Hi everyone! As I may have mentioned before, I wrote some new, behind-the-scenes- like bonus chapters for this year to keep things interesting. This is one of them.

NOTE: You do NOT need to read this chapter to read or understand the rest of this story! This is almost like a spin-off chapter to my own fan fic.

With that said, "Ode to a Ginger" is a Marui Zenji x Yoshino Yuki chapter, dedicated to IceColdSea, who's written a good bit of Shokugeki no Soma fan fic. Anyways, this is her OTP. Anyway, I'd highly recommend anything she's written.

Earlier that morning…

In the halls of the Polar Star Dormitory, Marui Zenji approached her door, only to turn away yet again for the umpteenth time, crinkling the paper in one hand and adjusting his glasses with the other. Poetry had never been his strength, but according to all the books he'd read, it was the best way to win the heart of the girl he loved. And so, in his hand, he held a poem, short and sweet and rhyming, dedicated to that special someone. He read it to himself over and over, trying to work up the courage to enter the girl's room and gift it to her. The poem started like this:

You may not be all curvy, but I don't really mind,

'Cause you're the nicest, kindest girl that I could ever find. You may not be a genius, or really all that smart,

But when you smile, for a while, it truly warms my heart. You have all sorts of energy I never could possess,

The sight of your bright ginger buns brings so much happiness

He halted, thinking, This poem is terrible! Bright ginger buns? I know I'm talking about her hair, but what if she thinks I'm talking about her… Marui nearly died of embarrassment. This won't do at all! "Nicest" and "kindest" are synonyms, the rhymes all feel forced… What should I do?

The poor lad curled up in a ball, rocking himself and sobbing. He wanted to impress her, not sound like some sort of pervert! Softly, he finished, reading the last two lines in a whisper:

So maiden of the forest, with skin as fair as snow, Please offer me your tender heart, my dear sweet- "Yoshino!"

called Nakiri Alice perkily, bursting through the front door of the Polar Star Dorm, Kurokiba just a step behind her.

Marui hastily picked himself up, dropping the poem on the floor and turning to face the visitors. In his typical, somewhat nasally voice, he responded, "Um, I think Yoshino-san is in her room."

Alice looked up at the glassesed boy, confused. "Who are you?"

"Marui Zenji," he replied nervously, "I'm, uh, in your class?"

Kurokiba turned his head sideways, lazily adding, "I think we were in the same hall for the Autumn Election Qualifiers." Marui nodded, grateful for the recognition, before the muscular boy continued, "I don't really remember you at all, though."

Marui flinched, thinking to himself, I only scored four points less than you, you know!

After a pause, Kurokiba pondered, "Wait… were you that smoke guy?"

"Anyway," Alice butted in, clearly uninterested, "We have a little favor to ask Yuki-san, so if you don't mind- Huh?" The girl stopped, realizing she had stepped on a slightly crumpled piece of paper, wondering, "What's this?"

Marui gasped, instantly recognizing the sheet as his poem and starting to protest, "I really don't think you should…" But it was too late. She had already picked up the paper and started reading it, Kurokiba looking on over her shoulder.

"Aww! This is so sweet!" Alice chimed. "Did you write this, Naru-kun?"

Marui pushed up his glasses, only to have them slip down his nose again. "My name is Marui, actually, and yes, I must confess that poem is mine."

Kurokiba nodded. "So, you're the type of guy who's more into the bottom than the top, I guess." Marui blinked furiously, "I beg your pardon?"

The man made an hourglass figure with his hands. "I mean, if you were to have a girl more bottom- heavy or top-heavy… because she's kinda flat… and you mentioned her buns…"

"ACK!" Marui screeched, "No, no no no no, I didn't mean it like that!"

Nakiri finally looked up from the poem and grinned at its writer, then glanced over at Kurokiba, stating, "Well, I guess we've found the newest member of our choir, then!"

"WHAT!?" both dark-haired boys replied in unison.

With a giggle, she elaborated, "See, we were planning to recruit Tadokoro Megumi to sing with us tomorrow, because she's good friends with Yuki-san and could easily borrow some hens from her. But given your situation, Marui-kun, it seems like the perfect opportunity!" She leaned forward. "If you go in there right now, and Yoshino says she loves you back, will you join our Christmas caroling choir?"

The nerdy boy stuttered, "I mean, I guess so…"

"But Milady," Kurokiba began to protest, "Can he really sing?"

"He doesn't need to be any good at singing," Alice explained, "If anything, that'll just annoy Uncle Azami even more!"

Thank you so much for reading! I know that this chapter is a major change of pace - far more shippy - from my other stuff, but I hope it was enjoyable nonetheless. I'll see you tomorrow for another, main storyline chapter!