So, this is where I'll be staying.

Hardwood floor and plaster walls, simply furnished with wood furniture of different shades of brown that suggested their later addition to the room, displaying the forward thought by the building's architect, followed by the contributions of generations of residents.

Like any rooms that have hosted many people before, signs of wear only added character and the lived-in feel of the place which actually felt welcoming as if visiting our grandparents' home.

Of course, as expected in the dormitory of a cooking school, there were lingering aromas from the past residents' stay.

"You'll need to do your own laundry; no open fires bigger than a chafing fire can; any bigger than that, there is a hearth on the ground floor…" Dorm mother Fujiwara's brief droned on as I checked around the room, "There is no curfew but keep noises to a reasonable level; so no chainsaws after 8pm"

"Chainsaws?" That piqued my attention.

"As well as any other tools, including mortar pounding." She continued in a natural tone, as if it was a typical infraction she had to deal with frequently.

…What kind of residents lived here?

There was a pause as the dorm mother let her lecture sink into me before she glanced at the door, checking to see if there was anyone there before changing her briefing tone to conversational, "So, you're dating that boy eh?"

Not really expecting this conversation track from her, I was stunned for a few counts. "Yes…" Uncertain where this will go, I fidgeted a little.

Was she going to make an objection in the spirit of keeping some dormitory rule against fraternizing?

The dorm mother cast a gaze, considering me, "Relax, you won't be the first couple staying in this dormitory," she smirked, "and I am aware of youthful proclivities."

"P-proclivity?" my eyes shot to the open door, checking if anyone heard us as I blushed.

"I won't get in the way of your activities, as I'm sure you kids would find ways around any rules imposed anyway," The candid way she said it made it obvious that this talk was nothing new to her. "Nonetheless, I believe we can agree that, besides the risk of expulsion, any… accidents would strain relationships as well as make it awkward for everyone in the dorm, won't it?"

Considering her words, I can guess what she was heading to, "Thank you for the concern, Fujiwa-san, but we are…prepared."

The dorm mother's eyes widened with amusement before relaxing into approval, "Good. I'm glad that my impression of your sense of responsibility was not misplaced."

Hearing her positive deposition of me made me glad, "Thank you."

"I'll leave you to settle in." She made her way to the door and turned to add, with a twinkle in her eyes, "You may like to know that Yukihira's room is just two doors down; and don't worry, the ceilings for the girls rooms are sealed shut." That last part was curious, but my attention was more on her suggestive teasing tone; but it is not as teasing as her next words before making her way out the room, "be advised, though, the rooms are not very soundproof."

It took me a while for my blush to subside.

Since there was some time before my items arrived at the Polar Star Dormitory from the Nakiri Mansion, I decided I had time to make a call.

"Hi mom," I greeted as soon as our call connected.

"Hello dear, how's being back in school?" Mom asked lightly, before adding, "I've heard there are some new developments?"

How well informed is she? I wondered.

Nonetheless, I shared about the incident at the school gate, how Erina-sama reacted to seeing us, and my new accommodation arrangement.

I was heartened by Mom's empathetic ear and her patient listening skills of asking me the right questions to keep me talking and to understand my mindset fully:

How do you feel about this?

Why do you think Erina acted the way she did?

What are your thoughts on settling this?

When do you think you will reconnect with your friend?...

…Friend…

"I thought you were my friend." Erina-sama's words echoed in my ear. The words were tinged with sadness as if I let her down. It was as if her heart was broken. I interpreted this to be due to me not keeping her in the loop as a friend should.

Then:

"Tell me more about the relationship between Soma and Erina." Mom prompted.

Erina-sama has been treating Soma quite prickly ever since they met. I would surmise stems from the difference in their cooking philosophies.

Their respective headstrong personalities would have them in loggerheads, albeit with Soma just playfully interpreting veiled criticism and sarcasm from her as banter, frustrating her even more.

So was she just opposed to the idea of her rival being with me?

…or… could it be… that she was jealous?

…

Think about it, Soma and her: they would be the main characters, pushing the boundaries of the culinary world. His wild creations that challenge the status quo would then be tempered by her ability to fine tune the dish. Their character clashes would add drama and sell the story of them slowly getting together by trope obligations which ultimately have them ending up working together hand in hand with feelings for each other in a Shonen manga plot.

A story of the male and female leads getting together: the typical power couple.

And my presence is a hindrance to that.

