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.

26. Chapter 26 part 1 Towards the future

Chapter 26: Towards the future

Part 1

Selam, everybody! How's it going?

It's been a long time, hasn't it? I'm so, so, so very sorry about that, guys! Please forgive me for not having uploaded a chapter in those past few months! Too much stuff happened that I think would take forever to explain right now. I wasn't at my best, and well… to be honest, writing had been the last thing on my mind. Plus, I'm very close to getting my bachelor, so I had to study my ass off for a long while. Still do, hahahah.

But I really hope this chapter can make up for all the time I made you guys wait. Since it was a monster of a chapter, I had to split it up in two parts, and if everything goes well, I'll upload the second part very, very soon. This story still has to end, after all, right? Let's wrap things up with a bang!

I am so very grateful for all your reviews, guys! You really are the best and sweetest people out there! Thank you so very much for all your kind words, I appreciate them more than you can imagine! I hope I see all of you again for the next story I'll write! Thank you all so much! I don't think there are any words to explain how grateful I am, so… let me just bow my head towards all of you.

And, of course! Lamperouge rolo, my amazing, incredible friend! Thank you so, so very much for all your help as well! You're really awesome, and I couldn't ask for a better person to look after my long-ass chapters! From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for putting up with me despite being so busy yourself! Thank you, my friend!

Well… now that we took care of my annoying thank-you message, let's jump straight into the chapter, shall we? Please tell me again what you think. I love reading all your reviews, they're awesome! Critic, questions, opinions, all are welcome! I'm honestly curious to know if you guys still enjoy this story, and what I could have done better in this particular chapter.

With that, I say have fun, enjoy, and stay safe!

Take care, you guys!

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The screeching sound of pen meeting paper gave the illuminated room an idyllic atmosphere, small sighs being the only indicator that a tired headmaster fully absorbed in her work is residing in it.

Time was forgotten, the merry songs of birds outside ignored as she filled out one document after another, not even bothering to raise her head for a quick glance at the clock. It would only make her feel rushed, and Erina didn't need that whatsoever right now. Then, a soft knock on the wooden door made her jolt in surprise, breaking her concentration, and forced her to look up anyway.

Even if she knew what it meant, wasn't it too early to have her stop? She hadn't even gotten that far yet. There were still quite a few files waiting to be filled out.

Blinking back into the present, she heard a calm voice call out, "Erina-sama. May I enter?"

"Of course. Please come in, Hisako." Her pink-haired friend made her way in with an apologetic smile and a binder with more files to add to the pile laying by the heiress's side. She didn't tilt her head to see just how many are already there, but from the heavy thud and the mini-quake she felt when the new papers were placed on her desk, she knew that it might take another crazy week to finish everything. Again. "What can I do for you?" she asked with her head bending over the file currently in her hands.

"Oh, it's… I apologize for the disturbance, Erina-sama, but I thought I should come to inform you that it's already past seven. I'm sure Yukihira will be here any minute now, and you know how he can be when he sees you overwork yourself."

"Past seven? Really?" She sighed as her eyes found Hisako's again, a small frown on her face. "That's not what I was hoping to hear… Well, I think I might need a bit more time. Hisako, can you keep him busy until I'm done, please? I won't take too long."

The secretary merely shook her head as that knowing smile widened. She wasn't satisfied with that answer, but they both knew arguing about anything related to her headmaster duties is pointless. So Hisako didn't voice her disapproval, only gave her friend a sympathetic look. "You've been saying that for the past two years, Erina-sama. I don't think he would take kindly to it this time. Did you forget today is your second anniversary together?"

"N-no! Of course I haven't." She cleared her throat, trying to recover from the sudden shock, "How could I? Alice still rubs the fact that she won quite a sum from your bet in my face whenever she has the chance. I really can't believe everyone participated in that thing."

Arching a brow, Hisako suppressed a laugh. "Are you still mad about that? Please let it go. It's been two years."

"And you think that is long enough to make me forget? Nope, not a chance!" She grinned, watching as her pink-haired friend shook her head in amusement. This inside joke never gets old.

"No, I guess not. But if you don't mind me saying… it was fun seeing how your relationship with Yukihira played out. And if it had happened only two weeks later, I would have won."

Now it was Erina's turn to shake her head, two fingers rubbing the bridge of her nose as she did so. "Please don't make it sound like it's something to be proud of… Honestly, I should have given you a much harsher punishment for taking bets behind my back like that. Cleaning every single kitchen in the institute was nowhere near enough, it seems."

"Come on, don't say that. I'm sure everybody learned their lesson after that. Even if Alice-sama says it was all worth it now, I know for a fact that she had been the one to complain the most back then. I believe she is sorry too. Well, sort of."

"Oh, Alice isn't sorry at all." The heiress groaned in frustration before settling into a fond smile. A skillfully hidden one. "On the contrary! She barges into my office and obnoxiously asks why I haven't given Soma a call already, every single day! Urgh! The only reason I can work in peace right now is that I finally got her to assist Hayama-kun with his research for the Shiomi seminar."

Her friend laughed, knowing Erina didn't mean any of it seriously. It was her way of dealing with Alice's over-eagerness. Complaining, sighing, smiling. "Should I file a research request for the First Seat as well then? He barges in here every day too just to make you try his new dish, after all."

"T-that… isn't necessary. H-he just brings me lunch because he is hell bent on me eating at least three times a day. I mean, it isn't as if he doesn't annoy me or anything… he does on a daily basis."

"And yet you never tell him to stop."

"I-I… I tried! He is too persistent! Just say no to him even once, and he will immediately use those damned puppy-eyes on you. Have you seen those, Hisako? It's not fair."

The pinkette laughed again, casually ignoring her friend's whiny voice. "No, I haven't, actually. And I'm pretty sure those eyes are only reserved for you, Erina-sama. Could be because he cares for you." She shrugged.

"N-no, that's not it at all! He just wants that stupid confirmation about his cooking, nothing more! And those ridiculous puppy-eyes help him make sure I eat whatever he puts in front of me. I hate his eyes."

"Of course you do."

"You doubt me?"

"Yep."

"Hisako!" A light blush settled over Erina's cheeks as she watched her secretary giggle in amusement, her left brow twitching at the realization that Hisako was merely making fun of her. "W-whatever. Just tell him to be patient for a little while when he gets here, okay? I will be done as soon as this stack is taken care of," she said with her thumb pointed towards the papers to her right. "I should be allowed to wrap up this much at least, right?"

"…Honestly, Erina-sama. This is what you always order me to do when you can't stop working. I wouldn't be surprised if Yukihira just drags you out of the office by force someday."

She gasped indignantly, gaze turning shy and irritated at the same time. "I won't allow him to even try."

"Well, you never know. At this point, I trust that man to be capable of anything. He's, by far, the most unpredictable person I have ever seen, so… you may want to rethink your words, Erina-sama. I let you know when he's here." She sent the flustered heiress another wide smile before the door finally closed behind her, leaving the room in complete silence once again.

That is, until the tension in Erina's veins got the best of her, one balled fist colliding with the mahogany desk as she stood up tall and stared at the closed door in front of her. "Th… Th-there is nothing to rethink about, Hisako! And stop laughing! I can hear you," she yelled, face red and heart racing.

When no answer came, she sighed hopelessly before letting herself fall back into her chair, stretching her tired limbs over her head with her back rested against the leather-covered fabric. Satisfied, she finally eyed the large clock to her left, brows arched at the time displayed there. 19:27. Way later than she had expected it to be.

Soma had told her to be ready at six, but the fact that he isn't here yet, proved that he knew she'd be far from done with her work by this time. Just like every day. For the past two years…

She closed her eyes as the nostalgic events floated in her mind. Today she is pensive, unlike several unpleasant occasions wherein she remembered the agonizing explanation to the school's staff on why it took her so long to assume the headmaster position. The speech in front of the whole academy before her grandfather left for his well-deserved vacation wasn't a fond memory either. Things had gone back to normal in a painfully slow pace, the changes weren't easy to achieve, nor to accept by all the students. Their minds had still been clouded by her father's ridiculous beliefs.

But now, two years later, she was finally feeling like she had fully redeemed herself. Everything was back in order, people were free to cook whatever they pleased. She did it. She had returned to the life that she believed wasn't meant to be hers for the longest time.

The corners of her lips twitched upwards as the memories began to replay in her mind's eye. It was all thanks to a certain redhead helping her pick up the pieces one step at a time.

