After reading too much Sorina fanfics, I have decided that I have to write one too. This is my first fanfic hehe

This takes place after the events of BLUE. Soma will be a bit OOC (and maybe even the other characters because I suck at this)

Disclaimer: I don't own Shokugeki no Soma, Yuto Tsukuda does!

Chapter 1

I'm Lost

Spaced out – that's what Yukihira Soma is doing right now. Just a week after BLUE, all of the Elite Ten members and PSD kids are starting to notice this kind of behavior that Soma is showing. Sure he was always laid back and had that relaxed facial expression, but now… he looked like he's lost.

Tadokoro Megumi saw the redhead on the bench, body spread out and head's up the sky wearing that same spaced out expression again.

Holding the elite ten paper works in her arms, she approached Soma with a worried look on her eyes. For some reason these past few days, Megumi can't bear with Soma's involuntary silence.

Of course she'd be worried, Soma is important for her after all.

"A-ano, Soma-kun?" Megumi said in just audible voice, not wanting to startle Soma all of a sudden. But Soma can't hear her, for he is in depths on his thoughts.

Megumi put the paper works on the bench and try to shake Soma's shoulder gently while calling out his name. At that point, Soma had noticed her.

"Ah! Megumi-san, s-sorry I got lost in thought for a sec" Soma chuckled nervously after that, his hand rubbing the back on his neck.

"For a second? You seemed to do this for a while now" The bluenette spoke out of concern "It's very unusual for you to behave this way, was it because you lost to Nakiri-san?"

Soma's eyes widen at that part as he put on a bittersweet smile "No it's not that, I can assure you. To be honest, I have to be at least upset about losing to her but… I could actually care less about it" he said, that last statement perplexed the bluenette.

Everyone in that tournament saw that Soma give his all to that dish, so losing with that dish would make Soma upset. Everyone thought he'll shake in defeat and some thought that his behavior after blue was the cause of that defeat.

Megumi was one of the people who had thought about that too, but now. As she got a good look in his golden eyes, there was no signs of being defeated. And after hearing the redhead's statement, his eyes shows other kind of melancholy. And what's with the bittersweet smile?

It was rather, tense… and her worries had reached new places for the redhead. So she pressed a bit.

"Then what is it?"

There was a pause in the air until Soma answered "It's just something and I don't know what"

Again, Megumi was baffled at that answer. She can't help but get this feeling that she can't help him. But she tried to comfort her friend anyway.

"Whatever that is troubling you now, just know that I'll be here to hear what's gotten on you okay?" Megumi smiled at him warmly, "Sure" Soma said as he smiled back at her genuine statement.

Megumi took the paper works to her arms again "Now come on, the Elite Ten meeting is about to start".

Then she chuckled, trying to at least lighten Soma's mood, same for her own as well "You have forgotten about that haven't you?" then Soma looked at her with a grin plastered on his face "Do I ever?" he said smugly making the bluenette smiled widely at Soma's aloofness.

It's something like these moments that she enjoys being with Soma and she knew that others enjoys this aloofness of him as well.

They exchange small talks and gossips all the way to the Elite Ten building.

This is the only (maybe the first one) that Soma ever attended the meeting early. And as always, he always met with Takumi's sour face. While the Italian blond flailing his arms challenging Soma in shokugeki. In which Soma had to response yet to the blonde's challenge until-

"Wait, y-you… you!" The sour faced Aldini pointing his finger at Soma, as if he is shocked to see him.

Of course he'll be shocked, since Soma actually became punctual at once.

"….What?" asked Soma, who was dumbfounded at Takumi's actions.

"Well this is rare, the First Seat is actually early" Hayama said, beating Takumi from saying the word. Soma turned around to see the Spice Master.

"Ah! Yeah, all thanks to Megumi-san for informing me" Soma beamed

"So informing you is the only way to keep you early?" Hayama said as he crossed his arms.

"And maybe dragging me here too" Soma chuckled as Hayama just smiled and shook his head.

"You did a pretty good job dragging Yukihira-chin all the way here" Kuga emerged from his seat, grinning at the timid girl. In which Megumi just nodded at him in return with a smile.

