"Good luck… Yukihira. You're going to need it." Erina jokingly says to Yukihira.
Just a little bickering just like the old times, nothing wrong with that. Erina smiles while looking at Yukihira
….
"Uh herm, I said. Good luck Yukihira. You're going to need-"
"Thanks. Good luck to you too." Yukihira finally replies back, however, not glancing at Erina.
He's not in his usual cheerful mood, nor is he even looking at me. Huh, that's strange.
"if you couldn't tell, it was just.. A.. joke." Erina says so playfully. "Gosh, you're always so focused on cooking that you sometimes forget about simple things like jokes Yukihira-kun."
…
Yukihira organizes his cooking station, starting off with opening his knife from his case and placing it onto the table.
Why isn't he responding to me? Is he okay?
"Hey, Yukihira… Are you okay-"
"Hey Nakiri, the judges are about to come. I'd appreciate some silence so I can set up my cooking station."
"Well, it's not my fault you didn't come earlier-"
"I'll take that as a no then…" Yukihira sighs. "Whatever, never mind." Yukihira plugs in his earphones, and continues preparing for the cooking station.
Erina looks at Yukihira, frowning
He's never been like this towards me. Is he upset with me? Why would he be? Did it have to do with the words I said to him last interaction? That's right, we've never actually talked to each other since then. I'm guessing I should apologize for what happened that night.
"Hey, Yukihira, I'm sorry if I came off as being rude that even-"
Oh yeah, forgot. He can't hear me. Erina continues looking at Yukihira as he almost finishes with his cooking station, paying no attention to Nakiri.
I'm guessing my words that night really did have an impact on him, and now I'm getting what I deserve.
Another minute passes by, feeling like an eternity for Erina. Erina notices Yukihira had finally stopped moving, and that his cooking station looked neat and clean.
Great, now I can tap on his shoulder and make a hand gesture asking for his earphones to be removed so I can apologize to him.
However, as Erina had started walking over to Soma, he grabs his chair, facing it the opposite direction of where Erina was facing, and sits on it.
I really, really, hate what is happening right now…
"Is something going on between Yukihira and Erina?" Alice questions.
"Yeah, Yukihira seems to be.." "Avoiding Erina-cchi?" Ryoko and Yukino add on to the conversation.
Megumi and Isshiki look at eachother, nodding at each other and deciding not to spread any clues.
"I have no clue." Megumi responds
"Yeah, Yukihira was fine during our time in the spa. And Nakiri seemed fine to me the last time we saw each other."
Hisako, on the other hand, noticed the interaction between the two.
It seems the two also know about their breakup. Do they know as much information as I do? Hisako thinks to herself
It's always been me who's been angry and giving the silent treatment to him, but now that it's the other way around, I have no idea how to act or what to say. How do I even describe how my heart is feeling right now? Erina places a hand over her chest. It feels heavy. A stinging sensation had formed, as if a thousand arrows had pierced through my body. 6 months of being with each other, not once have you been visibly angry at me or ignored me. And now that it's happening to me. I want this excruciating pain to go away. This feeling fucking sucks. Is this how you felt all those times I've ignored you Soma?
"Look, the judges are making their way to the arena!"
"Wait, there's only one person coming out though."
"Long, Blonde hair. No way, Don't tell me? she's-"
"Hello, once again BLUEs spectators and… Yukihira Soma. For the grand finals of this competition, I, Mana Nakiri, will be the one and only judge."
Mother?
"Yo Mana, it seems you'll be eating my food once again, huh." Yukihira waves and grins at Mana,
God Soma, have some respect-
"Yes. Once again I will be eating your food, Yukihira. " Mana smiles back. "After all, why wouldn't I? After tasting that dish of yours in the semis."
When did those two get so close? What exactly happened in the second round of semis?
"Okay, no more tentacles, and no more ounce of peanut butter. But how about just a milli ounce of pean-"
"Yukihira Soma, if I taste your dish and discover just one singular cell belonging either to tentacles or peanut butter, you will be disqualified from this event, and I will do anything in my power as a culinary top figure to destroy your career as a chef."
