I'M TERRIBLY SORRY THIS TOOK SO DAMN LONG (or did it?) Apparently, I messed up Takumi's parents lol. I thought the father is Japanese and mother is Italian until I read his trivia. So I actually REWROTE/TYPE the whole chapter which is really really tiring because I've just finished my geography assignment today and it stressed me out again when I realized my trial exams are starting next Monday. /soft cries
By the way back to the topic. I was trying my very best not to ruin Souma's personality here. So I hope none of you were upset on how I decided to twist it around :') I was literally looking at wiki and a while typing all of this out.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, ENJOY 3
Notes: Italic - Italian

Takumi panted in front of the raven whom was worried like there was no tomorrow. ''You went for quite a long time, nii-chan. I thought something happened.'' The blonde took another deep breath. ''Sorry, the restroom has a long queue.'' Isami sighed and pointed at the plastic bag that the other is holding. ''I assumed somebody gave you something?'' Blue eyes blinked and he nodded. ''Apparently, somebody figured out my that I'm leaving Tootsuki today and my flight. Even rushed over just to give me this.'' The younger twin raised his eyebrow, ''A fangirl?'' Takumi opened his mouth, but closed it when Souma's words came into his mind.

''I wonder if you've noticed lately, Takumi. But Isami has been giving me stares, and sometimes even glares lately whenever I'm with you. Not like I think it's a bad thing, but, you probably should spent more time with him too.''

He smiled and answered, ''Yes, what a sweet person, isn't she?'' The raven haired hesitated for a second but shook it off when his brother opened the bento up. Considering by its weight, Takumi expected soup, and it is. It's light and elegant, just like what he hoped for after a good meal from Isami's cooking. He took a sip, feeling the hot yet delicious liquid runs in his entire body that is shivering from the cold. 'It's warm...' he thought as he slowly finished it up. It hit him again later on.

The flashbacks, Souma's embrace and soft sobs.

Isami frowned worriedly when he saw tears gathered in those blue eyes of the other. ''Nii-chan, are you fine?'' He handed out tissues to him as quickly as possible whom the blonde declines as he quickly wiped them away, resulting a frown on the younger Aldini's face later on. Takumi stood up. ''Let's go, Isami. Or we'll be late for our flight.'' The raven replied with an okay and started to drag their luggage to check-in.

Souma groaned with a fried squid half-hanging by his mouth. 'I can't believe I cried, in front of Takumi. God, I'm so pathetic...' He cringed at the thought. Actually, he really wanted to see the blonde off. But first, he couldn't be away for too long. Talk about Tootsuki and their high expectations on their students. There's a slight chance he'll get expelled if he skipped class. Secondly...seeing Isami made him extra uncomfortable. Although he did told his love about Isami's reaction to them when they are together. But he did not told him on his jealousy.

Sighing, he shoved his hands in his wallet and went into deep thoughts. Just as he was turning into a corner that leads to the parking lot where he parked his bike there, a woman in her mid thirties accidentally crashed onto him with a few folded papers flew out from her loose hands. ''Ah! Mi dispiace molto!'' The woman cried out and picked her papers up from the floor with a panicked face. Souma brushed dirt from his pants and blinked at the long blonde haired. Confused at the unfamiliar language he just heard. He shrugged his shoulders and helped the woman to pick her stuff up. He passed the woman's belongings as they stood up in the same time. ''Grazi- Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I was used on using my mothertongue instead. Thank you for helping me, young man. Now if you excuse me.'' She hurrily put her stuff in her bag and rushed towards to the drop off and pick up section before Souma can say a word about it. ''Is that Italian...?'' He muttured under his breath, unsure whether it is or not.

Souma groaned and rubbed the back of his head when he thought about what's going ahead of him once he's back to Tootsuki. The Elite Ten is probably discussing this subject currently, probably deciding whether they should let it slide or not. After all, it cause quite an erupt to most of the students that joined the Takumi fanclub.

