Alice woke to the chirping of morning songbirds. She took a deep breath, forcing her eyes to open, and they focused on the mop of red hair in front of her face. She scooted forward, pressing herself up against his back and wrapping an arm around his bare torso.

He radiated heat like a blazing inferno, and Alice was determined to snuggle with this ball of fire for as long as possible on this chilly morning.

After a few minutes alone with her thoughts, she felt Soma stir, and he rolled over to face her, his eyes still mostly closed.

"Mmph. Morning," he said, cracking a small smile.

"Morning, sir-snores-a-lot," Alice said, kissing him on the forehead. "You have worse bedhead than I do."

Soma opened his eyes and blinked a few times before responding. "I can't see how that's possible."

"Meanie!" Alice said, pushing him away and wrapping herself in the entirety of the blankets, exposing a naked Soma to the chill morning air.

"Hey!" he yelped as the cold bit into him, fighting to steal back some of the bedding. "It's freaking cold out here!"

"Well maybe you should have thought of that before making that snarky comment!" she shot back.

They struggled for a few moments, but Soma easily overpowered Alice and trapped her in a tight embrace under the blankets.

"Let me go, you brute!" she said, a smile on her face as she tried to wiggle her way out.

Soma chuckled, responding in a mocking tone. "Well maybe you should have thought of that before kicking me out of my own damn bed!"

Alice struggled for a few moments more before accepting defeat. She gave him a deliberate pouty face, then smiled and kissed him. He eased up his grip, and Alice, now free to move, wrapped her arms around him.

"So, more recipe testing today?" she asked.

"Mm," Soma grunted in the affirmative. "Nikumi's getting here for lunch service at ten thirty, and Mayu and the Aldinis are getting here around one to help develop our Sumire karaage."

"So that gives us, what, three-ish hours before anyone walks in on us like this?"

Soma's eyes glanced off at the clock. "Yeah, just about."

Alice gave him a wolfish smile. "Then I know exactly how we should start the day."

Soma arched an eyebrow at her. "Oh?"

Alice rolled on top of him, pinning Soma to the bed.

He gave her a flat look and sighed, resignation in his voice. "Alice, we need to talk."

She maintained her predatory smile. "Do we?"

"Last night…" Soma started. It took him a while to find the right words. "I think we both needed what happened last night. But how do we move forward from here?"

Something dark and vulnerable flickered in Alice's eyes for the briefest moment before she regained control of her poker face. She struggled to keep the terror from her voice, but she thought it came out alright. "Why don't you tell me your thoughts?"

Again, it took Soma a long time to consider his words. Alice's brain started spinning off multiple possible scenarios, each one hurting her more and more. Because clearly she deserved it. She deserved to be alone. Once Yukihira realized that she was just a childish manipulator, she'd be well and truly alone. She felt each heartbeat in her throat, louder and louder like the ticking of a time bomb, until—

"I hadn't really given it much thought, actually," Soma said, abruptly bringing the wheels on Alice's thoughts to a grinding halt. "I kept telling myself that a relationship would just be a distraction, and getting involved with someone would just take time away from improving my skills. But… I'm not so sure about that now."

Whatever vulnerability was showing on Alice's face melted back behind her facade. "You can't be saying that I was that good in bed."

Soma chuckled before continuing. "Ya know, I'd've thought my first relationship would be a bit more… normal."

Alice laughed a deep, full belly laugh as the tension washed out of her.

Relationship. He said relationship.

"I grew up in Europe," Alice said as she calmed down, her smile becoming genuine. "We're not prudes like you Japanese."

Soma arched an eyebrow at that. "Given how aggressive I've been hit on at Tootsuki, I think you might want to reconsider that statement, unless you want Ryoko, Yuki, and the others to start hitting on you too."

Alice leaned down and pecked him on the forehead. "Correction: You were a prude."

"That confident, are you?"

"We've got three hours," Alice said. "If you play hard to get, Yukihira Soma, I will make it hurt."

Soma laughed at that. Then Alice shut him up with a kiss.

Ryo woke up in the best pain possible. He was sore everywhere, and that meant that his gym session yesterday was a big success. He silently reveled in the pain for a minute or two before brushing it to the back of his mind and sitting up. Today would be… Hm, what would he do today? He didn't have to be anywhere, do anything, or serve anyone in particular. His time was his, and he could spend it how he wished.

He was finally free.

He checked the clock. It was nine. Too late to go back to bed, but too early to really do much during vacation. He decided that, at the very least, his day should start with breakfast, and he could decide what to do from there.

