Who are... you...?"
-(Sanae) Hm? It's me, Sanae. She said, giggling.
END OF CHAPTER