Just Like Magnets

Author: jaymack33

Chapter 2: The Memory of a Fragrance!

Author notes: So, I'm back with my first update of this story. I appreciated all the feedback I got, so far and I really tried to kick it up a gear with chapter 2, I hope you like this one even more as I really tried to make the best chapter I could think of. Thanks for everyone that reads and continues to read this story and any feedback would be appreciated!

Summary: Erina and Soma pretend to not notice each other noticing each other while the smell of Soma's cooking starts working it's magic until Soma brings out the big guns with a fragrance of something Soma had cooked in the past, that had haunted and tempted Erina for the longest time. Will Erina finally admit his food is delicious in this one? You'll have to read on to find out.

Yukihira Diner:

Erina felt the glowing yellow eyes of Yukihira Soma staring at her.

Soma felt heated amethyst eyes boring into him. Even when they weren't even looking at each other they both felt it.

He wasn't looking at me directly, if at all, but I just, know, I just know, as her cheek flushes slightly pink, as Soma continued his little obnoxious show of flipping multiple frying pans and catching dishes with ease, yet still I know he's watching me and I never know what Yukihira-kun is going to do next, and I just know it's going to make me feel...

Hisako watched both of them staring at each other, a couple seconds felt like a couple of minutes, long uncomfortable minutes, the noise of patrons eating in the distance was just oblivious background noise to all 3 of them.

Soma focuses on each task at hand trying to make the most perfect dishes making sure to finish up at the perfect timing while still feeling that searing familiar burning heat from a very far corner of the room, even without looking he could feel it, and than he sees what's he going to do now.

"Hisako," she whispered. "Is it possible he really didn't see us?" "We are in the farthest part of the room."

Hisako shook her head as she saw Soma, chopping food impossibly fast while heating multiple sauce pans, while flipping egg dishes in an impossible job of multi-tasking that she knew only Soma could do, but still while juggling through all of that cooking with more patrons coming in..."Erina-sama, he sees everything!"

"So, he's probably going to come over any minute now and he's probably going to make fun of me, jumping to stupid conclusions that are completely wrong..as usual!"

"Look, Erina-sama, I know he saw us no matter how much he looked like he was busy, because when I worked with him in the Stagiaire I saw it firsthand, I think it's all his practice in his Diner making sure to keep all his customers from going elsewhere, it took me a while just to keep up a little bit with him, he's been doing this his whole life."

"So, he's going to probably come over here and gloat and tease me, and I am definitely not here for his food definitely not, but I just know, I just know..."

"Order up!" Soma with many dishes in hand slowly walks, impossibly slow right towards Erina Nakiri's direction.

Erina's heart skipped a nervous beat, actually he was moving quickly serving dishes in various tables remarkably fast, just it felt agonizingly slow everyone else was just background noise as she heard every footstep like it was the loudest thing in the room, even though it was really the softest.

Soma dropped off dishes in various tables, Erina could smell the fragrance of each and every dish and she could say one thing for each of them, they definitely smelled like something he would make, all weirdly, imaginative and completely violating the rules of how each dish should have been made, and yet still...

Soma was getting closer he only had one dish left, he was literally almost about to look up and see them directly at their table, Erina's heart nearly stopped. Hisako stared at her friend, seeing how nervous and agitated she was. How she always is around him...any minute now he's going to be...

Just as Soma was about to walk right up to their table he turned completely to the right he seemed to almost wave the Yukihira style Chicken fried rice in their general direction almost like he was trying to tease or taunt them with it, and then he said..."dinner is served, & your welcome!" And than he turned away heading back to the kitchen again!

Erina just gawked at the back of his annoying head, her mouth hanging open at his audacity! "Did you see that Hisako, he did see us he had to right, there is no way he couldn't!" And than before he left from their earshot they heard one more thing. It was very faint...it could have just been their imagination, but there it was...heh-heh-heh-heh!

"Is he laughing at us Hisako, what was that?"

"I'm not sure, I suppose he could have just been laughing at anything, but..."

