Chapter 2.

Saiba Joichirou, or now known as Yukihira Joichirou - walked through the streets of the shopping district - carrying the bags of the small (h/c) haired girl, who was meekly following him.

"In know that you will like it in here,

(Y/n)-chan. I also have a son who is of your age - you two will make quite a pair," the older male laughed boisterously after saying that and the (h/c)ette just nodded her head in response - still wondering why her father had decided to entrust her in this man's care.

Don't take it in the wrong way - she respects Joichirou, but she isn't sure if she is ready to live with his family yet. Gosh! She didn't even have enough time to properly mourn.

'If push comes to shove - I'll just run away from there,' the eight-year-old thought while her eyes were still trained on her shoes.

"We're here kiddo. Let's head in," Joichirou announced - grabbing the attention of the (h/c) haired girl.

"Huh?" The girl slowly let out in confusion as she looked up at what was going to be her new home.

'Yukihira's diner? Am I going to live in a rundown diner now?' The girl miserably thought, silently loathing the idea of being stripped away from her riches and luxuries.

"Tadaima!" Joichirou announced while walking inside the diner, and as usual (Y/n) following behind him.

"Okaire dad."

The (h/c)ette heard someone yell as a mesh of red - dash towards them at full speed, before surprisingly stopping right in front of them.

The mesh of red hair belonged to a boy, who appeared to be around her age with spiky red hair and bright golden eyes.

'Is he Joichirou-san's son?' the (h/c)ette thought - her eyes furrowing in confusion.

"Souma, don't run so fast - you brat!" A feminine voice yelled as loud footsteps were stomping in their direction.

'Who the hell calls their own kid brat?'

The voice belonged to a woman with spiky brown hair - also wearing that same Yukihira t-shirt that both Joichirou and the red-haired boy were wearing.

"You're back!" the female's face instantly brightened up when she saw Joichirou and the form of a child behind her husband. A small gasp escaped her lips when he saw the young child hiding behind Joichirou. 'How cute!'

"Who's behind you Joichirou?" Tamako asked in a teasing voice as she gently grabbed the little girl's arm and dragged her out in the open.

Tamako internally squealed at the sight of the embarrassed girl and instinctively picked her up and started spinning her around - squealing how cute the (h/c)ette was.

"Tamako, I think you should let her down now," Joichirou instructed her when he saw her face almost turning green.

"I'm sorry kiddo!" Tamako instantly apologized and put down the girl when she saw her sick face.

"You're just so adorable that I wasn't able to stop myself!" the older female chuckled.

"Souma," Joichirou called out to his son and the hyperactive redhead snapped his head in his father's direction, "show (Y/n)-chan her room."

The hyperactive redhead immediately nodded his head and grabbed her hand and started dragging her further inside the diner/house.

"Ano...can you walk a little slower," (Y/n) squeaked out - finding it hard to keep up with the fast pace of Yukihira Souma?

"Gomen, gomen," the said boy apologized but continued to drag her around at the same pace, causing (Y/n) to groan internally. 'This guy seriously has a screw loose.'

"This is your room (Y/n)-chan," the boy giddily said while stopping inside an average-looking room, which had a single bed, a desk, a bookshelf, and a bay window - much different from her own room back home.

"Do you like it? Do you like it?" Souma excitedly asked the (h/c) haired girl - who just stared at him with wide eyes.

'I hate it!' That's what she wanted to say - no - that's what she wanted to yell at him.

"It's okay," but this is what she said.

"(Y/n)-chan," the boy called out once again, causing the said girl to groan internally at the boy for using her first name so casually.

"Yes Yukihira-kun," the girl monotonously responded.

"Call me Souma-kun, (Y/n)-chan. I'm so glad that you're finally here. I hope that we can become great friends," the boy cheerfully said and all in one breath. He looked up at the girl - expecting to see a happy look on her face but met with only indifference.

"Whatever," (Y/n) bluntly replied before closing the door in his face.

The redhead was quite taken aback by the rude and blunt behavior of the (h/c) haired girl. 'Why is she so cold?'

The redhead boy once again knocked at her door and this time - it was opened by a scowling (Y/n).

"(Y/n)-chan, why don't you smile?"

"huh?"

"I'm asking that - why don't you ever smile?" the boy elaborated his question this time.

"That's how I am Souma-kun," (Y/n) monotonously replied.

"Then I will make sure that you smile again (Y/n)-chan - just you wait!" he declared - a determined look crossing his features.

"Good luck with that." And the door was once again shut on his face.

The (h/c) haired girl woke up from her long dream as the first rays of the morning sun seeped in through the curtains.

'It was a dream - no - it was a memory!' the (h/c)ette thought.

_________

"Breakfast is ready (Y/n)-chan!" Souma yelled out while placing a bowl of rice, fried fish, and a bowl of miso soup in front of the (h/c) haired girl.

