Just Like Magnets

Chapter 5: Almost like a...

by jaymack33

Summary: Erina is left alone in a mysterious room in the diner with Joichiro and Soma while Hisako takes the scenic route, supposedly to get medicine and vitamins for her friend but she's really giving both Erina and Soma a chance to be alone with each other because she suspects they are both starting to have feelings for each other. Of course things are a little awkward in the beginning for Soma and Erina while Joichiro has his own plans for those two. How close will Erina and Soma get in this one? Your going to have to read this chapter to the end to find out.

Author's notes: First of all, so sorry for the delay, work really got in the way, and even though I've been less busy lately with all this stuff that's happening in the world, sometimes it's hard to restart a story when you've been away from it for so long, I almost forgot some of the things I actually wanted to write, but luckily I had a lot of saved notes left over for this chapter. If you thought the last chapter was a Sorina chapter, you haven't seen anything yet. Sorry for the wait. Hope you like it!


Mysterious Room:

AHHHH, she hummed happily! The smell of the ocean breeze! The ocean gently rocking, as extended toes, with pink nail polish dipped into a nice warm ocean as she lay back on her floating chair. Seabirds were chirping happy songs, as a pretty blond in a pink bikini, could only say ahhh, and than the seas started getting murky as a Giant tentacled squid with Soma's face on it wrapped around her disturbing her peace, pulling her back under into her waking nightmare...AHHHHHHHHHHH, she screamed at the top of her lungs!

Erina Nakiri woke up with a start, a little disoriented, and sleepy, it's so unnerving waking up in a strange bed, in a strange room, second time this month, but worst, why did it have to be here, in Soma's...she looked at the picture of Joichiro-sama in a dark suit and that's his wife, she looks really, pretty! She, looks around, this definitely doesn't look like it was occupied recently and the hair brushes, and dresses...was this...her...room? Something about it feels so weird, sleeping in Soma's mother's room it felt weird and off to her, like this is way too personal...

"I need...I need to get out of here!" She desperately searches for her phone, "damn it Hisako, pick up please, please, please, I promise you, I'm OK, as long as I don't eat anything else from Soma, and that is definitely not going to happen, please, just pick up and..." Went right to voice mail!

"No, please," she tries again, stares at the haunting picture and another one with a young Soma right in between them happy, he looks so happy, they all do, wish I could relate!

Erina felt like a caged bird. Hisako won't answer my phone. That has never happened before. And I am sure she is being overprotective, but Oh God if I faint again, and into...that boys arms...just the thought of that almost makes me want to scream and...uhhhhh...it was his fault anyway even though he did save me, or at least that's what she told me...and...and...I'm stuck and cooped up in what probably is his mother's room, she either got divorced or...or...the other thing and I can't even begin to unwrap what me being here means, I can't leave I could run into Soma...but I'm stuck here and I know he's coming anyway, she tries again in her phone desperately hoping, "Hisako will you please...please?" "Pick up!"


Meanwhile in the Local Sumeridori Shopping Center:

Hisako was humming along drinking her tea, eating her pastry, heard the familiar buzz of her phone ringing again... The familiar theme of Mozart Symphony no 41 humming loudly begging for her to answer it...again.

She felt...really, really guilty! Miss Erina really wants me to answer it. And, I know, I'm taking a chance leaving her in the hands of Yukihira-Kun, actually both of them, but it's for her own good!

I mean, she's gonna be fine, but I can't take too many chances, with her dizzy spells, she almost giggled at her obvious excuse and alibi! I mean there is no way, she's going to actually realize how she...uhh really feels, right, or that blockhead Soma, but if this doesn't work, I don't know when their going to get another chance at it, so, I am going to get her medicine, some more supplies, take my time, looking around in scenic...uhhhhh.. Sumeridori? And than I'll get back to her...eventually!

Hisako laughed as her phone kept insisting on her undivided attention with Symphony 41 starting up once again in a heavy rotation. Thinking the better of it she decided to turn it just to vibrate! I do feel guilty Erina, but it is...for your own good!


Erina keeps texting Hisako why isn't she answering, she sees the haunting pictures one of Joichiro and his wife on their wedding day, one picture just by herself and than a 3rd one they look so happy along with their happy little son...Soma.

Who is this woman, that captured his heart, and Soma as a kid he kind of looks...'knock'...'knock'...'knock'...

Ummm,,,,Erina thought for a second it could be his father, or it could be uhhhhh, "you can...come in?" She was going to have to see him again anyway, may as well just rip off the bandaid and get it over with!


Other side of the door:

Soma stared at the other side, of his...mother's door! Why did I put her in that room. There's enough bad memories as is, and now she hates me. I mean, of course, she hates, me, she's always hated me! I mean, I thought I was making progress, where she at least was kind of hating me...less lately, and than I had to lay her down again, with that stupid dish, I mean she did give me a win out of it, but uhhhhh, she's so back to hating me, maybe more than ever now! Why did my stupid dad have to make me be the first one to go upstairs to...Soma looked at the warm tea suspended on the blue plate, as he tentatively knocked, hoping for the best, maybe she at least is only going to hate me at least...just...a little bit...less after a good night's sleep?

Erina through the door: "You can...come in?"

Soma walks in tentatively at first seeing Erina in her familiar green pajamas with the really low hanging collar exposing her creamy smooth neck and shoulders! The pajamas were hugging along her body just enough to know how truly curvy and voluptuous this girl could be, and than he notices the familiar annoyed stare coming back at him...same stare, just a different day!

