Rating: T+
Pairing: Soma/Erina
Genre: Holiday Romance
Notes:
Hey Everyone! Zancrow Here!
Just a little extra I wanted to share. While this can easily be read on its own, it officially takes place after "Nouvelle" and before "Classique". And interquel, if you will. Just in time for the holidays too. So, everyone, stay safe, enjoy the festivities, and keep each other close, either in person or on your hearts. We made it through the worst year, and we can make it through more. From my family, to yours, A Merry Christmas To All; And To All A Good Night!
Polls: Remember to vote on my most recent poll on my Profile Page!
Disclaimer: Don't own Shokugeki no Soma.
Winter break came by sooner than he had expected. Soon the ever busy streets of Tootsuki Academy were filled by that familiar, nostalgic coat of snow; as its ever competitive alumni had switched to their far more season appropriate winter uniforms. It has been strange, for the first years who had not been in Tootsuki for more than even half a year, and one even less than that, to see the ever-so strict place suddenly transform itself into a winter wonderland, with Christmas lights down every hall and in every kitchen, while a massive Christmas tree was set right outside the main offices, a personally signed ornament on it provided by each and every student, to the color of their choosing.
Takumi Aldini had picked out a light blue orb, based on an offhand observation made by Hisako Arato that it matched his eyes.
The wonder secretary herself had chosen a magenta, with her Lady asking if she was basing it of her hair, to which Hisako denied, claiming she just liked it because, based on its standing in the color spectrum, it was outright deemed an "impossible color" and she found that fascinating.
Megumi Tadokoro had chosen a dark blue ornament, because, yes, it resembled her hair color. Plus, she liked it, since it resembled the color of the vast ocean she used to work next to as a kid.
Akira Hayama had chosen a dark orange one, linking it to his favorite cinnamon powdered spicy, the perfect ingredient for any holiday-themed dish in his eyes.
Ryou Kurokiba had gone with, what else, pitch black, simply because, his initial request of having an ornament lit on live flames was a fire hazard and he was denied such request.
The Second Princess of Tootsuki, Alice Nakiri, had obviously gone out of her way to pick out a silver ornament. But, not painted silver, as one would expect, but actual, pricey, metal, silver. She had been thrilled to see that piece of jewelry, with her name engraved in it, being put up. It required some extra wires to keep the tree's branch from breaking off from the weight, but they managed. Somehow.
Then, totally unrelated and not in a million years meant to upstage her, the First Princess of Tootsuki, the one and only Erina Nakiri, former Tenth Seat of the Elite Ten and current Ninth Seat of the very same, had chosen, not an ornament, but the gold star that went on top of the tree. A star made with real gold, with her name flashing right across it, right above everyone else. It was fitting, and infuriating. She had just smiled knowingly at Alice's childish arguments that that had not been part of the deal, to which Erina merely scoffed and reminded her cousin that such rules only applied to them, not her.
But, as everyone else got over that little Christmas "surprise", the last member of their alumni, the once expelled troublemaker, and so far, only student to be accepted back within these halls, Soma Yukihira, took his pick. The person in-charge of the selection, the resident First Seat, Eishi Tsukasa, aided by his Second Seat Rindou Kobayashi because otherwise the meek boy would have taken forever asking everyone to take their pick, quickly offered Soma what he assumed his pick was going to be regardless. Because, what other color best described this troublesome boy, but fire red? Just like his hear, just like his passion. But… Soma simply shook his head.
And, witnessing the completed Christmas tree, Soma and Erina stood side by side, the two still new to the whole boyfriend / girlfriend thing. He looked at it with nostalgia, recalling the ones his mother would set up right after Halloween ended, much lesser in scale, but every bit as magnificent. Erina, on the other hand, despite having a massive star to her name, could only focus on Soma's small, plastic orb. She didn't get it.
"Why that color?" she asked him, turning to him, curiosity in her eyes.
"Hmm?" he noted, sounding as if should have been obvious. "What's wrong with it?"
"Since when do you like pink?" she shot back, eyebrow raised, and her tone already at a half-mock.
"There's nothing wrong with a dude liking pink," Soma defended, "But you should have your eyes checked, it's not pink. It's a pinkish purple."
"Oh, because that explains everything!" she sarcastically shot back, scoffing and turning away. "Well, whatever, I have a lot of things to attend to now that we are officially on break. If you'll excuse me."
