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.

28. Chapter 28 The Path Ahead

Chapter 28: The Path Ahead

Selam, everybody!

It's epilog time! This is it, guys! We're at the end of the road.

It's been a crazy time, huh? I can't even remember when I started writing this very first story of mine, but I really hope I have somewhat improved since then. And I'm beyond grateful for all your reviews too! More than anything else, those were what helped me out the most in regards to my writing style and the story in general. Now, I think I finally found out how I want to write things and how I want my characters to be portrayed. It's all thanks to you and your amazing words of advice! From the bottom of my heart, thank you so very much, everyone! You were so nice with your comments even though my writing was horrible at that time (probably still is to some point, huh?). And you gave this story a chance- you gave this amateur a chance, which I will always be thankful for! You're just amazing people, and, just… Thank you so very much, guys! I really hope you enjoyed this ride, despite all the drama. Thank you!

And, of course, where would I be without my dear friend lamperouge rolo?! You're the best, sister! Thank you so very much for all your help and support! You had to look through all these long, long chapters and you never complained about helping me out with the edits! I'm so grateful to you, and I'm glad I found you, my friend! Thank you! You deserve so much credit for the amazing work you did and all those incredible parts you wrote! They always leave me laughing and excited to share them with everyone here. Thank you so very much for all your creativity! You're super talented as a writer, so I hope to see something from you someday as well! You know I'm already a fan!

Ay, I'm getting emotional again! Anyway, this chapter is the last one, and I hope it can make up for the long wait, guys. I'm really sorry about that. Dealing with that stupid virus seriously messed up everything, and I'm kinda struggling to get back into things. I hope you're all safe and healthy, guys. Please take good care of yourselves, yeah? We'll definitely get through this!

Now then. You guys ready for the final chapter? Of course, this isn't really the end. There won't be new chapters coming anymore, but I'm currently working on rewriting the previous chapters! I wanna upload them too, so maybe, you can check that out too if you like? I kinda went crazy there and rewrote, added, and cut out a lot. Maybe it'll be interesting to see what changed, huh? If this will be the very last chapter you are going to read, thank you all for being here and holding out that long! You people are the best!

With that said, let's finally get started, huh?

Stay safe, and as always,

Take care, guys!

---

The heiress awoke with the first rays of dawn, feeling her sore muscles contracting the moment she stretched both arms over her head. She probably slept for less than 4 hours, yet somehow, Erina felt very well rested- or as well rested as someone could be with a husband like Yukihira Soma around.

She immediately blushed at the thought. A shy smile graced her features. He simply is tireless. And he had become her husband.

It's still hard to believe. After all this time, they are actually sharing a last name- his last name-, and so much more. Yesterday, she had fully accepted him into her life, the same way he had accepted her into his. She still couldn't properly comprehend what had happened. The happiness had overwhelmed her the moment she found herself resting in his arms- as his wife.

It's been around twenty-four hours since they had given their vows to love and care for each other, to always be there when the other one needs help, to grow old together. Only twenty-four hours. Now, she's lying on a luxurious bed far away from Japan, muscles straining with every turn she makes. She feels like a rag doll that had been run over by a truck, thrice. Yet she wouldn't have it otherwise. Yesterday had been so beautiful, and she couldn't stop recalling it, couldn't get enough of the way her heart pounded in genuine joy. It's just crazy.

She raised her head a bit, eyes sweeping across the room and studying it seemingly for the first time. Erina had been to more expensive-looking hotel rooms during her business trips, but she found the natural cabin feel of this one very dreamy and cozy. It's the perfect combination of high-end style and practicality, much like her and Soma. A pleasant shiver went down her spine as she saw shadows of their discarded clothing scattered around the room, starting with her wedding dress lying by the door.

Again, Erina blushed as the memories became more vivid the longer she stared at their wrinkled clothes. Her smile widened even further before she turned to face the very man responsible for the soreness she felt- the cause of this fluttery feeling in her chest. He was sleeping on his stomach right next to her, his face peaceful and his red hair as messy as ever. He looked so adorable, Erina couldn't resist reaching up to brush a few lost strands of hair out of his forehead, watching as his scarred brow twitched in response to her gentle touch. Just what has he done to her tough nature? She's almost sure she is putty in his hands.

The heiress smiled. So what if she is? With a small sigh, she retracted her hand and squinted at him. She doesn't want to wake him- not yet-, so she resisted the urge to kiss him and just snuggled back into his side instead, relishing his warmth. Summers in Italy tended to be very warm, even more so when close to the beach, but his embrace, her fountain of tranquility, peace, and comfort is something she would never get tired of. So she got even closer, and let his arms lazily snake around her in response, his body turned to his side as he pulled her against his chest- all while still fast asleep. The heiress listened to the calm rhythm of his heartbeat, giving herself another moment to enjoy his skin on hers before she closed her eyes. She may not be all that tired anymore, but the soft breathing above her, and the fond memories she now recalled, managed to lull her back to sleep quicker than she had expected.

What a chaotic day it had been. So out-of-hand and comical, but… perfect. Erina grinned. Her new husband sure is a piece of work.

…

"You did what?!" A loud shout reverberated through the long hallway of the gala building, making a few heads turn. Anyone who is familiar with the crystal generation from Totsuki would recognize that it came from a red-bandana-wearing Kurokiba Ryo roaring at a certain red-haired chef. And they would know that it's nothing new by now. "Are you crazy, Yukihira?! The ceremony is about to start! How the fuck are we going to find it?!"

The screams reached even the dressing room on the other side of the building. Erina stared at the closed door in confusion and then turned to a giggling Alice. Her cousin placed both hands on her hips from across the room.

"My," she started, "that sounds pretty bad. Ryo's furious." Her eyes drifted down to her phone, reading a newly arrived message before bursting into full-out laughter. Erina arched a brow at her.

"What's going on out there anyway? I don't think I have ever heard Kurokiba-kun that angry before."

"Oh, don't worry, Erina. I'm sure it'll be fine. It just so happens that our top-class chef has lost something very important. They are going to search around the area now to find it in time."

"Something important?" Erina's eyes narrowed in suspicion before she glanced back at the closed door, "What did he lose?"

"The ring."

And that was enough to make her soul want to leave her body. "What?!"

"Now, now, calm down, Erina." Her cousin stepped forward, still giggling, and placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder, "I'm sure they will find it. Probably."

"Probably?!"

"Well… this is a pretty big building…"

"Is that what Kurokiba-kun wrote in his message just now?" She didn't even need to ask if it was him. She knew it just by looking at the blush on Alice's face. "That they would need a while?"

"He might have."

"Oh no…" Pinching the bridge of her nose with two fingers, Erina sighed and let herself fall into the chair closest to where she stood, unable to believe what her cousin just said. "Remind me again why I'm marrying him of all people, please."

Alice laughed. "Because you love him."

"Right…" Another sigh, this time less desperate than the first. Erina knew it was that easy, and admitting it to herself only caused the feeling to intensify tenfold despite his reckless and unruly nature- despite the situation he had gotten himself into. "I suppose there is nothing we can do other than wait and hope that he finds it before we have to go out there."

Alice's giggles increased in volume again, the woman letting her arms fall back to her sides as she eyed the door, "Exactly. I mean, I don't think Yukihira-kun would be that dopey. He's only nervous. Just like you." She nodded her head towards Erina's hands, laughing when the heiress hid them quickly behind her back. "Look at you. You are shaking like a leaf!"

"Stop that," Erina hissed as her cheeks turned crimson, "I-I'm perfectly fine."

"Sure. And I like to call myself the queen of true gourmet."

"You call yourself a queen all the time, Alice. It's nothing new."

"Well, someone has to. You have turned soft, after all, so I'm taking up the spot of the fearless leader."

"Hmph. Keep dreaming, Alice. As if I would let you boss me around."

"Hah. You're getting married now, dear cousin. Your times as the queen are over. You'll probably raise three or four kids after this. You don't have the time to lead the business. That's why you left it to me, just admit it. Your dynasty has ended."

"Oh please. Who do you take me for, Alice? I will simply build an empire of my own. Don't think you stand above me just because you are the new director now. We both know I could beat you in a Shokugeki anytime I wanted."

"Hah! Alright, I'll take you up on that. Let's have a friendly match when you get back from your trip. Whenever that will be…" They grinned at one another despite the change of tone in Alice's voice. They took the tension off each other's shoulders just like that- with a different kind of tension. Anger always served as a mind-easer, after all. And it did the trick just perfectly.

"You're on, Alice. I will wipe the floor with you. As usual."

"Hmph." After a few minutes of silence, the white-haired chef grinned again, pointing at the door with her thumb, eyebrows almost touching her hairline. "Do you think he accidentally dropped the ring into the toilet and forgot it there or something?"

Erina wrinkled her nose as she said, "Oh, please no. That sounds disgusting."

"I'm just saying. After all, he does seem all over the place today. You never know."

"…He does look a little disoriented, doesn't he?"

"He does." Alice winked, "But that only adds to his charm."

"I-I suppose…"

Their calm exchange was suddenly interrupted by voices that seemed to be getting closer. Again, they could hear Kurokiba shouting on the other end of the door. "Damn it, Yukihira! I'm gonna kick your ass after this is over, ya bastard!" And he was still angry. A bad sign.

"I'll go check outside again! You two take another look at each room! It has to be somewhere around here!" The older Aldini brother joined the fray. Erina frowned at the urgency in his voice.

"Thanks, Takumi. Hayama and I can go search my room again. I'm not goin' out there without it."

"Damn right you won't! You can't marry Nakiri if you don't have a ring to give her, you idiot!" A very irritated nag from the usually collected spice-master surprised the girls, making them look at each other with wide eyes. "Seriously, what were you thinking?!"

"He wasn't thinking at all, apparently!"

"Stop talking and get back to looking, you guys! We don't have time for this shit!"

"Says the one who lost a fucking ring on your wedding day!" As if in a rentai Shokugeki, Aldini Takumi, Hayama Akira and Kurokiba Ryo retorted in unison. If there was any attempt to keep the situation under the wraps, this shout certainly ratted it out.