"Thanks for the food," she whispered before starting to eat.

Souma also mimicked her action - stealing glances at the (h/c)ette.

He was worried for her - the bags under her eyes clearly indicated that something was troubling her enough to keep her awake the previous night.

Souma really wanted to know what was bothering her, but he also didn't want to intrude on her privacy. He will just wait and see for now. If something is definitely bothering - she will tell him, right?

"Let's go Souma," the (h/c)ette said, and the two teenagers finally left their home.

__________

"Why should I pay to learn how to cook. Stupid!" Souma grumbled under his breath while the two made their way to Totsuki- for their transfer exam.

'Culinary school is probably like....' The redhead trailed off as the image of an old man teaching how to make a simple dish appeared in his mind.

"I can assure you that it's totally different from what you're currently imagining."

The redhead was brought out of the trance when he heard the words of the (h/c)ette.

He let out a gasp of surprise, "and what am I thinking?"

"You're most probably imagining a shivering old man teaching some basic and easy dish," she casually shrugged.

"You're a psychic," he exasperated.

'Yes, I'm Saiki Kusuo!' the girl rolled her eyes. "I can certainly assure you that I'm not a psychic."

"Then how come you're - "

"I know you."

That simple line was enough to silence the redhead and somehow was also able to bring a hue of red on his cheeks. His attention averted from (Y/n) when he heard a scream.

"I can't believe I failed the promotional exams!" The two boys yelled out in agony while kneeling. "This is bad. My life is over!"

Souma then heard another scream - and this time - it was an old man - kneeling in front of a bunch of men dressed in black {men in black}. "I beg you. I'll donate ten million....twenty million! Please! Please don't expel my son!"

"(Y/n)-chan - what is going on here?" The redhead asked with a surprised face - clearly taken back by the culture shock.

"Oh - this? It's quite normal around here," (Y/n) nonchalantly replied, much to the utter surprise of the redhead.

"You find nothing wrong here?" Souma asked once again.

"Well, this is an elite school, and the graduation rate is less than 10%, so...." (Y/n) trailed off.

" - it's the survival of the fittest here," the redhead completed her sentence, and the (h/c)ette just nodded her head.

"That's why dad said that if I can't survive here - I will never be able to surpass him," Souma said as a matter of fact.

"Wasn't Joichirou-san also going to say something about the secret behind great cooking?" She asked as the two wandered around the massive campus of Totsuki.

"Yeah, but I cut the call midway," Souma replied.

A frown appeared on (Y/n)'s face at the words of the redhead's words. "Souma - you do know that it was completely rude of you to cut off Joichirou-san's call like that," she said with a disappointed look crossing her features.

The redhead instantly felt guilty when (Y/n pointed out his mistake. "Guess, I'll just apologize to him later," he sheepishly mumbled - causing the (h/c)ette to smile sweetly at him.

(Y/n) slowly raised her hand - moving it slowly towards the redhead's cheek and finally coming in contact with it.

Her warm skin against his cold cheek - gently caressing it - sent shivers down his spine. His breath hitched lightly at the actions of (Y/n). He never expected her to initiate something, but needless to say - he was happy.

"(Y/n)-chan?" the redhead slowly spoke up - grabbing the (h/c)ette's hand that was caressing his face - in his own, and that seemed to have brought her out of whatever trance she was previously trapped in.

"We can do all these things once we get married," he cheekily replied while smiling brightly at her.

Heat instantly rose to her cheeks when she realized what Souma said and what she was doing all along.

(Y/n).exe has stopped working.

__________

After a few minutes, when (Y/n) had thankfully started working again --- the two went in search of the place where they were supposed to give the entrance exam.

But for some unknown reason --- (Y/n) seemed to be frustrated.

Souma watched in worry as the (h/c)ette frowned in irritation.

'How can I behave so stupidly in front of Souma? He must be thinking so badly of me now!' These were (Y/n)'s distraught thoughts.

While Souma on the other hand --- had polar opposite thoughts running through his mind. '(Y/n)-chan's touch was heavenly! Hopefully, she will do that again!'

Strong emotions continued bubbling inside her --- to the point that it was physically hurting her to keep it inside. Trying to find closure, she just went ahead and harshly kicked the nearest object --- which just so happened to be a bench --- where someone was already seated.

"(Y/n)-chan!" Souma gasped --- bringing the

(h/c)ette out of whatever trance she was stuck in.

"Don't take out your anger on a poor bench --- and look, someone was sitting on the bench."

(Y/n)'s eyes widened in horror when she realized what she had done.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to kick the bench," she instantly apologized to that person.

The person -- who appeared to be a boy around her and Souma's age, just gave the two teenagers a closed-eyed smile. "Don't worry. Are you two applying here too?" He then also proceeded to invite the two teenagers to sit down with him.

