Chapter Nine

The Fated Pudding Showdown!

The loud gasps of the princes echoed through the cooking room.

"Sooyoung, is that the truth?" Key asked, hoping it wasn't.

"But you seemed so confident back then..." Kris pointed out.

"You've seriously never made pudding before?!" Lu Han exclaimed at Sooyoung.

"W-Well... Yoona-sunbae was saying those mean things about Siwon-seonsaengnim and I couldn't just..."

"So what?! Now if you lose this pudding showdown..."

"Let's make sweets together, sweetie!"

Just thinking about Yoona making a kissy face at him was enough to tortue Lu Han. "Me team up with that Heiress again? No thanks!"

"Okay, I get it. So what should I do?" Truthfully, there was nothing Sooyoung could do, except practice.

Thankfully, the cooking room had all the ingredients Sooyoung could need.

"Do you really think I can do it?"

"It's true that pudding is a simple dish, made from the basic ingredient of sugar, eggs, and milk." Key explained.

"Exactly. So with a lot of practice, I'm sure you can make it." Kris agreed.

"If I practice? That's right. I've already been practicing, and improving little by little as I do. This time will be no difference! All right! For these last two days until the showdown, I'll devote myself to practice. I'll master making pudding, you'll see!"

Sooyoung studied her cooking book. "I guess I should start with the caramel sauce?" she mumbled. "So, you start with sugar, right?" Sooyoung poured sugar and water in her pot. She has to wait until it's a nice amber-brown color. To finish it, Sooyoung needed yo turn off the burner and add in one tablespoon of water. She started to panick when she couldn't find the tablespoon. "Where is it? Where is it?" The girl needed to hurry up or the sauce'll burn. She finally found it and added a tablespoon of water in the sauce but it backfired on her when it blew up.

The girl needed to hurry as caramel sauce hardens very fast. She had to pour it into cups while it was still hot. What part of this is simple? She thought as she carefully added a decent amount of caramel sauce into cups. Time was so tight that Sooyoung didn't have time to rest. It was time to make the pudding itself. Like Key said, the pudding base is made by mixing sugar, eggs and milk and then you steam it in the oven. Sooyoung was mixing the wrong way, though. To prevent the egg from frothing, she needed to mix using circular was exactly what Kris said when she didn't mix it correctly. It must be pretty and delicious, with no cavities inside. Cavities are small air bubbles that form in the pudding when heated. They make pudding have an umpleasant texture which was exactly what Key answered with when Sooyoung asked about cavities.

Sooyoung filled the cups after she was done mixing the base. Now, she needed to fill the pan with hot water, and steam them in the oven. "It's best for the water to be between 60 and 70 degrees to make the pudding smooth." Kris reminded her. But unfortunately she poured boiling water. Luckily Key stopped her when she started.

The oven dinged, signalling for Sooyoung to pull the pan out. "Smells good!"

"After it's finish baking, we let it cool to serving temperature in an hour in the refrigerator." Kris explained.

"Okay!"

"They should be ready now, I think." Sooyoung took the picked up the cup slowly and the pudding came out looking good. "Finished!"

Lu Han had the plate in his hands, about to eat the pudding. "Well, it looks okay."

"It's a lovely color." Key complimented.

"I wonder... Hurry, try some."

The boys took a bite and all of them came to an agreement. "Bitter!"

"Oh no!" Sooyoung tried some her face scrunched. "It's so bitter!"

"I guess you boiled the caramel too much." Kris said. "You have to make sure it's amber-colored."

"But why?"

"A pale amber sauce will be too sweet. On the other hand, if it's too dark, then it becomes bitter like this. A nice amber-colored sauce will be perfectly sweet with the right amount of bitterness."

"So that's how it works."

Key took a closer look at the pudding. "As I feared, there are cavities. Maybe the oven was too hot?"

"And the texture is stiff." Sooyoung said sadly. "It's a complete failure..."

"There's no need to worry, Sooyoung. Anyone would mess up on their first try." Key assured. "We were no different."

"Key..."

"The taste varies with the way you combine the ingredients together." Kris gave her a bright smile. "You should take your time and find the way that works best for you."

