-TADOKORO MEGUMI-
November 11
Sōma spoke first. The expression on his face gave Megumi the impression that he was also surprised to see her. But it couldn't be; he'd been to the Ryokan several times. So, why did he look like he was walking into a haunted house?
"Tadokoro. It's you," Sōma said, hushed. His glowing yellow eyes, agape, seemed to peer into her soul, penetrating that weak spot she had for him, that sore that refused to heal. The drink tray wobbled on its balance.
"Sōma-" Megumi's voice caught in her throat. Hearing him say her name felt like being slapped with cool water. It had been so long. As refreshing as it was seeing him for the first time in two months, it was almost too much to bear. She could feel tears welling and still saw no one but him, his neck swaddled in a scarf redder than his hair and rocking a sleek cashmere coat she hadn't seen on him before. He looked good. Handsome. Nervous.
Fuck. Love hurts.
"Hello, Tadokoro-san," Erina greeted. The cool water on Megumi's face turned to ice in her veins. She shifted her attention to Erina. Erina was dressed head to toe in an overwhelming silvery gray fur coat, matching headband (thanks to Yuki, Megumi could tell it was genuine fox fur), and all-weather snow boots. It made Megumi sick how effortlessly Erina could look like a cover shot.
So, she's the 'very important guest' her mother was talking about. It was jarring. Never in a million years did she think Nakiri Erina would come here or do something so generous. Megumi's eyes moved between the couple holding hands at her doorstep. Her mind wandered. Erina couldn't have known her family was struggling, so did she do all this for her and Sōma? If so, it made it difficult to hate Erina. Miyoko's rebuke replayed in her mind. Hard, but not impossible.
Megumi cleared her throat and looked her romantic rival in the eye. "Good afternoon, Nakiri-san. Welcome to my family's bed and breakfast." Remember, she is a guest no matter what, Megumi. She turned back toward Sōma, her expression softening. She just couldn't hate the smile looking back at her. "Please, come in—both of you. Would you like something to drink?"
"No, thank you," Erina replied. Sōma only shook his head.
"Alright then, Fuyumi-san will guide you to your separate bedrooms, where I'm sure the accommodations and amenities will suit your liking. We hope you enjoy your stay. Refreshments can be brought to your room on-call."
"Thanks, it's good to see you, Tadokoro," Sōma's voice sounded like melted butter, and it took all Megumi had not to blush. She needed to get it together. Her family's future was riding on this. Fuyumi assumed her role as hostess and bowed.
"Alright then, come along, you two. I will show you to your rooms after we tour the facilities. It's good to see you again, Sõma-chan." He bowed and grinned.
"I told you you'd miss me, Fuyumi-sama!" The woman with wrinkles for smile lines just pinched his face.
"Oh-" Erina said, bowing. "We will pass on the tour for now, but I would like to speak to the owner."
Megumi and Fuyumi exchanged a look. "There was supposed to be an entire ceremony for your arrival as a generous guest," she said.
"There's no need. I am here to work."
Then it clicked. Erina was the columnist writing the feature. Sōma looked at Erina, as confused as Megumi. Erina read the room. "And rest, of course. But, per the reservation's agreement, I have work to do and would rather have time to decompress before I begin." The culinary starlet eyed her boyfriend. "I promise, I will rest, too. This is a bed and breakfast after all," she added.
Megumi couldn't tell what their looks meant, but she supposed it didn't matter anyway; the clarification wasn't for her. She'd also seen her grandparents share a nonverbal language her whole life. A vision of an elderly Nakiri-Yukihira couple flickered in her mind, making her stomach twist. She shook her head.
"My mother is in her office. I'll show you the way after I drop this in the kitchen."
"No need, dear," Fuyumi interjected, taking the tray. "I'll do it. Go on with our guests."
"Okay then," she heard Sōma say. "Tadokoro?" He lightly squeezed her shoulder. Megumi looked into his warm eyes. "After that, care to take a walk?"
-8-
They'd walked to the pier and sat on a bench, watching the sunset at the sea's edge. The comfortable silence she shared with her mother earlier in the day was a distant memory. She was afraid to speak first, uncertain of what to say.
"It really is good to see you, Megs." Megs. His rare nickname for her since they first met. It ached to hear—how much it still meant to her. "How have you been?" Megumi thought about his question for a while.
"Shitty." Sōma nodded but said nothing. She inhaled, rushing out her words, "So, what about you?" She gave his profile a sidelong look. He seemed mature in a sense she could not place.
"I've been doing better. Things are getting better."
"I'm sorry I missed your birthday this year. I was…" vomiting and crying the whole day in Miyoko's en-suite bathroom because she couldn't bring herself to call him even though all she wanted to do was hear his voice as she wished him a happy new year. But she couldn't tell him that.
"It's cool. It was a whirlwind of a day. I was barely by my phone, anyway." Yukihira Sōma, Mr. Always Understanding.
"But, did you enjoy the day?"
He nodded. "I did." His eyes held a cherished memory. A moment Megumi would never know or see. She rubbed her hands together. The gloves were not enough to fight off this gnawing coldness.
"What did you do?"
"Cooked a big dinner for my and Nakiri's family."
"Oh," she said, a sad register in her tone. "Aw, that sounds nice."
"It was. Wish you could've been there." His eyes shifted before the topic did. "So! Do you have any birthday plans? It's nearly a month away."
It was true; her birthday was just around the corner, but she had no plans. She hadn't any time to even think about turning nineteen. "No, but I'll let you know if I do."
"Promise?"
Megumi nodded. "I promise."
"Sounds good." His voice hitched. "Wanna take that walk now?" She nodded, and they strolled off the pier's dock and down the frosty beach.
