Just Like Magnets

Chapter 6: Childhood Dream

by jaymack33

Summary: Will Soma and Erina finally kiss in this one? Do they get interrupted or maybe not? Does something else happen instead? No matter what happens neither of them will be the same afterwards and something about someone's childhood dream? Whose dream was that anyway? You'll have to read on to find out as it's finally realized in this chapter.

Author's Notes: Last chapter was fun but very challenging to write. That long layoff between writing was a blessing and a curse. I had lots of notes for a very complicated chapter and I had so much I wanted to put in especially in Soma's speech in the end. I left out so much that I wanted to get to, which will funnel into this and maybe future chapter storylines. I think even though some of this chapter is not exactly how I envisioned it, I believe it ended up for the best as I got to hide the theme of this chapter and keep it spoiler free. This chapter will complete another checklist moment I wish had happened in the anime. I love the anime so much but they tease these possible storylines and have these future possible threads and then they don't do anything with them. Well I wrote this one based off of one of them. I hope you like it and if you do please let me know, believe me one of the things that motivates me to keep writing this story is if I know you like where I'm going with the story, so letting me know might make a future update happen a little bit faster.


In the Living room moments ago:

Erina Nakiri cried softly, guiltily from all the revelations Soma had just revealed to her. That white headband was his mother's that he keeps in remembrance of her every time he cooks, he's been cooking for her. The dish he made was something from his entire family, not just from him, but from his mother's recipe's and even his father who happens to be my cooking idol, and I totally rejected that Yukihira dish practically rejecting his entire family and wanted to fail him out for it, she averted her eyes she couldn't even look at Soma anymore, I'm not even that Erina Nakiri, anymore, how could I do that to him & to them...her tears like raindrops slowly fell slowly hitting the floor, one drop at a time.

Soma Yukihira's heart hurt and nearly broke, he wished he could go back in time and undo and unsay everything. He had vowed he would never hurt her again, after she fainted from his horrible dish and almost fell and if he hadn't caught her she could have gotten really hurt and I had to open my big stupid mouth, but I didn't know. I didn't think she would even care. Soma, was completely in shock from the tears slowly dripping along the usually forceful Erina Nakiri's cheeks, she actually even cares about some of the stupid things I actually, said, I mean, I did mean them, but I wasn't mad at her, I didn't blame her, she has to know that, right?


Meanwhile in a car on the way back to Yukihira's:

Hisako looked through her itinerary, scarcely even thinking too much about Erina-sama and Yukihira-Kun all alone almost like their on a date...she giggled at the thought! As if, I'm probably going to be needing even more medical supplies. I'd be shocked if those two are even in one piece, the way they usually go at each other, but still you never know.

Hisako thought about it some more, the way I've seen them looking at each other and acting, I'm not even sure that's quite true, just imagine, those two, actually together, what a funny little power couple they would make, hahaha, yeah right, well at least Erina-sama will have the lastest Shojo Manga's to read to keep her company when she comes back to the Dorm, if she wants a little romance in her life. Yeah, like those two would actually figure it out, hahaha, just too funny.


Back in the Living room:

Erina Nakiri: "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.

Yukihira Soma: "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."

Erina Nakiri: "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.

Yukihira Soma: "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 cried softly not bearing to even look at Soma, now, she couldn't even face him, even now he's trying to actually make me believe that he thinks my trying to fail him was a good thing, all the times I actually thought I hated him when he can actually be so...her thoughts were interrupted by the soft brush of Soma's fingertips brushing her tears away along her cheek in a slow gentle caress sending tingles all through Erina's body, despite herself she slowly leaned her cheek into his touch, like a thirsty girl drinking water, without even thinking about it.

Soma saw the tears running along the side of the usually forceful Erina Nakiri's rosy cheeks, he didn't even realize he was even doing it as his hand was pulled almost like by some unseen magnetic pull to brush away this beautiful girls tears, he needed to brush all of them away, because he couldn't bear to see this girl cry ever, especially if it was because of...me!


Meanwhile in the kitchen:

Joichiro decided to call it a day, they had their special guest here for the day, and well, I mean I know my son, and well, he really means well, but still he is probably messing up big time with her, at the very least I should cook her something, maybe try to find some way to fix, whatever stupid thing he probably did now. I mean, I love him, but I guess it happens to all of us, when we find our special someone, why do we keep messing it up before we get it right? Ha, ha, ha, of course maybe this time, Soma...yeah right, I better cook her something really extra special, to make up for it.


Back in the Living room:

Erina Nakiri had been letting the guilt continue to wash over her and was still leaning into Soma's touch, but she felt Soma's fingertips slowly cajoling her to look up and she slowly gave in looking up & into his eyes, she couldn't believe the slight wetness threatening to leak out of Soma's usually more forceful or carefree golden eyes, she felt his stare that had a total look of caring towards her like it was piercing right through her very being.

Soma desperately tried to gently wipe away her tears along her soft rosy cheek the slightest sparks emitting from every tender moment of his touch was not even being given a second thought, he just wanted to get her to stop crying, as he slowly gently tried to get her to look at him slowly gently trying to coax her to see that it was really, OK. Doesn't she know how he actually...feels? She looked up and he saw her beautiful azure eyes looking right back into his own eyes, he simply could not look away, the way she just stared at him, so delicate, so soft, so beautiful. Just like his hand Soma didn't realize how he was slowly getting, closer and closer to her being pulled by something he did not completely understand.


Back in the Car:

Hisako just paid the driver as she slowly gathered her things and headed back to Yukihira's, alright fine, there will be no chance of any type of love connection whatsoever, but the least those two can be is friends, right, I know they like each other, but their still too stubborn to realize it, yet. Maybe at least she won't be mad at me for not answering her, how many times did she call me again, mailbox is full! Yeah, looks like she called me a couple times, she giggled, I guess it didn't go that well with those two, well no need to check my messages, I'm sure she'll tell me about it soon enough, as she slowly opened the door...


Back in the Living room:

Erina had never realized how golden and sparkly bright, Soma's eyes were and the way he was looking at her. She felt so warm inside at first she didn't realize he was getting closer to her, but as he slowly advanced her heart started to beat faster and faster.

Soma, had never noticed, how beautiful, she could be sometimes, usually she was so mad at him, but the way she was looking at him, he never felt this way before, her glittering azure eyes were just pulling him with some kind of magnetic pull that made him feel like sparks were coursing all throughout his body, he didn't even realize it when he finally said something for the first time, it felt like hours but it was only seconds, "Nakiri?" He asked her gently...


Back in the Kitchen in Yukihira's:

Joichiro heard the door opening, probably another customer trying to get him to cook one more dish never, fails. "I'm sorry we're closing up early for the day, you can of course come back tomorrow and...Hisako?"

"Oh, hi, I mean, I have heard the food over here is to die for of course, at least according to Erina-sama, even when it isn't from you, but usually not in so many words," she giggled conspiratorially knowing she in fact likes Yukihira cooking all of it no matter which Yukihira is actually doing the cooking.

Joichiro picked up on it it right away, just laughing at the inside joke as he in fact kind of knew something she didn't know.

"Well, in case your wondering I left Soma with her upstairs to keep her company, and even though, as much as I love my son, he probably messed this up by now, but I will say I haven't heard any kicking and fighting, or screaming of any kind so maybe that goes in the plus column, right?"

Hisako just laughed and laughed, "yeah I would take that as a win." She laughed almost blurted out jokingly, that she guessed the wedding won't be until next week, but even she wouldn't say that in front of Soma's father. Instead, she said, "well I guess, since I am back and we gave them more than enough time not to kill each other, we may as well check and make sure those two are still, in one piece."

Joichiro just laughed, knowing, deep down at least as far as his son was concerned, even if he messed this up, I know he cares, and would never do anything too spectacularly bad. "I'm pretty sure those two kids are doing, OK!"


Back in the Living room:

Erina just stared mesmerized by Soma's beautiful eyes, she hadn't felt anything like this before, she felt like she was in some kind of spell, and than she heard her name...

"Nakiri?"

He was getting closer and she felt his fingers guiding her almost lining her into his sights practically guiding her towards him and for the first time she noticed his soft lips...and she heard him again, asking her almost questioningly.

"Nakiri?"

She saw his soft lips, saying her name in a way she had never heard before at least, coming from him, like he actually cared, and then she couldn't help herself, as his name came out of her own lips, without any second thoughts, questioning him back. "Soma?"

Soma was getting closer, Erina kind of stood in place waiting for it, she wasn't sure completely but even though it felt like hours it was only minutes and it was starting to dawn on her, he might actually want to, but is he really going to do this I didn't realize he would even...?

Soma was going so painfully slow, he just wanted to stop her from crying but as he approached her closer and closer, it slowly dawned on him, what he might be doing. He went as slow as possible because there is no way, I mean, she doesn't, couldn't feel, I mean, I didn't even know she cared about any of this before, and why did I never realize how stunning she is before.

Erina was so nervous, why is he going so slow it was driving her crazy her heart was beating a million miles per second and I mean, this can't be really happening is he really...she didn't mean to say it but it came out anyway...

"What are you doing, Soma?"

