Notes:
Hey Everyone! Zancrowe Here!
Surprise Sudden Update! As in, if you ever needed proof your reviews help motivate a writer to, well, write, this is it! Thank you guys so much for all the comments and feedback on the last chapter, it was amazing to see. Now then:
1. A Content Warning applies to this chapter. And no, it's not because of any sexy-times (although there's mention of that), but rather, there is some adult subject matter in this chapter that may hit close to home, so be wary of that. It's near the middle of the chapter, in italics, so if you find it a bit rough, feel free to skim over it as needed.
2. For all of you who have asked (you know who you are), I did actually write an entire kinky scene between Soma and Erina for the previous chapter, but since I did not want to make Classique into an M rated story, I removed it. It still exists, so I ask you: Should I post it as a one-shot, post it on another site, or do you feel it's unneeded (as in, the fade to black works better)?
Drop a Review and let me know what your vote is regarding this Lemon / Lime / Smut / Whatever it's called now-a-days!
Disclaimer: Don't own Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma.
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They really didn't know how it started, but the night had certainly turned into an all-out frenzy at the drop of a hat.
Well, that would be a lie, of sorts. They kinda knew what had happened in the literal sense.
Erina Nakiri had finally had enough and had placed her parents in their place, lifting the veil and revealing it all at that now infamous interview which was being shared all over of social media. Erina was trending in ways she hadn't before, as were several others for a variety of reasons. Her parents clearly for all the wrong ones. Students like Soma and Alice were trending, as repeats of their earlier statements did the rounds. Dove was trending as rumors abounded about her role in all of this, whether as part of the problem, another victim like Erina, or everything in-between. Even Asahi, who had not said a word during the interview, was trending as GIFs of his amused facial reactions where being shared all around. Or, as some would post: #mood
And then, of course, Erina decided to escape, and by doing so, she and Soma proceeded to wreck the entire Grand Ball by using it as a speedway to escape from the security personnel. They outright wrecked everything. The fanciest of foods, all in the proper displays, now adorned the floor, the walls, and the ceiling.
And, if that were not enough, someone (who's voice sounded very much like Alice Nakiri's but nobody had proof it had been her) declared an outright "Food Fight!" during it all. Said voice had to clarify "No you idiots, not a Shokugeki! A traditional one!" because, well, of course.
Which led to food being flung all over the place, hitting pretty much everybody and leaving every single guests outright covered in goop. Such expensive clothes, so very easy to ruin…
"They did market this event as unforgettable," Ikumi noted with a little grin, eyeing the chaos that had just died down. For her troubles, she now sported a massive stain on her dress from what she assumed (hoped) had been the lemonade which made it look like she had wet herself. She wasn't happy, granted, but then again, "Still, for what it's worth, I get it. With so many fancy-pants guests here, a sudden and chaotic display like that forced the security staff to refocus their attention here and not on Erina, so well played… Still hate whoever hit me."
"It is barely noticeable," Hakeem commented, as he, Aisha, Ava, and Yoshiaki stood by Ikumi with their eyes all over the carnage that had ensued; with the last of these currently holding up a sleeping Kanon, clearly tuckered out after causing oh-so much mayhem during it all.
"Looks like you peed yourself," Aisha commented with a little laugh, before Hakeem cleared his throat in a clear sign of disapproval, to which Aisha just laughed harder, all the while Ikumi just blushed. Still, ever the gentleman, Aisha did approach Ikumi and stood right before her, turning around and wrapping himself up in her arms. "There, now nobody can see with me in the way!"
Now Ikumi just laughed, finding it utterly adorable. "What? Are you going to walk me all the way to my room like this?"
"Sure, why not?" Aisha replied. "It's the least I can do anyways, considering you and my brother are like, a thing now, right?"
"H-Hey, who told you anything about that!" Ikumi shot back, stammering, but Aisha just grinned. Ava had her eyes on Hakeem, who despite getting pelted by almost every dish being offered here, had not stammered at all. Man was as solid as a boulder.
"But I don't mind it," Aisha noted, "In fact, I always wanted a sister, growing up with only brothers can be such a pain…" the littlest competitor added, before he turned his head upwards, to face her, "You can be it! Or, well, we are in Japan, so that would make you… Ikumi-onee-chan."
Ikumi-onee-chan.
Ikumi-onee-chan.
Ikumi-onee-chan…
"Never have I needed something so much and never known about it until I received it, kyaa!" Ikumi couldn't even help herself as she bent down and proceeded to hug the precious little boy, outright squeezing him tightly, as he tried his best to not get squished, all the while that adorable way he had said it kept echoing in her mind. Screw it, Hakeem or not, she was keeping this kid.
"You got one hell of a wingman there," Yoshiaki noted, etching closer to Hakeem. The Nigerian opened his mouth to dispute the claim, but upon retrospect he simply decided to just nod. It was true, he couldn't quite deny it.
"But speaking of adorable kiddos, we really should get this one to bed," Ava quickly added, signaling to the sleeping Kanon. The little girl likely held the record for the most hits on the food fight that had just concluded, and given her size and speed, she had been very hard to hit back.
"Yeah…" Yoshiaki noted, gently rocking her in his arms, "She's caused enough destruction for one evening I imagine, best we get out of here before I end up getting the bill for all of this on Yukihira's behalf."
"Allow us to escort you back to the resort," Hakeem offered, as he signaled to his new girlfriend, who in the blink of an eye, now had Aisha on her arms, holding him up despite his protests that he wasn't a little kid anymore. "After all, I am certain Aisha would like to make sure his little date arrives at her destination safely… If Ikumi doesn't rock him to sleep as well that is."
"I am not going to be babied to sleep!" Aisha quickly whined, but despite his protests, he didn't even try to escape from Ikumi's grasps.
"We'll see about that!" Ikumi shot back, placing an audible kiss on the boy's cheeks, causing him to laugh, before she turned to the others. "But, I do agree, we should get out of here. We've done our part… I do hope Erina is somewhere safe, and that this truly is the first step at allowing her to finally break free from all this drama…"
As Ikumi said this, she caught a glimpse, from the corner of her eyes, of two individuals that also played a role in all of this. And while she did frown, she knew it wasn't her place to do anything, not right now…
…As Asahi motioned through the crowds, with everybody trying to clean up the mess and help the clearly shaken and stirred guests to recover from such a "traumatic" event, he just pushed on through and made his way outside, with Dove following right along. For his part, he would be annoyed, considering…
When the mess broke out, and whoever it was, probably Alice, called for the food fight to start, Asahi had just walked off stage and had just witnessed Soma and Erina's daring escapade. He was surprised, but upon Yuunosuke giving him a little prize, it really didn't much matter. Any loss for Azami was a victory to him, even if indirectly. But then, the cry to battle was heard, and no sooner had he heard it, than had Yuunosuke gotten smacked right across the face with an entire pie. Splat and all. Asahi couldn't help but laugh, and he then proceeded to step away, and expertly dodge each thrown culinary ingredient as he made his way towards Dove, who had been calling him. But, he did have to say, there were some very impressive throwers at this party, as a few dishes almost hit him quite a few times, but he was too slick for that.
Asahi just made his way across the battlefield, even grabbing a tray of discarded one-bite appetizers, tasting a sample, finding it mediocre at best, before he flung it to a few unsuspecting Tootsuki students. They never saw it coming.
The massive Grigory, having just been pelted by something else, just grabbed onto the closest dish he had, plastic bowl and all, and just flung it to the side that he had just gotten hit from. The man, of course, never even said a word during it all. And Asahi barely managed to avoid getting hit by that by just sidestepping away at the last second…
…all the while the bowl crashed onto Ken, who had just turned, and got hit, before he slipped on a (I kid you not) discarded banana peel and fell right on his ass, cursing up a storm as he went down. Asahi found it oh-so amusing.
Until he felt a little stream of ice-cold punch run right down his spine from up above. He yelped, jumping forwards and turning around, utterly caught off-guard, just in time to see his would-be predator up above, by the railing, smirk ever present.
"Damn it Loren!" Asahi cried out, "You and me kid!"
