Chapter 14: With you
Hellooooo everyone, welcome back to another chapter!
I can't tell you enough how happy it made me to receive so many kind and beautiful reviews from you all, and I just want to say that it truly is an honor to write for such wonderful people, you guys are the best! Although I reply to your messages as best I can, I still feel like it isn't enough to show my appreciation, and so I'll say it here over and over again; Thank you so very much for each comment you sent to me, I'm so excited that you enjoy this story so much, it makes me kind of want to go back to the first chapters and edit them properly just so it matches with the quality of the newer ones hahahahahah. I learned how to write with each passing chapter, and I really hope I improved to a certain extent! Your reviews, and the huge help I got from my friend lamperouge rolo made it possible for me to learn, so thank you guys! I actually plan on doing a edit soon, if my friend lamperouge rolo agrees to it of course! She's such an amazing person, and I can't thank her enough for all her help! Thank you, my girl, you're soooo awesome, I loovvveeee you so much, and I'm so happy we met!
And of course, a huge thank you to my precious friends, Jellyann and maddiesmt for always, always, always sticking with me! You're really amazing guys, and I can't thank you enough for your kind words of encouragement every time I update! Thanks for not giving up on me, my girls, I loovvveeee yooouuuuu!
Well, with that said, let's jump straight into the chapter! I really hope you like it, and tell me what you think again, I just love talking with you guys hahahahahah!
As always,
Take care, everyone!
It was so ridiculous.
Nothing made any sense anymore.
After she left, each day seemed to drag in an impossibly depressing pace. It was ironic how Soma ended up feeling horrible after a girl, who used to detest not just his cooking but his whole being as a diner boy, left indefinitely.
Why did his heart feel like it was about to be torn apart every time he thought about that Bentley disappearing from his sight that night?
He had no idea how to answer that question back then, but... he was slowly starting to understand now.
She had been gone for over three weeks, and every second of it was pure torture for him. No challenges, no lively poker nights, no bickering just for the sake of it, no Erina… no meaning left in anything that he does. He came to hate the emptiness of the dorm, or the loneliness steadily building up inside him, knowing that it hadn't been the first time he experienced it.
Back when his mother died, there was also an overwhelming feeling of missing a piece of his soul that made him bawl his eyes out every night despite the earnest attempts of his father to appease him. Soma knew it was different with the blonde heiress, she was still healthy and well, but… he still couldn't rid himself of that strange hole in his chest, the awareness that something was missing yet again.
And before the wait becomes a month long, he hoped she would come back to Totsuki, challenge him in ways that only she was able to pull off.
To make matters worse, Arato constantly blamed him for Erina's absence- saying that he should have been more persistent, and accusing him of not having said enough that would convince her to stay.
And no matter what he did, he couldn't deny it.
He was aware that he could've done more to prevent her from leaving, like apologizing for his recent behavior towards her, or challenging her to a Shokugeki in order to prove his point. She clearly would have won, but still, he could have tried nonetheless. However… after seeing the shattered heart reflected in her amethyst depths, he just couldn't force her to remain here. He had to let her go, fully convinced that she needed some time to find her way back on her own. And as much as this turn of events pained him, it had to be done.
Now, he was seated in the dormitory's living room, listening yet again to one of Arato's many lectures as guilt and irritation continued to spread inside him.
His phone was right next to him, laying on one of the many cushions surrounding the couch. He couldn't say why exactly, but ever since the blonde's departure, he was practically glued to the small device, waiting for some sort of sign that she was okay, or silently wishing that she would decide to call him at a random moment to tell him where she is and when she'd come back. But it never happened. And every time he thought about sending her a message of his own, his gut told him to refrain from such actions, not because he didn't care, but because deep down he was certain he wouldn't be satisfied with whatever answer she'll give him. That is, if she decides to send him anything back at all.
So he kept his phone close at all times, banking on the slim chance that her name will appear on his notifications the next time he checked.
"Do you have any idea how many clients we lost today, Yukihira?"
He could almost hear the nerves popping in her head as he gave the pinkette a blank look.
"Today we lost ten and I already sent thirty letters to inform the other regular clients that Erina-sama is indisposed indefinitely."
Arato let out a frustrated growl as she raised a hand to rub her temples.
"She worked so hard to build this network and it's crumbling down! You were the only one who could stop her, Yukihira, but you didn't!"
Heaving a long sigh, the red-haired chef closed his eyes.
He knew how much the pinkette struggled to tell him about Erina's last whereabouts in her hope that he could make her stay. And the fact that he failed after that leap of faith fueled the tension between them that the blonde's departure brought. He still considered Hisako as a friend but her panic ranting was slowly starting to get on his nerves.
"Yeah, so I've been told."
"Wha…"
She paused at his resigned expression but, once again, her ire took the driver's seat.
"What's with you? As Totsuki's first seat, you should be working to support Erina-sama's plans! I don't think this'll be enough, but I will not watch from the sidelines as you neglect the duties that she entrusted you! Take responsibility for both the Elite Ten and for letting her go, Yukihira!"
"Look, I get it, okay? I messed up, and I have to learn how to deal with it, and do my duties, but… I honestly don't see the point anymore. I mean, what do you want me to say? That I'm sorry for not doing more to make her stay? That I miss her? That I want her to come back as soon as possible? Hell, it's a freaking YES to all of those! But… I-I just..."
He stopped to catch his breath, feeling like his blood was rushing through his veins a mile a minute.
"Yukihira…"
With both her hands pressed against her face, she let herself fall on the couch right next to him, not saying another word.
This was the first time Soma raised his voice in such an agitated way, and it surprised both of them that the jumbled emotions he's been struggling with for the past three weeks just came out painstakingly clear in his frustration. His feelings were starting to get the best of him, and he couldn't do anything to stop it.
"I'm sorry… It's not really your fault that Erina-sama is gone. If anyone is to blame, it should be me. I-I… I haven't been paying enough attention to her heartache. There is no excuse for my failure…"
"No… if she told you everything about what happened between us, then you already know it had been me who kept pushing her over the edge all this time. No need to put this all on yourself. She left partly because of me, and that's all there is to it."
"You know… Aside from feeling like she didn't deserve to be Totsuki's new headmaster anymore, Erina-sama also thought that perhaps she could ease your distress by leaving the academy. I thought it wasn't fair at all that she had been the only one suffering while you continued to smile like nothing could ever bother you, but now… I can see that it hadn't been just her going through that kind of torment after all."
Her head turned towards him, voice filled with seriousness as her hardened expression kept him in place. She must have sensed that he was about to stand up from the couch and walk away from this difficult conversation.
"Why didn't you tell her that you're sorry for what you put her through, Yukihira? She may act tough and pretend that nothing could ever faze her, but deep down… she's just as confused about all this as you are, if not even more so. I'm sure if you had told her how you really felt, she would've stayed."
"I… I don't know why, honestly. Trust me, I regret not doing more as well, but, damn… there was a glint in her eyes that prevented me from spilling everything. I can't explain it exactly, but she… her eyes were practically screaming at me to stop talking. She wanted to go, so what was I supposed to do?"
He curled his shaking hands into fists, hard enough to make his knuckles turn white as he lowered his head in defeat. That strange feeling of having something very important taken from him- something that he couldn't quite name but felt he should have figured it out by now occupied his thoughts that he couldn't focus on anything that was going on in Totsuki.
He didn't want to set a foot into a kitchen unless he intended to make the heiress taste test his next dish first. But seeing as something like this wouldn't happen ever again, he was stuck with nothing to do.
It infuriated him.
"Have you given this any thought before? Why you feel so strongly about her departure, I mean."
"Honestly… I haven't. Some things just occurred to me when I said them right to her face, so…"
"Really? What did you realize then?"
