*Glomphs all of you* I'm baaaacccckk. Guys I have good news; I will be updating (or at least trying extremely hard to update regularly) for this story, because thanks to a bunch of you. *cough cough* Jenny Park, Aokushi and others :)

Anyways I was thinking of changing my name to Empress Chang, just so I can say "I'm back, to rule over a wonderful dynasty in fanfiction"

Anyways lets get going!

Italics= Thoughts

(Cooking final match- Souma vs Kurokiba vs Hayama) It had been decided. The victor from this strenuous battle was Akira Hayama. The spicehead, herbal sniffer, the victor over Kurokiba and Souma. He held his pumped up fist high in the air, with his head respectfully bowed. For some random reason, the country bumpkin's words rang clear in his head "You want to make yourself worthy for that special person. Right?". Although rage was coursing through his veins, he felt it flare out, and engulf his entire being, yet he understood and respected the damn herbal sniffer for his efforts. It felt right to lose against Hayama, a worthy opponent, and surprisingly the bumpkin's little boyfriend was quite worthy too. The Oja-style pacific saury Takikomi Go Han, with the soy milk, did elevate Souma, in Kurokiba's mind. He thought it would be more of a fight between Hayama and himself, with Souma trailing behind them, but for once Kurokiba saw Souma on the same level as everyone else.

The judges and the official referees noted the dangerous aura that surrounded Kurokiba, they didn't quite know how to approach the losing contestant, without themselves being flung into the wall by very very passionate cook.

"Hey! Hey! Ryou-kun" The very familiar childish yet stern voice called from behind him. The official referees sighed in relief as they felt the intensity of Kurokiba's feelings quieten down, as Alice threw a tantrum on Kurokiba's back. Consistently smacking his back "You lost in front of me! You know how embarrassing this is?!"

"That fucking hurts, you bitch!"

"You dare talk to your master like that?! *humph* You apologize to me after you think about your actions!" Alice walked away sulking, hurting over the way Kurokiba embarrassed her by losing and swearing at her like that. He hated this part of Alice, throwing her god damn tantrums, treating him like a kid that disappointed her. She couldn't recognise his achievements, he made it to the fucking finals, shouldn't he get a little credit. He got further than she did, she didn't have a Shokugeki against the damn country bumpkin that almost ended his cooking career. That country bumpkin, how does she feel about her little boyfriend losing? She must be crying her eyes out for him, trying to help him lick his wounds, and comfort him. Kurokiba felt weird, he wanted someone to hug him tight, like how Akira hugged Jun, just wanted to imprint his feelings and emotions. The rage he was feeling on someone, someone that could understand why he was feeling so pissed off, someone he wanted to be worthy for.

Fuck, since when did I need to be comforted, and praised by Alice-san for my small achievements. Why do I need reassurement? I'm Ryou Kurokiba, no real family relatives, a Japanese that grew up in a tiny, rough fishing port in Denmark. Argh the Academy has made me soft. I fucking hate this.

Megumi could empathize with both Souma and Kurokiba. Perhaps more with Kurokiba. Souma was very different in a good way, compared to Megumi, she thought. Souma had boundless amounts of imagination and creativity that often made his dishes unique and special. But he lacked, specialty. Which is what Kurokiba didn't lack as much, but didn't have as much Hayama. Souma's creativity had also aided him in difficult, inconveniences, which is what a good cook needed, but oddly enough to Megumi, Souma didn't use his food to represent his specialty. Using sort of cheap gimmicks, snack foods which had Megumi scared too; only showing that Souma had the creativity for to make anything, into delicious food. However, it didn't quite showcase Souma's true spirit, his dish only set himself apart from the other contestants, but didn't reveal what Souma's cooking was really all about. Kurokiba had the same problem, all impressive, strong-handed and intriguingly intimidating, but no one can tell what Kurokiba was fighting for really, and it lacked in his dishes, despite it's impressiveness. Although Megumi should have been thinking of Souma, since they were friends and he helped her out in a lot of tight spots, Megumi couldn't help but, wonder about Kurokiba. His pride must have been wounded badly by the result of this competition, especially when he put his whole effort in and it did not pay off, something that Megumi could understand completely. She watched him, out of the corner of her eye, with Alice Nakiri. She could feel the pressure that Alice and Kurokiba himself put on his own shoulders. She, like everyone else watched him pour his entirety into his dish, wanting to show he was worthy enough to be announced the victor.

*Later on after the awards ceremony*

The summer night was cool after the blasting heat wave (I'm assuming it was summer when it happened) Megumi walked into the fields behind the polar star dorm, heading towards the river(or was it a stream, someone tell me please!). The radiant moon was clear and big in the night sky. There were barely any clouds floating in night sky, which was a very deep, black with a purplish tint, due to the moon's pearliness. She watched the moonshine bounce off the river water, the very few clouds passing through, barely covering the moon, as she started to do her stretches. It was a little too hot in her room to sleep, and she found night time very enchanting, it seemed very magical and mystical, since the fisherman told her stories about the happenings in the water when the witching hour was upon them.