They caught up as much as they felt comfortable sharing as they walked down the shore. They talked about how difficult growing apart felt all autumn and how she felt about Ryō and Alice. Sōma told her about their captivating helicopter ride down, and she told him about her month living with Hojo…minus a few critical sapphic bits. Nevertheless, it felt good hanging out again, like old times back at the dorm, but a mutual trust had been ruptured and still needed repair.
"S'we're good, right?" The question came out of nowhere.
"I don't know," she bit, arching her eyebrow. The conversation was too mercurial for her to keep up. "Are we good, Sōma-kun? We haven't spoken or seen each other in over two months."
"I know, and I hate that. I'm sorry for how everything went down in Paris. I didn't know things were this burnt out between you and Nakiri. But she told me everything-"
"Everything?" Megumi eyed him skeptically. Sōma stopped and studied her face before nodding.
"Unless there's more you want to tell me?" Megumi sat on his offer, mulling on whether or not it was worth it.
"Your girlfriend really doesn't like me."
"I don't know if that's true-"
"She doesn't, Sōma-kun."
"I can't say you're wrong after what she told me, but I know Erina. She's not someone to go on the attack for no reason."
Him too? "So, you're blaming me?" Whatever flashed through her eyes made Sōma jump a little.
"No. I'm not. I just know she's easily triggered by betrayal. Does that make sense? I think she felt betrayed on Alice's behalf."
"So that's why she rejected my application for a higher seat on the Ten?" She hoped he heard how dumb that sounded. Sōma sighed.
"I don't want to speak for Nakiri, so I won't. But I know I've missed our friendship, and I hate how it doesn't feel like we have one anymore." He looked sad and tired under the dusky shadows of the early evening. Megumi calmed herself.
"I agree. I've missed you, too. And I'm sorry, too, Sōma-kun. I should've talked to you about what was going on before the wedding. The trauma dump at the reception was uncalled for."
"Thanks, but it woke me up." She squinted at him. He slacked his head to the side. "She'd probably kill me for telling you this, but after you left, Nakiri and I had a serious argument about everything."
"About me?"
She could tell he was measuring his words. "About everything." He paused. "And we took a break for a bit."
Megumi's eyes widened in shock. "Oh! Wow! Sorry to hear that."
"It's all good. We're good now. We're actually in a very healthy place now. I'm happy."
"Yeah, I can tell," she said softly. It hurt to admit it again. She felt the deja vu of telling Sōma it was apparent he liked Erina on the Kyeoksuki veranda back as a first-year.
"Aw yeah? You can?" He seemed to take pleasure in that observation.
"Yes. Just like always."
"I love her, Tadokoro. You know, she's not the wicked witch of the East?"
"She can be," she muttered.
"But, it's not who she is." His words hung in the air. "This trip was a surprise to me as well. She did this for us."
"Erina's reservation saved the Ryokan from shuttering at the end of the year." She said it so low that she didn't know if Sōma heard her. She gave him a once over. His eyes were glazed over, and Megumi felt she'd just helped him fall even deeper in love with his girlfriend.
"I didn't know that," he choked up.
"Yeah, I figured. She's really helping us out with this feature, too. Do you know who she's writing it for?"
"Mmm, yeah, the feature was news to me, too. But…" he scrunched his nose. "The Luxury Japan, I think?" Megumi nearly toppled over. That was the top-rated travel and lifestyle digital magazine in the country! Why was she being so nice? Was this her way of apologizing for being a raging bitch? Throwing money at the people, she caused problems with to make amends?
No. She mustn't think about Nakiri-san that way. She was able to clean up Megumi's messes for her and in her way. She owed her for this, even if begrudgingly.
"Sōma?"
"Hm?"
"If Nakiri-san hadn't done all this, would we have ever returned to being friends? Would you have reached out to me?"
"Yes." He did not hesitate. Something about that hurt more than if he'd wavered or had said no.
"So, why didn't you in the past two months?"
"I was giving you space," he admitted. He looked almost ashamed to say it…almost. "And I needed to save my relationship first."
-8-
"Mama, how were you getting by with this place hemorrhaging money like this?"
Megumi sat in her mother's office, balancing their books since dinnertime, and realizing just how much stress her mother was under for the first time. She sighed, shaking her head at how quickly life could feel overwhelming before catching the time on the desktop. It was getting late, but Megumi could not sleep, so she went to her favorite place: the kitchen. Maybe she could cook her pain away. She was sad but no longer upset.
In many respects, she was relieved by the day's events. Her family's dream was safe, and she didn't have to see or speak to Erina for more than ten minutes. However, how much her mother and grandparents fawned over her was uncomfortable. She understood her family's reaction to Sōma because her family has loved him since the Fall Selection, but it shocked (and peeved) her how much deference they showed Erina just because of the check she wrote.
Still, Megumi cherished her conversation with Sōma earlier. She was quietly grateful to the heiress for coordinating their reconciliation and scolded herself for allowing Sōma's kind and mature approach to make her love him even more. But she'd have to start separating her feelings if she would do her part in repairing their friendship. Sōma was a night owl, so maybe an apple strudel and some mini fruit tarts as a peace offering would be a good start. She'd deliver it to his room as a complimentary late-night treat.
She knocked on Sōma's door but was met with no response. She motioned to drop the tray of tea and dessert when a not-so-soft moan came from the end of the hall. Something occurred to her. She turned and walked to the end of the corridor, following the growing moans. She reached the only room at the end of the hallway and gasped. Her body revolted against her in disgust, lust, and envy at the rhythmic tempo of the bed behind the wall, separating her from the grunts and panting she could hear as she was right in the middle of the action. She found it rude and unprofessional and was heated in more ways than one. Then, Megumi surprised herself. She set the tray down as quietly as she could manage.
