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.

24. Chapter 24 Without worries, without fear

Chapter 24: Without worries, without fears

Heeeeyyyy, everybody!

Welcome back to chapter 24 of our little drama packed story (I'm still very sorry about all that!)

We are so close to the end now, I can already taste it. And let me tell you, this is the most horrible taste I ever came across. So bitter, and just downright sad.

But anyway, for now, let's just continue with this chapter, shall we?

Thank you all so very much for your kind and amazing reviews! You can't imagine how grateful I am that you found the time to read, and leave something there for me to enjoy too! That's so incredible, thank you so much! I know I say this all the time, but really, I'm so honored to write this story for you guys, and hearing about all the emotions the last chapter left in you, I can't help but feel very happy! Never in my life have I imagined being able to make someone sad or happy with what I do, so thank you for sharing all that with me!

Of course, I definitely have to thank my amazing friend lamperouge rolo for all the outstanding work she does here! You're so awesome, my friend, thank you so very much for everything! Hahahahahah, and thank you for being patient with my long-ass chapters! I really appreciate it a lot!

Well, with that said, ya guys ready for a super long chapter again? I really hope you'll like it! Please tell me what you think! I love reading your comments!

Now then! Stay safe out there!

And as always; take care, everyone!

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Large double doors were thrown open as several people guiding a modest hospital cot rushed towards the illuminated ICU on the other side of a seemingly endless hallway.

There was a lot of shouting, panicking, and crying… She saw it all as the small group hastily passed her by, ignoring her presence like she wasn't there to begin with.

And technically, she wasn't. Neither she nor the beautiful woman sitting right beside her, holding her hand in comfort, was noticed in any way. To the people running along the hall, they were out of sight, out of reach.

This merely left an unfamiliar feeling in Erina's bones as she stared after their retreating backs. Her eyes focused on the motionless figure lying on the cot; blonde hair limply falling to the side, and head turning with each small bump.

"I'm dying… aren't I?"

"…Yes… you are, sweetie."

Her eyes closed, her breathing evened out. And as the young heiress refocused her tired gaze to the smiling woman beside her, she realized that all the adrenaline and intense emotions battling inside her minutes ago have already left. Now, there is rage, no melancholy, nothing.

She just lowered her head, allowing herself a small moment of vulnerability as she nestled her face against her mother's warm shoulder.

She is dying…

Yes, she should have expected as much after everything that happened…

It was unfair, really. It felt like this was a result of a series of inevitable unfortunate circumstances, a chain of events that she had no way to break free from.

It all started with her burning wish to find out where her father's obsession came from, why he was so fixated on her and her God Tongue. Then, she had to hear how her mother died, whose fault it really was. And after finally learning the whole story, she ran off like a desperate coward, leaving everything and everyone behind without even a word.

Nothing would've ended up the way it did if she had just stayed put- if she hadn't left her grandfather's side at all.

And Soma wouldn't have had to chase after her like that. He could've been spared from all that endless worrying if she had stopped being so stubborn.

She's dying… and it's her own fault.

"I see…"

"However, it's not over for you, dear. Not yet."

"…It isn't?"

"No… There are still people waiting for you, aren't there? You can't leave them so soon."

"What do you mean?"

"You don't know?"

She shook her head, nose bumping against her mother's collarbone ever so lightly as the woman stroked her hair with gentle fingers.

For a moment, Erina wished she could tell her that it felt nostalgic, but… she honestly can't remember the comforting sensation of her mom's touch. This reality still stings, but she had learned how to deal with it quite a while ago, and she's used to the empty feeling by now. It could've been worse, after all.

"Well, take a look around. There is someone waiting for you and it seems like he's in more pain than you are right now."

Lifting her head unwillingly, her amethysts quickly found who her mother was referring to. He was sitting only a few chairs away with both hands tangled in his spiky red hair, elbows resting on his knees and his face completely hidden from her view.

Masamune was right beside him, his posture not much different except for the fact that he was looking up at a doctor with fading concentration, answering the questions Soma apparently felt too drained to even pay attention to.

He hadn't said a single word… Not when they were running towards the ICU, and not while he was waiting out here like a lost puppy.

She can't see his eyes, but she could tell… he was suffering. Perhaps from his own injury, or maybe because of her, she didn't know.

But he definitely should have said something by now, anything…

Erina hated seeing him like this- looking as if he was dead inside.

But then, all of a sudden, his head snapped up quicker than she could count, eyes wide and unfocused. She could only make out bits and pieces from their conversation, nothing much that made sense to her anyway.

However, what she heard next was loud and clear, and it made her whole body freeze in unexpected concern, fingers curling in on themselves automatically.

"So you can provide some, young man?"

A simple nod, nothing else.

"I see. That helps us. Though first, there are a few tests we need to do in order to make sure you have no infections or other diseases to speak of. That would be the last thing our patient needs right now."

"H-h-hold on. Y-you want Yukihira-kun to… H-how much do you need anyway? He isn't in the best condition to-"

"We don't have time to explain the details, but it is very important to do a blood transfusion now. If we are lucky enough, his blood can save her life. It's Rh-negative, correct? You are sure?"

Another silent nod, teeth grinding against one another impatiently as the redhead rose to his feet in haste.

"Alright then, come with me."

And with his final nod, Soma curled up the sleeve of his dark shirt before he followed the man to another room without a word.

So they needed blood.

Blood for her life…

And Soma shared her blood type?

"B-but how…?"

"There are no 'how's' about it, dear. Just let fate take its course."

"But, mom, he-"

"Will stay strong for both of you. I have faith in him."

She turned around just in time to see him disappear behind a corner, feeling her pulse jump as it begged her to take action and go after him.

How far was he going to go for her?

He already did enough.

"Can you see now? Do you really want to leave him like that when he struggles so much for you?"

"N-no…"

Her mother squeezed her shoulders one more time before pointing a finger towards a different direction. Luckily, it made her cease all her uneasy fidgeting, but Erina's heart never managed to calm down, not even for a second.

"And he's not the only one. Look there."

Shouts, cries, even gasps echoed in the long hallway for a second time, pure shock written in all those familiar faces she thought she'd never get to see again. It practically made her stare in awe as they ran right past her and straight towards a confused looking Masamune, eyes as wide as they could get.

Which means… even they didn't see her sitting here.

Was this really happening?

"Where is she?! What happened to Nakiri-chan?!"

"Calm down, bro! We're all worried"

She let her eyes dart all the way over to the destructive duo of the Polar Star residence, seeing how Sato held his black-haired friend's shoulders as if intending to prevent him from punching a wall.

"C'mon, dude! This is just cruel!"

"I know, bro, but cha gotta keep it together!"

"I-I… it's all my fault… E-Erina-sama is… I didn't-"

Hisako… Of course she would come too. Word must've gotten out quicker than she'd imagined. Then again, who could say for how many hours she had been sitting here already…?

"Erina-cchi!"

"Be quiet, you guys! We're in a hospital!"

"The same goes for you, Oujo. Pipe down."

"Well… I don't care! Get your hands off me, Ryo-kun! I need to see her!"

Struggling against the firm hold Kurokiba had on her, the white-haired chef fixated her death glare on Masamune next as she tried to reach him.

She came too…

Usually, the heiress would find her cousin's demeanor rather annoying, but right now, as she saw the tears rolling down her pale cheeks… she couldn't help but feel for her. There was no doubt she would've reacted in the same way- would've shed the same amount of tears…

She still couldn't believe they really came… All of them. Not just Alice, Hisako, and her friends from the Polar Star dormitory, but even the Aldini brothers, Hayama, Mito, and… Saiba-sama too.

There was no describing how overwhelmed she felt right now, no words to express the warmth growing in her chest.

She was happy, so incredibly happy to see them.

But that flicker of joy quickly turned into something oddly bitter when her gaze wandered over the anxious crowd once more- as she realized that one central figure was missing. One person she would have loved to see more than anyone else.

He didn't come. Her grandfather wasn't here.

Did he even know what happened to her? That she's dying…?

"You there! Pretty-boy! Where is my cousin?! You're waiting for her too, right?! Answer me, you idiot! What happened to Yukihira-kun?!"

"W-who… w-who are you people?"

"Oujo… You don't know if he's here for her or not. Leave the man alone."

"Be quiet, Ryo-kun! I'm handling this! He is waiting for her! He has to be!"

Furious, the girl whirled around yet again, pinning Masamune under her intensive glare.

"My name is Nakiri Alice! I'm Erina's cousin, and the one who will get very angry if you don't spill where they are!"

"P-please, Nakiri-san, c-calm down… H-he seems too shaken up as it is to answer any of our questions right now. Let's just… l-let's wait for Soma-kun, okay? I-I'm sure he's here somewhere…"

"I want my answers now, Tadokoro-chan! I'm not waiting for Yukihira-kun to show up!"

"H-he… he is here… I-it just- there was a b-blood transfusion needed, a-and luckily his type is identical to Erina-san's, s-so… h-he went…"

The brunette's voice lost volume the longer he stuttered, backing up against the wall as Alice approached.

"H-he was taken to-"

"H-hold on, why was something like that even necessary…? My cousin is… she's okay, isn't she?!"

"I-I… I don't know…"

Silence.

The words never made it past Masamune's throat, and no one pushed the subject further as if they could sense his answer would not be pleasant at all.

She had no right to blame either of them. She knows how dire her situation is- she feels it.

"Now all of ya kids calm down and take a deep breath. That's enough interrogation for the moment. Erina-chan will be fine, there's nothing to worry about. Leave the poor boy alone."

"J-Joichiro-san… t-thank you f-for coming. Y-Yukihira-kun is-"

"The same goes for you too, Masamune. Relax a bit and let's go get some fresh air real quick, okay? M' boy will be fine. He's doing what needs to be done, so you can trust him. Plus, there is something you still gotta do yourself, right?"

"…I-I'm sorry, I-I…"

"It's alright, no one blames you. But ya have to tell them exactly what happened, got it? Soma got himself into some pretty nasty trouble again, I doubt he'll talk to anyone about anything right now. Just explain yourself the best way you can and I'm sure they won't need you for anything other than your testimony."

"U-understood…"

They past the others wordlessly, not looking back even when all their questioning gazes bore right into their retreating forms.

This must be hard for the young shopkeeper as well. To have his father getting arrested and partly being responsible for it. She was well aware of his inner torment, the battle he fought within himself. His eyes made it very clear that he was still unable to process the outcome of their situation, and there was nothing she could do to ease his frustration.

Not his, and not Soma's.

"Mom… i-it's all my fault they are crying… isn't it?"

"No, dear, it isn't… Don't start blaming yourself again, it will change nothing. And your friends are worried enough as it is."

"Yes… But I- Grandfather didn't-"

"I'm sure he would have come if there wasn't something else keeping him, sweetie. We both know how he is. He can't be mad at either of us."

