Shokugeki no Soma isn't my personal property. All rights reserved to respective author, artists and company involved, especially Tsukuda Yuuto, Saeki Shun and Morisaki Yuki.
"..."
"..."
Silence, no words but sounds of machines could be heard in the present location. Two men, one adult and teen the other, sitting inside of a room, face to face. It's quite unclear what kind of room it was, as it seemed to be like a regular room, there's little thing inside it other than regular purpose furnitures. Tables, chairs coordinated align with each other, the light was bright enough for the two to see each other's appearance.
The two was head to head, and could be seen that they had straight postures. The younger one was wearing a usual expression, no nervousness, anxiousness or any visible of any way of an unfamiliar sense in the similar situation viewed by anyone else in his stead, except his eyes were closed. There are a few that could relate to him though, like the man in front of him.
"Any discomfort?"
"..."
"Arm? Leg?"
"..."
"As expected, you're getting stronger."
"..."
Words coming out one-sided, couldn't be say to be a proper communication, the question and the self-answered sentences regarding an event of the few hours in the past. The face of the older man was getting softer, as if he was seeing what he was supposed to see, even though his conversation partner didn't respond in kind, but he didn't stop there.
"Now we're going to the correlate point, we'll be departing from there to the destination."
The youngster still didn't say anything.
"How do you feel right now?"
"...Surprised, I guess. It's been some time after all."
The youngster finally responded, unhurriedly and honestly while opening his eyes, showing a hint of helplessness on his face.
"Hehe, people adjust, any condition and affair could occur in any moment. Just like where we are now."
"...That aside I didn't think you would come, are things that peculiar there?" The youngster observed the man in front of him, he inquired.
"Hmm, by the most superficial coverage I can say is not bad, but it could go in one less preferable direction."
"What could go unexpected under the surveillance of Ricoriki Buzzell?"
"Hehe, a lot, one of them is Souma Yukihira's breakout."
The youngster looked at the other person, at Buzzell who chuckled at the question. After a few moments Yukihira turned his sight slightly at another person, a few metres behind the man in front of him. That man was standing but leaning at the wall, tall stature, clean brown skin, short hair, clear lensed glasses covered his eyes.
"..."
Silently observing and then once again at the one before him.
"Hmmm? What's on your mind?" He older man asked as he saw the eyes confronting him.
"You even brought Baltodano with you..."
"Oh? Him? He wanted to tag along so, I brought him." He gestured his right thumb to the man behind him.
As he heard it, Yukihira looked at the third man once again. This time the other man, Baltodano, first named Galvan, nodded his head to him without changing much of his posture.
"You lost weight, didn't you?" He asked as he moved his eyes.
"Yes, Mr. Yukihira, more than you think."
"How's the flexibility?"
"Balanced on the upper part."
"How about the others?"
"Still improving."
"Well, you're in a better form is what I could see." Yukihira said straight-faced, oversimplifying the figure, except for his eyes which were clear-cut.
"Thank you."
Somehow, the two were absorbed in their own conversation. Buzzell pour in the cup with hot tea with his left hand, put the teapot down then push the saucer under the cup to the opposite side of himelf.
"What is this?"
"White."
"..." Yukihira stared at the cup as he heard that.
"As we all know it's his favorite kind."
"Does he still have the time to enjoy it?"
"Whether does he or not, if it's all for her."
"No doubt of that."
"How do you want it?"
"Let's go your way."
"How much?"
"Three."
Hearing the number, man on the seat opened a small container. Then put three sugar blocks into Yukihira's cup of tea. Yukihira looked at it with curiosity.
"Do you have them in yours?" He asked in interest.
"By standard." He said it as if it's a natural course of action judging by the elder man's countenance as he had his tea.
"A few basic things first." He put his cup back on the saucer.
"...Do you have something by now? Sketch?"
"More like blueprint so far. And materials. Next is executioner." Buzzell getting firmer in his words.
"...I see." In understanding the younger man took his cup up and drink its content down.
"..."
"What is my purpose?" He continued his questions.
"Miscellaneous."
"Overseer?"
"No one. You can do as you see fit."
"Details?"
"There's no need to rush. They will be given to you later in time."
"Then, goal."
"Hmmm... In short it's a personnel retrieval."
"Is this personnel still breathing?"
"His physical condition is less than optimum but still there. We couldn't acquire more than that at the moment. Jamming system is in progressively advancing in the establishment structure."
