Chapter 6: Welcome to my world

(Part 1)

What's up everyone? I hope you are all doing well, and feel ready to read yet another chapter of this story?

I can't believe it's the sixth one already, and I'm still not there where I wanted to be hahahahahah. I guess it will take me quite a few chapters to finish this story after all, so hopefully you guys won't mind it too much?

This chapter as well as the next one mainly focuses on the anniversary Gala itself, but after that, we can finally move on to the very first changing point of this story. Erina visiting her idol! I seriously can't wait for that!

However before we can get started with this chapter, I think I have to tell you guys something.

I'm truly sorry to have disappointed some of you in regards of my writing. The last thing I wanted was for anyone to drop reading my story because it lost its touch or something. I beg of you to be a bit more patient with me and give me the chance to improve. Since this is my very first story, I suppose there are a lot of things I need to learn in order to become a better author. So please forgive me for disappointing you, I hope I can make up for it in the following chapters.

Your reviews honestly help me realize what I do wrong, and I really appreciate that. So thank you guys for everything you told me, I promise to do my best and avoid making the same mistakes. I already received a lot of tips from DevDuck and it helped me a lot, thanks again for that!

With that said, please enjoy this chapter here, and hopefully I see you all next time.

Take care everyone!

"You look absolutely beautiful Miss Erina. I'm sure everyone's eyes will be on only you for the entire night."

"That's all because of your incredible styling skills Hisako, thank you very much."

"I-i-it's nothing, really! I didn't do anything worthy of such praise. Your natural beauty simply outshines even the smallest touch of makeup, so I hardly deserve any credit."

A small giggle escaped the blonde's lips at hearing her best friend try to play down the significance of her role in dressing and coiffuring her.

Hisako was modest like that, and Erina couldn't help but smile in gratitude for all the efforts she put into this little styling session.

"I appreciate it nonetheless."

With that, she turned back to her oversized mirror, regarding herself until it was time to head out for the Gala.

The day had passed her by without her even realizing what was happening, and before the heiress knew it, she was already back in her own room getting ready.

All the residents of Polar Star dormitory had told her to go and have fun tonight, which she appreciated with all her heart, but couldn't say would actually happen. Celebrations like these often tended to get painfully boring pretty quickly and Erina saw no point in getting her hopes up that it would be any different this time. Still, she thanked her friends for their kind words nonetheless.

Upon seeing herself in the mirror now, she found that Hisako had been right to some extent. There was hardly any makeup on her face, giving her a more delicate and natural appeal alright, but she doubted it had anything to do with her looks in general. Every girl would be beautiful when it came to events like these.

Nevertheless, she couldn't really deny that the long white dress she wore hugged her curves downright perfectly. With its v-halter neckline and Open-Back, it was truly breathtaking to behold. She especially loved the Sequins decorating the entirety of her décolleté, emphasizing it without any effort.

To top it off, she had decided to let Hisako simply pin a few strands of her hair together on the back of her head by using a golden circle barrette, while the rest fell loosely down her back. This was truly the work of a talented Chef with some styling skills to boot, and Erina couldn't be more proud to call this particular Chef her friend.

"It's beyond incredible. Thank you again Hisako, I mean it."

"P-please Miss Erina, there is no reason for you to thank me in any way. I'm just glad you like it."

The blonde gave her a warm smile as she unobtrusively glanced down for a better view of Hisakos outfit, mainly consisting of her white uniform coated in a red vest.

"By the way…, I'm really sorry you can't come inside with me. I wish I could do something to release you from kitchen duty, but… grandfather said there were already arrangements made and that it would be impossible to change that too, so…"

"O-oh n-no don't worry about it, its fine. I'll be okay."

The genuine surprise in her secretary's voice made Erina feel even guiltier than she already was. If only there was a way to let Hisako join her in the main area instead of helping out in the kitchen. The time would fly way faster then and she wouldn't be half as bored as she expected to be without her close by. But her hands were tied, leaving her with no other option than to simply nod in understanding.

"I know you'll do your best, just as always."

"I will! It's an honor to cook for you Miss Erina. I promise I won't let you down!"

Giving her one more smile, she reached for the small velvet purse on top of her nightstand next before walking towards the door.

"You ready to go then?"

"Yes Miss Erina."

With the pinkette now rushing after her she made her way downstairs, noticing the large figure of her grandfather waiting for them in the main hall.

As usual, Nakiri Senzaemon chose to attend the Gala in only his yukata, making Erina wonder if he even earned anything else. Then again, she doubted everyone present would really care about his state of dress anyway. They had worked together for quite a long time, so it probably didn't even matter to them. Her grandfather could be just as intimidating without wearing a suit, after all.