Soma said nothing to her little display, merely laughing to himself before his attentions returned to the very pretty tree. And as much as it irked him, he had to admit, her name looked wonderful engraved in a glowing gold.
Erina huffed, pouting as she moved away, annoyed at not being able to understand him and him never wanting to clarify anything. Weren't couples supposed to be open books to one another? She shook her head, it wasn't important anyways, not now. She was going to be on a plane to New York in a matter of days, just before Christmas itself, and she needed to focus on her packing and her duties, lest she accidentally leave all the workload to Hisako.
So the ice queen made her way back, pretending to not still be annoyed, until she paused, if nothing but on a whim, at the glass case showcasing Tootsuki's greatest accomplishments, from the victory photograph of the Golden Era Elite Ten (Four?) who took on and defeated Sadatsuka Academy's best, to a list of all the Autumn Election winners and a picture of each and every current Elite Ten member, herself obviously included.
Then she froze, her pretty eyes widening a bit.
"But you should have your eyes checked."
And now she wanted to hug him.
"It's not pink. It's a pinkish purple."
So the girl with the pinkish purple eyes shook her head once more, and decided, that for once, she didn't really want to spend another Christmas just traveling for business. She was a girlfriend now, after all, and that's what good girlfriends did… right?
-0-
So as most of the alumni said their goodbyes, each returning home for the holidays, save for the few that made Tootsuki itself their main home, like Akira or Nao. Even so, some who had every right to call Tootsuki their home, still found ways to go out and plan a spontaneous vacation, like Alice (with Ryou tagging along, of course).
Soma, for his part, simply went back to the familiar family dinner he would one day call his own, Yukihira's, and while vacation was the name of the game, you really couldn't keep that boy away from the kitchen for too long lest you risk his vacation turning into outright torture. So, despite the fact that he really shouldn't, Soma simply decided to do a seasonal reopening of Yukihira's, at least until his father, Jouichirou made it back from wherever in the world he was stationed at now.
Or at least, that had been the initial plan.
"Shouldn't you be, I dunno, taking a trip with friends? Or maybe hanging out with that pretty, little girlfriend of yours?" the eldest of the Yukihira family, Soma's grandfather Kazusato cheekily told the boy as he sat behind the counter, glass in hand. No alcohol of course, his liver would very much to appreciate any more of that on his system.
"They're all off to see their families," Soma shot back, smirking at the old man from behind the counter. "And Erina is busy, like way busy. She last texted me that she was going to be getting on a place to travel all the way to the States tonight. Girl's probably recounting all her luggage for like the fifth time by now."
"She's that detailed?" his grandfather asked, eyebrow raised, intrigued.
"Like you wouldn't believe," his grandson replied.
"So, when am I going to get to meet this little princess that knocked the socks of my boy, huh?" Kazusato quickly added, Yukihira's trademark smirk plastered all over his face. "For her to make such a dimwit as you to actually take an active interest in romance she must be quite the character."
"You've seen her," Soma replied, eyes still on setting the kitchen back up. After being closed for month, it was an effort that took time. Days even. He'd try to have it ready by tomorrow if he could.
"On the telly," the old man shot back. "I mean, actually meet her. She's a real doll, that one. I have to give her my gratitude for helping you back into that school, and my condolences for having to deal with your blockheadedness."
"Who's a blockhead?!" the irate redhead quickly asked, frowning.
"A hothead too," Kazusato added, "Though I suppose that comes from your mother. Jouichirou struggled to get Tamako to accept being anywhere even close to a relationship. She saw him as just competition at first, and that poor smitten man tried every single method known to man to try and make her see the truth."
"Didn't mom confess first?" Soma asked, pausing.
"Not really," Kazusato admitted. "But it was her confession that counted, since she played off all of his."
"Mom was worth all that trouble," Soma firmly stated, and Kazusato couldn't help but just smile.
"Is Erina Nakiri?" the old man simply asked.
"Huh?" Soma paused again, "Is she what?"
"Don't you play dumb with me ya brat," Kazusato quickly shot back, frustrated. "I raised your mother, I know that act top to bottom. You very well damn know what I meant," he added, as Soma just sheepishly laughed it off for a moment, getting ready to respond before a massive influx of vehicles parked themselves right before Yukihira's.
"…Is it lunch rush hour?" Kazusato asked, confused.
