Do you believe in fate?

The fine line that dictates our lives from the start?

Do you believe in such a miraculous occurance?

A bond that forever seals their heart's, for it not to part?

Do you believe in such a lie?

The trail of bittersweet memories after it departs ?

Do you believe in such a thing?

The red string that intertwines both of their heart's?

-Starry Embrace


xxx

~/ Victoria /~

xxx

Erina was a lot of things. She was beautiful, drop-dead gorgeous, intellectual, a perfectionist down to the very last detail. She was also the proud owner of nine top restaurants, all across the entire globe. Only the highest of class, fit for a pristine woman such as her. Although, it still amazes and peeks the people's curiosity as to how could she manage handling all of her assets, and be the headmaster for the top and leading culinary school in the entire world. How does she do it indeed? Nobody will ever know the truth. Although they could infer one thing through their guesses.

It must be quite exhausting for such a burden to be placed on her. In contrast to this theory, the warm smiles she shows on television and on the media seems to say otherwise. From the first layer, she looked like it didn't bother her, but the actual truth couldn't be farther from this. Don't get her wrong, she loved doing this. It was practically her calling in life.

Despite all of this, despite the achievments.

She couldn't help but feel like there's something missing in her alluring and exclusive life-style. Erina couldn't help but feel like there was someone missing in her life.

She always pondered on these empiric thoughts more often than not. In fact, every time she was alone it seemed... Her gaze would occasionally drift away to the far distance, far from her place. Thoughts and regrets that always seemed to drift bitterly in the wind, without a care in the world.

In spite of this, the drink of champegne she was drinking tastes sweet. If she were to put it in her own words, it felt like an eternal waltz of cherry and apple, a blissful dance that glided whimsically throughout her taste buds.

"...The moon looks...lonely tonight.."

Erina thought wryly to herself, she wanted to say the former. To acknowledge it's immense beauty, yet the frail and lost emotions in her heart coulnd't help but reprise the fact.

How long has it been? How long has she been closing her eyes for? Her mind subconsciously reminded her that it had only been an hour, yet the residing feeling of sadness welling up in her heart.. It told her, that she has been doing this for an eternity. She didn't feel like opening her eyes. She feared if she did, it might wake her up to the cold hard reality before her. The reality that always lingered at the back of her mind, her regrets had made it possible for this 'reality' to cling on to her.

Although these miserable thoughts played a part in her fear of waking up. The tender embrace of the sea's wind also played a key-role in alluring her to a half-hearted slumber. She didn't want to wake up, nor did she had any intentions of breaking this odd comfort the sea had brought her.

Unfortunately for her, good things don't last very long. Life really had a cruel sense of humor, sick even. Erina noted.

"...Erina.."

Her aide, Hisako Arato, spoke up in a tone of worry. Concerned for the well-being of the woman in front of her. Whenever she saw her act like this... Isolating herself from the public, from everyone. It always brought an unsettling feeling to the pink haired aide. She was very worried, not from the standpoint as an assistant, but as one of her closest friends.

"...mhm.."

Erina mumbled with a reluctant approval, showing that she acknowledged the lady's presence. Still however, she kept her eyes closed. She didn't want the calm ambience of the night to fly away from her grasps. She would be lying to herself if she told anyone that she didn't want it. In fact, she needed it, very desperately. She just couldn't let go of the warm comfort the mon had brought her. As to why, or where that comfort came from...

A certain memory from the past may have played a part in all of this...

Those nights, where both of them would stare silently at the night sky's immense beauty, while being lost in thought. They would always drift off to their own little world. Compared to how vast the cosmos are, they all seemed like spectacles. Just tiny fragments that would eventually be lost under the moon's pierceing gaze.

Alas, those nights would never return. Not because of the testament known as the past, but because of the cruel irony left behind by a certain man. She could never have those nights back, those times back. No matter how hard she wished for it. For fate to intertwine them with it's red string.

It could never go back to those times again. To how it used to be... Nevertheless, she digress these regrets. She dismissed them, tried to wave it off as if nothing was there to begin with.

Why did she felt this way, why now of all times?

Does the night hate her so? Does it hates her so much that it serves as a constant reminder of her past... with him?

"are you alright?" The worried assistant asked in concern, worried for her friend.

"...yes..I'll be fine..." Erina lied through her teeth. She couldn't open up about these personal matters with anyone, although her assistant may have already had a vague idea as to what's troubling the blonde woman.

"...Well..alright, if you say so...I just came here to inform you that the cruise will be docking in about ten minutes" Hisaka bowed respectfully, before taking her leave. While a concerned expression followed her trail.

"...Thanks..." The blonde girl whispered her graititude before the latter left. Although this begs the question, did she hear it? Probably not, judging from how strong the ocean winds were. Her voice must have been carried along it's fleeting journey. Just like how her heart was swept away due to the cruel testament of her feelings.

If only she had opened it up more, her heart...

She was beginning to walk down that line of thinking again. She loathed it, hated it even. Yet it's something she couldn't blame anyone else, but herself. Diverting her attention from these dark, and slowly prevading thoughts. Erina swirled her glass of champegne with a gentle twirl, allowing it's rich and pure contents to blend like a red crimson sea. It's alluring scent had already encased her sense of smell, courtesy of Hayama, which just so happened to be the earlier aide's close friend, or more perhaps?

