I am so grateful for all the lovely reviews "lost" received. I'm so glad you all enjoyed the fanfic and as a Sorina fan I had heaps of fun writing it. Um, I have decided to make this into a collection of onshots, but i wanted to let you guys know that because I am in high school, I do have quite a heavy workload and cannot promise frequent updates. I will try my best though.
This is an idea that popped into my head one night. I'm not sure if this piece was executed to the best of my ability since I felt like some of the sections to this story was a little disjointed. But I really really liked the concept of this idea so I hope you still enjoy it!
Once again as english is my second language please excuse for any grammatical errors! please enjoy.
"All second year students please report to hall A and third year students please report to Hall B," Azami Nakiri reported calmly, his deep voice penetrated every corner of the school.
Girls squealed at the announcement and all rushed towards their own designated hall; all except, Erina Nakiri, whom merely groaned at the commotion around her.
Of course she knew today's date. 14th of February. Valentines day. She also knew today was the annual Valentine's day event, but girls at Totsuki should at least be more dignified!
The Totsuki annual Valentine's day event is a traditional occasion for students in second and third year that results in the formation of numerous pairs of couples. As a culinary school, this event also embraces the fundamental ideals that constitutes Totsuki. This event is first and foremost a Shokugeki. However, in this 'Shokugeki' male students in the same year are asked to complete a dessert containing cocoa in the given time of 3 hours. Female students in the same year group are then asked to taste any dish that appeals to their 5 senses without knowledge of the chef of the dish. If they stumble across the dish, then they have the choice of revealing the owner of the dish and the owner of the dish is granted the right to ask the girl for a kiss, a single date or a hug.
Erina made her way to hall A slowly, her best friend and aide Hisako following a few steps behind her. When the pair made it to the entrance of the hall, it was obvious that majority of their grade had already arrived. Sounds of utensils, roaring flame as well as excessive shouting emitted from behind the black curtains.
"I don't get the point of this event," groaned Erina as she made her way towards the back of the hall, "nothing cooked here will give me the feeling they described. It's just a waste of time."
"You don't mean that," smirked Hisako before adding with a nudge "a certain red head might surprise you again."
The relationship between Hisako and Erina had evolved drastically since being first years. Instead of always wanting to be behind her, Hisako had strived being someone who could stand beside her. Not only so, Erina has been able to break out of her prideful shell in front of Hisako, confiding her of her deepest secrets including her crush on none other than Yukihira Soma.
"Hisako!" Erina hushed, battling the two red clouds that had surfaced on her marble cheeks as her thoughts unwillingly drifted to the proximity she shared with a certain red-headed male during their 'wilderness survival cooking camp'.
Erina's reaction caused Hisako to break out in a fit of giggles but was quickly halted when the pair noticed the arrival of the girls of the Polar Star Dorm. They offered a quick greeting as they approached before shuffling over the bench to allow more seats.
"I'm excited!" exclaimed Yuki, her hair in the usual buns that always rested on the side of her head, "I mean, it's free dessert and all you can eat!"
Ryoko chuckled at her statement before adding, "Hmm, Yuki are you sure you aren't going to go straight for Shun's dish?"
Flustered, Yuki jumped to her feet, "No! of course not, and its not like we know who cooked which dish!"
"I'm only kidding Yuki," laughed Ryoko, her hand reaching for Yuki's arms attempting to get the girl to sit back down.
"Hmph," groaned Yuki as she sat down, her eyes darted towards the princess of Totsuki as she said in attempts of drawing the attention from herself, "what about you Erina-chii who's dish would you like to try?"
The question caught Erina completely off-guard, her bright violet coloured eyes met Yuki's questioning emerald ones. She found herself completely tongue-tied and she knew, if the hall had been quieter, the sound of her thumping heart against her chest would be more than audible.
"I – uh," Erina stuttered unsure of her answer or rather whether she should even answer it.
"Students," the voice that had announced the commencement of the festival permeated the hall, "Let the tasting begin!"
The black curtain that had once obstructed the student's view from the kitchen was instantly dropped. It revealed a scene of magnificence. Rows after rows of kitchen tops with plates after plates of delicate and seemingly delicious desserts. The kitchen tops were rounded off into 4 sections, each section had a single judge who would unveil the mystery chef behind any given dish when asked to. They would also serve as a witness to the 'price' the student has to pay for the revelation of the owner of the dish.
Yuki's question was completely forgotten as girls from the dorm departed from Erina's side one by one, all eager to taste some of the exquisite desserts created. Erina glanced towards Hisako before making their way towards the budding crowd.
An hour had passed since the beginning of the tasting process but none of the dish had appealed to Totsuki's princess. To her, most of the dish failed to please her aesthetically, others lacked in aroma.
"See," Erina sighed, as Hisako and herself made their way towards the last section, "everything is the same, everyone is basically making the same dish. Chocolate pudding, chocolate soufflé, chocolate molten cake and some even made dishes like a brownie. Nothing here for me to taste."
"Hmm," Hisako replied as she swallowed a spoonful of chocolate parfait from section 3, "but other girls seem to be enjoying themselves thoroughly. Oh I think I saw Ikumi asking the referee about a dish just now."
Erina grumbled as they entered the final section. Her eyes flickered towards the dishes before her. She flicked her hair and crossed her arms against her chest as she strutted past the table like an examiner. Just as she was about to further emphasis her point to Hisako, a particular dish at the end of the kitchen top caught her eye. Unlike most of the dishes made during this event, this particular dish was shockingly plain. Most of the students had chosen to produce western themed desserts that were not only extravagant but allowed them to skilfully integrate the assigned ingredient, cocoa. However, unlike the other dishes, this dish merely contained 6 snowy glutinous balls situated in a transparent soup.