"That's for dating my sister," Loren shot back, smiling, as Nao stood next to him, smug look plastered all over her face…
…And he probably would have tried to throw something back at them, but, looking now to the side, as both he and Dove made it out, his date had had a much rougher time…
Dove, seeing Loren just nail a hit against Asahi, felt oddly proud of the fact, but she also had to content with avoiding everyone else from hitting her! She managed to get around this by outright crawling under the tables, on her way out of this place. And it worked, nobody looked to aim there, except…
When she got out from under the last table, she came face to face with precious, little Kanon…
Precious, little Kanon holding a bowl of chocolate sauce…
"Ah… please don't…" Dove outright begged.
"Hmm? I guess it's fine, your hair is too pretty to ruin," Kanon said, and Dove saw the heavens. Thank goodness for all the time her hairstylist spent on making it picture perfect. "But, wait," Kanon gave pause, and Dove felt a chill, "I've seen you before… Aren't you that girl that keeps bullying big sis Erina?"
"…W-W-Wait! It's not like –!"
Then she got the entire bowl dumped right upside her head.
Dove felt her spirit outright leave her body.
"Yeah, no mercy for you, you're mean," Kanon explained, before she just laughed and bounced away, joining up with Aisha, Hiro and Akari in the little fort they had made (of tables turned to the side) to carry on the war. Dove just clenched her fists in fury, having to repeat to herself how Kanon was only a little girl and that she should not seek out revenge on a child… But damn was it tempting!
…Which was why, now, the girl with the chocolate themed name also sported chocolate covered hair, and face, and dress, and in every other place imaginable.
"This is all your stupid sister's fault!" Dove cried out, once she and Asahi were walking down the side of the street, as neither of them much wanted to hitch a ride with any of the security personnel, and much less with Azami right now. "How the hell is Azami supposed to fix things now?!"
"Hey, if he were better at managing his schemes, he wouldn't be in this mess in the first place," Asahi noted, and Dove seemed to boil in anger. They walked in silence for a bit, until the first few drops of rain began to fall, as Dove stretched out her gloved hand, catching the droplets.
"Oh, thank you, please, I need to get this gunk off me," she whined, and as the rain got heavier, she used it as a makeshift shower, trying to get as much chocolate off of her body as she could. Asahi just looked on, his hands on his pockets, drenched to the bone, but the sight of this girl, as messed up as she was, was still breathtaking.
"I mean, I didn't mind the chocolate coating," Asahi admitted, "I mean, I know some people like to say they're quite the snack, but you made it literal."
"Oh save it," Dove shot back, pulling on her hair and letting it loose, brushing it at length with her fingernails, having long discarded the gloves. "What a mess of a night… I'm gonna be in so much trouble once Azami gets the press off his ass. I just had to open my mouth and make fun of the little princess, set her right off…"
"…That's not on you," Asahi assured, taking a few steps towards her, before he pulled out his hand and brushed it alongside her hair, caressing her gently. Still, she kept her eyes on the horizon. "Hey, listen to me," he added, cupping her chin with his fingers and gently turning her head towards him. "Daddy dearest earned that blowback all by his lonesome. He shouldn't blame you for it. Can't."
"But he will," Dove simply voiced, her eyes slowly drifting to face Asahi, the rain getting heavier. Neither of them seemed to even notice. "He always does. And I can't argue against it."
"…Dove."
"I know what you're going to say," she quickly cut in, "But save us both the heartache, and don't."
"Just come with me," he still said it, and she bit her lip. "Leave this mess behind. This isn't on you. This isn't your messed up family that it's you who has to take them down like I or Erina have to… You have your family. You have the talent to stand on your own. You don't need Azami."
"No, I know," she replied. This was rough to say. "He needs me, and I promised I'd help. Get him his daughter back, by any means necessary."
"Okay, okay," Asahi quickly voiced, pulling back, and using his hands to motion for a pause. "Just, and humor me on this, what would I have to do to get you to be on my side of things? For it to, well, be our side against him and Tootsuki instead?"
"Asahi… I can't…"
"Just tell me what –"
"Asahi, I really –"
"Dove, please, just, even if it sounds impossible," he seemed to be outright pleaded, and she was not used to hearing that tone on him. It broke her. "…Just humor me this once and tell me what I could do for you…"
She looked at him, and an eternity seemed to pass as she said nothing, he said nothing, and all that could be heard was the heavy rain that surrounded them. He felt he knew she wasn't going to say anything else, but before he could try anything, she simply voiced…
"Would you marry me?"
Asahi froze, eyes wide, looking up at her.
That was not the response he had expected.
That was nowhere near any of the expected responses he had even humored as possible.
He tried to reply, but he couldn't even find the words, and just stammered about, while Dove looked on, pensive for the longest time, before she narrowed her eyes and gave out a pained smile. "…Sorry, bad joke, I know," she said. Asahi opened his mouth to reply, to force himself to say anything, but she continued with, "Honestly, there's nothing that can be done. Hypothetically, if you could go back in time, and find me before he did, then yeah, I would have been fiercely loyal to you instead. It would have been so romantic, you know, had it been you the one to save me, but it is what it is. Que sera, sea."
"…So, this really isn't him having anything on you, it's…"
"Gratitude," Dove admitted. She then took a few steps forwards, or what she assumed was forwards at least, her eyes on the blurry, night sky. "…I was always considered mature for my age, you know? And when you're young, that makes you feel so proud. Like your better than everyone else in your age group, like you really have it figured out while they don't. But you fail to realize how easily some people prey on young boys and girls like that… How hard it is not to see it until it's too late…"
"Dove…?"
She took a deep breath, and turned away from him, her hands interlocked on her back, but she carried on saying, "I was just fifteen, working back home. I worked a few hours each week, just to help my mother out. We weren't poor, but we were far from rich. But I had enough. I went to a good school, I had outdated clothes, but it was enough. There was always food at the table, and my mom, while always busy, has always been kind and placed me above everything else. So… I wanted to help. Catering. Help out on the kitchen, help out with the guests… I didn't even want to cook, it wasn't something I ever cared for, but I always believed, if you know the recipe, then it should be simple enough. So when I got sent to an event hosted by a Japanese corporation, owned by Kamiyama House, I was so thrilled… Big names! Big event! Big tips!" she said faking the best smile as she turned to him, then added, "That's where I met him…"
Dove Dillinger, alongside the rest of the crew, had just gotten their instructions. The event was supposed to go smoothly. She, being the youngest there, couldn't take care of the drinks, so she was on duty to help put the finishing touches on the plates and assist the waiters if need be. And, it turned out, such help was indeed needed. The place got packed, with so many guests, and so many orders. And these people were ruthless, she heard some say, so she was freaking out, trying her best to set up the dishes and even going as far as to personally deliver them to the tables whenever she had a chance to do so.
It was during one of these deliveries, just taking it and placing it down, that she felt his eyes fall onto her. She looked up, and saw a young man looking right at her.
He could be considered conventionally handsome, with brown hair, brown eyes, and a little nervous smile on his face when he saw her look up at him. He was seated next to all these older men, and he looked just as out of place there as she did. She smiled back, on instinct, and once she was done placing everything on the table, with her tray on her chest, she gave them a soft bow and walked back into the kitchen.
She didn't see him again, or at least, she doesn't remember seeing him.
But, once the party had ended, and the guests had all gone, one of her coworkers gave her a little note. Dove just took it, and gave it a glance. It had a name, and a phone number to call.
"Seems the cute guy from table seven took a fancy to you Dillinger," her coworker said, with a little smirk. Dove just blinked. Table seven meant it was that young man. It had to be.
So she said her thanks, stuffed the note into her apron, and promptly forgot about it.
It was around a week later, while doing the laundry, that she came across the note once more…
And it started with a text.
"Hey," she sent him.
"Hey," he replied, about an hour later, "Not to sound harsh, but I don't have this number saved on my phone. Do we know each other?"
"You tell me. You left me a note with this number a week ago. Hope I'm texting the right guy."
"Oh!" instant reply. "You're the cute waitress from the party. I had thought you had long rejected that note," he added, smiley face and all.
"I still might. Don't you know it's rude to interrupt a girl while she's working?"
"I did wait until the party was finished, didn't I?"
"Touché."