The search team split up in haste, leaving the corridors silent. Erina parted her lips in disbelief. Was this really happening? She exchanged another uncertain glance with Alice, waited, then burst into hysterical laughter, clutching her stomach as she bent forward in her chair. Soon after, her cousin followed, holding onto her shoulder to keep herself steady as she fanned her face to avoid the tears that were about to ruin her makeup.

"We're done for, aren't we?" she asked through breathless giggles as she put more of her weight on Erina's shoulder.

The bride slowed down into a light snicker, "Oddly enough, I knew that he would pull something unexpected on our wedding day. But the ring, of all things…"

"At least he has the decency to be upset about it. He knows this is important."

"I would get out of my dress and bid this ceremony farewell if I thought he wasn't taking any of this seriously." She took a ply of tissue to catch some tears of mirth before they seep into her eyeliner. Alice is lucky to have avoided that.

When she calmed down a bit, she turned towards her cousin to add something else. But when she noticed that mischievous glint in her Ruby eyes, the heiress knew she had made a mistake somewhere. That look, that smile simply didn't seem trustworthy. "W-what?"

"Oh, you will get out of that dress soon enough, Erina. Just be patient."

"W-w-what is that supposed to mean?! D-don't be a pervert!"

"I'm only stating facts, nothing to freak out about." Alice winked, making the bright color on the blonde's cheeks all the more vibrant. "Just remember that you might not be able to walk the morning after. Knowing Yukihira-kun, he has been patient for long enough, right?"

"S-seriously, what are you saying?! A-and how do you know any of this stuff?!"

"Well… I guess when you're in a relationship with a madman like Ryo, you're bound to learn one thing or two about the… shady corners of a man's mind. He's such an animal." She winked again, and almost made her cousin pass out.

"S-shady…" She refused to let her imagination get out of hand. Not on her wedding day. So she just cringed and cleared her throat. "Is that why you started calling him 'Ryo' all of a sudden? B-because you two do… that?"

Alice shrugged, "It brought us closer in more ways than one. I guess it feels natural to just call him by his name now."

"R-right… I don't think I want to listen to your rambling anymore, Alice. Let's… let's just tell Hisako and the others that we are ready, a-and wait for Soma to find-"

"Oh, come on, Erina. Don't be scared. He won't hurt you. You two already are as close as two people can get."

"I-I never said I was! A-and shut up already, would you?! I'm not discussing this with you!" Her flustered tone left Alice laughing all the louder as she turned around and eyed herself in the long mirror, not paying attention to her red-faced cousin.

At least that's what Erina thought until she heard the white-haired chef speak up again, "You look beautiful, by the way… I'm really happy for you."

Her eyes widened when she noticed her cousin's eyes glistening. "Alice…" With a fond smile, the heiress rose to her feet and walked over to her, turning her around so she could give her a tight hug. "Thank you…"

"He's a good person. I know he'll treat you like a queen."

"I have no doubt about that…"

"B-but you still have to come back and visit me sometime, alright? I won't forgive you if you don't."

"That's a ridiculous thing to say. Of course I will visit you. There is a Shokugeki to be had, right?"

"Promise, Erina." Her grip around the blonde tightened, her voice slightly trembling. "I'm not joking."

Erina sighed. It was hard for her as well to leave Alice here all by herself. Of course, she had Kurokiba to take care of her, and all their other friends would be there to support her, but Erina knew that Alice is at her most confident when they're together. "I'm not joking either. I promise I will visit you."

"Good. I'm holding you to it. I-I need to compare our empires, after all, and laugh at you for having the smaller one."

"Alice… do you honestly think we won't ever see each other again?"

"Well, you pulled that prank on me before…"

A sudden chill settled on her skin, making the heiress tighten her embrace as well. "I'm sorry, Alice. I assure you, you don't have to worry about me anymore. I will be fine." She grinned, pulling back from the hug to look at her cousin properly. "Plus, we still have to take care of your own wedding at some point, right? I have to come over to keep myself updated."

A lighthearted giggle escaped the girl's throat, her cheeks dusted with a faint red as she squinted her eyes, "Yeah, we do. If Ryo ever decides to propose, I'll leave all the planning to you."

"Just like I left it to you."

They released each other after a couple more seconds, smiling reassuringly. Alice carefully wiped her eyes- unable to avoid it after all- and took her cousin's hands, holding them between their bodies. Her expression brightened, and Erina understood, she's genuinely happy for her. Reluctant to let her go, but happy nonetheless.

"I hope you will like wherever Yukihira-kun takes you," she said, "And have as much fun as you can."

"Don't worry. I'm sure of that. It will be a good experience." She squeezed Alice's hands in return as she watched her roll her eyes, looking like she had expected an answer like that.

But then, Alice started to laugh again, shaking her head before she stared at her cousin as if she was seeing her for the very first time in years. "The ever so stiff and proper Erina going on a wild trip across the globe? I would be lying if I said I saw this coming. What happened to you?"

Erina shrugged, gaze softening visibly. "Well, you know how much of a free spirit he is, Alice. And after so many years of following a set path for me, I want to go on an adventure and have a taste of that kind of freedom myself." She winked, giving Alice a playful look. It earned her another giggle from the young woman in front of her as she let go of her hands, taking a glance at herself in the mirror.

"No matter what, you are still Erina. Annoying and arrogant as hell."

"Who's arrogant? You or me?"

Raising an eyebrow, Alice opened her mouth to retort but was interrupted by a disturbingly aggressive shout from her boyfriend. The worried bride whipped her head towards the door, concentrating on Kurokiba-kun's words as she felt her pulse rise.

"I found it!" he shouted, his voice coming closer as the words became clearer. Erina's eyes widened. He had found it? "Yukihira, ya lucky bastard! I got your damn ring! Yukihira!"

"Stop shouting! The guests can hear you!" Hayama hissed. The spice master had a point, but after all the chaos earlier, Erina is pretty sure that her guests are already well-informed of the situation. And she suppressed a laugh at that. "Where did you find it anyway?"

"At the parking lot. Near his stupid bike."

"What?!" Soma's voice made her heart jump. Somewhat nervous, she began to fidget in place as she listened to him, her face crimson. "How did it end up outside?!"

"You don't know?!"

"Well… I might've been in a hurry back there… sorta. Guess it fell out of my pocket when I ran inside. How odd…"

"The only thing that's odd is your brain, Yukihira… What's wrong with you?" Erina could imagine how Aldini-kun rubbed his temple with an exaggerated sigh, eyes closed and a drop of sweat forming on his skin. She could relate. "First you're late to your own wedding, then you drop the one item you absolutely cannot afford to lose somewhere outside, and now you don't even remember how it even ended up where it did. Seriously, what's going on with you today?"

"Don't let the nerves get to you, Yukihira." Erina smiled a bit. Hayama-kun usually comes through as the voice of reason in their brotherhood. "Can't blame you though, Nakiri Erina demands perfection in everything." Her lips straightened out hearing this comment. Or maybe not.

"Well, you gotta admit, the headmistress is hard to please. You sure you're ready to be part of the Nakiri clan, Yukihira?" Kurokiba snorted amusedly.

The older Aldini brother gave a light chuckle, "That's enough guys, we can't have the groom shaking in his boots, can we?" Loud pats followed, "Hayama's right. Don't freak out so much even if your bride is the most terrifying woman in Totsuki."

Erina's cheeks puffed out in irritation. These men… poking fun at the bride right in front of the bride's dressing room, really?

Starting with a relieved sigh, Soma finally spoke up, "Well… I love her and I know she does too, and that's good enough for me." The way he said it so simply and with full confidence converted her irritation to a warm bubbly feeling. It wasn't even strange anymore. He always did that to her. "Being part of the Nakiris… I dunno. To be honest, I just care about making Erina happy."

The others fell silent, probably taken aback by Soma's sincerity before he spoke up again, "Thanks for your help, guys. Couldn't have found it without ya."

"Yeah… Don't worry about it, Yukihira," Hayama said. The soft tone in his voice did not go past her, "If anyone can make sure Nakiri lives a good life, it's you."

"Exactly. And you won't get bored at least. She'll challenge you. And not just in Shokugekis."

"Yeah… I know she will." She could literally hear him grinning from beyond the door. She blushed at the anticipation he radiated. It made her heart flutter just imagining how his eyes must have held that certain glint when he said that, and to Erina, those words are more than just enough to express how much he wants to marry her. Her blush deepened.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just take the damn thing and get out there already, ya retarded bastard! We don't have all day!" Their voices grew more distant as they left. And Erina sighed in relief that everything had worked out in the end.

She cleared her throat before pinching the bridge of her nose. After all the excitement, her nervousness started to creep in again.

With a sly grin, the white-haired chef turned away from the closed door and gave her cousin a gentle nudge. "You hear that?" she asked, "Looks like you are getting married after all."

"Seems like it."

"And you're happy about that."

"Of course."

"Good. Then let me give our missing ladies a quick call and tell them we're finally ready."

"A-alright…" She exhaled a shaky breath, her heart hammering wildly against her ribcage, "Now I regret not having slept at all last night."

"You'll be fine, Erina."

She breathed in, held it for a couple of seconds, and breathed out again, "If you say so…"

…

When Erina woke up the second time, the sun was already shining through the window. A light ocean breeze brushed her bare shoulder soon after. Erina blinked a couple of times, her body heavy and her lips parting for a yawn before she came to realize that her new husband was nowhere in near sight.

Erina pouted and rolled over to lay on the now empty space he had left behind. She could still smell him all over the pillow, the sheets, the mattress. So unique and blissfully Soma, she couldn't help but rub her cheek against the soft surface of his pillow, smiling happily to herself as she lifted her left hand and regarded the beautiful ring now gracing her finger. It was literally sparkling under the bright sunlight.

"Oh. You're finally up, are ya? Had a good sleep?"

She hummed, not surprised to find him leaning against the doorframe with a sly smirk on his face when she turned her head to look. He was wearing nothing but loose sweatpants as he stared at her, arms crossed over his chest and amber eyes squinted playfully.