She then sat beside it.
And she listened. Touching herself, wishing it was her.
-NAKIRI ERINA-
November 12
Erina woke up to Sōma sliding a food tray over her lap, sore yet well-rested.
"Sōma?" She squinted at him. He was smiling brightly at her sleepy face.
"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," he cooed, grinning with that smoldering look that never failed to make her toes curl. Her mind flashed a vignette of their sleepless night together. "Your breakfast awaits."
"Hi," she blushed. Then, remembering their sleepless night together, she rushed to gather the sheets above her head, self-conscious now that the sun was up.
"Did you sleep well?" Her head nodded under the duvet. Sōma pulled the cloud-soft comforter down. "Hey. Now it's your turn to ask me." He punctuated each word with a gentle kiss down her neckline.
"Sōma, we can't do this again," she muffled, taking in the scent of his hair.
"So, ask me. Ask me if I slept well, Nakiri, and I promise I'll stop." His tongue was trailing her jawline down to her clavicle. She took a huge gulp of the water glass on the breakfast tray.
"Sōma, did you sleep well?"
"Yes, thank you," he growled in her ear before nibbling her earlobe. "Or better yet, thanks to you." She purred at that.
"Is that why you're ready for the day before me? Did I oversleep?"
"No," he chuckled. "Your stomach was angry at me for not feeding you, so I made breakfast with the kitchen staff—Did you know they all live here? Anyway, if you want more than omurice and miso soup, I also made bite-sized seaweed-wrapped rice balls and sliced some pickled daikon from their garden for you on the side."
Erina opened her mouth to receive the spoonful of perfectly steamed and fluffy eggs Sōma was drawing toward her lips. "Thank you." She said, her mouth full. She was starving, and the eggs were tongue-meltingly delic…tasty. But why was he cooking? "You didn't have to go through all of this. I would've been fine with their breakfast service, you know? I have to review it for the feature."
"I know. I just enjoy cooking for you. It is a bed and breakfast, after all," he said, impersonating her. "So, eat it, Nakiri," he teased, kissing her supple lips before shoving more food in her mouth. Statements like that made her mind flood with feelings she could not name. His honesty embarrassed her to pieces and made her feel more naked than she was under the sheets. She lingered on his bottom lip.
"Here." Sōma shoved chopsticks full of rice in her mouth, moved the bowl of soup an inch to her lips, and blew. "You're not missing a meal anymore! Not on my watch, beloved!"
From experience, Erina knew acts of service were a given when dating a chef. The restaurant and dining industry was built on providing quality service to patrons by doing something skillfully for others. But they were as competitive and self-serving as they were thoughtful, so Erina could understand why chefs could be more willing to cater to their partners, lovers, and even friends. But she only knew broken and competitive relationships growing up, so she learned how to keenly discern people's motives for the things they did things for her.
However, experiencing Sōma's love through acts of service washed away all that adverse history. Sōma's actions were always aimed at bringing her peace. She took the spoon in her mouth, and her eyes rolled back. The egg yolk was silken in her mouth, and its form was fluffy. The omelet melted on her tongue. Another chopstick with a rice ball was presented to her, and she popped it in her mouth. As she ate, she felt more settled in her skin.
Sōma filled her glass with water and handed it to her.
"It's almost eight. We should head out soon."
Erina nodded and gulped down the rest of her water. "I know. The helicopter will be here at two. I have one final matter to attend to. Then we can go."
"Should I ask?"
"It's with Tadokoro-san." She said it so quickly she wasn't sure he'd believe her, but with how much energy she'd put into this trip as her atonement, Erina could not keep another secret from him.
"Oh, is it?" he asked, intrigued.
"Yes, I need to clear the air. I want to."
"Thanks, baby." He kissed the back of her hand.
"Why? This isn't for you. I've done that already."
"Well! Excuse me for being grateful to have a girlfriend with integrity!"
She frowned. "Whatever, pleb. I'm doing this for me. I thought we had quite a lovely friendship once upon a time. I'd like to get that back, or at least try for something better than this."
He planted another soft kiss on her forehead. "Even better." Erina's insides liquified. Even his understanding made her fold. "Let me get out of here so you can prepare for that. I told Megumi's mom I'd go with her to the fishers' farmers market on a real farm! If you need me, call me. I love you."
She made a face, partially because she didn't want him to leave yet. "Why on a farm?"
He shrugged. "Because it's too cold for the pier."
"Isn't it too late for quality fresh fish?" She was stalling for what she truly wanted.
"Yeah…so the perfect time for dried squid, and she said they've got boatloads! Literally!" He kissed her left cheek before getting up. She tugged at his sleeve. Sōma looked over his shoulder, and his eyes softened.
"What's with this adorable pout?"
"That's all the kisses I get?"
She couldn't explain how his eyes could move from a wading pool of playfulness into a deep, molten well of desire, but as her words registered in Sōma's brain, and as he stared at her motionless, she knew she was sinking either way. He leaned down, his open palms pressing into the mattress; the springs squeaked in protest. The closer he got, the further back she leaned onto the bed. Sōma tilted his head forward, his lips grazing against hers, his steady breaths hovering over them, dragging out her longing. It made her hungry for more than breakfast in bed. Alas, there was no time for more spider games, and Erina was a stickler for time, so she turned her head coyly.
"You want more kisses, but you turn away?" He kissed her cheeks again, then the corners of her mouth.
