Chapter Text
Tōtsuki Tea Ceremony and Cooking Academy, or better known as Tōtsuki Culinary Academy.
This academy is a renowned culinary academy in the culinary industry. Due to its caliber and reputation, almost all aspiring junior chefs aspire to attend it to become world-class chefs.
But not everyone can enter this academy; they must pass a complex and difficult test before they can study. But just because they can get in doesn't mean they'll graduate.
At this academy, cooking is everything. If students fail to meet the teachers' requirements, they are expelled from the academy. This is why the academy has a very low graduation rate, less than 10% of all students who initially enroll.
Although the number of graduates of this academy can be counted on one hand, those who have graduated have become world-class chefs and this tradition has continued for generations since the founding of Totsuki.
But even so, there was one generation that broke this tradition that had been passed down from generation to generation.
This generation has produced the most graduates compared to previous generations and has also produced many amazing talents.
This generation is the 92nd generation of Totsuki, better known as the “Jewel Generation.” A generation filled with geniuses.
And on this day, in a dormitory called the Polar Star Dormitory, the generation known as the ‘Jewel Generation’ is celebrating their graduation in the dormitory’s spacious dining hall.
“CHEERS!!!”
"Fuahh, I didn't think that we would all graduate from this school, right, Ryouko?" Yuuki said cheerfully.
“You’re right, Yuuki. I didn’t expect that either,” Ryouko replied with a smile, then glanced at the girl beside her in confusion. “Hm? What’s wrong with you, Megumi?”
“N-nothing, it’s just that I didn’t expect it either, even though my grades were always on the verge before,” Megumi said, moved.
“Come on Megumi, why are you always worrying about that, even now you graduated as the 6th Seat of Totsuki’s Elite 10, that’s an amazing achievement, and also we’ve already graduated so we don’t have to worry about that anymore,” Yuuki said while embracing Megumi with her arms.
Totsuki's Elite 10 is an organization consisting of the top 10 students in Totsuki, the highest-ranking organization in the academy. The Elite 10 wield so much authority that they can even decide the fate of the academy itself.
“Yoshino-san is right, Tadokoro-san,” said someone behind them.
They turned to see the Aldini brothers and Mito Ikumi walking towards them.
“It’s not good to keep putting yourself down, you should be proud of yourself for what you’ve achieved so far,” Takumi said.
"That's right, Megumi. You've come a long way from your old self, with everything we've been through these three years. You have every reason to be proud. Especially since you graduated as one of the Elite 10," Ikumi said gently.
Just like Megumi, Takumi and Ikumi are also members of the Elite 10. Takumi occupies the 5th seat and Ikumi occupies the 10th seat.
“I guess you guys are right, sorry for being like that,” Megumi replied with a smile.
“Haha, no need to apologize like that,” Yuuki said with a laugh. “Oh right, by the way, what are you guys planning to do after graduation?”
Takumi and the others fell silent hearing Yuuki's question, they then looked at each other before a few moments later starting to give their respective answers.
“We will both return to Italy to develop our restaurant,” Takumi said, Isami nodded in agreement beside his brother.
“I haven't decided yet but I don't want to stray too far from the culinary and cooking field,” said Ryouko.
“I’m going to work at my family’s inn, I guess I can help them in the restaurant department,” Megumi said.
“If it’s you, I don’t think it’ll take long for you to become a head chef,” Yuuki teased, making Megumi blush. Then, she turned to Ikumi. “What about you, Ikumi?”
“Me? I’ll be working at my family’s company since I’m the heir there,” Ikumi said. “What about you?”
“Well, to be honest, I'm interested in running a meat business too, especially in the livestock meat sector like what I usually do here.”
“Oh, if you are really serious, maybe we can run a business together in the future.”
“Really!? Wow, thank you, Ikumi!” Yuuki said happily, jumping up to hug Ikumi.
But before Yuuki could reach her, Ikumi immediately spoke, “But if this partnership causes me losses, then I will terminate it without hesitation.”
Yuuki immediately froze upon hearing this, after which she pouted, “You’re really good at ruining someone’s joy.”
“That's business,” Ikumi said with a grin.
Megumi and the others could only laugh at the conversation while Yuuki finished her drink to lift her spirits again.
“Hmm, they’re really enjoying this party over there,” Shun said as he sipped his drink and watched Megumi and the others from a distance. Like Megumi, Ibusaki Shun was also a member of the Elite 10 and held the 9th Seat.
