Guys. GUYS. THIS IS IT. I'm like in tears right now...
The ending theme song is Thank You by Miyano Mamoru and there is a special reason why I chose this ending song for this final FINAL chapter :) I hope you guys check it out!
Epilogue
More than a year later
"Huh… I hate spring"
Satoshi chuckled. The bustling streets were lined with pink and white sakura blossoms. To see the boughs that were so bereft from the passing Winter, naught but a few months ago, becoming so adorned lifted his spirits. Their scents became diffuse in the warming breeze and Satoshi held his head high to savour it. When their petals rained down in a steady trickle a few weeks before graduation, he felt like a dashing prince walking under them. Satoshi placed his drink to the side on the warm stone bench and leaned back onto his palms. The pink blossoms arrived like cake frosting on the trees and grass in pinks and white. The petals burst out from lower down the branches. The soul of every Japanese lived for this blessed moment. Except for one particular Japanese…
"I see jail-time hasn't changed you in the least"
The snort that came his way only made his grin widened at his wayward friend's expense. Eizan-kun's shocking cropped head was the best thing Satoshi had seen all week. The once slicked back and carefully groomed golden strands that spoke of his vainity was no more. All that was left was short tufts of pale blonde hair refusing to stay down. Ha. That was why Eizan-kun needed a preposterous amount of gel to begin with. It seemed he was born with wild blonde hair. But the familiar slicked-back styled had been a part of the Eizan-kun's life about as much as his own. Eizan-kun wouldn't be Eizan-kun without it. Satoshi spent the better part of the afternoon watching him scratch his head with displeasure, not happy with his new look. But alas, the bespectacled young man beside him was resolute in leaving that vain image behind him. It was for the best.
"Your eyes have gone to shits, Isshiki. Jail-time has changed me plenty"
"If you say so"
Satoshi lifted his drink back to his lips and took a long and refreshing sip.
"So… Azami finally got what's coming to him huh? I gotta admit. It feels good to watch clips of the fucker scrambling to get into his car after each court session" said Eizan-kun.
Satoshi hummed. He wouldn't call it 'scramble'. More like, 'power-walking'. Ah yes, the court-case of the past two years. He would be a fool to think that it was going to be a cake-walk. He remembered it just like yesterday. Whenever he closed his eyes, he could see the burning condescending and hatred in the snake's eyes. They were void of all humanity and full of hatred, vengeance and deranged desires with just a huge pinch of megolomania. Then whenever he opened his eyes again, he was absorbed into sharp, sky blue orbs. His own eyes. Flickers of fear licked his insides. It was hard to get Azami's words out of his head even with passing time.
'You and I are very similar, Isshiki-kun'
Satoshi had got to stop daydreaming in front of his bathroom mirror.
"I wouldn't be so sure. The case is very close to getting thrown out" said Satoshi.
"Are you serious?"
"The evidences the Rebel Alliance gathered up and the confession I recorded was only enough to open the case and Senzaemon-dono finally filed an official charge against him. It's unlikely that was going to be enough to convict him"
Kanda-san had not failed them when she showed the footage that was recorded on her drone to her father. She told him she had convinced him with every breath in her body that he had to accept the case and not file it under a 'pending investigation' box or something. He also remembered the confidence in her as she jabbered away on the phone and combined with the assurance of Namikaze-san and Kuchiyose-kun, that Tootsuki could finally break free from its sleep paralysis. Of course, the Superintendent General was furious of his daughter's involvement and Satoshi was willing to take the brunt of whatever punishment the Superintendent General saw fit as he was the one who took advantage of her position and connections, and lured her into their hot mess. According to Souma-kun, Aldini-kun had stepped in and offered his own body for a severe 'beating' to take responsibility of Kanda-san's actions.
Satoshi was horrified to hear that, but again, Kanda-san's friend's assured him that Aldini-kun would only get a 'verbal beating'. His gut told him that was only half the truth.
"Kinokuni told me that they cordoned off parts of the Nakiri Manor to conduct their own investigations, thinking it was possible to still find evidence decades' later" commented Eizan-kun.
"I've been told that an undisturbed crime scene such as Nadeshiko-sama's sealed off room could still procure useable evidence even after fifteen to twenty years"
"Huh"
Bits and pieces of his memory of those sordid weeks after their ambush was starting to become fuzzy with the passing of time and his busy life as a working adult. Satoshi had been seriously worried when the Nakiri cousins told him about the police coming in and out of their homes. At the time of concocting his plans, he thought it was ingenious. He had thought it was going to be full-proof. He had all the elements on his side and he had his kouhais to depend on. He had never used his brain power as much as he had then.
However, hindsight was always twenty-twenty.
He failed to realise that the police only had a tampered crime scene to work with and therefore The Rebel Alliance had severely stunted their professional investigation. He had never felt so hindered for just being a teenager that time. He sought comfort in the fact that getting Kanda-san to investigate the room had to be done either way to find out how Azami murdered Lady Nadeshiko.
He saw one of the officers one day sometime last year. He only came by himself and wasn't dressed like any of the other usual officers or the forensic teams in their bright white zip-up protective wear, scurrying around with brushes and tweezers. He reminded Satoshi of Chief Inspector Shouseki and Special Detective Rii, whom he had met what felt like a lifetime ago. He could still remember how they spoke to him in their calm tones in his old Elite Ten office, and then they had shown him the file on Orihara Izaya, requesting him to summon his kouhais to speak with them. Just like them, the officer had been a foreigner. He didn't have a problem with the Japanese police employing non-Japanese blooded people to serve and protect the community. It was just unheard of. He concluded that the Superintendent General and the Police Commissioner only had eyes for skill rather than national blood to fill their ranks.
Satoshi conjured up the faraway image of the other police officer he hadn't had the privilege to meet. He could tell from the way the gentleman held himself and walked, that he was a lean and muscular man. He appeared to be a British gentleman from the way he gestured with his solitary gloved hand and his general mannerisms. He had medium length greyish-silver hair which reached the tips of his shoulders and was pulled back into a low ponytail, leaving thick locks of his white hair to frame his filled-out face. Most striking of all was the scar he bore. It was a fleshy coloured wonky star shaped burn above his left brow which trailed down into a line that severed his silver eyebrow and marred his eyelid. There was an extra line of scar tissue which hooked slightly at his cheekbone before following close his cheek down to his chin. What torture that police officer must have gone through in the past!
Satoshi had enquired the Nakiri cousins about him and came to know him as Detective Inspector Horousha from the Homicide Division of TMPD. It was a strange last name. As strange as having 'Shouseki' has a last name. 'Horousha'… It could mean a variety of things depending on the context. 'Drifter'… 'Vagrant'… 'Wanderer'… or even just 'Walker'. It was amusing to hear of foreigners adopting Japanese last names. It was like they didn't get the nuances of any of the meanings at all and just flipped through random pages in a dictionary and blindly tapped a finger on the page. Ah but he digressed.
"What about the confession? Wan't that the strongest piece of evidence? Surely he can't refute that. He clearly said he murdered his wife" said Eizan.
"That was a double-edged sword" sighed Satoshi. "I was told it would most likely be thrown out under grounds of entrapment'
"What do they mean that?"
"It could be interpreted that we almost co-erced him into a confession"
"Almost… being the operative word here"
"Still the prosecutor is unlikely to be able to use it"
"Ah. That sucks"
"You know, even the media could make great detectives. I've been hearing a lot of dirt on Azami these past two years. He had a bloody cemetery in his closet"
Satoshi smiled again. Never underestimate the powers of journalism and the media. They could find anything on anyone. Their widespread fingers and all seeing eye were powered by loose morals and their ignorance of boundaries. Azami's high profile and fame was like the honey for the ants and the various news corporation had found their lucrative muse. Pending law suits on both Nakamura and Nakiri Azami rose to the surface like sewage from broken pipes. Extortion, black-mail, insider trading, work place harassment was only a small fraction of the charges against Azami from overseas. The people lapped it up and soon opinions on his person had been formed by the public.
Wife-killer
Murderer
Satoshi shook his head. That was an ugly stain the excommunicated Nakiri was unlikely to erase from his Armani three-piece suit. Unfortunately, the Nakiri Family were also hounded by journalists and the media. Satoshi never imagined how chaotic it was going to be. It was pandemonium! It lasted for months and months. Satoshi and the students themselves were ambushed more times they cared to count by journalists wanted a scoop on the 'brave students who sought justice against the murderer' or inside story. They ended up getting a fistful of Fumio-san to the jaws and a restraining order specifically for minors.
"They're going to let him go scot-free. I know the type like him, and the influence and power they have. He'll have his people do something like sabotage the jury. He'll have the court-system eating out of the palm of his hand" said Eizan-kun. "Then he'll return, you mark my words. He's like the turd that won't flush. Just when you think he's gone, back up he comes"
Satoshi snorted at the horrendous visual imagery but he agreed with him all the same. He hoped it wouldn't be for a very long time. Eizan-kun scratched vehemently at his scalp again. Satoshi tilted his head back again to enjoy the warm sunbeam pouring from the narrow openings of the pale clouds as it outlined the fringes of the lazy drifting clouds. The calm, relaxing shades of blue in the background supported the clouds and sun like a perfect picture. The colourful swings merrily jumped up and down accompanied by little humans with smiles from ear-to-ear. Satoshi decided a change of conversation was in order.
"What about you Eizan-kun? What are your plans?"
He listened to his friend grunt and shifted on the stone bench. He set aside his own drink, placing it on the ground before hunching over his spread knees, his elbows firmly planted on them. Satoshi's interest piqued as he closely watched Eizan-kun's hands come together, hovering above the ground. Oh interesting. It was his trademark thinking pose only known to the aurburn-haired student. He wanted to tell him something but didn't know how. This time, he shouldn't have anything to fear.
"It's only been a few weeks since I got out but… I'm gonna start up my consultation business again" began Eizan-kun
Satoshi's jaw dropped.
"I'm not going back to Tootsuki— Don't give me that look— I need to make money as soon as possible. I need to continue Okaa-san's cancer treatment"
Satoshi felt the corners of his mouth drag downwards at the news. He wasn't easily surprised, but today he was. He hadn't given a thought to Eizan-kun's family at all. What did Eizan-kun's mother think about her son's decision? Only Satoshi knew that Eizan-kun's mother suffered from cancer. He swore an oath to Eizan-kun. He couldn't remember which stage of the cancer it was, but either way she was continuing to decline over time, the chemotherapy was the only viable treatment option left to her and its effects weren't as effective as it used to be. The worry echoed, starting from his heart and pulsed in waves throughout his blood vessels. This was why money had always been Eizan-kun's priority as a student. He was diligent in his own lucrative endeavours and barely cared for Tootsuki's own finances or bettering his already superb culinary skills. He even went as far to dip into insider trading to fill that insatiable need for money. Satoshi's long standing suspicions as to why was confirmed in that moment. Eizan-kun needed to make money to take care of his ill mother.
"I've still got some loyal customers who want to continue using my services despite my sentence. After all, there's nobody else who can do what I can. I'll build my clientele again from the ground up. It'll be hard since everybody knows my shit too, but I gotta try anyway" he said.
"So… who had been funding your mother's cancer treatment the whole time you were away? Your accounts were all frozen! Surely not Tonohara-kun" exclaimed Satoshi.
"My dick-head little brother can't tell his head from his arse. Of course, not him. It was the police"
"W-What?"
"Yeah. The police looked after Okaa-san for me"
Satoshi didn't know where to begin. It seemed like Eizan-kun sensed his cognitive failure. He sighed and dived into a half-hearted explanation.