…

"Erina-sama! I finished it! Your speech, it's finally done!" With a thick bundle of papers in hand, Hisako rushed through the backstage area all the way over to her friend. Her face was covered in sweat when she reached the blonde and handed her the promised script- a script Erina couldn't remember requesting. "And I'm happy to report that we managed to assemble all students, and the staff members outside the main stage just like you wanted. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"Oh, no, that is… quite enough. Thank you, Hisako. You deserve a good rest after this."

"You don't have to worry about me, Erina-sama. I'm alright as long as I can help you. I don't need rest."

Grateful, the heiress stepped away from the purple curtains and accepted the stack of papers with a gentle smile, brows raised as she noted how heavy it was. "I appreciate it… But you do realize you didn't have to write a whole script for me, right? I mean, this is rather…"

"Overkill," a voice stated from behind her. Erina turned and smiled sheepishly at the older one of the two Aldini-brothers. "That's the only word I'd use to describe it. No offense, Arato-san."

The sound of faint giggles around her was smoothly ignored when she faced her pink-haired friend again, holding the script up with both hands to demonstrate how thick it really was. Something Hisako herself must not have realized until she saw it in the blonde's grip, her eyes as wide as dinner plates. "Yeah, I have to agree. It's a bit… overkill."

"What…? H-hey, wait a second! You there!" Pointing a finger towards the Italian chef, Hisako blinked the confusion out of her eyes before shouting, "You stay out of this, Aldini," and turned her face back to her grinning friend. "Please, Erina-sama. Don't listen to him. This will help you organize what you need to say out there. O-of course you could do it on your own too, but I thought… maybe it would make it easier for you."

She laughed gleefully, placing a reassuring hand on the Pinkette's shoulder. "I know. Don't worry, I will make good use of this. Thank you, Hisako. I mean it."

"O-oh… p-please, think nothing of it, Erina-sama. I just wanted to help you get back into your routine. This is the way you always tend to give important speeches, after all, right? An organized structure will ease your mind for sure."

"Yeah… I suppose so." Hisako's warm smile sent a guilty shiver down her spine as she took another faint glance down at each page. This is certainly the way she would be doing things before that fateful day, her first actual, visit to the cemetery.

Since then, Soma's words had not left her mind- they never would. He had taught her to speak from the soul, saying whatever comes to mind without overthinking the content. And now, she's finally in a position to apply what she learned. True, she had the experience of giving prepared speeches in front of distinguished clients, but this time, it felt odd to stick to a proper manual instead of pouring her heart out.

The students of Totsuki deserved better than to be read a script to.

"A-are you okay, Nakiri-san?"

"Huh?" She was pulled out of her thoughts by Tadokoro's concerned voice. Disoriented, she studied the Bluenette's face before clearing her throat of a sudden lump. Attempting to, rather, but without success, "Oh… I- yes. I am. Don't mind me, I was just thinking."

"I-if you say so…" Her small smile seemed to have done little to nothing to ease Tadokoro's concern, big, anxious, golden orbs never leaving her even after Erina returned her gaze to the pile of papers in her hand. Unfortunately, a simple smile and a few words are all she could give to reassure the timid girl until she's finished with this gathering. Her nerves are on the edge and she needed every ounce of willpower to concentrate.

"Ah, where is Yukihira when you need him?! We could really use one of those annoying pep talks right about now! Seriously!" Turning around with her arms in the air, Yoshino gave the heiress a doubtful look, her voice lowered when she addressed her directly, "You sure you wanna get out there before he shows up, Erina-cchi?"

"Come now, why are you people acting like this will be my first time stepping into a crowd? It's going to be just fine, don't worry so much."

"…Who's worried? Me? No, no. Definitely not. I know you're gonna be great, Erina-cchi! You got this." She smiled, thumb raised to give Erina some spirit. She appreciates it but both of them knew that the confirmation would be more effective coming from somebody who's missing all the action.

"Speaking of. What is that Yukihira doing anyway? He should be here beside Erina-sama instead of goofing around somewhere."

"Calm down, Hisako. I needed him to contact the executive chef of Totsuki Resort first. And for some reason, he wanted to get a few other former students of this academy to attend as well. I don't know what for, but he said he will be back on time, so there is nothing to worry about."

"Executive… You mean Dojima-senpai?!" A curt nod was all the answer her blue-haired friend received, her open mouth closing as soon as Erina turned back around to ready herself. She would need to step out soon.

This was it. She gripped the transcript like a buoy. Three days after her tear-filled return home, she composed herself the best she could. She is now prepared to take on her new duties as headmaster, prepared to face her past mistakes one last time. Even if it would get uncomfortable answering questions. And there would be questions, she knew there would be. "Well then. Let's do this."

"W-wait, Nakiri-san. A-aren't you going to at least let Soma-kun know that you're starting now? M-maybe he didn't get everyone here yet…"

Her fingers on the purple curtain paused, a confident smile finally gracing her features when she met Megumi's worried gaze. "I trust him to have completed his job just fine. There is no need to wait. Now… I want all the new Elite Ten members to remain here and wait quietly. Don't miss your cue to come out, understood?" Her smile was mirrored equally bright in each person's face, the small group of students standing to her left nodding their agreement as she finally pushed the curtain aside and made her first step out. No announcement or great opening-speech needed to make her presence known this time.

She kept her back straight, her amethysts neutral when they wandered over the crowd, observing but not particularly trying to read anyone's expression as she walked proudly over to the pedestal in the middle of the stage.

Placing Hisako's diligently written papers in front of her, she took a deep breath to calm herself once more, mic already in one hand. This this going to be her first speech in quite some time, and she felt nothing whatsoever. It was almost like all her nervousness had flown away the second she walked onto the stage- like she actually belongs here. Whether this was a good thing or not, she couldn't tell quite yet though. Was it justified to just come out here in her usual demeanor when she had been away for almost two months? Would she be shown the same respect after such a low act? Disappearing without a word, and letting rumors spread? She wasn't sure.

And yet… "Dear fellow students, instructors, executives, and investors of Totsuki Academy. Welcome. I thank you for making it out here today and allowing me to officially inform you about my plans for this fine institution in the near future." …she tried anyway. "I see that… this academy…" She drifted off as the lines went further and further. An end to the formalities was nowhere in near sight. She got frustrated just looking at this sentence alone, her brows knitting together as the uneasiness in her stomach reached its peak.

There was something wrong about doing it this way, so hollow, so meaningless. She couldn't blame it on Hisako's text- it was flawless beyond belief-, nor on her monotone voice that comes out involuntarily from her childhood training.

However, this… this is not working the way she wanted it to. Not in the slightest. It doesn't feel right. So without further ado, Erina simply tore her eyes away from the stack of papers and focused entirely on the crowd in front of her, clearing her throat before starting anew, "Actually… perhaps I should tell you all a little story first. I know you are all wondering the same thing. Why couldn't this proclamation happen two months ago just like we had originally intended? Why was there no word of me since that day we defeated Central? What have I been doing up until now instead of taking care of this facility… and why did I come out here to explain myself now? It's something along those lines, I assume. And if I were in your positions, I would certainly want to know what happened as well." She paused, inhaling deeply as her eyes wandered over the crowd.

No sign of him yet.

"I'm well aware this delay seems rather… irresponsible. And yes, I agree with you. It certainly is. Anyone who says so is right without question. My choices, my actions, my neglected obligations led to some… hearsays that I realize left a foul taste in the mouths of those who believed me to be a worthy successor of Senzaemon-dono. And I truly apologize for that."

Gasps echoed from her right. Hisako's alarmed question about what she was doing reached her ears painfully loud the same second each student in the crowd lowered their head in shame, guilt-stricken by her earnest words. She fought back a sympathetic smile before continuing, "Regardless of what I tell you, it won't change the fact that personal reasons were involved when I decided to leave the academy. And yes, I actually did leave campus for those two months. It was…," she drifted off, "…a rushed choice, but one I felt I had to make for the sake of not ruining this institution completely with all my doubts. Unpleasant circumstances kept me from acting rationally, let alone prioritize the work that had to be done for this academy. That was a mistake, and it took me over two months to understand that. Again, I apologize." She paused once more, eyes closing to gather her thoughts for a moment.

The truth. That's what she had to tell them. The whole truth. So she took a deep breath, focused her gaze on the crowd down below again, and moved on, "I visited the town of Kamakura first, where I intended to stay only a week before going somewhere else. Where, I didn't know at the time. Only that I wanted to get away. Just because I blamed myself for… the death of someone very dear to me. But things took a different turn when I got involved with… a certain family that, I assume, was one out of too many suffering after Nakamura Azami's regime ended. It showed me that, to move forward, I needed to face unfortunate consequences of the incident first. And thanks to that… I now know what needs to be changed- what we have to do to make things fair for everyone here, and how to prevent somebody from taking over our freedom to cook without limits." With another pause, Erina took a moment to thoroughly observe each person in the audience. This time, allowing a little bit of warmth to shine through her hard gaze.

