A/N I own none of the places, characters, or terms expressed in this story.

Hey everyone! My name is Livo147 and I'm trying my hand at Shokugeki no Soma fanfiction. Normally you'd find me under a different penname over at the Harry Potter and Chuck fanfiction archives, I will leave my other account in my bio, if you guys want to check it out. This fanfiction will be canon compliant until chapter 310 of the manga and it will feature an alternate ending to the Soma vs. Asahi match. No need to hold your breaths—Soma will definitely win the match. This project was based off a major pet peeve that I have with the manga. The pet peeve is that Soma seems to have no backbone when it comes to Erina and how she acts. Soma just seems to let Erina ridicule and belittle him without any repercussions to herself. In this fanfiction, I'm trying to change that. Soma is going to be mad and he is going to be sad. It is going to lead to some angsty situations. And hopefully through these emotions, Erina will learn of her own feelings towards Soma. I understand that not everyone will like this fanfiction—even though I'd like them to—but try not to flame me or anyone. Any real criticisms will be welcomed (even encouraged) and I will try my best to implement your remedies. And lastly, this will be Sorina.

Hope you guys enjoy the story!

-Livo147

Soma's brows were perspiring as he waited for the long-awaited result of the Shokugeki between Asahi Saiba and himself. Truth be told Soma doubted his chances, he did not have access to the same broken superpowers that Asahi Saiba had nor did he have the age or experience over Asahi Saiba. But what Soma did have was the passion and the drive that would push him through the metaphorical mud and thus lead him to victory. If Soma won BLUE, it would be due to his belief in never giving up and never surrendering. After all, he was just a diner brat in a gourmet world. He was not supposed to be here.

Soma then took some time to take in the ambiance of the venue around him. First, he looked directly ahead at Mana Nakiri's face. Her face had morphed back into stone, like it was before she tasted his dish. Her face held no trace of the bliss that she succumbed to just a moment before.

And if Soma won, it would be a shocking upset over the prohibitive favorite. People seem to forget that Soma is the first seat of Totsuki Academy which means that he must have some talent. Right?

And that is not even the worst part about BLUE. The worst part is that BLUE is supposed to be Asahi's breakout party, and everybody was expecting it to happen. Everybody was up Asahi's ass trying to please him, hell, they even anointed him the "Second coming of Saiba." But it seemed as though Soma would have the opportunity to cut it short. And Soma would be happy to.

Soma then looked to his "brother," Asahi and what he saw surprised him, for on Asahi's face was a look of pure terror. This face contrasted with Asahi's normally coy and confident demeanor. Instead of his normal face, his face looked like a man who saw the end of his life in front of him and could do nothing about it. Soma saw the gradual dimming of his eyes from vibrant color to eyes that looked dead and glazed. The defeat of his cooking would be the symbolic death of his soul and his purpose in life.

Poetic Justice, really.

Because even if by the grace of some god, Asahi won, Soma would not congratulate him or even acknowledge his victory. People would call him a sore loser, but he did not care. Soma had no respect for Asahi or what he stood for—kidnapping and forced marriages. Also, Asahi's cooking was not his own, it was a hodgepodge of styles that he took from chefs better than himself. In all, Asahi was nothing more than a thief.

When Soma looked straight into the eyes of his true adversary, he noticed that Saiba looked deep in thought. His eyes turned from the glazed, dead look to eyes that looked darker than black holes. They looked like the eyes of a man who was being tempted to jump off the precipice of sanity.

Soma felt morbidly satisfied.

Meanwhile in Asahi Saiba's head:

Asahi Saiba was not happy, not happy at all. After taking a bite of Yukihara Soma's dish he knew he lost. And truth be told, he was not used to losing. The feeling of loss was at first, bitter, and then oddly satisfying, like a weight was lifted off his shoulders.

When he first saw Soma's dish he was not impressed because he could not smell any fragrance. However, after taking a good look at the dish he had to admit that it looked intoxicating. There was only one word to describe it—art. Like a painter's magnus opus, when a person looked at it, they were entranced and could not stop looking.

