~Chapter 15 – Sweets Royale (Stage 2/9 Sorbet)~

            It was the morning of the Sweets Royale stage two, everyone had checked themselves in and received their assigned station (since after every stage the participants would have to be placed in a different station to ensure that any other participants who plan on sabotaging won’t be able to predict where their target would be) and were now looking over their things as they waited for the competition to begin.

            Luhan was placed in a station that was very close to the front of the stage in the competition hall, ‘The number of contestants went down pretty dramatically… I think the first stage probably eliminated at least thirty percent of the contestants already…’ Luhan looked around surveying his area to see who he was near this time, looking down the aisle of stations, he caught a glimpse of Baekhyun who was also looking around about three stations down from his own, when the two made eye contact, Baekhyun waved enthusiastically happy at being stationed near one of his friends as Luhan returned the gesture.

            ‘I guess I’m close by Baekhyun today, I wonder where everyone else got stationed?’ Luhan didn’t get to ponder this for long as an announcement was made over the loud speaker once more “Attention to all participants please stop what you are doing and place your attention towards the front of the competition hall where the headmaster of SMACSE will once again commence the second stage of the Sweets Royale.”

            Everything was instantly silenced as the headmaster and five judges came out on stage, “Hello students of SMACSE, I congratulate you all on being the ones to advance into the next stage. Now for the Sweets Royale stage two all participants are required to create a sorbet dessert based on the theme of summer within the time limit of two hours. Once again your creation will be graded upon three categories of visual, taste, and theme. Now I am elated to finally announce that this begins the Sweets Royale stage two.”

            Without the delay, all the participants began their work. Luhan managed to eventually get his plan for this round down during the two prep days so he knew what to do as he instantly took out a sauce pan and poured in water and white sugar, heating up the mixture while stirring it at the same time in order to have the sugar dissolve. ‘Watermelon sorbet would be the best choice for the theme of summer, since the fruit is mostly eaten during the summer’ thought Luhan as he finished dissolving the sugar, leaving the sugary mixture on the stove to cool down, he grabbed out freshly cubed watermelon from the fridge and began putting it all into the blender. After blending the watermelon until it was smooth, Luhan took out a strainer and placed it over a large bowl as he poured the watermelon blend over it to get all the seeds and any left over chunks out, he also took out some limes and squeezed some of the juice into the strained watermelon juice. Leaving that bowl on the table, he grabbed the now cooled sugar mixture and began whisking it into the watermelon juice bowl. With the now combined mixtures, Luhan quickly placed it into the quick chiller in order to have the mixture at a cold temperature before putting it into the ice cream making machine.

            As he waited for that to chill, Luhan grabbed another small watermelon about the size of a soccer ball out of the fridge and cut it in half ‘I need to start the decorations now or I’ll run out of time.’ Luhan was able to cut pieces of the watermelon into an intricate flower before he removed the chilled watermelon mixture from the quick chiller and poured it into the ice cream making machine, turning the setting on to soft serve ice cream. As the machine did its work, Luhan returned to his watermelon decorations as he cut out another flower identical to the first one and a simple sun shape out of the last of the watermelon pieces. As he finished, the ice cream machine dinged and Luhan quickly removed his sorbet from the machine and began scooping the sorbet into a sun shaped mold so that when he placed it onto the white plate it maintained it’s shape, and proceeded to place his decorations on the plate as the bell rang once more indicating that the second stage of the Sweets Royale has finished.

            “All participants stop and place everything down at once; you may now begin to place your dessert in the center of the counter of your kitchen station alongside your assigned number. Please wait to be dismissed and do not move from your station until told to do so by a staff member. You will be able to see your score on the screening board outside of the competition hall on the monitors around noon make sure to check if you will be advancing to the next round. All participants must now listen carefully, in the next stage all advancing participants are expected to create a type of candy based on the theme of brightness. That is all and we once again wish you the best in your endeavors,” as the headmaster finished his announcements the staff immediately came forth again and began ushering people out of the doors one by one so the judging process can begin.