Erina wasn't buying it anymore, than Hisako was, as she started smacking the table forcibly several times... "Damn, him, I knew he was going to be messing with us, but normally he doesn't avoid me, like that...that was...like blatant, wasn't it...Hisako..?"

Hisako stared at her friend and yes her boss, "I-I'm not sure, I didn't really think he was like that, honestly, I mean your right he likes to mess with us, but from what he's told me before, he also doesn't like to keep his customers, waiting, so I'm not sure, is he just messing with us, I can't imagine he didn't see us, even if he didn't see us when he was cooking, which I told you, that boy sees everything, I saw it firsthand, he definitely walked almost to our table, I know he saw us, so..."

Slam...slam...slam...he's...! "Oooooooh...Yukihira Soma...grrrrr...that man...he's always messing with me and ignoring and making fun of me, he..."

Again, Yukihira Soma was coming out with more plates on his tray serving customers, this time Erina wasn't holding her breath only flames were coming towards his direction, his face hidden in shadows, so she couldn't see his face, but she already knew...he was getting closer...and closer...any minute, this time he was coming for her...

And than he turned from their table again at the last second, to another customer's table that had come in after them, "how can I help you?" "What would you like to eat, this fine day?" Soma took their order down and again...if you listened very carefully...there it was again but a little bit closer it wasn't as faint..."heh-heh-heh-heh!"

Again, Soma turned like he was going to leave like last time, but Soma felt something holding him back this time...someone was holding onto the end of his long white wristband..."huh?"

Soma, turned around seeing Hisako holding it and him in place, and he smiled... "Hisako, & Nakiri, uhhhh, what are you two doing here, you get lost or something," he said with that annoying little half smile he always does, acting as if he had just seen them for the very first time!

Hisako almost felt the way Erina-sama felt and almost wanted to slap him right than and there too, and than she noticed her hand still clutching at Soma's white band and Erina...ohhhh...she pulled it free, quickly almost like she was overstepping her bounds with her friends... She shook the thought away resuming her anger and attention where it should be placed at him! "Soma-kun, that wasn't right, you know we, were here first, you told me yourself you would never make your customers wait 15 minutes or they might leave!

Erina, stared tensely at Soma, frowning, internally sending signals to her best friend full of encouragement, yeah, you tell him Hisako! What's he got to say for himself now...and than she saw that annoying smirk of his...uh, oh!

"Oh, customers, are you, huh?" "Erina never wants to eat my food." "So, let me get this straight, when we were at the dorm she wouldn't eat my food for free, but now, I'm supposed to believe you came here to pay to eat my food?" Soma, just laughed...and laughed...and laughed and than he laughed some more for a couple more minutes not even attempting to hide his disbelief right in their faces...

Erina was burning up with rage and shame...at the laughter... "I was...wasn't here to eat your food, I just was bored at the dorm, and everyone was away, and on a whim, I was just curious and just wanted to see your father's place, he is my idol, you know..." Erina stared at him defiantly daring him to say differently, to call her out...again!

Hisako, just stared at her friend, I love her like a sister and I respect her so much, but even I don't buy that shi...

"Ahhh, Nakiri, if you wanted to eat my food so much, you could have had it a while ago, but still, since you changed your mind anyway..."

"NO...NO...NO...Yukihira-kun, I came here just to see your father's place and that's it and I mean...since we came here all this way anyway, maybe you could get me a tea, a simple tea, even you and your crazy cooking couldn't mess that up, but nothing else & no tricks!" "You hear me YUKIHIRA-KUN?" She shouted at him defiantly!

"Ahhh, yes Nakiri, no tricks of course, I'll get you some tea, or is it two teas for you too Hisako and than, that's it right?..."

"Wait, Soma-kun, I actually do want to order something!" Hisako took a peek at Erina-sama who was staring questioningly at her friend, giving her the why are you on his side and not mine anymore look!

Hisako gave her back the I'm still hungry and I told you I like his food look, and Erina just looked away sort of...trying to hide that she was watching Soma closely but didn't really want him to know it yet or ever...

"So, what can I get you, Hisako," he said cheerily?