Erina stares at Soma, gawking at her for some reason like an idiot with a cup with the fragrance of a vaguely familiar tea. "So, are you going to stare at me like an idiot, or..." Erina took a breath composing herself. "Did you make that tea, Yukihira-kun?"

Soma thought about it a second, allowing a slight smile to form, and than thinking the better of it as some of his friends at Polar Star tend to get frightened when he smiles too much. "Relax, Nakiri, the tea-bag was from Hisako," as he slowly hands it to her, wondering if this impossible girl to please was still going to bite his head off just for the hell of it. "Nakiri, you don't have to worry about being poisoned, again." Soma took a dig at himself based on yesterdays contest, a slight nervous chuckle coming out as he spoke.

"If, you don't believe me, I could, uhh...try it...first?"

Erina blushes thinking about sharing the same tea from the same cup, with Yukihira...Soma!

Soma blushes and laughs it off too, while he cursed inwardly how weird it would be to share the same cup with her. Stupid, stupid, stupid Soma he berated himself, internally!

Erina's crimson cheeks returned back to normal as she put her defenses back up! "Like it would have stopped you before, you seem to enjoy eating your own abominations, like a pig swimming in his muddy little trough!" Erina just smiled wickedly at her dig at Soma, with an enigmatic eyebrow raise!

Soma, just shook his head laughing lightheartedly, "I, I'm not going to put you through that again, Eri...ahhh...Nakiri!" Soma nervously scratched the back of his messy red hair with one hand as he tentatively put the plate holding the tea into her hand.

Erina looks into Soma's eyes, he didn't seem to be overly exuberant like he was trying to pull one over her, and she was a little bit thirsty, first waking up in the morning, it did smell like Hisako's special medicinal, soothing blend. She drinks the tea and it feels so warm tastes so nice it is from Hisako's special blend but for some reason, why does it taste so different coming from, him?

Soma notices how close she was to the pictures by the dresser.

"So, I see you've been looking at those pictures..."

"No...no..no...I...I...mean yes, but I was bored and you and Hisako have me cooped up in this room like some invalid, yes I fainted...once, but that was because of something you gave me to eat, it sucked Soma, no actually it was terrible, no actually it was the worst thing ever conceived and put on a plate by a human, how could you serve that to the God tongue and worst...to me!" "Were you trying to...hurt me, Soma?"

"I..." She sees Soma looking sad. As Nakiri was taking no time into ripping the gaping wound bare to the world, I hurt her! Soma stared awkwardly as this amazing girl who kept frustrating him at his every turn slowly finished up her tea.

Erina started feeling bad herself seeing the usually chipper Soma Yukihira, somber all of the sudden, I think, does he actually feel bad about it? "I mean you did save...help me afterwards, though I think, so Soma maybe...I."..'knock'...'knock'...'knock'...

Joichiro comes in with a tray with a covered dish. "Soma will you mind the store for a bit?" "I know how you two want to spend so much time together and..."

Soma gets out of there quickly before he can even finish his sentence!

Erina is blushing and flustered that boy...couldn't wait to get out of there and away from...me...grrr..

"Erina-chan, back into bed here is some breakfast."

Erina was about to protest about being sent to bed again, when she finally realized! "You made something for me?" "And for real this time, not that whatever that was yesterday!"

"No, this is for real, something for you with our style of cooking." Joichiro smiled happily, waiting to see what she would think about this dish.

As the plate was uncovered it looked like an Omelette pizza! It was cut into triangles, with a special red sauce and some sausage, and green peppers inside, it smelled divine like something only Saiba...uhhh...I mean the great Joichiro Yukihira would make! It looked so good, and she was really, really hungry at least it wasn't from, 'him'! She immediately happily ran her chopstick cutting off a small piece before carefully placing it along her God tongue!

Erina tastes the dish and it was wonderful, so good and very delicious as she now saw Joichiro as a bright light and shining angel giving shining blinding eggs that practically blinded her with it's sheer brilliance and than she noticed a couple Soma's grabbing at her ankles, shoo...shoo...your father cooked this dish not you...mmmmmm..it's so good...not like yours of course...mmmmmmm...why are there so many Soma's in this dream...go away Yukira-kun's...shoo...shoo...

"It was good, right?" He asked her about the Omelette pizza with a knowing look.

"It really is, though there is something slightly...you did make this right?"

"It is in the Yukihira style of our cooking."

"No, but I mean you made it not..."

"If you liked it, why does that matter?"

"Because, because, it...I mean it's good, but you made it right...?"

Joichiro laughed, "yes it's something that came from me," and Erina blew a sigh of relief as she continued blushing, but why were there so many Soma's in her food dream and there was something else about how that dish tasted and the special tomato sauce, it was hauntingly familiar, I mean his father taught him, so of course he might make some food that's similar, but there was something else about the food, he wouldn't do that to me would he, if he did I shouldn't keep eating...

Oh whoops I finished it already it was so good, it better have been from him..."uhh Joichiro-sama?"

"Yes, so you liked the food, right?"

"Of course I did, it was your...usual excellence, but I was wondering since your here, that picture on the wall, that's...your...your..."

"My wife Tamako..."

"Uhh, I don't want to pry, but if you wouldn't mind, could you tell me about her, she must have been really special."

