Truth

by RoyaldragonSevgisi15

After defeating Central and paying her Idol a visit to find some much needed answers, Nakiri Erina isn't so sure about anything anymore. Her world crumbles and suddenly she finds herself wondering if she'll be able to handle it all. And then there is Yukihira Soma, the boy responsible for all kinds of new feelings to rise within her, lately.

20. Chapter 20 Parting gift

Chapter 20: Parting gift

Heeeeyyyy, how's it going, everybody?

Welcome back to chapter 20 of 'Truth'!

Are you guys ready for what's coming? I really hope you are, and I'm praying you won't want to kill me after this!

First, please let me tell you what amazing people you guys are, every single one of you! The last reviews were so adorable, so heartwarming, I was beyond happy to reply to each one! It really is an honor to write for such awesome people , and I can't wait to hear from you again! It's crazy how many new people I got to meet through this story, how many people I have the honor of referring to as my friends! Thank you so very much for that, you guys, I mean it!

As always, a huge thank you to my amazing friend, lamperouge rolo for helping me with all my mistakes and such! You're the best, my girl! I love you so much! And I'm really sorry for sending you these long, long chapters each time! Thank you for even putting up with me, my friend! I'm grateful to have you!

Now, without further ado, let's jump straight into the chapter, shall we?

Please tell me what you think again, guys! I can't wait to hear from you!

Now then,

Stay safe, and take care, everyone!

---

Sunlight shone through the curtain gaps, harshly waking the young chef up earlier than he would have liked. But today he's on a mission. And as the mysterious situation about Nakamura-senpai's minion stands, Soma was left with no choice but to force his body to sit up, grumbling through the multiple attempts.

Erina had been right.

To be at his best today, he needed the most amount of sleep he could get. Otherwise, no one would so much as even spare him a single glance.

He needs to be sharp, attentive, and above all, persistent to gain the information he's searching for. Sleep deprivation sure won't make matters easier, but perhaps drinking a good herbal tea would be all it takes to help him sharpen his senses enough to get through the day.

Usually, that was what did the trick back at the dorm. And yet, somehow Soma doubted a single cup of tea would be enough to get the gears in his head turning this time. He was way too tired.

Nevertheless, the redhead simply refused to lose his determination now that they were one-step closer to actually finding the mystery guy. People are waiting for his report, and as much as he'd love to stay here and keep an eye on the blonde heiress next to him, he has to get out of bed eventually- before she wakes up and makes it even harder for him to leave.

Stretching his sore limbs, he isn't the least bit surprised to find the sleeping beauty resting right where he had last seen her the second he turned on his other side- facing him with one arm thrown carelessly over his torso and a small puddle of drool formed underneath her on the pillow.

She looked so tranquil, so peaceful. Unable to help it, he took a moment to imprint that image on his mind. Gazing at her sleeping form really calmed him down in many ways, aside from drastically increasing his heartrate, of course. His lips pulled into a smirk as he mischievously gazed at her parted lips, which were practically screaming to be freed from the saliva surrounding them.

Not the most elegant sight, but he didn't care about things like that anyway.

"See? You do drool all over the place. This screams for another pic, but luckily for ya, I don't have time for that right now."

Slowly, so as to not disturb her deep slumber, he brushed a few blonde strands out of her face before kissing her temple gently, feeling the traces of an urge that had been steadily growing inside him for a while now.

No matter what happens, he refuses to lose this girl.

Dealing with Kenji Toru is his top priority for the time being, but as soon as that's done, he would take Erina straight home to her family- to where she belonged. He knew that's what she wanted, knew that her regrets and pride are constantly in the way, but, if possible… he'd like to show her that there is nothing to worry about- that she didn't need all this guilt anymore.

It was probably what had kept her up all night long, and what would continue to keep her up until she finally made her decision on how to proceed. He luckily caught her standing near the balcony door this time, pulling her back beside him and telling her that she was overthinking things again.

But who could tell for how long this will last?

He truly hates to leave her like this…

"I'll make it up to ya, I promise."

With that, he retracted his hand that had somehow found its way to her waist, laid her own arm gently beside her body, and stood up as quietly as he could, grabbing a new pair of jeans and a button up shirt before he exited the room completely.

Taking a quick shower and brushing his teeth, the young chef made his way to the kitchen next in hopes of being able to clear his head a little more if he made himself that long awaited herbal tea. He could really use its magic right about now.

Though perhaps, preparing a quick breakfast wouldn't hurt either…

Cooking was what always helped him get his mind off things after all, his true way to find inner peace. And hopefully, he could avoid including eggs to his dish this time.

He hadn't slept for the majority of the night, but lack of sleep has never stopped him from whipping out his best dishes in all those years of all-nighters where he constantly strived to perfect his craft. It was one constant he would never cease to be proud of, and knowing this fact gave him a sense of relief in knowing something certain, a feeling he had been looking for ever since he woke up roughly half an hour ago.

So with a lighthearted grin and his nerves somewhat calmed, he pulled up the long sleeves of his blue shirt before gathering all the ingredients he would need. There was one specific dish that came to mind as his thoughts once again drifted off to the blonde heiress still lying in bed. He wants to prepare something that's bound to make her roll her eyes yet at the same time force a soft smile to sneak into her features. An unforgettable smile that he is always in the lookout for.

"A fancy blackberry-mint scone, coming right up! I got this!"

'And this time, I'm sure I can get ya to tell me it's awesome, even if I have to wait until tonight to actually hear it!'

…

The redhead's heart felt uneasily heavy again- uneasy, as his feet carried him along the same path he and Erina had taken yesterday, past the bus stop, the flower shop, and those smaller stores selling all kinds of souvenirs off to tourists.

None of it truly caught his attention now that he was alone, not even the fact that he saw no Masamune standing behind the cash register today- nobody is, actually…

The boy brushed it off, thinking that, perhaps, they were always closed on Saturdays, or had another urgent business to take care of this morning. Whatever the case is, he already found himself moving forward again, not the least bit concerned about other people's affairs.

His goal is to arrive at the first Kamakura classic restaurant he'd marked on his phone before the breakfast rush began. In this time span, Soma hopes that it's less likely for the working staff to turn down his inquiries.

He'd like to keep the conversation short anyway. Just ask a few questions, state their purpose if needed, then head on to the next spot. There was a lot of ground to cover, and he intends to make the most of the little time he had.

It was a good thing his father gave him a starting point for his search, a list of some of the finest eateries in town, and sent him their respective locations right after that oddly serious phone call had ended. Otherwise, he might have needed to cancel tonight's festival visit, which he was well aware Erina wanted to see more than anything else as of late.

Finding the first place was quite easy, considering how detailed the description turned out to be. But as per usual, his old man did a haphazard job regarding the remaining addresses, telling him to simply ask around and let luck do the rest. Soma could have sworn that there is a circus-clown-like grin behind the late-night message he sent.

'What kinda attitude is that anyway? This is serious! At least act like you give a damn, Dad! Honestly!'

With his own thoughts keeping him occupied, the young chef was quite surprised when he suddenly found himself standing in front of the very restaurant he had wanted to get to first. With the luxurious entrance practically looming, it instantly forced him to stop as he was about to pass right by it.

Whether it was just a short walk, or he had actually managed to lose track of time while hurling one curse after another at his father, he didn't know. But regardless, he still seemed to have made it here precisely when he intended, no guests being anywhere in sight as of yet.

"This is it, huh? And there's actually a former graduate of Totsuki in there. Amazing…"

Not wanting to dawdle any longer, the red-haired student quickly dug through the pockets of his jeans and pulled out the small envelope with a particular seal that he had kept safe for this very occasion.

'Well, here we go. Let's hope this thing can actually help, Gramps…'

He took a deep breath as his hand pushed the heavy door open, greeted by the smell of various spices and herbs the second he entered.

Naturally, he had expected to come face-to-face with a goldmine of a restaurant, but this… the dark oak floor, that huge chandelier hanging from the mirrored sealing, the black piano standing in the back… he had no idea an establishment like this was one of Totsuki's business partners as well, let alone allowed former alumni to build their own career here. It was impressive, to say the least.

"Excuse me, young man, but we're not open yet. I would appreciate it if you were to come back at a later time."

"Wha…?"

Startled by the sudden voice behind him, Soma whirled around as fast as he could, only to find himself staring at a full bearded man with piercing green eyes, probably around his forties. However, what truly caught the redhead's gaze was not the intensity in his emerald orbs, but the fact that this man seemed to have only one arm, yet carried multiple plates like it was no hindrance to him at all.

He wasn't smiling either. In fact, as soon as he noticed where the young chef was fixated, his brows furrowed noticeably, a hardness that hadn't been there before crossing his features in a matter of milliseconds.

"That's quite a rude way to gawk at your elders, boy. First time seeing a handicap like this? Your parents must not have taught you much about the world if a man with one arm traumatizes you like that. Now, allow me to say it again; we're not open yet, so could you leave already?"

"Oh, eh, sorry 'bout that. I didn't mean to. It's just… are ya… the owner of this restaurant? Totsuki alumni, Ogawa Daizo?"

He couldn't exactly remember all the details, but for some reason, he felt as if he had seen this man's face before- somewhere in an article he read during the autumn elections… There had been so many pictures of talented first seats hanging in that massive hall, and Soma being who he was, wanted to know as much about them as possible.

What he could recall, was that one of those great chefs managed to make a name for himself by winning every single Shokugeki he participated in, including the legendary BLUE tournament with merely a single, unimpressive kitchen knife, and despite missing an important part of his body.

To most students of the ninety-second generation, his cooking skills were superb, outstanding, and simply unmatchable- close to the Ashura's abilities even, as some had pointed out.

"If not, never mind. I was only wondering, 'cause I might've seen some stuff 'bout ya back at the dorm, and it-"

"Wait, kid, slow down. You… know me? A small fry like you actually knows me?"

He just stared at the older man, confused.

It was just as he had feared. The tea hadn't been all that effective after all. His brain simply wasn't awake enough to catch on yet. That needed to change, or he would be sent on his way empty handed.

"…So… does that mean you're him, or not?"

"Would I ask you such a question if I wasn't?! How stupid are you, kid?! Coming here so early in the morning and disturbing our peaceful routine like that! Honestly!"