"Expedition Initiation time?"
"Two hours ago." Naturally the seasoned man replied.
"..." The room went quiet, the youngster was firm on the face and looked at the two men one after another after a short self-contemplating.
"Let's do a medical check." Yukihira said suddenly.
"How do you want it?" Buzzell's eyes lit up, the same with Baltodano whose interest was raised even though he barely moved around.
"Thorough procedure." The youngster said resolutely as he got up from his seat.
Hearing his words both men got excited, to do a medical check on this person might be only for a limited number of people could do, as he was untouchable even in all those years previously.
"This way please."
Buzzell could barely keep his excitement down as he show the way to a room which was previously shut but opened the instant he said so. Yukihira complied and entered the bright room, followed by the two men. The instant they were in, the door was slide-shut right away, leaving no trace of entrance mechanism around the place, the lights the room they were in previously was slowly turned off one after another leaving a single one at the ceiling of the table then it flickered, then no more lights in the room. The scene was pitch black.
Hotel, the time was vague but still bright sun was still visible in the sky.
"..."
A few youths were in the assembly room by themselves, without making any voice. It was meeting time for the gathering for academy staff, but it was ended sooner than expected. So free time was there earlier than the previous days.
"I didn't know that we actually had so little thing to do, never even in my dream." A silver haired and red eye young lady, who by first glance would left an impression to whoever saw her, was voicing her opinion of their blank period, unconvinced by something was could be heard by her words.
"It's been a few months and we did a lot of things, but in this trip, we did so little that I don't see a lot of paper on the desk, it's countable by one hand." Another voice belonged to the cousin of the previous lady, a honey-blonde haired young lady, distinguished in overall appearance and wasn't by any means less than her cousin, her countenance was mixed.
"Is this okay, my lady? Somehow I'm not comfortable to have so little thing to do." The blonde's assistant commented on the workflow they went through.
"For the administrative activities amount only so much, I'm getting worried about this. What Yukihira-kun did for it to shrink the number to this extent?" A petit girl, who had a distinctive hair style, made her thought known.
"Who knows, I didn't even have the chance to see them in details before the trip, and these few days weren't exactly focused on those tasks, so anyone who did it definitely not me." The blonde, Nakiri Erina informed her fellow students.
"And now he's gone, as much as I don't want to think about it. Did he predict all of this?" The next Nakiri was doubtful of something.
"What do you mean?" Intrigued, Tadokoro questioned.
"You know, he's gone after the most important jobs of this board mostly finished. Did he have the intent to leave at the very beginning, or is it only a pure coincidence?" Red-eyed youngster asked.
"I'm not sure about those ways of thought, but another alternative could be said that he predicted this day would happen." Tadokoro suggested.
"Predict?" The inquirer pressed on.
"I can't say what it is, but he suddenly did all the work by himself as soon as possible. I'm not sure when he began, but I think it was the same day as he went to the hospital."
"Really? That was like, two days ago?"
"If he really did, it could be risky. Sure he was discharged, but to work right after, was his body strong enough to do so?"
"Who knows, his check up result wasn't published or anything, there's no way we know about that."
"No, for someone to do that, there's something wrong with their head."
"Of course. And logically, in reality he didn't show it, not that any one showed interest in it at the time. I'm not sure with his father though."
The four of them kept on exchanging their own opinions. At the time when no body continuing, the door opened and a man in his casual outfit came into the scene.
"You four, how are you?"
"Yukihira-san, honestly speaking by usual standard we're have nothing to worry about." Caught off guard not expecting the man to enter, the blonde answered right away.
"Really? That's great, this means that you could enjoy the trip to the fullest." He was pleased hearing it.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I just thought of what I talked about yesterday with that silly son of mine, I'm not sure when exactly though."
"Did he say something?"
"Not specifically, but I asked him a few things." As he said that he started his reminiscence of his last one on one conversation with his son.
By the time the younger red haired man was locked in his own temporary accommodation, the single father getting worried about him.
*Thud* *Thud*
Knocks were heard on Room C1.
"Souma, you there?"
"What is it?"
"You're not going out?"
"I will."
"When will you?"
"Later, not now."
"You better quick, almost no one in this building you know, I mean those who are related to the academy?!"
"That's a good news."
"What are you doing anyway?" The elder Yukihira went into the room without any delay.
"..." His son seemed inattentive about the breach of privacy.
"What are you doing?"
"Paperwork."