"She was, uh..." Joichiro thought back, painful memories, entwined with the happiest moments of his life, a blessing, but a curse. Finding and losing the love of your life, is it selfish I try not to think about her all the time, because of the pain, but she shouldn't be forgotten, she deserves more than that.

Erina watched Joichiro, looking somber it probably wasn't a divorce it was the other thing, "I-I'm sorry, if it is difficult for you to talk about her, you don't have to..."

Joichiro turned back to her, wondering what he could say, what he should say, and than he saw the photo album, at least, maybe it would be easier that way. He carefully opened up the photo album to one of his favorite pages, while Erina stared wide eyed, and very curious about what her cooking idol was going to be willing to share with her today.

"So this is me and Tamako getting plastered after our opening night, after she finally got me to agree to cook in her kitchen."

Erina smiled and laughed, seeing his wife with a painted on mustache and Joichiro was in a dress?

Joichiro just smiled, "I'm not gonna lie, I don't remember the entire night, we were pretty smashed, but I think it went something like this?" Joichiro proceeded to re-enact the scene for her.

Tamako (Joichiro's feminine voice): "I am Joichiro, everything I make is so, so perfect, worship, bow down before me, you are all so unworthy, don't even look at me or you'll go blind with my brilliance!"

Younger Joichiro: "Hahaha... I am not like that at all Tamako, and how about you?" "I'm sorry, sir you wanted a chicken sandwich not a soup, I promise, I promise I will make this right, here is some bread, for your soup...sandwich?" "It's now a soup sandwich!" "Ha, ha, ha, ha!"

Tamako: "I did not do that...more than one time..."

Giggle...giggle...giggle! Erina laughed at Joichiro playing the part of his wife and an earlier version of himself, she saw him carrying Tamako in a piggy back ride up the steps she laughing her head off while she was covering his eyes while he was struggling to get her up the stairs, they looked so happy, she must have been some woman, to win Joichiro Saiba's heart, she vaguely wondered about that last name thing, why he changed it, when she noticed a new picture and she wanted to look away not react, but she started howling laughing. It was a picture of Yukihira-Kun, a young Soma and...and his hair was straight...in his little suit, with his mom holding her watch by his head...Giggle...Giggle!

Oh, that picture Erina-chan, is a funny story, we were invited to a cousins wedding, it was Soma's first...uhhh...Wedding so Tamako was just pouring on product in his hair, she wanted Soma to look uhhhh...presentable, we walked out that door 5 minutes later as soon as the air hit his hair and...Joichiro made this gesture with his hands like an Atomic bomb blew up...Pooof! Soma's hair right back all over the place...

"Giggle...Giggggggle!" "Hahahahahaha!" Erina was laughing her head off, she had never seen Soma's hair like that before and apparently no one will ever again, because it doesn't...stay...

And than she turned one more page and Erina went from giggling to howling with laughter at Soma's baby picture with a Winnie the Pooh and Piglet stuffed animal held lovingly in his arms and oh my God, in the next page he's naked in the bathtub with his little...

Soma stared horrified out the door with his turncoat, betraying, scumbag dad humiliating him and of all the times why did it have to be in front of her! Trembling with fear of what he was showing her and than he saw the next picture his Father was showing...and Soma exploded!

"Dad!" "What the hell!"

He ripped the picture book right out of his hand another picture fell out with a baby Soma sucking on a pacifier!

"Hahahahahaha!" Erina giggled even more not just from the picture but Soma's face, she didn't think it was possible that it was actually more red than his actual hair.

"Get out!" "Get out!" "Get out!" He started shoving his dad out the door clutching the book and pressing it on his chest, like he was a Quarterback handing off a football to his runningback. "You were supposed to watch her why did you have to...uhhhhh..."

"Hahahaha!" Erina had not stopped laughing once since those last several pictures and Yukihira-kun kept making her laugh even harder, seeing Soma actually losing his cool for once!

He slowly lowered his voice..."Uhh is she listening?"

Erina swallowed another giggle, "no I didn't hear you whispering about keeping a secret from me, not that you have too many left...Yukihira-KUNNNNNN," she teased with a voice that fluctuated between flirtatious and mocking at the same time! She started laughing again as Soma force walked Joichiro away...from...her!

"Hey, I was doing you a favor, Soma!"

Joichiro had this smug innocent, but knowing look on his face just shrugging his shoulders like it was nothing, that was just burning Soma up completely inside!

"Favor?" "What favor, your freaking embarrassing me in front of the freaking Queen of cooking!" "God, what is wrong with you?" And than he really exploded and let him have it, not even caring if Nakiri heard him!

Joichiro just saw Soma's mouth moving as he continued yelling in his face gesturing, while he glanced at Erina-chan smiling and laughing through a crack in the door, he doesn't realize, I'm helping him, but no one said being a father was so easy! "You, done Soma, if you didn't want me to act like your father in front of your...girl...uhhhh...your friend..."

Soma was literally holding his breath at what he was about to say, stopping his anger, and Erina still listening in on everything while pretending to look at a wall was holding her breath too. "Why don't you watch her and stop putting it on me, Soma, unless your scared?"

"I-I I'm not scared, just sometimes it gets uhhh..awkward between us, especially after you know, before...earlier...the...incident..." He tip toed around fully mentioning it not wanting to open up another Erina Nakiri hornets nest.