Erina almost wanted to slap herself, as whatever spell was on the two of them immediately broke. Her tears had dried up and Soma had completely pulled away on the side of the couch, like he had gotten caught doing something he never should have done in the first place even if he hadn't actually done it!

Erina just sat there staring at Soma who had just traded places with her smiling slightly at possibly being caught, but looking down, wondering what he was even going to say to her, while Erina Nakiri, didn't even know if she wanted him to even say anything else and then...

Hisako and Joichiro finally arrived at the scene:

Hisako was laughing as she and Joichiro had just gone up the steps, in mid conversation, "And see absolutely nothing, ha-pp-ened?

Hisako and Joichiro just looked at each other as both Erina Nakiri and Soma Yukihira were both blushing profusely like they had gotten caught doing something, but otherwise were almost in a catatonic state of sorts as they sort of guided them along away from each other wondering what the hell just happened with those two.


'Back in Her Room'

Hisako guided Erina Nakiri back to her room, and she was wondering why Erina-sama seemed to be in some weird kind of daze, like what just happened?

"Uhh, Erina-sama, are, you, OK?" Hisako, stared at her wondering what would make her blush so much, and make her go so quiet all of the sudden.

Erina Nakiri's thoughts were still a little bit dazed and practically in a fog, wondering what just happened, and why is that boy so damned confusing to me.

Her thoughts were finally pierced by the sound of Hisako's voice, she almost took a double take wondering how she even got back into her room, without even noticing.

Hisako, was wondering why Erina Nakiri still didn't even really seem to almost notice she was back yet, let alone her last question and was about to repeat it, when she finally spoke.

"Hisako, I-I-I think, Yukihira-kun almost kissed me!" She let it out freely, almost as if voicing it made it seem more real then in her thoughts, where it didn't even seem like that could even be possible.

Hisako, was about to get excited, hearing the kissed me part, but then realized, she just said almost! She wasn't even sure which way Erina-sama would want her to be rooting for, as she nibbled at her lips stifling any further reactions until she was ready to continue.

Erina, watched Hisako, normally when she gives me that annoying look, it can be so annoying, but right now, I have more important things than, that to worry about, because...

She, licked her lips gathering her nervous thoughts which were all over the place and really it was all very, very confusing for her as she finally continued.

"We, were talking I mean at first everything was very awkward between us, and then he really started opening up about his cooking philosophy, and why they cook bad food on purpose, and about his family and he just made me realize how, look, I mean at the time with the information I had, his resume, his lack of education, his no-name diner experience, I had never heard of any great cook named Yukihira, and still, it's kind of funny for like a second, you were there, Hisako, he seemed to really believe in himself, the way he threw his knife in the air, I almost caught my breath not knowing if he was going to really get hurt, but still..."

"He was annoying me, he didn't seem to know who I was, he ignored me, was almost talking down to me, like he actually thought he was better then me, and ooh, he made me so mad and then I tried his dish and..." Erina paused as if not wanting to finish the sentence, gathering her thoughts again.

Hisako just listened in, wondering why she was stalling, knowing she wasn't going to reveal anything about how much she really liked the dish, she knew better after seeing how she reacted to Soma's food the last couple times now, but this must be something really big, if she can't even get to it yet!

She continued: "Whether there were flaws and gaps in his cooking or not, I cannot deny that dish did not deserve to be failed, Soma's dish was true Yukihira cooking, not just his own, but his father and even his mother, and for me to just reject it all, just like that, what kind of person does that even make me?" Erina Nakiri, almost felt like she might start crying again, except for the next part, she was getting to it eventually...

"He didn't even forgive me, Hisako because, he told me there was nothing to forgive, he actually thanked me for it, and said it was because of me he strove so hard and fought harder to make it in our school, and of course I didn't believe, him and I think maybe I was crying a little bit and then, that's when he started caressing my face and I think he was going to kiss me, but I opened my mouth, I didn't mean to, and asked him what he was doing, and he didn't and that's when I guess you and Joichiro-sama came in."

Hisako, knew if Erina-sama thought Soma was actually going to kiss her, that was nothing she would have said, lightly, the way I saw him looking at her, of course he would want to kiss her. So, I guess it begs the question. "So, Erina-sama, did you, ummm, did you want him to kiss you?"

Erina-sama heard the words, they had been somewhere floating in her own thoughts the whole time, too. "I-I'm not sure." "I mean, we were having a moment." "We were definitely having a moment, and I mean I've never kissed a boy before and I mean, he's not what I thought he was, and, I mean lately when he's not pissing me off, he's not so bad." Erina sighed, lightly still not quite sure, what she even wanted, just that she wished she hadn't said anything, and whatever was going to happen had just happened.

"So, let me get this straight, your not sure, you wanted Soma to kiss, you?" "I mean that is not a no!" "If it's not a no than to, me that is a yes?"

Erina, normally would be offended by that comment, but she just sighed, "I, I'm not really sure, I mean I was curious, what would it might be like to actually have my first kiss, but with Soma?" "And, I maybe, I wanted him to kiss me, but it was so soon, and quick and I got nervous, what if I don't like the kiss, or worst what if I do like the kiss?"

"Wait, if your scared you won't like the kiss that means, you want to like the kiss, and why would you think it's worst if you did like the kiss?"

"I mean, you see how I am when I eat his food, it's like I don't want to accept anything from him, maybe my God Tongue won't accept a kiss either, and I am starting to get to know him and I kind of maybe sort of want to get to know him maybe a little bit more, but if I rejected his kiss too, maybe that would mess up whatever else was going on lately, between us."

"OK, Erina-sama, but why did you say you were scared you might like the kiss?"

"Because, it's crazy, we're so different, how is it possible we could like each other, and even if we did we would probably mess it up later, and I kind of want to get to know him better, lately..." She just closed her eyes, not even believing all the things she was just saying, to Hisako just now, and what was worst, she knew there was even more to it than that, too.

"Erina-sama, you do know opposites, do attract, right I mean liking someone that is exactly the same as you, might sound like it makes sense, but in reality, we need people in our lives with different skills, differences that adds things to our relationships, that we wouldn't be able to come up with for ourselves."

"Hisako, I know they say that, but it's crazy, we're not just different, he's Yukihira Soma!" "He's this rebel ring leader in our school that has everybody doing the craziest cooking in the history of our school, but still..." She sighed again. "Now, I'll never know!" "If he had kissed me I would know, but now, I'm not sure and maybe it was just my imagination, or maybe he changed his mind, that boy is just so confusing and..."

Knock...Knock...Knock!

Erina and Hisako nearly jumped scared it might actually be Yukihira-Kun?

And then they heard his voice it was the other Yukihira, as they sighed in relief as he just told them dinner would be ready soon.


Soma's room:

Joichiro Yukihira guided his son along who appeared to be in a weird daze. He had never seen him like that before, and funny thing, whatever was going on with him, the exact same thing seemed to be going on with Erina-chan too as he watched Hisako guide her away to Tamako's room.

"Soma, do you want to talk about it?"

Soma's heart beat had been beating rapidly but was finally slowing down, God, I was so close to messing up everything!

"Soma?"

"I, I don't know if you know this but for a while now, Nakiri and I probably haven't gotten along too well in our school and she kind of was rooting for me to get kicked out, but then I don't know lately this girl is so confusing sometimes!" "Dad, why are girls so confusing?"

Joichiro just laughed, knowing this was getting really interesting, and it looks like Soma is getting closer to figuring out how he actually feels about Erina-chan, but of course still. "So, you just figured out women are confusing, Soma?" "Of course, they are, but still sometimes, doesn't it make you want to figure them out even more?"

"But, you don't even understand, dad, she hated me!" "I mean really hated me!" "Like, I'm talking about enough hate to heat our house, hate, but now, sometimes she almost seems like she almost, cares, but it's crazy, there is no way, we're so different, everything needs to be so perfect with her, while I love just randomly coming up with new things, it doesn't even matter if it's perfect now, because I'll make it better later, just coming up with new stuff on the fly is so much, fun!"

"And, and, why are you looking at me like that, Dad?"

"No, Soma, please continue, just let me know when you get to the part where you figured out you like her!"

"I do not...!" "I mean, well, I'm not sure and maybe we kind of sort of had a a moment and maybe I realized she might actually care about what I think, and I made her cry and totally messed up everything again, it was all on me, and I don't know I was trying to wipe her tears away and maybe, I'm not sure, I maybe, I don't know what I was even thinking, that she might actually let me..." He couldn't even say it. Even thinking it was crazy enough, but to actually voice it and say it out loud, especially in front of...

Joichiro instantly knew! "You were going to kiss her, right?" He just had this giant knowing smile from ear to ear at Soma! My boy really is growing up!

"I look, I don't know, maybe, I'm not sure, she was so sad, and I didn't mean to hurt her and I don't even know what I was doing and maybe, but she asked me what I was doing, and thank God she said something, if she hadn't said anything she probably would have killed me, for that! There is no way, dad, maybe she doesn't hate me...as much, but I can't mess this up, I still need to get her to say my food is delicious, if I mess that up with a stupid, well it didn't happen anyway!" Soma sighed!