His hands seemed to move by themselves and then he took a bite. And it was like an EXPLOSION! Colors sprouted out from everywhere, colors he had never seen before—colors that should had never existed! The flavor profile that the dish had was something that he never felt from his food. Asahi knew his food was "good", but this dish made his dish seem bland. His dish was superficial like a pretty girl with no personality while Soma's was a pretty girl who was also a great person. His dishes had no personality, behind the veneer of bliss there was a hollow dish. And then he was pulled into the biggest foodgasm of his life.

'He was transported to a plain field marred with mountains and dead armies. The only people alive were himself and a SMALL Soma? Soma was armed with a slingshot that held a pellet of his dish. Instinctively, Asahi then looked at himself and he noticed that Soma wasn't small but that he was at least twenty feet tall! And then out of nowhere Soma shot his slingshot at him. The force of the dish brought Asahi to his knees, he was gasping and entering pure ecstasy. The flavors bombarded his body, the five cuisines melding together to form what could only be described as, Ambrosia, the food of the gods. It was like he was trapped in a cocoon not being able to stop eating as his body turned against him. The flavors ravaged him in a flurry of attacks and his fortitude was starting to wane. Eventually, he had no choice but to say, "delicious."'

Asahi at that moment, at the apex of bliss, had an epiphany. His dish paled in comparison to Yukihara's, not even his "cross knives" ability was able to surpass this dish. And now he knew that Soma Yukihara was truly Saiba's son!

Asahi was pulled out of his thoughts by the harbinger of his nightmare. The Judges had announced the victor. The words were, "And the winner of the Shokugeki is Soma Yukihara-."

His eyes then instantly darted to the scoreboards, they read: 3-0, 3-0, and 3-0. These words flashed before his eyes like a song stuck on repeat. These were the numbers that he was sure would haunt his dreams for the foreseeable future. He looked at his hands, the hands that failed him. And the he looked at the knife of Joichiro, the knife of the only father he had ever known. And secondly, the greatest chef in his eyes.

The full truth dawned on him, he failed. His goal to be the best chef in the world ended and he could never cook again. He had played with fire—quite literally—and got burned. His confidence was shot, and he felt like the cowardly lion. The very vessel that saved him from the horrors of his childhood had turned its back on him.

And then, how could he face the disappointed people, the people that thought he couldn't lose? He couldn't face them. He let them down. The embarrassment he felt was palpable. Asahi Saiba knew what he had to do.

He stood up, proud, and walked towards the exit of the auditorium. He did not spare a passing glance at anybody—not even his Noir Chefs.

Some say that they saw a glimpse of a smile on his face, but that was never proven. The last glimpse anybody had of Asahi-Saiba was of him leaving the building. First, out of the doorway and then out of people's lives forever.

"And the winner of the Shokugeki is Soma Yukihara; he will be moving on to the final round of BLUE where he will be facing Erina Nakiri!"

Soma was pulled from his thoughts when the announcer started to proclaim that he won over Asahi. After Soma was declared victor, his hands started convulsing at a steady rate, that was the only sign that he was any different from his usual, brash self. There were bright lights everywhere flickering in untraceable patterns that seemed to work on their own. The lights seemed like constellations that populate the night sky. Only after Soma's body became adjusted to these lights did Soma realize that they were actually cameras taking photos of him. The photographers were obviously trying to get a good photo of the new favorite to win the tournament. It is annoying to Soma how these people can act all chummy with him after they slandered him throughout the tournament. Coming from the small shopping district of Sumiredōri, Soma was not used to the constant calls for photographs and interviews. Thus, Soma just tentatively raised his and flashed the "V" with a full mouth grin.

Amidst all of the shouts for interviews and photos, Soma could only do one thing and that was compare himself to his father. It was an unhealthy obsession, really. Soma could not help it though; his father was the one person he looked up to now—especially, after his mom passed away. His Dad had what Soma truly wanted—respect from all people. People did not look down at his father for his diner background nor did the deify him because of his "Asura" days. People just respected him for his talent in the kitchen. But the biggest reason why he envied his father, is due to his relationship with a certain Blonde head master of Totsuki academy.

'I really did it. I really did it. Take that one old man.' Soma thought to himself. A broad grin could not help but be formed. He was relishing in his victory.