"I'll cover the restaurant, and it's your turn, Soma to take care of Erina-chan." Joichiro just laughed, kids make things so complicated sometimes.

Joichiro grabbed the finished tray laughing at the empty plate, knowing what it would mean to Soma, if he knew, or even Erina-chan, which Yukihira actually made the dish but after that ear-ful they can have at it!

He laughed thinking earlier in the day when he and Soma had exchanged breakfast dishes, one of them, made an Eggs Benedict, and one an Omelette pizza, wouldn't they like to know which one ended up impressing the God Tongue? Even if he made it, technically it was from me, because he gave it to me, Hahahahaha, Soma will never know! That'll teach him to beat me in our last match! I don't get mad I get even, besides, I'm really doing him a favor, I just keep hoping one of these days Soma realizes there really is more to life than cooking, and sometimes when you figure it out, it will help you to get to even greater heights with both, just like, she did for me!

Soma reluctantly walked into his mother's room again, an eerie chill for some reason, he almost lost his breath for a moment at the view of Erina Nakiri, actually smiling and laughing, I didn't know she had that many teeth, when she's actually smiling she actually can be very...but than he frowned, because she was still laughing...at me!

"Ha, ha, ha, Yukihira-Kun, you talk so big, hahaha...but before your mother put your...uhh diaper on you actually weren't so..." She extended her pointer finger slightly from her thumb measuring Soma's size or lack thereof...Erina laughed and teased at Soma who was blushing furiously with his head down, trying to think, how do I get out of this? God, someone...kill me now, that's one way!

"Hahaha, it was just so little, and cute and..."

"So, Nakiri, you really like seeing me, naked, huh?"

"Hahaha..." 'Silence!' "As, if, you were just a cute baby...all babies are cute even...never mind!" Erina's mood turned dark again.

She hated when Soma always turned things around on her, why did he have to say that, and that way? I don't, and would never, could never...hmmmmphhhh, she turned around whipping her blond tresses at Soma trying to show her total disdain, hoping he didn't see her blushing either, Soma naked! Why...uh...why would I...I have no use...for that, as if he even would...uhhhh... He ruins everything!

Soma smiled, more comfortable with an angry more silent Nakiri, not mocking and laughing at him. It's not right, that someone laughs at someone that hard as he vaguely remembered laughing that hard at Erina multiple times, but completely failed to see the connection as he sat down bouncing on the bed a safe distance from Erina who was still giving him the shoulder staring out the window like a caged bird.

"Well, I suppose, I am stuck here...with you...Yukihira-kun, while I wait for Hisako to come back, so uhhh...is there anything to do around here?"

Soma: "We uhh, could play cards?" "Maybe, Poker?"

Erina brightened, at the chance to do something, she really wanted to do! She really wanted to beat Soma, so bad! So bad! GRRRRRR...He is just so irritating!

Erina just watched as Soma was literally shooting and shuffling cards through his hand like he was a pro-dealer with lightning like quickness. Over and over again both hands one handed, behind his back in the air, no look landing card down right in his hand, not paying attention to the steam of a pretty blond staring daggers right at him!

"Are you done already, with your stupid, parlor, tricks?" "Stop stalling, already and I'll show you how it's really done, when I play and you lose...Hahaha!"

I'll show him...show off! He's not that great, anyone can do that! She almost attempted to do a card trick herself, watching Soma stare attentively, she thought the better of it..."please like you could do anything better than me?"

Soma, just laughed at Nakiri, "go head, & show me," he teased knowing, that she was just stalling...

"I-I-Your just delaying your inevitable defeat, your not worthy of seeing...my tricks...Yukihira!" "Hahaha, I will show you and..."

Loss, after loss after loss later...Erina was fuming, this must be what it is like when Soma is cooking! She almost laughed but she was still so steaming mad because...

"HAHAHAHAHA!" A stupid chibi Yukihira-Kun was laughing at her rapid fire every time he beat her and it was every time!

Erina scowled furiously at him, "you did something to the cards, I do not acknowledge these losses!"

Soma, just smiled enjoying Erina more and more, better an angry Nakiri than that beautiful, I mean that annoying girl laughing at me like she was earlier. "If you don't like the game..."...he almost said don't play in it...thinking the better of it, he asked her instead, "we could play something, else maybe...Old Maid?"

Erina exploded fuming mad at yet another Soma Yukihira dig at her specifically timed as always just to piss her off! As she grabbed the nearest pillow and just slapped at him with his mother's pillow against his shoulder over and over again, while Soma continued to laugh!


Meanwhile at the Polar Star Dorm:

Hisako packing some clothes, & some additional supplies, I mean, she probably will be raring to get out of there as soon as possible, but you never know it could turn into something like a...hmmmmm!

Megumi: "Hey, Hisako, welcome, back, uhhh...where is Erina, wasn't she with you?"

Hisako: "Uhh, about that, if you don't mind, you know Soma-Kun pretty well, right?"

Megumi: She stared at Hisako, wondering why she was packing some of Erina's clothes out, as far as she could tell she was still in hiding from her father. "Well, I guess, as well as anyone of us could know him, but he is still Soma-kun, after all!"

Hisako: "Yeah, but you two are really close, and tight like good friends, or..."

