Author's note:

Guess who is back?! And Oh my god! Thank you all for your kind words! Your comments are my source of inspiration and I've received such a wonderful feedback that I couldn't help myself and wrote a longer chapter! I've had such a fun writing it and I really hope you guys have fun to read it as well.

A special thanks to my friend RoyaldragonSevgisi15 ! Thank you so much for you kind words and friendship! I cherish it with all my heart!

_#_

Damn that stupid bottle. Erina cursed her cousin, the bottle, the game, and even her so called luck for having abandoned her. She looked to her challenger and found out that she was not that scary.
Yuki kept a friendly look on her face. She did not appear to have bad intentions. With that, Erina allowed herself to relax a little, massaging her shoulders and neck that looked like pure concrete, such was the tension.

"So Erinachii, do you prefer truth or dare?"

"The truth, of course" The blonde said confidently as she smiled slightly and could have continued this way if she had not been reminded by the challenger herself that she would have to drink the contents of the glass. The heiress let the liquid burn her throat and felt all her senses being work up. She could not deny that the taste was peculiar and not bad at all, but the force with which it snatched her papillae and the way it left her head spinning reminded her that a few more glasses of that liquid could make her forget who she was.

"So, Erinachii, what's going on between you and the good-looking professor?"

"Excuse me?" Erina's eyes widened. She didn't want to believe Yuki's question.

"Oh! And Quit to say it's nothing because everyone here already saw how"- Yuki seemed to choose the words carefully – "close you both are."

The blonde felt her cheeks explode. She felt extremely betrayed by her friend's question. But also, it was not her friend's fault. Yuki had already taken at least 3 cups of Sakaki's drink. In the end, she realized that she couldn't escape the question and tried to answer it as clearly as possible so that she would not be misunderstood. She cleared her throat and made sure her voice did not flinch as she spoke.

"Professor Asahi and I have absolutely nothing. He is forcing a situation that doesn't exist, at least not for me."

"For the time being." Erina looked in the direction of the voice and saw her cousin smiling innocently as if she had not thrown any more straw into the fire.

"As I was saying, before being grossly interrupted, Professor Asahi is doing everything on his own and I have by no means encouraged such behavior."

"But you have tea with him, don't you?" Alice was becoming more and more inconvenient, and Erina felt her patience dissipate like water on a hot day.

"Yes. But only because he insists a lot. I think the correct answer to your question, Yuki, would be tea. This is it, conversations and tea, this is what
has happened between me and Professor Asahi. The heiress switched her attention to her cousin and referred to her when she asked.

"Happy, Alice?"

"Not even close"

A dark aura settled in the bedroom. Everyone could see clearly the clash of the cousins to reach beyond physics.

"Next" someone, who Erina could not identify, said. She could only face her cousin and send threatening messages to her through her eyes.
On the other side of the circle, a certain redhaired paid a special attention to the situation. Something in him complained insistently and he could not tell why he was uncomfortable after hearing Yuki's senseless question. He looked at his own hands and noticed that his fists were closed and ready for combat. But why? And who did he want to fight against? Or against what? He did not continue the line of thinking once he had noticed the bottle stop spinning and pointed in his direction.

"How convenient" Alice couldn't barely contain her laugh.

Soma looked at her challenger. Shoji did not seem to have the best intentions for a challenge and the boy was not willing to find out what kind of perversion his friend had in mind.
Before the boy could ask the question, Soma began to turn the drink of the glass and almost choked on the power of the drink.

"Truth? Oh really? You disappoint me Yukihira"

"I'm not willing to perform the perverted challenges hovering in your head Shoji." He took the rest of the drink and completed it, letting a half smile emerge on his face "At least not yet".

"What a killjoy! Well, since you chose truth, could you at least clarify why you challenged Professor Asahi to a shokugeki?"

Soma was terribly sorry. He should have taken the challenge.

"Well, actually it was he who challenged me. He was full of himself saying that he would defeat me easily and well, that made me very angry and also ..."

The room was completely silent, everyone seemed focused. Erina and Megumi blushed as they remembered the situation and wondered if the boy would go all the way in his story.

"And" Yukihira heard Shoji encourages him to continue. He didn't know why it was so difficult to reveal the motives behind the shokugeki. To tell the truth, he had not yet understood what happened that day.

"And also, because he said that he was the only chief who could satisfy Nakiri and that made me very annoyed"

Soma didn't notice, but the revelation had a double weight for a certain heiress who listened carefully.

"So, you want to satisfy Nakiri?"

The young man seemed to reflect and put his fingers on his chin as he answered.

"Yes. I could say that. But the point is I got there first so if he wants to try something he needs to get in line, you know?"

The first seat observed, without understanding, his friend's jaw drop.
Sakaki was the first to speak.

