Chapter 1

"Tell me your secrets and ask me your questions

Oh, let's go back to the start"

The Scientist by Coldplay

The Yukihira Diner is busy as usual and the father and son duo worked together on a smooth dinner service. Soma, the 6-year-old son of the diner's head chef and owner Jouichiro, was taking orders left and right and is clearing out tables. They worked well into the night until the rush came to a halt.

While cleaning up and preparing for tomorrow's work day, Jouichiro told Soma about an expected visitor coming over the very next day.

"Soma, a dear friend of mine will come to the diner tomorrow for an afternoon snack. Expect them to be here a little bit after lunch. Clean yoursef up after the lunch rush, we'll be entertaining them," the owner told his son.

"Okay, Pops! If you don't mind me asking, who are they?" The young redhead asked.

"I'm sure you know Senzaemon-dono since he comes here every few months. This time I'll introduce you properly. I'm sorry I haven't asked you to join the table before, I just thought the old people talk would bore you," Jouichiro said.

"Is he bringing someone with him? You said they and them." The young boy inquired.

"Yes, kiddo. He's bringing his granddaughter; Erina. She's about your age that's why I think you should join us, so you can have a new friend! I cooked for them both last month at their mansion."

"Would have been better if it was a boy. Girls have cooties! That's what ny classmate said. Did mom have cooties?" The boy inquired while scratching his head.

Jouichiro let out a huge laugh and said; "Why do you listen to your classmates? Is it the same boy that said his little sister was made because his mother ate watermelon seeds?"

Soma sighed; "Yes, same boy. I guess he's wrong. Heh, I knew mom didn't have cooties! And even if she did, I wouldn't mind!"

The father laughed again; "You are something else, kiddo."

—

The next day, after the lunch hour rush, Soma took a shower and put on a fresh Yukihira Diner uniform after clearing out the tables. He wondered what the girl would be like. His dad's friends are always weird, not like the customers he often meets. They all seem cool and confident. And their eyes always looked at him like they knew a secret he didn't.

He went down the stairs and saw them already seated by the middle table. He eyed the girl curiously as he went up to politely say hello first before going to the kitchen to make sure to help his dad with the snacks. Wow, that girl is pretty. And very cute.

"Erina dear, isn't it nice to not have to be critical of the food we're about to eat? Just try and have fun and if you want to make friends with that kid, go ahead. I was glad you asked to visit and eat Jouichiro's cooking again! You can ask me to take you here to visit any time you want," Senzaemon told Erina after the young boy went to the kitchen.

Erina blushed a bit and hid her face behind her hands. She whispered grumpily; "Grandfather! Please, I asked you to keep it a secret! I didn't ask to come here, you just brought me because you want me to go with you, ok?"

Senzaemon laughed heartily at that. "Hai hai! I apologize, Erina! I'm getting old, I must have forgotten about that tid bit!" He teased his granddaughter. "How do you find the diner, dear? You like it here?"

Erina removed her hands from her face and smiled at her grandfather; "To be honest, it's different but it's nice. I expected Saiba-dono to own a 5-star restaurant or even a resort, I didn't expect this. But why is it under a different name? Is he working for someone else?"

"Jouichiro never goes for the expected. This diner was a family business he got from his wife. Sadly, she is no longer with us. Jouichiro carried her last name to honor her memory."

—-

Erina looked in awe and wonder at the light dishes all spread out on the table. A combination of savory and sweet snacks. There are some familiar dishes like fried tofu with dipping sauce, pork buns, and baked bread with cheese sauce while other sweet treats are unfamiliar. Erina was sitting in front of her grandfather and Jouichiro with Soma sitting beside her.

"Sugoi! Saiba-sama, your dishes always look so vibrant and colorful. Thank you for the food!" Erina excitedly praised.

"Thank you, Erina. Happy to serve! Let's dig in!" Jouichiro said.

Soma found it curious that Erina didn't comment on the smell and aroma of the dishes. He noticed that customers are always enticed by the aroma first so that they're pulled to the diner (or to their stall at that festival they always participate in).

