Erina worked steadily and efficiently in the kitchens of her restaurant, flipping and turning pots and pans while tasting sauces left on a plate. Her tongue flicked in and out of her mouth as she tasted her creations in rapid succession - her hair was in a ponytail and trailed down to her waist, and she was adorned in a white chefs' uniform. Despite the fact that Erina was the head of a restaurant with a terrific reputation, she never stopped trying to improve her dishes, and never stopped trying to achieve perfection beyond perfection. She'd come to learn to strive for more, to have confidence but always have enough modesty to learn from others; she'd learned this from him. He taught her everything.
Erina shook her head as she came to the realisation that her hands had slowed at her thoughts, and that the stirring movement of the sauce in the pot had halted. Slightly annoyed at herself, she began to rigourously beat the sauce, trying to ease her frustration and also save the sauce from charring - but she knew from the second she stopped stirring it, she had already ruined the flavour of 'perfection' she was supposed to achieve. Heaving a big sigh and proceeding to take the ruined sauce away, she nodded at one of her trusted employees to help finish what she had started. She wiped her hands and proceeded to sit at the corner table of the kitchen where she overlooked her employees at work; and as she did so, Erina realised that she was proud of the restaurant, no doubt. But this was all the work of him - she remembered how she had gazed into those golden eyes filled with strength, encouraging her to take that final step and open her own restaurant. But now that he was gone traveling the world…
She had been missing him so awfully much recently - it had been a buildup of loneliness and longing that started the day that he left, but Erina had always pushed the feelings away and locked it up in a box at the bottom of her heart. The lock on the box had slowly started to break as time went past; Erina discovered one day that her heart beated so rapidly with hope every time she saw a flash of red hair or a glint of golden eyes in the streets, and that her feet took her swiftly on a chase after mirages and shadows of these features which never lead to anything. It was then when she realised that she missed him, despite all her denials and refusals to believe it; and it felt both liberating and suffocating at the same time, as she had finally been honest to herself but had to face the pain of her own honesty. After all, it had been two whole years since he left her with nothing but a promise to return someday, two years that felt like two whole eternities.
However, Erina took pride in her independence and belief in her abilities; it would take at least twenty years instead of two for Erina to be reduced to a sobbing woman in her mid-twenties, complaining and moping about. Erina had a renowned reputation as 'Queen of the Kitchen', and she was also known worldwide for her fierce command and strict control of her dishes and employees - despite any emotional turmoil she felt, Erina had every intention of keeping in that way.
A sharp ring of the doorbell jostled her thoughts and a frown quickly creased the delicate skin between her eyes. Who could it be, at this hour? The restaurant was not open yet, and any employees would have had the sense to arrive on time, less they risked the wrath of the 'Queen of the Kitchen'. She had also kept a meticulous schedule of any important guests and deliverymen who might come outside of work hours, and she was sure there certainly weren't any today. Irritated by the disturbance of her peaceful morning, Erina stayed seated at the pristine white kitchen tables, and jerked her head sharply towards an employee, indicating him to go check out the intruder.
"A man is asking to come in, Erina-sama." The employee had come back to the kitchen a full five minutes later to report while Erina decided to make a cup of tea for herself.
"That's quite suspicious. I have nothing on my records about anyone coming, and everyone knows that I don't particularly like surprise visitors. Tell him to come back during the business hours." There was a sharp edge to Erina's voice, a complete contrast to her soft hands that worked with swift, deft motions, preparing the tea leaves and leaving it to brew.
"You see, I suspected that you would say that, Erina-sama, so I told him to leave…" The employee stuttered to a stop, cowering under the gaze that was fixed on him as those words left his mouth. Erina did not like things out of her control, and certainly did not like other people dealing with the decisions regarding her restaurant. But, it was early in the morning, and the employee had done what she wanted - she certainly did not have the energy to quarrel with that.
"Go on," Erina went back to her preparation of tea.
"He insisted that I give you this package, and that he'll be waiting outside the restaurant." The employee produced a small white box tied with a lace ribbon, and Erina frowned in annoyance. What do you mean, 'wait outside the restaurant?' The place won't open for another hour. Well, do what you want, mystery man. Erina thought as she came to take the box from the employee.
"Thank you, you may leave." Erina dismissed the employee before carefully placing the box on the kitchen table next to her tea, if only just as a respect to the beautiful white box and its craftsmaker. Must be one of those creepy admirers with their tasteless gifts, Erina thought. Erina knew he was the only one for her after she left Tootsuki, and so did all of her other friends - but this did not stop Erina gaining admirers because of her impeccable looks. Erina did not think herself to be excessively beautiful; but to the public, Erina was a goddess with a beautiful face and curves in all the right places. It was no wonder if a present turned up coincidentally in the middle of the street at her feet, or if roses were offered to her the instant she stepped foot out of her restaurant.
