Notes:
Hey Everyone, Zancrowe Here, For One Final Time…
…not really but in context kinda…
…This is it. The end of the story I started in Nouvelle, continued here in Classique, made four (4) one-shots for in Something Borrowed, and that… other addition in Citrus.
While I know this is just a fanfic, made just for the fun of the experience, my love for the series and its characters, especially for Soma and Erina as individuals and as a couple, I am still both overjoyed and saddened to see this come to an end. It has been ten (10) years to this very day, August 3, that I first posted Nouvelle back in 2014. Back when I was a college student. Back when I had barely begun to work in the culinary industry cleaning tables. I owe this series a lot, I owe these fanfics a lot, and I owe each and every single one of you who took the time to read, favorite, follow or review anything related to this a lot. I love every single one of you guys. Also:
1. I "updated" Nouvelle with an extended notes "chapter", so if you want a deeper dive into my thoughts, and my future plans regarding this series and all my future fanfic ideas, go check that NOTICE out!
2. Make sure you've read all of Something Borrowed, including the latest one-shot that I posted last Sunday, as the last two (2) updates happen before this chapter and, while not integral, serve as a nice appetizer for this upcoming meal!
Poll: I have a new Poll up! If you want to help me decide what my next main fanfic should be, head over to my Profile Page (desktop website only) and cast your vote! Or tell me in a review, that works too!
Twitter (X) / YouTube / Reddit / Spotify: ~ Zancrowe ~
Disclaimer: Don't own Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma.
Erina Nakiri had always been a very hard girl to impress.
Born and raised in all the luxuries the world could offer, and despite the lackluster parentage she got stuck with, in all other aspects, she really did have everything a little girl could ever dream of. A mansion to her name, private limousines and jets, a culinary throne with her name in gold letters, all the toys, games, dresses and shoes she could ever want and never have enough time to use them all. She had far more than she probably deserved honestly, but because of this, she wasn't impressed by much.
It was why, despite having tasted Soma's first dish, and her tongue deeming it good enough to pass, she had utterly refused to voice it, and that had been the foundation of her relationship with this boy ever since. She would taste his dishes, mock them despite noticing his steady improvement. She would date him, despite how much she had sworn up and down she would never lower herself to that level. She would go against Tootsuki itself for him, despite how much she had tried to get him kicked out beforehand. She would end up protecting that very Academy alongside him, with him becoming her steady emotional pillar, despite how strong and independent she wanted to be seen as.
It had been a long journey, but even now, even after getting thrown into the dirt and being forced, for the first time in her life, to pick herself back up and emerge stronger than before, even now… she was still a very hard girl to impress.
So, it was noteworthy to say, when Soma Yukihira left a very noticeably, beautiful ring on her finger, the small gem gleaming against her wide, wide eyes, Erina Nakiri was outright voiceless.
Soma stared, feeling his chest about to burst. Was this an example of moving too quickly? Was this too much after all? He had no idea. He knew Erina was the one, he was sure of it, but… did she feel the same way?
"Erina… is this –?" Soma tried to salvage this, since he felt his spirit leaving his body, but…
"S-Soma?! What even…?!" Erina just blurted out, her eyes even wider somehow, as she shifted those massive plates for eyes that currently adorned her face from the ring, to him, and back to the ring, "I-I mean I know what this is! It's… a ring, but… What are you doing?!"
"…W-Well, look, I didn't want it to feel too forwards, and it doesn't mean, well, anything you don't want it to…" he tried to explain, but he found it so hard to say the very words he had scripted in his head for days now. Now that he was actually attempting to do this, he could barely speak at all.
"…Soma," she muttered, her face red, her eyes to the side, bashfully, "…This looks an awful lot like an… engagement ring…"
She had almost whispered the last two words, and even then, hearing her just voice it made him tense up, a cold as ice shiver running up and down his spine.
"Y-Yeah, that's… what it is," he admitted, and he felt like the Dillinger's household balcony was spinning, "…a pre-pre-engagement ring, kinda, if you want it to be that… I-If it's too soon I get it. We can just pretend like I didn't –"
"Don't you dare take this ring off my finger!" Erina practically roared, making Soma flinch, as he had not even motioned to take it back. He had simply begun to suggest she could return it if she felt it wasn't right, even if it would hurt like hell, but he didn't want to pressure her at all. Maybe he had read their relationship wrong, even up to this point, but her scream certainly made him just… freeze, as did the accompanying glare, "For once you actually do something insanely romantic and your first thought is to undo it?!"
"I-I wasn't going to undo it!" he defended, "I didn't want you to feel pressured by this! If… if you want to wait until you have a clearer idea of what you want your future to be, I… I can wait. Like, you're the one Erina."
"S-Stop!" a blushing Erina begged, turning around, her face flustered up to the tip of her ears, "Do you even realize what this means?!"
"…Of course," Soma just replied, eyes narrowed, "I'm not that dumb."
"Well, you act that dumb!" she shot back, turning to face him with the cutest pout, "You cannot give a girl an… e-engagement ring and then suggest to take it back and redo it later!"
"But I'm not with a girl, Erina. I'm with a goddess, so it's a little difficult on my end to know how to do this properly, ya know?" he said so damn smoothly she almost melted. The heck?! Since when could he, would he speak about her like that?!
"Stop that!" she begged, "You're not this damn romantic!"
"You just complained I ruined a romantic moment!" he shot back, laughing as he did. Of course even proposing to Erina would be this chaotic, "This is me, here, right now, making amends to that little oops."
"You are incorrigible," she muttered, but her eyes shifted again to the little ring that now adorned her ring finger on her left hand. Such a small gemstone compared to the dozens upon dozens of jewelries she had back home and most of the time never bothered to even wear, yet why… did this one feel so much heavier. So much more precious. "…And even spending money on me like this. Soma, you didn't even need to buy me a ring, you know? I would have been content with just…" she paused, blushing more. Had she even given him a proper response yet? She felt lightheaded. She had argued so much over the suddenness of it all, that it was now the true implications of this whole thing was hitting her fully.
"I mean, I didn't buy it," he admitted, and she felt her spirit crack.
"…You didn't win this from somebody in a Shokugeki, did you?" she just had to ask, even if she knew he wouldn't. He valued personal professions a lot, but if someone had offered it, for as weird as it sounded, then… maybe?
"What? No, who'd even bet that?" he answered with a laugh, and she sighed. It made sense, but just as her brain then shifted to the most likely response, moments before her spirit left her body, he confirmed it, "That was… actually mom's."
Erina just stared at the ring.
Soma just stared at her.
The two seemed frozen in time, in each other, in the moment, until Erina slowly turned her head and looked at Soma, her beautiful light violet eyes seeming to scan him for a moment. Before he could ask her what it was, and once she was able to read that he had not been joking or teasing her, her expression instead turned ghastly pale.
"W-W-What do you mean this is Mrs. Tamako's?!" Erina cried out, almost in actual tears, "You can't just give me something this irreplaceable and precious and beautiful from the woman who you loved most in the world!"
"Eh? I mean, mom wouldn't mind at all," Soma stated matter-of-factly, and Erina wanted to strangle him, "She'd love you… too much, actually. The number of times I would have been scolded for being so dumb with you would have certainly been something, I'll tell you that much."
"And you would have deserved every single one!" she cried out, but she was refusing to move her left hand at all, "But that's not the point! Soma…" she outright whined, "It's too important to give it to me! What if I…? What if I mess up? Or if I lose it? Or if you ever decide you don't…?"
"Hey, knock it off," he called out, and stepped closer to her, gently taking hold of her left hand and placing it in-between them, "I love you Erina Nakiri. Everything you are, all that you are. And I know it's a massive step, even I'm not this stupid… But I can't imagine myself with anyone else. Nobody cares as much as you do. Nobody challenges me as much as you do. Nobody has been there for me, risking everything for me, like you constantly do. So I may not be the sharpest guy around, but I'm not letting you get away. This whole Intercontinental Shokugeki almost made me lose you, and I was so, so afraid of that Erina. Tootsuki Academy to me… means nothing without you in it."
Erina Nakiri was indeed a very hard girl to impress, but once again, she had been rendered utterly speechless.
She looked to the side, her eyes looking all over, as her left had clung onto his, his gentle touch keeping her from melting into a puddle right there.