"If you increase the number of egg yolks and lower the baking temperature, you'll get a smoother texture." Lu Han explained. But there are many different methods."

"I see. It might seem simple to make, but there's a lot more to it. It sound really interesting! I'm gonna work harder! I'll master pudding by the end of tonight!" Sooyoung said determindly. She went back to perfecting her pudding. "We start with the caramel sauce, right?" she asked herself.

"If she loses, we'll have to team up with the Heirass." Key said. 

And that instantly set Lu Han off as he went into another layer of his: Craziness. "Give it everything you've got, Sooyoung!"

The group didn't notice it but, outside of the cooking room, a camera phone was pointed right at them.

Yoona received a picture from her phone. "Oh? I see." She held her phone for Donghae and Eunhyuk to see it. "So she's training herself hard on how to make pudding? What a total novice!"

"Your victory is practically guaranteed." said Eunhyuk.

"After all, Milady's pudding is made from Silkie eggs, the best sugar in the country, and Jersey milk!" Donghae stated. "Only the finest of ingredients!

"And we even installed the same oven that's in the high school!"

"That way, you'll be familiar with it and won't be blindsided!"

"Excellent work, Eunhyuk, Donghae!"

"Oh, no! We'd do anything for you, Milady!"

"This is nothing but a trifle!"

"Sweet Eunhyuk!"

"And bitter Dongahe!"

"We are your devoted servants, Lady Yoona!"

Yoona cackled. "I'll teach you that I should be the one to team up with Lu Han for the Grand Prix! Choi Sooyoung!"

"A question, Milady..." Eunhyuk begin.

"What is it?"

"Why go such lengths for Lu Han?" Donghae ended.

"I don't see why that should matter to you two. I'll leave you to the cleaning."

Yoona walked away from her kitchen, leaving Eunhyuk and Donghae. She walked down her hallway, starring at her phone with a picture of Lu Han. Lu Han... It happened the day we met, at the welcoming party for new first-years...

"Disgusting." Lu Han said after one bite of the custard pudding.

"W-What did you say?!" Yoona exclaimed, enraged. "Did you call my-Im Yoona's-pudding, disgusting?!"

"It's full of cavities, and the caramel wasn't boiled enough and is too sweet. I'm shocked you were accpeted to this school with such skills."

No one had ever told me, the daughter of Chauteau Seoul, how the sweets I made really tasted. They'd just shower me with false compliments. But this past year, I apprenticed under top-class patissiers and honed my skills. Lu Han... I'm not like I was back then. This time...

"Hey, Sooyoung!"

Sooyoung crawled out of her orange blanket which was on the floor of the cooking room. "Good morning, Lu Han..." She then noticed it was not just Lu Han. Kris and Key were there, too. "Huh? What is it, everyone?"

"We were worried, so we came to check on you." Key explained.

Lu Han's eyes widened as he saw the big number of custard puddings covering the table. "You made all these in one night?"

"Huh? Yeah..." Sooyoung got up and rubbed her eyes. "I wanted to make the perfect caramel pudding, so I ended up using all the pots and ovens in the entire cooking classroom."

"We've got to clean up before class starts." Kris said.

Sooyoung handed each of them a plate of custard pudding. "But thanks to that, I'm really good at it now!" As she handed one to Lu Han, he stared at her fingers. They were bandaged. "See? Try some!"

Look at how many times she scalded herself...

Kris took a bite. "This is delicious."

"I'm surprised you could become this skilled in only one night." Key complimented.

"Yeah." Lu Han agreed.

Sooyoung checked her pudding. "But sometimes they have cavities, even though I make them the same way each time."

"Were those made in the lower oven?" Kris asked.

"Huh? Yeah..."

"That oven is hotter than the others. The one above tends to heat unevenly."

"Is that so?"

"Each oven has its own quirks." Lu Han said. "If you want to use them all, you have to know what they are."

Quirks, huh? I still don't know a thing, do I?

Key and Kris tried another pudding. Kris took the first bite. "This is simply scrumptious!"

Key took the next bite and winced. "You think? It's too sweet."

"I didn't cook the caramel enough on that one; that's why."