"They did a case history on me so my family situation came to light. While I was detained, the police gathered funds to continue paying for Okaa-san's treatment" said Eizan-kun "I owe them a debt now"
"That… must've been a huge amount of money"
Satoshi figured there was a catch somewhere. The police must have been aware of the impacts on a criminals' family when one of their members have been arrested for a crime. A successful conviction had the potential to bring a family together in solidarity… or tear them apart. In Eizan-kun's case, his family was already torn apart. His father was no longer in his life, his younger brother was doing Kami-sama knows what and his mother is a long-term resident in the Karakura General Hospital cancer ward and Satoshi was sure the family's private health funds had dried up too quickly to be of much benefit. Who was left to be the breadwinner of the whole family?
'Only Eizan-kun… and now he owes them'
"I know what you're thinking, Isshiki. I owe them a life debt. They took care of my mother while I couldn't and for that I'm grateful"
'They can call in that debt anytime they like… They know how far Eizan-kun's fingers can stretch… They can use him to be their informant as long as they like'
Satoshi didn't want to bruise his ex-classmate's dignity more than what was necessary, so he kept that thought to himself. He watched Eizan-kun talk about the police with a level of respect he seldom saw the young man speak towards anyone. He could tell that his gratefulness genuinely came from the heart. The distant look in his eyes was softer compared to when he was a high-strung student of Tootsuki. Satoshi pardoned the incorrect thought. He was high-strung on the inside. On the outside, he always kept everybody at a mile away and ensured he appeared laid-back to shield people like Rindou-senpai from sticking her nose where it shouldn't be.
Whoosh!
"Hm?"
Satoshi fiddled around in his pockets until he found his phone. He swiped the screen to read the message.
'Ah speaking of Rindou-senpai'
Hey Isshiki, how's it hanging?
I heard they're throwing Azami in the slammer soon
For once I wish I was there to see it, but nope.
I'm still working in the greatest city in the world,
NEW YORK! HAHA! Life is non-stop over there :P
Good luck to you all. YOU NEED IT.
Anyway, onto important news.
This song has been stuck in my head for ages.
It's sooooooo good. Check it out!
-Rindou-daisama the great
Satoshi chuckled. The wide variety of emojis she used was dizzying.
"What's so funny?"
"Rindou-senpai. She sends us her best, as well as a new song she's taken a fancy to. It's called Thank You. Doesn't say who wrote it. Let's listen to it" Satoshi opened up the file and pressed download, waiting for the little bar to complete.
"Let's not. If her taste in food is the same as her taste in music, I'll pass thanks"
"Come now! Perhaps living in New York has refined her tastes"
"I doubt it" grumbled Eizan-kun. Satoshi pressed play anyway.
.
.
Konna chikaku ni iru no ni
Tsutaetenai koto ga kimi ni takusan aru no ni
Just tell me how to get straightforward
"I found my soul a best friend"
Kono mune ni te wo atetara
Kitto ichiban ni ukabu kao ha
"Well just you and you and you"
Dakedo terekusai kara
Mada kimi ni iwanai
.
.
Erina place the bowl back onto the bench.
"WHAT ON EARTH WERE YOU THINKING?! YOU EXPECT ME TO SWALLOW SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN COOKED WITH BARELY ANY CONVICTION?!
Erina slammed her first onto the bench. The saltiness and sweetness sizzled into nothingness upon her divine tongue. That was the least of her troubles. Disappointment raged through her as she glared at the tremoring chef kneeling on the floor before her.
'Inside voice… remember what Hisako said… inside voice'
"W-What I mean is that, my father is gone, and yet you continue to still cook using his own methods. I don't taste your true self at all! How could you call yourself a chef of Tootsuki when you continue to sell yourself short so easily? Have you no honour?"
"N-Nakiri-s-sama…"
"Don't Nakiri-sama me. Enrol with Yukihira Souma and get ready for his rehabilitation"
"Y-Yes, ma'am!"
The pulse on Erina's templed pulsed again. Did he just call her ma'am? Did she look like a ma'am? Did she look that old already? Erina was no longer a student, but it's only been a few weeks since she graduated! That didn't mean she was already a ma'am! As soon as she clenched her first, the young student grabbed his bowl and skeddadled from her sight. Erina thrusted the air from her nose like a raging bull. She needed to control herself better than that, but really, people's stupidity knew know bounds. This was the ninth time a student had come before her puffing their chest out, thinking that they could be the first to score winning criticism from the infamous God's Tongue. All because they had been under her father's tutelage. They had another thing coming. Erina flounced onto the stool by the bench. She took great pains to uncurl her fingers from her fist and relaxed it against the smooth surface.
'Tasting people's emotions is tiring'
Arrogance, hatred, suspicion and Father
She had no more room for any of that in her life now.
Almost every student cooked with those four things in their hearts. It made her burn. Funnily enough it didn't make her angry at them, it made her angry at her father. She guessed it manifested into her berating them non-stop and they misinterpreted her anger was towards them and their incompetence. She was sickened by how deep his doctrines took root in the nubile young minds of the chefs of her school. Now it was her duty to make them see the light and so with the help of Polar Star Dorm, she and Hisako had set up a program to slowly 'un-train' her students from Father's rigid and fascist teachings, so that they could return to using their creative and natural-born talents.
"Did you just seriously call my program rehabilitation?"
Erina jolted.
"Y-Yukihira-kun! Wh-What are you doing here?"
Her cheeks fired up. The young chef leaned against the kitchen door frame with his thumbs hooked into the belt loops of his jeans. He cocked her a blinding smile that sent butterflies roiling in her stomach. Her eyes sought to look everywhere except his face, but it was extremely hard. That rubicund hair which defied gravity was getting more eye-catching every time she saw him. Over the past two years his form had lengthened until he looked almost gangly in a charming sort of way. He might be very lean but there was still a great strength in him that never died out since the first moment she laid eyes on him. His rigorous training during third year had served him well. Erina shifted in her seat, refusing to think about his physique. Ever since Father was taken away, the school fell into a power vacuum. Ojii-sama was still not in his right mind to take over the school, and he was going to be consumed with the police and eventually lawyers anyway. So Doujima Gin was appointed to be the relieving Director while Ojii-sama and the Nakiri family focused on the immediate problem. Doujima-sama's steadfast leadership and unwavering conviction to the school was all that was needed to bring it back from the brink of despair and back into the light.
It had been a couple of weeks since their graduation and Erina had been working to the bone for this school. She couldn't take the state of affairs lying down so with some convincing from the school board and Doujima-sama's permission, Erina established a training program that would help students re-connect with their creativity, tap into their own unique talents and be expose to the array of inspiration at the fingertips, just waiting to be discovered and used in their recipes.
It wasn't about 'fixing' and 'correcting' their weaknesses anymore, it was all about celebrating and building their strengths.
Erina called it 'Polar Star 101'
It was embarrassing but she couldn't think of any other appropriate name for her program… But her gut told her it to be it and of course, she couldn't have a program named after the infamous Dormitory without somebody from the dormitory working alongside her. That was where the one and only Yukihira Souma came in.
"Came by to check up on you. I was gonna ask Hisako but she was very busy on the phone so I didn't wanna bother her. But wow. You called my program a rehabilitation. It's not like the students here are still drugged up or stoned on Azami right?" he replied.
Damn it, his voice got her every time. The rich low tones he had developed through puberty was not fair. It also still irked her that he called Hisako by her given name and she was still called 'Nakiri'. Not that it was a problem but… it was just that one stagiare back in first year where he and Hisako were more familiar, so he didn't need to keep calling her aide 'Hisako' right?
"Excuse me. Our program. I'm the one who's coordinating it, you implement it. My students are still restricted and trapped in Father's mindset. So, in a way it's rehabilitation. We want to get them back to their old selves and encourage them to improve their creativity and skills once more, remember?"
"Sure, sure" he said offhandedly.
Erina got up from her seat and smoothed out her chef's uniform. She watched Yukihira-kun play with some lint on his old Yukihira-diner shirt. She had always been captivated by the swirling symbol and the calligraphy style of his name against the dull navy blue fabric. It was his home, his soul and his creed. Yukihira Souma wouldn't be who he was without his family diner, nor it's cooking style. He looked out of place and odd if he wore any other uniform or clothes for that matter. He must have been aware of it as he even wore his diner shirt under his school uniform up until graduation. Others probably that he had an unhealthy attachment to it, or he had a few hundred sets of them. His family diner shirt was his trademark, along with his sash. Everyone could recognise him that way.
Thinking about his diner prompted her to ask the question she had been so nervous to do so.
"A-Are you okay with helping me with the program next year though? I mean… everyone has plans after graduation like going back to their home town or start establishing their career"
"Hmm… Yukihira Diner is still gonna be there. I don't have to go back straight away"
"What about your father and your childhood friends who are waiting for you?"
"I'm worth the wait" he grinned at her.
He certainly was. Erina blushed profusely at the implication that their program at Tootsuki took precedent over his dreams to take over his father's business. She shouldn't be thinking too much of it because there was no way he could really understand the implications of his words. That was the thing with Yukihira-kun. He just told things like they were, no filter, no double meanings. It was just from the heart. It drove her mad. Madder still was that she just wanted to shake him and make him further explain what he really meant by what he said so she could be rid of the torture of uncertainty! She would dishonour Ojii-sama if she snapped out at him again when she was supposed to be keeping her emotions in check. Erina coughed into her first.
"Anyway, you found me, so now what? You have something to say?"
"Nope. Do I need to reason to come find you? I just wanted to see you" he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.
"Oh…" Erina looked away sheepishly now that his intense gold eyes found interest in the splintering wood on the door frame, still looking for a double entrende… or a hidden shokugeki challenge.
"How long have you been in here?" asked Yukihira-kun.
He stepped into the room with his hands tucked behind his head. He released a mighty yawn so she could see all his teeth. He surveyed the kitchen which looked the same as all the other kitchen rooms with mild interest before casting his eyes in her direction again. His diner shirt rode up his belly revealing a set of toned abdominal muscles that sent Erina's mind into a whirlwind.
"Uh.. Um… since this morning" she replied.
His head tilted towards her.
"What? All day? Come on! We gotta get you outta here for some fresh air. Hey, I know. How about we go get some charcoal chicken or a halal snack pack or two?"
Yukihira-kun approached her fast and leaned against the bench in front of her. She watched the tendons in his neck slightly bulge as her exerted them to get close to her. His face lowered down towards her own red one and he smiled brightly. Erina didn't know what to do! He was so near her and it was making her body malfunction just from that. Her heart palpitations worsened and stomach squirmed. He really was an imbecile who didn't know how to mind personal space!
"W-Where the heck are we going to find that?"
"Hayama's place. Didn't you know? Kami-sama, he makes the best charcoal chicken. You're missing out, Nakiri. Come! I'll treat you some!"
Erina was suddenly yanked from her seat. She yelped out in indignation as she felt her hand clasped firmly in a larger hand. His fingers were warm against her cold skin and she could feel it spreading up her arms like a fire tornado. The strength he used to lift her easily from her perch was mind boggling and she struggled to keep her balance as the rambunctious chef rambled on, and on, about spices and chicken and how he wished Hayama-kun could divulge his secret spice mix.
"Don't run in the hallway! It's against the rules!"
"We ain't students anymore!" he yelled back.
