"Suzuna-chan made another cake! I get hungry just from thinking about it!" Shintani exclaimed while eying the cake on the table. "Suzuna-chan where are you? Five more minutes and I'm going to dig in. I won't wait for you to cut it!" he called from the kitchen.

"Coming You-kun!" Suzuna called back from upstairs. She had been reading a leaflet for a cooking competition. The prizes were desirable and all you needed to do was prepare a bento and a nice desert.

She came hopping down the stairs into the kitchen.

"You-kun, look at this leaflet. Do you think it is worth trying out?" she asked handing him the leaflet. Shintani took it and carefully read through it.

Fujitake Bento House

Are you good at making bentos and deserts for the family?

If the answer is yes, then this your chance to shine with your skills in the kitchen!

We are organizing a bento competition for those who have a passion for making bentos.

Interested participants please contact XXXXXXXX for further details.

The other side of the leaflet had advertisements for Fujitake Bento House. This was the biggest handmade bento supplier in all of Japan.

"Yea, I guess you could participate. But first I want to eat the cake!" Shintani said after studying the leaflet for a good five minutes.

"Yes! Yes! Time to cut the cake!" announced Suzuna in a cheerful monotone and took up the knife. Shintani had the first and the biggest slice. Soon Misaki returned home as well with Usui tagging along behind her. Everyone had a slice and the rest was left to Shintani to wolf down.

The next day Suzuna called the company and gathered the details. She soon had it all jotted down on a piece of paper.

Schedule:

9 am to 12 am

Venue:

Fujitake Bento House H.O.

Participants are required to submit their recipes. Ingredients will be provided. There are two parts of the competition. Part 1 is bento preparation. Part 2 is simple desserts. All the cooking and decorations must be completed by 11:30 am. The judges will then judge the culinary dishes. The best bento recipe will be used for our weekly special bento. And the best dessert will be used by renowned packaged desert company Fujinami Delicacies.

Winner of the bento competition gets a month's worth of rice completely free! And with it comes a coupon for 10 free bentos from Fujitake Bento House.

Participants must send in their recipes by 5th August 2013. Selected participants will then be informed by 7th August. Selected participants are required to appear at Fujitake Bento House H.Q. at least half an hour before the final cook-off on 12th August.

Suzuna read through it again and again. She then decided which recipes to send in for selection. Participants also had to send in the name of a partner, in case they ran short of time or had some other problem. At first she thought of signing up her mother as her partner. But when she talked to Minako about it, Minako suggested signing up Misaki instead. That way, even if she didn't do much, she'd at least get some knowledge about cooking.

So Suzuna signed up the names of herself and her sister. Without any consultation? Yes. Because if she were to ask, Misaki would never agree to it.

Suzuna sent in two of her best recipes for the selection on the 5th of August. And sure enough, a letter arrived on the 7th (Saturday) addressed to Ayuzawa Misaki and Ayuzawa Suzuna.

"Suzuna, dear, you have mail." Minako called form the door. As Minako brought the envelope into the kitchen Misaki looked a little confused.

"Whats wrong Misaki? Why do you look confused?" Minako asked seeing her daughter's expression.

"I was actually expecting a parcel for some prize she won," Misaki replied.

"Oh I see," her mother replied, handing the letter to Suzuna.

…..five minutes later….

"Nee-san has to come to the competition with me~." Suzuna whined solemnly as a reply to Misaki's continuous complaints for signing her name up.

"But Suzuna try to understand," Misaki once again tried to talk her sister out of it. "You have a chance of winning this on your own! If I go, all I'll do is ruin everything! Right Mom?" she turned to her mother for support.

Minako put a finger to her chin to signify that she was thinking. "Well, although I'm pretty sure Usui-san won't mind cooking all your meals, it would still be nice to be able to cook once in a while once you're married, ne?"

Misaki's cheeks turned a little red at what her mothe was implying. "M-Mom! Where did Usui come from in all this?"

"From the door," came a reply from the hallway. Misaki froze in her spot, more heat rising to her cheeks. Usui….

"Gah! Fine I'll go!" Misaki announced while running towards the staircase. However she stopped when she bumped into her perverted-outer-space-alien-stalker-boyfriend.

"Where are you going Ayuzawa?" he asked once she looked up.

