Hello readers! Alright I know... It has been a very long time since my last update and I apologize. I have just been reallyyy busy and honestly, I was lacking inspiration. Thank you for all the reviews and the follows! I realized I have the same number of favorites and follows lol.

I hope you are still willing to read this story 'cause it will have one or two more chapters. And once again, in response to some reviews, this is a collection of one-shots therefore every chapter is a different story. Besides, this chapter (rated T+) is rather Akira-centered, and focuses on my favorite crack ship!

I tried to explore Alice's character a bit more and a side of her motivations that I think were not fully exploited in the manga. It's only my point of view though lol. Otherwise there's mostly romance in this chapter.

Hope you enjoy!

Taking place after the Blue Arc, during the ninety-second's generation third year.

{^^}

The dawn came with a musical silence, the soul hearing the melody that the ears could not.

The sky had softened to blue, and the air was delicate and cool, brushing Akira's skin with moisture. The sun rose like a flower opening, gifting its petals unto Totsuki. Akira breathed like he had made it an artform, his chest slowly rising and falling, enjoying the fresh air. And it was that same air that appeased his keen sense of smell.

It was definitely his stress relief activity with all the work he had to do, especially now that he was the second seat of the Elite Ten council.

He suddently saw a skinny young man dressed in a delivery man's uniform, staggering through the pathway and holding large cardboard boxes in his hands. Akira watched him wobbling up the road, wondering who had overdone it again with the orders. "Excuse me..." the delivery man whispered as soon as he ran into him. "Can you tell me how do I get to the Nakiri's mansion from here?"

"The Nakiri's mansion huh..." he thought as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Obviously." he murmured as Alice's face popped up into his head. "Pardon? I didn't hear th- woah!" he spoke before he teetered back and forth due to his loss of balance.

"Do you need help with that..?" Akira asked in confusion.

"Actually.. Yes..." the latter tittered nervously.

As he carried two of the four cardboxes, he agreed to show him the way as they walked on in silence till they reached the front door that could accomodate a family of giraffes. The house behind the gate was gigantic, almost intimidatingly so. Naturally, the Nakiris' significant presence could be sensed from afar. Akira put the boxes down and rang the bell, whose chime had become more and more familiar to the latter. He had indeed become closer to Alice and Ryō than he thought he would be. Together, they were called the 'White Coat Trio' since the Moon Banquet Festival.

"I'm really grateful for your help." said the delivery man, trying to hide his embarrassment. His eyes flickered between Akira's eyes and the comfort of the rocky ground beneath them. They were certainly the same age. He was a novice.

"Sure." he replied placidly.

Within five minutes they were met with Alice's playful smile with a certain bounce to her step. She was already dressed in her cooking attire... with a rather incongruous tool in hand.

"Nakiri?" Akira spoke, surprised that they weren't sharply interrogated by their guards beforehand.

"Took you long enough, I was about to think you had ripped me off." she crossed her arms over her chest as she faced the young delivery man.

"I-I'm sorry ma'am. I take full responsibility." he said as he bowed his head respectfully. "Ahh don't take it seriously I'm just messing with you." she shrugged, as she held up her empty upturned palms, leaving him red in the face. "Oh Hayama-kun, you came too!" she turned to face the silver-haired cook.

"I just happened to- what are you doing with a drill in your hands?" Akira blurted out, despite the fact that it was a sunday and that it wasn't even eight yet.

"Oh this?" she answered in the same childlike tone. "I'm having a shokugeki with Ryō-kun tonight so I'm just making preparations and stuff."

"With that thing?" Akira raised his eyebrow, looking absolutely frightened.

"Yeah!"

"Shokugeki No Soma is a cooking manga." the delivery man uttered, deadpan.

"Who the hell are you talking to?" Akira asked, at a loss for words. It was simply a mess. "Anyways," Alice spoke up, "come in!"

At that Akira let out a long and regretful sigh, knowing that he'll have to carry those boxes through the endless stairs of this house.

{^^}

"My sous-vide machine is finally here." Alice exclaimed as she unpacked one of the boxes.

Akira on another hand, was dying to know where he could find a bottle of water. There was nothing for his mind to hang onto. Her kitchen looked like a research laboratory and was twice as large as Totsuki's shokugeki arena. With every step he took forward, he seemed to have moved elsewhere. Light gleamed through the window on to the shiny utensils that were put in a automatic drawer. The black cabinets and benchtops—that contrasted perfectly with the white walls—drew clear lines and gave a sleek finish to the kitchen. There were chemical products aligned on long shelves she seemed to have spray-painted herself. The streamlined features gave the kitchen a simple and elegant look. Just, how could anyone other than Alice cook in here?

"I can see that this is your world." Akira noted.

"Right." she simply replied. "Erina and I have our own designed kitchens. My grandfather thinks it's important that we feel comfortable and rooted in the kitchen." she continued with a beam on her face.

"... you mean there's another immeasurable place like this in this house?" a still insanely confused Akira shouted out.

"Ryo-kun prefers Erina's kitchen over mine 'cause he thinks I'm too extra..." she paused. "It suits me fine though!" she cheerfully beamed.

His face was blank with astonishment. Even after three years knowing Alice, she had never ceased to baffle him.

It was also one of the reasons why he had fallen for her.

"I'm done with that." she mentioned as she dropped the electric drill she carried, on the floor.

Akira discreetly approached her, curious to find out the purpose of that machine. She had bored holes on a wood block in which she had planted wooden skewers. Next she pierced each one of the ball-shaped food—that looked like stones—on the skewers, before she dried them in a convection oven.

"Could you pass me two eggs please?" she asked as she held her hand out.

"In case you forgot... I'm not Kurokiba." Akira began. "And for heaven's sake, I don't even know how to get out of here."

"Fine fine!" she rolled her eyes as she headed for the fridge, that was indeed a few light years away. There were four garlic cloves on the counter, a bit of salt, fresh lemon juice and olive oil. Apparently, she was making some sort of salad dressing.

"Well aren't you going to ask me what I am doing?" she spoke in the middle of a smirk.

"You're being too cocky for someone who's just learned that dressing recipe." he shot back. Alice had in fact spent a week in Spain earlier in the same month. "Alioli, isn't it?" he said as he was the one to wear a smirk on his face this time.

Alice only stared at him, agape with amazement.

