Father Revealed

Chapter 3

At the Polar Star Dorms there was an unsettling silence that developed once Megumi finished speaking. Everyone couldn't believe that Isshiki-Sempai would sell out one of his dorm mates. The silence wasn't broken until Fumio-san knocked on the door and walked in when she realized she would get no answer. What she saw was heartbreaking but she could do nothing but try and cheer up her children, even if she herself was having a hard time with the events.

"Now, now everyone please calm down. I am sure that he has a good reason why he would reveal something so private without discussing it with Soma-kun first, right Isshiki?", the dorm mother said while staring right at the third year.

Isshiki could not answer, he only looked at the floor. At the time he thought he was doing the right thing informing the Director about the lineage of one the students, but now he wasn't so sure. Had he really betrayed the young first year that had earnestly challenged him his first night at the dorm. He didn't think that the young chef would react in the way he had, the look of betrayal cut deeper than he thought anything else could. "Yes, I did not mean to hurt him or betray him," With that he stood up and walked out of the room, wandering to his own room to lock himself in.

Marui's room was silent and uncomfortable, before anyone could say anything Megumi got up from the floor and made her exit to her room; the others' followed after sharing a look among themselves. This night was a total disaster. When everyone had made it to their rooms, they noticed that it had begun to drizzle. Everyone thought the same thing, 'Yukihira, please come home!'

Somewhere on campus walked a young man with red hair, this young man had no direction in mind after retrieving some things from the dorm, just to walk and clear his head. Although that was the last thing he was thinking of, walking around in a daze; not noticing it had started to rain and thunder boomed around him. He eventually came to a stop in front of a large mansion, he looked up at the iron gate that guarded it before stepping back and turning on his heel.

Before he got more than a few steps away fro the large iron gate though it had opened and a large man with spiky white hair with a beard and mustache stepped through calling out to the young man that looked so troubles. Examining the troubled look on the young man's face, the elderly man asked, "Yukihira-kun, this is a surprise. What brings you here? Would you like to come in and get out of this storm?"

Soma looked up with a dazed look and replied, "I am sorry to disturb you headmaster. I didn't notice where I was going and before I knew it, I had made my way here. I don't even know where this is exactly though, this campus is too big. I don't want to impose on you, I will be going now." With that Soma turned around to walk away, when a large hand landed on his shoulder and forcibly moved him in the opposite direction towards the large mansion.

"Not going to happen, young man. It is storming out here and it's only going to get worse. I can't leave you out here to make your own way home, you may stay here tonight. Have you had dinner yet?", Senzaemon didn't look back at the troubled teen while dragging him into the house. Making it through the door with the reluctant teen. Now noticing that said teen was shivering. He motioned for a maid to come here and politely asked her to find some clothes to fit the teen, with that accomplished he turned his attention back to the teen realizing he never answered the question.

Soma looked around the foyer of the huge mansion, while the director was talking to the maid. Realizing that the director was staring at him, Soma turned his attention to the older man before sighing and replying to the earlier question, "No, I have not eaten. I had been walking around the campus after I went to my dorm and go some things. I don't know how long though."

As Soma finished speaking the maid from before came back with some neatly folded clothes in her arms and a towel. "Sir, if you wouldn't mind these clothes and the towel are for you. If you would come this way, I will show you to the bathroom so you can change?"

Looking over at the Director, who nodded Soma followed the maid down the hallway to the right of the stairs. A few feet down the hallway was when the maid stopped and face a door on the left. Slowly taking the clothes from her, he thanked her and went through the door. He changed quickly then met the maid outside and followed her to the dining room. The dining room was large and long, with floor to ceiling french doors on one side. The table could easily fit ten to fifteen. Soma had stopped inspecting the room, when his gaze rested on the five that already sat around the closest end of the table. His gaze turned down to the hardwood floors, not wanting to meet the gaze of anyone at the table besides maybe the director.

Senzaemon noticed the tense atmosphere and choose that moment to address the newest occupant of the room. "Good, good Yukihira-kun the clothes fit. They were some of your father's when he worked for us, I actually didn't know that we had them. Would you sit down next to Erina's aid Arato-chan?"

Hisako smiled warmly at him, motioning for him to sit beside her. Giving in, he moved the seat out quietly and sat down. His feeling about this whole mess was confusing, since he went through spells of being angry, depressed, betrayed, confused and downright contrary. He decided at the present time to be confused and stick with that, he would sort out the rest later. Maybe after a call to his father.

Dinner was served with little conversation on his part, mostly the Director asking questions. A question eventually came his way near the end of dinner. "Yukihira-kun, have you talked to anyone about today? Maybe your father or the dorm mother at Polar Stars?"

"I haven't talked to my father since right after the training camp when he met me at Polar Stars. I am think of calling him later. I know he is in America, but don't know the exact location. As to if I have talked to anyone, not really. I told the dorm mother I needed to go for a walk to clear my head, but nothing else. I assume she got everything when Megumi and he returned to the dorm later."

Noticing the avoidance of his sempais' name, Senzaemon sighed and decided to call the dorm mother later and talk things over. After all it is mostly his fault for revealing such information in that manner without consulting the teen first. Just as he was about to respond to the young man, a maid came in with a phone and whispered in his ear excitedly that Joichiro Yukihira was on the phone. Nodding his head, he received the phone and answered it. "Joichiro, how are you?"

