Rating: T+

Pairing: Soma/Erina

Genre: Slow Romance (But Getting FASTER (Isn't It?))

Notes:

I don't have much to share with you all this time, aside from obviously thanking each and every one of you for taking the time to read, favorite, review or PM me about Nouvelle, or giving me any other feedback whatsoever. It's what's been motivating me to carry on writing, since it's a major stress-reliever against, you know, work. So thank you all; and I hope you continue to enjoy yourselves while reading this story!

Also, SPOILERS START for the manga, but Akira Hayama is now a Seated Member. Does that make this whole thing a bit less serious? SPOILERS END

Once again, remember to check my Polls on my Profile Page! I change them every other update!

Disclaimer: Don't own Shokugeki no Soma.

Subaru Mimasaka lived by a motto.

Jack of all trades…

He never had a specific specialty in his cooking, a forte if you will, because he had never needed one. Why focus your efforts on perfecting a field when others could do it for you? Versatility was a cook's greatest weapon. So for him it became a game. He would study each and every one of his opponents, down to the last possible detail, so that he could be just like them. He'd copy their mannerisms, their lifestyles, their recipes, their everything. So that he could, for the briefest of moments, steal their talents and use them against them.

Master of none…

He was never a master of the arts, not a true one at that, but he could fake it. He could fake it so well that people could never tell the difference; because there wasn't one. If imitation was flattery, then Subaru Mimasaka was the most flattering person alive. But he knew that wasn't true. His game proved to be flawed in one great area.

But better than a master of one…

He had lived by the wrong motto, he presumed. Or rather, he had not understood it full meaning. He had thought himself versatile, but the truth was the complete opposite. What he truly was, upon much self-reflection, was just a master of imitation. Still but a master of one instead of a jack of all stats. The true "Jack of all trades" was really him.

Soma Yukihira.

The redheaded chef-in-training who was sound asleep just mere feet from Subaru. Soma had taken Tootsuki by storm; starting out as a nobody who came out of nowhere to becoming a force to be reckoned with that had most people convinced he was the one that would have walked away with the crown from the Autumn Elections. He almost did. But, Subaru imagined, Akira was another monster entirely.

But Soma was still impressive. He gave Akira quite a fight. He demonstrated his skill…

'…He beat me.'

Subaru shook his head, no use in thinking back about past failures. He had underestimated Soma, and paid for it. He should be furious, insulted. All of his trophies, taken and returned. Except for the mezzaluna, who Subaru could spot tucked away in a case under Soma's bed. Takumi was being stubborn again, he presumed.

Subaru should want nothing more than revenge, to get his due vengeance, because Soma was the cause of that massive defeat he suffered at his hands, and the massive slap in the face that was the reality of his "talents" being nothing more than a front. He should hate Soma Yukihira…

…So why this guilt?

Subaru Mimasaka had long accomplished the goal he had been sent to do, long before Soma had even arrived. Still, there he was, hiding from Soma in a very convenient and removable ceiling tile which connected itself to the air duct; which surprisingly was a fit for his rather large and bulky frame. Soma should really get that fixed, lest a stranger could enter his room easily. But Subaru digressed, it made his job far easier.

Still, why was he still here?

Why did he wait until Soma arrived? Did he really need to see him again? To see his face, that smug grin, just to try and justify his actions because Soma deserved it? Or to try and fool himself into thinking what he was doing was anything but deplorable?

"I'm really sorry Yukihira," Subaru spoke in the softest of tones, so as to not wake him. But considering how asleep Soma was, Subaru was certain he could break out in song and dance and Soma would be none the wiser. "But when you've gotten this far with the help I've had, it becomes less about doing what's right, but more about doing what's right for your own wellbeing. You do not cross the people I have become bedfellows with," he spoke, his eyes downcast, yet still addressing the sleeping Soma.

Soma just gave a soft snore as a response.

"Eizan sends his greetings," Subaru stated, a little louder this time. "Although I'm sure you'll never know. But he is someone I do not want to get on the bad side of. Not him, not his crazy sister, much less their old man."

As Subaru spoke he made sure there were no signs of his entrance. His gloves may hide his fingerprints, but one could never be too careful. Once he felt secured about his "handiwork", he proceeded to leave, leaving the scene just as it had been before he had arrived, with just that one minordifference.

"For what's it's worth," Subaru stated, moments before his departure. "Your talent really was out of my reach."

Then he was gone.

-0-

Soma Yukihira woke up like he always did. Hungry.

He sat up, stretched until he felt satisfied, kicked off the covers and got up. It was still pretty early in the morning, not too early for Isshiki not to be up and about already, but early enough for Soma to be the second person moving about. It did help that he went to bed so early last night, but given how exhausted he was, it wasn't surprising. There were good news thou. Given how tired he was he didn't think about nothing much so his sleep was not interrupted by thoughts of a certain blonde C.E.O. of a Chinese-American restaurant he worked at. So, with a good night's sleep, he could have an early morning breakfast. And with every one still asleep, it meant he had the kitchen all to himself.

A quick trip to the bathroom later, Soma made his way to the kitchen, to the surprising sight of a dancing Megumi.

It was too surreal for him that he just rested himself against the frame of the door, hands in his pockets, and a bemused look in his face. She was there, beating him to the kitchen to cook up a well-balanced breakfast, with her headphones on playing some song Soma couldn't really decipher from the distance but one that made her dance around. She looked happy.

He was wondering how long it would take her to notice him.

There she was, heating up the stove and taking out the prep, all while mouthing the song to herself and moving about as if she were doing a soft ballet. He was certain that she was not being pure to the song's intended dance, but she looked adorable and that's what mattered. And she was so preoccupied she wasn't going to notice him, so he resorted to plan B.

Megumi liked to dance. Ever since she was a little girl.

It was something her mother was great at, and she had shown her since a young age, so it was something that she always did when she was stressed. Hearing music and dancing the fears away. Or when she was happy, like she felt now. Or was it when she was proud? She also liked to listen to music when it was raining, but she didn't dance much if it was raining. No, she preferred to listen to sappier music during rain, so that she could get emotional and cry like a little idiot for no reason whatsoever. She was like that.