Megumi just stared wondering where this was coming from and why she wanted to know about Soma all of the sudden. "I guess, I mean I can't speak for him, but he is definitely my best friend at the very least, he is really special." Megumi smiled happily just thinking about his goofy, self, but underneath his happy go lucky exterior he is so talented, and he has such a good heart.

Hisako: Hisako stared at Megumi who if she didn't know any better might actually be Erina's competition, and maybe I shouldn't be asking her. "I mean, as far as Erina-sama goes, do you know what he thinks about, her?"

Megumi started pondering, why she was asking this as she slowly started pondering how she should answer as the creak of a door slightly a jar with a smiling silver-haired girl listened attentively to every single word, this was getting really, interesting!


Meanwhile back upstairs at Yukihira's:

Erina Nakiri is still slapping and beating Soma's head with his mother's pillows repeatedly in his thick skull! After all he has a very thick skull, she chuckled between her repeated blows at Soma's head...giggle...giggle...giggle...

"Alright, Nakiri, I-I-I surrender!" "I concede if we kept playing cards.." 'Bop!'...'Bop!'...'Bop!'... "eventually you were.."..'bop!'..."not going to lose.."..'bop'... "as badly..."

"Hahahahha..."..'BOP'...'BOP'...'BOP!' Erina was just laughing hitting Soma over and over again with this pillow was awesome, he so deserved all of this and so much more!

Erina's laughing stopped as she went back to full on fume, and pout after hearing Soma's obnoxious concession!

She put the pillow down surprising Soma!

"So, you finally got tired of hitting me, I see..."...'BOP'...'BOP'...'BOP'...'BOP!'

Erina, smiled, "well maybe now...'BOP...'BOP'..."OK, now, one more you deserve it..."..'BOP'...'BOP'...'BOP!'

Soma in the defensive position looked up. "You done?"

Erina, swung the pillow again, but as Soma flinched, she held the pillow in place. "Yeah, I'm done, as much fun as it it bopping you with a pillow, it doesn't look like Hisako is any closer to coming back yet, so, what else is there to do around here, Soma?"

"Well, there is of course..."

She saw the look in his eyes, "besides cooking, I don't want to eat your food!"

"Alright, come with me, than you've been cooped up in this room for a bit." He slowly extended his hand out, looking into Nakiri's azure eyes practically expecting her to slap it as she stared at it like she was pondering exactly that and than she took his hand and they left his mother's room together.


Polar Star:

Megumi: "Well, I mean, Soma doesn't really tell me much about her, but I will say I have heard him say her name sometimes when he's making a new dish." "I think, I once heard him say even Nakiri, wouldn't be able to resist this dish...heh...heh...heh..." Megumi giggled slightly as she tried to imitate the typical devious Yukihira-Kun laugh. "Other than that, maybe sometimes he will tell me about how she really laid it into him good that day, with one of her latest rants and he'll ask me why she has it in for him so much."

Hisako: "So, what do you tell him, I mean Erina-sama can sometimes be on edge with people she doesn't know very well, and I will say Soma, tends to have a special gift to maybe get under her skin maybe a little bit more than most or actually anybody I have ever seen." "But, once she gets to know someone well, she kind of has a little bit of a dry sense of humor about it, where she doesn't always mean it." "More like a friendly rival digging at an opponent."

Megumi: "I'm still not sure, where your going with this, I mean I know he respects her opinion about food, but not to the extent that he will ever not be Soma, in how he preps and comes up with his latest dishes."

Hisako bit, her tongue, this wasn't exactly what she was looking for and maybe she shouldn't exactly be asking her but... "Does, uhhh, does Soma have a...girlfriend?"

Megumi was really nervous about this line of questioning. "I-I'm not really sure how to answer, that and if your asking me, or for you, or for, but isn't that a little..."

Megumi was too good-natured to say it out loud, but Soma and Erina, really?

Hisako: "Well, OK, you see Erina-sama was recently really curious about Soma's family diner and she's actually there right now, and I don't know, I know it might be a little bit crazy, but I swear I saw sparks between, them, and I'm not talking the normal fireworks we see between them when their going at it, either." "So, I just was curious, if I'm not fooling myself in thinking that maybe there is something there."

Megumi thought about it. Erina staying over, Soma's diner was really, really surprising! She felt something weird, is this what jealousy feels like? As she thought about it some more, she could see Hisako almost had this slight sympathetic look like she can see right through me. "Look, I don't know what to tell, you, except..." "When I first started in the academy I was so close to failing out, when Soma saved me, more than once." "So, many times." "My first impression of him was this loud arrogant, but very confident chef, and when I got to know him, he was really special." "He one time risked losing everything his entire career, just to save, me, and I thought maybe, he could, be, but Soma is like this Hurricane and he plows through things, nothing quiet about him and I thought maybe that we could be, somehow, but I think..."

"I think I lost my chance, somewhere with him, he's still my very best friend, and I really have only seen him focused primarily on his cooking and if he sees anyone being wronged in anyway he will stick up for them no matter what and everything else be damned." "But, I have never seen him show interest in girls before." "I've seen girls obviously interested in him." "I'm not sure how he actually feels about Miss Erina, but the one thing I know about Soma, is he doesn't back down from anything, or anyone." "He might look at her as a challenge, so maybe that...or...or..."

Hisako, smiled, "I love Erina-sama like a sister, but yeah, she can be sometimes a...challenge! She laughed...just thinking how challenging it must be for Soma and probably her too, and her feelings, she's not very good at it either.