She waited a few seconds to allow everyone to think her words over in silence, a small smile forming on her lips when she saw a few students nodding their understanding. "I'm not telling you this to gain your sympathy. I just feel like I should explain myself before misunderstandings lead to false accusations. So… as you may know, quite a few staff members were released of their duties due to the closeness they shared with… my father." Her smile faltered, but her eyes never gave away the pain that came along with saying that word, "But the future of those people, regretfully, was not considered at all. I belatedly realized that, after the sudden disappearance of the former director when our regimental Shokugeki came to a close, they really didn't have much of a choice. They had to take care of themselves and find work all on their own."

Memories of her abuse rushed through her mind's eye, the blonde struggling to not touch her wrist in a desperate manner. She missed the warm feeling of the bracelet Soma had given her so long ago. It never got replaced with a new one, and she hadn't complained about its absence either, but now, she wished she could touch something that would help her calm down- something to let her know that the redhead was always with her, protecting her from those dark thoughts. She cleared her throat, "Every instructor who served under Central had hopes of a hefty compensation under the new administration led… led by my father. However, with the sudden downfall of the regime, all of them were asked to leave the academy immediately. They didn't expect to be thrown aside and to be left in the rain after everything, so to speak. With the damage done to their image in the culinary community due to their alliance, some of them ended up in the worst state possible. Just like those people I got involved with back in Kamakura. That family… was torn apart by harsh conditions and their calls for support were not heard by anyone." Her eyes closed for a pause, "I would like to prevent that from happening in the future. No matter if they tried to expel some of us, no one deserves to be abandoned like that. Especially if they needed help to begin with. I witnessed first-hand what thirst for revenge can make people do, and I don't want any of you to see that as well." The silence remained. Everyone in the crowd hung on her lips, listening attentively.

A good sign, for now.

"So before we proceed to the administrative matters in today's assembly, I would like to close this extended introduction with a pledge. As the appointed successor of Senzaemon-dono, I will do my best to uphold the core of Totsuki Academy which is to cultivate talented chefs, regardless of their background or social status, to become the shining pillars of the culinary world through challenges -Shokugekis- that would push the limits of each chef's abilities. I will commit to fairness, in selection of our instructors and staff, as well as testing of incoming students. I am continuously learning from both my father's and my own mistakes and I wish to never repeat them. I will not run away as I had when I… I let my personal affairs cloud my judgement." For a moment she felt a tug of uncertainty, but pushed on anyway, looking directly into the eyes of her audience, "I know that I cannot possibly do this alone. Thus, I am asking for your help. My fellow aspiring chefs, will you join me in moving forward to cooking in freedom and passion, and bringing this institution to new heights?"

She waited, confidence shining brightly in her eyes. And with one genuine smile, the audience burst out in vigorous applause, all kinds of praises being thrown at her as the hype went out of control. 'Erina-dono' here, 'Headmaster Nakiri' there, it was impossible to hear anything beyond that for quite a while. And to her own astonishment, she couldn't say that she particularly enjoyed being addressed that way. It made her feel… so out of reach again. That was not what Erina wanted anymore, not when she'd just asked them to help her be the best director she could be. Her time thinking she stood above everyone else was over.

Nevertheless, this is the confirmation she had hoped for, the proof she needed to know if what she is doing is right. The students seemed to trust her just as much as they did two months ago, despite all the rumors that had spread about her. And it is more than enough to give the heiress a large portion of her so desired self-esteem back. She's happy.

And then, her eyes finally spotted that oh so familiar red hair in the far end of gathered students, a proud grin accompanying his quick nod of approval as a small blush spread across her cheeks. She couldn't look away. Her heart was pounding when he inconspicuously pointed his thumb to an applauding Dojima Gin, who stood close to the entrance of the courtyard. Beside him was none other than Shinomiya Kojiro, one of those former First Seats who absolutely could not miss at such an important gathering- at least that's what Soma must have been thinking when he wiggled his scarred brow in his direction as well to make her glance over.

Of course he would see to it that his favorite instructor made it here as well. She should have known.

When she directed her gaze back at him, the redhead grinned from ear to ear, giving her a smooth wink before he moved away from his position and made his way backstage. Neither his presence, nor his smooth disappearance was noticed by the clapping students around him, which left Erina to shake her head in amusement as her heartrate continued to increase steadily. She knew he would make it back in time. He always had a thing for last minute entries, after all. What a troublesome man…

Her cramped fingers relaxed against her wrist almost immediately. She hadn't realized that, in the end, she was holding it anyway to try ease her mind, but now that he was here, she could finally let out a sigh of relief. "Alright. That is precisely what I want to hear. But keep in mind that I am one of you and still have to graduate just like the rest of you. So, Erina-cchi is just fine. No ridiculous titles or formalities, okay? After all, respect is earned, not given, and I plan to earn it with my actions instead of my words." Her smile widened with the continuing cheers. And while she waited for it to subside completely, the blonde took a quick peek at the last page of Hisako's text, just in case there was nothing she failed to mention when giving her improvised speech.

As expected, she had used absolutely nothing from that script, not one word. With a thin layer of sweat forming on her brow, she grinned over to her still baffled friend and gave her an apologetic shrug. The Pinkette would forgive her for that. She was sure of it.

"Now then, putting that aside… let me fill you in on the official subject I need to address today. It will be the only one I can announce, since we haven't had a chance to discuss everything else with the executives yet. But rest assured, as soon as our first meeting is over, you will all be informed properly of what exactly I want to focus on for the next few years. For now, let's just start with the easiest issue." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, releasing it through her nose before she leaned into the microphone again. "As I'm sure you are all aware, these past events have caused quite the stir in the council. So to get some balance back, we decided it's best to start things from scratch. That means choosing new Seats based on skill, talent, and hard work. And this is the final conclusion we came to- a completely new Elite Ten."

Curious gazes followed her outstretched palm towards the entry of the stage, ten students stepping into the scene without any hesitation, only one of them nervous to the bone. Erina smiled at them in pride, hand gripping the mic tightly before she turned back towards the crowd. "I would like to add that each of these people received a Seat by going through multiple cooking tasks. All of which I have put together myself to see what the new council is capable of, and I must say, after their fascinating display of endurance throughout the regimental Shokugeki… they sure deserved it." She could see sharp inhales, fear, and uneasiness written in the student's eyes as they listened to her hardened tone, probably imagining what torture her handpicked Elite Ten must have gone through to get where they are now. She knew they had all the right to be frightened. It was a brutal competition through and through. And it took them all night long to complete it. Erina smiled at those fond memories from two days ago, her excitement barely contained when she stepped away from the pedestal and locked eyes with each one of her friends.

"Now, I'm sure you all know them well enough, but since we have some reporters and journalists here to mark the occasion, I would like to introduce everyone properly again. Just to make things official. First, the new Tenth Seat, Tadokoro Megumi." A swift round of applause broke out as Erina nodded towards the Bluenette, proud with the way she was able to stand tall and not sweat bullets like she did when first entering the stage. Tears gathered in Megumi's eyes when she heard all the cheers, looking over to the heiress for help, as she clearly didn't know how to handle the attention. But all the blonde did was send her a warm smile and gestures for her to keep her calm posture before moving on. It was nothing Megumi couldn't take care of anyway.

"Next, Ninth Seat, Mimasaka Subaru. Eighth Seat, Kinokuni Nene. And the Seventh Seat, Aldini Takumi." She nodded towards all three of them with a satisfied smile, stepping aside so that multiple pictures could be taken. At first, Mimasaka didn't seem to enjoy that very much, his face looking a bit more uncomfortable compared to the others. But he adjusted rather quickly, true to his adaptive nature, and even smiled when he thought no one was paying attention to him.

With a quick glance over her shoulder, she moved away from her already introduced friends, coming to a halt right next to her smirking cousin. Erina's brow twitched. "The Sixth Seat, Nakiri Alice. Though… by the end of this semester, she might end up being the ninth or tenth instead," she said with a haughty grin of her own, playfully executing her sweet revenge for the recent torment.

Annoyed, Alice puffed out her cheeks and stomped one foot on the floor while the gathered people down below began to laugh. All cameras were ignored for a moment when the two cousins stared each other down just like they used to as children, not saying anything until the white-haired chef released a steaming breath through her nostrils. "Mou, Erina~ that was not fair."