“You’re right,” the man beside Shun said wearily. Shun turned and glanced at the man in surprise.
“What’s wrong, Marui? You look down, are you not enjoying this party?” Shun asked in surprise, it was unusual for him to see Marui Zenji looking down when partying outside his room.
“Huh? No, it’s not that. I’m certainly enjoying the party since it’s our graduation. It’s just…” Zenji pondered for a moment, then turned his attention to everyone in the room. “…This is our last party in this dorm.”
“…”
Shun fell silent hearing Zenji's words, it made him realize that this would be the last time they could party at this academy, as Totsuki students, and as residents of the Polar Star Dormitory.
Partying after achieving something is a common event for the residents of the Polar Star Dormitory, no matter whether the achievement is something small or big, they will still hold a party as a form of gratitude.
At the party, they had fun and enjoyed doing things they enjoyed, such as cooking competitions, exchanging ideas, and many other things that helped them improve their cooking skills. Therefore, parties are a favorite event for the residents of Polar Star Dormitory.
And now, this party would be their last. The thought of them no longer being in this Dormitory made something inside Shun feel empty.
Shun sighed, he leaned back in his chair and followed Zenji's gaze to look at everyone, “It's been a while, huh…”
“…Yeah, without realizing it, we have graduated from this school,” said Zenji.
“Time flies after what we have been through while studying here.”
“Yes, you are right.”
A silence fell as the two boys reminisced about their experiences at Totsuki. Unbeknownst to them, two other boys overhearing their conversation were displeased by the melancholy atmosphere.
“Oh come on you two, you say that as if we’ll never meet again,” Shouji said.
"Yes, that's right. Even though this is our last party in this dorm, it doesn't mean we won't see each other again. We can even have a party like this every day if you want," Daigo said, nodding.
“Every day? That’s too much,” Shun said, sweating slightly.
“Yeah, the party won’t be special anymore,” Zenji agreed, but he smiled slightly. “But you guys are right, this won’t be the last time we get together like this.”
“Right? So come on, stop saying those gloomy things and let’s have some fun,” Shouji said with a grin.
“Yeah, let’s go!” Daigo said excitedly, he and Shouji then dragged their two friends into the middle of the party.
“Ah, hey! Don’t drag me,” Zenji shouted.
“Hahaha/Hahaha!”
Daigo and Shouji just laughed and ignored Zenji's struggling, while Shun just sighed in resignation as he was dragged away.
"As usual, this place is always noisy," Akira said, leaning against the wall, away from the people at the party. That doesn't mean he doesn't enjoy parties, though, he's just not a very sociable person. By the way, he's also a member of the Elite 10, occupying the second seat, and possesses the superpower of a highly sensitive sense of smell, which gives him a very advanced cooking ability.
"Hey Hayama, even though we've graduated, our fight isn't over yet," Ryou said, walking closer with a sharp gaze on Hayama. The black-haired man was also a member of the Elite 10, the 3rd Seat.
“Of course, train harder, number 3,” Akira said with a snort and a small grin.
“Just you wait! I'll defeat you and Yukihira at the same time!” Ryou replied, if he were in his ‘Berserk’ mode then he would have definitely yelled at Akira by now. While they were talking, suddenly Ryou’s hand was pulled by someone.
“What the hell is that, Ryou-kun! You say that as if our rivalry is nothing!” Alice shouted. Just like the two of them, Alice was also a member of the Elite 10, occupying the 4th seat.
“Miss, you are noisy,” Ryou said in an indifferent tone as his body was shaken by Alice.
“What did you say! You’ve been getting rougher with me lately, Ryou-kun, it looks like I’ll have to discipline you even harder!” Alice snapped.
"Geez, Kurokiba was right, Alice. You're so loud, you can even be heard from the other end of the room," Hisako said from behind Alice, drawing the attention of the other two. This girl was the 8th seat of the Elite 10 and a master of medical cuisine.
Alice turned around with her cheeks puffed out, “You too Hisokko-chan!”
“Don’t call me Hisokko!” Hisako shouted in annoyance, this being the umpteenth time someone had called her that. “Really, when will they stop calling me Hisokko or Secretary Girl? My name is Arato Hisako!!”
Ignoring Hisako's inner annoyance, Alice moved on to another topic, "By the way, what are you guys going to do after this? Ryou-kun and I are going back to Europe."