"Yes… Ma'am." Yukihira sits back down on the chair.
I'm never fucking with her again
"Oh Yukihira.." Ikumi face palms.
"What did you even see in him." Alice whispers to Ikumi's ear, face palming as well.
"I just get turned on everytime I see him."
"What did you just say?"
FUCK FUCK FUCK I JUST REALIZED I SAID THOSE WORDS OUT LOUD
"I said.. Fuck it Yeah, you heard me."
"Ah, me too." Alice casually nods
"Ahh… Wait a minute, "HOLD UP BITC-"
"Nakiri Erina, my daughter. Congratulations on making it this far into the competition." Mana looks at Erina with a smile over her face.
"No thanks to you, mother," Erina crosses her arms.
"And why is that dear?"
"You seriously had me up against every opponent that lost in the first three rounds of the competition."
"Oh yeah… you weren't going to win the competition anyways, so I was simply doing you a favor by knocking you out early, but that clearly didn't end well."
Mother, you seriously have no faith in me, huh.. You left me and father, and now you're here doing what you can from preventing me from succeeding. That really hurts my mother.
"Whatever, mother. Today is the day I will be proving to you that I am indeed your daughter, and am worthy of being your personal chef."
I don't even know if I have it in me to do so.
"All talk, no action, just like your father."
Please stop Mother.
"Erina's mother is kind of." "an asshole…" Daigo and shoji say together
Like mother, like daughter Hisako notes to herself
"She's kind of smoking hot though." All Totsuki students in the crowd look at Shun.
"I meant… her cooking, must be smoking hot. Like, she does possess the god tongue too, don't she?"
...
"Enough talking, let's get down to business." Mana crosses her arms.
"The theme for this dish will be… A dish… that is out of this world."
Alright, I got the perfect dish for that Yukihira mentally states to himself
Out of the world? What could she possibly mean? Erina looks at her mother, worryingly.
"Moth-, Mana, could you elaborate more on the theme-"
"Your two hours starts now." And just like that, Yukihira instantly takes his knife and starts moving, taking out the vegetables and cutting them rapidly.
Okay, calm down Erina states to herself You've thought of your dish yesterday, and practiced it nonstop today. Just do what you've been doing Erina. You've got this.
-Half an hour later-
"It looks like Yukihira is almost done with his dish!" Kuga points out.
"And Erina looks… wait, has she even finished the broth?" Kinokuni questions.
What is happening? Nothing is going to plan. I took way too much time on cutting the vegetables, cutting them a little too thin even. And my broth… It's nowhere near the same umami flavor as it was yesterday. What am I forgetting? Erina looks up in disbelief. FUCK. I forgot the Asian Chili. But I was supposed to add that 15 minutes before adding in the Goma and garlic and onions. If I were to do it now, the texture and umami would be completely different. If I were to do it the way I did it yesterday, I'd have to restart everything, and that's half an hour down the drain! Not to mention the meat or noodles that I haven't even started yet! Erina freaks out, sweating profusely while placing both her hands onto the sides of her face. Yukihira on the other hand has just finished his dish, and now is setting the proper portions onto the dish he will be serving to Mana Nakiri. Erina looks at Yukihira's dish, and then at hers. His dish looks and smells delicious, and here I am, not even done with my broth. All of a sudden, a phrase that haunted her last night came back into her mind.
'You're the same as before.' Erina tears up.
I think I know what you're referring to now Megumi. I'm the same as before. The useless, incompetent chef whom was left by my own mother and verbally abused by my own father.
'Throw that trash out Erina!'
'You call this gourmet food? Redo it now, or father will put you back in time out.'
Not once has father nor mother deemed my cooking delicious, let alone passable. Despite cooking for them everyday back as a child, neither of them have acknowledged me. Father would throw my dishes out, berate it, and make me do it again. As for mother, she would take a small bite, smile, and tell me I did good. I know those words weren't genuine, even in the slightest. Even a child like me during the time can tell her smile was anything but real. And here I am, given an opportunity to rekindle my relationship with mother, and fucking it up completely. Tears start falling down Erinas eyes.