So, would it be a stretch if the God Tongue bearer Nakiri Erina is upset with me over that?

For some reason, I really find that very disagreeable to me.

Of course, I kept that line of thoughts to myself, only voicing if she may have been jealous.

"Perhaps you're getting a little off track there, dear." Mother's voice was simply factual, devoid of any judgemental tone in the way a seasoned psychiatrist naturally does. "I'd suggest speaking with her, it should clear things up."

Mom is right, of course: those were just my speculations of a wandering mind.

Nonetheless, the thought of her and Soma getting closer for a convenient plotline was, in a word,

Infuriating.

…

Excuse me. I guess I got influenced by the light novels I had been reading.

"Let's refocus on the situation with the fans at the gate." Mother changed tracks of the conversation. "How are you going to address it?"

"Since I have to resolve it within a week, I think it's best if I address them straight on."

There was a pause as mom considered my plan. "Or, shall we have our PR staff handle it on your behalf?" It was a helpful suggestion, "It would be good to keep away from the public eye."

I gave it a thought, "The flip side is that it may end up blowing it up bigger as an external party is involved, which may then lead to people poking around to find out how and why I would have such a resource."

"Hmm, you're very perceptive, dear. I'm proud of you for having such a thought."

"I will have to credit the experience I got from being a personal secretary." I gave a light smile in reference to the opportunity my mom had the foresight to arrange.

"Besides," a swell of confidence, "I have Soma with me."

A little later after settling in, Soma and I were watching a movie. It was my favorite movie, Roman Holiday, as it was his suggestion to take my mind off the situation while watching something I like. So that was how both of us sat side by side at the low table in my room, our backs supported by the bed frame with my head on his shoulder.

I found it sweet that he was putting in effort to get to know me more with genuine interest.

"Is being a princess stifling?" Soma asked, keeping his eyes on the screen of my laptop, matching the subtitles to the words being said.

I glanced up to him, "Why are you asking?"

"Well, you're as good as a princess yourself." He turned his neck to give my crown a quick peck, "as beautiful as one too."

I could not help the rush his words brought me. Keeping on topic, "When you have to be minded all the time, and every second accounted for, it is." my lips pulled to a thin line. "You'd have to sacrifice your privacy for security."

Soma seemed to have accepted my reply as the seconds ticked by while the movie continued to play.

"I can see why the princess sneaked away from the room. But it is curious why no one recognised her as she walked around the city."

Huh, I would not have thought Soma would give such attention to details in movies. "When you keep low key, people tend to be more bothered by their own business."

A comfortable silence filled the room, as we watched Audrey Hepburn steer the Vespa scooter around Rome with Gregory Peck behind her. That was when Soma decided to adjust our positions, sitting me between his outstretched legs. I found myself actually enjoying the intimacy this brings with his strong arms around me pulling into a hug.

Wrapped in his arms, I let out a slow sigh. All worries and stress faded away, yielding to the comfort of how we were right now. He sure knows that I could use that.

Then his hands started to wander.

"Hey, I'm watching the movie." Despite my words, I did not move to stop him, relishing the ripples of pleasure it brings,

"What? I'm not doing anything." The flirtiness in his voice betrayed intent, though the breath on my ear and the light brushes of his fingers along my curves sent pleasant tingles down my spine.

At this time, the characters on the screen were at the scene where they sat shivering on the riverbank after falling off the boat.

We witnessed as they shared a moment where they looked into each other's eyes, before giving into the temptation for their lips to meet in a long passionate kiss. I recall first watching the movie and blushing at that scene due to my youthful innocence. Over rewatchings, I like that scene for the emotions and wonder how it was like to fall in love and share a kiss with someone that connected with you.

Naturally, I turned to face my boyfriend, and it seems that Soma had the same train of thought.

We approached in the middle, coming together closer, tantalizingly closer, savoring the moment of antici-...

…-pation.

Finally, our lips met, locked just like in the movie. Softly intertwining as one, I tasted the bittersweet goji that we had been snacking on while getting lost in the moment of gentle push and pull between us.

All the while, Soma took his time exploring with his hands, giving teasing motions of small circles with his fingers.

I responded in kind, fully intent to take things further, fueled by pheromones in the air

…but,

"We… we shouldn't." I muttered breathlessly with strong reluctance once I forced myself through sheer sheer discipline to calm down upon pulling back for air. Those words went unheeded as he pressed on, recapturing my tender lips.