"You doing anything?" he asked. "I'm going to be staying in this city for the next couple of weeks, so I've been hoping I could make a few friends while I'm here. Granted, you are way too pretty to be real, so I should be cautious."
"Do those lines ever work?" she replied, while giggling to herself. How dumb…
"You tell me," he repeated her words. "My name's Reiji. Don't suppose I can get your name princess?"
And she couldn't help but smile.
"It's Dove."
…
They texted for a few weeks, and it was fun. They had a lot of things in common, and she had a blast talking with him. Here she learned that he was seventeen (a little older, which was good, since it meant he was more mature that the stupid boys from her class), he was the son of a wealthy business man (she swore up and down that money did not matter in the slightest), and that while native to Japan, there was a strong possibility that he would stay in the States for a good, long while, if his father's latest business venture paid off. Dove texted at length with him, first at home, then during breaks, and even in class.
They had always said she was mature for her age, so it made sense for her to make friends with older boys.
They switched to talking soon enough, with him asking if he could call her, since he wanted to hear her lovely voice. She pretended not to be nervous. And they spoke at length. He made her laugh with his stories, with his jokes, and she slowly fell into this illusion, that maybe, just maybe, she had lucked out.
Then he offered to give her a ride, and showed up at her school to pick her up on a limousine.
Dove felt elated, and she could outright feel the envy from the girls in her class at plain, old Dove having scored such a guy. She could also feel the little boys, immature as can be, all diss her for it. Of course, it was natural, to be envious. They couldn't ever hope to give her this. Still, this is when she saw him again, in person for the first time since that party, and the chemistry was there, always there, and on the drive home, they chatted and laughed and had a blast. And it was when they arrived at her house, when she turned to give him her thanks, that he first stole a kiss from her.
She froze.
She just stared, her hands on her thighs, confused if she had done something wrong.
He smiled, and he apologized, saying he just couldn't help himself. That she was simply too beautiful a girl, and that he hoped he had not overstepped. And she shook her head. Of course not. That couldn't be it. They had been chatting for weeks now, it made sense. Stealing a girl's first kiss was romantic, was it not?
…
"Are you going out?" her mother, Milka Dillinger, asked her, hand on her hips, eyeing her daughter curiously. Dove just turned, checking herself out while wearing her brand-new miniskirt on her bedroom mirror. It looked so good on her. "…And just when did you buy that?"
"Oh! I got a massive tip last time, so I bought myself something nice!" she lied, "And I'm going out with some friends, movie night… Can I?"
"It's late Dove," her mother replied, "How long is the movie?"
"I mean, I dunno, with commercials and stuff maybe three hours? Give or take?" Dove replied, and her mother frowned a bit. Her daughter was never one to use makeup or wear such clothes, but she was growing up. This was natural, she supposed.
"Just text me when you get there," she told her. "And text me once you're coming back, okay. Be careful sweetie."
"Mo-om, I am not a child," Dove had protested, even if a part of her knew a real adult wouldn't need to lie about everything.
She had not bought the skirt; it had been a gift from him. Because it would suit her.
She was not going out with friends, but with him, because he was probably leaving soon and he wanted to spend more time with her.
And she was not going to the movies, but rather, somewhere else…
But these were things her mother need not know, and Dove could handle herself. After all, she was mature for her age…
…
It was on her third visit to his father's mansion, a massive place that the man owned on the city she grew up on, even if Reiji told her that the "real" mansion, the one back in Japan, was three times bigger. She was awestruck every time. He had it all. A game-room, a massive pool, his own in-home movie theater. And he had staff for everything. Maids and butlers. It was like entering a brand-new world.
And she had fun… but he still insisted they make it official.
She was hesitant, because a part of her felt she didn't know him well enough. That she was still too young, and that it made no sense, because he was leaving anyways. But he assured her, that for her, he'd stay. For her, he'd make arrangements. And that for her, she could have whatever she'd want, because he needed her in his life.
And it begun with more kisses. Dove didn't even know how to kiss. But she tried her best. Tried to pretend she was good at it. Then they were on the couch, and he began to touch her, and she tried to pretend she was okay with it, because couples do things like this, right?
But when his hand caressed her breasts, she couldn't help but push him back, and let out a panicked "Hey!" in response.
He quickly moved back, apologized, and asked if she was mad. Told her he had in no way meant her any offense, and he must have read the room wrong.
She told him it was fine, no harm, no foul.
He asked her, if they did make it official, would she feel more at ease with him.
She had no idea. But she assumed she would. So he asked her if she wanted to be official. And he repeated all those promises again, telling her just how in love he was with her, from the very first day he saw her, and how much he was willing to sacrifice just to be with her. And she felt… so bad for taking advantage of all of this and not responding in kind.
So she nodded, and he kissed her again. First her lips, then her neck, then his hands were back on her chest. She bit down the complaint, because this is what couples do. She wasn't sure if she said anything or not, but soon afterwards, she found herself on his bed, with her clothes scattered about, unable to process what she had just done.
This was what couples did, right? So why did it feel so… wrong?
…
She knew enough to realize the calls and texts between them had lessened after that night. He was avoiding her, and she felt miserable. But, she shook her head, and pushed her laments aside. She had screwed up, she wouldn't be the first, and certainly not the last. She didn't tell her mother, because she knew her mom would have obviously warned her about it. And she just… carried on, trying to force herself to pretend like nothing had happened, just another experience earned, never to be repeated again.
But four weeks later, she noticed something was… different.
Her period had not arrived, and she, much like her mother, had it down to the day. It never strayed. So she panicked, but she assured herself it had to be the stress. She even googled it, and yes, it was possible that too much stress could cause a delayed or missed period. So she hoped that that was it. But, another week passed, and nothing.
She went to class.
She worked.
She tried to carry on, but in the back of her mind, with each passing day, the fear grew. In hindsight, it made no sense, because she wasn't showing anything, but as she walked down the school halls or the city streets, it felt like everyone was gossiping about her. Talking about her. Judging her. Until she couldn't take it anymore.
So she went to the pharmacy, bought a pregnancy test kit, googled how to use it (yes, you pee on it, but she wanted to make sure she did it correctly), and she awaited the results.
Positive.
She didn't have it in her to say anything. She simply tossed the kit onto the trash, got out of the bathroom, and threw herself onto her bed. And she cried. She cried so much because she was so, so afraid. She cried so much, that she failed to notice her mother arrive earlier than expected, because Milka had a migraine and had to be excused from work (and said migraine only got oh-so much worse), until she felt her mother take a seat next to her and caress her, asking what was wrong, the worry evident in her tone.
"…I-I messed up," was all Dove could say.
…
She texted Reiji. She didn't tell him why, just that it was important and she needed to speak to him.
He left her on read.
She called him, again and again, but he never picked up.
Dove had managed to lie, once again, to her mother that she had gotten knocked up by her "secret" boyfriend, a fellow classmate, and that the boy was going to take care of things. She knew her mom had choice words to share with this person, and all Dove's lies could do was stall. Hopefully get some accountability from the guy before things got ugly. She didn't want to be with him, didn't want to even see him. Just… She just needed him to do what he was supposed to.
But he never replied, and in her desperation, she just happened to search him up online. And, in hindsight, she should have done this from the start. There was nothing to be found from the states, but with a little translation, news articles from Japan featured his name.
Reiji Satou. The current CEO of Kamiyama House.
His father had passed away quite a while ago.
He was the one in the states doing business.
He was already engaged to someone else.
He was twenty-three.
Dove just held onto her phone, curled up onto a ball, sitting on her school's bathroom floor, unable to process how things had spiraled so out of control.
But… She wasn't, couldn't just leave things as were. So, one rainy day, she skipped class and headed right back towards that mansion. She lied to get inside. Nobody even recognized her as having visited before. Nobody cared. Just how many girls did this guy bring over? Still, she managed to get someone to call him over, and she waited, her hands on her pockets, to keep them from shaking. This was terrifying.
Then he walked down the steps, and she could feel the shock in his eyes, before he just frowned.
"…Things didn't work out between us Dove," he told her, "It happens. Not your fault. But you have to stop –"
"I-I'm pregnant," she cut in, her voice trembling. And she outright pleaded with her eyes. Please, she didn't want to get back together. Just please say that it was okay, that he would take care of things, pay what was owed, register himself as the father, talk to her mother, and then, if he wanted, he didn't even need to see the baby. Was that too much to ask?