"Jeez, stop shouting, will ya? I just wanted to make sure."

"Well, don't! I'm not in the mood to deal with fans at the crack of dawn, you understand?! Now, state your business or leave! We're about to finish the last of our chores before we open for the day, and from what I can tell, it doesn't seem like you have the money to buy anything to eat here anyway!"

"Nah, that's not why I'm here. I was sent by Nakiri Senzaemon- ya know, the old guy from Totsuki academy? Long beard. Huge biceps. He wanted me to ask ya something, and-"

"Totsuki… the Totsuki? You mean to tell me you're actually a student at that school?! Seriously?! You don't exactly look all that impressive to me! How did you manage to get in?"

"Through my cooking, of course! Well actually, I think it was more like they-"

"Yeah, whatever. I don't really care anymore."

His scarred brow began to twitch as the young chef crossed his arms in hopes of it being enough to calm his nerves a little.

In addition to the insults, if this man kept interrupting him, he's sure to lose his temper soon.

Was this really the legendary Ogawa Daizo he read so much about? Soma didn't know why, but for some odd reason, he reminded him a lot of Shinomiya-senpai, though a lot less… arrogant, and more offensive.

The man might be a legend in the kitchen, but out here…

"I must say, I'm quite disappointed. Back when I was there, brats like you were eaten alive! Did the old man turn soft on his students now or something?!"

"Hey, what's that s'posed to mean?! I'm no easy target, ya know! And like I said, ya don't have to yell at me all the time. I thought this was a high-class restaurant or whatever. Don't you guys have, like, a special arrangement for how to talk when you're with customers? You get pissed way faster than I would've expected."

"I thought you weren't here to eat?!"

Now, he was certain the brown-haired man had lost the rest of self-restriction he possessed, the frown he sported deepening by the second as he curled his hand into a fist.

"Does that really matter right now? Maybe if you'd just let me explain properly, there wouldn't be a reason for ya to keep getting angry, don't cha think?"

"Why you little… What do you want from me? Were you kicked out and in need of a job now too? If so, let me tell you right away, little man, you're at the wrong place. We only hire professionals, not to mentions there's no free spot available anyway."

"Nope, it's nothing like that actually. I just- wait… 'too'?"

His eyes, previously filled with amusement and mischief, were now wide open, a chilliness that he wasn't expecting at all crawling under his shirt the longer he tried to process his elder's words.

"W-what d'ya mean? Did ya turn down another applicant recently or something?"

"Sure did. But… what does that have to do with you? He a relative of yours or something?"

Without hesitation, the redhead held the envelope right in front of the other man's face as he gestured for him to open it with one simple nod, goofy smile now replaced by the serious gleam in his golden orbs.

Could it be…?

Had he hit the jackpot already?

If so… He couldn't believe it.

Finally, it seemed luck was on his side, and as long as he played his cards right, he was bound to get somewhere with this grumpy looking chef before him.

So he kept waiting. Patiently. Calmly, while Ogawa Daizo placed all the plates on a nearby table before he opened the envelope and read the letter that was inside in haste.

And as the restaurant owner skimmed through both pages, the memory of how Erina's grandfather instructed him to show that particular letter to everyone he planned on involving in this particular investigation crossed the redhead's mind, the conversation about the old man hoping it would increase the probability of them cooperating and sharing more information in this difficult time. He remembered the way his voice had lowered dangerously the second he laid the two pieces of paper on the table and pushed them towards him while explaining what he needed to.

It certainly had been one of those few critic moments where Soma couldn't afford to let his silliness take over, for he'd never seen a look like that on Nakiri Senzaemon's face before- so ice cold. So bitter.

And now was as good a time as any to see if the bonds he had formed over all those years truly meant anything or not.

"I see… the old man's granddaughter, huh? I know her too, well not personally, but still… I'm a client of the famous God Tongue. Most of my newest dishes are being taste tested by her. And although we have never met, I admit, this certainly is shocking to hear."

"Yeah, that's one way to put it… Anyway, I don't intend to take much more of your time, Ogawa-senpai, so I'll cut right to the chase. If ya can give me any information on who that last applicant of yours was, the date he came here, and preferably even a picture if ya got one, that'd be more than enough. All Gramps wants is to make sure no one lays a hand on his family, and he needs every bit of help he can get to do it."

"Hmm… that's understandable, I suppose. He always is soft-hearted when it comes to his children and all…"

"Anyone who has been a student under Gramps knows how important it is for him to protect their family's legacy, the school, and the students. Now he needs your help to do all those."

"…Tell me; what's your name, kid?"

"Huh?"

Slightly taken aback, he rubbed his neck in a sheepish manner, suddenly very aware of how strongly he had reacted, and how fast his speech had been.

Ogawa probably wasn't even able to follow half of it.

"Yukihira Soma."

"Is that so? Well then, Yukihira Soma, why don't we take a seat over there for a second? I think I can spare some time to hear you out. But you have to keep your explanations short, alright? We don't have all day."

Sighing in relief, he followed the older man towards a beautifully decorated glass table far in the back before taking a seat on the other end of it, arms still crossed over his chest.

"Now, what's going on? First, let me tell you I can't afford to do Senzaemon-dono any favors that might spell bad news for my working staff, or this entire restaurant, got it? I have a reputation to uphold."

"What? It's not- listen, I understand you don't wanna get your guys in trouble, Ogawa-senpai, I really do. But if you read the letter, you know very well how worried Gramps is. He'd never ask anyone for information if the situation isn't so serious. All those people who were kicked out after Central's disbanding have long since found new places to work at, except for one. Why do ya think this guy didn't look for another job as quickly as the others have, why would he apply here, even though there are much more options to choose from in Tokyo? I'll tell ya, it's all because Nakiri Erina is currently staying in this very town, and unless you let me know whether or not the person who came to your restaurant is the same one I'm after, she'll continue to be in danger. I want- I need to prevent her getting hurt in any way I can."

"…And where is the young lady right now? Shouldn't she be taking care of this herself instead of sending a classmate? Sounds like a move only a scaredy-cat would make, if you ask me. I don't know her, but now I'm starting to believe that maybe I'm better off not meeting this girl at all…"

At that, the redhead simply closed his eyes, slowly breathing in and out so as to not lose his temper at a critical moment like this. A few seconds quickly turned into a whole minute before he finally managed to regain his composure- at least what's left of it.

"I think you're asking the wrong question here, Senpai. Nakiri Erina's perfectly capable of fighting her own battles- more than you'd ever know. Believe it or not, she's not the type of person to simply sit back and let others handle stuff for her, never had been. But this time it's different. I'm not just gonna watch her deal with a freaking psychopath alone- I'm here to help, and I feel like I'mma get the answer I was looking for pretty soon- right here, at your place."

"Is that so…?"

"Yepp. I've got a good feeling about this actually."

He summoned the cheeriness from every fiber of his being to send the Totsuki alumnus a smile that would conceal the rage storming in his heart.

This conversation isn't about Erina, and he wouldn't allow for it to shift back to her again.

"Well then, what exactly do you intend to do with the name I give you, boy? Have you gathered enough evidence to go straight to the police, or other authorities even? And what happens after you do?"

Ogawa's low voice was now filled with venom, a stark contrast to how he had sounded just moments ago, and a clear indicator to the boy sitting across from him that this discussion was not going to end as smoothly as he'd hoped it would.

"Listen, kid, I get that you want to help, and I respect that kind of dedication too. It's rare to see friends sticking up for each other these days. But regardless, I don't want to risk my good image to be ruined by a public questioning when the time comes, if you know what I'm saying. This establishment has been built through hard work and a lot of perseverance- we shed tears of blood to get where we are now. I didn't hire that man, hell, I don't even know whether it is the one you're looking for or not, but if word gets out that my restaurant is involved in such a scandal, it'll be the end for us. The Nakiri name is highly praised throughout the entire country. For them to have a lunatic breathing down their necks… I can't risk getting involved, now that I have my own business. I'm sorry, boy. As much as I'd like to lend the old man a hand and give you what you want… I'm not gonna. It's too risky for me."

Their eyes met, a fierce clash between amber and emerald as one deepened his scowl while the other just stared back mainly out of spite.

This was… quite hard to process, though.

He hadn't expected to be turned down so… quickly, let alone by someone who graduated from that very same academy he was now in.

His father told him that this was the type of answer he should be anticipating from most restaurant owners today- that they'd probably refuse to hand over any information because of that very reason. 'Public questioning by the police', as Ogawa-senpai called it, would definitely reduce an eatery's customer count, never mind the reputation that was bound to sink drastically due to rising distrust and suspicion.

But even so… They were talking about the safety of Nakiri Erina here. His feelings aside, she's just a young girl. A student. A person.

Was this man really willing to ignore what's happening around him just to save face?

"Ya know… despite forgetting most of what it was I saw about ya last year, I still remember the sensation I had while reading every single page of that magazine. I felt… kinda inspired, excited even. I remember wanting to meet ya so badly that I kept trying out one dish after another one night before an important match during the autumn elections just to get better myself. Back then, I wanted to have a cook off with ya more than anything, and honestly, I still did when I recognized ya just now. But, well… that was until you showed me what kind of person I'd really been admiring the entire time- what a waste that was. Now, I'm just… disappointed, I guess."

A slight jolt, barely visible to one watching from a distance, but all the more evident to Soma's sharp eyes, rocked the bearded man's body for a split second.

So he had a sense of shame after all…

"Ya said ya haven't met her yet, that she was merely someone taste testing your newest dishes, right? Maybe you've got a point. She has a lotta clients as far as I know, and she's gonna grow even more as a chef too. As much as I hate to admit this, but it's not gonna be easy to surpass her."

One day… one day he would for sure, though. There was no getting around that. After all, a goal is a goal.

"But above all, she's just a high school student- someone who could even pass as your own child! There's a psycho after her, thinking she was the only reason he lost his job, and I don't have a freaking clue what he looks like because a certain coward won't share what he knows. I'm not gonna beg ya to get involved, so don't worry about your guilty conscience kicking your butt. I thought I'd just fill ya in on what's really going on here. It's your choice."

With his head lowered, citrine orbs overshadowed by longer strands of hair, and his shoulders tensing up all over again, the redhead rose to his feet in one swift movement, surprising the older man with its abruptness.