Alice Nakiri had the biggest smile ever listening to all of this, so she is all alone...with Soma...all to herself almost like a... That little vixen! Ooooohhhhh! I gotta see this one for myself. I think, Erina might actually have a...boyfriend? She might not be so clueless about boys, after all! "Ryo, please find out where this little hole in the wall diner, is, I got to see my little lovestruck cousin for myself...so I can laugh in her face...hahahaha!"

"Come along Ryo," she tugs and pulls at his red bandanna clinging to his arm as they slowly walk out together as Hisako says the familiar 'Arigato', thanking Megumi as she slowly carries her bag out to her waiting car!


Meanwhile back at Yukihira's

Erina is sitting on a couch watching TV, well at least pretending to, as she felt this annoying heat emanating from this annoying boy sitting next to her. This was weird, so weird, I know he's supposedly watching me, just repeating that he's watching...me...it's already so disquieting, worst than that this almost...this almost feels like a...

Soma felt weird I mean normally watching Television, and some random movie, when a friend comes over and my dad forces me out of the kitchen, something about child labor laws or something, it's supposed to be normal, but sitting here next to...a girl...this girl in particular...she hates me...I think...but than she starts laughing and smiling and it gets...kind of...confusing...and why does it feel...so warm in here all of the sudden?

I haven't heard a single word, of dialogue in this movie, how can I think or concentrate, when...'he' is here with me. But I don't want him to know, how weird this is for me, I mean...and...she stares at his hand inches away from her hand...practically touching like it's almost scandalous...she almost felt like pulling her hand away quickly, but it's weird, I'm not sure I want to do that, I almost want to know. I could have sworn his hand was so far away earlier, and does he want to?

I mean there is no way he wants to hold my hand...? But, what if he does, but he looks like he is just watching TV, like he could care less about me, or this weird situation we are in, it still feels almost like a...

Soma had been trying to relax, I hope she doesn't know, I haven't heard a single line of dialogue, she better not quiz me, not a single word, and...he notices how close his hand is to Nakiri's if we even touched, she would probably...kill me! He tentatively tries to inch it away trying to make it look like the most natural act in the world, hoping she doesn't notice.

Erina noticed. Probably just my imagination, he wasn't trying to hold my hand, her thoughts went somber without even knowing it. She actually tried listening to the actual movie she was pretending to watch, he better not ask me what is going on, I haven't a clue...Than the silence ended as she heard something from the movie breaking through her thoughts.

"Listen, I didn't mean it, Brooke." "It was always you." "All this, the fighting, all of our misunderstandings, it's because I don't just care about you, I love you."

"Mark," her eyes glistening, "I was so stupid not to notice it before, I feel the same way..." They slowly get closer eyes glistening for the big final kis...click!

Erina turned it off so fast like it was a spoiler to an ending of her favorite show before she got to watch it!

Soma, was now staring at a blank screen wondering if he should even ask, or if she would buy it that he didn't notice the TV clicking off all of the sudden while staring at a blank screen.

"Why, Soma?"

"Huh?"

"Did, you hate me that much that you had to give me that poison, yesterday?"

"I-I..." She thinks I hate her? Does that, would that even bother her even if that were actually true. "I-I don't hate you Nakiri, I.." He hesitated wondering what this confounding girl really wanted from him.

"Was it because I didn't tell you, what I thought of your other dish?" "Was that it, or, or..." She didn't want to mention or even think about all those times, from the moment she met him till now...was it because of...that?

"I mean, did I want you to tell me what you thought of my dish of course, I did, but I mean I wasn't trying to punish you over it, well maybe I had a little fun with it," he laughed nervously. "But I mean I wasn't trying to hurt you, I do that kind of thing with my dad all the time, it actually was you that forced the challenge when I was trying to get you to admit you liked my dish, you actually suggested the challenge."

"I know, but...I thought it was a normal challenge, not...uhhh...whatever that was." "I still don't even get why would you make something bad on purpose, and it wasn't to exact revenge on me for..." Erina almost smirked slightly ...I have no idea why she thought, while internally she saw herself yelling at Soma, that she couldn't wait to get him kicked out of school, just you wait...day after day, week after week, yep no idea why!

"You really, want to know why, OK, well, I mean in the Yukihira household it's the most normal thing in the world." "You see, it kind of started with my dad."

"But, your father is such a good chef it doesn't even make any sense, he is a master of making cuisine that is so good and perfect, it could be served to a God!"

"Yeah, I guess when you put it that way, I usually don't think about it in those terms, but the actual reason is my dad told me there is this pressure of always making the best dish, that he's ever made." "Every dish better than the last." "Sometimes just to clear your head, and release that pressure it's fun to make an absolutely no pressure worst dish ever and just laugh out loud at someone choking & going out of their mind at how horrible the dish was, and afterwards maybe we figure out that missing ingredient we couldn't think of earlier, I mean kind of makes sense right, I mean your Erina Nakiri, and I know that spits in the face of everything you believe in, everything has to be so perfect...soooooo perfectttt, right?"

Erina listened absolutely fascinated, it was weird, it made no sense, but in a weird way maybe it actually did. They use it just as a distraction, a fun little game. I mean it's still twisted, and Joichiro-sama too, why did I not notice how similar those two are...she didn't want to think about it, it made her feel weird almost like the way she felt about his dad, and how she now feels about...