“I will remain Erina-sama’s secretary,” Hisako answered firmly and without hesitation. Then they turned to the last person who hadn’t answered.
“…”
The three of them waited patiently for Akira's answer, while the man himself was deep in thought, his eyes closed. Then, due to the silence, he opened them and realized he hadn't answered.
“Ah, I guess I’ll stay at Jun’s seminar after this,” Akira said, surprising the three of them.
Hayama Akira is undeniably one of the top five best of Totsuki's Jewel Generation. His super-sharp sense of smell makes him a master of food aromas, and he can even determine the type of spice just by smell. It's no surprise that he's sought after by restaurants around the world after he graduates from Totsuki.
And now, Akira has decided to continue Professor Shiomi Jun's seminar research as he usually does every day, the information of course shocked Alice and the others.
“Are you serious?” Alice asked.
“Yes, I can't leave Jun, that woman can't do anything without me.”
“Oho~, is that all or is there something more?” Alice asked with a teasing smile.
"What are you saying? There's no such thing. Everything I do for her is to repay her for what she's done for me all this time. If she hadn't helped me when I was little, I wouldn't be where I am today."
Alice and the others knew how deep those words were for Akira, so they decided to keep quiet and not discuss the matter further.
“And here I thought you were going to run your own restaurant,” Ryou said.
“A restaurant, huh. Well, I might think about it in the future.”
The restaurant opened by Hayama Akira will definitely be a leading restaurant, Akira's name is already well-known in the culinary and cooking world, of course food lovers will not want to miss the opportunity to taste Akira's food.
But that won't happen now because Akira has already decided his future.
“So in the end we will all go our separate ways and choose our own paths,” Hisako said, changing the topic.
“Yeah, that’s what happens when we graduate,” Alice said. “But that doesn’t mean we won’t see each other again, okay? We have to have a reunion at least once a year, do you understand? I won’t take no for an answer.”
Akira and Hisako didn't complain at all and accepted Alice's request, while Ryou didn't say anything and simply followed his mistress's orders. After all, it was something they wanted too.
“Good,” Alice said, nodding in satisfaction, then she took a sip of the drink on the table while looking at everyone in the room. “By the way, where’s Erina, Hisokko-chan?”
“Eh?” Hisako gasped in confusion, then looked around the room and realized her mistress wasn’t there. “R-Right, where’s Erina-sama? I thought she was in this room earlier.”
“Not only her, the person who is usually the loudest is also not here,” Akira said while crossing his arms.
“Oh right, Yukihira-kun isn’t here either,” Alice said, raising an eyebrow.
“I’m going to look for Erina-sama,” Hisako said as she started walking, but Alice immediately pulled her hand.
“Oh, no, no, you stay here and enjoy the party, Hisokko-chan. It’s not like Erina’s in danger or anything, maybe she just wants to be alone right now. You don’t want to bother her like that, do you?”
“But…” Hisako hesitated, but after thinking about it more carefully, Alice was right. There was a chance that her Lady wanted to be alone, and if she came to see her, it would probably only bother her.
“Okay, I understand,” Hisako said, giving in and sighing.
“Good, now let’s enjoy the party. Come on, Hisokko-chan, it looks like they’re doing something interesting over there,” Alice said, pulling Hisako’s hand.
“H-Hey wait, don’t pull me,” Hisako said, a little overwhelmed. “And don’t call me Hisokko!!”
And so, the graduation party at Polar Star Dormitory continued.
= = =
While everyone was partying on the first floor of the dormitory, a beautiful girl stood alone on the balcony of the dormitory on the second floor. She was gazing at the bright full moon while enjoying the cool yet refreshing night breeze.
The girl's name is Nakiri Erina, also known as "God's Tongue" due to her incredibly sharp sense of taste. She currently serves as the headmaster of Totsuki High School, a remarkable achievement for an 18-year-old. Furthermore, while still in her second year, she also won the BLUE tournament, a global cooking championship for young people.
With her position and achievements throughout her school years, it's undeniable that Nakiri Erina is the best student and chef in Totsuki's Jewel Generation. Her culinary skills, combined with her "God Tongue" superpower, make it difficult for other students in her generation to catch up.
But that doesn't mean she's unattainable. Despite all her accomplishments and status, there's still one student in the Jewel Generation who's managed to reach her, breaking through all the barriers that kept Erina and the other students apart and reaching her. It's a student whose cooking skills Erina recognizes, even though she's too shy to say so.