"My god Nakiri! I knew you had admirers, but have a queue? That's what I call power."

"Hihihi! I didn't know that my cousin was so seductive like this"

The blonde, who was already redder than normal, didn't know what to think. She did not know if she was irritated or tried to clear up the situation. The problem was that even she didn't understand what was happening, so she would be satisfied to be extremely annoyed for the time being.

"That's definitely not it, Alice! at all!"

The gossip was getting out of control and she could only hear part of them

"Erinachii! You need to tell me what is your secret?!" Yuki commented with a wink.

"I wouldn't blame Yukihira for trying to defend his territory" Daigo, on the other side of the circle, also gave his opinion on the subject. Meanwhile Soma was confused. It seemed he was not speaking the same language as his friends. Why, suddenly, they were talking about how much Nakiri was attractive? In what part of his answer had he mentioned it? He didn't even remember thinking that way. But again, on second thought, those violet eyes combined with the pink of her cheeks when she was angry always attracted him and he couldn't help but wonder how much that combination of colors made her look more appealing. Although, he was sure he'd never mentioned anything of the kind in his reply. So, he decided to find out what the hell they were talking about.

"What are you guys talking about? I just said that Nakiri's tongue was mine!"

The moment he let slip the untold detail, he knew he was fucked.

"Yukihira!" The heiress's shrill cry made him look at her in alarm.

"What? But that's what I said wasn't it, Tadokoro?"

Megumi couldn't believe his friend was that naive. Even she had understood the double meaning of that phrase. But she couldn't help him this time and he actually said that Nakiri's tongue was his.

"Oh yes..that's what you said."

Erina no longer knew whether she wanted to die or to kill. A vein was already pumping in her forehead.

"For God's sake, Yukihira! Either you shut your mouth or I'll have to go and shut it myself!"

"I'd like to see that!" Alice punctuated and Erina swore her to death at that moment.

"What did I said?" No word would define more Yukihira Soma at that moment than: lost.

It was then that Issihiki intervened in favor of his friends. He was amused by the situation, but he understood that this was their problem and that it should be resolved when they both understood more about themselves.

"Guys, I think we should get back to the game. Soma has already answered your question isn't it Shoji? I believe he has answered too much already"

"Fine. We still have a lot of game ahead" Shoji shrugged and once more the bottle turned.

The next round was in charge of Mito Ikumi and Zenji.

"So Mito, truth or dare?"

"Truth" The girl took the drink and felt the temperature rising. She was grateful for the clothes she wore to be cooler otherwise she would be suffering from instantaneous combustion.

"By any chance do you have a crush on someone in this very room?"

Mito expected all sorts of scientific questions, but never a question as personal as this.

"Wha...what?"

"Yeah Nikimichii do you have a crush on someone here? !" Ikumi could hear Yuki's voice echo through the room.

"W .. Well ... Hmm .. I..I think ..y..yes."

"And who is it?"

At that very moment, Ikumi remembered an important rule of the game. And she smiled in relief.

"I'm sorry, Marui. But I've already answered your question"

"God Marui! How are you the brain of the dorm if you can't even ask a proper question in a game like this?"Shoji complained

"Honestly Man!" Daigo complained with his right hand flat on his forehead.

The game continued without any great news until the bottle stopped again in front of Erina.
Honestly, she no longer had the strength to control the flushing of her face. He drank again and felt her conscience prepared to say goodbye. This time she would be Daigo's victim. At least she was escaping from her cousin's questions.

"So Nakiri, since you have so many admirers like that, I can't help but wonder: How good is that god's tongue of yours in matters that do not involve food?"

"I'm sorry, what?" She looked at him curiously.

"Oh you know ... God's tongue ... it's a nickname that is open to interpretation"

"Excuse me?!" the girl didn't want to believe what she was hearing.

"Nakiri..I'm sure you already know what I mean, right?"

Daigo raised one eyebrow and winked at the blonde. Still shocked by the question, Nakiri swallowed and felt the taste of the drink still linger in her mouth. She took a deep breath and remembered a passage from a manga she had read recently. She was really tired of being passive in this game and decided she would be the dominant one.

"Ahh, of course." She gave a seductive laugh, and in the sweeter voice she could muster, added "Hm, I think we'll have to find out, will not we?" She finished, running her tongue lightly on her lower lips and biting them in the process."

The Boy smiled as if he had won the lottery and wasted no time in approaching the heiress, closing his eyes and pouting in the process. However, he just felt himself being stopped by something cold on his lips. The texture was nothing like a woman's lips. It was then that the boy opened his eyes and found a finger on his lips and the almost devilish smile on the blonde. She wasted no time in revealing her true intentions.

"But unfortunately for you, I chose truth and not dare, didn't I? Then you can go back to your little place."

