They started casually texting the week of the Fall Selection preliminary announcement. Just the random "have a great day" or "you should totally check this out" sent back and forth throughout the summer—all along the same theme.
Donburi.
The rice bowls that brought them together as challengers had turned them into acquaintances, and before they knew it, the rice bowls had become the foundation of a fairly nice friendship between the two meat-obsessed chefs.
Soma and Ikumi spent a lot of time together in and out of school, and he was enjoying her company.
"Damn, Meat-Meat, girl! You know your stuff!" The few times they'd gone out for ice cream or asked her to taste-test a new recipe, he'd learned so much about beef. It felt like she knew everything about how to cook its various cuts, the cattle industry, and the beef-industrial complex; he didn't know how to apply it all. Ikumi Mito was quite the expert, and Soma loved learning from experts in their crafts. As for Ikumi, well…
"Of course I do. Don't let this cute face fool you," she said flirty. "I'm serious about my craft. Beef production is the most unique and complex lifecycle of any food group." They sat across from each other in a burger shop that purchased their beef from the Mito Group. They just polished off two bison burgers and a large order of fries.
"Don't worry, it doesn't."
"Good.
"I know you're scary-"
"Hey…watch it!" Ikumi roared in his face, her pet cleaver glistening on the table. Soma threw his hands up.
"Scary good! Scary good! You didn't let me finish."
Ikumi backed up, and Soma let out a sigh of relief. She looked at him with bashful eyes and a limp fist in his face. "Soma Yukihira, you really know how to push people's buttons. You know that?"
He rubbed his nape. "Heh, yeah. I've been told." He moved her fist out of the way. "Namely, by you, the girls back home and at Polar Star…Oh! And Nakiri, too! It seems like she yells something of the sort every time we're together. So, I'm used to it by now." He laughed so hard tears pricked the corners of his eyes. Unbeknownst to him, Soma was blushing.
Ikumi's eyes narrowed. "Is…that who you…"
"Hm?"
"Oh, never mind! Forget it, Yukihira!" She stormed out of the booth.
At least once every time they hung out, Soma would notice how she dropped her passive-aggressive nature and became very shy and unsure of herself. Almost as if she were that little girl he met when he won their Food War. It struck him as strange because Ikumi's shy personality directly opposed her sensual persona. He was still figuring out how he was supposed to engage with the sensitive side of her. He followed her outside.
"Meat-Meat? What's wrong? Was it something I said?"
She stopped beside her S.U.V. and leaned back on the grill, calmer but still affected. "It's...nothing. Ready to go?" Soma eyed her. He wanted to tease her and call her 'chicken' but thought better. He nodded and hopped in the passenger seat. She pulled out of the parking spot and sped off, her lead foot peeled down the residential street. A new Mozuya location was being constructed at the end of the block.
"Ha! Can you believe how fast this chain is growing?" Soma pointed up ahead. "It's like they're laying eggs!"
"Funny. But it does seem like there's a new one popping up on another corner every other week," she replied, putting on her turn signal and whipping her steering wheel.
"That Eizen sure knows how to run a business."
"Yeah, when he's not running his filthy mouth." Ikumi's snide comment loosened her up. It felt safe to speak again. "I had fun taking them down with you at the Sumire Station, though."
"Yeah?"
Ikumi only nodded, her eyes glued to the road leading back to Tohtsuki. The late afternoon sun shone against her face.
"Y'know, the Green Goblin matches your eyes in the sunlight." They sat at a red light.
"Her name is name 'Piccolo.' And I know—that's why I chose the color."
"Ah, I didn't know you were a Dragon Ball fan! See? I knew I liked you!" He high-fived her.
She turned to face him. Soma kept his eyes on her as her chest bounced under her tied uniform shirt. Her eyes fixed on him. A look he was getting used to seeing from her—subdued but keeping up appearances. Soma knew he was good with people but wasn't the best at reading girls. In his humble opinion, Ikumi relied too heavily on her aggressive butcher schtick when she didn't have to. She was the total package without the sensual rage, but if that was her style as a chef, who was he to change that?
It's just that Soma couldn't help but notice that when she looked at him this way, all of that sexual bravado vanished. Her features softened, and she looked her age.
"Soma, do you like spending time together?"
"Why'd you ask that? Of course, I do! You're my friend, and like you just said, we have fun together," he said, beaming at her.
But it never occurred to him what she was really asking.
"What about you? Do you, Meat-Meat?" He knew she hated that nickname but liked how explosive she got after it. The aftermath would keep them both laughing for the rest of the day. But she didn't explode this time.
The light turned green.
"Yes, Soma. I really do."
How much spending time together genuinely meant to her never even crossed his mind. That was her story to tell.