So she danced, until she saw Soma dancing alongside her. His dance was different, banging his head like if he was in a Metal concert while jamming on an air guitar like there was no tomorrow. He had one foot up on a chair for good measure.

Megumi screamed, which was quickly muffled by her own laughter.

"Soma!" she screamed at him, between her own laughs. She tried to stop herself, but Soma burst out laughing when she screamed, which made her laugh even more, and that seemed to make him laugh. It easily took them five minutes to catch their breath.

"What?" Soma asked while gasping for air. "I stood there for like three minutes and you didn't notice. I just thought that today's challenge was the dance cook-off."

"You're so mean," she shot back, playfully. She had to seat down for a moment, turning her music player off while at it. "That was so embarrassing."

"What, that you dance, most people do," he stated. "I'm quite the accomplished dancer myself."

"You are?"

"Yeah," he stood all proud as he said so. "My folks used to work all over the world before they set up Yukihira's, so my dad was busy working in fancy joints much like he is now. Difference was, that my mom, and later on, I would tag alongside him. I don't remember much of that, since I was at Yukihira's since before I was three, but they have videos of the activities. Videocassettes, do you remember those?"

"My mom has quite the movie collection," Megumi answered, remembering her living room. Every time she did it made her a bit homesick, to be so far away for too far long. "Our VHS still works, at least, I think it does."

"Cool, so does mine," Soma smiled as he said. Seemed like he was feeling the homesickness too. "So in those vids, my dad and my mom would dance, in the parties and festivities, when they weren't busy working up all those meals, they'd just enjoy the party like any other guest. And they knew how to dance. My mom was great, my dad was a quick learner. Still is, not sure he dances much anymore. He now mostly focuse-what?"

"You hardly ever talk about your parents," Megumi's answered, imagining that the look she had been giving him was what me him interrupt himself. She had known Soma for a few months already, yet this was the first time she had heard him talk about his parents in such detail. She had met his father, Jouichirou Yukihira, or Jouichirou Saiba as he was once called. A very frightening looking man who turned out to be quite the opposite. His skills as a cook were unrivaled by any but the best, Megumi had learned, but even with such an influential person as a father, Soma never talked about him much. Even more, it was the first time Megumi had heard him mention his mom at all. "You just looked so sweet, thinking back to them," she continued. "I don't think you've ever mentioned your mom. Does she still work alongside your dad?"

"Oh no," he smiled at her as he spoke. "She passed away when I was young; quite a few years ago."

Megumi wanted to slap herself.

"Oh my God, I'm so so-"

"Don't, don't feel guilty about something you had no way of knowing," he assured her, his right hand outstretched as a "stop that" sign. He spoke in a tone that tried to convey as much sincerity as he could. He honestly knew she wasn't psychic, and he had to face the truth every now and then. And above everything else, he trusted her. "Mom was great. She's why Yukihira's is what it is."

And now she understood. All those times he defended that restaurant, all that anger and determination to make sure no one insulted Yukihira's was more than just defending his honor. Or his home. Or his pride. It was her. Her legacy which he protected.

"That's so sweet Soma," she gave him a warm smile as she spoke. "I'm sure she must be so proud of you, your dad clearly was."

He just blushed a bit and rubbed the back of his head a bit, as he would normally do when flustered. "I would presume so, at least I'm trying."

"And if you ever need to talk about anything like that," she continued. "My ears are all yours, you know it's the least I could do and I've told you enough about my life that it just may be your turn to stop hearing me babble."

"Nonsense," he assured her. "We're friends after all."

"Indeed," she got up, walking towards the fridge. She should really start cooking or otherwise the kitchen would soon be flooded by the rest. "I'm still surprised, I didn't know just how much Yukihira's meant to you. I just find it so adorable!"

"Seems like you girls are weak to sappy tales like that, huh?"

"It's not like that. It's cool to see a more tender side of you Soma, is all," Megumi stated, before thinking about his words. "But what do you mean "you girls"?"

"Oh, Erina said something similar."

Megumi cocked her head. 'Wait, what?'

Soma, who never spoke about his parents to anyone, had actually told Erina Nakiri about his mom. The Erina Nakiri? The girl that last a few days ago had publicly shamed him? And, wait, since when did he refer to her by "Erina" instead of just "Nakiri". Were they close? Since when were they close? But the more she thought about it, the more something makes sense.

Their interactions. The way she was looking so much at Soma during the game yesterday. Alice had been telling Megumi how Erina seemed love-struck yesterday, but Megumi though she was just joking because there was no way Erina would, like, fall for Soma. Never in a million years, right?

But the truth of the matter was that Erina had been eyeing Soma strangely. Like a kid looking at candy. Or a little girl looking at a new dress. Or a dog looking at freshly made bacon. Or…

…How Megumi herself looked at him.

"Tadokoro?" Soma's confusion was evident, mostly due by her silence.

"…Are you and Erina, err, involved in some way?" each word she said the volume of her voice went down until it was very hard to hear.

"Wait… not you too!" he face-palmed, avoiding her gaze. "Isshiki said the same thing! There's nothing between us, like at all. We're just friends," as he spoke, he pondered it. Are they friends? Could he honestly call Erina a friend? They argued, a lot. Friends argued all the time, he supposed. It wasn't until recently, like literally two days ago, that they could even begin to speak on friendlier terms. Before then, they weren't really friends. Rivals? Sure. She was the first person he met in Tootsuki that he wanted to impress, and he still does to this day. And that's not to mention her cooking.

When Soma looked back at Megumi, the latter was pouting at him. 'Huh?'

"If you become a couple with Erina," she threatened him while still pouting, much to his surprise. He wasn't sure if she was being serious or not, because in reality he couldn't have known. Megumi herself was unsure if she was being serious or not. She herself was unsure if she should even voice her concerns, her fear that she didn't expect to feel. To still feel. "And you don't tell me about it," she added, giving a change to the original intention to her comment. "I will stop talking to you."