"I have to say, it is nothing less that I expected from you Hayama-kun! You do have good culinary general knowledge!" she admitted. "And that surprises you..?" he muttered.

"Alioli is a garlic mayonnaise that is the perfect accompaniment to fish, rice dishes and even seafood. Its name comes from the Catalan words for the two main ingredients, all as in garlic, and oli as in oil. "i" means "and". I thought that I could dip the potatoes in it." Alice explained.

"So those are potatoes?" Akira asked as he pondered on that. "Yup. I've coated them with a mixture of agalita, lactose and black powdered color." she answered. "My grandfather didn't give us a specific theme but he wanted to be surprised. My aunt Mana is coming tonight so she'll be part of the tasters as well." she continued, while peeling and mincing the garlic.

"The current bookmaster of the WGO... Does she come here often?" Akira added before realizing that it was a misplaced inquiry. "-i'm sorry I didn't intend to..."

"She does come here on a more regular basis now. At least I'm happy that Erina doesn't feel abandoned by her mom anymore." Alice interrupted him in the most natural way possible.

The faint smile on her lips couldn't help but make him smile too. She really cared for her cousin.

"She's improved as a cook as well." she continued. The short silence following her words was rather revealing. As a result, Akira thought that he should have pushed this matter forward. Because who doesn't understand your silence would probably not understand your words, right?

"But?" Akira went on.

Alice narrowed her eyes at him and scoffed, knowing that he was one of the few immune to the mask she wore day-to-day.

"...But I'm still in her shadows."

In her renewed silence only her eyes glowed. They were red like the flickering flames of a fire. He looked—wide-eyed—into them, surprised that he finally got to hear her inner worries.

"I won't give up though! I will make a name for myself!" she exclaimed as she punched the air. "I'm already part of the Elite after all." she continued proudly.

Akira stared at her in silence, noticing that she was avoiding his gaze. It seemed like removing her mask made her feel a tad unsafe. "Every student in our generation used to think that she was a top-tier young chef, yet, she remains unsatiated. She, too, feels overshadowed by someone." he thought.

"I just want to know, how can she distinguish good or bad food. I've always thought it was subjective, or at least cultural. Must feel good to be a natural born talent huh." she said before putting the knife down.

Akira twitched a little at that, knowing full well that she referred to his exalted sense of smell too.

"It's not all about talent. It's about consistency and being able to improve. I can understand that you may feel that way sometimes, but I am not going to rub you in the right way; you won't get very far if you keep going like that." he retorted, as he came back down to his composed self.

Alice confronted him as she approached him slowly. "I do not need any lessons from you." The way her eyes squinted when she glared at him reminded him of a pit viper's slit-like pupils.

"Furthermore Nakiri, unlike the others, I think that food can be seen as a form of art." he affirmed, unfazed by her response.

She suddently toned down her expression at that, almost to the point that her façade fell apart.

"Good taste on the tip of the tester's tongue isn't subjective. I believe that there is a certain appeal to food that is indisputable to us all but that is then altered by our cultural background or personal experiences. It is normal that some of us were born to grasp that appeal just like artists have the ability to find the beauty in everyday objects. Like your cousin." he explained, still staring her down. "I may have an enhanced smell and she may have the god's tongue, but as chefs, I'm sure that when we have all learned to hold a knife for the first time we were on par with everyone else. Practice made the difference."

He rarely argued with his fists but his words packed a powerful punch.

As she stared into his light green eyes, she could feel the heat in her cheeks slowly turning her face into a hot oven. Her private thoughts made it worse. She faced him reticently, her gaze pacing from his eyes to his lips. Embarrassed by this moment, she turned around and pretended to search for a spatula. "I already understand all of this." she voiced with a touch of attitude in her words. "The exit is on your right, behind you." she spoke up. "I don't want to take up too much of your time." she finished weakly.

A retreating Akira hesitated to ask her these simple words, 'are you okay?', figuring out that she needed to stay alone. "Know that you can talk to me if you ever need to."

He eventually turned around and shut the door after him.

He met Ryō on his way out. He was wearing his signature bandana and carrying his knive bag.

"Huh? What are you doing here?" he spoke aloud as he raised one of his eyebrows.

Akira stared at him and remembered that it was better not to engage in a conversation when he was in that state.

"Good morning." was all he said as he walked past him. He could immediatly feel the growing irritation boiling up in Ryō's body. Avoiding the unpleasantness of conflict with Ryō was just useless.

"Don't ignore me!" he barked at him, his hair standing on end. "I was helping out Nakiri with her package." Akira replied, annoyed, and asking himself why he had to deal with so many children in the Elite ten. "Why were you not the one carrying these boxes by the way? Thought you were her right hand man?" Akira retorted in the most uninterested tone he could manage, turning back to face him.

"She had a shipment scheduled for today?" Ryō inquired, confused. He was the one to ignore Akira's provocations this time. "That's why she called me a billion times at seven." he muttered, louder than expected.

"And with all the new machines she has now, you'd better play a major trump card to win against her in your shokugeki." Akira added as the corner of his mouth twitched into his cheek.

"So she told you about it?" Ryō commented, holding back the urge to scream at him for being so damn cocky, but he had too much respect for Senzaemon who was probably deep into the arms of Morpheus. "Well I don't care." he practically growled. "I already told you to stop acting like a condescending asshole! I took Milady's seat a few days ago and I'm coming for yours so if I were you I'd wipe that smirk off my face!" he hushedly shouted.

In fact the White Coat Trio had made a habit of systematically challenging each other's seat, since they had entered the Elite Ten council. The Jewel Generation had indeed made Totsuki enter a new era. 'Commoners' like they were called, were more frequently admitted into the school as more and more of them took their chances in an elite gourmet world. Sōma Yukihira, the current first seat, was the catalyst to this outstanding change.

"Most definitely." Akira smiled as he walked away and turned a deaf ear to Ryō's protests. They had grown into good friends nevertheless.

{^^}

Later that day, Hisako and Erina were still working hard in her office that she had begun to occupy one year ago. As the new Headmaster, her relaxing time during week-ends had greatly disminished.

"So Yukihira isn't coming back this month either?" Hisako asked even though she already knew the answer to this question.

Erina let out a hopeless sigh as a response which indicated her desperation. "If he doesn't come back before next month I'm afraid I won't be able to do anything against his expulsion." she affirmed as she stamped sheets of paper she barely looked at. "His nonchalance gives me a rash." she mumbled on as one of her hands tightened into a fist.

