The first half of the auction went by quickly. Maybe it just felt quick to Erina, as she dreaded what was going to happen next.

Urara took the microphone, eager to have the spotlight back on her. "I hope everyone is having a great time tonight! It's time to commence the second portion of our evening: the auctioning of the Men of the Elite Ten!" The crowd clapped eagerly, wealthy wives already pulling their paddles out.

"We'll begin with our 7th seat! Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for Takumi Aldini!"

As soon as the handsome blue-eyed Italian stepped out from behind the curtain, the girls went wild. He had built up quite the fan club since the RdC. Takumi waved nervously to the crowd, uncomfortable with all the attention he was getting. Urara emceed as if it were a beauty pageant. "Our blonde 7th seat specializes in Italian cuisine, and he is most notably known for his skill with a Mezzaluna. He is skilled in his ability to fuse Italian and Japanese cuisine! Ladies, you know you want this!" She riled up the crowd unnecessarily as they were all on their feet, yelling out bids.

The black-haired girl began taking bids at a rapid pace like a real auctioneer. Suddenly, Erina saw Megumi stand up at her table and raise her paddle confidently. Urara announced the bid, and Takumi grabbed the gavel from her hand! He declared, "Sold, to the beautiful girl in the back!" He strolled down the stage's steps straight towards Megumi. Her usually pig-tailed hair was loose and flowing past her shoulders, and she smiled widely at him as he stopped in front of her. "Thanks for bidding on me." He smiled kindly, and she returned one of her own. She had realized after Erina's sleepover that she had never been in love with Soma. It was more of an admiration like what Erina had felt for Joichiro. That night, Megumi had forced herself to think about what love meant to her: kindness, safety, home. She thought about the men in her life and realized with surprise when it was the Italian chef who had been her rock during the RdC who made her heart skip a beat. Soma was constantly keeping her on her toes and challenging her, which she loved! But it wasn't the type of love that was right for her. And now that she looked straight into those blue eyes, she felt like her heart had found its safe haven.

Urara just stared dumbly. "Okay, I'm not even sure if that's allowed but let's just roll with it. Anyways," she picked up speed as she fell back into her rhythm, "on to the next one! Our next man up for auction is the 6th seat: Ryo Kurokiba!" Ryo stumbled out, a pair of dainty white hands poking out from the curtains. Erina snorted in her seat, knowing that Alice had just pushed him out on the stage. "Ryo is an expert in all things seafood! His secret skill is his ability to concentrate flavors for maximum impact!" Urara exclaimed excitedly. Ryo muttered, "It's not really a secret anymore, is it?" Urara started the bidding and although it was not as frenzied as with Takumi (many female students were still afraid of his alter ego), it soon got very expensive. "Five hundred dollars!" A voice from the back called, and Urara declared Ryo sold! A sexy brunette in a red dress walked up to the stage to claim her prize. Ryo remained impassive as he walked down the steps to join her at her table. Erina knew Alice must be fuming back there. She made a mental note to go check on her after the event.

The bidding continued with Hayama, the 5th seat. Urara praised his skill in aromatic cooking and cited his acute sense of smell as being similar to the first seat's God Tongue. Erina gasped at her comparison of the two; Hayama was impressive, no doubt, but there was no way his gift compared to hers. Before long, a wealthy looking woman of around 60 bid on him for $750. "Sold!" Urara banged her gavel down, thoroughly enjoying the power she yielded. Erina glanced at Hisako to see how she was holding up, but Hisako was just grinning widely and applauding with the rest of them. Now that is a healthy relationship. No jealousy, just love. She was so happy for her best friend.

Kuga, the 4th seat, ended up getting the lowest bid, after he had blown up at Urara for introducing him as 'fun-sized'. Rindo ended up bidding $50 just to save him from embarrassment.

