-YUKIHIRA SŌMA-
Sōma walked through the hospital's sliding doors at the break of dawn, glad that the worst hadn't come true. Grandpa Kazusato was in stable condition and resting, and the best nurses and doctors the Nakiri influence over the hospital could afford were monitoring him. So…he should probably go to school. As much as he wanted just to skip and sleep the day away, he had his final French recette exam in the morning, an official Shokugeki against the Aldini brothers in the afternoon, and an Elite Ten meeting to run in the evening—with no excuse to get out of the two responsibilities of the three.
It snowed overnight, but the early morning sun was clearing the sky, making the morning scene look like a snow globe at rest.
"Yukihira Sōma?"
Sōma's head shot around in search of the deep voice that called his name. It was too early for nonsense. A stately limo driver was waiting outside the hospital's roundabout, waving and holding a dry-erase board with his name. "I'm here to escort you back to Kyokusei. Courtesy of Director Nakiri."
His eyebrows raised, and his eyes softened. Aw, Nakiri was still thinking about him.
Joichiro walked out behind him. "Hey, Sōma, I'm about to call an Uber back to Sumire. You good to get home safely?"
"I guess…" Sōma replied, nodding at the driver's sign. The driver flipped the board to reveal Joichiro's name on the other side. "We both are?"
"Chef Saiba-"
"It's Yukihira, now."
"Pardon, Chef Yukihira, I have been instructed to chauffeur you to your next destination."
"Welp! I'll never turn down a free ride!" Joichiro laughed into the morning frost, stretching his arms behind his head and walking to the open backseat door. "Come on, Sōma, let's get moving. Don't wanna be late for school."
"So, now you're a dad who cares about my education," he mocked, following his father inside the luxury vehicle.
"Wow, Yukihira! Your girlfriend sure knows how to treat a guy," Joichiro whistled approvingly.
"She's not my girlfriend," he shyly replied.
"Yet." The older Yukihira man winked at his son.
-8-
Sōma woke up two hours later from his cat nap, wishing he could sleep more. The lust of his warm bed pulled him back to his pillow, but the moment he closed his eyes, Erina's smiling face met him. He hopped out of bed and got ready for the day—maybe, he hoped, he'd run into Erina at least once today—he made an extra effort to spray some nice cologne. He just wanted to see her face, thank her for the lift to the hospital, and give her a Valentine's present he thought wouldn't come in time. He snatched the gold box from his desk and ran to the dorm's main entrance, bundled up, dreading the frigid walk to Main Campus. The limo ride had been clutch earlier. If only it had stayed...
He opened the front door. A sleek black Mercedes G-Wagon with matte-black rims stood on the grass before Kyokusei. Sōma stood still, intrigued by the rare sight. The driver's door opened, and the driver walked to the back to open the rear right passenger door.
This felt familiar.
A perfect, long wool-covered leg stepped out the door, and in a flash, Sōma was gaping at Nakiri Erina in her school uniform, a thick scarf, and a long Burberry trench coat, holding a giant red heart balloon, looking like a life-saving sight for weary eyes.
Did he wake up in a parallel universe?
-NAKIRI ERINA-
In the past, whenever the holiday fell on a weekend, Erina did not care about the day after Valentine's Day at Tōtsuki. Every year, the academy informally decided to celebrate it exuberantly. As the saying goes, chefs are passionate lovers.
Still, since the holiday was on Sunday this year, it was guaranteed to be a love fest on campus all day. It was a big deal to students and even school staff, more anticipated than the Autumn Election and almost as big a deal as the annual graduation. This was the day on campus that the sneaking suspicions of crushes were confirmed with official relationship hard launches. And she knew today would be no different. Even her grandfather was still in a hopelessly romantic mood; the courtyard harpist was still playing classical love songs this morning, and his Marvin Gaye and Anita Baker vinyls were playing throughout the mansion late into the night.