"I… didn't even flip the sign to open yet," Soma added, also confused.
Without bothering to knock, a dozen or so guys barged into Yukihira's, each looking taller and more intimidating than the last. They were clearly even concealing a weapon or two, a fact Kazusato noted grimly, his sharpened instincts from his days in the military not quite yet gone. They all stared the two Yukihiras down, beneath dark sunglasses, until in one fell swoop, the all stood to the side, forming two lines, allowing their leader to pass on through.
For a moment Soma wondered if this was a retaliation of sorts by the Eizan family.
Or something related to the higher up, Mickey Roberts, and his so-called Noir connections.
Or maybe even that Yaeko Minegasaki, back again with another real-estate scheme.
But, both to the surprise of grandson and grandpa, it was none of the above. Someone, who despite who you were, could be much better, or so, so much worse.
"Of course I'd find you here," Erina Nakiri spoke up, removing her own golden colored sunglasses, the girl dressed in the most sophisticated and professional business wear Soma had ever heard her utilize. Short dress skirt, longed sleeve dress shirt and proper jacket, high heels, and fantastic earrings. She was… quite the sight.
And there he was, in just a shirt and shorts, covered in dirt, oils and dirty oils.
"Erina? Hey!" Soma quickly beamed, despite the suddenness of the surprise, "What are you doing all the way out here?! I had thought for sure you'd be getting ready for your trip."
"Hmph," she scoffed, turning her head to the side, and it was here Kazusato learned that his grandson had a type. A very "bossy, mean bad girl with a soft side deep within" type. "If you had your phone near you, you'd know why I'm here. I called, like, three times. Me. You made me call three times and you did not pick up."
"You did?" a surprised Soma asked, his hands going to his pockets, before he realized his shorts lacked such things and that his phone was probably still up in his room.
"Boy, you sure know how to pick 'em," Kazusato noted, taking a sip from his glass. Before he did anything else however, Erina's eyes had shifted from Soma to him, and now the man was feeling a very nostalgic look aimed at him since like forever ago. 'Not since my wife passed has such terrifying eyes been aimed my way.'
"You must be Mister Kazusato Yukihira, Soma's grandfather. I have seen your picture," she simply stated, although her tone softened a bit.
"You'd be correct miss," Kazusato replied, flashing the girl a smile and raising his cup to her. She was a princess after all right, least he could do, even if he wasn't overly fond of the snobby type. Soma was much better suited to be with that adorable Mayumi or maybe the meek Megumi Soma keeps insisting is like a sister to him rather than this time-bomb waiting to explode. But, a parent (or grandparent) should never meddle in their children's affairs, unless it were something major. So he digressed.
Then she proved him completely wrong.
"…It's my utmost pleasure to finally make your acquaintance," the pretty, blonde princess took a soft bow before the surprised old man, before adding, "While my own grandfather has not been… the kindest nor the most understanding with Soma, and issue which I had a stern talking to with him, but… I hope we can still treat each other like family. Maybe, even call you grandfather, too…" she added that last part with a massive blush, likely understanding the implication of it a bit too late after she had already voiced it.
Kazusato just stared, before he turned to Soma. He grabbed the boy all the way over the counter, by the collar of his shirt. "Marry that girl."
"Gramps!" Soma shot back, now embarrassed himself, before he turned to Erina. "B-But, hey, what are you doing in these parts? You want one last meal before you depart? Eager to taste the dish that will finally make you say that it's delicious?"
"As if," she scoffed. "I have not the time to see you fail endlessly today-"
"Hey!"
"Nor do you for that matter," she concluded, ignoring his complaint.
"…Me?" Soma then asked, still confused. "Why me?"
"Why else?" she simply replied, placing her sunglasses back on and turning around, only offering the confused boy a side glance. "I'm going to be at a business event in New York. Afterwards, comes a small social gathering. How could I, the God's Tongue herself, ever show up to such an event without my boyfriend?"
And just like she always did with such ease, Erina came to his proximity, and turned all his plans completely upside down.
-0-
Come nightfall, Soma found himself on a first class plane ride towards New York, something he had only learned off hours ago. He had not really agreed to this, nor had he said no, but he had told her it would be downright impossible for him to get ready for a week-long trip in just three hours. The girl, that resourceful, frightening girl, had merely snapped her fingers once and all of her armed, buff bodyguards had jumped to the call and had gotten everything Soma would need packed and set for him in less than two hours. They even finished cleaning up the kitchen, and one, Gaston, even played a match of chess with Kazusato, that was sadly left unfinished but was the start of an intense rivalry between two ex-soldiers, now master chess players, that will in no way ever be referenced in this story again.
