Author's Note: I have written a draft of all the chapters somewhere since I published Chapter 5, but mostly just a very general idea of it plus certain scenes (not all).

Where do I draw the line but still fulfill this ship while following the timeline in the manga? These kinds of things I ask all the time that makes it difficult for me to write some of the details. Details in Chapter 11 for example... Chapter 19 was also tricky, and now Chapter 21 also wants to compete. (Kicks Chapter 21)

I came up with three possible versions for this chapter, but then I ended up with this...

Tumble

It was too late for Shinomiya to back out, and it was certainly too late to realize that it was a mistake to dare Megumi over a tabletennis match.

After Megumi suggested to entertain themselves in the ryokan's game room, they all decided to play table tennis.

Shinomiya is a little rusty given that he hasn't played for a while, but overall still a decent player. He has never lost among his friends, not even in their gym classes before, and that's still proven to be true after beating Donato, Hinako, and Fuyumi. Winning fueled his pride, and so when it was Megumi's turn, he acted complacent as she might cry when she loses with a distant gap between their scores.

And so how was he supposed to know that Megumi had a hidden talent for this sport?

I like tabletennis... We should play when we have the chance, senpai...

He remembers her saying that while they were having afternoon tea at a cafe after a stroll at the Eifel Tower.

Other than that, he knew nothing.

Maybe he should have taken it as a sign when she requested the ryokan staff for a tasuki that's supposed to hold the sleeves of her yukata. When he intimidated her by asking if she should be having more warm-ups than the minimal stretches before the match, she cryptically smiled and said...

"No worries, senpai. I've seen you play. I don't think the game will last..."

...and he really thought it was just her low self-esteem talking, but the moment she held her paddle, that was the end of it.

Megumi transformed into a tabletennis monster, and she thrashed him without breaking a sweat. His fear towards the opposite sex was non-existent until today.

He could barely see her forehand topspins, and her speed drives were practically invisible. He'd just feel a gust of wind shooting passed him.

There was even a point in the middle of the game where she loosened up her stance, and pushed the ball lazily with her paddle so he could at least receive instead of miss it, but after three returns, he could have sworn a cheeky smile appeared before she finished the turn with a smash.

Now that he's all worked up, he can now grasp the purpose of Megumi asking for a tasuki as the sleeves of his yukata limited his movement. He might have laughed it off at the time, which he regrets now.

Megumi is one point away from winning while... Well it was the first time he has fallen far behind on anything... Ever!

After a few minutes...

"Oi what was that?!" Shinomiya complained as he squeezed and stretched out Megumi's cheeks after the match. "You shrew! Cheater!"

"Senpai you're hurting me..." said Megumi all pained, and when her doe eyes watered, Shinomiya saw her turn back to the pure sweet summer maiden that she is. The table tennis devil no longer possessed her.

"Hmph!" Shinomiya released her cheeks and he pouted with so much annoyance over the deception. "That wasn't a fair fight."

Hinako laughed out loud and mocked him, while Donato moved on to praising Megumi.

Fuyumi offered the other can of juice she was holding to Megumi who appreciatively received it.

"Thank you Mizuhara-senpai..." Megumi opened the can and happily took a sip.

Mizuhara toasted to her raising her drink. "You now have my full respect, Tadokoro. We finally get to see Kojirou lose."

Megumi smiled in response then chugged unto the drink.

Shinomiya's vein ticked that his friends chose Megumi's side, including Fuyumi who's supposedly apathetic about everything, approved of the country hick.

He probably brought a girl or two to meet his friends before. Shouldn't be a problem with Donato (partly because he likes all women in general), but Hinako and Fuyumi... It was like having sisters who would size up those women for him if they're fit for him to date. Both instances would end up in a fight, or some cursing. Then again, those women he dated were a temporary past-time, so whether his friends liked them or not, it didn't matter.

It's fascinating though... Megumi being able to smoothly weave herself with every person in every corner he knows in his life, may they be his staff in both of his restaurants, his friends, or his acquaintances in Paris... absolutely everyone.

