Haru pointed at Mana.

"You're just another stepping stone in my path to greatness! So if I'm gonna be the best at this school, I'll start with you, and you better be damn sure I'm making you say my first name too."

"Enlighten me, boy." Mana smirked.

…

We Continue.

"The theme is South American Cuisine! You are allotted 1 hour for your dish! Use whatever materials you deem fit! Begin!" The announcer exclaimed, and the Shokugeki began.

Or, an excuse for a Shokugeki anyway.

Haru's opponent raced to the materials stand and nabbed some meat and veggies and began dicing away.

Haru, however, simply sat down, facing the judges and looking straight ahead.

The crowd, announcer, frankly everyone, shifted their attention to the bluehead.

"Why are you sitting, boy, aren't you going to dazzle us all?" Mana asked, vexed at the sight.

"Nah, I just don't need to waste my time, I could finish the dish in about 10 minutes anyway." He said.

"Oh really? You've been spouting nonsense about becoming the best and being able to satisfy Lady Nakiri's tongue, when no one in this stadium has been able to! What can you- a nobody from Tohoku, possibly do in this establishment!?" Aikuro asked, sneering.

Suddenly the air became cold and heavy and Aikuro gulped at the boy in front of him, who's cyber yellow eyes were piercing through his own, the menacing glare giving him goosebumps.

Haru's voice deepened and he said slowly:

"If you think I can't become the best, I'll take you on right here and now, and knock you down from your little "First Seat". It'll be so bad you'll quit school." He said, glaring.

"Heh- Don't jump to conclusions, punk! Before you even take on the Elite 10, you gotta start by defeating the opponent in front of you!" Aikuro laughed somewhat weakly before being cut off.

"Then- I'll just win right now." Haru said, and stood up.

Going to his station, Haru picked up a whole fish.

The audience stared intently, anxious if the boy would live up to his sudden promise.

"Pack your bags, First Seat."

Picking up a santoku knife, Haru tossed the chicken up in the air, and as the fish came back down, instantly lining up his knife, Haru began his art.

The sound of a jingle could be heard across the stadium.

Everyone blinked, startled as if they had just come out of hypnosis.

Haru had already fileted the fish, with what seemed like a single slice, and was about to cook it, along with some calamari and squid that he had just finished preparing, breading them.

"Wha- How did he do that!?" Mana yelled, completely baffled by what Haru had just done.

"Practice, practice, practice, Ms. Nakiri…" Haru said, humming away as he calmly but swiftly placed the food into a pan, the oil around it bubbling as it crackled.

The smell was emerging now, and it was wonderful for everyone.

The second it hit Mana's nostrils, she couldn't help but let out a pleasured sigh, before quickly readjusting herself, hoping no one noticed.

Haru's opponent was frantically trying to finish their dish, but to no avail, as Haru was already about to finish.

Aikuro was looking at Haru's movements, or at least, trying to.

I couldn't even see him filet the fish, it was a tilapia too, and those have dozens of bones, there's no way in hell he could've gotten them all in a single slice. Even the frying technique, which anyone could do, it's a basic technique that gives one basic, mediocre food… So why does this one smell- appetizing?

He couldn't even finish articulating his thoughts when he saw Haru approaching the judges with his completed dishes, or to be more accurate, a single dish.

"Buen provecho, mis queridos jueces." Haru said in Spanish.

"What- what is this dish?" One of the judges asked as they eyed the gleaming glory before them.

"I'll let Ms. Nakiri answer that one for you."

"It is a Jalea de Mariscos, a Peruvian dish consisting of fried seafood, layered in between leaf lettuce and onions, marinated in lemon juice, but it isn't an individual dish. It's meant for sharing between a group…" She said,

"You're drooling a bit there, Ms. Nakiri." Haru said, gesturing at Mana.

"Wha-" Mana, embarrassed, quickly dried her mouth and chin with a napkin, but she soon realized it was dry.

"You brat! My mouth was fine!" She snapped, glaring at the boy.

"Relax, I'm just playing with ya. Now dig in." He said jokingly.

The three judges gulped. In front of them was a rather appealing seafood dish. It gleamed with colors of green, blended in with crisp brown by way of the steam. The familiar smell of fish was refreshed by way of the lemon zest.