But…
"Can't possibly be mine."
"W-Wha…?" Dove muttered; eyes wide. "I-I'm not lying, a-and I don't want anything from you. I-If it's the money, fine, you don't have to pay, just please talk to my mom, explain things, a-and you don't even have to take care –"
"No, no, no," Reiji cut in, walking down the steps, and reaching her in moments. Dove wondered, for the briefest of moments, if she was in actual danger now. "Listen, this cannot happen. I have an arrangement with my company. With my father's legacy. I have to marry one of the women that he chose for me, and the heir must come from one of them, not some random schoolgirl…"
"Wait, them?" Dove asked, incredulously, "You have more than one fiancée?"
"You wouldn't understand," he flatly told her, before he frowned, "So listen, and listen well, Dove, you will resolve this mess however you see fit, but word cannot get out it is mine. It will not be pretty, and I don't mean for me. Get rid of it, or have it, I don't care, just never come here again, okay?"
"W-What's that supposed to even mean?" she said, crying, "This is wrong! I'm just trying to get some accountability! You never told me you were twenty-three! You never told me you were some big boss from overseas! You never once mentioned you had your own… harem or whatever sick thing you have!"
"Security, please escort her out," Reiji just said, having long looked away from the pleading girl. "And reflect on what I told you. Don't make this any uglier than it already is, okay?"
And Dove had no idea what to do.
…
Her baby bump couldn't be hidden anymore.
She had to get clothes that better fit her. And now everybody knew. Now the gossiping was real. What a slutty girl, at just fifteen, and already like that. And were was her fancy boyfriend now? Was she that bad that she sucked even in bed? She heard it all, and slowly, as the social butterfly she once was, one second she had all the friends in the world that she looked down upon, and now she was alone, being mocked. And it hurt. It hurt so much.
Her mother obviously had enough, and got all the information out of her. They screamed at each other, even if Dove knew her mom was right in the entire argument. But she was scared, because his threat lingered. But her mother assured her that no one, no matter how rich, was ever above the law. That she would see to it that he was held accountable for taking advantage of an underaged girl.
For doing something to her. It was a word Dove didn't like. But it didn't make it any less true.
But her mother was wrong…
It seemed that the law could indeed be bought.
Milka spoke to the police, who assured her they'd investigate, but nothing came of this.
Milka then spoke to a lawyer, who looked into things, before he told her that he simply couldn't take this case.
Milka tried to reach out to the media… she was fired from her job the very next day.
And soon her troubles began to worsen. She got hit with a lawsuit in turn, one she didn't even understand. The police came over, warned her about misconduct of some sort, and she pleaded to them, how on Earth was this being overlooked. Her daughter was fifteen! But they paid it no mind.
They woke up to their tires slashed.
They woke up to their windows shattered.
They woke up to loud knocks in the middle of the night. To calls with nobody on the other end. To cars parked right outside their home, who'd drive away the moment Milka or Dove looked out their own windows. And so, so much more…
Some time passed, until Dove received a text from him. It read: "Let's meet up. I have something you can sign that can help us both out greatly."
Of course it was a message that said everything and nothing at all. Nothing they could use against him, but one that conveyed an ultimatum. And all Dove could reply with, without telling her mother, because she knew her mom would fight this until the bitter end, and, with them about to lose their home, she just couldn't let her mistake do this much damage. So she begged for mercy, and asked him when and where. That she would do anything, just please, make it stop.
He sent her a pin.
…
The very day before she was to meet up with him for the last time, with her belly about to burst, Dove worked one last shift at a local restaurant. She had to take as many hours as she could, since her mother had trouble finding work. Blacklisted from her own industry, it would seem, all because of her stupid daughter, Dove noted. Still, in order to make herself useful, she worked herself to the bone. She didn't just stop at serving tables or setting up dishes.
The dishwasher was absent? She washed.
The busser wasn't on time? She wiped the tables clean.
The Chef called in sick? She outright begged to be allowed to help. The manager looked at her as if she had grown a second head. Such a young girl, expected to cook the main dishes? But she told him, that as long as she had the recipe, she could manage. It was sheer desperation that he allowed her to do so, and to his utter shock, she cooked it to the letter. She followed the recipe, and produced the plates, and she didn't understand why it seemed so shocking to the staff. That was what the recipe was for.
But, it was when she had only two hours left on her shift, that a server walked up to her. He told her how a client wanted to give his compliments to the chef. She smiled, made some sort-of joke to knock it off, but he assured her it was true. And she knew they felt sorry for her, that they wanted to make her feel better. So when the guy insisted she visit the table, she sighed, and just walked out. She expected some kind old lady with a warm smile who'd immediately change her tone when she saw that the "Chef" was this irresponsible mess of a girl…
…But this is when she met Azami Nakamura.
Dove stared, at the man clad in black, a sheer contrast to his pale skin, and the sharpest gaze she had ever seen anyone sport. Japanese it would seem, and she inwardly wanted to not be a bigot, to not associate every Japanese man with that monster. So she smiled, offered him a little wave, and gave him her thanks in turn. And she wondered if he'd look down on her state too…
"Just how old are you?" he asked, and to her surprise, his eyes were not on her belly, but on her tired eyes.
"E-Eighteen, obviously," she lied.
"Is that so?" he replied, "And may I have you name Chef?"
"Oh, I'm not the Chef, just filling in," Dove corrected. "I'm Dove, a waitress really. B-But thank you for the compliments regardless. And I'm certain that if you taste the dishes our Chef makes, you'll be even more blown away!" she tried to fake the enthusiasm expected of an employee of that brand. She smiled, but Azami just looked on.
"That is incorrect," he countered, and she just stared, confused. "I had actually visited this location last week, and honestly, the food was atrocious. Your… Chef, is slacking. And he knows. He paid, years ago, for a consultation with my daughter, and he is bringing shame to the craft that she advised and corrected for him. It seems, he cannot cook the recipe she devised… and yet, I came here today to close this place down, so imagine my surprise, when I receive my daughter's dish cooked to near perfection."
"I-I… I don't think I understand," she said honestly.
"Little Dove, how much do you earn here?"
"Wait, is this a job offering?"
"It is if you want it to be," Azami replied, "But more of a possibility of a joint venture. I need assistance on something I am planning, so I ask you, how much do you earn… Or, that's not quite right, how much would you like to make."
"I'm sorry, I don't know how much is being offered for my kind of services," she admitted, eyes to the side, "But I'm not a chef, if that's what you're looking for. I don't have any studies, nor do I have any talent. I just follow the recipe, that's it."
"And what more does a chef need to do, other than follow a recipe to the full extent of what is printed on it?" Azami countered, as she looked up, eyes widening. "You made a masterful dish. Not perfect, granted, but close… close enough. Between you, and that little boy currently torturing Shawn, I am certain it can work. So I ask you again, name your prize sweetheart. Money is not an obstacle."
"I… I mean, this is weird," Dove admitted, since she knew getting swayed by false promises had already ruined her enough. "I am grateful, but I… this doesn't make sense. I have…" she stammered, and instinctively her hand found its way onto her plump belly. Azami noted this, and gave the girl a nod, before he stood up. She bit her lip, wondering if she had insulted him, but he turned to her, and handed her his card.
"I am not trying to trick you," he assured, "I need assistance to save my daughter from a very dark path. And, in all my travels, nobody has been able to replicate her craft as closely as you have. So… it makes sense, to me, that with enough training, you could be able to counter it. To fix it. Fix her."
"I don't understand any of that."
"You would not," Azami noted, "But you now have my number, and with it you have my promise. Whatever you need, be it for money or otherwise, I am simply a call away. And, my services do not come linked to you offering yours in turn. You look troubled, and I apologize if I am overstepping, but if I can assist, a girl who looks so close to the age of my own daughter, I would do so in a heartbeat."
"As if you could help – I mean! Yeah, sure, got it," Dove quickly corrected, but Azami simply looked on, before he extended his hand and caressed her face gently. She seemed too awestruck to even respond.