He felt that that part was certainly serious. "I wouldn't do that…"

"Hey! Someone's using the kitchen," Yuuki's voice could be heard from upstairs, quickly followed by the pounding sound of the incoming stampede that was about to hit them.

"Oh, everyone's up," Megumi noted, leaving a rather confused Soma to ponder his thoughts as she quickly went back to cooking. No music this time, she was no longer in the mood to dance.

-0-

The princess of Tootsuki, the elder one of the two, woke up at around nine in the morning; her eyes slowly opening themselves as she could feel the sunshine hit her quilt-covered-head. She sat up on her bed, rubbing her eyes and stretching her body to try and shake of her drowsiness. She carried herself to the bathroom, turning on the faucet of the bathtub before disrobing of her nightclothes. Her hand took the bathwater's temperature, and once she found it satisfactory, she got herself in. Near the bathtub, on a counter opposite to the toilet, was a jar of vanilla-scented bath salts, which she used to pour a bit into the water. Once she got the desired amount in, she allowed her body to fall back. Brining should not be used exclusively for edibles, as a well "marinated" body allowed the skin to be kept healthy and soft.

It was a practice she did daily.

'Dealing with so much stress at these events leaves such a massive strain on me,' she thought as she felt like she could fall asleep any minute, as her body kept lowering itself further and further into the bath. 'Admittedly, while working on this Shokugeki with Hayama, I've been excused of every single one of my responsibilities of the Ten Seats, which is the silver lining to all of this. Granted, I'm sure several of them would love it if I actually lost and got kicked out of the Elite Ten, since I lost count how many times they've implied I have my seat because of who my grandfather is. I'll show them. Especially you Eishi, with your "I'm-so-untouchable" attitude. And Rindou too, she reminds me too much of everything I'm afraid Alice will become.'

She closed her eyes, furthering the illusion that she could just drift to sleep at any given time. 'Just relax yourself Erina,' she told herself mentally. 'Today you just have to set up the meeting with Miyoko, then inform everyone. I'll start working on new, better dishes as well. Dishes Akira can't even begin to imagine. So while I have that planned,' she carried on her thoughts, the warmth of the salted water relaxing every fiber of her body. 'I can, scratch that, should relax. Just marinate your own body. Take good care of it. A body should be well-done, dripped in oil all over that muscular torso with those broad shoulders and-'

She accidentally swallowed some of the bathwater.

"Ack!" she struggled to breathe. Vanilla-scented did not exactly mean vanilla-flavored. "The heck? Am I for real?"

She struggled with herself, reminding herself not to scream too much lest she worry her maids. But she had not appreciated the direction her dream-narration seemed to have been heading. "So shameless!" she softly screamed, hugging her own knees as she sat up on the bathtub, with a massive blush on her face which she blamed the hot water for. "Am I seriously finding him attractive of all people? That's absurd."

She hugged herself tighter. Pouting.

"…I bet that's all over today's papers, those four going at it with me cheering like an idiot. Screw Yukihira, and those shows he puts on. It's his fault he got us so much unwanted attention. His fault I probably got a photo taken of me just bouncing up and down like a little girl on Christmas Eve. Sometimes I deserve these things…" she muttered, still pouting. "Maybe I should call him," she continued, unsure of where this feeling of animosity-mixed-with-admiration towards Soma was coming from. "Just to let him know what today's plan is. Just that. Just… calling h-them to inform them all of what we're doing. Yeah, I'll do that. I'll ca-"

Her cellphone began to ring, in that spicy melody she had downloaded which she loved to hum to herself when she was happy.

And as the melody began, she felt her chest tighten. "Is it-?" she thought to herself as she blushed. Was Soma Yukihira psychic? Here she was thinking about him, about calling him, and here he was calling her? Erina shook her head and silently scolded herself for being so childish. She was not a kid, and this was not a crush. So she got up, allowing the water to drip off her body, before wrapping a towel around her frame. Then she walked out of the bathroom, and back to her room. Caller identification showed that it was not who she had expected it to be.

"Kurokiba?" she asked bewildered. Never since she had added his number to her contacts had they even spoken, not even once. Was something wrong? "Morning."

"Oh, morning miss," he greeted back, sounding just as bewildered as her, probably that she even bothered to answer. "Did I wake you?"

"Not really…" she simply stated. Now she was worried. "Is Alice alright?"

"Milady? Yeah, I think so," he sounded confused, which caused her to feel a little agitated. "I am calling about her, at least."

"How so?" she asked as she was starting to lose her patience.

"Have you spoken to her today?" he asked, and Erina just blinked. This was weird.

"I have not," she stated, and he could hear him sigh from the other line.

"I'm at a lost then…" he stated, to which she felt her eyelid twitch. She had no idea how Alice communicated with this brute, but she was ever so glad that she had Hisako as an aide instead of him. Even trying to talk to him was stressful.

"Ryou," she tried to be polite. Tried. "Why are you calling me?"

"Milady's mad at me for some reason, she won't talk to me and she just left and won't pick up the phone," he stated, which made Erina feel stupid for getting worried. And while Ryou was at a loss, Erina had a pretty good idea what was annoying her cousin. "Not sure if I did something or not, but she's never like that, so…" his voice trailed off. Erina just took a deep breath.

"She's probably mad because you stripped," Erina clarified, which earned her a confused reaction from Ryou. "I know her, and you should too. So go apologize for being so shameless."

"What? But-"

She then hung up on him.

As she stared at her phone's screen for a moment, looking at the time, she pondered if she was really going to follow her cousin's example. Alice clearly had a thing for Ryou, it was clear even to Erina herself. But instead of doing like the protagonists of "Shoujo" would do, and confess, she just kept playing up the part of the "best friend". And then, while having no say in the matter, she got pissed off because half the campus had been eying her "best friend" topless. And, in a way, Erina had felt the same way. She had not liked the way that crowd had cheered when Soma had taken his shirt off.