As Ryo stood up, a ceiling tile shifted, revealing a smiling brown haired, blue eyed face.

"Ah, Ryo-kun, my apologies for the late welcome," Isshiki said. "We don't normally get new residents this time of year."

Ryo gave him a confused look. "Why are you in the ceiling?"

"Oh, that," Isshiki said, gracefully flipping down to land on the floor. "I am the senior student at Polar Star. Allow me to introduce myself—"

"And why are you in your underwear?" Ryo asked.

Isshiki gave him a slight blush. "My, when you put it like that, well… This is the appropriate uniform for early morning garden work, especially in spring and summer."

"Oh, sure, I guess," Ryo said, accepting his senpai's logic without further questioning.

"I am Isshiki Satoshi, and I am in charge of the Polar Star garden," he said. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Ryo-kun. Welcome to Polar Star!"

"Mmph."

"Come now, Ryo-kun. You are now a part of the youth and vitality that is this dorm! Show me the energy that you bring to Polar Star!"

"Creep."

Isshiki struck a wounded pose as Ryo left the room.

Now that that was over, Ryo got back to thinking about what he'd do that day. He had so much more time now, and the options seemed endless. Maybe he'd go find that girl who liked him and blow off some steam. What was her name again? Kooki? He shook his head. Questions for later. His stomach rumbled, and that decided it. The pressing issue right now was breakfast.

And figuring out how to deal with all the damn pervs in this dorm.

Ikumi walked down Sumire street, enjoying the crisp taste of fresh air after a rainstorm. It was quiet, but there were still a few store owners out and about running things as usual. She waved to Honda as he was cleaning the front window of his craft beer store, and Honda returned the wave with a warm smile as the bright morning sun reflected off of his glasses.

It took Ikumi longer than she was comfortable admitting to figure out why Yukihira was so damned insistent on saving this place. She was too used to making relationships based on board meetings and business deals as the heiress to the Mito Conglomerate, and after years and years of formal training as a child, and then trial by fire as a teen, she had forgot the personal touch of a family-like relationship. In her world, everything was corporate. Business first, maybe even second, too. But this - this was refreshing. It wasn't anywhere near as profitable as spending her time brokering deals for the Conglomerate, but it was much, much more real. She took another deep breath, basking in the midmorning sunshine.

And then Tomita ran out from his shop towards her, completely ruining her moment.

"Ikumi-san! I'm so glad you're here. I need help with—"

Her cleaver appeared in her hand faster than Tomita could blink.

"I was having a moment," she said, fire in her eyes and ice in her voice. "You better have a damn good reason for ending it."

Tomita froze. "Uh, I was going to ask if you could help me with—"

"No," she said firmly, walking right past him. She didn't even care to see the dumbfounded look on his face.

Shokujidokoro Yukihira looked calm and quiet in the hour before the lunch rush, and as she approached the door, decided that calm and quiet were exactly what she needed after that rude interruption. She knocked, waiting for Yukihira to unlock it and let her in.

She sighed as her heart skipped a beat. Why couldn't he just ask her out? It would make things so much simpler.

The door latch clicked, and the door opened to reveal a glowing Soma, who looked much more relaxed than when she left him the night before.

"Oh, hey Nikumi," he said, cracking a small but genuine smile as he stood aside so she could enter. "It's about that time, huh?"

"Mm," she said, not quite sure what to think of this change. When she left the day before, he was more tense than a bargain beef roast. Today, he seemed more relaxed than a Mito wagyu cow after it's daily massage.

"You make any progress on the Karaage last night?"

Soma's cheeks turned a bit red as he closed the door. "Some new ideas, but nothing substantial."

"Uh huh," Ikumi said, unconvinced. She moved to the kitchen and started her usual prep as Soma picked up a broom and started sweeping. Something was definitely off this morning, but she struggled to find a reason. Did he… Did he cut a deal with the Yakuza? That would explain his carefree attitude, but she didn't think he'd stoop that low to win. That wasn't the Yukihira she knew.

But there was something she was missing, like a nagging in the back of her brain. Like the buzzing of a bee behind your head. She almost thought she could hear it.

Whatever it was, she wished he'd at least talk to her about it. It was just the two of them there, after all. Why did he have to be such an oblivious idiot whenever cooking wasn't involved?

Maybe I have to be the one to make the push, she thought as she finished chopping the onions and moved on to the peppers. She watched Soma move across the room as her knife moved on instinct, and as he disappeared into the back, she tried not to stare at his ass.