"That… well… It might sound weird, but… I think I finally understand that, in a way, she's been my drive to rise to the top since the very beginning, ya know? Giving my all in every dish I made felt natural for me but now… I just can't. It makes me so… I don't know… It just doesn't feel the same when I try to compete with anyone else."
"Because it had been Erina-sama who made it worth for you to do your best, right?"
He smiled to himself, eyes closing at the memory of the haughty heiress criticizing plate after plate he would put in front of her, the blush on her cheeks betraying her true thoughts as she ordered him to stop wasting her time with such a pointless exercise.
"Yeah."
"Well then, I assume you've got some thinking to do for the next few days. I'll head to Senzaemon-dono's office now; he needs to be debriefed sooner or later about those angry clients, and I'd rather he learned it from me than someone else."
Rising to her feet, the pinkette gave Soma one last look, this time though, it was filled with compassion and understanding rather than pure disappointment. He didn't want it, but decided to just sit still and take the small bit of comfort she was offering with his lips sealed. She meant well, and that was all that mattered in the end.
"I hope you find the solution you're looking for, Yukihira. However, keep in mind that sitting here all day certainly won't help you in the long run."
"I know."
His hands clenched together again as he met her gaze, unsure of what else to say. Instead, he simply tried to revert back to his usual, cheery self, grinning up at Arato with a mischievous glint in his golden orbs.
"Good luck talking to Gramps, by the way. I'm sure he won't be too mad about the whole thing; you got this!"
Her face showed signs of skepticism, arms crossing over her chest.
She didn't buy it.
Of course she wouldn't, who would have believed a fake smile of this extent to be true, anyway?
"Just go find something to do, Yukihira. It's not like you to be this disheartened. There were a lot of Shokugeki requests coming in lately, so… perhaps you could have a match with someone again? Ignoring all those challenges will only make people suspicious, and from what I understand, Erina-sama wanted you to keep the title of first seat, no matter what, right? Don't start getting lazy just because she isn't here to monitor you. It would sully her reputation! Show people that you are worthy of her trust."
"Yeah… Guess you're right."
He owed the heiress that much at least.
From here on out, he would start improving his dishes to the best of his abilities again, so that the next time they'd meet, he could challenge her, and win.
However, right now… Soma just couldn't help but feel a little discouraged about the fact that she was actually not here to witness his progress, the memories in his mind still too vivid to be tossed aside that easily. Memories of her, memories of them, memories of a time when things were much less complicated.
"Well, maybe a good competition is all it takes to help me calm down after all… I really hope you're right about this, Arato."
With a new flame of hope inside his broken heart, the young chef got back on his feet, stretching his sore muscles as he made the decision to engage in as many food wars as he could in order to get the blonde out of his head. Figuring that he needed to start somewhere sooner or later, he placed both hands into his pockets and exited the now empty living room in a steady pace, eyes never once drifting back to the phone that still lay on top of a brown cushion.
She wouldn't call, and he had chosen not to let his desperation get the best of him anymore, so there was no need to take the device with him.
Not this time.
…
"So, you finally decided to show up, Yukihira Soma! It's about time; I thought for sure you wouldn't respond to my challenge, just like you did with all the others."
Soma rolled his eyes, arms crossed over his chest as he continued to stare at his opponent in one of Totsuki's many cooking arenas.
This was his fifth Shokugeki in two days, and slowly but surely the red-headed chef began to feel like he wouldn't be able to handle another, seeing as every time he intended to put oil into a frying pan or heat the oven, his heart would beat loudly in protest, refusing to let him work with the sense of ease he so desperately needed.
They were surrounded by only a few students as the rest was still gone on vacation or visiting their families back home, which suited the redhead just fine. He didn't need a bunch of people witnessing his troubled state right now, and neither did he want this guy in front of him to exploit any hints of vulnerability that might cross his eyes over the course of the match, the thought making his muscles tense up as he let out a small sigh of agitation.
"What's wrong? You were talking so big after they gave you that first seat, but now you're just gonna stand there with your mouth shut? I thought you said you would take on anyone, or even all of us at once, did your ego get too big for your own good or something? I should have known you were nothing but talk and no action after all! What a disappointment!"
"Tanaka Haru, was it? You know, it's considered bad manners to criticize a chef before even eating their food, don't ya? You're talking like you've already won, so lemme give ya a little advice there, buddy. Anyone who talks too much in the kitchen, can't be trusted to have actual skills to back them up. So stop blabbering nonsense and let's get this show on a road already!"
"Wh-wha… why you son of a… I will crush you, you hear me?!"
With that, the brunette turned back towards his cooking station, his forest green eyes filled with pure rage.
Soma, however, paid him no mind as he tied his white cloth around his head and started preparing all of the ingredients he would need for this battle's theme.
Breakfast items.
How fitting.
He thought about making a slightly different version of his praised apple risotto, but once again, his hands moved on their own, grabbing the eggs he had laid out on the working station instead, before he began to scramble them in a large bowl.
It was like all rationality left him the moment he added some green pepper, cheese, and the fried bacon he originally had intended to use for the risotto into the mix and stirred them all together with the thawed hash brown potatoes. He didn't know what he could possibly do with such a combination, his brain still confused over the fact that he had automatically turned towards the eggs yet again, even though the dish he had planned to make didn't involve this particular ingredient at all.
It was not until after he had placed his dish in the oven either that the redhead truly realized what he was doing here in the first place. One glance up towards the empty VIP lounge gave him a pretty good idea as to why he had acted involuntarily again. Although he knew that the predicament he found himself in now was a rather huge one, Soma couldn't help but smile at the illusion of a certain blonde heiress looking down at him from her seat behind the glass, eyes narrowing in distaste at his carelessness.
"Hey, don't space out on me now, you lowly diner punk! I'm here to prove once and for all that you didn't earn that seat, the least you can do is stop acting like this match is a cinch for you! It's disrespectful!"
Looking back at his angered classmate, Soma just raised an eyebrow at the finger that was pointed in his direction.
'What's this guy's problem?'
"I swear, Nakiri Erina deserves a way better right hand than you! She shouldn't have elected such a lowlife to be her first seat; I mean, seriously, what's so special about you anyway? It makes me sick to see a diner chef with no class getting such a high position!"
"Huh? What d'ya mean?"
"Oh, come one, Yukihira; don't even act like you have no idea what I'm talking about! Your food was nothing special, the judges were hardly impressed by it, and yet here you are, labeled as the first seat with none other than the God Tongue herself backing you up. How stupid is that? She would have done a lot better with pretty much anyone but you by her side! You almost ruined everything with that little stunt of yours, people in the audience were cursing you for thinking only about yourself when you challenged her to a Shokugeki in the middle of an important match! The future of this sacred institution was at stake, yet you only cared about personal affairs, how selfish! I'm sure that it was the last thing she needed at that moment!"
His words cut through the young chef like a sharp knife. The wound he was so desperately trying to close before had now been ripped open once again, bleeding uncontrollably with each breath he forced himself to take.
Had it really looked that way?
Would she have done better without him there after all?
"But then again, I could just be giving her way more credit than what's actually accurate here. Maybe she didn't have what it takes and her victory was merely based on pure luck alone! After all, there are some rumors going around right now that she left the academy because she was too scared of her new position as headmaster. It wouldn't surprise me if your victory against Central had been nothing but a fluke after all, considering how our new headmaster just ran away and her so-called 'talented first seat' started ignoring all the challenges he received. Whatever the case is, I'm very disappointed in both of you. And that's precisely why I'm taking that seat from you today and show everyone that you aren't needed here as well!"
His hand twitched, the shadows over his eyes deepened, and despite the breeze coming from the open windows in the hall, Soma felt like he was steadily reaching his boiling point.