"Okay," the (h/c)ette blinked as she started to take a seat beside the unknown rich boy -- but Souma was quick to pull her towards the edge of the bench, before sitting between the unknown boy and (Y/n).

'I'll be damned before I let this pretty rich boy come anywhere near (Y/n)-chan.'

The other boy didn't seem to mind the redhead's strange actions as he continued speaking. "They're posting the middle school promotion exams results. That's why it's so lively here today."

"I'm Nikaido Yoshiaki --- my family runs a French restaurant."

"What a coincidence, we own a restaurant too," Souma spoke up, and at the moment --- (Y/n) was already predicting what will most probably happen next.

"Not really...." Nikaido Yoshiaki chuckled, "that guy over there --- he's the heir to a nationwide chain of restaurants, and he's the son of a fresh fish wholesaler for the Kanto region," he said while pointing towards two boys.

"Practically everyone here --- has a culinary pedigree. What's your place called?" He asked while turning towards Souma and

(Y/n).

"It's called Yukihira," the redhead promptly replied.

"Yukihira --- a traditional Japanese ryotei?" Nikaido looked up thoughtfully.

Souma gave out a little laugh at the rich boy's response. "It's not that fancy! It's a downtown diner ---"

The redhead was cut off in the middle when Nikaido kicked him off the bench -- which also led to him falling over his (h/c) haired companion.

"Itai!" (Y/n) whimpered painfully. The bruises caused by the fall, along with the weight of the redhead falling on top of her -- did inflict some damage on her.

"(Y/n)-chan! Are you o --" the redhead was cut off in the middle when he felt a menacing aura radiating from the rich boy?

"A lowly commoner? How dare you sit beside someone like me?" Nikaido yelled -- glaring down at the two 'commoners.'

"Listen carefully. Commoners are not allowed in this school. This is a holy ground of culinary arts. A school only for the upper class of the culinary world. That's what this place is -- Totsuki Tea Ceremony and Culinary Academy! Lowly commoners like you two should be dropped for your status ---"

Nikaido was cut off in the middle when Souma lifted him in the air -- by his collar.

"Stop assuming our worth when you've never eaten at Yukihira!" The redhead growled -- finally dropping the rich boy on the ground as the butles immediately went after their master.

"(Y/n)-chan got hurt because of you --- you dumbass! How are you going to apologize to her now for tarnishing her maidenly soft skin?" The redhead glowered down at the rich boy.

"Souma --- just leave him be," the (h/c)ette urged the redhead as she back hugged him --- trying to pull him towards herself and put as much distance as possible between the two boys.

(Something like this --- just the roles are reversed)

"But (Y/n)-chan -- he hurt you!" Souma protested -- struggling against her grip around his waist.

"It's okay -- it's just a scratch. Nothing serious," (Y/n) tried to persuade him again and thankfully he decided to listen to her.

Seeing that Souma had finally listened to her, the (h/c)ette ushered him towards his own entrance hall, and the redhead begrudgingly left her -- finally.

The smile that was previously playing on her lips was gone as soon as the redhead was out of sight.

"So you're the heir to (Random French Restaurant's Name), huh?" She asked while making her way towards the rich boy -- Nikaido.

Her cold glare was so intense that both Nikaido and those working under him cowered in fear. 'Who is she?'

"You're supposed to answer when questioned Nikaido-san!" The (h/c)ette thundered. All the traces of the once innocent girl was now completely gone.

"Y-Yes," Nikaido squeaked nervously.

When she heard this, a sadistic smile appeared on her lips. She loves this feeling of power.

"Your restaurant has a partnership with NK associations, doesn't it?" She asked once again.

"Y-Yes," the boy stuttered out once again, he was sweating bullets by now.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but if something happens and the partnership breaks -- your restaurant will suffer heavy losses, won't it? It may even go bankrupt, right?"

Nikaido trembled in fear in front of the girl. He would've never thought that some lowly commoner's words would have this much effect on him.

"W-What do you want? W-Who are you?" He stuttered out through clenched teeth.

"What I want?" She scoffed at the lousy attempts to make amends by the Nikaido. "That's easy -- I want your so-called nobility to stop looking down on others, otherwise you and your whole family will face the wrath of Nakamura (Y/n)."

Her eyes were shining dangerously by now. Everyone who saw this scene -- either chose to just walk away or mind their own business. They didn't know who this girl was, but they felt it in their guts -- that it would be their unbecoming if they intervened now.

"So...do we have a deal here?" She asked -- this time with a sickeningly sweet smile.

"Y-Yes."

"That's good to hear Nikaido Yoshiaki-san," she stated while smiling down at him.

"Now I must leave for my transfer exams. Ja ne."