"I did tell you that you're going to regret starting that betting pool, dear cousin. And I'm just getting started."

The whispered exchange was unheard by the crowd gathered in front of them. Yet somehow, Erina felt an air of tension from those who stood relatively close to them. It was mostly just Hayama, Kuga-senpai, and Aldini-kun who showed clear signs of unease, the others either grinning in amusement, or not paying attention to them at all. 'That's good', the headmistress thought to herself as she heard Kuga-senpai gulp, 'they know not to mess with Nakiri women.'

They had no idea what would await them once this gathering, and her meeting afterwards was over.

Grinning slyly, she cleared her throat. "Moving on. The Fifth Seat, Terunori Kuga. Fourth Seat, Kurokiba Ryo. Third Seat, Hayama Akira. And Second Seat, Isshiki Satoshi." She nodded towards all of them, glad that each Elite Ten member received the applause they deserve. "And lastly… the new First Seat of our institution. The one who made all of this possible, Yukihira Soma."

Her smile softened upon seeing his perplexed expression, the faint blush on his cheeks too priceless to ignore as he scratched his left cheek and tried to find the right words, "Ah, well… I don't think that's true, but…" Moving his hand to the back of his head, he gave her a sheepish smile, visibly unsure of what to say other than what he had already announced back in the arena two months ago. "Thank you?"

The crowd cheered again, complementing the redhead for actually making it to the top like he had proclaimed from the start. There were no complaints, no questions, no ill will towards him, or any of the other Elite Ten members, and it made Erina feel all the more relieved to know she had chosen the right people by her side, the right team to back her up for every decision she was going to make as headmaster from here on out.

She turned towards her boyfriend with a cheeky grin, eyes mirroring the same pride he felt when he glanced down at her. "Good job… You finally made it."

"Thanks… I have my amazing inspiration right here."

"Resorting to sweet talk, I see. Don't even try. I know what this is for, and I'm flattered, but I won't have the time to entertain your experimental dishes this time. I'm going to be very busy."

"Ah, man. You love to get straight to the point, don't cha? We'll see 'bout that. There are too many dishes I need to try out, and I'm not gonna cook for anyone else tonight. So ya gotta be there to tell me how it turned out."

"And why would I? I already gave you enough comments to make you work on your dishes for the rest of your life. Go find other people to sample your crazy cooking."

"Sorry, but that's not how it works, sweetheart." He moved closer towards her, smirked all the wider when her blush reached her ears. "And besides, I know you wanna eat whatever I make anyway. So I'm sure you'll show up, even if I don't ask ya to." She was sure every single camera in this courtyard was focused on them now- they just had to be. And he still moved closer.

"Is that so? My, such confidence we have today. Maybe I should drop by after all. Just to tear your commoner dish apart and wipe that smug look off your face."

"Like I said. We'll see." Her smile widened with each word he spoke, the unspoken challenge hanging in the air between them.

Weren't they in the middle of an important assembly? Flirting during such an event… she shouldn't be tolerating this. But she was. Neither Soma, nor her paid any attention to the clapping and whistling of the crowd below the stage. They didn't notice that the reason for the applause was no longer due to Soma becoming First Seat. They remained oblivious to the fact that all those curious gazes lingering on them and the whispering behind open palms were mainly because he stood so close to her. She was too fixated on the mischievous glint in those citrine orbs to care much about her surroundings, and to her delight, neither did he.

But right when she was about to raise her fingers to touch his cheek, she was forced out of that trance by the voices behind her getting even louder, some of them reaching her ears with a horrifying jolt. "Hey! Congrats, Yukihira! You actually got Nakiri-san to like you now! How the hell did you manage that, man?!"

"That's the spirit, Yukihira-senpai! I really thought it was all a lie at first! Good for you!"

"You get to be even closer to Erina-sama now! Snatching the title of First Seat and all! Congrats, ya lucky bastard!"

"Wait! Does that mean I can't ask him out anymore?!"

"Don't be stupid! Of course you can't! Erina-sama would get furious if you make a move on him!"

The smile instantly dropped from her face, Erina struggling to keep her hold on the microphone as more praises of the sort followed. To her shock, she found that she had been right about every single camera in the vicinity being directed at them, taking one shot after another without a sign of stopping anytime soon.

Her face paled. "What the…?" She exchanged a quick glance with Soma, only to realize he appeared to be just as puzzled as she was, his parted lips and small shrug accompanying the lost expression on his face.

"Don't look at me, I've no idea. But, wow. They sure say some nice things, don't they?" He laughed, visibly enjoying the well wishes they received.

"B-but… that's not possible. H-how…?" Whirling towards the audience, she stared wide-eyed at the continued cheers, no longer able to make sense of what they were saying. "How did they even…? We didn't even do anything to indicate…" her voice trailed off, the heat returning to her cheeks before she took a step away from him. "This can't be the only reason why they… What is going on here?!"

"Now, now, Erina, don't lose your cool. Remember, you are the new headmaster. You have to show some restraint."

"What are you talking about, Alice?! W-what is this?! H-how come they all know that-"

"Well, aside from your cute display of affection just now…" the glare she received made Alice arch a brow in surprise, "Oh my, you really have no clue? Haven't you kept yourself updated even a little while you were gone? It was all over the news."

"What was?!"

"You're kidding me… Seriously, Erina, I can't believe you sometimes." With her eyes narrowed and both hands on her hips, the white-haired chef stepped forward, ignoring her cousin's startled expression when she looked around for a bit and eventually walked right past her towards the edge of the stage. "Perfect, just what I needed. Hey, you! The newspaper-kid in the first line!" She pointed at a fragile looking boy with a camera in one hand and a certain newspaper article tucked away under his arm, the action confusing both the boy and the blonde behind her.

"Y-you mean me?"

"Yes, you, ehm… What was the name again?"

Pointing at himself now, the boy smiled up at Alice with a light blush before he answered, "Sotsuda Mitsuru. I work for the newspaper-"

"Oh hey, Mitsuru! Long time no see, buddy! How've ya been?!" Soma's energetic greeting next to her ear caused the heiress to jolt in surprise once again, her confusion rising the longer she watched this scenario unfold. She didn't understand what was going on, nor was she able to interfere in any way, the crowd's cheers and the merry laughter on stage keeping her from telling her cousin to leave the timid student alone.

"Yukihira-senpai! I'm so happy for you! Congratulations! I knew you would get that Seat eventually! And the lady of your dreams! Mind if I interview you for this next article I wanna work on?!"

"Not a chance, kid."

"What?!" The shock was written all over Mitsuru's face as he took a step forward. "Why not?!"

"'Cause it was a huge pain in the ass, the first time. Forget it, not happening."

"Not fair…"

He grinned down at the disappointed boy before Alice cut in, rolling her eyes before she crouched down in front of their underclassman. "Yeah, yeah, Yukihira-kun is great, we get it. Now can you do me a favor and hand over that article you got there? Turns out I need to enlighten our dear headmistress a little bit before she can start bossing us around."

"Alice. What are you doing?" Releasing a hiss no one aside herself was able to hear, Erina felt her embarrassment reach new heights as she gazed around desperately. She found her friends grinning like they knew exactly what was about to come, their eyes averted in hopes she wouldn't notice it.

But she did. And it sent shivers down her spine.

"Huh? You mean this one?"

"Yes, exactly that one. Lend it to me real quick, would you?"

"B-but it's my favorite… I only have this copy left for myself, and…" The boy hesitated upon seeing the suspicious shimmer in Alice's eyes, holding the newspaper even tighter in his hand before her persistent smile eventually became too much. "Oh, alright, fine. But please be careful with it."

"Of course!" Accepting the held out article with a wink, the white-haired chef giggled mischievously as she made her way back to her dumbfounded cousin, fingers already hard at work to scan each page for whatever it was that she so desperately wanted to find. She searched for a couple more seconds before a loud squeal escaped her lips, "Ah, there it is!" Her excitement was boundless when she showed Erina the desired picture, giggling in bliss at her cousin's curious expression. "The hottest piece of news since our secret pics on the beach, I'd say. What do you think, Er-i-na?"