"Did you?" she asked, blushing when his smirk widened and a quick nod caused his hair to hang roguishly in front of his eyes. She shifted a bit more towards him, dragging the pillow with her, bed sheets barely covering her body. "You needed something?"

"Not really. Just enjoying the view."

"P-pervert. Look away." She pouted to will her reddening ears away and pulled the sheets closer to her chin in an attempt to hide as much as she could. Not that it would matter after the long night they shared.

"Nope. No can do, sweetheart." The amusement in his tone didn't disappear, the redhead barely able to hold back a chuckle as he shook his head. "Guess ya just gotta live with that from now on. I'm not movin'."

A crimson color dusted her cheeks as a familiar warmth began to build in her stomach. Above anything, it was the way he looked at her from underneath his messy hair that made her squirm in place so much. She loves the contrast of his low, almost sleepy, undertone and the bright glint in his eyes as his gaze sweeps over her in appreciation. She turned an even darker shade of red as she noticed fresh scratch and nail marks running across his well-toned stomach and disappearing below the dangerously low waistband of his pants. How embarrassing.

"W-when did you get up?" she asked, deciding to not deepen those thoughts as she buried her face in his pillow. She's unbelievably flustered like a Shoujo manga heroine and just looking at her husband drives her crazy.

"Just now, actually. I wanted to get some water, but then I heard ya moving."

"And you couldn't pass up the opportunity to tease me."

His grin turned mischievous, one hand coming up to rub the back of his bed head as he lowered his eyes a little, "Kinda. But hey, at least I didn't do something worse."

"And what would that be?"

"Jumping on ya all over again."

Erina's eyes widened, the heat in her stomach close to being unbearable, "S-shut up, and go get your water already, you idiot!" Her voice was muffled by his pillow, barely understandable, and it made him burst out into merry laughter before he turned to leave the room. She grunted, a little annoyed at how easily she still gets embarrassed by his teasing. But yesterday, she was pleasantly surprised that underneath his confident quips, he was on edge as well, an adorable bundle of nerves on their wedding night.

"I'll get ya some too!"

"Thank you."

Sighing in contentment, Erina slowly sat up in bed and eventually climbed out of it. Every movement still hurt, but she quickly got used to it thanks to her usual work-out sessions in her family estate.

She shifted the blanket a bit, quickly covering the part with bloodstains. She is not looking forward to facing the room cleaners who would deal with changing the sheets. Perhaps she should leave a nice tip for them.

With her arms stretched out over her head and a satisfied smile, the heiress made her way to the bathroom for a quick shower. She figured that Soma would probably want to take one too, but if he were to join her now… she couldn't finish that thought. Showering together was not something she had even considered an option even when the redhead had joked about it on multiple occasions before. Nevertheless, Erina left the door to the bathroom unlocked before she stepped into the shower, heart beating frantically against her chest as she closed the frosted glass door behind her.

If he truly wanted to come in as well, she wouldn't stop him. Even if it was embarrassing to no end, she would never stop him.

…

Erina pulled out a leftover hairpin that was attached to her veil earlier, smoothing out unruly wisps of hair that escaped during the festivities. She sinks a little deeper into her seat, noticing a hesitant stare from her seatmate.

She turns her upper body towards him with a gentle questioning smile. Her head tilted towards the small pillow they received earlier. "Hmm…?"

He smiled tentatively, "Are you excited, Mrs. Yukihira?"

She loves the way her new name falls from his lips. "I am, but…" she drifts off and quickly catches his cheek in a pinch, "my husband likes to keep me in the dark."

"Ow, ow-" the red-haired chef flinched.

She pouted, "I thought we talked about this already when you proposed."

"Yeah… we did. But it's a surprise…?"

"It's really sweet of you," she finally let go of his cheek and crossed her arms above her chest, "But, you could have at least given me an idea so I'll know what to pack. Driving me to the airport and taking my passport could be grounds for kidnapping, you know?"

Soma raised a hand towards the back of his head in an all too familiar tell-tale sign of his hesitation, "Well… I wasn't sure where until I got the ticket yesterday." And amethyst eyes narrowed menacingly. But before she could open her mouth to speak, he held both hands up in defense. "Hold up, would ya? Lemme explain."

Her index finger started slowly tapping in a metronome. She was impatient, and he needed too long to take a single breath. "So?"

"Er… I was busy with a lot of things. Like practicing the dance, clearing up Pop's schedule, and writing my vows…" Sure, he likes to escape from paperwork, but Totsuki's First Seat usually does not give empty excuses.

"Soma…" She sighed, actually amused with his struggles to defend himself. He may look relaxed and nonchalant from the outside, but she knew better than to mistake that nervous glint in his eyes for anything else. "You have been acting pretty strange for a while now, you know that? I understand why you would be stressed. I am too. But do you really think it's better to get yourself so worked-up all on your own instead of talking to me about it? We are in this together now, aren't we? If it was hard for you to find us some tickets, I could have taken over that task."

"Yeah… I know." A warm smile graced his features as he took her hand in his and kissed the back of it, "I'm sorry. I just didn't wanna leave that to you too. You had enough to worry about already."

"That's nonsense. Alice and Hisako dealt with most of the preparations. All I did was prepare the guest list. I easily could have helped you."

"Nah, don't worry 'bout it… I guess I was just thinking about silly stuff, and that kinda messed up everything else."

"And what would that be?"

"What?"

"The 'silly stuff'," she arched a brow, confused at his question, "Honestly, Soma. Focus."

"Oh, right. It was, well…" Sighing, the young man let the silence dwell for a little while longer, maybe to gather his thoughts, before he eventually continued, "Are you really okay with doing this, Erina? Traveling around with me and working in different places? You're leaving Totsuki behind, and-"

"Correction: I'm leaving it to Alice. She will be a splendid headmaster. Trust me, I wouldn't have elected her if I wasn't one hundred percent sure."

"Yeah, but still." He squeezed her hand, never breaking eye-contact as his voice lowered to a murmur, "Erina, is this really what you want? You're not just tagging along because I asked you to?"

The worry in his eyes made her pause for a moment. This is serious. She understands that, whatever she tells him now would determine whether they'd return after their honeymoon or move on to the next country. Her answer is going to hold a lot of weight, and she knows it just as well as he does.

"Honestly…" She hesitated when his head tilted to one side, his attention entirely focused on her, "Shouldn't you know by now that I would fight tooth and nail if this wasn't what I truly wanted for myself? I wouldn't have convinced you to stay, but I certainly would have told you that I'm needed at Totsuki no matter what. I thought it was already clear that I'm coming with you not only because I am your wife now, but because I'm genuinely interested in experiencing what's out there in terms of cooking and culture." Her left hand came up to caress his cheek when he didn't reply, a warm smile completing her mission to reassure him. "I want this."

"You do…?"

A nod, followed by another bright smile. "And besides," Erina said, "you would be utterly hopeless if I'm not here to look out for you. Going on that culinary adventure all on your own would be difficult for a diner brat like yourself. You need my expertise to guide you out there." She winked and lowered her hand, glancing at the small window on the other end of their compartment. The sunlight is starting to slowly soften at the horizon. Erina had no clue for how much longer they would be on this plane, so she just shrugged and adjusted her crossed legs for more comfort.

Soma's head dropped, his own smile showing now that he seemed to have found whatever he had been looking for in her features. "You really are something else, you know that?" His eyes met hers again, the uncertainty replaced by an amused glint, "It really was a stupid thing to worry about, wasn't it?"

"Of course it was." He grinned, leaving her to do the same. "But I suppose I can forgive you. I mean, we are adults now, aren't we? I have to get used to your moments of stupidity if I want to stick with you."

"Ouch. That's ruthless."

"It's what you get for stressing over pointless things. Your time would have been used more efficiently if you had spent it preparing for our wedding, Mr. Yukihira." Her voice was playful, flirty even, but Erina didn't mind. They are finally married, and she could fully enjoy pushing him without having to fear what would result out of it. "I shouldn't joke around but teach you a lesson instead," she said despite all the blood rushing to her face.

Yes, thinking about tonight still embarrasses her, and to say she isn't scared would be a lie too. But she felt like she had made him wait for long enough now. Once they arrive at their first destination, she would let him know how much she desired him- let him feel the extent of her unbound feelings for him. They are nineteen years old and as ready as a newlywed couple could be to take that final step.

"Not that I'm not shakin' in my pants right now, Erina, but do you actually still have that silly teacher's outfit and the whip at your place?"

"S-so what if I do? Are you making fun of me for the time I felt generous enough to help you peasant become a second-year?"

He shook his head, grinning. "Wouldn't dream of it, Erina-sensei. But I gotta say, that get-up freaked me out just as much as the rest of our dorm."

"W-what does that have to do with anything?!" Now feeling the warmth spreading all over her neck, Erina turned her head away from him, her arms crossed and a small pout on her lips. "I don't even want to get started on the ring you lost."

"Oh, c'mon. Could we let that go? It all worked out in the end. No harm done."

"That's because you had all the others to help you."

"Hm, true." He paused, letting a comfortable silence wash over them before he spoke up again, "Did I already tell ya how amazing you look?"

"W-where did that come from all of a sudden?!" Erina's eyes widened when she turned back to look at him, flustered, "That is not what we were talking about here! S-stop changing the subject!"

"Sure, but I just noticed. I had to tell ya."

"A-again?"

"Again." He paused, "Is that a bad thing?"

The perplexed look on her face suddenly melted away as Erina started to giggle. Her amusement only grew larger when she took in her husband's confused expression, shaking her head as she leaned back a little, "No, it isn't. T-thank you for telling me again. I like this dress, even if it's a bit hard to walk in."

"Oh, we can change that easily. You'd just have to-"

"D-don't even go there! It's not happening right now!" In a plane… how shameless.

He laughed at her embarrassed outburst before he closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat as well, both arms coming up to rest behind his head, "Oh well. Too bad."