"He can't?"

"He can't."

She squeezes her shoulders again, body warm and comforting despite there being no scent to inhale. Perhaps it was something Erina didn't remember as well, but she didn't mind it one bit this time, feeling like she didn't necessarily need a particular smell to associate with her mother's warm presence.

If she didn't smell like anything, that was fine.

"Mom?"

"Yes, dear?"

Releasing a shaky breath, Erina snuggled closer to her side in hopes it would help her suppress her enormous guilt.

"I missed you…"

"Me too, Erina. More than you can ever imagine… But I told you before, didn't I? You have to go back to them. It's not your time yet. Don't let yourself just drift away."

"Can't I decide that?"

"You can… but I worry you won't make the right choice."

"I- maybe not…"

Her senses were still dull, her mind empty. But despite not feeling well, the heiress allowed a small smile to appear on her lips. One that never reached her eyes but was just as effective nonetheless.

"I don't want to be separated from you again. Is that so wrong?"

"Of course not, dear… I want us to stay together too. But you are not quite done here yet. And there are far more people waiting for you than you might think. Don't give them up for me, Erina."

"I don't care…"

"Even if your boyfriend is trying to save your life in there as we speak?"

She opened her mouth, ready to object… but no sound whatsoever came out.

There was only so much she can turn a blind eye to, only so many tears she was able to ignore. She could never avert her eyes from his, however, not even if she tried.

Every time Erina saw the pain in his beautiful citrines, her own agony increased tenfold. Every time she saw him sigh heavily, the breath in her own lungs refuses to come out.

No. She couldn't do this to him. It wasn't fair.

But here… her mother was here. Right here. Holding her safely in her arms.

"I-I… What should-"

"Go see for yourself before you make a choice then. He won't be in the best shape when he comes out, so don't be surprised. You needed quite the amount of blood, perhaps even more than he could give. Take a look and tell me what you want to do."

"I-I don't want to leave you…"

"Don't worry, I'll be waiting right here…"

"You really will?"

A strong nod was all the heiress received, her mother's eyes gleaming with affection as she stood up from her seat, arms still around her daughter to urge her to do the same.

And as kind and gentle the gesture may be, there was a certain firmness to her hold that eventually forced Erina to her feet, a solidity that made her intentions all too clear. 'Go' was the only message, and she complied without a word, too drained to say what ghosted in her head.

'Come with me…' The first clear thought she had in what felt like days, and she couldn't let them out.

Instead, her eyes followed the same path Soma had taken several moments earlier, her feet dragging just the slightest when she took an unsteady step forward.

She knew that a single look at him would clear out the confliction in her heart. But did she truly want that?

Yes, he was the love of her life, no questions asked. Yet on the other end of the string was her own mother- the mother she had no memories of, the mother she had yearned to see again ever since she found out that she didn't just abandoned her like the heiress originally thought. The mother who was now waiting for her to make the right decision…

Walking past the others in quick paces, Erina turned at the same corner he did, eyes first glued to the white floor in front of her before she squeezed them shut the second she noticed a figure leaning against a wall not too far from her.

He was out.

Were the tests over?

Did that mean his blood is usable?

Taking a shaky breath, Erina reopened her eyes as she took another step towards him, hand reached out to touch his lowered face.

It was no use though. He would neither see, nor feel it.

"Soma…? A-are you alright? D-does it hurt somewhere?"

She came to a halt right in front of him, fingers still lingering in the air.

"Y-you are hardly standing on your feet, you idiot. What did you do? What happened to you?"

No reply, no reaction.

"Why aren't you talking?"

He didn't answer. There wasn't even a twitch that could indicate how well he heard her- if he heard her at all.

"S-stop looking down and show me your face already. Please…"

His gaze lingered on his sneakers beneath him, his features hidden beneath the shadow cast by the thick strands of red hair.

All she registered was his shallow breathing and the light trembling of his body.

He needed help. Immediately.

"H-how much did they take from you? How much did you let them take…?"

Another forced inhale, then he finally looked up. Not at her, but at the ceiling above them.

She gasped at the missing brightness in his amber orbs, took a step back at the sight of fresh tears silently streaming down his cheeks, and eventually settled on hugging herself when she realized that his suffering is all because of her.

How would she be able to leave him like that?

How did she ever think she could be happy in a place where he can't follow her?

Trying to brush her fingers against his face once again, she felt something break in her chest as she never reached him, never touched him.

Her hand just remained hovering between them, trembling and so utterly desperate for the warmth his skin usually provided.

His head was still turned upwards, his legs barely keeping him up when he leaned further against the wall.

It was just too much.

"Hey… it's okay… I-I'm here, see? I'm right next to you…"

Again, no response came from him as she took another step forward.

"I'm sorry… for everything you had to go through… I never- I didn't give you the Shokugeki you wanted, I never showed you how much I really cared about you. I couldn't even tell you how outstanding your food truly is… You can hold it against me as much as you like, I don't blame you. But please… d-don't look so…"

Defeated? Lifeless? Broken? She wasn't sure which description suited him best right now. All these would be a perfect match, and the heiress hated that she even had to associate the redhead with any of them in the first place.

But as much as it hurt her, it was true. His posture, his unnaturally pale skin, the emptiness in his eyes… all of it just forced new waves of guilt to run through her body. Guilt and anger both.

"Why…? Why are you doing this to yourself? I was right to call you a fool all those times, wasn't I? You never listen to anything I tell you! You were hell bent on doing your own thing, just as you always have! I… I-I never asked for this! I didn't tell you to come after me! You are so… Why don't you let me go with her already, Soma?! I don't understand… Why won't you let me leave…?"

"I can't…"

Her eyes widened, her breath hitched, and for a split second, Erina thought she saw him looking right at her- straight into her glistening eyes.

But then she realized… he wasn't. His mumbled words were for no one in particular, his gaze merely locked with the sign pointing towards the ICU instead of her own.

"Ya can't give up now, I need you… please, just- if you don't make it outta this, I… You gotta stay, you hear?"

This voice… was it really his?

It broke her heart all over again to listen, more than she thought possible. And when he rubbed his tired eyes with the back of his hand, pushing himself off the wall in exhaustion, she understood… that pain in her chest would never fade, not as long as he continued pushing himself for her sake.

Once more, he walked right past her without a word, making it seem like she didn't exist, even in his imagination.

It truly hurt when he stepped into the hallway in that condition. It stung when he was surrounded by all their friends in less than a second, answering whatever questions they had.

There were a few sobs echoing in her ears when she wordlessly followed him out of the hallway- sobs that would haunt her no matter where she decided to be, and Erina knew, the sight of these people hugging each other in desperation, praying for her survival, crying an endless amount of tears would be something she could never wipe from her memory.

She had no choice but to watch them, her eyes darting from one student to another helplessly as they kept demanding for more satisfying answers.

She thought she'd seen enough, thought this was all her heart could take, but then… she noticed someone walking straight up to the red-haired chef with a pained expression and messy hair, her eyes unfocused despite the steadiness in her slow steps.

Alice…

"Y-you ran off again, Yukihira-kun… Why didn't you wait for us?"

"She would already be dead if I had… There was no time, Nakiri."

"Dead… I feel like this word is used way too often in my presence lately. I don't like how easily it rolls off the tongue, Yukihira-kun… Please stop it."

"What d'ya want me to say then?"

"Wh-wha… I…"

A small voice from the blue-haired chef interrupted them, "I-is it really true? You just donated blood for her, Soma-kun? W-will she make it?"

"Dunno… The doc said it could take a while, but… nothing's for sure yet."

"I-I see…"

The anxiousness in Tadokoro's face almost rivaled Alice's, the tears just as heartbreaking.

Then, a light hand landed on Soma's shoulder, not even startling him for a second. Perhaps he just didn't care anymore…

"Y-Yukihira, your father is here too… He stepped outside with a man who also had been waiting out here."

"That so? Thanks, Takumi. Guess I should've expected to see my old man here sooner or later, huh?"

"…Are you okay?"

"Yeah… Just fine."

They exchanged a silent nod, one Erina didn't quite catch the meaning of. She merely continued to lean against the wall opposite from the group, eyes now locked on the redhead alone as he gave his friends a short apology for being away so long.

That too had been her fault, and whether she wanted to accept it or not, she was the one dragging him into her personal affairs. Again and again.

Allowing him to lead her to his home and letting him listen in on her conversation with Saiba-sama, leaving him without a single explanation the very next day, not telling him to go back the moment he showed up in front of the cemetery… those were all her mistakes- mistakes she couldn't look past anymore.

True, they hadn't been in the best of terms back then, bust still… all this heartache, all this suffering could've been easily avoided in one way or another.

At least she chose to believe that it could have…

As lost in her thoughts as she was, the heiress didn't notice Isshiki stepping into the small circle until after he released a heavy sigh and shook his head with closed eyes, not showing any sign of frustration or confusion.

"Don't worry about it, Soma-kun… Of course we all would've preferred to reunite under much better circumstances, but it is what it is. There's no need to think about the past when our friend is fighting for her live in there, right? Let's just be grateful that things haven't turned out worse than they are now, shall we? What you should be telling us is how you're really feeling… You seem rather… tired."

"I do…?"

"Let me guess; you haven't slept in days have you, Yukihira?"

"Well… No, I think I did… for a few hours or so…"

He knitted his brows in concentration, forcing his memory back as his upperclassman and Hayama continued to stare at him with mild irritation- or rather, the Indian chef alone did.

Isshiki's eyes were just as kind as they had been on the night he asked the heiress if she was sure about her decision to leave. It seemed so long ago, their brief conversation in front of the dormitory's gate. Not like a whole month has passed.

He had told her to think very carefully about her actions, said that perhaps only a few days away would be enough for her to cool off too, but she didn't listen. Just like always…

"W-what happened to you, S-Soma-kun? W-we… we were worried…"

"Oh, sorry 'bout that, Tadokoro. I'm good, really. Just waiting for our headmistress to finally get up, that's all."

The aromatic chef let out a sarcastic huff at his tired remark, "I know I said this before on the phone, but… you're a terrible liar."

It might have been the heightened tension in the room that made him appear so agitated, but the moment those words left his mouth, Erina could practically feel the red-eyed chef snapping. Like a defective piano string that's ready to break, she stared the tanned boy down, pierced him with her murderous gaze.

"And you don't know how to handle emotions, Hayama-kun, big deal!"

"What?! I wasn't-"

"Whatever, I don't care! Try to be a bit more considerate, would you?! This situation is serious enough without your needless comments! And stop shouting at me! Didn't I say we're at a hospital?!"

"Wha- you started shouting ever since we stepped in here, you crazy-"

"Please, be quiet, both of you. Your bickering only makes things worse, and Yukihira sure doesn't look like he could handle any noise right now."