"Before we eat, would you mind explaining to the audience what you included?" Mana asked, slightly annoyed that Haru had no etiquette for Shokugekis.

Haru put on a perplexed look, as if he didn't know what she was talking about.

"Don't play dumb with me, boy. I know you added something to this Jalea that isn't in normal dishes. Now spit it out."

Haru simply shrugged, now that he'd been found out.

"No. No I don't think I will. Besides, that would ruin the surprise, and I can't have that if I'm trying to change your mind about me, now can I?"

Mana hated it, but this boy was right. He had pledged to make her say his name properly, it wouldn't be very lady-like of her if she refused their deal in light of some trivial fact about the dish.

"V- Very well then…" She muttered, and slowly slid her fork into the fish.

"This texture– it's amazingly soft, yet the crunch it makes when the fork passes through the crisp layer is unbelievably satisfying…" One of the judges commented.

Mana's hand trembled slightly as she brought the piece of fish to her mouth, and took a bite.

Haru smirked and turned to the audience.

"Hey everyone! I apologize in advance for what's about to happen, especially for those who are– more sensitive about going half naked out in the open!" He yelled.

The audience murmured amongst themselves.

"What does he mean?..."

"Half naked? What is he on?.."

Aikuro's face went pale.

"No way– this bastard, Lady Nakiri is about to–"

The instant after, his clothes were blown off, along with basically everyone else's aside from Haru himself.

"KYAAAAA!" Both male and female students screamed as they were left in nothing but their underwear.

THE GIFT!

Haru's opponent, still in the final stages of their dish, somehow continued to prepare their food in the midst of them not having any outwear on.

Meanwhile, Mana was frozen in her seat, her eyes unable to be seen. The other judges were seen on the floor, seemingly passed out with dumb looks on their faces.

Soon, after the ruckus, everyone calmed down somehow in the face of their newfound prostration, and eyes were on Mana, who remained silent.

Haru let out a light chuckle, and walked up to the Nakiri, brushing past Aikuro as the First Seat struggled to find his clothes.

"So… Ms. Nakiri, how was it?" Haru inquired.

"H- Haru Tadokoro…." She mumbled.

…

"...is the winner of this Shokugeki." She finished, placing her fork down.

The audience gaped, silence plaguing the arena.

Everything simply stopped. Not even a mouse.

Mana didn't even consider whatever dish could be put out by Haru's opponent.

"Uh- Well- it seems Lady Nakiri has already made her decision!" The announcer said nervously.

Mana then stood up with such ferocity, it rattled the table.

"Haru Tadokoro. You are the fourth person who has been able to satisfy my tongue… But you are the first to make my tongue want– more."

Everyone was shocked. Normally, since Mana was one of the judges, it meant that neither contestant would win, since only three people had been able to satisfy her tongue up to that point. But not only had Haru satisfied her mouth beyond demanding expectations, but he had made the Nakiri want more.

"Do you even understand the amount of restraint it is taking me from disgustingly embarrassing myself by tearing through the rest of your dish like an animal!?" She yelled.

Haru shrugged and turned away, walking in the direction of the entrance.

"Finish it if you want, don't let your pride stop you! It was only a punk kid from Tohoku who made you say his name, right!?" He said, throwing his hands up.

Mana was trembling. She had never tasted something so delectable in her entire life. Her view of this boy had been completely flipped, and so suddenly too.

"Wait, boy!" She yelled, to no response, and then remembered.

"Tadokoro!"

The boy stopped.

"What did you put in the Jalea!?" She asked.

"You tell me. You have the God Tongue right?"

Everyone was stunned, unable to speak.

Mana wanted to retort, but Haru was right. She should've been able to detect what was in the Jalea that made it so irresistible, but she had been distracted by how– good it tasted.

"Well then– if that's all, see you later Mana. I think I can call you that now…" He said, pondering out loud as he walked out the door.

"Yes you can… I will see you soon as well, Haru." She uttered.

Mana sat back down on her seat, adjusting herself, a smirk growing on her face.