Then Kuga added "If it was Nakiri-san, he must first took a beating and then dragging his ass here!" the Szechuan chef added earning a laugh from the other members on his joke.

In which Soma laughed too, he couldn't agree more to that statement. As he knows that his day won't be complete without the God's tongue yelling at him. But that's just days before, it's different now.

The other third years especially Isshiki, who smiled at the sight and a bit relieved that Soma is acting like himself, because these past few days, the semi-nudist couldn't help but notice that there is something wrong with Soma. Maybe he'll talk with him later, since he didn't have the time days ago.

But what can he expect though, maybe this is just another thing that the redhead can also behave.

The laugh died down when the doors opened from none other than Nakiri Erina herself, emanating the "Ice Queen" aura whose in tow is her, aide Hisako, her cousin Alice and her cousin's aide Ryo.

And it seemed that Alice is babbling something at Erina and Hisako, who are annoyed at her constant babble (she went on like this from the mansion till they got in the building) and Ryo who's bored as usual, it's as if that he is immune at his ojou's behavior.

"Mou! Erina! I'm telling you! Let's take a vacation at the lake house!" Alice pouted, she desperately needed a break. And this time of the year is the best for vacation, at least just for weekends.

"Shut it Alice! Just save that for later!" Erina hissed shutting Alice and made her pout then the Gastronomy Genius smiled as she found a loophole.

"Oh! So you are interested in this vacation!" Alice's smile widens as Erina blushed a little, Hisako just shook her head.

"Okay, let's talk this later then fufu" Alice went with Ryo to their seats.

The other members took this cue to sit down on their respective chairs. While Eizan and Isshiki are explaining about the reported RS budget and upcoming events for the month.

In a mundane meeting, Soma, as usual, getting bored as his mind went to other places to think.

Knowing that Hisako will take note of the meeting, Erina spared a side view glance at Soma. Careful not turning her head as it'll be obvious that she's looking at him. She let her eyes linger a bit to focus on Soma's bored expression, as her cheeks started to get a bit red, at that she stopped looking at him and tried to focus at the meeting again.

But for some reason after BLUE, she can't stop thinking of him. The strange yet comforting warm feeling she had when thinking of Soma got even stronger after she ate the dish he presented at BLUE.

'This idiot' she thought 'these past few days he didn't even talk to me once, not even letting me eat his dish once! Weren't he supposed to bring me a dish every lunch?!' she frowned a bit then blushed as she realized what her thoughts meant 'I-It's not like I m-miss him or something!'

At that, her amethyst eyes glared at him once again, then turned around quickly, afraid that the redhead might notice.

But he didn't… for he, once again, got spaced out.

Isshiki and Megumi took note of this, and they both had the same thoughts on conversing with him after they return to the Polar Star Dorm.

After the meeting concluded, no one noticed that Soma had actually gone off. Because of his strange behavior lately, his presence is starting to wear down. Before, he was always noticeable, but now it's as if he is invisible. As if trying to let others know that he is not there.

"Eh? Did anyone notice that Yukihira-kun just leave?" Alice said as it took a while for all the people in the room to notice that the first seat was gone. Including the headmistress, the bluenette, and the second seat.

"Is it just me or he's acting really different? I mean yeah he looks just about dumb at every other thing except cooking, but something's off with him" Takumi said, he can't just let his rival act like nothing bothers him. The scarred-brow chef is starting to worry the blond Italian, just a little bit.

"Nah I see it too" said the ever nonchalant Ryo. Who was also a bit worried about Soma.

"I actually plan to talk with him about his recent behavior after this meeting, I can't believe he'd just gone off like that" Hayama said, if anything, he admits that he is concerned about Soma. Since he is sure that Soma would do the same for everyone too, in a different manner of course.

"Maybe he's just a bit down that he lost to Nakiri in BLUE tournament" there Kuga had said it, it was also something that everyone in the room had thought about it, even Erina.

This just confirmed that Isshiki will do his best to comfort his kohai. This also made Erina think that she'll be the one who will approach Soma and talk things out with him. But the mere thought embarrassed her, in which Hisako had took a good look at her best friend and smiled that she'll help the blonde princess of cuisine console the obnoxious redheaded chef.