"Paperwork... you say, this many?" Yukihira Jouichirou was papers stacked up to a few tall masses to the left side of his son's desk.
"As expected of you, you weren't being the least former active council member for nothing."
"You... As far as I know the busiest time wouldn't bring this much of hardship."
"..." Whether young Yukihira wasn't keen to responding or didn't care, no one knew.
Hearing no words from his son, he went ahead and picked up a piece of paper from the pile himself.
"Trip account, expenditure and revenue, I didn't know that first seat of the council does the whole procedure of it."
"..." The golden eyed youngster still had no voice.
"Looking at it, there's many more than a mere budget management. Why are you doing this?" The elder man was puzzled at his son's behaviour.
"...No reason, I just do it." The son responded as if it was a routine thing to do.
"While everyone having the time of their trip for fun you doing this. Are you okay?"
"I don't know about anyone else, but I know that I'm not rueful about this period of time."
"Did you had a good rest last night?"
"You can see I'm not in physical decline of going through this."
"Do you not hate this? You may not know but I did at the time of academy."
"This isn't just about me, is all that I know, and sooner or later, this would be taken care of. I have my time, and the rest of students have theirs."
"Will this even settled?"
"Sooner than you and I could ever imagine."
"That's great then."
"You should go too. I'm doing fine now."
"Well things could happen like yesterday. So we'll never know."
"As far as I know, there's nothing to worry about. More than this, it would be excessive."
"Just let me do as I please."
"Like I can tell you what to do."
"Same for you, you know. Well, do go out soon. Some people could be expecting you."
"I'm not pessimistic about that."
"Good then, don't take it too far. I'll see you later."
"..."
"And one more thing, do take care of yourself."
The single parent went out on his own volition after the last remark he made, and went on his own way, but on another view he was expecting something.
Present time.
"That's what happened, more or less. For your information, I saw him less than thirty minutes out on the street later that day."
"I see. But for him to accomplished it that way, did he ever expect to hand it over?"
"Who knows what he had in mind that time. But I know that I'm not one to disturb him for a long time."
"Even though you did anyway?"
"To check on him from time to time was important. Not that I can do that anymore."
"I think he's fine now and in the future."
"We all hope so. So free yourself and go out, girls. I don't think you have anything to do now, right?"
"It's true but..."
"I saw your friends went out after going into Souma's room, I don't think there were any heavy mind on their heads at the time."
"They were done already?"
"Should be, I don't think this kind of event actually a student's specialty, they could came to the same conclusion."
"Talking about that, was that person your friend, Yukihira-san?"
"Hmmm? Ooh, you mean Ryuuji? Yeah, we were middle schoolmates, and I ran into him time to time. We're closer than I thought we were. Thinking about it, this is the first time I'm asking this kind of favor from him."
"What do you mean by 'closer than you thought'?"
"Oh that? I knew him for a long time but didn't communicate that much with him, but we do only a little, time to time. Our job isn't related at all, so when I asked him to handle this, he accepted it. Hmmm... maybe it's just he's having the same wavelength as me? He's easy to talk to despite his appearance."
"I see... Did he say anything about this event?"
"Event you say... Well, he made me realize that I may know my son less than I thought I did."
"What do you mean?"
"Souma never went abroad in my knowledge. But apparently he had a few passports in his disposal."
"Passports? I think we did made one for each of the Council member?"
"As far as I recall we did."
"But they're all made by Japanese government, aren't they?"
"Each of them, yes."
"Well, see what I have here?" The single parent put out a small document, with Japanese government's insignia on it. Then he showed us the content, it was identity proof of Yukihira Souma.
"This is his passport that was made the same time as ours."
"Right? You may heard form the principal that he was going abroad. But to find this in his bag, that could mean two things. First he does have one or more alternative passport documentations, or the second guess, he doesn't have any at all, which could lead to an unauthorized cross-border trip."
"I doubt he would go on the latter case."
"That's why I have my suspicions. If he had one or more alternative passports, there's a possibility he had at least once go across the seas."
"Talking about his activities, don't you know something Hisako?"
"My Lady, even though I assisted him for more than a few times in the last few months, I don't think I have any knowledge of anything when he went outside the campus."
"Is there anyone else that possibly know?"
"...Can't say I don't have my own guess."
"You know someone who possibly knows?"
"The Polar Star Dormitory Keeper caretaker, Mrs. Daimido."
"Now you mention it, she might know something."