So Soma sat there, in the fanciest way to travel there was, sitting next to Erina, who had her headphones on, partaking in a call she made as soon as they were given the go ahead to use electronics once the plane reached the required altitude.
"I am not changing my assessment," Soma could hear her say, despite the fact that he had also put on headphones to pretend to be listening to music, but really, he always liked seeing her in her work element. Not just the cooking aspect, but the business side of it too. And area, that unlike cooking where he was dead set on besting her at least once one day, was one he knew he'd never in a million years ever match up to her. The girl was commercialization personalized, charm and ruthlessness at one-hundred percent in equal measures. "I don't care how many restaurants you have to close. You changed the recipe, so you cannot, by law, use the slogan that the dish itself has been approved by the God's Tongue."
He couldn't hear what the other guy was saying, but begging would be a close enough guess.
"Oh? It was too expensive to keep up?" she asked with that hint of mock sarcasm that he found it actually weird not being aimed at him. "I'm so terribly sorry. Since you're the expert, tell me then, how much is my approval worth then?" she asked with so much masked venom Soma was squirming in his seat. "Oh no, that's what you implied, was it not? Clearly my years of work with the industry, since before I even set foot in elementary school, all that data and calculations have been incorrect. Clearly you know my worth, so please, tell me, so I can call up my accountants and have them change my asking price from now on."
Soma was sure the other guy could barely talk anymore.
"And that's you're problem," she stated firmly. "Either you go back to the exact recipe I perfected for you, or you remove that false advertisement from your menus, your website, and your employees' uniforms. And I mean, now. Do not make me call my lawyers instead, because I find myself in need of a new storage space and your restaurant would do nicely."
And now Soma was sure the other guy was crying.
"See? Wasn't that easy?" she quickly jumped back to cheerful, and Soma knew red flags when he saw them, but he was already way in deep so there was no going back anymore. Nor was he ever going to admit that that nasty tongue of hers was so alluring to him at times. "Good! Fix it, and my assistant will make sure to contact you again to make sure you follow up on your promises to me now, okay?!"
Same cheery, pretty smile; and all Soma could do was silently voice an apology to the guy, until Erina's tone froze into almost below zero temperatures as she added, or rather, warned, "And, one more thing," she said, "Her name is Hisako Arato. I get word that you raise your tone at her again, even if it's just one decibel higher, and there will be no place on Earth you'll be able to work again. Understood?!"
And Soma just looked on, the most amused look on his face, as Erina hung up the call without bothering to wait for a reply. She then let out a frustrated sigh, and Soma turned to her fully, pulling out the placebo earphones and staring at her deep pinkish purple eyes.
"Should I report a murder, or…?" he teased, and she just shook her head lightly with a tiny smile forming.
"I have to play up the part, can't have them trying to cheat the system, my system," Erina replied, clearly not the first time she had to deal with such things.
"I take it the dude had less than a polite conversation with Hisako before?" he asked.
"The nerve," she quickly replied, clearly still pissed. "Yelling at her to put me on the phone. What does he think a secretary does? As if I'm available to every idiot just because they paid before. And no, you don't get to yell at her. In fact, you know what? I wasn't going to warn him at all," Erina said, now turning to Soma, her eyes still flaring, "Come tomorrow, he was going to walk into a closed up restaurant and a massive lawsuit that would leave him in the streets."
"Sounds a bit harsh," Soma noted, cocking his head. "Don't think Hisako would want you to go that far."
"She was the one who convinced me otherwise," Erina admitted. "Told me the jerk's actually a father to two young boys, plus seems to be an adequate enough husband," she added, as she took a deep breath. "…I'm not petty enough to ruin a family, surprising I know?"
"As if, you wannabe villainess," Soma retorted, and Erina frowned. "You're way too much of a softie to ever put any kids into any less that desirable circumstance. Who you trying to fool?"
"Hmph," was all the queen replied, turning her head to the other side, at the window, watching as the night sky seemed to pass them by.
"And you're okay, with this all?" Soma inquired, still looking at her, because it was hard not to.
"I didn't shut him down."