Isshiki, the 3rd seat, went for a cool $800 to another wealthy woman whose husband looked just as enamored with the chef. She wondered what they had in store for him…

Finally, it was the moment everyone had been waiting for. Soma Yukihira, the 2nd seat, was up for auction. Urara called out his name, and he popped out on stage, grinning and waving charmingly. She began, "Soma Yukihira, our 2nd seat, is the most talented individual up for sale tonight!" Protests came from Hayama and Kurokiba but she continued on, "Prior to his time here he spent 12 years working in his family diner, and has developed his own specialty Yukihira style, which he incorporates in all of his recipes. His specialties include producing food for the masses at gourmet quality and intense creativity in his dishes!" Urara declared. "Let us start the bidding at $200!"

The room fell awkwardly silent. No one did anything. The students knew that something had been going on between the first and second seat, and they didn't dare enrage the feisty blonde. Subtle glances were thrown her way to see if she had lifted up her paddle to bid. She hadn't, and a whisper fell over the ballroom. Soma leaned back and forth awkwardly, not understanding what was going on. Should I have put on a tie?

Suddenly, a timid hand shot up. Then another, and another. It was like the dam had broken, and bids came pouring in. No longer fearing retribution, everyone placed their bids in a frenzy, wanting a chance to taste the 2nd seat's food (most girls wanting more than that). The price had risen to $750, and Erina felt her stomach heave with jealousy. Shit shit shit shit shit, she thought as she felt her hand impulsively reach towards her paddle. Her arm shot up without thinking and Urara announced the new bid. Soma's eyes widened as he saw who it had been, and he beamed at her. He was tempted to grab the gavel the way Takumi did but Urara had been guarding it with her life since that happened.

Erina was caught in a bidding war with a purple-haired girl she recognized as a former graduate. She scowled as her arm flew up automatically in response to the other girl's paddle rising. They were up to $950, the highest of any bid that night. "I can do this all night!" Erina yelled out to the girl. Erina's opponent scowled as Erina called out, "One thousand dollars!" Her challenger sunk back into her chair, arms crossed across her chest in defeat. Erina smiled smugly, feeling victorious. What did I win again? She had gotten so caught up in the bidding process, she'd forgotten what the hell she was fighting for.

Soma bounced off the stage and skidded to a halt right in front of her. His bright loving smile was too much for Erina, and she stifled her grin, aware of all the eyes watching them. She grabbed him by his shirt collar and began dragging him out of the ballroom. Normally, the winners were supposed to just bring their chefs back to their designated tables. However, Erina didn't feel like being gawked at all night and she certainly didn't want to have to face any of their friends after that embarrassing display. She continued dragging him until they were well out of sight. She turned to face him, starting to answer his question from hours ago. "Yukihira, I—"

He interrupted her confession and kissed her abruptly.

"You don't have to say it. I know how hard it is for you," he said, after pulling away. Erina was shocked. "Really? But you wanted an answer before." Soma grinned cheekily, "Uh, I think you gave me your answer. You made it pretty clear to everyone." He laughed at the mortified look on her face as she realized what she had done. "Relax, it just confirmed what everyone had been thinking the past two weeks. The worst of it is over!" He scooped her up in his arms and kissed her again, this time more gently.

He was right, and she felt relief spread throughout her body. The hard part was over. She had announced to the world that they were involved romantically. Now what? What do people in relationships even do? Hold hands?

"Hold hands?" Soma asked. She had apparently asked this out loud, and Soma leaned in mischievously. His lips brushed her ear as he whispered, "I hoped we could do a little bit more than that." He nipped at her earlobe playfully and she squealed, much to his delight. He captured her lips with his own and kissed her passionately, releasing all his pent up-energy from the last two weeks into this kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening it, completely forgetting where and who she was. Erina pressed her body up against his, wanting to be closer than ever. Her heart felt so light at the moment and she felt that nothing would ever bring her down. They broke away, both breathing heavily, at the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. It sounded like the auction was now over and everyone was exiting the ballroom! She grabbed his hand and they ran around the corner out of sight from the rest of the crowd. She giggled as he pressed her up against the wall and kissed her fervently again. She felt his hands on her lower back and ass, and she wanted more. The blonde reached down and wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him closer than he thought possible. He felt her push against his body with her own, and raw desire overcame him. This can't happen here. "Erina," he growled, "Your room. Let's go." She nodded through half-closed lids, still gripping his shirt. She led him down the series of hallways and as they approached the one that looked most familiar to Soma, he couldn't help but kiss her again lustfully out of excitement. His hand found the zipper on the back of her dress and he began pulling. She could feel the cool air touch her exposed skin as he lowered the zipper with every step they took closer towards the door.