"What the…? What are you talking about, Alice? This is… just…" Unintentionally, she leaned in, not caring about the sudden silence around her. The first thing she noticed was a relatively large picture covering most of the page. It was a simple, yet daring black and white shot; a boy pressed intimately against a girl, kissing her with passion as she leaned on the glass wall behind them. The picture only showed her back, as it was taken from somewhere inside, a beautiful looking terrace unfolding in the background. It looked familiar for some reason…

Erina's eyes widened with each passing second that she stared at the picture, mouth agape, fingers trembling. She would recognize that dress anywhere, that rooftop, that all too familiar position, the spiky hair…

Above the shot, she could read the exact date it was taken, the name of the 'lucky youngster' who had managed to catch a glimpse of two aspiring chefs from the well-known Totsuki academy itself, and the fancy title, 'Lovebirds scandalously escaping a formal party to get some alone time'- or something. She already knew it would give her a headache later, so she didn't even bother looking at the title properly. Her focus remained on the date, reading it over and over again to make sure it didn't match with a certain gala night she still had mixed feelings about whenever she recalled it.

But to Erina's dismay, it did match. "No way…" she tried swallowing past the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat, her eyes wide as she continued to stare, "This is… from back then? S-so they actually did see us? You have got to be kidding me…"

"Come on, are you really surprised? There was bound to be something the press would get out of that night. I have to say though, the kid sure was right. It's my favorite article too. You're a really bold girl, Erina, who knew?" Alice's satisfied grin made her blood boil, the irritation slowly replacing the shock that had paralyzed her movements for the past five minutes. "And look, it even says right here that Yukihira-kun is the 'perfect suitor' for you. 'Ashura's son sure knows how to impress the God Tongue by demonstrating another hidden talent. This could be the beginning of a fiery romance'. Now is that a great way to start an article or what?"

"What?! Lemme take a look at that!" With one swift motion, Soma took the newspaper from the girl's hands, whistling at the picture that seemed to be the highlight of the page before he let his eyes wander over the text printed on each corner. "Wow, they sure dug deep, huh? Now I get why Gramps was so hell bent on finding out what's going on between us. And how'd they even know who my dad is anyway? Those guys from the media sure are scary…"

"What?! That's all you have to say about it, Yukihira?! We've been waiting for months to hear the explanation behind this picture, you know! The least you could do is tell us what happened!"

"Well, eh…" A faint blush dusted his cheeks when he tilted his face towards a riled up Aldini, one hand rubbing the back of his head while the other held on to the newspaper with a stronger grip. "I dunno. I mean, I didn't think anyone would see us up there?"

"Seriously?!"

"…It's a nice picture though. I think they nailed it."

"You're missing the point again, you idiot!"

"That's enough! Both of you!" The authority in Erina's voice made both chefs turn back towards her in surprise, not having expected an outburst of the sort while they were surrounded by so many people. Important people.

She held her hand out for Soma to let her see the article up close again, brows furrowed in disbelief, "R-ridiculous! How dare they?! 'The God Tongue's secret love affair', 'Ashura's son goes all out', 'play pretend or the real deal', what is this?! I'm going to sue this person! Did he really think he could get away with humiliating us like that?!"

"Now, now, dear cousin, don't be so quick to fire. Think of it this way: even the newspaper calls you and Yukihira-kun a dream-couple. What else could you ask for?"

"Wh-what are you saying, Alice?! Grandfather must have been-"

"-happy for the two of you? Yes, he was. All jokes aside, he actually laughed and said he had seen this coming a mile away. Face it, Erina, everyone knows it, and they all approve. There's nothing you can do about it now, is there?"

"B-but I… this is not how I wanted…"

"There, there." Alice patted her shoulder with a bright grin on her face- one that made her blonde cousin doubt it was a legit expression of empathy. "It's been out in the open for a long time now, so most of the hype died down already. Be glad you weren't here when we first heard of it. That would have been a true mess, no?" Erina cringed at the thought, causing her cousin to grin even wider. "And you know… some of those rumors about you even said that you ran away with Yukihira-kun to create a whole new cooking empire. It was so refreshing, I could hardly contain myself to tell you all about it."

"What?!"

"Is that really what people thought about us? Damn." The redhead's hysterical laughter didn't help ease her nerves in any way, only adding fuel to the fire as she was about to scream her lungs out in frustration. This was not happening. It's all in her head…

"That's not fair…" She seriously wished for a moment for the stage to swallow her whole to get away from this.

"Oh Erina… you should see your face! It's so cute!"

"Stop it, Alice!" The white-haired chef merely joined in on Soma's laughter while the audience burst out in cheers, boldly shouting for the renewed couple to confirm their now official relationship in front of the whole institution. Among them, Erina could hear people say how they had always seen this coming, and that the charming chemistry between Soma and herself was surely going to influence this school in a very good way. She heard others swoon over their new charismatic First Seat, about how much closer he seemed to the students compared to the previous one. She even made out chef Dojima's shouts among the rest, also encouraging the two students to seal the deal with a kiss. Or something like that. She wasn't sure.

On one hand, it was nice to know she still holds the student body's respect despite the unbelievable turn this assembly had taken. But on the other, she was absolutely shocked about this whole situation, her pulse jumping when she heard even Soma beginning to cheer. As if he didn't play a part in whatever it was that the audience wanted them to do. 'Idiot.'

"This is messed up… Why did things go out of control like that?" She wasn't given an answer, only noted the few snickers of her friends standing still behind her. With her brow twitching, she whirled on her heels to face them, hands on her hips and heat radiating off her whole body. "You guys knew, didn't you? You even hid the article from us back at the hospital," she growled, glare fixated on each one of them.

"Guilty as charged, Nakiri-kun. But what can we say? You needed a little punishment for worrying all of us with your disappearing act. That was our way of paying you back. You're welcome."

"W-what…?"

"Well said, Isshiki-senpai! I agree with ya!" The redhead's energetic outburst encouraged the rest of the Elite Ten members to finally enjoy this scene with their hands no longer covering their mouths and their chuckles turning into full boisterous laughter, Erina being the only one who didn't find any of this funny.

"Traitor."

"Hey, don't go blaming me now. You deserved it. And ya gotta admit, it was a pretty good prank. Well played, guys." He grinned at their friends with his eyes squinted and one thumb raised. It earned him a playful snicker from the new Second Seat as he nodded his agreement.

Erina's brow twitched, two fingers coming up to pinch the bridge of her nose. "Seriously, I cannot believe you guys…"

"Face it, Erina. It had to be done. Oh, and before I forget…" The redhead walked over to take the newspaper article from her hands, crouching down in front of the stage and handing it back to a still waiting Mitsuru with a cheeky grin. "Here ya go, buddy. Thanks again, that article was great. And for your own, ya can write about how close I am to finally make this girl admit she likes my food and that I'm not giving up 'till she does."

"H-hmph, in your dreams maybe." Crossing her arms over her chest, the heiress turned her heated face away from him, nose raised high in the air. "I haven't approved of anything, and I never will. So there."

"…And say that she's a real piece of work too."

"W-what?! Hey!"

"Will do, Yukihira-senpai!" Tugging the article under his arm again, Mitsuru smiled up at his upperclassman, a hopeful glint in his big eyes. "So does this mean you're gonna let me interview you after all?"

"Hell no."

"What? Ah, man… That's not what I was expecting… Oh well, it never hurts to try. I'll ask you again some other time."

"The answer won't change though. Sorry, kid." He grinned down at the younger student, forearms resting on his thighs as he remained crouched down on the stage.

"Bummer… Anyway, leave it to me. It's still gonna be a great article, just you watch!"

"'Course it is. But don't bring up my old man like those other guys did, alright? That sure was scary."

"Sure. I won't disappoint you!"

"Thanks, Mitsuru." With a light chuckle, he straightened up again, taking a couple of steps back to nudge his girlfriend's side while everyone in the crowd cheered and laughed. "Don't feel like getting in on the action, Erina? It's fun."

"They are talking about us if you hadn't noticed. How can you be a part of that?"

He shrugged, grinning at her flushed cheeks and disbelieving voice. "Simple." And with that, he began cheering too, his eyes never leaving hers to see her baffled reaction. She knew he was only teasing, but this… was getting too much. Erina truly wanted to disappear now.

"Come on! Kiss her already, Yukihira-chin! It's not cool to make a lady wait, you know! Come on, come on, come on, move it, move it! I don't have all day!"

"He's right! Be a man, ya damn bastard!"

"Ryo-kun, calm down! You can't make him do anything with that attitude! And when did you put that thing on?! Get it off your head right now!"

"No way! If that bastard won't grow up and do something, I'm gonna give him the beating of his life!"

"Oh no, you won't! You are going to stay right here, and let me take care of things, got it?! I'll show you how it's done properly." Stepping in front of her aide, the white-haired chef placed her hands on each side of her mouth, just to scream what Erina believed to be the most mortifying words she had ever heard up until now. "Move your ass, Yukihira-kun! It's obvious Erina is too shy to do anything first! I'm expecting a big smooch, you hear! Don't hold back on our account!"