Soma took a moments time to look around him. What Soma saw was not surprising to him. People were wearing dumfounded and shocked expressions because they didn't expect him to win. Like usual, Soma was the prohibitive underdog and once again Soma persevered.

One of the main things that irked Soma about the culinary world was their elitist culture. A culture that made it hard for a boy like him to gain any traction in 'their' world. He hoped that if he won it would change the prevailing stereotypes and change the prevailing norms. No one except a few select people believed that Soma could accomplish this. That is why Soma owed a lot to Megumi, Takumi, Pops, and the rest of his polar star roommates. Their belief in him is what allowed him to win the Shokugeki. However, these people's belief in him paled in comparison to the amount of hurt he faced due to a certain blond.

Going down this toxic line of thought, his mind naturally went to Erina Nakiri—the girl he realized he loved. And now she was the girl that did not believe in him. He would have sworn that she would have been at his side, like he was for her. This is because after the Regiment de Cuisine their relationship had progressed slowly, until he considered her one of his closest friends.

Or so she thought.

Little did Erina know that Soma did not think of her as just a friend but rather he loved her with all of his heart. Sure, at the beginning he saw her as a friend, but those feelings morphed into something more after he saw what she truly was under her debonair façade. She was a prideful, stubborn, and sweet girl who challenged him and made him want to improve his cooking. These qualities made him realized that he loves her. And now he understood what this phrase meant: "The ones you love the most will always hurt you the most." When she betrayed him (that is how he saw it in his eyes), it felt like his heart was being pushed through a human- sized meat grinder. It became hard to breathe and honestly it was hard for him to live.

As usual Soma's thoughts concerning Erina spiraled out of control until he finally caught himself. That's what happens when you are in love.

'Gods, I can't think about Erina right now. I should try to act happy,' Soma thought with a groan. He posted a smile to his face and tried to act the way he should. Soma's face; however, belied the deep pain he felt in his soul.

Steeling his emotions, his face turned into one more believable, almost overly so—one of extreme elation. Soma turned his body around and he saw the tall, lanky body of his father, Yukihara Joichiro running at a dead sprint towards him. His father looked disheveled but relieved, his normally luscious hair was matted down and shiny. Soma and his father had a strange dynamic in their relationship. It was more of a sibling dynamic than a father-son dynamic.

But Soma knew that his father would be able to feel his emotions when he went on his monologue with Mana Nakiri. Even if no one else understood his message if his father knew what he meant, he would be fine. After all, Joichirou is the only person alive who loved Soma's mother as much as Soma did.

Joichiro exclaimed as he was panting, "Soma, you did it my boy! I am so proud of you and your mom would be too!" Soma was caught off guard with his father's comment because he sounded like an actual dad rather than the rival. His Dad ditched the child-like persona he took when interacting with the younger Yukihara. His father's words of adoration caused Soma to take an abnormally long amount of time to formulate any sort of response.

Soma's dad was kind of an absentee, he wasn't in Soma's childhood for long spurts of time. Soma knew that his Dad cared for him, but the lack of his constant presence robbed Soma and his father at a chance for a normal father and son relationship.

When Soma did respond, choking back tears, he said: "Thanks pops, that means a lot to me. I hope she would be too" Soma's father then looked at his son sympathetically and smiled. However, this was not an ordinary Yukihara smile—which was arrogant and seemed closer to a smirk. No, this was a smile that could only be elicited when his dead wife was brought up. The smile itself was serene and nostalgic and it was the only time that Joichiro truly looked his age instead of the young and vibrant chef. And with this parting glance Soma turned away from his dad.

Soma's body was riding the adrenaline high he felt from his match against Asahi Saiba, however now it felt as though his body was going to crash. His body went slack, his knees buckled, and it felt as though someone punched him right in the gut. Soma toppled over; all of his weight transferred to his stomach. He nearly hit the cold hard floor and fainted. However, instead of hitting the ground, his pops caught him. His father may not have been around a lot when he was younger-until his mom passed away, but Soma knew that his father would forsake the world for him. This is the reason why he was not surprised that his father caught him—his father always caught him whether it be from himself, his cooking, or from his life.