"Oh, just get me something, special!" "What's the best thing you could make for us...I mean, me right now?"

Soma, started running his finger along his chin a couple times in thought, thinking while staring at Hisako's smiling face and than glancing at Erina who seemed to snap away not wanting him to know she was looking his way for some reason...if he listened really hard he could hear the faint sounds coming from Erina Nakiri...grrrrrrrr!

And than it came to him, "oh, I have something special alright!" "The Yukihira special of the day!" "I can't wait for you to try this one Hisako!"

Hisako was smiling in anticipation, but the funny part was Soma had been staring at Erina the whole time that he said that to her!

Soma again seemed to be walking away from them in slow motion, even though it was really fast as he started envisioning the dish he would be making for Nak...I mean Hisako!

It's kind of funny, she's never told me my food is good, but she has stopped telling me it's disgusting or bad...and I don't know that she knows this yet, but I see everything!

Whenever, I cook I watch all my customers, eating my food, and during my cooking competitions, I always take a peek at her, for some reason, she's always been in most of them, and I'm just always curious what she's thinking about me...err...haha yeah right, I mean what she's thinking about my food and there was this one dish I made during one of my competitions and I saw her face, and I've made some improvements on it...Heh, heh, heh, heh, even if she doesn't eat it, I am going to laugh so hard when I see her face when she smells it again and gets to watch Hisako eat the whole thing in front of her, this is like my best day ever, even if she doesn't tell me it's delicious today, this is just so good!

Soma slowly unhooked his mother's long white strap from his wrist fastening it tight over his forehead, letting everyone, know that this time it was on, as he quickly prepared the dish he knew was going to completely knock Erina's socks off, whether she ate it or not, she was going to feel the power of this dish, he snickered...heh heh heh heh!

"So, Erina-sama what do you think Soma-kun is going to make for uhh...me?"

Erina tried to sound as bored and disinterested as she could be, while her mind was scrambling around thinking the exact same, thing, just knowing that Yokihira-kun was definitely up to something, even without that stupid smirk of his, and that annoyingly evil scheming laugh of his, he's always up to something! "I don't know, Hisako, why does it even matter, you know even if he made the best thing he's ever made it will be second best to what I make for you, right?"

"Of, course, Erina-sama, of course I would never imply his food was better than yours..."

"Or even in my league right...?" Erina interrupted her...just laughing and getting back to her haughty, confident self and than, Erina started to shake...she smelled something slightly familiar...as the seconds passed...it became more and more familiar...uh oh...

"What is it?" Erina didn't respond at all, but she was trembling as she started figuring out what he was up to as the puzzle pieces of the fragrance coming from his kitchen started making it clearer by the minute. "Erina-sama?"

Again, Yukihira Soma appeared to walk slowly, so slowly with his tray after unloading several dishes on the way there were three items left, one was Erina's plain ordinary tea with absolutely no other flavor or ingredients and than their was Hisako's jasmine tea along with the Yukihira special of the day-

It was the Curry Rissotto Omelette rice, he served at the Autumn election Preliminaries!

Literally everybody in the diner was staring at it glistening golden form with the reddish checker like stripes, smelling it's powerful enticing fragrances, wafting throughout the diner, with wave after powerful wave. They were all, desperate to know what that was! He'd never made that in the diner before! Soma was just snickering all the way over, at what he was going to do next to get back at Nakiri for their first day!

"Oh, wow, I remember this, everyone in school was talking about this!" "You made this for me, Soma-kun?" "I can't wait to,"...before Hisako could grab her utensils...

"Oh, wait, Hisako just one more thing, before I go, it was taking all of Soma's strength not to burst out laughing as he stared at Erina from the corner of his eyes as he held the spoon in his hand, you know I added more intensity to the taste and the fragrance, so this one is probably even better than the one I served in the elections so..." He watched Erina's face as she tried her best not to show him anything, she refused to let him get under her skin, or let him know he was getting under her skin, but underneath the table she was trembling with fear as she watched the spoon in his hand, she knew what was coming next!