He smirked at the current image of Megumi being liked by his friends. Then again they might be treating her like a lost kid they need to take care of.

Megumi rubbed her swollen face from being overstretched, then turned to Shinomiya.

"Senpai, I get to have a prize, right..?"

"You get nothing. Cheater!" Shinomiya yelled as he tasted his bitter loss again.

Hinako and Donato continued to laugh. Not in a million years would they imagine their friend lose, and to this one person he harshly almost expelled last year too.

"Now, now, Kojiro. Be fair." Donato still holding unto his laugh. "You did agree to do anything if she wins."

"Fine. What do you want?" He grumped at Megumi.

"Uhm... The garden..." she muttered.

"What?!"

Megumi flinched. "M-maybe senpai can accompany me to the garden... The staff installed new lights this year for a better view... The light-up only happens around this season... and I haven't seen it... so..."

"Good idea. Why don't you go ahead?" Hinako both pushed them out of the game room. "We'll catch up."

Shinomiya sighed then had Megumi walk ahead of him.

Last Spring in France...

"Such a fine young woman you're dating, Kojirou."

Shinomiya and Megumi both choked on their food at the same time. They were having late dinner after a busy afternoon at Herve's bistro.

"Are you insane? She's a minor!" Shinomiya yelled at Herve as he poured water into Megumi's glass.

Megumi gulped on the water instantly breaking her cough. Shinomiya rubbed her back until she could properly breathe.

"Thank you, senpai..." Megumi recouped her posture then picked up her knife and fork again.

Herve laughed. "Ahh my apologies. I only assumed Japanese people look much younger than their age."

Shinomiya grunted at Herve whose laugh wrinkles spread out of amusement.

Herve is one of Shinomiya's friends in Paris, a middle-aged chef who specializes on local French cuisine from the southern countryside. While they were pretty much competing for the prestige of every culinary award in France, they both treated each other as if they're relatives. For Shinomiya, Herve is like the very capable yet annoying uncle who picks on him for not having an ounce of romantic gene.

Herve poured a bit more wine into his glass. "You know, after this afternoon, I thought that Megumi is not just a talented young chef, but, she's also wife material. There is no better wife than a woman who knows her way around the kitchen."

Megumi's food got stuck in her throat again, then struggled to reach for her glass, by which Shinomiya handed to her.

"Dear, stop making Megumi uncomfortable..." Rebecca prompted at her husband.

"Sorry, dear." Herve passed on a vegetable dish to Rebecca. "I only said that because I thought Kojirou has finally introduced to us a woman he's dating."

Dating... a conversation pet peeve Shinomiya despised since it's the sole area of his life that made no progress. "I'm not a hopeless romantic like you, Herve, so you can stop bringing that up every time I visit."

"Still playing the tough love, Kojirou? You might grow old and alone." Herve always loved provoking him this way.

"I have standards!" Shinomiya scorned.

"That sounds like a girl's answer after being asked why she's single." Herve jested.

Rebecca held herself from topping up on the teasing, then changed the topic before Kojirou could walk out. "The day has been too short, but Megumi, do come visit us again whenever you're here in Paris."

"Ahh yes. If you also feel like working here in France, do please give us a call." Herve offered.

"Thank you..." Megumi's eyes rounded up . "I really am interested with the bistro's recipes and I would love to explore more about homecooking in the south..."

With that, the four were driven into the art of French Cuisine, over wine (orange juice for Megumi), culinary adventures, secret hopes and dreams... and a ton of jokes about Shinomiya's dating life.

Meanwhile, Shinomiya observed the country hick beside her, admiring her honesty as every word from her mouth matches all the faces she makes and all her dainty gestures, by which Herve and Rebecca were drawn to.

How she drives into his favorite places with her honesty and innocence, and how his favorite people adore her for it... It now counts as yet another day he witnesses Megumi unconsciously charm her way into his territory (like she belongs there).

"Senpai? What do you think?" Megumi seems to be consulting him.