The student's name is…
“Yo, Nakiri.”
A voice called out to her behind, Erina turned to the source of the voice and saw a boy leaning against the entrance waving at her.
The boy had striking features, fiery red hair, golden eyes, a scar on his left eyebrow, and most notably a towel tied around his left wrist.
“Yukihira-kun,” said Erina, acknowledging the boy’s presence.
The boy's name was Yukihira Souma. He was a Totsuki student from the same generation as Erina, the Jewel Generation. He was also a resident of the Polar Star Dormitory, and most impressively, he was one of Totsuki's Elite 10, occupying the First Seat during his first year.
Souma is a unique and special student, with no particularly lavish background, coming from a small, humble family restaurant. But with his years of experience as a chef, he overcame all obstacles and rose to the top in just a year.
With Erina holding the position of Headmaster and Souma occupying the First Seat while still in their first years, the two have written their names in Totsuki history as students with the most impressive achievements. Since no other student has achieved their feats, the closest is Erina's father, Nakiri Azami, who achieved the Third Seat while still in his first year.
“What are you doing here alone?” Souma said as he walked over.
“Nothing, it's just that I'm reminiscing about my school days,” Erina replied.
"Oh I see..."
“And what about you? What are you doing here, Yukihira-kun?” Erina asked.
"Hm? Oh, nothing, I was just getting some fresh air. Everyone at the party was so excited it quickly heated things up," Souma replied, then closed his eyes and enjoyed the breeze.
Erina continued to stare at Souma until she realized her cheeks were flushed, then she turned her attention back to the moon. But soon her eyes returned to the boy, somehow finding it hard not to notice him.
Yukihira Souma. Initially, Erina hated Souma from the moment they met, thinking he was a very annoying person and a virus that entered her life. But as time passed and after everything they faced at school, that hatred faded and turned into a feeling that made Erina's body heat up when she was near the boy.
Actually, because of Erina's love for Shoujo manga, she already knows what feelings she has for Souma now, but Erina is too embarrassed to admit it, especially when remembering her attitude towards Souma all this time, even now she still hasn't admitted that Souma's cooking is actually delicious.
“Three years, huh…” Souma said, breaking the silence between them, making Erina turn to look at the boy. “I never thought time would pass so quickly.”
“Hmph, that’s fast for you since you often disappear during school,” Erina snorted and crossed her arms. “But since you’re the First Seat, I can tolerate it.”
“Hahaha, sorry about that,” Souma said with a laugh, before he smiled slightly. “It’s just that my loss to you in the BLUE Finals last year made me think that I still have a long way to go, and that made me want to get stronger. That’s why I’ve been training around the world.”
“Are you that upset because I beat you?” Erina asked raising an eyebrow.
“Yeah! I lost to you, and I couldn’t even get you to say my cooking was delicious, which makes me want to improve my skills even further,” Souma said irritably, running a hand through his hair. “By the way, what are you going to do after this, Nakiri?”
Erina was momentarily taken aback by the sudden change of topic, but she still answered, “You already know that I have a job, Yukihira-kun, so I don’t need to answer that.” Erina closed her eyes, remaining silent for a moment before opening them. “But…”
"But?"
“Honestly, I’m tired, Yukihira-kun,” Erina sighed. “I’m tired of dealing with the problems we’ve been having all this time. I love cooking so much; it’s always been a big part of my life, but now I can barely enjoy it because of these problems. All I want is to cook freely without any burdens on my shoulders.”
Starting from her father's cruel learning period which resulted in a change in her character, then Totsuki's dark period when her father carried out his plan with her as the center, then her problems with her mother which resulted in her almost being swallowed up by a 'storm', and even though the past year Totsuki has been peaceful, she is busy with her duties as the Headmaster whose schedule is so tight that it reduces her time for cooking.
“So, actually I really don't know what I want to do after this,” Erina said wearily.
This is the same case as Saiba Jouchirou who stopped cooking because he was too much of a genius that he got lost aimlessly in a storm until the storm itself swallowed him, as a result Jouchirou stopped cooking because he lost his purpose in cooking.
If Jouchirou was lost because of his own genius, then Erina was lost because of the pressure from those around her, the pressure that everyone put on her. Although Erina could still cook, she no longer enjoyed it because of the people around her.