"That's what you say but you'll always find a solution eh..." Hisako thought, giving her a soft smile. "Like father, like son." she spoke up.

"I guess." Erina whispered, as her gaze shifted to the wall. 'What if he shows up years later?' was what she worried about.

Joichirō randomly disappearing from her life was one thing, and Sōma—her dearest friend—was another. Who would've thought that he'd become so important to her when they first met? She was relieved that he was part of the few chefs that constantly strived for more, without losing themselves. He had helped her many times the past few years and remained indulgent with her which was actually quite a feat. She wanted him to know that she was here for him as well.

She suddently met her reflection in the computer's screen that had gone to sleep mode. She had adopted Hisako's former hairstyle when the latter had a thing for ponytails now.

That's when Erina recalled a 'conversation' she had with Sōma half a year ago.

Voices babbled like a mountain river as Erina walked down the school's corridor along with Hisako. 'Look it's Nakiri-dono. Did she get a haircut?', 'Woah, she looks fine like that.', 'It looks like she's meeting up with the Elite Ten. I saw her cousin Alice heading to the council room too.'

The unavoidable whispering certainly played a part in the sullenness of her character. She had thought that the students would gradually forget about her existence since her position change, but the gossiping just flew thicker.

She closed her eyes and breathed a long sigh before pulling the doorknob down.

"Good morning." Erina greeted her fellow comrades as she swept the room with her gaze. "It looks like everyone is here so let's get started." she declared as she took a seat at the head of the table. They all seemed to have noticed her new hair but none of them really mentioned it and just stared. Except Megumi of course. "You look so cute like that Nakiri-san!" she beamed. Erina glared at her a tad surprised, before answering with a small blush on her cheek. "Thank you..."

Hisako seated herself next to Akira, who was right next to Erina, at the corner position.

"Hello." she softly greeted.

"Morning." he replied before he took another sip of his coffee, eyes closed in contemplation.

He looked exhausted. After all, he was the one who handled Ryō and Alice's paperwork when they didn't have enough time, or when they simply forgot... especially Alice.

Hisako watched him out of the corner of her eye. He was the one who made her ponder on her role as Erina's secretary in the past and somehow thanked him for that. Their relationship had improved since then.

"However... Nakiri-san..." Megumi tittered, causing all the young chefs to look at her.

"Some of us are missing." Takumi followed suit, his eyes shifting towards Erina.

"As usual..." Nikumi added, pinching the bridge of her nose.

She raised her eyebrow and gave him a questionning glance. She scanned the room more carefully this time just to notice that they weren't here.

"Yukihira and Nakiri are never on time Miss." Mimasaka added as a smile stretched upon his face. Every generation had their careless members as it seemed.

A vein in Erina's forehead popped out but she tried to stay cool. It was always these two. They only cared about cooking.

"Milady was already here actually." Ryō spoke up in a slothful manner. "She ran to the cafeteria not so long ago thinking that you were going to be late."

"Me? Late?" Erina uttered as she held her hand on her chest, pretending to be shoked just to keep her rage inside. But she was boiling up. Hisako could almost hear the whistling sound of a heating kettle.

"The thing is Kurokiba-kun..." she voiced slowly. "She is not present right now so we'll have to begin without her." she yelled at him before standing up, and grabbing the marker placed on the whiteboard facing them.

Megumi tensed and looked at her in panic while the Aldinis and Ryō had their arms crossed over their chests, waiting for the meeting to start for real. Mimasaka—who had expected that situation as well—took his phone out of his pocket and reviewed his recent mails. Nikumi followed suit, but tried to phone Sōma instead. She seemed just as annoyed as Erina. Akira was still drinking his coffee and Hisako... was trying to buy time for the two latecomers.

"Erina-sama... You know you can't start without the remaining two members..." Hisako indicated calmly.

They were clearly used to this.

"H-Hisako?" Erina stiffened after realizing that Hisako wasn't following her up. "Well." she began more tranquilly. "...Shall I remind you that I am the new Headmaster therefore-"

She was interrupted by Alice's sudden appearance before them. It was followed up by Sōma's.

"It was about time Yukihira." Mimasaka said, his eyes still glued to his phone. "We were about to start without you."

"Finally!" Megumi exclaimed in relief.

"Really?" Sōma replied, with a wide grin on his face. "I thought it was against the rules?"

"I'm sorry about the delay Erina!" Alice apologized nonchalantly as she held up the chocolate bar she was nibbling.

"Is Nakiri Erina the only one you're apologizing to?" Akira commented.

"Oh, did you cut your hair? Nice! I approve." Alice practically jumped on her.

Erina stayed quiet and mused for awhile. She was not going to let that pass.

"You can all disperse to your respective activities. This meeting is over." Erina declared as she made her way through.

"What are you saying?" Alice facepalmed herself as she faked a dramatical expression. "We're not that late, are we? Come on."

"Punctuality shows your respect for other people. You take things way too lightly." Erina noted.

"You said it yourself that we were going to start without them." Isami mentioned. Takumi nodded in agreement.

"I apologize for being late Nakiri." Sōma spoke as he took two steps forward. "It won't happen again Miss."

Miss? He had never called her that. Why did she feel embarassed? No idea.

Alice giggled quietly as it softened the room. "He did call you his Queen during the tournament after all." she recalled. "It was quite bold.." Takumi muttered loudly enough for his brother to laugh at him.

Her face glowed red as every pair of eyes were looking at her. His golden eyes in particular that made her question their friendship.

"Don't make fun of me..." Erina said in a shy mumble.

"Oh yeah, that!" Sōma returned the positive vibes. "You didn't have it easy back then huh." he continued as he folded his arms behind his head.

"He really likes switching from one topic to another..." both Takumi and Nikumi narrowed their eyes at him. "I didn't think it would be a problem." Sōma stated in his usual teasing tone.

"Oh don't worry, she likes being called like that." Alice threw her two cents in.

"Stop it Alice!" Erina hissed.

Megumi and Hisako who were silently watching them, looked at one another and laughed.

Sōma suddently approached the blond and rested his eyes on her. It was like watching a movie on mute. Their gaze lasted a full second, drawing all the attention on them.

"...What?" Erina attempted to read his mind.

A faint smile came over Sōma's face. "You really look prettier like that."

