Erina Nakiri is happy. At the young age of 25, her critically acclaimed restaurant, La Belle Vie, has been ranked Number 1 in the Miele Guide 3 times in its 6-year life. She is also one of the most famous and influential figures in the culinary world, and she has claimed the hearts of millions around the world, for both her food, and her stunning beauty.

While she has claimed the hearts of millions, one man alone claims hers. Her idiotic, but wonderful boyfriend, Sōma Yukihira.

Compared to the instantly recognizable figure that she is, Sōma is a nobody. Very few people have heard about the man known as Sōma Yukihira. Most of Erina's fans don't even know that she even has a boyfriend.

For those who do know him however, some would say that he is the most important figure of the current generation of culinary arts. His girlfriend would say otherwise, but she still sees him in a very high regard.

Why is this so? Well, Sōma is known as "The Innovator". Sōma and his father, the much more known Jōichirō Yukihira, known in the culinary world as "Asura", are the users of the Yukihira Style of cooking. While Jōichirō was travelling around the world, he developed and perfected his style, bringing unconventional ingredients and cooking methods to traditional dishes to elevate them to unimaginable heights.

And while one Yukihira was perfecting his style, the other was starting his up.

Sōma was a part of the 92nd generation at Tōtsuki Cooking Academy, along with Erina, and a bunch of their friends. The skills that Sōma developed helped make miracles happen in the 3 years that they were there.

Perhaps the biggest miracle was during the Central Takeover.

In their first year, Erina's father, Azami Nakiri, came back into her life. Erina was traumatized by her father and his "training" as a child, making her unable to do anything. That was until Sōma made her realize what her purpose was to cook. After that revelation, she was able to stand up to her father. And after months of hard fought battles, tears wereshed, lives were changed…

And they won.

With Sōma leading the charge, the rebels were able to takedown Central, and restore peace to their beloved school. Erina was finally truly free from her father, and all was calm.

Erina was grateful to everyone for helping her get through the toughest and hardest time in her life. But she felt indebted to Sōma. He gave his everything to save, help and protect her, despite everything that she did to him when they first met.

It was around this time that Erina felt something in her heart while thinking of the redhead.

The rest of their time there was drama free, and the main thing that Erina experienced during her second year was the realization that she loved Sōma.

It took a few months, and the help of her cousin, Alice Nakiri, and her best friend, Hisako Arato, but she couldn't deny them anymore. Erina Nakiri was in love with Sōma Yukihira.

It was during the beginning of their third year that Sōma had asked Erina to be his girlfriend. While Erina was stunned, she gladly accepted, and thus was the beginning of the power couple who led Tōtsuki.

The two of them had a game going on. What started as a promise the boy made to the girl in their first year, became the biggest reason that they stayed together and loved each other so much. It was also the reason why Sōma was able to develop his style so much. Sōma tried everything in his arsenal to try and make his girlfriend say that his food is delicious, and when she would inevitably say that it wasn't, he would laugh and ask her what was wrong. He used her criticisms to improve more and more in his cooking, becoming one of the main figures of the student body, alongside his girlfriend, and all of their friends.

It was these criticisms that led to Sōma's biggest decision: to travel around the world, just like his father, when he graduated.

His father became so well known because of his travels, and the subsequent perfection of his Yukihira style. So Sōma wanted to do the same, and he also wanted to help other chefs find their way as well.

So he told his friends and girlfriend near the end of their third year, and after a long, emotional conversation with Erina, he made this promise to the princess:

"I will come back, and when I do, I will make you say my food is delicious, hehe."

Graduation came not too long after. The 92nd generation was the most successful generation that Tōtsuki's ever had. And at the center of it all, stood Erina and Sōma, the power couple of Tōtsuki.

During the last party in the Polar Star Dorm, everyone learns of their plans for the future. For some of their friends (Ikumi, Megumi, the Aldini twins), they plan to inherit their families' fortunes, to be able to live out their lives as successful Tōtsuki alumni. And for most others (Alice, Akira, Erina, and others), they plan to start up their own restaurants, to be able to have their dreams come true.