Upon reaching his side, she bowed her head in greeting, dismissing her previous thought of pointing out his state of dress. She didn't want to be disrespectful towards him, so she wouldn't bring it up in any way.

"I'm sorry for making you wait grandfather, it shouldn't have taken me this much time to get ready."

"Raise your head my dear, there is no need to apologize. I just finished preparing a few files for tomorrow, so I was pretty much occupied while you two were upstairs."

Erina felt relieved, yet guilty at the same time. It was her fault he had to deal with all this now instead of spending a great time on his vacation. She knew he didn't mind, but that didn't mean she wasn't supposed to either.

Forcing these thoughts out of her head for the time being, she sent him a warm smile. No point in dwelling on it, she guessed.

"Shall we get going then?"

"Not yet, dear. Our companions have yet to arrive. I'm afraid we can't head out before they do."

With confusion evident on her face, Erina turned her head towards the main entrance behind him, as if she could see right through it.

"Co-companions? What do you mean by that grandfather?"

Hisako, standing a few feet behind her, held a hand against her mouth, trying to suppress a giggle. Needless to say, she failed miserably, causing the blonde to raise a delicate eyebrow, now more confused than she had been a few seconds ago.

Just like her grandfather, she also had a certain glint to her eyes reminiscent of the one Erina had seen the previous day in the elders office. The only thing she got out of it was that nothing good could come from such a devious look.

And she was proven right…

"I'm sorry child, I had failed to mention something important yesterday. You see, since the anniversary Gala will be somewhat different this year, I have decided to introduce the current first and second seat to all our sponsors right alongside you. The previous occupants of all the seats met our working staff the same way, so it has to be done at some point."

He placed a hand on his chin, striking his beard in thought as he did so.

"Unfortunately this means, I will have to exclude the other elite ten members, since this Gala isn't meant for that sort of display to begin with. But I'm sure it'll suffice enough for now."

"S-so w-what you're saying is… t-that…"

"That's right. As you have guessed by now child, Yukihira Soma and Isshiki Satoshi will also accompany us to tonight's event."

Erina felt her heart suddenly going on a massive rampage at hearing his confirmation, her cheeks burning hot with embarrassment. They were to be accompanied by Yukihira and Isshiki, of all people? This had to be a joke, right? She hadn't seen that distracting ball of energy ever since their short talk last night, and now she was supposed to go to a high class ball with him? The sheer thought of that made her insides twist with anxiety and excitement at the same time.

Not seeing him for the most part of the day had caused her to feel slightly… off somehow. She couldn't really explain why, even if she wanted to, but the strange sense of loneliness she experienced at the dining table this morning had been more than proof enough that something was definitely wrong with her.

Apparently he had been attending a Shokugeki with one of their fellow classmates, who had been the first to challenge him right after he got the title of first seat, and by the time he came back… she was already heading towards the Estate.

Now she was given the opportunity to see him again. In a daringly tight satin dress, no less.

She wanted to say something, but closed her mouth shut the second she opened it.

Her head snapped towards her secretary, realization hitting her with full force.

"You knew…"

"I-I'm sorry Miss Erina, please forgive me. Your grandfather gave me strict orders to not tell you."

"But why?"

"A surprise, my dear. I know how these festivities bore you, so in order to include those two youngsters, I had to adjust the schedule a bit."

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. This old man in front of her went out of his way again just to insure that she would have a great time? How could she ever make up for all the inconvenience she had caused him thus far?

"I suppose you could also call it 'killing two birds with one stone'? At least this way it won't be necessary to hold another ceremony to formally induct you into the duties of a dir-"

He was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell, announcing Totsukis famous first and second seat.

She guessed there was no turning back from here on out, yet for some strange reason she couldn't muster up the courage to take a step forward, too embarrassed to reveal herself in front of him.

He would be dressed in a nice suit, looking absolutely dashing and irresistible, while she would without a doubt drool all over her gown. Hell, she was almost drooling already just by thinking about it.

So if she was a blushing mess right now, what would happen the moment she were to lay eyes on him…?

The small breeze passing her by suggested that Hisako had rushed towards the door instead, opening it wide so that she and her grandfather were also right in their line of sight.

"Good evening you two, glad you made it in time."

"Hello there young Arato, we're honored to be here. I take it you're doing well?"

"Yes I am, thank you for asking Isshiki."

'Oh no, oh no, oh no, Hisako what did you do? What am I supposed to do? I don't want to be so nervous. Calm down, just calm down…'

Her chanting didn't seemed to work as well as she hoped it would, which caused her to panic even more.

That is, until the redhead's cheerful voice interrupted her, causing her gaze away from the high heels she wore. Since when had she started looking down?