"A-Alice!"

"What?! You know I'm right, dear cousin! Plus… you deserved that." That was it. She would strangle that girl in her sleep tonight. No one would be able to stop her even if they tried. Not even Kurokiba with his stupid bandana on. She was ready to face him if need be, her embarrassment too strong to be contained.

And Soma? All he did was grin goofily at her with those dimples that took her breath away, not nervous in the slightest. This was anything but fair compared to her burning cheeks and widened eyes.

"Ya heard 'em, Erina. Guess it's time to prove we mean business now, huh?"

"Wh-what are you talking about?! I mean, w-we shouldn't- it's indecent, a-and I… You actually want to go along with this?!"

"Duh." The first step in her direction. She didn't dare back away. "What? Ya chickening out?"

"O-of course not! I'm not scared at all! Don't be ridiculous!"

"Then show me." Another step.

"A-are you serious?! Here?! I mean, I-I can't do something so shameless here!" She looked away, breathing deeply to somehow cool down the crazy heat gathering in her cheeks.

"So you are backing out."

"I-I'm telling you, I am not!"

"Then stop being so nervous and look at me."

She did as told, turning towards him only to realize he was already standing right in front of her. The grin had turned into a gentle smile, the mischief in his eyes melted into a sincere expression. An innocent look that none other than Yukihira Soma could manage was gracing his features, making it even harder for the heiress to resist the temptation to seal his lips with her own. Those damn, irresistible puppy-eyes, "Happy now?"

"Yep." He crossed his arms, head tilting to one side as he asked, "C'mon, ya really don't wanna kiss me just 'cause some people are watching?"

"T-those are very important people, mind you. A-and I…"

"Alright, alright, fine…" He smiled understandingly down at her, no disappointment, or sadness hidden in his voice when he gently placed a strand of hair behind her ear. "C'mon, let's wrap things up and go talk to all the people ya invited here. I'm sure they had been waiting to hear from you."

"R-right…" Why did she feel like the worst human being on earth right now? The audience still waited with bated breath for something to happen since Soma's lowered voice didn't reach them, their friends chuckling to themselves as if they hadn't listened in on their exchange. And all Erina could do was furrow her brows in guilt as the redhead smiled one more time before turning his back towards her, leaving. She felt horrible. She didn't mean to reject him like this.

"Soma…?" Her voice sounded unsure in her own ears when she extended one hand, attempting to hold onto his wrist before he would be completely out of reach. But the moment she touched his skin, the boy swiftly whirled around and smashed his lips onto hers, triggering the crowd to explode in applause and provocative whistles.

She blinked several times, completely caught off guard. Seeing the confusion reflected in her amethysts, Soma grinned against her mouth as he brought her closer to him with his hands on her waist. His head tilted to the side just enough to deepen the kiss, but this time, Erina was the first to move, sliding her tongue past his teeth and inviting him to an all too familiar dance.

She wanted to laugh at the inappropriateness of it all, if that's even a word. But it hardly mattered anymore as her mind went blank when he began to gently nib on her bottom lip, his passion palpable with each bite, each motion of his tongue against hers. Without missing a beat, the blonde threw her arms around his shoulders, bringing him even closer to her with one swift pull. She tasted every corner of his mouth to her heart's content, dominating his tongue until Soma decided he had enough of her sweet torture and finally took charge. The pleasant shivers running down her spine were electrocuting, the sensations brought by his lips breathtaking.

The roar of the crowd was barely audible to Erina as he hummed into the kiss, drumming his fingers delicately at the small of her back, turning her legs into jelly. But before she completely collapses into him, Soma slowly pulled away, prompting her to open her eyes. His citrines twinkling, smirk in full blast under her half lidded gaze, he asked, "You were saying, Erina?"

"…Y-you will regret that."

"Oh?" He shrugged under her arms, still smirking. "Heh, it was worth it."

"Oh trust me, you won't say that once I'm done tasting your dishes tonight. I'm going to be ruthless."

"You mean you weren't ruthless before when you called my food disgusting? Damn, Erina. What else are ya gonna throw at me?"

"You will find out soon enough." They smiled at one another before Erina took a hesitant step back, looking over the pleased faces in the crowd. Was she hallucinating or did chef Shinomiya wipe a tear with his sleeve just now…?

"So…" A voice somewhere down below spoke up, one hand raised just to show a young girl in braids staring up at the pair in confusion. "I guess this means you two are really dating, huh? It wasn't a misunderstanding or anything?"

Some grinned confidently at the brunette before turning his gaze back to his girlfriend, silently asking her to answer that question.

And she was more than happy to.

With a warmhearted smile and shimmering eyes, she took the redhead's hand, inviting him to take a step forward together with a gentle squeeze. "No, it wasn't. So, if there is anyone of you who wants to confess to the current First Seat, you will have to face me in a Shokugeki first."

"I-I understand…" The girl, timid at first, blinked in surprise before the rest of the audience burst out into merry laughter, just like the young chef standing next to her.

"That's right! Go tell 'em, Erina!" he said, rubbing his chin in thought before adding, "Guess I gotta defend more than just my Seat from now on, huh? If ya guys wanna get to her, ya gotta go beat me fair and square. I won't be holding back."

She smiled sheepishly up at him, eyes squinted in pure affection as she leaned further into his side. Admittedly, this gathering had not gone the way she'd imagined it would. There was a lot more to address, a tone more to discuss. They hadn't gotten to the most important parts yet, but for now, she is satisfied with what they had done today.

This time, they would deal with changes gradually. No sudden paradigm shifts held at gunpoint, like Central's rise to power. She wouldn't force anything, just take it step by step. With Soma by her side to guide her when she needed it.

"Look at that. I guess there is a bright side to anything, huh? Ya got everyone back on track."

"We did. It wasn't just me. Alice told me how everyone here was working hard to dispel some people's doubts about me. And in the end, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have come back in the first place. Thank you, Soma… for everything."

He flushed a light red, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand while the other squeezed hers reassuringly. "Nah, I didn't do anything, really. Just trying to beat some sense back into ya, that's all. And I'm glad it worked."

"Yeah… me too. I saw what I needed to see, so… rest reassured, I won't leave like that ever again. This experience has taught me a lot, and I'm not going to let anyone's efforts go to waste this time. Especially yours."

"Right… I'm holding ya to it. If ya run, I'm gonna come get cha all the same."

"I know. But there is no need for that. I came back because this is where I belong, after all, and I intend to stay."

"You mean with me?"

She blushed furiously, heart jumping against her ribcage. "If that's what you have in mind," she said, "Why not?"

His chuckle vibrated through her arm, giving her a pleasant shiver as he directed his gaze back to the crowd down below. "Right. Oh, and nice speech by the way. Real smooth. Especially the part where ya said background and social status wouldn't matter anymore when accepting new students. That might actually come in handy for a lotta people later on."

"Y-you think so?"

"Totally. But, eh… was that something you came up with yourself, or did Arato actually…?"

"Oh, please don't remind me of that script. I don't have the slightest clue what she actually wrote in there. And I'm sure Hisako is going to end up in tears because I didn't use it at all."

"So those were your own words then. I knew it. Good thinking, Erina. I like that idea a lot."

"W-well… I just came up with it on the spot. I didn't think anything through. One more reason why Hisako will freak out later."

"Seriously though, what was Arato thinking?! That thing looks like it would take ya 3 days of talking non-stop to finish!"

His exaggerated gesture towards the stack of papers still lying on pedestal made her giggle behind a closed fist, squinted amethysts following his hand in amusement. "I don't know, actually. But I'm sure she did her best writing it. Which reminds me…" With a quick flip of her hair and furrowed brows, she turned back towards the rest of their friends, clearing her throat before addressing each one of them with an imperious tone, "I will see you all in Grandfather's office once the debriefing with the executive members is done. Understood?"

"A-ah, come now, Erina. We were just joking. No need to go that far."

"Oh I assure you I'm not exaggerating anything, Alice. You got yours, now it's my turn to laugh. So, Grandfather's office, everyone, in two hours. And don't even think about being late."

A united 'yes, Ma'am' was all she needed to hear before her stern expression shifted back into a soft one, a deep sigh following as she waited for the crowd to calm down from their hype again to finally dismiss this assembly.