“Nakiri…”
“F-Forget what I said,” Erina stammered, her face flushed, realizing she had just dumped the burden she had been carrying on Souma. “A-And you, Yukihira-kun. What are you going to do after this?” Erina tried to change the subject.
“Me? Well, I guess I’ll travel around the world to train some more,” Souma said.
At that moment, Erina immediately froze, she felt like something was cracking inside her body and unconsciously shouted, “AGAIN?!!”
“Whoa, calm down, Nakiri. What's wrong with you? You startled me,” said a shocked Souma.
Erina tried to calm herself, but she felt an overwhelming sense of unease welling up inside her. “Again? Why would he want to leave me again after being gone for a year?” Erina thought sadly. She no longer wanted to pretend to deny her feelings. During the year Souma had been gone, she felt incredibly lonely, as if the most important person to her had disappeared and would never return.
“Why?” Erina asked in a low voice. “Why do you keep practicing? You’ve been practicing before and you already possess extraordinary abilities that no one else has, so why? Why do you train so hard?”
“Why do you ask that, Nakiri? The answer is definitely that I will keep practicing until you say my cooking is delicious,” Souma replied with certainty, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Erina fell silent and stared at Souma with wide eyes, she was incredibly shocked to hear Souma's answer, "So he's been practicing so hard all this time because I never acknowledged the taste of his cooking?"
All this time, Erina thought that Souma asked her to taste the boy's cooking to judge her cooking, so she didn't expect that Souma was so serious about making Erina say that Souma's cooking was delicious.
“Why? Tell me, why do you want me to approve your cooking so badly? Is it because of me that you keep practicing so hard?” Erina shouted. She wanted to know, she really wanted to know why Yukihira Souma wanted her to taste her cooking and say it was delicious.
“Well, to be honest, that’s quite embarrassing for me to answer,” Souma replied, scratching his head.
“ANSWER ME!!” Erina shouted, unable to hold back her emotions any longer.
Souma flinched at Erina's outburst, his eyes widening as he saw her eyes begin to water. He didn't know why, but he felt a tightness in his chest at the sight of her in such disarray. He remembered the devastation she had felt when dealing with her parents, and he hated that. So, he decided to answer honestly.
“Okay, okay, I understand, I’ll answer it,” Souma said immediately. “But calm down first, okay?”
There was an awkward silence between them as Erina diverted her attention from Souma to calm herself down, honestly Erina was quite embarrassed after losing her composure earlier but she couldn't blame her because something inside her felt crushed hearing that Souma was going to leave her.
“…” Souma stared at Erina as she calmed herself down. He was quite surprised to see her expressing such a rare emotion, and it worried him. If his answer would calm her down, he would answer honestly, even if it might change their relationship.
“Have you calmed down?” Souma asked after seeing Erina take a deep breath.
“Yes,” Erina answered briefly. “Now please begin your explanation.”
“Okay, where should I begin with this…” Souma pondered for a moment, looking up at the moon in the sky, before speaking. “You know, I never thought about joining Totsuki before, I didn’t even know it existed.”
Erina was surprised to hear that, “Then why did you come in here?”
“My father told me to come in here, even though it was at your grandfather's request,” Souma replied with a shrug.
“What? Grandfather? But why?” Erina asked in surprise.
"I don't know, they never told me why. And it really pissed me off. I used to have a strong ambition to beat my father and become the head chef at the restaurant. Then suddenly my father told me to go to school here and gave me a challenge: if I wanted to beat him, I had to go to this school and train here. Hearing that, I accepted with enthusiasm and entered this school with confidence. That's when I met you."
Erina listened silently, still remembering that encounter. Her first encounter with a chef at a small restaurant that would change her life forever.
“When I saw you, I thought, ‘Ah, this girl is quite arrogant and has high self-esteem,’ and then I decided to conquer your pride with my cooking.”
Erina pouted at that, not expecting Souma to have such an impression of her. But if she thought about it more closely, she had indeed underestimated him at the time.
"Then it happened, you called my cooking disgusting. It was the greatest humiliation of my life, as if the confidence I'd built up over the years had crumbled with a single breath. After that, I swore that I would never let you trample on my confidence again and would make you say my cooking was delicious. That was the reason I trained so hard back then."
"Was?" Erina asked curiously. She also didn't expect Souma to be so hurt by her words back then.
“Yes, I kept practicing while thinking whether you would like the food I made, I kept practicing like that until it became a habit and when you kept saying my cooking was disgusting, somehow it boosted my spirit to practice even harder.”