Erina sighed deeply and sipped on her tea that had finally finished brewing, staring at the white box in front of her that just so happened to be in her line of sight. Upon closer inspection, the ribbon seemed to be skewed and tied messily, as if the person tying it had been in a hurry and couldn't care less. The thought of this irked Erina to some degree; if you are going to give me something, at least put some thought in it! she thought huffily. As she continued to stare, she realised the beautiful white box was not what it seemed… instead, it was just a cheap white cardboard box found in any street stall. At this observation, Erina was truly appalled. I'm sorry, I didn't ask for a present. But if you're going to give one to me anyway, its common etiquette to present something presentable! Insulted, heat flooded to Erina's cheeks; but surprisingly, despite the anger and annoyance she felt, it felt familiar in a way. It was like her emotions had been disturbed just the right amount that bordered rage but were also restrained enough for her to feel amused - a feeling she only felt when a certain red-head was around, but long forgotten in the two years of his absence.
In a state of minor outrage and hints of amusement, Erina found herself opening the cheap, probably-grease-stained cardboard box, expecting a few store-bought chocolates; only to be taken by surprise as a splendid and stunning dessert was revealed, leaving Erina at a loss of words. She had not seen such glossy chocolate, such an air-brushed finish on the mousse, nor such a perfect placing of golden tuile in a very long while - and though this dessert was not the best looking dessert she had seen, Erina had seen many in her career and this one ranked quite high on her list of "Remarkable, Beautiful and Memorable Desserts".
Feeling excitement and curiosity coursing through her veins, Erina steeled herself as she reached for a fork. It almost seemed as if the creator was challenging her with this beautiful and beguiling appearance - but no, Erina wouldn't fall for that. She was the proud owner of the God Tongue, one of the most refined paletes in history and in modern day; taste is the most important, and Erina would definitely be a good judge of that. As she plunged her fork into the pillowy soft chocolate mousse and sponge, she felt a slight ache in destroying such a masterpiece, but nevertheless sent a heaped mound of dessert towards her delicate, open, mouth.
An explosion of flavour racked her to her very core, hints of sweetness, bitterness, spiciness and acidity attacked her tongue and palete aggressively, but all the pains she may have felt gave way to pleasure. The perfect balance between the complex layers of flavour had Erina panting, shocked and pleased - her mouth hung slightly open as she felt her God Tongue being violated, attacked, and bombarded by so many flavours but somehow thriling her, sending shivers down her back and tingles on her skin.
Just when she thought she had tasted everything, she felt a wave of aftertaste so subtle and faint, that if she had not possessed her God's tongue, she would not have picked up on it. It had a fruity essence… but was also ridiculously salty too. Running her tongue against her teeth to try discover this mystery ingredient, it finally hit her like a lightning bolt, leaving Erina in a state of bewilderment and stupefaction: it was pickled plum. One of the most popular and common savoury foods in Japan, it seemed to have been used in this dessert to provide an underlying saltiness to accentuate the sweetness, and the fruitiness of the plum would have disguised the ingredient perfectly and masked any weird aftertastes.
Erina felt a small smile creep up onto her face in triumph after finding a flaw in the dish, even though it really wasn't much of one - and she couldn't help but be reminded of the redhead she and the rest of Tootsuki loved so much, with his innovative creations and ideas that seemed to sprout out of nowhere. This dessert reminded Erina painfully of him; she remembered how his use of unconventional ingredients in dishes seemed to just work in the final product, and how her tongue was always satisfied and a small smile always crept onto her face…
At that thought, Erina dropped the fork so suddenly that it clattered onto the marble floor loudly, causing every employees' head to turn her way - but she paid no heed as she raced out of the kitchen, into the restaurant, and flung the entrance door open in a frenzy, stumbling out into the street unsteadily. Her eyes were crazed, her hair was mussed, and her brain seemed to overheat as it tried to process information that she knew couldn't be true, but hoped oh so desperately much was. He's here. He's here he made that he's here he's here and he's come back.
Her eyes scanned across the streets, over the street alleyways, on the walls of the restaurant; and she saw a hooded figure leaning against the restaurant outer wall with one foot propped against it. Lean. Tall. Every inch of the body type that Erina secretly preferred. The figure's long slender fingers was fiddling with something that looked similar to a passport, and Erina drew a sharp breath, her chest pounding as she remembered similar fingers trailing up her waist, tangled in her hair, tugging at her shirt…
For all her desperation, Erina approached this figure cautiously and slowly. What if it's not him? Her thoughts were muddled and racing at a thousand miles per hour, but that was the thought that came up above the rest. The figure's eyes were downcast, and it was almost impossible to make out the face of it - and even as she walked towards the person, the figure made no response and continued to fiddle with what she confirmed was a passport. How should approach him if it is him? It's been two years… but if it's not him… Her mind furiously working, she didn't realise she was standing directly in front of the figure until a split second later. Erina's mind completely blanked - she'd thought she was still meters away. The figure's face was still obscured from view, both by the hood and the shadows cast over by the restaurant, making it impossible for Erina to make out who it was. With her mind not working but feeling the need to speak, Erina let her instincts take over.