"Still, it was nice to meet cha, Ogawa-senpai. Sorry for bothering ya with this. Guess ya can open up shop now, huh. Later."

He didn't spare him another glance as he turned around and marched back towards the front entrance, his disappointment clearly evident on his face.

It seemed this task wasn't going to be so easy after all.

"Wait! I… I get it. I'll… give you the name. Though you really didn't have to use that old 'your own child' crap to lure me in, you know. That was cheap."

Whirling around a second time, Soma stared at him with widened eyes as he stood up from his seat and walked right up to him in a steady pace, exhaling a deep breath of frustration as he did so.

"You may not know this, but as a matter of fact, I do have a daughter your age. Well, a few years older actually. She'll start going to college soon, and as her father, all I want is for her to enjoy the whole experience without anything else bothering her. I understand the old man's concern very well, so… All future ambitions regarding this restaurant aside, you should at least get the chance to protect your friend, boy. I'll do what I can to help. Forgive me for being such a dumbass before. It wasn't my intention to badmouth her like that."

Now standing before him, Ogawa-senpai placed his hand on the redhead's shoulder, pressing it down hard enough to make sure he understood the earnestness behind his words.

And he did. Not for the first time this past month, Soma was completely speechless, his mind blanked out, and his lips parted to a great degree as he continued to blink rapidly while trying to piece everything together his elder had just said.

"S-sure… Thanks?"

"Ehm, Chef Ogawa? We're done preparing all the ingredients for today. Should we step out and invite the first guests in now?"

Behind them, a young woman, dressed in a black and white waiter uniform, emerged from what Soma suspected to be the kitchen located in the far back of the massive hall. Her long, back hair was pulled up in a tight ponytail and, for some reason, her blue eyes immediately fixated on him alone.

Other than feeling slightly uncomfortable, he didn't say anything though, merely taking in her surprised features as they both awaited the head-chef's answer.

"Hold on a little longer, Minori. There's something I need you to do for me first. Get to my office upstairs and bring me that application file from our latest candidate, would you? The restaurant will have to open a bit later today."

"What? B-but, Chef, is that really-"

"Just do it, okay? I'll explain things later to everyone."

"Y-yes, right away, Sir."

And just as abruptly as she had showed up, the black-haired waitress disappeared behind yet another door that was right next to the one she first came through. It was too fast for Soma's gaze to follow, but nevertheless, he still managed to catch a small glimpse of anxiety in her blue eyes, a strange, uneasy look that didn't exactly make any sense to him.

She didn't know the purpose of her errand, so why was she this apprehensive already?

"Well, I'm afraid I also have to tell you that, unfortunately, we didn't receive an application with a photo in it. That said, I believe everything else that's written in there might still be of use to you."

"Thanks a lot, I really appreciate it. So, eh… what's the guy's name anyway? If it's not the same one I need, ya don't have to go through the trouble of showing me in the first place, ya know. I'd say neither of us have the time for that."

"Hmph, show some respect, punk. I'm doing you a favor here!"

Raising his voice once again, he swiftly let go of the boy's shoulder- only to get a hold of his head next as he pressed it down in the same forceful manner his own father always did. And even though Ogawa-senpai's touch had a certain playfulness to it, the fact that he was a tick more aggressive than Soma's old man made the feeling of nostalgia die down a lot faster in this case. Either way, he didn't like it at all, trying to hold his annoyance in for as long as he thought manageable while he wiggled from left to right in order to get away.

"Well, in any case… The name's Kenji Toru. He came to apply for a chef's position three days ago, and other than a few quirks here and there, he didn't seem all that suspicious to me. Weird maybe, but not necessarily suspicious."

"…That so?"

So it really was him… He should have known.

This was perfect.

"Don't get me wrong, kid; I've heard all about what happened with that organization called Central, about the team battle that took place in Hokkaido, and about Nakiri Erina becoming the successor of Senzaemon-dono right after that. But still, I would be lying if I said I hadn't thought about hiring a skillful cook who'd served under Nakamura Azami at some point before. No matter how you look at it, that man had quite the influence in the culinary world himself. So much so that I was seriously tempted to brush his stupidity aside and take one of his former employees in. But I didn't need one, and that was the only reason I let him go. I'm sorry…"

"…Nah, don't worry 'bout it. Ya didn't know what he was up to after being been kicked out. It's fine."

"So I take it this is the man you want then?"

"Yeah… that's him alright."

Without him being able to prevent it, a dark shadow was cast over the redhead's features as he crossed his arms once more and fixated his gaze back to the closed door, waiting patiently for the young woman to return.

A few minutes passed by without them saying another word, both too invested in their own thoughts to start another conversation. And although the red-haired student still had some urgent questions, he would hold them off until he got a closer look at those files, or until Ogawa Daizo decides to talk on his own again.

Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long as the woman, Minori, emerged into the dining hall once again with a few loose pieces of paper tucked away safely in her left arm.

She handed them over to her employer as soon as she came to a halt in front of them, not saying another word, even though her eyes clearly displayed the reluctance that was missing in her swift movements.

Why she threw that sort of look towards the redhead himself, he had no idea though…

"Thank you. Now if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to have another minute alone with our guest here. You may go back to the kitchen and tell the others that we'll be ready to open the restaurant shortly."

"Y-yes, Sir."

One last time, their gazes met- clashed together as the waitress's worries seemed to threaten Soma's resolve in the worst way possible. He didn't understand, but questioning it now was only going to be another major waste of precious time, and he couldn't afford that anymore- not when there was someone waiting for him back home.

And so he watched her leave the hall a second time with a single nod of appreciation before tilting his head towards the bearded man next to him.

This was it…

He was finally closer to get rid of that insane bastard…

"Now then. Wanna take a peek, boy? The quicker we get this over with, the more time I have left to explain the situation to my staff. And half an hour delay already put a damper in my record, so let's get this over with."

"Fine by me. Thanks, Ogawa-senpai… I mean it."

With a quick nod of acknowledgement, he laid the documents out on a nearby table, stepping aside in order to gesture for the young chef to take a seat. And although highly tempted to accept the wordless offer, he felt way too nervous to sit back down, his limbs simply refusing to let him rest for even a second.

Thus, the redhead merely placed both hands on the elegantly decorated table in front of him before bending down a little to make sure he didn't miss anything specific that was written on any of those papers. He'd go through each one as thoroughly as possible, even if it would take him longer than first anticipated.

But as fate would have it, nothing seemed out of the ordinary here.

The reason for applying was just like any other- faking interest and devotion above a heavily emphasized description of the former workplace is exactly what every employer wants to hear. Ogawa-senpai couldn't be blamed one bit for not having noticed anything strange about this man. But still… there had to be something he could use as evidence- something to make it easier to trace him down.

'No medical treatment mentioned this time either. How did Pops find out about that anyway?'

"Hey, Ogawa-senpai? Why didn't cha question the missing address and contact info in here? How where ya gonna get in touch with him if ya didn't have those?"

"Ah, he gave us a simple explanation for that actually. He said his family didn't possess a phone or anything alike, but he would make sure to stop by first thing in the morning if I were to hire him. And, well, since he seemed so uncomfortable about his financial issues, I found it hard to ask him about his home address as well."

"Seriously? Didn't ya find that… strange? I mean, he'd been working for Central, right? There's no way he doesn't have a phone."

"You have to understand one important thing about me, boy. As long as my people show up on time every day and complete their tasks flawlessly, that's all that matters to me. I don't care much about what my employees do outside of work, as long as it doesn't get this restaurant in trouble. It's the one thing I took with me when graduating the academy- anyone has a shot at winning, and thus deserves a chance. I'm sure you've heard of it already, seeing as you got in with your pathetic appearance and all."

Gripping the ends of the glass table even tighter, he grits his teeth subconsciously.

There had to be more- he needed a lot more than just a useless application form.

"Yeah… don't worry, I'm not holding anything against ya. Damn…"

"I take it to mean you haven't found what you were looking for after all?"

"Not really… I was hoping to get at least an address or a number outta this, but…"

"Well, maybe there is one thing that might help you, kid. I didn't find out much about this fellow, but… he said his family lives here somewhere in Kamakura. I only got the name of the district out of him though…"

…

A light breeze greeted him the second he set foot into the busy shopping district with one hand providing a small shadow for his eyes to make out the road ahead of him. The sun was shining brighter than before, the days got warmer with each passing week. And despite him liking the summer season a lot, the young student had to accept that at some moments, the heat was hardly bearable, even for him.

Perhaps it was partly due to his grown out hair that he began to sweat around the neck so much, seeing as the rest of his body appeared to be just fine.

"Guess it wouldn't hurt to get it cut…"

Suddenly, the ringing sound of his phone pulled him out of his daze with one single jolt, scared him even as he abruptly stopped right next to a pharmacy in order to pull it out of his pocket.

Fully expecting it to be Erina, he instantly picked up before so much as even bothering to look at the screen- he had to give her credit for holding on this long after all.

"Yo, what's up? You liked the blackberry-mint scone I made ya?"

"Blackberry-what? Yukihira, it's me."

His eyes widened with each word that was spoken, his throat unbelievably dry.

Out of all people to get a call from…

"Hayama?! Whoa… Are ya okay, man? Does it hurt somewhere? Did ya hit your head?!"

"What?! Why would I hit my head?"

"Well, you're usually not the one to start random conversations, so…"

"Oh, be quiet. They asked me to do it, so I did. Don't get excited just yet. I'm not calling for fun."

"Wait… 'they' who?"

"Your dorm mates, obviously. They're all back from vacation and are now worried sick about you, since it seems like you haven't come back in quite a while. Where are you?"

"Ah, that…"

Of course.

He was bound to get a call from someone eventually. Whether it'd be Tadokoro, Isshiki-senpai, Takumi, or anyone else, it didn't matter at this point. Everyone had already been worried about him when they all left for their homes, so he couldn't really blame them for wanting to know what was going on with him- why he wasn't there, even though he had said right from the start that his business at the diner wouldn't take that long.

'So they're back home already, huh?'

"Hello? Yukihira? Are you there?"

"Yeah, I hear ya. Listen, it's all good. Tell the others I'll be back soon, 'kay? I've just got some stuff to take care of, nothing serious."