She shook her head, trying to refocus on the task at hand, but the buzzing in the back of her head was still there. Like static on an old TV, it filled the silence with the most annoying of distractions.

And then it was actually gone. In it's absence, only the falls of Ikumi's knife cut the silence. After a few more finished peppers, Ikumi realized that the buzzing wasn't just in her head. It was real, and she knew exactly what that sound was.

A shower.

Someone else was here.

And, as if on cue, Alice strode down into the restaurant from upstairs, aggressively rubbing a towel through her wet hair. But that wasn't the worst of it — Alice smelled like Yukihira. His soap. His cologne.

That was not okay.

Ikumi tried not to explode, feigning confusion as the rhythm of her knife stuttered. "Alice? What are you doing here?"

"Oh, Nikumi!" she said as if she just noticed her. "Mornings like this are brutal on my hair, so I asked Soma if I could borrow his shower for a minute so I don't look like a dandelion all day."

Ikumi didn't believe her for a second. Alice was always a manipulator. There had to be some other angle to this. Maybe it was a conversation she didn't want with others around. Hell, Ikumi offered to use the Mito name to help, so why wouldn't Alice do the same?

And worse, it would indebt Soma to her, and Ikumi did not like the idea of Alice getting hooks into him.

"Did you use the Nakiri name to cut a deal with the Yakuza?" Nikumi asked flatly as she continued her knifework.

"Oh, no, not at all," Alice said casually. "Soma doesn't even know that I'm a Nakiri. In fact, I think most of Polar Star doesn't know."

Ikumi's knife stuttered, and she almost cut herself. Why the hell would Alice keep that a secret? She was usually the first one to drop her name if she could get anything out of it. This was unusual, and, knowing Alice from middle school, likely not good for anyone except her.

But, was it her place to say anything? The more Ikumi thought about it, the more her head hurt, and the more she wished for a straightforward solution to whatever the hell was going on. She was never good at subtle, but she didn't want to jeopardize her friendship with Yukihira, along with whatever possibility they had of a relationship.

So she decided to play the game. She'd be polite, of course, but she'd keep an eye out for the movements of her new adversary.

"I see," Ikumi said cautiously. "I assume you'd like me to keep that to myself as well?"

Alice smirked. "If you wouldn't mind. It's been a long time since I had friends who didn't have ulterior motives."

That little moment of honesty shocked Ikumi. She understood what it meant to have a powerful name to throw around, and what it felt like to wish she didn't have it. But vulnerability? From Alice, of all people?

Ikumi had to be very, very careful, or else she might get caught up in Alice's schemes, too.

Hisako went over the logistics one more time as Erina finished her first meeting of the day. There was time for a brief break after this, and then back to dealing with product testing for yet another Nakiri International research division. She instinctively grabbed her phone as it vibrated, thinking about just how much work Soe, Leonora, and the rest of the researchers had put in for this testing cycle.

[Alice]: Promise me you'll delete these when we're done talking

Hisako didn't know how to react, arching an eyebrow as her curiosity got the better of her.

[me]: …Ok, I'll bite. What's up?

Hisako heard chairs scraping against the floor in the room next door, and stood up to receive Erina as she left. Her phone buzzed again, and she glanced at it before Erina and the door opened and a mob of researchers appeared in front of her.

[Alice]: I slept with Yukihira last night
[Alice]: We're a thing now

Hisako's cheeks turned beet red as she stuffed her phone back in her pocket. She barely had time to process that statement before Erina appeared in front of her.

"Ah, Hisako. Good morning. I have a break now, right?" she asked.

Hisako struggled to refocus on her duties. "U-um, yes, Erina-sama. There's a quiet room prepared for you just down the hall."

The tension fell out of Erina's shoulders as she exhaled. "Good. I've been dying to know what happens next in Love Bum: Tales of Gary Stu."

"O-of course, Erina-sama," she said as she started leading her toward their break room.

"Is something the matter, Hisako?" Erina asked.

Hisako forced calm in her voice as she answered. "Nothing serious; just an unexpected text."

"Is it one of those scammers?" Erina asked. "I swear, I sign up my junk email address for a manga newsletter, and somehow my phone number ends up on all sorts of spam lists. Like, why would I need auto insurance if I'm fifteen with no license and no car?"

For once, Hisako was thankful Erina was so oblivious. Once she had set up her boss with reading material, pillows, and cucumber water, she pulled her phone back out.