Grabbing a fork, she began wolfing down the rest of the Jalea, happily moaning with every bite as the bystanders of Totsuki were left speechless by what had just taken place before them.

The arena was quiet, except for Mana, and near the ceiling, a display showed the results,

Winner: Tadokoro

3-0

*end flashback*

"And yeah, that's what happened." Haru said, finishing tucking in Erina.

"So, one could say, that at the age of 15, you became the best chef that's ever walked Totsuki grounds, is that correct?" Asahi asked as the two men walked out of the room.

"Meh, think of it how you want, I think that there are plenty of people who came before and after me who were just as good if not better." He shrugged.

"I see…"

"Alright, beret. It's your turn. Tell me about Soma Yukihira."

"I'm a man of my word, Tadokoro. Where should I begin?"

"Surprise me."

"Very well. Perhaps the most daunting thing about Yukihira-san is that he's very stubborn. I remember even after beating him during our first Shokugeki, he demanded to challenge me, all the way up to our confrontation at the BLUE."

"Alright, so he's a tough bastard. Why did he leave after BLUE then?"

"Well, from what I recall, in the final bout against Erina, she beat him."

"...I really hope there's more to it than that." Haru asked warily.

"Not only that, she called his dish disgusting."

"I- Hold up- you're saying he couldn't handle a damn insult?"

"Well, it wasn't the first time she had called his dishes that. Ever since Soma began at Totsuki, she had continuously called his dishes disgusting and terrible, even though he pledged to make her say his food was delicious. That was what she told me."

"Okay… so after being berated for months on end, and during BLUE, it was the last straw?"

"Apparently so. He also supposedly gave his all into that dish, a supposed full circle that was supposed to make her say the magic word, but it came to no avail."

"Ah. So the golden boy had enough of her crap, and he decided to dip– go improve his cooking somewhere else?"

"Correct."

"Yeah I don't blame him. Still though, if he hadn't left, I wouldn't have needed to get involved with this crap."

Asahi chuckled.

"Erina has that effect. Somehow she manages to bring people into her shenanigans. Did you hear about the events with Central?"

"Yeah. It's weird how a father daughter issue ended up involving a whole ass elite school."

"Yes, well, Soma and Erina ended up working together to defeat the First and Second seats at the time."

"No way– they beat Tsukasa and Kobayashi? Well, damn. That's not half bad. But that brings into question, if the two were so closely knitted, why did Erina continue her antics?"

"Erina didn't tell me everything, but from what I can deduce, her pride seemed to have gotten the best of her, consistently throughout the school years."

"Huh. So it's an internal conflict."

"I suppose so, yes."

…

"Tell me, beret. Do you think Yukihira would come back if Erina called his dish delicious, like say– tomorrow?"

"Well from what I could tell from Soma, he already seems hell bent on perfecting his technique even more, in fact, I'd argue that the reason he's away is because of what Erina told him. It's his drive to continue improving. If she told him something like that at this point, he might take it as ingenuine, and more like an attempt to bring him back to Totsuki."

"Right…"

"You should know, Tadokoro, Soma is a good guy. I used to overlook that fact back when I was– well not on good terms with myself and others– but Soma was able to bring me out of that dark place with his cooking. It was like an epiphany for me."

Haru remained silent.

"Well then, if that is all I'll be taking my leave now." Asahi said, grabbing his vest as he made for the door.

"One thing actually, what kind of music does she like?"

"Music?" Asahi asked.

"Yeah, I need to loosen her up with a peace offering or something, otherwise she's never gonna listen to me."

"Well, assuming she's been brought up like any Nakiri, she should be into classical, perhaps romantic era music pieces as well." Asahi answered.

"Would you look at that, something in common… Alright, thanks for the help."

"One thing though, Tadokoro."

"What's up?"

"I'm not the closest person to Erina, but I would appreciate it if you took it easier on her. She doesn't respond well to force, given her previous relationship with our father. If you want her to trust you then you may need to go farther than simply a peace offering." Asahi warned.

"Sure thing, beret."

Erina woke up, startled.

It happened again, hadn't it? She had passed out because of Haru's cooking. She didn't even remember what the dish was.

"Ugh… it's afternoon already?" She pondered, still groggy.