Silence surrounded the group as both Alice and Hayama stared perplexedly at a very irritated blonde whose tears were still descending from her green eyes down her sun-kissed skin.

Erina watched as she stepped in between the two and held her hands out to each side, hoping it could stop them from ripping each other apart.

"…Who died and made you boss, Nikumi?"

"Shut up! I'm trying to do what's best for Yukihira! Don't interfere, you freaking Italian wanna-be!"

"What?! How dare you insult my roots, you beef jerky!"

A rare icy glare from the Polar Star dorm leader abruptly cut their argument, leaving even Erina frozen in place.

"Now, now, that is quite enough, you two. Like Joichiro-san said, let's just all take a breather and let our young friend here go take a seat for a second. Mito-san was right to stop the argument before it could escalate. We should follow that example."

His warm gaze landed on the redhead once more as he gestured for everyone to make some room for him to walk by.

"How does that sound to you, Soma-kun? Would you like to sit down for a bit?"

"Nah, I'm good. Thanks anyway, Isshiki-senpai."

A forced smile, that halfhearted wave with his hand, and the dismissive tone in his voice was all it took to convince Erina that standing there in between all his friends was the last thing he needed right now. His stubborn insistence only made her blood boil stronger.

What did he think he could gain from this?

All it would lead to is him fainting right on the spot, nothing more.

He wasn't thinking straight, and that worried her more than the irritatingly short responses he gave.

"B-but, Isshiki-senpai, he didn't even-"

"I believe there are more important things to worry about than our redundant questions, wouldn't you agree, Yoshino-chan? Let us give him a moment to rest."

"Y-yeah… you're right, I guess…"

"No, guys, it's okay. I'm fine."

"Oh for the love of- And I'm the queen of England! Come on, Yukihira-kun, sit down already. You can't help my cousin if you collapse on her too, and I know you're about to any second, so just be quiet, alright?!"

It wasn't a request when Alice took hold of his wrist and dragged him behind her to the next best bench in the hallway. It was a clear demand not to argue with her, and despite her mixed feelings, Erina appreciated her harsh treatment quite a bit, feeling like it would be the only efficient method to get him to cooperate.

However, she feared that it still wasn't enough to just push him down the bench and watch him bend over anew.

He needs medical attention immediately. Can't they see that?

"S-Soma-kun… a-are you okay…?"

"Don't worry, Tadokoro. I'll manage. It's just… She- I want- she has to make it. She has to."

Fresh tears were blurring her vision as the heiress slowly made her way over to the bench and crouched down right in front of him, hands hovering over his knees.

She was close. So close, her temple almost brushed his. But then again, it wasn't close enough to actually feel any of his warmth against her own skin.

Perhaps he wouldn't even feel warm if she were to lay her hand above his- perhaps he was ice-cold just like herself.

Beside him sat an overly worried looking Tadokoro with her trembling fingers pressed tightly against her chest and salty tears rolling down her flushed face.

It was hard watching them like this, but… her final decision was almost made. She wouldn't have to endure this for much longer.

"S-she won't leave us, Soma-kun. She won't leave you…"

"You think so? She… she'll survive this… won't she?"

"O-of course she will! Nakiri-san is the strongest person I have ever met! Y-you'll see, she's going to be laughing with us again just like she used to! I-I… I believe in her, and so should you…"

"I know… And I wanna do that just as much y'all, but somehow… I feel like she might…"

He paused for a moment as if debating whether or not he could go through with what he wanted to say. He couldn't, his eyes told her as much.

Defeated, he merely shook his head and smiled up at his friend, hesitating with his reply.

"No, never mind… It's no big deal. She'll wake up, and that's all that matters. She won't go anywhere again…"

"E-exactly…"

Tadokoro's voice broke, her trembling increased visibly as she lowered her golden eyes towards her hands, blue braids following the motion of her head almost instantly.

"Hey you two… pull yourselves together. Soma, please… this isn't like you…"

Again, Erina's voice didn't reach him, nor did her touch on his knees. Her struggles to make him look at her were in vain.

"S-Soma-kun, I know you won't like to hear this, but… shouldn't you be resting for a little while? W-we're here now, s-so maybe you could go home and-"

"No. Thanks for the offer, but I'll be fine. You guys can go back home, I'm staying here."

"I don't think that's the wisest thing for you to do at the moment, Yukihira. You look pale as a snowflake if you haven't noticed. How much blood did you donate anyway?"

"H-Hayama-kun, please… Not-not now…"

"…Not enough."

"And what's that supposed to mean? Giving her all the blood you have won't help her in the slightest, you know. Just go home and take a nap already. Nakiri and Kurokiba can stay here for a while."

"I said I'm fine."

"Why are you still arguing about this? You're clearly-"

"Guess he got that from me in a way, huh? Sorry 'bout that, Kiddos."

Erina's head tilted to the side in wonder, her amethysts locked on her role model's exhausted face as he walked up to the bench his son was still sitting on.

Where was Masamune…?

"But I have to agree with your friend, Son. You should lie down for at least a few hours. It'll do ya some good."

The redhead didn't look up when he repeated his previous answer, insisting that he was alright despite the obvious fatigue clouding his judgement.

It pained the blonde to watch his voice getting so hoarse, so unrecognizable. Her heart was torn apart at the realization that he wouldn't move so much as an inch from this spot- that he would stay here even if exhaustion practically forces him to pass out on the cold, hard floor.

The thought scared her, more than she had imagined it could.

There was no standing between him and the choice he made, and she was aware of that more than anyone by now.

His father seemed to have reached the same conclusion, judging by the knowing shake of his head and the deep sigh he released through his nostrils.

Yes, once his mind is made up, Yukihira Soma couldn't be convinced no matter how hard one might try.

She has no right to do this to him. Not to him, and not to the people who are worried so much about him.

So with one last look into his beautiful amber orbs, the heiress slowly rose to her feet before moving towards her mother again, features hardening with each step.

She had seen enough.

There was no turning back from here. Not anymore.

"So? Do you know what you want to do now, sweetheart?"

"Yes… I think I do…"

Smiling gently at her, the blonde woman eventually stood up from her seat with open arms- like she was inviting her daughter to share one last embrace, an embrace that would finalize her choice for good.

"Mom…"

"I know, dear… Come here."

And she did, hesitant at first, but when her arms wrapped themselves around Amelia's middle like it's the most natural thing in the world… she felt more confident in her choice than ever before.

Her time was up, they both could feel it.

"I'm sure I said this before, but… it's still hard to accept how much you have grown over the past ten years, my dear… I can't believe what a beautiful, kindhearted girl you've become. I'm so proud of you, Erina…"

"Thank you… I…I really don't want to leave you, but-"

"Don't worry, sweetie. You made the right choice. We'll see each other again, but now is definitely not the time. There is still so much you have to experience, so many joys you need to be a part of. You have your whole life ahead of you. Don't let it go to waste."

"I… I understand… Don't worry, mom, I won't. I can't leave them."

"Them… or rather him?"

A very familiar heat settled on her cheeks as she tried to hide her embarrassed expression from her mother's knowing gaze, nose pressed firmly against her chest in a somewhat childish manner.

And she really did feel like one. Here, she wasn't the God Tongue, the future headmistress of the world famous Totsuki academy, not the role model all the other students wanted her to be. She was just a young child clinging to her mother with all the strength she had left. Just like back at the cemetery…

"Come on, dear… no need to be shy. We both know what you really wanted to say. And it's perfectly fine too. He means a lot to you, doesn't he? You should treat him the way he deserves. Don't run away from him. Talk to him. Allow him to care for you, dear. You both need it- you need each other."

"I-I… I'm just-"

"Plus, his mother gave me strict orders to tell you that you have to watch over her son for her, so there is basically no other way out. It's better if you just do what she says, sweetie. For your sake, and for mine."

A wholehearted laugh escaped Amelia's lips as she held her daughter even tighter, resting her chin above the girl's crown fondly.

"…Mom? You were friends with Yukihira Suzuna once, right? You visited the diner a lot."

"That's right. I spent as much time there as I can remember, but… What brought this on, dear?"

"Saiba-sama told me… I-I just thought how strange it was that our families were so… close, even back then. It's almost like it was only a matter of time before Soma and I would eventually meet as well, huh?"

"Well, Suzuna and I really wanted it to happen, you know. Then, roughly ten years later, your grandfather seemed to have reached the same conclusion and contacted Joichiro, so… yes, I suppose you could say it was only a matter of time. It's interesting how fate works sometimes, isn't it? You can't escape the red strings it wraps around your wrist, and you can't resist it either. Some turn out just fine, others have to struggle a bit to reach their happy end. Whatever you do, the strings will catch up to you either way. I know that better than anyone, believe me…"

By now, her voice was barely above a whisper, a broken breath that caused all the small hairs on Erina's neck to rise in response.

She knew now what her mother went through, and it pained her all the more when she had to remind herself that she wasn't really here- that she can't stay.

"But I'm confident that you won't repeat my mistakes. Not when Joichiro's boy is by your side. With him there, I doubt fate will have any control over you. He's quite the rebellious kid, and very persistent on top of that. I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Y-you said something similar last time, you know."

"I have? Well, no harm in repeating it for my little girl, right? Suzuna told me once what a fine young man he will become, and I can see now how right she was. He's adorable."

"I-I get it! Can you please stop?"

This time, they laughed together, not releasing each other but holding on only tighter as if they could sense that it wouldn't last for much longer.

"Tell him his mother said hi, would you?"

"Of course… B-but mom, I-"

"You need to go back now, Sweetie. Your friends are getting quite anxious. See?"

Hesitantly turning her head towards the group, she noticed Alice arguing with Hayama again while her aide just shook his head in disapproval, doing absolutely nothing to calm her down like he usually would. It was the same for Aldini Takumi and the tanned meat master, who was, despite her harsh tone, still crying frantically.

Why they were fighting, she didn't know, her tired gaze merely sweeping over the small crowd before she found what she had really been looking for.

He was now standing only a few feet away from everyone else, amber orbs locked on the big ICU sign above the double doors her body disappeared behind a while ago- maybe hours even, she couldn't tell.

Why was he up again? Why did no one pay attention to him?

She let go of her mother when her feet subconsciously made a step towards him, eyes still lingering on those messy red locks that hid his face completely. And now that she got a closer look through the crowd, the heiress noticed another figure standing right next to him- his father, who seemed to be trying his best to talk some sense into him.

The heiress didn't know what he said, but it wasn't hard to guess that it landed on deaf ears. Soma wasn't listening. He just stood there, ignoring the world around him with crossed arms as if it didn't exist at all.

She made another unintentional step forward, breathing his name in hopes he would listen and let his father take him away already.

He didn't, as she had expected. But something else happened- something extraordinary that made her heart skip several beats at once.