"Hush, you. No more teasing until we arrive." Huffing, she stared at the first few buttons he had left open on his white shirt- just to distract herself from the heat in her stomach. She's a bit jealous that he could fix his clothes however he pleases to make it more comfortable for himself while she has to leave her wedding gown as is. Again, Erina wondered how long it would take them to get to this mysterious place Soma had in mind. She wanted to change into something cozier as soon as possible.

Judging by the time they have already spent airborne, their destination couldn't be anywhere in Japan anymore. Another country perhaps.

With her elbow placed on the armrest beside her and her hand under her chin, the heiress stared at the darkening sky outside their small window. It must be really special if her grandfather is immediately offering his private aircraft to take them there.

"Hey, ya know what?"

"Hm?"

Being pulled out of her thoughts, she turned her gaze to his face. And as if he had sensed that she was looking at him, he opened one eye to grin at her. "I like your new name a lot. It suits you."

"…You sure like to talk about a lot of unnecessary things when the day is long, don't you, Soma?"

"Dunno, actually. But Yukihira Erina sure has a nice ring to it, don't cha think?"

Erina smiled, her cheeks warming. "It might. But I also wouldn't want you to forget who exactly it is you chose to take as your wife, got it? I'm still a Nakiri through and through, so don't think anything less than perfection will be tolerated in my presence." She paused, grinning. Then, as an afterthought, she added, "Or my kitchen." Perhaps the other guys had been right about her after all.

Soma's delighted chuckle echoed in her ears, the boy closing his eye again as he lifted his head up to the ceiling, "Don't I know it… Trust me, I couldn't forget who ya are even if I wanted to."

"Good. Because it means no more squid experiments from now on. I will keep an eye on you."

"Say what?!" The startle in his voice made her burst into hysterical laughter, the heiress struggling to keep her composure as her new husband sat up and stared at her somewhat dumbfounded. "Are you serious?"

She gave him a playful wink as an answer, neither confirming nor denying his question. It felt good to have their roles reversed every now and then. And as soon as he realized this too, he responded in kind, pulling her flush against his chest and ignoring her squeal of surprise as he leaned back again.

"Ya sure got me good there."

"I-I wasn't joking."

"Sure." He played with the white ribbon behind her head, pulling and loosening it to rile her up even further as he pressed her harder against him. And it worked perfectly.

"W-what are you doing, Soma? My hair-"

"Let it be. It's just us."

"What about my dress? You are wrinkling it."

"I'll deal with that later." She blushed at his lowered voice, settling more comfortably against his side despite her complaints.

"You really do enjoy making fun of me, don't you?"

"Yep." He grinned, holding her even tighter, "I love it."

Erina couldn't help but shake her head, amused at the boyish grin he sported before she felt the exhaustion of the day finally catch up with her. Her eyes closed on their own as she listened to the redhead's racing heartbeat. It was hammering just as vigorously as hers, which could only mean he was equally excited- or nervous. Or both.

"Erina?"

"What now?" she mumbled against his shirt, not wanting to open her eyes right when sleep was about to lull her in. His gentle caress of her skin made it easier to let herself go, and she felt like it would be a shame to ruin the moment by leaning back just to look at him.

"Don't fall asleep on me now, a'ight?"

"Why not?"

"'Cause we finally made it… I think."

"What?!" In the end, she did lean back, only to gape at him as the pilot announced their arrival in Elba Island.

Tuscany.

Italy.

And suddenly, Erina didn't feel like falling asleep anymore.

…

Under the shower, Erina heard the bathroom door open and close. Her heart pounded as she cleared her throat, senses on high alert for anything approaching, only to be met with silence. Did he reconsider?

She smiled at the thought of an embarrassed Soma closing the door as abruptly as he had opened it, not quite bold enough to actually go through with his teasing. Or maybe, he just wanted to get something before heading back out and stumbled on her showering. Whatever the reason, Erina couldn't deny the amusement she felt at his uncharacteristically shy behavior.

Turning off the water, she stepped out of the frosted divider wall and gently padded towards a pair of bathrobes neatly hung by the wash area. She held one close to her chest getting a glimpse of her flushed form on the wide mirror in front of the sink. Would she really go back out there with just a bathrobe on and nothing else? Granted that she did the deed last night, she can't help but feel shy at the thought of walking up to him in only a loose piece of cotton in a bright sunlit room.

But… they're already married, right? So it's fine. It's not like she'll be prancing naked in front of a lot of people. It's just her husband out there, who already probably saw… everything. She squealed, burying her face into the soft robe. 'O-okay, fine…'

The heiress took a few calming breaths, catching herself in what Soma fondly calls her "over-thinker mode". She gazed back into the mirror and psyched herself up, "You are a Nakiri. You can do this." And as if in a trance, she slipped on the robe, closed it tightly and opened the wooden door connected to the bedroom with her head held high.

…

"Wow! Takumi was right, this place really is awesome!" His excited outburst made the blonde jump out of her skin. Having been so mesmerized by the incredible sight of their first sunset together in Italy, she didn't even notice her husband running ahead of her and quickly unlocking the front door to their cottage, his reaction no different to the one he wore when they had landed. "And we're literally at the beach, how cool is that?!"

She remained still where he had left her, enchanted beyond belief as she took everything in with her widened eyes. She isn't dreaming, the ocean breeze and the sand underneath her bare feet told her as much. She just stood in front of this idyllic beach house with her mouth agape, white high heels in one hand while the other held her dress up at the front. And although her whole body is shaking, the heiress didn't release her hold, taking a slow step forward to follow Soma inside.

However, she didn't get far. Her husband ran back out of the house, grinning wildly as he closed her mouth for her with one finger under her chin. "Guess this means ya like it?" His eyes shone brightly at her absent-minded nod. "Alrightie then…"

Not wasting anymore time, he swiftly swept her off her feet, right into his arms, and walked back towards their bungalow, his steps now slow and steady. It took her so much by surprise, the daze she had been in now disappeared completely, leaving Erina blinking once, twice before she directed her gaze at him and blushed.

"Soma, w-what are you…?" she drifted off, trying to regain her composure, "Hey!"

"Taking my bride home."

"B-but this isn't home. This is-" He cut her off with a shrug, cheeky grin still in place.

"Doesn't matter. This'll be the place where our new journey starts, so it's gotta be special in some way, right?"

"T-that is true…" Erina smiled at his squinted eyes, curling both arms around his neck to get even closer to him. She could hear her heart pounding in her chest, and she guessed that he could too. This moment is special. To them both.

Upon entering the cottage, the redhead carried her to each section he had already inspected, showing her what he thought to be amazing and making sure she was comfortable in his hold, even in her heavy dress. It made Erina grin like an idiot as she listened to him rambling about how incredible it would be if they could have a Shokugeki in the middle of the beach sometime or how much fun they would have just to stand here, cooking side by side. She liked the idea just as much as he did.

After their silly house tour, he left her to her own thoughts in front of the large sliding door next to the king sized bed. Her reflection smiled back at her through the glass, her arms comfortably around herself as she watched the waves of the now dark sea laid out in front of her. "Beautiful…"

Soma had gone to give her grandfather a quick call to inform him that they had landed safely and that they are already settled in- more or less. It must be because of those four missed calls from the former director that the redhead wanted to take care of that as fast as possible. She's somewhat relieved that Nakiri Senzaemon trusts her husband enough to give updates for both of them, but she could very well understand her grandfather's worries.

After all, it all happened so fast. Their departure was just as abrupt and chaotic as the announcement of their wedding roughly five months earlier. There was no time to give proper farewells, or reassuring speeches. And since they had jumped onto the plane right after the ceremony, there had been no time to prepare anything as well. That was the most important issue in Erina's book.

Luckily for her, the moment she had opened the mirrored closet, she had found everything they needed already placed inside, from fresh pieces of lingerie to designer outfits she particularly liked to wear casually and more. Even Soma's side of the closet was carefully curated and honestly had more variety than what he had at Yukihira's.

Erina smiled. That's Hisako's doing, no doubt. She could really count on her best friend even if she's miles away. She made a mental note to send her a message once she gets her phone back.

"Gotcha, Gramps. Thanks a bunch again for all your help. I'll cook ya some dinner when we get back to make up for it, promise." Soma grinned at her when he entered the room again, earning himself a giggle from the young woman standing with her back turned towards him as she eyed him through the glass. "Yeah, sure. Tell Pops, we said hi, would ya? And please make him stop crying!" He paused for a moment, trying to discard his black jacket and throw it carelessly to a random corner, "R-right… don't worry…" Another pause. His expression softened, "Yeah, I'll tell her… Sure, I got it… Take care, Gramps. See ya when we do."

Finally letting go of Erina's phone, he walked over to her, his soft grin now widening again as he wrapped his arms around her waist and placed his chin on her shoulder. Erina closed her eyes at the calm feeling his scent gave her, one hand coming up to caress the hair on the back of his head. "What did Grandfather tell you?"

"Just to be careful not to do anything I'd regret later. I think there was a threat mixed in there somewhere too, but I'm not sure…" he pouted, causing the heiress to roll her eyes and breathe out a laugh.

"He tends to do that. Just ignore it."

"It's Gramps, after all. I can't get too overboard or else he'll hunt me down." He paused, his tone getting more mischievous as he turned his gaze to the mirror as well, looking at her, "I never plan on hurting ya anyway, but even if I did, you'd kick my ass long before Gramps gets the chance to. And I don't think I'm ready for that."

She pulled on his hair in a playful manner and grinned, "I suppose you would have to make sure it never comes to that then, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah…"

"…Don't worry. I know it won't ever happen. I trust you. And just like you, I will never do anything to hurt you in return. Count on it."

"Huh? Where did that come from? You really think I don't know?"

"Well, since there won't be another occasion where I'm going to be this open with you, I thought I might as well say it now." Her grin widened, only for a second before it disappeared completely, replaced by a blissful sigh as he gently bit into her shoulder.

"Could've fooled me." His tongue darted out to lick over the soft skin on her bare shoulder, right where he had bitten her, "You're not as cold and hard as ya make yourself out to be, Erina. I know you."

"Oh really?"