How those girls eyes him like if he were another one of his own dishes.

That vulgar look that would not seem out of place on the face of a dirty, old man.

But was it really?

Alice had looked.

Hisako had looked.

Even sweet, innocent Megumi had looked.

"Even I did…" she muttered to herself, blushing even harder. What was she supposed to admit to herself here? That Soma Yukihira looked "okay" without a shirt on? That she "liked" the way his muscles contracted every time he dribbled, ran or took a shot? She could go back and forth on this all she wanted, but she could only reach one conclusion: She had also felt jealous yesterday, and that was the reason she had been annoyed at him this morning.

She was simply jealous.

So she called Alice.

"Hello?" he cousin was quick to answer.

"Morning," Erina greeted, before adding. "I take it you're pissed off at Ryou, am I correct?"

"Did he seriously call you?" Alice asked, half bemused, half annoyed. "What does he think, that you're going to scold me?"

"Should I?"

"What, no!" Alice quickly shot back, which caused Erina to smile a bit. Her cousin was always to sentimentally trigger-happy. "He's just worried because he knows he did something wrong, and I'm making that clear."

"You should work on how clear those messages you send are," Erina told her, much to Alice's confusion. "He honestly has no idea you're just jealous he gave all those girls a free show."

"…Must you rub it in?"

"Do you like him?"

"Wha-?" Alice's tone drifted into silence, as she felt herself get a bit surprised by the question. This was Erina, right? "Where does that come from?"

"Come on, you're the last person I'd think would hide her feelings," Erina stated, taking a seat on her bed. Her body should be dried enough already to avoid wetting the sheets. "You have to have feelings for the guy if you're jealous of what he did."

"Well, yeah, I guess," Alice confessed, causing Erina to blush even deeper. Despite her words, she had not expected her cousin to be so openly admitting of such details. Part of her even believed Alice would just say Erina was misinterpreting everything and they were just "close friends".

"Wait?" Erina basically shouted. "For real?"

"I really don't know," Alice answered, her tone lowered. "At first I just wanted to adopt a stray, you know?" Erina really didn't know how she expected that to work. Or how or why Aunty even allowed that to even happen. "Since my relationship with you had grown so distant thanks to that asshole-" Erina felt herself flinch. "-it felt good to have a friend to share stuff with. To cook and to compete against. I've told you, we even bathed together on numerous occasions."

"I still feel that's a way too brazen attitude…"

"Well, it wasn't," Alice stated, then added: "At first, at least. Then I just, I don't know, felt even more possessive. I liked having him around. I liked having him be my "aide", like what you had with Hishoko, but soon it felt weird."

"Weird?"

"A good kind of weird," Alice explained. "And it all culminated at the Autumn Elections. I lost in my first round, and I was devastated. Mom probably lost her hearing in one ear because of me. But just seeing Ryou go at it, give his all at it, made me feel the proudest I've ever felt. And never did I think I'd put someone else's accomplishments above my own."

"…Is that love?" Erina asked.

"…If it's not," Alice admitted. "I don't know what is."

"Sounds sweet," Erina admitted with a smile. For all of Alice's faults, Erina really loved her dearly, and she adored when she saw that her cousin was happy. And she couldn't really deny it, Alice usually looked happiest when she was with Ryou. There was a reason Alice was currently in Team Akira instead of Team Erina.

"But, if you don't mind my asking," Alice interrupted her train of thoughts. "Why the sudden interest in my love life?"

"No reason," Erina lied.

-0-

What followed was a standard morning for the residents of Polar Star Dormitories, in as "standard" as they could manage. Across the table sat the group that had started as dorm mates and had become the closest of friends. The rebellious Soma Yukihira, the tender Megumi Tadokoro, the entrepreneur Satoshi Isshiki, the observant Shun Ibusaki, the beautiful Ryoko Sakaki, the upbeat Yuuki Yoshino, the brilliant Zenji Marui, the tough-guy Daigo Aoki and the tougher-guy Shoji Sato all sat across each other; stuffing themselves full with the food that Soma and Megumi had cooked up for their breakfast. They were all talking, chatting it up as they ate to their hearts content.

Fumio herself could not stop from smiling at the sight before her.

"You should have seen the way Akira asked Megumi out that day," Yuuki could be heard as she finished taking a sip of her drink. At the comment Soma shifted his gaze towards the brunette, who blushed slightly at the gesture and shook her head.

"Not like that Soma," Megumi clarified, as both Yuuki and Ryoko tried to suppress their laughter. They failed. "Could you two," Megumi continued, ignoring them. "Please keep the story within reality?"

"He did say it jokingly," Ryoko teased, causing Megumi to blush a bit. Soma felt a bit weirded out, since imagining Akira as a suitor for anyone would be a bit out of character for him; at least as far as Soma would think.

"It was not the point of the conversation nor the story," Megumi added.

"In any case," Yuuki interjected, while also motioning to Shoji to pass the black pepper. "After he asked Megumi here to join-thank you," she directed at Shoji. "-him on the match, Megumi here made us promise not to tell you about it. For surprise's sake."

"Makes sense," Soma admitted. "It was quite the surprise."

"They didn't tell us either," Zenji added, before turning to Soma. "We were just as surprised as you were. So blame them for it."

"It's a ladies-only thing Marui," Yuuki shot back, winking at him. As he frowned in response, Soma grabbed the black pepper from Yuuki, earning himself a playful scowl which he returned by sticking out his tongue at her.

"Well, ladies and Isshiki only thing," Ryoko stated while looking at their upperclassman, who gave a faint smile and raised his eyebrows in an over the top manner as he drank from his coffee. "It's really hard to keep a secret from him."

"None of you are keeping any secrets from me," Satoshi added to her statement, quickly glancing each individual seated member. "It's my job as the elder brother to keep you all safe, and in check."

"Do you have to make it sound so creepy?" Daigo interjected, while his buddy Shoji mouthed a "yeah" as a response.