Erina's eyes widened as he tilted his head back at her- like he could actually see her standing roughly ten feet away. It was as if he met her amethysts straight on, not blinking or moving around whatsoever. And when he smiled in the most adorable fashion she had ever seen, all the strength she thought she'd lost moments earlier returned tenfold, urging her to regain the confidence that had been missing in her march before.

It was only then the heiress realized that she was going alone- that her mother was still standing on the other end of the hallway, grinning and waving a hand in goodbye as she too turned around to leave.

And the last thing she heard Nakiri Amelia say was a silent 'Go' before she disappeared from her sight entirely, vanished without a trace like a shadow escaping the sun.

"Thank you for everything, Mom…"

A genuine smile graced her features as she whirled back around and returned the redhead's gentle gaze, making her way straight to the double doors in front of her. She passed him by quicker than she would have liked, hoping wholeheartedly that his amber orbs would still linger on her when she turned her back to him- that he would actually see her going through with her decision to stay with him.

It didn't. His gaze landed on the sign again as soon as she started moving, just as it had before in the narrow hallway.

Another imagination? A trick? She couldn't tell.

However, she was certain to endure the disappointment this time. Knowing that she would be reunited with him soon enough made all the bad thoughts leave her mind in an instant.

One final look, a silent bow full of gratitude, and Erina took her last step towards the doors, confident that she would live.

For him.

…

Something soft brushed her knuckles every time a twitch cursed through her body, black dots dancing in front of her vision whenever she tried to squeeze her eyes together, which made it impossible to open them right away.

There was a steady sound echoing somewhere in the room, a beeping that left her all too aware of her surroundings as she forced herself to take a deep breath.

One single inhale, but it seemed strong enough to hurt her entire body, and cause this soft something beside her to suddenly fidget against her fingers as if startled by the movement as well. And though it settled down quickly again, the startled movement was all it took for her to get the vaguest idea of what she was touching in the first place, what tickled her skin so delightfully.

Hair.

Too short to curl a finger around, but certainly long enough to be smoothed out here and there. She could practically feel the knots begging for her attention, and it seemed like torture to just stay still without getting any decent contact.

If only she had enough energy to lift her hand and reach out… to no avail. She was too weak to do anything with her hand at the moment, too drained.

So instead, the blonde settled on trying to get her eyes open first, which wasn't the easiest thing to do considering those annoying black dots still refused to leave her alone, never mind the haziness of her mind telling her to rest five minutes longer.

Should she just give in again? Let herself go back to sleep?

No, she couldn't fall back into a dreamless slumber just when she felt her own heartbeat again. Not when her thoughts were beginning to clear out. And especially not when she finally began to realize whose hair she'd been subconsciously trying to stroke for the past God knows how many minutes…

Another violent twitch, the beeping sound increasing in volume, and all her senses came back to her in endless waves. At last, her eyes slowly fluttered open, her fingers moved up to tenderly scratch the back of that head, and as she took her second deep breath of the day, she could feel with relief that the rest of her body was finally responding to the slight rise and fall of her chest, knees jolting up as if they wanted to bend underneath the thin sheets.

The pain was unimportant as long as she could feel again, meaning…

She really made it.

She survived.

The skull underneath her nails shifted around once more for the briefest of moments, leaning into her calming touch before a confused growl eventually escaped the owner's throat.

Though at first, he didn't even bother to lift his head from the mattress, perhaps out of fear that her gentle strokes weren't real, or that her heavy breathing only happened in his imagination. But then, she ran her fingers one more time through his spiky hair, managing a small smile when he jumped to his feet in pure shock, eyes as wide as they could get while he stared at her for several moments without saying a single word, only blinking repeatedly.

There… he was right in front of her, really looking at her with those oh so familiar citrine depths.

She wanted to break the silence, wanted to tell him it is neither an illusion nor a dream, but the words just wouldn't come out. They continued to look at one another as the minutes ticked away, one in sheer disbelief, and the other completely unsure of what to feel.

In the end, he was the one to move first, stumbling towards her with unsteady steps as his eyes glistened suspiciously, lips parted as if he was trying to say something- he might even have said something, but the blonde simply wasn't able to pay attention to that right now.

All she could focus on was the way he planted one kiss after another on her still lifted hand as soon as he reached her, her knuckles, her palm, her fingers. He held on to it so tightly she began to feel her blood flow slowly being cut short in that particular area, leaving her hand to prickle uncomfortably.

But that didn't bother Erina either, her whole focus on the crestfallen expression on his face and the trembling of his palms as he placed them gently on her cheeks, making her look at him more directly than she already was. His eyes never left hers when he leaned closer and touched her forehead with his own, allowing her to finally take in the scent she had missed so much over these past couple of days- or had it been weeks? She couldn't remember…

It was the overwhelming emotions mirrored in his gaze that made her snap out of her thoughts at last, the way his lower lip was trapped between his teeth that caused multiple shivers to run down her spine as her eyes turned glossy. His relief seemed bigger than mere words could ever hope to describe, she could tell. And with the heavy trembling in his muscles hindering him from shortening the distance between them even further, it was up to the heiress herself to pull him towards her, hands wrapping around his and yanking his head right down against her chest.

She didn't care about the massive pain cursing through her stomach when he landed partly on her, didn't mind that his sudden tears dampened her hospital gown to the point where it started to cling uncomfortably to her skin. She just pressed his face tighter against her décolleté, silently crying with him as his body shook violently above her.

They didn't speak for a long time, only held each other in sheer desperation as the tears descended to the small bed underneath them. She tangled her fingers in his messy hair, touched every part of him she could reach despite the pain in her stomach increasing the further she stretched.

But Erina still didn't care. It broke her heart how firmly he clung to her, how he refused to look up at her as if still fearing this wasn't real- as if afraid she would disappear once he let go. His arms were wrapped around her all the way, which lifted her slightly from the mattress they laid on and thus forced her to take more shallow breaths than she already was.

With her chin resting on his crown and her own hands pressing his head against her chest, she allowed herself the luxury of inhaling his intoxicating scent once more, trying her hardest to catch up for all those times she couldn't.

Erina had missed it so much, it didn't matter that he probably hadn't taken a shower in quite a while.

She just wished he would say something- anything. The heiress was still too exhausted to go first, even though there were things she was literally dying to know- like how much time had passed since she was brought to this hospital, and what happened to Masamune's crazy father after she had passed out in that storage room. And judging from Soma's worn out state, she doubted everything went as smoothly with her surgery as she wanted to believe.

No, he was definitely way too quiet for her liking. Again…

Those tears he shed started to hurt her more than her stomach ever could, and she needed to know the reason for it.

"You're finally up…"

"Yeah…"

Kissing the top of his crown, the heiress let out another shaky breath as she tried to wipe her tears off her face, giving the redhead one more minute to calm down himself before clearing her throat and sniffing the pain away.

"Y-you're okay… right, Soma? N-nothing happened…"

"No, I… I'm good… How 'bout you?"

"I'm fine…"

"Y-ya sure?"

"…Yeah. Although… you are kind of suffocating me right now. Mind moving to the left a bit?"

He shook his head, lips moving up to press hard against her collarbone in refusal.

"Don't be so selfish now. A-at least look at me."

He didn't reply for several seconds as if contemplating whether or not he should do her this small favor. But then, he just shook his head again, making her sigh even though her lips twitched upwards into a fond smile.

"…You… you're really fine… aren't ya?"

"I am… just a little tired, that's all."

"Don't fall asleep on me again… you already took your sweet time to wake up, so…"

"I did…?"

He nodded against her chest, lips reaching her heated flesh again even through the wet gown.

"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to worry you…"

"You're up now, that's all that matters… Just… don't sleep now."

"No… I won't."

Another shaky inhale, another tender kiss on her covered décolleté, and Erina began to sob underneath him once more, burying her nose deep in his thick hair as he kept his strong hold on her, not letting go even for a second.

She didn't think she would get the chance to hug him ever again, let alone touch his face, his hair, his body. He felt so fragile against her, so vulnerable that she feared one single movement from her could break him.

It was as if she tried comforting a small child, telling him it was okay as he cried silently onto her chest.

"I-I promise I'll make it up to you somehow…"

"…I'm expecting a bunch of Shokugekis once you're out."

She laughed, "Deal."

"But now, ya don't-"

He finally lifted his head to look at her, his expression serious.

"-I mean I shouldn't have left ya alone that night, Erina. It was my fault that… that you… You could've died- ya almost did."

"Hey… I'm alright now, aren't I? You came for me…"

"I didn't do shit! Don't cha get it? I could've lost you! Y-you were dying… I could've searched for you sooner, I should've figured that flower bastard's surname out faster! I was- I'm not-"

"Don't."

Her gaze was firm despite the burning tears, her shoulders tense even though she wasn't angry- not really. She let her fingers trace his jaw until they reached his lips, stopping him right where she believed she had to.

This rant was going as far as it could get and she was having none of it.

"Just don't. Not now. Y-you… you did nothing wrong, absolutely nothing. I owe you my life, do you realize that? You saved me, I would have died for sure if you hadn't come… And remember, I too had no idea who Masamune-san really was, so there is absolutely no reason for you to blame yourself. What happened… happened, and I won't deny that the thought of never seeing you again terrified me. But let's just leave it behind us for the time being, okay? P-please…"

Her fingers on his lips moved again, this time cupping his cheek to make him face her properly.

"I don't want to discuss my predicament, I want to know about yours, Soma. Tell me… w-what happened to you when… y-you know… What did they do to you?"

"Wh-wha…?"

"Please… I need to know. I will probably never say this again, b-but I… I was worried. All of a sudden, you were just lying there, completely still… Why?"

Their eyes finally met as Erina wiped the trace of his tears with both her thumbs, not liking the sudden cold look he sported. It wasn't for her, she knew. But nevertheless did it not fail to send a shiver just as chilling down her spine.

He gulped his first attempt of a reply down, Adams apple following suit with the heavy release of breath through his nostrils as he leaned in again.

"…It's nothing, don't worry 'bout that stuff now. Like ya said, what happened just happened. So, no point in bringing it up."

"But I don't even know what happen-"

"And that's precisely how it should be, Erina. Let's leave it at that, 'kay? You're… you're finally up, that's all that matters."

Her head tilted to the side in mild confusion, watching him lean back as he took both her hands in his left one and squeezed.

"What are you trying to say?"

"…They- the doc told me it wasn't very likely that you'd wake up after losing so much blood. He said no one should get their hopes up for a while, but… If you hadn't made it, then-"

"H-hey… You said it yourself, didn't you? I am a lot stronger than that. I'm here, a-and I will never leave you again, I promise… It's over…"

"…Seriously? What kinda painkillers did they use on you? It's weird seeing you talk like this."