"Really." She leaned further into his embrace as he began to tighten his grip on her waist, now planting feather-like kisses along her shoulder, up her neck, and over her left ear. "You're a big softy inside."

"Well, if you say so. I suppose it can't be helped. But don't you dare tell that to anyone. I won't be a big softy then, trust me."

"What, you crazy? As if I'd ever do that. This sight's all mine." For emphasis, he bit her neck again with slightly more pressure, making the woman gasp in surprise as she arched her back a little.

"Good…" The gentle nibbling at her pulse point lit a fire in her. Friction. She needed friction right now.

This isn't enough. Not anymore. All the wait, the suppressed desire, the torturous nights without him next to her… she wanted all of that to end right here. The pressure had built steadily ever since they were on the plane, and Erina refused to let her thoughts of embarrassment and fear take control of her this time. They had been patient enough.

And yet… Soma took his sweet time, gently freeing her from her heavy earrings and necklace one by one without caring for the young woman fidgeting in his arms. He carelessly threw the items over his shoulder, mainly because neither of them wanted him to step away- they would think of the consequences once someone actually steps on the pieces of jewelry in the morning. His hands wandered slowly- too slowly- over her body, and finally settled on her hips with a firm squeeze as he continued to cherish her neck. She shivered.

Shifting a little more urgently to get his hands to move again, she played with the red strands of red hair under her grip, pulling on them and scratching his scalp as she tilted her head to finally kiss him, his height allowing him to reach her lips without much effort. And just as Erina was about to deepen the kiss, he moved his hands again, this time up her sides and all the way back down to the zipper of her dress. Finally.

He leaned away from their fierce lip-lock, only to nibble up her neck to her earlobe as he slowly- again, way too slowly- pulled the zipper down, "Soma…" and allowed the dress to finally pool around her feet. "What are you up to…?"

He smiled against her skin. She could feel it. "I think you know already." And he sounded just as hoarse as she had.

All she was in now was her lingerie, lace adorning the sides of her white bra and undergarment. And it seemed more than just enough to catch her husband completely off-guard, his eyes widening when he leaned back a bit and gave her a once over.

"W-what?"

"You're beautiful."

"O-oh…" She blushed at the earnestness in his voice, finding no words to make him stop staring. Because she didn't want him to stop. All she wanted was to feel his hands on her again, to quench her thirst for him despite knowing full well that it might never be fully quenched. She loved and adored him too much for that.

So she settled on pulling him back towards her, turning around to face him properly and giving him a kiss that served only one purpose: to leave him breathless. Even more so than he already was. And judging from his hooded eyes, she did a fine job accomplishing that. Her fingers found the buttons on his white shirt when she leaned in again, mimicking his movements to slowly undo each one as he let his hands wander towards her rear, squeezing it firmly and granting her the wish for more friction.

She could feel him, feel his excitement pressing against his black trousers, and it was all she needed to confirm for herself that he shared her thoughts. He loves her. He wants her. And he would have her.

With the last button taken care of, she swiftly slid the piece of silk down his toned arms, throwing it somewhere across the room. Erina couldn't care less about where it landed at this point- they could think about that in the morning too. All her attention was drawn towards the firm muscles on his torso, his chest, his shoulders. She was slightly taken aback to find out he was this well-build- even more so than he used to be two years ago. She wet her lips subconsciously as the tips of her shaking fingers touched his solid chest, earning herself a delighted twitch of anticipation from the young man in front of her. His boyish grin returned when she lowered her gaze with a furious blush, unable to look at his handsome features any longer.

And he had the gall to call her beautiful. If she is beautiful, then he's breathtaking. There are simply no better words to describe him.

Feeling her chin being lifted again, she stared up at the redhead with a hesitant look, suddenly not as confident as she had wanted to be at the beginning.

"What'cha doin'?" he whispered, moving his hand from underneath her chin to caress her cheek instead. She shivered. Again.

"Thinking. Does that bother you?"

"Right now?" His voice was filled with amusement, yet the lowered tone remained, "Yeah. 'Course it is. Stop sweating the small stuff, would ya? Just follow your instincts." His hand moved to the back of her head now, undoing the knot in her hair to finally free it completely from the white ribbon that had held it in place until now.

Amused, she answered his sly smile with her own, allowing him to pull her closer again as she gently reached out to untie the trusted hand-cloth on his wrist. She didn't need to look down to know how to do it, the motion so familiar already, her hands carried it out without any trouble. "I can't just silence my brain, you know."

"Ya can't?"

She shook her head as the cloth landed safely on the nightstand next to them. This, she wouldn't just throw somewhere. It's special to him, so it's special to her as well. "Make me."

And that's all she needed to say to get him moving again, his smirk widening when he leaned in and kissed her passionately. "Sure thing, your highness."

Once again, his hands wandered over her now bare skin, exploring places he hadn't dared to touch before. They both stumbled back towards the wide glass door as he gently kneaded one of her still covered breasts, the elegant dress ignored as soon as Erina had stepped out of it. All she could feel was the pleasure that came from his ministrations, the thrill he gave her when her back met the cold surface of the sliding door, the growth of anticipation within her very core, slowly reaching its peak. He was still battling her tongue with his own, tilting his head from left to right as if desperate to create even more friction than there already was. She could understand it. She wanted to be closer to him as well- closer, until she couldn't breathe. It was intoxicating.

With one knee between her legs, he pressed himself against her as hard as possible, Erina pulling on his messy hair and wrapping her other arm more firmly around his neck just to feel more of him- to feel him everywhere she could, and to leave no place untouched. There was no time to think about any of his actions, or her own, as the redhead began placing open-mouthed kisses along her neck again, her silent hisses and gasps accompanying his every move. She didn't care. Not about the sounds that she eventually heard herself make for the very first time, and certainly not about the slight rocking of her hips against his- something she barely noticed she was doing until he pointed it out.

"Stop that, Erina," he hissed, his voice barely recognizable at this point, "You're not making it easier for me to be patient over here, ya know."

She smiled, cheeks flushed and expression sheepish when her lips moved on their own, kissing the sensitive spot where his neck met his shoulder before whispering against his skin, "Who said you had to be?"

"Oh? Does that mean I finally got ya to stop thinking?"

"Y-yes, you… you did."

"Good." He smirked again as he gently pulled on her hair to make her lean back and up against the glass door so that he could continue where he had left off, lifting her off the ground completely to make her wrap her legs around his waist and be right where he wanted to be. Just what they both needed. "I still wanna take it slow though."

"To… to tease me?"

"Maybe."

"T-that's not fair-" She released a gasp- or something similar to one- when he bit down on her shoulder again, feeling like she would never get used to that as he effectively shushed her. His arm circled around her to finally reach the clasp of her bra. When he finally undid it, clumsily sliding the piece of garment off her, there was no hesitation left within him, no fear or worry. And now, there was nothing left between their upper bodies- just skin on skin, and the sensation it gave Erina to have his chest firmly pressed against her own for the very first time was nearly overwhelming.

"Soma…" She couldn't help but whisper his name when he brought his hand up to touch one soft mound, making her shiver in delight again. Erina felt it all the way down to her lower stomach, and it made her buckle her hips more desperately against his. She was close to being driven crazy as the other one of her breasts was met with his wet lips, tongue dancing around the small bud until he began sucking on it- and left her throwing her head back at the new sensation.

He was gentle, not in a rush, and visibly enjoying the sight of her squirming in his hold. She could see the excitement in his eyes, the faint blush on his cheeks, the uncontrolled rise and fall of his chest with every breath he took. Erina is panting too, no less thanks to his caress of her skin, but she felt like there's something not quite right here- that something is missing.

Shouldn't she do something for him too? After all, she still felt his arousal pressing against her. Wouldn't she have to attend to that at some point? When?

"Erina. No thinking, remember? Just go with your gut. It's what helps me… sorta." She met his smiling face with a dumbfounded expression. He noticed? "Ya seriously think I know any better than you what I'm doing here?"

Of course he does notice. He is her husband now. If anyone knows what she's thinking, it's be him. She isn't even going to question how he pinpointed that her insecurity is keeping her from fully enjoying herself. He just knows.

Brushing a few strands of hair out of his face, she leaned down to kiss him, legs firmly wrapped around his waist as her hips now began to roll against his unconsciously. "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to do that."

"Don't think you're not driving me insane over here, got it? Because you definitely are." Finally. Finally, his hips began moving as well, meeting hers almost violently and making the young woman gasp as she felt her whole body going rigid at the contact. "See?"

She nodded, unable to do anything else as sheer want took over once more. She leaned back down the same moment he moved his head up, their lips close to devouring each other as they clashed with an indescribable hunger. Every now and then, a moan escapes in between her pants as his hands travel from her breasts, to her thighs, to her rear. It frustrated her, yet for some reason, she was relieved that he gave her enough time to adjust to all those new sensations- maybe because they were new to him as well.

And then, she suddenly felt him pull away, his eyes locking with hers as he secured his hold on her backside and guided them away from the glass door. He seemed to have found whatever it was he had been searching for in her hooded eyes and proceeded to walk over to the large bed, laying her down ever so slowly while placing one kiss after another along her throat. She kept her tight hold on his neck when she felt the soft mattress underneath her, prompting him to climb in as well and hover over her for as long as possible. He shifted a little to avoid crushing her under his weight and kept on biting, sucking, and licking every soft spot on her upper body, treating it like his most valuable possession. Alice is right: He simply makes her feel like a queen. Treasured and protected.

She loved the attention he gave her chest, loved his hands running up and down her sides. In return, she traced the various sinews sculpted into his back with shaking fingers, enjoying the feel of firm muscle underneath her nails. He responded with a shiver of his own, showing her his sensitive spots as well.

So trusting her instincts really does help. She smiled in excitement to have made him melt into her touch just as much as she is melting into his. The missing confidence when they started is finally returning.

Suddenly, she felt him lower himself the slightest bit, kissing along her breasts before doing the same to her stomach and hips. The anticipation rose only further when his hands now began to draw small circles on her inner thighs, leaving the girl panting and a thin layer of sweat to build on her forehead.