"Actually, I like it sweet!" Kris stated.

I see!

"Sooyoung, are you going to practice more tonight?" Key asked. "If so, I'll bring you some provisions."

"Thanks! But I have other plans tonight."

"It is time. We will now begin the match between Im Yoona and Choi Sooyoung. Please make five servings of custard pudding in the next two hours. The chairman will be the judge." Tiffany said.

"I look forward to tasting your delicious pudding."

I can't lose... Sooyoung glanced at her opponent.

Yoona glanced back. I'll show you what 'high-class' really means. She sent a loving wink to Lu Han who trembled badly from it.

"Begin." Tiffany set her stopwatch.

Yoona laughed as Sooyoung dropped her pot. Seems like Yoona might have the advantage.

Kris turned to Lu Han. "I'm so nervous, Lulu!"

"How does you being nervous help?"

"Sooyoung doesn't look well." Key was worried too. Lu Han was secretly worried for her too. He starred at her as struggled with the ingredients. "Even though she didn't practice last night..."

"The Heirass finished up the caramel like a pro!" Kris remarked, looking at Yoona.

"You can even tell at a distance that the amber color is perfect. And the viscosity is ideal." Key agreed.

"What about Sooyoung?" Kris asked.

"Idiot! She's boiling it too much!" Lu Han was more worried than ever.

"She has to turn off the heat, fast!" Key exclaimed.

But Sooyoung didn't. Instead, she added the tablespoon of water when the caramel is absolutely going to taste bitter. Unfortunately, she scalded herself while doing so. "Oww!"

"She's done it now..." Kris said.

"It'll be too bitter!" Lu Han said.

Yoona watched her 'competition' with a smirk. Oh my... They may look the same, but the ovens here are different than the middle school's. You'll be flabbergasted when you see the results. This battle is mine.

"Okay! Finished." Sooyoung placed her pudding on the judge's table.

"As I am." Yoona did the same.

"You two have finished, yes?" Tiffany asked.

The chairman's eyes sparkled. "They both look so delicious! I will begin with Yoona's."

Yoona-sunbae's puding... What a deep yellow color! No matter what eggs I used, mine never looked like that...

The chairman scooped a part of the pudding and ate it. "Well, look at this. You used Silkie eggs, did you? And the milk is definitely Jersey." The chairman nodded his head in satisfaction.

"Silkie?" Sooyoung never heard that word before. Yoona giggled.

"And now for Sooyoung's..."

Please!

"How is it?" Lu Han asked impatiently.

As soon as the chairman placed the spoon with the pudding in his mouth, his eyes windened. "T-This is..."

Yoona laughed while Sooyoung was shaking. Did I blow it?

"I knew it would be too bitter!" Kris exclaimed a little too loud.

"Shut up, Kris!" Lu Han hissed.

"Be quiet." Key had his eyes fixed on the chairman. "He's anouncing the results."

Maybe trying to master it in two days was impossible.

"I will now announce the results." Tiffany said. "The winner of the pudding showdown is... Second year, from the A Group, Choi Sooyoung."

Sooyoung's eyes widened in surprise while Yoona was stiff.

"All right!" Kris yelled.

"Sooyoung!" Key yelled along.

"You won!" Lu Han gave her a big smile.

"What? I did?"

Yoona couldn't take it. "But why? You complimented my pudding, right?"

"Yes. It was certainly rich and delicious." The chairman gave Yoona a close-up view of her pudding.

"No way, there are cavities!"

"And this is Sooyoung's." There were no cavities at all.

"I can't believe it! I practiced on the same exact model oven! And I didn't screw up even once!"

"Just because it's the same model doesn't mean it will cook the same. The oven you used bakes hot. If you don't compensate for that, it will end up to stiff."

Yoona banged the table with her hands angrily. "H-How would I know something like that?!"

"Sooyoung knew." Tiffany said. "She came last night after class, and told me she wanted to practice here so she could learn this oven's quirks. She then practiced until dawn."

Lu Han kept his smile. "So that's why you're..."

"So those were your other plans." Key said.

"Yeah..."