"I'll call her, later time. Hope she knows something. That aside, you girls should go and relish the time. Tomorrow is last day of the trip after all, unless I'm wrong."
"Now that you mention it, it's been a few days have passed. In two days we'll go back."
"We do have problem here but, nothing good distraction could not do these days. We'll as you say, Yukihira-san."
"All right, I have a few places to go myself, later girls." The man then turned around and wave his hands in two ways and went out of the room, leaving the four by themselves again.
"..."
"...I'll be going first then, Erina, Hishoko and Megumi."
"Where are you planning to go?" The blonde responded by asking her elder relative.
"First I'll go find Ryou-kun, then we'll decide."
"Right, we have nothing further related to the council, I'll contact you again."
"Okay, later then, you three don't take too long in here." The silver haired young lady went out of the room after bidding his leave.
"I'll be going then Nakiri-san, seeing the others."
"Very well, see you later, Tadokoro."
Bowing lightly at the two, Tadokoro also left the location.
"..."
"Erina-sama, what's wrong?" Arato realized that Nakiri was standing looking at the door, she got curious.
"I just remembered, I thought Yukihira-san was with Sakaki-san before all this matter escalated, but I didn't see her with him again." She spoke of her little concern.
"She may be with the other fellow dorm inmates." Her friend made some guess on her own.
"Well, I hope so..." The blonde's tone was getting low.
"Why do you say that?" The blonde concern affected the assistant.
"...After we found out that Yukihira-kun went missing, we hardly saw her since. I wonder what she is doing around this time."
"I don't think there's anything to worry about her." A bit forced standpoint but still validated of the pink haired student.
"We can't say for sure, as some case occurred, while we got careless, took place in so little time gap. We need to be more careful." The proud young lady pressed her point.
"The one with Yukihira-kun seems to be someone he knew... but do we need to improve the security?"
"Just in case... That person... I hope he knows what he's doing." She sighed as she only could do what she need to do in her own power while being hopelessly thinking about the absentee of the ongoing occasion.
Another location, a dimmed room with little light, there was a youngster who had her back on the single bed.
Head felt heavy, eyelids were barely moving. The mind wasn't organized, past few hours was hardly easy to recall. Few signs of not being well in an actual corporeal conditions. One thing went across this mind of youngster.
'Did something happen to me?'
She slowly opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the white ceiling in a regular-sized room. There was a light but no sight of lighting appliance on the ceiling. Then she turned her head to her right, and saw wall lights in the perception she gathered.
She slowly got up from the soft bed, it truly was, she could feel it as she sit up. Perception she made through a bit of movements ease her heavy mind which then reminded her of a few things.
'Yukihira-kun...' She recollected her impression of the red headed figure.
"Where are you now?" She softly asked no one in particular, but one who could answered it for her were nowhere near her eyesight or anywhere to those who were close to here at the moment.
Sakaki Ryouko wasn't genuinely thrilled to find out once more that the youngster occupying her mind wasn't around. She put both of her feet on the ground, through her thin clothing she wore on both of her feet, she suddenly figured that the floor was cold, after a short step, she tried to reach out to her shoes. Tried or a few minutes until she reached a pair of footwear and put in both of her feet with the support of her hands, then her body was less colder than it was before. She was wondering if it was because of the closed space she was in.
The purple haired student rise on the ground, realizing that she was still in her previous outfit a pair of uniforms. She was wondering if she needed to change them. By the time she was thinking about it, there was a sound from her door.
*Thud**Thud*
"...Yes, who is it?" She asked as she walked to the entrance.
"Ryouko-cchi?" Someone was calling out to her name.
"Oh, Yuuki, what's wrong?" She greet lightly the cheerful girl who was an inhabitant of the same dorm as she was.
"Nothing, I'm just checking on you, who was nowhere to be found. What are you doing inside?"
"Nothing, I just had a bit of... nap... I think?"
"What do you mean 'you think'? Rather than cooping up inside, it would be better to go out." Yoshino was trying to bring the long haired girl out for something.
"I'm not sure about that."
"Why? Not feeling up for it?" The amber haired girl was concerned as she heard her friend's words.
"...No, I'm fine with that. I'll go, wait a minute." Sakaki then went back inside, she took off her slippers then ducked to wear her shoes. Checking them to be properly on she then stood back up and took her phone with her which was on the side table of the bed.
"..." Slightly delayed as she looked at the lock screen of her phone, she shook her head, then head out with the widest smile she could offer.