"Creepy is as creepy goes," Satoshi stated. "It's only really creepy is you have something to hide. Do you?"

"What? No!" Daigo quickly shot back.

"I'd have to agree with Daigo," Soma spoke up, twirling the glass he had of grape juice in his hand as if it were fine wine. Why? He just liked doing it. "We'll probably have to pay you back, start learning all your secrets," he stated with a grin.

"Oh, you're welcomed to try," Satoshi replied in a joking tone, as if he were a manga villain. "But better men have tried and failed."

"Soma's an expert at that, he outwitted Mimasaka after all," Yuuki stated.

"That guy is creepy," Ryoko added, stiffening her posture a bit as she spoke. "Poor Takumi and Soma had to deal with that creeper watching your every move. Soma," she directed herself at Yukihira. "Why didn't you just speak to the faculty, there is a limit to what they allow students to do in regards to upcoming matches and such."

"I wasn't sacred," Soma explained. "I mean, he really never did anything other than spy and emulate me, so it didn't affect me directly. If I had just asked to have him kept away from me he could have been disqualified, and if that happened, I wouldn't have been able to win back all the cooking equipment he took from all those students."

"Admirable as always," Megumi mentioned, resting her head on her palm, as she had already finished eating. She didn't want to excuse herself just yet, since it had become increasingly rare to be able to sit around and eat with everyone from Polar Star Dorm ever since the Shokugeki had started. And it still had a long ways to go, she'd imagine.

"You know me," Soma declared.

"Did you finally return them all?" Zenji asked, while characteristically adjusting his glasses with his middle finger. No ill-intent meant, just a habit.

"Yes, and no," Soma answered, thinking back at all those cooking tools Subaru Mimasaka had taken from the students. "I've returned all but two. The mezzaluna is still parked in its case under my bed, and I still have a wooden-handled, rounded serrated edge knife from that kid, or girl, I think she's my age. Ava Payton I believe her name was."

"Wait, so you returned Joaquin's peeler?" Zenji asked, to which Soma nodded.

"You have just those two left?" Yuuki then asked, to which Soma nodded again.

"Takumi's stubborn, I get that," Shoji said, before adding, "but what's the deal with the other chick?"

"I can't get an address from her. She got kicked out of Tootsuki, and when Marui and I took it upon ourselves to find her," as Soma spoke, Marui just stared. At what point did he "took it upon himself" to help. He was practically forced to help. "The best we got was that she was working on a luxury cruise of sorts. Right Marui?"

"Indeed," Zenji stated. "The lass doesn't have a Facebook account or any sort of social media presence, so tracking her down would be hard. Furthermore, she's from the west, possibly Canadian from what I've gathered, so it's quite the trip the knife would need to make to be returned."

"Joaquin was from Mexico, so it's similar." Soma clarified, before adding. "I'll find the address soon enough, it's a very, very dull knife. She probably didn't even use it to cook, it's more decorative than anything."

"That's because it's a family treasure, so to speak," Satoshi interjected, which caused the group to focus on him. "For what I remember, which granted, isn't much, but I think her grandfather was active during World War Two, and as I'm sure you've all heard, the economy was bad worldwide, and the United States was hit pretty bad. Rations were giving to soldiers with just the essentials needed for nutrition, flavor wasn't a priority."

"Erina would die," Soma spoke with a laugh, as Yuuki gave him a curious look.

"Each 24-hour crate of portions contained things like loafs of bread, chocolate bars with raisins, oatmeal, biscuits, a not very big meat block, with some preserved meat on the side, cubes of broth, chewing gum, vitamins and such," as Satoshi spoke, he listed the things with his fingers. Counting stopped at nine. "There wasn't room for herbs, spices, condiments or such; even salt and pepper was limited, so the squad of usually twelve to fifteen men would pick an "honorary cook" amongst themselves to prepare the meals he could do. Ava's grandfather was the most chosen of his group, due to his culinary skills. That knife is probably from that time."

"Man that sounds awesome!" Soma exclaimed as he imagined himself a soldier of the greatest war ever fought, using the most limited of ingredients to cook up the greatest of meals, managing to keep his fellow soldiers alive with their hopes of being able to just once more taste his awesome cooking. Oh, and seeing their loved ones too.

"As much a good a history lesson as that is," Fumio interrupted the chatter, placing her hands on Isshiki's shoulders, giving the boy a soft massage. "You all have actual classes to attend to, save for Soma and Megumi who are still excused."

"Oh come on Fumio," Yuuki pouted as she spoke. "Let's take the day off."

"Nonsense, you little missy are as late as you could be, don't think I don't know your schedules," she wagged her finger at Yuuki, like a grandmother directing herself to her granddaughter. "You have class at 9:30, which you are late enough as is," she then turned to Ryoko. "You, Shun and Shoji have a class at 10:00," then she turned to Marui and Daigo. "And you two have one at 11:00."

"Ours is latter!" Daigo mockingly teased Shoji.

"Yeah, but it's with that asshole Chapelle!" Shoji barked back.

"Oh shit, that's right!" Daigo suddenly felt his face drain in fear.

"Now boys, language," Fumio told the two, as they both bowed and apologized. She then turned to the elder boy. "And don't you forget you also have a meeting with the Elite today."

"That I do," Satoshi stated, smiling. "I have to give a good word for Soma and Megumi."

"Very good," Fumio stated, before adding. "Now then, everyone, you know the drill. Get everything cleaned up and go on out. Yuuki," she turned to the petite chef. "Don't get used to me babying you, alright, but since you are going to be late, I'll take care of your dishes, now go."

"Thank you!" she exclaimed as she got up, and ran to her room to get her stuff. "Last time, promise!"

"I say the same thing to myself," Fumio softly spoke to herself.

"Oh boy, the day officially starts," Ryoko spoke up as she, alongside everybody, stood up and began to pick up after themselves. "By the way, you're quieter than usual today Shun."