"Yo, how's it going? That uniform really suits ya a lot, Arato, way to go!"

'An insult without meaning to make it sound like an insult, that's Yukihira for you.'

Unbeknownst to him, that little statement had been exactly what she needed in order to compose herself and regain her confidence once more. Thanking him in silence, she slowly made her way towards the group, her grandfather right behind her with a pleased smile on his face.

"W-what are you talking about? D-don't say things like that, Soma!"

"Huh…?"

"Urgh, you're unbelievable, you know that?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Don't 'yeah, yeah' me! You can't just casually tell someone that their Chefs attire is a fitting choice of wardrobe, that's not what people want to hear!"

He gave Hisako a puzzled look, as if not understanding her distress. A sigh escaped Erina lips at seeing her friend facepalm before she shook her head in utter frustration. She could definitely sympathize with her, for there hadn't been a single day passing by without her feeling the desire of doing the exact same when she had been working with that obnoxious redhead too. He just bluntly said things out loud, not thinking about the consequences of his phrasing whatsoever, which made people around him feel either angry or embarrassed.

Unfortunately she was no exception to that.

However, upon reaching them she couldn't help but release a small giggle behind a hand, as she thought of all the times he flustered her by saying things the wrong way without even realizing it. It had been more than a little embarrassing at the time.

Trying her best to not glance his way, she decided to address her secretary first. She was playing it safe for now.

"I don't think he will be able to follow you Hisako, just let it go."

"Y-yeah okay, but I refuse to take it as a compliment."

"Ahh Nakiri, there yo-u-… are…"

"Hm?"

The moment she turned her head in his direction, was the moment she realized it was a mistake. A mistake that would come at a price.

Just as she had predicted, her breath caught in her throat, her heart skipped at least ten beats at once, and on top of that her palms suddenly felt unnaturally sweaty too.

As much as she had hoped it wouldn't happen, she knew it was impossible to stop her eyes from slowly making their way down now.

It seemed he had decided to ditch the tie and just go for a more roguish appeal by leaving the first two buttons of his white shirt open instead. Her eyes widened the more they went further down, regarding the jacket emphasizing his surprisingly defined arms all too well. She couldn't help but wonder if the rest of his body underneath that shirt would be just as muscular as his biceps were...

Forcing her gaze away from his upper body, she decided to take in his entire posture as an alternative.

The tactic of playing it safe was definitely not working anymore.

With his hands inside the pockets of his trousers, he stood there just as confident as usual. How someone was able to look so good in a suit without so much as even combing through his spiky hair, or properly tucking in his shirt, was beyond her. Yet she quickly found that she liked it. A lot.

Lifting her head up to lock eyes with him again, she felt a shiver going up and down her spine.

Those intense eyes, turning a much deeper shade of amber than usual, almost seemed to bulge right out of his head. Whether it was intentional or not she couldn't say, but with the way his mesmerizing orbs fixated on her, honest admiration written all over his face, she felt…

"Y-you, eh, you look…b-"

"Come on Soma give the girl a break. You know it's not polite to stare that much right? Just compliment her and be done with it. Oh, perhaps you should use that handkerchief I gave you to wipe the drool from your chin, yes?"

And with that, the magic between them faded away as if it had never been there.

She quickly averted her eyes, looking anywhere but there as her face turned bright red. While trying to calm her unsteady heartbeat, she missed the flustered expression on Yukihiras face as he frowned towards their upperclassman.

They had totally forgotten that Isshiki stood right beside him, witnessing their display of emotions from a front-row seat the entire time.

"W-what? I said I was hungry on our way here, didn't I? It's just the hunger, trust me. Besides, I didn't stare at all!"

"Sure you didn't."

"I didn't!"

"And what if I told you it was one of those unintentional gazes you tend to have every now and then?"

"I-I…"

Heaving an exaggerated sigh, the brunette shook his head in defeat.

Whatever it was he tried to point out, it seemed like the young Chef wouldn't be able to understand it any time soon, hence the reason Isshiki had decided to drop the subject for now. It got her quite curious, but Erina refrained from asking, knowing it wouldn't help the situation in any way.

Turning back to the blonde heiress in front of them, he settled on addressing her next, leaving a confused yet frustrated looking redhead alone with his thoughts.

If she were him, she would have probably done the same.

"Please excuse his rudeness Nakiri, he's just a little… stunned to see you like this. Which I can't really blame him for, you look absolutely divine."

Finally coming to her senses, she gave him a smile, followed by a small bow in gratitude. The respect she now held for her senior had grown quite a bit over the past few months and she promised herself to use every opportunity given to show him that. It was crazy how much she had changed…

"Thanks Isshiki, you as well."