Erina shot daggers at him. "Kiss me better." And like the good puppy boyfriend he was, he obliged. What's a tender kiss worth in yen? She mindlessly wondered as he pressed their lips together. How much money would a passionate kiss from the one you love cost? Ten million? A billion yen? Does money even matter when it's given freely? Is it priceless?
Sōma started breaking away, but she drew him back in for more. She moved his head to suck on the crook of his neck. "Your kisses turn me weak for you, Nakiri. If I don't leave now, it'll be a problem."
"I don't care. We can be late," she said, mouth full of taut flesh.
Sōma's laugh quivered in defeat. "If I didn't know you in real life, I'd believe you." He held her hand in one hand and her face in another and inhaled her face. "I should go. I don't want to keep Tadokoro-sama waiting." His phone buzzed in his pocket. "Hold on." He checked it and responded to a text.
Erina watched her boyfriend typing on his phone and saw how incredible he looked in the morning. No, it wasn't the tufts of bedhead that refused to lay down or that he was already dressed for the day in a pair of navy blue Nike joggers and a matching pullover. He just looked…good. There she was, getting lost in him again.
Suddenly, an angel and devil Erina chibis appeared on her shoulders.
D: Don't let him leave! We want him to stay, don't we?
A: Yes, but we must finish what we started.
D: That's what we're trying to do!
A: With Tadokoro, baka! We must maintain our integrity.
D: But we'd rather be here, isn't that right?
A: Of course!
D: Exactly, so can't she wait another thirty minutes?
A: No. Timeliness is next to godliness.
D: …That's not how that saying goes. Anyway! Why not? Might as well drive the dagger further in and finish where we left off. It's not like she didn't already hear every sinful thing we did last night.
Erina gasped. "HOW?" Sōma jolted out his skin and eyed her.
"Babe… You okay?"
"S-Sōma. I think Megumi heard us last night." The color drained from his face.
"W-What? H-How do you know that?"
"I…don't know for sure. Call it woman's intuition, I guess?" She was shaking.
"Yikes." He sat in silence. "Well, if it's not certain, what do you want to do about it?" Erina slammed a pillow in his face.
"WHAT KIND OF QUESTION IS THAT? WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME AND NOT YOURSELF?"
"Ow! I'm just trying to be supportive! What do I need to ask myself for?!"
"Well, support me by figuring out what we're going to do about this if it's true!" She grumbled to herself. "Dammit! I knew I should've turned you away at the door."
"Now, wait. Hold on! No need to regret a good time, Nakiri!"
"Oh, shut up. You're a bad influence!"
"True…" he licked her nose. "Hm…well, that would explain the dessert tray I found right outside your door this morning."
Erina nearly withered away. "The WHAT?"
"Dessert tray. I took it back to the kitchen when I made you breakfast."
"AND YOU'RE JUST NOW TELLING ME THIS?"
"What's the big deal?"
"What's the big deal?!"
"Yeah. Maybe she came when we were fast asleep."
Erina squeezed the life out of the sheets. "Sōma…why on earth would anyone bring a dessert tray to their guests after midnight? Huh?!"
"Agh. Good question." He furrowed his brows and rubbed his chin. "For a nice nightcap, perhaps?"
"Don't piss me off, Yukihira. We didn't even go to sleep until four! This is not good! THIS IS NOT GOOD AT ALL." She was panicking.
"Relax, Nakiri. It probably wasn't even Megumi. Maybe it was housekeeping. Or Tadokoro-sama."
"HOW IS THAT ANY BETTER? THIS IS MY CAREER. I-" A bolt of inner awareness struck her as soon as she said it. She shut her mouth, ashamed.
Sōma innocently shrugged, none-the-wiser. "I'm sure it'll be fine. If she brings it up on our grocery run, I'll tell her you made me do it." He winked. Enraged and embarrassed, a shadow fell over her eyes, and she pushed him off the bed.
"Get. Out."
Sōma couldn't contain his laughter. "I'm just kidding! Don't sweat it. And if Megumi mentions it, I'm sure you'll know how to handle it in the moment...unless the face you're making tells me to handle it first?" Erina's head craned to the side, and Sōma's heart sank. "The face you're making is telling me to handle it first, isn't it?"
"YES. GO. NOW."
-TADOKORO MEGUMI-
November 12
Sōma texted her in the middle of her morning rounds with the staff. Her mother had taken him into town for some produce shopping, so she stayed behind to manage things. It used to be that any text, let alone a morning text from Sōma, excited her to get out of bed. But that was back at Tōtsuki, and they were in Tōhoku now.
So much of life had altered how she responded to that rare treat. So, when he'd asked to speak to her again at the same spot on the beach, her sweat glands pricked. She may have overstepped another boundary last night, but how would he know that?
Sōma stood in a pair of navy joggers and the bomber jacket at the pier's edge, facing the water, allowing the biting sea wind to whip through his wild hair. Megumi couldn't tell if the messy hair was the remnants of bedhead or sex, but as she walked down the deck, she tried her best to stuff last night into the depths of her sinful mind.
He must've sensed her presence because he turned his head and flashed a weak smile. "Hey, Megumi."
He didn't call her by her surname or nickname. Something changed.
"Hi, I came as soon as I got your text. I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long."
He shook his head. "Your mom and I just got back from the farmer's market. We had fun." His voice did not have the same brightness she was used to. This time, he had such a different vibe in their conversation: timid, careful.
"Yeah, she's a character at the market. So…" Megumi fiddled with her knitted scarf, "What did you want to talk about?"
He spoke like he didn't even hear her question. "Funny thing. She ate an apple strudel in the truck and offered me a bite. So, you know I had to have some. And then I thought, 'damn this looks just like the apple strudel on the tray I saw outside Erina's bedroom.'" The implication quietly lingered in the air. "She shared that you'd been up baking all night, and though she was concerned, she could never resist your apple sweets. And she was right; it was delicious, as always, Megumi."