There was no point in telling them about the ordeal he was now part of. It would only add to their distress, and that was the last thing he wanted.

"That's really great and all, but where are you exactly? Don't tell me you got yourself into another situation while no one was around?"

"What?! 'Course not! Why would ya think that anyway?"

"To make it short… it wouldn't be the first time you pulled some crazy stunt on your own."

"I did? Huh…"

"Stop joking around, Yukihira… Are you in trouble? Is that why you haven't shown your face around here?"

"Nah, nothing like that. I just-"

"You're a terrible liar, man. I've had enough of this nonsense. Here, you handle this."

He heard mumbling from the other side, the sound of something shifting before yet another voice greeted him in the most cheerful manner possible.

"Isshiki-senpai?! What the hell are-"

"Now, now, Soma-kun. Is that the proper response to give to your one and only upperclassman who has been overly concerned for you? Honestly, I'm insulted."

"Wha… I wasn't trying to-"

"No matter. That can be solved at a later date, don't you agree, my young friend? How are you? From the sound of it, I would say you're doing quite well."

Was it just him or did everyone do that on purpose today? Being interrupted mid-sentence surely had its limits, and he feared that he had reached his quite a while ago, back at a certain restaurant in fact.

"Could ya listen to me for a sec?! Yes, I'm fine! I'm in Kamakura right now to-"

"Kamakura?!"

Now it wasn't just the brunette screaming into the phone, but rather every single resident of the Polar Star dormitory. They must have heard him through the loudspeaker, and from what he could tell, no one seemed exactly thrilled to receive such a reply, thinking that he might be involved in a plot much bigger than he was willing to admit again.

They weren't exactly wrong, but…

"S-Soma-kun, w-what are you doing there? Has it something to do with Nakiri-san's disappearance? A-are you… are you guys together?"

Tadokoro… For some reason, she sounded so different now, so… disappointed.

"…Yeah. She's here. But I think it'd be better if she told you guys what happened herself. It's not my place to spill the beans, ya know?"

"So… let me get this straight. Something happened that caused you and Erina-cchi to go all the way to Kamakura, alone, and you can't even tell us about it?"

"That's… more or less it. Except, we didn't come here together. I had no clue where she was at first too, but I- well, ehm… Look, it's all good, okay? We'll be back before ya know it."

"Do you seriously expect us to be satisfied with such a lame answer?! C'mon, man!"

"Well, kinda… Oh, by the way; if you guys hear any rumors going around 'bout her leaving the academy for good, just ignore 'em, alright? I'm bringing her back with me before summer break's over."

"Rumors…? Now that you mention it, I did hear some… They say Nakiri-san was too stressed out over her new headmaster duties and that she ran away as a result of non-stop pressure, or something along those lines."

"Seriously? You should have told us sooner, Ryoko! I didn't hear anything!"

Gritting his teeth in irritation, the young chef squeezed the device in his hand all the harder as he listened to his friends' arguing on the other end of the line.

So even though they weren't back for long, word had already reached the Polar Star dormitory… that wasn't good at all.

"That aside, I also heard something 'bout Senzaemon-dono getting sick or whatever. They say it's the only explanation for his constant absence lately. No one has seen him for almost a month."

"Say what?"

Gramps… sick?

He hadn't talked to him for a while now, but was that really reason enough to trust a rumor like that?

"Is that true, Ibusaki-kun?"

"I don't know if it's true or not, but it sure raises a lot of suspicion amongst the students if our new headmistress and the old one are out of sight for so long. All kinds of gossip can go around."

"We have to do something about that! Erina-cchi went through so much as it is, she doesn't deserve this! It's not fair!"

'Ya have no idea…'

"Alright, guys, we all know it's a joke, right? Even though Erina can fix this once she's back, I leave the bigger part to you. Try to get rid of that gossip if ya can, 'kay?"

"Yes, o-of course. B-but, Soma-kun… w-why did she leave in the first place? Did-did something happen?"

"…Like I said. Ya can ask her about it later. I'm bringing her back soon enough. Don't worry, Tadokoro, she's fine…"

"Yukihira, are you… I might be wrong here, but you kinda sound like you're…"

"In love! Could it be?! My ears are not deceiving me, are they?! Oh, what a glorious chapter in your youth! I'm so proud of you, my boy! Good job!"

"No way!"

"What?! Are you kidding?! How come Takumi-cchi and Isshiki-senpai know about it, but the rest of us don't?! Explain yourself Yukihira Soma! I demand answers!"

By now, a far too uncomfortable blush was starting to spread on the redhead's face, leaving him unable to give a proper response to either of those statements. Never in his life did he think he would ever feel that way around his friends- embarrassed, speechless, downright shocked to the core…

Was his care for the blonde heiress that obvious to them?

"Guys, simmer down, would ya? It's-"

"Oh? Congratulations, Yukihira. This really is a surprise. I hadn't seen that one coming, especially since the two of you always seemed to be fighting over the smallest things all the time."

"Wait, wait, wait! Don't tell me you two are a couple now! How did that even happen?!"

"Shut up, bro, he's trying to tell us!"

"Both of you; quiet!"

For someone who was usually so calm and collected, Sakaki sure could be pretty loud from time to time. It never failed to amaze him how fast that girl was able to change her demeanor from silent to intimidating in only a second.

"Well, that's actually-"

"Hold on a sec, guys! Was that why Kurokiba-kun tried to contact us last night?!"

"The bets!"

"Oh no…"

And with that, all hell broke loose on the other end of the line, his friends screaming directly into his ear in the most dramatic manner he had ever witnessed. It was as if their lives had just ended, and for some reason, he felt rather refreshed by the amount of energy that radiated from each one of them- like he was actually there joking around with everyone.

Despite his annoyance about being interrupted yet again, the boy snickered to himself at the sound of Aoki and Sato fighting in the background while the others just kept throwing a tantrum over whatever it was that gave them such a shock. By no means did he understand their sudden distress, but it was still hilarious to be a spectator nonetheless.

"Yukihira, what have you done to us, you bastard! Now half of my savings are going to that demon because you couldn't wait for another month! How heartless are you?!"

"Unbelievable… How did she know it would happen so soon?! This is bullshit!"

"Hey, hey, calm down, people! What's going on?"

The second he asked, the young chef immediately regretted his question as the new wave of screaming forced him to hold the phone far away from his ear. He still found it amusing that the entire group was in perfect sink when it came to scolding him, but this seemed a bit… excessive.

"It's all your fault!"

"Care to tell me what exactly I did?"

"Give me that for a moment, would you, Aldini? Hey, Yukihira! Can you hear me?"

"Yeah. You got an answer for me, Hayama? What's up with everyone?"

"Well, I really hate to be telling you this, but… for a while now, a few of those guys started some kind of betting pool behind your back where each one chose a specific time for you and Nakiri to become a couple, and… from the state of things, it looks like they just lost a bunch of money today, …me included."

"Hold on… Say what?!"

For a split second, he completely forgot where he was right now, raising his voice in pure amusement and shock alike as random people began to stare at him from all sides of the already crowded street.

"No way, man! Are ya kidding me?! Which one of ya started this?!"

"I'm pretty sure it won't surprise you, but… it was Nakiri Alice herself. Actually, she and Isshiki-san both. Although, it would be fair to say that the rest of us quickly went along with the idea and placed our bets around the same time they suggested it, so… Listen, I'm not gonna tell you I'm sorry, because I don't really think it's that big of a deal. However, if you still wanna hear an apology… talk to the rest. I'm going back to the lab now anyway. My part here is done."

"Yeah, sure, that's… wow… I hadn't seen that one coming… A betting pool, huh?"

He didn't know what else to say.

It sounded so bizarre, so… unbelievable that no matter how often he repeated those words in his mind, he still had trouble imagining his friends sitting on a large table and casually discussing his future with the new headmistress of their academy.

How was he supposed to react? Annoyed? Disappointed? Outraged?

Strangely, the only thing he felt at that moment was sheer entertainment, nothing more, nothing less. He was amused that, even before he knew it himself, other people were already figuring him out in their sleep. His hidden feelings, that strange way he was drawn to her every time they ran into each other, the sudden fondness he started developing for her after his declaration at the opening ceremony… everything was so clear to them, yet for him, it felt more like things were getting out of hand rather than being solved.

If anything, he was proud that his friends were more observant than he had ever been at this point.

"Alright, you can stop laughing now, Yukihira. That doesn't help the mood here one bit if you haven't noticed already."

"Yeah, yeah, got it! But you guys surely know that you would get an earful from Erina once we get back, right? And, I mean, she isn't exactly wrong either, ya know. It was pretty stupid."

"Hey, don't give us that! It's hard enough as it is now that we've lost our money! You don't have to rub it in!"

"Marui-kun's right, my young friend. I have to admit, this hurts me greatly. And after we have spent so many hours arguing about you two. Now, it was merely a waste of time. The least you could do is show us some sympathy."

"You're one of the people who started this whole mess in the first place, Isshiki-senpai! You have no right to talk like I made the mistake here!"

"You did!"

Stretching his arm out yet again, the young chef heard the entire group scream into the phone for the umpteenth time now as more and more people began to throw displeased looks at him from every direction.

This conversation didn't make sense anymore. And above all, he was at the wrong place to be lectured right now anyway.

"Eh, guys? I still got some stuff to take care of, so… I'll talk to y'all some other time, alright? Later!"

"Oh no, don't you dare hang up on us, Yukihira! I swear, I'll-"

Ignoring Takumi's outburst, he simply ended the call with a bright smile on his face.

He'd let Erina find out about the betting pool herself, seeing as her own cousin was the main perpetrator in this case. Plus, it would be more fun that way.

Ready to pick up the pace again, his squinted eyes suddenly spotted a familiar looking shop on the other side of the street, a small boutique that held far too sensual memories for him to even dare think about right now. And not for the first time today, his mind blanked out as he eagerly followed his gut to the next best pedestrian lane traffic in order to cross the abnormally busy street.

He hadn't realized he was so close to the clothing store he'd visited with Erina the other day, but this was actually the perfect opportunity to do something he wasn't able to before- something that had been on his mind ever since they bought their swim wear at that shop.