            Since Luhan was stationed at the front this time he wasn’t able to leave as quickly since the staff started at the back first. Luhan looked over to the stage and realized he was stationed so close to it that he could clearly see each of the judges faces as he ran his eyes across them, he made eye contact with his grandmother who was the farthest from him on the stage. Meili seeing her grandson looking at her decided to give him a wink to show that she saw him but not be too obvious about it since she didn’t want to make it seem as though she was being biased towards any of the competitors in the Sweets Royale, she took her job as judge very seriously and she will judge each of the desserts unbiased. Luhan seeing his grandmother wink at him from the stage could only return the gesture with a smile of his own ‘Granny being Granny as usual’ he thought before getting ushered out by a staff member, which caused him to miss the eyes of someone else peering at him with a dark glint from the top of the stage.

            Luhan was the last to come out of the competition hall as he met up with his friends outside, “Luhan! You’re finally out!” grinned Baekhyun “We both did amazing right!?”

            Grinning back Luhan replied “Yeah, I feel a bit better about hopefully passing this round.”

            Tao scoffed with a triumphant look on his face “Who needs hope when you have brilliant skills like mine. Ice cream and sorbets were meant to be made by me.”

            “I guess someone did really well on their sorbet,” said Chen in a playful tone.

            “Of course,” replied Tao confidently “I bet I’ll even get a higher score than Sehun’s and he was ranked number one in the last stage!”

            “Wanna make a bet on that? A week’s worth of arcade tokens as the grand prize,” smirked Kai as he swung an arm around Tao’s shoulders “I think prodigy boy Sehun has some major skills, enough to even beat the master of sorbets at his own game.”

            Sehun made a face of dislike at hearing Kai’s nickname for him again.

            “Oh you’re on; prepare to eat your words Kai. A week’s worth of arcade tokens will go to the winner it is,” agreed Tao shaking hands with Kai to seal the deal as Xiumin and DO simply sighed at their childish boyfriends.

            “Can’t you two do something more productive? Like planning out what to do for the next stage?” asked Suho as he watched the two shake hands.

            “The next stage if we make it, is candy with the theme of brightness right?” asked Lay trying to confirm.

            “Yup! Now it’s my turn to luck out! I must pass this round and move on to the next, the next stage practically has my name written all over it! Granny will be proud when she gets to taste my creations for tomorrow!” said Chanyeol excitedly.

            “That’s true, your candy skills are good, it’s your baking skills that need some refinement,” deadpanned Kris.

            Chanyeol sighed “You burn one chocolate soufflé and people just can’t seem to let that go.”

            “Wrong, you killed one chocolate soufflé and people still can’t seem to get the smell out of their clothes,” corrected Chen.

            Everyone giggled at that as Chanyeol playfully stuck his tongue out at Chen, but before Chanyeol could retort verbally someone’s phone began ringing. Everyone turned to Sehun since he was the only one to pull out his cell phone, as he checked the caller ID Sehun had a look of irritation pass over his features before muttering “I gotta go, I’ll meet you guys up later here to check the scores,” before walking away.

            ‘Ah, that look on his face, it must have been his parents again, I hope he’ll be okay,’ worried Luhan. “Okay, let’s start heading back to the dorm too,” suggested Lay as the others agreed with that statement, Luhan’s phone also went off indicating he got a text.

            Checking it he saw it was from his grandmother ‘Xiao Luuuuuuu! <3 Meet me at the campus bubble tea shop for a bubble tea date (order me a honey flavored milk tea ;D), I’ll be there as soon as the judging is complete and the headmaster let’s us have free time! Oh and make sure you bring Hunnie! I mean it! BRING. HIM. WITH. YOU.’

            ‘…………………..no, …..nope, ….nuh-uh, ain’t happening, no way, no,’ thought Luhan as he tried imagining bringi