Megumi's stomach lurched at his listless expression. She knew what was coming. "Thank you, Sōma-kun."
"So, you were the one who left the tray outside Nakiri's room last night?" Megumi knew he wasn't accusing her as much as he confirmed that he knew.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Sōma sighed, trying his best to avoid eye contact. "Did you…" They seemed to both be struggling with their words this time. "I'm sorry, but you didn't happen to hear…"
So, Megumi did something she never did with him and surprised herself for the second time in less than twelve hours. "No," she lied. Sōma, now facing her head-on, let her answer sit. "Sōma-kun, is there something I was supposed to hear?" Megumi fidgeted.
He stared at her, and it was uncomfortable standing under his gaze. "No," he cooly replied. "It's just that Erina said she thought she heard someone outside her door last night." The wind howled between them.
"She told you that last night? Because I did knock on your door-"
"No, this morning." His voice was measured, calm. She'd never felt under Sōma's microscope like this; it made her feel small. Lying always made her feel small. The cold froze the tears beading her waterline.
"Tadokoro. Look, I didn't wanna bring it up yesterday because I didn't think it was relevant to our conversation, but now I have to." He sighed before staring into her soul. "Megumi, you have to let me go. I'm saying this because I love you and value our friendship, and I'd like very much to keep it. But you have to stop pining after me."
"Sōma-kun, I don't-"
"No, seriously, Megumi. I need you to stop. As my best friend, understand that you are a big part of my life, and I love all we've shared, but Erina is the love of my life." His stress on those last four words panged her heart. "As your best friend, I need you to believe I want the greatest things for you…"
Tears raced down her reddened cheeks. She couldn't help but think he sounded like Miyoko.
"…and that includes love, Tadokoro. But that isn't with me. Not in that way."
If yesterday's conversation and last night's voyeurism had been unsuccessful in undoing her, Sōma's words were crushing her to dust.
"Instead of settling for something unrequited, you should focus on an awesome person who loves you, too."
Megumi slapped the hot tears from her face. "I never said I was in love with you, Sōma-kun!" she said defensively. His expression was sad and understanding; still, he kept talking.
"I respect you too much to lie to you, Megumi. I know you are. You don't have to admit it to me, but my heart is not with you the way it is with Erina; it never will be. But I still love you with all of it. Please." He grabbed her gloved hands. "I want you in my life; don't make this harder for everyone involved." It was accusatory, his mandate. His voice was strained, not begging, but she could hear the pain coating it.
Megumi did not know there were so many ways to land the same gutwrenching blow, but each time Sōma rejected her in a different, delicate, and direct way, she felt her head spin. But, he wasn't making light of the situation. This mattered to Sōma; she could tell he'd matured in their time apart. Megumi was embarrassed. Had she matured, too? She was angry. She felt humiliated to her soul's core, but she'd asked for this in one way or another. She asked for the chaos to end, for the storm raging in her heart to subside. Maybe now that everything was out in the open, it would. So she decided to tell the truth.
"I understand, Sōma-kun. I didn't mean for my feelings for you to cause you this much stress and confusion. You are my friend. I have always loved you as a friend and will do better being one. How can I start regaining your trust?"
She couldn't read the expression on his face because he was looking down, but she saw a teardrop splash on the wooden plank beneath him. "Nah, don't worry about me," he said, looking up with that smile that easily won Shokugekis. "I just want my sister and my girl to be good. I just want my best friend back."
He called her his sister. He gave her the role of best friend. Message received.
It began snowing. Erina appeared from the other side of the shoreline as if summoned out of thin air. As she approached them, her hair blowing in the wind, her body poised even traversing the gravelly sand, the culinary mogul looked like she'd just stepped out of a winter wonderland.
It irked Megumi how beautiful someone so evil could be. Life was so unfair. She turned to look at Sōma, instantly regretting it. Just standing next to him, Megumi was overwhelmed by his feelings for Erina; it was oozing out of him. The boy was lovestoned. His eyes, locked on the petite blonde's distant façade, saw nothing else; his senses noticed nothing else. She clutched the wool cardigan over her chest; the scene made her heart wrench. She hated to admit it, but Sōma had never looked at her with such yearning, and it finally settled that he never would. Even after their talk yesterday, Megumi shamefully held onto a sliver of hope that maybe, one day…
But now, it clicked as she stared at the boy her heart longed for, realizing her love would remain unrequited if she didn't let him go. So, Tadokoro Megumi finally accepted that she didn't stand a chance vying for Yukihira Sōma's heart.
-NAKIRI ERINA-
When Erina reached her boyfriend and his reconciled best friend, she first kissed him. Seeing his eyes gleam at the sight of her, like it was the first time he'd laid those charming eyes on her, made Erina's heart flutter every time. She was happy to see him and wanted him to know. To feel it. It was relieving that she could do that again; melt into his kisses and sink into his tight embrace. Damn it, she loved this boy and promised to always show him that, no matter who was around.
So, she did not do any of that in front of Megumi to rub it in, but…
"Way to pour salt on a wound, you guys," Megumi mewled. Erina pulled away and smiled brightly at the frowning bluenette. She found her statement telling.
"I'm sure you're talked out, Tadokoro-san, but let's chat." It was an order. Erina extended her elbow for Megumi to latch onto and waited. Sōma looked between them.
"Okay, I'm gonna leave you two to it and see if Tagashi-san can finally teach me his skewering technique. The kebabs last night were soooo good !" She felt him release his hold and swiftly kiss her cheek. He winked at Megumi before jogging back to the inn.