"Excuseeeeee me, sir?" Erina was horrified at the tone of her own voice, but she couldn't stop the flow of words. "I'll have you know that I am the proud owner of this restaurant, and I will not have your filthy shoes dirty its walls! Have you no etiquette? If you want to deface property, go somewhere else!" Flushed and panting, Erina finally managed to stop talking, but not before she felt slow disgust towards herself brewing at the pit of her stomach. Why can I never do things right? Why can't I express myself properly? She was burning internally with shame, yet some cursed pride she possessed refused to allow her to apologise immediately, leaving a palpable silence in the air.
The silence stretched for a long few seconds, before a noise escaped the figure, who had put away its passport and was still looking down towards the ground. In fact, it wasn't long before the figure doubled over, making no audible noise for a while, leaving Erina's heart suspended… before the figure wheezed so loudly with laughter, and the hearty chuckles followed that soon turned back into wheezing. Erina's confusion only heightened by every second that passed by when this stranger was laughing their guts out; what in the world had she done to cause such amusement, when she had only just been rude?
The figure's laughter finally slowed, and as it rose up from its doubled up position, its hood fell back from its head, revealing red hair that Erina had only seen in her dreams. Erina's chest constricted so much that she felt the breath literally steal from her lungs, and her eyes widened as she tried to take in more information, to try and see if it was reality. No, I won't know until I see his eyes. I won't confirm it until I've seen them.
Shoulders still shaking, the figure finally looked up - his eyes were closed mid-blink for an exceedingly long time, almost as if time had stopped and Erina's heart was the only thing that was moving. But they opened, revealing rich, golden eyes warm enough to melt anything within its gaze, including Erina herself. Contrary to this, Erina froze completely, unable to compute the sight before her nor the reality she was being shown. It's him. Oh my god.
"I almost forgot about your sharp tongue," His deep and rough voice filled her ears, still trembling from laughter, but every bit as sexy as she remembered. "Thanks for reminding me."
Erina was still frozen, but her mouth managed to move. "You're welcome."
At this, he looked directly at her, piercing her eyes with his own, making her heart beat so impossibly fast that she thought she was going to get a heart attack. Then his eyes traveled the length of her body, and Erina felt tingles run up her spine from just that look.
"You really haven't changed, have you." His signature lopsided grin lit up his face, the one which Erina had come to love so much, the one where the corner of his mouth twitched and his lips were a full crescent moon.
Seeing his smile shattered something in Erina. A kaleidescope of memories replayed in her mind, reminding her of the person who had dragged her out of darkness, her one true supporter, and the love she felt swelling in her chest when she looked at him. No, not 'him'. She remembered the love she felt when she gazed at Yukihira Souma, the genius chef that was a Tootsuki alumni like herself, who traveled the world in pursue of new techniques, who she had a blissful and passionate romance with. The man who awoke her to the world beyond her father's control, showed her so many different sights, and made her experience so much good. Yukihira Souma, the man she was lucky enough to claim for herself, even though she was not nearly good enough for him.
She ran straight into his embrace, her face pressed against his solid chest, her nose inhaling his scent that she could never forget. "Souma." His hands tightened against her waist, strong arms and slender fingers pressing into every inch and curve of her, as if he was trying to imprint her image into his memory forever. His head buried into her neck, a place so perfectly made for his head to rest - and they fit together like a jigsaw piece, every inch of body touching, feeling, burning away, leaving them both buzzing as if they had just been charged with electicity.
Pulling back, Souma watched his blonde partner flush the pretty pink of sakura petals, followed by silent tears like dewdrops falling down her perfect porcelain face. "Don't cry, dear." Leaning forward, he pressed his cool lips against her tears, kissing them away. He could taste the salt of her tears in his mouth, feel the woman in his arms shaking - and he had never felt as guilty as he did in that moment in his whole life. "I'm so sorry," he whispered against her hair. "I should've come sooner."
She gave him a dazzling smile, as radiant and as beautiful as the sun - and she reached up with her hands to cup his face, and he leaned into it, rubbing his cheek against the smoothness of her hands. "It's okay. As long as you're here now." And she reached on her tiptoes, and placed her lips over his.
It was a kiss of a promise fulfilled and two years of longing and loneliness for both. One of his hands ravaged her hair, while the other pulled her closer, closer, yet closer still, trying to touch and feel all of her, to fill every nerve ending with the sensation of her touch. Her hands gripped tightly against his shirt, clenching hard so she couldn't let go of him, not anymore. His lips were cool against hers, and her lips were soft against his; every touch they shared was electric, every moment was blissful, and every kiss reminded both of them of how deep their love was for eachother, and how as long as the other walked the earth, they could never love anyone else.
The duo were left gasping for breath, both flushed from a heated kiss. Souma shot his signature grin, and pulled Erina against him one more time with a squeeze.
"This time, I'm back for good." Erina smiled against his chest, her heart warm and fuzzy, her mind thanking the gods for finally reuniting her with her prince.