"Oh? Well actually, I'm not sure what is wrong with my mind right now, but you should be grateful for my patience."

"Patience, huh?"

A familiar spark returned in his eyes when he sensed the challenge radiating from her, a certain glint that made her smile all too encouragingly back at the troublesome boy above of her.

"Yes, precisely. And be aware, this change in subject doesn't mean I'm letting that other issue go. You will tell me what happened to you as soon as I am released, whether you like it or not."

"Well actually, I was kinda hoping we'd do something else first once you're outta here."

"Yes, I know… Don't worry, you will get your desired food battle soon enough."

His smirk only widened at her huffed reply, his brows rising in mock wonder.

"Ya seriously think I'm referring to that?"

"Well, aren't you?"

She didn't wait for an answer. Instead, the heiress swiftly freed her hands from his hold before grabbing his neck with a mischievous grin on her features, bringing him closer to her lips. It had been way too long after all…

But then, they were both startled by a series of knocks on the door, forcing Soma to sit up abruptly while Erina herself just released him from her grip, disappointed that their time together was already interrupted by a smiling doctor in glasses entering her room.

He hadn't even kissed her yet. Not that she actually wanted him to, but…

"Oh, I see our patient finally decided to grace us with her presence again. How are we feeling, little lady? Any aches or pains?"

"I-I don't really know… No?"

"That doesn't sound convincing at all, Erina-chan. Ya really gave us a scare there."

Her eyes widened in surprise as the owner of the second voice walked into the room as well, coming to a halt behind the red-haired student still sitting on her bed.

"S-Saiba-sama, you're here too?"

"Of course I am. In fact, all your friends are here. They're waiting right outside to see ya."

"A-all of them…?"

"All of them. Oh, and I got news from your grandpa too, but let's talk about that later, okay? I'm here to take this Kiddo back outside with me. We'll come again once your check-up is done, alright? C'mon, Sport, let's go."

A hesitant nod followed before Soma raised his hand one last time, caressing her cheek with a slight smile before he stood up and followed his father out the door.

"Now then… how about we start with your leg, Nakiri-san? Could you please move the blanket aside and roll your clothes up?"

Doing as told, the heiress freed her left thigh from the thin sheets as swiftly as she could without showing any of her discomfort. The side effect of Soma's embrace was at full display now that the pressure on her stomach was gone. It was mostly her own fault since she practically pressed his body against her, but still…

"Good, now try bending it a bit for me. Not much, just enough so we can be sure you're able to move it properly again."

She was all too eager to oblige, except the thick bandages made it near impossible for her to lift her knee off the bed, a heaviness she never noticed before settling on her whole leg as she tried to repeat the process in concentration.

"Is that okay?"

"Yes, that's quite alright. Can you feel your muscles flexing?"

"Y-yes, it- …why wouldn't I?"

"Well, to put it simply… the wound that was inflicted on your thigh also hit a certain nerve. If you had told me you couldn't feel anything, let alone move your muscles, it would have meant that you lost the ability to walk on that leg. But thankfully that's not the case, so we can proceed without any worries."

"You mean… I-I would have been…"

Another shudder found its way down her spine as she felt her throat getting dry again.

"Your condition was very critical, Nakiri-san. So much so that we weren't able to determine the results of the surgery beforehand. We had to take a risk in the end, which I deeply apologize for. It wasn't clear whether or not you would feel anything on that leg, not to mention if you'd even wake up in the first place. You lost a lot of blood, and the infections on your injuries were severe."

"I-I see… F-for how long was I asleep anyway?"

"Roughly for eight days, including this one. It's currently half past three in the afternoon, if you're interested."

"Eight days… So it was pure luck that I woke up now?"

"You could also call it fate if you'd prefer. Now stretch your leg out again so I can changes the bandages, would you?"

"But I don't understand. You… you seemed so calm when you came in here. H-how was I-"

"All your friends were praying outside this very room, Nakiri-san. And I myself had something like a hunch that you would come to eventually. Although, I must admit, I hadn't expected it to be so soon. You surprised all of us."

"Is that so…?"

A light blush formed on her cheeks as she thought of all her friends waiting for her just outside this room. How worried they must've been over the course of those eight days, how many more fights they must have had just to rid themselves off the pressure.

Yet they were praying… For her…

"Very good, your infection seemed to have gone back a little. This means decent progress, little lady. You're in luck."

"It was that bad?"

"Indeed. The gunshot wound on your stomach was especially difficult to take care of. The infection is merely the result of not treating it the moment you were injured. Add the blood-loss and you are basically on the verge of dying. But fortunately for us, the young man who was just here had the same blood type as you. The transfusion was quite successful."

Her eyes widened with realization, the polite smile slipping off her face faster than she could register as the doctor wrapped a new set of bandages around her left thigh.

She didn't want to know how much they actually needed to save her life, neither the amount Soma offered to give them.

Was what she had seen really a fact? The reality?

"Right, next, let me take a look at your stomach, young lady."

…

"E-Erina-cchi! You're up!"

"Pipe down, Yoshino. We aren't at the dorm."

"L-leave me alone! I have a-all the right to be ecstatic! Erina-cchi, I missed you so much!"

'Ecstatic' wasn't exactly the word she would use to describe her friend's outburst of tears, but it came close enough to what the heiress had in mind as she let herself fall into the embrace they shared.

It wasn't just Yoshino either. A few others had burst into tears the second they stepped into the room, all trying to deal with the good news in their own way but never actually managing to hide their expressions from the blonde's warm gaze. And soon enough, Tadokoro, as well as Sakaki made their way towards her as well, wrapping her in their arms even tighter than their dorm mate in pigtails was able to.

It hurt to breathe, especially when she was pushed down the small bed even further due to the added weight, but Erina hardly registered any of that.

The redhead had been right. All that mattered at the moment was her being alive and back among them. She was here, enjoying the warmth of her friends' embrace and the laughter in their voices.

"Come on, you three. Pull yourselves together. Actually… that goes for all of you over there too. I'm fine, so there is nothing to cry about."

"B-but you-you… W-we really thought you wouldn't wake up, Nakiri-san… W-where were you all this time? Wh-what happened?"

"I-I… please stop crying, Tadokoro-san… I realize your confusion, and I'm sorry for causing it. But that isn't something to discuss in a place like this."

"Erina-cchi! You scared us so much! We thought that-"

"I know… I'm very sorry for worrying you, believe me, I am…"

"W-we're sorry too, Erina-sama… For leaving you to deal with everything all by yourself. I- we should have been by your side when you faced all these hardships…"

The door opened once more, revealing a crying pink-haired aide, who was just standing there with both her hands pressed tightly against her chest. She didn't move, didn't meet Erina's eyes as the tears descended to the ground, making it impossible to actually read the expression on her face.

"H-Hisako…"

This was too much. The sudden view of her dearest friend standing by the door overwhelmed her to the point where she felt her own eyes water once again, realizing how much she had actually missed this girl.

"H-how are you feeling, Erina-sama? A-are you really alright?"

"I'm okay, Hisako… don't worry about me. How have you been? Anything new I should know regarding the institution?"

"N-no, Erina-sama. There is nothing of importance… Well, there are piles of paperwork waiting for you in your new office, but aside from that, I… I've been busy preparing for your return, that's all."

"Is that so?"

A small laugh escaped the heiress's lips, the thought of all that unfinished paperwork- the image of this little bit of normality she used to have just exciting her to no end. The new office in particular…

It could only mean that her grandfather hasn't given up on her yet, or at least not entirely. This was more she could ever ask for, truly exciting news.

"Thank you, Hisako. "

"…W-welcome back, Erina-sama."

Finally, the pinkette managed to look up and wipe her eyes as she smiled fondly at her friend, stepping fully inside the room in the process.

"Say, Hisako… where are Alice and Soma?"

"S-still outside… He's trying to convince her to come in too…"

"Oh… I see."

"N-Nakiri-san! Wha…what are you doing?"

"I need to talk to her. She won't set a foot in this room unless I do, you all know that."

"M-maybe so, b-but…"

"It will okay, Tadokoro-san. My talk with Alice is long overdue, and this might be the best time to actually finish our conversation. Now please move."

"E-Erina-sama… y-you can't even stand up yet!"

In a matter of seconds, Hisako was kneeling by the bedrest, arms waving beside her body in some sort of panic.

"Well, I won't know unless I try, right?"

"P-please be reasonable! You can't take such a risk! You only woke up three hours ago!"

"And that is plenty of time to recover. Don't worry, Hisako, I will be fine."

"B-but Soma-kun m-might get-"

"I doubt he will say anything. If he spoke to Alice, I'm sure he already knows what's going on between us."

"B-but, E-Erina-sama-"

She didn't listen to anyone's pleas as she placed her bare feet on the cold marble underneath her, silently hissing at the heavy feeling in her sore muscles and the sting cursing through her stomach the more she moved.

The doctor told her that the bullet had missed vital organs, which meant it was much easier to go on with the surgery without experiencing further complications. And aside from the infection that her open wound had caused, she shouldn't be experiencing any difficulty with her breathing, but right now… maybe it really was a bit too early to get up.

No matter. This was for Alice.

She knew her cousin would do the same if their roles had been reversed.

And just as Erina was about to rise from the bed and head outside, the white door on the other end of the room opened once more, leaving everyone else in complete silence.

The sound was almost inaudible, barely a push that indicated a hesitant motion. But the slow squeak was all it took to make the heiress pause in surprise, her arm still in Hisako's as she stared wide eyed at the very cousin she had tried to get to merely seconds earlier. Behind her entered a brightly grinning Soma with his hands buried deep in his pockets and his warm eyes squinted in excitement as he came closer.

Being able to see him like this again, so cheerful and encouraging… it made her heart skip multiple beats at once, her cheeks dusted with a rosy color as she smiled back him.

But then, her gaze landed on Alice, and all smiles were instantly forgotten as she noted the girl's crestfallen expression, the dark circles under her rubies, the tear traces… She cleverly stared at a random spot beside Erina, thinking that, perhaps, the blonde wouldn't notice that she tried to avoid eye contact for almost half a minute now.

But she did, and it took all her self-restraint to stay where she was instead of marching towards her cousin and shaking her back into consciousness. Because from what she could see, Alice wasn't herself at the moment. Just like with Soma before, she found her to be excessively quiet, never mind the lack of confidence in every step she took.

"Alice… I-"

"Don't even think of starting this right now, Erina. I have no intention of talking to you."

"Yet you are still here. How may I interpret that?"

"No, it's… Yukihira-kun forced me!"

Yanking the puzzled redhead to her side, Alice held on to his arm with conviction, Ruby eyes now finally locked with Erina's for the next few seconds.

"Tell her, Yukihira-kun!"

"I- tell what now?"

"About how you dragged me in here without my consent! Tell her I didn't want to see her at all!"