While some laughed and mocked Daigo, Soma could not erase, what he had just seen, from his head. The way she looked at Daigo, the smile she gave him, that damn tongue moistening her reddened lips, the blush ever presents on her face, and especially that voice he had never seen her use. He imagined himself in that situation and found himself wishing her to use that voice to talk to him and only him. He didn't notice, but his low eyebrows and the narrowing of his lips showed that he was not happy with what he had just seen. Unfortunately, he was not alone.

"Soma? Are you alright?" Megume looked worried and was not alone.

"Yeah Yukihira! Looks like you're ready to kill somebody" A few steps away, Takumi also noticed his friend's behavior.

"Of course, I'm alright, why wouldn't I be?" Soma said much louder than he should, and of course everyone in the room notice it.

"Because Daigo here just got almost kissed by your girlfriend" He heard Shoji gasp with laughter.

"We're not together!" Erina and Soma spoke together and blushed as they looked at each other.

"All right lovebirds, we'll let you stay ignorant if that's what you prefer."

"Alice! If you continue with these nonsensical pranks I swear to god you're not going to see the sun tomorrow."

"Oh, my! I'm terrified! Ryo! Defend me from that mad woman!"

"Ahh, very well! Now I'm the crazy one?! Ah Alice, do me the favor?! Just shut up!"

"Hmpf" Alice just shrugged and waited the next turn to start.

The bottle spun and Erina almost shrieked with joy as the bottle pointed toward Alice, only the challenger this time was her best friend.

"I think it's time for revenge, it'sn't dear cousin." Erina let out all the venon she had in that sentence.

"You wished it had stopped for you, didn't you, Erina? Too bad that it didn't" The red-eyed girl looked at Hisako confidently. She did not show even the slightest fears.

"All right, Miss Alice!" Truth or dare?"

"Dare, of course."

Hisako seemed to think for a moment. She wanted to get revenge for Alice having put her on a date without her consent, wanted revenge for the jokes and situations in which she had put her best friend. And then looked at the girl's side. Stoic as always, Ryo showed nothing through his eyes. Hisako smiled. She knew exactly what was the weakness of the girl in front of her.

"I dare you to stay an entire day without Ryo's company. No phone calls, messages, conversations by any other form of communication and of course without seeing each other. You can start tomorrow."

Alice narrowed her eyes and everyone could see that the challenge did not please her at all. A few feet away, Hayama could not help but stare the pink-haired girl. He let out a smile. He had subjugated her and no longer regretted having agreed to go out with her. At least they had one person in common to bad-mouth about.

"What kind of dare is this one, Hisoko? Ryo is my aide, I can't afford to stay a whole day without him" Alice was uncomfortable, but she did not move from her confident pose.

"Just an aide? You're sure, Miss Alice?"

"What are you implying Hisoko?"

"I'm confident that in your so called 'mature' mind you have already understood what I mean"

"Hmpf. This is bullshit. But fine. This will be an easy one after all" Alice folded her arms and gave up. At his side, Ryo had no emotion at all. The only certainty that he was still alive or paying attention was when he himself stretched out his arms to turn the bottle. However, when he did, the bottle seemed to lift flight because of the force applied. Hisako noticed and smiled, maybe he was more upset with the challenge than he looked like.

"Hisako, there wasn't something more difficult or humiliating for you to challenge Alice to?

"Erina-sama, if my suspicions are right, this challenge will be harder than you think."

As they talked, the game continued, and they only listened again when they heard Takumi's indignant voice.

"Isami! What do you think you're doing ?!"

"Calm down Nii-chan! I promise you'll enjoy the challenge."

Hisako turned to Yuki to ask what was happening and heard the girl laugh as she spoke

"It's just that Ibusaki dared Isamichii to challenge his own brother"

"Is it fair?" Erina seemed to doubt that this was legal in the game.

"Well, Alicihii said nothing, so I suppose it's legitimate"

The three girls turned their attention to the game just as Isami revealed his challenge

"I'm sorry nii-chan.. but it's a challenge then ... " Isami seemed to think and at the end gave a friendly smile "Let's make it something fun, why don't you call Tadokoro to dance?"

Megumi felt her cheeks burn and Takumi's eyes widened with his brother's daring.

"YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT?"

"Ah nii-chan you've always been a waltz and I'm sure Tadokoro will not bother, especially after you've offered to take a challenge in her defense"
"It was not like this Isami! Do not make it sound like something that is not."

"Whatever. I'm sorry nii-chan but game is game."

The younger Italian finished with a raised hand as if to say that he could do nothing.

"But we don't even have music!" Takumi tried to argue once again and was silent with the sight of all of his friends showing off their cellphones with various music streaming programs. The blonde sighed and gave up. He rose in the direction of the blue-haired girl.