"Come, on Soma, we closed up shop early, the least I can do is, cook you all some dinner, you've all had such a busy day taking care of Erina-chan as well as messing up so badly and not kissing her! He jabbed at Soma, just laughing while feeling the angry heat rays from Soma hitting right through his back as he continued laughing...Hahahahha!


Dinner Table:

Joichiro laughed while he added the finishing touches on his dish as he glanced at Soma and Erina-chan sitting at the table as uncomfortably as possible, I am really going to have to do something about that, a father's job is never done!

Erina stared silently at the table cloth, realizing this might be her last dinner at Yukihira's, God this is awkward here with Soma, and if he isn't saying anything, I'm not going to say anything either, hmpph!

Soma, just stared at the table cloth, wow this is awkward, but so weird to, I mean she hasn't killed or even threatened me with bodily harm yet, so either she didn't realize what almost happened, or she couldn't have actually wanted, that's crazy, but why is this so awkward then, sigh!

Hisako, just rolled her eyes, those two are really clueless, but at least...something smells, really, really good, and I can't wait to eat it!

"Dinner is served!" Joichiro smiled as he carried the tray lifting the lid blinding everybody with the power of his amazing dish along with the fragrance which made all 3 of them desperate to try this dish as quickly as possible.

"I call this dish Ying and Yang Yukihira style 4 seasons curry!" "I made it with chicken, pork, lamb and beef with a maple rice pilaf." "Each curry sauce is different one sauce is sweet, one is sour, one is spicy and the last one is hot giving you all the the various tastes each fighting for supremacy to give you the ultimate taste sensations all on one plate."

"I made this all for you tonight to demonstrate how although opposites tend to clash that Ying and Yang pull manages a special kind of harmony forging new levels that would not be seen without the clashing of different tastes melding into a harmony through chaos he smiled at both Erina and Soma unnerving the both of them but seemingly it went over their heads.

Hisako not so much picking up everything but then she took a bite of the food and swirled away into her happy place. "Ahhhhhhhhh!"

Erina finally took a bite and her God tongue instantly exploded with the greatest dish she had every tasted all 4 warring flavors had clashed and formed into this weird harmony she would have never even thought possible, how opposite opposing approaches could form something so good, she sighed..."ahhhhhhhh!"

She joined Hisako in her bikini on the beach as the ocean swept upon their toes warm and cool waters sweeping them all away into harmony as Soma floated by their side in his own dream enjoying every tasty bite of an absolutely amazing dish!

All 3 of them were so happy enjoying every bite of the amazing dish welcoming the distraction from all the awkwardness that had been happening earlier.

Joichiro was happy they were all enjoying themselves, but still, the dinner table seemed to be a little too quiet for his taste so, if they weren't going to say something...

"So, Soma, I heard you told Erina-chan about why we cook disgusting, food, but did you tell her about that time when your Mom won her second disgusting food contest? " "That's such a great story, hahahha, Soma!"

Erina, had been so happy eating this amazing dish, and vaguely realizing there were no Soma's popping around this time, couldn't be, because the other one, and than she heard Joichiro saying something really interesting about disgusting food contests, and she needed to ask something first.

"Uhh, Joichiro-sama, I really want to hear that story, but Soma didn't exactly tell me why you actually compete in that type of contest, just you do it to relieve the pressure of making better, dishes?"

"Oh, Soma, how could you leave that out?"

He saw Soma shrugging, but he continued eating, but he was watching Erina the whole time out of the corner of his eye.

"Well, it kind of started because, well, my wife Tamako, uhh, she wasn't exactly the best cooking Yukihira, but she would make all these wacky dishes, and Soma and I would have our little food battles, and she would never try or even want to compete, but then one day she said, what if the winner was the worst dish, and we all laughed so hard, so we all competed in it together, which brings me back to after she beat us the first time, remember what she did in our second match, hahhahha, Soma?"

Soma, nearly burst out laughing while eating his dish, it was so, so bad! "Hahhaha, dad, we...we had to ban that dish from ever being made, again, hahahhaha!"

Erina, giggled, too along with Hisako, all wondering what could be worst, so she had to ask them. "It couldn't have possibly been worst than what you made?"

"Oh, God, yes, you would have wanted seconds from both of ours before you even thought about trying hers once, Soma belly laughed just imagining it again!" "Hahahhahha!"

"There is no way, Soma, you are lying, nothing could be worst than..."

Soma interrupted with, "Skunk stew?"

Erina and Hisako nearly spat out there food, laughing, giggle...gigggle...giggle...Hahahahahah! Full out bursting out laughing, then wondering I mean she died is this proper, to even...?

Joichiro read, them right away, he saw that all the time when he would talk about his wife, and we can't stop talking about the happy times, our memories, for how wonderful she truly was!

"That's why we keep doing it, it was the one contest we all did together as a family, no matter what she will always be a part of it, I mean she won a lot of those contests, while we still had her and I love that she is still in our book and we can look and laugh at all the horrible dishes she made that she beat our asses, with, but that day when she went to the exotic food market and came up with that one, Soma, oh My God, we had to close the restaurant down for how long was it one, week Soma?"

"Hahha, no like two weeks, trying to get the smell of skunk out, hahahhah, Oh God, dad, it was so bad, and the look on your face, I mean you actually tried it, hahhaha?"

"Well she was my wife, but for some reason she refused to kiss me for two weeks, too, hahhahha."

"Yeah, I mean I just licked it and almost died, I couldn't do it, I didn't care, my eyes were crying just from 6 feet away."

"Yeah, so that is why we made the no Skunk rule, so even we have some limits, but still, I don't think any of us will ever top that one?" "Ha, ha, ha right Soma?"

"Well, I mean come on dad, you never know, we keep trying to make our dishes worst we might just come up with something else, that might get banned too?"

Erina and Hisako were just laughing, they couldn't believe those two crazy Yukihira's, in a funny way, they kind of almost made sense, sort of.

Erina, frowned this was really fun, after we eat though, what happens, next, this is kind of nice...

"Ehh, Soma, so you didn't tell me what you thought, of the Eggs Benedict I made for you this morning?"

"Oh, it was great, of course, but you knew that already, but hey you didn't tell me what you thought about, my pizza omelette, how did you like that one?"

Erina gasped, and then held it in, uh oh! She saw, Joichiro glancing at her smiling, he knew, and he now knew, she knew, he knew, but Soma, doesn't know?
That's why there were so many Soma's?

"Uhh, Soma, I was really going to try it, but somebody else really wanted it and really enjoyed it really much, so I gave it to her instead and she really thought it was delicious!"

"Well, I'm glad at least one of our customers got to try it," Soma smiled, completely oblivious to the look on Erina Nakiri's face or the knowing side glance his dad was giving to her!

Erina was petrified, he hasn't told, Soma, yet, but uhhh, he knows, and why did I like the dish if I didn't think it was from Soma, but if I knew, but I did know, I could taste it, it did taste like something he would cook, it was almost the same sauce he used when he was cooking 200 dishes right next to my table, I knew, it! It tasted like something Soma would make, but still, I kind of...well...God, I hope he doesn't tell him, uhhhh!

"Well, anyway Erina-chan, so now that you've gotten to taste Yukihira cooking what do you think?"

Erina, gulped petrified was he asking about, oh God, not in front of Soma!

"My dish, I made today?" He pointed to her empty plate.

Erina, relaxed, realizing he wasn't calling her out...yet! "I, I loved it of course it was your usual Yukihira excellence of course, I mean, hahaha, you I guess trained Soma, for years, so I mean, I guess, you didn't think he should go to cooking school instead?" Erina, paused why did I just ask him that?

Joichiro smiled knowingly at the interest Erina-chan was having on Soma all of the sudden. "Well, I guess, all my life was devoted to cooking and I have no regrets it's why I became the person I was today, but at the same time, it's still a lot, so when me and Tamako raised Soma, we didn't want to force him into anything, we wanted him to have a normal education with everyone else and if he still chose cooking well, I mean he did, of course, but we really wanted him to make that choice on his own, but we also wanted him to see what else was out there so he was sure, before he completely decided to devote his life to cooking."

"You, know dad, you could have told me so much more I didn't even know half the things you did in the cooking world."

"Oh, come on Soma, you got to participate in Art, and Gym and Science, and you joined the track team."

"I joined the track team, to keep my cardio up so I could serve customers even faster!"

"Yeah, well you weren't so anxious to go to Totsuki either, I had to make you go!"

"Well, I didn't even know there were that many people who were that good at cooking as..." Soma looked at Erina finally and she felt the weight of his stare and how amazing those two could be some times, even when they were still absolutely driving her crazy, and she would be missing them, when she had to go.

"Uhhh, could I say something, she asked?"

"Of course you can Erina-chan, you are our guest, of course."

"Just I know the past few days have been crazy, and I mean really nuts, but it has been really..." she almost said fun..."interesting, and I am glad I visited."

Soma, felt the sad note, she's leaving, he didn't want her to go.

"And, Joichiro, you really are the most amazing chef, I have ever tasted for and still are." "And that day you visited me and Grandfather, and you told me you would like to try my cooking one day, and I don't know, if you could let me, know one day," she said, shyly not daring to even suggest it, but hoping.