How dare that imbecile make such accusations about her or him with a straight face?
To say he was pissed would not even begin to describe how the redhead felt right now. He started gritting his teeth together as the rage inside him increased, giving his all to keep himself from blowing up.
Of course, it had been a gamble, in more ways than one, but for some reason he had known without a doubt that she would pull through in the end. After all, he knew exactly who it was he teamed up with to destroy Central's main force. His faith in her as a chef was there from the beginning, not wavering even for a second. It had been that exact same faith that told him to give her something more to fight for other than their friends' freedom, something he knew she would do anything to protect, even if it meant throwing caution to the wind. Because he knew that Nakiri Erina's pride would never allow her to be anything less than the best.
Yes, he had played against the odds, but it had been more than worth it to see that lingering sadness and self-doubt in her eyes disappear for good, replaced by a fire so full of passion that it had sent warm shivers down his spine just by looking at her do what she did best- to prove that she was indeed a force to be reckoned with.
"You shouldn't be talking behind someone's back like that, it's kinda rude, ya know. Rumors are called rumors for a reason, so don't go off spreading more, alright? She isn't giving up on anything, nor would she ever think that there's a task she couldn't handle. Even if she were to feel down for whatever reason, she'd first make sure that people like you wouldn't notice it, because that's the type of person she is, staying composed 'till the very end."
Soma's heart gave a painful pang at the memory of Erina's tear-stained face looking up at his outstretched hand from her sitting position on the floor back at his family shop, the sorrow in those amethyst depths haunting him even now as he continued to glare at the equally furious brunette in front of him.
Losing his cool in a situation like this would only make matters worse though, not only for himself but for her as well the second she comes back, whenever that might be. And asking how this guy found out about her departure so soon didn't seem like a good idea either, for it would certainly end up adding fuel to the fire. So he kept his boiling anger to himself, deciding that it wasn't worth making a scene.
Like Arato said, it would only sully the heiress' reputation, which was the last thing he wanted.
"As for the other thing… I think my dish will be able to say a lot more about my position as the first seat than I ever could, so just relax and let's have a fair battle, shall we? I'll show ya what you get for making accusations like that; you can count on it!"
"Oh yeah? We'll see about that."
Giving Soma one last stare, he turned back to put the finishing touches on his dish before making his way towards the patiently waiting judges with three plates in his hands. Without having their infamous MC there to announce each step of their preparations out loud, the redhead was a bit startled to find his opponent already finished up and waiting for the critics to taste his food.
'What did he even make?'
The answer was given to him the second one of the judges suddenly began to screech with delight, her bliss written all over her face as she put another spoon full of something oddly familiar in her mouth.
"Eggs Benedict, huh? How did cha come up with that idea?"
"I saw you pull out quite a few eggs and decided to go with a dish that involved this precise ingredient as well. I refuse to be inferior to you in any way, and in order to prove how pathetic you are, I needed to defeat you with your own weapons."
"Alright, but why Eggs Benedict exactly? Are ya trying to mock me or something?"
"Oh, so you do recognize that one? I should have figured as much, seeing as you were stationed right next to her when we had our little breakfast challenge on last year's training camp. But you know… even though Nakiri Erina managed to walk out of this challenge with the most amount of servings and all, I'll bet I can do just as great with my own version of her dish, and I have the feeling it will end up looking even better when I beat the current first seat with this, don't you agree?"
"So… you're trying to play her for a fool with that one then? That's not the wisest thing to do, pal."
"And why is that? I'd say that, in a way, it can be considered the perfect opportunity to show you two that you're not the strongest chefs in the academy after all. Those who say that have obviously not seen what I am capable of."
That explanation caused the young chef to smirk devilishly.
The guy was serious, and it started to fill Soma with a similar burning desire to put his classmate back into his place. Although, despite his increasing excitement, he couldn't deny the fact that he was quite surprised when he saw the dish Tanaka had gone for, a dish that he imagined only one person could prepare to utmost perfection.
However, what came as even more of a surprise was the sudden sound of a girl cheering her lounges out for the brunette up there in the small crowd, making the redhead turn his head towards her in utter confusion.
From what it looked like, she didn't even care that she was the only one shouting his name while everyone else around her raised a thumb towards Soma himself, which he also came to notice just now. Though he really appreciated the kind gesture a lot, he still had trouble getting used to this much support from his fellow students quite yet. And who could blame him when every person in this academy had wanted nothing more than to see him fail ever since the very first day?
Glancing back towards his opponent, the young chef felt like his eyes were about to fall out of his head at the deep blush slowly forming on his cheeks.
Wait a second; are they…?
Of course.
Even someone as dense as him could see what was on full display here.
Crossing his arms over his chest, he allowed himself a smug grin as he watched the brunette getting flustered with each passing second. If he didn't know any better, he'd say that the three critics, currently tasting his dish, were more than forgotten, judging by the lack of attention the brunette gave them right now.
There was something going on between those two, that much he understood, but why was this making him feel so… hollow inside?
Or rather, why did his eyes move back up to the VIP lounge every few seconds to see the figure with long, honey blond locks still scowling down at him?
"W-what are you staring at, you lowlife?"
"Well, looks like you got a fan up there, who would've thought? Why don't cha go ahead and say hi, eh? I can wait."
"Why you… I-it's none of your business what I do, got it? She… she won't leave me alone for some reason. Wherever I go, she just shows up out of nowhere and asks me to cook her something, it's so getting on my nerves! She has this sort of obsession with me that makes me want to throw my head against the wall! I can't stand that I always have to let her try my newest dishes before offering them to anyone else, it's not fair!"
"Whoa, whoa, hold on just a minute, buddy. Are ya saying… you actually don't want that girl up there to eat your food? Why?"
"Because, I know better people who could validate the quality of my creations! Unlike her, they could give me valuable feedback, at the very least. It's just a waste of time if she continues to tell me how awesome my dishes are without pointing out any specifics!"
"Are you serious? I thought she was, I don't know, your girlfriend or something."
He couldn't wait to show Erina his newest techniques in the kitchen every time he created something new and yet this guy literally refused to let the girl who seemed to enjoy his cooking the most have a single taste of his food?
"What? No! I don't want her to like me, and she knows that very well too! All I care about is progressing my cooking skills, nothing more, but she still can't get that inside her head! It's embarrassing!"
That statement struck him right in the chest, a familiar scenario coming to mind when he saw that frustrated glint in his classmate's eyes.
'I live for my cooking, Nakiri. If I start losing focus on that, then… I don't want this, okay?'
'S-so you're backing down now because your stupid ego took a hit when you were almost defeated in a food battle? Are you serious? What kind of excuse is that?'
'…This has been a mistake from the start and I… don't want any of it. Not when my cooking is suffering the consequences.'
Had he really talked that way to her too?
Had he also been that… aggressive?
So, in the end… he wasn't any different from the brunette standing in front of him, too scared to accept what needed to be accepted, terrified of indulging in something that would have turned things completely upside-down for him. Now though… now he could see how stupid it was, what a mistake he made. And there was no way left anymore to make up for it.
He really was an idiot.
"You know what… sometimes it's not about getting a good feedback or making progress in your career. If there's someone who likes your food, you don't just turn your back on them and walk away, plain and simple. I can understand that you want to keep your focus mainly on what's on your plate right now, trust me I'm the same way. But you also have to be able to grasp when your selfishness is starting to hurt other people around you. It honestly wouldn't do ya any good in the long run, and once you see the damage you caused it'll already be too late, I can tell ya that much."
His eyes widened along with Tanaka's as he realized the meaning behind his own words, the hidden message lying within.
