-NAKIRI ERINA-

SEPTEMBER 4

Erina sat at a fine dining table, her iPad and notepad in front of her. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't nervous. She spun her stylus frantically through her fingers, the only stim that calmed her down in high-stress situations. This contract had been through a tense negotiation process, and now she regretted accepting any of the terms. She did not know how to get through this tasting without Hisako to temper her nerves, but Hisako would've made the reunion more difficult. Had it not been for the pentagon of servers standing like armed soldiers around the intimate dining area, expectantly watching her, Erina probably would've left as quietly as she came.

"It's good to see you, Director."

Erina's heart flipped into her stomach when she heard that shyly confident voice. She hated that she still involuntarily did that. But there was no longer that fluttering eruption of butterflies filling her up like when they dated.

So, progress.

"Chef Tsukasa," she answered with a curt nod, remaining seated. She gripped her pen to steel her nerves. Eishi was still as handsome as ever. There was no denying that. He looked like a fantasy—his pure white hair was cropped into a dense bowl cut, still covering his forehead like an elusive idol. His icy blue eyes locked in on her from behind the curtain of hair and froze her tongue. He was taller and leaner than when he was the First Seat but more toned around his arms; Erina could see his muscles bulging through his chef's coat.

"You look as beautiful as ever," he said. He sat across from her and rested his chin on his fist. "Director looks good on you." Even though he only showed his anxious timidity to his most trusted inner circle, Eishi was never timid with Erina. She used to like that the most about him.

"Please don't try to flatter me, Tsukasa." Erina rolled her eyes. "Everything looks good on me. Just bring out the dishes you're paying me to test." She was curt and cold, the only way to avoid slipping down memory lane. Eishi enjoyed being sentimental like that.

"Straight to business, as always, huh, Erina? Reminds me of our first date," he chuckled, never dropping his gaze, never ordering his waitstaff to move. "The dress you wore matched my eyes then, too."

See? Erina rolled her eyes and adjusted her powder blue skirt. It was a complete coincidence, something she didn't even consider when getting dressed that morning. She hated herself for not giving a fuck enough to remember something so irrelevant to her, but knowing Tsukasa, would be seen as a sign. Yuck.

"Aw, c'mon, don't be like that. It's been a while." He searched her face. "Soooo…how are things?" Erina huffed and turned her head.

"Things are things, Eishi."

"Things are things, Erina." He smirked amusingly, and that only served to piss her off more than it should've. But that smirk hinted that Eishi still believed he knew her well enough to be casual—she hated that. Even though she wanted to forget he existed, even though Eishi knew that she hated his guts after everything he put her through, he didn't seem to care. Anymore.

"Still with that rebel Yukihira Sōma? Is that still going strong, or did you push him away, too?" He stretched his long, manicured fingers towards her clenching fist. She snatched it away. The motherfucking nerve.

"My business is no longer your business, Chef Tsukasa," she clipped. His smirk tightened, and he slowly nodded. He snapped his fingers, and the wait staff soldiers moved from their posts and filed into the restaurant's back kitchen. Eishi leaned back, and Erina could feel him drinking in her presence like he used to.

"So, how was your flight to Seoul?" He cut into her thoughts. "I know how much you hate flying in the rain."

"I've grown out of that childish fear."

That was a lie.

"Oh? Good to know! I have to admit, it always gave me anxiety whenever we flew together. I never knew what to do," he sheepishly laughed. "What cured you?"

Erina glared at Eishi, stumped by his question. She hadn't given it much thought because she was still deathly afraid of flying through storm clouds. They made her feel small, helpless, and like her world was falling apart. The servers approached their table with silver plates in their hands. A core memory flashed through Erina's mind's eye, and she heard her voice before she could second-guess what she said.

"Sōma."

That was the truth.

-8-

Nakiri Erina still hadn't gotten used to the thick, icky feeling creeping through her belly and snaking up her spine. Like plotting for a fresh kill, anytime Yukihira Sōma gave—or received—a lot of attention from another girl, Erina's bloodlust would spill out.