Turning his head back towards the still dumbfounded looking boy beside him, the brunette gently nudged his elbow into Yukihiras side, effectively catching his attention.

"Now my young friend, you say something too."

"I was about to, before you interrupted me."

"Really? Oh my, I'm so sorry about that."

Choosing to ignore their senior's shower of apologies, he simply locked eyes with Erina again, causing her to tense up immediately.

"You, eh… you look amazing Nakiri. I guess this is your element, huh?"

"T-thank you, b-but it's nothing special really. As the future headmaster of Totsuki academy, it's a given that I attend this celebration in my finest gown."

Sending her a cheeky grin, he raised his thumb, revealing the ever present hand cloth wrapped around his wrist. Was he seriously planning to wear that the entire night?

"Whatever you say. Oh, speaking of fine outfits, what do ya think of mine? It's awesome, right? I got it from my dad a while back, and, not to brag or anything, but I think I fit into it much better than I used to."

His now smug face made her forget all about her embarrassment in the blink of an eye, replacing it with annoyance.

Clenching her fists tightly, she regarded the way he rubbed the spot under his nose with a finger, eyes closed and cockiness almost spilling over. She knew he was well aware of his own allurement- her gawking had driven that point home all too clear-, yet he still wanted her to confirm the matter anyway.

How… shameless.

"Hmph, I'm more astonished over the fact that you actually own a suit of such high quality. But then again if your father was the one who bought this for you, it shouldn't come as a surprise really. After all, I agree with him that every commoner needs something exquisite to wear every once in a while as well."

The smooth laugh he released sent new pleasant shivers down her spine. Her words were meant to be taken as an insult, so why was he snickering like that?

Holding her nose high in the air, arms crossed over her chest, she refused to look at him while he was so amused on her behalf. Her ego needed a way to restore itself somehow and this was the only solution she could think of.

"Talk about ice cold, and here I was worried that the gloomy face you were constantly making lately would affect your attitude in a way too. Guess somethings never change."

"Excuse me? What are you mumbling about over there?"

"Nothing, don't worry about it!"

"That's what I thought."

As she glared daggers at him, pleased at the sight of him raising his hands in mock surrender with a nervous smile on his face, she couldn't help but let her eyes wander all over his body once again, too attracted to force her gaze away for longer than she had to. After all, it had been her pride preventing her from complementing his attire in the first place. And yet the more she glanced at him from the corner of her eye, the harder it got to prevent her mouth from slipping.

In the end, it was of no use and she lost the battle within herself.

"A-although… I-I suppose it's only fair of me to say t-that you do fill out this suit rather… nicely."

She hadn't meant to stutter there. However the genuine smile that had spread across his face threw her off immensely. Nobody could keep their cool if the person in front of them looked so overly happy about something that barely counted as a compliment.

"T-thanks…"

This boy was simply adorable, with eyes shining so brightly and a hint of a blush gracing his cheeks, he made Erina wish she could hold him close to her heart and squeeze until her arms hurt.

It was a strange feeling, but at the same time, she came to acknowledge it as a part of her new self by now. After all, it could very well be possible that she was supposed to feel this way, now that the ice around her heart was finally starting to melt away...

The sound of someone clearing their throat jerked her out of her thoughts as she let her arms fall back down on each side of her body. Her eyes quickly found her grandfather smiling at them fondly, still with that confusing glint in his eyes that told her he knew more than she would expect him to.

"Alright, now that our guests have arrived as well, I think it's about time we head out to the Gala. It wouldn't be proper for the main hosts of this event to be late now would it?"

Feeling embarrassed for delaying their departure with her endless staring, Erina was quick to agree before she practically stormed out of the door towards their black limousine, her face warming with each step she took. She had been careful to avoid giving Yukihira another glance, let alone brushing her arm against his on her way out, fearing it would only add to her inner turmoil. That was the last thing she needed right now.

As soon as the group behind her was done exchanging pleasantries, they finally made their way to the banquet hall, located a few miles away. It was the same place every year, yet Erina couldn't help but watch the scenery in awe each time she entered the building, too mesmerized by its beautiful structure to get used to the sight. She wondered how it would be decorated for this occasion and how many chances she would possibly get to sneak away unnoticed in order to scout around the area for a bit. It was something she did since childhood, thus becoming a tradition of sorts by now. Whenever there was a high class celebration she needed to attend with her grandfather, she used every opportunity to slip out of the main hall and run around exploring every corner of the massive facility. Every time she thought there wasn't much more to see, she would find a completely new sight to prove her wrong. That was the only thing making it at least a bit more possible to endure the boredom she felt while sitting on that uncomfortable chair at the dining table, so Erina wouldn't shy away from doing it this time either, no matter who was accompanying them. She had found her own way to pass the time when Hisako wasn't by her side and no one was to take that away.