She led him inside and locked the door, feeling him finish unzipping her. She stepped out of the dress that had fallen on the floor and threw his jacket off while kicking off her heels. He pawed at her bare skin and picked her up easily, carrying her to the king-sized bed. They continued kissing and exploring each other's bodies, this time certain they were for each other only. Erina clumsily unbuttoned Soma's white shirt and tossed it on the floor near his jacket and shoes. He moaned in her mouth as he felt her hands reach for his belt, brushing up against him. She loved the feeling of her bare legs against his smooth suit pants, and the scent of his cologne was driving her wild. She felt him reach behind her and unhook her strapless bra, exposing her. He began the attack on her nipples that he hadn't been able to continue two weeks ago, licking and biting while Erina writhed in a delicious mix of pain and pleasure beneath his lips. He leisurely inched his hand down past her stomach and she tensed as he waited for any sign of hesitation from her. When none came, he began lightly tracing her inner thighs with his fingertips, going from the left leg to the right, purposely avoiding the area that needed caressing the most. Erina couldn't take it anymore after a few moments of this torture; she groaned as he ran another particularly slow finger up and past her legs' meeting point. "Please, just do it!" What exactly, she didn't know. She had never done anything to herself. She always felt like it was so indecent. She just knew there had to be something more than this. Soma murmured softly, "You know how much I love teasing you," but he obliged, slowly slipping his fingers inside her underwear, stroking her temptingly.

Erina gasped at the sensation. He began to kiss her again while teasing her with his fingers and Erina felt like she would pass out any second from the lack of oxygen. It was as if someone had turned on a white noise machine in her brain; she couldn't think, she could only feel his ardent stroking between her wet legs. Her head was clouded with lust and she could feel something building deep within her. It was so warm it felt like the sun was slowly escaping from her body. "Soma," she breathed in a high-pitched voice. He let two fingers enter her, and she moaned loudly, grabbing his hair and pushing her tongue past his teeth. He continued fingering her at a steady pace and Erina could feel the sweat from their bodies intermingle as her pulse continued rising. She was breathing erratically now, practically panting. Something was happening. It overcame her suddenly, the feeling of a yellow sun bursting through and she released a series of high-pitched moans as her body convulsed around his fingers.

She tried to steady her breathing as he removed himself from her and he smiled down at her. "Idiot! What are you looking at?!" She yelled, wanting to die of embarrassment. "That was so fucking hot." Soma answered, kissing her once again. She relaxed into the kiss and felt him press against her. He wanted her badly. She began to unbutton his pants and as soon as he began to protest, she shushed him with a kiss. Once he was undressed, she couldn't help but stare. It was so different than what she had thought it was going to look like. Soma laughed at her adorable look of shock. She shut him up very quickly as she grabbed hold of him, a growl escaping his throat. She watched his face, mesmerized, by how responsive he was to her hand. She felt powerful. She remembered something Alice had said…

Soma's hand flew straight to his mouth to stop the loud moan that involuntarily escaped him as he felt her hot, wet mouth on him. Holy shit. Where did she learn this?! He continued groaning as he felt her tongue glide mercilessly up, down and around his most sensitive area. He called out her name, as it was the only word he knew now. Suddenly, her tongue stopped, and she shifted back up so that her smirking face was on top of his, her golden hair wild and cascading over him like a waterfall. Soma flipped her over, dominating her mouth with his own. He rubbed himself up against her wet entrance suggestively, and he felt her gasp underneath him. "Are you ready?" He whispered, his forehead resting against hers. "Yes," she murmured, already in a trance. He slowly began to push, and he felt Erina squeeze his arms in pain. "I'm sorry, I know it hurts at first," he kissed her gently. It hurt so much she could've cried. Soon however, it stopped hurting as much and started to feel a little good. His slow thrusting became quicker as she adjusted around him. She craved the friction between their legs as he began to thrust a little deeper and faster. Erina's breathing became erratic again as she matched the rhythm of her hips to his. Soma groaned at her insistence, feeling himself reaching the end. His brain had been completely turned off, focusing only on the sensations he was getting from this woman. He began to grunt loudly, only exciting his partner more. She picked up the pace, determined to cross the finish line with him. She cried out in release as she felt her second wave of pleasure wash over her, mere moments before Soma collapsed onto her, completely spent. They stayed frozen like that for a moment, before Soma rolled off her. "That was amazing," he panted. "I get what the big deal is now."