Soma must have been standing there for hours because each second, he was planted on the floor, he was tempting fate. For, the voice he least wanted to heat came into his ears. And in that moment, he actually wished his father would have just let him faint so that he would not have to deal with the constant headache that was, Erina Nakiri.

"Soma-kun!" came the piercing voice that belonged to the blonde-haired headmistress of Totsuki academy who was also the bane of Soma's sad existence. Her beautiful honey-blonde hair was hanging down to the sides of her face and her cute, fuzzy sideburns were practically begging to be played with. She started with an energetic voice, "I knew you could do it and—" Soma had to abruptly cut her off.

"No, you did not," he replied harshly and crisply, "You thought I was going to lose, and you were hoping I would lose. So please don't lie to me by saying you believed in me, it hurts me too much." Soma was wearing his heart on his sleeve; he knew it and did not care. Gone was the boy who didn't let other's people hatred and vitriol get in his head, gone was the calm and collected boy that always seemed to have a happy face. And in his place was a wounded boy who was spurned by his beloved.

Saying these words was breaking Soma's heart into a thousand pieces, like grains of sand running through your hands, not being able to be picked out. He loved her so much that he would go to hell twice for her. Heck, he basically did go to hell for her, at least that is what it felt like during Azami's reign of terror. He couldn't however shake off the emotional wounds and the hurt she caused him recently. These wounds could not heal overnight. And he needed time to recover and reflect. Normally Soma was a pretty lax guy, but Erina's words and actions pierced him like a fatal sword wound. He would not forgive her easily.

Erina's face looked as though she got a slap to the face. A person could see that her haughtiness was threatening to come out. Thankfully for her, she was able to reign her emotions in on time. She stood in front of Soma and pondered for a moment, trying to formulate the correct words. Erina looked as though she was treading carefully, not wanting to poke the proverbial sleeping bear. She started by saying, "Look Soma, did I think you were going to win? No and I don't think anyone else here thought you were going to win too. Does that mean I can't be happy for you to win? No, I am extremely happy that you won and that I don't have to marry Asahi-Sabai! Like honestly, get off your high horse and stop being mad at me; you should honestly be glad that I'm even be talking to you! With you be a commoner and all…" she ended her tirade with a shriek, and she looked genuinely miffed. Her voice was exponentially rising as she continued speaking. It sounded more like she was trying to convince herself that she was in the right rather than trying to calm down Soma's anger.

Soma's face resembled a plaster wall, hard and white. He could not believe what he was hearing. How could the girl he loved be so cruel and dense? And people said he was dense. Couldn't she see that she wounded him deeply? Or maybe she did, and she just didn't care? And he thought that Erina got over her superiority complex, but it seems as though it came back in full force.

After Soma's initial shock wore off, he realized that he should be angry! And during that one moment, all of Soma's pent up anger towards Erina, Asahi, Pops, and BLUE came out channeled at a single person for the whole world to see. It came out like a volcano pent up with pressure or like a bomb ready to explode.

Soma's Pov:

"I should be happy? Who do you think you are, Erina? I though that we were friends, but I guess I was nothing more than a puppet to you—someone you can manipulate into thinking you care about. Just some low-class boy who you grace with your presence. You know, people always used to call you names behind your back and I always used to defend you against their onslaught. But now I think they might be right, that you might just be a cold-hearted per—BITCH that's not capable of love! And guess what Erina I am the true son of Asura and when the final comes… I will do what my father did before to his opponents; I will destroy you." I ended my emotional tirade by sending Erina a look that I can only describe as pure hatred. Afterwards, I had to leave so I stalked out towards the hallway.

I needed to get out of there. My eyes could only look one way and that was directed towards the door that offered me solace from the pain that I was feeling. I could not help but feel a tad guilty; I mean I basically called her a bitch. But I shouldn't feel guilty though, right? This was the Freudian battle my mind was going through, my ego was forced to appease my superego. Eventually a consensus occurred and 'she deserved it' is what my conscious said. And with this my mind was satiated and I had no further qualms. I'm sure though that if people were to look at my face, they would see hot, betrayed, tears cascading down my face. And as it turns out however only one person saw, my father.