Shinomiya failed to follow through the topic, but refusing to be baffled, he responded "Figure it out on your own." then snobbed.

It is yet another day that his thoughts were stranded with her smile, that all these illusions of Megumi cooking with him everyday, are materializing on their own as days go by.

How circumstances escalated quickly for Megumi, from acting as the head chef for the ryokan, to coming up with a much more complex yet sophisticated kaiseki meal worthy to celebrate her senpai's birthday. Being invited to stay with him and his friends, discovering that he may possibly have a love interest, winning a table tennis match against him, wondering about this mystery woman, the same woman apparently spending a whole lot of time with him last spring, thinking that maybe Lucie or Wei would most likely know...

...but then how do I ask them without sounding fishy?

Then again, why would she even try if it has nothing to do with her?

Shinomiya and Megumi reached the garden covered in bright lights, highlighting the warm colors of the trees surrounding the vast area. Megumi almost forgot that the business did so well over the past year that it had enough budget to fully renovate the whole place. New decors installed, new garden equipment to maintain it, with a more vibrant set of flora that adds to the striking view.

Guests were scattered around leisurely sauntering through every corner of beauty around the garden.

Shinomiya and Megumi also did the same and they ended up sitting side by side at a small gazebo near a little pond. The water sparkled with the lights, reflecting the night sky and the garden autumn view. Perhaps this distracted them from the idea that they haven't spoken to each other since they left the game room.

Megumi wasn't sure how many minutes she would need to distract him, but then she can't buy his friends enough time to prepare the surprise if she stays quiet.

"Senpai, are you still upset about our table tennis match earlier?" she blurted the first thing in her mind.

"Idiot! I already forgot about it!" Shinomiya pouted again.

"S-sorry!" said Megumi now catching that her senpai is a sore loser, even with something as petty as a table tennis match.

Shinomiya then returned to admiring the red and orange leaves dance around with the night breeze as it fell on the grass.

Megumi's attention was fixated on him, and her body feels like it's about to fly again. She read in articles that he's like a demon in the kitchen, but with the bits and pieces that she saw last night... It can't be true.

"We can head back after a few minutes or so..." said Shinomiya still looking at the far end of the garden.

"Hmm?"

"I already know they're planning a surprise. We do the same thing every time it's someone's birthday... for those of us who can anyway." Her senpai shifted to her direction.

There was no point for her to even deny it, so Megumi gave out a sound agreeing with him.

Shinomiya took out his phone then scrolled to read through a message. "Herve sends his regards to you by the way."

"Herve?" Megumi confirming if she heard it right.

"Chef Herve..." Shinomiya who seemed to remind himself of Megumi's amnesia. "He's the best chef I know in Paris who could teach you local French cuisine in the southern region, so we spent some time at his restaurant."

"Chef Herve and his wife, Rebecca..." Megumi pulled out one of the little shards of memory from last night. Chef Herve, Rebecca, along with her senpai, they were all laughing together as they shared a candlelit dinner in a small bistro in Paris. "I learned so much that day... Thank you for introducing me to them, senpai."

Shinomiya looked a bit surprised, then saddened as he returned to randomly scrolling through his phone.

"I might have to call them some time..." Megumi picked up a leaf that landed beside her. "I wonder if Rebecca was able to convince Herve to plan for a baby..."

"They did say they'll just adopt you if they can't agree on anything."

Megumi giggled now having a full picture of that afternoon, and the meal they all shared that night. It was a place of solitude despite being in a foreign country.

Her mom never mentioned her dad ever since he left them when she was little, but the chef in their ryokan, the fishermen at the docks, and everyone at home never made her feel like she was missing anything. It felt similar that day at Herve's restaurant.

A family... Just like the people in my hometown... That's what it felt like...

It really is a waste for those lovely times to vanish out of her recollection, and her senpai always needs to understand her situation every time they're together.

"Senpai, sorry..." she said in a gloom as a light swift breeze swept her bangs.