And with that, he knew everything he said just now had been nothing but the truth, the extent of his mistakes becoming more visible as he recognized the bewildered look on his classmate's face. The same look he had worn when his father told him to just accept his growing feelings the way they were, without worrying about what they would do to him.
It was safe to say, he finally understood what the old man had tried to tell him that night.
"Huh? I don't get it… Are you saying you experienced something similar before? Because it sounds like you know exactly what you're talking about, and it begs the question… is this the reason you were a no-show for several weeks and ignored all the challenges people sent you? Don't tell me you couldn't engage in a single Shokugeki all this time because of a girl who, so desperately, wanted to eat your pedestrian food as well!"
"No. But I think I'm starting to feel like if she had shown even the slightest interest in my dishes, I would've made her anything she wanted."
"What?"
Soma sighed in exasperation. There was no point in explaining his thoughts to such an ignorant fool anyway, not when he had trouble digesting them himself.
Then, the realization of what his words actually implied hit him in the face, hard and merciless, leaving him standing frozen in place with his golden orbs unfocused and lips parted. It really cost Soma all of his willpower not to slam his head against his cooking station over and over again.
So that was it! The one missing piece of the puzzle!
If she'd let him, he would gladly prepare every single delicacy in the world for her to try out, just so he could get another glimpse of that pure ecstasy spreading on her face with each bite she took. He would go through millions of trials and errors to find the perfect combination of flavors he thought could end up revealing that beautiful smile of hers, no matter how exhausting it might be for him in the end. He wanted to be the one satisfying her demanding palate.
Without him even noticing it, she had become his primary goal, a goal so different from all the others usually spreading in his head that it took him quite a while to make any sense of it, the fact that he wanted to cook for her, appease her God Tongue with his cooking. And with the desire to perfect his creations just for her came the last dot he needed to finally complete the picture, the answer to all his previous confusion.
But… he had messed up, and now the one person giving him a reason to push himself to his limits was gone, disappeared from his life without a trace. There were still so many things left to say, so much more to experience together, so many challenges to face side by side, but now… he would have to come to terms with the fact that she wouldn't be there to share all this with him, just because he hadn't been able to accept that she influenced his cooking in so many ways. The chance to witness her denying the taste of his food with those flushed cheeks might never come again. And Soma refused to entertain the poisonous possibility that she simply wasn't going to come back at all.
The timer on the oven gave a sudden sound, forcing the young chef to shift his attention back to the task at hand. He still had to present his dish, and seeing as the critics were throwing impatient looks towards him every now and then, he'd be wise not to get distracted any further.
However, now that he knew his breakfast item was lacking an important ingredient, he didn't feel quite as confident as he had at the beginning of this Shokugeki, a thin layer of cold sweat forming on his forehead the second he placed his creation on each plate and brought them over to the large table. For some reason though, he still couldn't deny the tingly sensation spreading all over his body and the fluttering of his heart when he finally presented his dish to the judges, a crooked grin on his face despite the uncertainty of this situation. This was still a food war, and he'd be damned if he allowed his insecurities to get the best of him now.
"An egg and bacon casserole, is it? I have to say, young man, it smells divine."
"Thanks! It was supposed to be something else at first, but I guess my hands just wanted to make an egg dish again. Oh well. You can find out for yourselves how all the ingredients came together, right? I'm really sorry, but I gotta go somewhere real quick, so I'll just be leaving the verdict up to you! Later!"
His eyes, once again, drifted up to the blonde figure still standing behind the thick glass of the VIP section with her arms crossed and a delighted expression on her face. Their eyes met for what felt like a long minute before she flipped her hair back and turned around to exit the stadium, her slender form fading away with each elegant step she took. He couldn't help but smile brightly at the illusion, feeling like she had been there just to watch over him and give him the push he needed to get over himself, as she always seemed to do.
Quickly grabbing his small case, Soma attempted to do the same and exit the hall, his heart yearning to be near her one more time, to see her smile ever so gently again, but his path was cut off by the sound of a voice that practically forced him to come to a halt.
"Wha-what are you doing, Yukihira Soma? Leaving in the middle of a match, are you insane? You clearly have no respect for your opponents! Do you seriously think you have already won, that there's no need to stick around anymore to see the outcome? I refuse to be insulted this way!"
"Listen, pal, I really have to go now, but I promise to give ya the honorable rematch you deserve once I'm back, alright? We'll settle things the proper way, but until then… keep track of what's really important before you lose the one right in front of ya. Even if you're getting annoyed from time to time, don't be stupid and let her go like I did. Oh, and feel free to try out the dish I prepared, maybe it can help ya understand some things, eh? See ya!"
He grinned happily at the stunned boy in front of him before making his way out the hall, conveniently ignoring all the confused expressions everyone in the audience, including the three judges to his left, sent him. They weren't important at the moment- none of this situation was. Still, he couldn't deny that this particular Shokugeki had opened his eyes in so many ways, and he was truly grateful that Arato had given him the suggestion to engage in a food war two days ago.
As he reached the exit of the stadium, his eyes wandered back one last time to the huge flat screen that announced this competition's conclusion, finding himself smirking confidently at the number of judges choosing his dish over Tanaka's. Three to zero, a verdict that now filled him with pride, considering he hadn't been so sure about the taste of his casserole not too long ago. With his first seat secured, the redhead dashed out of the double doors, running across the wide corridors and straight outside the building.
He would make things right this time, put up a better fight than he did three weeks ago, and no matter what happens, he would get her back.
It was his stubbornness that tore them apart and now it would be his determination that will reunite them.
Because what he had failed to see before was now literally thrown at his face with full force, and there was no way he would lose track of what's truly important to him ever again.
The love he felt for her.
How foolish he had been to misread the signs he was given, how stupid it was to ignore the hammering inside his chest and the pleasant shivers running down his back whenever their eyes met, how unbelievably ridiculous his thoughts had turned out to be when he chose to remain stubborn and push her away until the bitter end instead of talking things out.
Thinking back now, there had always been something that connected them, whether it was their competitive nature or their desire to make the respective other submit to their cooking, it had constantly been a fight for dominance in one way or another. But never in his wildest dreams had Soma imagined it could bring them closer together, that he would actually end up falling head over heels for her.
And yet here he was, sprinting through the mansion's front gate without paying any attention to the guards waving their hands in greeting or the confused faces of Alice and Kurokiba as he was about to passed them by.
However, just then, something clicked in his brain at the sight of the white haired chef, which caused him to skid to a halt right in front of her, his cheeky grin stretching from ear to ear when he grabbed her shoulders in excitement.
"Yukihira, what are you-"
"Guess who won the bet!"
"Huh? What bet?"
"The one we made with Erina a few weeks ago when you guys were stal-"
"Ohhh, that bet, I remember now! What about it? And… did you just call her by her first name?"
"Who cares about that?! Just take a guess who won!"
Even though she was blushing furiously for whatever reason, there still seemed to be a mischievous glint in her red eyes that told him she already knew the answer to that question.
"My, my, what a delightful turn of events! Well, if you put it like that… it has to be you then, am I right?"
"Hell yeah! I told her I'd win! Man she's so gonna freak out when I tell her!"
Alice's eyes widened at that last part, voice filled with hope when she shushed him once again.
"Hold on, Yukihira. Does that mean… you know where she is now?"
But before she could receive an answer, he was already running inside, leaving her shouting his name over and over again in frustration.
There was no time to explain any details right now. He needed to fix this immediately before it would be too late, needed to tell her how much he regretted letting her go in the first place. He had to let her know that she was the only person making him thrive, that there would be no one else having this effect on him, ever.
'Surely Gramps knows where she is at the moment, right?'