And then Joichiro smiled from ear to ear, bingo. "Why, Erina-chan if you wanted to cook for me you should have just asked, of course I would love to try your food anytime!"

"Really, because if you want, I would do it in a heartbeat for you, you are my idol, the best cook that ever lived and I would do it right now if you wanted me to."

Soma, just rolled his eyes, at how much she loved his dads cooking, instead of mine, but also, wait if she's cooking does that mean...?

"Well, first of all Erina-chan since I already cooked dinner, today, wouldn't do, but if you wouldn't mind staying one more night and you could decide what you want to make for me tomorrow, I will close up the restaurant and you can prepare anything you want and..."

"Yes!" "Oh, my God, thank you I don't know if you know how much this means to me, I've wanted to cook for you since I was a little girl, I promise you I will make you the best dish suited for a chef as amazing as you, just you wait!"

"Of, course you will I know, it," he laughed, knowingly. "Oh and one more thing." He slowly walked up to Erina-chan whispering something in her ear, her eyes widened as Soma, just stared happy she was staying but completely annoyed at how nice she was always to him!

Erina heard the words registering, whispered so only she could hear, "I'm not going to tell Soma, you liked his dish, it's up to you, he probably wouldn't want to find out about it that way anyhow, he would want you to say it in front of him after you tasted his dish anyway," and than he walked away happily, knowing he just bought his son way more time, hopefully he doesn't blow it this time!

Erina just stared trying to shake it off, she looked at Hisako, who definitely didn't seem to have heard him, not that she didn't have those same ideas anyway, but still, I am going to make my hero the best dish I have ever made, because the dream I had for most of my life is finally coming true!


Upstairs living room Yukihira diner later that night:

Joichiro Yukihira was laughing, at the best video he could think of watching:

It was the security tape footage when Soma caught Erina and saved her after she passed out from their disgusting food contest.

He just laughed to himself the look on Soma's face when she was going down, the way he leaped over that counter to save her, yeah, sure he doesn't love that girl, sure it's just about impressing her about his food, hahahahaha, that boy has got it so bad.


Meanwhile:

Erina was trying to sleep. She knew she had a big day tomorrow, and she should get her rest so she could be laser focused on giving Joichiro-sama the best dish he'd ever had the privilege of eating by another chef. By, the great Erina Nakiri, herself! She smiled beaming with pride just imagining that great and wonderful moment when he would say those precious words she so longed to hear...Delicious! He is so going to say it to me and in front of...Soma, too! Hahahahaha! Of course he will!

She tried to close her eyes, but sleep wouldn't come no matter how many times she tried, she wasn't nervous in the sense of being afraid of failure, but she was so excited, she had wanted this opportunity forever, except that Joichiro-sama had been correct they had already eaten dinner for the day. It's just I can't wait for him to say it in front of everybody, Hisako, Soma, but more importantly...

I need to hear it for myself. From the greatest chef, I've ever had the pleasure of tasting for, I need to know what that man thinks of where I stand in the Culinary World. No other person's opinion matters to me, more...

"Ahhhhhhh!"

The nervous excitement was not going away, as she stretched out, she carefully gave up any more thoughts of going to sleep anytime soon and sat up out of the bed adjusting the little slippers Hisako had brought her, it's like she knew I might be here a little bit longer, she laughed, she's just so good to me. Everybody else is probably in bed, maybe I'll just sneak out and grab a bottled water from the fridge.

As Erina started walking she was surprised as she saw the light glow of the television set she and Soma had been watching the other day. Was that Soma, what is he even watching at this time of night, maybe he won't even notice...me...she was about to walk off when she saw something vaguely familiar on that screen, it was her, and Hisako, Joichiro and...Soma?

Joichiro was laughing rewatching the video tape when he kind of noticed a shadow, that could only be from one person, her form, her long hair and familiar shape...hmmm watching this tape may turn out better than I thought.


Present time Living room TV set:

Erina stared stunned, she had lost time. A period of time that she had no knowledge of except what Hisako told her about and there it was, she relaxed a little seeing that it was Joichiro-sama, thank God, if it was Soma, watching me, if I were to... Erina let the thought float just out of her reach while still knowing exactly what she was going to do anyway.

"Joichiro-sama?" "Uhhh, that tape?"

Erina wasn't sure what to say, she really wanted to see it, find out, if what Hisako had been saying about it was true or not. And just to know what happened when I blacked out. It's lost time, I didn't know I could get it back and actually see what happened, but it's still kind of embarrassing...

Interrupting Erina's thoughts, Joichiro answered her partial question, knowingly. "This is the security tape for that day, all us small restaurants need it unfortunately sometimes for security or sometimes when customers make false claims, but I kind of was curious just to see it again, it kind of is like watching a movie."

Joichiro couldn't believe his luck, he had been hoping to get her to watch the tape, maybe she might see Soma in a better light in that he really does have a good heart and really cares about her, even if that boy can really, really, really be dense and stupid sometimes.

"I, uh, could, I watch that tape?" Erina was kind of embarrassed asking, but she had to know and at least, at least Soma wouldn't see her doing it. God, I don't know what I would do if, uhhh!

"Sure, here is the remote, and the rewind button." "The counter on the screen shows you where you are on the tape and you can either pause and play it or stop it and than play it from there."

Erina was kind of nervous, seeing this tape, but she had to. Her thoughts about what she would be cooking later had completely slipped her mind. She was so going to see that Hisako was obviously full of it. There is just no way, that Soma. That Soma, looked at me like she said he did.

As Joichiro watched Erina nervously holding the remote, he wondered if it would be better if he left her alone, maybe she would feel more comfortable that way. "I-I have some things to do (he lied), so you can watch the video for as long as you want, but you don't have to, if you don't want to." "Only if you want to, OK, Erina-chan?"

"OK, I'll watch it, just once..." "Just to see, what I missed, when I...I...you know." She was so embarrassed, but it wasn't just about passing out, it was kind of personal. She needed to figure out how Soma feels, and maybe this would give her that final clue she needed.

She watched Joichiro-sama leaving. He's so mature, strong, powerful, and confident and thanked her lucky stars he didn't press her further for any answers she wasn't prepared to give him.

She slowly rewound the laughably unmodern VHS tape to the part just before she didn't remember anything and after pausing it she clicked playback.

It was like she was watching a movie she had never seen before, except she was actually in the movie too!

She almost snickered seeing her face the second...Oh God that dish was horrible, just thinking about it right now still makes me feel, so ill!

She saw Hisako's face with a similarly disgusted face and then the look of shock and acknowledgement that I actually would try, whatever that horrid concoction was, and there it is...

Erina watched herself going down so fast, how did I not hit the ground, did Soma really catch me, he was too far, there is absolutely no way he could possibly...

Erina was in shock his face, his determination the way he vaulted over the counter so quick, but I'm about to hit the ground, I'm still too far away, That's...that's impossible!

There is just no way he could...

Erina couldn't believe it as she literally landed in Soma's arms in a roll, the way he caught me and the way he's holding me so tight and...and...the ways he's looking at me!

Erina felt warm inside for some unknown reason that she discarded as a complete afterthought, but that video suddenly ended way too quickly for her.

Erina grumbled, the video afterwards didn't really have a clear view after she was carried up the stairs...

Before she could think about it she was already rewinding the tape again...

It was amazing the way Soma jumped over the counter like Superman or something and it was just like Hisako said look at the way he's looking at me while he's holding me, oh my God I was unconscious and he saved me and yes it was his fault but he actually does look like he cares and the way he was looking at me with his big strong arms holding me in his arms so tight and warm and alright I need to see this one more time, uhh for reasons...he always was so physical the way he cooks and the way he caught me and protected me when he's not pissing me off which usually is all the time he can kind of be pretty...uhhhh...alright maybe I need to see this video just one more time and...

"Uhh, what are you doing, Nakiri?" The sound of Soma Yukihira's voice literally came out of nowhere!

Erina nearly jumped and almost fainted right then and there, but ohhh my God I would be in his arms again and look at him with that stupid Soma Yukihira gloating face like he caught me off guard again? He's, so, so irritating!

"I said what were you doing, I mean it's not like the video is going to change the second or third time you know." He teased her!

He always teased her!

"I was...I was...it is none of your business, Soma!" "I blacked out and lost a moment of time in my life and I was just...just getting it back and Hisako told me what happened but I didn't know there was actual video so I was just catching up that's it." "It's nothing else, your not some big hero causing the trouble and than saving the day does not make you a hero." "I don't care how impressive you were vaulting over that counter, catching me with your big strong arms holding me so tenderly almost like you cared or something and..." Erina just realized what she just said and her face was so red that even though the lights were off her face was practically glowing red in the dark...

Still, going completely right over, Soma's head.

"Look, Erina, I mean, I wasn't looking for any credit or anything and I really was scared when you were falling down, I don't know what I would have done if you got hurt, you know?"

"So, are you going to tell me what you were really doing that day?"

"What do you mean, Nakiri?"