He kept running. Truth be told, Erina never really paid the Bengali chef any mind ever since he was expelled from school in second year. There might have been a tinge of pittance, but that was probably it. She knew he could make it on his own since he had such skill and talent, therefore she didn't feel the need to worry over him. It was Shiomi-sensei who was worth worrying over, despite securing a position in Toudai. Erina could do nothing but run on unsteady legs behind him as he excitedly dragged her down the classroom corridor in his glee. Her yells for him to let her go and slow down fell on deaf ears and so she just resigned herself to her fate.
'He still hasn't let go of my hand'
They weren't in a hurry, were they? The restaurant Hayama-kun worked in definitely wasn't going to close at this hour so why the rush? Also, there were no students around so fat chance they would get separated by a non-existent crowd. She looked up into the back of Yukihira-kun's head. Since when had he gotten so tall? And since when did his shoulders get broader? Didn't they use to be the same height? Now he was a full head taller than her. Wow. The changes people went through in two years…
'Have I changed at all…?'
Erina finally skidded to a stop, dragging Yukihira-kun down with her.
"Huh? What's the hold up?"
The red-headed chef also came to a stop, only the momentum still pushed him a bit before he turned around with quizzical eyes on her. Erina just stared at him. Really stared. She saw the way his brows dipped with concern and he blinked at her in confusion. He stepped towards her and tilted his head downwards to get a better look at her, probably trying to read her emotions. Knowing him, he would take a lot longer to figure it out, or never. Her heart echoed in her ears and her bottom lip found her teeth. The more he stared at her, she more she felt her cheeks heat up. There were so many things different about the boy standing in front of her and at the same time, so many things that remained the same. He was still the same stupid, dense, second-rate, uncouth, rule-breaking chef. But he possessed a vitality and life in him that outshone everything else in her world. It grew with each day. The chaos he brought shook up her sleepy and stagnant existence as if shouting 'Hey! Wake up! There's so much out there to discover!'That was exactly what happened. Yukihira-kun showed her a world of flavours and inspiration beyond her cold and lonely fortress and she had been too up-herself to realise it. Now she couldn't get enough of it. She craved the moments he made a breakthrough or discovered something new to try and do. She looked forward to the times she herself made discovers on her own. Just so that she could revel in the feeling that was Yukihira Souma.
She changed. She never wanted to go back to the life she had before.
'To think a few years ago, I agonised over the realisation of loving this idiot… And now… it just makes sense'
"Oh Kami-sama. You're smiling. Who's grave are we gonna dig? Not mine r-right"
The scuff of his shoes skating away from her made her want to sigh and hit him over the head. Yep. Still and idiot. But at least an idiot who had some sense of what passive aggression could look like. Erina looked up and her accused smile only softened.
"Thank you"
"What for?"
"For being you"
.
.
Again and again / Thank you
Boku wo mitsukete kureta kimi ni / i say
"Deaete yokatta" tte ne
Uta ni shita naraba ieru / Thank you
Itoshiki hibi no mainichi ga kimi to waratte bakari datta
I say thank you
Thank you, thank you, lemme say I thank you
Thank you, thank you, korekara mo zutto
Thank you, thank you, lemme say I thank you
Thank you, thank you, yoroshiku ne / I thank you
.
.
Alice spread her fingers wider into the air, feeling the fast winds whip through her locks and lash at her skin until it turned pink. How things have changed in the few short weeks. Take the sakura trees for instance. A couple of weeks back, it was a wiry tangle of last season growth. The twigs and long branches were skeletal and bare, burdened by the snow. Now those perfect silky hearts fluttered down as gentle rain. Already Spring had pushed back against winter with moderate temperatures and brought the kind of gentle breeze one wouldn't notice unless one stopped to be present in the moment. Alice stretched out her fingers from the car window again and caught one of those silky pink petals. They were cooler than she expected and smoother too. She let go and watched it flutter past her at rapid speeds to chase after its own kin.
"Where did you send Kurokiba this time"
The soft rumble of Byakko's voice only made her smile wider.
"Homeless shelter"
"…"
"I'm kidding. I'm not putting him up for adoption, if that's what you're thinking. He discovered he wanted to teach kids, so I sent him off to a place where I know the kids would appreciate what he's got to offer… assuming he doesn't make them shit their pants first. I know, I know! His face scares off adults twice his size, but he never forgets that he once lived in a rough ghetto Danish pub when he was a little kid. He had to fend for himself like an adult in a dog-eat-dog seaport. He wants to do something like teach cooking to kids who also don't have much in the way of life. Just like him. So, that they don't have to go through as much adversity as he did"
"He never said that"
"Okay, Okay, you got me! He didn't. He said there's too much butthurt in Tootsuki and Nakiri International so he wanted to go somewhere there's peace and quiet, and be useful to people who need it"
"I never saw him as being altruistic"
"Everyone's changed, Byakko" she giggled.
He smirked in response.
"I suggested he explore teaching disadvantaged kids"
"So, you sent him to that place, huh"
"Yep!"
She'd live. He had a life of his own and she couldn't very well keep mothering him. She wasn't his mother of course, she considered him as her brother. A very obedient and subservient brother. Ryou-kun had been in his own funk for a couple of weeks after graduation. He had no plans to start his own restaurant, nor did he want to work in another person's restaurant. He was a lost and frustrated dog, trying to sniff his way back home after being dumped in the woods. She couldn't believe her ears and told him not to be so stupid. But when he had turned around and gave her one of his defiant looks, she knew she lost the battle before it even began. He was going and could do nothing. Ryou-kun for once was thinking about himself and leaving her side to pursue his own goals. He was leaving the nest! Alice had thrown a huge tantrum and even threatened to call Moder to cut off his allowance. She knew she was behaving like a cow, but couldn't stand losing her best friend, even for just a moment.
'But not as much as a cow as Uncle Azami'
Urgh. She didn't want to think about that monster-cow right now. She was here with just Byakko, so forget about him! She hadn't had a moment's rest since graduation. Everything was go, go, go. She had such huge plans for herself! Nakiri International had scored a partnership with the world's greatest molecular gastronomy- chef. Her idol who pioneered multi-sensory cooking, food-pairing and flavour encapsulation. The great chef had chosen Nakiri International to help him develop food for British astronauts who would be eating in zero-gravity environments such as the IS: International Space-station. It was about time scientists from the European Space Agency canned freeze-dried, vacuumed-packed tasteless meals. She couldn't fathom the millions of British pounds it costs to deliver gross food to the astronauts. Those brave and hard-working men and women deserved home-comfort-food when they were stuck out in space. Nakiri Alice had a vision. They were going to be Nakiri Interstellar! It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and she couldn't wait to show the British Team her skills! Of course Moder and Fader were more than happy for her to internally apply for internship with the elite team of scientific chefs, lead by the one and only...
...Heston Blumenthal.
And she got it!
She would be staying in Danmark for seasons at a time. Alice sighed. She was going to miss Japan. She would miss Ryou-kun, Erina and Ojii-sama. Most of all she would miss Byakko. But they would make their long distant relationship work. if other people could do it, so could they. After all they've been through, she felt no expanse of sea or land would ever waver her feelings for the boy who'd leaned against her pedestal by accident, and toppled her back to Earth. The fact that he was still fierce in his affections for her after all the pain she had pulled him through, she was sure that Byakko wouldn't let go of his feelings for her so easily either. Alice was confident now that Moder had put a stop to Fader's nasty plans to get rid of Byakko, she and Byakko would be free to make their relationship to be whatever they want it to be. The sky's the limit!
"Physiotherapy specialising in sports injury suits you" Alice hummed. She rubbed the pad of her thumbs against his knuckles.
"You think so?"
"Yep. But I still think being a professional soccer player would've been great for you too. It's not too late, you still have yet to answer Halilhodžić-san from Sakkā Nippon Daihyō's offer to play for them"
Byakko smirked. Clearly, he liked the idea of the National Japanese Football Team chasing after him.
"For a pretty long time I did want to be a professional footballer. But after looking into it, it's such a short-lived career. Being a physiotherapist to professional athletes is pretty cool too. If it doesn't work out, I could go with you to Denmark and try out for the Denmark National Football Team"
Alice giggled "Danmarks fodboldlandshold would be lucky to have you"
Hmm. We're here"
The car slowed down to the side of the rode before taking a dramatic dip off-road into the spring meadow that laid from all sides as far as the eyes could see. It was a glorious expanse of grass and wild flowers, with the grass gently rustling in the breeze. There was a narrow brook flowing through it choked with weeds too. Tall water-mint and pale lilac flowers, like dozens of tiny bells were growing at the edge. Seeing those cute blossoms made her want to run her fingers through Byakko's own silky lilac locks. It had been ages since she'd been to the countryside to enjoy the natural peace and wonder! The car bounded up and down on the uneven soil until her boyfriend pulled to a stop beside a large and towering tree in the middle of the sea of green. He had told her that he knew of had often driven here with Ayame-chan and Namikaze-chan when they wanted to escape the city life.
Alice opened the door and stretched out her legs, popping out the stiff kinks. She was mindful of pulling her dress a bit to keep the breeze from blowing up her legs and giving her chills in places that shouldn't be chilly! The car momentarily shifted its weight as Byakko climbed out too. Alice turned around and opened the other door to grab the picnic basket she prepared and Byakko popped open the boot to get the picnic mat, the drinks and…
His guitar
Alice giggled like a rabid fangirl, catching a brief, nervous smirk from Byakko. This was going to be the best outing ever!
"Oh this place is gorgeous!" Alice inhaled the air. "Let's sit over here so we can see the brook"
Byakko hummed in approval and dropped a kiss onto her head as he walked past. Alice smiled. She looped her arm under the handles of the picnic blanket with her left arm, and with her right arm, she hooked it around Byakko's left arm before he got too far away. Her boyfriend leaned in close to her to peck her on the forehead as well and Alice couldn't help but reach onto the tips of her toes to meet his lips part way. She noticed he didn't bring out his jacket. Wasn't he cold? Byakko wore a thick pair of Jeans and just a simple v-neck t-shirt and white cardigan. Not even a scarf! His hair was pulled into a rugged half pony-tail leaving his long fringes to whip around his refined face. His eyes shined with amusement and it really seemed he was at peace with her. Alice's heart blossomed in her chest to see Byakko this way. She had never felt luckier to be by his side. Her tall and aloof other half who never failed to amaze her with his quite nature and no-bullshit words.
Alice chose the perfect spot and plopped down the picnic basket in the soft grass, took the roll of picnic mat from Byakko and spread it down at the foot of the majestic tree. Once she finished smoothing it out, Byakko settled himself crossed legged onto one half and she kneeled on the other.
"I've made some special bentou's today which I know you're just going to love. Western style ones. First, I have the scallops with cabbage, dill and buttermilk bentou. Then I have the bitter greens, spring onions and salted mackeral vinaigerette bentou. Honey caviar, Fourme d'Ambert and black tea bentou. I know they sound weird, but trust me, they're good!" Alice laughed as she took out beautiful and ornate boxes, one after the other from the basket and opened the lid to showcase Byakko her creations.
He sat there with one elbow on his knee and rested his chin into his open palm, his back hunched over like a lazy eagle. He had a delicate eyebrow quirked up and a half smile played on his lips.
"Got Karaage bentou in there?"
Oh no he didn't.
"Hmph! I went through a lot of effort designing these special bentou using cutting edge molecular gastronomy techniques and you just want fried chicken?" Alice huffed at him, puffing her cheeks out.