So, this was the perfect day to return the favor of last night's romantic gesture before their night together was cut short. She flew back to the mansion, thinking about how to show him she appreciated his effort. Sōma was always the one doing the chasing, but today, he would be chosen—a statement that she was ready to declare out loud. (Though she was still boycotting the word he wanted to hear most.) She knew that grand gestures and public displays of affection and intention were Sōma's whole bit, but secretly competing with him like this felt good.
It had been two weeks since she slaughtered Megumi's audacity all over the Shokugeki arena. She'd made Sōma keep a watchful distance to let the gossip mill die down over the whole thing, partly out of holy pity for Megumi's self-esteem and partly because Erina didn't want her dating him to be about that. She needed the break from running through her haters' minds all day. Thirdly, she'd become very busy with the several Boards she chaired for the Academy and her business when February came. Besides, it was already going to be quite a viral moment when word got out that the academy's director and First Seat were talking romantically.
It was her turn to surprise Sōma.
And, maybe, shock herself, too.
-8-
With all the preparations in order, Erina left the mansion's foyer the second she received the text from Hisako that her ride to school was ready.
'Good,' she thought. There was still enough time before her Associate Board meeting to make a pit stop.
-8-
She stepped out of her grandfather's Valentine's Day gift to her with her heart on her sleeve.
"Happy Day-After Valentine's Day, Yukihira."
-YUKIHIRA SŌMA-
Sōma knew he was dating Erina and was confident that she knew she was dating him, too. But he didn't realize Nakiri Erina, the top culinary academy's youngest and first female director, wanted the entire school to know. Even with him being publicly named the First Seat by her after the Regiment de Cuisine, she'd been very private about their public displays of affection behind closed doors, outside of their closest friends, and their usual performative shouting matches on campus.
So when he entered the truck, trying not to pop the heart balloon as he shoved himself in his seat, he could only stare at the pleased-as-punch peach princess.
"You're staring too hard, Yukihira."
"My bad, but, uhhh…Nakiri?"
"Yes?"
"Why are you here? You know I'm going to school, right?"
"What a silly question. Of course, I do," she scoffed.
"And…you're taking me because…"
She shot up her hand at the rearview mirror. The driver screeched to a halt. Her eyes glowed at him. "Would you prefer to freeze on the way instead?" Sōma felt the ice crackle up his spine.
"Nope! Thank you!"
"That's more like it." She nodded for the driver to go.
"But you know people will see us arrive together, right?" He was nervous to ask, but he wanted to clarify. After Erina won her Shokugeki against Megumi, she made him promise to lay low, and truthfully, he was glad not to be in the academy's spotlight for once in his two years of attendance.
"It has occurred to me."
When she offered nothing more, Sōma nodded and looked out the window. They were less than five minutes from Main Campus. It would've taken him at least thirty minutes to get where they were in this weather.
"Oh, before I forget!"He placed the long gold box in her lap. "Happy Day After Valentine's Day," he grinned through a cat fang and waited for her to open it.
He watched her eyes soften with a tenderness she rarely let show. "A gift? From you?"
"Damn, don't say it like I'm broke and stingy."
"I mean, as you are a commoner, I don't think you have much money, it's true."
"Watch it…"
"But, Yukihira, you are by far the least stingy person I know," she softly affirmed. He leaned in to kiss her, linking their pinkies as they'd done throughout their love story, their subtle, unspoken gesture of love.
But Sōma noticed she didn't open the box.
-NAKIRI ERINA-
They pulled into the Director's reserved parking spot. Valentine decorations, balloons, life-sized stuffed animals, luxury brand shopping bags, and other outrageous gifts scattered the snowy lawns of Tōtsuki Culinary Academy. Despite the biting cold, students across both divisions happily approached themselves to give, receive, and judge each other's romantic gestures.
The overindulgent sight made her nerves clog in her throat. She took a deep breath and turned to meet Sōma's calm disposition.
"Are you ready?" She asked more nervously than she desired. Her romantic eyes were hidden behind a new pair of Burberry shades.