It was his only hope, since he figured she wouldn't answer his calls after such a long time of dead silence. Because he was still dealing with Nakiri Erina, a stubborn heiress who had the pride of a lion, and showing any sign of weakness was not something a majestic creature like that would ever do. Instead, they retreated silently from the scene, and licked their wounds in private, which was exactly what she did as well. But this time, it would be different. This time, he would be there to take care of those wounds, and he had no intention to let her suffer like that ever again.
"Hey, Gramps, do you have… a sec…"
Bursting through the first wooden door he came across in the hopes of it being the old man's office, the red-headed chef instantly felt his mouth go dry and his eyes widen with disbelief as he stared at the two people in front of him.
"Dad?"
What was going on here?
When did his father get back from his trip?
"Hey there, Son, good to see ya."
"What the… What are you doing at the school?"
"Actually, Yukihira Soma, it was me who invited him here. We have something of utmost importance to discuss, meaning I don't appreciate being disturbed in such a rude manner by one of my students, even if it is an Elite Ten member. So if you would excuse us."
The chilling tone he used told Soma that the Nakiri elder wasn't exactly happy to see him. However, that didn't scare the redhead away; in fact, it only edged him on to fully enter the room and close the door behind him, eyes burning with determination.
"Sorry, my boy, but what he said goes. We'll talk later, alright?"
"Wha… No way!"
He shot his father a confused look, standing his ground as the older man in front of him smirked knowingly. Almost like he was well aware of why his son had stormed in here, panting heavily and covered in sweat.
Said boy took a step forward, his gaze now moving back to the current headmaster sitting at his desk. He looked exhausted, tired even, if the dark circles under his eyes were anything to go by. Soma could literally feel his sorrow from across the room, his heart felt heavy at the sight.
"C'mon, Gramps, I just need to know something before I go. At least gimme a few minutes, would ya?"
A low grumble escaped the old man's throat, indicating his impatience. However, Soma could still see the small smile tugging at the corners of his bearded lips as he closed his eyes and nodded his approval.
"Ask your question then, boy."
"Eh… well… Actually, I…"
"What's up, Soma? Haven't seen ya this worked up over something in a while. Did ya lose a Shokugeki to someone again?"
"Of course not! I'm still the first seat, old man! And what d'ya mean by again, huh?"
"Ah, c'mon, do I really have to remind you of last year's autumn elections? That was quite embarrassing, wasn't it?"
"That… I didn't… Oh, fine, whatever! I'll show ya how much I've improved since then the next time we fight!"
"I'd like to see you try!"
They glared challengingly at one another with their arms crossed and eyebrows twitching.
Even though he wouldn't admit it aloud, the young chef had actually missed his father a lot over the past few weeks, feeling even lonelier without him there to put his riled up mind at ease.
A cough to their right caused the pair to stop bickering, both turning back towards Nakiri Senzaemon who now stood behind his wooden desk, the warm smile vanishing from his features.
"I would like to get back to the topic, if you wouldn't mind."
His voice was demanding, low and rough to indicate that he wasn't in the mood for playful banter.
"Right… Sorry 'bout that, Gramps. It's just… Do you have… any idea where Erina is right now? I really need to know."
"Erina?"
Both his father's and Senzaemon's eyes widened at his question, seemingly not expecting him to come up with such a request.
"Why would you want that sort of information, Yukihira Soma? I don't see a reason to tell you after you made my granddaughter cry."
So he knows…
Soma was aware he shouldn't be questioning how that was possible, but something in his gut made him wonder just what kind of indicators had given his misstep away.
From where he stood, he could see one corner of his father's mouth twitching for a split second before he composed himself with a light cough. Deciding to pay his strange display no mind, the red-headed chef lowered his head in Senzaemon's direction, arms falling limp on each side of his body as he closed his eyes in defeat.
"I… I'm really sorry, Senzaemon-dono. I was stupid, and I get why you don't want to tell me, but… please, I now understand what my mistake was, and I want to make up for it. Maybe if I talk to her one last time, she… she'll decide to come back."
"That's what you hope to accomplish? You want to bring her back?"
"…Yeah. I want her to return to the place she belongs. Totsuki isn't the same without her."
"And what is your personal gain in this? Why would you go out of your way to change her mind?"
"That's… I guess I just need her to be here. Cooking and having fun with the rest of us makes her happy, the same way it does for me, so… that's all I want. I have… I just miss her, Gramps, and I need to tell her that… I mean… She has to know that she means a lot to me."
The older man gave no response for a couple of minutes, which made him feel more and more anxious as he kept his head low, ready to give another apology if one was needed. His father stayed silent as well, not bothering to comment on his son's posture. It was up to the current headmaster to decide whether to accept Soma's plea for forgiveness or not, but from the way he rounded his desk in order to stand right in front of him, the boy concluded it wouldn't be that easy. He needed the old man's consent before he could go and tell his granddaughter how he felt about her, otherwise he would end up feeling like he didn't deserve to go after her in the first place. And although Soma liked the energetic man a lot, he wasn't so sure anymore if the don of the food industry would actually leave his precious grandchild with someone like him- if he thought a mere diner chef was good enough.
It was not until after he felt a calloused hand drop on his shoulder that the boy raised his head in confusion, eyes fixating on the soft smile his elder sent him.
"She arrived in Kamakura about a week ago, and will most likely continue to reside in our summer residence near the beach for a while longer."
"Huh…?"
"I trust you will bring my little girl back to me safe and sound. Don't make me regret giving you that information, boy, do you understand?"
"Eh… I-I don't… What?"
Suddenly he felt his father's hand pressing his head down just as the one on his shoulder disappeared. The mocking gesture, he was more than used to, caused his scarred eyebrow to twitch for the umpteenth time today.
"Sorry about that, he's a bit slow on the uptake when it comes to none cooking related stuff. I'm sure he'll have no problem bringing Erina-chan back though, since he finally seemed to have realized something important over the past three weeks, eh Son? Though, I gotta say… it took ya way longer to figure this out than I expected. How come you turned out to be such a dense idiot, huh? It's making me look bad in return, ya know?"
The hand on his head pushed him down once more before Soma forcefully freed himself from Joichiro's grip, eyes narrowing at the insult he just received. But no matter how much he tried, he couldn't be mad at his father for pointing out what probably everyone around him had thought for a long time as well. He had been an idiot ever since day one and he had no right to deny that fact, even if he wanted to. Thus, Soma heaved a long sigh, shoulders falling as he met the older man's gaze. There was no longer a goofy expression on his dad's face, and he appreciated that he was taken seriously again, for his next words would not only leave a bitter taste in his mouth, but also force him to confront his mistakes head on without having any sort of excuse to hide behind this time.
"Yeah… I guess it really took me forever. I screwed that up pretty bad, didn't I? To be honest, it wouldn't surprise me if she sent me back without even listening to what I have to say. But even so… "
He turned his head back towards the tired grandfather, eyes burning with resolve and a reassuring smile spreading on his face.
"I'll bring her home. So stop worrying and get some rest, Gramps, ya look like you could use it."
The old man closed his eyes, the warm smile on his features now turning into a small chuckle as he shook his head. Whether he would take Soma's words to heart and act upon them or not was up to him to decide, but even so, the young chef had the feeling that he might have eased his elder's distress a little nonetheless.
"Well… Suppose this means my little boy's actually growing up a bit, huh. For what it's worth, I'm really proud of ya, Soma, you found the one meant for you even faster than I did! And I'd say now's as good a time as any to tell ya that you had my blessing since the very beginning, so go get your girl already. You've kept her waiting long enough anyway."
His eyes widened with disbelief, a dangerous lump formed in his throat, preventing him from giving any sort of response, and if it weren't for the sincere grin Joichiro sent him, he would have already started demanding for the older man to stop messing with him.
'From the beginning? What does that even mean?'
