Fan Fiction ❯ French Course ❯ One-Shot

French Course

By Kaede Nakamura

Disclaimer: Do you really think I own Iron Chef? No? Didn't think so. Good thing too, I'm making enemies with this.

I warn you, SLASH!!!!

February 23, 1994

"What?" Kaga Takeshi yelled.

"You heard me," his Iron Chef French, Ishinabe Yutaka, calmly said. Or rather, his former Iron Chef French. "I'm resigning."

The chairman of the Gourmet Academy looked like he would kill Ishinabe in an instant. Then he calmed down and sat at his desk.

"Very well. I respect your wish to resign. You may still be asked to battle, though. Is that clear?"

Ishinabe nodded.

"So, any ideas for your successor?"

Ishinabe thought. "Well, I do have an idea…"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

February 25, 1994

Kaga heard a knock at the door to his office. He beckoned the person to come in.

Sakai Hiroyuki didn't know what to expect when he entered, but he knew it wasn't a man in an elaborate jacket and black gloves.

"Ah, Sakai Hiroyuki," the man got up and bowed to him. "I'm Kaga Takeshi, the chairman of the Gourmet Academy."

"Nice to meet you."

"I've asked you here because Ishinabe Yutaka retired from his position as Iron Chef French. He recommended you to take his place.

Sakai's eyes grew big. Him? Iron Chef French? It was true; he was above the norm in French culinary skills. Ishinabe thought he was good but good enough to join the ranks of the Iron Chefs? Almost unconsciously, he nodded.

"Glad to have you join us."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later that day

Four girls were cleaning up Kitchen Stadium when Sakai entered. They waved and kept on working while he looked around.

His meandering led to the platforms, pictures of the Iron Chefs behind them. Ishinabe's was on the left. Soon Sakai's picture would be there.

"Strange, isn't he?"

Sakai whipped around to see Ishinabe behind him.

"Who?"

"Kaga-san. Isn't he the strangest person you ever met?"

Sakai thought a minute. "Yes, I think he is."

"Heard from him that you've accepted the position. I'm glad to hear that."

"Can I ask something?" Sakai said. "Why me?"

"You're one hell of a chef, and the Delacroix of French Cuisine. And…people like you."

"People like me?"

"I mean, they find you attractive."

"The ladies?"

Ishinabe stepped up to Sakai and whispered in his ear, "Possibly some men too." Then, face pink, Ishinabe walked away.

Sakai stood there, blinking, confused.

"What just happened?"

"Selphie spilled a bucket of water, that's what happened!" one of the smartass girls yelled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Christmas, 1996

Sakai had adjusted well to his life as Iron Chef French. He won some, he lost some, but he never let those get him down (well, except his first loss, but that's a different story.)

He was also no longer the baby of the chefs. Not long ago, Iron Chef Japanese Michiba Rokusaburo had retired. His replacement was Nakamura Koumei (no relation to the author). While no one could beat who came to be regarded as the "God of Iron Chef," Nakamura really could hold his own.

Anyway, that isn't the point. The point is, it's Christmas, and Kaga got hold of mistletoe. The tradition goes: If two people get under the mistletoe, they share a kiss. Then he proved it by dragging an assistant over and kissing her.

An already piss-drunk-off-sake Michiba decided he'd try that too, so he grabbed the nearest person, dragged said person under the mistletoe, and gave out a sloppy kiss.

It wasn't until the next morning that Kaga made his hangover worse by showing Michiba a picture of the above scene, and Michiba discovered he smooched Nakamura. (Not to worry, Nakamura gets revenge at the New Year Battle. He defeated Michiba. But I digress.)

That one simple act triggered a thought in Sakai's mind. He wondered what Ishinabe's lips tasted like.

Sakai blinked, like he does when confused. Did he just think that? Did he just wonder what it was like to kiss his fellow fighter? Too much wine, that had to be it. He wandered around, trying to find a distraction.

Whether he succeeded or failed is up for debate. He just happened to walk near the mistletoe at the same time as Ishinabe.

"Come on! You know the tradition, so fulfill it!" Kaga screamed, swinging a cleaver around.

"Take-chan put down that cleaver before you butcher someone!" Kaga's two sisters, Ishizu and Hotaru yelled before (with the assistance of Chen Kenichi, who owned the cleaver) wrestling the utensil away. So poor Take-chan missed his two French Chefs make out.

Ishinabe held Sakai steady and their lips touched. It was more surprise than skill that Sakai's tongue flicked out, meeting Ishinabe's.

They broke about 30 seconds later, flushing, Kaga bitching that he missed it. He really needed a girlfriend.

The French chefs' eyes sparkled. Sakai didn't know if it was from the wine or not,.

~~~~~~~~~~~

October 9, 1997- Arashiyama, Kyoto

The Day Before the Iron Chef World Cup

It was nighttime, time to sleep before the big day tomorrow, yet one clothed in red could not sleep. Dreams plagued him. Wonderful dreams, but sinful in many others' eyes.

It was because the dreams centered on him and a certain man. One dressed in green.

One named Ishinabe Yutaka.

Insomnia ever dominant, Sakai went to the one place where few people would be: The makeshift Kitchen Stadium.

He was surprised to see Alain Passard, the representative for France, wandering around, excitement overcoming sleep. Alain asked if something was wrong with Sakai. Sakai decided he could trust Alain and told him.

He told about Ishinabe, the kiss at New Year's, the fact that he had fallen in love with the other Iron Chef French, and that he was taught that it was a sin to love a man like that.

Alain listened patiently to Sakai. Then he said these words: "Okay, you love Mr. Ishinabe. And from what you told me, he loves you back. So the rest shouldn't matter."

What about the others, what'd they think? Sakai had voiced.

"Well, Chen doesn't give a damn, I don't know about the chairman, and Koumei and someone named Kobe were betting on whether you'd get together or not."

"WHAT?!"

"Wouldn't you?" Nakamura yelled from the other side of Kitchen Stadium.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

October 10, 1997

Sakai rushed back to the academy, which doubled as housing for Kaga, the chefs, and their families, where applied. He muttered a hello to Kobe Masahiko (Iron Chef Italian, and the Kobe mentioned above) before stopping at Ishinabe's door.

He knocked and entered when Ishinabe called "come in".

"Hello, Ishinabe-san."

Ishinabe's head popped out of the book he was reading. He didn't expect Sakai; last he knew, Sakai was at Arashiyama.

"I need to talk to you." Sakai sat down next to Ishinabe. "I've been thinking a lot after that party way back when." Ishinabe began to apologize, but Sakai stopped him. "Like I said," he continued, "I've been thinking about what happened, and how I feel about you, and…" Sakai didn't know what to say, so he just kissed Ishinabe.

Who was Ishinabe to argue?

They held each other steady, so not to lose their balance, and deepened the kiss, tongues wrestling until the necessity of air drew them apart.

Ishinabe first said the words Sakai was afraid to say. "My god, Hiro-chan, I think I love you."

"So do I, Yu-chan. So do I."

"Great! Get a room! And remind me to tell Nakamura-san I win the bet!" Kobe yelled from the hall.