She began to roll her shoulders, her neck, sighing in relief when she her neck snap and crack back into place, as she turned to face the river to stretch out her arms, she saw a shadow out of the corner of her eye.

"I'll stab your eyes out and use them in my meatball ramen to sell to my customers if you hurt me!" She cried out, as she tried to get into position to defend herself.

"That'd be interesting, what kind of ramen? Never thought you were the one to gouge, thought you were the one to run off and cry if there was someone else that wasn't your boyfriend." She heard the familiar, almost bored tone.

"Kurokiba?"

"-"

"I-I"

"If you try to say sorry about the results of the finals today, I will throw your boyfriend into the river right now."
"-"

"Funny how I have to involve your boyfriend to make you do things, Tadokoro."

"I don't know who you think my boyfriend is, but I was gonna say, before you rudely interrupted me, was I can see why Hayama won the competition."

"You're not alone in that thought squirt, I- I just don't know. Normally my anger and my enthusiasm leaves me, whether I lose or not. It's not like how I lose against Alice, cause she doesn't take anything seriously, she just does it for kicks and to make sure I haven't fallen behind. I don't get it."

"Unresolved closure?"

"I didn't do that well in Japanese classes... since I followed Alice around."

"I guessing what you're feeling is, you weren't ready to lose?"

"That's a loser's pathetic whine, of course I was ready to lose."

"Were you really, because to me it looked like you were ready to show up Souma-kun and Hayama kun, and you weren't ready for the judges to make the final call. I saw your surprise when Souma brought out his final part, making the master strip."

"So was everybody."

"But you weren't expecting Souma to almost beat you, did you? You thought he would fall behind as it would be a head to head battle against you and Hayama-kun."

Holy shit can she read minds now, fucks sake, what is her deal?

"I can't deny you there, Souma-kun worries me a bit, he's too unpredictable. But I think I insulted his talent a little tonight, since I didn't believe in him as much as I believed in you winning."

W-what

"-Y-you thought I would win, you believed I could win." For fucks sake, why. Why do I feel so happy that she said that, my heart just skipped a beat, and she said it without blinking. What is the bumpkin's deal?

"I don't see why not, I've seen what you can do, and what Souma can do, at first hand experiences. You should perhaps take a break from Alice-San. Erina, Me, Souma, Hayama. Maybe the academy itself, get some perspective, learn from this. Usually you learn a lot about yourself and other people from these sorts of events, I know I did when I lost against you, in the ramen battle." She admitted so honestly.

Does she not know her limits? Why.. Why is it always these sorts of girls that get to me, and it's not as if she's childish like Alice, she's mature, like a wise old grandma, with a body of a cute 16 year old girl in cute pigtails and- Fuck. Fuck stop thinking of her like that.

Kurokiba couldn't help it, it was decided. The excess anger that had built up from pre and post the competition was residing in his body, and Megumi's magical fucking words had dispelled his unease and tension. But he couldn't help but want to he had been subconsciously thinking of doing since he had taken a walk outside. Thinking more actively about it since he saw her leave her dorm in a non-creepy, non stalkerish way.

He merely wanted to imprint his exact, present thoughts, feelings and emotions on Megumi Tadokoro. And so he grabbed her arm, and wrapped his arms tightly around her body, forcing her now reddened face into his muscular hot shoulder. Squeezing her tight against his body, forcing her to absorb his anger, despair and annoyance. He wanted her, needed her to feel what she was feeling, because she was the one who read him like a book. And he felt that she would be the one to make this weird, empty feeling go away that had been gnawing at him since the competition.

Fuck, she's so fucking soft and so god damn huggable. Cute and soft, Megumi Tadokoro. She's softer than Alice, with her huge melons. Why does this bumpkin feel so good, why is she so warm and sweet. Ugh, fuck Tadokoro Megumi why are you so cute and soft, you're a dangerous person to be around with. He thought, feeling his rage leave his body, as he enjoyed the sweet body warmth Tadokoro pressed on his front. Nestling his nose under her right ear, smelling her clean, flowery shampoo in her deep blue locks, as he closed his eyes in contentment and finally peace. He couldn't quite let go of her yet, even if he willed himself in his mind, he felt he didn't want to leave her, leave her warmth and gentleness, she just felt so good, better than he's ever felt before. Megumi didn't voice out her confusion, but she wrapped her arms underneath his, to gently pat his back reassuringly.

Next time: "You should at least tell them why you're acting like this!"

"Are you kidding me? Why would I ever have romantic feelings for her, she doesn't see me that way anyways"

A little teaser for you guys, so I can ease myself back in, didn't wanna give out too much. I still wanna keep things for surprise for you. I hope you enjoyed the small chapter I did. I just wanted you guys to see Kurokiba a bit more on the vulnerable side and needing Megumi to make him feel better. and in turn there will be times when Kurokiba will make Megumi feel better ;3 (implying steamy stuff)

Sorry for any mistakes!

Lots of Love

Chang

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