That only made him smirk at her with heated delight dancing in his piercing hazel orbs. Blast him for his mocking silence! Her quick-fire indignation dissolved in a heartbeat when he innocently tilted his head at her. Alice blushed under his intense gaze. Suddenly he reached over to her, bringing his larger body forward. She held her breath, not knowing what he was doing but her skin and lips tingled with anticipation. She inhaled his smothering pine and grassy scent when his warmth was right at her face. She could also smell the sinful deodorant he was wearing too. He knew his deodorant made her knees weak! His long arm brushed past her to pluck two peaches from inside the basket with one hand. His long and slender fingers easily clasped around the two plump peaches with ease, demonstrating the strength and dexterity of each digit… The soft and fuzzy fruit was suddenly pressed into her cheeks and she gasped feeling the cold temperature. Byakko leaned back and shifted in his position to rest his back against the smooth bark of the great tree they were under. His eyes still haven't left hers as he made himself comfortable again.
"Still a bit early for lunch, let's just relax a bit" he said.
Alice snatched the peaches from his hand.
"If you are going to have some nibbles first, at least let me cut them so you don't get juices everywhere" Alice giggled.
Score one for Alice! She balanced the second peach between her knees and took out a small plate and paring knife from the basket and started peeling and slicing the plump fruits with expert skill, the juices not getting as messy as an amateur. Meanwhile Byakko acquiesced and proceeded to tune his acoustic guitar. It was a quick work. She could hear him attach his finger picks and final the soft rhythmic melodies wafted to her and it was so relaxing. The tones were rich and full, exhibiting the consistent practices Byakko kept up with learning the instrument alongside soccer. The sweet refrain of the acoustic spoke a musical language to her soul. He could make the guitar sing to him. It was his slave and he was its master. Just like her heart was a slave to him and his was to hers. The strumming sound had a hypnotic soothing quality that she craved. To lose herself to the melody of the guitar was her idea of a heavenly morning.
Alice lifted her ruby-red eyes momentarily to watch his metal finger picks manipulate the strings to his unwavering command. A small smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. His long fingers looked so enticing as it plucked each nylon string carefully and deliberately and she suddenly had the desire for his fingers to pluck something else within her. The feeling of warmth settled in her belly and knowing desire flushed through her senses.
Kuchiyose Byakko was a beautiful boy.
Inside and outside.
Fate brought him back into her life and she couldn't be anymore grateful.
"Look who's dripping juices now"
Alice blinked and looked down, not before catching his hazel eyes looking at her as if he knew something she didn't. She freaked out at how close the droplets were about to land on her clothes and she hurriedly lifted her hand and licked up the juices escaping between down her wrist, not wanting to ruin her bespoke Burberry dress. Phew that was close! The tingling sensation of avid eyes didn't leave her and it she found it hard to swallow. Wait… Byakko would normally chuckle or snort right about now and would go back to doing whatever he was doing… so why was he still smirking at her as if waiting for her to do or say something? Hold on a minute… when he said 'dripping juices' he meant the peaches right?
It clicked.
'Oh Byakko… you fiend'
"It's not my fault you were distracting… " she muttered in her best sultry voice.
She watched him neither look away or shy away from her statement. Byakko lifted the strap of his guitar over himself and set it aside. His toned biceps flexed and tensed as his broad shoulders managed to take up the strap all in one go. She was shocked to see him lean forward and take the fruit that was once between her knees, but had already rolled down to her thighs. His deep hazel eyes sucked her in, not letting go. He didn't pick up the fruit by the sides, but rather she could feel his long fingers slide under the fruit… dangerously close to her… has he gently lifted it, letting his trim nails graze against the heated fabric of her dress. Her heart lurched in her ribcage to see him eye her and take a bite out of the peach.
Her stomach quivered at the sound of his bite. She had to say something intelligent before he could see how messed up she was feeling on the inside.
"I-I'm already cutting this one for you…"
"I want to eat the one between your legs" he nodded towards her still parted knees.
Alice choked on her saliva.
With shaking hands, she finally finished slicing her peach with as much grace as she could muster, and wiped herself off with the napkin, ridding herself of the sticky juices. She calmed herself and moved her body closer to his, watching as he simply sat staring back at her. Never had she wanted another boy as badly as she wanted this one. Even his silences and glances were enough to leave her wanting. She looked him square in the eyes and leaned in until she could feel his warm breath washing over.
"I love you"she whispered.
It was like time was completely blown out of proportion. She was about to open her mouth to say something more but her lips froze when soft thin lips were on hers faster than she could comprehend. The texture of his kissing appendages registered as well as the sound of the peach dropping over his shoulders onto the earth before she dived into ecstasy. Her eyes fluttered closed and she covered the rest of the distance from their bodies by threading her fingers into his soft lilac hair. His fingers grabbed at her waist and the other under her thigh to lift her into his lap to straddle him. She pushed closer to him as his nails trailed hungrily up and down her sides, pushing past her cardigan and the straps of her dress to get closer to her skin. Alice allowed his tongue to dance with hers and plundered her riches. He nipped at her tongue, causing her to gasp and clinch her thighs together to feel the proof of his want for her growing between them. A rough groan came from between his lips as he leaned forward, causing her to latch her arms around his neck to stop her from falling backwards. He pulled his lips from her, torturously slow.
"Thank you for still loving me"
.
.
Again and again/ thank you
Boku wo mitsuketekureta kimi ni / i say
"Deaete yokatta" tte ne
Uta ni shita naraba ieru / thankyou
Itoshiki hibi no mainichi ga kimi to waratte bakari datta
I say thank you
Thank you, thank you, lemme say I thank you
Thank you, thank you, korekara mo zutto
Thank you, thank you, lemme say I thank you
Thank you, thank you, yoroshiku ne / I thank you
.
.
Something soft, warm and oily lightly pressed against her face. Her cheek turned towards the intriguing morsel. But she kept her eyes on her phone screen, wanting to finish reading the news article the media vomited onto her social media page like a loyal slave to technology. It moved away. Her mouth parted on its own and leaned to the left on auto polite to follow the cheeky bugger. Her eyes remained glued to the screen, entrusting that her rooting reflexes won't let the treat slip away. It moved away again. A miniscule amount of tension flitted across her muscle at the surprise. Her body and head started moving on in sync and started reaching towards where the delectable morsel was sneaking away like a thief in the night. Her attention remained steadfast on the juicy piece of internet news and her eyeballs were straining with the effort to grip onto the scandalous article. Somewhere in the periphery of her awareness, she could feel her body successfully closing in on the evasive and oily snack.
Suddenly a pair of warm lips were on hers…
WHERE THE FUCK WAS HER CHIVE DUMPLING!?
"Kuga-kun!"
Chizuru ripped her lips away from his. Her cheeks fired up in offense as Terunori Kuga dangled the thick dumpling in front of her face before plopping it into his mouth. The ire intensified when he leaned back in and pecked her again on the lips, his covered in a thin sheen of sesame oil. Chizuru sat there flabbergasted that she fell for that trick for the billionth time. Urgh! Why was he always taking advantage of her distraction just to steal kisses right from under her nose? He had a sick sense of humour. Mirth danced in his brown eyes as he grinned at her like a child who successfully snuck the cookie from the jar. Despite being older than her by a year, he still acted like a spoiled five-year-old.
"Two points to the great Terunori Kuga-sama!" he chuckled. "You're leaving yourself too open again. What's kept your attention from your awesome boyfriend?"
"Azami. Some journalist says that he is most likely going to get acquitted for the murder, but will be found guilty for the other crimes he committed" said Chizuru, rolling her eyes at him.
She reached over other side for the plate of chive dumplings but it suddenly slid beyond her reach, courtesy of the piece of shit next to her.
"You…" she growled.
"Kiss first" he tapped his lips and wiggled his brows at her.
"You've already got one"
"Another" he demanded childishly
"Fine, you over grown baby"
Chizuru swivelled in her seat and leaned forward, sliding her lips against his softly. He sought her like a magnet. She was tentative at first because she didn't appreciate his teasing, but it quickly melted into a chaste and tender one. She felt his calloused fingers slip up her jawline and then into the back of her head a he deepened it further. He tasted of the saltiness of the soya sauce and his tongue slipped into her mouth to play with her hers and swiped them across her teeth. The spicy chilli flakes generously sprinkled on their snack made her mouth burn deliciously and salivate, and her tongue tingle with adventure. Damn he was a good kisser and she was a sucker for it. Her insides bubbled and her hot breath was sucked from her lungs into his mouth. But she only had the dumplings in mind, but damn her if she wasn't going to get him back for baiting her with them.
Chizuru had an idea and lightly moaned into the kiss where she felt him already shiver in excitement. She pushed against him and lightly placed her hand onto his thigh, stroking his skin through the fabric of his jeans. Up, down, up, down. The hands that were in her hair instantly travelled down her neck, to her shoulder, the down her arms before landing on her waist to pull her to him. She could feel his fingers fidgeting as he started to tense and untense them against the dip in her waist, playing with the hem of her shirt. Chizuru's tingling spine opened a channel of excitement and she sighed against his hungry kiss, as he started bending her backwards, trying to kiss her harder.
Then she shoved him back.
Kuga-kun opened his eyes and blinked stupidly, his lips plumped and puckered as Chizuru danced away from him with the plate of dumplings in hand. Her malicious grin played on her lips, which were also still red and sensitive from Kuga-kun's work.
"Chizu-chin…" he rasped in warning.
She bit her lips and smiled coyly at him. Kuga-kun's lion-like eyes narrowed at her and his nostrils flared at her antics. His hands fisted and the muscles in his shoulders bunched up, not appreciating that she was getting him all worked up for nothing. Tit for tat. He was so funny when he was aroused and cock-blocked. It was easy to get him into that state as well. All she really needed to do was give him a bit of sugar and it was enough for him to pounce on her. She could already see him itching to wrap his arms around her and never let her go until he got what he wanted.
"You mess with the bull, you get the horns" Chizuru shrugged and bit into a succulent dumpling. She ran her tongue across her bottom lip, watching his eyes tracking her tongues movement as well.
Before she knew it, Kuga-kun shot forward and his face was buried in her hair. Chizuru muffled her shriek at his brazen display in the VERY PUBLIC WINDOW SEAT OF THE CHINESE CAFÉ and the chastising that was about to spill out of her. The only thing stopping her was the desire to not attract attention and drop the plate of dumpling. Sharp pain stabbed into the shell of her ear as her boyfriend bit her on the cartiledge, not letting go without a growl of warning. The low timbre made her shudder and squeeze her eyes shut.
"Same here. And I've got BIG horns"
Chizuru's stomach flipped from the cheesiness and the tingling in her lower belly. She didn't need reminding there…
"Stop it, we're in a public place!" she hissed at him.
That didn't deter him as she felt his lips attack her jugular next and a moan escaped her after hearing the vibrational sounds he was making. Screw him and his lack of appropriate behaviour! He pulled away and she could already feel the sting of a hickey forming on the side of her neck. Her bastard of a boyfriend leaned back with a shit-eating grin as he surveyed her flushed expression and rosey cheeks. His arrogance and haughtiness only increased during the time they were dating. It felt like a lifetime ago that his punk-ass midget was just an over-bearing pain in her butt. Stalking her in her workplace and never leaving her a moment's peace for every shift at the second-hand bookstore. The loud parrot never made her afternoons boring at least and it probably sweetened the deal that he was almost always delivering her Sichuan meals for her after school munchies, or dragging her out somewhere to discover the hidden food dens of Karakura Honchou. If somebody asked her how they got together, she would reply that he wore her down, like the ocean waves beating against the cliff face until it crumbled. His persistence and perseverance was steadfast for months and months, as if the only girl he ever saw as a source of his fun was her. She did end up bending to him because… yeah, he was cute when he wanted to be... and fun. It didn't help that stolen kisses, fleeting touches, heavily loaded banters and impromptu make out sessions in the backroom of the shop left her wanting more of him, and his cheeky and feisty side that only she seemed to bring out in their intimate moments.