"No less than usual. But should I be more?" He turned to look at the massive horde of red and pink dotting the white lawn. His expression showed her he had no idea how big a deal today was at Tōtsuki.
Well, he would soon learn.
The door opened for them. Slipping out of his pinky, Erina exited first. Everyone's head turned to her at once. This was to be expected. Then she watched as their eyes shifted to the person stepping out behind her. The main attraction of her performance had begun.
Sōma hopped out into the sun beside her and took a deep breath.
"Ahhh! Now, that's some quality air!" He faced her with an innocent smile and reached for her pinky. She grabbed hold of his hand instead and started them on their way, walking together from the parking lot to her office through the center path of the entire campus. An audible gasp blew through the main lawn.
Erina was bursting at the seams from the inside out. She couldn't help it. She could admit that she liked Sōma, but there was also something liberating about letting the world know. She wasn't looking forward to the gossip and hot takes on social media and blogs, but she was hardly a stranger to the coverage. At least this time, the fodder would be because she made a personal announcement on her own time.
-8-
Erina stops in the center of the sunshine walkways and faced the boy she'd slay dragons for.
"Sōma, close your eyes and keep them closed."
"Uh…okay. You're not going to kill me, are you?" He teases.
"Hush, commoner," she playfully commands. She takes a deep breath to release the nerves fluttering in her gut when he does as he is told.
It's time to be bold for once.
Nakiri Erina leans forward on the tips of her toes and kisses Yukihira Sōma on the main lawn in front of over two hundred students. His stunned posture lets her know she's caught him off-guard. It thrills her to see that she can surprise him, too.
But in a blink, her surprise kiss is returned in equal measure with the same passion Sōma brings to everything, right in the center of campus. He picks her up and spins her around, neither noticing nor caring that the entire student body, including some tardy faculty and staff, are gawking at them.
She feels like the only person in his world in his arms.
Alice and Ryō walk by, and the scarlet dame howls and whistles at her cousin. The Aldini brothers stand beside Ikumi, with Isami's arms wrapped around her shoulders, wearing a new Italian leather jacket. Megumi and the rest of the Polar Stars stand on the side, the boys cheering, the girls melting. Wiping a tear, Takumi simpers, "That's Amore!"
Sōma breaks away to study her. His eyes are wild. "Not that I'm complaining, but what's gotten into you, Nakiri?"
Erina shrugs in his arms. "I believe it's time people know we're an item." Her cheeks rose. "Even if it's not officially."
He puts her down and kisses her forehead like it's his most prized possession. "Let's just get through this day. I don't know when all these people came got here, but-" Sōma looks around him, finally aware of his surroundings. "I think people are staring." Camera shutters go off on all sides.
"Let them." She leans up to kiss him again.
-YUKIHIRA SŌMA-
Sōma had not expected a single second of his morning. It was exhilarating in more ways than one. He'd never celebrated Valentine's Day apart from the handmade cards for his mother his childhood teachers forced the class to make. He'd never been anyone's Valentine, either, so the sudden rush of novelty his adrenaline ran on was at an all-time high.
He also didn't know Nakiri Erina could be so bold and uninhibited. She was legendary for how strict she was and how tight the publicity ship she ran was, the complete opposite of Luffy. But he understood why; he'd seen the pressure of her being in the public eye first-hand, and though she carried it like an idol, it was a cold world out there. It made sense why she never allowed the public to peek into her interior world.
But today, he'd been introduced to a different side of Nakiri Erina.
It almost reminded him of himself.
The lunch bell rang, and he rushed down the hall, heading straight toward what he wanted to eat.
The door swung open.
-NAKIRI ERINA-
"Okay, Hisako, got it. To our entire Associates Board, I thank you for your time. Goodbye now!" Erina signed off the video conference and was just about to finish writing meeting notes with her new feathered quill and inkwell when she saw her doorknob twist open.