Words left her.

In fact, everybody was at a loss for words.

"Oh my.." Megumi commented, her face flushing a deep pink. It reminded her of the time Asahi and him were clashing.

"Could you not flirt in public?" Takumi blurted out, when a small blush appeared on his pale cheeks. "Yeah guys... It's awkward." Nikumi muttered to herself, her head bowed and her eyes covered by her bangs. "Are you okay Mito-san?" Isami asked her, not surprised by the latter' sudden mood swing.

Mimasaka just sighed at all their childish reactions.

"What's wrong with her?" Ryō stated as he pointed at Hisako. He was inwardly wishing he could get out of here... Mimasaka turned to look at her when he froze.

"The kind of relationship they have is none of my business." Hisako stammered over her words as she fought her blush away. She was drenched in sweat, intertwined her fingers and moved her hands in a circular motion. Her usual calm self had been replaced by a carousel of uncomfortable ideas... Mimasaka sighed one more time.

"None... Of my business..." Hisako repeated when her entire face grew red this time, to the point that Akira perceived some fog centering on top of her head.

"Hey!" he interjected as he attempted to put his hands on her shoulders, to help her regain balance.

"Hisako! I don't know what you're thinking out there but you should stop!" Erina exclaimed before turning back to face the red head. "A-And you..." she tried to sound a bit more serious. But she failed. Sōma was still smiling at her as if he knew that she couldn't confront him that way.

"Wow.." Alice threw her hands up, next to her face. "Can someone tell me what's going on between you too?" she lifted her eyebrow, continuigly switching her gaze on both of them.

And surprisingly, neither of them answered. Sometimes silence speaks it all.

Sōma stretched his arms and yawned as he eventually took a seat at the table, much to everyone's contentment. "Anyway." he began. "Is this meeting still suspended Nakiri?" he asked.

Erina, who was still turning her back on them, closed her eyes and sighed in defeat.

Still staring at her reflection, she didn't realize that replaying the events of that day renewed the redness on her face.

"Uhm... should I turn the air conditioner on?" Hisako gently asked her.

Erina jumped back into reality as soon as she heard her voice. "I-I'm fine! Thanks." Erina assured, which slightly confused Hisako.

"I'm done for today. Thank you for helping me." Erina added as she closed her laptop's lid.

"Your mother is coming tonight right?" Hisako spoke as she turned her laptop off too.

"Yes." Erina smiled, staring into space.

{^^}

Jun was poured into the pages of her book. Ever since she was a toddler, she had always been passionate about biological sciences. Her thirst for knowledge—in particular for herbs and spices—had led her to explore new destinations around the world with a backpack, a camera, a notebook, and a big smile. But aside from achieving a personal career advancement, her unexpected encounter with little Akira was the best present she could ever wish for.

"Sweet pepper and chili pepper are from the same family of plants. In fact they both belong to the South American genus, Capsicum." she paraphrased.

"I thought you already knew that Jun." Akira provoked her. He was peacefully watering the plants that gave an organic feel to the Shiomi Seminar.

"O-Of course I did! Who taught you all of your skills for horticulture and mainly for spice crops?" she yelled out. "I only didn't know that they were first discovered by the Western world when Columbus travelled to America..." she admitted more quietly this time.

"Is that so?" Akira replied, with a genuine questioning tone in his voice.

"Yes!" Jun exclaimed. "He solely brought it to light though. This plant had already been domesticated six thousand years ago in Mexico or in northern Central America from the wild bird pepper!" she explained as she delightedly turned the pages over.

"I see. I believe that the wild pepper disappeared?" Akira inquired.

"Nope, it still exists. It is still consumed by the birds after all." Jun corrected. "But you're right, the varietal selection process can breed out the wild ancestors. It is the case of corn that has been radically altered through selective breeding." she continued. "Domestication and the beginning of agriculture were linked to the climate amelioration in the early Holocene. Its whole point was to choose parents with particular characteristics to breed together and produce offsprings with more desirable characteristics to humans."

"And by being more coveted, a natural selection takes place." Akira concluded.

"That's it." Jun softly stated, proud to see him keeping up.

"Less desirable or least advantageous plants are automatically overshadowed by the other ones. It's a one-sided competition for survival." he pondered.

...She could tell that he was upset. So she put her book down and turned in her chair to face him.

"What are you talking about Hayama-kun?" she asked worriedly.

Akira stayed silent for a while until the watering can emptied itself. The droplets grew, began to droop, and finally let go of the plants. They soon after disappeared into the potting soil.

"You were part of Totsuki's Golden generation weren't you?" Akira noted. "So you knew Yukihira's father right?" he finally faced her.

Jun's eye twitched at his words as she breathed in slowly.

"And what does this have to do with anything?" she barked as Akira took three steps back, as an added precaution.

"Some people called him a genius.. Didn't you feel powerless, or small next to him?" Akira clarified, before Jun found herself chuckling.

"What? This is serious Jun..." he spoke up. "Don't call me Jun!" she mumbled as she suppressed her laughter. "Whew, I never thought you'd ask me that Hayama-kun."

A faint blush of embarrassement came to his face as he turned to fill the watering can. "Nevermind." he frowned.

"Wait are you mad? S-Sorry!" she panicked as she wiggled her hands around. "It is true that Saiba-senpai's skills in cooking had provoked the wrath of a lot a frustrated students. It was an unhealthy competition." she said. "But it is the very few who do not surrender before these challenges that manage to graduate from Totsuki..."

"How do you know that they don't struggle behind closed doors?" Akira quickly replied to her statement.

"You're right I know nothing about it." she sighed. "But as competing helps us gain confidence and leads us to surpass ourselves, it is also destructive and depressing. Everything turns into an endless tunel for those who are at a clear disadvantage. Although, this happens to the ones who only compete in order to beat their peers." she mused.

He was listening quite intently.

"...I've always told my former classmates that reaching their goals was a slow process, and that quitting wouldn't speed it up. And that goes for you too Hayama-kun!" she shouted, crossing her arms over her chest. He gulped. "Never forget why you started! Hear me?" she continued. "Competition is just a plus... According to the Darwinian's theory—the survival of the fittest—we were meant to compete with each other. So don't let it be your main motivation." she pointed her finger at him.

Akira gently smiled at that.