Normally, Erina wouldn't be the type to taste such a dish, but for some unknown reason, her hand reached instinctively towards the bowl and scoped one of the glutinous ball from the bowl with her spoon. Hesitantly and bewildered with her own actions, she delivered the dessert into her mouth.
The glutinous ball erupted as Erina chewed. The flavours from within attacked her tongue and mouth, and the warmth enveloped her with a sense of security. With her god's tongue, she could distinguish the use of chocolate in the ball as the filling. However, a mixture of coconut and peanuts seemed to intensify the flavours of the chocolate. The chocolate itself was spectacular. It was sweet, like the beginning of any romance. It was laced with a sense of bitterness, like the bumps and challenges that one would encounter in any relationship. It was consuming, like the feeling of falling in love. Even as she swallowed the glutinous ball, Erina could not shake the all consuming taste left in her mouth, nor could she forget the warmth she felt as she ate the dish.
Erina then looked towards the ball, now containing only 5 glutinous balls, before collecting a little of the transparent soup from the ball. Without any hesitance she slowly tasted the soup, her mind once again lost in a paradise of tranquillity. The transparent soup was made from dew and the infusion of several plants to create a refreshing flavour and a natural sweetness. Its subtle hints of sweetness complimented the taste of the rice ball perfectly. It was as if the dish was telling her not to be scared of the all consuming flavour she had just tasted but to embrace it and cherish it like the way she should allow herself to be embraced by the one she loves.
"Erina?" Hisako asked tapping her lighting on her shoulders, "Are you okay? You've been really quiet for quite a long time."
"I -," Erina replied, barely transported back to reality, "I'm alright Hisako…but I want…no need to know who made this dish."
"Erina," Hisako asked carefully, "Are you sure…? Have you forgotten the rules of this festival?"
Sure, asking the referee for the chef of this dish would be overall quite humiliating considering her status at the academy. It would also override her previous statements about this festival. Even then, she could not shrug off her curiosity and the intense feelings she had just experienced when tasting that dish.
Erina shook off her pride as she walked towards the referee. She could almost feel the atmosphere of the room change as students in her cohort noticed where she was heading. Their eyes, like hawks chasing a prey, seemed to trace her every move as she made her way in front of the referee.
"Miss," Erina coughed, her eyes flickering to the bowl of dessert in her hands, "I would like to know the chef of this dish."
"Very well Miss Nakiri," the referee spoke, her excited gaze betraying her professional exterior, "However, I have to state the rules to every student who wishes to unveil the chef behind any dish. Therefore, Miss Nakiri, if you wish you unveil the chef behind the dish in your hands you will have to abide to one wish that the chef proposes. The wish would have to be a wish within one of the three constraints the school had established; a kiss, a date or a hug, are three of the possible request that could be made by the chef. You now have the right to withdraw your wish or you can go head with this request and abide by the previously stated rules."
"I will abide by these rules," gritted Erina, she was somewhat disturbed by the rules. Not knowing what kind of person was behind this dish, she was giving them the right to either hug, go on a date with her or even kiss her for requesting for his identity. However, she needed to know who was behind that dish.
"Very well follow me," the referee replied, making her way towards the room where all the boys were, "Miss Nakiri please stand on the small platform suited in the centre of section 4."
Erina quietly made her way onto the small platform, trying to ignore the stares and whispers around her. She looked towards Hisako, who was smiling at her warmly and encouragingly.
"The chef behind the dish number 52 was Mr Yukihira Soma," the referee announced as she led the red headed male onto the stage.
"S – Soma?" Erina mumbled nervously as her stomach churned uncontrollably. She swore there were thousands of butterfly in her stomach and her heart seemed to have stopped functioning. When her eyes met his, a thousand unsaid words were conveyed and everything…even time seemed to have stopped. She felt weak as she made her way towards him and him towards her.
"Yo," Soma said, his smile reaching his eyes, "surprised?"
"I…" Erina stuttered, her heart fluttering like millions of butterflies waiting to take flight.
"I believe I can ask you for one request," Soma smirked as he reached for her hand, his face almost as red as his hair. Taking another step closer, Soma leant towards Erina, his breath so close to her plump lips.
With her eyes wide open Erina was unsure if Soma intended to kiss her right there right now, with hundreds of Totsuki's students watching their every move.
"I…I've been waiting for the right moment to ask you this but I could just never find the opportunity to. I know this may be uncalled for…or even absurd to you but I – I've been wanting to ask you this question for a very long uh time." Soma whispered against her ears attempting to hide the nervousness from his voice. His breath was warm against her skin and every word uttered seemed to ignite her body and send shivers down her spine. Soma closed his eyes as he murmured, "Please go out with me Erina Nakiri."
Little did he know, these few words would change his life forever. It would be the start of one of the most epic romance in Totsuki. It marked as the beginning of the romance between two of the future's top chef.
Erina stared wide eyed at Soma, paralysed by his request. It took her several of seconds to register what Soma had just said. Lifting her head up, her violet eyes met his gold ones before she gently pushed him back. She placed her hands on either sides of his shoulders before leaning towards his ears and getting on her tippy toes.
"Took you long enough," Erina whispered as she stepped forward, enveloping him in a warm embrace, "you idiot."
So if you got up to this point I hope you enjoyed this short one-shot. Please review with any ideas you may have for Soma x Erina pairing :) I'm also looking to write next gen one-shots.
Once again thanks so much for reading this!