"I…" she began, then pushed on right through, ego be damned, "…I love you too Soma Yukihira. I love how chaotic you are. I love how unruly you are. I love how you appeared out of nowhere, turned my whole life upside down, and I hate how happier I am because of it. I have friends, I am fixing things with my family, for real this time, with them being the ones putting in the effort as opposed to always just me. I defied and then protected my school in just the span of a year, and I've done so, so many… lewd things with you that I can't even believe…"
At this Soma blushed, eyes to the side, "O-Oh, right, we haven't spoken about that night when –"
"We held hands through an entire match!" Erina, blushing madly, screamed out, and Soma felt his eye twitch. That was what she meant? He gave out a little laugh, because of course it was, "And it was so, so romantic; super lewd, don't get me wrong, I almost died, but you did that for me. I would have long crumbled if I didn't have you by my side. I lost my way, I faltered so much, even tried to end things because, like my parents had said, high school romances just don't last…"
"Hey," he spoke, lifting his hand and caressing her cheek, "Look at me. Everything I did for you; you did for me. You ran away from Tootsuki, pulled me out of Yukihira's, and challenged everybody to readmit me in your Academy where readmissions were simply not a thing. This has never been, and never will be, just any high school romance. This is us, Erina and Soma, and we're way, way bigger than any of that."
She smiled tenderly at his touch, and more at his words, as her eyes seemed to sparkle at the moonlit night. Gods, she was so beautiful, he would note, and he was actually attempting to someday have this girl be his…?
But, also…
"…T-That said, Erina…" he stammered a bit, "You kinda didn't give me a response."
She paused. Then smiled. Then…
"No."
Soma eyes widened, and he felt his spirit crack into pieces. She was still smiling as she said it too.
"What?!" he couldn't help but blurt out, feeling out right lightheaded. There was no way. After everything they said, and everything they did for one another that went beyond the spoken, why would she…? "Do you want to take things slowly, o-or is it that, for you, you think we…?"
"Soma," she interrupted, and her voice was as sweet as honey, "…I have no idea what a pre-pre-engagement even is."
"Well, it's basically…" he tried, but seeing her little smile made him pause again, and realize what she meant, "…Erina?"
"Ask me properly."
Soma looked at her, his eyes widening only for a brief moment, understanding her perfectly. Because of course he did. She was Erina Nakiri after all, and she would never settle for less. And he, as Soma Yukihira, would never allow her to. So, since he already had her hand held in his, slowly kneeled down, one knee to the ground, as his eyes shifted up to hers. She gripped his hand a bit tighter, she had gotten what she wanted, but it was clear she was scared. So was he. But since before this latest mess had begun, he knew. He knew she was the one. The only one. So…
"Erina Nakiri… would you marry me?"
Her smile was something else.
She tried to reply, opening her mouth to talk, but no sounds came out. She instead, blushed, cried, and nodded fiercely. He felt his heart give out, and stood back up, and before he could even speak, she pushed herself against him, and locked lips with his. She kissed him with such passion and raw desire that it left the boy having to grip the balcony's railing to avoid both of them tumbling down. But he still returned the kiss. Boy did he return the kiss. The moment she made the mistake of deepening it, he quickly invaded her mouth with his tongue, and that very same reaction of hers, of immediately moaning the moment his tongue touched hers, still drove him crazy. Drove her even worse admittedly. But… for as steamy as it was, the realization dawned upon them both slowly…
This was their first kiss as an officially engaged couple.
And, as it did, the two shifted the kiss into something softer, gentler. A slow-burn kiss, no less passionate, but far more intimate. He pulled at her waist, she pulled at his shirt. And with no words needed, they both knew just how romantic and loving this kiss deserved to be. Because after the trails and all the pushback and so, so many people attempting to rip the apart, here they were, still together. Completely victorious.
The world had tried to split Erina and Soma apart.
And it had failed.
The girl that aimed for the top and the boy that looked for infinity…
…had finally found that which they had been searching for in each other.
-0-
It was very late.
Everyone had already gotten to bed, because it had been such a long day, especially for Asahi who had spent hours building that damn playground set for Ruthie, with Soma, helpful as he was, being horrible at following instruction and Loren doing everything except what needed to be done. He felt pain everywhere. He laid on the floor, because damn it they should switch every night on who gets the bed, but no, "Loren is baby and baby gets the bed" had been the response Dove gave, so what the heck. It was still comfy enough, kinda, and he was so tired he had begun to drift off to sleep the moment he laid down…
…only to be woken up to a pillow being slammed against his face.
"The hell?!" he cried out, jolting awake, wondering, still half-asleep, if Loren had decided to finally execute his master plan and get rid of him, but rather than the Trojan Horse assaulting him, it was… "Erina?!"
"Wake up!" she exclaimed, and she looked absolutely flustered, and smacked her brother with a pillow again, "I need you to see something you worthless brother of mine! So, get up!"
"…Oh God, I can't escape this stupidity even when I'm not at Tootsuki…" a very weary Loren muttered, since it was hard to sleep with Erina barging into their room and smacking Asahi around. He crawled on the bed, and turned the lights on, before he turned to the siblings. "Can't you two do whatever this is elsewhere?"
"No, and you get up too," Erina instructed, and Loren tilted his head in confusion. Erina just smiled. "Go fetch Nao, and, gently, little Ruthie… and Dove, I guess. Because…" she then turned back to Asahi, who was still in the floor, staring at her and having a very good idea what this was, "Look!"
She then placed her left hand above Asahi, and in it, glimmering sat the little ring he had struggled to keep a secret from her just days before.
"Oh, right!" Loren voiced, smiling at the sight, and remembering Soma having that little ring, "He actually did it… at this ungodly hour, but he did it! Congrats!"
"I know!" Erina smiled back, and Loren refrained from mentioning how much like Dove she looked when she smiled earnestly. It was her special night, best not ruin it, "And what about you?" she then turned back to Asahi, a full pout on her face, "Your baby sister was proposed to. Where's your excitement?!"
"Hey now, I'm super happy," he noted, sitting up, as she then sat next to him, her wide eyes on him, and damn it she was too cute. "Fun fact, you owe this surprise to my expert acting ability," he explained, and she tilted her head, confused, "You already saw that ring little sis, in my hand. I had jokingly been playing around with it when Soma was going to see you, and you walked out, catching us both outside your room."
Erina paused, as the memories surged back.
Loren kicked off the sheets and headed out, wondering if Dove would even care about this. She probably would, but just pretend she didn't.
Asahi just smirked at Erina, as she pouted more.
"That… Wait, the whole reason we came here was because you hid this ring from me?!" she asked, it finally clicking.
"Pretty much," Asahi replied, laughing a bit, "Which, mind you, was the best thing to happen to me. Because… otherwise I wouldn't have had the courage to ever face Dove again, to fix things, to apologize, and beg her to give us another chance," he said in earnest, and then gently held Erina's hand, tracing his finger carefully over the ring, "…This ring united more than just you and Soma."
Erina bit her bottom lip, then she smiled, "I should be mad, but… of course, as always I'm the best little sister," she noted smugly, "But… that means you approve, hmm?"
"Of course I do," he replied firmly, "Granted, even if I didn't you wouldn't listen to me anyways, but Soma defended you from me, and everyone else in our family at that, so, hey, dude's legit. And… he makes you happy. And that's all I want from you. I want you to be happy Erina. My baby sis deserves no less."
Erina took a breath and just leaned into a hug against her brother, and upon noticing this, Asahi merely took her into his arms and cuddled her.
"Who'd think the infamous Erina Nakiri was a little cuddle-bug?"
"Shut up, I'm happy. I have an excuse," she argued, even if she was utterly gleeful at the hug, "But… that said… What you said about you and Dove…?"
"I do plan to marry her Erina," he admitted, and Erina felt giddy. "I love her, I love Ruthie, I… tolerate Loren," he added, and Erina laughed. "Hence why I said that ring unites more than just you two, because… I, when the time is right, when I know it's what she wants, I will make Dove my wifey, ya know, but for now the focus should be –"
Before either sibling could continue, they heard someone clear their throat, and as the both turned the saw Loren at the door, eyes to the side, as he muttered, "You did ask me to fetch them…"
And Asahi's eyes went wide, because Dove was standing right there, her eyes wide and focusing on the floor, a massive blush on her face, with Ruthie, wide awake, on her arms. Little Nao, smirking smugly, because as the other little sister here, she had been told of everything in advanced, just stood to the side.
Asahi felt himself grow cold, as he eyed Dove. "H-Hey, since you walked in the middle of my explanation, well, I…"
She was now pouting. "W-What are you saying?! A-About making me your… your…" Gods, she couldn't even say the word.