Soma placed his hands back into his pockets and grinned to himself, visibly content with the way things had turned out today. She couldn't blame him for that. Their relationship was out in the open now- it had been for quite some time, apparently. And while Erina would have preferred people to know about what's going on with them under different circumstances, this was by far the most shocking yet entertaining way it could have happened. So she welcomed the feeling of freedom with open arms, welcomed the acceptance of her first love. Her first, and her only one.

…

A warm smile found its way onto Erina's lips as she let the memories of that day two years ago replay in her head over and over, filling out one paper after another as she did so. She had already lost track of time. Again.

It just passed so quickly. Time never stood still for anyone. She had merely been starting to fit into the role of director and before the heiress knew it, she'd already become a third-year along with the rest of her friends, leading the most successful culinary institution in Japan.

'What a journey… right, Mom?' she whispered as she placed the last document beside an elegantly framed photo on her desk with a contented sigh, satisfied with the amount of work she had managed to get done today.

Just as she was about to set her pen aside, the door to her office was thrown wide open, revealing a boisterously grinning Soma in his typical Yukihira-shirt on the other end of the room. "Yo, Erina! Ya finished yet?!" His energetic entry made her jump out of her chair, quickly crouching onto the floor. The leather seat toppled right next to her under the table. "That's enough working your butt off for today! Let's go!"

"W-what the hell?! You scared me!"

His laughter was answer enough as he casually walked into the office with his arms crossed over his chest, taking a peek at the girl sitting on the floor from over the table. "Arato said you wouldn't even look up unless I did something to get your attention. Guess I got it now, huh?"

"I-idiot! That's not how you get someone's attention!"

"Well, it worked, didn't it? That's good enough for me."

She accepted his extended hand with a pout, allowing him to pull her up and into his arms before she sighed in frustration against his neck. "I'm not going to let you in next time, if you keep on doing this."

"You always say that but I'm still here. Got nothing else ya wanna tell me?"

"No, I don't think there is anything else." Smirking mischievously, she placed a tender kiss against his neck, "As for the reason I haven't kicked you out yet… well, that's because I want you here." She felt a bit giddy from pulling such a bold move on him. He gulped audibly in response before she pulled away to properly look at him as her fingers danced along the tips of his hair, "I'm done with my work today, how about you Mr. First Seat?"

Scratching his cheek, he averted his gaze for a second before answering her, "Well… I'd say they're taken care of. Sorta."

"Soma? Why do I get the feeling you-" A squeal of surprise escaped her throat when he suddenly bent down and swiftly threw her body over his shoulder, casually walking out the office towards the big staircase on the other end of the hallway. "W-what are you doing?!"

"No time to go into any details. Let's just get a move on."

"H-hold on a minute! I wasn't done talking to you! And my door is still open! Soma!"

Her shouts landed on deaf ears and her hands hammering against his back was also in vain as he waved Hisako goodbye when passing her by. "Hey, Arato? Can ya close Erina's door for a sec? She won't stop nagging."

"I have all right to be mad!"

"See?"

His nod up towards the girl hanging from his shoulder made Hisako laugh, her eyes squinting when she watched them, "Of course. You just make sure to take good care of Erina-sama, you hear? No funny business. And have fun."

"Thanks! Will do!"

"Hisako! W-what is the meaning of this? Why aren't you telling him to let me go?!"

"Because I warned you beforehand that this would happen, didn't I?" The secretary giggled gleefully, a swift wink accompanying the wave of her hand as she stood up to lock Erina's office properly. "Enjoy yourself, Erina-sama. I'll wrap things up here and inform the investors of your meeting tomorrow afternoon. You don't have to worry about it tonight."

"B-but that's not-"

"Just thank her and be done with it, would ya? We have stuff to do."

"You might as well just let me walk on my own then! I obviously can't run back into my room!"

"Forget it, no can do!"

Her desperate growl left him laughing all the harder, his hands right under her bottom tightening as he carried her further away from the pink-haired chef's desk. "This is ridiculous." She held her hands up to cover her face, silently wishing that no one was in the hallway to see her like this.

"You sure ya don't wanna say any last words to Arato instead? Ya know, since I'm technically kidnapping ya."

"Y-you are not even giving me enough time to properly- oh, forget it. Thank you, Hisako! Great work today, you can head out too as soon as you're done!"

"Understood, Erina-sama!"

And with that, the two of them were out of sight as Soma shifted her a bit lower so she could hold herself upright, gripping onto his shoulders for balance as he carried her down the wide stairs like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Let me guess, we won't use the car I have waiting outside, will we?"

"Nope."

"Can I go change my clothes first?!"

"Nuh-uh. We have no time for that."

"I figured…" She sighed, finding no sense in his behavior. "Can you at least tell me where we are going?"

"Nope."

Her left eyebrow began to twitch now, her lips pressing into a thin line as she thought of something else to ask just to break his repeated answer. "And what about the files I asked you to finish today? What happened to them?"

"You're really not gonna let this one go, Huh? I left that to Hayama. Guess it'll be done by… let's see… Wednesday? Maybe?"

"W-what?! Why would you do that?"

"I had other things to take care of. He can handle it just fine, don't worry."

Another sigh escaped her lips, amethysts rolling at the carefree tone in his voice. "Honestly, Soma… what am I going to do with you?"

"Hey, I don't ask him to do the paperwork for me all the time. It's just that… I had a good reason this time."

"Oh, I'm sure you did. Just like last Monday, Tuesday, and last Friday. Oh, and last-" He stopped her with an annoyed huff, his expression one of annoyance when he looked up at the heiress. She could have gone on and on counting off all those times he had gotten Hayama to finish his duties as First Seat for him on her fingers, but Soma's tightening grip told her it was better to just leave it at three examples for one week. She knew her point was made with those.

"Alright, fine. I get it. Jeez. But I'm telling ya, I had a good reason."

"Right. Poor Hayama-kun…"

"Poor me, ya mean! And not to change the subject or anything, but have ya been eatin' too many sweets lately?"

"What?! Where did that come from?! No, I haven't! W-what kind of accusation is that?!"

"Well…" He hesitated, one hand rubbing his chin in thought. "Just wondering?"

"You have got to be kidding me! Are you actually calling me fat?! That's it, put me down this instant!"

"Well, don't blame me! I'm just saying how it is." He pinched her thigh for emphasis, chuckling when a small squeal escaped her lips. "There's definitely more there than last time."

"H-how rude! You realize you are digging your own grave right now, don't you?! Put me down so I can tear your limbs off!"

Reaching the front door of the estate, the boy swung it wide open as well, not the least bit bothered by the surprised gazes of the security standing close to the main gate. He walked out with her as innocently as a wolf in sheep's clothing could look, laughing and joking about the taste-testing duties and 'fancy' dishes she was constantly served while the heiress herself could hardly believe what was happening. He was really mistaking her muscles for… that nerve.

"C'mon, I didn't mean it in a bad way! Calm down, would cha?"

"After you just called me chubby?! I don't think so!"

"I was joking!"

"I don't care, Mister! Put me down right now!"

"Erina, I was just-"

"Why are you dragging me out like this if I'm too heavy for you anyway?! For your information, my diet is based on organic products and high quality vegetables!"

"Fine, I get it. Could ya listen-"

"I mean, how dare you mock my figure?! I should bury you under all your ridiculous squid catastrophes, you diner brat!"

"…Damn. Hit a nerve there, huh?"

"I was just stating a fact! I'm perfectly fine!"

He rolled his eyes at her hysterical voice, the hand on her thigh moving up just a few inches to squeeze the skirt covered flesh of her rear. It wasn't enough to actually hurt, but the unexpected action cut off her rants quicker than any world-class dish ever could, the heat on her face intensifying the longer he kept his hand where it was.

Why were these uniform skirts so short again? She should do something about that right away.

"Finally! Can I say something now? I was just joking, Erina. I can tell that you work out every day. You have a crazy good figure. And besides, I-" Her sudden pull on the collar of his shirt made him look over his shoulder in surprise, his next words immediately dying on his tongue when he saw the embarrassed expression on her features. "What? Don't get all shy on me now. Doesn't work."

She stared at him in silence before averting her gaze completely. Without another glance towards her, he placed Erina back on her feet in front of his blue motorcycle, confused. "C'mon, it's not like you to stay quiet for this long. Ya okay?"

"Y-you just… I… I got- you made me-" Her face felt even hotter than before, the tension in her muscles all the more visible now that she stood on her own feet again. "Oh, never mind. L-let's just go."

"What?"

"I-I said, let's go. Come on."