Just as he was paying the for the parking ticket, his phone once rang again. It showed up Ikumi's name on the screen instead. He closed his eyes and exhaled a long tired breath and answered the call. ''YUKIHIRA, YOU BETTER SHOW UP YOURSELF BEFORE THIS RUCKUS GOES ANY FURTHER.'' The red haired pulled his phone away and shut his eyes tight at the huge exclaimed from the meat master. ''Mind summarizing the whole situation Nikumi?'' Souma took his ticket out from the ticket machine and fastened his pace to his motorbike, concerned on whatever is happening in Tootsuki. ''A lot, like really, a hell lot of people are finding you for shokugekis. Most of them wagered that if they win...They...I mean, why am I so worried. The Elite Ten has officially announced that this is none of their or the school's concern so they let the public have their way. But, but..." Souma's lips were in a thin line as he slowly listened to her explanation and stuttering. Reaching for the key hole to turn his bike's engine on, he answered to Ikumi.

''It's ok Ikumi. I've been prepared to face this ever since news spread.''

Ikumi gripped her phone tightly. ''...Stupid Yukihira. Why am I still doing this when all I received was news I never would've wished to know. Why must you be so presistent about it. Why-'' She was already in sobs before she could continue any further. On the other side, Souma opened his mouth to reply, but closed it once again. He knows...No, actually he doesn't. Ikumi was right. ''Why can't you just listen to me for once?!'' She was right about him being too reckless, presistent and such. But, Souma has to. Because of him.

The red haired smiled slightly on the thought. ''Íkumi, trust me this time. I...have someone dear to me to protect this time, someone I dare not let this go easily.'' The blonde stopped talking and swallowed her nerves down her throat, exhaled a tired breath later. After a few seconds, she hung up. Souma stared at his phone on Ikumi's reaction but decided to shrug it off. Ikumi knew well by his last sentence.

A crowd that was waiting to enter the passenger cabin of the plane from Japan to Italy slowly turned out into a queue.

''Hey Isami, what number are our seats again?'' Takumi shifted his weight on his left foot while glancing at his brother whom was looking at the paper slips where it showed the number of their seats. ''D-02 and D-03.'' The blonde nodded back in acknowledgement and looked out through the window. Slowly, he grazed his tongue on his lips that are slight frozen from the temperature.

''His taste still lingers...''

Blue eyes widened.

No. He can't. He have to forget about him. He...doesn't have a choice. Even so, he wished to take his words back. He regretted on lying to Souma. It's such a dirty yet a purpose to protect lie. Because he doesn't want that sight to appear again. The sight of Yukihira Souma sobbing in his arms. It's such a painful sight. So painful.

Takumi bit his lip when he felt his chest ached slightly. He gaped softly and reached on where his heart lays and gripped the clothing before it.

It was still class time in Tootsuki Culinary Academy. Most of the places in the academy are near empty as expected. Souma felt slightly relieved at the sight. He does not mind at all if he have to deal this whole drama with cooking. However, if a fangirl or anybody suddenly jumped out and bashed at him, he'll probably...die by falling off a cliff or something worst.

Just as before he entered the Polar Star Dormitory, there is what he expected. Shokugeki challenges piling his letter box up. It's literally two times more than what he got after he's back from the Stagiaire event. He narrowed eyes at the sight of it. He parked his bike at a side and walked towards it, not aware that Fumio was cleaning the dormitory's compounds up. The old woman stopped sweeping and looked up to the red head and frowned.

''You have no idea it took me how long to drive out the huge crowd in front of the dorms after you left, Yukihira.'' Her sudden conversation startled the red head who was gathering all the challenges. ''I'm terribly sorry, Fumio-san. I promise everything will turn out alright.'' With that, he rushed into the dorms to gather stuff he needed for the next period.

''I wonder if Souma-kun will be alright...'', cried Tadokoro under her breath, feeling extremely anxious on the red haired who has been long for a long time. Just as the blunette was praying as hard as she could. The classroom's door clicked open, there appeared the red haired she prayed so hard for. Tadokoro widened her eyes and sighed in relief, despite the glares from a few female students and cringed expressions from the male students.

''Yukihira! You're late! If you miss one more period, you're likely to get expelled.'' Souma ignored all the negative expressions that's shooting at him harshly and apologized to the teacher in front of him by bowing his head down slightly. ''I'm terribly sorry, it won't happen again.'' The teacher placed her left hand at her hip and the other pushing up her spectacles. ''Take your seat, Yukihira. You better don't take those words back.'' He nodded in acknowledgement and turned his heel towards his seat beside Tadokoro.

Two mischivous classmates were already in Souma's awareness since he entered the classroom. So he wasn't really bothered by the sight of a foot that is purposely placed out, thinking that Souma will fall for that simple trick and embarress himself in front of everyone. The red haired narrowed his eyes, feeling irritational.