She didn't do it on purpose, and she was rarely aware she was doing it until the poor girl lusting or flirting after her man was on the verge of uncontrollable tears. But she couldn't help it. She didn't know she could even love someone as much as she loved Sōma. He was her cozy shelter in her stormy life and warm comfort through all the uncertainty. He saw her lost in her secret garden far beyond the reaches of her goldenrod cage and saved her from herself. So, forgive her for wanting to snap and boil a few neckbones to keep him.

But the real issue was Erina was selfish. Having grown up wholly catered to, she wasn't used to having to remind people of what was hers. Everyone in her life, literally everyone in her world, knew what it was—everything she desired was instantly and rightfully hers. Barring present, loving parents, Erina could not recall the last thing she was denied. So, imagine her surprise to be sitting among the top caliber tastemakers of the gourmet food world and being forced to watch her boyfriend stand across from a string of bridesmaids making heart-struck eyes at her man—at a wedding altar, no less! And with the last person who should dare be so bold enough to cross that line—being that she was fully aware that Erina was present in the audience—leading the train, looking absolutely lovesick.

The rehearsal dinner had been a mess, to say the least, with enough discomfort to last her an eternity. She was still recovering from it and the silent flight on the private jet to Paris. So, one must excuse her for being totally unaware of the deathly scowl plastered on her face in the front row of the Shinomiya-Inui wedding ceremony. Who the menacing glare was directed at was beside the point because not a single soul in the wedding party could escape its chilling presence when the wedding processional began.

Except for the bride, of course.

Inui Hinako was breathtaking in her flowing white wedding kimono with a cornucopia of bejeweled vegetables delicately beaded into its silk. Only when Erina's gaze fell upon her blissful features walking down the aisle, staring at an ever-scowling Shinomiya Kojiro on the brink of tears, did her frown fall. In its place, an adoring smile at the misty-eyed bride. The entire wedding sighed in the momentary reprieve from the evil eye energy lifting. Then, the photographer focused her lens on Megumi and Sōma, the junior bride and groom, and the smile immediately faded.

The gold, draping corset gown she finally settled on wearing made matters worse. Though it fit like a glove, it was itchy, and the family tailor hemmed the slit a smidge too high for her full figure. She did not mean to invite a peep show from the wedding guests in her row and the groomsmen whenever she shifted her legs in her chair. Erina would have regretted coming altogether if it weren't for the fact that she'd channeled Beyoncé for her final look and had executed it flawlessly.

Not to mention the cute fire-haired boy standing ten meters from her, looking dashing in his tailored navy suit. Sōma in plainclothes wasn't anything to scoff at, especially after she hired a stylist to update his wardrobe with bespoke pieces, but right now? How could she look away from such a fine specimen of a man?

Erina desperately wanted to believe Sōma was happy she was in the audience, and he was pleased she was there even though they were technically fighting. But he hadn't made eye contact since he winked at her walking down the aisle. He hadn't even looked her way for a second when he passed Shinomiya the ringbox. Did he not want to think of her at such a time like this? Looking at him stare head-on towards the bride and groom, Erina misconstrued the goofy smile on Sōma's face.

He was looking straight ahead, and when she followed his field of vision, it led to Megumi, and that just made Erina's blood boil. This messy girl who had all the boys fooled by her feigned innocence for all these years had finally found the right one to cross. Again. It didn't matter that he told her they were no longer friends and that it was Megumi's call—it should've been his. Don't get Erina wrong; she never cared about Sōma being friends with other girls. Unfortunately, he was a very likable and friendly guy. The other girls of Kyokusei were sweeter than mochi to her. The girls on the Ten were their closest friends in the world. Hell, she even allowed him to remain cordial with Mito-san.

But Megumi had shown her hand more than once, in fact, too many times for Erina to trust her, let alone like her anymore. She was not a girl's girl, and Erina did not like that at all. More importantly, she didn't like seeing Sōma still close to someone so untrustworthy. That's why seeing him smiling at his ex-best friend made her angry.

She watched in disgust as Megumi ducked her head to wipe away a tear. Megumi had been quietly nursing a steady stream of tears all ceremony, but Erina could see her crumbling to pieces inside. She knew that look well. Erina had felt it before, and she might have sympathized with her in a parallel universe.