Ikumi hit the gas.
-8-
Then, texting each other became a daily thing during the monthlong preparation for the Moon Festival. With the school's main event to celebrate the end of autumn almost in full swing, there were lots of culinary-related things to go back and forth about— food stall preparations, classes, and, in Ikumi Mito's case, the Don of Bowl-club—and their mutual support was proving invaluable.
And that's what Soma was being scolded about by the Don in her research society's room for the third time since he decided to do his own thing for the Moon Festival.
Soma chuckled and cupped her exposed shoulders with his bandaged yet warm hands. "You really gotta chill, Meat-Meat. I'll be fine. Just do your best in the Main Area, okay? You got this!" He took her hands, a devilish grin spreading across his mug. "Do it for me, 'kay, Sweet Meat?" His playful wink to seal the request frazzled Ikumi; she just stared and nodded. Soma smirked; she looked just like Megumi whenever she did that, especially since it seemed only to happen when he gave her the same pep talk.
It's probably just a coincidence.
"I should actually head back to–" *buzzzzbuzzzzzbuzzz*
Soma pulled away and watched Meat-Meat hesitate to move before angrily taking her phone out of her cleavage and yanking it to her ear.
"What?!"
Soma didn't need to hear the caller's words to recognize the whiny cries of the self-defeating teen.
"Kanichi! Use your goddamn words—sorry, Soma. Will you please excuse me?—No! Don't you dare leave that mess for me, you piss for brains! You stay right there; I'm on my way!" She roared, ending the call and roaring again. Soma laughed from his gut at the scene.
"Kanichi's never gonna change, eh?"
"That idiot hasn't changed since he bitched about coming out of his mother's twa-"
"Woah, Nikumi!" Soma howled. Her breath hitched at him using the nickname. "That sizzling tongue is NSFW!" Soma found it funny how incensed she got over their anxious senior, like an older sister exhausted by her silly kid brother, but good jokes had a line. Plus, Soma knew Ikumi considered Kanichi a close friend, even if she never said it. She showed it with her devotion to their beloved Don Research Society.
"Go rescue the damsel in distress and keep me posted! I can always use a laugh to keep chef's block at bay." He reached out for a hug.
To his surprise, Ikumi responded with a huff and stormed off, screaming, "I hate you, Soma Yukihira," into the distance. He tilted his head, scratching the back of his head at her mercurial behavior.
So when Meat-Meat asked if he'd like to come to the Mito Group's Annual Harvest Gala the weekend before the Moon Festival officially kicked off, he thought nothing of it.
"Sounds fun! Can Megumi come too?"
Megumi froze upon entering the Polar Star kitchen. "Eh?" The two girls exchanged awkward glances.
"O-Oh…Megumi, I only have an invitation for a plus-one. I was inviting him as that," the pixie blonde shyly admitted.
"No, it's okay, Ikumi! I have a Regional Cuisine Research Society club meeting that evening."
"Your plus-one, eh?"
The meat master had come in clutch for him more times than Soma could count since their Food War, most recently helping him cross the finish line in his plans to beat Kuga-senpai with his food stall, making hujiao bing. She helped him taste the black pepper buns recipe. It was about time he repaid his friend. So he thought nothing of her sending a stylist for his suit measurements. He appreciated her coming to scoop him the night of the event, but the significance of the matching corsages and boutonniere she bought for them flew over his head. And he figured it only a matter of being a gentlemanly plus-one escorting her inside the exclusive venue and around to meet distinguished guests.
That is until she almost stole his first kiss.
-8-
The formal night started the way it would end: with Ikumi pissed at Soma over something he did wrong that he wasn't fully aware of but could tell he'd really messed up. He'd struck up a rather casual conversation with a beef distributor four times his age, and they'd become a rather boisterous pair in the elegant affair.
"Yukihira! What are you doing?" Ikumi scolded, pulling him by the ear to the side.
"Ow! Ow! Ow! I'm just making friends with a future supplier." He frowned, rubbing his ear. "Turns out, my dad used to visit his cattle ranch for choice meats a while back, so I'm tryna get him back on the winning team."
Ikumi's face dropped in horror. "Do you know who that is?"
"Nah."
"That's Izumi Mito! The top cattle rancher and owner of the best slaughterhouses in Japan!"
"How can a slaughterhouse be 'the best'?"
"Their beef standards are why the entire industry's quality standards even exist."
Soma clicked his teeth. "Ah, so he's a big wig."
"The biggest."
"But bald—" Ikumi rolled her eyes. "So, why'd you yank me away from him?"
"He's the president of the Mito Group's board of directors and the top sponsor of this event! That's why, dummy!"
"And?"