"I mean that time when we were watching TV..." Erina paused literally remembering watching, but not listening to a damned word on the TV. What was I thinking at that time? I was so...uhh...wasn't irritated...something else...something about being all alone with Soma...sitting next to him like we were almost on a...while watching two characters on TV who were about to...

"After I turned the TV off, what were you doing, Yukihira-kun?" She kept tapping her foot on the ground with her arms folded on her chest annoyed at his awe shucks oblivious smile, like nothing important happened or even mattered to him!

"Uhh, well I mean we started talking of course I told you about why me and my dad make disgusting food, sometimes."

"No, that's not what I mean." Foot tapping faster and faster, reflecting fully her unconscious annoyance at Soma Yukihira being so dense!

"And oh yeah, I forgot to mention the reason we do the contest part was my mom used to join in on them it was so funny that one time she went to the exotic food market and we had to make the no skunk rule, but she did win that one before we changed the rule, but my dad of course explained that during dinner of course."

"No, not that...uhhh" Erina's foot was tapping almost in an annoyed nervous dance, reflecting how annoying Yukihira was being dancing around and dodging all her questions!

"Uhh well, maybe you meant about when we were talking about losing food contests, and how I learn from losing which kind of reminds me, that I meant to tell you about how I got my scar and I got better so that wouldn't happen again so..."

"No, not that Soma, but...but I would like to hear that story one day but stop changing the subject!"

"Or maybe when you were telling me about what you thought about my cooking and if it was really delicious, but for some reason if the dish comes from me you can't really accept it but if it's from..."

Erina got very nervous, what does he know? Her thoughts were racing. Please don't say from your father...please he better, not have told you...

Soma continued oblivious to Erina's new concern: "But if it's from someone else you like it all of the sudden...hmmm...

Erina paused I am not having this conversation now...I can't explain why I can't admit my feelings when it comes to him...especially when he can't even admit how he feels about...she left those secret unrequited thoughts buried in the same place, she put all of her feelings when it came to, Yukihira-kun and exploded instead!

"Stop changing the subject you very well know right before I started you know...you kind of made me...uhhh...I felt a little bit guilty, I mean...it really wasn't your fault...but why can't you answer and admit what you were doing, Soma?"

Erina took 3 big deep breaths trembling and shaking...this boy...uhhhh!

"Truthfully, I don't know, you were really sad, and I just wanted you to cheer up so badly I didn't mean to hurt you, I really didn't and I was just trying to brush your tears away and...and nothing else, I mean nothing else happened so I don't know why you are getting, so mad at me for something I didn't even do!"

Why couldn't this girl just let this go? Why does she insist on fighting with me all of the time?

Erina exploded further!

"THE HELL, SOMA, YOU WISH, IN YOUR WILDEST DREAMS YOU WOULD HAVE, IF I HADN'T INTERRUPTED YOU AND YOU KNOW IT & YOU CAN'T EVEN ADMIT IT! Erina screamed it out at Soma at the top of her lungs completely frustrated with him. Catching her breath she continued. "You know exactly what I am talking about that is why you talked about everything but, what I actually am asking you!" "I just want the damned truth I don't want you messing with me!" "Tell me how you feel already Soma stop being so impossible and...and..."

Erina's heart started racing even while she was still yelling at him as Soma was making a weird smilng face at her and was getting closer and closer, to her face there was no way, he would, not now, this isn't, it couldn't be, that moment they had, that moment was over anyway so...

Soma was getting nervous and no matter what, I'm not going to tell her, why won't she let this go already, she has no right to be mad at me for kissing her, if I didn't actually kiss her, maybe I wasn't even going to anyway, I'm not even sure, and of course if I did, now I know she would have killed me for sure, but why is she so mad about it, and that face of her's, she really can be something, sometimes, he laughed in spite of himself as she continued laying in on him about not admitting something.

Finally Soma, had enough, and decided what he was going to do next as he got closer and closer to her very pretty face.

Erina had been holding her breath, almost like she was having an out of body experience, like was he actually going to and then, the tip of Soma's...

The tip of Soma's finger delicately pressed lightly on the bridge of Erina Nakiri's nose!

Like he would even dare try to kiss her again after that!

Instead: "Boop!" Soma said it happily touching her cute little perfect nose, almost in shock that Erina Nakiri was not only blushing furiously, but she had immediately ceased yelling at him, almost as if he had pressed an on/off switch! If he had known that would happen, if he...Soma burst out laughing!

"Hahahaha, Nakiri, you never change, your just so kawaii when you yell at me the way your blond curls flip around like propellers when you yell at me!"

Erina stood there her cheeks getting red again as Soma had taken all of the fight out of her the warmness of where Soma's finger had softly tapped her nose and that beautiful annoyingly cute but cutely annoying beautiful smile of his and he said boop like I was a little puppy, if he found some way to make me not mad at him, I mean he caught me off guard that's all. I almost thought he was going to kiss me for a second, almost again...grr, he pisses me off...uhhhh...that boy...but why is my heart racing so much when I thought he was going to kiss me...

Soma was laughing happily on the outside, but on the inside:

Why won't she just let it go already? I swear, I get it Nakiri, the thought of me kissing you is so bad, that even that I might have thought about it and oh is she giving me the business. I don't get her at all!

As he passed his dad, he didn't even notice how he just shook his head at how clueless, his stupid son could be sometimes. Like the layup was right there, uhhhh, that boy! I couldn't have set those two up more perfectly, what am I going to have to do now, if that didn't even work?

Meanwhile Erina Nakiri's mouth was moving but no words were coming out she was red as a tomato and completely speechless, that boy, that annoyingly cute...uhhh disgusting! Damn it, damn it, damn it, all I wanted was for him just to let me know, did he want to kiss me, or not, or did he change his mind, uhhhh, instead he nearly gave me a heart attack like he actually was going to really kiss me and then it was like he touched my nose like I was some kind of...some kind of puppy?

Hisako watched Erina-sama appearing to pace around her mouth was moving, but with no words, like she was debating with herself about something, one thing for sure it definitely was something Yukihira must have done, gees what did that stupid boy do this time?

"Erina-sama?" She saw her pausing and turning her way but still no response. Wow, she is blushing pretty profusely, I can see it even in the dark, he didn't finally kiss her for once, maybe he's not as stupid as I thought!

"That boy!" "Yukihira-Kun!" "He is so...uhhh!" "Why does he have to make me so mad all the time?" "He is such a, such a dummy!"

"Erina-sama, so I take it, he still didn't admit he likes you or wanted to kiss you...yet?"

"Of course not, he is a stupid Yukihira Soma, why would he do that?"

"Yeah, I guess so, but why do you look like, like he did kiss you or something?"

"Or something?" Erina repeated it like an inside joke with a total different meaning all together!

"I don't even know, Hisako, one minute I was trying to get him to admit he wanted to kiss me, and he kept talking about everything that happened except for that and than I just really started letting him have it and gave him a total piece of my mind and then he, he, he..."

"He what?" "What did he do Erina-sama?" Hisako had no clue, what that boy would, do! One thing I will say that boy can be hard to figure out sometimes.

"He, I mean I almost thought he was going to." "I mean he got really close and then, he, he tapped his finger on my nose and said boop like I was some puppy or something and..."

"Hahahahaha!" Hisako burst out laughing, those two are just too much!

"Hisako, why are you laughing, this isn't funny, I was really giving it to him and when he tapped my nose it was like I couldn't even fight him anymore, what was that?"

Hisako stifled her laughter, that boy really does like Erina-sama of course he does.

"Well, I mean a nose boop sometimes it is done for a disobedient puppy..."

Erina almost boiled over!

But Hisako continued: "Sometimes couples do that too, when they show affection."

"Hah," Erina said out loud in an outburst in the background at how absurd that one sounded!

Hisako continued: "Of course in this case I think it means the other thing it can mean."

"What is that Hisako?"

"When a boy is too scared to kiss a girl but wants to let her know...he wanted to kiss her, so he boops her nose instead and..."

Erina had it: "That's enough, Hisako!" "That's too much." "There is no way, he's just an idiot, too dumb to see a good thing when he sees..." Erina stopped talking seeing that stupid look on Hisako's face that she already knew, what it was! She made it everytime she insinuated Soma liked me or I like Soma, and I had it and I quit! Erina just storms off not even waiting for Hisako to finish that stupid thought, which was so obviously impossible as...Soma!

Erina Nakiri, just shook her head no, I need to stop this, don't think about this anymore and focus on what I want to cook for Joichiro-sama that's it, I am not thinking about Soma wanting to kiss me, but being too scared to admit it, nope not me. Not going to think about it not at all, not at all! If he can be over it so can I!

I am not some, some little puppy that can be messed with! I am Erina Nakiri, when I wake up tomorrow morning I will put all of these stupid silly schoolgirl thoughts about Yukihira-Kun aside and finally I will live my childhood dream and cook for the Great Joichiro Yukihira! He will be so impressed and tell me how great I am in front of Soma, and all this teasing that Soma keeps doing because he just likes to irritate me...Uhhhh!

That will be so over with because once Soma's father acknowledges my cooking I am so, so out of here! Soma, you had your chance and you...blew it! Erina tossed and turned a while going back and forth with those thoughts in repeat until finally drifting off in a restless sleep.