"For what?"

"About these memory problems.." She curbed herself from being more pitiful. "To be honest... You might be the only one I can't remember after the accident... but despite that, you're still nice to me... I feel guilty about it..."

Shinomiya kept his phone. "Always taking the blame..." he said like he heard of this before. "If you're going to sulk like that the whole night, I might just prefer the company of that table tennis monster I lost to earlier."

"Oh... then should we play another game?" Megumi perked up.

"No!" Shinomiya chafely retorted. "Don't ever show that side of you again."

Megumi nodded, befuddled at her senpai. Perhaps he really wasn't a good sport like his friends said.

Shinomiya raised her chin with the tips of his fingers for their eyes to meet.

"Listen..." He let out a calm tone. "If that memory problem of yours doesn't get any better, then we'll just have to make up for it like yesterday, unless, you already hate my company."

Megumi's eyes rounded up. "I-I had fun yesterday... and... I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did... I'm sure it's not as great as your dates with your girlfriend, but..."

"Who?" Shinomiya's forehead and eyebrows crinkled.

"Y-your girlfriend?" Megumi recoiled behind her yukata sleeves.

"Where did that idea come from?"

"Uhmm..." Megumi retreated a bit. "Online entertainment news? And also, Hinako-senpai and Mizuhara-senpai were talking about it at the bath..."

"Nosy girls." Shinomiya crossed his arms displeased.

"...but they make it sound like you're in love with someone... Are you..?" Megumi might have dug her own grave with this.

Her senpai avoided her gaze and uncomfortably scratched his head. "I... can't say..."

Megumi noticed his face tinted, and sure enough it wasn't caused by any of the crimson and orange lights surrounding them. "I see..."

Kojirou must be head-over-heels that he's been inspired to cook new dishes again.

Does that mean, he cooks his best dishes for this woman? What kind of smile does he wear when they're together? Regardless... she gets to experience the best version of her senpai.

The lights in the garden faded, signaling that the viewing will end soon. Shinomiya stood up then reached for her hand.

"Let's go." He pulled her up then laced his fingers with hers tugging her close to him. "We both know how clumsy you are when it's dark."

Megumi never said anything, but obediently followed him as he led her through the pathways on the way back to the ryokan, being more guarded with each step, guiding her where she can have better footing on the ground.

It pinched her, of how lucky that woman her senpai likes. He's already a great person as he is now, how much more for the person he has feelings for...

As Megumi held unto his protective persona, she began to impose to herself that her senpai finding someone special should be one of the best things he deserves in his life... even if it didn't mix well with her at the moment, and even if she couldn't dictate her emotions to be more positive about it.

The room was empty when they unlocked the door. None of Shinomiya's friends jumped up to surprise him.

Shinomiya and Megumi both shrugged at each other then prepared some tea. Megumi partially opened the sliding door to let the air in before they settled on the floor seats across each other by the low center table.

Shinomiya opened an older issue of a culinary magazine.

"You're mentioned here." he said showing a page. It was an article about Blue featuring the champion (who was Erina) and the top participants. Megumi's shot was her match against the Midnight Chef, Kou Shiou, a descendant of a renowned underground clan that held generations of bountiful knowledge on forbidden gourmet from China.

Megumi flushed as she grabbed the magazine setting it aside. "That was... a really bad picture of me."

Shinomiya sniggered at her. He did find a footage of that match, and Megumi was quite feisty in the arena, shutting down that so-called Midnight Chef with no mercy.

"As if I don't know any of it..." Shinomiya teased then drank from his cup.

"We talked about Blue?" Megumi drank from her cup.

"Honestly... we talked about everything." he replied picking up another magazine.

"So yesterday..." Megumi leaned forward more inquisitive. "Some of the things I said..."

Shinomiya put down his cup on the saucer. "Except for your recent recipes, I already knew a lot of things about you. Your two weeks in Paris with me wasn't all about training you know, and up until that accident, we never stopped updating each other."

Two weeks in Paris...