"It is okay to reach out for assistance," he told her, and before she knew it, he paid the tab, and left. He left the waiter a heavy tip. He left her a blank check. Dove couldn't even fathom it, her eyes wide.
But the hours passed, and it was time to get ready to see him again. And… she found herself throwing up, her body shaking. She didn't want this! She was so damn afraid! She was too scared to be there! She didn't want to go alone, but she didn't want to put her mother in danger either… But now, she was taking care of not just herself, but of the baby within her. He… he wouldn't try to harm her, right? She swore, even with all his money, he couldn't get away with something like that, could he?
It was nothing but sheer desperation that caused her to call the number on the card the man clad in black had left her.
"This is Nakamura."
"…h-help."
"Young Dove I assume?"
"…yes."
"What do you need of me my dear?"
…
Reiji was waiting for her in a popular café, one where he frequented and one he owned stocks in. He wasn't that involved in the culinary world, but it paid to have a little place like this. It helped impress a lot of people. And he had the paperwork ready, devised by his team of lawyers, ready to put this thing to rest. Then he saw Dove walk in… alongside a man dressed in all black…
"…You brought a lawyer?" Reiji asked, frowning. "That would be a very bad call. I'm not giving you this opportunity again."
Dove froze, shaking, but before she could speak, the man next to her offered Reiji a polite smile and a soft bow.
"Greetings. I apologize for the confusion. I am no lawyer, more of a fellow businessman," Azami introduced himself, and Reiji's frown turned into a glare. Azami was utterly unfazed. He simply took a few steps, and just like he had promised Dove he would, he approached Reiji without a single care. The other man tensed up, and upon his movements, around five other men quickly stood up, clearly hired helped. Dove panicked, ready to call out and just beg for no more. But, again, Azami did not waver in the slightest. "My… such a big man, and you can't even frequent a small shop by your lonesome to meet up with a frightened, teenage girl. Like father, like son I suppose."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"
"What it sounds like, but, you showed me yours," Azami explained, then with a snap of his fingers, added, "I'll show you mine."
Every other patron at that bar, and every single staff member, quickly gave pause, and turned directly towards Azami and Reiji. A good thirty of them. Reiji felt his blood run cold, and his hired help all looked on, utterly baffled by this. Dove couldn't even breathe. What was happening?
"Reiji, can we talk for a second, man to man?" Azami voiced, before he laughed a little. "I mean, I know it is unfair of me to ask, for you to even try to pretend to be a man, but humor me a little."
Reiji voiced something Dove doesn't remember, but he and Azami still walked away for a moment. Dove could still see them, but she never heard what they said. Or rather, what Azami said. Reiji didn't talk. Azami simply whispered a few things to him, causing the guy to widen his eyes like plates, before he handed him a sealed envelope, and with that, Azami just smiled, and now he spoke up louder, "Are we clear?" he asked jovially, but when Reiji didn't reply, Azami playfully, and fiercely, slapped him right across the face, jolting him, and making him bleed through the now busted lips. Dove outright jumped at just how hard that slap sounded. "I said, are we clear?"
Reiji's team motioned, but the man quickly raised his hand and signaled them to stop. Desperately. As if utterly terrified. What was happening?
"…Y-Yes sir, it's clear," Reiji forced himself to say, and Azami just carried on his smile.
"Good, then you know what comes next," Azami noted, before he nodded to him, and walked away, approaching a shellshocked Dove. "Come on sweetheart, we're done here."
Dove just looked, first at Azami, then at the mess that was Reiji, back and forth, before she followed Azami out. She had not understood it then. To this day, she didn't understand it fully. She only asked Azami once what it was he had told him, and Azami simply replied with: "what I needed to" and she was content with that. Azami drove her home, assured her everything would be alright, and to call him if she ever needed anything else.
Dove thanked him, bowing as best she could despite her belly, and offered to return his blank check. Offered to pay even. Or to work for whatever it was he needed. But he shot her down.
He told her that this was not part of their would-be deal. She needed help, and he had offered it. This wasn't business. If… and only if she ever felt like taking him up on his offer, then they could work something out. Until then, he just wished her well.
Dove was left in a daze.
The next day her mother got a call for a job offer.
The day afterwards their bank account got an anonymous donation of a number she wasn't sure she could even count to.
The other day… it was all over the news. Reiji Satou, CEO and last know heir of the Kamiyama House… had committed suicide.
One bullet, messily fired by his own hand through his mouth. He had missed, blown his jaw cleanly off, and had died by chocking on his own blood and severed tongue.
Dove had to run to the bathroom to throw up when she first heard it. Had that been because of her?! Because of what that man had told him?! She… She hadn't wanted that! She didn't need it to go that far… But, also… She now felt… safe…
…
A few weeks later, she found herself in the hospital, after experiencing sudden pains while at school. She was going into labor. Her baby was a little vampire, she'd note, having drained her of so much calcium she needed to get shots to keep her ready for it. The shots felt like cement being poured into her, leaving her butt so sore that she couldn't even sit straight. But, that was child's play compared to the contractions that followed. She screamed during each one, crying out, asking the nurses if they had contacted her mother.
She knew her mom was out of the city, and it would take her hours to arrive. Why? Why did this have to happen today of all days?
And, even here, she still heard one of the nurses snark how she "had probably not been calling for mommy when she was making the baby", and it made Dove cry. Another nurse, far nicer, did try to calm her down, and told her that yes, they had reached her mother, and that she was rushing over, but that, which Dove already knew, it would take her a few hours to arrive. She asked Dove if there was any other family member she could call for her.
There really wasn't.
So she lied.
"…My father," she said, and she gave the nurse Azami's phone number. It didn't make sense. This was asking too much from a man she really shouldn't trust. But he had saved her, he had stepped up when the whole world hadn't, so maybe… just maybe, if she could be selfish…
Azami arrived about twenty minutes later. Dove outright cried when she saw him there. He was at her side, his hand on her head, caressing her, letting her know she would be alright, that it was natural. He told her how he had been there when his wife had given birth to their daughter, and that he knew how painful it had been for her.
Here Dove learned that Azami's ex-wife was named Mana, and that his daughter was named Erina…
What a nice name, Dove had thought, and what a lucky girl, to have such a strong and kind father.
Azami asked her what else she needed, and she just joked about what that dumb nurse had said about her. Ten minutes later, that nurse had been fired. Dove learned that, with Azami, she only needed to say the word, and the world would move to accommodate her.
She cried, she pushed, and, soon enough, Baby Ruth Dillinger was brought into the world.
Milka managed to arrive just moments afterwards, having probably broken the speed limit by unheard of numbers. But she was there just in time as Dove was handed the little prune that was supposed to be a baby. Milka was quickly at Dove's side, hugging her little girl gently, and Azami just patted her head and excused himself. Milka asked her if that had been one of the doctors, but Dove deflected the question. Her focus, after all, was on the little girl on her arms.
So small. So frail.
And she swore, no matter what, nobody would ever cause this little girl any pain. She would not let this world hurt this girl…
…And she also thought, how it would feel to lose this little girl. How that would hurt. So she also swore, that no matter what she had to do, she'd help Azami take his daughter back.
No matter what it took.
No matter who she had to take down.
She would make Erina Nakiri see just how lucky she really was, by force if necessary…
"…And then I lied to my mom, again, and told her I had gotten accepted into an internship with the Nakiri family overseas," Dove continued, having told her story, as Asahi looked on, his eyes wide in shock, and his fists clenched in anger. If only it were possible to murder someone twice. "Azami took me in, introduced me to Loren, well, we sort-of met when I got taken by Shawn to the complex he was staying at, and that's when I begun to train. All these years, mastering the True Gourmet… And just like Azami planned, soon enough, I begun to make waves. And, soon enough, Mana Nakiri from the famed WGO took notice of me. Began to follow my "career", and I got stuck with the callsign of "God Slayer", and by association, I got referred to as a "Noir", which honestly never made any sense to me…"
"I'm sorry…"
"I mean, you didn't invent the Noirs," she said in jest.