Erina laughed quietly next to him. "I'm so glad we didn't just hold hands."

He pulled her close to him and allowed himself to say what he'd realized he felt on the first night they kissed. Soma mumbled in her ear, "Erina, I love you," giving her a soft peck on her cheek. She giggled at the light touch and replied, "Yes, well. I assume everyone in the ballroom probably thinks I love you, so…" she trailed off and muttered, "I suppose it must be true."

Soma grinned at her choice of words and sighed, this girl was going to be the death of him.

Months later, after their graduation ceremony…

Soma poked his head in Megumi's room. "You all packed?" He asked, smiling. Megumi and Takumi were going to Italy for the summer to meet his family and help out in their restaurant. "I just finished!" The sweet girl replied excitedly. "This is your first time meeting his parents, right? Big step!" Soma commented. It had been over 6 months since his best friends had begun dating, and they were an adorable couple. She nodded nervously, "Yes, but I think it will be fine. I am so excited to see the people that raised him." She blushed, thinking lovingly about the blue-eyed chef that had finally seemed to win something over Yukihira.

"Just be yourself and they'll love you!" Soma grinned, giving the girl a quick goodbye hug as he knew she would be leaving any second. "What about you? Are you packed?" Megumi asked as she began lugging her suitcase down the steps. Soma grabbed her luggage from her and responded sheepishly, "Ah, I've still got time!" Megumi stared at him, eyes wide, "Soma-kun, your flight leaves in 4 hours and you have to get to the airport in 2! Please go pack!" She waved her arms frantically trying to grab her bag back from him to send him up the stairs. Soma laughed loudly, "It'll be fine. I'm just gonna throw some random clothes in a bag." He shrugged. Megumi sighed and couldn't stop herself from giggling; he really would never change. She had no idea how Erina was going to put up with him on their backpacking trip. Soma and Erina had decided to postpone opening their restaurants immediately after graduation, wanting to explore all the culinary hotspots in Europe for inspiration first. The backpacking was Soma's idea, although he felt certain that after a week of slumming it, his girlfriend would insist on staying in a 5-star resort.

Megumi stopped in front of the door and smiled warmly at him. "So I'll see you in 2 months? Once you stop in Italy?" Soma nodded, "I can't wait! This summer's going to kick ass!"

She laughed and couldn't help but agree. He saw her to her car and waved as it drove off down the road.

Man, what a year. He thought to himself as he packed his things absentmindedly. I never thought it would've ended like this. He laughed as he picked up his favorite framed photo of him and his girlfriend. It was from the night of the auction. All the winners and chefs were supposed to have professional pictures taken as mementos, but since Erina had dragged Soma out so suddenly, the only photo the photographer had time to snap was one of her furiously hauling him by his shirt out the door. She had hated that picture so much that Soma knew he had to frame it. He packed it up with the rest of his things, leaving his room bare. His heart ached at the memories he had created in this room, and his time at Tōtsuki had been the best of his entire life. However, he was ready for the next step, hopefully with a certain spirited blonde by his side.

Just as he had finished bringing his things downstairs, the front door opened and Erina stepped inside in a white sundress, looking as beautiful as always. She gave him a quick kiss and asked, "Ready to go? If we don't leave now, traffic will be a nightmare!" He smiled and assured her they would be fine. He began packing up his luggage in the trunk of her car. It was a bright and sunny day, with the wind gently breezing. "Say, princess, how would you feel about a little competition on our trip?" The golden-eyed boy knew she couldn't say no. He slammed the trunk of the car shut closed. "Whoever wins over the locals in the most countries by mastering that country's cuisine wins?"

Her smirk was vicious. "You're on, diner boy."