First of all, hi again! I've been struggling with my thesis for the past few months that it took me forever to update this. Thank god I got my degree now yet I'm struggling with another part of life, being a jobseeker! Lol anyway thank you so much for those who have kindly review this story!

hobaistos, L, Guest, darktatsu01, nagitochris, JustReader17, Dalisay08, that-girl-on-the-corner, .gomez : thank you for reading and giving a positive response! 3

Madeline Axelle : lol nooo im not killing him, not right now at least :P thank you so much for reading!

Hinate : hi there, this is the update! thank you for waiting XD

Hope you enjoy this!

Erina was awake five hours later only to find Soma wasn't. Not yet, she convinced herself. Her head felt like being hit by a giant rock. It's heavy and spinning, but it's okay. She was fine. But Soma was far than fine. His head bumped into the car's door, hard at that, and his arms got heavy fractured. While her driver got some front car glasses entered his eyes and broke his legs. It was almost like a miracle that Erina got nothing but some deep bruises on her nice skin. She remembered Soma pulled her into his embrace, pushed her head deep toward his chest so that she didn't bump into anything. Erina started to cry. It's been so long since the last time they met, but the redhead chef was still as impulsive as before, on protecting ones he cherished most.

"ERINA! Are you okay? Where did you get hurt?!" A loud voice suddenly outburst the silence. That voice…

"Alice! Your voice is too loud!" Erina scolded his cousin.

Alice pouted her mouth. "I'm worried sick and you just scolded me?! Ck I don't believe it."

Erina, being with her since age 5, only replied with a desperate sigh. "You know that's not what I mean, Alice. Besides, I'm all fine. It's all thanks to Soma."

A boy in black shirt who's standing there and ignored by the two finally asked, "So, where is Yukihira?"

At the mentioned name, Erina's eyes dim. "He is…..still unconscious. I just asked the doctor the condition he was in and she said he was in a coma."

That boy's eyes, Kurokiba Ryou, slightly wavering. Yukihira in a coma? Really?

Even Alice was shocked by the news. Her eyes widen in shock as she whispered, "Yu-Yukihira-kun? Erina, are you sure?"

Erina nodded. "The doctor said it herself. I want to visit his room but not allowed to."

"She's right. You should rest, Erina. Ryou and I will go check on him for you, instead." Alice said. Ryou nodded in agreement.

"But-"

"Rest here and be a good girl, Erina." Alice glared at her.

Erina sighed in defeat. She would let her do as she wish now. She had no more power to argue with her cousin anymore as she felt drowsy and slowly fell asleep.

###

After that, both Alice and Ryou went to see the doctor. She said that Soma had a severe brain concussion and it takes several months, at least, to fully recover. But waiting for him to be conscious is the first priority.

"Milady, he's really unconscious eh?" Ryou turned his head to his girlfriend.

"It's Alice, Ryou-kun! How many times have I told you that?" She puffed her cheeks in annoyance.

Ryou smirked a bit, then pulled the white hair girl closer. "Sorry, it's a habit, min elskede."

Alice blushed in deep red by hearing Ryou's word. She nudged the boy slightly. "Oh god, we are here to check on this boy, remember?"

"Sure, that's what we are doing now, I guess?" Ryou chuckled.

"He sure loves Erina much, huh, to take such a risk like that." Alice mumbled.

Ryou frowned. "Woman, you sound like you are not assured that I'd take the same risk for you."

Alice grinned widely, shrugging her shoulder. She knew well she could count on her boyfriend anytime. It's Ryou, after all.

###

A few hours later, Alice and Ryou came back, along with Akira and Megumi. It seemed like the former couple had told the other Totsuki alumni, especially the 92nd generation about the accident they had.

"N-Nakiri-san? How are you doing?" Megumi asked Erina, when she's finally awake.

Erina gave her a small smile. "I'm fine, thank you for coming."

"I'm glad that you're alright. Hope Soma-kun was as fine as you." Said Megumi bitterly.

"I'm sorry, Tadokoro. You must have wanted to meet him so much but-" Erina replied with the same bitter tone, if not more.

Megumi stared at Erina, whose face expressed a huge grief. "N-no, I'm sorry Nakiri-san. That's not what I mean. It's an accident, it's not you who should feel guilty." Megumi caressed Erina's back softly.

"But still-"

"Sssh, Soma-kun wouldn't want you to blame yourself. He must have loved you so much." Megumi said. Wow, just how damn good is my acting right now? Megumi inner thought whispered. This bluenette-haired girl was once a soft-hearted and delicate girl, yet the moment she let Soma go to Erina was the moment she was having the biggest remorse for. She knew that she must be the one taking care of him, not Erina. But still, Megumi in high school was no one compared to the Nakiri Erina. Maybe even now. Time flies though, and she didn't want to reminiscent the bitter memory. All that she cared now was for the full recovery of him, her best friend.

###

The night silently came. Now, all that was left was just Erina. Windows open, let the breeze softly caressed her hair. The redhead lad in front of her was still unconscious. Erina took his hand, entwined it with her own, and started whispering.