"Well… actually, I thought ya couldn't stand sitting alone outside, and that cha needed me as an excuse to come in."

"What?! Oh, shut up, you idiot! You're so annoying!"

She lifted her chin high in the air, shielding her tears from the blonde's view with a certain elegance that only Alice could maintain in such a vulnerable state. But then, her finger pointed straight at her bedridden cousin, brows knitted together as she heard the suppressed giggle coming from that very direction.

"And you! Stop laughing like that right now!"

"I assure you, I did nothing of the sort. You just-"

"Stop it, Erina, I mean it! I don't want to hear anything! You have no right to talk to me, not until… you make up your mind already and stop running! You saw what happens when you run…"

An uncomfortable knot suddenly formed in her stomach, the tightness around her chest showing her just how poorly she had treated the people who cared for her the most.

Feeling the odd silence and all those uncertain gazes slowly suffocating her, Erina gulped down the limp in her throat before smiling up at Alice once more.

"Well… To be perfectly honest, my decision was made quite some time ago. There really is nothing I need to think about anymore."

"Are you serious?! After all that happened, you still insist on-"

"I'm staying, Alice. I won't go anywhere."

Another round of silence washed over the group, sharp breaths being sucked in even though her answer should have been expected by now. It made her roll her eyes at how silly they were behaving, her cousin especially.

And then she realized… they probably had no idea what she meant. None of them knew where she had actually wanted to take her journey, which, somehow, made her feel even worse now that she thought about it.

They were confused, not surprised…

"…W-what?"

"You heard me, Alice."

"B-but how…?"

The heiress shrugged her shoulders, suppressing the sudden urge to laugh out loud at the dumbfounded look Alice sported.

"I had a while to think. And like a wise person once said, it is enough to just take a short time off and then come back with a clear head. I see that now."

It stayed quiet for a few seconds longer, giving Erina enough time to exchange an inconspicuous smile with her enthusiastic upperclassman, who, despite his lack of information on what had actually happened, couldn't look any prouder if he tried. His eyes shone brightly when he nodded towards her, a simple act to express understanding and endorsement.

But even with Isshiki's warm smile, the words of appreciation from the person she expected to hear them from never came. Instead, the white-haired chef puffed her cheeks out in annoyance, brows knitting together anew as if she was ready to strangle someone, which didn't only seem to surprise the blonde but Soma as well as he was the one standing closest to the two.

As he placed both hands in his pockets again, the boy discreetly took a couple of steps back, also sensing Alice's fury.

"What the hell?! You dare say this now?! After a whole month without seeing each other?! After making me go through so much shit?!"

"…Oujo, you cursed."

"So what?! Don't interfere, Ryo-kun!"

Whirling back around, she faced her cousin once more, hands placed on her hips to make herself seem more domineering. At least the heiress suspected that's what Alice was going for, and she wouldn't any of it.

"You have no right to start a conversation like this, Erina!"

"Yes, I do! You were the one who asked after all! I would have explained matters sooner if you hadn't interrupted me back then!"

"So now I'm at fault?!"

"Well, obviously! It's because you can't keep your mouth shut and listen for once!"

"Who refused to listen to reason when we were talking on the phone that night?! You didn't even want to accept that I was right the whole time, Erina!"

"Because you rarely are, Alice! Nothing good comes from listening to you! We both saw what happened on my birthday!"

"I was only a child when I made that cake! It isn't the same! And don't you dare turn the subject around, I'm not done with you, Erina!"

"Neither am I!"

"You got yourself injured because you insisted on being stubborn!"

"You insisted on dragging Soma into this!"

"He got himself involved! I didn't tell him anything! And it's not even comparable to what happened to you!"

"Are you saying my boyfriend's life is not important?!"

They were face-to-face now, both glaring with the same fire they hoped to find in the respective other's gaze. It was an exchange Erina thought she'd never be a part of again, a dispute that brought a seemingly endless amount of life back into her bones.

She had missed this, had missed her loud cousin more than she'd ever imagined she would. It didn't even matter that she had just blurted out her new relationship with the only red-haired boy in the room.

She could ignore the shocked gasps and widened eyes for now.

"Man, those two seriously like each other a lot, huh?"

Standing next to a shuddering Tadokoro, the young student in question broke out into hysterical laughter, arms crossed over his chest as his goofy expression only added to the lightened mood in the room.

"Funny, I'd say you're the exact same way whenever you and Nakiri are together."

"Ya think? Huh… yeah, that explains a lotta stuff actually!"

His laughter only increased, much to Hayama's annoyance. But nevertheless, the Indian chef couldn't contain the warm smile playing on his lips as he observed the scene before him. It seemed to have been a while since he last heard Soma laugh like that, and Erina knew just by looking at him from the corner of her eye that he had indeed been worried about his friend for quite some time. They all had.

Hiding her wide grin behind clenched teeth, the heiress refocused her attention on her raging family member, finding no opportunity to exchange gazes with the red-haired student, who didn't appear to have noticed her silent eavesdropping in the first place.

"W-what are you talking about, Soma-kun? How-how can you tell they actually like each other? T-they look like they're arguing pretty badly to me…"

"Nah, they're okay. Watch."

Eager to see his point, Tadokoro glanced back to the fighting cousins until she could see tears running down Alice's cheeks, a revelation Erina hadn't expected to witness herself so suddenly- not in front of all these familiar faces at least.

But it happened, and before she knew it, Alice held her as tightly as she could, crying against the blonde's left ear like there was no tomorrow.

"D-don't… don't ever do this to me again, you hear?"

"I wasn't planning on it…"

"A-and don't get me wrong, Erina. I still haven't forgiven you yet… B-but I guess I could think of a suitable punishment later. For now, just…"

"I understand… Though I'm still not scared of you, Alice…"

"Y-you have no idea how terrifying I can get. You-you'll see."

"Whoa, hey, hold on a sec! What's going on here?! Why are you guys crying now?!"

"I think that's a story for another day, Yoshino. Don't interrupt them."

"But I wanna know what happened… Aren't you at least a little curious?!"

"Not really."

She could hear Yoshino's loud protests as Ibusaki guided her away from the bed, could hear how it made the redhead standing so close to her laugh in amusement all over again while she pressed her face deeper in Alice's shoulder, hiding her own tears from anyone's view.

It was not until after her cousin's grip around her arms loosened and she took a step back that Erina understood why she was even crying to begin with- why she had such difficulty leaning against the bedframe instead of pulling the other girl in for another hug.

She was family… Simple as that.

Erina loved her just as much as she did, whether she would tell her that one day or not was irrelevant. Her tears said more than enough anyway.

And then, just as she was about to wipe the remaining traces of saltwater away, her eyes found the grinning boy once more, looking at her with such tenderness that she felt her heart melting. It was like she couldn't even turn her attention away from him without panic filling her lungs all over, his lively smile keeping her steady enough to ignore these past few events for now.

He stepped closer now that the storm had calmed down, raising a hand in greeting as if not knowing where to place it otherwise.

"Yo, Erina. Feelin' better now?"

Was he… nervous?

"Y-yes, I… I'm okay. How about you? Still not tired yet?"

"Nah, not really… You, eh… you can move again now, right…? Nothing's wrong?"

"Don't worry about me, Soma. I can move just fine."

"Oh, gotcha…"

"D-did you let yourself get checked out as well? You looked like you needed it more than me."

"I kinda-"

"Oh, come on! Don't be so formal in front of us, you two! It's getting boring!"

A deep blush spread across the heiress's face as she crossed her arms and turned her head away from the group in fake annoyance, closing her eyes to avoid the redhead's mocking gaze, as well as her cousin's unnecessary comment.

Why had she even been worried about Alice in the first place? That girl was clearly back in her element now, mischievous as ever.

And the worst thing about it is Erina actually started to fear the extent of this joke- how far Alice would take it until she was satisfied.

She gulped.

"You know, I actually have to agree with Alice-kun here. We're in a phase of our youth where it's important to share every little detail of our feelings for one another! Nothing is as powerful as love, my dear friends! Enjoy it, let it embrace you tightly, don't shy away from it! Oh, how happy it makes me to see you little ones finally reunited…"

"…That's it, we lost Isshiki-senpai…"

"Good thing he can't wear his apron in- oh… never mind, he can."

Erina watched in mild confusion as both Marui and Ibusaki smacked their heads disapprovingly at the brunette, who, to her own horror, had already disregarded his clothing and was now standing before her with nothing but an apron around his hips, still talking to himself in pure joy.

"H-how do you do that all the time, you freak?! No one even noticed you change out of your clothes!"

"I-I don't think there is any logic behind it, Arato-san. I mean… I-Isshiki-senpai is, w-well…"

Unfortunately, Tadokoro's soft voice landed on deaf ears as the pinkette jumped back and rushed towards her friend with waving arms.

"I can't tolerate this! Erina-sama, quick! Cover your eyes!"

"H-huh? With what?!"

"Oh, dudes, I wish I would've brought some snacks with me now! This party is legit!"

"I agree, bro! Now that Nakiri-chan is back with us, it's finally time for another celebration!"

"Don't start your stupid antics in a hospital room, you morons!"

"C'mon, Marui, you know you wanna get wild too! Me and Sato here can start things off and-"

"No!"

The arm thrown around his shoulder was quickly shaken off as the boy in glasses walked over to the door, checking if there was anyone outside who might ask them to leave due to the loud noise they were causing.

Erina didn't mind it in the slightest though. The company was refreshing, and as long as Soma was next to her, grinning so innocently, she could avoid breaking down without any worries.

He was her pillar, after all. Her strength to dismiss and eventually forget.

And right now, without catching anyone's eye, he stealthily made his way back to her side, sliding one hand around hers and squeezing her fingers in silent support as she glanced up at him.

"Ya okay?"

"Still tired, but… I feel fine. No complaints here. How about you?"

"Honestly? I'd be a lot better if ya could leave this place with me today."

She laughed, eyes darting down to their joined hands as she sensed him nearing her face in an agonizingly slow motion. It wasn't as if Erina actually wanted him to do anything in front of their friends, but… her lungs, her lips, her heart just screamed for her to straighten up and take that kiss she had so impatiently been waiting for ever since regaining her senses. She resisted the urge, of course. Though with him moving towards her, lowering his voice the way he was, she doubted anything could keep her from devouring him right on the spot.

After all, the heiress had gone long enough without his warmth. Who was to stop her now…

"I'm not expecting to stay here for much longer, Soma. It's time for us to go home, right…?"

His smirk brightened, the amused glint in his amber eyes turning into something much brighter as he lifted her hand and kissed the back of it.

"Yeah, sure is."

"You seem relieved."

"Well, kinda. I'm just glad I don't have to convince ya to come back anymore. That really was exhausting."