Just these days, usually after dinner, Erina can't stop talking about Soma to Hisako and Alice. Which made the two amused because Erina is starting to become more honest with her feeling because of a certain boy, which they definitely approved of.

"Actually, that's not the case" the timid voice of Megumi broke out the trance of everyone.

"What do you mean Tadokoro-san" Hisako asked, as others turned their focus on Megumi, who was fidgeting her fingers.

"Did you talk with Soma-kun this afternoon?" Isshiki asked as Megumi nodded at him.

"So he's not butthurt because he lost to me? Then what would be?" Erina eyed at Megumi as she maintained her ice queen posture. Deep down, she is actually surprised that Soma is not upset at his defeat, if that's not what affecting him then what is it?

"Soma-kun said he did not know what it was and it wasn't even the feeling of defeat and…" she trailed off, not sure how would others hear about that statement Soma said earlier to her. It seemed sensitive for some reason, knowing that Soma was a chef that never gives up and learns more from failures. So she decided to tell the half-truth.

"It's just something and he doesn't know what…" She finished, but she knew that Erina and Isshiki might catch her half-truth statement. Even Alice would catch on, maybe even Hayama, but Alice definitely would.

None of them tried to press on about the first seat's matter after hearing what Megumi just said, so they just shrugged it and thought that maybe this is just one of Yukihira's unusual behavior, since the said guy is unpredictable anyways. Unorthodox, just like his cooking.

Isshiki hasten forth to Polar Star Dorm. Isshiki actually had no time to talk with his kohai lately these days because after BLUE, the paperworks were a bit more unbearable. Now that his workload has lightened off, he'll take this time to talk with Soma.

As the sun sets, on the long roads and tall trees, a limousine came passing by. There Erina, Hisako, and Alice are having a 'serious' talk. Ryo was not with them as he goes off with Hayama and Takumi.

"You know that it's not just me who believe what Tadokoro-san said, I mean that may be true but I feel like she's hiding something about Yukihira-kun" Alice said, her arms crossed below her chest, she turned around Hisako as she continued "Isn't that right Hishoko?"

Hisako startled a bit at the nickname as she also agreed with Alice.

Erina was deep in thought, her head down as Megumi's words came back at her like a mantra. Inside her head, she is already devising a plan on how will she approach Soma tomorrow, which is Friday and it also means that she can get a lot of free time on that very day.

Erina wants to help Soma discover what this something that even he can't explain. After all, she owed the redheaded chef a lot.

But it's not just that actually, one more thing… after BLUE, she thought that she and Soma would be closer than ever. But just the days before he seemed to be, unapproachable.

She, like Isshiki-senpai, was busy with paperworks. To top of that, she started to work on her relationship with her mother, in which was actually going on well. And she doesn't have enough time to converse, but Soma didn't even let his presence be known to her.

She was actually anticipating for him to barge in her office every day, but she was always left with disappointment.

She felt alone, even if he was there.

Back with Soma, who was not at Polar Star Dorm. The sunset has passed and stars shone above. On the bench just beside a vending machine. Yukihira Soma sat there, looking at the stars. A vague feeling of warmth washed over his chest as he remembers something that is accompanied with stars.

He once looked again at his phone and saw the date. This was the first time in days he saw that date. In his notification bar, there were eleven messages from his father, Joichiro.

The bittersweet smile stretched his lips a bit. Now he knew why he was acting this way.

It's his mother's death anniversary…

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…. Or was it?

Soma turned off his phone and looked up to see the night sky full of stars again.

His amber eyes filled with melancholy and a sense of… peculiar determination.

Now, Soma is known to be magnanimous, but he couldn't help but feeling this – what's it called? Insecurity perhaps?

He felt guilty lying to Megumi when she asked him that what truly bothers him. Because to be honest, he knew what and he had to admit it.

"I don't belong here" he said it out loud and it's as if the stars understood the weight of those words he uttered.

Author's note:

So let us stop here for now.

I'll be posting the next chapter maybe… next week? Perhaps?

Depends if I'm not busy! To be honest I'm supposed to be busy right now, instead of studying for the exam tomorrow, here I am, writing this lol

I hope you enjoyed my very first fanfic and I'd love it if you leave a review!