Instead ignoring it, he made it looked like he stopped on one's foot by accident. The one who set his foot out gaped in pain softly. ''Sorry.'' He muttured under his breath while sending back a glare back to them and took the seat beside the panicked Tadokoro.

''Souma-kun. You stepped on his foot on purpose, didn't you? Why don't you ignore it instead?'' She whispered as low as possible with a frowning expression. Souma opened his mouth to answer, but closed it later to a thin line. '...I should have avoided it instead. Why did I...' The thought disrupted him which made him remained in silence. He twirled his mechanical pencil to calm his nerves down on why was he reacting quite brutal. Tadokoro on the other side have her frown sunk deeper, knowing one of her close friend is sunken within his deep emotions for the first time.

How she knows? Mimasaka tried to provoke him during the semifinals of The Autumn Selections before. From what she have remembered, there was not ONCE Souma ever showed his negative emotions off. Not until today...It terrifies her.

Yellow eyes drifted to his classmates who were quietly gossiping. He was used to insults and judgement ever since he realize no matter social or cooking. He never retorts when insulted and usually uses his cooking to do the talking for him. However, it made his blood boiled when Takumi went into the topic. ''I don't exactly care if Yukihira is gay. But Takumi-kun? This doesn't make any sense, he's probably stressed until it's out of his mind.'' But he kept his cool. He tries to believe, believe that when time goes by, it'll simmer down somehow. Being angry or intimitaded won't solve anything after all. He just have to learn to control.

Soon, Math class has ended. Souma spended the last half an hour thinking how to avoid another wave of gossiping, glares, stares, cringed expressions and it goes on. But apparently, another topic has became more interesting than his. It even surprised him.

''Hey! Did you heard? Takumi-kun's mother is in the academy currently and just headed in the director's office a while ago!''

'Takumi's mother? Wha- Why?'

Souma widened his eyes. He wasn't prepared for this. Dozens of questions appearing in his mind, demanding for answers. His heart was racing face, as if he's receiving a hard attack. He could feel everyone's eyes started glancing towards him. Sweat slowly forming in his palms and face. He's terribly afraid.

''Souma-kun?! Souma-kun!'' Tadokoro cried out, which snapped the red haired back to reality. ''Are you alright, Souma-kun? You're breathing rapidly...'' He let out a tired breath and massaged his temples and breathed in again. 'Calm down, Yukihira Souma. There's definitely a reason behind this. Calm down and stay positive and everything will turn out well.' He opened his eyes and smiled at the blunette whose still panicking in front of him. "Hey Tadokoro?'' Her eyes made contact with him fast on the response of her name. ''Y-Yes?!'' Souma placed both of his hands out. ''I need your help to calm me down.'' Tadokoro first blinked in confusion, but immediately got it when the familiar scene reminded her their shokugeki with Shinomiya-senpai.

A loud clap was heard later on, which formed a grinned on his face once more. ''Thanks, Tadokoro. Just what I wanted, see you in the next class.'' He dashed out from the class without a minute to lose which also made the blunette raised her lips up slightly. ''Now that's the Souma-kun I know.''

The red haired sprinted through the corridors, barely pushing down other students who passed by. He nearly knocked down Alice who was on her way to her next class with Kurokiba. ''What's your deal on knocking onto me, Yukihira?!'' She cried and puffed her cheeks out. ''My lady, he's sprinting towards to the director's office.'' The white haired folded her arms and replied, ''Of course I know that, I'm not...Oh, I see...It's probably about that matter.'' The raven haired beside him nodded.

Souma panted in front of the director's office, which is none other than the Food's Devil King's office, Nakiri Senzaemon. Just as he was about to knock onto the door, he heard their conversation, which untied a knot in his head.

''Auguri to you Nakiri-san. I wanted to ask a few things recording to my sons. '' It's the woman in blonde's voice he knew from the airport.

These are the translates of the Italian words I've placed down. Thought that it might actually be 'great' somehow, :')

Mi dispiace molto - I'm so sorry
Grazie - Thank you
Auguri - Greetings

Again, I'm sorry this took me so long. Please R&R!
And thank you for following the story 3 Love you guys 3333
P.S If I have the time, I'll make a bio of Takumi's parents :^) I doubt the manga will ever mention his parents' details and such so ya, I'm just gonna use what I can think it can- :'))

-Yuuhi Hikari