Megumi was a little more convinced that there might be more to this than she thought.

If you can remember a few more things, then I'll tell you.

If her senpai is about to leave soon, this might be the only chance for her to ask again.

"Senpai..." she softly called for him, setting up a more serious mood. "Last night, I think I might have recalled a few things... about us..."

Shinomiya now gave up on his magazine more willing to listen. "Go ahead."

Megumi breathed in some courage then let it out. "What happened to us in Paris?"

She saw his fists tighten up, then loosen.

"What about Paris?" he returned the question.

"You see..." Megumi sorted her statement. It was now or never. "I've had quick flashbacks of you... They came in bits and pieces... They don't even show the full story, and I'm not sure if a lot of them happened... and then..."

Shinomiya pushed up his glasses. "What do you remember specifically?"

"Oh... Uhmm..." Megumi cleared her throat more nervous than ever. "I saw a few visions of us having cooking sessions in various kitchens, or taking long walks at parks and art museums, then..." Megumi nervously tittered. "We were also hugging each other... and maybe because I fell, like yesterday but..."

She wanted to share that one particular memory, but couldn't articulate it.

"What else?" asked Shinomiya pushing her to continue.

"I..." Megumi stammered, but she believes all the distress won't end if she runs away. "In my memory... I saw you kissing my hand, and, then mentioning about continuing something after I graduate in Tootsuki... It was like a promise... I don't really understand it myself, but there should be a silly explanation behind it, right senpai?"

Shinomiya stared at her intently, his eyes rounded, a little boggled. His lips parted, but nothing came out.

"Senpai..?" Megumi knelt and leaned towards him stretching her arms across the table, fanning her hands infront of his face.

He closed his eyes regressing into a deep thought which made Megumi sit again.

"Why would it be silly?" Shinomiya finally replied looking straight at her, but struggling as if repressing himself from reacting carelessly.

Of course her senpai would think it's absurd. "Sorry... It was probably just a dream. I'm sure of it!" Megumi spurred a cheery aura. "Maybe I've been reading too much shoujo manga." That was the best excuse she could devise in a split second, hoping it could defuse this ticking bomb.

After a while, a soft caring smile formed on Shinomiya's lips. "Megumi..."

"Yes, senpai?" Megumi kept her positivity.

"Would you still think it's silly if everything you just said happened?" he said levelheaded. "Should I tell you everything that transpired on your last night in Paris?"

Megumi tried to process every possible meaning behind his questions.

"What do you--"

Before she could continue, the very scene he was referring to rolled in unbreakably before her, with the details sketching and painting itself to a full image of her running after him to return his scarf, her senpai wrapping it around her, exchanging on what seems like a perpetual embrace, the ballad that played in the background, and their little promise.

So much has happened in just a few hours for Megumi... Acting as today's head chef in the ryokan, how she was on cloud nine with her senpai's praise on the meal she prepared for him, being invited by his friends for an overnight, finding out that he might like someone, wondering about the mystery woman... and maybe... just maybe... the woman her senpai likes all this time, could be her all along...

Author's Message for the Reader:

Sorry. I got a little sidetracked. My health has been failing me lately, and it's affecting my daily activities.

A few months ago, I wrote 3 chapters of the training and sightseeing both Megumi and Shinomiya went through together in Paris.

That flashback with Herve is a scene from one of those chapters. (Please read Shokugeki no Soma Etoile to find out who he is). I was aiming for like, 10 chapters of MegumiXShinomiya moments in Paris, one for each day, but decided it should be a separate fic. Maybe I'll publish them later on. I'm not sure...

Saying super thanks for your reviews. I do read them, and it puts a smile on my face every time. I never expected anyone to read this fic since it's really just an outlet for me, but then I get these private messages and reviews... Writing feels much more meaningful knowing that one reader finds some comfort through this.

We're almost there. A few more before I tag this fic as complete, but then... I've been writing the recent chapters longer than usual...

If you have questions about the story, ask me about it! I'll answer them when I publish the next chapter.