Whatever it was, he couldn't deny that his heartbeat picked up in speed at the meaning behind his father's words. It sounded like he was giving his approval for…
"Yukihira Soma. This is a very big step, but… I leave her in your care nonetheless. Watch over my granddaughter for me, and continue to make her smile, the same way she used to as a child. I will give you my blessing as well, so don't dishonor my trust. If you so much as even think about hurting her again, you will have to deal with my wrath, and believe me when I say it wouldn't end well for you."
Squinting his amber eyes at both his elders words, the smile he had worn before slowly turned into a cheeky grin, and all Soma could feel at the moment was nothing but the joyful hammering of his heart as a faint blush graced his cheeks. The last chain that had kept him in place was now shattering into many pieces, allowing him to finally go after her without any worries or regrets. He had the information he needed- even better, he had the consent he was subconsciously looking for, meaning there was absolutely nothing holding him back anymore.
"Thanks! I won't fail this time, I promise."
His sudden eagerness caused his father to arch an eyebrow, arms crossing over his broad chest as his genuine smile turned into a smug one.
"You really do love her, don't you, my boy?"
"…Yeah. It was hard to believe at first, but… she actually managed to change my reason for cooking without me even realizing it. Well, that is until I noticed that something was missing when I was in the middle of a Shokugeki earlier today. I had no incentive to give my all in that match, no reason to perform better than the last time I competed against someone. Winning was awesome, but it didn't feel as satisfying as it used to, and I understood that it was all because she hadn't been there watching me. I mean… what's the point of making a good dish if I can't even show it off to her, or get her to taste it? That was the only thing on my mind the entire time, and it's all because… well…"
"I get it, Son, I know what that feels like. With that said… it turns out, I didn't have to give ya my special advice of perfecting your techniques after all. You found the solution all on your own, good job!"
"Huh? What advice? I don't remember you wanting to give me some sorta advice."
His father started to laugh at the dumbstruck look Soma sent him, making the boy scratch the back of his head in confusion.
He didn't realize he said something funny just now, or was his dad just messing with him again? He couldn't tell.
"Well, you actually hung up on me before I had the chance to tell you how to improve your cooking skills, so…"
"What?! Are you serious?"
"Totally. But since I'm bringing it up now, you should be able to draw the conclusion yourself, right? I don't need to say anything at this point."
A tip on how to improve his skills…
His wish to let the heiress taste all of his dishes first…
With each new thought, the young chef's eyes widened further and further, to the point where he felt like they could fall out of his head at any second as the realization of what his father had tried to say finally hit him.
Of course.
"You telling me that if I wanna be a better chef than you, I gotta have Erina taste test all my dishes first, and win an actual Shokugeki against her before I can come for you, right? Because she has the God Tongue and everything, it would be a cinch to win against you if I can get to her first. Just as I had planned from the start! Seems kinda demanding, but I'm pretty sure I got this anyway! That isn't something I don't already know though…"
"What the… That's not how you… Oh never mind, I give up. From here on out, I let Erina-chan deal with your dense ass. Maybe she can make you see things more clearly."
"Wait, you mean that's not it?! What the hell, Dad? Tell me then!"
"Not gonna happen! I feel sorry for that poor girl already; she has no idea what she's getting herself into here."
"C'mon, Dad, give me that advice now, it could help me to finally beat her! I need to know!"
"Forget it! You figured out this much on your own, it's not my fault if you need at least another year to realize the rest too! Now let go of my arm already!"
They were both silenced as a roaring laughter filled the room, their gazes moving to the current headmaster who was laughing wholeheartedly at the scene before him. It surprised Soma a bit, but he couldn't help the bright grin forming on his own face as he watched the old man laugh. The atmosphere seemed so much lighter all of a sudden…
"Your son is just as ambitious as you were back in the day, Joichiro! I should have expected as much."
"Yeah, guess he is. But unlike me, he can maintain that high spirit and use it to reach out and take whatever he wants. It's a gift from his mother."
"Well, in that case there is no doubt in my mind that Erina will be able to learn much more from him than just how to love."
"Eh, I wouldn't exactly rely on that, but… he sure can teach people a lot of things if he's persistent enough. And I feel like Erina-chan will need a lot of persistence, so… good luck with your new love-life, my boy, I can't wait to receive that wedding invitation soon!"
"Stop saying that, damn it!"
"Why? I mean, if she's no longer Nakiri to ya, then that's a clear step towards me getting some chubby grandchildren, eh?"
"Wh-what?"
He felt his face heating up at the knowing grin his father gave him, an image of the heiress dressed in pure white coming to mind as he shook his head to brush it off.
It certainly didn't help his heartrate if the image were to escalate somehow, considering that it was already getting out of control.
He would've added something else to deny his father's statement, but in that moment Soma's eyes lit up with recognition, making him face the current director once again with a questioning look on his face.
"By the way, Gramps, how do ya know where Erina is anyway? Did she talk to you or something?"
"No, unfortunately she hasn't. Actually, I can't reach her at all right now. She must have turned off her phone for some reason. However, I have an old friend living in Kamakura, and from what he told me, it seems like she still intends to stay there a while longer. I can't tell you more than that though."
"So then… if she got there just a week ago… where has she been before that?"
"Hokkaido."
His eyes widened once again, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by the uncomfortable dryness in his mouth.
Hokkaido… Why would she go there?
"For two weeks straight?"
His head turned towards his father, hoping that, since the Nakiri elder didn't say anything, he would at least get a reply from him. And he did, but it wasn't the answer the young chef was hoping for, feeling a wave of disappointment run through his body as he glanced at the older man in front of him.
"Yeah… We don't have a clue why though. People claim to have seen the God Tongue walking around the streets of Hokkaido, so that's the only source we can rely on right now."
"Oh… Well, guess I'll ask her what this is all about once I get there then. At least now I know where I'm headed."
"Speaking of which, there is something I need you to know first, young Soma."
Already turned towards the wooden door and ready to step outside, he found himself stilling all his movements at the sudden change in the Nakiri elder's tone, his amber eyes looking back in confusion as he kept his back to the two men standing behind him.
"Huh? What's that?"
"Delivering a message to Erina if you will. This is of utmost importance, so I suggest you take a seat for a moment. Your father and I were discussing this matter for over a week now, but since you're going to see my granddaughter, you might as well take care of something for us while you're there."
He shrugged in response, pulling one of the two chairs placed in front of the desk back to make himself comfortable as he listened to the old man's words with heightened senses. Even though he wanted to leave as fast as possible, his interest was piqued, and since the current headmaster was now being all serious again, he had no choice but to do him another favor. He deserved every bit of support he could get after his grandchild's departure.
"Sure. What's this thing I gotta take care of?"
"Before I fill you in, I need to make sure of something else, boy. It goes without saying, but… I want you to be extremely cautious at all times. Don't get careless, and always be aware of your surroundings, no matter what happens. I want you to keep your eyes sharp for any activities that seem suspicious to you. I fully trust your judgement, and I know you won't fail me. Of course, I don't have to remind you to send me report on a regular basis."
His lips parted, unsure of what to say just yet. He didn't know why, but something in his gut told him that this job wasn't going to be as easy as the Nakiri elder made it out to be, that things were about to get complicated pretty soon. A sudden uneasiness overcame him when he lowered his voice for his next question, not caring that it might come off as rude or demanding.
"Gramps, what's going on here?"
…
"Well, I guess that's about it. After I could leave the room, I went back to the dorm to get my stuff and then… 'I made a dash for the train station right at sunset'."
"Hey, d-don't use my own words against me! It's not my fault you felt like you needed to be here right away."
"Oh? Would you rather I came tomorrow then?"