"Baka, wake up already. Don't leave me all alone anymore. You have no idea how much I miss you and long for you. You still haven't got my approval for your cooking, right? You still owe me many stories you had when you travel; about the food, the culture, and the girls. Girls that you always said are less interesting than me. How do they look like? How come after all these years myself alone was enough to make you back here? I-I'm no longer a princess, Soma." Erina was starting to sob. "You'll get nothing to do with me anymore. All the smile I've shown to you in our video calls were all fake. And I'm glad that you didn't realize it. B-but, now that you've come back, I made you put your life on the line for the sake of this ungrateful girl. Soma, I promise to be by your side. But only until you are conscious. I'm feeling like I don't deserve you. No, I've always been. Get well soon, love." Erina kissed the redhead's lips. But no replies. No movement.

Soma was falling too deep into his world.

.

.

.

Soma knew it. He could hear Erina's voice calling for him. This place looked entirely the same but the color shades. It was like a huge empty hall with some shades of white, black, and grey. The part he was now standing was the grey one. He had walked a few hours long towards the white part, where Erina's voice came from, and he still couldn't find its edge. Soma felt so frustrated that his red hair was now no more than a messy strands. Damn that damned truck! Where on earth is this place? I still miss my girl! He punched the floor, because he couldn't find the wall. It's endless, he decided to stop searching.

Soma lied on the floor, reminiscing the times when they are apart. I'm exhausted, Erina. Let me tell you some stories while I'm resting.

You know Erina, when I came to France I met a girl. She was a regular customer at SHINO'S. Why did I come to SHINO'S, if you ask? Because I barely knew anyone there but Shinomiya senpai, okay? So I started to come there often, asking him to try my new dish and learning some new techniques. This girl, her name was Emma, always came alone on Friday night. It's the time when she got off from her office. She always chose the table for two in the right corner, and seemed like waiting for someone. One day, after I finished my business with Shinomiya senpai, I walked to her table and sat in front of her. There was something with the way she stared blankly, if you asked me why. But I must have looked like a random guy hitting on a random chick, because she frowned at me and just kept eating her food. She was pretty and cold. Just like you, Erina, only with short brown hair. But she still answered my question about the food and why she liked to come there. But she stopped talking the moment I said she seemed to long for someone. I got too noisy, eh? I guess it's a sentimental reason and she definitely wouldn't tell me, at least for the first time. After that encounter, I kept on greeting her and asked around about France. No no, I'm not planning on cheating. You know me, Erina. But I should know why. Her gaze reminded me of my mother. Well, long story short, after countless attempts, she told me the whole story. She used to visit SHINO'S with her husband. Her late husband. She's still 23 but already decided to get married. You must thought it's painful to visit a place you used to come before with the one you loved when he's no longer there, but Emma thought otherwise. She said it's a way to remember him to the fullest. Her husband once told that SHINO'S was the best restaurant in the whole France because the dishes felt like home. Emma didn't believe it right away, so her husband took her there. She remembered getting teary-eyed after tasting its signature dish. Since then, they went there once a month. Until the time when she was informed that her husband died in an accident. Her world shattered down and she couldn't live up to her name ever again. Emma means complete, and she was no longer complete after her husband deceased. Even so, she still tried to. And coming to SHINO's regularly is her way of working on it.

Erina, if you were her, would you come to a restaurant you frequently come with me after I'm gone? Just like her?

But if I were her, I would definitely say no. What's the meaning of coming without you there? I would look like an empty shell looking for the way out of hell.

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Erina was out of breath. Soma was running away from her. She ran and ran but Soma ran away further. Soma! I'm here! Erina jolted up awake, sweats on her forehead. Another nightmare. She stared at the red lad chef in front of her, still no sign of consciousness. She took a deep breath and stood up to take some fresh air and get a glass of water.

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Erina? Why can't I hear your voice again? When will I leave this place?

Ah, there you are. You might just go to the toilet, eh? Should I tell another story?

This is about a girl I met in India. Her aura resembled Tadokoro so much, warm and full of motherly love. She said she liked me. That was after several encounters we had. She and I were in the same research group of curry. Hayama must have wanted to be in my place. The research group was evolving the secret recipe of the curry; substituted some ingredients with another through the trial and errors. And this girl somehow got so attached with me. I felt like her old brother, she said. Oh, I haven't told you her name, it's Devika Avanishwari. Pretty name, huh? I got told that it means queen of the earth, a queen who is like a god. Although the meaning was great, I didn't think it suits her well. I mean, a queen must be someone intimidating enough, right? Like…you? Hahaha even when you're intimidating, I love that side of you. Also, for her confession, you know my answer right away, right? Who needs queen of the earth if I have a queen of my world? Earth was only a space, but world defines more than just a space. It has its own system, and the system was not complete without you, Erina. That's why I came back. To come home.

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The dawn has come and the blonde-haired girl hasn't slept at all after the nightmare woke her up. Her eyes looked puffy as a little stream running down her cheeks. She has been staring blankly at his boyfriend for the past few hours, blaming herself to get him into that condition. I'm not a blessing, I'm a curse. Erina means blessing, but what kind of blessing did I give him? I only brought him bad luck instead. Soma, do I need to leave now?

Note:

min elskede (my love-Danish)