Why the hell did I put my faith onto Saiba Asahi, a man I barely even knew, or liked. Why did I give up on Soma, the one who's been there for me since the reconstruction of Totsuki? He's never failed to amaze me as a chef, nor has he ever failed to be there for me, as my boyfriend. That is... until I idiotically decide to break up with him. Now, He won't even bother looking at me, and who's fault is it? It's all my fault. It's all my fucking fault. My fault I fucked up things with my parents. My fault I fucked things up with Yukihira Soma, the first person I've ever fell for. Fuck me and my stupid shitty existance. Erina wipes her tears, and sits on the chair right by her, staring at the ground.
"Did Nakiri Erina just give up?"
"What a bummer, here I thought I'd be seeing an intense match between the top two students at Totsuki"
"What an anticlimactic final…"
Arato Hisako tears up. I can't stand to see my best friend like this. Yes, she seems to not have changed much from the selfish and toxic person she was 6 months ago, but she is still human. She still has feelings and emotions like anyone else, and to see her like this just devastates me. Please, Yukihira, even though Erina has not been a good girlfriend, please, just once more, save her from her problems.
It's only been half an hour, but I finished cooking and getting the plate ready for Mana. Yukihira smiles to himself. Hey mother, I bet if you were viewing this match from the stadium, you'd be the happiest mother alive. Ahh, what am I saying Yukihira looks up. Whether you see the match from inside the stadium or from up there, you'll still be proud of me. Won't you mother? Yukihira grins to himself. After all, this dish was your signature dish. The dish the customers would always want to eat, the dish you would serve both me and my father on a typical morning day. The dish that made me want to pursue cooking as my lifetime career. So thank you, mother.
Yukihira then grabs the plate, and starts walking towards Mana Nakiri. However, halfway through the walk, he looks over at the direction of Erina.
What's with her cooking station? It's so… Messy. It's so unlike her to have a cooking station like that. And.. Yukihira looks directly at Erina. Why is she sitting on a chair and looking at the ground? Yukihira puts the dish on the edge of Erina's cooking station, and walks closer to Erina, facing her direction and being able to see not only her weak posture, but also..
Her eyes… There's no hint of light in those eyes. All there is… is pure darkness, so dark I'm unable to distinguish the colors between her pupils and eyes. It's just like 6 months ago…
-Flashback-
Whenever her father had taken control of Totsuki, Erina ran away from the Nakiri Mansion and hid in the Polar Stars Dormitory. Despite the sudden news that she would be hiding in our dorm, the Polar Star residents welcomed her as one of their own instantly.
We'd have her eat breakfast and dinner with us, and invite her to our late night shenanigans. However, and often in fact, I would catch her zoning off into space, staring at something for a long time. I'd look into those eyes, and couldn't help but sorry for her. I knew the reason she was like this because of her father. As Hisako had told my doormates, she was abused and manipulated by her father as a child. He verbally abused her every single day, ultimately making her the person she was growing up.
So I made a promise to myself, that I would save her from the past. It was unfortunate that she had to go through such a childhood, especially someone as gifted and talented as herself. How would her talents be able to manifest to its greatest potential if the past is holding her back? 'I'll change that,' I told myself. And so those thoughts alone gave me drive and motivation to save her.
And so I challenged Eizan Etsuya to an impossible shokugeki in which I somehow managed to win. I beat Hayama Akira despite having lost to him in the autumn elections a month ago. Then in the last bout, I managed to beat Kinokuni, Somei Saito, and lastly, the former 1st and second seat, Tsukasa and Kobayashi, ultimately ending Azami's control. I didn't do all this because Erina's grandfather asked me to. I did it out of my own will. I wanted to save Erina.
After the central regime ended, I knew it still wasn't over. I know it would take a lot more than just removing her father to save her. And so I continued going above and beyond for her. I say that, but during Nakiri's time in the dorm, I fell for her. I saw parts of her I never thought of seeing. I saw her bright and beautiful smile, and I saw parts of her true self. Whenever it would just be us in a room, we would talk and interact about whatever nonsense we had in my mind for hours on end. Some topics were profound, others were just straight up nonsense. Either way, I really enjoyed her presence. We were not talking as chefs, but rather, as friends.