The budding feeling grew slowly at first, and before she knew it, she fell in love with him.
SNAP!
Kuga-kun snapped his fingers and the waiter appeared.
"Hi, how can I help you?" he said in broken Japanese.
Kuga-kun seemed to hesitate for a moment and Chizuru looked on with curiosity.
「再来点茶。」said Kuga-kun.
"…"
"…"
What. Just. Happened.
Chizuru flipped her head from spiky-haired boy to the young waiter who was equally just as shocked to be hearing… Chinese? From her boyfriend. Her brained tried to loop the sound bite over and over so that she could remember exactly what sounds he was using and whether or not her ears were just malfuctioning. Suddenly the waiter's shocked face morphed into relief as he hastily scribbled onto the order pad.
「是的你可以。」said the young waiter.
「我要虾肉饺子和肉包。」replied Kuga-kun.
The waiter finished writing and deposited his pad into his apron pockets.
「您的餐点稍后到。」he said.
「谢谢。」Kuga-kun grunted with a solid salute.
Chizuru watched as the waiter power-walked back to the kitchen and she continued staring at the kitchen doors swinging to and fro. Dumb founded, she reached over for the teapot sitting across from her and lifted it, only to realise it was gone and she just grasped air. She turned back around and was met by the nonchalant face of Terunori Kuga flipping through messages on his phone as he leaned back onto the seat with his arms draped over the back of her own seat.
"You… you can speak Chinese?" Chizuru gasped.
"Mandarin"
"Since when did you know Mandarin?"
"We've been dating for more than a year and you never knew I speak Mandarin too, Chizu-chin?" He looked up at her with almost-genuine surprise.
Hell no she didn't! He knew very well that she had no clue that he could speak Mandarin and how dare the little piece of shit have the gall to look surprised. She fought the urge to grab his roguishly cute rounded cheeks and pull them like bread-dough until he begged for mercy. He never told her and nor had she ever seen him speak it! Chizuru face-palmed and groaned. The sadistic chuckle beside her grated on her nerves, but a wry smile found its way onto her lips. Here he was again, toying with her and she was once again the butt of one of his other pranks, or jokes, or whatever it was.
She could never have a normal date with Terunori Kuga.
"Was it something I was supposed to ask and find out?!"
"Uh… Yeah?"
"Forget it. How do you say 'I'm going to fucking murder you', in Mandarin?" asked Chizuru sweetly, cracking her knuckles.
He leaned in and pecked her on the nose.
「我爱你。」
"You're fucking with me again, aren't you"
Chizuru jabbed her fingers into his waist, knowing that he was obviously trying to make her say something else to him instead.
"What did you say to the waiter, anyway?"
"I said, the she-hobbit with the short-temper wanted more tea, dumplings and pork buns" he gloated with his lop-sided grin. "Hey, when are you going to introduce me to your parents?" asked Kuga-kun suddenly.
"Wha-ha?"
That caught her off guard. Why the sudden curve-ball topic? Chizuru gulped. Kuga-kun firmly held onto her finger which was still softly digging into his flesh. He started to stroke her fingers with his thumb as he eased it back down onto his lap, not letting her pull back. He leaned his elbow onto the table and smirked gently at her, his eyes raised sardonically at her in expectation for a proper answer his inescapable question.
"U-Uh… N-Not yet. I don't think they're ready to meet the heir of the House of Terunori, millionaires to a global chain of spicy food restaurants" she coated her words in poorly executed sarcasticasm, wriggling her fingers in his calloused hands and fiddling with her phone in the other.
He leaned forward and plopped his chin on her shoulder, reading her screen as well while he let go of her captive fingers and hooked his arm over her other shoulder. His hand snaked down her arm like a warm blanket until he reached her wrist. He started playing with the sleeve of her jacket.
"I introduced you to my family already~" he whined in her ear.
"Your old Research Society is not your family"
"They call you 'big sister'"
"That's because they are Chinese mafia wannabes"
Her shoulders were instantly light and cold as Kuga-kun flounced into the opposite direction. Oh great. Now he was sulking. She rolled her eyes and brushed her fringe from her face. She turned around to see him hunched over his folded arms and pouting in the opposite direction. Urgh… could he be any more dramatic? Yes, he could, so she was grateful he at least wasn't wailing about, just like the one time last year when she was too embarrassed to hold hands with him public, he dived down to her feet and started bawling his eyes out with crocodile tears, causing passerbys to halt and gawk. He had started childishly accusing her for the whole world to hear, that she was a cold-hearted girlfriend who tortured him with her frigid love. His shamelessness was breath-taking. She had ended up having to grab both his hands, haul him up and had dragged him down the street before they were front and centre of the local gossip. Oh, that self-satisfying smile of his afterwards deserved a slap. She hadn't let go of his hand for the rest of the day.
But this time, Kuga-kun genuinely looked disappointed. He had a hardened faraway glazed look in his brown eyes and even his spiky hair seemed to wilt. His lips were a thin line and his face was devoid of any of the cheeky and happiness he had earlier and was as stiff as the cliff-face. She felt a twinge in her heart and something she wasn't ready to admit as guilt yet. She dropped her phone back into her bag. She sidled up closer to him hoping to gain some sort of reaction. Nothing. The twist in her chest grew tighter.
"Kuga-kun?"
He snorted.
Chizuru bit her lip.
"How about this weekend… you can meet my parents" she caved in. She honestly didn't like to see him looking so despondent.
"This weekend?"
"Yeah. You free?"
"Let me think about it"
'Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm'
Chizuru turned the stove down to stop herself from boiling over. She was this close to clobbering him with the salt and pepper shaker on the café bench. Fuck guilt. Then again there was the nagging in the back of her mind that Kuga-kun deserved an explanation… This wasn't the first time he asked to meet her parents. It was going to happen sooner or later and the frequency of him asking her was increasing. She had prayed for later. Ever since she agreed to start dating him he was telling every man and his dog about her! It was so embarrassing! Ayame-chan, Kuchiyose-kun, Mario and Luigi, his whole year group, his whole Research Society, Yukihira-kun, Isshiki-san, his other ex-elite ten mates, Polar Star Dorm when he ran into them… it was… cringe. She mistook the pure joy from him that whacked her in the face as triumph and was almost offended that he treated her like a trophy to be won. But gradually she came to realise that he was just simply happy, proud and pleased that she didn't actually hate his guts as much as she had lead him to believe. He wanted to show her off to the world, was what Ayame-chan said. His personality was both intoxicating and annoying, but she didn't have the heart to just trample on his parade and tell him to shut his disgustingly huge trap. For some reason, agreeing to go out with the bouncy ball of over-confident energy meant he had permission to get all touchy-feeling whenever he wanted to be near her. Boy, did she fix that… before he popped her personal bubble again… There was a lot of touching, hugging, kissing involved and Chizuru had a hard time getting over that because she didn't like… touching people. 'Never say die' was his middle name and again, he wore her down and… kissing and hugging Terunori Kuga… wasn't so bad.
Chizuru shuffled her feet.
"I know we've been… I mean… I've been avoiding talking about meeting parents and all that… But the reason is b-because… I don't know if I was ready for it. This is new to me. The Y-you and me… d-dating… couples… thing"
"We've been together for over a year and your parents still don't know I exist"
"That's not true!" Chizuru jumped out of her seat and turned to face him fully.
Panic filled her as Kuga-kun stared at her coolly from beneath his thick lashes, his usual cheeky and mischievous personality was gone. He was now giving her his 'Grumpy Cat' impression. It was starting to make her feel severely uncomfortable and she had to do something to make everything all normal again, otherwise he was going to continue being a pain in the arse. She frowned and averted her eyes, pressing her finger tips together to figure out what she should say. Chizuru never had a boyfriend in her life, let alone knew any who fancied her. The inescapable insecurity of being together with a rich kid with above average looks, and a prestigious name was a bit more than she could handle at first. Comparing to her, he had to be the type whom his parents would arrange marriages for, most likely with a little lady from a respectable family with equal status.
He had his life all set up for him, where he was managing and is head chef to The Lion's Den in Ikebukuro. One of the many high-class Sichuan styled restaurants across Japan belonging to the Terunori family. And her? She was still deciding if she wanted to study to be a video games designer in University or take a gap year to go travelling and work a bit before returning to study.
Then there were her parents were just normal working class citizens making a day's living. The epitome of blandness. Nobody worth batting an eyelash at in his gold-plated corner of the world. Those little ladies from his social class were the types whom she butted heads with all the time. She didn't have anything wonderful about her except her perchant for gaming and trouble, and her ability to read the subtext (which to her horror was dwindling over time the more she met over-complicated chefs). In the looks department? Eh… she tried. His parents were overseas managing their many restaurants over the world to really notice what their son was doing, but he had reassured her that 'mummy' and 'daddy' loved him to bits and so whatever he was happy with, they have to be happy with too. He had never sounded more spoilt in that declaration. Maybe it was his spoilt nature that made him so God-damned persistent in chasing after her, and refusing to take her repeated 'no, fuck off' for an answer.
"I-I talk about y-you… to my parents" she murmured.
"Uh huh"
He shifted in front of her until he also swivelled around to face her straight on. He leaned back and rested his elbow on the back of his chair a slow, cocky grin started to form on his face. His regal posture as an ex-elite ten member of Tootsuki challenged her like it always did.
"Did you tell them I'm hot?"
Chizuru slumped her shoulders. Really…? They were doing this now? She sighed and rolled her eyes.
"I said, if you were a super-famous singer, I'd buy mosh-pit tickets to your concert so that I could throw my bra and panties at you"
"'Cause I'm hot?"
"'Cause you're hot"
Her lips fought to burst into a laugh and he was in the same state. She willed herself not to be first to break character but the dam erupted and she was full of giggles and unbecoming snorts. Her hands went up to cover her mouth from snorting out mucous from keeping in her laugh so strongly and soon Kuga-kun joined into with a muffled guffaw of his own. She couldn't deny they had something special going that there was nothing in the world that could compare to the happiness and annoyance she felt for the Sichuan chef. He was an oxymoron that just meshed well. He was an unbearable spoilt brat, but he was hers. She wondered what her life would've been like if he never looked her way again after his first rejection.
Stagnant and hella boring. She couldn't stand hella boring.
"One more thing" said Chizuru, catching her breath "I should say thank you for putting up with me – AHH! MMMPH?!"
She was silenced by a hard and fast kiss.
"You had me at bra and panties~"
.
.
Kisetsu ha megutteiku kedo
Kawaranai mono ga kono te ni hitotsu
"Well just you and you and you"
Kimi no warau egao ga mitai kara
Mata arukidaseru n da
Again and again / Thank you
Boku wo mitsuketekureta kimi ni / I say
"Deaete yokatta" tte ne
Uta ni shita naraba ieru / thank you
Itoshiki hibi no mainichi ga kimi to waratte bakari datta
I say thank you
.
.
"Hurry, hurry! There's only five minutes left to the end of the class. I don't want to miss out!"
"Come on, we might make it in time to see!"
"Excuse me! No running in the corridors! Class is still in session even though it's the end of semester!"