'Alright! First the shop, then I'll give Pops a quick call to fill him in on everything and ask about Gramps. And… I guess I should do something about my hair too while I'm at it. It's getting way too long.'

…

"Yo, Erina! How's it going?! Ya missed me?!"

Greeted with nothing but silence, he shook his head in amusement, thinking about how big this house was and how slim his chances of actually being heard. The first thing that came to mind was looking for the blonde heiress upstairs, since it was almost time for them to leave for the festival.

She was probably getting ready for that, despite the fact that her natural beauty didn't demand any special treatment. He knew it best after having seen her in literally every state possible, from her best to her worst, and he still found her as mesmerizing as he had on the day they first met.

Shoving the small box he'd purchased earlier into the back pocket of his jeans, he quickly made his way up to the second floor, wordlessly this time so as to give her a harmless scare. Pranking that girl was always what he loved doing the most after all.

She wasn't inside her mother's bedroom, nor did she use any of the other spare rooms to change her clothes in, like he had first believed.

After quite some time, and with nowhere else left to check, his feet carried him directly to the wooden bathroom door on the other end of the hallway in hopes of finding her here. There was always the chance that she'd gone downstairs, but…

"Hey, Erina? You in there?"

A few seconds passed with no one answering, which, for some reason began to worry him quite a bit. The thought of her actually stepping outside the house while he was gone caused his heart to beat anxiously in his chest without him being able to do anything about it.

He was nervous now, his fingers already running through his shortened red locks as an attempt to calm himself down.

She hadn't… run off again, had she?

Just as he was about to turn around and make a mad dash downstairs, the sound of light footsteps climbing the flight of steps suddenly echoed in his ears, allowing him a long sigh of relief the moment his eyes spotted a familiar figure coming right towards him with a confused, but still gentle smile on her face.

"You're back. And… you got a haircut?"

"Yeah… Think I needed one, so…"

His gaze lingered on her floaty, beautiful summer dress as she quickly closed the distance between them, throwing her arms around his neck as soon as she was within reach.

"I see you're still in one piece."

"Told ya it'd be easy."

"You did…"

He didn't want to ask why she was shaking so much, why she was breathing so unevenly, or why she pressed herself against him with all her might, whereas usually she wasn't the one initiating such close contact between them. He simply refused to search for a reason.

Her fresh scent just washed all those bothersome questions away like they had never been there to begin with, and to his luck, it seemed as if she wasn't going to comment on his sudden state of distress either.

He knew she had noticed, but didn't want to hear how much of an effect she had on him when he had yet to get used to such a heavy wave of emotions himself.

For now, he merely settled on embracing her as tightly as he could without thinking of what would have happened if she had truly left once again, just as she seemed to have chosen to ignore her own troubles while burying her face in his shoulder.

"It suits you. The haircut."

"That's it? Gee, thanks."

"D-don't give me that! Be grateful I said this much!"

A lighthearted chuckle was the only response he could give her- a chuckle and an affectionate kiss on her crown.

She was already back to normal, it seemed.

"A-anyway, as much as I would love to hear all the details about your little adventure, the two of us have somewhere to be right now, and I'd hate to arrive late. S-so, go take a shower and change your clothes before our time runs out."

"Fine. Seems like ya already took yours anyway, right?"

"O-of course I did! What were you expec-"

Quicker than he thought himself capable, the young chef brushed her hair out of her neck and playfully sniffed every inch of soft skin he was able to reach before she could even begin to try escaping his strong grip. The ridiculous gesture left her laughing uncontrollably as she failed to wiggle out of his arms and attempted to keep his face away from her sensitive neck.

"Man, you smell so amazing!"

"S-stop that, you fool! We-we're going to be late!"

"C'mon, lemme get a good whiff of ya! Maybe I could come up with a new dish that smells just like that! It's addicting!"

"D-don't you dare make fun of me! Who do you think you are?! N-now let go of me already! I mean it!"

Through continuous laughing and pushing, she eventually managed to guide him into the still steamy bathroom, despite being held so tightly. He commended the effort, but aside from that, the redhead had no intention of letting her go so easily, his nose now moving from the crook of her neck to her collarbone as he hoped she was just as ticklish there as she had been on all those other spots.

If he couldn't ask, he would just have to make her forget. It was that simple.

"D-did you listen to a word I said?! We'll be late if you don't cut it out right now! N-now undress and get into the shower already before I do it for you! Don't tempt me, Yukihira Soma!"

At that, he sent her a quick look of pure delight, wondering if she even knew that her threats had no effect when she was constantly laughing so hysterically- never mind the fact that it sounded more like a tempting offer to him than an actual threat.

"You'd take my clothes off? Really? Ya wouldn't dare, princess!"

"Like hell I wouldn't! Let… let go, and I-I will show you!"

"Oh? Are we having trouble breathing now? C'mon, Erina! You're making this way too easy, ya know?"

"I-it's because you keep… keep tickling me! D-don't confuse one thing with another!"

"Okay then, show me!"

Suddenly, her already reddened cheeks turned into an even darker shade of crimson as he dropped his arms and took a step back, grinning from ear to ear at her flustered state.

He couldn't help it- her irritated glare, her desperate attempts to straighten out her dress, her trembling knees, everything about her just made him crack up right then and there, his arms holding his stomach for both support and emphasis.

Getting her all riled up like this always made his day better- whether she felt the same way or not was unnecessary to ask at this point. He knew she enjoyed the teasing just as much as she liked all those silly banters they constantly had.

"Your face! Seriously, it's priceless!"

"I-I told you to stop mocking me! And cease your stupid laughter this instant!"

As he ignored her demands, Soma didn't notice the blonde approaching him once again, this time with her bangs casting a dark shadow that allowed her features to look much more sinister than they should.

"Hmph, alright then. If that is how you prefer to do things, I won't back down either. Just remember, you asked for it."

And as she took a deep breath, her fingers made quick work of the first few buttons on his shirt, though stopped right away when suddenly there was no further sound coming from the boy in front of her.

He was too stunned to even chuckle, too entranced by the sight before him to try swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat just now, and if it weren't for the warm temperature inside this room, he could've sworn the sweat forming on his forehead was mainly due to the overflowing hormones in his body.

Their eyes met when she raised her head, a clash between two intensive colors that literally send one shiver after another down his spine.

By all means was the redhead aware that she could be easily triggered in doing something when provoked the right way, but he hadn't expected her to actually go through with undressing him when he was just joking around. And to do so without thinking of the consequences either…

Was he supposed to move now? Where would be the line this time? He wasn't sure he wanted to know…

"O-on second thought; do it yourself! I'm not a caretaker!"

"Huh?"

Before he could ask what she meant by that, the girl was already slamming the door behind her, leaving him confused and, as much as he hated to think about it, utterly disappointed. He didn't know what he had been hoping for, he made a promise not to take advantage of any arising opportunity after all. But still… a steadily growing part of him wished he could- wished he'd stop resisting the urge to touch her in more than just one way. It became harder to fight it off with each passing day, each passing minute even. She was driving him insane and she had no idea about it.

But regardless of that, he couldn't hold back the sheepish smile gracing his features as he stared at the closed door with his hand rubbing the back of his head in a somewhat disheartened manner.

He would never understand this girl. But then again, he had trouble understanding himself as of late too, so… maybe it was something normal for people in love?

He had no idea, and asking his father about it was most definitely out of the question, whether he wanted to or not. There was no way that old sack would let him live it down.

"Man, things just keep getting complicated, huh?"

…

He was so glad to have decided to come here, so happy he didn't need to run from one restaurant to another right now. The nostalgic feeling spreading inside Soma's chest as they walked past different types of stalls at the crowded marketplace just showed him as much too.

Bright lights were illuminating the streets, people in colorful attires came and went with happy smiles on their faces, and the heartwarming laughter of small children echoed in his ears from every direction. He was intrigued by all of it, especially the scent of freshly made takoyaki at every corner managed to twist his stomach with anticipation.

He had missed going to a festival this big, had missed playing games and winning prizes from literally every stall he could find that offered some. And now, it was even more exciting since there was another highly competitive person with him there, a girl he'd wished to beat for so long that it might have become an obsession at some point.

Strolling beside him in her floaty, blue summer dress, the beautiful heiress tried her best to take in as many of the attractions as she could without accidentally bumping into anyone. It was an adorable, yet at the same time quite hilarious sight to behold.

The way she turned her head from left to right every other second just to make sure she didn't miss anything really got him hyped too as the redhead himself secretly searched for the perfect game they both could participate in. The swimming contest may have been a no go, but here… he was truly in his element.

'She won't know what hit her!'

He couldn't hold back the low, sinister chuckle that escaped his lips the moment he spotted their first target- a shooting game, which was exactly what he needed right now.

"Hey, Scarface! What are you so chipper about? It really looks creepy, you know. If there's something ya like seeing, at least have the decency to be more discreet about it."

"Shut it, Flower head! I'm not staring at a person or whatever! You just be careful that cha don't trip over that long ass Yukata of yours! It would be a real shame if it got dirty, right?"

"Speak for yourself! Those shoelaces look like they're about to come untied any second now, so make sure you don't fall yourself."

"Why you-"

"And wearing a Yukata at a fine festival like this is pretty common around here. You should be ashamed of yourself for coming with ordinary clothes on."

"I didn't bring one with me, alright?! Damn, you're a pain! Hey, Erina! Why did we bring this guy again?!"

"Because he was the one who invited us. Now stop bickering. I'm trying to enjoy myself here!"

Sighing in frustration, he redirected his attention to the small stall offering fake rifles to shoot down any of those targets displayed in the far back. His citrines lingered on a black-haired boy who was currently trying to win a prize for the younger kid cheering gleefully beside him. They didn't seem older than eight or nine, reminding Soma of the time when he had attempted to beat his father in a shooting game, even though he was barely able to hold a large weapon like that in his tiny hands. It made him grin all the brighter.

However, his reminiscing didn't last long as Erina's surprised voice suddenly echoed in his ears, interrupting the memories playing in his head.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry, Ma'am. I wasn't paying attention."

"No, no. It's alright. Don't worry, dear."

"I hope I haven't hurt you that much."

"No, you haven't at all. Please, don't trouble yourself. It happened quite often to me since I entered this festival. I don't mind."