Both of them just seemed frozen in place, both of them blushing like crazy, until…
"He's trying to tell you he wants you to be his bride you twat," Erina gleefully voiced, making Asahi flinch at her bluntness, and making Dove turn to her, her eyes still wild, as a glare slowly formed on her face.
"…Did you just…? From back when we…?" it slowly clicked, as Dove voiced it. It had been just as what Dove had done to her back when Asahi was trying to reveal himself as her brother, only… "Oh grow up! How long are you going to hold grudges against me?!"
"It is Erina, so…" Soma voiced, walking in to join the rest, as Ruthie instinctively reached out for him to pick her up, since she spends the entire day jumping from one pair of arms to the next, and the boy just grabbed the little white chocolate, as Dove gave her to him without much hesitation. Even now, she couldn't find any reasons to dislike him, "…You're in it for the long haul. Isn't that right Ruthie?"
"Yesh!" Baby Ruth responded with a giggle even if she had no idea what she was agreeing with, "Wait… What are we so happy about?"
"We…" Erina replied, getting up, and walking up to Soma and Ruthie, and ever-so giddily showing of her new ring, "Are celebrating that your uncle Soma is going to marry your auntie, me!"
"Marry?!" Baby Ruth repeated, eyes on the ring, and smiling as soon as she saw her auntie smile. It really was infectious.
"That's right…" Soma confirmed, snuggling the ever-so huggable little girl. If Kanon saw him he'd be in for it. "Of course, we… how did you put again Erina?"
"It makes sense to graduate first," Erina explained, as Asahi stood up and, soon enough all six teens all sat on the bed in a circular fashion, with Baby Ruth jumping from one lap to the other every five minutes or so. Meanwhile, Erina, barely able to contain herself, gave a quick explanation of the best moment of her life so far, "…After we graduate, then Soma and I can start planning the wedding! We want to take it slowly, obviously, but… still… You all are of course invited, yes, even you Dove, and I'm going to have to see how I can have two flower girls, because obviously Ruthie is one, but I think I really need to give the role to Kanon too."
"She would disown us otherwise…" Soma noted, smirking.
"Once news spreads, this is going to be all over social media," Nao added, smiling at her brother, "Do you two plan on telling the others, or…?"
"They already told Dove, so it won't stay a secret for long," Loren, with Baby Ruth currently in his arms and him squishing the girl to make her giggle, explained.
"Hey! I'm not the tattletale of this family!" Dove argued, pouting, and reaching out for Ruthie, but she, still laughing, just clung to Loren more. Dove pouted harder, "Don't be so clingy with your Uncles! It's making me jealous… at both of you stupidly enough."
"Dove, try to act maturely here…" Asahi muttered, before his eyes set on Erina and Soma, "But, little Nao's right. The whole world will be watching you two very, very intently. You guys ready for that?"
"Naturally!" Erina stated proudly, before she turned to Soma, "Right?"
"Right!" he confirmed, smirking, "I'm pretty much used to all the chaos as is, so… eh? What can you do?"
"First, even if I know it's late, let's take a picture and post it on the group chat!" Erina beamed, even if she did pause for a moment, "Although, most of our friends are all over the world, so given time zones, I guess it depends on who I mean…"
Erina still took out her phone, and aimed the camera at her hand, engagement ring glimmering, as she snapped a pic, and soon enough, posted it on the "Rock Out W/ Your Wok Out" chat, pretty much bouncing in place as she typed out "Look what Soma just gave me!".
Within seconds she saw dozens of her friends typing away, and she felt so giddy she was almost crying. Soma just stared at her, his eyes lost in hers, at just how happy she seemed. How happy she looked. How happy she was. Because of him. She wanted to be with him. She had said yes, and he was still trying to process it. But, then… Erina, narrowing her eyes for a second, clicked around on her phone for a few seconds, bit her lower lip, and pressed send, before she tossed the phone in the middle of their little circle, so the rest could see her latest "prank".
The others all stared, eyes wide, as since when did Erina…?
It had been two texts to Azami.
The first the photo of her engagement with the words: "Soma just proposed. I said 'Yes'".
The second was a follow-up text that made them all flinch: "And I'm pregnant!".
"Wait! What?!" Asahi quickly flared, his glare on Soma, who turned to him, clearly just as baffled as he was.
"Oh, relax, it's a lie," Erina quickly explained, and while Asahi felt he could breathe again, the others just stared at her, wondering why would she even…? But, sensing the stares, Erina just looked at the group, and very sheepishly said, "…I may have forgiven him, but I haven't forgotten. I am going to torture him."
They all just nodded, noting that, yeah, Erina was someone who wouldn't let these things slip.
The phone quickly began to ring, a call from Azami, and Erina took her finger, slid it across the screen, and swiped to ignore the call. The others just stared, as a very proud Erina just added, "…suffer."
"…Are we sure I was the villain of this story?" Dove muttered; her head tilted.
"Eh, I agree with her," Asahi added, "I'm not one to take the high road… ever, so I think it's fair Azami has to work for it. And that includes us torturing him any and every chance we get."
"That's so evil," Loren noted with a laugh, "I'm in, let's do it!"
Erina's phone rang three times, and three times she declined the call. After half a minute she received a text from her mother, and it made her laugh. "Why is your father calling me? I'm in a meeting, everything okay?". Erina just pushed the notification aside. "I'll explain the joke to you later mother. For now, suffer as well."
Dove then turned, as her phone was no ringing. "…He's calling me now."
"Ignore it," Erina told her, and Dove pouted. "This is us rebelling and teaching him a lesson. Stop being mean to everyone except him."
"B-But, come on, he meant his apology, I…" Dove stammered, hesitant because this felt cruel, but as everyone looked at her intently, even Loren (heck even Ruthie who probably had no idea what was going on) she remembered how much Azami had pushed her and how many years he kept her away from her daughter that… Yeah, she forgave him, thanked him even, but… yeah, he deserved a little torture every now and then, "Geez, fine… you bunch of evil brats…"
And she ignored the call, to which all the others cheered. Then Azami immediately called Loren, and the blonde boy laughed.
"Do you think he's calling us in the order he loves us?" Loren asked and Dove was quick to shake her head, even if the kid had been joking. Loren, regardless, ignored the call too, with way too much glee at that.
Like clockwork, Azami then seemed to call Asahi, making the elder teen laugh. "I'm genuinely surprise he even has my number," he joked, eyes on the screen, and while Erina eyed him briefly, knowing he'd be the first to play along, something told her it wouldn't be just that. And he proved her right by motioning at them all to be quiet before he answered the call, "Yellow?"
"Oh thank goodness, son, listen –!" Azami tried, but yeah, redemption arcs take time.
"Sorry pops! Currently too busy celebrating! Little sis has a little bun in the oven! Can you believe it?! I'm gonna be an uncle!" …and then he hung up on Azami. Erina, Dove and Loren just stared, eyes wide, while Soma was too busy trying not to laugh and Nao was too busy cackling madly. Asahi, meanwhile just turned to them and shrugged, "Character development sometimes means pain, ya get me?"
"Brother, really…?" Erina just voiced.
"Come on, that's too cruel! Can't we… cut him some slack?" Dove protested, with a pout, and Asahi just laughed. Of course the former God Slayer would have the biggest soft spot here.
"Eh, I say he deserves it," Loren just shrugged, before he turned to Erina, "When do you plan on telling him it was 'just a prank bro'?"
"I'll do it tomorrow, I won't be that mean…" Erina replied, still all smiles.
-0-
By morning of the next day pretty much all their family and friends had heard of the news that Soma had proposed to Erina, with both of them being bombarded by calls or text (especially since Erina had not been very clear in that it meant they would marry after graduation, not right now) so the confusion was understandable. Still, the news rocked them all, with Hisako almost fainting, Julio actually fainting, Alice screaming so loud all of England heard her and Megumi dropping her phone and cracking her screen (Erina bought her a new one instantly and had it delivered right away despite Megumi begging her that it wasn't necessary). But in the end, all of the comments were celebratory, because deep down, they all saw it. They all knew those two were made for each other, were happiest with each other, would probably be very dangerous if they ever saw the other with someone else, and quite possibly couldn't live without each other at this point.
The days passed and their little vacation was at an end, and Erina, Soma, Nao and Loren were ready to depart back to Tootsuki, as they stood by the main entrance of the Dillinger household, giving their goodbyes to the new little family there-in, after Erina had called a driver to pick her up after Asahi made damn sure she didn't buy another car (or person for that matter).