The first-year girls stumbled at Hisako's command. They turned around and hastily apologised with frantic bows at her. They were young, but not too young as to not obey the school rules. No running in the corridor. Clear and simple! Her shoulder was still smarting from being pushed so rudely by those careless and inconsiderate girls as they were stampeding past her. They had to have seen her up ahead, and yet they didn't slow down. What was the big idea anyway? She tapped her foot finding satisfaction in seeing their fearful eyes trying not to meet her simmering ones.
"Y-Yes ma'am!"
"Don't let me catch you running in the hallways like that again. Go back to class and reflect on your actions"
"Yes!"
They spun around and high-tailed it out of there, power walking as fast as their legs could take them. Hisako harrumphed as they disappeared around the corner. She knew they were going to break out into a sprint as soon as she lost sight of them anyway. Really! No decorum at all! Why were first year students treating the school as if it was some sort of playground where they could just run around wherever and whenever they liked? Hisako shook her head and resumed her phone conversation.
"Sorry Aoi-sama. I had to discipline a few students"
"I hope you weren't too harsh, Arato-san. Remember, you were a student just like they are"
Hisako walked slowly down the corridor reflecting on Aoi-sama's piece of wisdom. Ever since he was transferred to be the new Director of Tootsuki, Aoi Mitsuki, the renowned pastry chef was chosen by the board to manage Tootsuki Resort in Doujima-sama's place. She didn't know a lot about what he was like, as he was known to keep to himself a lot. However, she heard he was a well known pastry chef in France who was a good friend of Chef Chapelle.
Hisako looked outside towards the beautiful sakura trees. The same trees she and Erina-sama took photos with on their graduation day. Too bad her destination was in one of the school buildings. She would have loved to take a detour out in the courtyard just to enjoy the warm spring day. The lazy wind pushed against the shrubs like a child sending the dandelion seeds on their way: one o'clock, two o'clock, three. Above the white wisps trail and the spring sun brought a welcoming warmth that coated Hisako as good as caramel over harvest apples. The clock in the hallway said it was ten minutes to noon. Maybe later she would take a relaxing stroll through the school for memory sake. After all, she wouldn't be by Erina-sama's side anymore. She made a decision.
Hisako turned down the corner the two girls had disappeared to.
"I accept the offer Aoi-sama. I want to intern at Tootsuki Resort" she said resolutely.
"Are you sure, Arato-san? As a new graduate, thinks will be tough and you will be expected to hit the ground running"
She paused
No! She made her choice! It was by Erina-sama's inspiration that she should leave the nest. All her life, she wanted to be by Erina-sama's side and serve her until the end of time. Her love for her charge and undying respect for her courage and charisma was what kept her together with the Nakiri family. As the years went by she had been… distracted by many things and many people. All of a sudden, being by Erina-sama's side lost its priority in her, especially when it was announced that Yukihira Souma would be working with the golden haired Nakiri in establishing a training programming for students whose growth as a chef were severely stunted by Erina's father's ways. She couldn't think of a better way for this to work. Those two were basically made for each other in their odd and chaotic way. Yukihira-kun was the dreamer, whereas Erina-sama was the realist. One would think the dreamers would find the dreamers and the realists would find the realists, as it turned out that wasn't strictly true. The dreamers needed the realists to keep them from soaring too close to the sun, and the reaslists… well, without the dreamers, their feet would never leave the ground. That was why Erina-sama and Yukihira-kun would make an unstoppable team in the cooking world.
… as well as in their private life…
"Yes, absolutely"
"Excellent. Welcome aboard Arato-san. I'll have my people send you the information package by the end of business today. Training will start on 21st July. So please take the opportunity to go through with the health check, police check and finalise any documents outlined in the information package and have it prepared for your first day" said Aoi-sama
"Y-Yes, sir"
"Excellent. And another thing, Arato-san"
"Yes?"
"Nakiri Erina is very proud of you"
Hisako stopped.
"When my recruitment team interviewed you, they also called up Tootsuki for a reference and character check on the same day. They were put through to Nakiri Erina. She said that you were beyond competent and the most reliable aide she has had the pleasure of working with. Your management and communication skills are outstanding and your cooking skills are exemplary. She said that you are a very resourceful and a good problem-solver, and you are a keen learner and always looks to improve your skills and broaden your horizons"
Feeling shell-shocked was an understatement.
"She also said to them that if I didn't hire you, then I'm an idiot"
"S-She said that?!" Hisako stuttered. She hung onto her phone for dear life.
"Yes, Arato-san. She has great faith in you and she obviously sees that keeping you by her side will hinder your future success. You were made to be more than just an aide and a chef. Letting you go to explore, expand, and continuing to learn about yourself and the world with your cooking skills is a worthy investment"
Hisako had to fight to keep her tears at bay and she trembled all over. Erina-sama said all those things about her. About HER. Hisako had never felt so moved in her life. She couldn't fail Erina-sama. She couldn't dishonour her best friend and mistress, now that she knew she meant so much to her. Erina-sama even went as far as to say Aoi Mitsuki's name and idiot in the same sentence. Hisako wouldn't let her down on herself down.
The soft chattering of students grew louder as she entered the classroom sections of the building. She could catch bits and pieces of students shouting instructions and ingredients from one end and the voice for some lecturer down the other.
"I-I see… well then. I will get all my documentation back to human resources as soon as—"
Her heart stopped.
Everything muted.
She dropped her hand to her side.
"Hello? Arato-san?"
It was distant, but she could definitely hear it.
"… Are there any questions… Nope? Movin' on then…"
There was no way she wouldn't hear it.
One foot forward… other foot forward… one footstep ahead of the other, and she was suddenly flying down the end of the corridor to the last lecture theatre. The class windows blurred into a mess of colours as she concentrated only on the classroom at the end. She had to! She shoved her phone back into her pocket without hanging up, her breath choked in her throat at the disbelief. No way there was no way in any level of the underworld!
'There's no way! HE can't be here!"
KING KONG KANG
She skidded to a stop right at the sound of the last bell for the end of class. She clutched her shaking hands to her heaving chest. She was sweating from just that twenty metre sprint, most of it from nerves and anxiety because right now she couldn't handle it. Hisako finally looked up and pressed her hand against the classroom window.
There he was.
Jade green eyes glowed from the front of the lecture theatre.
"Now! That's ya first taste of Genetically Modified Foods Elective 101. It ain't gonna be a walk in the park like Yukihira's class. Imma work ya till ya can look at ya ingredients and tell me every single genetic modification that's been done to it, and why, before ya even cook it. I have homework assignments for ya'll that can throw grenades into people's dream. Ya'll here to learn 'n' to keep up with the world. FOOD is changin'. The we GROW food is changin'. The way we PROCESS food is changin'. The way we EAT is changin'. The way ya'll COOK will be changin' too. Don't think the universe makes exceptions for ya"
Not a sound escaped the students from the back of the lecture hall, all the way to the front. They were as captivated as Hisako was. She stood there rooted to the ground crashing over and over in her little reality bubble. Her lips trembled as the cadence and strength in his country twang pulled at her heart strings. He was really here! Right here in this school! And she had no idea he was going to be. She didn't even have room to feel anger, she was only filled with happiness.
"Science is the key to unlockin' the future, not just for medicine, inventin' shit 'n' the economy. But also for the culinary art. I ain't sayin' ya'll have to make weird shit like Nakiri International. Ya only need to understand that the world ain't static 'n' how y'all are gonna continue to fit in it. We live in a culture of innovation 'n' scientific research now. Take advantage of that. Ya'll in my class are already one-step ahead of the bunch"
Wait just a god damn minute… HIS CLASS?!
The lecture hall busted into excited murmurs. Excited faces glanced at each other as waves of determination and pumped up energy rippled through the mass of students.
"Remember. Challenge me!"
The murmurs instantly ceased as his voice commanded their attention.
"I hate students who don't think for 'emselves or who blindly follow their teacher. Ask questions. There ain't ceilins' in this class. If ya done ya own readin' 'n' learnt somethin' new, don't keep it to ya-self. Share with the class. If ya think the research 'n' theory I bring up is out-dated 'n' wrong, call me out on it 'n' be prepared to back ya-self up. Bring up discussions on ethics of usin' GM food even! I don't give a fuck. It's all part of cookin' 'n' science. I might be an absolute genius in my field but I ain't perfect"
The class chuckled at his dry and megolomaniac joke. Not perfect. He could say that again.
"I'm here because ya school ASKED me to teach ya 'n' said 'pretty please', even though I'm only a year older than the rest of ya. I've taken time outta my busy life for the lot of ya to impart my knowledge on bioengineering, botany, biology, chemistry, ya name it, so ya'll can have a higher level of understandin' of where the hell ya ingredients come from 'n' who made it, not just cook it because it's simply there"
He paced the front of the lecture hall in front of the huge whiteboard with the power point presentation still displayed. Every eye on the room moved to and fro with him. His presence was absolutely hypnotic as he articulated every single word loudly and clearly so that it travels up the room.
"Lastly, It's Hitsugaya-sensei to ya, alright? Class dismissed!"
Hisako ignored the students rustling in their seats as they began packing up their things. She peeled herself away from the window with maximum effort and clamoured to the door. She pushed past the first few students who were exiting and stopped short of a few metres away from the boy who captured her heart with his calloused and herb-stained hands.
"D-Daisuke-kun…"
He turned around and that's when she reconciled with herself that he was really here. His bright jade green eyes shattered her and his tilted grin made her stomach churn and eat itself.
"How's it goin', sweetheart"
"Wh-What are you doing here?"
Hisako approached him nervously, struggling with the desire to run her hands over his shoulders and keep her composure in check.
"I teach here now" he simply shrugged.
"You're… officially a teacher… teaching here… What? Why?"
He pursed his lips and shrugged again "The board of directors wanted to change the curriculum to include somethin' more science-based. Genetically modified foods is all the rage right now, so they thought learnin' 'bout it would benefit the students. 'Pparently somebody put in a good word 'bout me 'n' I got a phone call from Director Doujima. It turned out, he did not want to by a kilogram of dried star anise"
"When were you going to tell me?"
Hisako reached forward and grabbed his arm. Daisuke-kun tilted his head and stepped up to her. He took her hand on his arm and gently unfurled her fingers. He rested them in his hands. He reached up with his other and brushed her fringe from her face. His touch was soft and his gaze was only for her. She sighed and breathed out the breath she didn't know she was holding. He was totally unbelievable.
"I was hopin' it would be a surprise"
He pressed his lips against hers in a full kiss and she gasped at the sudden movement. She hadn't realised how much she missed his touch and her desire prevailed. She surrendered to her inhibitions and wrapped her arms around his body, pulling him as close as she could. She slowly pulled away, trying to gather her bearings but the beautiful scent of the Earth and chrysanthemum was too nostalgic and she didn't want it to go away. She finally managed to take him all in. His silky and spiky silver hair was exactly as she remembered. Soft and downy, sticking up towards the back as if he just rolled out of bed. He had a healthy tan about him, which was definitely a positive compared to his more pallid complexion when he was battling his own demons. His face… he had filled out. His once a upon a time baby cheeks were more defined and revealed higher cheekbones. His jaw was larger and stronger looking too. But his gorgeous jade eyes remained the same. He peered at her through lazy hooded eyes, the same gaze he wore when he wanted to screw with the world.
She realised that the hoodie he always wore was different! What the heck! Instead of a hooded sweater, he wore a hooded jacket that was tattered and stitched with so many badges, it was mind boggling. There was one particular stitched on piece of demin which said 'It's a beautiful day, now watch some bastard fuck it up'. Inside was a V-neck shirt with a picture of a tiger at the front, it's ferocious maw opened wide and his angry red eyes piecing at her. He wore skinny black jeans which disappeared into his sneakers. There were also loops, upon loops, of thick silver chains latched onto one belt hoop to another. This was inappropriate attire!