Eventually, I thought we were interacting more than just as friends. Seeing that bright smile, and seeing Erina be Erina without the pride and filters made me fall in love with her. I wanted to see more of that bright smile, and so, I asked her out. She said yes, and so for the next 6 months, I was able to see plenty of her smiles and much of her true self. I did what I could to see this side of her. I listened to my father's advice and sacrificed everything. I gave in to all her needs, and prioritized her happiness over mine, and I was able to see more of those smiles.
Unfortunately, I came to realize she had never really come to appreciate my hard work. Yes, those smiles showed me that she was very happy, and I loved seeing that. However, call me greedy, but I wanted just a little more from her. Especially because of all the time and effort I had put in for her, I wanted her to reciprocate some of that effort for me. However, it never came to happen. Not once has she said she loved me back. Not once has she kissed me back. Not once has she thanked me for all the hard work and dedication I gave for her. And her appreciation to me really showed that night when she broke my heart and ended our relationship.
I know the majority of her negative personality was due to her childhood, and so I was patient and very forgiving of her hurtful actions. Because I wanted to wait for the day she would open herself up completely to me, I was willing to wait long. But that night… was too much, even for me to handle.. She broke my heart, and despite Isshiki-senpais support as well as Megumi and my other polar dorm friends, I still can't help but feel hurt. I don't want to experience these sharp, lingering sensations in my heart ever again, so I know it's best not to get involved with her. But yet, despite how much she's hurt me in the past, I still don't want to see her in this state again. No one deserves to be in this state. So… one last time, Erina… I will dedicate myself to you. Yukihira Sighs. Sorry mother, but your dish will have to shine another time.
A loud noise is heard across the whole stadium, stemming from the cooking station.
"No way did that just happen "
"Did Yukihira Soma just drop his dish?"
"That's not a problem. He's got plenty more from his pot! Surely can he just make another dish-"
"Wait, why is he grabbing eggs?"
"Wait, don't tell me.. Is he… starting all over?"
Soma, what are you trying to achieve? Isshiki thinks.
-Flashback-
"Yo, me and Tsukasa are going to head out from the spa." Kuga steps out of the pool
"Yeah, me and Kuga are getting tired." yawns Tsukasa
"Ahh okay. Catch Y'alls later!" Yukihira says as the two close the door of the room.
"So… Soma. What's going to happen now? You defeated Saiba Asahi, and now you're going up against her in the grand finals."
"What else is there to do, other than win senpai?" Yukihira grins.
Isshiki replies back with a grin of himself. "Just making sure that Yukihira Soma is being Yukihira Soma. That's all."
Is that really how it is now Soma?
Erina looks up at Yukihira, surprised to see him looking right back at her. "Grab a spoon and sit tight for a minute Erina. This dish shouldn't take too long to make."
Erina wipes her tears from her eyes. Grab a spoon?
"Yukihira, I don't understand-"
"Shh Nakiri. Let me focus. 15 minutes tops, I promise."
Erina nods, confusingly
What is he trying to do?
And so for the next 15 minutes, Yukihira cooks and prepares a new dish.
Huh… Yukihira Soma, what do you have in mind now? I could've sworn your plate before was more than enough, Mana Nakiri squints.
Yukihira lays out english muffins, ham, butter, black pepper, green onions, noodles and … eggs.
Those ingredients… Don't tell me, is he making a...
"Yukihira, don't-"
"Earphones it is."
Erina's eyes widen at Yukihira.
Yukihira. Don't you get it? That dish won't satisfy my mother… Why are you doing this?
Yukihira looks back at Erina, and smiles, giving her the face as if he's saying 'Watch me'
Soma...
15 minutes flies by in an instant. Yukihira Soma finishes cooking, and takes out… two bowls.
He fills the content of the food from the pot onto the bowls. Once finished, he takes off his earphones, and looks at Nakiri
"Yo Nakiri, got that spoon?"