"You are always such a drama queen," Erina scoffed, feigning indignance, ignoring the sheer hypocrisy of her allegation, "I would never accidentally buy someone. Even I'm not that… obtuse when it comes to the wealth gap between me and the… poor."
"…Don't make it sound like it hurts you to say that word," Asahi noted, eyes narrowed, since he knew she was joking but she sounded so true to herself at the same time.
"Baby Ruth, come on, let Uncles go…" Dove, meanwhile, tried, as the little girl clung to Loren like a little koala, legs and all.
"No!" she barked, outright glaring at Dove. It was literally the same face, just cuter, "I'm going to Totosukee!"
"The way you butchered that name was how I was supposed to butcher the school," Loren noted with a laugh, as he pulled her up, cuddled her up, making her giggle, and pressed his forehead against Ruthie's, "And I'm sure you will. If you want to be a fantastic chef like mommy is, then practice with her, and then you can be part of Tootsuki! With a lot less drama and backstabbing… I hope!"
"Can I mommy?" Ruthie asked, basically twisting her back, dangling her head upside down, and forcing Loren to hold her firmly so she wouldn't fall.
Dove wanted to protest, since she hated that school and she had basically failed to close it down, but… hearing Ruthie just call her "mommy" without any hesitation was too much for her. "…Yes, if you want to, and if you're a good girl, you can go to… wait, what am I saying? This isn't me!" she outright snatched Ruthie from Loren's arms and squished the little girl's cheeks, "What I mean is, yes, we will get you into Tootsuki. Your auntie promised you the world so she better deliver, and once you are in there you will avenge me and crush every single one of those worthless students, understand?"
"Yes!" Ruthie, who didn't actually understand but felt she was being told "yes" anyways replied with a playful salute, as the others all looked on, utterly conflicted if this was a good sign or not.
"As I figure out how to deal with that…" Asahi carried on, wondering what having the house to just himself, Dove and Baby Ruth for the first time would be like, given how Milka had already said her goodbye to the kids as she left for her job, and this would be the first time without Erina, Soma, Nao or Loren in the house, and before his mind went places, he turned towards Soma, "That being said, I still owe you these…"
Asahi then pulled out both knives, Jouichirou's and Tamako's, and Soma paused, his eyes on the knives he treasured most.
"And this time you did win," Asahi added, in order to avoid what happened last time.
"Well, yeah, pretty much," Soma noted, and Erina was starring daggers at them both, her alarm bells ringing, "Granted, I still want to challenge you again. Without Erina being in danger, and without you having so much baggage, we could have one heck of a match!"
"Yeah, yeah, that can wait…" Asahi replied, "But I want to start a new properly, so…"
"…Yeah," Soma nodded, "…I won't take them back though."
Erina felt her spirit crack.
"Soma!" she cried out, making the others turn to them, "This is too much even for you! You defeated my brother! You won!"
"Yeah, but much like you and Dove, our record also remains tied," Soma countered, and Erina pouted. Why… Why was he like this? "Besides, we didn't actually bet the knifes at all."
"S-Soma, please, I'm really trying to be a good person this time…" Asahi almost begged, and resisted the urge to just stab the guy. It was oh~so tempting. But, to his surprise, and to the others, even Erina herself, Soma's reasoning was not… what any of them expected.
"This isn't me being stubborn," Soma explained, then shifted his eyes to Dove and Baby Ruth, "But you're starting a family. Striving to be the man these two lovely ladies deserve," he added, and while Ruthie just grinned, Dove had to actually fight back a blush. Asahi, meanwhile, just stared in almost awe. "…Erina gave me her knife, and I've grown fond of it. Unlike you, I don't know how to use two of them simultaneously as amazingly as you do… and, those two knives are a pair. The belong with each other. You won dad's legitimately… I mean you won mine too, but I think they would be better served here, making dishes for the two most important women in your life than just stored away with me. Keep them, for now… We'll decide who keeps what at BLUE."
"Since when is he so mature…?" Loren muttered, eyes on Soma.
"He is mature in a unique way," Nao noted, smirking at the scene. She couldn't quite tell who was more taken aback between Asahi, Dove or Erina.
"Damn it, fine, I really hate the few times you make sense," Asahi just said, stepping back, and raising his hands defensively as he looked at Erina, "I tried."
"…Yeah, relax, it's… a surprisingly heartwarming reason," Erina assured, and Soma just turned to her and smirked, and even now, she still felt the butterflies in her stomach. How? But… "That said, Soma does bring up an important point. Brother, Dove?"
"Hmm?" the King and Queen of Noirs voiced at the same time, eyes on Erina. Erina would have found it cute if she wasn't still very hesitant to compliment Dove unless absolutely necessary (or if Baby Ruth asked her to because baby got what baby wanted, her ego be damned).
"All members of the Neo-Noirs have also officially been selected for the BLUE," Erina informed them, and while Asahi just nodded, Dove's eyes went wide, "And while, well, we're unsure if Julius will accept, or if Ashitaro will even be allowed to attend, with you two it is a given… assuming you both agree."
"They want us at BLUE, huh?" Asahi voiced; eyes narrowed. That had been his Plan B, now that he thought about it.
"…I," Dove tried, but just sighed, "I'm not sure if me participating in such an event would…"
"Dove," Erina cut her off, her eyes on the elder girl, firmly, "The decision is yours, but… I want to face-off against you again. This time, without either of us going through the worst days of our lives. You earned this spot, earned the acclaim. And given how it's still a year away, I know you'll only get better."
"You sure you should be encouraging her like this?" Asahi joked, "Dove still is… you know…?"
"Yes," Erina confirmed, "The toughest challenge I've ever faced, and I would more than welcome that. Like Soma said, our record is also tied," she added, "And I would like to face-off against you too brother, assuming you can find it in yourself to go all-out against your precious baby sister."
"…When you specifically phrase it that way…"
"I'll… think about it," was the best Dove offered, and Erina just nodded. She understood, even if…
"That means she'll go," Loren cut in, rather bluntly.
"Loren!" Dove cried out, and the boy just laughed.
"I know you better than anyone else here," he simply stated, "You are hesitant, yeah, but you're not one to let a grudge go… unhealthy as that is. And defeating Erina at BLUE? Heck yeah you'll do it."
"I-I said I'll think about it," Dove repeated, clearly flustered, before she hugged Ruthie tighter, and eyed Erina briefly, "Still… motivating me like this… You –"
"–May regret it?" both Erina and Soma concluded for her, and Dove just glared at the two for guessing her warning before she could say it. "Yeah, been there…" Soma added, before Erina concluded with, "…Done that. So bring it."
-0-
After the hugs were all given, some more willing than others, although everybody showered Baby Ruth with kisses, the group was slated to finally depart.
Erina buried herself in her brother's arms, resting her neck in the base on his neck, making him promise to visit her. He, of course, promised he would.
Asahi and Soma hugged it out, surprisingly rather genuinely, despite everything. Then again, Soma was as forgiving as they came. Asahi playfully warned him to behave, Soma just laughed and wished him well.
Loren less hugged Asahi and more tried to choke him, whispering to him "I will stab you" if he ever made Dove or Ruthie cry. Asahi just rolled his eyes, but relented, and promised the kid, that yes, he would make damn sure they were both okay, because he knew that they were also two of the most important girls in Loren's life.
Erina and Dove had to really force that hug though. The two still managed, rather rigidly at that, with Nao secretly chanting for them to "kiss, kiss, kiss!" to no avail, they still managed to leave things rather amicably. Dove told her that if Loren ever needed anything, even above Azami, to call her first, while Erina assured her she would, while also notifying Dove that given Loren's performance at Tootsuki so far (which Nao promptly described as all his cheating) he was a sure-in for this year's Autumn Elections, and as such, Dove would be invited to view the event, with both Asahi and Ruthie in tow.
Dove then practically squished Loren with her hug, leaving the poor boy squirming in her embrace. She kissed his cheeks plenty, and made sure he had everything he needed. Dove then had to content with Nao hugging her, making sure where the little witch placed her hands, all the while playfully threatening her to behave with Loren. Nao's only reply was a grin that just worried Dove more.
They laughed, they cried, they parted ways, and Asahi, Dove and Baby Ruth were left in their new home, waving at the four, ready to try and make a life for themselves here. Ready to finally live a life where neither of them was desperate for attention or validation, and could just be… happy.
"Finally, the house to ourselves," Dove noted, with a little grin, "I'm going to miss my baby Loren, but he has grown a lot, and I'm sure he'll crush Tootsuki… in his own way."