"T-that's… that's not what I said! H-however, you shouldn't have rushed like that either, I hadn't planned on going anywhere for at least another week, so we would have run into each other eventually."
"C'mon, Erina, I'm trying to prove a point here. The least you could do is accept the facts."
"Which would be…?"
He grinned down at her curious expression, eyes filled with mischief as he placed both his hands on the glass railing, letting the gentle summer breeze blow through his short hair and ease his heightened senses.
"Simple. I needed to have a Shokugeki with ya as soon as possible."
"W-what?! That's it?"
He chuckled with delight, beyond amused that she actually believed that. She was so easy to tease, he couldn't help but take advantage of every chance he got to mess with her.
By now, it was already nighttime, the moon shining brightly in the sky as they stood next to one another outside on the balcony of her family residence.
After Soma found her in front of the cemetery a few hours ago, he had given her the shorter version of how he had spent his time back at Totsuki, how he had suffered because she wasn't there, how he didn't want to do anything for three weeks straight, and how he ended up realizing his feelings for her in that Shokugeki against Tanaka Haru. She listened without saying a single word, only turning her head towards him a few times with either a blush on her face, or a disapproving glare that made him smile even brighter.
"Eh… I think so, yeah."
"Hmph, figures. Very well then, if you want me to teach you a lesson that badly this late at night, then by all means, I won't deny you that taste of defeat. Let's go to the kitchen and-"
Sensing her attempt to step back inside, he quickly let go of the railing and gently grabbed her wrist, effectively pulling her against his chest before his lips found hers in a tender kiss.
"We should definitely have a match, but I'd say now's not the time for that. I still need to hear what you did over the past three weeks, and you can't get away without giving me a satisfying answer, got it?"
"I-I… I didn't do much. Just doing some sightseeing here and there."
"Na-uh, that explanation won't do, princess. I was basically freaking out over there, so you can't just brush it aside like no time has passed at all, that's not fair."
As he tightened his hold on her small waist, Soma leaned closer to her face again, his heart asking for nothing but her warm breath against his skin, needing nothing but her body close to his own in order to make sure she was actually here with him.
Despite him knowing that all of this was real, that she truly reciprocated his affection, the young chef couldn't help but slightly flinch every time he thought of her disappearing from his sight again. Sure, she loved him too, but… would that be enough to get her to come back? He didn't dare to ask- not yet. It was obvious that she still needed more time to pick herself up, that she was still hurting even though he was here.
He hated it.
Seeing that somehow saddened and remorseful expression appear on her beautiful face every now and then just made his stomach twist uncomfortably, just like it did right now.
"You… were worried?"
"Sure was."
"W-why didn't you try to reach me sooner then?"
"I… Sorry 'bout that. I guess I needed some time to think as well. But… I guess it really did take me too long to come to terms with all those changes, huh?"
"It did indeed. Although, I wasn't actually expecting you to show up like that, it still felt like you were late, as always."
"I'm sorry."
That guilty look returned to her eyes, the one he didn't want to see ever again, knowing full well that she felt responsible for things she had no fault in right now. The sight broke his heart; he just wanted it gone.
Without a second thought, Soma brushed their lips together once more, her slightly trembling hands gripped his shirt, and as he saw her close her eyes, his own fingers pressed her even closer against him, head tilting to one side in order to deepen the kiss. He couldn't help it, couldn't resist the urge to feel as much of her as possible. He wanted her to just forget and be her normal feisty self again, her current state making his heart ache in ways he didn't want to experience.
She would recover, would heal, and he was going to make damn sure of that with everything he had. He loved this girl, and he would tear the whole world apart just to see her act like her usual self again, see her smile, and laugh wholeheartedly. It was his task for now to get his number one rival back.
After they parted, she pressed the side of her face against his chest, cheeks reddened, eyes still closed, and finally able to reveal a small smile that would have melted him from inside out if it weren't for the fact that he couldn't get a better look at her due to his chin now resting on her head.
"I… I still haven't gone inside the cemetery yet. Time passed so quickly, but… I-I found one excuse after another not to see her grave, and after a while… I figured I just had to give myself a time limit of some sort, s-so that I couldn't come up with new ridiculous reasons to avoid going in. I would have stayed here for another week, and then… moved on to somewhere else. There was this old lady keeping me company too. I-I still don't know her name, but she… she had family members lying in that graveyard as well, so she came by to water their graves every single day. I can't even remember why she started talking to me, but after our first conversation, we ended up passing the time together, and you know what?"
"Hmm?"
"She told me that… my mother might have sent me someone who was supposed to give me what she couldn't. I came to realize it had to be you, because, well… ever since you showed up, I was constantly forced to act on impulse, which I definitely wasn't used to, so…"
"And that's what you think your mom wanted to give ya? The ability to go with your instincts, really?"
He could practically feel her roll her eyes, making him chuckle in return. It was a small step in the right direction, but every one of them counted, and the fact that she could still get frustrated so easily was certainly a good sign to him.
"Stop making fun of me, who do you think you are talking to?"
"So it wasn't the ability to-"
"No, it was not!"
Wiggling her way out of his embrace, she crossed her arms in defiance, her delicate eyebrows knitted together as she took a few steps back.
Seeing her like this, standing next to the railing with the late night breeze whipping her long hair from one side to the other, eyes squinted in her usual harshness, Soma felt like he was reliving the moment when they had kissed for the very first on the Polar Star dormitory's balcony several weeks ago.
They hadn't understood what they were doing back then, hadn't realized the chain of events they unleashed after the kiss. It seemed so long ago now, but… the young chef would be lying if he said he regretted starting this whole thing between them off that night. Because if he hadn't, he wouldn't have gotten the chance to enjoy the sight of a goddess, dressed in a mint green summer gown that flew up only a few centimeters every time the wind picked up, just enough to tease him with the smallest reveal of her creamy skin.
"S-stop grinning like that, you fool! I haven't even started scolding you yet!"
"So? You being peeved isn't exactly something new, ya know? I'm just waiting to hear how the story continues. If I'm not here to make you think with your gut then what is it I did for ya?"
"H-hmph, as if I would tell you that now."
And there it was.
The one thing he thought he would never get to witness again.
She flipped her hair in that oh so familiar Nakiri Erina fashion, eyes fixated on him, showing her high standing in society with only one curl of her lips.
Even though his heart fluttered with excitement at seeing her typical gesture, he still found it funny that she would get this dramatic over something so small. It was what made her appear so unreachable, so far away from anyone who would only seek a simple conversation with her.
However, to him, she was right down on earth, high and mighty, yes, but still a human being like him in the end. And he had no problem reaching out to her, literally.
"Guess this means I'll never find out, huh."
"Of course you won't."
"Too bad… Can I still say something though?"
A small giggle escaped her lips, one she tried muffing with the palm of her hand as if attempting to prevent any more sounds of amusement to reach his ears.
"Since when does Yukihira Soma request the right to speak his mind? You've said what you wanted, whenever you wanted ever since the opening ceremony, remember?"
"True. Well then, first off…"
He closed the gap between them once more, his hand stretched out in order to gently push her own down, away from her soft lips, needing to witness the full extent of that smile he had been deprived for over three weeks.
"Don't do that again. You're way prettier when you smile, and I want to see it too, ya know. And second… I like the idea this old lady had. If you think, I'm the one your mom sent you than that means you'd also be the one mine sent to me, right?"
"W-what?"
As she looked up into his eyes, the heiress slowly laced their fingers together with a confused expression on her face. He hadn't talked to her about his mother yet, only mentioned her relationship with his old man when he had wanted to get through that thick skull of her stubborn father, but now… maybe it was time to play with an open deck again. For her sake.
"Soma, i-is your mother…"
"Yeah… It happened around the time I started attending grade school, and… I guess you could say even before she died, we kinda had to go through some things."