Yoona just couldn't accpet the fact that she lost. "But wait, what about the taste? Choi Sooyoung's caramel sauce would be too bitter!"

"I actually made it that way on purpose."

"What did you say?"

"The Chairman was eating Chocolate Gateau the other day. The one was quite bitter. And he drank his coffee black. I figured he prefers bitter-tasting things, so I boiled my caramel down almost completely."

The chairman chuckled. "It really is to my taste. I'm quite impressed at your preceptiveness."

Yoona glared at Sooyoung. "That's just unfair! She went and looked into your tastes!"

"No, that's not exactly true. Sooyoung wanted to know, both about the oven's quirks and my tastes. They might seem like small things, but they're crucial when attempting to please the people you are serving. It's the single most important thing for someone trying to become a patissiere."

"Mr. Chairman!" Sooyoung smiled.

"Amazing, Sooyoung! I misjudged you!" Kris slung an arm over her shoulder.

"You did well to notice all that." Key winked at her.

"No, it's because of everything you taught me. Thank you so much!"

"Well, perhaps you've improved a bit." said Lu Han to Sooyoung.

"Yeah!"

"Don't get cocky, Choi Sooyoung." Yoona muttered. "This was just a fluke!" She turned around to face Sooyoung. "I'm gonna beat you in the Grand Prix and make you regret this!" She threw Sooyoung's pudding on the table and ran away, crying.

"Milady!" Eunhyuk and Donghae ran after her. "Please wait!"

"Everything's okay now, since you don't have to team up with Yoona-sunbae." Sooyoung said cheerfully while seated at a small table outside at evening.

"But still, she's pretty scary." said Lu Han.

They group heard a chuckle and saw Tiffany walking over. "You may have just made an enemy of Chateau Seoul."

"President Tiffany! U-Um, thanks for everything!" Sooyoung bowed.

"I knew you all would be fine. I'm looking forward to the cakes you'll show me." Tiffany walked away. "Let us meet again at the Grand Prix."

"Wow, wow, wow!"

Key chuckled. "Sooyoung, you don't have to be that happy..."

"But she said, 'Let us meet at the Grand Prix.' That means she, like, recognized my skills, right?"

"Sooyoung..." Kris started.

"What, what?"

"Perhaps it would be best if you reviewed the basics of making pudding, before you forget."

"He's right." Key agreed. "Pudding that suits the Chairman's tastes is one thing, but... You have to be able to make pudding that everyone can enjoy."

"Don't worry! I can do it now! 'Cause I'm one of the great members of the A group! I'm gonna enter the Grand priz with all of you! And we'll win that grand prize for sure!"

Key folded his arms. "I'm sorry, but with you as you are right now, we won't make it past the first round."

"The world of the Grand Prix is harsh." said Kris, his expression sullen. "If you think we can win without a struggle, you're sadly mistaken."

"But..."

Lu Han replaced his smile with a frown. "Your head's way too up in the clouds, for improving so little."

The princes walked away, leaving Sooyoung behind. "Why... I thought I'd finally proved myself... Why won't you recognize me? Can't you understand how I feel?!" she screamed, tearing up. She sank down on her knees, burying her head in them. Kris and Key were walking futher than Lu Han while he glanced back at Sooyoung. He wanted so bad to go over and comfort her but his legs just wouldn't allow him. Instead, he turned his head away and catched up with his friends.

Sooyoung was left alone, crying. Like the first day. When she screws up, she gets sadness. When she doesn't, she gets sadness too. "Why..."

Hai thr friendly people of AFF! :)

So I'm pretty sure you're wondering about the last part. Well, I wanted it to be like this so that I can kinda cook up some romance. keke And then, Yoona. She's like one of the important characters now. There might be some slight LuYoon in this story but I can assure you there will be more SooHan, SooKris and SooKey! :) As you can see from one of the parts in the chapter, Yoona truly likes Luhan. But Luhan just finds it creepy. or maybe he doesn't have feelings for because he already has fallen for someone else. haha. I think the next chapter's gonna be quite interesting but I'll leave that thought up to you! :)

I would like to thank everyone for supporting and I know I've been saying this alot, but it really does mean a lot to me! <3