"They'll be fine, they figured the right path before we did, and we're supposed to be the older siblings," Asahi noted, before he turned, and used his hand to caress Dove's face before he lowered it and pinched Ruthie's cheeks, making her laugh, "Now then, why don't I make us some lunch?"
"Yay! Daddy's cooking!" Ruthie celebrated, her eyes almost stars. Dove smiled, hugging their little girl, but not before she raised her eyes and gave Asahi a look that made him… pause.
"That's right sweety!" she told Ruthie, "You'll eat some of daddy's cooking, then you can take your nap, and then…" she paused, smirking, "Daddy and Mommy can play."
A smile, a wink, a twirl, and she walked into the house. Asahi just looked on, wondering how on Earth had he failed so much yet still won in the end, before he decided that today's menu was going to be the fastest one he had ever created.
But even still, with all the love in the world, because it would be for those two girls, who just like Soma had said, meant the entire world to him…
-0-
"Damn, look at her ass," Nao noted, surprised as a young woman in some very tight shorts walked past them as they made their way through the airport, tugging at Loren's sleeve so he'd check her out too.
"Nao! For crying out… okay, yeah, that is impressive," Loren tried, but no, yeah, his girlfriend was spitting facts. The two just basically undressed the poor woman with their eyes as Erina felt her eye twitch.
"I have no… no idea if that's cute or creepy!" she told Soma, after they got all their luggage checked. Soma, however, just laughed.
"I've settled for calling them creepily cute," he explained, and Erina just rolled her eyes, "Still, it takes comfort and real trust to joke around like that. You can tell they have eyes only for each other."
"Oh? So I could point at some handsome boy and tell you to check out his abs then?" Erina teased, and he laughed again.
"I mean, if the dude is you know, built, then yeah, go for it," he shot back, and she could tell he wasn't actually lying, "I'll admit when a dude is good looking, sure!"
"…You're way too much of a good person sometimes," Erina replied, eyes narrowed.
"And you're not as mean as you want everyone to think you are," he told her, before he took hold of her hand, and interlocked fingers with it. It was here they both slightly flinched, since feeling her engagement ring on her finger made them both vividly aware of just how much their relationship had changed, and how much it would change in the coming years, "…Erina, I…"
"Don't get me wrong," Erina quickly stated, "I'm not feeling overly needy and affectionate just because the thought of someday becoming your wife has my head spinning, I simply think we should be able to hold hands after everything we've been through."
Soma gave out a hearty laugh, but nodded, holding onto her hand firmly, as the two walked together, hand-in-hand, towards where they were supposed to go. Erina had to turn herself and give a pause.
"Hey, pick up the pace you two!" she called out, and Loren and Nao quickly rushed towards the two, and soon the four were headed towards the boarding area ready for everything that would come with the new version of Tootsuki they would return to. The flight itself was long as expected, and even in their expensive first-class seats, this time filled by the four of them, it was still quite a tiring journey. Erina spend a large portion of the trip planning what her new life would be, and she couldn't help but feel stupidly giddy every time her eyes drifted to the little ring on her finger, and she even gave the occasional little kick. It was too much. After so much turmoil, doubt and fear, if there was one thing she was sure of, it was of this decision.
When they landed, and walked out to the limousine, Erina and Soma walked out holding hands yet again, and when Erina caught sight of the horde of paparazzi waiting for her, being pushed back by her security staff, rather than avoid them, she signaled to Soma, and he took one look at her, another at them, and understood perfectly. It was here the photo that would adorn so many magazines and front pages was taken…
Erina lifted her hand, palm opened, the ring towards them all, and her tongue playfully stuck out, with a little wink for added effect. Soma was grinning widely, smugly even, and had lifted his own hand and offered them all a peace sign, all the while their other hands remained interlocked, both united as could be, and as happy as anyone had ever seen the two.
On the ride back to Tootsuki, as Nao teased Loren about something, Loren tried to pretend to be annoyed but failed, and Soma was busy replying to all his friends, Erina took the time to make a quick social media post and break the news on her own terms. Letting the world know it was now official. She was fully taken, even if she considered herself as such since that fateful night on that cruise all that time ago.
But… she paused before posting it. Her eyes scanned her history, and her eyes focused on that little hashtag that had changed everything. How grateful she was for it, even if she had not seen it back then. But, now, she also no longer needed it. So, with a proud smile of the young woman she was, and so grateful of everything Soma had done for her, even risking their relationship just for her safety, she decided to put an official end to all this the very same way it started…
#HeProtectedMe
-0-
In the days after they made their grand return to Tootsuki Academy, things slowly but surely began to take shape, and of course, life became as chaotic as ever. With an outright culinary war going on between the First Years for the title of that year's King or Queen of the school, and all the other Second and Third Years busting their asses training to try and challenge the Elite Ten members for their seats, and managing zero victories over them, everything was as it should be.
It was during this time that the Elite Ten, or rather, the Eleven Supernovas, as they were collectively referred to whenever they wanted to say "the Elite Ten and Eizan" politely, got called up and told to meet up in the Main Offices with their Headmistress and her team. The eleven students got quite the surprise to not only find, of course, their Headmistress Mana Nakiri there, but also Anne, who greeted them all with a warm smile and told them that there was one last little thing both Tootsuki and the WGO wanted from them.
As they all got prepared, being outfitted with their numbered chef uniforms they had used during the Intercontinental Shokugeki, Soma and Megumi, the first two to get ready, sat by one of the couches, and took the time to receive a video call they had both been so eager to make.
"Hey Master! Congrats!" Soma noted with a grin, offering a little playful wave.
"We're so happy!" Megumi added, jumping up and down from her seat, her hands clasped together.
On the screen was Kojirou Shinomiya, smirking at the two, with Hinako on her bed, recently allowed to go home, and a very, very small bundle of wraps that was supposed to be a baby in her arms.
"I find this unnecessary, but Hinako insists we present our daughter to you two," Shinomiya noted, hands crossed against his chest, while Hinako turned to him with a pout.
"Please, you were more excited than I was to tell the kids of our baby," Hinako corrected, and Shinomiya flinched, "Besides, we do owe Megs a lot! Thank you for managing Shino's sweetie! Lucie, Gao and Abel told us you did wonderfully! Oh… and give my thanks to all your little friends who helped out too!"
"O-Of course, it was my pleasure!" Megumi replied, still giddy, "And how is the little darling?"
"Whining a lot, crying a lot, very grumpy, always sleepy except when I want to sleep, and always making a mess…" Hinako described, then paused, then turned to the side, "Hey! I accidentally described you Kou!"
"Do not start that…" Shinomiya quickly shot down, and sighed, "But little Koukou is doing quite fine. She's a very good girl, but of course, she has to be tended to properly. Once you two, and little Erina too, have some time, we can arrange for you to come and visit… just once mind you. Don't make it a habit."
"Of course you'd invite us that way…" Soma noted, before he turned, seeing a familiar sight walk out of her dressing room, and he quickly signaled to her, "Erina, oi, come look! It's baby Koukou!"
Erina quickly walked into frame, her eyes on the happy couple and their newborn daughter, and smiled widely, "Oh my gosh, such a little cutie! Congratulations Master Shinomiya, Master Inui, I –"
"Hinako!" Hinako corrected, pouting, "I feel you kids do it on purpose."
"…I'm sorry, it's difficult…" Erina just muttered, eyes to the side. But still, she adored these two, and adored seeing them happy, and that little baby girl looked positively adorable, even if she also looked like a dried-up prune. "But rest assured I am very grateful for all you both did to help us out, to care for us, and for putting my father in his place."
"Naturally, a real man should be the one to protect the people in his life, not be someone who his family needs protecting from," Shinomiya noted firmly, "Is he behaving now?"
"Yes, father is trying to make things right," Erina confirmed, even if she gave a little grin, "Although my brother, Dove, Loren and I are purposely enjoying making things very, very difficult for him."
"You all should make him get on his knees on broken glass," Hinako advised, and Shinomiya just rolled his eyes. Woman was ruthless.
"…Eh… I think we can get our points across without resulting to such means, but I'll keep it in mind!" Erina added, and as she tried to say something else, she noticed how Gaston was signaling to the three that the rest were ready. "Oh? I think we're being called."
"Go tend to that you three…" Shinomiya instructed, and for once, he offered them all a genuinely proud smile.
"And we'll be cheering you all on like always!" Hinako added, all smiles, as she held onto baby Koukou tenderly, "We are already so proud and then some!"