"I had nothing to add," the boy stated, helping her with her plates against her silent protests.

"You always have something to add, or should at least," she shot back.

As they all moved and worked on the things they needed to get done, Megumi couldn't help but smile. She adored this place, how livid and friendly it was. As she turned, she saw that Soma was still sitting down, eyeing the knife as he examined it on his hand. "Soma?"

"It's funny isn't it?" he asked her, but before she could respond, he explained. "A knife used to keep an American squadron alive during the Second Great War," he then turned to her with a knowing grin. "Here in the hands of a Japanese youth…"

The irony was not lost on her.

-0-

As Soma rested himself on his bed, he crossed his hands against the back of his head, creating himself a pillow with them. He simply stared at the ceiling, lost in thought as to what came next. He had been imagining new dishes he could bring to the table next time Erina and the group got together, so that he could impress them, impress her and win this thing. Above all else, even above getting back at Akira, he wanted her to say it. To say that his food was good, with that overhyped tongue of hers. 'God's Tongue, and mom's style…' he pondered. 'But is it really? Should I try another one of her dishes to see if the dumplings were just a fluke? Or maybe I should ask dad, I mean, he went to school here, and he knows the old man, maybe he knows Erina… Maybe mom did too… That'd be weird."

Then came a knock on the door.

"It's open," Soma spoke up. As the door opened up, Soma saw it was Zenji Marui, looking a bit peeved for some reason. Well, more so than usual.

"Phone call Soma," he told him, adjusting his glasses with one hand while handing Soma his cellphone with the other. This time he meant the gesture. "Would you stop using my phone as your own?"

"What? I only did that a few times some time ago," Soma explained himself as he sat up, grabbing the phone. "I didn't have mine for long so I didn't know the number, and since yours is the easiest to remember, so…"

"Just give it back once you're done," Marui clarified, exiting the room, but not before adding, "I have class at eleven, so I'll need it back by ten-thirty… Heck, just tell her to call yours!"

"Sure thing Marui!" Soma told his retreating form. 'Her?'

It was a girl calling? He hadn't given this number to any girls, save for one in particular. Could it be? Well, one way to find out.

"Hello!" was the overly-cheerful greeting Soma gave.

"Morning Soma," was the professional reply he received, though his guess was proven correct. "Are you busy, currently, at the moment I mean?"

"Not really," he admitted, crossing his legs as he took on a different seated position. "Kinda weird for you to call me out of the blue Boss, I'm not fired, am I?"

"I'd wish," Erina told him, in a serious manner but he still heard her gave out a soft laugh. "I'm just calling to inform you that I already set up our first "class" with Miyoko Hojou, at around ten in the morning tomorrow. That will give you all time to do some research on your own and bring new ideas onto the table when we meet up."

"Hey, great minds must think alike," Soma replied, then added, "Here I was thinking up a few dishes that I'm sure you'll adore. Some high-grade dishes that'll leave that tongue of yours aching to have some more."

"You insult me," she stated, but he didn't feel any of her usual ill-intent behind it. He was a little on the fence about joking with her like he usually did with everyone in Polar Star Dorms, what with her being his boss and all, but she seemed to be alright with it. "The day you bring something that my palate considers superior to the rest is the day I accept Alice is the better-looking one amongst us."

"She could be," Soma mocked, and smiled when he heard her scoff in response. "And you love my food, you just never give it the proper chance, or the honest response. You admitted it before."

"I have?" her bewildered tone made herself sound offended. But the playfulness behind it made her sound different to Soma. A good kind of different. "When did I ever state that?"

"When you tried to have me kicked out."

"Please specify."

"…You know, it's cruel that you're not joking with that part," he admitted while he thought back on the sheer number of times he almost got expelled and she looked like the happiest of campers. "And I mean the first time, when you ate my "Transforming Furikake Gohan", trademark of Yukihira delicacies by the way…"

"Oh, that," she said as she remembered. It was, a unique taste, to say the least. The feeling of angels bestowing themselves upon her, which for some unexplained reason she imagined with Soma's face and trying to strip her of everything. The food had been good, not anything out of this world, but given how much he has improved since then, she was sure he could prepare something so much better now. Fat chance her admitting it to him, though. "It was decent, at best. Certainly not to Tootsuki's standards. Grandpa just felt pity on you, given that you were the only one who bothered to even attempt the exam."

"Then why were you going in for a second taste?" she could feel his grinning face leering at her from the phone. She shivered.

"Don't flatter yourself," she kept her tone calm and collected, while thanking the distance between them so he couldn't see her blush. "I was just so insulted I instinctively tried to make sure it hadn't been a joke that I had been offered such a simplistic, unworthy dish."

"You liked it."

"Did not."

"Did so," he repeated, before changing the subject with, "and as for new dishes for tomorrow, I'm planning to showcase this dish that my mom cooked up a few times, then when you taste it tomorrow you'll have no choice but to admit you love it."

"Did not-you can bring whatever you want as long as it's Chinese-American, or something that can complement such a dish well," Erina stated, before adding, "And if it's your mother's it doesn't count."

"Count how?"

"On my admitting that I like your cooking," she explained, and gave a faint smile as she could sense him frowning. "If it's her recipe, then I'll admit I like her cooking, not yours."

"Oh you cheater," he said, resting his back against the bedframe. "I never said it was her recipe, thou, I said it was something she used to cook. This is all me, my own recipe on the classic dish."

"Then I'll hate it," if her tone had not been playful, he would have been annoyed. Instead he just burst out laughing. His laugh had a sincerity to it that made it hard not to laugh alongside him. Erina found it annoying and endearing at the same time.

"That's cute…" he muttered, sarcastically.

"I know I am."

"…Huh?" he paused for a moment. Had he heard her right? That sounded an awful look like… "Erina Nakiri… Are you flirting with me?"

"As if," her response was so sudden if felt rehearsed. As if she had caught on the meaning of her own words before even he did and had a response prepared to counter it if needed. Or at least, that's what he thought. "Don't mix your dreams with reality."

