It's official now. There is no point in denying it anymore. Nothing can change the bitter truth that was staring her straight in the face. Nakamura (Y/n) is lost in this temple of cooking called Totsuki Culinary Academy.
The (h/c) haired female scratched her head in confusion. 'Oh man! What am I supposed to do now? I can't believe I didn't think this through!'
She turned her head from side to side, perhaps hoping for a map to miraculously appear before her. But let's be honest, all of us know that nothing of that sort is going to happen. She continued to stroll aimlessly through the campus, occasionally checking her wristwatch and then groaning in frustration on realizing that it was way past eleven. This means that Erina's shokugeki must have already started. (Y/n) can't believe that she was capable of committing such stupidity.
'How am I supposed to find my way back now? I should have at least charged my phone, then I would have called Souma for help even though he's kind of useless himself!' She thought to herself while looking down dejectedly at her dead-ass phone.
"Excuse me, Miss."
(Y/n) heard someone speak while she was busy wallowing in self-pity. She turned around and faced two boys -- wearing the standard Totsuki boy's uniform. One of them was quite tall and had messy dark brown hair and the other one was slightly shorter and had slicked-back blond hair and crystal blue eyes.
"Are you okay, Miss?" the dark-haired boy asked, and (Y/n) just nodded her head in response.
"Hey...aren't you one of the transfer students? Are you perhaps lost?" The blonde-haired boy asked.
"Yeah..." the (h/c)ette trailed off. "I was actually looking for cook-off arena 5. There is a shokugeki going on there, and I wanted to see that, but I got lost you see," she explained.
"So...can you tell me where it is? I've never felt this lost before."
The blonde-haired boy then had an I-get-it-now look on his face. "Oh, I understand now. you must have got lost because you are still unfamiliar with the routes."
"We are going the same way. Let us escort you there, Miss," the brown-haired one suggested, and (Y/n) quickly agreed to it – anything to get out of this. Together the three of them started making their way towards the cook-off arena.
Halfway through the way, the blonde head one suddenly spoke up, "It was so rude of us not to introduce ourselves first. I'm Takumi Aldini, and this is my brother Isami Aldini," he introduced himself and his younger twin.
"I am Nakamura (Y/n).c
"I know."
"Huh?"
"I mean..." he nervously scratched the back of his head – his cheeks going a little red. (Y/n) just stared at him in confusion, not knowing what is going on with him.
"Ni-chan meant that Totsuki doesn't get many transfer students, so you are quite famous already," Isami covered up for his older brother.
(Y/n) giggled at their words. These two brothers are so much like princes.
Pretty soon, the three of them reached the arena, they parted ways after exchanging phone numbers and promising to meet again.
After bidding farewell to the twins, she ventured inside the hall. The inside of the arena was built like those stadiums – bleachers were placed in such a way that all of them faced down towards the arena, where Shokugeki was going on. The giant screen that was hanging overhead was displaying the result of today's Shokugeki. It was already over.
"With 3 to 0, Nakiri Erina once again sweeps an absolute victory," the emcee announced with an amount of enthusiasm that was almost unbearable for someone as listless as (Y/n).
As the Shokugeki was already over, she stoops near the exit and waited for Erina and Hisako. Fortunately, she didn't have to wait much longer as the owner of the 'God's tongue' walked out in her white chef's uniform, followed by her secretary.
"Erina-nee-san, Arato-san. I apologize for not being able to reach here in time," (Y/n) apologized. "I got lost you see."
Hisako gasped in surprise and somehow linked (Y/n) getting lost was her fault, so she instantly bowed in apology.
"I apologize Nakamura-san. I should've sent an escort for you. It was so shameful of me for not doing my job properly."
"No, no, it's completely alright. It was my fault for not contacting you," (Y/n) tried to reassure her.
'She's so cute!' Both Erina and Hisako thought as they stared at (Y/n)'s flustered face.
"Join me for a cup of tea in my residence once I get changed."
The single sentence of invitation from Erina was enough to leave both Hisako and (Y/n) baffled.
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"So...what have you been up to all these years?" Erina asked while taking a sip of tea that Hisako poured for them.
"Nothing much, just school, learning new cooking techniques, sports, music, the usual you know," (Y/n) casually answered.
"You were involved in various extra-curricular activities, weren't you?" Hisako asked as she took a seat beside her lady, all the while maintaining a respectful distance.
"Yes, dancing and sports are a few of the things that I enjoy, apart from cooking," (Y/n) replied. "and Arato-san, please feel free to call me by my first name."