"Oh, sorry, I forgot."
"Cmon Nakiri, you had one job." Yukihira smiles.
Those eyes of his. That smile of his. I've seen his smile so many times, but this one by far has the most effect on me. Nakiri smiles back.
Erina grabs a spoon from her cooking station. She then looks up at Yukihira just to see a bowl of food right in front of her face.
"Eat up Nakiri." Yukihira then gives Nakiri the bowl, walking past her and delivering the next bowl to Mana
"Well well. Yukihira Soma. What do we have here?"
"This is a tempura bowl With Egg, as the main ingredient."
The audience gasps
"A dish that's out of this world..."
"Is an.."
"A tempura bowl...?"
Mana looks at Yukihira disappointingly, arms crossed.
"Yukihira, do you really believe this dish will win you the competition?"
"That's not really the point." Yukihira says in a low voice to Mana.
"Excuse me?"
"Just eat it and you'll understand." Yukihira Sighs.
Mana stares at Yukihira, even more angrily.
This egg benedict.. Yeah, I've made one during the training camp my freshmen yeah, but this version looks completely different.
"You still haven't taken a bite yet, Nakiris? I'm guessing you two deserve an explanation." Yukihira sits on his chair and closes his eyes.
"At the end of Day 2 of Training camp, the remaining first years of Totsuki students were to make 200 dishes and have it eaten by 200 costumers in two hours. Your dish, Nakiri Erina, was an egg Benedict. It was the first I've ever seen in my life. However, just looking at it had made my mouth watery, and so did the hundreds of customers that you ended up serving. You went above and beyond that challenge, finishing the task in half an hour, and serving not 200, but 300 customers. Then there was me, who served 200 customers barely before the 2 hour mark hit. That day showed me the skill disparity between you and me. I hated to admit it, but you were the much better chef during the time. I wanted to change that, And so, I decided that I would learn how to make an egg benedict, and make an "egg benedict" that far outshines yours. After two years of practicing on it, I have this as my final product. My final version of the egg benedict, after 57 iterations.
57 iterations? Did you really want to beat me that bad Yukihira-
"But… being the better chef or not has nothing to do with why I decided to use this dish for this grand finals. The reason I had decided to use this dish is…" Yukihira pauses mid sentence. "You'll understand Erina when you eat it." Yukihira smiles once more at Nakiri.
Nakiri gives in, and, using the spoon to lift up part of the egg benedict, she places the spoon into her mouth, and eats the contents on the spoon.
…
This is just an egg benedict. A normal, plebeian dish served for the common population. And yet…
Erina takes the spoon out of her mouth, lifting part of the egg benedict with the spoon once again, and lifts it back onto her mouth. And again. And again, and again and again, until there is not more food left in the bowl.
It's so damn delicious Erina can't help but smile
That empty, dark feeling I was just experiencing seconds ago for a while just instantly vanished. I feel energized again. I feel satisified. And… I can feel it. My drive of winning again. My drive to get mother and I back to our old relationship.
Mana Nakiri smiles. This is what you've meant all along, huh Yukihira Soma.
"Thank you, Soma, for the meal." Erina puts a hand over Soma's shoulder
"There's no time for that Erina. We have a little under an hour left until time is over."
Wait. We?
"I'll be your assistant chef. Tell me what to prepare and I'll do it."
"Soma, why are you hel-"
"I'll start cutting the veggies you tried cutting earlier, but I'll make them less thin. Is that okay?"
What is this man seriously up to… 'Trust him.' Those two words run in Erinas mind. I don't want to not trust him again. I saw how that went.
"Okay."
And so the two begin Erina's dish. Erina focuses first on the broth while Yukihira does the prep work with the veggies and mushroom.
Place one and a half cup of asian chili onto the original broth, stir and wait for 15 minute before adding in the goma and..
"Erina, the garlic and onions are finished. Check to see if it's good."
"It's.. perfect."
No way. How does he know the exact way I wanted them cut?
"Start prepping the King oyster mushroom and enoki mushroom, I'll be working on powdering and cooking the meat."