Souma paused for a moment as the night breeze blew, he needed this coolness because what he was about to say now was quite embarrassing even for someone like him. Souma then looked down at his left hand which was tied with a towel and clenched it tightly.
"When I realized it, I'd grown so much from when I first entered Totsuki until now. I never thought I'd progress that far, even though I'd been practicing solely to make dishes that would make you say they were delicious. I searched for the reason for my progress until I remembered what my father once told me about the secret to becoming a great chef. Do you know what he said?"
Erina shook her head, not knowing the answer. But if it could also improve her cooking skills, she wanted to know. Especially if the tips came from Saiba Jouchirou, whom she admired.
Souma was silent for a moment, then looked directly into Erina's eyes with a serious gaze. Erina had to swallow, feeling nervous under Souma's gaze.
“My father said that to be a great chef is to find someone who means so much to you that you want to share your best cooking with them. Someone you want to share your cooking with more than anyone else, someone special.”
Erina remained silent, her mouth slightly open, her brain now in overdrive trying to decipher Souma's words. After a moment, Erina finally understood what Souma meant, and her face immediately turned bright red and her body became extremely hot.
“W-Wha… S-So, th-that means…..” Erina stammered, her head starting to spin and her eyes starting to roll from the embarrassment she felt. But she still tried to stand up, she wanted to know if Souma meant the same as she thought.
“Yes,” Souma replied. “You’re the one, Nakiri Erina. You’re the one I want to dedicate the best dish I’ve ever made to, and you’re also the reason I’m this strong now.”
Erina couldn't bear to hear Souma's words anymore, her face was now very red and she had reached her limit to maintain her body, she sat weakly on the floor with a pounding feeling in her chest.
“N-Nakiri, are you okay?” Souma said worriedly.
Erina didn't answer, she kept her head down and her hair prevented Souma from seeing her face.
“I’ll call Arato, wait here,” Souma said as he turned around, but before he could take a step Erina suddenly grabbed his hand.
“Wait,” Erina said weakly. Souma turned and looked at Erina, who was still looking down to hide her face. “Please don’t go, stay here.”
Souma stared at Erina who was looking down silently, he had many questions about her current situation but if his presence could make the girl comfortable then he would comply, "Okay."
Silence fell between the two of them as they sank into their own thoughts, Souma didn't know what Erina was thinking right now but he felt it was something big that made the girl still look down silently on the floor.
About 10 minutes later, Souma, who was admiring the beautiful moon in the sky, felt movement beside him. He turned his head and saw Erina had lifted her head. The girl started to stand and looked directly into Souma's eyes with a serious gaze.
“Nakiri?”
Erina didn't say anything, then took a deep breath and exhaled before looking back at Souma. For some reason, this situation reminded Souma of the past, when Erina first gathered the courage to stand up to her father.
“Yukihira-kun.”
“Yes?”
“You said you were going abroad, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then I'll come with you.”
“Okay.”
.
..
…
“Huh?”
Souma turned and stared at Erina in surprise, feeling as if she had just said something important and surprising. “What did you just say?”
“I said I'm coming with you.”
“W-Wait a minute, Nakiri. Are you serious?” Souma said. He hadn’t expected it and was shocked by the girl’s words, but now he realized he hadn’t misheard her.
"I'm serious."
“But don't you have a job now? What are you going to do with it?”
“I will resign.”
“Huh? Then who will replace you?”
“Alice.”
“Are you really serious, Nakiri?” asked Souma, still doubtful.
“Yes, I am absolutely serious.”
"But-"
“I’M GOING WITH YOU!”
Souma immediately flinched and took a step back hearing Erina's outburst, but he was even more shocked and widened his eyes seeing the tears flowing down Erina's cheeks.
“Did you know!? Back when we were in second grade and I found a letter you left saying you were going abroad, I was so upset, you know!! I always thought you’d be here with me, cooking and competing whenever we wanted. But instead you left without a word to anyone, not even me!!”
Erina screamed and let all her emotions out, ignoring the tears that were falling and letting them continue to flow. All she could think about was venting all the emotions she had been holding in all this time on the boy in front of her.
“I kept waiting, but you never came back! For me, that was…” Erina clutched her chest, which hurt her the most. “That was the most painful thing for me! You know!”
Souma felt as if sharp needles were stabbing him every time he heard Erina's words, and the most painful part was his chest. It felt as tight and painful as Erina's.