She only had one last chance as her legs continued trembling under the table. She had to try to talk him out of it, without acting, like she would care either way. "Your really going to serve a losing dish to this table, Yukihira-kun," she wishes he believed she was as brave as she sounded but she was scared, he just told her this one was better than the one that had consumed her thoughts and tempted her so...she was just willing & hoping for him to at least put that spoon down & not to...

Soma wasn't having it at all, this was just way to good! "Oh, you mean the dish that more judges picked, that one?"" He gloated while internally hating the fact he still didn't win. "The dish I made even better for, well Hisako anyway, so Fragrance bomb take 3!" Soma using the spoon almost like a sword split the new Yukihira style Curry Rice Omelette rice in half unleashing the fragrance bomb in every direction including and especially at Erina Nakiri!

The fragrance poured out of the dish in every direction! Like a tangy, curry rice cyclone storm consuming everything and everyone in it's path with longing, and desperation to get to eat it next!

The sweet curry mango scent poured through the building every single patron was dying to try it, but Soma had eyes only on Erina even as he handed the spoon over to Hisako, to let her eat his amazing dish in front of Erina Nakiri, that she isn't even going to try!

Erina was using all of her strength trying her best to not give in or show him anything, bad enough her legs were knocking under the table, she literally had to brace herself against the chair, or she literally might fall off it she wasn't even that close last time, and the last one was so powerful it haunted her for months...but she was not going to give it to him...she can't...it's...it's...she looked at him, but she couldn't say that stupid word with a straight face, she was barely holding it together, doesn't he have other customers, does he have to stare at me, while...uhhhh..Hisako eats his dish...

Gathering the last of her strength as she stared fully annoyed at Yukihira Soma's annoyingly smug face, "d-d-don't y-y-you have other customers, Yukihira-kun, like she-she hasn't been attended to yet, r-right?" She pointed at someone newly seated at a table next to theirs.

Before Soma, could even answer, while still shining his annoying smirk at what he had just done...to her...heh heh heh heh...! The regular customer had a response of her own!

"Oh, It's OK, dear, I don't want to interrupt Chef Soma while he's talking with his girlfriend, I mean it's frankly about time too and...the spoon in Hisako's hand clattered on the table...

Erina practically spit out the sip of tea she had in her mouth, while Soma's face turned a shade of crimson, none of the other two girls had ever seen from him before!

Literally as one..."She's not my...

"He's not my...

Girlfriend!..."

Boyfriend!..."

Hisako just stared at those two blushing furiously and stammering around as they both denied their even more obvious feelings, and decided she was in love too...as she put her first spoonful of that beautiful, omelette curry rice goodness in her mouth and blasted away from all the awkwardness, she felt like she was flying through a beautiful meadow her clothes bursting free...haugghghhhhhhhhhh!

Soma awkwardly went away, "she's not," he said one more time defensively giving the slightest glance at Nakiri's impassive, obviously not feeling the same thing face, and decided he did have other customers after all, but like always...I still see every...

Erina tried to cool off, how dare that woman even put that thought out there, like I would even...and than the fragrance bomb hit her with wave after the wave, Hisako had already taken her first taste and she looked like she was on cloud nine and her stomach...Erina hadn't eaten all day was saying...Hungry...So...So...Hungry!

Hisako had just cut another piece and was about to take another bite when she saw something she had never seen from Erina-sama her hand was practically shaking as she looked like she was reaching for her spoon...and than she saw Erina's face. Her mask was long gone as she was just staring at that dish longingly, like it was her lost love, and than she heard a sound she had never ever heard from Erina-sama's stomach...Hungry! So...so...hungry!

"Uhh, Erina-sama?" She took a glance, Soma looked like he wasn't looking, but even though she knew, better, and besides, who cares, Erina-sama can eat what she wants. Obviously she's more critical than me, but that's one of the best things I've ever eaten, I love her so much, but...I'm almost embarrassed to say, I wish she didn't want it...but she saw her hungry, face, she's never seen her look like that ever, right at the spoon in her hand, almost like Soma wasn't her boyfriend, but whatever was on that spoon...was!