"Yes Chef!"
And so for the next 50 minutes, Erina and Soma worked together in creating the dish. Erina continued giving out orders to Soma, one after another after another, while Soma kept delivering and carrying out her cooking requests quickly and precisely.
"Hey hey… What is happening here"
"Are they teaming up… to beat. Yukihira Soma?"
"Wait, yo bro. That shit doesn't add up."
"Shit, my bad.. Its like A + B B but like two brains is better than one, but like theres only one winner, but like.."
"Yo bro, you trippin?"
"Ye bro, I trippin..."
"Who cares. This shits still a better story than twilight!"
"Gosh! Look at those two go!"
"They're working so well together!"
"They're so in sync!"
"They're like Jessie and James from Team Rocket!"
"Gosh" Megumi closes her eyes. "Soma. Despite all the pain and suffering she's given you, you still find it in you to do this. You're something else Soma." Tears escape from Megumi's eyes.
"Soma, radishes.. check?"
"Finished!" Soma places the plate of minced radishes right in front of Erinas face. "Check?"
"Nicely done. Add in 3 cups of water and stir it in!"
"Yes chef!"
Soma mixes the water and radishes together, stirring it until he sees the desired texture.
"Stirred the radishes! Erina, check the texture."
"Amazing work Yukihira." Erina gives Soma thumbs up.
"Thanks, what's next?" Soma replies back with a thumbs up of his own.
"Last step, in fact."
"What already?"
"It's been 50 minutes Soma.."
"Wow, damn."
"Yeah, time flies when you're having fun I guess." Erina smiles.
"Haha. Sure sure. What's the last step Erina?
"Putting it all together."
And so the two place all the rest of the prep work as well as meat onto the stove, placing each ingredient onto the bowl one by one while mixing it to ensure the ingredients get absorbed enough by the broth.
After effectively adding in all the ingredients onto the stove, they then place the masterpiece onto a bowl and cover it with a lid.
"We're done!" Exclaims Erina.
"Just 5 minutes to spare." Yukihira exhales loudly.
"Mana, it seems Erina's dish is finished." Anne looks at Mana.
Mana opens her eyes
"Nakiri Erina. Bring forth your dish."
Wow. I can't believe it. Despite how things went the first half, I actually managed to finish my dish… All thanks to Soma. Erina looks at Soma
"Thank you… Soma. for-"
"Go on. Your mothers waiting." Soma places the dish onto Erinas hand.
"Okay!" Erina walks up and places the dish in front of her mother's table.
"What do we have here, daughter?" Mana smiles.
"I think you know exactly what this is, mother." Erina replies back with a smile of her own.
-Flashback-
"Mother, I tried making spicy miso soup, your favorite dish! Can you try it out."
"Sure darling! Anything for you!
Utterly Disgusting
"How was it mother?"
"I can tell you put in a lot of hard work honey!" Mana smiles.
"You're not answering the question!" Erina pouts.
"Oh Erina, stubborn as always." Mana laughs.
"Mother… Answer me!"
"Sorry Sweetie, let's continue this next time. Mother has somewhere to be.."
Back to throwing up on the toilet...
"It was disgusting back then. What makes it any different now darling?"
"Years of hard work, and years of nonstop trial and error, Mother. That's what makes this different from the one before. After all. You won't know if you don't try." Erina asserts.
"Fair point. I gotta do my job as a judge anyways. Even if what I'm seeing is utter trash."
Eating it will make you think otherwise. After all, this is a dish me and Soma made. Together.
Mana takes a sip of broth.
Wow. It's not that bad… If anything it's..
Mana uses her chopstick to place a piece of enoki and king oyster mushroom onto the spoon, eating it with the broth.
Actually…
Mana takes a piece of udon noodle and dips it onto the ponzu sauce, putting it onto her mouth.
Really…
Mana mixes the goma, asian chili, and ponzu sauce together, and dips a piece of the cross eyed rib onto the sauce before eating it.
Mana's chopsticks drop onto the ground
…
"Mother?"