"Not about that… Just for everything you had to go through, I can't even imagine," Asahi simply said, "Loren's right to be so protective of you. Can't blame him of being wary of you getting close to another shady guy, despite –"
"Don't compare yourself to that thing," Dove quickly cut it. "Your name shouldn't even be used in the same sentence," she explained, before she turned to him, her bright blue eyes almost glowing under the night's sky, "After that whole mess, I didn't think I could ever enjoy it, you know? Being with someone, falling in love, being intimate. It felt… wrong. And I know I pretended otherwise, because the last thing I needed was to host a pity party for myself at every turn, but somehow, you broke through all that. I genuinely enjoy being with you. I am… genuinely in love with you, Asahi Saiba."
He motioned, taking hold of her pretty little hands, gave them a soft kiss, before he pulled her to him, and kissed her deeply. She pushed forwards, letting him take her, as they deepened the kiss even further. And just like before, here, right now, she felt safe.
"Come on," Asahi said, breathlessly, "Let's go back to my room. You're gonna catch a cold if you don't get rid of these wet clothes and take a warm bath."
"Would that be a bath for one, or for two?" she replied with a smile, a wink, and a flirty tone, to which he laughed and nodded.
If only he had met her before. If only…
-0-
The first rays of sunshine came in through the window, causing Erina to stammer in her sleep and slowly open her eyes. She stared at what clearly wasn't her room, but rather, an empty restaurant, one where she laid on the very floor, only using about fifteen tablecloths, one over the other, as a makeshift bed. Then, slowly, but surely, she recalled why she was laying there. Why she had been using tablecloths as a bed and as bedsheets. And why she was currently naked.
Blushing madly, she sat up, using the tablecloths to keep herself covered, as she looked to the side, where Soma laid, softly snoring. That had been risky as all hell, she inwardly noted, falling asleep in this place when they were being looked for by all the security staff her father could employ.
Still, she poked him on the cheek, nudging him awake.
"Hey…"
"…Hey, yourself?" a groggy Soma replied, trying to wake up properly. Then, just like her, he seemed to slowly remember everything. She instinctively hugged the tablecloth closer to her chest, a pout evident. He better not be repeating any sequence of events on his head regarding any of her reactions. "Morning already?"
"Yes," she replied, "And we both have places to be. So we best move along before we get caught."
"Yeah, got it," a still sleepy Soma noted, pressing his face with his hands, before he pushed the tablecloth he had used off himself, and stood right up. Erina outright flinched, because he was standing alright.
"S-Soma!"
"Huh? What is it?" he asked, before he noticed how she had almost snapped her neck turning away, and it was here he noticed what she had likely seen. "Oh, eh, yeah, that wakes up before I do very often…"
"Don't joke about that!" a very flustered girl cried out, "Go get dressed, in the restroom, now!"
"Yeah, yeah," Soma just laughed along, as he walked away, picking up his discarded boxers, leaving a very flustered girl with her head spinning. Seriously how had that even fit… No, she was not going there. Still, once Soma was in the restroom, she couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. Not because of what had happened, never, obviously not! That had been nice, lovely even, but its not like she had just assumed, upon seeing him wake up in that state, that there would have been a round two right then and there, obviously not! But she still smiled, feeling so damn relieved, and as memories of what she finally said came back, she felt… right. This was what needed to happen. And, she knew what came next… But, having said that… "H-Hey Soma? Our clothes…"
She now noticed that she had never quite placed her fancy dress to dry, as it was on the floor just like how she had dropped it. His clothes, likewise, were all over the place.
"I think I have a workaround for that!" she heard Soma call out from the restrooms, and given his tone, she didn't think his idea was going to please her much. "I mean, you can still use your fancy brassiere, right?"
"Don't start with that again!"
"Just messing with ya!" she heard him say with a few laughs, "But man, they really do have everything stored in here! Wanna go full-on the nostalgia train?!"
-0-
Ryou Kurokiba had been laying on his bed, listening to his tunes as he glanced over his phone, trying to think up new ideas for his dishes. There was so much left to explore in the grand blue that was the seas, and he was sure he could come up with a dish so grand that it could finally settle the score between himself and Hayama. Granted, he really wished he could tangle with the Neo-Noirs beforehand, but it was not meant to be. Still, the mad dog currently taking it easy received a knock, not at the door, but at the window, and he outright glared at it.
"I swear Yukihira, you are going to –" he began, getting out of the bed and opening the window, but his words were cut short when it was not Yukihira who popped his head out of the bushes. "…Milady Erina?"
"Hey," she greeted with a little smile, "I… haven't used this little escape route in ages, but, may I pass through your room, please?"
"Of course," a very confused Kurokiba replied, extending his hand and helping the girl sneak into a manor she owned, for whatever reason. "Are you… Are you alright? Alice and Hisako have been worried, do you need me to call for them, or for Mr. Nakiri or M-Mrs. Nakiri?"
Erina gave pause, now inside his room, and smirked at him with such a smug look that it reminded him so much of that dork Yukihira. How lovely.
"You almost called Aunty Mom, didn't you?"
"Get out," Kurokiba just barked, and Erina just laughed and made her way out the door. Given her playfulness, Kurokiba assumed she was doing far better than any of them had feared, but that didn't mean he wouldn't tell Alice about it, just in case. It also never occurred to him to ask her why she was dressed like a waitress, but perhaps it was better if he didn't know.
Unknowingly to the boy, downstairs, by the entrance, Soe Nakiri was currently staring down a very pissed off Azami Nakamura, backed up by his entire security force (with the notable exception of the currently hospitalized Shawn). Soe, in turn, had the Nakiri security team at his disposal, lead by Gaston, with both factions looking moments away from an all-out war.
"I'm here for my daughter," Azami said in no uncertain terms, "Where is she?"
"She is resting," Soe replied with a perfect poker face, "And she wishes not to see you. If she decides to call you, then, and only then, may you enter this place."
"You cannot keep me from seeing her."
"I most certainly can."
"Soe," Azami warned.
"Azami," Soe replied.
"…My, such a ruckus so early in the morning, how very unprofessional father."
Both men froze, looking to the side, as Erina Nakiri walked to the stairs' railing, her hand over it, staring down at the two armies down there. God, it ached a bit to stand up straight.
"Erina," Azami voiced with barely hidden venom.
"Oh, you are here!" Soe noted, before he caught himself and coughed, "O-Of course you are here! I mean, good morning dear!"
"Good morning uncle!" Erina greeted with the brightest of smiles, as her eyes then shifted to her father and the dark aura he seemed to outright produce. Soe kept quiet, since while he had every intention of having a little talk with her (she had scared the hell out of him and Leonora by vanishing like that) it could wait. And also, he was going to keep quiet on the fact that she was currently wearing Alice's pajamas for some reason.
"Where did you go last night?" Azami asked, his tone clearly pissed off.
"Why, I was here father, where else would I go?" she innocently shot back.
"Do not play games with me young lady," her father warned, "If you think that little tantrum of yours last night was funny, I assure you that –"
"No."
"– you… Wait, no?"
"Yes, you heard me. No," she repeated, as she began to come down the stairs. Both factions of the security team seemed to get ready to outright brawl against each other, but Erina simply took out her phone and said, "You do not get to order me around. You do not get to dictate what I can or cannot do. Only man that can scold me and, out of respect, I'll just shut up and nod is my grandfather. Uncle too, but he doesn't scold me," she added, with a little nod to the man, before she also added, "…And I'm sure if Aunty ever scolded me I'd just burst into tears. I am not emotionally stable enough for it… But, never mind that! They raised me, so I owe them that respect, one which I do not owe to you."
"Are you seriously –?"
"Father, I am the one talking," Erina quickly cut him off. "And I wanted to make one thing clear. First and foremost, to your security staff, gentlemen, can you please check your phones and log in to the app you use to clock-in for work?"
"…What?" Azami just mouthed, as he turned to his team. They all paused, but still did as she said. It was here they found they could no longer access it. To say this sent a chill down their spines would be an understatement.