And with that I made my way through the throngs of people and left without a single interview taken or a single word to any of my friends. I had to leave; my emotional distress was starting to overpower any semblance of self-control I had remaining. I was not even angry anymore; I was just sad and downright depressed. And it was in that moment of depression that I made up my mind: I would throw away any love that I have for Erina and instead use the hurt and hate I feel to destroy her during the finals. And that was the most content I felt that whole day.

I left with a small smile on my face.

Yukihara Joichiro knew he was not the best dad; he knew that some people would have to be hard-pressed to even classify him as a father. He always looks back at a certain memory. One of the lowest moments of his life. It's when he remembers the first words that Soma said to him after he came for his wife's funeral.

"Dad what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be working?" Soma asked with a Child's curious expression on his face. Soma wasn't trying to be rude or mean, it was merely a child's insatiable thirst for knowledge. But that did not make the words hurt any less, they were like a dish that was too hot and began to burn the tip of your tongue. And he did not like it all.

And he had an epiphany. It was at that moment that Saiba Joichiro became a figment of the past, a figment of a past life. He was then forever to be Yukihara Joichiro for Soma's sake as well as for his own. He would not be a stranger to his son anymore, he would make a more concerted effort to connect with his son. For, he already has missed so many moments of Soma's life. He had let it go to the point that his own son didn't expect him to attend his wife's funeral. He was no father to the boy he absolutely adored. But after Soma's innocent question he decided to try his hardest to make up for all of those moments he missed. There were many milestones of a young person's life that he wasn't able to appreciate with his wife and son. His first words, his first steps, his first birthday, and the one that hurt the most, his own son's birth, were all things he had missed and couldn't gain back. These were the regrets that he would carry for the rest of his living days and sometimes they ate him alive.

But no one could ever say that Yukihara Joichirou did not love his son. After his dear wife passed away, he lived for his son. It turned into the reason why Joichiro even continued to cook, his deep adoration and fatherly love instead of his love for Tamako (which would never leave).

And that's why the scene that just played before his very eyes struck him so deeply. He knew his son like the back of his hand, so he knew he loved Erina. And anyone who paid even the slightest bit of attention would see it too. Luckily, he also knew that in some twisted and skewed way that Erina loved Soma. The problem seemed to be that Erina did not know it yet and that she inadvertently hurt the man that cared the most about her, bar maybe her grandfather.

"Ha-Ha-Ha-Ah" he bellowed, a deep throaty laugh.

'The Irony' he thought to himself. It seems as though fate did not want Soma to know Joichiro's advice, but rather Erina. He came to the conclusion that Erina needed to have a little push so that she would be able to realize the extent of her feelings towards Soma. And maybe then she would be able to shed her tsundere nature.

When he thought about the hopefully burgeoning trajectory of Soma and Erina's relationship, it brought to mind his own relationship with his wife. His wife and he were totally different in terms of personality and skill, but their differences are what made them work so well together as chefs—if you would call her that—and partners. He could only hope that it would all work out for his son in the end too.

After all, isn't that what all parents wish for their children—happiness?

"Tamako, I hope you'd be happy with what I'm about to do. It's all for Soma. It's always been for Soma." He said in a low grumble. And at the end of those words, Joichiro made his way towards Erina, (hopefully) his future daughter-in-law.

Erina on the other hand, looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Her body was convulsing, her breath was ragged, and her eyes were wide as though they had seen a ghost. Many thoughts were running through the blonde-haired girl's head, namely: 'How did it devolve into this?' 'Did people really say those mean and hurtful things about me?' 'And what is this inexplicable pain in my heart?' Tears could not help but form in her amethyst eyes. As much as Erina tried to prove otherwise, she was still a teenager and teenagers had feelings.

She felt as though she was in a black abyss of sorrow and it was her usual savior who pushed her over the ledge. Erina could not help but feel betrayed by Soma-kun, 'Wasn't he supposed to be my friend?' she thought to herself. The thought made her heart feel as though she was getting pressed through a pasta maker. But then, the metaphorical lightbulb flashed in her brain and suddenly the gravity of what she had said, hit her. She realized that she basically told Soma that she did not care about his feelings and that he was lower than her. She has not felt that way since the event with her father.

