Having changed out of her apron and into her dress for the party, Akane is sitting in on a chair in the corner of the room, gloomily stroking her tepig.

"Oh T-chan," she says with a sigh. "Why didn't I do curry? Even if three other people did curry, at least people will eat my curry." She pauses for a second, honestly compelling her to add, "Now."

(It hadn't been all that long ago in the scheme of things when people had refused to even try her curry.)

The burn, salty, misshapen, hard-as-rock 'sugar cookies' she'd prepared had been completely untouched last time she checked the contestants table.