Before he could continue, she raised her other hand as a sign for him wait before she guided him towards the wooden garden swing standing on the other end of the wide balcony. He was surprised, but didn't say anything, figuring that she just wanted to make it easier for him by sitting down somewhere.
They sat side by side, with Soma swaying them back and forth with one foot as the heiress placed her head on his shoulder, almost like she could feel that this would be quite a sensitive topic for him to go into. Even though it wasn't exactly necessary, he couldn't deny that he appreciated the sweet gesture, her natural scent of lavender calming him down every time he took a deep breath.
"What happened to her?"
"She… she got sick without any warning. She felt some body pain for a while but dismissed it right away, didn't even feel the need to tell Dad about it. A while after that… we found out that it had been a tumor of some sort. We were told that it had already reached the point where it was a fully developed leukemia, and that Mom was supposed to be treated in a clinic for the time being. I was four back then, so I didn't understand all the things my old man was discussing with all those doctors. All I remember is that Mom was in a lot of pain, and that she kept trying to reassure me, saying that everything would be fine and that we could continue cooking delicious snacks for her to taste test, just like we had done a lot of times before. But… I still wasn't convinced that she would truly be okay, not when Dad and I both noticed how she was losing a significant amount of her hair every time we came to visit."
He closed his eyes, memories of his nearly bald mother smiling lovingly down at him with her arms protectively wrapped around his small frame as she lulled him into sleep coming back to him the longer he stayed silent.
It had been a very long time since he last thought of her in that state, his heart stinging with every beat, almost making him want to stop talking all together, the scenarios replaying in his mind as he continued to swing them back and forth.
However, the sudden sensation of the heiress' hand coming up to caress his cheek and guiding him down to let his head rest above her own gave him the strength he needed to go on, his own fingers automatically curling around the warm ones Erina had placed on his face. She was still listening, sharing his pain, and that was all that counted.
"As time passed, I started asking more and more questions as to why she wasn't coming home already, or how it was possible for her to look even worse than before. Pops had always been honest with me though, no matter what I asked him, he explained everything patiently, telling me that there was some sort of virus inside her body that the doctors were currently trying to get rid of, and that we would have to wait until she was healthy again. But… it all turned out to be wishful thinking in the end. Dad constantly had to stay with her, and even though he was right there next to her, she still ended up suffering day after day. When we went to see her yet again after my first day of grade school was over, the receptionists only allowed him to go into her room, saying that it wouldn't be a pleasant sight for a child my age to see his mother on her deathbed. And… despite me begging to go in and see her as well, I was kept outside until my dad came back out on his own. That day, the only thing he said to me was that Mom wouldn't come back home after all, and that she was in a much better place now. I don't think he ever found out that I understood what he meant right away, that I knew where she was now. She died that day, leaving a message for me to always do my best, and continue to be the happy kid I always was, and, well, I think I turned out okay, right?
Feeling her shake her head gently as she pressed his face closer towards her, caused him to release a low chuckle, lips lightly brushing against her crown in pure affection.
"Since then, we make sure to always visit her grave at least once a year on her birthday. It has become kind of a habit by now, to be honest."
His eyes remained closed as the hand on his cheek slipped out of his grasp, a shaky inhale echoing in his ears before he raised his head and looked down at the blonde heiress who was now sitting upright on the swing.
She was staring at him with the softest expression he had ever seen on her face, eyes glistening with unshed tears, lips parted as if attempting to say something but failing to do so while her hands were shaking ever so slightly, placed in her lap in order to hide it from him.
What he could see in her amethyst depths though was not pity, contrary to what he expected. All he was able to identify was understanding, empathy, and regret for having asked about his mother in the first place.
And here he had dared to say that she had never felt any kind of empathy towards someone before.
He really had been stupid.
Erina still didn't say a word, her eyes telling him everything he needed to know, just like he did back at his family shop, she chose to let her actions bring the message across, figuring that he wouldn't want to hear any sort of apology anyway.
And he truly didn't.
Soma was fine now; his father and his eagerness to continue cooking had both kept him going for quite some time now. All his friends at home and at Totsuki made it a lot easier for him to just let the past rest as well. And now, she's here too. He had a feeling she would make the biggest difference out of everyone. Since it only took a single touch of her hand to make him replace those painful memories with happier ones he had shared with the heiress in a matter of seconds.
"I… I had planned on going to the cemetery again tomorrow. W-would you… perhaps… like to join me?"
"Sure. That's a given as far as I'm concerned."
"Are you… I mean, is that really okay with you?"
She looked skeptical for some reason, like she was actually worried he would refuse to tag along.
Had he not made it obvious enough that he was never going to leave her alone again?
"Erina, I'm serious. I'll come with you."
He was rewarded with a beautiful smile, warm and gentle, a dangerous combination that did all kinds of things to his heart.
"Thank you."
That was all the blonde said before she kissed him, shy, but lovingly nonetheless, taking her time to explore every bit of his mouth with her tongue when he parted his lips to do the same. It sent pleasurable shivers down his spine as he pressed their bodies closer together, his heart beating like it was about to jump straight out of his chest.
No matter how many times they did this, he was sure he would never be able to get enough of her.
This girl was pure torture for him.
"May I ask you something else?"
He arched an eyebrow, barely holding back a chuckle at hearing a certain hesitation coming through her voice.
"What's this? I thought Nakiri Erina would never need permission for anything, let alone ask for it."
"I-I told you, don't use my own words against me! I-it's just that… I was wondering if… your diner… was it something your mother and Saiba-sama build together or…"
"Oh, that? Nah, Pops told me that it belonged to my mom's family long before they even met."
"So, the name Yukihira is…"
"Yeah… my mom's name. We still carry it with pride, and if I should ever reach the end of this road here, I'll make sure everyone knows it too. You know, kinda like a legend that never gets old or something. I want people to connect that name with something exceptional."
"I'm sure they will."
She smiled up at him, sincere and earnest as she lowered her voice to a whisper, eyes closing with content.
His own amber depths widened at that, staring at her in sheer bewilderment when she didn't add anything else.
"Hold up… Was that a compliment?"
"Huh?"
"Well, you said… I mean you… Can you repeat that for me?"
His soft smile turned into a devilish smirk the second she snapped her eyes open, a deep blush spreading across her face, making her shake her head vigorously from left to right before she abruptly stood up from the garden swing.
"W-what are you talking about? I-I didn't say anything!"
"But I saw your lips move, princess."
"No, you did not!"
"Did too. And I think you wouldn't be blushing like that if I hadn't."
Knowing that he had cornered her now, the redhead leaned back in the swing, hands placed behind his head as he continued to grin at her flabbergasted state.
She really was too easy to tease.
Another step to victory, which he needed to pat his own shoulder for.
With the way things were going right now, he was starting to become pretty confident about actually being able to help her get better. It seemed more and more doable the longer he took in her angered face.
"You're a pest."
"But you still love me, right?"
"T-that… I-I was…"
"So you don't?"
"I-I did- didn't say that!"
He gave her a knowing smile.
"You know what, forget it! I-I'm going in now."
"Sure, I'll be coming in a bit too."
With her back turned to him, the prideful heiress started to make her way back inside. However, just when she reached the glass door, her movements halted, eyes finding his once again as she tilted her head to the side in confusion.
"Say… Soma? What is this message Grandfather wanted you to give me anyway?"
Annndddd I think this is where I have to make a cut before this chapter gets excessively long hahahahahah!
I'd love to hear what you guys think, and, of course, if you're ready for all the SoRina coming at you with full force from here on out! I can't wait for that!
With that, I wish you guys a beautiful day/night, and as always,
Take care, everyone!