"And as for the natural selection you were talking about, biodiversity boosts the ecosystem's productivity! It is important that we protect it. This is clearly shown by the fact that even after natural selection erased random flowers, the last one to stand will always shine among the other plants surrounding it." she countered.

His smile was still there.

She was the reason why he wanted to be the very best after all.

{^^}

"And the winner is..." Senzaemon left them hanging.

He, Mana and Erina nodded in agreement. Alice was smiling confidently and already thinking about her next shokugeki. Ryō remained perfectly impassive, and held his arms crossed. They were both remarkable chefs, but that day the winner was...

"Kurokiba Ryō." he declared, as Erina and her mother pointed their finger in his direction.

"Naturally." he sounded somehow proud, though he tried to hide it.

"Really?" Alice cut in as she placed her hands on her hips. "Guess I wasn't vigilant enough this time." she stated.

"Don't flatter yourself Milady, I would have beaten you anyway." Ryō shot back.

"You think so?" Alice glared at him, mischief lurking in her lips and eyes.

"Alice." Mana suddently raised her voice. "I would like you to have a taste of this." she spoke as she motioned for Erina's cream stew. She had indeed prepared dinner that night... Like every other day her mother came over.

Erina turned to face her, wearing an astounded expression on her face.

"Of course auntie!" Alice beamed. "But shouldn't we wait to start dinner before-"

She was interrupted by Senzaemon.

"Help yourself Alice." he raised his voice as well.

She instantly fell silent as she took a bowl and poured the soup in it.

She inhaled deeply and supped it up. That warm mixture was absolutely exquisite. The cream cheese was smooth while the chicken tasted immensely satisfying. She went for second helpings within a very short span of time without noticing it until she drew in a lungful of water.

"What the..?" she breathed, trying to understand what happened.

"See... this is how I want to feel whenever I try a dish." Mana cleared the silence that filled the room. "I thought that all of you Elites could at least achieve that." she uttered with a rather irritating tone.

Alice looked her up and down as the tension stretched between them. Ryō and Erina stayed silent, waiting for Senzaemon to allay the situation.

"I sent you here because I know you have potential." he eventually spoke up. "Yet you're dealing with the same problem you faced two years ago, at the elections. No, it started the moment you aspired to become a chef." he stated calmly. "Your style is the apex of cold cooking."

The wide-eyed cook stared, unsure of what he actually meant.

"You don't want to lose to Erina. There's nothing more than that in every dish you make." Mana completed his remark.

"Mother!" Erina interjected herself into the conversation.

"She's right." Senzaemon continued. "Cooking is always about those you love and care for. If you don't genuinely like it then you'll never be a good chef."

His words were painful. And for the first time in a while, bitterness was visible on her face. Ryō realized it straight away and stepped into the conversation.

"With all due respect old man, you've gone too far. Firstly, she worked hard to get in Totsuki, and certainly not because her grandfather was the Headmaster at the time. Quit your bashing already." he said, sheer fury growing on his face.

"Kurokiba-kun..." Erina glanced at him, surprised at how he addressed Senzaemon but shifted back her attention to Mana and her father. "Alice isn't someone to underestimate. Each one is making progress at its own pace." she defended.

"And I understand that." Senzaemon earnestly replied. "On the contrary, you don't seem to understand what I just said." he affirmed.

"Hey! Relax! Don't flip out..." Alice shouted out to which they all turned their attention back to her. "Erina. Ryō-kun. Thanks for being on my side." she looked at them successively. "But I get it grandpa... I'll make sure I won't disappoint you next time." she forced a smile.

Mana stared at her confusedly while Senzaemon forced himself to nod. "And I'll be waiting." he smiled.

Erina had lowered her head in guilt, and Ryō's frown started to fade away.

Silence fell on the room again.

"Now then." she clasped her hands together. "If you don't mind, I've been up since five, I can barely stand. So good night everyone." she waved at them and exited the room lest her eyes watered in front of them.

She wanted to be alone.

She wanted to settle down.

She locked herself up in her room and pulled the covers of her bed over her head.

{^^}

Akira felt his eyes becoming heavier and heavier as his consciousness ebbed away. When his thoughts became nonsense, he knew he was falling asleep. Now all he had to do was let go. But... he suddently heard a knock on the door.

The knock came quietly first and then there was a silence.

He didn't pay attention to it, thinking it was the start of his dream.

The knock was louder and faster this time, increasingly annoying the latter. He rolled onto the other side of the bed and pulled the blanket up over his shoulder.

Though their shameless persistence was getting ever more intolerable.

"What's wrong Jun?" he shouted out, turning his head in the door's direction.

"Stop shouting it's one in the morning." It wasn't Jun's voice. His eyes narrowed skeptically, without uttering another word.

Swinging his legs on the floor, he stormed out of his bed and marched towards the pounding door. But he suddently stopped in his tracks. He was close to drifting off but he knew that voice wasn't Jun's.

So he had his hand on a baseball bat, just in case...

He opened the door very slowly and carefully, as he lifted his other hand upwards, ready to swing the bat.

Het met Alice's elegant red eyes, as he threw the door open—with a bang.

"Nakiri?" he blurted out.

"Shh." she pressed her finger on her mouth.

She was wearing a red kimono wrap robe made of satin, that nicely hugged her figure. And with hints of green at the top, her perfume had a heart of lily and jasmine, supported by heavy sandalwood and vanilla. In opposition, he was simply wearing a brown knee-length short and a black sleeveless shirt. Akira did not say anything. He did not know what to say.

There was a shyness to her, hesitation to her body like he had never seen it before.

"May I come in?" she voiced.

"...Yeah. But hey! wait... How did you get in here?" he asked, agitated. "Oh, well, the front door wasn't locked." she answered without any type of pressure, as if it was conventional.

"What?" he exclaimed nearly dropping the bat. Was Jun absent-minded enough to the point that she'd leave her door open for any burglar? Hell yeah. How she was going to organize herself after his graduation, was his current stress. "How many times has she done that?" he thought, terrified.

"She left hers opened too so I figured the other door was the door to your room." she pointed at his room. "She did what?" Akira shouted as he put his hands on his head. The bat fell on the floor this time with a thud that dazed them.

"You're going to wake her up!" she hissed. "Don't worry, I've locked them on my way. I knew this was gonna be your reaction." she said as she made her way accross his room. "Were you really about to hit me with that?" she sniggered kindly.