"Afternoon of the next day, to be exact. Also good morning." A voice said.

Yelping, Erina turned to see Haru clacking away at a computer, sitting at a desk next to her bed. His posture was terrible as he craned his neck to see the screen.

"You were out cold for a while, I probably should've dialed it back, that was my bad." He apologized.

"Ah… I presume Asahi took his leave already?"

Haru nodded.

"Anyways- why are you here in my room, don't you have your own already?!" She demanded, starting to get out of bed.

"Yeah, but the computer was in this room, so I had to."

"What do you need the computer for?"

At that moment she could hear shifting and buzzing in the main room, a printer.

Haru got up from the chair and went to check, a few moments later he came back with two slips of paper.

"Tickets for a concert– you like Romance Era pieces, I hope?" Haru said, tossing a ticket to Erina.

"I do… how did you-"

"Beret told me." Haru said, shutting off the computer.

"Well why are you inviting me anyway? Are you trying to ask me out or something? If that's the case, no thank you." She said, disgusted.

"Relax, I ain't asking you out, just something for you to unwind.. Anyway, we leave at 6:00 PM." Haru said.

Erina sighed. Already, she had no idea what they were doing, much less how this was going to help her forget– no, deal with– Soma not being at Totsuki.

Stretching and yawning as she got out of the bed, Erina decided to go take a shower.

It was almost time to leave and Haru was ready to go.

He stood by the kitchen table, skimming through a book he had brought along, his fingers felt like they were being crushed from the inside but he had gotten used to that feeling at this point.

He was taking a sip of some tea when Erina came through from the hallway, seeing her, he almost spat out his refreshment.

She was wearing an elegant, off-shoulder, yet long sleeved, dress. Tapering off so that it showed her leg. Seemingly crystal heels made a pleasant clacking sound as she took each step. If one didn't know already, Erina appeared to be someone of royalty, nearly shining as she walked through the corridor into the kitchen.

But she wasn't the only one dressed for the occasion. Erina almost stumbled when she saw her counterpart for the evening.

As Erina walked through the hallway like a princess, she was met with a black vest-shirt, overlayed by a pristine white tuxedo and bow-tie, topped off with a rose in one of the breast pockets. Black dress pants that had been ironed and sharpened to the point where they could cut you, and black shoes shined to perfection.

"Ahem. I didn't peg you as the type to get dressed properly. Not bad for someone like you.." She said, walking up to Haru.

"Believe me, if this fine establishment of a hotel didn't have that giant collection of Gucci apparel, I probably would've gone in my windbreaker. But you ain't half bad yourself, Little Nakiri. Although I have no idea why a 17 year old is showing off her-"

"What? These?" Erina said,

She pulled down her dress slightly, tightening it and accentuating her curves as she spun around, which made Haru cringe slightly. She could be confident when she wanted to, and she was going to shove it in Haru's face.

"Yes– those." Haru sighed.

Happy that she had been able to irritate Haru even a little, Erina made her way to the door.

"What are you waiting for? We're going to be late if you keep staring at me like that." Erina teased.

"Oh it ain't that, Little Nakiri. It's this." Haru said, quickly running to his room and back.

Erina was dumbfounded at what he brought out.

In one hand, Haru held the book he was reading, and in the other, a violin case.

"WHY DO YOU HAVE A VIOLIN?!" She demanded, her face contorting in one of confusion, anger, and worry all at once.

"Simple, I'm gonna get my violin here signed by Maestro Perlman himself. Once in a lifetime experience." Haru said.

"I get the feeling we didn't come to Paris for my 'winding down'..." Erina muttered.

"I hope you like Tchaikovsky." Haru said, patting Erina on the shoulder as the two made their way out the door.

A/n: What's up y'all! It's been well— more than a minute, hehe. Sorry for the late update, I started working on yet another project, which for some reason I keep thinking will turn into a manga if I try hard enough… But aside from that, I also got accepted into some colleges! I haven't gotten word from my target school, but fingers crossed I get in ToT. Anyway, that was Chapter 3, what kind of shenanigans will Erina and Haru get themselves into in the next Chapter? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z!

-Kano