Just when she thought she had adjusted to his ministrations on her upper body, he overwhelmed her by simply adding more. There's this ache between her legs that she had felt so often whenever he is close to her, and Erina didn't know whether she wanted him to continue his sweet torture or just jump straight to the point already. It was all so new for both of them, so unfamiliar, and strange. Yet they moved together as if it was the most natural thing in the world, their bodies seeming to know what to do to get the other riled up.

She breathed his name again as he neared the most sensitive part of her body, his hands firmly grasping her shaped thighs the moment he met her curious gaze. A question hung in the air between them, his respect for her causing her heart to jump with joy as she merely nodded her approval, knowing what he seeked the answer to.

He wouldn't hurt her in any way. She trusted him.

So with her eyes now lingering on him, Soma bit into the lacy material of her lingerie and slowly pulled it down with his teeth. He was visibly ecstatic to find that this action alone caused her blush to deepen tenfold and her amethysts to widen in shock. She knew he loved catching her off guard most of the time, but this… Hadn't she seen this before? In a dream? Erina wondered… She couldn't be dreaming again, could she?

The light breeze that washed over her now exposed flesh definitely begged to differ. It felt all pretty real to her.

She was pulled out of her thoughts again as Soma's breath danced over her private area, nearing it, and making her try and squeeze her thighs together out of sheer reflex. But he prevented her half-assed attempt by gripping her legs more tightly, giving her a reassuring smile before gently placing his lips right where it burned the most. And the jolt of electricity that shot through her body when he began to move his mouth made the young woman gasp, eyes rolling towards the ceiling as she threw her head against the mattress, back arched almost artistically. She was too overwhelmed for words, yet still placed one hand against her mouth to prevent any sounds from escaping- another reflex. She panted uncontrollably, her body shaking while the redhead gave her pleasure beyond her comprehension. Never in her life had Erina felt something like this before. It's too much to handle.

A sweet pressure started to build up, a need for some sort of release as he continued to let his tongue wander. What is he doing to her? She felt like she would explode at any moment, her hips rising and falling with the rhythm of his mouth despite him keeping her in place with both hands on her hips.

And then, she finally reached that oh so desired peak. Her whole body shuddered, and an all too audible gasp escaped her lips, simply because the ecstasy was too much for her to handle. Sweat glistened on her skin, her heart beating out of control as she rode out the last waves of her pleasure, feeling the redhead hover above her again and proudly take in the panting mess he had created.

"Feels good?" he asked in a husky tone, yet somehow, she could still hear the amusement that came along with that question. Erina didn't care though. She merely covered her flushed face with both hands, unable to look at him.

"S-spot making fun of me."

With a low chuckle, he took her hands in his and guided them away from her face, leaning down to take her lips. After what felt like forever to the both of them, he pulled away, now sporting a warm smile as he gazed at her embarrassed features, "I swear, I'd give anything to hear those sounds from you again. I tell ya, those were the real deal." His smile widened. His words, even if meant as a mockery, were sincere. "Next time, don't hold 'em back, 'kay?"

Erina's blush deepened, "I-I told you to stop…" Try as she might, she couldn't really be mad at him. Never. So she simply pulled him back down and kissed him to cut him off.

This is it. Her instinct tells her that this is her chance- the right moment to return his sweet gesture. She moaned into the kiss as she swiftly flipped them around, causing Soma to land on his back and arch a brow in both surprise and confusion, adorably oblivious to what she wanted to do. Smiling into the kiss, Erina began to let her fingers wander over those hard muscles on his stomach, all the way down to the brim of his trousers. She felt his body respond in kind to her touch, amber orbs widening when he finally caught on as well. If Alice knew about this, she would be shocked to the core- or proud. Or perhaps even both. Erina smiled.

Moving further down, she did quick work of his belt and button, pulling on the zipper effortlessly. Her heart was pounding when she leaned away from him and slid back on the bed to pull the piece of clothing, as well as his black boxers, off his body, leaving him in nothing but his slightly tanned skin in front of her.

"Now we are even," she whispered before taking a deep breath through her nose and breaking eye-contact to look down. For the first time in her life, she was confronted with a body part that was completely unfamiliar to her- a body part she wasn't sure how to touch properly to make sure the same amount of pleasure would be given. Her husband deserved to feel what she had felt, and she wanted to leave him just as dazed.

He laughed at her with those squinted eyes, propping himself up on his elbows as she first eyed him, then her hands, and then him again. "Need help with something, Erina?"

"Quiet. I'm concentrating."

"Careful not to hurt yourself." He laughed once more, making her brow twitch in return. She would show him who'd be the last one to laugh. He wasn't the only person playing this game.

Taking another deep breath, she reached out and took a hold of his arousal, her grip gentle and cautious. She moved her hand ever so slightly up and down, mainly to get a better understanding of what she was touching, and to adjust how tightly she could hold it before it would start to hurt him. But whatever she was doing seemed to affect him well enough already, his smile completely gone and his head hanging low in front of him. It confused her a little. Did she really have this much power over him?

"Fuck, Erina, you-" he couldn't finish his thoughts as she hovered over him again, no longer looking at her hand wrapped around his arousal but at his face instead. She lifted his head with a gentle pull on his hair and kissed him with vigor as her hand began to move faster, her grip a bit tighter. And she watched in awe when he wasn't able to maintain his position anymore, falling back onto the mattress with his head thrown back and his eyes squeezed shut, breaking the kiss to pant heavily. Now he's the sweating mess, and Erina relished in the fact that it was her who did this to him- who caused him to shiver in delight. Her lips moved down his throat next, biting, sucking, and licking every spot she could reach just like he had done earlier.

Yes, she could get used to seeing him like this.

"I warned you to know your place, Yukihira Soma. So many times. At least now I finally know how to silence that big mouth of yours."

"Okay, okay, I get it. Can you stop, and just-" She didn't let him continue as her hand quickened its pace yet again, driving the young man insane as he fisted her hair to kiss her vigorously. Somehow, she could feel him being close to his release, and it made her heart swell with pride. It was his very first experience in that department as well. She wanted to make it memorable for them both.

But then, Soma took a hold of her wrist and stopped her ministrations altogether, gently guiding her hand up to place it on his shoulder before rolling them both around a second time. With their positions back to how they had started, Erina couldn't help but glance up at him in bewilderment. Had she done something wrong? Did her last pace hurt him somehow?

She was about to ask, but closed her mouth when he shook his head, breathing heavily above her. He is aware of what she had wanted to know and apparently, she was wrong believing he hadn't enjoyed it as much as she thought he would.

"I don't think I'm all that patient after all, Erina. Sorry 'bout that."

She smiled, caressing his cheek and bringing his face down towards her.

"I already told you that there is no need for that, stupid," she said, lips brushing his as she brought them closer together, "And don't worry. Hisako and I went to a doctor a few days ago. I will be alright." She wasn't ready for children anytime soon.

"Right…" He kissed her tenderly. Gently. With so much love she felt her mind slipping away from her. "I don't wanna hurt you."

"You won't."

He sighed, still a little unsure of himself. She knew he hated seeing her in any kind of discomfort. Their experience with Kenji Toru has left a deep scar in his heart. The young man is visibly on edge whenever her well-being is involved, and Erina could tell he would feel even worse if the cause for any pain she feels is his fault.

"It will be okay, Soma. Look at me." He did, his desire fighting with his guilty conscience as she leaned up to peck his lips, "You won't hurt me. I trust you to prevent me from thinking about anything other than us tonight. Make me forget the pain. Can you do that?" Her smile widened when he began to chuckle, taking her softly whispered words as a sign that she was ready to take whatever he could offer.

It was about time he did.

"Gotcha…" With another passionate kiss, he lifted her legs to each side of his waist, the heiress automatically wrapping them around his strong body as tightly as she could to bring him closer.

Immediately, she feels him right where she wants him, the heat close to driving her crazy yet again, the anticipation greater than any fear. And with one final smile, he slowly pushed himself inside her, stopping midway to let her adjust to the strange sensation before he moved on. It was not until he was fully buried within her that she hissed at the sudden sting that came along with it. The corners of her eyes began to water, and as the first tear ran down her left cheek, the redhead gently kissed it away, smiling down at her apologetically despite his own struggle to keep still. He was beyond considerate, and Erina couldn't find a moment she had been more grateful for his kindhearted nature than she was right now.

"I'm sorry," he whispered before leaning down to kiss her. He still wasn't moving, which must be getting him more riled up than anything else Erina had done to him earlier.

"I-I'm alright. It's not as bad as Alice made it out to be."

"Alice?"

"She giggled despite the bit of pain left in her, "Just forget it. It's just how Alice is." And suddenly, that last bit finally subsided as well.

"R-right…" His eyes squeezed shut, his breath uneven. "Erina, I-"

"…Go ahead. I'm alright now."

"You sure?"

"Yes." She began to move her hips to show him she meant what she said. Now, there was only an overwhelming amount of pleasure left- something so indescribable, she had trouble keeping her breathing steady just to talk. But above anything else, it was his adorable face she no longer wanted to see in discomfort. His struggles to hold himself back looked even more painful than what she had felt, and Erina simply refused to make him wait any longer. They were one at last, and it felt wonderful.

With her final message understood, Soma smiled warmly before planting soft kisses on her neck and shoulder, picking up the pace and finding a rhythm both could easily adjust to. He wasn't rough, not when he could feel she still needed a little more time to compose herself. But the longer they moved against one another, the more of that sweet pressure began to build again. The need for release rose, higher and higher, as if there is no end to this torturous pleasure in near sight. All she could feel was the deep satisfaction of finally being closer to him- the joy of having shared everything she had with him. It was a happiness Erina couldn't put into words, partly because this goes beyond anything she had ever felt, but also because his kisses simply prevented her mind from following one train of thought properly. He really is not allowing her to think tonight. And she's alright with it for once.

Hands touched everything within reach, mouths melted together blissfully- all while the frantic sounds of their bodies colliding with one another filled the room. It was at this moment that the world seemed to melt away into nothing, leaving only them.