"None of you have access, correct? Good," she noted, her sharp eyes on every single one of them. "That is because I just got off a call with grandfather. It is honestly infuriating that I have to bother a man on his hospital bed because you are all so inept at your own jobs, so let me be perfectly clear. You all breached your contracts. You may have been employed previously by my father, but you were all hired for this event, meaning you, while within these grounds, work primarily for Tootsuki Academy. And with my grandfather out sick, either the acting Director, my uncle, or the heiress, yours truly, are the only ones who handle your payments. And your job is to ensure the students and challengers safety. Not rush at me to lock me in my room," they all flinched at how harsh she voiced every word of that last sentence. "So here's how this plays out. Either you all follow instructions and keep your services of security only to events that merit it, or you will be locked out of your pay for a period of no less that six months as per the contract you sighed. By which, may I add, can also include backpay, meaning you would owe us your last payment because you failed to do your jobs properly. Oh, and before you think any of this is me acting out of line, my legion of lawyers would be more than happy to take this to court, where, may I add, if you lose, you are more than susceptible to be countersued. So… I ask, any of you daring enough to flip that coin?"
All the grown men from Azami's side of things just shook their heads like little kids being scolded, before they all stared at the ground.
"I'm not hearing a response…"
"No ma'am!" they all quickly cried out, and as Soe looked on in amazement and Gaston in amusement, Azami was outright fuming.
"You must think this is hilarious," he growled, "But you have no idea of the repercussions this will have. You may sink my image to the sewers if you so wish, but that won't save this school. And once I am the Headmaster, all my promises are off the table. Your good for nothing little boyfriend, and your useless secretary, they, and every single other one of your lousy friends, are out!"
"If, father, if you win," Erina corrected, and then she took a few steps down. At this Soe tensed up, since Erina walked up right up to her father, and stared him down with all the coldness befitting the girl called an Ice Queen. "And let me be clear, they aren't the only ones breaching an arrangement. You were banned from this school years ago. The Intercontinental Shokugeki forced us to have to accept you back, allow you entry, but that only goes as far as the event itself. So, unless a match is taking place, or a special occasion, like last night's Grand Ball, is being held, the only place in this entire academy that you are allowed to be in is the Resort Mr. Doujima allowed you to stay at. I have allowed you to come into my manor because I thought you wanted to fix things, but if this is just business as usual, then I will grant you no such further liberties, so, father…"
And Azami, for as utterly furious as he was, for once, couldn't quite hide the expression on his face when his daughter turned his own words back to him, and for once, he couldn't dispute any of it…
"…Go to your room."
-0-
He was seven once again.
Like all dreams, everything seemed distorted, as one moment he had been in a convenience store, then he walked down a hall and he was walking in the hallway of his old house. But, he didn't notice it, not at the moment. But he made his way towards the kitchen, opening the fridge up, and finding nothing. Bottles of booze were everywhere, but there was nothing to eat. He was hungry, he was starving.
But he knew he couldn't ask his mother right now. He couldn't interrupt her. She was with a man. Another one. He didn't know him. And it scared him. But, not as much as she did.
So he waited, seating on the hallway, by the door, hoping his mother would finish whatever it was she did with these men and would, hopefully, be in a good enough mood to order them something to eat. He hadn't eaten since yesterday, or was it the day before?
Her door opened up, and he looked up, half eager, half afraid… And he didn't like seeing her that way.
She wasn't wearing anything, so he looked away.
She stared down at him, and he felt her eyes dig into his flesh.
No… She wasn't in a good mood. She was going to hurt him again.
"…Can you get out of the way?" she asked, and he bit his lip, nodding, and pushing himself up, before he walked away, before he got inside his room and closed the door. He wasn't eating today either. So he just sat on the floor, and hugged himself, because he knew, once the strange man left, she'd come right in through that door, and hurt him again…
So he stared at the close door, and it got distorted. A banging could be heard against it, almost as if something wanted to break it open. He looked. The door cracked. He looked. The door broke. He looked. She spoke.
"…Asahi!"
He cried.
"…Asahi?"
He woke up, eyes wide, staring at the ceiling. No, not at the ceiling. The voice he had just heard had been Dove's, and she was edged over him. It was her pretty eyes now looking at him.
"Dove…?"
"That must have been quite the nightmare," she noted, the worry evident. "Never seen you so pale, and I mean, you're pretty pale as is, but you get what I mean."
"Ah… yeah, just, ghosts from the past," he noted, sitting up, and brushing his hair back. He had sweated up a storm it seemed. Dove just looked on, and it was quite the sight, to have this girl on his bed, utterly undressed, and now completely unashamed to display it. Still…
"You listened to everything I said," she said, "If there's something you need to say, I'm all ears."
Asahi looked up to her lovely eyes, and this… this was something he had never told anymore before. "…It's my… well…"
"Oh, her," Dove noted, the disdain clear, "I get it, you don't have to name her. I know who you are talking about."
"Yeah, she was brutal," Asahi noted. "This latest trip down memory lane involved one of the many times she'd screw around with some guy, then pranced around the place utterly naked, not really caring about a young kid seeing her in that state or how it felt to see some asshole just touch her all over. And if they got annoyed by my presence there, she'd take it out on me, because clearly having me was what ruined her chances at fame and fortune and a good dick, I guess…" he recounted, but when he saw Dove's wide eyes, he quickly added, "But, it's nothing compared to your thing. Seeing her like that shouldn't matter, I'm a grown ass man now, so –"
"That's still abuse," Dove quickly, firmly corrected. "She's a monster for putting her own son in that position. Fucking gross. Listen, if you have to say anything, it doesn't leave this room, you know that."
"She never did anything beyond that," Asahi affirmed, "Maybe I got lucky that she never got a chance to. She died when I was seven, an overdose, probably choking on her own vomit. Not a pretty way to go…" then he laughed, "I remember how shocked the officers who came when I called 911 were, when they were trying to reassure me things would be okay, and I asked how she was, and they had no idea how to "break" the news to me. When I got it, you should have seen their expressions, when I just asked "she's dead… does that mean she won't hit me anymore?", it's fucking hilarious."
Dove bit her lip, then just threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. He held onto her, caressing her back and planting kissed all over her neck.
"…By the by, I didn't tell you everything I did so that you'd be gentler with me in bed," Dove said with a little tease, as Asahi just tilted his head.
"What? But I wasn't… was I?" he asked, and she nodded with the smile ever-present. He had been insanely gentle, and it unnerved her, because not only did it feel great, it felt far more intimate than anything else they had ever done, and she wasn't sure she could handle it like that again. Still, noticing how having her in his arms was making him eager to have her again, Dove slowly positioned herself over him. "I'll drive this time."
He responded by burying his face on her chest, and she got ready…
…then there was a sudden knock on the door.
Asahi and Dove were on separate ends of the room in an instant, both of them staring at the door, before they remembered it was locked and nobody was going to just barge in. Still, they quickly scampered around to get dressed, since now they needed to be careful and sneak her out, less…
"Son, we need to talk," Azami's voice could be heard, and Asahi mouthed a few curses as Dove turned pale. How can this happen to a couple twice?!
"Father, hey!" Asahi spoke up, wondering if he cried out that he was naked if it would work as well as it had for Dove. He didn't think it would. "Since when do you come visit me?"
"We need to settle a few matters," Azami responded, "Erina has certainly taken a stance, and I think it's in our best interest to stop trying to destroy each other and work out an arrangement."
"That's certainly a statement!" Asahi said, as he zipped up his fly. Dove meanwhile was struggling to fit her head through her shirt. In her rush, she was putting her head where the arm goes. Asahi tried to mimic to her, but she was busy, so he figured she'd notice eventually. "But, yeah, sure, we can talk, just give me a second and I'll… I'll…" he voiced, trying to think of something convincing. Damn it, he was the King of Noirs for crying out loud. Lying was like a second language to him. But, before he could, and just as Dove finally managed to put a shirt on, Azami spoke up.
"Just… open the door when you are ready," he said, "And I know you're there Dove, so get dressed properly."
Asahi and Dove both froze in place, a chill in the air, as they both turned to each other, before they looked at the door.
He knew.
Azami knew.
After a few minutes, Asahi opened the door up, as Dove sat by the bed, legs crossed, as a proper lady should. Her eyes were downcast, and she wanted to cry. Asahi just stared, as his father walked in, and walked past him, reaching Dove in moments. Asahi instinctively called him out, ready to push him right back out the room if needed, but as Dove nervously looked up at him, Azami just sighed.