“When I heard you were coming home, I was so happy because I could see you after so long, thinking you wouldn’t be leaving again,” Erina added as tears continued to flow. “And now you’ve decided to leave again, I don’t want that!”
Erina couldn't hold it in any longer, so she hugged Souma and rested her head on his chest. She didn't want to experience the feeling of abandonment again. She had been abandoned by her mother before, and it had taken years for them to be together again. Based on that experience, she didn't want the same thing to happen to her and Souma.
“Please don’t leave me!” Erina pleaded as she clung to Souma with her tears never stopping.
“…”
Souma could only stand silently as the girl cried, curled up against his chest. At this moment, Souma experienced the biggest shock of his life, leaving him frozen, speechless.
Erina's words really hit his soul, all this time he had been practicing to improve his cooking skills so that one day he could make Nakiri Erina admit that his cooking was delicious.
But because he was too focused on his training, he unknowingly hurt Erina. Nakiri Erina is a noble girl with extraordinary beauty and high self-esteem, a genius, although arrogant, but talented in cooking that makes many people admire her.
But the amazing girl was now crying on Souma's chest, he didn't know how Erina felt about him but seeing Erina like this was very painful for him. Souma moved his hands and hugged the girl, he tightened his embrace and stroked the girl's head gently to calm her down.
They stayed in that position for the next few minutes, Souma didn't care that his clothes were wet from Erina's tears, his mind was now focused on something and it took a lot of determination for him to do it.
Soon enough, Souma finally decided what he was going to do. His resolve was strong; he didn't care what happened next, but if it would make Erina happy, then he would do it.
He will leave everything behind and create a place where Erina can be happy.
“Nakiri,” Souma began softly. “Are you okay with someone like me?”
“Un,” Erina nodded into Souma’s chest.
“Are you ready to leave your luxurious life and go with me?”
“I’ve decided,” Erina released her hug and looked at Souma. “I have no more doubts, Souma-kun.”
At that moment, as if something mysterious were moving within him, Souma immediately pressed his lips against Erina's. Souma usually wasn't interested or concerned about such things, but when he saw the beauty before him, he couldn't help himself.
At first, Erina was surprised by Souma's actions, but she didn't resist and allowed it. Instead, she felt a sense of comfort. Erina closed her eyes to deepen the feeling, her face flushed red and her heart pounding. This was something Erina had never experienced before, but she was enjoying it.
Under the moonlight, the couple remained like that for a while, sharing affectionate kisses, even though this was their first time. But even so, they enjoyed each other's company and shared comfort.
Not long after, Souma broke their kiss and looked at Erina with a smile, "Then let's go, Na-Erina."
Erina's eyes lit up, she was so happy that Souma called her by her first name, “Yes, Souma-kun,” she replied with a beautiful smile.
On that night, a big decision was made by the 2 best chefs in Totsuki history.
Decisions that will change their lives.
= = =
The next day, while everyone in the dormitory was still asleep from the party last night, Souma and Erina decided to leave immediately. They had finished their departure preparations and decided to leave early in the morning when no one was watching.
They sneaked out of the dormitory quietly so as not to wake anyone, and when they made it out, they took one last look at the dormitory.
“I never thought it would be time for me to leave this place, it feels like it was just yesterday that I registered,” Souma said as he looked at the dormitory with longing.
“Are you sure you don’t want to talk to them?” Erina asked.
“No, if we want our whereabouts to remain unknown then it is better to leave quietly.”
“…Sorry,” Erina said, looking down guiltily, because of her request they were forced to leave secretly, she didn’t want anyone to know about her decision.
"It's okay, don't worry. It doesn't mean we'll never see them again," Souma reassured his lover.
Erina was taken aback for a moment before smiling slightly, “Yes, you are right.”
Souma nodded with a smile, “Then let’s go.”
"Yes."
After all the preparations were complete, they finally set off towards the Totsuki gate to leave the school they had been living in all this time.
And so, their journey began.
= = =
Not long after that, the Cooking World was shocked by the disappearance of the 2 best chefs from Totsuki's 'Jewels Generation'.
Everyone tried to find them, even Nakiri Sanzaemon used his full authority to search, but no matter what they did the results were still in vain.
Nobody knows where the two chefs are, as if they had disappeared off the face of the earth.
///
Meanwhile, Souma and Erina continue their journey around the world for days, months, and years until their names are almost unrecognizable.