"Put your phone on Do Not Disturb." She watched as Sōma looked at her hand, his eyes dazzling as he locked her office door.
"Sōma, I just got off a call. What if I was on it."
"But you're not, right?" He crossed the space between them, closing the blinds to the outside world, leaving the spacious office a dark grey.
"…Correct. What are you up to, Yu-OH!" The kiss knocked the wind out her sails. Erina felt her lungs cave in her chest.
"Surprise," Sōma growled in her mouth. He lifted her under her uniform skirt and grabbed her ass, leading her to the chaise lounge in the adjoining tea room. His firm grip around her waist turned her on. She bounced on his chest while he walked, and she knew this was wildly inappropriate. Nakiri Erina knew the school's director shouldn't engage in illicit activities in her office lounge, but she was also just a girl!
He lowered her back onto the leather cushion and soaked in the aroused sight of her.
"You-c-can-not take me in my office, Yukihira!" She shunned him with a smile. He let go of her immediately and sat up.
"I was being facetious!" She rolled her eyes and yanked him back on top of her.
"Oh! I don't wanna cross your boundaries."
"Permission to cross, granted," she purred and licked his top lip. Sōma took hold of her luscious tongue and pressed his total weight on her chest. They returned to a rather steamy makeout session.
"You've been surprising me all day. What did I do to deserve all this?"
"Be you." She said it like she was saying, 'I love you.' She hoped he'd hear it that way. He intertwined their hands and grazed her hairline. A wicked thought flashed through his eyes.
"What do you say? Tell me my cooking's delicious."
"Never," she giggled.
"I'll bet you my Seat in a Shokugeki if you do before the end of my lunch period. Loser takes Isshiki's Second Seat when he graduates."
She scoffed. "Apart from that being a gross mishandling of power, Yukihira, don't press your luck over such a coveted chair."
"What? You don't trust yourself?" Sōma traced her jawline with his tongue. She let out a light, silly laugh.
"Quite the opposite. I am an oracle."
"Am I hurting you?"
"Hardly. I lift," she said smugly.
"Oh, so you're good at lifting things?"
"I'm good at everything."
He grabbed her legs and placed them on his shoulders. "Lift your pelvis."
Erina secretly shamed herself for how fast she did as she was told. Her eyes locked on him as a chill ran through her from his cool touch, pulling down her panties.
"Isn't this your lunch period?" He was in the middle of delicately pulling her underwear off her pointed feet. His concentration was adorable. She loved how careful Sōma was whenever he touched her as if he were aware that the concern with which he touched her beautiful flesh was akin to that demanded by a perfect vase or goddess.
She was both.
And Sōma handled her like she was precious—not fragile.
"You are my lunch."
His head bobbed under her skirt, savoring the yearning moans she couldn't stifle.
-8-
[Two months later, a delighted Nakiri Erina, Tōtsuki Culinary Academy's Director and First Seat, officially swore Yukihira Sōma in as the newest Second Seat.]
a/n: surprise! "omg, cozy! a valentine's double-feature valentine flashback?! ~anddddd it's a lime starring our main couple?! why do you love your readers so much?!" \_(ツ)/ of course I couldn't let the day of love come and go without spotlighting our favorite lovers romancing each other the day after their valentine's date was cut short in chapter 11 [and happens before ch. 12-new moon]! also- y'all make writing their story all the more fun!
some imp. logistics: this chapter [only] will be consolidated with ch. 11 [erina's valentine's surprise] to make an actual double-feature chapter of our main ship [sorina forever!] for future reading—namely bc, i've already settled on a final chapter number for this novel, and we are closing up on it.
also, i'm studying the philosophy of beauty, so I've been inspired by the argument that beauty compels us to stare (watch/read) to replicate beauty (write quality fanfics) in honor of the original beautiful thing (SnS)…among other liberatory and justice-centered reasons. in other words, i'm enjoying this lovely pact between us: the more i write, the more you read, and the more you read, the more i will commit to writing.