Tears quickly make their way down both Nakiris as the two embrace themselves in a hug.
"Your dish is very delicious, Erina." Mana tightens her hug.
"Do you really mean it mother?" Erina sniffs.
"Yes, daughter. I really mean it." Erina's tears fall down even faster.
"Thank you, Mother." Erina starts crying.
"You don't understand how much time and dedication I have put into that dish mom." Erina depressingly says.
"No. I understand Erina." Mana loosens her grip of Erina, and looks at her.
"I saw visions while eating your cooking."
"I saw all those times you'd lock yourself in your kitchen, hours on end, constantly remaking the dish over and over again. Trust me Erina, I completely understand. I understand how much you love me, despite leaving you when you were just a child, and how important bringing us back together.. As mother and daughter.. Is to you." Tears rolled down Mana's face as well.
"You left me with Father for god's sake!" Erina cries even louder.
"Yes, and I left you in a world of pain and suffering. And I'm very sorry for that dear." Mana once again tightens her arms around Erina.
"Will you ever forgive me, daughter?"
"Of course mother! I missed our time together in the parks. I missed the late night stories you would tell me before we'd fall asleep in eachothers company. I missed your cooking. I missed those memories. I missed you. So. Fucking. Much."
"Then it's best we create more memories. Plenty of them in fact. Better, more pleasant, memories, Erina." Mana smiles, looking straight at Erina's Amethyst eyes.
"Wait, mother. Does that mean?"
"Yes, daughter. Let's go back to being mother and daughter. Let's go back.. home." Mana kisses her one and only daughter on the cheeks
...
"It seems like I've done my job." Yukihira smiles before laying down on a chair, feeling very lightweight from all the cooking he had done the past two hours.
"It's time to let go. And Move on."
Winner of BLUEs: Nakiri Erina
Congratulations on being the best young chef!
Zzz
It's been a month since BLUEs ended. Mother moved back into the Nakiri mansion, and I became her personal chef. Cooking her meals three times a day is definitely a challenge, but it'd all be worth it when I hear the same word coming out of her mouth after every meal... 'delicious.' It was all worth it in the end, but those were the only words coming out of her mouth after a meal… "But You cooked the pork ¾ a second too long! It's making my tongue burn!" "But You added an extra half ounce of that sauce, which makes the dish way too sweet!" 'delicious' was followed by her criticisms of what I could've done better. But that's okay, even though I was declared the winner of the most prestigious culinary event for young adults and below, I know there is much to learn. And what best is there to do so by having the top culinary figure teach you.
I was able to apologize successfully to Hisako, and tell her my true feelings with Yukihira, and my inability to open up to him. She accepted my apology, and told me she already had a clue about my true feelings toward him. After all.. "No way can you makeout with someone numerous times for so long and not love him." Gosh Hisako… Erina blushes. But thanks to the events at BLUE and Hisako, I learned that my words and actions can really hurt someone, and that I should really be more open minded and consider being in the shoes of others, and not be so fixated on my own thoughts and feelings. After all, I really did hurt Soma badly, and I want apologize him, tell him my true feelings, and show him how much he means to me. Unfortunately, Soma and I have not been able to see each other nor talk at all ever since the finals. I have been busy catching up with my mother, as well as catching up with father… and… my… brother…
Long story short, Saiba Asahi is actually my brother… My dad pitched a chick one night, and left her pregnant. Mother was able to determine that Saiba Asahi was the result of the one nighter as she tasted the dish Saiba made during the semi finals, and saw a perfect similarity with Father's cooking style. As for dad… He really tried to be the best father and husband he can be. His approach just… Fucking sucked. But one thing is true, he has never lied once to me. All those times he said he's loved me, he really meant it. Unfortunately, being born with parents who gave him no love, he was likewise unable to give me the love and support he was trying so hard for. But he made a promise to me when he was welcomed back to the Nakiri mansion, that he will make up all the bad memories I've had with him, and he will overturn them with 'love and happiness' Gosh father, choice of words were a little cringe, but i'll take your word for it.