Erina Nakiri Prep station the next day:

"Hm...hm...hm...hm..." Erina was happily humming along in her happy place as she started cutting up various ingredients in preparation of her long dreamed about opportunity to cook for the Great Joichiro-sama. She would finally get to show the one cook she regarded above anyone else, what she could do!

Erina was so focused making sure everything was ready that she didn't even notice her little devilish redheaded shadow hovering so close to her, so close.

"I mean really it's not a big deal Nakiri, I mean cooking for my dad, I do it all the time." Soma stated matter of factly just trying to guage how Erina Nakiri was feeling after last night.

Erina was not going to give him the satisfaction! "Yes, you cooked him your typically inferior food, but he's your father of course he's going to eat your food, but for me it's not enough for him just to eat it, I need to impress him, when I was younger I wanted to be just like him." "So, this is very important to me Soma." "I really need him to acknowledge my cooking."

Soma registered what she just said the irony of her needing acknowledgment from his dad, with his own little quest from the God tongue pushed to the side for now... He decided what he was going to do next...

"So, this is your big dream than huh?" "Don't blow it, Nakiri, hahahahaha!" Soma smiled and giggled devilishly along, waiting for the preppy blond to respond.

She almost jumped, at the sound of his teasing voice again, but kept herself still in place, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction.

"I know what your doing, and it won't Work, Yukihira-kun!" "I got this so easily, I've been preparing for this moment, for most of my life!"

"Yeah, I'm sure you got this Nakiri, I know you are really good...but what if you don't...?"

Soma kept needling at her, he wasn't quite sure, why exactly, just sometimes he liked seeing her funny reactions, but sometimes, the way she kept looking at how beneath he was to her, he just wanted to get something out of her, but there was something else, too. It usually didn't really bother him, about that, as it was just more fuel for him to prove her wrong, no it was something else, he just couldn't put his finger on it, so he was just going to keep poking at her with his virtual stick and just see what happens, next.

"Unlike you... Yukihira-kun, I don't lose, when I choose a goal I have worked for, trained for, planned for, I pick something I know I can achieve with my skill alone, I don't jump to the highest heights not caring if I fail, like it doesn't matter!" "A superior chef focuses on an achievable goal and...her cooking speaks for itself!"
She stares at Soma trying to show a brave face, but it still unnerved her internally, I mean of course Joichiro will be impressed with my flawless cooking skills, but... But Soma is his son, does he know something...I don't know! I mean, obviously not with cooking itself, but he is still Joichiro-sama's son, he has insider knowledge, and why is Soma being so adversarial all of the sudden, I thought, he was at least sometimes kind of nice to me, that he wasn't holding a grudge, what's with him, today? Was it something about last night?

"Oh, Oh, yes I am surrrrree...you got this Nakiri," Soma stated just letting the word 'sure' roll into extra syllables needling her with a word dripping in sarcasm.
"I've never seen you fail in anything in any of our challenges in school." "Actually it's almost looked like you put no effort whatsoever at times and always finished your tasks way ahead of the rest of us."

"One of the things, that..." Soma almost said annoying about...changed his mind... "One of the things, I guess there is a reason why you are the first ranked 1st year of our school..."

She stared and tried to gauge Yukihira-kun, his face just as annoyingly unreadable to her as ever before she decided to continue.

"Being the best 1st year looks easy because it is easy for me, I am Erina Nakiri, top in my class in Middle school, top 1st year, youngest student to ever win a seat in the Elite 10, and you well, I guess your the son of someone great and I guess, if being tied for 3rd best 1st year does something for you..."

Erina continued to stare at Soma's unreadable face. She wasn't exactly lying, about how she felt about Soma's accomplishments yet his very existence, confirmed something that even with her God-tongue...all of her skills...he wasn't supposed to last a day in her school and he tied for 3rd best and arguably might have deserved second place, she griped, when judging with a point system you can lose by variable point spreads, Soma had more judges in favor of him in his first round, and Soma only lost because he was feeling around for his specialty, because of all those years his father kept him out of the system, he did train him to be great in some things, she hated to admit it, but still there were gaps, so many, imperfect gaps.

"I mean, your so perfect Nakiri, you've never failed at anything, so I guess for you, just one slip up, you pick the wrong dish, you could make something perfect and what if my dad just isn't feeling it that day...hmmmmmmmm..." Soma didn't know why it bothered him so much that she cared so much about what his father thought about her cooking, it just irked him for some reason.

"Stop, it Soma, I don't fail, I win, I am a winner and this is important to me, why are you doing this to me, this is probably the biggest day of my entire life, Soma?"

"Look, I'm just kidding I know you got this, it's just fun teasing you, I mean you do got this...or do you?" Soma started getting playful again, he wasn't really sure if he just wanted to get a rise out of her at this point in time, but still he decided to keep going with this and see where it goes.

"Will, you stop, I-I, if you have nothing helpful to tell me, than don't say anything at all!" She shouted at Soma, uhhhhh he was making her so mad.

"So, you need my help, huh, why would you need help from someone like me, unless you had...doubts?"

Erina's head nearly exploded between throwing her previous thoughts about him, back to her and still he keeps teasing me, nonstop!

"I do have this, this will be easy for me unlike your imperfect creations, I am Erina Nakiri, I have never failed, before and I never will, so if you have nothing useful to say, than don't say anything at all and get out!"

Soma smiled seeing her cheeks puff up her anger boiling up her little curls spinning, around she was so, cute! Soma was enjoying this so much the random thought about how he felt about her was completely glossed over in his head. Soma decided just one more thing and he would be done for the day.

"So, Nakiri, your really going to make him...porkchops?"

Erina's nerves shattered, "wait, you mean Joichiro doesn't like..." She threw the porkchop right into the bucket and then...

"I was just asking?" "I mean, he actually does loves porkchops, or does he?"

Soma let his teasing linger at Nakiri for maximum effect just looking for the pretty blond to at any minute...

Erina Nakiri exploded!

"GET OUT...GET OUT...GET OUT...GET OUT...GET OUT!"

"YUKIHIRA SOMA, YOU ASS-H..."

Soma was already gone out of her earshot almost...all you could hear from Soma as he went back upstairs was...

"Hahahahahahha!"

Another little redheaded shadow was just smiling, taking all of their interchange in. Just amazing how neither of them seemed to notice she was back from another ingredients run, she giggled knowingly. Heh, heh, heh, heh, those two are just too much:


Meanwhile upstairs:

Joichiro had a smile, a mile wide and just plastered in place listening in on the little exchange between Soma and his...he almost laughed picturing her as Soma's wife.

They reminded him so much about him and his wife Tamako:

When they first met she was such a spitfire. She loved his food, but she didn't put up with anything from him and she did not give him any special treatment, well at least not at first. That day, when I found that little hole in the wall, which is this little hole in the wall actually, I never knew I would meet the woman I loved and still love to this very day. I used to cook just to prove I was better than anyone else and it was so exhausting, always having to surpass other people until eventually I had to surpass myself, it was like fighting myself everyday to be better and eventually, what was the point?

And than I met Tamako and there was only one point, she was beautiful and feisty, so feisty and just making something for her and getting her to smile and say it was good, but why didn't she say it was great so I had to work to make it even better, just to get her to smile and make her happy again!

And that day I truly became the chef I am today and... "Oh hi, Soma!"

Soma just grumbled, "all she cares about is making her stupid food for you and you closed our restaurant down, just for her to cook for you, it isn't a big deal, she could have cooked for you and we still could have kept our place open."

Joichiro almost wanted to slap him, how could he not realize what was really going on.

"So, you really think all of this is just because she wants to cook for me?"

"Of course, it's her dream, your God's gift to cooking, so why else?"

Joichiro just wanted to face palm himself, how could his son be so clueless, he had been listening in on their conversation, even though they were fighting and teasing each other and of course he knew what she really thought about his cooking too, oh if Soma knew that one...

Joichiro thought to himself how did, Soma not realize she hasn't left yet, she may be pretending it's for me, but it's really for him and yes maybe I keep giving her a pass for her ego because she won't admit it, kind of like someone else I know who keeps striking out by like a mile before you even come to the plate.

"Soma, you know there is more to life than cooking, right?"

"Yeah you made that clear when you closed our restaurant for the day just for her...to cook for you?" "You never close the restaurant for me to cook for you."

"Well your my son and she is a guest." "A really important guest!" Joichiro laid it out really thick, like how could his stupid son not see how important she is, especially to him?

Soma fumed at the favoritism like he thought she was better at cooking than him, too. Plus, what is that look he is giving me, it's obnoxious, I've seen it before actually more in the last couple of days than ever before.

Joichiro just laughed kids are so clueless when it comes to feelings, of course I was the biggest fool when I met her too, it's like a dance, those two are going to have to figure it out for themselves, but I'm going to keep giving them the rope to figure it out.

"She is important Soma, hahahaha..." He almost said to you...but he kept on laughing instead...no point at this point...

""Hahahahaha..."

Soma exploded not realizing the teasing of his dad full of love and wanting what was best for him was mirroring his own teasing laughter whenever he was around...her.