Soma's pace is a lot quicker than before, his movements rougher, and their groans, gasps, and hisses more on the animalistic side. The pressure is reaching its peak again, and it doesn't take long for both of them to reach it together. They shuddered in each other's arms, panted heavily as waves of pleasure ran through their bodies. It left both exhausted. And yet, Erina could feel the deep satisfaction that ended their little adventure.

The redhead let himself land on her and buried his nose into her shoulder, inhaling her scent as he slid out of her. She pressed him tightly against herself when she felt his heavy breathing matching her own, happy to be here with him after so much hardship and sorrow.

"I guess now I know why the guys wanted me to do this sooner."

"What?!" Alarmed, Erina stared at the head of red hair under her fingers. "You told them?"

"Only that I have no idea what all the fuss was about. It's kinda weird how I never got curious before," he shifted a little to look at her, her hand still running through his unruly locks, "you came along."

"I-I suppose that wouldn't be so bad then. You scared me." Reaching up, she brushed a few strands out of his forehead, a content smile on her lips, "And I wouldn't have been interested either if you hadn't been so persistent on showing up everywhere I went."

"That's just luck."

"Oh, you think so? Are you sure, Soma?"

He chuckled, kissing her shoulder before he answered, "Maybe part of it was just luck."

"As I thought."

A comfortable silence washed over them, both enjoying each other's warmth before Soma spoke up again, his voice somewhat strained as he leaned up a bit and rested his forehead against hers, "You sure you're okay, Erina?"

"Of course I am, silly. I feel better than ever, don't worry." She kissed him for emphasis, settling further into his side when he rolled over.

"That's good." He paused, eyes closing as he took a deep breath, "Ya know… I kinda wanna go for a midnight swim now."

With a roll of her eyes, Erina lightly bit into his neck, making him hiss. "You still haven't gotten over that? Even after all this?"

"How can I? The ocean's right there." Another bite. He hissed again. "If ya don't want me to do something else to ya, you're better off stopping now, Erina. I mean it."

The heiress giggled at his low tone, kissing the spot she had bitten before she looked over his shoulder to the beach on the other side of the glass door. "You really do like the ocean a lot, don't you?"

"Yeah. It's great."

"Is that why you wanted to start our tour here of all places? To be close to the sea?"

He shook his head, a bright grin settling on his features, "Nah, that's not it." Taking her hand, he brought it up to make her wrap it around his neck, "You once said you and Gramps used to hang out around the beach when you were little. I thought it'd be a nice change of scenery."

"I-I told you about that?"

"Yep, sure did."

He remembered the story about her childhood with her grandfather and Alice… Their fun time at the beach back when they used to visit Italy more often. He had actually gone and…

"T-thank you, Soma…" She kissed him. Tenderly, and with all the love she could give. "Thank you."

And with that, the game started all over again, Soma hovering over her and smirking proudly as she pulled him down, hands already lowered to his rear in a more bold fashion. It would be one out of too many times they enjoyed each other's company tonight, and she couldn't deny the fact that she enjoyed every bit of it.

…

---

Soma looked up from his phone at the sound of the bathroom door opening. He had been answering the concerned messages of their friends from their sudden disappearance yesterday. He wouldn't normally bother going through all of them, to be honest, but since he's answering for Erina as well, he wanted to do it properly.

For his wife, he's willing to go through the pain-staking process. For everything else, he prefers to play by ear.

However, his actions leading to today say otherwise. His excitement in having the chance to make her happy bubbles up and he falls back into spontaneously doing things. Can anybody blame him though? He thought as his eyes swept from the tips of her feet upwards, to her curvy robed figure, to her shiny dripping hair, and then meeting her bright amethyst eyes. Had she just really became his forever? Damn.

"T-th-" she cleared her throat, "Thank you for getting some for me as well." Then, she strode towards the bedside table where a solitary glass sits.

Soma put away his phone and stood up, shrugging simply, "'Course." He swallowed with her as she took a few sips of water.

"Um… where should we go today?"

Bright citrine eyes shifted as he reached both hands behind his head, "Well, the ocean sounds awesome."

She giggled. And he could see her shoulders finally releasing some of that tension they had held earlier. "I expected you to say that." Soma just grinned back at her.

"Do you have another place in mind? Wanna go shopping or somethin'?"

His wife- god, he loved calling her that- shook her head, carefully placing the glass back, "I don't think we need to shop soon. Going to the ocean sounds lovely, actually, but I thought you wanted to check out the restaurants around here first."

He smiled gently at her perceptiveness, in spite of the whirlwind of events. "Ya got me there. But we have time to chill, unless you're hungry," he bumped a fist to his left hand, "Oh! I saw some magazines here about the local cuisine." Then, he excitedly turned his back to her as he rummaged through the periodicals below the side table. Earlier, he had gotten a glimpse of a restaurant serving a 100-year-old carbonara recipe using specifically cultured eggs that she might enjoy.

"I think it's this one…" he mumbled, suddenly straightening up and twisting towards her, "Eri-" he cut off when he found her only centimeters from him, almost bumping into her in his haste.

"Ah!" she squeaked in surprise, taking an unstable step back on the textured rug. His arms shot out to attempt to catch her, but she was so far into the fall that she ended up dragging him with her as she landed on her rear.

Soma's eyes blinked open as he landed on his knees, one arm wrapped around his wife's waist and the other by her nape to support the fall, "Dang! Are you okay…?" The words fell away from his parted lips as he noticed her partly open robe, one side almost falling off her shoulder. It felt like Deja Vu, him pushing her down and the scent of flowers wafting from her freshly bathed skin. He took deep breaths, eyes transfixed at a droplet escaping from the tips of her fringe, running down her neck, and then disappearing down the flushed skin of her chest.

Back then, he hadn't cared about any of that, but now… He gulped.

Flinching at the impact, Erina looked up to him under hooded lashes. "Soma…?"

His trance instantly burst like a wined cast iron pan catching fire, his lips crashing against hers. He pushed past her surprised gasp and invited her tongue to a heated dance. She quickly got into the groove, matching his passion and vigor, coaxing a rather feral groan from deep within him.

They sank into the soft rug together, chests heaving against each other. He can't get enough of this feeling. Her skin on his, the contrast of the hard planes of his torso to her softness. Her hands travelled from his back to his sides, unleashing a trail of butterflies wherever she touched.

Soma felt his wife tugging at the waistband of his pants and chuckled lowly by her jaw, feeling her urgency in undoing the knot. He secretly enjoys letting her fumble, seeing her clumsy side come out after a long day of being perfectly poised and polished. He slid his hands between the rug and her rear, squeezing in encouragement. Her muscles tightened under his fingers as she kicked his underwear off, freeing his throbbing arousal. It's crazy how Erina could rile him up by simply walking into the room and drinking water. Ever since the first time they kissed, his desire for her just kept on building up. Yesterday was a dream come true, when she officially became his queen. But after waking up next to her, instead of being sated, his need has evolved to new heights. He was in too deep, and he knew it.

He felt every ounce of control leave his body as she whispered a breathy moan against his ear, shifting her thighs and brushing against his exposed manhood. Soma quickly moved his hands to her hips, one travelling to the apex of her thighs and discovering a lack of barrier to her entrance. She whimpered as he pushed a digit into her moist core none too gently.

"I want to hear you this time, Erina. Let it out," he growled into her ear. Two more fingers followed the first, drawing out a bold moan from her. He watched mesmerized as she twisted to his increased pace, her breathing interlaced with high pitched sounds of pleasure.

Soma's pretty sure he married a goddess. And she was driving him insane. Constantly.

She pulled on his hair to steal the air from his lips, causing him to stop abruptly on the way back in. Erina growled in protest. He had started twitching, fully ready to go when she angled her hips upwards, meeting his hips.

"S-Soma, please…" She pleaded, her amethysts swirling in desire and opening the door of his own wants.

Heaven, this woman would be the death of him.

He kissed her shoulder gently, and he rammed into her. Hard. Untamed.

She hung to his sweaty shoulders as he pushed deeper until he couldn't tell where she ended and he began. Soma released a much deeper groan against her neck, going faster and faster, riding the limits of his unrestrained desire. He held on tightly to her, thumping on the floor with each powerful thrust. Then his world exploded with a shout of her name, chest collapsing onto hers and settling into a slower but deeper rhythm. Erina bit into his neck as they rocked into her peak. And after a few more moments, he heard her cry out as warmth continued to flow at their union, her insides squeezing the life out of him.

He nuzzled against her, a sign of affection she reciprocated all too happily.

Briefly, the redhead wondered if it would always be this intense from now on- if their passion could be restrained at all. If he would continue to be none the wiser of his own actions. He couldn't tell, but it hardly mattered anyway. He loved this new feeling she had unleashed within him. And based on that playful smile on Erina's face, she did as well.

"Seriously, what the hell are ya doing to me, Mrs. Yukihira?" he asked, voice hoarse.

"I don't know what… you are talking about. I would say, it is you who did something… strange to me." She grinned back, kissing him softly while her fingers brushed a few strands out of his forehead. She's panting. But then again, so is he.

He laughed when the need for air eventually forced them to break apart. Not much though. Just enough to catch their breath, their noses still touching, lips brushing whenever they inhaled a little more deeply than what seemed necessary. And when the redhead began to whisper, it felt like he was kissing her all over again with each word that came out of his mouth.

"Wanna go for a swim now?" he asked, grinning.

Giggling at the eager look on his face, she nodded her approval and breathed a deep sigh against his lips. "I would love to," she whispered before the redhead smoothly pulled out of her, already missing the warmth only she could provide.

Gone was the initial fire in his eyes that he assumed made him look like a starved animal, his passion now replaced with a different excitement that drew the child-like innocence right back onto his face- or so he heard. Erina always tended to point that out whenever he found something new and exciting he wanted to try out, and it was one of those things he knew she would respond in kind to. Kissing him passionately and running her hands through his hair. He enjoyed that the most.