"You, know you got me thinking, I remember those times when me and my dad would go at it a lot in actual food wars." "And my win lost record isn't exactly perfect when it comes to..."

Erina finally smiled, seeing her opening, "you lost every single time, hahaha, Soma!"

Soma, hated when she did that, her gloating face rubbing it in, "you know I learned something from every single one of those matches."

"You learned how to...lose...Soma...over...and over and over...again...I guess you got good at that...at losing I mean...I can't relate," she smiled practically singing at him at her absolutely perfect record.

Soma, was infuriated internally, but just like in cooking, never let them see you sweat, never let them see their getting to you, or they already won. "I know you sneer at that on your high horse, but I do learn from every failure I've ever had, I learn what I did wrong, I always try the other dish to see how far away I am and what it will take to overtake it next time." "So, I guess, on your little throne looking down on me, I'm a loser, but I choose not to see it that way, there is no losing, I either win my match or I got better for it!" "Tell me I'm wrong, do my dishes get better or not?"

Erina cursed internally she hated when Soma turned everything against her. Especially, I mean when he's...but I'll never tell him that! "I don't even know how you do that, Soma, I have never lost a food contest of any type in my life." "I'd be embarrassed to even show my face after even a single loss, but you laugh it off, like you do everything, I just...I don't get or understand that at all."

Soma looked into her eyes, her beautiful, eyes, why am I even telling her all of these things, like, almost like, when did I get so comfortable telling her any of this? She looked like she genuinely wanted to know. Soma, decided, he didn't care, I'll just tell her everything. "You, know I actually don't like losing either, just I normally never let anyone know about, it, because why give anyone extra ammunition to beat you down with it, I know I'm going to get better, because my next dish always is no matter what you say, or you didn't say, so how about it, since we're getting so personal, why can't you even tell me what my dish, the other dish tasted like?"

Erina gulped, how do I even tell him. I'm not even the same girl that called that first dish he made disgusting. I'm not even sure, I know who that girl is anymore. But, he's sharing so much with me, why is he doing that all of the sudden? She took a deep breath before nervously answering Soma's question.

"You, know when I first saw you that day in your entrance exam, you surprised me, most people unless their part of the Elite 10 run away at the sight of me." "You stood up there and I'm not going to lie you pissed me off so much." "I thought you were arrogant, and cocky, laughing in my face ignoring me, acting like you were better than me throwing your stupid knife in the air with your stupid circus trick, I'll admit I can't do it, but that doesn't mean you can cook either, and I saw your resume, no experience from some place in the Sticks and I was just itching to, well, most people fail my challenges anyway, I thought it was inevitable."

Soma was shocked, she was even admitting that. How, much was she actually going to say?

"On top of everything else you acted like you didn't even know me and the caliber of all my skills and talent."

"Nakiri, honestly, I had no clue who you were, but you must know by now, I wouldn't have even cared, I would have wanted to prove it even more, if I did know!"

Yes, he would, she thought pensively. "I tried your dish and I wanted to hate it so much, even if I didn't I figured with your lowly background and all the years you missed in middle school for actual culinary training, you were going to fail anyway and yeah, I get it knowing what I know now, but you were really close to failing so many times, and...and...look with the information I had at the time it's the logical decision I would have made, I uhhh, I'd like to think knowing what I know now, I wouldn't have failed you, but your that one in a million student, anyone else with the same situation, I would have been right, but..."

Soma, laughed slightly at the mental gymnastics at how she bent over backwards not to admit she was wrong, she couldn't do it, I guess for her she kind of was, sort of. "But, how was the dish, Nakiri, all that other stuff doesn't really matter to me, I'm in school now, how was that dish and and all the others I've given you, why is it so hard for you to answer that question?"

Erina felt like a cornered bird. But, Soma was sharing so much, the least I could do is the same. "You, know Hisako asked me about your dish too, and she loved it, I mean she really, really loved it." "And, I guess by now, you know about my father and how he taught me to reject imperfect dishes." "If you honestly want to know the truth, I'm not sure I know how to evaluate your dishes they are so different than anything I have ever eaten." "When I eat your dishes they are like nothing anyone else has ever served me, you use the absolute wrong ingredients, I can taste the gap in your educational background and techniques, but somehow you patch it up with your unorthodox solutions."

"Hisako asked me what I thought, and I basically said your dishes were so you!" "They were so, Soma!" "I don't know how to evaluate your imperfect dishes..."

"But, did it taste good, Nakiri?" "I don't care about all of that." "That's what I don't understand, if somebody else were to make the same dish would you say the same thing or is it just me?" "You know that day on your high pedestal, that dish I served you was true Yukihira cooking, right!"

Erina froze, the slight memory of that dish his father served her, it couldn't be, it was so good, but why did it make her think about him?

You see this bandanna on my wrist I keep it with me everyday, it was my mom's even losing her, it's like I have her with me always, and that's why I wear it for all my serious cooking I never got to prove I was a better cook than my father to her, but she's here with me and everytime I have to prove myself, I always feel it's more than just me cooking everytime I cook Yukihira food in a kitchen!