"Would, you care to...?" Hisako slowly moved the spoon slightly, tentatively in Erina-sama's direction.

Erina, coughed into her hand, "uhhh, just for curiosities sake Hisako." "I was just curious at the election why everyone was making a big...stink...about this dish, obviously from him...she giggled...it would be...disgusting," she raised her eyebrows a couple times, and Hisako laughed while she reluctantly handed the spoon to Erina-sama!

Erina held the spoonful of a dish that had been haunting her everyday since the first time Soma had unleashed it on everybody at the Autumn election, she slowly approached the spoon almost like she was going to kiss her boyfriend and than she shook her head trying to talk her way out of it, how special could it actually be coming from him...the spoon went through her lips and it was like an all consuming kiss through her entire soul the instant it met with her tongue!

Erina's upper clothes burst free as the powerful Indian/Soma inspired dish rattled her to her core, her clothes changed like the dish had physically transported her to India, in her pink Princess clothes and than all she saw was Soma-kun's annoying laughing faces, mocking her, isn't it tasty? So, tasty, you love it so, so much, just tell me, just tell me! They pleaded with her. AUHHHHHHHHHHH!...AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Her clothes went flying in her dreams turning her world completely upside down, by every flavorful bite...

Hisako just stared as Erina literally reached across the table and started eating the entire dish right in front of her helplessly, leaving her only with her Jasmine tea, and her hunger and desire to finish the dish, but still...Erina was the God-tongue and Hisako was actually curious, she had never seen Erina devour a dish like that before, in front of her or ever!

Erina was completely wrapped up in the dish..."awwwwwwww."... almost like she was being embraced by her lover that had finally come back to her from the war! She completely forgot about Soma and their rivalry, or the diner they were in, or even Hisako, all she knew was that she couldn't stop eating this hauntingly, weird, but amazing dish that kept hitting her with wave after wave of flavor sweet, and spicy goodness, it was so, so, what were those judges even thinking...as she hummed eating along and than a familiar shadow was hovering over the two diners...a shadow with a powerful gloatingly, evil smile as Erina finished up the last of Hisako's dish!

Hisako wanted to warn Erina-sama, but it was already too late. At least Erina had kept the plate by Hisako's side of the table and really tried to sneak the food off it, cutting it free with her spoon and keeping her hand as close to the table as possible hoping he wouldn't see anything but of course...he sees everything, with that gloating evil vexing smile, Hisako at this point didn't even care, I only had one damned bite, it was obviously delicious no matter what she says, she took it from me it was so good, and I'm still so hungry, let Erina-sama explain this one than, hmmmphhh!
"Ahh, Nakiri, so how was it?" "Delicious...or disgusting, ehhh...Nakiri?"

Erina still smiling and blushing after finishing that wonder...uh oh! Her smile vanished at Soma's annoying, knowing smirk, like he actually knows anything, ever! "Fine, Soma, you, you caught me eating." "Big, deal!" "A girl has to eat!" "It's my curse as the God-tongue, that I have to eat, regardless of my standards, even in this diner, so I ate some of..."

"Ha,ha,ha, ha, yeah, right you didn't even let poor hungry, Hisako eat one bite of it!" "If it was so bad, and you were hungry, the least you could have done was share it with your best friend, right, Hisako," he gloated and teased her while trying to lay out the sympathy card nice and thick as the rich sauce in the dish Erina had completely cleared off of Hisako's plate!

Hisako, stared at Erina, almost tempted to throw her friend who had just stolen all of her food right under a bus, but she couldn't do it, at least she didn't have to pretend Erina didn't eat it all! "It, it's OK, Erina-sama hasn't eaten all day and she-she needs her strength, uhhh, she just changed her mind, that's all," but she couldn't maintain her stare as Yukihira-kun like a prosecutor on trial proving the verdict to way more than a reasonable doubt, and always with that stupid smile on his face!

He was just silent, waiting...for them to both tie the noose tighter as Nakiri was trying to get out of this one, I know she liked it, I just need her to admit it! Until she does, it's not enough, she's finished all of my food before, I need to still hear it from her lips and her God Tongue!