In her haste to walk right past him and get on the bike as gracefully as possible, the heiress didn't notice the light touch of his hand on her wrist- at least not until he tightened it, and pulled her back into his arms with one swift motion, voice lowered when he spoke up again. "Hey… I'm serious. You're beautiful- hell, I think that word doesn't even begin to cut it. It's… I'm just messing with ya, that's all. Don't get angry."

Erina blinked a few times, trying her best to keep her blush at a minimum. She couldn't hold his bashful gaze, nor could she take the burning desire rising within her any longer. Part of her wanted to scold him for touching her so inappropriately in the middle of school grounds, but to her dismay, a significantly larger part inside her just felt embarrassed- embarrassed for getting this excited over a simple squeeze.

They had talked about it before, had finally managed to put an end to the uncertainty in their minds whenever a kiss would become more than just a harmless lip-lock. But she still couldn't control her body's reaction whenever he was getting closer, the heat in her lower stomach, the tension in her muscles. Always expecting him to do more than what was allowed, break the rule that she had so foolishly placed between them that night way back when. Now she paid the price for leashing them both like this.

'We can wait.' He had said. 'At least 'till we really- I mean, eh, ya know… We don't have to rush into things. But… I still wanna leave that choice to you, 'cause I kinda get the feeling this is as far as I can go with you, for now.'

'W-what do you mean?'

'Erina… I'm at my limit. If you tell me to go further, but change your mind right in the middle of things… I don't think I could stop, as stupid as it sounds. So for now, ehm, can you… move?' And to her, climbing out of his lap had felt like the most difficult decision she was forced to make in a long time, her mind clouded with the prickles his soft lips had left behind on her shoulder and neck seconds before this confusing offer came. He had been struggling to keep himself restrained, his voice was reduced to a mere whisper as he fought the urge to get closer to her- closer than he had already been at that moment.

'Alright.'

She hadn't wanted to make things harder for him, or herself, but saying no was the only option back then. Waiting until after they could share more than just their feelings for one another was the right choice, even if it left her somewhat wanting whenever he put his arms around her- innocent yet deadly at the same time. So she had just climbed out of his lap to make it somewhat easier for them both to breathe, smiling at him when she declared her decision to wait.

That was last year, and they hadn't gotten into a dangerous situation like that ever since. Naturally, it left her on edge pretty much all the time their skin had any sort of contact. Even a harmless one like this.

With her gaze still averted, she bit the inside of her cheek as the heat inside her lower stomach rose. She needed to calm down, or else it would consume her for good, take her to places she couldn't afford to go just yet. She had made a decision for both of them, and she would go through with it. If he could stay unfazed by the fact that neither of them had made any suggestive touches for over a year now, then so could she. Erina wouldn't tell him that, by squeezing her rear, he had started a fire. A massive one at that.

And so, she took a shaky breath, cleared her throat, and raised her head to look at him once more. "That's not it at all… I'm already used to your stupid jokes… I think. J-just forget it and let's go."

But he didn't. Instead, he leaned in and kissed her, pressing her body harder against his own and making the blonde return it almost desperately. It wasn't long, wasn't deep, yet it was still powerful enough to leave her in a daze. As if this painful state of want didn't drive her crazy already. After two years of passionate kisses, she still had no idea how he managed to do that. Maybe it was his tongue dancing around hers, his teeth biting her lower lip demandingly, or maybe it was the way his head tilted from left to right just so he could get even closer while his hands landed on her back, holding on strongly. Whatever it is he's doing to her, she's practically starving for more each time he leans back, grins, and leans in again. Every. Damned. Time.

If she hadn't been close to her limit before, she sure is now.

"C'mon, what's up?"

"Huh…?"

"Are you okay?" His voice was filled with concern now, those stupid puppy-eyes directly staring into hers. "Did ya forget something inside?"

"N-no, I… I-I think I need to… I mean…" She was lost. Lost in those golden depths that seemed to read her soul without much effort. Biting her lip, she watched as his gaze followed the motion with reluctance, mesmerized but not fully drawn in yet. He blinked, now visibly struggling to regain his composure. And Erina knew, he understood what had been wrong with her the moment she wet her lips, her head moving forward all on its own.

"Oh…" He gulped, realization making him squint his eyes in amusement. "You're not playing fair, you know that?"

"Neither are you, Mister. Where is your restraint?"

He shrugged, warm breath tickling her cheek when his head tilted a little to one side. "I dunno. Gone?"

"That's not good at all. How can I trust you to keep it together for the rest of the night if you don't trust yourself?"

"Oh, I trust myself just fine. You though? Not so much."

"Are you saying you don't trust me to not lay a finger on you tonight? That's quite the ego you have there."

"Well, I'm not the one who needs new underwear, now am I?"

A gasp went past her throat when he nuzzled the tip of his nose against her cheek, soft lips deliciously close to her own. "I-I beg your pardon?!"

"I'm saying: where's your own self-control, Erina?"

"W-why you…" She hissed, feeling his warm breath against her skin. Would it be considered breaking her rule if she flirted back? If only just a little? Erina bit her lower lip to prevent the sly smile from resurfacing. "I suppose it depends. Are we talking about right now, or just in general?" She was going for it.

"What d'ya think?"

"I think we have to be somewhere soon. Or did I get that wrong?"

"…What?"

"Didn't you say earlier that we needed to hurry?"

"…Oh shit!" His citrines widened as Erina's giggles turned into hysterical laughter, dispelling the steamy mood. He released her from his hold and pulled out his phone, only to curse again when he saw the time written on its display. "Damn it, you're right. We gotta get a move on or we'll be late."

"Late for what exactly?"

"You'll see," he said as he dragged her the rest of the way over to his blue motorcycle, cheeky grin back in place. "And don't think this conversation is over. We're so not done here," Guiding her onto the seat, he winked coyly before jumping on himself. "I'm gonna get back at cha for pushing me again."

"I was pushing you?! You started it!"

"At least I wasn't gonna admit that I'm horny and-"

"Q-quiet! I swear, if you bring that up ever again, I-I will throw you off this vehicle, Yukihira Soma! Don't tempt me!"

"Yeah. Kinda doubt you could bring yourself to actually do that."

"Watch me."

He laughed at her retort, turning around to place a chaste kiss on her lips as the engine roared to life. "For now… just do me a favor and don't start screaming again when I speed up a little, alright? We gotta hurry."

"What?! Please, I barely made a sound!"

"Right. Sorry to tell ya, but I don't think the others would agree with you on that one. Did ya really forget you were still freaking out long after I'd stopped in front of the dorm?"

No, she didn't. That must have been one of the most embarrassing experiences in her life. And it only happened last month. But had she actually been that loud? She'd never dared to talk to anyone about it, too embarrassed to hear what the others would tell her. And seeing how Soma still laughed at her whenever it was brought up in a conversation, she figured it's better not to ask.

"W-well, it's your fault for not caring about speed limits," she said, pouting, "They are there for a reason, you know. I'm pretty sure you would have gotten us killed at some point."

"C'mon, now you're just exaggerating. Admit it, Erina. You had fun too."

"I-I did not."

"Did too."

"Did not!"

"Oh yes, you did. Want me to prove it?"

She arched a brow, answering his question with one of her own. "How?"

The second she asked, she knew she shouldn't have. His low chuckle sounded like this was the exact question he had been hoping for, and Erina couldn't help but feel uneasy behind him. "Oh, I'll show ya how. You ready?"

"W-wait, wait. You are joking, right?" No answer. And from her experience, a non-verbal response usually resulted in an unpredictable act on his part. She gulped. "Right?"

Before she could ask again, or consider getting off his bike instead, the vehicle began to move. Fast. Too fast. And as Soma headed straight towards the road that led them out of Totsuki grounds, laughing gleefully to himself, she could only try to get her soul back into her body by sucking in one deep breath after another, determined not to make a suspicious sound of fear this time. In her mind, she was already dead, her ghost listing all the ingredients she would need to make a nice filet mignon out of her boyfriend once this horrendous ride was over.

And she would make sure that absolutely nothing was left of him too.

---

Alright! That's it for part one!

So? What do you guys think? Should I just stick to good, old drama, or try out more lighthearted content? I'm actually not sure, hahahah.

Part two is on its way, but for now, I hope this chapter was good enough to make it worth the long wait. We are so close to the finish line now, and as sad as I am about it, I'm really happy to complete this story! Of course, the first couple of chapters still have to be rewritten, but other than that, it's almost time to say goodbye to 'Truth'. Damn, I'm gonna miss this baby so much once it's over! But it has to be over! Man…

Anyway, enough rambling for one night. I gotta get back to studying now. I hope you will have a beautiful day/night, and as always,

Take care, you guys!