That dish I made you that day, was my mother's specialty. You know it's funny, my mom, I loved, I mean love her so much but God bless her she couldn't cook her way out of a paper bag, but she tried so hard, working to get better. Me and dad loved her so much, she accidentally chilled soup one day and placed it over rice and it melted and it was the neatest thing in the world for a little boy like me. My dad didn't actually force me to be a cook, he just wanted me to choose for myself, but when I saw that magic trick of the melting cubes over rice it was what made me want to be a cook! And than dad and I worked on it too, and we all made it together as a family and it went on our family secret menu and than you still rejected it, rejecting not just me, but my dad and my mom's cooking too and...

Erina felt like the worst person in the world just now! Tears threatened to spill and started leaking out freely. I didn't mean it, I didn't know, who his father was, didn't think about his mother, it was just some diner food from the best damned cook that ever lived and his wonderful wife and...you...too! I did it to you to, what does that even say about me...as a person...you actually tried to help...me...to find my way...when I was lost..how have I repaid you at every turn...Erina Nakiri was losing it!

Soma's mouth dropped at how sad she was just now. He just caused Erina Nakiri to, cry! She was crying, the ice queen, she...she...actually cares? "No, Nakiri, please, I didn't mean to hurt you, I wasn't trying to."

"It's true it's all true, I was horrible to you, I don't even understand, why you wouldn't want to poison me with actual bad food, anybody else would." She continued crying softly, not even wanting to look at Soma anymore as the guilt continued to flood her with feelings she didn't even know she had.

"No, Nakiri, please, I wasn't trying to make you feel bad, I didn't even know that would bother, you I wouldn't have said anything." "God, Nakiri, that one time I was so scared when you fainted and you were falling, you scared me so much, I promise you I'll never give you anything bad on purpose again, please, don't...don't cry...you...I mean you actually...did me a favor, please stop crying."

"No, your just saying, that because, you actually can be nice sometimes...I...I...actually do notice." She continued crying softly still not wanting to even look at him her guilt kept growing more and more, he was my idol's son, how could I try to throw him out of the school over and over again, and he's still almost acting like he actually cares.

"Nakiri, please, I...you know I didn't even want to go to the school, I thought I was the best, and you put me in my place, maybe your evaluation was a little off because...because...I guess you didn't have all the information, like you said, but you motivated me to be better, there were times I almost failed, but you pushed me, I wouldn't have made it, without you, please I didn't want to hurt you please stop crying..." He didn't say it but...he thought it...your crying is hurting me too! "Please, Nakiri I didn't mean it, I would never hurt you on purpose, please?" His hand absentmindedly reached for her cheek slowly brushing her tears away willing for this pretty, forceful but at the moment very vulnerable girl would just perk up, yell at me anything, just please stop crying because she's...hurting me too.

Erina ignored Soma's plea to cheer up but than she felt a light touch of his finger tip brushing along her cheek sending sparks through her face and her entire body her eyes opened up her tears leaking out and was it her imagination or was Soma's face slowly getting closer and closer to hers?


Meanwhile in the car:

Hisako Arato was just laughing along, I wonder how those two are even doing, I'm almost there, knowing those two, they couldn't find romance on the Hallmark channel she laughed, but...you never know...she saw the familiar diner closing in, I mean I gave them enough time, she can yell at me all she wants, I mean I know nothing is really going to happen, but she had her chance.


Living room sofa:

Erina stared her azure eyes shimmering looking into Soma's golden shimmering intense eyes which if she didn't know any better were glistening too, almost like he...he cared about...

Soma couldn't deal with the fact he had hurt this girl for the second time in two days, why do I keep messing up, she's normally so forceful, but she can be this sensitive, but really pretty girl sometimes, like a magnetic pull he couldn't explain he felt himself drawn to her closer and closer and the weird thing was her tears were almost drying up the closer he got to her...


In the kitchen:

Joichiro, laughed after serving another customer, deciding he was going to close up early and see how those two were doing. Knowing, Soma, he was probably messing up big time, I swear that boy, sometimes, I mean, I guess girls will do that to you, happens to the best of us. Well, I'll just go up there and see how they are doing.


Living room sofa:

Erina stared into Soma's eyes her heartbeat beating faster and faster, she held her breath, was Soma about to? Her eyes were slowly closing as she felt his warm breath as he got closer and closer to...

To Be continued!


Authors end note: Do you hate me yet? Sorry, but I had to keep my cliffhanger streak going, but they did get a lot closer and of course you all want to know if they get closer than even that, I suppose? Well that is for chapter 6 to answer. I mean I do know the answer, but I'm of course hoping that you not knowing will make you want to keep reading more. Yeah, it's crazy that I thought I could fit all this into the chapter before this one, huh? I hope you enjoyed all the Sorina in this chapter. By the way I've had that photo book idea in my pocket for so long, I thought it was a cute way to break the ice with the ice queen, making her more comfortable with Soma and maybe a little bit of a revenge for Soma laughing at her all the time so she gets a turn too. That talk they had at the end, it was supposed to be even bigger than that, but sometimes you have to save things for later and future chapters but I didn't want to break the flow, I actually was surprised I was able to get in as much as I did, considering I kind of put this story on ice for so long, it was because of work, and than I had to find my writing flow again, but I'm back and hopefully my next update will be a little sooner, hopefully you liked this and will still be here for chapter 6...

Chapter 6 preview: Well Erina will finally get to cook something in my story something on my checklist for what I wished they had done on the show! And, oh there is something else, what could it be? Well please let me know what you thought about the last chapter as your encouragement helps me to continue working on this story.
Until next time!