"I'm… truly sorry about this, Ma'am."

"What a kind little girl you are! It really doesn't bother me at all. No need to apologize."

Unsure of what had happened, he whirled around with one brow raised in confusion and a curious glint in his eyes.

"Did you… just run into her or something?"

"Well, that was- I did… B-but it's not a laughing matter, so don't you dare start!"

"I wasn't gonna!"

"Huh, what d'ya know. Beauty's gonna hit the ground sooner than both of us at this rate!"

"I am not! It's just hard to remain focused on what's in front of me when there is so much to see, and- I told you not to start laughing, Yukihira Soma! Listen when someone's talking to you!"

Her irritation only made his fit worse as he continued to laugh at her louder than ever. It was unavoidable; he enjoyed himself way too much to stop.

Although, seeing her crossed arms and puffed up cheeks was apparently all it took to make him regain his composure, his hand now moving forward to hold on to hers and yank her towards him with one swift motion. And other than a small huff of annoyance, she didn't prevent him from intertwining their fingers and drag her the way he wanted to, which either meant she wasn't mad at all, or just too exhausted to show her usual spite. He was fine with whatever reasoning right now.

"Don't worry, I gotcha!"

"W-where exactly are we going now?"

"Oh, you'll see. C'mon, Flower head! Let's move!"

"Hey! I won't let a shorty like you order me around! I'm going to take a look at a stall that was peeking my interest for a while now, and-"

"Fine then. If you want it that way… Guess it's payback time!"

Before the young vendor could so much as even ask what kind of mischief the boy's up to now, he was grabbed by the collar of his Yukata and dragged behind a very satisfied looking redhead. The young chef mimicking the gesture he had used just yesterday.

"What the- let go! How are you even able to reach that high?!"

"Like I said; it's sweet revenge!"

"You brat! Let go!"

"Oh, shut up, would ya? Last I checked, ya weren't that much older than me!"

Very pleased with himself and the fact that the blonde heiress beside him was giggling oh so innocently every now and then, he eventually reached the stall he was looking for, silently enjoying the excited thumping in his chest.

He smiled at the little boys who were still sulking right next to the booth before releasing both Erina and Masamune from his hold.

"Excuse me, Sir? How much for a game?"

"Welcome, young fellow. You wanna try your luck at my shooting gallery, eh? That would be 2,560 yen for sixty-four shots. We have a total of seventy prizes to choose from, and, of course, you can claim whatever you shoot down. Any questions?"

"Nope, all clear!"

"H-hold on a second, Soma. What's going on? You actually want to play?"

He gently removed the hand that was resting on his shoulder and sent her a devilish smirk- one that instantly caused her to blush as she took a hesitant step back.

There was no need for him to tell her his intentions out loud, she should already know what he wanted. And the sudden fire burning in her eyes told him she did.

So with an icy smile of her own, the blonde marched forward once again, arms crossed over her chest, and brows furrowed challengingly.

It almost felt like the whole atmosphere around them had tensed up by now without either saying a single word.

"I see… Well, alright then. How do you want to do this?"

"We'll go at it the same way I have with my old man. Whoever shoots down the most amount of targets, wins. Deal?"

"Fine by me. Let's go."

Grinning like a madman, he slammed the money on the counter in exchange for the sixty-four cork bullets before tilting his head back towards her.

"Guess this means we'll each have only thirty-two shots, huh. Think you can handle that?"

"Watch me. This isn't my first festival visit, you know. Grandfather and I have played games like this a few times, so I think it's safe to say you should be the one sweating like crazy right now and not me."

"'Course Gramps taught ya that too… Well, whatever. Guess we'll just have to see 'bout who comes out on top, now won't we? Ladies first."

"My, how thoughtful."

Loading their rifles, both students positioned themselves in front of the empty gallery, leaving Masamune, as well as those little kids staring at them with confusion written all over their faces.

"Ehm, guys…?"

Fascination overcame the young chef when he watched her press the weapon against her right shoulder for more stability and aim in complete concentration, one finger already tapping the trigger as she chose her first target.

In a way, it was overwhelmingly alluring to witness her graceful, yet extremely dominating posture. And for the first time in his life, Soma felt like he would explode from the heat just by looking at a gorgeous girl with a gun in her hands. It was absurd and amusing at the same time.

"I take the bear on the far left."

"A good choice, my lady. That one has been quite popular lately! But it has yet to be shot down. For some reason, no one dares to hit it, so… Try your best."

"Hey, eh, Yukihira-kun? Can I ask you something? What's up with you guys all of a sudden? Weren't you, like, flirting just a few seconds ago?"

Startled by the light tap on his shoulder, the redhead merely shrugged in amusement, his gaze never straying away from the tantalizing sight before him.

"We were? Don't know what cha mean exactly."

"Come one. Are you serious? You two give off a totally different vibe than you did before. What happened? Did you pull a switch in your heads or something? I can barely recognize Erina-san right now."

"You can't, huh? Well, too bad for ya, pal. She's mine, so there's no need for ya to try figuring her out. It'll only give ya more of a headache, trust me."

No reply came, not a single sound was made. And with his attention drawn to where it was, he simply couldn't bring himself to care about Masamune's lack of sass as he silently nodded in agreement.

His ears registered the sound of the first bullet being fired, amber eyes followed the noise it made when the aimed target was thrown off the shelf and into the basket before a very stunned looking stall keeper handed it over to the grinning blonde.

She met his gaze right after handing him the rifle, smiled ambitiously up at him as if daring him to make yet another joke, and simply took a step back while gesturing for him to come forward in a mocking manner.

"Your turn."

"Thanks. And don't worry. I won't take as long as you have. After all, we wouldn't wanna stand here 'til morning, right?"

"Hmph. Just do me a favor and don't embarrass yourself."

"Wasn't planning on it."

Loading his gun in one swift movement, the redhead got into position just like she had before, and squeezed one eye shut for better aim.

"Okay, what's going on? This is nuts! You guys behave like completely different people!"

"We have always been this way, Masamune-san. Don't worry yourself about it."

"Yeah, but-"

"Just think of it as a friendly competition. That's basically all this is."

"I-is it now…"

"Alright. I'll get that huge tiger over there."

Suddenly, there was a quite audible squeal coming from somewhere behind him. One of those little kids, no doubt.

Smiling to himself knowingly, he pulled the trigger and instantly shot the stuffed animal down without any delays, just as he had promised.

"Impressive, young man. This was one of the harder targets as well. You two seem quite talented for your age."

"Ya think so? Thanks!"

Laying down the rifle and taking his prize, he stepped away from the shooting gallery, right towards the small children who were now about to distance themselves from the stall with tears in their eyes.

"Hey, wait a sec, you two! I got something for ya!"

They did as told, hesitantly turning around only to find a smirking Soma crouched down before them with the stuffed tiger they seemed to have been aiming to get all this time in hand.

If Erina would count that as him missing a shot, he'd simply have to deal with it. This was far more important right now.

"C'mon, ya can have it. I'm not that into tigers, ya know."

"A-are you sure? Don't you wanna give it to that pretty lady over there?"

"It's fine. I'll win her something else instead. And besides, we're in the middle of a competition right now, so it doesn't matter what I do with the stuff I get, right? I'll give ya guys this one, and just replace it with another toy."

At that, the older one of the two took a step forward, smiling gratefully at him before he took the stuffed animal into his small arms and ran back to his friend, all the while avoiding eye contact with the red-haired student still crouching in front of him.

"Thank you so very much! We really appreciate it!"

"T-thank you, Mister!"

Grinning brightly and waving his hand in goodbye, he rose to his feet once again. And as he turned around to rejoin the others, Erina was already standing right behind him with her eyes squinted in affection and the kindest of smiles on her face.

Other than run a hand through his shortened hair, the boy couldn't offer her much of an explanation, despite feeling like she wouldn't want to hear one anyway. Her amethysts told him everything he needed to know, and that alone gave him enough reason to grin back at her with all his might as his arm landed on his side once again.

"Want to continue? From where I stand, we're still on par, and I'd like to change that as soon as possible so that we have enough time left to see the rest of the festival."

"…Yeah, right. As if I'd let ya win."

Quickly taking their respective positions, they both hit one target after another without any hesitation. It was as if their instincts had completely overrun them and now edged them on to beat one another in the quickest way they could.

Prizes fell from the shelf in an impressive speed, which literally left the stall keeper gasping for air since it didn't look like he was going to make any profit tonight thanks to them.

But just as much as their shots hit their mark, there were also quite a few misses they both had to take into account. And with almost all of their ammunition used up by now, it came down to the last two bullets to finally decide the victor.

To Soma, this was quite unexpected. Not one bit had he foreseen such an outcome.

And despite having wanted to win at all costs, it was ridiculous how much fun a game could be when he had a worthy opponent to play with, one who tied with him no matter what they competed in.

He feared beating this girl with mainly his dishes would not be enough to satisfy him anymore someday…

"So, what will it be this time? There aren't many targets left, so choose wisely."

"I don't need ya to tell me that, princess. I've got my eye on something already, don't worry."

Once again, he closed one eye to get a sharper view of all the stuffed animals that were left, his finger itching to pull the trigger and be done with this round already.

He aimed for the small rabbit hidden in the back, firing a bullet that was bound to miss its mark.

"Damn…"

"Let me show you how it's done."

Miss. Barely, but still.

"What was that? I didn't hear ya. Could ya repeat that for me? You'll show me what again?"

"Oh, shut up. Last try. It's all or nothing now."

"Got that right. Let's see… I'll aim for that rabbit again. It kinda pissed me off."

"Are you serious? It's too far in the back!"

"One more reason to hit it then."

And this time, his heightened concentration actually paid off as he successfully threw the white plushie into the basket.

"Yes! Ya know what that means, right? If ya miss this one, I'll be the winner."

"Don't get cocky just yet. We both know I won't miss."

Handing her the rifle one last time, the boy watched her quickly reload before she leaned forward a bit to make sure she hit her target this time.

"Alright. Before, all those other toys were in my way, but now… I think it's time I finally get what I really wanted all along. That big penguin over there is mine!"

"Huh… not bad. Try it."

He crossed his arms in anticipation, fully expecting her to hit and end this game on yet another draw.