"And?! He's my uncle!
"Oh…Is that so? I knew the last name sounded familiar…"
"And he doesn't take kindly to disrespect. Wait-huh?! You forgot my surname, Yukihira?"
Mr. Mito strolled up to them with a wide smile. "Ikumi, I see you know the young Yukihira from Tohtsuki?"
"Uh-um, yes, uncle." She bowed. "He's a peer. I hope he hasn't been out of line."
Soma screwed his face at her. "What?!"
The older man laughed. "Boy, I'll tell ya, Soma Yukihira. You are your father's spitting image. Here's my card. Call me anytime." He slapped Soma's back firmly and walked off.
Ikumi stood stuck, watching their interaction. Soma turned to her with his hands on his hips. "Looks like I'm uncle-approved!" Her expression softened at him.
"Yukihira?"
"Hm?"
"Would you like to dance?" She toyed with the peacock feathers pluming out the bottom of her emerald cocktail dress. Soma looked around. The music was some upbeat pop song. People were on the dance floor, but only the women were dancing. Still, he agreed and took her hand. They made their way to the dance floor as the music slowed down. More couples made their way. Soma wouldn't say he's an awkward dancer, but it did feel weird to be this close to Meat-Meat.
Refusing to make eye contact, Ikumi spoke, "Thank you for agreeing to be my date tonight." She placed her hands on his shoulders, and he kept his hands at her sides. They rocked and swayed with a bit of distance between them as they spoke.
Date?
"You're welcome!" As though he'd just served up a delicious meal. Ikumi shook her head, giggling at him.
"You're too silly, Soma."
"I know, I kid. But for real, it's been pretty cool chatting it up with the top folks in the industry." Soma felt something was happening in his face, but he couldn't figure it out. "Thank you for letting me be your plus-one."
"No, thank you for saying yes. It's been nice being here with you."
"Yeah, we're a big hit! You should book me more often," he said with a wink. "Oh, and thank you for this suit! Who knew I could pull off Tom Ford?"
"You're welcome," she purred his famous line seductively.
It caught him off guard. He didn't mean to snap his head away from her; kissing Ikumi Mito had never even crossed his mind before she tried to. Her glossed pucker landed square on his left cheek as his eyes grew wide as the ocean. He had no intention of embarrassing or rejecting her, either.
But something caught his eye—or rather, someone.
And as cheesy as it sounds, that was the instant Soma knew he wanted to save his first kiss…
For her.
-8-
Something told him to look up.
He saw her intricately woven top bun before her face. His heart thudded like a sonic wave. Erina Nakiri entered the ballroom looking so stunning that Soma's jaw dropped. She looked like she was walking on air. The entire function turned toward the fashionably late socialite—more than usual due to her striking beauty—and followed her with their eyes. Hisako was behind her in a formal black kimono, and two security guards flanked both sides.
"Nakiri-san! It is an honor! We were not expecting you!" Ikumi's father said, rushing to meet her at the entrance. It was Soma's second time laying eyes on the well-connected man that night. He was tall and slender, with a severe presence while speaking to other guests, but he practically bowed before Erina.
"S-Soma?" Ikumi looked over her shoulder, then back at him. His mind was in tunnel vision. He gently pulled away from Ikumi and stepped to the side. Erina's glittering silver ballgown draped her frame like mercury. A large black fur shawl was slinked around her exposed shoulders. She was a disco ball wonder to behold. He stepped forward.
"I'm going to get something to drink, Yukihira," Ikumi mumbled. The girl he was just dancing with, now a distant memory of his attention, deflated and walked away.
"Oh-o-okay," he absentmindedly said. Soma missed her sullen expression because Ikumi's father had just stepped aside to welcome Erina inside, and time seemed to have slowed. He saw her flash a brilliantly white, professional smile at Mr. Mito. He saw her slightly bow, her bun never moving a millimeter. He saw her slowly hand Hisako her purse and rotate toward the center of the venue. He saw her face him.
The two opposite magnets locked eyes from across the dance floor, and time froze.
a/n: things are brewing and getting hot in the kitchen now that we are in the moon festival arc! ikumi is one of my most beloved characters, and a prominent supporting character and friend to soma who didn't get enough screentime imo. so, i hope you found the easter egg in this chapter...if you catch my drift...
one announcement: i have a special surprise for you this week that will be a part of this story but not where we are in this story yet. i'll explain more in/after that surprise is revealed.
as always, i love reading your comments, so pls leave a review, follow, favorite, and share this story with someone in the fandom you think would enjoy reading it, too!
-You're Welcome!-
8.20withlove
-i do not own the rights to Shokugeki no Sōma, wahwahwaaaah
¯\_(ツ)_/¯