"Pops, what did she mean about colorful?," Soma asked his dad.

Joichiro lightly scolded his son, "Soma, don't be rude, you are sitting beside Erina here. Ask her yourself and get to know her."

Soma blushed lightly but he was shy. She found that Erina smelled like flowers and she's so clean and her posture is like that of a model. She doesn't seem like a girl his age and it intimidated him a bit. And on top of that, she's pretty. Like real PRETTY. Like magazine, tv, or movie level pretty.

"Umm, sorry Erina-san. But why did you not praise the smell instead? It's just that, the customers always say the dishes smell good before they eat." He asked whiel barely maintaining eye contact.

"Please call me Erina. And well, I already smelled the dishes while Saiba-sama was cooking. And um, it's weird but they say I have inherited the God's Tongue, which means I have the perfect palate. My mom had that too and everyone said it's the first time that it was consecutively passed on. So I guess on top of my palate, my eyes also see the imperfections in dishes. If the food is not good, it looks gray to me. Or parts of it at least. Saiba sama, grandfather and my mom were the only people that can cook without gray bits. It's icky, y'know?" Erina said.

"Wow, that's amazing. Well, I wish I can cook vibrant and colorful dishes too. I plan to beat my dad and inherit this diner from him when I grow up!" Soma shared.

"I'm sure Saiba-sama is a wonderful teacher, you'll be a great chef in no time," Erina smiled at Soma.

Wow... her smile is so cute, I wanna pinch her cheeks. Wait, what? That's weird, right? Soma paused and Erina's words registered. "Ughhhhh, he's a bad teacher. He let me hold a knife at 3 years old, when I told my classmates, my teacher became very concerned. Really, he doesn't teach me, just lets me watch then I copy him. He makes me taste his weird creations too. He always teases me that he can make both the best and worst dish ever. Then we try to have a cook off but I always lose. But I'm only 6 so I have time to improve!" He said holding out 6 fingers.

Erina chuckled at the boy's words. "It sounds fun though."

"I think so too but do you cook as well? I mean you have awesome powers so..."

Erina chuckled again; "Powers? You're silly! I'm not a superhero, I'm just me. And yes, I do try to cook but not as much as I'd like. My mom left me with grandfather who is now enjoying retirement so my family's work is passed on to me. I advise culinary businesses and institutions on dishes so I usually don't have much time to cook. I have to taste test many dishes from the morning until dinner time. By the time I'm finished, I'm so tired and full to bother with cooking anymore. I just read before bed."

"Sounds like fun though! You get to eat lots of food! Do you go to school? I do but I don't like studying. Why do you read before bed? That's like studying!" Soma asked genuinely intrigued.

Erina laughed; "You really are silly. I read fiction! Those are stories that aren't real, all from imagination. I don't read math or science books. I also go to school, but it's a culinary school owned by my family. And my job is only fun when the chefs are excellent. At least I can choose what I eat based on the colors. If it's gray, I can just say it's not good right from the start. They told me my mom used to taste everything that's served. I can't imagine."

"Why can't your mom or dad do the taste tastings?"

Erina full on laughed at this. "It's called TEST tastings!"

Soma blushed and scratched the back of his neck, "Ehh, sorry."

Erina smiled softly; "Don't worry, that was funny. You're silly, I like it. My mom left our house a long time ago and my dad was... well that's a story for another visit."

"You say you don't as much as you like, next time you visit, let's cook something together! What do you say?"

"If that's okay with your dad, that sounds fun."

"Then I look forward to it. I'll introduce you to my friends from school too! They eat here often. Now I can tell them I'm friends with a model who has powers!"

"Silly boy, I'm not a model and I don't have powers!"

"You're not a model? But you're really really REALLY PRETTY! Like a model!"

"Eeeehhhhh!"

Senzaemon and Jouichiro smiled at the blossoming friendship that their little loved ones are starting.

—

AN:

Hi! Thank you for reading. First ever fanfiction. This will be a multichapter fic. Let me know what you think! Thanks!