"Thank you both so much!" a crying Megumi managed to say, "I can't believe this is real… you almost kicked me out Master when we met…"
"He's pretty happy he didn't," Soma noted, smirking, "Aren't you Master? We're the best Tootsuki students you've ever seen!" Soma added, and Shinomiya just rolled his eyes. The nerve.
"He can't quite dispute it," Erina defended, smiling, "After all, only us eleven have the record we have, of winning the biggest Intercontinental Shokugeki in history despite multiple attempts at sabotage in pretty much every round."
And it was true. Shinomiya couldn't argue it, wouldn't even try, and even if he did, Hinako would veto it, so they said their farewells to Erina, Soma and Megumi, as the trio then got up and were led to the small, open space they were meant to gather in. Here, they found the rest of their team, alongside the people responsible for this.
"Okay, gather round," Mana instructed, signaling to the eleven, "As with the way my father used to handle things, I feel some traditions should remain. And one such is to take a commemorative photo of the team that saved Tootsuki itself, all to be able to showcase it proudly in our Hall of Fame."
"Not just that," Anne added, "But it's also kinda going into the WGO's official records. You kids have no idea just how massive a deal this will be twenty, no thirty years from now. This is culinary history in the making!"
"So, gather around, this is your legacy," Mana followed along, "So strike your best pose."
And like that, the eleven of them each gathered in front of all the camaras, dressed in their finest, all holding onto their trademark cooking utensils, such as Soma's Nakiri Knife, or Takumi's Mezzaluna.
"I feel this is just going to make our upper classmen just hate us more. Isn't that an exciting thought?" the Tenth Seat, Takumi Aldini, noted with a grin.
"Bring them all on! We've been showing them their place since we got back. We'll show those cowards why it wasn't them representing this school!" the Ninth Seat, Ryou Kurokiba, added with his fist clashed against his palm.
"Normally I'd tell you to settle down, but I get it… Oh! Aunt Mana! Do I really look good like this?!" the Eight Seat, Alice Nakiri, asked her aunt, who smiled and told her she looked lovely, heck, lovelier than usual even. It made Alice grin like a little girl.
"They have been relentless at challenging us lately, kinda makes me want to accept a Régiment de Cuisine against the lot of them. Dad's record is what? Fifty? Let me make it sixty!" the Seventh Seat, Soma Yukihira, said with determination and an evil smirk, as he twirled his knife into the air and caught it flawlessly.
"Careful where you toss that thing Yukihira! Stabbing yourself is fine, but if you so much as grace me I am suing you!" the Substitute Sixth Seat, Etsuya Eizan, barked, glaring at Soma, who just smirked back at him and just tossed the knife up again, silently telling him "Whatcha going to do about it, huh?".
"T-Take it easy you two, we're on the same side. We mended fences, so let's keep it that way. It's actually so surreal for all of us to be united like this!" the actual Sixth Seat, Megumi Tadokoro, noted with so much glee it was infectious, and her words made Soma and Eizan at least focus on the photo.
"I'm more surprised most of our seniors have been openly avoiding challenging you Megumi, since after you crushed Shouko and got awarded the same as Erina, everyone seems to have given you the moniker of 'The Tiny Terror Tadokoro'," the Fifth Seat, Akira Hayama added, and it made Megumi blush, since she had no idea why she had become such a feared opponent after having started her high school days as the dead last one, but Akira found it adorable.
"It is a very appropriate response when one takes to account Megumi's prowess. Well deserved even… Still, mom! If we take this picture, I want to be next to Soma!" the Fourth Seat, Erina Nakiri, pretty much whined, and the others had to struggle not to just squee at how serious she sounded one second, then how cute the next. Mana just sighed, equally adoring how cute her daughter was acting, especially since, alongside her uniform and knife, she also sported another noteworthy accessory in her little finger.
"You are the princess here, don't just ask for things, demand them girl! You want to be next to your future hubby? Then just waltz on over there! Heck, take a handful of his ass and let it be known who he belongs to!" the Third Seat, Terunori Kuga, joked, and it made half of the people standing there blush at the idea of it, especially Erina, who turned to him with a pout that just made him laugh.
"Leave the young lovebirds alone. They have been through so much, and have proven to us how youthful romance beats all the odds!" the Second Seat, Satoshi Isshiki, quickly defended, giving Erina and Soma a little knowing smile and a hearty thumbs up, and managing to at least calm Erina a bit down.
"…You all never take these things seriously. For once, let's behave like the actual role models we're supposed to be, okay? But… yeah, Erina, you should just stand in the middle. This is your school, and you were the victor. We'll rally besides you," the First Seat, Nene Kinokuni, told the princess, who gave her a smile and a nod.
Erina soon shifted herself, and with it, everyone else did, with Erina in the middle of the eleven, Soma and Alice to each side, and each couple close by. This little team, formed by desperation, who had been, just one year earlier, at each other's throats, had now formed a bond stronger than steel, and all to protect the golden girl who stood in the middle.
"Now then," Anne noted, as she gave the photographers the go-ahead, "Say Tootsuki!"
"Tootsuki!" the eleven said with full smiles.
And this was how the photograph that would define an era was taken.
-0-
And life at Tootsuki moved on, as the Elite Ten continued their studies, as well as began to properly handle all the tasks that befell them, such as preparing for the Autumn Elections in earnest, school life became what school life was supposed to be: chaotic, ruthless, yet ever so fun. Depending on where you went, you could hear the chaos brewing:
"He cheated! He did something to my sauce!" Sadamitsu Aratani, one of the recently transferred freshmen, cried out, his index finger pointed accusingly at Loren, after he had gotten a ton of points deducted from his latest creation. The rest of the class just stared, as Loren just smirked at him.
"Me? I have no idea what you mean…" he simply said, before he showcased his own culinary report and accompanying grade for the class, "Should have cooked it better, as lookie here, this 'fake' student got himself 'A'. Imagine that!"
As the other boy seethed, and had to be told to shut up by Professor Chapelle, since there was no proof Loren had done anything; Mitsuru, Cilla, Berta and Raymond all stared from the back, each with the best poker face they could muster, as they all shared a single thought…
'Loren totally did it.'
Elsewhere you had Hisako bring in a stack of folders to the Elite Ten's meeting, handing it to Takumi as he received it with a smile and offered the girl a quick kiss, which made her blush because their friends were watching!
"Thanks sweetie," he said regardless, "So… How does this work?"
"We just bounce around ideas and see what would work best with our First Years," Isshiki replied.
"That's… a very bad way to explain it," Nene noted.
"Basically just throw shit at the wall and see what sticks!" Kuga added.
"That's an even worse way!" Nene cried out, already annoyed and the meeting had just started.
"Just hurry up. I have a Shokugeki scheduled today in less than an hour," Ryou rushed.
"Another one?! It better not take time away from the date we have planned or so help me God!" Alice threatened, and Ryou had to quickly explain to her, that no, he had that covered.
"He can't help it. We're being bombarded by challenges. And not just us. Anyone awarded any of those trophies has become enemy number one in these halls," Akira explained, laughing a bit at the absurdity of it all. Such ungrateful bastards, this was the thanks they got for saving their asses.
"Yeah, insanely so. Yuuki, Ryoko, Shun, Zenji, Madoka, and especially Nao, everybody back at Polar Star are getting challenges left and right," Megumi explained, a sheepish smile on her face, "Not that they much care. They adore it. Daigo and Shoji won't shut up about it. Makes me think Isami and Ikumi had the right idea to study elsewhere for a couple of months…"
"They're both thriving over there," Hisako noted, smiling fondly, "Which means we have to step it up. In fact, don't get too comfortable on those seats, because I kinda want one too."
"I won't offer you my seat, but I can offer you my lap," Takumi teased, and Hisako's face matched her hair.
"Takumi!"
"…That said," Megumi added, giggling a bit at their antics, "Where are our two main stars?"
Erina and Soma, were, of course, not present…
…Erina and Soma, were currently at the arena, with Mana Nakiri, Gin Doujima, and Riko Ebisawa serving as judges, while the former watched as her boyfriend and someday husband took on the massive challenge that was Jouichirou Saiba. She stood to the side, next to her grandfather Senzaemon, her uncle Soe, and pretty much wrapped up in her auntie Leonora's arms, the older woman being of course the first Erina told of her engagement in person.
"What are you waiting for Soma?" Jouichirou spoke up, and even now, his voice forced all the attention back to him, making his son flinch a bit. But…
"Nah, you serve first. I ain't falling for that again!" Soma replied, his eyes staring deeply into his father's.