"What kind of friend would do that?" She said at loud to herself, not caring if anyone heard her. And then she realized that a friend would not have said anything like that, only a mean person would. Her sobs broke out for the whole world to see; her sobs were choked and throaty which was not a good look for the Totsuki princess. She felt numb all throughout her body which seemed to be a little over the top, even for her.

'Why do I feel like this?' She thought to herself, startling herself with her lack of empathy. Erina had not felt this sense of dread since her father was trying to control her. 'Is Soma-kun that big a part of my life?' Is the natural response her conscious came up with.

Well, she was about to find out.

Erina's idol, Saiba Joichiro—Soma's Dad! —was walking towards her. Erina was not able to see him in time however due to the heart-wrenching pain that took precedent over any other sense.

Erina was pulled out of her reverie when her idol gently called her, "Erina, are you all right? You look a little down." Her idol must have heard her argument with Soma and he was mad at her! Right?

She quickly fixed her hair and patted down her outfit. She could not allow Saiba-sama to see her in this state. Finally, satisfied with her appearance, she replied: "Oh, Hello Saiba-sama, um everything is fine; yes, everything is fine, just a little mentally drained is all." It took all of her mental fortitude to not break down right there in front of her idol and Soma's father.

Erina was trying her hardest to stay sane for her idol and her mentor—it wasn't working. Joichiro was able to sense the girls stress and decided to cut to the chase and let the girl out of her misery. He would do this by imparting the same knowledge that he tried to bestow upon Soma, who naturally hung up before he heard the advice.

"Erina" he started "Can I give you a piece of friendly advice?"

She quickly interjected, "Of course, Saiba-sama. Anything you say, I hold in such a high regard!" Erina looked like a lost puppy, who was willing to latch onto anything that could be construed as good.

Joichiro steadied himself, as this conversation would either go great or go horribly. He took a deep breath and began to give his "wisdom" to Erina: "Full disclaimer, I'm not saying this as a chef but as a person who has seen many things in my life." Erina shook her head in affirmation and motioned for him to continue. "Alright Erina, in order to truly be happy and truly be a great chef, you need someone who makes you want to cook for them the rest of your life. Someone who makes you laugh, makes you cry, makes you so annoyed that you want to hit them, but most of all someone who makes you feel loved. Someone who loves you and who you love in return. Someone who would move the world for you and not even ask for a thanks. And when that person is found, do not let them go even if your life depends on it." Saiba finished his mini-speech with a soft, nostalgic look that was plastered on his face. If a person new him well, they would say that this was the look that he reserved for when he was thinking about his long-deceased wife, Tamako. Saiba did not feel the need to wait for Erina to respond so he walked off and left Erina to ponder this new knowledge.

He softly murmured to himself, "For you Soma, it's always been for you."

"Laugh, Cry, Annoy, repeat" Erina whispered to herself; she was thinking long and hard about what her idol just told her. 'Who makes me feel like that?' she thought. And suddenly a gasp escaped her perfectly shaped lips and what followed was a cascade of tears. She finally realized the fundamental truth of her life. Which was that she loved Soma, his brazen attitude, his lax approach to cooking, his annoying habits, all of him. For the first time since she was a young girl—before her mother left and her father started abusing her—she felt complete. It was as if she unlocked a deep-seeded secret. One that made her feel fuzzy on the inside, one that seemed to swallow her whole into a protective wrap—a lot like a big hug. A secret that was made all the sweeter with the time that it festered in the bowels of heart. Until it became ready to burst like a geyser, showering her with happiness. She could not help but let out a heart-warming squeal, one that seemed as though it could brighten up the whole arena. The squeal divulged into short, small, and happy sobs. The girl was put through an emotional rollercoaster and it was only beginning.

But then the sobs turned into loud and choked whines. "Classic Erina, he hates you now! Why couldn't you figure it out earlier! Baka, Baka, Baka!" She said as her voice was in a shaky muffled groan that was obscured by her choking voice. She never wanted to hurt him, but she was protecting herself from her own mistakes. A regret that she hoped to rectify if Soma would allow her a chance.

What people did not understand though was that Erina was broken, years of neglect and abuse at the hands of her parents made sure of that. She did not know what love was (it surely was not the same as the love from her Shoujo manga). Sure, she understood it as an abstract concept, but she never experienced it. The closest she felt to love was from her Grandfather, but that was still a bastardized form of love that came from his love of Mana not Erina. Her father may love her in a sick and twisted way but not in any way that's suitable for a child.