Akira's thoughts were blank. He had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. And what was Alice doing here in the first place? That woman just knew how to make his heart beat. Literally. "Hearing persistent knocking on my door at this time is perfectly normal." he eventually replied as he closed the door.

"Sorry, I just had to take a break from the Nakiris a bit." she said as she sat on the chair of his desk. On it was lying a notebook open—probably a chemistry one—a stack of papers sitting under a paperweight, and a few pens.

"Did something happen at your dinner?" he asked, placing the bat back into the closet.

She ignored his question, when she noticed the picture he had on his desk. It was Akira in front of Totsuki's gates, at spring, with beautiful Cherry Blossom leaves flying in the wind. He looked so young and so grumpy, she thought. The lady by his side was none other than Jun, wearing a salmon-pink skirt suit, well cut and classy.

"Is that you?" she beamed. "You were so cute!" she took the picture with her as she bounced on his bed.

Nobody else had seen that picture... He snatched it back from her hands before she could save it to her phone. "It was on my first day of middle school..." he stated, rubbing the back of his neck, to which Alice giggled.

"She really means a lot to you eh." she spoke softly, as Akira remained silent. "You've dedicated your cooking to her after all."

Akira looked at her, still confused, and then pondered a bit. "That's right." he cleared his throat. He eventually took a sit next to her on his bed. The latter leaned his back against the wall—his bed was in fact, in the corner of the room, against the wall—resting his elbow on his bent knee.

And so the quietness grew in the room as both of their heads were turned in opposite directions. She was much quieter these days, as if she had become lonely. It hadn't dominated her emotions yet, and Akira noted the veil she put on now and then. He wanted to help her.

"Uhm I..." she began, apparently back in the conversation.

He raised an eyebrow at that.

"I'm sorry for this morning. I got carried away... I didn't want you to leave... " she admitted, as Akira felt a brief pressure in his chest. Looks like apologizing wasn't one of her strong points. "And you know.. you were right when you said that food is art. If you were not born with those artistic skills, making pleasant food can be strenuous." she commented, taking a deep breath.

He turned back to her.

"I just said that we can grasp a particular appeal to food... It has nothing to do with the ability to make good food or not." he answered, his tone low.

"But what is good food Akira?" she yelled, louder than expected. "Excuse-me." she lowered her tone. "...They keep telling me that my dishes are 'cold'. Molecular gastronomy studies the very core of flavor. It studies the chemical and physical processes of ingredients in cooking, the ones that should be brought together and strive for authenticity, and how to do it... I don't get it." he noticed the crack in her voice as she tried to continue. "It's like.. They're always comparing me to her."

The waves of anxiety that hit her had caught her unaware. Plus her throat was fighting back something between a sob and a shout.

"Sorry for being pointlessly dramatic." she sighed.

"You're not." Akira defended.

"I want to take over my dad's laboratory." she declared. "But if this keeps up..." she paused briefly as gloom covered her face. "I wanted to prove that with hard work, talent could be built and grown. That Alice Nakiri exists next to Erina Nakiri. That's all." she spoke up.

"Are you sure that you're not the one comparing yourself to her?" Akira asked frankly, not hiding his disappointment.

She widened her eyes, refusing to take what he just said.

"The Alice I know doesn't worry about what people think of her. You want to be an acknowledged food scientist? Then so be it. Surpassing your cousin is something you must see as a supplement, not your long-term objective. It's not because molecular gastronomy mixes science and edible ingredients that it is necessarily everything you need to become a chef. It is more than that. Try to make people feel the effort and the passion you invested while you were making your dish. Think about the smile they put on once you'll present it to them." he paused at that, thinking about how poetic that just sounded. Not like him at all, he thought. "Cook as if a special someone would've tasted it." he concluded. "And you'll become that last prominent plant someday." he recalled Jun's saying.

She stuttered for a moment, every part of her going on pause as her thoughts caught up. She almost smiled, and then clouded up again the following second. He was right. While she wanted to tell him how much of a jerk he was, she also wanted to show her gratitude to him. Her aunt Mana had told her the truth earlier too, but she didn't want to recognize it. She loved her cousin, however she had always seen her as the responsible for her being number two in their family. Always asking herself things like why had not been the one born with the god's tongue, or why everyone praised her so much.

But it wasn't Alice's fault. She was aware that she was loved by her family despite her inferiority complex. Because at the end of the day, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. There was no reason why anyone should feel like they're less than anyone else. She knew she had proved herself multiple times at Totsuki, although Erina shone way more than she did, and it hurt her. She wished that she could tower above her just once... that was her main goal. She never knew that it would've turned into some preoccupation that would sting her even more. And once again, it wasn't her fault.

Now that she knew that it took a toll on her career as a chef she had to let that fixation fade away and begin to look forward. Life was never about stagnation. And she was certain to achieve that goal. She intended to become a respected food scientist and also create her own restaurant. That's what mattered the most right now, just as Akira said. Furthermore, a Nakiri never stayed depressed for too long.

She scoffed.

"A special someone huh?" she thought.

Her uncle Azami had dedicated his cooking to Mana Nakiri. Years later, Soma pursued the god's tongue too. And Akira, put in practice Jun's theories while devoting his cooking to her. They were the perfect duo. But what if the roles were reversed?

"Your shokugekis with Kurokiba have a synergistic effect between you. That's how competition should-"

He was cut by Alice.

"Let's say I devote my cooking to you from now on." she looked at him from the corner of her eye.

"Pardon?" he stared at her.

She giggled. "Why are you getting all flustered? I'm serious."

Akira blinked. He paused for a moment. Had he heard her right?

"I think that Kurokiba would be the most logical choice." he tried to explain.

Alice sighed in annoyance. "When I have my mind set on something, I don't want to change it. Besides I rarely make logical choices." she winked at him.

And he knew something about it.

"So you do realize it." Akira commented, to which Alice laughed again. He was relieved to see her smiling again. He could see how it came from deep inside to light her eyes again.

She rested her head on his shoulder—much to his surprise—and he didn't dare move. Why did he smell so delicious? she pondered.

"Did you walk here alone?" Akira asked, curious of how she came here, alone, this late.

"It's not too far from the mansion..." she replied.

"Next weekend." she began, "I challenge you to a shokugeki." she smiled, determined. Good old Alice was back. "Just for fun. Competition is just a plus, right?"