"Heh, is that little superstition still around?" Jouichirou noted with a smirk, before he nodded and placed his dish in front of the judges, "Very well then. I'll go first. Big mistake though. It'll make your dish seem pathetic in comparison."
"As if!" Soma shot back, as he held onto his own dishes, even if this felt super, super intense. After so long, all that effort… could he finally?
The judges all took a bite from Jouichirou's dish, and it was of course, heaven on Earth.
"He… really held nothing back," Riko noted, eye twitching.
"If only the bastard always cooked like this we would have been in so much less trouble," Gin added with a frown.
"…Masterful in every way," Mana described, her eyes on the man, "No wonder why my daughter speaks so highly of you."
"Thanks toots!" Jouichirou merely replied, and Mana felt her left eye twitch. 'Toots?'
"…Okay, judge mine!" Soma stepped up, his eyes showing nothing but focus.
"Come on…" Erina softly muttered, stepping away from her auntie's tender embrace, her focus solely on the outcome. Senzaemon, Soe and Leonora looked on, their eyes fully on the judges. More specifically, on Mana herself…
"It's now or never!" Soma added, offering his four plates, three for the judges, and one for the approaching Erina, who took it with a little smile, "This time for sure!"
And the three judges all took a bite, and likewise, they saw the heavens…
"Ah! My little boy is so, so talented!" Riko gleamed with utter pride.
"Oi, oi, no playing favorites!" Jouichirou argued.
"You've really come a long way Soma, this is nothing short of impressive," Gin noted with quite the grin.
"Indeed," Mana added, and focused her attention of Soma, her eyes narrowed, "Still, the boy who wishes to marry my daughter, who made me basically eat dirt these last two months… My Seventh Seat, why are you so assured you can best your father, one of the best chefs in the world, despite your entire history being nothing but defeats?"
At this Soma paused, only slightly. But just turning he found his answer. He had found it long ago. "Because I have Erina."
And Mana just smiled, while Erina was a blushing mess.
The votes were given…
Gin voted for Jouichirou, making Soma tense up.
Riko voted for Soma, surprising the boy. One actual vote, against his dad, finally! Jouichirou turned to Riko, eyes narrowed, and she just stuck her tongue out at him. It was a valid vote.
Then… all attention turned to Mana. And they knew, even if Gin or Riko, or even Jouichirou and Soma himself had different opinions, the original God's Tongue's vote was where the true victor would lie. And, after a long pause, and a lot of thought, she pointed to the winner.
In a two-to-one…
Winner: Soma Yukihira.
"Yes! Finally! Damn right! In your face old man!" Soma practically cheered and cried at the same time, quickly taking out his little book and writing down a very stylized "1" in it, purposely ignoring the other nearly five-hundred losses to his name. Those didn't count right now.
"Curses, foiled again! Or rather… for the first actual time. About damn time," Jouichirou noted with pride and mock irritation, as he also wrote down Soma's first, of what he was sure would be many, victories to come. Of course, he wasn't about to let Soma have all the wins from now on, much less ever catch up to him. He would need to humble the boy every now and again, but right now, it was impressive, and all because…
"You did it!" Erina cheered, and jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly, "I'm so proud!"
"And… what about you? How was it?" Soma asked, and damn it, it still made him nervous.
She paused, then smirked.
"Disgusting."
"…Erina, that hurts me," Soma replied, pouting at her, and she just leaned in and offered his pout a soft, playful, little kiss.
"It was delicious," she instead said, and Soma froze. She was actually saying it again? For real?!
"E-Erina…?"
"So very delicious," she added, clearly enjoying how her saying that actually flustered him in turn, for once, "I cannot wait to get such delicious homecooked meals when we're married…"
"Okay, stop, mercy, I get it, but even I have my limits…!" Soma tried, as Erina just grinned more.
"It is delicious my darling future husband."
"Erina!"
And she laughed, he laughed too, and the adults all looked at them like it was the cutest thing in the world. But, as they all continued to discuss what was next for the kids, and especially what it would mean when those two did in fact get married, by the time they looked back, Erina and Soma had already long left the stage. Heck, knowing them, they had snuck out to who knows where. What a troublesome couple, all the adults would note…
-0-
The two spend the rest of the day avoiding their responsibilities and walking throughout all of the city, ending, where else, in the Sumire District. Erina rushed to every spot they could get themselves into, buying karaage from Yuuya Tomita, as the young man almost teared up at seeing Soma again (and ended up giving them the karaage wraps for free), to ending up bumping into Mayumi and Aki, with Mayumi basically cuddling Erina against her desires, but what the heck, she should be nice. Mayumi was genuinely thrilled about their engagement and gave the couple nothing but supportive words after all.
A walk through the park, a trek through the streets. Some ice cream from a vendor, some matching shirts from a nearby store. By the time it began to get dark, without even discussing it, the two decided to skip returning to Tootsuki all-together and headed instead to Yukihira's, and upon getting in, they both turned to each other, a little sparkle in their respective eyes…
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Erina noted with a mischievous grin.
"Always!" Soma replied with a wide smirk.
And, of course, for this night, Yukihira's was once again open for business. And everyone nearby had slowly gotten used to their antics. All the sudden Yukihira's would open up, and it would be for one night only. So everybody in the Sumire District had to rush over for the change of tasting the marvelous dishes from two of the students, no, two of the Chefs that had won the Intercontinental Shokugeki. It was an honor, too good to pass up, and for those lucky enough to get the seats at the bar, it meant they could witness first hand the most famous engaged culinary couple in the world in their element.
The speakers were set up, music playing.
Erina on one side of the kitchen, Soma in the other.
And soon, both began to cook, and like always, their cooking became a little dance. She'd walk on over, take an ingredient, he'd hold her hand, offer it a kiss, and give her a little twirl. She's laugh, step back, offer a little curtsy, and so they would continue, smiling, laughing, playing small jokes on each other, but food cooked by two teens so utterly lost in each other always ended up as simply divine to everyone. But of course, this being them, it led to…
"Table six! Order up!" Soma cheerfully announced, before he turned to Erina, who was walking forwards with her own plate for another table, and he smugly grinned at her, "Oh, what's this, you're getting a little slow, eh?"
The way her face contorted made him want to kiss her. So, so cute. "Huh?! As if! I'm practically struggling to go slow enough for you to keep up! Don't start picking duels with me just because you finally, barely at that, managed to score one, single, small victory over your father."
"Oh?" Soma sneered, turning to her, arms crossed, "Are you implying, that even if I could manage a win against dad, I can't score one against you?"
"I fail to see where in the statement I made anything could be misconstrued as an implication," she shot back, her eyes narrowed, "Don't forget, we may have all collectively agreed not to challenge each other as a show of unity given everything we went through, but once our seniors graduate, and the Seats shift, it's so on. And that First Seat is mine."
"I think not princess," Soma said with the biggest smirk, "You'll have to settled for the Second Seat, because just like a certain heiress of that school, that First Seat also has my name on it."
"Is that so…?" Erina replied, her eyes narrowed and her arms crossed against chest in a way that made it difficult for him to focus on what they were saying for a moment there. Damn it, if only they weren't still dealing with a full house of customers, "Prove it then. Let's make the next dishes a real competition between us. Because it seems someone here thinks when I said his dishes were delicious, I somehow meant more delicious than my own, and that couldn't be further from the truth."
"Bring it… Nakiri," he joked.
"Certainly… Yukihira," she teased.
And they both took hold of their main knife, as Erina gave the poor guest who had been drooling the dish, before she moved back to the kitchen, as everyone stared at this upcoming clash of titans, but before they could even start, Erina seemed to give pause, and Soma turned to her, a bit hesitant to play along since she seemed genuinely troubled.
"Erina…?"
"Soma… It's just…" Erina explained, then lifted her left hand, and with a huge blush, signaled to her engagement ring, "…I can't cook that intensely with it in my hand!"
"Oh?" he noted, laughing a bit, "Just take it off and –"
"No!" she outright cried, and he flinched, and she quickly motioned her hand and placed it close to her chest, the cutest pout on her lips, "You uncaring oaf, I am not taking this off! While I of course store it away safely when we're in classes or in a Shokugeki, but here… at Yukihira's, I can't just take it off. I am… after all… you know…"
She kinda mumbled the last part, eyes to the side, blush on her face, and everyone felt this was the cutest sight. Soma just grinned, and stepped closer to her, and placed his hand of her cheeks, caressing her gently.