Smiling to herself in anticipation, she gazed out the window, choosing to ignore the others' lively conversation inside the car.

She couldn't wait to finally get there.

…

The moment Nakiri Erina was escorted down the huge stage on the far end of the main hall, she quickly came to realize that the festivities were only just beginning. With the crowed standing in front of her like that, cheering and shouting words of congratulations, she doubted they would go sit back down any time soon.

From the corner of her eye she noticed Yukihira clapping his hands just like everyone else, an amazed expression written all over his face. The corners of his mouth twitched upwards, breaking into a bright smile as he gave her a thumbs up. She could be wrong, but from where she stood it looked like he was more than just honored to call her his future superior. Like… he was actually proud of her…, or himself for suggesting it in the first place.

She blushed a light shade of red as she gave him an appreciative smile. Whether he was impressed by her or not didn't make that much of a difference in the end, for she would be just as grateful to him as she was back when he had opened her eyes with his creative egg tempura dish. Every opportunity she got to smile now, she would use it in order to let him see just how much he had influenced her.

Their eyes lingered on one another of a while longer, with her blending out every other persons cheer in the room, as she recalled the events leading up to her speech. Whenever he was around, there wouldn't be a single dull moment in her life, which was proven over and over again.

Even now.

Upon arriving at the banquet hall she had immediately spotted a few familiar faces, clients she would occasionally do taste tastings for, as well as a few top instructors of the school, standing already near the entrance along with many other people Erina had yet to meet.

Hisako had immediately excused herself and ran straight for the kitchen, eager to get started with her work. Erina figured it would only make sense for her to know her way around the facility since she had already been here a few times herself.

That had left her with her grandfather, Isshiki and Yukihira, who was standing right beside her at that moment, eyes wide and mouth agape.

"Wow, this place is huge!"

"Please calm down Yukihira. Don't forget there are a lot of important people gathered here, so you'd be vise to avoid drawing too much attention to yourself."

She sent him an intimidating glare as she crossed her arms in front of her chest for extra emphasis. However to her chagrin, he just waved a dismissive hand back and forth, unfazed by the warning tone she had used.

"Yeah yeah, who cares, have you seen how fancy this room is? I bet whoever organized the party must have paid a fortune to get it all fixed up like that."

"Actually, Yukihira Soma, it was me who did the catering for our 'party', as you so gallantly put it. Though I have to say, it wasn't really a fortune I had to pay to get these decorations you see around us, more like… a bit less than a head-chef's daily paycheck, at the very least."

The way his expression became downright comical, caused Erina to giggle wholeheartedly. Her grandfather really knew how to successfully shut this boy up without making much of a scene. Said boy spun around to face her now, probably to get a confirmation but still unable to form a single word, which made her laugh even harder.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from the head of the Nakiri household. Now then, what do you say we get to our designated table before the remaining guests arrive? It's getting rather crowded out here."

"Agreed young man, we should go take a seat. It won't be long until the program for tonight's celebration begins anyway."

With that, Nakiri Senzaemon led the way to their table, followed close by the second seat of the elite ten.

Having stopped her fit of laughter by now, Erina locked eyes with the redhead again, a warm fuzzy feeling spreading inside her chest at seeing his bashful expression.

"Well then, shall we?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, sure…"

She made an inviting gesture with her hand before making her way over to the other two, who seemed to have found the right table at this point.

However as soon as she took the first step, a hand shout out to gently keep her in place. She turned her head sideways in order to get a better look at him as she raised an eyebrow, wondering what he would have to say. All she could hear right now was the sound of her own heartbeat drumming mercilessly in her ears. The contact of his hand with her wrist caused sensations similar to electric shockwaves to spread all across her skin, leaving her in a state of confusion and something else she wasn't sure she wanted to decipher at the moment. What was it with this man and his random touches anyway?

"Wait a sec Nakiri, there is something I noticed just now."

"W-what is it?"

Again with the stuttering. She didn't want to stutter yet here she was, unable to control her own voice. When would she finally understand what it means?

"Since Isshiki and I are here as some sort of escort, we might as well act like it, right? He led gramps to our table, which means, I should do the same for you."

"Th-th-that won't be necessary, w-we can walk there on our own."

"Ah c'mon, live a little will ya? It'll be fun, I promise!"

Still quite hesitant, she took a step back again, withdrawing her wrist from his grasp as she did so. Blushing madly, she let her eyes wander around the big banquet hall again, wanting to take note of anyone but him at the moment.

Did he even know what escorting someone actually entails?

Deep inside her heart Erina wished he would, but his carefree smile and dismissive body language told her to not get her hopes up.