"Oh? What's this, Yukihira Soma getting tired from a simple challenge like that? Perhaps I should rethink my decision then. Just for your self-esteem's sake. I would hate for you to have an easy victory, after all."

Another kiss on her knuckles.

"Ya don't seriously think I'd let you run off again, do ya? Not a chance."

"No, I was just… C-could you stop that? The others will see."

"So?"

"I-I would like to explain some things first, and-"

"Erina, they already know what's going on. Stop freaking out."

"W-what? How? We haven't even-"

"Ya made it pretty clear just now, remember?"

Another kiss on her fingers, his provocative smirk never leaving his roguish features.

"…Those painkillers must have damaged my brain more than I thought…"

"Not a good excuse if ya ask me."

"Well, I didn't ask you! And just so you know, this is only because of that strange medication I received! There is nothing else to-"

"Hey, I have an idea! Why don't we bring our card game with us tomorrow? It's been a while since we last played!"

Literally jumping out of her skin at the sudden shout, the heiress quickly pulled her hand out of Soma's. Her heartrate increased drastically as she remembered who else was in here with them and that they could be watching right at this moment. Especially after her last outburst…

The boy's light chuckle didn't help her relax either, only added to her embarrassment when she pinned him under her most intense glare. At least until she finally registered what Yoshino had announced to begin with. It made her turn round quicker than she had thought herself capable, eyes sparkling with eagerness all over again.

"D-did you say… cards?!"

Just the word alone was enough to raise the heiress's enthusiasm several degrees, her heart beating even faster as she leaned forward to get a better view of her friend, who had stopped throwing her arms in the air upon hearing her excited squeal and was now turning her head towards Erina in sheer enthusiasm.

"Yepp! Let's play some poker tomorrow, Erina-cchi!"

"Count me in!"

Her joy was unrestrainable, her muscles twitching with delight. It even went so far as to make her forget about her previous irritation, only confusing the redhead beside her before he widened his eyes and grinned from ear to ear.

"Oh yeah, I forgot how horrible ya were at poker, Erina. This'll be fun."

"Shut up, you fool! I wasn't bad at all! I could beat you if I put my mind to it!"

"Yeah, we'll see 'bout that, princess! Bring it on!"

"E-ehm… you are enjoying this way too much, S-Soma-kun. Again…"

"Yeah, 'course! I mean… Come on, Tadokoro! Aren't you? She totally sucks at the game!"

"I do not! How dare you insult me, commoner?!"

"I-I wouldn't really call it that either, but-"

"That's a wonderful plan! I'll mix some of my newest rice-juice blends tonight, so we can all drink it together when we come back!"

"Alright then! I'll prepare some perfectly tender beef cutlets for us to munch on! You need to get your strength back, Erina-sama, and nothing is as important as meat to help you recover!"

"I guess I could bring more smoked cheese with me too. It's only fair."

"Then my brother and I will make our famous Panino con Rapini! I'm sure the broccoli has plenty folic acid for you to regain, Nakiri-san."

"And I'll get my best peanut butter, squid combo out here! You guys are gonna freak!"

"No!"

The simultaneous scream of all her friends made the blonde burst into a healthy fit of laughter while Soma was forced to raise his hands in mock surrender, a thin line of cold sweat building on his forehead with each death glare he received.

"Don't you dare bring that disgusting filth anywhere near Erina-sama, you idiot!"

"Not just her, but all of us, Yukihira! June almost refused to let me into the house last time because that nasty tentacle, garlic combo you made me eat caused my breath to nearly wilt all our plants!"

"And Isami seriously wanted me to sleep on the balcony because you tricked me into eating the squid and sardine catastrophe! I still have nightmares of that time, Yukihira! God damn nightmares!"

"Eh… sorry? My bad. I had no idea my food would have this much of an aftertaste though…"

"It did!"

"And it almost killed us!"

"Hey, at least it was worth counting them into my top list, right?"

"No!"

The sweat never left his forehead as he was cornered by the blonde Aldini twin and, surprisingly enough, a very flustered looking Hayama at the same time. Erina actually felt sorry for him, especially when her cousin entered the frame as well, her demeanor overly amused.

She had her arms crossed and a sly smile on her face, which indicated what mischief she was up to again as she stared back and forth between Soma and the dark-skinned chef with barely contained amusement.

"My, my. And when did all that happen, Yukihira-kun?"

"On the night we beat Erina's dad. You and Kurokiba were late to the party back then, remember?"

"Oh yeah… Huh, that's odd. Hey, Ryo-kun! What were we doing that time? Why did we show up late again?"

"You wanted to have a talk with Senzaemon-dono about his decision to make Erina-oujo the new headmaster. I had to wait in front of the office."

"A-ah, that's right… Well, whatever. It doesn't matter anymore anyway, right?"

Her eyes shifted back to her aide now, a certain nervousness accompanying her voice as she spoke.

"Right, Ryo-kun? No need to dwell on that matter!"

"True."

"Wait, hold on a second! Alice? What is this about? You talked to Grandfather?"

"No, not necessarily…"

"She thought it was unfair to hand all the responsibility over to you when you barely had enough time for yourself as it is. I don't know the specifics though."

"God, Ryo-kun! Weren't you on my side just now?! How dare you?!"

His face never changed out of that bored expression, his eyes hiding the amusement he could feel when they met Alice's furious Ruby ones.

"…What?"

"You're insufferable! Why did you have to spit everything I'm trying to keep to myself?!"

"You mean she wasn't supposed to know?"

"No!"

"Oh…"

She told their grandfather about… Why would she do such a high deed for her sake? Didn't Alice… hate her, in a way?

A gentle smile appeared on Erina's face, the light blush never fading.

"Thank you, Alice… I mean it."

"There is nothing to thank me for. A-and don't look at me like that, I'm trying to ignore you!"

"Well, I was too! But your annoyingly loud voice simply makes it impossible to act like you aren't here!"

"What?!"

"Okay, that's quite enough for now, you two. Don't forget where we are."

"You're one to talk, Isshiki-senpai. For the love of everything that is holy to you, please, put your clothes back on."

"Yeah, Hayama is right! Get dressed already!"

Naturally, he didn't. Both Mito's and Hayama's pleas faded away under the sound of Isshiki's laughter, his eyes squinted affectionately towards them as if mocking their growing irritation.

And while the lighthearted banter continued, Soma found the perfect opportunity to appear next to the heiress once again, his cocky smile turning mischievous when he leaned close to her face and left her heart do multiple somersaults at once.

"So… round two, I guess."

"N-no way. I'm not falling for that again. Get away from me."

"Ouch. Does that mean ya don't wanna eat my special 'get-well' food too then?"

"I have no intention of ending up like all the others. Don't forget, I saw what you did to them that night. I was there too."

"C'mon, it wouldn't be that horrendous. I don't plan on upsetting your stomach right off the bat, after all."

As close as he was, she could feel a light breeze brushing the skin on her cheek this time, a harmless reminder of what went wrong merely moments ago before he just laid his palm against her covered abdomen, grinning brighter than ever.

It was merely the ghost of a touch, the thick layer of bandages and her hospital gown making her barely feel anything at all. But as faint as his contact with her flesh might be, it didn't fail to fulfil its purpose whatsoever. Erina couldn't prevent the pleasurable shiver from running down her spine as she subconsciously leaned into his palm, whishing he would go a little further than just touching her there. She wanted her kiss, and she wanted it right now.

"I-it's not my stomach I'm worried about. My palate simply won't tolerate your awful dishes, that's all."

"For real? Now I really wanna try it out!"

"If you dare feed me such slop, it will be the end of you, Yukihira Soma."

"That so? What're ya gonna do?"

"That, you will see when it actually happens."

His grin shifted once more, now turning into a sinister one as he leaned even closer, his soft lips almost within reach of her own.

She should be stopping him, she really should be stopping him. They were lucky not to get caught the first time, but now…

"Guess I just gotta risk it then, huh?"

"You wouldn't dare, Mister."

"Wanna bet?"

"Aha, there it is! Thank the freaking cosmos! I was waiting all day for something to happen between you two! You sure took your time, didn't you? Quick, Ryo-kun, hand over my phone!"

"I don't have it."

The shock of Alice's sudden attention made them both lean back into their respective positions, with Soma almost thrown off balance, and the heiress herself now resting her back against the bedrest, glaring at her cousin as sharply as a knife.

The white-haired chef, however, seemed completely oblivious to the near heart attack she caused them, her face tilted towards a very relaxed looking Kurokiba as he buried his hands deep in the pockets of his black jeans.

"What?! What kind of aide doesn't take care of their mistress's wishes and carries their phone for them in case they forget it, huh?!"

"But you never told me you would need it today, Oujo."

"Of course I would need it! You should know those things without me telling you! Now I missed my chance to catch them off guard! It could have been the perfect closure for our little game!"

"Not that I'm particularly interested, but what exactly were you hoping to accomplish with this, Alice?"

Her glare intensified, making her look even more intimidating than originally intended as her white-haired family member stretched her arms over her head with a fake yawn.

"Oh, nothing you need to worry about, dear Cousin."

"You know… I remember you saying something similar before on the phone. You are hiding something, don't even think of denying it. Care to explain what's really going on now?"

Next to her, Soma's body stiffened with unexpected tension, his grin wavering for a second before it stretched from ear to ear again as he muttered to himself- or maybe even to the small group of students currently watching Erina in sheer horror.

Did she somehow ask the wrong question?

"Oh, here we go… This is gonna be good."

And with the redhead's returning amusement, everyone else in the room stilled their conversations at once, eyes glued to the bed before them.

Why?

"W-what's wrong with you all?"

"Listen, Nakiri-kun… I know this wasn't exactly ideal, but-"

"H-hold on, Isshiki-senpai! A-are we really gonna tell her?!"

"I don't see why not. Soma-kun knows, and he took it very well too if I may add."

"Y-yeah, but he also said that Erina-cchi will kill us when she finds out!"

"Well, that is also true…"

He paused for a moment, searching for a better solution to whatever predicament they might be in, before finally, the brunette clapped his hands together with a bright smile and eagerly turned towards his unsuspecting underclassman.

"Alright then, why don't you just tell her yourself, Soma-kun? Yoshino-chan has a point there. We can't take on such a risk now."

"What?!"

The harmless gesture pointing towards said boy was anything but appreciated as he pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning against and stormed over to his elder with a deadly glare, previous amusement now completely faded.

"You gotta be kidding me! Don't get me involved in this! It's your and Nakiri's mess to clean up anyway!"

"Come on, don't be like that, Soma-kun. Friends help each other out, right? Do us this small favor."

"Hell no! Do it yourself! You started this whole thing in the first place!"

"Now hold on a minute, Yukihira-kun! You're partly responsible that we even had the idea! I mean, one freaking school year passed, and you guys are only just now starting to get along! We needed to do something while we were waiting around for you to finally grow up!"