"Right…" he wouldn't mention how as of late that last comment of hers wasn't completely untrue. "In all seriousness though," he mentioned, changing the topic. "This is Marui's phone, I thought you had mine."

"Who's Marui?"

"Bespeckled fellow, resident at Polar Star," Soma described him for her. "Somewhat lanky, smartest guy in all of the first year alumni by far."

"Oh," she pondered. "Okay," she probably had no idea who he meant. "So, he's not your secretary?"

"Of course not," Soma just laughed a bit at that. "How would a commoner like me manage to get a secretary? He's a friend, one who wants me to stop using his phone. So," he stated, while taking his own phone out. "Give me a sec and I'll text you so you can save my number."

"Alright," Erina replied as she shifted her legs in place. She currently laid on her bed facedown, her knees bent with her legs up in the air, hugging her body-pillow on her arms as she spoke with her phone on her hand. She was imitating the pose many manga schoolgirls did when they were talking to their love interests on their bed.

There was no connection whatsoever between that description and her current state, however, she told herself.

-0-

Later on the day Takumi and Isami were walking through the markets that composed most of Tootsuki, with Takumi searching for something in particular and Isami accompanying. As the twins searched around, Isami simply observed. Out of all of the alumni here at Tootsuki, Isami sometimes felt the most out of place. Not due to skill or talent, he had that covered and he planned on continuing to improve. But he felt out of place due to the fact that all this highly expensive things Tootsuki had the pleasure of owning all around the campus made someone from such a more modest upbringing feel a bit overwhelmed. He was sure his brother, and to a similar extent Soma, felt the same way. Their sheer passion overshadowed the expensiveness of it all. Isami, on the other hand, found it absurd. In a way, he could allow himself to be impressed by it all, while Takumi and Soma just focused on the next challenger and ignored their surroundings, mostly. Which, considering what they were told in class today, that next challenge was much closer than they had originally expected.

"So, Isami, you think I should just stock up on everything," his brother caused him to focus his attention back on the shopping at hand. "We have no idea what the themes will be, so I think we should practice on a little bit of everything. Gotta stay ahead of the curve."

"Ahead of Soma?" Isami asked, to which Takumi eyed him strangely.

"Well, yeah, but I'm not thinking about just him twenty-four-seven, you know," Takumi explained to his younger-by-a-few-minutes brother. "I have other rivals, like every single member of the Elite Ten for instance, and that bastard Mimasaka. So, in essence, Soma's just one of many."

"I'd imagine," Isami nodded as he spoke. "But I meant ahead of Soma on the line, because he's here too."

"Huh? He is?" Takumi questioned as his little brother pointed his index finger towards where his redheaded rival currently stood, minding his own business while looking at several fruits on display. Takumi just narrowed his eyes in response. 'He's everywhere these days, it would seem.'

"…Should I try a few pineapples today," Soma muttered to himself as he took a fruit in his hand and took in its weight. Seemed alright to him.

"Shopping Soma?" Takumi's voice caused the redhead to turn towards the blond.

"Hey, Takumi! Isami!" he greeted the siblings, flashing the two a bright smile. "Sure am. Working on a new dish for tomorrow's meeting with Erina. Oh, and thanks again for the help yesterday. I wouldn't be having a meeting tomorrow if you didn't turn out to be such an all-star player."

"Don't get used to it, that was a one time thing only," Takumi instantly reverted back to his rival-versus-rival attitude, which caused Isami to just feel a little bit amused.

"I figured," Soma answered back, pretty much already used to it.

"You've got a good dish ready to beat down Akira?" Isami asked Soma, who eagerly nodded like a happy little kid.

"Yeah! I'm working to make various Chinese-American dishes for tomorrow," he began, as both Takumi and Isami felt they were going to hear way more than they had asked for. "First I thought I'd make a Kung Pao styled chicken, with my own alterations, but I don't feel like that would be enough. Then, I thought I would try my hand at some Sweet-and-Sour pork and chicken combo, hence the pineapple in my hand," he motioned to the fruit. "But even more than that, I told Erina about a dish my mom used to make, based on Mongolian cuisine which used beef, chicken and shrimp with a sweet, almost caramel-based sauce. Since I couldn't decide, I'm cooking up all three tonight and deciding once I do so."

"Sounds… delicious if I'm honest," Takumi stated, pondering a bit. "A little excessive on the meats, but I'm sure you'll make it work."

"Indeed," Isami added. "Soma has us beat when it comes to either American or Chinese restaurants if he's assigned to either."

"I doubt they'd let him have it that easy," Takumi countered, as Soma cocked his head to the side, a bit lost on where the conversation was headed.

"Assigned what?" he asked the Italian siblings. "My Shokugeki is Chinese-American, they're not going to change it."

"Oh, not that," Takumi answered, giving Soma a soft smile. "It's what you'll face after that."

"They already told us what we're going to be assigned after the Shokugeki between Erina and Akira culminates," Isami added.

"They refer to it as the Stagiaire," Takumi stated.

"Stagiaire?" Soma repeated, trying to understand what it was. Knowing Tootsuki, some crazy event to try and get more students expelled. "It's another crazy thing, right?"

"We don't have much details on it yet," Isami answered, resting his still thin frame against the nearby wall. Once the cold began to hit them again, he'd plump right up to his usual size. He preferred himself chunky. "It's kind of an internship, of sorts, from what we've been told."

"We'll be sent somewhere to work, and based on the results they'll tell us if we're returning or not," Takumi finished, giving Soma an "I-know-you're-as-excited-about-this-as-I-am" grin. Soma gave him a "damn-right-I-am" one in return.

"That sounds awesome!" Soma practically cheered. "So once we beat Akira, I'll get to work on an actual restaurant again. That makes my blood boil."

"Indeed," Takumi stated, before turning towards the aisles. "By the way, if you're shopping, you're free to join us."