Megumi chewed the skin on her dried bottom lip and locked elbows with Erina. She almost offered the country girl some lip balm, but she was not that nice. "Good choice! It's frigid outside. Why don't we warm up with some lemon tea inside?" Erina suggested, patting Megumi's arm.
"Uh, yeah, sure. My grandmother usually brews a large pot of hot water for her afternoon tea ceremony right about now."
"Shall we join her?"
"No. You'll never leave," Megumi rolled her eyes and then caught herself, flushing. Erina gave her a sidelong questioning look. "Oh, no, I didn't mean it like that, Nakiri-san! Her tea ceremonies take so long you'll miss your chopper to Tokyo! I'm not trying to get rid of you or anything! You're valued guests to us!" She repeatedly bowed. Erina burst out laughing. The cold sea air filled her lungs and itched her throat, but she couldn't stop laughing.
"N…Nakiri-san?" Erina heard Megumi peter out. She was trying to catch her breath.
"Tadokoro-san, it's fine. You're fine. That was just funny to me."
"Oh," Megumi stuttered in place. "Okay. We can have tea in the guest tearoom. My grandmother's tea ceremony is in our family home, so she won't bother us. Nobody will. You booked out the whole place."
"Yes, I am aware, Tadokoro-san," Erina smirked. They had just reached the sandbank below the pier and were making their way up to the boardwalk when Erina noticed Megumi doing her odd prayer ritual when she was anxious. "Tadokoro, are you alright?"
Megumi sprang up, swallowing the last imaginary symbol. "Y-Yes!" Then she got quiet, dipping her head low. The silence made Erina nervous, too. "Thank you so much for your business, Nakiri! It was a welcome surprise!"
"A welcome surprise? Are you sure? Because if memory serves me correctly, the look on your face when you saw me yesterday said otherwise."
"Oh-" Megumi's eyes danced back in time. "I…was just caught off guard, s'all."
"Hm," Erina slowly nodded. "It wasn't necessarily a last-minute idea, but discretion was necessary. I didn't want you all to do too much in preparation for us." Megumi shied away.
"Yes, Sōma-kun told me it was a surprise for him, too?" She asked, changing the subject. It was the first time either of them had said his name. It brought a heaviness that neither young lady expected to hear so early in the conversation, but Erina was prepared; she knew why she wanted to talk to Megumi.
"It was. Sōma has spoken ad nauseam about how much this place means to you. I figured it would be a nice place to reconcile. Thank you for opening your family's business to us on such short notice."
Megumi turned her head in surprise. "He has?" Erina nodded.
"He has. When he realized which prefecture we were flying into, he got excited initially, but I saw his body immediately relax. He said that visiting Tōhoku with you in the past had been good for regulating his nervous system." Erina intentionally told this story. She wanted Megumi to know what she could not communicate on her own. "You know how ADHD he can get." She winked at Megumi.
"Yeah, the summer of our second year, we spent several weekends helping my mom at the inn."
"Ah, so that's why he's so chummy with everyone."
"Yes," Megumi snorted. "They all love him. Almost more than me and the staff helped raise me!" They shared in the lightness Sōma's cavalier personality brought to spaces even when he wasn't around, a moment of unspoken truce. She missed him. She wondered what he was doing at that moment.
Megumi cut through her wistful wondering. "But how did you know I was here?"
"I'm the director of Tōtsuki; I know where all my students are."
She'd asked Hisako to triangulate Megumi's location with the school's IP address for all Council-issued devices. But all that proved unnecessary because Hisako ran into Hojo Miyoko after having dinner at Hojoro. Hisako reported that Miyoko very angrily, maybe even heartbrokenly, told her that Megumi was catching the first train home the next day.
Megumi took a step back and faced Erina. "You haven't been the kindest person to me, but this is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me and my family."
Erina looked at her quizzically. "What, exactly?" she knew but wanted Megumi to say it. Blame it on her Scorpio moon.
"Your payment for your stay was extravagant." It wasn't quite what she expected to hear, but she nodded. "I'm sure the cost meant nothing to you, but it's pretty life-changing for us. And the feature is-"
"Tadokoro?"
"…"
"I've already spoken to your mother about the business aspects of our trip. No need to reopen the books. Let's just call it even for the private jet incident." Erina was sure Megumi hadn't forgotten about that nasty conversation back in August; she hadn't. Megumi stopped walking.
"So…this apology trip is a bribe?"
"Mmm…no. I admit I did not handle the matter of your council seat application with grace-"
"Or tact," Megumi glowered, and Erina swallowed the disdain. She bit down on the rebuttal her slick tongue had in its holster.
"Or tact. But this is a genuine apology. And sometimes, business is cutthroat."
"Erina-sama, respectfully? I've grown up in a family business that has never done business that way. We don't even consort with vendors who deal in such heartless tactics. We bring caring hospitality and use only quality ingredients in our food because we believe our business is to love all people—family, friends, and strangers. Before attending Tōtsuki, I didn't know people could be that callous and malicious. And then I met you."
Whew! That blew Erina's wig back, but she refused to break her poker face. She expected them to exchange a few barbs. "Sounds like we come from two different worlds, then. But I'm glad my business was still…welcome and valued, as you said." Her smug grin was all she could do not to sound surly.
"I suppose even cutthroat businesses can do good sometimes," Megumi winked. It threw Erina off her kilter. Erina realized Megumi had a good handle on incisive banter; she'd do well in high society circles. Maybe there was a future where she invited her to join them for high tea. They'd just reached the Ryokan's main entrance, which felt full circle. Megumi held the doorknob as she spoke.