"No, not that," he corrected. "Spending Christmas night doing tastings, speeches, and hanging out with people you barely know. Does it feel right?"
"It's business," she explained. "Or is it that you're having second thoughts on accepting my invitation?"
"Why would I?" he asked, still smirking, pointing jokingly at her. "Unlike you, I'm actually honest. I want to spend Christmas and New Years with you."
She scoffed at this, decided it would be best to ignore him from now on, focus on the speech she was set to give, but then… he began to move. He took something out of his carry-on bag, and with a click, turned it on. A gaming device, from what she could make of it. Who cares anyways, she thought, until she heard him pull out several cartridges for it, looking through them all trying to pick, and she couldn't hide her curiosity any longer… "…Soma?"
"Uh, yeah?"
"…What are you playing?" she asked, acting totally not interested but failing completely.
"Nothing yet," he answered honestly. "Not sure which one to play. Been a while since I've used my DS… You ever play with one of these?"
She stared at him, eyes narrowed, as if it were a trap of some sort. But she knew, deep down, that he most likely meant well, so she might as well be a little honest. So she grabbed her own bag, reached inside and took out her system.
Well, systems.
"You have three?" he asked, surprised.
"Of course not!" she shot back, because why would she?
"So, are they Alice's and Hisako's, or…?"
"What, no? They're mine," Erina clarified, and Soma went to the question from before.
"So you do have three?"
"No. I have nine," she told him like it was the most obvious thing in the world. The boy fell faint. "When I decided to get it, those were the colors available, so I chose one of each… The first eight I mean. Titanium, Sky Blue, Candy Pink, Snow White, Lava Red, Gold, Pearl Pink and Teal. The other one was because some kid won a diamond encrusted one and I wanted one too, so I had it tailor made. It's… too heavy to play with, so I leave that one back at home."
"…Cool," Soma could only reply, looking at his beaten and battered one with a little pity. "Well, here's mine. Silver in color, the upper screen is a bit cracked, the volume controls don't work and I lost the stylus ages ago, but hey, it works."
Then, as she always did, she surprised him. She simply handed the Lava Red colored one to him, as the boy looked on, confused. "Here then," she said, "Keep this one."
"What? No, it's fine, mine works."
"It looks like you dropped it down a flight of stairs."
"Because I sorta did, but-"
"But nothing," she shot back, and at that moment he knew, he had no choice but to take it. "This is my gift to you. Hey, what do you say? If you beat me in Mario Kart, I might even give you another one?"
"You wanna bet the diamond one?"
Her eyes flashed something briefly, but she seemed to frown at the comment. Was he implying she couldn't simply buy another one? "…Alright, sure, and if I win…"
"Which you won't," he quickly added, then she pouted, "But, yeah, if you win, want do you want?"
"…I'll think about it later," Erina simply said.
"Suit yourself, let's race then," Soma concluded with a grin. They decided on a full cup, four races total. He knew, deep down, that Erina was not much of a gamer, so she wouldn't be all that apt in these games, but she'd never outright admit it. So, even if he'd win (because you never go easy on someone of Mario Kart), he knew he'd never force her to part with the diamond DS of hers anyways. Now, a kiss instead, on the other hand, now that would make a fine prize.
So they raced, him with his trademark Mario, because of course he'd use Mario.
She with the download play exclusive Shy Guy, colored pink because she would not race unless it was pink and they ended up restarting the whole connection until it randomly gave her a pink one.
It was that night, far above the Pacific Ocean, that Soma learned two things:
One, just how utterly beautiful Erina Nakiri looked with the moonlight glowing on her hair in such a perfect way.
Two, never bet against her in Mario Kart… She destroyed him… She even avoided a blue shell with a mushroom, twice, in one race!
Another loss for Yukihira, but one he couldn't really be mad at, as between all the teases and playful banter, he couldn't help but fall deeper in love with the girl sitting right beside him.
-0-
Once they were in the great state of New York, the great city of New York City to boot, things became a bit more hectic. A limousine came to swiftly pick them up, the driver's surprise at having two guests instead of just one making it clear to Soma that adding him on this trip had maybe been a last minute addition on Erina's part. He didn't ask anyways. They were told that Senzaemon was already at the Gala, where the God's Tongue was supposed to make a speech as well, alongside a few tastings that had been pushed back thanks to that whole "escaping from Tootsuki" stunt she had pulled off a few months ago.