But still, for better or for worse, she decided she would take advantage of the chance to enjoy herself before boredoms arms would come to embrace her. It wasn't a big deal anyway, for as long as Yukihira had no idea of what to do, she would be fine…, right?

She sighed in exaggeration before turning her head towards him again, her mind pretty much set on doing this.

"So my lady, what do you say?"

Offering his bent arm, so she could hold on to it, he stood there completely relaxed and confidant as ever. Yet Erina immediately noticed the changes in his posture. While he had been rather ignorant to the glamorous atmosphere around them before, he sure seemed to acknowledge it now. With his back straightened out a bit and the other hand leaving the pocket of his black trousers, he came off as more gentlemanlike than he did just a minute ago.

Erina stared at him in complete awe, words failing her completely at this point.

'So he does know what he's doing after all…'

Positively surprised she gave him a bright smile, cheeks flushed and eyes shining with happiness. A happiness that was reflected right back at her through those deep golden orbs of his, silently encouraging her to come closer.

Which she did.

Without giving it a second thought, she grabbed the crook of his arm rather shyly, her eyes not ready to leave his just yet.

"Huh, you never cease to astound me... Very well then, please lead the way, good sir."

Sending her a boyish grin, he secured her hand on his arm before taking a step forward. Her face was burning with embarrassment, yet she couldn't deny the fluttery feeling inside her stomach, growing stronger by the second. As she risked a quick glance up at Yukihiras face, she realized that he was also a bit nervous. Judging by the hint of a flush gracing his cheeks and the stiffness of his walk, he wasn't quite as unfazed by all this as he pretended to be, which caused her to feel at least a bit better. It was a relief to know that their closeness affected him the same way it did her, making her release the bit of tension she unconsciously had held in her shoulders ever since they arrived here.

Unable to look at him any longer, she let her eyes wander around the room, noticing all the gawking from each table she and her escort passed by, their gazes somehow intimidated yet unmistakably jealous at the same time. Why these people would look at them like that she couldn't say though. It was odd, but Erina decided to pay them no mind any longer, too overwhelmed by her own feelings to wonder what everyone else was thinking about right now.

"It's kind of weird don't ya think?"

"What is?"

"Them watching us like that."

Crocking her head to the side, she gave him a questioning look.

"What do you mean?"

"I dunno it just feels… off. I can't explain it, but for some reason I… don't like them staring at y- us."

His words surprised her quite a bit. Not only was he against standing in the spotlight, but he also nearly blurted out that it was her he didn't like people looking at. She had caught that little slip-up instantly, which caused her heart to hammer like crazy inside her chest. If this continues, she feared she would end up fainting right then and there in front of her grandfather and, even worse, all her clients.

'Why would he say that?'

Choosing to ignore the true intent behind his words for the moment, she instead cleared her throat as an attempt to get her voice to work again. Besides, it was obvious that he didn't want her to know anyway, so she would respect his decision whether she liked it or not.

"W-well since this is your first Gala event I suppose it's only natural for you to feel uncomfortable with all the attention, but in my case… you see, I'm already used to it."

"For real?"

Meeting his eyes, she smiled reassuringly.

"Yes, I don't mind it. And you shouldn't either, okay? Don't worry about a few harmless peeks, they're just curious."

"If you say so... I guess this is your world now, huh?"

She noted him quickly averting his eyes, blush deepening ever so slightly. He seemed discouraged somehow, but her heart leaped with joy nonetheless as she saw those red cheeks.

"I wouldn't necessarily phrase it this way. But it's true that I have experience with those kinds of things. However, I get the feeling there are far more ladies staring at us than men, this time."

"Yeah, that's what you think."

Barely able to hear his mumbled words, she leaned a bit closer to him in order to confirm her suspicion, feeling him instantly stiffen again.

"Excuse me?"

"C'mon Nakiri, have you even taken a good look? There are obviously more guys gawking."

"I don't think so."

Closing her eyes, she decided to leave it at that. There was no point in trying to convince him otherwise when he already made up his mind. That was enough talk for her taste anyway and she didn't feel like dragging it out for too long. She guessed it was because her heart still stung at the thought of him wanting to forget about their kiss from a few days ago. Not one second passed by without her itching to get this weight finally lifted off her chest, but she stayed strong and kept her mouth shut nonetheless, respecting his wish to act like nothing happened.

It was hard to say when or even if he would come around to let her finally pour her heart out to him anyway, so until then, she had no choice but to wait.

Arriving at their table, she didn't get to sit down for very long, her grandfather already on stage, holding a speech about Totsukis foundation and its rise to fame.