She pulled back and gave him a dubious look. "This? This is what you're wearing in front of the students?"
He looked down and stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets. "Ya don't like it? I think it brings out my eyes" he smirked at her.
She tutted at him and shook her head, earning a chuckle from his sinful mouth.
"C'mon, ya can show me a good place to grab a bite, sweetheart. Been here for week 'n' been stuck in meetins' with the teachin' staff the whole time"
"A whole week without telling me... you jerk"
He slipped his hands over hers and tugged her with him, leaving his materials behind, which he didn't seem to care to pack up. Hisako followed him a bit still dazed and confused that this was really happening and one they were outside, Daisuke-kun fished out a key from his pocket and promptly locked the lecture room doors.
"Wait a minute. This doesn't make sense! You… You hate elitism and anything to do with it! Why did you agree to teach at Tootsuki? What about the kids back in your own town? What about Riza-san? What about Ryuusenka Apothecary?" Hisako rounded on him.
His eyes widened before he looked sheepishly away. He frowned at her as if she was nagging him, but she didn't care. No matter how much she liked him, she was sick of him not giving her straight answers for serious issues. She stood before him with her hands on her hips. She had to know why!
"I thought 'bout what ya said to me when we hid ya friends in my shop… 'bout keepin' all my research locked up in my lab. Ya right all 'long. In some way I was bein' selfish 'n' conceited, thinkin' everybody else was too up 'emselves to give a high-school dropout like me a chance, 'n' that my research was too beyond them to understand in the first place. Which is still true by the way. I admit, I've got trust issues there. "
He leaned against the locked door. He casted his eyes off to the side, a mysterious sheen glistened his bright jade eyes in the afternoon sun.
"I thought… maybe it was time I pull my head outta my ass 'n' actually try. Make somethin' of myself, stop runnin' away 'n' show the world exactly what I'm made of. So, when the opportunity came in that phone call. I just thought… I'm not throwin' away my shot"
"D-Daisuke-kun…"
He sighed and lifted his head. He chucked her under the chin.
"Riza loves teachin' li'l kids 'n' had always wanted my apothecary shop to be more educational, so I let her go for it. Ryuusenka Apothecary is now an agricultural learnin' centre for the school kids from all over the rural district. She's hirin' new staff. She has an eye for people so I ain't worried or anythin'. Of, course we still do business as a normal apothecary 'n' a herb 'n' spice supplier 'n' I still own it, but she runs it for me now. She's more than capable" he said.
Hisako was speechless. Again. She felt this swell in her chest which she couldn't identify. It suffocated her, but it felt so good. Learning that Ryuusenka Apothecary was evolving alongside Daisuke-kun was almost too symbolic. Also hearing that dear Riza-san is back to pursuing teaching almost brought tears to her eyes.
"You've always hated the idea of teachers, you hated them for what they did to you at school. Now you're one yourself. How ironic" she chuckled.
He rolled his eyes and gave her a wry smirk.
"I also saw it as an opportunity to be closer to ya"
Daisuke-kun reached forward and rested his hands on her hips. He gently tugged her forward until she was pressed against his chest. He slowly bowed her back, his fingers firm on her body. He pressed his forehead against hers and his jade green eyes burned through her. He only needed to nudge his head and he captured her lips once again. His admission of wanted to be closer to her told her there was something more to it than just that. Was he saying he wanted to make their relationship work? He wanted to properly be with her, rather having that on and off again face-to-face contact whenever she could spare the time to see him at Ryuusenka Apothecary? Their phone conversations were pretty good, but it could never beat that desire for actual human contact, especially not since their first night together (she had yet to tell Erina-sama about that). The distance only made her yearn for him more and she could tell in his voice whenever they called each other at night that he was feeling the same way. It was a slow dance and Hisako fell into it whole-heartedly. She tentatively slid her hands under his jacket, feeling the planes of his firm chest before sliding up his neck and into his soft hair. He tasted of warm sunshine and tea and it made her heart soar across the clouds. She slowly pulled away to catch her breath and Daisuke-kun's addictive lips followed her.
"W-What about… your… umm…" She didn't know how to phrase it.
He seemed to understand what she was trying to get at and he straightened himself up. He leaned back fully on the door again with a loud rattle. He kept his arms around Hisako and she leaned against him in the empty corridor.
"I'm clean. I've made appointments to see a therapist every two weeks" he simply said.
She looked up at him and he looked down at her again. She smiled and he mirrored hers. He leaned in and pecked her on the lips. Hisako just wanted to enjoy his warmth some more, but she had things to do and he probably did too. When she started to pull away, his arms only tightened. She looked up at him questioningly, and his eyes told her that he had something more to say, so she waited.
"I don't think I've ever said this to ya, but… Thank you"
Hisako's heart stuttered. He was right… she never heard him utter those words to her, but she was confused as to what.
"What did I do?"
"Ya make me wanna be a better person, sweetheart"
.
.
Thank you, thank you, lemme say I thank you
Thank you, thank you, korekara mo zutto
Thank you, thank you, lemme say I thank you
Thank you, thank you, yoroshiku ne / I thank you
Kisetsu ha megutteiku kedo
Kawaranai mono ga kono te ni hitotsu
"Well just you and you and you"
Kimi no warau egao ga mitai kara
Mata arukidaseru n da
.
.
"Kami-sama, I'm going to miss you so much, Takumi-kun!"
Ayame could hardly contain herself. She prepared for the moment her boyfriend would return to Italy for his training with his father, but all her mental preparation could never prepare her for the actually physical parting. Here they were standing in the international terminal of Narita Airport. The Aldini brothers just a few metres way from the entry terminal to the other side of the airport, ready drag their luggage to go through customs and board their flight back to Florence, their home. She refused to let go of his neck. Tears threatened to shed right then and there and soak his shirt. Takumi-kun hugged her just as tightly. His soft breath coated her neck and she committed the ghostly feel to her memory. She sniffed. After graduation, he was supposed to go back and she told herself that a hundred times each night. That was the promise both the Aldini brothers had struck with their father. It was their dream to always run their family trattoria together and they were about to make good on it.
Isami-kun stood silently to the side, watching them on with his own sad slowly parted from her. Ayame sniffed harder, too reluctant to do anything. She felt his lips brush against hers in a sweet kiss. She hung onto it as long as she could because who knows what would happen from here.
"Ayame, I will be back in five years. Please wait for me, amore"
"Five years is too long…" she muttered.
She knew she was being an absolute child about it, but she couldn't let him go just like that. Her heart was aching for him already. Tears really did leak from her eyes and she didn't want to ruin his shirt with her tear stains, and snot. Takumi swooped down and kissed her again, more passionately than before. He cradled her close his chest and rested his palm on her cheeks, brushing her salty tears away. His sky-blue eyes continued to melt her and steal her breath. Such love emanating from them filled her to the brim and it totally out-matched her love for engineering. Her course at Tokyo University was going to feel like a trillion years without Takumi-kun by her side. She wondered if he would feel the same way training in his Trattoria without her. HE BETTER.
While she was absorbed in his beautiful eyes, the eyes she fell in love with all those years ago, she suddenly saw all the precious and most cherished moments leading up till now flash before her eyes. Each montage weighed heavier and heavier in her heart.
Their first encounter
"I-uh. You left this yesterday… at the café… I found it"
"Aya! I thought I'd lost it forever. I called the café this morning and they said they hadn't seen it. Thank goodness you've found it! I was looking everywhere for it in my book bag, but then it wasn't there. You see, I've got this test coming up and— Sorry, I was rambling too much. I'm sure you didn't want to hear every sliver of my life-story"
"That's okay. Just be careful next time"
"Might I know the name of my saviour of physics exam?"
"Takumi Aldini"
Her first step into his world
"These are passes... passes to Tootsuki campus?"
"Yeah. I asked for them, to give to you. I thought if you had free time, I could give you a tour around the campus. You wouldn't have ever seen anything like it"
Their first crossing
"Well like, s-sweet, kind and caring. Someone who won't mind all my q-quirks and techno-babble too. I l-love learning new things, especially to do with ph-physics, mechanical things and robotics, so I hope he wouldn't be intimidated or… find it u-unfeminine. Love me for who I am, of course. Someone I could turn to for comfort when things get stressful or painful and vice versa. Oh and most definitely be able to handle Chizuru-chan and Otou-san"
"I'm sure there's someone out there that fits the description perfectly. And even if they don't, I'm sure they will do their very best to try to"
His first confession to her
"I like you, Ayame. I l-like you a lot. I-I've never felt this way with anyone else before. Your every action makes me feel hot and cold all the time, my heart beats so hard or not at all when I'm around you, I can barely stand it. Your smile steals my b-breath away, even from the first moment I met you. You're absolutely beautiful, you're smart, funny and I love listening to you talk… even about wormholes, robotica, you name it… Whenever I see you eat or even the times we cook together, It drives me mad for you and I feel like I want you to be only eating my dishes! I want to know heaps m-more about you. And s-so umm… Would you allow me the honour of courting you?"
Her first doubt
"He was being all s-scary, intimidating and s-swearing a lot on our first date when you arrived, trying to frighten you away before we could even l-leave the house. And then when we came back from Ikebukuro, he was there again, trying to s-scare you away once more… I was just worried that you were starting t-to change your mind… when you mentioned the police being at Tootsuki"
"Oh mio caro. There is nothing on this Earth that would ever stop my love for you. Your father is a man trying to be a good father. He's only been sizing me up and testing to see if I'm worthy enough for his only, beloved daughter. But I admit that I was very concerned that he would want to stop me seeing you, because of this case. But it looks like I can still come and go to your home for dinner as long as you will have me"
Her first meltdown
"U-Umm. I'm s-sorry T-Takumi-kun... I-I just... Oh I d-don't know, I couldn't get in to the finals again... I didn't... I've worked so hard on it... and I couldn't surpass myself. This isn't the first time too... a-and you did so much f-for me, you cooked for me, made sure I was eating... you visited me and... we sacrificed time with each other so I could concentrate on it and you could focus on your own competition. I'm so s-sorry! I'm such a failure again! I c-couldn't even make your efforts worth it-"
"Shhhhh… Ayame. You have nothing to apologise for. You do this for yourself, si? Don't worry about me, I only do those things because I want to"
"B-But it all amounted to nothing! And I-I've been scared to tell you... to disappoint you... because you really believed in me. You went out of-of your way to take care of m-me and everything, and I stil—"
"This isn't about me"
"Then why do you look upset too?"
"I... I'm upset because for the last four days... you kept it all in. You stopped replying to my texts and taking my calls. We weren't communicating anymore. I was worried sick that something had happened. Ayame, I want to be there to support you in everything you do. Whether you win or lose, succeed or fail, there is nothing in the world that could make me any less proud. I will always believe in you"
Their first night
"I can't stand the thought of another guy wanting to be with you…"
"I o-only want you. So you needn't worry about anyone else"
"You have no idea what you do to me, amore. More than words could describe… I will give all of myself to you… You know that right?"
"As I will do the same for you"
His first sacrifice
"The other day when we… you know… w-we didn't… I mean, I didn't… use protection. U-Umm. I just want you to know that you have my support in everything y-you need. I w-won't ever leave your s-side. I-I'll take care of you and e-everything! You can depend on me! I promise I won't ever leave you! Please don't hate me!"
"I'm not pregnant—"
"I'll talk to your father myself. I'll tell him that it's all my fault and none of the fault was yours. I'll convince him that I can protect and provide for you, even if I'm still in school!"