And I gave in for a bit.

Indulging.

Still, I placed a hand on his hot chest, putting a little resistance, prompting him to separate.

An animalistic look flashed across the red head's eyes from being interrupted and denied. A downward rove made it clear the reason for his frustration.

Oh my.

"We are expected to be at dinner soon," I reminded lightly, barely audible over a pounding heart within my heaving bosom.

My words finally got to him. It took a few heavy breaths for Soma to calm down. "Yeh… yeh, dinner… dinner, right… you're right."

I noticed, for a split second, his eye glanced towards the ceiling for some reason, as if a thought came to him and he had to check something.

Guess all that action made a short circuit.

A small part of me was pretty pleased imaging that I had that effect on the young chef.

Having a relationship with a passionate person like Soma, I would assume that it also translated to him into a person with strong desires.

However, I should have better prepared myself for it to be more intense than I expected.

Especially since we were each other's first...

Knowing that the movie was about to end, and that we were not really in the mood to continue watching, I shut down my computer. Nonetheless, I really appreciate this moment that came out of it, a respite from what was going on outside my room.

On the other hand, Soma was pouting, looking like a puppy whose juicy steak was taken away from right under it.

As I had admitted before, I am kind of weak against that; much more when Soma is the one doing it. So, to throw him a bone, I simply got close to him and said a single word that immediately brightened him up:

"Later."

Dinner at Polar Star Dormitory was… really an event.

Everyone had gone wild with presenting their own speciality foods for everyone else to sample and seek their thoughts on the dish.

Smoked cheeses, game ham, assorted tempura, fresh soba noodles, and many others filled the table.

Of course, Soma's special dish was there too.

"Alright, everyone, get your glasses ready! This is a party-" I barely processed what I was witnessing when the certain apron clad member of the Elite 10 declared from the head of the table.

"A welcome party for Arato Hishoko-cchii!" (IT'S HISAKO!) Despite that tease, I did not kick up a fuss on how wrong those words were in deference to the occasion.

"Here, let me fill your glass," the tall onee-san-like Sakaki Ryōko poured a liquid from a bottle into my cup.

This murkiness...and smell, "Is this-"

"Rice juice," there was a twinkle in her eye, "It's just rice juice."

The plain paper label on the side of the 1.8 litre bottle with big handwritten 21% on it was not really supporting that claim.

Naked apron, chainsaws, fire in bedrooms, "rice juice"...

What lawlessness is this?

"And," Isshiki-senpai called over the din after everyone raised their glasses for a welcome, "a celebration of our new couple! Yukihira-kun and Arato-chan!"

The noise level rose up once more.

The bespectacled, black haired Marui Zenji was muttering something like "riajuu me" under his breath.

Those words were nonetheless caught by the ever energetic Yoshino Yuki, "Now now, Zenji-cchii, no need to be jealous, I'm sure that you'll get a girlfriend for yourself soon."

"No way!" He loudly protested, "I'll never betray Momo-chan."

Oh, he has a girlfriend?

"Bro, she doesn't count."

"She does, 2D girls will always be superior!"

2D girls? Huh?

"He's an Anigasaki Momo fan, from the Gintama series." Soma filled me in without my verbalized prompt. "We happened upon a certain shrine while we were having a usual get-together party in his room."

Ok, I have a few questions that came from his words. Like: What shrine? Why are they having a party, and why is it specifically in his room? And 2D meaning… illustrations?

Nonetheless, the dining table was filled with friendly back and forth between the residents, some good natured teasing, others supporting his choice of 2D girls, all contributing to create a casual atmosphere.

It was a wholesome experience to be there.

Suddenly, the unoiled dining room doors squealed as it opened, cutting into the conversations in the room.

"Hey everyone," everyone's vision went to the doorway as a new voice chimed in, "sorry I'm late as my bus was delayed."

Tadokoro Megumi looked around the room and scanned the table with a light smile, before noticing my presence which brought a curious look to her face.

"What did I miss?"

A/N: It has been awhile. Thank you for the wait as I had been travelling and settling into the new year.

Thanks for the reviews! They really gave me a kick and motivation to write more so I can read the feedback and thoughts you have on this work :) Even a few words are also very encouraging to read!

This chapter, I was making a few references to certain other works, see if you catch them; feel free to put it in a review ;)

Next chapter: How should Megumi react?

Looking forward to your continued support, guesses, and reviews!

Cheers!