"Where are we going?" As she closed and locked her room, she lightly wanted to know where they were going.
"Right, It-" As her shorter friend said something about their next plan, the more mature youngster's mind was already out of their present situation, thinking who-knew-what, with little care about her surrounding... maybe none of it at all at some point...
In another area.
Silver-haired, red-eyes youngster was striding along the open ground outside the hotel. A few people were there, she could see that they're doing their own thing without much disturbance. She was thinking if there was something that she wanted to do herself. She said previously that she wanted to see her confidant, but somehow that thought slipped her mind, she was going without any specific aim.
'Should I go to the kitchen?' She lightly conclude after her short pondering.
"My Lady, where are you going?" Suddenly at the back of her head someone called out to her.
"Ryou-kun! Where were you?" Somewhat surprised, she questioned back at him.
"Nowhere specific, I looked around the place."
"Hmmm, did you see Erina on your way here?"
"No... that would be my question, Lady, didn't you just saw her a few minutes ago?"
"Was she still inside the assembly room?"
"I think she went out already, but I'm not sure." Trying to think back what he knew, he informed her.
"I see..." Her mind was wandering somewhere else once more.
"Did you forget something?"
"No, just thinking what she was doing when there were nothing to do."
"I don't think she would saunter with no place to go."
"And you think I would?" She creased her forehead to his words, sharpening her eyes at him.
"..." He looked away from her gaze.
"Hmph!" Dissatisfied, she looked away from him.
"... I found something that could interest you while back. I'm sure you'll like it."
"Really...?" Although displeased she was distracted from her dark feeling a few minutes ago, which in its own way a good thing.
"You'll need to see it yourself to find out." Kurokiba taunted her even more.
"Let's see then, I hope you don't disappoint." Nakiri walked ahead of him, even though she didn't know where to go. But she was followed and directed by her adjutant with his voice, although she did complied she didn't put his voice in her head for long.
'I wonder if this...' She was mentally wandering again as she kept on walking. Wandering about something else... or rather someone else.
'No, I don't need to think about him... Let's do this.' She was unsure about something but made up her mind.
'Anything but him.' She then walked faster hoping that her concern was brought away by the wind. Nothing was supposed to stop her anymore, but still...
By the time three youngsters who were in different places, with different people, and environments unconsciously reassessed their mental conditions then put their focus on a single one person who was out of their range of sight. Those who were with her close friend, who were with her close aide, who were with her adjutant. They were looking up, at the same time, to the clouds.
'''Be safe.'''
With those words which was the only thing that they could convey in their own deepest souls, hoping for nothing but his well-being even if he couldn't hear them himself.
While the less experienced people could do anything but to progress on the key point itself, it couldn't be said the same for those who lived longer than those who were still in their teens. It was no longer than tens of minutes after the receptionist staff went and handle the matter on the hotel's behalf, the same person went out of the manager's room, concluded on her report.
The person who was she reporting to, a man in his late thirties. By average standard he was tall, more than 180 centimetres in height. Brushed to the back hair, sharp eye brows, and the same with his eyes, short moustache, beard and facial hair on his cheek, his face was unchanged even after hearing the report. He was standing, staring at the outer part of the hotel through the glass which separated him and the rest of nature.
"For that person came here in person, I could hardly imagine that." He muttered in low voice then he turned to his desk, observing a page of a book on his desk, which was scarce of naccessary tools or documents fitting his job in the office, which by any means couldn't be an indicator that he was free.
"Buzzell... If this person acting personally... Has that gentlemen thought it through, I wonder?" Mentioning that person's name, he was reminded of another man, a man who he knew barely.
"Magnus Sorensen..." He was trembling as he pronounce another figure's name, a single line was going through his neck made by a sweat because of his quivering thought.
"As much as I want to know and see his face, I have a feeling that I will regret it." It was getting harder for him to keep his expression the way it was, as he tried to divert his thought away from that certain nobleman.
"What does he want with Yukihira Souma? He may know this youngster, but I don't think the other party even aware of his existence. Is there even any connection, much less history between the two of them?" He was thinking hard trying to connect one to another scenario that he was informed of.
Then he picked up a paper of document with the content of general information about a red head in his adolescence, as he did so the atmosphere around him was getting darker.
"That aside I hope this child's path wouldn't be so rocky in the hand of this person, I'm pretty sure it won't be so bright, but it's not like it will be absolutely unilluminated. I hope he won't sink in the sea of blood."