But when Megumi looked up, she focused on the dashing groomsman across the altar from her and coyly blushed when they made eye contact. By that one look, Erina knew. Megumi still wasn't over Sōma. If she wanted to deny it before, there was no doubt in her eyes today. Now, it didn't matter if Megumi ended their friendship. It didn't even matter if she was dying from a broken heart. Erina cared about none of that. But she couldn't understand why Megumi would move on to Ryō instead.

Erina could not tell you at what point in the emotional ceremony the thought slithered back into her mind; it could've been after the sake-sharing ceremony or during the exchanging of some incredibly touching vows, but Megumi's haunting final words echoed in her ears as an intrusive thought on repeat. "You know, for all your brilliance, beauty, and prestige, I still don't know what Sōma-kun sees in you."

Erina heard nothing else for the rest of the ceremony. Her brain went into overdrive, trying to figure out who and what to trust. The ordained minister's words were muffled behind the loud questions she refused to ask Sōma when she had the chance. The gushing bride and groom sharing their first kiss as husband and wife were blurred out by the repeated flashback of the closet door opening and revealing Megumi and Sōma too close for her comfort. The string quartet announcing the newlyweds was muted by the ringing of warning bells in her head. Something was not right. Something was off within her. She grabbed her grandfather's hand to ground herself, but it was useless. She let go. Her head started spinning, and her body went on autopilot, following the actions of the guests around her. When they clapped, she clapped. When they stood up, she stood up. But she struggled to remain standing, her heart squeezing tighter with each insecure thought, and she could feel her knees buckling beneath her.

A strong, firm hand gripped the small of her waist.

"Hey baby, save the last dance for me, okay?" Sōma whispered, subtly kissing the taut flesh behind her ear and steadying her posture. It all happened so fast, and her heartbeat sped up so quickly that Erina had to pinch him to ensure it wasn't a dream and he was a fleeting ghost.

"Ow!" Sōma rubbed his side, laughing before rejoining the wedding party. He had to leave her. He had to let go. She knew that. He was holding up the rest of the wedding party. She understood why.

But as he danced away from her, shuffling down the aisle with Tadokoro on his left clapping after Tōtsuki's newest married couple, rejoicing at the moment as if their friendships weren't crumbling all around them, and because of one person, Erina had to stop herself from demanding he stay.

-YUKIHIRA SŌMA-

SEPTEMBER 4

As he marched down the aisle when the wedding processional started and saw her standing in the first row beside her grandfather, his heart stopped beating. Sōma loved it when Erina looked expensive because she wore wealth well. (No one else could make vintage Versace look timeless and custom-made. Over the years, she'd taught him a few things about her other special interests.) He really lucked up.

Seriously, how was she his person?

Sōma didn't worship the ground Erina walked on; he had a healthy balance of reverence and respect for his girlfriend. Nobody is perfect. But as he caught the first glimpse of her profile, time slowed. She turned to face the back of the center aisle, and their eyes locked instantly. She stared at him, and he swore he heard angels sing. A string quartet began to play a dreamy sonata as the golden hour sunlight poured in from the expansive arched windows and showered Erina with its rays. She dazzled under the golden light in her gold dress. She looked radiant, like the center of the sun. He could even smell her decadent perfume from the lobby. Then, a giant smile cracked across his face when he realized she was frowning at him.

Yup. She was still mad at him.

-8-

Sōma painstakingly spent their entire flight to Paris explaining what happened in the closet. Thank God they flew private—though it was terrible for the environment—he had no audience to witness him begging her to let him explain. Erina told him she wasn't in the mood to argue, so she silently listened and stared at him, desperately recounting his conversation with Megumi. Okay, the closet conversation was a bad idea. He realized the optics were questionable. The silent treatment he was met with made him nervous and longwinded in speech, which further annoyed her, so she forced him to stop talking with her hand.

But he really did try his best.

When they arrived at the Ritz-Carlton in Paris late Friday night, Erina checked them into their rooms, leaving Sōma and the driver with their luggage. When he'd finished lugging all ten of Erina's suitcases into the lobby, the concierge informed him that the madam had already headed straight to her hotel suite. Damn. She was really mad at him. She was so angry she left him without a goodnight kiss. Sōma figured their rooms were next to each other because that was usually how Hisako booked their accommodations whenever they traveled together. He thought nothing more of it and figured it best to give Erina her space for the rest of the night. He'd gone to bed hoping that spending time together the following day in the city would do them some good before the wedding.