And then her blessing—or maybe, her curse—the god tongue made it hard for her to admit to anything. She was raised to carry herself with this air of gravitas and superiority. And it was not until Soma that she wanted to be anything else than what she was raised to be. Soma made her want to be a commoner—though, she would never say that out loud. She never thought that she wouldn't mind going back to a small city and working in a family diner for the rest of life if it meant that her love would be with her. She always thought that she was meant for the main stage, her work showcased throughout the world. However, throughout the year her priorities seemingly changed before her eyes.

It is because of Soma that she is able to feel emotions that she did not think she could feel, make her think things that she did not think she could think, and make here dream things she didn't think she'd be able to dream. These dreams were one of a future, a future that didn't revolve around cooking, one in which she was just a normal girl and he was just a normal boy and they were doing normal people things.

In order for her to achieve these dreams, to reach the normalcy that she was always secretly craving. She knew what she had to do. She needed to win BLUE. She needed to cook for Soma, and she would show him, her love for him through her dish. A dish that could perfectly convey her dreams of the future, a future for him and her. And only then would he maybe forgive her and give her a chance.

"Oh, that would be a dream," she said out loud with a sigh looking like a lovestruck girl.

So, with her aspirations in her mind, Erina steeled her resolve and decided that she would make Soma-kun bow down to her cooking and in return bow down to her feelings for him. She wouldn't beat him for the sake of beating him but rather, for the sake of conveying her emotions to him in the best way she could.

Erina never would have thought that she would fall for the red-headed boy who made her so angry at his entrance exam. But finally, she acknowledged the feelings that she felt. And her feelings now held an iron-clad lock hold on her heart. It was as if one albatross was switched for another. Erina would much rather have this albatross across her neck, though.

She realized that she could not waste any more time. So, she began formulating ideas for her dish. Of course, it would have to be something that held sentimental value to them both. Maybe, something with egg? Or with tempura? She didn't know, all she knew was that it was imperative that she show him how much she cared for him—she didn't want to think about how it wasn't necessarily going to work. Erina normally wasn't one for sentimentality, but she needed to change, and soma was the spur that pushed her forward. And in this moment, Erina realized that she would do anything for Soma—her one true love.

So then, Erina took her phone out and scrolled towards the "H" contacts. She pressed the name of her aide and waited for her to answer.

Finally, her aide picked up her phone and Erina then spoke, "Hisako, you there?" Her aid responded in affirmation. "Okay, I need you to get a kitchen set up for me…pronto. And bring some egg and make them cheap ones!" And with that Erina hung up and left the auditorium for her own personal kitchen to get ready for the long night ahead of her.

Wow! That was a lot. I hope you feel some of the emotion that I was attempting to invoke in you. Honestly, that took way longer than I expected it to. I was sitting on this story for at least a month and a half. I still don't feel as though its good enough, so I will probably be making edits throughout the month. I want to make sure it is of the highest quality that I can possibly put out. And if I get a solid response from you guys, I will continue the story! If not, then I will scratch it as a loss.

So now it is time for some clarifications on the plot of the story and certain characterizations. The story stays mostly canon until the battle with Saiba. After that Shokugeki, the story is going to branch off into my own continuation. Soma is more affected by Erina's lack of trust in him and his abilities than in cannon. This will be the driving force of most of the conflict. Another major facet of the story is the flip-flopping of the feelings that Soma and Erina have. They are both going to go through some emotional turmoil before they can reach the end. Most of the major characters are going to be a little OOC. It was bound to happen because I had to make the characters fit my writing style and I need them to be a little more emotional. After all, I really want to tug on all of your heart strings. Soma is going to be less dense than in canon and he is also going to be moodier. While Erina is going to be more receptive to Soma's feelings and she is going to have to sort them all out and act on them in a less toxic way.

My plans for this fic include at least six chapters and 40,000 words. I don't have an exact schedule. But if this story gets likes then I will start working on the next chapter as soon as possible.

-Until next time, hopefully…

The ties that bind us.