[me]: WHAT?!
[Alice]: ;)
[me]: I repeat: WHAT?!
[Alice]: It just sort of happened.
[me]: HOW?!
[Alice]: Ok, you need to calm down first
[me]: I. AM. CALM!
[Alice]: Lol ok
[me]: You and I both know something like that does not 'just sort of happen'
[Alice]: First of all, I grew up in Europe, and it TOTALLY 'just sort of happens' all the time
[Alice]: And we were both in a really vulnerable place last night. It really is a case of 'one thing led to another,' I swear
[me]: WAIT
[me]: When you said 'sleep with him'
[me]: Did you mean 'sleep with him' sleep with him?
[Alice]: Don't get mad
[Alice]: Don't you dare get mad

Hisako gave genuine thought to dumping the pitcher of cucumber water over her head to make sure this wasn't a dream. Or a nightmare. She couldn't decide which.

[me]: WHY WOULD I BE MAD?
[Alice]: Because Erina hates his guts, and thus, by extension, you hate his guts
[me]: That's not even close to how I feel about him
[Alice]: Oi! Hands off! I got to him first! He's MY boyfriend
[me]: Slow down
[me]: Boyfriend?

"Damn you Truck-kun!" Erina shouted as she turned a page.

Hisako blinked. "Uh, what?"

"Truck-kun!" Erina said, excited that Hisako had finally shown interest in manga. "Truck-kun is a legendary truck that shows up in all sorts of stories. It's responsible for numerous deaths and injuries, either to start off the plot or add in a twist of fate."

"That sounds… interesting," is what Hisako said, but the word that went through her mind was idiotic.

"Truck-kun is so well known that it's become its own joke on the internet," Erina said. "It's at the point where authors are turning the joke on its head. I heard one popular story replaced Truck-kun with a tractor just to make fun of the idea."

"Thats…" Hisako had a hard time processing what Erina was saying. "Wow."

"I know, right?" Erina said. "I'll have to put that one in my queue. Oh, Hisako, would you mind refilling my cucumber water? I'm really comfy right now and don't want to ruin it by getting up."

Hisako did. She returned to her seat to see a new flurry of texts from Alice.

[Alice]: I'm a worldly woman now, Hisako
[Alice]: I take what I want
[Alice]: Don't be jealous

Hisako let out a deep sigh as she responded.

[me]: Why would I be jealous?
[Alice]: I've seen how you look at him
[me]: That is complete and utter rubbish and you know it
[me]: Three seconds ago you thought I hated his guts
[Alice]: …You're right. Now that I think about it, you're too busy for a boyfriend
[me]: …
[me]: Give. Me. Details.
[Alice]: Well I was at his place last night, and, well, he kissed me, and then we went upstairs, and then…
[me]: AND THEN?
[Alice]: …You know. I can't get too graphic.
[me]: NO I DON'T KNOW!
[Alice]: Also, have you tried this 'sleeping naked' thing? He got me curious about it last night and oh man
[Alice]: So much better than PJ's
[me]: YOU'RE SKIPPING ALL THE GOOD PARTS!
[Alice]: Well of course, Hisako. I don't kiss and tell ;)

Hisako was seething with rage as she typed her next response.

[me]: You're not going to get… You know…?
[Alice]: Married? Little early for that, ya think?
[me]: Pregnant?
[Alice]: Oh, no. Not a chance
[me]: I think that's the first sane thing you've said today
[Alice]: SO MEAN, HISHOKO!
[me]: So?
[Alice]: So what?
[me]: So how was it?
[Alice]: ;)
[me]: YOU AT LEAST TELL ME THIS OR I SWEAR ERINA WILL FIND OUT
[Alice]: NO!
[Alice]: NONONONO PLEASE
[me]: So just tell me
[Alice]: How do you think it went?
[Alice]: He's got abs you could grind meat on

Hisako stared blankly ahead as she tried to process that last text. She failed.

[me]: What does that even mean?
[Alice]: Do I really have to spell it out for you?
[me]: …
[Alice]: Honestly, it was pretty exhausting
[Alice]: Hardest workouts of my life
[me]: Wait, workouts? Plural?!
[Alice]: Well yeah, I woke up next to him
[Alice]: What else did you think was gonna happen?

She pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath before responding.

[me]: I think you've got some explaining to do
[Alice]: What do you mean?
[me]: What will Ryo think when he finds out?
[Alice]: He cut himself out of my life yesterday, so I'm pretty sure he wouldn't care

Hisako stared at her phone in shock, unable to contain her reaction. "WHAT?"