And like that, they were driven to a fancy as all hell resort, escorted to their room. Singular, which Soma almost fainted upon hearing, since they had not separated one for him. Erina merely shrugged, telling him not to worry, since she had no problem with him sharing a room…
…with her grandfather.
Soma swallowed all his complaints and merely nodded. What a wonderful vacation that would be.
Still, the two ended up sharing a room as they got ready. Erina merely had to use the restroom briefly, in had been a long flight, but Soma had to basically go from zero to presentable in an hour or so, so it was decided he should take a quick shower while Erina got the right set of clothes ready for him.
"What size are you?" Erina asked, behind the closed door of the bathroom, as Soma began to undress. She heard the showerhead turn on, before the boy seemed to pause, briefly wondering for a moment before replying, "Medium, I think?"
"I mean, actual numbering," Erina shot back, "Not every medium is the same."
"They're not?" Soma asked, and Erina wanted to face-palm at how genuinely confused he sounded.
"No, they're not," she replied. "Here, hand me your shirt. I'll have its measurements taken."
"Pants too?"
"You don't know-Fine, pants too," Erina decided to roll around with it. "Do you at least know your shoe size?"
"Yes ma'am," he replied giddily, "That would be eight and a half!"
"At least…" Erina said, as the bathroom's door opened up for her, Soma handing out his clothes to her. She took hold, but not before, despite herself, catching glimpse of the redhead, clad in nothing but the smallest of towels, his hair pressed back and moist from said head to his toes. His body was still just as tone as it had been during that basketball game she thought back on fondly but would never admit to anyone. He smiled and slowly shut the door again, and she was left fighting off the biggest blush imaginable, and that was before she could vividly hear him step back into the shower and hear how the sound changed depending on what part of his body it was spraying on.
Erina Nakiri decided to wait for Soma on the hallway, leaving his brand new clothes out of the bathroom's door and her far, far away from it.
-0-
They ended getting their a bit late after all, but not one soul would dare say so to the Erina Nakiri. As Erina met up with her grandfather and the other esteemed members of the event, Soma kept to the side, still wondering what his role in all of this even was. He caught Erina stealing glance at him every now and then, most likely to keep him from running off to a nearby kitchen and making a scene, or so he thought.
Erina was quick to greet everyone, get her stuff together so that she could deliver the tired speech, then go to the tastings and then go back to the resort and take a nice, long shower… in the same shower Soma had used. And again, she was blushing. It didn't help, also, that every time she turned, and caught sight of him, her throat seemed to clench. He was a horrible dresser, they all knew that, but give him something proper, and he could rock it perfectly. He looked absolutely stunning. And despite how much she tried to force herself otherwise, she couldn't stop stealing glances at him every other time.
The night went by fast, and Erina gave a mighty successful, if not somewhat small speech, quickly excusing herself from the influx of questions about her work, and probably, about that kiss in the showcase. She'd rather not deal with any of that now, leaving the heavy workload to her grandfather. So she moved on, going to her prepared space and starting her planned meeting with the chefs from all around the world that had paid months in advance to get her to sample their dishes.
It was exhausting work. Dish after dish, they gave her their most extravagant, picturesque dishes, and after so much, she didn't much enjoy any of it. Some were decent enough, but something inside her made her not want to be there at all. Jet lag, she assumed, but she persisted.
"This… is like a sad rhino being mocked by his inability to play the trumpet by the rest of the circus animals!" she screamed out, at the utterly baffled chef and the assistants nearby, until she caught herself, shaking her head. They really didn't pay her for such abstract meanings. "Erm… no, I mean, it needs to be redefined more. The sauce drowns out the flavor, the potatoes require a bit more time in the boiling pan, and seriously, at least make the meat roast more. As it is now, even a Tootsuki alumni can manage more."
The poor chef left disappointed, but with a handful of notes that had cost a fortune to acquire, and he hoped to use for his future. Erina could only shrug, since she was not entirely focused on her job anymore.
The door opened again, and with it, she caught flashes of the red and green lights from the Christmas decorations all over the halls, and it irked her. Irked her to no end. How much she knew, deep down, that Soma was right, and how she'd rather be spending Christmas anywhere else. With somebody she cared about. Her family. Her friends. Maybe even with…
"You feeling as miserable as you look?"