"Huh?" she replied dumbstruck. "W-Where would I go? I'm not going anywhere." He knows what kind of a cook I am. If he hears about this, I'm good as dead.

Misaki suggested staying in the kitchen for the weekend. That way, she'd get a hang of some cooking so that she didn't ruin her sister's perfect chance of winning the Bento competition.

She asked Suzuna what she'd planned for the cook-off.

"Onigiris for the bento and vegetable pastries for the dessert," Suzuna replied.

"Vegetable pastries…..' Misaki contemplated for a moment. "The ones you make when Shintani's grandpa sends vegetables over?"

"Yes," Suzuna replied. "Mom says they're my masterpiece."

"Suzuna, don't mind but please chop up these vegetable for me?" Minako said hauling a bowl of vegetables into the sink. "These are for lunch. I'll be finished with the laundry by that time."

"Okay Mom," Suzuna replied.

"Oh, and keep an eye on the pot of rice for me Misaki," Minako said before finally disappearing to do the laundry.

Suzuna took the bowl of vegetables to the counter, brought out the chopping board and the knife and started to slice up the vegetables for a curry.

"So, Suzuna, are you planning plain onigiri or something special?" Misaki said striking up another conversation.

"I was planning vegetables: quick, healthy and easy."

Vegetables and vegetables. Could it be that Suzuna actually….

"Hey Suzuna?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you so worked up on vegetables these days?"

Suzuna froze. It was not that she didn't want Misaki to know…just not exactly like that.

"W-well veggies are cheap and healthy. So why not?

"Oh" Misaki mouthed. She had a feeling that Suzuna wasn't telling her the whole story. And she had a feeling it had something to do with Shintani Hinata. At least she can counter it with logic. All I could do is stutter and call names. Wait…what? Those names were well deserved!

"Sis," Suzuna's voice brought Misaki back to the present. "The rice is ready. Could you bring it down for me please?"

"Oh, uh, okay." She hesitated a bit though. She'd never brought down the rice before.

She went and turned off the stove. Their cooker was broken so they had to use the stove now. No other choice. She had to get rid of the rice water first. So, she reached for the edges of the pot without any protection from heat for her fingers.

"Sis! No!" Suzuna ran to catch the pot as Misaki let it go because of the heat. Suzuna did manage to catch it, but not without burning the both of her hands.

"Oh no!" Misaki gasped. She quickly removed the pot to a safe place and held Suzuna's hands under a cold running tap.

"What happened?" Minako asked bursting into the kitchen.

"Explanation later Mom," Misaki said grabbing the first aid kit. "We have to tend to Suzuna first."

Minako noticed the spilt rice water on the floor and decided to clean it up while Misaki bandaged up Suzuna's hands. Once she was done, she went to check on the rice. There was still a lot of rice water in it. She tipped the pot slightly over the edge of the sink so that all the water would drain out.

"So, Misaki," Minako asked as she noticed her older daughter heave a sigh. "How did this happen?"

Misaki explained breathlessly. The guilt in her voice was eminent. "I'm so sorry, Suzuna. I should've been more careful."

"It's okay Sis. It was just an accident," Suzuna tried to console her.

"Just an accident! Suzuna, what about the bento competition?" Misaki asked worriedly.

Suzuna thought for a moment. Then her face lit up as she clearly found an idea. "You can cook Sis!"

"What?" Both Misaki and Minako gave her a disbelieving look.

"Suzana, Mom just asked me to take care of the rice. Look what I did! If I do so much as go near the stove I'll ruin the whole thing!" Misaki said trying to defend herself.

"But Sis, what about the bento competition?" Suzuna asked in her baby voice.

Misaki's eyes grew wide as realization hit her. "You're right," she whispered, "You only signed up the two of our names. One of us has to be able to cook or we'll be disqualified!"

Suzuna and Minako slowly nodded to signify her understanding was correct.

"But how can I cook?"

"You could ask someone to teach you the two particular dishes," Minako suggested.

"I don't think anyone would dare to even try," said a skeptical Misaki. Well, it was true. With her temper and skills in the kitchen, even the best teacher would back out.

"Except one," Minako said "He won't just dare to try, he will succeed."

Misaki's eyes widened once more as she realized who her mother was talking about. "No, no, no. Please not him!"