"I'm not pregnant!—"
"I'll take full responsibility. I'll open my own trattoria in Tokyo after I graduate to support you if I have to! I'll make sure I'll be the best father that I can for our—"
"I'M NOT PREGNANT!"
Their first blessing
"I'm sorry. What I meant to say is when a man becomes one with his woman, it really changes him. Sure, Fratello has been a bit more dazed these days. Daydreaming and stuff with a stupid smile on his face. But he's taken on this zeal for life even more than usual. He's cooking style is faster, more concentrated, less clumsy, he smiles more when he cooks and Dio mio, his flavours now are just astounding! He's a lot more confident when he cooks under pressure and when he talks with our friends too. Like, he doesn't trip over his words anymore which is amazing haha. He's also more calm and tolerant of things he'd usually bust a vein for… It's like another part of himself has opened up and it's thanks to you, Ayame-chan"
"I-I see. Then I guess, I'm glad I could make Takumi-kun happy"
"I can see you're just as happy too. You glow when you smile around him"
Their first fight
"Stand-up and fight back! Or you don't believe you'll have what it takes to challenge Central? Is that why you're being ridiculously cautious?"
"W-What?! I can take on Central and beat the lot of them. They're nothing but just sheep pretending to be wolves who are too afraid to be eaten. They have no actual skill whatsoever!"
"Then you have nothing to fear, Takumi-kun! Continue to fight with your friends and you guys will surely prevail and return Tootsuki back into the marvelous school it was before"
"Mamma mia! That's not the point! You don't get it… Nakiri Azami is a maniaco, but he's not stupid. He won't hesitate to expel anybody he sees as a threat, regardless if they make a move or not. I'm not taking that risk! I'm doing this for us!"
"But that's not what I want!"
Their first forgiveness
"I'm so sorry amore"
"No, I'm the one who's sorry. I should've respected your decision"
"Don't apologise, I should've talked to you about this. I didn't mean to upset you. Will you forgive me?"
"I'm sorry I-I yelled at y-you too…"
"You can yell at me anytime, mi amore"
"I'll— umm… I'll stand up against Azami and his reign. I won't let him break Tootsuki's spirit. Not in my last days with my friends at least. I'll continue to be the best chef I can be"
"And I'll back you up all the way. Nothing will change that…"
Their final blessing
"Everyone says: grow up, get a fucking job, get married, get a fucking house, have a kid and that's it. But the truth is, life is a lot more stranger and more fucking insane than that. Definitely fucking better than what 'everyone says'. Do what makes you happy and commit to it... If CIA boy is good to you, treats you right, supports you, first and for most makes you happy, then I don't have a fucking problem with him. You do the same for him. You give and you take"
"He does... he makes me so happy. I can't imagine being with anyone else. When I'm with him, everything feels right. I just love him so m-much"
She once again wondered what had she ever done in her life to deserve this beautiful and kind boy. They had been so much together. Italian food adventures, laughs, and arguments. Lots of kissing. LOTS of kissing. She wouldn't have had such a wonderful time with anybody else but him. He was nothing but her strength as she went through each gruelling test for her third year's final exams, up until her university entrance exam. She'd like to think she was just as supportive when it came to his competitions, shokugekis and his final year cooking examinations. They've made it through high school with each other behind their backs. Partners, all the way. With that came the changes. Beautiful changes. Takumi-kun had matured greatly over the two years, taking on all his peers without fear and with all the fun he had in him in his competitions and studying. His skill and talent reached beyond the stars and Ayame had the privilege with be a part of his journey to becoming a stellar Italian chef. He had really taken on his kendou lessons from Otou-san too. The discipline beated into him by Otou-san began to translate into his cooking as well. He was tireless in working hard and striving to be better and she had found herself wanting to do the same. The kendou lessons changed his physique as well. His in his arms, legs, shoulders, stomach and back were incredibly firm and tones. His physical strength and endurance in his cooking were amazing and brought him to even greater heights. It made their love-making all the more intense as well… while she was still on that train of thought.
"I know, Ayame. But I will definitely come back, you'll see!"
"What if you don't… what if you decide to stay in Italy?"
She looked up at him through her tears. Her irrational pounded at her from all sides. She thought of the what-ifs every single moment. Takumi had a soft smile on his face, his eyes were slightly tinged red as well from swelling tears. Suddenly he let her go and nodded behind her. His eyes became hardened ice, the same look he had whenever he went into a shokugeki. She knew her father was standing behind her some distance behind as he was the one who drove her, Takumi-kun and Isami-kun to the airport. Takumi-kun's jaw was set as stared at her Otou-san. Ayame was a bit confused. She turned around in time to see Otou-san go 'Tch' before stalking off. What was odd.
"A-Ayame…"
His voice was croaky as if it was about to break. It worried her greatly and fear stabbed her in the stomach. What was wrong? Why was he saying her name like that? What was going to happen?
"As much as you think this is goodbye, it's not. I love you, mio caro. You mean too much to me to ever leave behind. I made a promise, didn't I? That I would take care of you and dedicate my life to making you the happiest girl in the world. Even when we are not physical together, you are in here"
He lifted her hand and placed it against his heart
Ba-bump… ba-bump… ba-bump…
"Just as I am in here"
Takumi tapped his finger on her chest. He then cupped her face. His thumb continued to caress the tear tracks that stained her cheeks. Ayame sighed and gingerly placed her hands over his larger ones. Her heart couldn't take it and almost snapped from the sheer volume of affection lining his words. The logical side of her mind told her to get over it, five years would end and he would be back because Takumi Aldini is loyal and never went back on his word, and she shouldn't fret over anything. The emotional side of her was blubbering in the foetal position in the corner, wailing and crying that she didn't Takumi-kun to leave.
"I love you too" whispered Ayame. "But what if… what if…" her voice trembled.
"Shhhh" he pressed his lips to her forehead. "You're not going to focus on your studies at all if you keep worrying about me! To ensure that you will never doubt me, there is only one thing I have to do"
"H-Huh?" she bunched up her sleeves to wipe her nose.
"Kanda Ayame…" Takumi released her face and stood back.
.
.
He dropped to one knee.
.
.
'WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAAAAAT?!'
He took her hands again, which shook uncontrollably. He held them steady but her knees were about to give way. Her brain ran a million miles per nanosecond until it completely crashed and thrown at the mercy of this torturous confusion from the visage playing out for her. Takumi-kun reached into his pants pocket and took something out, she couldn't see it and he held it tightly. She could see a steely resolve in his eyes and her heart was just hammering like no tomorrow until she could only hear her blood pounding in her ears...
He tilted his head up, his face impassive and tinged with flushed roses on his cheeks, and sweat glistened on his forehead. He swallowed hard as his Adam's apple bobbed up and down. But his eyes… their endless depths spoke to her soul.
"Will you marry me?"
The world stopped spinning and only one moment existed. She watched his lips formed the shapes of those beautiful sounds, but her eyes and her ears refused to believe it. Takumi-kun's words didn't just deafen Ayame, it shuddered right through her as if trying to rip out her joints. She was blinded. The moment was so blinding that even closing her eyes made no difference. Tears were streaming down her face and she could do nothing to stop it. Her knees buckled and she stumbled into Takumi-kun and enveloped him into a crushing hug. Words were useless and she was just bursting with joy and all she could do was cry, and cry, and cry some more. He caught her in time and nothing came out of her mouth except squealing! Something grasped her hand and something slim and cold slipped onto her finger. Ayame found the energy and willingness to lift her hand to her swollen eyes nervous, and shaking all over, to see the evidence for the dream-like reality that was her engagement to Takumi Aldini.
The ring.
Her ring.
Oh Kami-sama…
It was made from the thank-you keyring she gave him the first time they met.
"Oh T-Takumi-kun…" she blubbered.
She grabbed him again and buried her nose into his neck, wailing her joy. His arms wrapped around her tightly and he too crushed his face against her neck. He pulled back suddenly and kissed her earnestly and with everything he had. Ayame wasted no time and jumped up to wrap her legs around his waist, without breaking their kiss. Takumi stumbled slightly, but he caught her from under her thighs and held her against him tightly.
"Welcome to the family, sorella!" cheered Isami-kun.
"Yes! Yes! Yes! YES! I'll marry you! Of c-course I'll m-marry you! I love you so much…" Ayame screamed through her tears at the top of her lungs.
She grabbed her fiance's beaming face and kissed him again to convey all the emotions that ricocheted in her heart. In return she siphoned all the burning passion and love he had to give her through their intense kiss. He was committing to her! And she was more than ready to commit to him! Finally, he settled her back onto her feet and they both panted, their cheeks flushed from all the excitement, anxiety, nerves and over-abundance of joy.
"Thank you, my love… Thank you for being in my life"
.
.
Again and again / Thank you
Boku wo mitsuketekureta kimi ni / I say
"Deaete yokatta" tte ne
Uta ni shita naraba ieru / Thank you
Itoshiki hibi no mainichi ga kimi to waratte bakari datta
I say thank you
Thank you, thank you, lemme say I thank you
Thank you, thank you, korekara mo zutto
Thank you, thank you, lemme say I thank you
Thank you, thank you, yoroshiku ne / I thank you
Thank you, thank you, lemme say I thank you
Thank you, thank you, korekara mo zutto
Thank you, thank you, lemme say I thank you
Thank you, thank you, yoroshiku ne / I thank you
.
.
On behalf of the major and minor Shokugeki no Souma Characters:
Takumi Aldini
Isami Aldini
Yukihira Souma
Isshiki Satoshi
Nakiri Erina
Alice Nakiri
Hayama Akira
Kurokiba Ryou
Tadokoro Megumi
The rest of Polar Star Dorm
Arato Hisako
Terunori Kuga
Eizan Etsuya
Nakiri Senzaemon
Doujima Gin
Shiomi Jun
Kobayashi Rindou
and finally Nakiri Azami,
I say THANK YOU.
On behalf of the major and minor OCs:
Kanda Ayame
Namikaze Chizuru
Kuchiyose Byakko
Hitsugaya Daisuke
Riza Heiderich
Grandpa Zuttosuke
Hirako Sekito
Bookstore owner Kojima-san
First year Nguyen-san
and Koko-chan.
I say THANK YOU
On behalf of the major and minor guest stars, and special mentions from:
D Gray-man - Kanda Yuu as Superintendent General Kanda of TMPD & Ayame's father, Lavi Bookman as Chief Inspector Shouseki, Lenalee Lee Special Detective Rii, Appearance of Allen Walker as Detective Inspector Horousha.
DRRR! - Orihara Izaya as himself
Naruto - Uzumaki Naruto as CEO of TopRamen Limited, Uchiha Sasuke as CEO of Igakono Senbei and Haruno Sakura as Dr. Haruno and tenure professor of Toudai
Bleach - Karakura Town, Karakura High school, Karakura Honchou and Kurosaki Ichigo as Dr. Kurosaki.
and Bloody Monday - Falcoln as Chizuru's hacker buddy.
I say THANK YOU
From me, I want to thank you to each and every one of you for reading this story and being a part of this journey. Writing this story has been a great experience and I've learnt so many new things about not just the cooking world, but also myself as a writer. The experience has been invaluable. I can't tell you how much all of your support means to me and I hope to see you guys again for future fanfiction projects! Up next is an author's note detailing my plans for those future fanfiction projects and ONE LAST TREAT FOR YOU GUYS! I HOPE YOU WILL LIKE IT XD
Signing-off
TripWire-dono