"What're ya even talking about, Nakiri?! It's not my fault we-"

"All of you, be quiet and tell me what you're blabbering about already! Just listening to you bicker irritates me!"

An odd silence settled over the group as each one turned their gazes back to the now furious looking blonde, eyes as wide as they could get without them even noticing. It was as if the realization that Erina was also here in this room had just now sunken in, which left her all the more flustered.

"Well? Is someone going to answer or not?"

"Oh, fine. I'll do it. It's not like it hadn't been me who explained things to Yukihira back then anyway."

"Very admirable, Hayama-kun. You take care of it then."

Sending the half-naked brunette a fearsome glance, Hayama cleared his throat.

If Erina didn't know any better, she would have believed he was trying to appear like he wasn't sweating at all. And for some reason, the rare sight of a nervous Hayama Akira made the most suspicious images appear in her mind- weird thoughts a young girl her age shouldn't be having to begin with.

She didn't understand what the matter was, but somehow, she could tell that it wouldn't end well…

"See, Nakiri, we… a while ago we started this betting pool about you and Yukihira, and… Well, everyone chose a date to mark as the day you guys would finally hook up, we placed our bets, and kept the rules on a small note. Pretty simple concept, actually."

"…You mean you betted money to decide when we would…"

"…In a way, yes?"

"I see…"

Silence struck yet again. None of the students so much as even dared to take a single inhale, not one movement was made as Erina repeated their short and simple conversation in her head, smiling in relief that all this fuss revolved about such a harmless matter before the true meaning behind Hayama's words struck her like lightning.

They had started… Her eyes went wide.

"What?!"

"Now, now, calm down, Cousin. This was just to reassure that you and Yukihira-kun would have a beautiful future together. Even Hisako here betted some money."

"…What?!"

"O-only to confirm that nothing would be used against you later, Erina-sama! I-I didn't-"

"What?!"

"No need to worry, it isn't as bad as it sounds, Nakiri-kun. The kids just wanted to have a little fun, and perhaps aimed to move things along faster, that's all."

"Oh, don't you dare act like you had no part in it, Isshiki-senpai! Should I remind you how much you betted on December this year?!"

"What?!"

Her fury only rose with each added reply, especially when every person in this room twitched each time she opened her mouth. But still… something was off, and no matter how much she tried, the heiress couldn't point a finger at it.

"To my defense, I was very confident about the mistletoe we set up for these two on Christmas Eve."

"Oh yeah, sure! As if that would be enough!"

"You did what?!"

"…Well, if that's gonna be her only reaction for the rest of the day, I think ya guys don't need to say anything else. Y'all are set."

Her eyes narrowed even further, the shadow above her eyes darkened beyond the point of recognition. It might be due to Soma's bad joke or the actual matter at hand, she couldn't differentiate. But either way, it irritated her to no end how everyone tried to keep themselves from cracking up right now.

So that had been it. They didn't take her seriously.

How dare they laugh at her unintentional reactions?

"Who came up with this ridiculous idea?! Speak!"

"I-I-I'm so sorry, Nakiri-san, p-please forgive me, I-I didn't mean to!"

"W-wha… no, I wasn't addressing you, Tadokoro-san… I just- wait… it couldn't have been you, could it?"

"N-n-no, I-I… I-I was just…"

A dull thud was the last thing she heard as the blue-haired girl suddenly disappeared before her narrowed eyes, no further sound coming from wherever the poor thing had hit the floor.

"And she fainted again…"

"That's Erina's intimidation skills for ya… You might have scared the life out of her, dear Cousin."

"It wasn't- I didn't mean to!"

Once again, the heiress hated that it felt so overwhelmingly painful to try and get out of bed as she was really itching to give Alice a piece of her mind at decent eye-level. Sitting here like this while the other girl literally bend down to smile at her didn't have as much impact as she would've hoped, unfortunately.

Also… checking on the unconscious Tadokoro is her responsibility, since she was the main cause for the bluenette's bad condition in the first place. She knew she could trust the others to watch over her, especially when the older one of the Aldini-brothers placed her head on his knees and brushed a few strands of hair out of her face, but nevertheless… She needed to do something too.

"Whoa, she's totally out like a light!"

"Stop laughing, Yukihira! This isn't funny! Isami, quick! Hand me my water bottle!"

"Anyway, now that the worst part is over, I think this is as good a time as any to congratulate you two on your newfound relationship. And for helping Nakiri stuff her already loaded pockets."

"Don't be mean, Hayama-kun! I might be willing to treat you to some ice cream later if you behave."

"I don't want any of your stupid treats, you insufferable woman! Just give me my money back!"

"You shouldn't have chosen such a stupid date then! I mean, the first of April?! Who the hell would ever want to start dating that day?!"

"It was my own logic! What's it to you?!"

"Well, your stupid logic is what made you lose in the end, Hayama-kun! Now deal with it like a man! Do you hear anyone else complaining?!"

Unsurprisingly enough, almost everyone in the group nodded their heads as if wanting to support the Indian chef without words.

"All you guys are just bad losers. I won, so stop sulking."

"It was our money, Oujo. It's not fair."

"Not my problem. The dates you chose were downright ridiculous. And since when are you so obsessed about your money, Ryo-kun?"

"I'm not, I'm just defending what I owed."

"Oh yeah? You always get more while you're my attendant, so there is no need for you to complain."

"Whatever."

As their comical back and forth continued, Erina could feel her cheeks heating up all over again, her heart on the brink of stopping completely while she still tried to get her thoughts straight.

News sure could travel fast…

Overly embarrassed and unable to come up with the right words to say, her gaze darted back to the redhead now crouching in front of their comatose friend to get some sort of guidance. But to her dismay, his back was turned towards her, his head tilted up to watch the friendly bickering as he laughed to his heart's content.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot! I wanted to congratulate you guys too actually! Who cares about lost money now, right, Ryoko-cchi?"

"Of course! And you look so adorable together! I envy you! Congrats!"

"Yeah, I have to admit, it took you long enough, Yukihira."

A fond smile graced Marui's features when he pushed his glasses up. Shouldn't all this embarrass the redhead as much as it did her? She couldn't believe his laid back attitude. Again.

Instead of stuttering or averting his gaze, he just released another enthusiastic laugh, a proud posture emphasizing his joy as he lifted one hand to scratch the back of his head.

"Thanks, guys! Guess I never knew myself what I was waiting for up 'till now."

"Yeah well, it's not like we didn't expect it to happen anyway, right bro?"

"Totally, dude! But I can't really imagine Yukihira kissing Nakiri-chan on the mouth and all that stuff! Can you?"

"Nah, man, me neither! He isn't the type to go all out!"

By now, she was sure her face had turned into a ripe tomato, her amethysts trying to move anywhere but the excited students in front of the bed. Yoshino had thrown her arms around Sakaki's shoulders while both probably imagined how Soma would look like as the main protagonist in a Shoujo manga- where kissing scenes were guaranteed to happen frequently.

On the other hand, Sato's comment left the heiress utterly defenseless as she struggled to keep her pulse under control.

He had no idea what that mischievous diner brat was capable of, not in the slightest…

Why wouldn't he turn around and look at her already?

"Nakiri-chan, did ya guys already do the nasty stuff? Tell us!"

"I-I, well… i-it isn't of any importance right now! And haven't I told you multiple times to stop addressing me informally?!"

"But we're friends, aren't we? It's more fun calling ya that!"

"It- but-"

"Oh I'm certain Yukihira-kun knows what he's doing. Am I wrong, dear Cousin?"

"W-what? I- We are not talking about this, Alice! The discussion is over!"

A laugh was the only response Erina got, the small wink only adding to her discomfort. She should've known that this girl wasn't going to stay quiet when it comes to topics of the sort. She enjoyed Erina's embarrassment way too much to keep out of it.

"Now that won't do. We all lost quite the large amount of money, so at the very least you could tell us everything that happened between you two. As compensation."

"Well, I-I didn't order you to start a stupid betting pool, did I, Isshiki-san?! It's not my responsibility if you gave your savings away!"

"Alright, alright. I understand. Don't get mad. Soma-kun? Wouldn't you do the honors then? Oh, and congratulations. I hope you two will be very happy together for a long time."

"Thanks, Isshiki-senpai! But I got no idea what ya wanna hear from me, to be honest. Is there something specific I should mention?"

"He's an idiot."

"Definitely."

From one corner of the room, both Kurokiba and Hayama crossed their arms disapprovingly, a sigh leaving one's throat while the other just closed his eyes in exhaustion.

Even Erina knew what everyone wanted him to explain, but she would rather be hit on the head by another heavy jukebox than give him a clue.

This was uncomfortable enough as it is without him spilling any of the details.

And even if some tried to hold back their reaction by simply staying silent or smiling modestly- mainly Mito, though that might be due to different reasons the heiress wasn't aware of yet-, she would prefer not to dwell on this subject any longer.

"For starters… Did you two kiss already?!"

"Sakaki-san! Please contain yourself!"

"Well, duh…"

"Ah, I knew it!"

"How did you find Erina-can in the first place, dude?"

"Yeah, bro. She was missing for quite a while. What did ya do?"

"Oh, I wanna know that too!"

"Mind elaborating your encounter in Kamakura, Soma-kun?"

Cornered by most of his dorm mates, the redhead just kept on looking confused before it finally hit him, his eyes shining mischievously as he let his gaze wander over the small crowd.

"Ah, that's a good one! I'll tell ya!"

"H-hold on! Is seriously no one concerned about Tadokoro-san still lying on the floor like that?! S-she might catch a cold!"

But the blonde's pleas fell on deaf ears as the rest of her friends- including the two chefs who had been leaning against the wall in the other corner of the room before- gathered around Soma and immediately hung on every word he spoke. There were a few minor details he cleverly left out, but other than that, the event remained identical. Everything that had happened, including her sickness and their two major visits to the cemetery, stayed the same in his version of the story. And from the knowing smirk he sent her after each reaction he received, she knew… he shared her thoughts on the matter.

Surely, this day would be a very, agonizingly long one. She could tell.

And yet, Erina still smiled. Smiled fondly as she listened and remembered at the same time. Smiled while the fatigue threatened to take over again, her body unable to keep up with her excitement any longer. Smiled as she drifted off to sleep, now reassured that there even would be a tomorrow to look forward to.

Even if she would wake up alone next time, there definitely was a tomorrow she eagerly awaited now.

It was over, after all…

---

Annndddd cut!

Wow, what a long chapter, huh? Hahahahahah, I just can't stop writing!

Thank you guys for even finding time to read this! I'm really looking forward to hear what you think! Please tell me all your opinions, or if you think there is a part I could've written better!

And with that, I hope you all have an amazing week!

Stay safe, and take care, everyone!