Someone told me once that you don't know you've fallen in love with another until you've hit the bottom. I can safely say this isn't true, because I know I've fallen but I'm still falling.

Thirteen years ago, I graduated from middle school having never even dared to imagine that I would come to have ambitions greater than being head chef at Yukihira Diner. I had everything set in stone. I was going to best my pops and take over the restaurant, and I was going to live without ever knowing that there was more to be desired. I never thought to look beyond the front doors of the shop, because I had no idea there was even a world out there. Then I went to Totsuki and she changed everything.

Now I can hardly remember a time before I was revolving completely around her, and my only regret is that it took me this long to realize how unfulfilling my life had been up until we met. I'm so thankful that our paths crossed. Meeting her was a prodigious stroke of luck and I'm more than honored to say that it has become my consistent privilege.

This morning I woke up with Nakiri Erina on my mind as always, and I realized that she means more than the universe to me. I would choose her over my life, my career, a hundred praises, a thousand Michelin stars, over everything. Nothing, both tangible and intangible, could ever detract from that. She is and has always been my greatest joy. Every time I look at her I ask myself what I did to deserve someone like her. I think about her in every waking moment, and in a way, she has always been my dream, on so many different levels.

True, I'm no Spartan, but if it means I get to be with Nakiri Erina, I would do anything. I'd stop time and I'd rewrite the stars. And no matter where the universe takes her, I'd venture through the wasteland, journey to the farthest corners of this existence if I have to, just to stand by her side, ready to catch her if she falls.

If that isn't love I really don't know what is.

It's hard to put in words, but maybe I can sum it up like this. Whenever I see Nakiri Erina smile, I want to make sure that she's smiling every day, every hour, every minute, every second, and I want to be the reason why she's happy.

It's impossible for me to accurately express just how infatuated I am with her. Every time my eyes fall upon her, sparks fly in my chest. But I've been beating around the bush for a while now, so it's time for me to wrap this up because I know from personal experience that she isn't a girl who likes to wait.

Nakiri Erina, I love you with everything I was, everything I am, and everything I will ever be. Forever is a long time but if it's with you, I doubt it's going to be long enough.

Your move, Nakiri.

The final syllables rang through the air as an unresolved cadence — a question — and the two of them were frozen in that picturesque moment — all masquerades falling away in the presence of the dim spotlights, the red velvet curtain behind them, the radiance of Erina's gown, the vague outlines of the audience in the ballroom.

It was just the two of them at the pinnacle of the world, as they had always been meant to be.

And then Yukihira Souma got down on one knee and pulled the gorgeous ring from the inner pocket of his blazer and asked her the question.

Yes, she told him, and they knew it was the genesis of everything.


a/n honestly at a loss for words. thank you guys for reading. couldn't have done it without you.