Erina's eyes darted upward, and there was that boy, with that damn smile that made her knees weak and wearing that suit that made her weak elsewhere. He was standing by the door, slowly closing it, and in a simple motion, locking it.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, since he was supposed to be waiting at the resort, at least until her grandfather finished with his work and she with hers.
"Not the first time I ditched a Nakiri owned limo," Soma said with a laugh. She was about to argue how stupid that was, until the boy took one look outside, and added, "You wanna ditch?"
"Soma Yukihira," she spoke sternly. "Stop messing around. This is my work. I can't just leave and-"
"It's Christmas," Soma simply cut in, "You are allowed a day off. Plus, you've pushed this dates away before, and we'll be here all week… What's one more day?"
She looked at him, her mouth already agape, ready to shoot down his stupid idea once more, but she stopped herself. It could have been the cold of the night, the tiredness of her work, or the fact that that boy was so earnest it hurt, but Erina Nakiri decided, that maybe for just one night, she could be irresponsible as well.
-0-
The two found themselves walking through the streets of New York, all eyes on the duo that were dressed to kill, a sight to behold even amongst those that lived in the city that never sleeps. Erina looked around, not her first time in the state, but maybe the first time she had ever actually walked its streets. It was crowded, much too crowded, and it made her feel so small, for once in a long, long while.
Then Soma held onto her hand, surprising the girl, causing her to pause and turn, as the snowflakes flew down all across them, Christmas lights as far as the eye could see, perfectly reflected on her pinkish purple eyes that he loved so much.
"Soma…"
"Quite the sight, ain't it?"
"You've been here before?"
"Nope," he admitted, smiling. "Seen it a lot in movies. Heck, superhero movies usually end up fighting here."
"Nerd," she said with a laugh. "But this is what I've been reduced to. Skipping out on my duties, like an irresponsible little girl."
"That's one way to look at it," Soma said, laughing, before looking up, at the mixture of lights reflected on the falling snow. "But you'd be missing this. And I might not be entirely truthful. This is for me too. Like I said, I wanted to spend Christmas with you."
She paused, her eyes scanning his, until she saw him turn, and she did as well. Before them, a giant Christmas tree. Different than the one set up at Tootsuki, but similar all the same. Soma was looking at it with a smile, and it was here, Erina seemed to realize something, something that she saw back at Yukihira's, when she set foot in it to look for her boyfriend.
For all his words, there were not a single ornament set up.
"Soma…" Erina spoke softly, realization dawning, her eyes on him, his eyes on the tree, the lights, the city itself. "Was this something your mom really liked?"
He paused, now turning to her. She felt a shiver of fear hit her, wondering if perhaps she should not have asked. That it wasn't her role to ask such a thing. But, instead of anger, or sadness, or even words, Soma merely answered by taking out his phone. She looked at him, confused, until he showed her the screen.
It was a photo, stored in his favorites. A little boy, which she instantly recognized as Soma. The older man, her idol, Jouichirou, by his side. And next to them, the light of that house, the source of their smiles. Her. Tamako Yukihira. She looked so lovely, and yet so spunky. So wild, yet so perfect.
Erina couldn't help but feel her heart on her throat. Such intimate moments, should he really share them with her?
"Soma…?"
"She'd love you, you know?" he simply said, and she began to tear up.
"…A-And I think I'd love her," Erina replied, softly.
"She loved the holidays," he continued, "Made everything bigger. Grander than it had any right to be. We haven't been able to match it since."
She pressed his hand, tightly. "Maybe we can."
He turned to her, smile still in place, and she smiled back. There, under the massive tree, with lights and sounds and festivities all around, the boy and the girl shared a soft kiss, embracing each other gently. As the world around them continued to move, the two were lost in this little moment in time. Come what may tomorrow or the next, for just this perfect moment, they were together, and they were happy.
And as they walked away from the Christmas tree, hand on hand, heart on heart, Erina's mind drifted once more to that photograph she had seen. How happy Tamako Yukihira looked, with her beautiful short hair, her beautiful smile, and that precious, little ring on her finger.
She paused.
"You okay?" Soma asked.
"…Yeah," Erina replied, "Where should we go next?"
Perhaps, it was too soon to mention to him, that she really liked the ring his mother wore. Maybe one day, she'd get one just like it…
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And A Happy New Year!
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Soma Yukihira and Erina Nakiri's romance continues in "Classique"