Back to Soma. Yeah, we haven't communicated in any way since Blues. We couldn't see eachother in school either because summer break was in session. I wanted to text him several times during the month, but Hisako said it's best to take a break from each other so both me and him can set our feelings for eachother straight. A day later after she said that, and damn right my feelings are set for him. I Fucking LOVE Soma, with all my heart. I Miss him so fucking much. I miss the bickering, the hugs, the kisses, him saying 'I love you.' The kisses, and him saying 'I love you.' Wait, I already repeated those two. GOSHH.. Ughh.. I'd tell her how I constantly think about him several times a day, and feel like a big chunk of my heart feels empty, and I just want to straight up call him and tell him how much I love him. However, she tells me that this break is very essential for the relationship, and that all the feelings of sadness and missing him that I have right now, I should use it as motivation to become an even better girlfriend to him. And what a better time to do it then today. Erina smiles in the mirror as she looks at herself while wearing her uniform.
Today is the day I will see Yukihira Soma. My lover. Erina blushes.
I wonder if I'll have any classes with him again. Even better, what if we sit next to each other? AHH. Wait shit, I forgot. I'm not a student… I'm the headmaster. Erina face palms.
"Erina, are you ready?" Hisako knocks on the door.
"Hisako!" Erina opens the door and hugs Hisako.
"Erina! Are you okay!?" Hisako awkwardly hugs back.
"Yes! I'm going to see him again! Yukihira Soma!"
"Yeah, after a month of waiting, you'll finally see him, Erina." Hisako smiles.
"Ughh, and thank god we have an elite 10 meeting before classes. I wouldn't be able to wait until after school to see him." Erina pouts.
"Yeah, you're right Erina." Just get married, you two, holy shit. "And talking about the meeting. Lets get there now. Who knows, maybe he'll be there early." Tsundere Erina, activate!
"Ah I didn't think about that! Smart thinking Hisako! Let's go."
Aww. Tsundere Erina is gone now. Thanks a lot Yukihira Soma ...
Zzz
7:56 AM
"Erina, it's almost time for the meeting."
"Erina?" Hisako looks to her right, seeing a visibility pissed off Erina.
"Yo. Let's just start the meeting early so It can end early and-" Erina stares into the soul of Kuga.
"On second thought. On time is best time."
"Gosh" Erina stubbornly says.
"You're the damn ranked 1 in the best culinary school in the world, but yet you can't make it to a meeting..." Erina crosses her arms.
Wait.
Does she not know?
Has no one told her?
That Yukihira?
"Um… Nakiri."
"Not another word from you Kuga"
"No.. Nakiri… It's that.."
"What did I just say?"
"Nakiri. Yukihira has left Totsuki indefinitely." Megumi assertively states.
Wait. What?
Tears instantly start falling down Nakiri's eyes.
"He left?"
"Why did no one from the elite 10 bother telling the headmaster this?" Hisako angrily says.
"Well, we thought Yukihira-chin's Girlfriend would be the first to know.."
Wait, that's right. We're not boyfriend and girlfriend anymore. I… broke up with him
Erina goes down on the floor. Her head facesher knees, her knees wrapped around by her arms, while She starts sobbing.
I miss seeing his red spiky hair. I miss seeing his golden eyes. I miss seeing his smile. I miss his hugs. I miss his kisses. I miss his physical affections. I miss his verbal affections. I miss him. I fucking miss him. Where are you, Soma?
Zzz
"Let me get this straight." Kojiro Shinomiya massages his temples.
"You created an amazing dish, a dish you thought is your best thus far. But threw it away, and made another dish YOU knew was worse than your initial dish, then help out your ENEMY by being the assistant chef and cooking parts of the dish used against YOU."
"It's a long story Shinomiya-sensei."
"Don't call me that ...twat." Yukihira grins,
"But let's just say.. It was my..
Parting gift to her."
Long as fuq. Yeah yeah, sorry… God. I did 90% of this all in one go... but I hope you enjoy this long ass chapter! Gonna take a break from the story and start on the Sorina thanksgiving Fanfic now. Will be released on Thanksgiving!