"And I'm sorry for the mean things I said to you leaving your jet. I was angry and shouldn't have spoken while in that state. I was wrong. I do see what Sōma-kun sees in you, and you both deserve the love you've given and received from each other. I'm sorry if my words made you doubt your worthiness. I know how that feels, and I was wrong to spit it back in your face like that."
Finally! A genuine apology! The accountability gave Erina heartburn. "Thank you, Megumi. I appreciate that," she softly let out, choked up.
"And, I mean it, Erina-sama. I was wrong. Sōma-kun is a very lucky guy." She squeezed Erina's hand, and the warmth felt sisterly.
"I'm fortunate, too. And please, just Erina," she laughed through tears. "I think we've been through enough to drop the honorifics."
"Okay, Erina. So, would you like to continue our conversation over a hot cup of tea?" She asked, opening the door.
"I would love that, Megumi," Erina said, her voice warm and welcoming to the peace offering.
-8-
Megumi cleared her throat as the tea steeped. They were in a homey, outdated traditional Japanese tearoom with red and tan decor that added a nostalgic simplicity to its charm. It wasn't the Four Seasons, but it wasn't shabby. She could see why Sōma spoke so highly of the establishment. If Restaurant Yukihira were a B-&-B, it would be Shōkeien Ryokanto.
"You make my best friend very happy," Megumi said, pouring the steeped tea into their cups.
"Is that an observation, or are you relaying a message?" Erina smirked, stirring in a dollop of local honey around her teacup.
"A little bit of both," Megumi answered. She didn't look sad when she said it, which suited Erina; Sōma had made progress in repairing their relationship.
"Mm," Erina noted, sipping the hot, honey-lemon water. It wasn't a Hisako brew by any stretch of the imagination, and her God Tongue would've more than happily let it dribble out in disgust at the imbalanced tastes if she were back at Tōtsuki, but it would do. "Your best friend makes me very happy, too." Then she corrected herself. "I'm grateful he's my best friend." She was smiling, thinking about her man, her man, her man.
"He's a good friend," Megumi echoed.
"The best." It felt like a game of compliment table tennis. "Even if he can be irritatingly obtuse at times," she giggled, covering her mouth with a napkin. They simultaneously reached for a shortbread biscuit, but Erina grabbed it first—a metaphor for their dynamic. Erina took a small nibble and placed the cookie on her saucer. "Megumi, do you hate me?"
Megumi's hand slid into her lap as she considered Erina's question. "No," she finally said. "But I have wanted to, many times."
"Why? Because I've already apologized for blocking your chance at the Sixth Seat."
Megumi scrunched her face, but Erina wouldn't be delicate about her actions, even if she weren't proud of them. "No…that didn't help," She went silent, staring at the yellow pool in her teacup. The color reminded Erina of Sōma's eyes. "But I was jealous."
It was as satisfying to hear aloud as she had hoped. To know that she hadn't been paranoid all these months. "Is that why we stopped being friends? You were jealous that I'm dating Sōma." The air grew thick in the dimly lit tearoom. She was right to feel possessive over Sōma.
"Okay…so we're really having this conversation?" Megumi breathed out, panic dilating her pupils.
Erina shrugged. "I am. I believe it's long overdue. Wouldn't you agree?" Erina studied Megumi's face as the timid chef's hands shook. Megumi focused on a nondescript Edo-era portrait on the wall near the door. Erina took another sip of her tea. The lull in the conversation was beginning to annoy her. "I saw you try to kiss him on New Year's Eve. On the roof of Restaurant Yukihira?"
Megumi jerked, her teacup rattling in her hand. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. Erina anticipated and wondered if tears would come next. "Okay, Erina. Let's have this conversation."
The determination in her amber eyes when she finally opened them was one Erina was familiar with; Megumi had gained confidence. Good, because Erina's had never wavered since the conversation began. She would never let Megumi, Eishi, or anyone for that matter, make her doubt herself about Sōma ever again.
"I'm not jealous that you're dating Sōma-kun. Not anymore. I was jealous that he chose you."
"I'm confused." Erina switched her crossed legs and folded her arms. "What's the difference, Tadokoro-san?"
"From our first day of high school, I was there for him, by his side. But you hated him; you constantly found ways to take him down. You wanted to have him expelled from Tōtsuki! But I was there. Through thick and thin, Sōma-kun and I had each other's backs. But then you came to the dorm, and…everything changed."
"But, you invited me that night to Kyokusei. My friends and I didn't even know we were near the dorm!" Erina's voice grew more biting as she spoke. The bittersweet memory of when she ran away from home was not one she trifled with. So if Megumi were trying to throw it in her face, then she'd have to try harder than that.
"I know, but…" Megumi lowered her head, her voice dimmed. "I didn't expect that to change the trajectory of my entire friendship with Sōma-kun." Erina stared at her. Her mind was rolling in anger…and pity. "After I barged in on you two in his train room in Hokkaido—(which was a total accident, by the way!)—I was jealous that you got to know him that way. You got to be with him in a way that…I could only dream."
"Megumi, look-"
She wiped her tears and sniffled. "I promise you, I never intended to fall in love with my best friend. But when I accepted that it had happened, I began to dream about what that would be like—to be in a relationship with Yukihira Sōma, my best friend. It sounded perfect, like a dream."
"It feels like it, too," Erina said, shaking her head. Megumi gave her a cutting, 'Why are you gloating?' look. Erina shrugged; it was the truth.