"What a troublesome girl you are," he said, before he patted her on the head. "Relax, I am not angry with you. I've messed around too, it is… normal for your age," he said to the still shellshocked girl, before he turned to his son, "And I'm not mad at you either. It would seem you are treating her well, and I would expect no less from a son of mine."
"…Yeah," Asahi said, closing the door, before stepping closer to the two. "So what gave it away?"
Azami laughed. "At what point did you think I was ever fooled?" he asked, and Asahi frowned. What? "I know this one," Azami noted, caressing Dove's head, "And like I told her, you are a good actor, but not that good. I know you were in her room when she made me wait until she showered. I know you've been together since then. And I know you fancy her ever since you first saw her, because you can't hide the way you look at her."
"Is this what parental acceptance feels like?"
"You may joke around, but I am here to call for a cease-fire between our factions," Azami explained, "Erina thinks she can do whatever she pleases, and it would mean the world to me if you assisted me in taking those Elite Ten down, rather than try and undermine my efforts to save my daughter."
"Save," Asahi voiced, "To quote a movie, you keep using that word, I don't think it means what you think it means."
"I know what my intentions are," Azami countered, "And you are a grown man, Asahi, so just respond. Will you help me overtake Tootsuki Academy?"
"I… Wait, wait, this feels weird," Asahi voiced, his hand in front of him as if calling for a timeout. "You may not be as bad as the media is currently painting you as, but you're still responsible for a lot of stuff. You hurt Erina, you –"
"You have no intentions of helping her. All you want is the glory."
"I want to put all you elites in your place," Asahi corrected. "I want the top, because unlike all of you, who were just born into this world, I worked myself to the bone for this. You wouldn't understand what it's like to –"
"Would you not reconsider?" Azami simply cut in, before his eyes sharpened, as he said, "For Dove?"
"Dove?"
Dove looked up, her eyes showing all kinds of confusion. Azami's smile did not falter, while Asahi looked on, before he slowly began to glare. It slowly hit him. Slowly, but surely. There's no damn way. That… That this all could have been deliberate.
"Are you going to place you ambitions over the girl you love?"
"…You planned this," Asahi spat out, his voice cracking, "You knew she and I… that we… You purposely pushed us together all so that I would –"
"When you showed me those results, before we even set foot here," Azami explained, "I knew you had enough ammunition to take me out. So I needed a way to keep you in check. Did you not think it strange, that despite having someone as diligent as Julius under my employee, the one I sent to keep tabs on you was Dove?"
"There's no damn way you could have predicted I would have fallen for her!"
"And why not?" Azami noted, "After all, you seem so utterly inclined to believe that blasphemy that Jouichirou now spouts. Cooking for a special someone. You also believe in that philosophy, no?"
"What? How?" Asahi said, before he looked to the side, and it… hurt, "Dove?"
"I-I just mentioned it to him," she admitted, then she looked up to Asahi, as if pleading, "I never told him we were together, I didn't know he knew, nor that he had sent me after you intending… this."
"You manipulated her?" Asahi outright growled.
"Far from it," Azami shot down, "I just knew you two were attracted to each other and I just set you up as if it were a blind date. Nobody forced you into her room that night, nor her into this one."
"You know what, fuck you," Asahi just called out, before he turned to Dove. "Let's go. There are so many other places we can be."
But… Dove just stared at him, pain in her eyes, but she did not move. Asahi froze, his hand held up, but this one time, her hand did not reach out to his.
"Tell me son, has Jouichirou's philosophy proven true, or was the one, single opportunity you had to genuinely best me wasted because you couldn't bring yourself to hurt the girl you love?" Azami said, and Asahi felt his blood run cold. He turned to the man, and he was feeling emotions he hadn't felt since childhood. "Love is a necessity of life, but it has no place in the kitchen. It makes good chefs weak. It leads to despair and isolation and ruin. And you are the living proof, that your goal was in your hands, and you let it slip away, all because little Dove was crying."
"You're a fucking monster," Asahi said with so much venom Dove winced, but then he turned to her. "And you, damn it, wake up, he's using you!"
"I told you," she simply said. "I promised him."
"Dove! You owe him nothing!"
"I owe him everything!" she cried back, "I told you, he saved me, and whatever happens, no matter how it hurts, I will help him in turn! I promised him his daughter, and he will have her!"
"He is going to hurt Erina!"
"That's not true! She doesn't know what real pain is!"
"Dove damn it! You can't let him do this! The fuck is he going to do if you back down, revive the douchebag?!"
"Don't you joke around with that!" she cried out, and there were tears. Lots of them. Asahi flinched, taking a step back.
"…Do you want to know why this scenario feels so alien to you, son?" Azami asked, and Asahi turned to him, the glare burning into the man in black, but Azami simply continued, "Because you are used to having followers who take orders because of intimidation or respect. And, credit where it is due, that is important. That is valid. But fear can be bought, and respect, while harder, can be too. Do you know what cannot be bought, no matter what you do for someone…? Gratitude. Dove's not doing this because she owes me anything, but because she's grateful and wants to do this. That's why she won't bend to you. She won't betray me to side with you. She won't become your little make-believe Queen of Noirs. She is my precious protégé, and she won't stop until she helps me, even if the whole world turns against us… So I ask you one last time. For the girl you claim to love so, will you join me in earnest… my son?"
"…Asahi," Dove added, and she was begging, "Please. Together we can get what we all want. Just… please…"
Asahi looked on, the whole room spinning, and his vision outright blurry. He felt the words on his lips, to simply give in and give up, to just accept whatever was offered. But so much pain, so many years of struggle, just to give it to a man who had been manipulating them from the start? He… He just… couldn't do it.
"…No."
"Asahi!" Dove begged. Azami just stared.
"No," Asahi repeated, resolute, shaking his head, his glare now on them both, "You think you can manipulate the whole world and still call yourself the hero, well then, fuck off. I'd rather starve on the streets than ever have to kiss up to you. So get ready, because if you think what Erina did is the worst thing that can happen to you, then you clearly don't know me," he threatened, before he turned to Dove. She looked, eyes with so much pain, and despite how much he wanted to tell her off, he instead just… "…And I hope, for your sake, that this is the best call for you… take care Dove."
"…yeah."
And with those words exchanged, Asahi just turned and exited the room, leaving in a rush. Dove stared back to the floor, as his scent lingered. How can you be making love to someone one minute, and the next…?
"I wonder if he remembers this is his room we're in right now?" Asahi noted, amused, but when Dove turned to him with the most incredulous expression, he patted her head, and voiced, "I know it hurts, but he just proved that he's not the ideal boy for girl like you. Any other real man, would drop everything to make sure you're happy. You deserve nothing less. And, I couldn't be more grateful to have you at my side."
"…yes," Dove simply replied, because no matter how much she had expected this moment to arrive, it still ended up hurting far more than she could ever imagine.
All to help Azami.
All to "save" Erina…
"I know," Dove said, as her eyes sharpened intensely, "And I will do everything in my power to make sure your Erina is under your care once more…"
Even if she had to defeat her.
Even if she had to humiliate her.
Even if she had to take out all this anger and pain and hate out on that pampered little princess until what she handed to Azami was just the shattered pieces of the daughter he was so desperately trying to save…
As Asahi walked down the resort's many hallways, he made a call, and upon hearing Yuunosuke on the other end, gave the order, "Release the tapes online, let's make some fucking noise."
"Asahi?" Yuunosuke voiced, noting the distress in his friend's voice.
"Just do it," Asahi ordered, "I have other matters to attend to," he noted, as he hung up on the call and took out Decora's phone. His father wanted war, then he was so getting it. But, before he did anything, he took one last look at his own phone. And it hurt. It hurt in ways he didn't think he'd be stupid enough to allow it to hurt. So, he began to click on it, and reached the option he needed.
Because, he should know better.
Because, this world has never been anything but cruel.
And because, as Tootsuki's most famous couple had just come together in the biggest of ways, the most infamous couple had just been utterly shattered…
Do you wish to block this contact: Dove Dillinger? No [ ] / Yes [X]
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I actually researched hentai for this chapter! AKA: I watched porn for the plot! Isn't that weird?