But suddenly, a person in one of those dragon-like masks that he had seen on so many people earlier bumped into her just as she was about to shoot, leading the blonde to actually miss her mark once again.

He would've cheered in delight over his victory, laughed at her failed performance had it not been for the man dressed in black who was now mingling into the crowed again. In fact, Soma lost sight of him quicker than he would have liked, which somehow left an odd taste in his mouth.

Had he been drunk…?

"H-hey! That's rude! I was about to-"

"Well, too bad, young lady. You missed. But at least you get to keep all those prizes you've shot down before. That's something at least, considering I haven't gained anything from it…"

"I don't care about them! I wanted-"

Placing a hand on her shoulder, the redhead shook his head with a bright smile playing on his lips and amusement in his eyes.

"We'll call it even. Ya would've hit either way, so it's fine."

"But I- alright, I understand… It still irks me though. I waited so long to get it, and now I can't even have the one prize I wanted the most. Unacceptable."

"Yeah, you can say that again… But hey, at least we had some fun, right?"

"Right…"

"Eh… guys? How do you expect to carry all those toys with you right now? This place is already way too crowded if you haven't noticed."

"Ah, don't worry 'bout that, buddy. We won't take 'em all!"

"I wouldn't even know where to place them back at the residence anyway."

"…Huh?"

While Masamune physically struggled to find the logic behind their action, the older stall keeper seemed more than just perplexed about this. In fact, he looked like he was about to scream out of joy, grateful not to have lost nearly all of his stuffed toys to some random visitors who turned out to be better at this game than he had ever thought possible.

"A-are you guys sure about that? Your money will go to waste, ya know?"

"So? All I wanted was to have a good competition. And if we had a good time along the way, that's even better!"

"Well, I can't argue with that."

"You… you two are so, I don't know… contradicting! First acting all lovey-dovey, then turning into the worst enemies because of a shooting game… I can't figure you out at all!"

At that, all the students could do was grin playfully in his face, not offering him another word of explanation.

They might be a unique duo, but at least this way, there was less of a chance for things to get boring around them. And while they bickered and competed non-stop with one another, Soma doubted that the sparks between them would ever die down.

And that's all that mattered. Whether Masamune understood it or not, didn't make any difference in the end. Their joyful smiles should be answer enough for him.

"Then again, I guess it would only be fair to take at least something with us- as a memory… Hey, Mister? Can I have a free shot, please? I want the penguin Erina couldn't hit before."

"O-only because I was interrupted! I could have gotten it easily!"

"Yeah, yeah. Relax, princess, I know. So, how 'bout it, Sir? Can I try again?"

"Of-of course! By all means, young lad, step right up! It's the least I can do after you so graciously allowed me to keep the larger part of my prizes!"

"Thanks!"

Grinning one more time towards the blonde, he took the rifle in both hands before loading it expertly with the cork bullet that was offered to him.

He squeezed one eye shut the same way he always did and adjusted his posture in order to take his final shot, hell bent on hitting the mark.

That penguin would be his to take, and this time, no one would interfere.

"…You really think you can get that one, Scarface? It's pretty far away, ya know."

"Just shut up and watch."

He ignored the huff next to him in favor of pulling the trigger and enjoying the muffled yelp on his other side as the stuffed animal finally landed in the basket beneath it.

"Got 'em!"

"You hit it, Soma! That's so- I mean, I could have won that one myself. You didn't need to show off like that."

"C'mon, really? It's yours now anyway. Just take it, would ya?"

He held the plushie out to her with a bright grin on his face and a faint blush coloring his cheeks.

It seemed to have been enough to appease her anger, but now the heiress was beyond flustered as she took one hesitant step back with her eyes widened like she hadn't seen this coming. It tempted him to laugh at her once again for being so naive, but for the sake of walking out of this festival with his limbs still intact, he held back- barely.

"Y-you… want me to have it? I-I thought you were just trying to rub your victory in my face or something. Aiming for the same target I did and all…"

"Nah. Not interested. Ya can take it."

"I-I'm…"

At that moment, all the redhead could see was a beautiful girl smiling shyly at him as she averted her eyes and waved her arms aimlessly in the air as if she had no idea what to do with them.

There was no way he wouldn't take the initiative after such a display. He had never been the type of person to hold back anyway.

So in merely three steps, he crossed the short distance between them and kissed her with all he had, pressing the stuffed animal against her chest as he did so. It was quite daring, but he didn't really care right now- he never had to begin with.

Her lips felt downright perfect against his, her cinnamon-like scent overwhelmed his senses in the sweetest way possible, and just as they were about to part, he realized how much he had actually missed her during their time apart this afternoon.

Had he been this intoxicated already? When had he become so… attached?

"T-thank you…"

"Sure."

"Hey! If you two are done, can we please get going?! There are a lot of other things to see here as well, you know!"

"O-of course, Masamune-san. We're terribly sorry!"

"Yeah, guess we really should get a move on, huh…"

Smirking to himself, the young chef casually waved towards the stall keeper, grabbed Erina's hand, and continued to stroll through the crowd without a care in the world. Nothing Masamune said could dampen his mood after what they just shared, absolutely nothing. And knowing that there were still so many other games to play, and a fireworks display to look forward to at the end of the night only added to his bubbliness.

This moment would be one of the most memorable they ever had, and he wanted to make the most of it in hopes of being able to push the girl further towards the answer he wished to hear when this trip would reach its end.

Maybe she'd come back home with him once her spirits were lifted some more… At least that was what he hoped for.

Dragging the blonde from one booth to the next, participating in all sorts of different games, and taste testing almost every delicacy that was available in the entire marketplace could be considered as a step in the right direction, seeing as how much she was laughing, smiling, and shouting in excitement every now and then just because some of the games had ended in her favor.

It was incredibly amusing. He didn't even notice how quickly the hours passed…

And now, having walked by the last stall at last… the time to find a good place to enjoy the fireworks from had finally arrived. With there being less people than back inside the festival itself, there was enough space to move around freely and talk in private- just what he had wanted.

"Huh, I had no idea the festival was this close to a forest…"

"Me neither, actually. Hey man, does the spot change every year or something?"

"Oh no, not at all! It's always at this exact location. The marketplace is the most perfect spot to organize a huge festival like this on. But who cares about that? I'm more interested to know what you guys think of it! That was your first time seeing it, right? Did ya like all our attractions?"

"I sure did. Thank you again for telling us about it, Masamune-san. I had missed going to a proper festival like this."

"Ha! I knew you'd enjoy it, my beauty! It was only for you that I-"

"Would ya cut it out already?! How many times do I have to tell ya to stop calling her that?! Jeez, you're a pain…"

With both hands raised, eyes squinted, and a few drops of sweat covering his forehead, the brown-haired vendor merely laughed in apology, not the least bit concerned about the glare Soma gave him.

He wasn't supposed to take it as a joke, let alone brush his warning aside like it was nothing. Even if the redhead sort of liked him now, that didn't mean he could go around giving her weird nicknames. It was irritating.

"Oh, that's right… I actually wanted to ask ya something since we met up, man."

"You did? And what would that be?"

"Why weren't cha at the shop this morning? I saw the closed sign on the window when I past it, but no one else was around. Is that normal?"

The heavy atmosphere suddenly returned, and with that, Masamune's friendly laughter died down instantly. Even the heiress must have noticed the change, since her gaze shifted from him back to Soma only half a second after, arms already crossed over her chest in anticipation.

It was not suspicion that filled her amethyst orbs, but a generous curiosity, which actually resembled his own right now. He had given up on suspecting this guy quite a while ago…

"O-oh, that… No, it, eh… it actually isn't. My mom and I were just busy helping with the last preparations for the festival, that's all. We had already volunteered to take care of some chores, so we had no choice but to jump in today."

"Oh, I get it! That's awesome!"

"Right? It was pretty fun too. And above all, we-"

Interrupted by the buzzing of a phone, the brunette sent them another apologetic smile before he pulled it out and quickly excused himself to answer his dad's call.

It didn't really bother the young chef as it gave him the perfect opportunity to do what he had wanted ever since they had entered this festival, but still…

"He sure does get a lot of calls from his father, doesn't he? Makes you wonder if everything is alright with him."

"Eh, yeah. Maybe so…"

"…What's wrong?"

A strange suspicion accompanied her voice- like she was worried he might make fun of her statement and ruin the mood again. He was tempted to at first, but… not this time.

This moment was for them. He wouldn't destroy it with a bad joke.

"Nothing really. Hey… Erina? Remember how everyone at the dorm made a special dish in your name for the party right after we beat Central? Ya told me again that I shouldn't bother going to the kitchen before ya disappeared onto the balcony, and-"

"H-hold on! Where did that come from all of a sudden? J-just so we're clear, I wasn't trying to be rude or anything! I-I wanted you to… t-to-"

"Relax. I don't really care anymore. It's just… since ya wouldn't accept anything I cook, I thought I could do something else to thank ya for helping us out back then, that's all."

"B-but you already did, remember? After all, you came outside as well. We talked about all this, so why bring it up now?"

"Well… for me, that's not enough. I had to show my gratitude somehow. If not through cooking like the others did, then the only other option is to find another gift that would be just as effective."

"H-huh?"

"Erina? Could ya close your eyes for me? And hold out your hand."

With her cheeks dusted in a dark crimson, the blonde heiress obliged, stretching her arm out the same moment her eyes closed shut.

He smiled at the sight, took it in a little longer before stepping forward and opening the small box that had been hidden in his back pocket the entire time.

Taking her delicate hand in his, he gently wrapped the thin, copper colored bracelet around her wrist, admiring the way all those tiny gemstones shimmered beautifully under the streetlight.

He didn't want to tell her to open her eyes just yet, even though the little jolt of her body told him she already had a vague idea of what it was that decorated her wrist now.

Instead, the redhead merely laced their fingers together, placed his forehead against hers, and burned the image of her peaceful expression deep into his mind.

"Get it now? Telling ya I just felt like getting this for ya wasn't gonna cut it. And to say I noticed ya staring at it when we were at that shop yesterday would only lessen the appeal, ya know. This isn't outta gratitude, it's only 'cause ya looked kinda sad after turning away from it. Open your eyes, Erina."