"Right…but then I saw how he looks at you, Erina, and it snuffed out my glimmer of hope," Megumi cried. And for once, Erina felt Megumi's pain. The fear of losing what she had and hoped for with Sōma, the reality that it was possible, maybe even inevitable; she'd been there. It terrified both of them. This struck a chord in Erina. "So I was jealous that you won something I coveted, yet again," Megumi's voice trailed off as if she were keeping truths at bay.
"Yet again?"
Megumi rolled her eyes. "I mean, come on, Erina. You know who you are! You win everything! You have everything!"
"Yes, including real problems, just like everyone else. I'm human, too, Megumi. My life is great, fabulous, even, but not perfect."
"I'm sorry, you're right. I shouldn't put you on a pedestal like that."
"No, no." Erina held up her hand, cutting Megumi off. She was dead serious when she lifted her chin and said, "I am rightfully perched on my throne."
Still, Megumi burst out laughing, and Erina joined her. They sipped their warm tea, letting the laugh clear the air.
"But, seriously, Megumi. Even the queen is human."
Megumi nodded. "No, you're right. I know rich people have their problems, too."
"Do we?!" Erina clucked. "But, trust me, I know it's nowhere as stressful as the fear of losing your beloved family business. I mean, I should know," she winked and settled a soft gaze on her tea partner then. Megumi's expression made Erina feel like a genuine friendship could exist between them again—one day.
"The only thing I truly want to know is, why did you try to kiss him on the roof when you knew why I was there? I thought we were friends well enough back then."
Megumi traced the brim of her teacup with her index finger. "I know it wasn't my most shining moment, but you two weren't official then, and it felt like if I didn't at least try something new entering the new year, I'd lose my nerve and my chance forever."
Erina blinked. "Wanna know something funny?"
"I guess I don't have a choice…sure. Go ahead, Erina. What's so funny?"
"Oh, we always have a choice, Tadokoro-san." She touched one of Megumi's pigtails, and there was a change in her timbre. "Like when I chose to accept your challenge to battle you over Sōma. It was because you chose to shoot your shot that night. Or, when you chose to kiss Ryō knowing he was with Alice. I didn't take you to be so competitive. Not very 'girl's girl' of you."
"I did not know that. He told me they were in a weird place. And I'm afraid I have to disagree that I chose to have feelings for either guy. It just happened. I swear I wasn't trying to ruin what either of you princesses had going on."
"Oh? So, what is it called when someone is trying to compete with you for someone else's affection? I believe that's a form of sabotage, no?"
Megumi said nothing, and it grated on Erina's nerves. She was slipping into her fawn and freeze, innocent-damsel mode, gripping her teacup's handle. Erina was never afforded such grace in life. "Listen, Tadokoro-san. I'm glad you and Sōma are friends again."
"Thank you, so am I-"
"But, don't you ever wedge yourself in my relationship again."
Megumi's cheeks went red. She balled her fists and placed them on the table with force. This is what Erina wanted—Megumi's true feelings. "Don't threaten me, Erina. I thought we were starting to get along again."
"We are, and that's why this isn't a threat. It's a boundary. You were right; I'm not as kind as Sōma is when you cross the line. So, this is a way to ensure everyone in this three-way friendship remains friends. But I'd prefer it wasn't a love triangle," She flicked her silken hair. "I'm just not that into you."
"Excuse me? You're not my type, either!" She sounded flustered. Erina's eyes flared with interest; Megumi said that as if she had a definitive sapphic type.
"Oh, please! I'm Nakiri Erina. I'm everyone's type!"
"Yeah, well, I'm not Hisako-kun, and you're not mine," she muttered. Erina nearly applauded that jab, but it impressed her on the low.
"And neither is Sōma, agreed?" Erina said brightly but with venom coating the tip of her tongue. She extended her hand. Megumi looked at it with pause but eventually shook it.
"Agreed."
Erina received a text from Sōma; the helicopter was landing. They got up from the table. "I don't care about your class attendance; your grades are still decent enough to remain virtual. But do return to Tōtsuki and resume your Council duties within the week. The Tenth Seat is still an illustrious and highly-coveted position," her academy director's tone appeared.
"Yes, Nakiri-san," Megumi bowed. Erina inclined her head with the Nakiri power that was her birthright and walked across Tatami floors. She looked over her shoulder one last time when she reached the sliding door.
"One final note, Megumi. It is so uncouth to listen in," Erina said, smirking at Megumi's blanching face. "But I do hope you got your fix."
Then, she closed the door on the most tedious chapter of her life.
a/n: no, your eyes are not deceiving you, too lol this is a double-feature release of two long chapters in one weekend! thanks for sticking through the hiatus because here we are with over 15k words to make up for the CF drought (you're welcome!) i really hope it's been worth the drama and the wait. i really enjoy writing for you.
now let's get into it: this chapter is part 2 to 'The Innkeeper,' and was easier than the last to push out. though it had more plot to cover, it was the more fun to write of the two. my favorite part was erina acknowledging the potential for an actual love triangle between them, and being like "absolutely not!" soma is a static character, yes, but we love how he shows up as the hero/mc! as for megumi? her actions (in general) in this chapter was indeed...a choice, but i hope she's maturing through the lessons. as for miyoko hojo's sudden cameos, i wonder what that's all about...
anyway, good news: this story is still moving forward and has so much more ground to cover before 'the end' so pls leave a review, follow, favorite, and share with someone you think would enjoy reading it, too! lastly, i'm pleased to say that, as of this weekend, both Comfort Food and Twin Flame: Soma's Story have reached the milestone of THIRTY CHAPTERS! thank you to everyone who has been along this nearly two-year journey with Sorina and me! i value and appreciate your every visitor and view.
-you're welcome!-
8.20withlove
-i do not own the rights to Shokugeki no Sōma, wah wah wah
\_(ツ)/