"Alright, just don't cry your eyes out in front of everybody like you always do." he countered, his tone a bit sarcastic.

"Are you implying that I'm going to lose? Even after our little conversation, don't forget that I'm still a winner Hayama." she pointed her finger at him.

He scoffed and got up to drink some water. He had a water bottle box next to his closet.

"Thank you." Alice whispered to herself.

"Nakiri, what are they going to do if they find out that you've come here?" he inquired as he turned a bottle's cap.

"Oh, they won't." she quickly mentioned.

The latter had lived in the mansion long enough to identify secret tracks around the place. And she had locked her room's door to make sure no one triggered a general alert if they found out that she was not sleeping in there.

He sent her a questionning glare, afraid of what she might have concocted.

"Here." he tossed her a bottle of water as he turned to throw his in the recycling bin.

Alice caught it and stared at him in. She wanted to stay. Here, with him. She was always the one teasing him, but it was a way to show her affection to people.

She suddently hopped out of the bed.

"Don't avoid them too long." Akira stated before facing her again. But here she was, right in front of him. He flinched when he realized how close she was.

"Nakiri?-"

Not knowing when it happened, he suddently had her warm lips pressed against his. It was light and brief, but deep in its own way.

He froze up, from surprise and confusion.

She gently pulled off and hesitantly tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. He did not react, and just stared at her, his mouth still slightly opened from the kiss.

So she stepped back a little, head bowed and still, her hair flowing downwards. Alice had long hair now.

Akira knew at this moment, that this woman before him radiating with nothing but grace, had him enthralled. She was mesmerizing, showcasing another side of her personality that rendered her so charming. And he decided to enjoy this moment no matter what.

He had always found it rude to glance at a woman's cleavage, especially in Totsuki where a good majority of the girls spreaded dating rumors whenever he brushed against them in the hallway. But with her, he couldn't resist looking at her the way all women want to be looked at by a man. They were both new to this, to this feeling... this kind of attachement.

He approached her slowly, gradually closing the distance.

Alice gazed up at him, thinking about how all of this happened and why she was smiling like that. Thus she couldn't help but knot her fists into his shirt when he lowered his face to hers and leaned for a second kiss. A wave of warmth filled up his heart, rushing to every corner of his body as his tense nerves soon began to relax. She reached her hand to the back of his neck, tilting her head to the side, her lips demanding. Never had she imagined that his lips were so warm and soft, and that his scent was driving her crazy right now...

His arms slid from her face to her waist as he pulled her closer, locking his lips tighter with hers. He felt relieved. And lucky... Hella lucky. When they broke apart for air, she rested her forehead against his and gathered some much needed oxygen. She was glad to be with him that night. She was glad that she had allowed herself to fall madly in love with him even though she had tried her best to fight it.

He then gently pushed her backwards until she felt the side of his bed on her legs and tumbled backwards. She swung her feet on the bed accordingly and slid backwards when he got on top of her, pinning his arms above her head.

Her breath quickened as she studied his face with both amused and seductive eyes. As if under a spell, she calmly caressed his heated cheek, and threaded her fingers through his hair. She released his hair tie and watched it falling onto his face. He looked more attractive like that, to her. Akira felt relaxed, comforted. He realized that her stroke gave him the peace of mind he sought for in that slum he once lived in before Jun took him under her wing. He stared at her face silently, his masked with melancholy.

"Hayama-kun?" she spoke up.

She was cut by the contact of his body against her own, as he drew back into her lips. And so she firmly wrapped her arms around his neck as she felt the belt holding her kimono loosen a bit from all her sudden movements. He could now perceive the warm skin of her stomach and her black lace bra that he tried to overlook. The latter gently slid the tip of his tongue along the seam of her lips until he found hers, as she let out a little gasp and turned her head to the side.

They suddently heard someone at the door.

"Hayama-kun?"

It was really Jun this time.

"Is everything fine? I've been hearing footsteps for a while now." she said as they heard her twist the doorknob.

They glared at each other, equally wide-eyed.

She slowly opened the door, just to find him sleeping safely.

"Well... Must've been my imagination." she raised an eyebrow. "Good night." she voiced as she closed the door.

Alice was lurking under his sheets, and he was lying down on his side, turning his back on her. That was close.

They stayed silent lest Jun strode back in there... until Alice burst in laughter.

"Shut up." Akira hushedly shouted even though a smile gradually stretched upon his face.

"You were so nervous when she came." she said in between chuckles as she had to wipe away tears from her eyes.

"You're one to talk. I've never asked you to dive under my sheets." he laughed quietly.

It was a laughter that Alice could feel in her lungs, so hard that it took her breath away. It had created a small vacation, that sliced through the tension that filled the room.

By the time she calmed down, a warmth of silence envelopped them as they unexpectedly drifted off. She had never felt so comfortable, and free.

{^^}

"If anyone has any questions about anything we discussed today, feel free to send me an email. I guess that'll be it for today." Mimasaka spoke as the sound of the chairs scraping against the floor reverberated around the room.

Three days had passed since then.

The two of them didn't meet either since that night.

She had managed to leave the Shiomi Seminar without Jun nor Akira noticing, and enter the mansion like nothing ever happened. Senzaemon and Mana had apologized to her the next day and had a long discussion with the latter. She had made a load of good resolutions.

Akira had stared at her thoughout the meeting, waiting to see if she would return his gaze. She didn't. Was she seriously avoiding him?

Erina suddently joined them, as they all stopped in their tracks.

"Erina-sama?" Hisako confusedly turned to the blonde.

"Are we having two meetings in a row?" Mimasaka asked her, contemplating.

"No... Alice asked me to come at the end of your meeting." she answered, a questionning tone in her voice.

They all glanced up at Alice expectantly as she stood up, placing both of her hands on the table for support.

"Yes indeed." she smiled. "I called you here 'cause I have an announcement to make. To everyone." she declared softly.

Erina frowned at that, though her gaze wasn't challenging; it was skeptical, agitated. Ryō's and Akira's too.

"I know it's a rushed decision but I've been thinking about it for a while. I hate to admit it, but I was just scared to face the truth, hence the purpose of this resolution." she continued. "I'm leaving Totsuki. Just like Yukihira Sōma, I'll go overseas temporarily to gain solid expertise and make a name for myself." she clarified.

A long silence followed her words before they all shouted in unison.

"What?!"