Soma froze with a spoonful of soup halfway to his mouth, trying to register what he had heard the old man just say. Looking up with a dazed look he locked eyes with the older man.

"Yes, he is here. I found his walking around campus in the rain with a dazed look in his eyes. Just like he is looking at me now. Oh, she had called you looking for him. Did she assume that he would call you after what happened?", the director had not lowered his eyes for Soma during the conversation. "Would you like to talk to him, now?"

Soma broke the staring contest by looking down at his bowl of soup. When he looked up again, his gaze was met with a white cordless phone, held by a sheepish looking Hisako. Taking the phone from her, he gave her a smile before turning his attention to the person on the other end of the phone. "Hey, pops. What's up?", he tried to be cheerful and not give anything away.

"Not much, Soma. I heard you have been having some trouble today?"

"You could say that. A certain sempai betrayed me by going to the Director about who my father was before consulting me, then said Director went and blabbed it during the Autumn Leaf Festival. Not to mention Doujima-san was there too. How would you feel, dad?"

The director flinched as Soma finished the dialog, but knew he deserved it.

"Would you like me to come and visit? I feel like they should have gotten your consent first, however maybe he did it so certain people wouldn't look down on you. I can't believe he did it during that festival. How did everyone react? Gin was probably there to make sure nothing got out of hand. Soma relax only certain people know and I am sure the director swore them to silence."

"Yes, I would like that. I don't know how I will deal with this, I mean it hasn't been that long since I found out myself along with my dormmates. Everyone was shocked and I didn't stay long enough after I caught their initial reactions. I am glad that only certain people know, but I am worried how they will act after the fact."

Erina had had about enough of this, "You are fine. You're just acting like a big baby. Who cares who your father is. Enough already!"

"Well, excuse me for caring about myself! Unlike you 'God's Tongue' I don't want unnecessary attention.", Soma exclaimed dropping the phone while standing up, locking eyes with Erina over her secretaries head; forgetting all about his father on the phone.

While the two were having a staring contest the phone was secretly passed back to the headmaster. "I'm sorry about that Joichiro. My granddaughter and your son a arguing at the moment."

"He has met Erina-chan?"

"Yes, the two have met. It is quite the show when the two are in the same room. Your son likes to antagonize her."

"Has she tried his cooking?"

"Yes, she was the one who judged the transfer exam. He was the only one to take it. The other applicants ran when they found out that Erina was the judge. Of course your son did not know who she was so that helped him."

"How did she react to his food, do you know?"

"Of course, I know. I was standing outside the door when he cooked, she was not impressed at first and refused to even try the dish. However he did something that changed her mind. She took a bit then would have went in for another bit but Yukihira-kun stopped her by remarking 'I thought you only needed one bit', she threw a fit and he backed off. He then asked her what she thought of that dish, it took her a few minutes but she yelled disgusting and walked tell the truth, I think she just said it because she couldn't believe that some commoner made a dish she had never tasted anything like before. I came in after they were gone and tried the dish myself and overrode his failure grade. Ever since then, they pick on each other. I have seen a new side of her since your son has joined us. This should be an entertaining couple of years. Why don't you come visit and see for yourself?"

"I am thinking about it. I did ask Soma if he wanted me to visit and he told me yes. I will try come some time this week. I would like to see how Soma interacts with the 'God's Tongue'. If he is anything like me, I will be able to tell by how he acts around her, what his feelings are."

"Very well, I will look forward to your visit. I should let you go, so I can deal with the current situation between your son and my granddaughter."

"Alright, have fun."

With that the conversation ended and Senzaemon's attention was caught by the bickering duo. "ENOUGH! You two are acting like lovebirds. Yukihira-kun, your father told me to tell you he'd be here by the end of the week. He also wanted to inspect how you reacted around my granddaughter."

Soma froze at that, looking slightly worried. He knew why his father wanted to inspect him and Erina and nothing good could come from his inspection. "Did he say why the inspection?"

Senzaemon was smiling evilly at the nervous young man before answering, "I believe you know already but I will tell you anyways. He believes you might have feelings for my granddaughter. He told me that he can tell your feelings by how you act around her. By how your acting has he done this before?"

"Yes, once; but it was awhile ago. I wonder why he thinks that I have feelings for Nakiri? Did he say?", Soma tried to act nonchalant but he knew he couldn't fool the Director.

"Oh, I think I know why he thinks that. Although he hasn't seen it himself, I am surprised he already figured it out. Do you talk to him about her?"

"No, like I said earlier. I haven't seen or talked to him since he came after the training camp, must have been something you said to him. If that is all, please don't mention it again. You sound too much like my dad at the moment."

"Very well, you can be such a spoil sport. "

"Yes, you need to lighten up Yukihira-kun. It is fairly obvious if you look how you two interact. Erina doesn't act like that to anyone besides you, so she is obvious. While your feelings are more complex than hers, I bet the people who know you extremely well can tell your feelings in an instant. That is why you looked nervous when grandfather said that Joichiro-san was also coming to observe you and her. So, Yukihira-kun do you have something that you need to tell us? You too, Erina?", stated Alice mischievously looking between the two blushing students.

"I don't know what your talking about, Alice? Maybe you should confront your own feelings before trying to make others confront theirs.", with that Erina stood and walked out. Hisako gave a shy smile to Soma before hurrying after Erina.

Soma didn't answer, just got up from his seat and walked out of the dining room. Leaving two of the three remaining contemplating the could be relationship between the two. The third could really care less what his fellow classmates did.