"Oh, right, sure!" Soma responded, placing the pineapple in a bag and then on his cart. The trio then spent the rest of their visit shopping and chatting, eager to face off against whatever the Stagiaire would bring.

-0-

Soma had spent most of the early afternoon at the mart, taking his time to decide on what his ingredients would be for his task tomorrow. Operation "Finally Get Erina To Confess She Likes My Cooking" is a go, and he needed to be prepared. So when it came down to choosing the meats, he decided to consult an expert.

"Can you hear me now?" Soma asked as he spoke to the speaker on the headphones he was wearing, as he got off his bike and proceeded to pick out his groceries. "I told you, I was on my bike. I'm hands-free, but the wind made it hard for you to hear me. I heard you perfectly, if that helps."

"Oh forget it," even if it was by phone, Soma could tell Ikumi Mito was frowning. She had quite the temper. "Remember, store that meat I told you at exactly negative ten degrees, otherwise it will lose flavor."

"Yeah, yeah, got it," he spoke as he struggled to pick up all the bags and walk towards the dorm. He was still not sure it had been a smart move to buy more stuff that both Aldini brothers combined. "Thanks for the assist though, I knew no one would know meat more than you Nikumi."

"Are you going to keep using that nickname on me?" the dark-skinned blonde spoke, on a slightly softer tone than usual. She wondered if it was just a habit for Soma to call her as such or if there was actual affection involved. It was hard to tell with Soma "oblivious-to-love" Yukihira.

"Your name's not Nikumi?"

Or he was just an idiot.

"Of course not!" she was screaming again, which he received on the double thanks to the headphones. "It's Ikumi Mito, you can call me Ikumi!"

"Oh, okay," he spoke as he struggled to take out the keys to the front door from his pocket. He had been standing in front of the door for nearly two minutes already. "Ikumi, got it. I have to make a mental note of it all. Alice, Hisako and Ikumi. Am I missing anybody?"

"You're horrible with names, aren't you?"

"Not really," he defended himself, even if he knew she was right. "I've learned a few without much trouble, like Erina's for example."

"Oh come on, everybody knows her…" then it hit her. "Erina, you're on first-name basis with Milady?"

"You call her that too?"

"Of course, she's my superior," she explained, then added, "or was, before you made me join up with that idiot Kanachi!"

"Ah," he said with a huge grin, half because he remembered the Shokugeki between Ikumi and himself, and half because he finally managed to get his keys. "What's he been up to lately?"

"Don't change the subject!"

"I'm not," he stated as he entered the dorms, placing the bags on the floor to allow his arms to breathe. Negative ten degrees; that should be the priority. The largest of the freezers should suffice. "I was just stating… Wait a minute," he paused briefly, before adding a slightly rushed, "I'll call you back Ni-Ikumi, something's weird here."

"Oh, okay," she mentioned, slightly concerned due to his change in tone. "Let me know if everything's alright."

"Sure thing," Soma promised as he hanged up on his cellphone. It wasn't weird what he was seeing as opposed to what he was hearing. He was in the main hall, where he had first met Fumio when he first arrived in Tootsuki. But on the kitchen, were just this morning the whole group had gathered, he could hear people talking. Just not the usual people. Fumio was there, and while he couldn't decipher her words, he could by her tone tell she was upset. There were other voices, ones he couldn't really connect to a particular face, but whom he believed belonged to fellow faculty members. The loudest voice, however, with the biggest, most demanding presence was one he could never in a hundred years confuse for anyone else.

It was Senzaemon Nakiri.

'The Director's in our kitchen?' Soma thought as he moved his head towards the wall, to try and make the words out. 'Are we having a new roommate? Or was someone kicked out? Oh, I hope not!'

As much as he knew it was improper, he was too worried not to barge into the kitchen as they spoke. But to avoid looking like an uncivilized brat, he was going to keep his headphones on and carry the grocery bags as if he had just arrived and was just simply restocking the fridge. The perfect plan.

So he walked in.

"-chance to actually tell us what happened, he deserves at least that!" Fumio could now clearly be heard stating, rather loudly, as Soma entered the kitchen, wondering if this had been such a hot idea. The look on everyone's faces would not be out of place on a funeral. "Soma!" Fumio seemed shocked to see the boy, as if she had forgotten that students actually lived here.

"Oh, pardon me," the redhead feigned ignorance, as he placed the shopping bags down, and removed his (silent) headphones. "Sorry for the intrusion. I had no idea there was a meeting. I'll wait outside."

"That's alright Soma," Senzaemon's voice made him stop. He was a lot colder than he had ever heard the old man be, despite the supposedly reassuring words he had just used. "This does concern you after all."

"Me?" Soma felt a little relieve hit him (since none of his friends were in trouble) followed by a massive sense of worry smack right into him (since it meant he was in trouble).

"Yes, my boy, you," Senzaemon clarified, as all the other staff members in the kitchen, four if you included Fumio, just turned their attention towards the elder man. "Here in Tootsuki we pride ourselves in not just our cooking, but in our ethics as well. For one such as-"

"Oh come on Senzaemon," Fumio interrupted, clearly pissed. Much more so than Soma had ever seen the elder woman be. "This is bull, and you know it!"

"Ma'am!" one of the others present interjected, but the glare Fumio gave him made him just mutter a quick apology and shift his sunglasses-covered gaze back onto the floor. He remained like that for a while.

"Fumio, please," Senzaemon's tone lowered, in a more pleading manner. "You must understand, my hands are tied."

"Um…" Soma raised his hands as he spoke, like a little kid in class asking for a bathroom break. It was a fitting analogy. He sure felt like one. "I'm afraid I don't understand."

"…I'm sorry to have to say this Soma," Senzaemon stated, his voice now sounding more like how he normally used to sound. Softer. Calmer. More grandfather-like. It made Soma feel a little more at ease, but not overly so. Whatever it was he was going to tell him, it was not good. And at that moment, his mind shifted to Erina. Had something happened with the Shokugeki? Had something happened to her? That thought worried him even more.

"Is Er-"

"You're expelled Soma."

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