An uncomfortable silence surrounded the three of them, as each of them waited for the other one to speak up.
Finally, Erina was the one who broke it.
"You will not say where were you all these years?" Erina asked while narrowing her gaze at the (h/c) haired female.
"All secrets will be unveiled in due time," (Y/n) replied cheekily while winking at the duo. "You must have heard the saying – curiosity killed the cat. So, don't worry your pretty heads over something this trivial."
"Erina-sama, please don't get angry at (Y/n)-san," Hisako tried to console her lady.
"Anyways...is that a piano I see?" The (h/c)ette suddenly asked while getting up to examine the huge musical instrument that was sitting idly in the middle of the room – collecting dust.
"Do you play it?" She asked while wiping the thin layer of dust that was covering it.
"Erina-sama doesn't play. This piano is more like a decorative piece," Hisako answered for her lady. She's such a good secretary.
"I see," (Y/n) let out thoughtfully. "Such a wasted thought," she whispered to herself.
"Hey, do you mind if I play a little?" She asked her cousin.
"Not at all."
On hearing Erina's voice of approval, (Y/n) instantly took a seat in front of the instrument – testing the keys.
"Here goes nothing," she mumbled to herself while pressing the keys that produced the familiar and soothing melody.
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"Why do you always play this song?" the 8-year-old (Y/n) asked her father -- Nakamura Azuza, who was playing a melody that always seemed to soothe his chaotic mind.
"This is a melody that Dad and your uncle played a lot when we were young," Azuza answered wistfully.
"Do you like it?" He asked his daughter.
"Yes, I like it very much. Will you teach me how to play this?" She asked while giving him her best puppy eyes, and Nakamura Azuza instantly succumbed. How can he refuse her when she asked with such an adorable expression? (Y/n) is his only daughter after all.
"Now let's get started!" he enthusiastically answered while making her sit on the bench as he started teaching her the ropes of this melody.
"What are you doing here, (Y/n)-chan?" The 12-year-old Souma asked her when he found her sitting alone in the music. It is quite unusual because (Y/n is usually surrounded by cheerful people.
"Nothing, I was just..." she trailed off, not knowing what to say.
Usually, Souma is pretty much oblivious to everything else other than cooking, he could still catch on to her longing gaze. It was obvious that she .wanted to play the piano. But what is stopping her? Anyways, he may not know the reason behind her gloom, but he will make sure that her wish is fulfilled.
"Do you how to play this thing (Y/n)-chan?" he asked while dragging her towards the piano and making her sit on the bench before taking a seat beside her.
"I used to play a little when I was young," she timidly answered, averting her gaze from him while her statements only seemed to confuse the redhead boy.
He stared at her weirdly. "What do you mean by 'when you were young?' We are only twelve, aren't we?"
The (h/c) haired female stared at him as if he's grown two heads but she also felt as if he just told her the greatest secret of human life. She smiled at him warmly. "Yes, I am only twelve years old."
"Right..."
"So, I'm going to play again," she answered him with a bright smile.
"You get me now right," Souma beamed at her while bringing her in a hug. Needless to say, the redhead boy is slowly warming up her stiff heart.
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(Y/n) slowly opened her eyes. She didn't even realize that they closed till now, as the song finally came to an end. The first thing she saw after opening her eyes was the awed expression of Erina and Hisako, and the first thing she felt was pride and amusement. Hisako was the one to break the silence as Erina was still taken aback by the (h/c)ette's soulful music.
"That was beautiful (Y/n)-san. I never thought you can play as well as a professional."
At this, the (h/c)ette giggled bashfully. "You flatter me Arato-san, but I'm definitely nowhere close to them. This is just something I picked up along the way."
Hisako and (Y/n) then turned towards the owner of the 'God's tongue,' who was still silent. Just when Erina was about to muster up the courage to compliment her baby cousin, another overly enthusiastic voice interrupted them.
"My, my, I never that you are so talented (Y/n)-chan," Nakiri Alice said while entering the room with Kurokiba Ryou -- her aide. "Ryou-kun say hi to (Y/n)-chan."
The black-haired male looked at her with tired and sleepy eyes, and said, "Hey."
"Who let you two in?" Erina shouted animatedly at them. It was quite funny, to be honest.
"We invited ourselves in," Alice replied casually while paying no heed to Erina's annoyance.
The two Nakiris continued to bicker back and forth as their respective aides as well (Y/n) stood there dumbfounded.
"Does this happen a lot?" she asked them while pointing towards the Nakiris.
"Yes." They promptly replied.
Unable to take any more of that freak show, (Y/n) just decided to get up and leave first.