He cleverly combined the facility's great history with the small number of now world known Chefs graduating as the elite tens first or second seat, which now gave him the perfect opportunity to introduce the current holders of those seats.

They weren't asked to say something, just shake Nakiri Senzaemons hand and stay still until enough pictures were taken.

It was hard to keep herself from laughing out loud at seeing Yukihiras uneasy expression while he was eyed curiously from every side of the big room. She really did feel bad for him at that moment, wishing she could do something to make it a bit easier for him. But other than giving him an empathetic smile, she had no options left. However, it seemed he understood her effort and grinned right back at her, staying like that for the rest of the time he had to be up there.

Right after that, it had been her turn to be announced as the new director of the school. However, as she stood in front of the massive crowed, making her vows to do her position justice and never put her own needs above those of the institution, she felt way out of place for some strange reason. First there was the fact that she never would have imagined taking over her grandfather's duties so early in her life, then… there were the vows themselves. She cringed a little at the last part, knowing that she would already break one of the most important promises she made by leaving things as they were for two entire days.

She felt ashamed of herself for being so selfish, so much so that she didn't dare glance in her grandfather's direction who seemed oblivious to her inner turmoil as he smiled towards the cameras. Instead, she had decided to simply let her eyes wonder over the crowd, not stopping to look at someone specifically, until she met Yukihiras proud smile as he clapped alongside everyone else, leading to this moment right now, where they just took in each other's expression.

So as the people in the audience continued cheering, someone from the event staff helped her climb down the stairs in front of the stage, causing her eye contact with the redhead to brake. Snapping out of her thoughts rather mercilessly, she found herself in dire need for some reorientation.

What was she doing again?

Her question was answered as soon as Erina stood directly in front of her audience again, a shower of congrats and praises rained upon her, leaving her no room to respond properly. They surrounded her without a moment's delay, eager to shake her hand as the press diligently took one picture after another.

She lost sight of Yukihira the moment she got blinded by the constant flash of cameras. They wanted to take as many shots as possible apparently, which wouldn't have caused her the slightest bit of discomfort if it weren't for the fact that she yearned for a second to adjust herself to her surroundings again.

In the end it was her grandfather who saved her from the crowd's suffocating jostle by pointing their attention towards the now available feast on the other end of the hall. With another appreciative applause, the audience slowly started to disperse, some making their way to the area where dinner was served, and others going back to their seats.

At that Erina heaved a sigh of relieve, more than glad to be able to see her environment more vividly than a few minutes ago.

"Yo Nakiri!"

Her heart did a somersault in her chest as she spun around to meet the redhead's warm gaze. He had discarded his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt due to the sudden warmth in this room. She could feel it too now, though it wasn't quite clear yet if the burning sensation on her cheeks actually came from the heat surrounding them or simply from his enticing appearance. She didn't know and sadly she wouldn't get much of a chance to think about it either, seeing as he casually walked up to her at a steady pace, hands tucked away inside those black trouser pockets once again.

"That was really something, wasn't it? To be honest, I don't think I'd want to go near a stage ever again in my life though."

She gave him an amused chuckle, trying to ignore his boyish charm as she straightened out her dress a bit.

"You don't say? I guess you really did look like you wouldn't last another second up there. But for what it's worth, I think you performed extraordinary well. So you won't have to worry about weird pictures being printed on tomorrow's newspapers, at least."

"Seriously? Oh man, this school sure has got a lot of attention, huh? Well, no point in worrying about that now. And by the way, thanks a lot for the compliment! I never would have thought I'd receive one from you of all people."

"W-w-what is that supposed to mean? I'm perfectly capable of giving a compliment if the person on the receiving end deserves one, thank you very much!"

Oh how she wished her hair wasn't secured with that heavy circle barrette right now. It would have been such a perfect opportunity to just flip it back for more emphasis, but instead she was left with only crossing her arms over her chest once again. To her dismay, it didn't satisfy as much as she hoped it would though, much like it hadn't back at the Estate earlier.

"Alright, alright, I was just kidding."

He took a quick glance behind him before clearing his throat. All of a sudden he seemed a bit hesitant as he addressed her again.

"Say…, do you wanna go check out that buffet over there? I thought I could sample some to come up with new ideas for future dishes, but it might take a while to do that by myself, so…-"

"-you want me to help taste the leftovers you weren't able to try, that about right?"

"… Wow, when you put it that way, it does sounds like a harsh request… But please Nakiri, I really need your help with this. Isshiki is surrounded by all those fancy guys and can't come over, so that just leaves you."

"So I'm a backup plan of sorts? How insulting."

"Well kind- I mean eh, of course not! It's just…, you know what, never mind. C'mon, I'm starving."

Pinching the bridge of her nose in utter frustration, she settled on trying a different approach to talk him out of this. It wouldn't do him any good to get sick right here after all.