Meanwhile back in the prepping station:

Erina Nakiri was muttering loudly to herself:

"Unnh, that Soma Yukihira, he is such a...Soma Yukihira."

She was practically shaking in anger and nervousness, trying to calm herself, and focus on her task at hand, he is just so distracting, and uhhhhh, why can't he be more supportive for my cooking.

"..Giggle...giggle...giggle..."

"...Giggle...giggle...giggle..." The sound of Hisako who couldn't hold it in at the irony came trickling through the room.

"Oh, Hisako, your back I didn't notice...uhhh, how long have you been...uhh...standing there?" Erina asked nervously, not sure why her best friend seeing what was going on between her and Soma made her feel so, exposed.

"I was here...long enough."

"Long enough to see how annoying Yukihira-kun, can be, right?" "You saw that, how he is constantly teasing and making fun of me, why would he even do that?" "It makes no sense?"

"Ha, ha, ha...oh right..." She saw Erina looking at her annoyed at the laughing, like she wasn't joking about this at all.

"You, know why, Soma was really doing that to you, right, I mean isn't it, obvious?"

"Yes, so obvious, I see, what your saying, Hisako." "He's just so stupid, and annoying, yes, and uhh...he is such a...such a...Yukihira Soma..." She said it like he was both a noun and a verb. But she saw Hisako nodding her head no. "So, you don't agree?"

"Oh, the obvious part yes, but it isn't any of those things, I mean yes constant teasing can be annoying, don't get me wrong, but he's only doing it because he is...jealous!"

"Oh, wait, I see your right, jealous of my cooking abilities and skills and..."

"No, not that, I mean maybe he should be, but no he would never look at it that way, he believes in himself way too much to think that, so..."

Hisako tried to leave it hanging in there trying to get Erina-sama to acknowledge that elephant sized cloud hovering between how those two felt about each other since yesterday.

"I don't get it, jealous about what, Hisako?"

How, Erina-sama was so good about some things, but was so clueless, about that.

"He is jealous that his dad appears to matter more to you then he does."

"What, your crazy, there is just no way, he, he wouldn't Soma would never..." Erina let it out, while in her mind, I mean she isn't right, couldn't be, right?
"You know sometimes when a boy likes a girl they tease the girl a lot because their too scared to let the girl know their real feelings." "You know kind of like yesterday when he," Hisako almost thought about trying to nose boop, Erina-sama and thought better of it, but had her finger in the air like she was still thinking about it.

When is Hisako going to just let this go already there is just no way? What does she know anyway?

Thinking about it for one more moment, she finally decided to ask her.

"How would you even know if a boy likes a girl and is too scared he teases her instead, Hisako?" "You don't have a boyfriend, either."

"But I do read your romance Manga's too, you know."

"Those aren't real, that doesn't happen in real life." "If a boy is being annoying, why would a girl fall for him just because he's cute or..or.."

"Did you just call him...?"

"I didn't, I was talking about the last manga I read, the one where the high class girl fell for the boy in the auto repair class, they are so different that doesn't happen in real life."

"But they looked so cute together and wasn't their first kiss in the rain so perfect, Erina-sama?"

"Get out, get out, get out...I am not here for Soma, this is for me!" "That table I left open that day when I booked all the tables with the pine tickets it was for Joichiro Saiba or Yukihira whatever he's called it was for him and he never came, but he's here now it is for him...not for that other one...the other Yukihira who is so..so...uhhhhh..."

"You sure Erina-sama?" She said teasing her giving her that look again, she'd been giving her more and more lately.

Even though she was her best friend she decided to let her have it.

"You get out...you get out too."

It was just so irritating. First Soma and now Hisako, too. I just need to calm down and focus! I've been waiting for this moment my whole, life. The day I get to present to Joichiro-sama the greatness of my cooking and of Erina Nakiri! Just you wait I will show Soma, all his teasing, and all his big talk, even his greatest dishes will pale in comparison with this dinner I will prepare for his father, tonight!


Dinner table:

Hisako, Soma and Joichiro are waiting for what Erina Nakiri, will finally be making for her, hero, so one of her childhood dreams, can finally come...true!

Meanwhile: Erina Nakiri was humming and singing happily as she laser focused on her cooking. It almost looked like she was having...fun!

Soma just stared. He'd never seen her looking like that before, so happy, that smile, she looked so, so, he laughed to himself chuckling not completing that thought. Instead he hid it with a completely different thought, I didn't realize she had that many teeth, he chuckled, lightly but still continued to stare at Nakiri as she lightly, giggled and smiled as she continued making some unknown dish for his father, one thing for sure, it smelled really good!

Joichiro wondered what Erina-chan would be making for him today, from the reports that Senzaemon had given him from time to time, he would always tell him how she had lost her smile and passion for cooking, and how he always joked that if anyone could get her to enjoy cooking it would be, and then he turned to his son, and just seeing the way he looked at her, it looks like the feelings might be mutual, if only those two could actually figure it out.

Hisako just smiled happily, she couldn't even remember the last time Erina-sama looked so happy, even if she keeps messing up with Soma because she thinks he doesn't... She just shook her head seeing the way Soma was looking at Erina-sama, how does she not, notice that? Well, I mean I guess she's focused on her childhood dream, but still when this is over with and she will of course, even to the great Joichiro-sama she will definitely impress him with her usual cooking excellence and maybe then she can start realizing, Soma feels the same way about her too, and she looked one more time at Soma and accidentally caught a stray glance from Joichiro nodding at her like they were both part of the same conspiracy of getting those two together.


After hours of cooking:

Erina Nakiri finally came out with the covering of her dish finally about to be revealed:

All 3 of them Hisako, Soma and Joichiro all wondering aloud what type of dish she would finally be serving, none of them had a clue.

Erina Nakiri almost hesitated for a second her proud happiness of the dish she had chosen to make had come out just like she wanted it to and more!

They all held their breath in anticipation as Erina Nakiri opened the lid.

Soma for a second thought wouldn't it be funny if she tried to make something bad on purpose for a change, snickering slightly almost getting Erina Nakiri to give him another one of her patented nasty looks but even Yukihira Soma couldn't ruin this one for her as she was finally getting to show what she could do in the presence of the greatest chef she had ever had the privilege to taste for.

The lid was removed and it was spectacularly, golden shimmering throughout the room like they were staring at the sun almost blinding all three of the spectators.

Once their eyes adjusted to the sheer brilliance of Erina Nakiri's creation they noticed on the chef's plate there actually were expertly cut finely Roasted Pork loin along side, De-boned and skinless Roast duck cut in equidistant pieces almost entwined together like they were attached like an artistic painting. Alongside the meat dish were the finest roasted potatoes with a Nakiri made applesauce made with her personal seasoning choices as dictated by her God tongue! There were 4 or 5 select specialty sauces twirling around the outskirts of the plate almost like a rainbow for dipping and sampling of various flavors, so each bite of the juicy meats could provide the taster with a unique culinary experience and that aroma...

Oh my that aroma, Hisako was in ecstacy, Soma for a second felt slightly jealous bemoaning it might smell even better then the dish he had served her, even, but I hate to say it but she really can be amazing sometimes, I'm kind of jealous, I would like to try her dish...too!

Joichiro smiled enigmatically appearing to be happy to finally try Erina-chan's dish but didn't seem as over the top blown away as the other two, but still Erina could see enough of a smile on his face... She couldn't wait to finally find out how he actually feels about my cooking!

She watched Joichiro laying the cloth napkin along his lap, slowly watching him take a bite, and she couldn't wait to see the expression on his face.

Still he just seemed to be eating, he didn't look happy, or sad, or angry his face was just so unreadable almost like another Yukihira she wouldn't name.

"Ehhh, Nakiri," Soma lightly brushed his hand on her shoulder. "That dish must be really good, look at the way dad is eating it up, I think he's savoring every bite, I wish I could taste that dish myself, it must be pretty, good."

Erina Nakiri, wanted to watch her hero savor every bite and finally acknowledge her cooking but still, this was too much!

Erina, immediately brushed his hand off her shoulder which felt slightly weird from his touch for some unknown reason, uhh the nerve of...Yukihira-kun!

"After, all that teasing you did to me last night and you think, I would cook it for you?" "I, did not come here for you...today Soma... this is for him and this is for me and any minute he is going to tell me, how absolutely amazing and out of this world my cooking really is." "

Now, I will admit I wasn't expecting him to be so reserved, while eating my food, but maybe that is his style, some food critics, will try to concentrate to give an accurate critique, right, Soma?"

Soma, thought about it, wondering why his dad was being so reserved, himself, but still this was Erina Nakiri, cooking even he could admit it.

"Aww, c'mon Nakiri, even I know, even with all my teasing, your an amazing chef, of course my dad is loving it, he probably just wants to finish everything so he can tell you how amazing you, uhh, I mean your cooking really is."

Hisako, in the distance pointed, right there how does she not notice those things.

Erina, smiled, he's being nice all of the sudden, again, that's how I almost, but still it's not about him, I'm still mad at him for yesterday, even if he was just joking.

"Well, it's nice to see you are finally able to admit the obvious at last to me, Soma."