"Man, you must be getting some really weird scammers today," Erina said. "Is it the one with the Nigerian prince telling you he's got a fortune? Eizan-san fell for that one last month. Grandfather had to help him clean up that mess. It's a dirty, dirty trick."

Hisako desperately hoped that this would be the end of the rollercoaster that was today.

Mayu had a hard time keeping up with the recipe testing. Every time, they'd need a new ingredient, and she was the one who was tasked to run to the store for it. She swore she was getting more exercise than Aki was in kendo club.

This time, she was sent out for rice four, and after dropping the bag on the bar, plopped down on one of the stools. Isami gave her a refreshing smile and handed her a glass of lemon water. Mayu took a deep breath and downed half of it while the chefs talked out their process.

"So, are you guys any closer today?" she asked. "The owner of the grocery store was looking pretty depressed."

"Sort of," Soma said. "We've gone in all sorts of directions that have changed the flavor, but we haven't quite put it all together into something that can compete with Mozuya."

"There are definitely some new lines of thinking worth exploring, though," Isami said.

"Oh, yeah, about that," Alice said. "Mayu, could you run to the store and get some beer? We should probably try beer-battered karaage next."

Mayu took a deep breath before answering. "I can't, Alice-san. I'm not old enough to buy alcohol."

Alice tapped her finger to her chin. "Oh, is that a thing?"

Ikumi closed her eyes and shook her head. "You are so out of touch with reality."

"Why do you always have to be so mean, Nikumi?" she shot back.

"Ladies," Soma said, slightly annoyed. "If you can't do anything other than argue, I will ask you to leave."

Both of them immediately shut up and went back to thinking about karaage.

"We definitely were on the right path with thigh meat, at least," Takumi said.

"Mm," Isami agreed. "It definitely had the best impact of all the meats we—"

Tomita barged in holding a covered plate. "Guys! I've got it! The secret that will beat Mozuya!"

Ikumi raged at him. "This is the third time today you've barged in here with that exact line! Give it a rest already, old man!"

Tomita immediately paled. "But… But I really have something, guys…"

Soma sighed. "Nikumi, be nice. Tomita-san has as much skin in this as any of us."

"Thank you, Soma-chan!" Tomita said with renewed confidence.

"I don't know, Yukihira," Takumi said. "His other two ideas have been completely useless."

Tomita deflated.

"That's not really fair, nii-chan," Isami said. "You've had many days where it took you a few bad ideas to get to some good ones."

"True," Takumi said. "Alright, Tomita-san, what's on the plate?"

Mayu, watching all of this, really wondered if Takumi thought he was the one in charge. She held in a giggle.

"This is Tomitaya's greatest creation!" he said, waving his hands mysteriously around the covered plate. "Decades of bento innovation went into this completely original dish!"

Alice and Ikumi shared a skeptical glance.

Tomita took the lid off of his dish, revealing something that even Mayu knew would be disappointing. "This is the karaage rice ball!"

Alice burst out laughing.

Ikumi let loose her rage. "You idiot of a man! These are shitty snacks anyone can get from a vending machine!"

Soma and Takumi eyed each other, and Mayu saw the wheels turning in their heads as they thought about the idea.

Isami didn't really react, but Mayu did see his eyes darting back and forth between the more animated members of their crew.

Soma put on a wicked grin. "Takumi, did you and I just have the same idea?"

Takumi put on a matching wolf's smile as the temperature of the room rose a few degrees. "Let's see who does it better, Yukihira. Shokugeki?"

Isami put a hand on each of their shoulders in an attempt to calm them down. "If we're doing this again," he said, looking back and forth to stare each of them down, "then you'll at least wait until after I make some popcorn."

Both Takumi and Soma looked at Isami, then at each other. Sparks flew between them.

"There's a microwave in the back. Popcorn's in the cupboard next to it," Soma said, staring Takumi down as he rolled up his sleeves.

"Make sure you make enough for the ladies as well," Takumi added.

Isami shook his head as he headed to the back while the kitchen burst into chaos behind him.

Mayu, watching all this unfold, wondered exactly what kind of high school Tootsuki was for this sort of thing to become normal. The most drama she had to deal with was her friends arguing over which protagonist in their BL manga was cuter and more worthy of their attention.

She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. If this was Soma's new world, then she could adapt to it too, right?

Right?

A/N: Life... Gets in the way sometimes, especially these last two years. But it also finds a way. I make no promises as to when the next chapter will come, but it will come.