"Look Yukihira…, it seems you don't understand what exactly you're getting yourself into here, so let me explain. There're just too many varieties of food on those tables, you can't possibly handle all of that in one go."

"For real? This is gonna be so awesome, I can't wait to see what they have to offer!"

"Wha- did you even listen to a single word I said?"

"I did and that's precisely why I asked you to help me out, remember? Don't worry, if you feel like you're too stuffed to eat anymore, we can always leave the rest for later. Now, let's do this already."

Before Erina could voice another complaint, he grabbed her hand, simply dragging her across the main hall towards the glorious dining area where other guests were already filling their plates with various delicacies.

"H-hey I never said I would do this!"

"But you didn't specifically say you wouldn't either, so I'm just gonna go ahead and assume that you're okay with assisting me."

"…Why you sneaky, little…"

His only answer was a small chuckle, sent towards her over his shoulder as he led her through the crowd. Of course he would be completely unfazed by her choice of words.

She wouldn't have it any other way.

"Well, too late to back out now, princess. You should really loosen up a little, you know. I'm sure it'll be fun."

At that, Erina closed her mouth again, a retort instantly dying on her tongue.

She had nothing to add anymore.

Why was it that every time he wanted to do something questionable, her resolve to not get involved shattered into tiny little pieces so effortlessly?

It was as if it never existed in the first place, leading her to feel like she would follow this man anywhere without giving it a moment's thought.

Which was exactly what happened right now...

This sure was a frightening experience- to say the least-, yet Erina couldn't find it in herself to let go of his hand, mesmerized by the warmth radiating from it, despite the high temperature around them.

In a way, it gave her comfort. A comfort she didn't know she even needed at the moment…

So by the time they were on the other end of the room, she found herself a bit conflicted whether or not she should jerk her hand away from his firm grip, or just leave it be in hopes of Yukihira staying oblivious to it the entire time.

To her relief- or dismay- however, the redhead released her hand right away, leaving her standing where she was while he quickly walked towards the masses of food laid out on multiple tables standing side by side.

Erina refused to acknowledge the strange sense of loss that suddenly overcame her, feeling like she would lose some sort of battle if she did so. Thus the heiress simply crossed her arms as she continued to stare at his retreating back before taking a step forward herself. These thoughts could be deciphered at a later date, right now she chose to not get distracted and cherish the moment she had with him, instead.

It was weird, but for some reason Erina felt as though their time together was limited and that she should make the most of it while she had the chance. Maybe she was just getting paranoid because of the two days she would be away from him- them. All of them. Her friends, her grandfather, even Alice were all included, she needed to remind herself. But try as she might, this unsettling sensation couldn't be shaken off of her for some reason, causing her to feel restless, in a way.

"Holy crab, you were right, this really is a huge buffet."

"I told you so."

She wouldn't admit it out loud, but the way he scanned all those tables, eyes wide and full of excitement, made him look so ridiculously adorable that the urge to walk up to him and place kisses all over his face became almost unbearable. It was like seeing a child unwrapping their most wanted present on Christmas Eve. She never had that, but she imagined it had to look exactly like this.

"Check it out Nakiri, they even got Sukiyaki here! I guess this means even fancy rich people find good old home cooking delicious, huh?"

"What are you talking about, of course they do. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if there are more traditional dishes hidden amongst the rest somewhere."

His face instantly lit up at hearing that.

"You think so? Alright, let's find them then!"

Sending him a warm smile, she made her way towards one end of the stalls, figuring that it would be the best approach to start off this sampling mission.

"So, eh, Nakiri? Is there a chance you recognize any of these?"

Her eyes wandered over the different delicacies before refocusing on him again. A quick glance was all she needed in order to answer his question appropriately, after all.

"Most of them, yes. But there are also a few dishes I have yet to try. Seems like the kitchen staff went all out this time, well, not that I'm surprised. Hisako is there, working nonstop as we speak, so of course there would be more to offer than the all the other times before."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Awesome, this just makes it even more interesting. C'mon, let's get this party started."

Making an inviting gesture with her hand once again, Erina barely managed to contain the rush of excitement spreading inside her own body now.

It was true, she would follow this man everywhere.

Getting involved in his antics allowed her to break free from the daily grind she was forced into and she couldn't be happier about that fact.

'I just hope it can always stay like this.'

Soooo, what do you guys think? Do you see any sort of improvement? Please let me know your opinions, I really try to adjust everything based on that. And please bear with me, I'm learning things as I go along, so your tips are really valuable for me. Thanks for all the support everyone, I'm truly grateful for everything.

So, I'll see you all next time.

Until then, take care guys!