Megumi shivered in anticipation. She knew how to dance, but she had never danced with Takumi, much less in front of an audience. The girl saw the boy reach out his hand and almost got lost in his blue eyes.

"Tadokoro, do you give me the honor of this dance?"

She shivered at his chivalry. She felt like a princess in the eyes of a prince, and she began to realize how much she liked this feeling.

"Hmmm ... yeah ... alright " She let a shy smile grace her face and the two stood in the center of the circle.

The music began to play and they began to dance slowly at the sound of first notes.
Takumi wrapped one of the girl's hands in his and let the other fit on her waist in a firm, protective grip, meanwhile Megumi, still nervous, followed in his footsteps and let the trembling hand become accustomed to a place on his broad shoulder. Concentrated on follow the dance steps, they did not even look into each other's eyes. Megumi was afraid of drowning again in those blue eyes. Takumi was sure that if he looked into her eyes he would be lost forever. The music advanced and Takumi gained confidence enough to make her whirl in the chorus. He took advantage of the closeness he gained after turning her around and bent to whisper in her ear with the intention of soothe her.

"Calm Principessa*. Try to relax a bit, I promise we'll be done soon"

The problem was right there. She wasn't sure if she wanted that dance to end. She felt his fingers caress her hand in an attempt to make her relax and thanked him mentally for the concern and attention he was giving her. Takumi felt the girl's body relax in his hands and breathed in relief. He knew it had not been her choice to be there, but he would do whatever he needed to make her feel as little uncomfortable as possible. After all, she was not to blame for the wrong choices of that stupid game.
It was only when the music was over and that the cheers of their friends resonated around the room that they remembered that they weren't alone. Takumi disengaged himself from the girl leaving a chaste kiss in her hand.

"Thank you, Tadokoro."

In that moment, when he met her eyes, she almost thanked Alice for suggesting that game.
The two returned to their proper places amid praise and cheers, but without taking the shy smiles from their faces.
The game continued with Shun being challenged by Isshiki to wear his apron. Ryo being challenged to eat one of Soma's culinary abominations, and Zenji being challenged to spend at least a week without complaining about parties in his room.
And when Mito asked Isshiki what his greatest regret was, they all listened intently the boy's story:

"I'd say that my greatest regret was to never paid attention to how Nene felt. I regret not having done anything before and the consequences reflect on our almost non-existent relationship. I miss her, what we were, and perhaps what we might have been if only I had been more attentive to her feelings, "Isshiki confessed without ever taking the smile off his face. But everyone could see how his eyes conveyed something mixed with pain and missing.
Daigo and Shoji were the first to speak.

"That's some deep shit bro"

"Yeah...that's fucking deep"

"I think there's still time, Isshiki-senpai! Why don't you try and talk to her? " Megumi advised and was backed by Yuki.

"Yes! Isshiki- senpai! See this as an extra challenge."

The brown-haired young man smiled and accepted the challenge.

"Since I have the support of my dear kohais. I accept the challenge."

And then the bottle was turned one last time for a certain pair of young people. When it stopped it made it clear that the final battle had finally began.
The Nakiri's looked at each other menacingly. Erina was already feeling the effects of the drink turn her conscience and she was afraid of losing her senses at any moment, but she couldn't let her cousin threat her dignity even more by choosing a challenge.
She looked into her cousin's red eyes and turned her last glass of 'juice' from the night.

"Ask your question at once, Alice."

"Calm down dear cousin. I know you can't wait to reveal your secrets, but we're going to have to filter them, right?

"Fuck off Alice"

"Apparently, the drink is already making your tongue very loose, isn't it, Erina?"

Erina needed all her strength to keep control of herself and waited patiently. Meanwhile, Alice seemed to think hard about the question she would ask. She didn't want to waste questions like Marui or even be as predictable as Yuki.
Alice smiled and raised one eyebrow.

"So, Erina, is it true that you think Yukihira's food is delicious, but doesn't admit it because of your pride?"

Erina's eyes widened. Alice had cornered her like an animal waiting for the hunter's slaughter.
How had she discovered this that was one of her deepest secrets? True, she didn't know why she felt strangely happy when she was in his company. And she didn't know why she always felt her stomach turn when he smiled in her direction. But there was one thing she knew from the first day she'd seen him at that entrance test. And this was the fact that she recognized that day that the boy's food was indeed delicious and that her pride and his attitude had forced her to not admit it. She tried to untie the knot that was stuck in her throat and ended up feeling the taste of the drink still lingering. Everyone was looking at her with curiosity, especially a certain redhead. She stared into her cousin's eyes and let pride predominate in her response.

"Dare"

"I beg a pardon?"

"I choose dare"

_#_

Should I continue? Tell me if you liked the chap I'm really anxious to know what you think of it!

See u next time !

*TRANSLATION:

Principessa* = Princess in italian.