But, as the party died down, and the next day started, everyone had to go their own separate ways. Everyone said goodbye to each other in the airport, waiting for the day that they get to reunite and get to show off their successes, and saw each other off, Eventually leaving Sōma and Erina alone.

"So Sōma-kun…" asked the blonde, shyly.

"What is it Nakiri?" asked the boy. Partly out of habit, and partly because Erina doesn't like her name being said out loud, Sōma resorts to usually calling the princess by her last name.

"You'll remember to call me when you get to Texas, right? I wouldn't want to worry about you while trying to get my restaurant started after all." She warned him.

"Yea, yeah, of course. I would hate to see you worried, and even more if you're angry." He teased.

"I-idiot… just remember alright? I love you." She giggled.

"I love you too." He pecks her on the lips. "I know your restaurant will be amazing, I can tell. Be sure to knock 'em dead." He said, that grin that she loves so much plastered on his face.

"Goodbye Sōma-kun! I'll miss you!" she said to his retreating form.

"I'll miss you too Erina! I love you!" he responded.

And that was the start of Sōma and Erina's journeys as chefs. Sōma travelled the world, finding new cuisines, and improving them using his Yukihira Style of cooking. These improvements made what looked to be simple dishes that would be served en masse, into works of art, that people would be begging for more. Sōma even gave the improvements to those aspiring chefs, hoping that they would use his techniques in order to give back to the people.

From barbeque in Texas, to Henan cuisine in China, to everywhere in between, Sōma travelled anywhere he could to improve himself, in hopes that the recipe he has back home will eventually make his girlfriend say what he's always wanted to hear.

And speaking of Sōma's girlfriend, what was she doing? She was getting her restaurant started. She wanted to make a restaurant of haute cuisine, but despite the French name she chose for her restaurant, she wanted to make high class food of all cultures. So, for 1 year, she started building up her restaurant, her aide and best friend, Hisako Arato, by her side.

And after the year, business started booming. La Belle Vie was rated in the top 10 the first year of business, 3rd the second year, and first the other 3 years until now. Reservations were packed, people having to book up to a year in advance, and the food her and her staff made was amazing. French, Japanese, English, you name it, Erina had it covered.

And through all of that, just like all those years ago, she leaves a table reserved. While originally for her idol, Jōichirō Saiba (who she later figured out was Sōma's father), she expanded it to her redheaded idiot. No one knew why the table was there, except for the princess and her aide, and no one else was allowed to sit there.

And despite their conflicting schedules, the couple always found time to talk to each other. There was no lack of new topics between the two of them, intertwined with their playful banter and teasing. They talked about how their life has been, what new things did Sōma learn, how did Erina extend her dominance further, and on and on they went. And through all of that, they still loved each other. They never had any big fights, even with how Erina treated Sōma when they first met. After they started dating, they just clicked, and if they did have a fight, their best friends were there to calm them down.

The two of them loved each other more than they could ever imagine… but if fate was anything, it was unstable.

Author's Note: Hello people! Welcome to the start of my first fanfic!

This chapter was mostly exposition about how Soma and Erina's lives are going after graduation. Sorry if the romance feels rushed or not detailed enough, I don't have much to go off of (besides other fics) for romantic stuff.

Also, if the tag, description and last line aren't warning enough, this will not be a happy fic where we will see how their relationship blossoms and last. This will be a sad fic.

But, if you can handle that (or even if you can't), please leave reviews about this first chapter! Anything would be helpful, just no flaming. If you feel like the relationship I showed wasn't fleshed out enough, there was any loose ends I missed, or if anyone is OOC, please say so! While I kinda planned it not to be totally in character (I mean, I didn't make Erina tsun nearly hard enough), please, tell me so!

I don't expect this fic to be more than 3 chapters, I have a solid idea on how the story will progress.

Thank you so much for reading, and I hope to see you again soon!