And she did. Slowly. Hesitantly.

The first thing her gaze fell on was the elegant bracelet on her wrist, then his own amber eyes, and then, they wandered further south, landing on his lips, which suddenly made him all the more nervous. He couldn't say why, but the overwhelmed expression she sported just did something strange to his heart again- like it had gotten tighter just because of the way she smiled up at him.

"I… don't know what to say… y-you shouldn't have- I mean, you didn't need to-"

Shoving the box back into his pocket, his free hand quickly came up to cherish her soft cheek with the main intention of stopping her right there.

"I wanted to. And that's enough reason for me. But ya know… this is not exactly what I was expecting to hear from ya anyway. Next time, you'll just have to lemme cook for ya, alright?"

"I-I… I don't- I mean I want to… what I'm trying to say is… T-thank you, Soma. I will treasure this with all I have, I promise…"

Before he could answer, or do anything else, her arms were already around his neck, shocked expression now replaced with an extremely happy one that managed to send multiple shivers down his spine.

To this kind of reaction, he could definitely get used to. Having not seen her make such a face before was just what urged him on to get more out of her- to make her smile like that every day. And the rewarding thumping inside his chest made it all the better in the end.

"Thank you…"

"H-hey, it's okay. I had no idea you cared so much for this thing. I would've gotten it sooner if-"

"No, that's not it… I didn't want it at all. It's hard to explain, but… I wasn't sure I could actually start buying such accessories again after knowing how much I have hurt everyone. It seemed… wrong. I don't even know if I can accept this from you yet."

"C'mon, seriously? That's what you're worried about?"

He squeezed her waist, holding her even closer to his body as a deep sight escaped his throat.

"Listen, I get what you're saying, I really do. But ya gotta start somewhere, right? You told me you made peace with the past, so that's just a wound that can only be healed with time at this point. And making the people who care a lot about cha sad… well, ya can always make up for it by simply going back to them and reassuring them that ya won't leave without telling anybody again, don't cha think? Losing your head about stuff like this… honestly, you're so stupid."

"Am not…"

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Ya so are."

"I- whatever. Maybe… you're right…"

"'Course I am!"

He smiled brightly as he pressed her head even deeper into the crook of his neck, embracing her as tightly as he could.

She would be back to normal soon, would cease her excessive worrying over the smallest of details. And he would help in whatever way he could, whether through talking or actions.

Time was all she needed now. Time to heal, time to get back into the things she liked, time to move on…

"You keep it, okay? Don't even think of giving it back or something."

"No… I won't. I swear."

"Good."

"Hey you guys! The fireworks are about to start soon! What're ya still doing over there?!"

With a powerful jolt cursing through both their bodies, the students jumped apart in surprise, having completely forgotten about the fact that they weren't alone here.

Their eyes landed on a quickly approaching Masamune as soon as they had managed to regain their composure, glaring at him once again for the rude interruption.

How he always managed to pop up at the worst of times with a casual smile on his face and such a calm demeanor was beyond Soma's comprehension, leading him to get even more pissed off than he had originally intended to be.

"Seriously, dude?! I told ya to cut it out with the scares!"

Where did he even come from…?

"Oh, that's right! The fireworks! Come on Soma, let's go find a good spot to watch them!"

"Actually, from what I've experienced so far, this is the best place to see the spectacle up close. With no soul around to block the view, we couldn't have asked for a better location! It's actually my secret spot every year!"

"Really? That's awesome! Oh, by the way… is your dad holding up okay? From what it seems like, he's not here with your family, is he?"

"N-no, he isn't. He… he's away on a job right now, so he calls every now and then to make sure we're all behaving, I guess. But he's fine, just a little paranoid, but… oh well. What ca ya do, right? Family's family."

"Yeah, I get what cha mean… Man, I wish my dad would gimme a call this often. I have no idea what that guy's even up to half the time."

"Same here… He wants to know what we're doing, but doesn't talk much about his own work. And I never really feel like asking him, so… A-anyway, Yukihira-kun, you wanna get some snacks and orange juice before the big event? We can all sit down on that bench over there while watching. It's the most perfect view you've ever seen, trust me."

"Sounds good to me. I was dying to try some of that sweet yaki-imo I had to miss out on earlier anyway! But, eh… it's still pretty crowded in there. Ya think we can make it back in time?"

At that, all he received was a wave of the brunette's hand and a reassuring smile that didn't seem to reach his eyes for some reason.

"Don't worry, the stalls where we can get all of that stuff are not that far away. We'll be back here before you know it."

"Alright then, if ya say so. Let's go!"

"I suggest you go get the food while I'll take care of the drinks then. That way, we'll be even faster, and it seemed like you already had something particular in mind anyway, right? Erina-san can rest here for a bit in the meantime."

"Good idea. To be honest, my shoes are quite uncomfortable to walk in right now. I couldn't take a single step, even if I wanted."

"Really? Want me to carry ya home later?"

"O-of course not, you imbecile! Now get going before you miss the fireworks!"

She wasn't going to fool him. The small giggle that she tried to muffle with the back of her hand didn't get past him, and as much as he pretended to be annoyed by rolling his eyes and such, the knowing smirk never left his features either.

It was impossible not to smile really.

"Fine. The offer still stands though!"

"Don't bother, I won't take you up on that. Now get moving. Masamune-san is way ahead of you."

"He what?!"

Surprised, he whirled around just in time to see the back of said vendor's head mangling into the crowd before he disappeared completely from his view.

"What the hell?! That bastard! I'll get him back for this!"

"Just make sure you don't waste time by bickering too much, alright?"

"Oh, I'mma bicker with him alright. He's not getting ahead of me!"

Now actually irritated, the young chef wasted no more time and hurried after the brunette into the crowd. Only once did he turn his head back to the still standing blonde in order to send her a happy grin and a quick wave of his hand before looking in front of him again.

"I'll be back! You just relax here, okay?!"

"See that you arrive at the proper time, understand?! I won't forgive you if I have to watch the fireworks go off alone!"

"Gotcha!"

And with that, he started squeezing through every gap he could find just to get to the closest food stall that served what he wanted.

Excited to finally get a chance to try that famous sweet potato that he had seen in literally everyone's mouth ever since he got here, the redhead quickened his pace as best he could, bumping into a few visitors along the way.

Luckily for him, only a handful of people were gathered around that particular booth, whereas some of them merely stood there in order to watch the fireworks properly, which meant…

He could make it back in time.

"Excuse me, Sir? Can I get some yaki-imo over here, please? I need three of 'em."

"Sure thing, kid! Just hold on a second, the fresh ones are inside the oven right now. Though you can pay up front in the meanwhile if you want. That'll be 400 yen each."

"Yeah… do ya know how long it would take 'til they're done? I don't have much time, actually."

"Don't worry, they're close to finished."

"Awesome! Thanks a lot!"

A minute already passed with him just waiting in front of the stall like a child would await the proper time to unpack his birthday presents- impatient and overall eager to move on already.

But before he knew it, a minute became two, then turned into three, then four, five, and by the sixth one, the rest of his composure had bid him farewell too, leaving him bouncing on the balls of his heels nervously.

How much time was left until the main event started again?

He hadn't even asked about that, and now he was paying the price for his ignorance.

"Damn… I'm so done for."

"Hey, kid! They're ready! How many was it you payed for? Three?"

"Yes, Sir!"

"Alright then. Enjoy!"

He thanked the stall keeper as soon as those hot potatoes made contact with his hands, checking the time on his watch before storming off the same direction he came from in hopes of being faster enough.

And he was. There weren't that many people moving around anymore as they all had already found places to sit or stand at, eyes gleaming in full anticipation of the spectacle that was about to happen.

He needed to hurry up too or else he wouldn't hear the end of it later.

A bright grin played around his lips once again as he thought about Erina's agitated expression once she sees him with three burning hot yaki-imo in his hands and the poor state his white shirt was now in. She would facepalm and order him to come sit down already instead of running his mouth so that they could watch the fireworks together.

In her own way, she would thank him for tonight once again, and let him make fun of her reddened feet as her anger slowly reached its peak.

Yes, he was confident now. With this event, the chance of finally getting through to her had increased drastically. Whether it was his imagination talking or just hope didn't matter anymore. She would come home- he knew she would.

"Hey, Erina! I'm back! And not even that late-"

Finally out of this chaos, his grin stretched from ear to ear as he observed the empty area in front of the forest, eager to show her the fresh treat he had gotten for them.

But the moment he spotted her… all three sweet potatoes fell to the ground, forgotten as a hooded person suddenly appeared behind him, effectively restraining all his movements before he plunged a needle right into the side of his neck.

He felt a strange substance enter his body, felt how it drained his energy and forced him onto the cold dirt without any effort as the person behind him kicked his side a few times to make sure he stayed put.

However, despite that, he directed his entire attention to the gruesome scene playing out in front of him, no matter how badly his body begged him for some sleep all of a sudden, or how much his side hurt.

He couldn't allow himself to pass out yet- not yet.

Because right there in front of him… laid Nakiri Erina in a small pool of her own blood with the stuffed animal that he had won earlier lying right next to her, its blue features barely visible thanks to the red liquid covering them in the worst way possible.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing…

There she lay, shot somewhere around the stomach by a tall man dressed in black and in one of those cheap dragon masks they had seen earlier.

Her pale face was turned towards him, her eyes wide open with fear, and her lips slightly parted as if trying to call out his name.

He couldn't answer, couldn't even take the hand that she was extending to him. Whatever this was he had been injected with, it proved itself to be quite effective as it numbed his body almost completely.

She was being taken away, just like that. Her body dragged over the cold dirt before both figures ran towards the forest, with her eventually thrown over the tall ones shoulder- just like that.

And with his consciousness slowly slipping away, the first of many fireworks went off, lighting the sky in all sorts of different colors while he remained laying face first on the ground, unable to move or even scream.

Was this… his own fault? His mistake?

"N-no way… get… back here…"

---

Please don't kill me, I'm begging you!

Well, what can I say? We're heading towards the end…

Please hang in there, guys! I know I won't be able to update as often because of all the exams I have to study for, but as soon as they're done, I'm ready write again!

Please tell me what you think of this chapter, my friends! I love hearing your opinions!

And as always,

Take care!