He was so wrong it was humbling. Erina had avoided him all Saturday, blaming it on work. When he knocked on the adjoining door to her suite, offering a fresh croissant as a truce, she only looked at it and said, "Carbs make me too bloated to work," and shut the door. Even though Hisako had the weekend off, Erina didn't. Her dutiful secretary had scheduled a full day of consultations with Erina's France-based clientele.

So, Sōma spent half the day playing Tears of the Kingdom in his hotel room and the other half exploring the pastry shops, running along their neverending street, and playing poker with the groomsmen. And by the time Erina had finished working, he was already too deep asleep to hear her lightly rap on their shared door. Not the weekend in Paris he had in mind for them, and it hurt his feelings just a little bit. He missed her. They hadn't been able to spend more than a quick FaceTime together since their anniversary date, and he had been looking forward to cuddling with her on the couch, stuffing their faces with the best Parisian pastries, and watching one of those reality dating shows she loved some much.

Sōma missed spending time with his girlfriend.

-8-

Unbeknownst to Erina, Sōma never took his eyes off her from the second he stood behind his mentor at the altar. He couldn't even focus on the ceremony he was a part of because he couldn't stop thinking of her. Even out of the corner of his eye, it was clear that Nakiri Erina was the finest person in the room. He didn't try to hide that he kept stealing glances her way and shrugged off the several times the groomsman behind him tapped him to pay attention.

Erina looked like a supermodel in any color but dazzled in that glimmering gold dress. And her face? Her face card could never be declined. Migawd. Sōma couldn't stop himself from noticing every subtle move she made. When she allowed a soft emotion to slip through, and her breathing became hitched, his abdomen heated at how freely her chest bounced whenever she shifted in her chair. Her strong legs, oiled like Barbie plastic, bowed at her full hips in her dress. Her big head perfectly cradled her braided halo crown—a crown fit for a queen. No, wait, a divine goddess. Sometimes, it was still surreal that she chose him.

Standing on stage behind Shinomiya-sensei, stealing glances at her naturally brooding face, made him vividly hallucinate being the groom standing at the altar. And she, Nakiri Erina, standing so poised across from him.

As his bride.

One day…but he had to get her to forgive him today. Sōma knew the scene Erina saw didn't look good from any perspective and that he'd need a miracle to get him back under her saving graces. He looked over to the string quartet beginning to play as they began to announce the newlyweds. The angelic voices he heard before came from them.

Then he saw her knees wobble.

a/n: no, your eyes are not deceiving you lol. yes, i did say that i had a surprise for y'all and it was this: a four-day marathon chapter release. plus, i like it when a good plan aligns with well wishes and good reviews. (i see you all and it speeds my heart up to read your thoughts on this wip. truly, from the top to the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading.) now let's get into the chapter: this is the chapter i worked on the most during my six-month hiatus. it may be my favorite chapter written, if not the top three. i know we've all been waiting a while for a robust chapter centering our favorite couple, and i came to deliver on day 4. why, you ask? well, apart from liking my readership so much, it's BeyDay! so to the beyhive, we have the duty to be creative today because it's Beyoncé's birthday! and since she's working on her birthday, i figured i'd give y'all a special gift, too, because Erina is the Queen Bee of this show. it was only right.

so, let's get into SoRina. Erina and Soma are not easy to write; fun but not easy because their love not only has to ring true, but it has to be believable. it's easy to go down the path that love-washes their personhood, especially with Soma, and i've never wanted to take it. now with Erina, as some reviews have kindly noted, it's a push and pull of her power of presence and the fragility of her traumatized heart that makes her special to me. now put them both in a romantic setting like a wedding in paris and it's a fine line between cheesy love and a classic love story. this is my execution of teetering that fine balance. i really hope you like/love it. like always, review, like, and share with someone you think would enjoy reading!

-You're Welcome!-

8.20withlove