"You know there's nothing you can do that would ever dishonor her memory," he assured, "Or make me think you care even a little less."
"But I'm…"
"And I guess I kinda called you the wrong thing even in jest," he added, and Erina paused, eyes on him, confused by what he meant, but when he did reply, she almost fainted, "I should start also calling you Yukihira now, eh?"
Erina's eyes went wide, her face flashed a thousand of shades of red, and whatever response she tried to make only came out as a string of cute screeches. In the end, the duel was postponed because the future wife did not want to take her engagement ring off, and it was too an adorable excuse for anyone to argue against it.
Erina and Soma ended up closing Yukihira's very late, and after the guests were gone, the two let the music play even louder, and despite intending on cleaning the tables, Soma ended up taking Erina's hand, and soon, the two ended up pushing the tables to the corners and began to just dance with each other in the middle of the restaurant itself. With sweaty clothes and greasy shoes, the two chefs that had begun their journey with bravado and mockery, now lost each other in their arms. In their touch. Soma twirled Erina around, and pulled her to him, her hand on his chest, softly gripping at it as she bit down on her lower lip. Even now, he knew exactly how she loved to be held, and she couldn't help but grin when he touched her this way. To lose herself in his gaze, to melt away in his touch.
Her hand on his shoulder, his on her waist. He looked at the goddess in his arms, and she was still way too pretty to be real. He couldn't quite fathom it at all, that a girl this beautiful could exist, and even more-so, be this genuinely amazing little lady that left him speechless with just a look. So, he pulled her closer, and she clashed against his frame, outright gasping as she did. She dug her nails into him a little more, and his eyes narrowed with something primal in them.
And, despite having set out to clean the kitchen and the salon, Erina soon found herself seated on the very last table they had just cleared, her hands wrapped around Soma's neck, and her legs wrapped against his waist, kissing him fiercely. They were both exhausted, sweaty as could be, but…
"…You're not coming to your senses, are you?" she asked, breathlessly, as they softly broke the kiss, "You actually mean this? This absurd, insane idea of marrying… me?"
He laughed, pressing his forehead against hers, "You are mine, Erina Yukihira…"
"S-Stop!" she said with an even bigger pout, and he just laughed some more, "…I should make you Soma Nakiri instead…"
"I wouldn't complain, honestly," Soma merely said, and she rolled her eyes. Of course he'd say that. "It has a nice ring to it, but… I know you. That's not what you want."
"As if…" she tried to deny, her eyes to the side, her pout still evident. Soma smiled at her, moved to give her a kiss, but in a childish display she huffed and tilted her head away. He simply took advantage of this and began to kiss at her now exposed neck, making her squirm at her poor judgement. "H-Hey…"
"Sorry… way too tempting…" he admitted, as he moved back, his eyes still locked against hers, but he still relented, because of course he would. "Still, we should start getting ready for bed. A warm shower, of course, but…"
Yet, when he moved to step back, her grip on his chef's jacket just tightened. He gave her a curious look, and despite the hesitation and blush in her face, and especially her eyes, she still said, "…You don't have to dance around the issue. I am… your future wife after all…"
He felt himself flinch, eyes wide, but also… "We haven't even spoken of that since…"
"I am aware…" she noted, but the way her eyes sparkled with the dim light was too much. "So…?"
"I want you Erina, in every way I think you can want someone," he admitted, smiling nervously at her, which made her smile so brightly, "And I of course mean it when I say this isn't what I'm after. It's a plus, yes, but I need you, just you. Even if it means…"
"Soma," she cut in, a teasing smirk in her lips, "I know. I love you."
"…I love you more."
"I love you most!"
He laughed, because of course she would always one-up him. But, even now, he really just wanted to hear her say that again. So… "They do say it hurts…"
And her grin grew. "…Then make me scream."
And it was this how their relationship slowly evolved to include such acts of love, as Soma and Erina kissed again, and even before leaving the very kitchen, began to hurriedly undress one another, tossing their chef's uniforms onto the floor, alongside, soon enough, everything else. Soma had an easier time removing her brassiere this time, and she pulled down those dumb boxers of his and tossed them aside so haphazardly they landed in the fryer. Oh well, he had more. Granted, Soma instead outright ripped her panties off, and she would have complained, really, she would, but she had plenty more, and honestly, he could rip every single one of them if he wanted.
She ended up on his bed, pressed against his mattress and his frame, and her eyes fluttered as she tried to wrap her arms around his neck and instead, he pinned her arms down, by her wrists, forcing her to stay still, in an act so forceful it took her breath away. The Erina Nakiri, being ordered around like this? He should be thankful she wasn't thinking straight anymore to punish him for such a travesty. But she knew. She knew he loved her, and that was all this would ever be.
Not sex, but love.
So, she gave him everything, and he gave her the same. And enveloped in each other, they didn't go to sleep until the sun first shined…
-0-
The next morning, basically a few short hours after their eventful little game, the two had to rush, take a quick shower together, and redress themselves in their Tootsuki uniforms (with Erina now sporting one of Soma's briefs since, well). As they stood by the door, Soma holding both their tools, Erina bounced down from the stairs to join him, before she gave pause, her eyes on the framed photograph that adorned the place, as a small smile formed on her lips.
"Like I said," Soma noted, walking up to her, his eyes on the photo, "…Mom would have adored you."
"And I would have adored her," Erina admitted, as she stared at the older woman's photograph, and then at the one with all three of them, Tamako, little Soma, and Jouichirou. So much joy in such a small frame. So Erina softly whispered, "…I promise you I will take care of him just as he did me…"
"Hmm?" Soma asked, eyes now on Erina, since she had spoken so softly.
"Nothing much," she cheekily noted, before she gave the boy a playful slap across the shoulder, "Now, come on, we'll get in trouble if we skip all our morning classes. The Elite Ten's power is not infinite. We have an Autumn Election to plan."
"I can only imagine how chaotic that's gonna be," Soma replied with a grin, "But hey, you and me, we've got this. We've managed way worst, no?"
"Be it the Autumn Elections, our Second Year Promotional Exams, or even next year's BLUE," Erina concluded, with a very confident little smile, "There's nothing they can throw at us that will ever break us apart. They can try, but you're stuck with me, and I with you. So, come on… Let's show Tootsuki Academy, and the world, who we are…"
With a grin, a nod, a shared kiss, Erina and Soma departed Yukihira's, closing up shop for the time being, and headed off back to Tootsuki, taking the long way back before she would call up a limousine to pick them up, because they enjoyed taking their time. Together. Alone. The rest of their lives ahead of them.
And, for anyone who ever considered themselves a foodie. Who would thrive from the culinary industry, be it as a profession or for pleasure, the names Erina and Soma became synonymous to the goal that every chef would aspire to. From the personal, to their much beloved relationship, these two became the poster teens for what talent looked like. What perseverance and dedication looked like. What true young love looked like.
From Soma Yukihira, the young upstart that came from humble beginnings, who took Tootsuki Academy, and then the culinary world itself by storm. Who began by saying he'd use everyone as stepping stones and ended up being one of the strongest pillars to defend every single person who called cooking a profession.
To Erina Nakiri, the sheltered little girl who had everything yet nothing at all, who wanted nothing more than to rule yet slowly began to love the very world she had shielded herself from. Who had to struggle against her very parents, and instead learned of the love from the found family that slowly rallied up alongside her, as she emerged victorious in a situation nobody could have ever predicted she would.
Erina and Soma changed the entire landscape of the culinary industry, and to those who wore, wear or will someday wear the Tootsuki Academy uniform, they would always be the greatest talent, the greatest heroes, and the greatest love story ever told within those halls.
And showcased right in the middle of the display room, next to all the trophies, the medals, and even the bloodied oven mitt Soma wore during his final match, sat a massive photo of the Eleven Supernovas, who against all odds, had protected the very way of life of all chefs around the entire world…
…and in the middle of that photo was Erina with the widest, brightest smile she had ever sported…
…and on her left hand the prettiest wedding ring she never once took off.
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THE END
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Dedicated with all the love in the world to you grandma. To you who taught me my love for literature, who first read my dumb little fics I never once posted, who always supported this hobby and always knew how much it meant to me. I may no longer have you next to me, but the dream never dies. These stories never die. As long as this remains, as long as we remember, you will always be with me. Thank you, and someday, when I get published for real, I will thank you again. But, for now, managing to conclude a story ten years in the making is noteworthy, and I dedicate this to the one who taught me to love this artform so, so very much.