"Thanks for your attention." she finished in a playful tone as she prepared herself to leave the room.

"Wait!" Takumi and Nikumi exclaimed, both blowing a whistle nobody knew they had. "Who's going to deal with your paperwork if you're gone?" Takumi continued.

"Well that's not a problem as long as Ryō-kun is here." she shrugged.

"Wait, you mean he's not coming with you?" Nikumi inquired to which she shook her head.

"Is your grandfather informed of that?" Ryō asked, ignoring the commotion she had caused. "He was the first one to know." Alice chuckled.

Erina's eyes and mouth were frozen wide open, while Akira attempted to hide his surprise.

"Maybe you should've not warned us." Mimasaka laughed. "Like some people..." he mentioned to which Erina's eyebrow twitched.

"I was thinking the same thing." Alice laughed as she high-fived him.

"But are you sure you want to do this Nakiri?" Isami asked as Hisako and Megumi nodded and turned to face her.

"Yes Aldini-kun. Don't worry I'll surely come back for our graduation." she affirmed.

"Is it my fault?" Erina uttered, finally analyzing the situation...

All the gazes turned towards her, as Alice approached her—impassive.

"I'm going to be honest with you..." she spoke as she held both of her hands. "What your mother told me the other day hurt me. Really. But it helped me decide that I didn't want to look up to you anymore. I want to see you as a simple cousin, for once." she voiced as everyone's faces showed empathy. They had all felt like her, one day at Totsuki. "You may have something to do with it, but certainly not unfavorably." she smiled at her to which Erina blushed.

"Well then." Megumi made her way through the entrance door, figuring that they needed to talk alone. "I wish you the best of luck, with all of it." she said gently, and walked away.

"Thanks Tadokoro-san." Alice beamed.

"We understand how you feel." Isami spoke. "Best of luck." Takumi stated as they walked through the door.

"Don't you dare back down." Mimasaka glared at her. "Heard him?" Nikumi exclaimed.

"Thanks guys..." Alice thought out loud.

They had all left. Only Hisako and Erina remained in there with her. And Akira evidently.

"Aren't you going to ask me to write you letters?" Alice lifted her hand to her mouth, to hide a smirk. "N-Nobody uses these anymore." Erina crossed her arms in embarrassement, to which Alice and Hisako laughed.

"I'm sorry..." Erina whispered, with a hint of sadness in her voice this time.

"Stop apologizing already. I know you, you're going to carry that weight around like some stupid dramatic protagonist." she defended.

"Huh?" Erina blurted out.

"Dramatic protagonist?" Akira repeated at a slower pace.

"...Good riddance Alice." she yelled out before bursting out of the room.

"Whoops." Alice tittered.

"I'll go after her..." Hisako sighed.

As soon as Hisako left, her heart gave a flutter signaling the presence of the person who had caused it to make all kinds of movements these last three days. She bit her lip and looked up at the ceiling, hesitating to meet up his eyes.

"Uhm.." she turned to face him.

"So..." he began at the same time.

"Go ahead..." she giggled as she tried to hide a blush.

"Mimasaka's right... I hope you won't back down..." he smiled as he put his hands in his pockets. "That's the last thing you should worry about." Alice replied as she shifted her gaze to the floor.

And there she felt it again. That urge to jump into his arms and kiss him. But she restrained herself.

"How is Shiomi-sensei doing?" she asked as she discreetly approached him. "Just fine." he answered. "Lucky she didn't see you that day." he continued as she chuckled.

"Well.. Uhm." she stammered again.

"What?" Akira asked. "...she didn't see you when you were leaving... right?"

"Of course not!" she exclaimed. "It's just that... I don't want to hide anymore." she stated, her face getting redder by the second.

She placed her hands on either side of his face and drew in a deep breath.

"Hayama-kun... no, Akira." she started. "We both know how we feel about each other and I'm not willing to lie to myself anymore. Just so you know, I wasn't avoiding you or something, I was getting my head on straight." she spoke, as he slightly widened his eyes.

He suddently wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her head to his chest with the other. She let herself melt into his embrace as she tangled her arms around his neck. Neither of them wanted it to end.

"You got me good." he said serenely, her hands clutching his shirt tighter.

He unexpectedly felt hot tears soaking his shirt as she tried to stop herself. It was as if a huge wave had rolled into her chest.

"Nakiri?"

"It's Alice. Stop calling me like that." she sniffed, before wiping her face with the back of her hand, slowly pulling away.

"Let's wait till I come back..." she voiced, to which he smiled as he had been thinking the same thing. "Sure, Alice." he imitated her tone as she swiftly slapped his arm.

That's when the door burst open and came in Ryō.

"I knew you two were hiding something." he stated.

"Ryō-kun?" Alice exclaimed as she began to sweat. "Have you been listening?!"

"From start to finish." he crossed his arms. "I also followed you the day you spent the night there." he continued as Akira lifted an eyebrow at that.

"Followed me?" she narrowed her eyes, tilting her head to the side.

"Don't forget that I know this mansion as much as you do. And since our rooms are facing each other, I could hear the clicking sound of your key when you locked your door, which was unusual. So I followed you." he stared her down as she felt herself shrink down.

"Then why didn't you stop her?" Akira frowned, trying to play it cool.

"To see which place she'd crash at." he answered apathetically. "And they have been listening too." his finger pointed at the rest of the Elite members that had been lurking behind the door, all equally flustered.

"Who knows what happened that night." Mimasaka smirked to which Akira flinched.

"You two are cute together..." Isami smiled as Takumi averted his eyes to the side. "I'm really tired of all of these couples." he muttered to himself. "Even Alice is in a romantic relationship now!" Nikumi thought as she sat on the floor and hugged her knees.

Megumi had covered her mouth, a huge blush burning her skin. No words could be heard from her. She couldn't get used to these things.

"What's going on here?" was Hisako's words. She was back, with an unwilling Erina by her side.

Alice was on the verge of fainting. And Akira? He simply gave up.

Both of their minds went on pause when Mimasaka kindly explained the situation to them.

"Alice? Spending the night with a guy?" Erina's thoughts blanked to which Hisako tittered.

"What are you waiting for?" Ryō approached Akira. "Get out of here before they make you lose your mind." he stared at him.

Akira looked at him in surprise. He then briefly gave him a pat on the shoulder before he took Alice's hand and made themselves scarce.