Breaking the silence, "uhhh, Soma, seeing that Erina...ahhhh...ate some...he heard a sharp laugh coming from Soma...of...errr most of what I ordered, could I have one more ...please...?"

Soma, stared, dumbfounded, "you know what Hisako, I am not leaving here, until both of you actually tell me how my dish was," as he folded his hands over his chest staring at the both of them!

Hisako stared for a second at Erina, and she knew she didn't care anymore...it was amazing...it is literally one of the best things...I've ever eaten..."uhhh...well from the one bite I got to eat, Erina-sama!" She stared at her friend, with a stare, like if you mess this up for me, you better at least say something, with feeling!

Ahh, thank you Hisako, at least I got one, honest answer, would you like to add something to the table, Nakiri or let your friend starve over here?

Soma put both his hands right on the table just staring Erina down with those golden orbs of his melting all of her resolve as he really hit her right where it hurts, Hisako!

I can't tell him, he's already so pompous and arrogant, that even if I give the slightest hint, that I felt anything for his dish, he is going to be lording it over me forever! But, Hisako, it was her food and she wanted it too, I have to tell him something but what...and than her heart skipped a beat as Soma's hand slowly, tentatively reached for the side of her face with his thumb, sending sparks all through Erina's cheek, a crimson blush forming as Soma brushed off some of the sauce she had neglected to clean from her face and than he...

Soma, couldn't resist staring at the red sauce by the side of Erina's cute face and his fingers almost with a mind of their own brushed along the side of Erina Nakiri's super cute cheek and with Erina still stammering and deliberating what she had to say, but she had to say something, her mouth hung open as Soma without thinking just licked the smudge he took off of her face into his mouth...mmmmmmmmmm...not too bad, ehhh Nakiri, he trolled her his face getting ever closer as the blush on her cheeks kept darkening...

She wanted to just scream it, out like this demon boy will ever stop teasing me no matter what I say, fine you want to know what I think, Soma fine I'll tell you...

"Soma!" Ruffle, ruffle, ruffle, an annoying hand started ruffling Soma's messy red hair out of nowhere! "Ahhh, I finally get to see you again and challenge you to a rematch from our last match!" Joichiro Saiba literally sprang out of nowhere ruffling Soma's hair in that annoying way he always does, while Erina, breathed out a sigh of relief that her idol had saved her once again, this time from telling Soma...

"Stop, ruffling my hair, why do you keep showing up out of nowhere?" Soma exploded with anger shouting at his oblivious father, he was so close, he just needed her to finally say just one more thing...

Erina saw the opening and desperately went with it hoping to change the subject for good! "Hisako and I of course would love to judge between you two in your cooking contest of course it would be our honor," Erina practically spilled it out quickly hoping to stop Soma from asking her again how she really felt about...

Before Soma could say anything else he was cut off by his annoyingly oblivious father!

"Why of course, Erina-chan, and Hisako-chan it is so great to see you two at the diner, I would love for you two, to decide on this latest dish I am going to use to get back at Soma, for our last match!"

"But, but, Erina, how was...?"

"Than it's, settled Hisako and I will both judge between your most amazing and wonderful dish and Soma's crude and inferior dish and we will give an impartial decision on whose dish is best.

Soma just stared defeated and forlorn as Joichiro and Erena got excited about a match he couldn't even care less about he just wanted to know and all they were talking about was...

To be continued in chapter 3, still untitled but...Yukihira Soma vs Joichiro Saiba in a cooking battle with a twist!

Author end notes: Yeah, that Soma is a troll isn't he, I tried to write him at his trolliest best. Yeah, I know she didn't actually say the obvious, but she was really close and about to, at least I tried to explain why she didn't give an answer versus how they did it on the show with her just not answering, which lead into my cliffhanger, too. There are clues already there, you probably already know where I'm going with chapter 3. I hope you enjoy this chapter as I enjoyed, planning and writing it and please let me know what you think. Hopefully, I'll have a nice update in the future and again, thank you all for reading this! "Your Welcome!"