"Let's go then." But as soon as he stood up with her, her knees buckled under her, which forced the young man to quickly wrap his arms around her before she could fall. At his confused gaze, Erina smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry. I think my legs want to listen to me anymore."

"You okay?" Soma asked, searching for a hint of discomfort in her eyes.

"Yeah. I'm alright. Just give me a minute."

He wanted to believe her right away, but her still shaking body told him not to. His hands squeezing her waist for reassurance, his brows knitted together, "Are you sure you want to swim? We could check out the market for a place to eat something."

She shook her head, smiling sheepishly up at him, "Let's take care of breakfast afterwards. Right now, I feel like swimming."

"Alright then," his own smirk returned as he placed one arm under her knees and lifted her up to make her sit on the bed. "I think we got something to wear for that around here. Let's see…"

"I think I found them earlier in the bottom drawer over there."

She giggled when he arched a brow at that, "You already checked?"

"You told me you love the ocean. I'm just making sure you don't do anything crazy like going to swim without any clothes on."

"Oh, good job, Erina!" With a lazy grin, he headed for their large closet, pulling on said drawer to reveal black swim trunks for himself and an elegant blue bikini for her. "Sweet! Arato really did think of everything, huh?"

"So it was her who got us all these clothes. I knew it."

"Yeah. I showed her a picture of this place, and she decided right away to be in charge of packing all our stuff to get it here in time. It's really awesome how fast she works."

He saw the corners of her mouth twitching as she watched him put on those expensive looking shorts. He could easily get used to her eyes wandering over him like that. "So you did some planning after all. I'm impressed."

"Well, Arato did. I just had to show her the picture. It kinda was a bit rough since we were short on time, but yeah, I definitely gotta thank her when we see them all again."

"You should." He watched her rise to her feet with wary eyes, making sure she wouldn't fall again. "Well, if you don't mind." She stretched her hand out when she came to a halt in front of him, asking for the two-piece he still held in his hand.

He gave it to her in confusion, eying the towel as she turned around and headed straight for the bathroom. "What the… H-hey, hold up a sec!" His voice sounded disoriented, even to his own ears, and he couldn't blame Erina for laughing. "Where're ya going?"

"I will change in here if that's alright with you."

"What? You realize I've already seen ya naked, right?"

"Hush. Go outside and wait for me. I will be right there."

"But I-" She winked at his weak attempt to protest, waving for him to head out before she closed the door behind her. He didn't hear her locking it.

"Oh fine," he said and slid the glass door wide open to step out into the burning sun. Taking a deep breath of fresh air, he stretched his arms over his head and grinned. His wife really would be his end, he had no doubt about that. But even so, Soma knew he was up for the challenge. He would make her happy and he would hear the word 'delicious' out of those sweet lips someday.

"Get ready, Erina. I told ya, I have a lifetime to try. You're in for it now." His grin turned into a joyful chuckle as he began sprinting across the hot sand and right into the water, diving for a while before he settled for a few lazy rounds of swimming on his back. Luckily for them, the beach is empty, no soul anywhere in near sight. Just how the heiress would like it. It's perfect.

---

…

She eyed the dark blue color of her bathing suit. It was pretty, a golden ring gracing the middle of the top piece, and each side of the bottom one. Hisako knew she liked it plain and modest, with just the right amount of elegance to emphasize her prestigious lineage.

Her heart rate increased as she took some tissues, wet them, and wiped the last bits of her earlier excitement off her lower body before slipping into her newly purchased attire. She clasped the two ends of her bikini top together behind her neck and pulled her hair completely over her left shoulder in a sexy beach-girl look.

She felt great, despite the soreness. Refreshed, and like an entirely new person altogether. Her heart seemed like it would never stop fluttering, the heat on her face nowhere near gone.

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door again, stepped out, and exited the bungalow completely through the already opened glass door in their bedroom. 'This must be a private area,' she thought to herself when her eyes wandered over the empty beach. 'Or Grandfather had something to do with this too.'

Her smile widened when she noticed Soma swimming happily in the ocean. Upon noticing her, he instantly waved her over before stopping dead in his tracks, eyes wide at the sight of her slowly walking towards the soft waves, making the blush on her cheeks all the more evident. She felt the sun burning on her skin and the warm sand under her feet as she came closer, amethysts locked with his amber orbs the entire time. There was almost no breeze fanning her face, and she quickly began to sweat when her long hair began to stick to her shoulder, but she ignored it all. Hopefully the water would be cool enough to make her feel more comfortable.

Upon reaching it, she immediately dove right in, swimming towards her husband who hadn't moved ever since he saw her, lips parted and eyebrows almost touching his hairline. She adored this sight of him, happy to render him speechless just by wearing something different.

She reached his side faster than both of them had expected, splashing a bit of saltwater into his face when he didn't react for the longest time.

"Are you with me, Soma?" she asked in amusement, readying herself to splash him again, "I thought you wanted to swim?"

"Huh?" The second assault on his face followed right before he had the chance to blink, causing him to rub his eyes and cough. "Why you."

She would be lying if she said she didn't see this coming. But nevertheless, Erina wasn't prepared for the massive amount of water hitting her face right when she had planned to laugh at his dorky expression. She coughed with an irritated frown, holding her hands up protectively in front of her.

"Hey! I wasn't this aggressive with you, moron!"

"Suits ya right! I thought I was gonna die, ya know!"

"That had nothing to do with the water! Don't blame me if you simply forgot how to breathe!"

"What?! Then don't wear that!" He pointed at her bikini top, the golden ring shining brightly under the sunlight. "It distracted me!"

"W-what else am I supposed to wear?!"

"I dunno! Why're ya asking me?!"

She splashed him again with water, struggling hard to keep the amusement off her face upon seeing his frustrated groan, "You are ridiculous, Yukihira Soma."

"Say again that I'm the one teasing you all the time, and I'll seriously get ya back for that."

"Really?" She swam a little closer, eyes half-lidded when she lowered her voice, "What are you going to do if I continue to say it?"

"Oh, you'd want me to say it, wouldn't cha? Well, too bad for you, Erina. I'm not tellin'"

"Hmph. Suit yourself then." His confident smirk made Erina puff out her cheeks in fake irritation, her attempt to swim away stopped as he pulled on her waist and gave her a sweet peck on the lips.

"Well… it sure as hell would start like this, that's for sure."

"P-pervert." She smiled as he squinted down at her, laughing gleefully. They remained silent for another few minutes, enjoying the feel of each other and the saltwater around them.

But then, Soma spoke up again, his eyes meeting hers with a warm glint in them, "This place sure is nice, huh…? You like it?" He was proud of himself for having remembered her story, she knew he was. And she couldn't stop laughing because of it.

"I do. I never thought I would miss coming here so much. This is a different spot, but the feeling is the same. It refreshes some memories, that's for sure…"

"Awesome. I was kinda hoping you'd say that."

She kissed him, no more words of reassurance needed. After a few seconds, she pulled away, smiling up at him when a different question came to mind, "So. If Tuscany is our first destination, where would you like us to head next? Italy has quite a few varieties of cuisine I'm certain you have never heard of. We could-" She was interrupted with a small chuckle and Soma shaking his head.

"Erina, this doesn't count as part of our exploration trip around the world. We're not gonna go work here."

"…We aren't?"

"No. This is our honeymoon, remember? We'll just take it easy," He paused, trying to collect his thoughts, "I was thinking we could officially start this off in Paris. Since Shinomiya-senpai is there too, he might even give us some ideas on where to go from there. Sound good?"

She nodded, her confusion replaced with a tender smile. "I like it. You just have to remind me not to plan too far ahead and take things as they come. I'm pretty sure I'm terrible at that." Her husband arched a brow at her, as if astonished that she actually admitted being bad at something other than card games. She just ignored him. "Plus, Chef Shinomiya would be delighted to see you."

"Right." He grinned at her, dimples showing. "It'll be great."

"I'm sure it will."

"And don't worry, if you start thinkin' too much again, I know what to do now."

Erina laughed, shaking her head, "I-idiot."

Another kiss was shared, this one deeper and more heated. The blonde's heart was hammering against her chest, the small hairs on the back of her neck rising with each tilt of her husband's head. Finally, she had found her happiness, the thrill she had been subconsciously searching for all this time. Just as quickly as he had stumbled into her life, he had flipped it completely upside down. Her plans, her expectations for the future: all gone with one confident smile and pure determination in those citrines that she could never get enough of.

Being already so well-known, she could use the opportunity to get his name out there as well, to show everyone how incredible he is in the kitchen. She would make sure people know about this hidden gemstone by her side, let him prove himself and build a career through sheer hard work and force of will. She would be there to help him. And who could say? Maybe Erina herself could find a nice place or two to open up a new restaurant. After all, she had promised Alice to build an empire that she could call her own. But no rules stated that she couldn't include her husband in it- that they couldn't build one together. Everything was possible at this point.

Sighing in contentment, she closed her eyes and rested her head on Soma's shoulder as he swayed them back and forth in the water. She is no longer interested in planning ahead. Her time with him is too precious to do that, and Erina knows it all too well.

Whatever the future holds for the newlyweds, she would welcome it the best way she can. With him by her side.

"Hey, Erina?"

"Hm?" She shuddered as he traced a finger along her back, stopping right under the hairline on her neck.

"Nice bruises ya got there."

"…Huh?"

"The one on your shoulder sure looks huge. Ya think it'll fade anytime soon?"

"Why you!"

And fort the rest of their morning, Erina tried to drown the very man she had vowed to treasure for as long as they lived, not caring about his weak protests or occasional coughs.

The idiot had it coming. He deserved some tough love.

---

Annnddd cut!

That's it, guys!

Wow… I'm sad now. Anyway, I really hope you liked it. Lamperouge rolo and I had quite the piece of work to do here, hahahahahah. I'm still blushing because of all the naughty scenes we wrote. Damn, I feel dirty.

Oh well, what's done is done. I hope I'll see you all again for the next story (or for the edited chapters for this story). I wish you a beautiful day / night, and please stay safe out there!

Thank you all so very much for reading our story, and as always,

Take care, guys!