She has yet to get a real and proper explanation for those golden rings they always seem to wear...

"It'll only be a few...minutes from now...I wonder what he's doing right now..." Erina smiled, a feigned hope began glimmering in her deep amtheyst like eyes. Even for just a little.

It would seem that the mere thought of him was more than enough to make her feel giddy inside.

Huffing subbornly - embarrasingly - at her own outrageous notions, she downed the entire glass of liquor in one go and began to march profusely at her room. She needed to refreshen herself before they were going to dock. She held herself in high regard and thus has an immaculate and bright image to uphold, and she would make no compromises about the matter.

As a queen, she had a duty to subdue her subjects with her beauty. She coulnd't help but scoff wryly at the fact... It was going to be a long night for her, beauty is the least of her concerns right now.

~V~

"Are you ready?!"

The mc spoke through the mic proudly with unparalleled enthusiasm. Standing on top of the stage while his ecstasic voice resounded throughout the entire arena. The whole building could only shake in trepedition from how loud the crowd's response were. Yells and cheering could be heard when the crowd realized that things were finally about to start taking off.

With a snap of the mc's finger, the spotlight that encased his figure soon dissapeared and was joined by multiple others in a shower of beaming lights.

"Without further ado! May I introduce to you the director of this tournament!"

The mc's gaze soon fell on the sanctum that was overseeing the entire area... On the private den of which was currently being highlighted by a shower of spotlights, and said den just happened to be the place where a certain honey blonde heiress resided.

"Joining us here today is the one and only Queen of the culinary world! Not only is she the current holder of the most michelin stars in the world, but she's also the one and only Head-Mistress of Totsuki! The most prestigous culinary school in all of Japan, and if not the entire world!"

With a sweet and graceful smile, she nodded her head in acknowledgement towards the crowd's yells and cheers. Although a nervous bead of sweat did run over her forehead when she saw her own family waving handmade posters and flags over the crowd. Shaking her head in dismissal over the humiliating sight before her, she stood up with a dignified poise befitting of her titles.

"Good evening everyone, It's such an honor to be standing here with all of you tonight for this remarkable day in culinary history" Erina took a short yet serene pause, in order to let the curious silence that just brewed up seep in. A complete contrast to the crowd's earlier excitement and energy. Now, they were merely waiting in silent trepedition, in silent elation over her warm greeting. However, that aura was soon replaced when they saw a glint of dominance flicker in those gleaming amethyst eyes of hers.

In no less than a second, the bursting and lively energy of the entire venue was soon turned into more of a silent and heeding one. Her mere voice alone was more than enough to exude an aura of unmatched authority from her. It would seem that her mere presence was more than enough to seize everyone's attention. All their eyes layed solemnly on the reserved female before them... However that reticence would soon prove to be a lie when they felt the room's atmosphere graze upon their skins. Suddenly turning tense from her now visible smirk, a fierce one at that. A few and select number of people - her friends - recognized that fierce smile. The way it curls up from all the corners of her lips in such a special and certain way. That toothy grin that always seemed to impose an aspect of absolute confidence... And the way that smile seemed to reflect, something else entirely... The way that unrivaled smile of hers shined in a unique and unprecedented feeling. Passion.

Her intense spirit was a complete contrast of the Erina from way back then, from a long and distant time ago where the feeling of regret still lingered behind it's fondness... If one were to ask to compare the present her and the her from before, from the past. One could only assume that they were tow completely seperate beings, two different people...

Yet, despite these two side's parallels... There was still something that remained the same, An irrefutable fact that would never succumb to the testament of time...

"Tonight will be mark the biggest day in every chef's life, tonight will not only be a trial of one's expertise and mastery, but it will also be a showcase of who you are as a person... To let the whole world know about the skills you've honed to the upmost limit, To show them what you're experiences and struggles have amounted to! To convey you're honest feelings through you're own way of cooking!"

and that fact was quite simple really...

"To give it you're very best!"

the fact that she was still Nakiri Erina, all through to the very end...

"With that in mind! I will now declare!"

...and let's just say if you knew her from back then...

"That the first ever World Wide Culinary Championship to officially commence!"

...then you would know that she tends to be a little feisty sometimes...

~V~

Amidst the crowd's roars and yells of exhiliration, a mysterious figure was leaning back on the wall while crossing his arms in delight. Intent on observing the entire event unfolding from a secluded part in the entire arena...

"You haven't changed one bit Nakiri..."

Musing lightly to himself, his face flashed an unparalled - and somewhat familiar - fierce expression... His fiery and enthusiastic smirk was already an inidication, a signal, a warning even...

"...Huh, Guess I better step things up a notch too then..."

...that he had no plans on staying too long on the sidelines...

Fin...

Author's Note:

Happy Late Valentine's Day!

Hope you poor souls find the one! I know I won't! :))

Also, this was just an idea that I had while I was writing, I'm still not sure if I want to turn this into an actual story,


But hey what do you think? :)