She gently flipped her hair at Soma, showing her obvious superiority to him and any minute her acknowledgement would be coming shortly.

"Uhh, Nakiri?" Soma tried to point something out to her, but she wasn't letting this boy get away with it.

"So, you do think my cooking is amazing, well it's good, to know Soma that even you can acknowledge the obvious, but still there is only one Yukihira, I really need approval, from and pretty...soon, now any minute..."

"Uhh, Erina-sama?" Hisako was trying to point it out too, but Erina Nakiri was so focused on Soma she didn't realize what had just happened!

"And another thing, Soma since you finally are willing to acknowledge my cooking maybe I will let, you taste my cooking but first any minute now..."

And than she sees, Soma turning away from her as his cell buzzed and he started walking away from her completely, ignoring her!

"Soma, I will not be ignored come back here!" And then she turned around and she finally noticed it too!

Erina Nakiri felt crestfallen as she turned back to where chef Joichiro was supposed to be! Where did Joichiro go? Her dinner she had prepared was finished, he had eaten everything, but he was gone?

"Soma," she called out? He just seemed to be reading a text, completely ignoring her, while Erina felt crestfallen as her dream to finally find out and be acknowledged from the great chef Joichiro, what is happening where did he go, did he just go to the bathroom or something, what is happening?

"Erina-sama, he just left!" Hisako stated, knowing how she had her hopes up so high and now, this.

"Wait, what Hisako, what do you mean?"

"I mean he got a text on his phone and just left."

"Wait, you mean Yukihira-kun, I just saw him reading a text, but he's still here."

"No, the other Yukihira...kun!"

Erina, couldn't believe this what was happening here, any minute, he had to come back tell her how he felt about her dish, I put so much into this, I've been dreaming about this moment, forever.

Soma read everything his dad, wrote out, and even though he kind of knew how this felt, from the other end of it from a certain Nakiri, girl I guess I'm going to have to tell her.

Soma, felt kind of bad, for some reason seeing her so, sad, yes she kind of has frustrated me before in the same way, but still, I just, I just don't like seeing her sad, it hurts me for some reason.

"Uhh, Erina?"

Erina, had never heard Soma say her name before like that she dreaded what he was about to say next.

"Erina, that was my dad, it seems he got the call from a long time customer who needed him to cook for a party he was having overseas, ASAP."

Erina felt like the walls were closing in on her, she almost felt like fainting all this build up, for what?

"What did he think about the dish?" She said it so quietly reserved.

Soma's heart almost broke for a second, the usually haughty Erina Nakiri, seeing her like that, like she was completely defeated.

"Look, I know my dad loved it, didn't he eat everything," he almost laughed to himself that she ate everything from his dishes, too.

"No, but please Soma, didn't he say anything about my dish?" Erina Nakiri, was still hoping, but she knew and it was weird even if Soma told her his dad told him it was the greatest dish he'd ever eaten, she didn't get to hear it for herself, it wouldn't be the same.

"Uhh, oh yeah, he said he would come back sometime later this week and he would tell you what he thought about your dish."

"Wait, that's it, no it's the best dish he ever ate, how can he just like walk out like that and he didn't say anything else, what is it with you Yukihira's, uhhhh!"

"I mean, my dad does this all the time, it's kind of funny, he would just walk out and I didn't even know he did cooking overseas at the time and he was this high in demand chef." "Well, I guess, uhhh," Soma felt sad thinking now she was probably going to leave too, she has no reason to stay, now, my dad is gone and she will probably be leaving soon too.

"So, that's it, so, he did say he will be back here, in a couple days and then he will tell me what he thought about my dish, right?"

"Oh, yeah, he said it could take 3-5 days he's not sure how long his gig is for, and he'll come back so, I guess, you'll probably be going back to the dorm, now I don't know what else to tell you."

"You can't call him back, and get him to tell me, please, Soma?"

The way she said, it, almost melted him.

"I mean, I could try, but dad never answers the phone, he's probably planning out his next course to serve his clients." "So, I guess, that just means..." Soma hated to admit it, but he didn't really want her to, go.

Erina Nakiri, wondered, he could come back at anytime, and that crazy Yukihira could leave again and still not tell, me, uhhh... All these damned Yukihira's, they are all crazy and driving me crazy too!

"So, I guess this means..." Soma left it open, he wasn't going to say it or even suggest it again, but he knew she was probably about to leave.

"So, I guess you will have the privilege of working under the great Erina Nakiri, as she shows you how you really should run your family restaurant until your dad comes back and tells me how he really feels," she laughed haughtily.

And than, a saddened Soma, felt his fire coming back at her being high and mighty again with her little smirky smile.

"Oh, really well I will have you know when my dad is away I am in charge and I will not be working for you, you will be working for me!"

"Ha, Erina Nakiri, working for you, like you could even afford me, I make more in a day then your little restaurant makes in a month!"

"I wasn't asking you to work for, me!"

"I accept, so I will be deciding the next courses for tomorrow, than, hahahahha!"

"You will not, I am in charge, this is the Yukihira diner and we will be serving Yukihira style dishes only!"

"Oh, really...?" She asked smirking at Soma, knowingly!

"Yes, really...!" Soma, fired back the nerve of her!

"Bicker...bicker...bicker..."

"Fight...fight...fight..."

Hisako, just laughed at those two oblivious to absolutely everything, but each other. They didn't even know she was still here, but of course...

"Uhh, you guys, I have so much scheduling to do and work to catch up on while, I was still here, she winked at those two still oblivious to everything."
"I am out!" She just laughed as she packed up and left they didn't even know she was gone because...

"Bicker...bicker...fight...fight...fight!"

"Nakiri!"

"Soma!"

"Bicker...bicker...bicker...fight...fight...fight!"


Meanwhile, somewhere along the Tohoku Highway:

Alice: "Faster, Ryo, the longer you take, gives my little cousin way too much of a break." "Ha, ha, ha, ha ha, she is so going to get it from me!" "I am going to bust her so bad for keeping her secret boyfriend from me, I knew it!" "Little miss fancypants, goody goody has her little boytoy, badboy all to herself." "I am so going to give it to her." "OK, Ryo you can turn here."

Ryo: "You sure about that Miss Alice, the directions said..."

Alice interrupting: "The directions, say it is what I say they are, I am your boss after all, and this way is so much faster!"

Ryo: "Yes, but Alice if you look at the direction finder again you'll find..."

Alice: "You'll find your life will be so much easier if you do whatever I say, Ryo." "Just do it, you'll see, you'll see!"

Ryo: "Whatever, your the boss..." He leaves his final objection lingering completely unsaid, no point now.

60 minutes later:

Alice: "We're back at Polar Star!" "What did I tell you?" "Why are we back here, you messed up the directions!" "What is wrong with you Ryo?"

Ryo: "I told you it was the wrong turn!" "That shortcut exit you wanted to take was blocked off for construction!"

Alice: "You told me nothing of the sort, it is your fault, if you knew it was blocked off you should have said something!"

Ryo: "You told me, you were my boss and I had no choice, but to obey you and to stop giving you back talk!"

Alice: "How, is it my fault, you were the one driving, it wasn't me...grrrr...Erina is so going to get it, but not today and it is still your fault, you should have changed course once you knew the exit was blocked."

Ryo just rolled his eyes knowing there was no point now, even pointing out it was an expressway with no other exits was pointless, now. "Fine, whatever Miss Alice, but for tomorrow, we will be going the normal way, right?"

Alice: "I suppose, just don't mess it up again, OK, Ryo," she teased, laughing in her own little world completely oblivious to Ryo's deep eyeroll as she planned all the powerful teasing she had in store for her precious cousin, tomorrow...oh is that girl so going to get it good. "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"

Ryo just rolled his eyes, that girl, why do I even, he stares at her smilingly, giddy face as she rubbed her fingers together like she was planning something really devious and evil and just chuckled lightly to himself. I guess, tomorrow will be pretty...interesting!

To be Continued:

Yes it's a double cliffhanger!


Author's end notes and preview: I'm so sorry, the kiss, yeah they were so close and it didn't happen yet. I teased they would be interrupted and that didn't happen either. And still those two found a way to mess it up. It's funny I actually based that scene on a certain HBO show's series finale that had absolutely nothing to do with kissing. Seriously though I wanted the kiss too, it was so perfect, they were having the perfect moment, but I thought it was too soon, it was still a really great cliffhanger in the last chapter and I still have more story to tell before they finally kiss. But, I promise you when I run out of before they kiss stories, the kiss is definitely happening especially since their first kiss scene is actually in my future story notes, hmm which chapter will that one be in?

Chapter 7 preview: Well I think I'm calling it Teamwork but I could change my mind. Soma and Erina will try to work together running the Yukihira family restaurant while Erina waits for Soma's dad to return to tell her what he thought about her food. That cameo scene I've been building up to with the other Nakiri finally finding out what her cousin's been up to will finally happen and I have a lot of movie based scenes I always wanted Erina and Soma to have together. I'm hoping for lots of fireworks and sparks and who knows maybe something more will come of it. You'll have to read on to find out. If you like this chapter please let me know, because that's what makes me consider starting the next update sooner. Until next time order up!