Bird in a cage

What is it that I have to give for a life without worries?

No expectations,

No doubts,

No fear,

Just pure freedom…

My name is Nakiri Erina. Heiress of the Nakiri group, a renowned chef and granddaughter of Nakiri Senzaemon, a trapped girl with the curse of this wretched thing people would praise me for having: "The God Tongue". I loathe myself for being born with this gift. My own father who didn't even show the slightest of compassion when it came to me making my own decisions; never once have I felt the loving touch of a parent as I was told that my mother, Nakiri Eiko has gone missing after a plane crash when I was just an infant. It all happened quick…

And here I stood at this prison,

This cage,

This hell I call 'home' here in the Nakiri Estate…

From out of the windows can I see those who truly have their freedom, those who live side by side with their friends and enjoy the wonders of cooking, oh how I would give anything just to be normal. To truly live, to not have anyone telling me what I should do, what I should be, and what I'll be. By the window I sat with envy, my very being coursing with yearning, just to live freely outside this cage…

That was when he held his outstretched hand to me…

That is when I saw a glint of hope that I could start anew…

Yukihira Soma…

My savior, the hot-spirited young man who engraved himself unto my memory, never will I forget the words he said to me as he reached out to me, to finally unlock my shambles that have held me for so long…

"Let's run… I don't care wherever the hell the world takes us, but I will protect you Nakiri! This isn't the life you wanted, you've already told me… So please, take my hand and let's run!" his voice entrapped my heart, the drumming beat of it seems to ripple across my chest, making me feel warm was this what it mean by truly living? To finally be given this opportunity to be happy.

Without second thoughts, I yielded to my desires. I grabbed onto his outstretched hand and we ran from the world. People at the Polar Star Dormitory approved of his actions, and have since promised to take care of me as long as I needed. It was a blissful feeling, to finally be able to set foot without bodyguards, without people submitting to me upon first contact.

With only happiness welling inside myself I was overcome with relief that I will now not have to worry about anyone else trying to intrude my life. After the events of me running away, my father became furious, he was out to get me and to claim Totsuki as his own empire.

The members of the Polar Star Dormitory were unfazed, never yielding to my father's demands or threats. They all stood their ground for me. Especially Yukihira Soma, at the face of hell he stood bravely, not the least bit of fear can be seen from him. All that he projected was courage and what my father projected was fear to instill fear and to brainwash the so-called "diamonds in the rough" he called to the students that absentmindedly followed his instructions, those students which were afraid and at the same time enticed by his sweet words of promise.

It all ended in a standstill after that. The recurring events happened in a flash before I could fully comprehend them. At this moment where I now stood,

Three months after Yukihira Soma saving me from my nightmare…

The nightmare was finally over.

There we all stood proud and tall, the battle between who will reign over Totsuki was finally concluded. Amidst the crowd of cheering students stood Yukihira Soma, a small smile played on his lips as our eyes met, those golden orbs of his faltered for a bit as they met my amethyst ones.

A resounding thud then echoed throughout the area,

Yukihira Soma collapsed from the exhaustion of the final battle between Central and Totsuki's saviors…

The saviors from Totsuki rushed by his side, Tadokoro-san who was frantic, Aldini-kun who kept on saying to an unconscious Yukihira that he will never forgive him if he backed away from their fated duello, Doujima-senpai and Saiba-sama fondly looked over to Yukihira and his father carried him off to the hotel that we were staying on the island.

Night came by quick, I was curious myself and snuck out to meet up with Yukihira Soma. He must be famished, the other's said all he needed was rest, but I couldn't forgive myself if the sole person who saved me from my life at the Nakiri estate would wound up waking alone.

I quietly tiptoed by his side on the bed, sat there and caressed his cheek with my hand. He stirred awake and all that I could feel was my ears and heart exploding with embarrassment… What had possessed me to do this?

"Oh, Nakiri… Hehe, I didn't expect you to be here…" he said meekly, a small grin plastered on his tired face.

"Idiot." I coldly rebuffed him and his ideas, but it was a farce myself couldn't hold the emotion anymore. I felt my eyes welling up, my breath hitched and I felt my knees go out. I was sobbing, sobbing for the first time on someone whom I owe this wonderful life I have now to.

He panicked a little, and insisted that he's all fine and that I shouldn't blame myself. My, my, was he getting full of himself by the more time I spend with him. I giggled while he nervously chuckled back and scratched his nose.

"Say Nakiri…" the silence between us was then broken when he spoke. I looked at him and saw him looking above the ceiling, hands on his head and was deep in thought.

"What is it now Yukihira?" I asked, feeling the exhaustion myself. I stretched out my limbs and yawned. Though as I was yawning I felt something soft pressed against my lips.

The world then exploded with a myriad of colors. I've read from the shoujo manga's that Hisako brings me that this was it felt like being in love that there are more things you'd feel, see and experience with the person that you love with all your heart. The blissful moment was electric, there was a buzzing afterwards and we both looked at each other in embarrassment. Yukihira Soma, for his audacity and sheer sass was now being crumbled down to bits after that stunt he pulled.

We were at a loss for words, for one, I didn't expect for him to kiss me. And second, all that I felt afterwards was longing, yearning for another taste of his lips…

I read his facial expression and it held fear, doubt but there was also an overwhelming of happiness and relief washing over it.

Life is surely strange,

Especially when it came to love,

"Nakiri I-I didn't know what came over me-" he held his hands out, panicking and desperately looking for the right words to say. I silenced him with a passionate kiss of my own, tugging at his collar and pressing our faces closer to close the gap.

The world felt so right in his touch, we intertwined out hands, hugged and even shortly took a nap together. All that remained afterwards is contentment; that this is paradise, in his arms, in this heavenly moment that I will forever cherish with Soma.

"Nakiri… I've been meaning to tell you…" he started out with a husky voice, holding me closer and hugging me a little tighter. I softly squirmed out of his grasped and faced him, my face just below his cheek and my eyes looking up at him.

"What is it… Soma?" I asked, laced with a feeling that is alien to me, I admit that it had to be lust but whatever it may be I did not care for it at all on this moment.

He gulped and bumped out foreheads closer, his eyes now looking over to me with such passion and love.

"I love you…" it was too good, I was in a state of high for happiness. I melted at those words and he seemed so happy to the point of tears as well. My eyes again welled up for a second time, snuggling closer to this boy that became my savior. I rested my head on his shoulders and smiled.

"I love you too… Only you… Yukihira Soma…"

~ End

A:U: Well that went well I hope? I'm going through a rough phase in my life at the moment, I recently have been experiencing so much self-hate, depression and just all curled up in a ball and hurled itself at me in one go. But fret not dear readers! Writing is my outlet and escape from reality… Hey, we might not all be winners at life, but in my story, I can at least write my own ending.

~ LemmonWriter

Cheers to a happy life!