1 The Beginning

It was a normal day in Japan as the sun was shining and the birds were flying.

In a shopping district, a black limo drives in as the door opened and a rather old man came out of it with a golden blonde-haired little girl.

The old man is Nakiri Senzaemon, the world-renowned Food Demon king and the little girl is his Granddaughter, Nakiri Erina.

"Grandfather, where are we? Why are we in an underrated food street district?" Erina asked the old man.

"Now, now dear, you might change your opinion to a certain diner, I have in mind." The old man replied before holding hands with the little girl.

"But where? We're a long way from Totsuki Academy," Erina asked again while walking with the old man "and all of these shops are just selling low-grade meals".

"Patience my dear Erina," Senzaemon spoke as they continued to walk. "Do you remember my dear friend Saiba Joichiro?".

"Saiba-sama!?" she exclaimed with her eyes widened with excitement.

"I see you do remember him, huh?" Senzaemon said as he can see clear as day that his grandchild was very excited.

"Are we going to his home?" Erina bombarded the old man with questions. "Is he here!? Are we going to get a meal with him again!? I want to meet him again!".

"Hohoho, be patient and you just might," Senzaemon said with a smile. The two stood in front of a diner with the sign above the shop standing out the name "Yukihira Diner".

"This… this is the place?" Erina's excitement dwindled at the sight of the diner as she thought that they would be going to a high-class restaurant of some sort "Are… are you sure this is where Saiba-sama is? Is it even the same Saiba?"

"Are you doubting the status of the place because it doesn't suit your status, Erina?" Senzaemon asked while raising an eyebrow.

"N-no b-but…" Erina began to stutter in reply. "I would've thought Saiba-sama would work somewhere that suited his culinary prowess…"

"Where a person works do not equate to skills, Erina, come," Senzaemon said as the two entered the diner.

Upon entering, the shop was empty as there were none within.

"Senzaemon, is that you?" A man with long maroon hair stood in front of the line.

He is Saiba Joichiro, the Ashura of Totsuki.

"Surprise, surprise." The old man greeted.

"I see you brought Erina-chan with you too." He gave the small child a dashing smile which causes Erina to blush ever so slightly.

"H-Hello again!" Erina greeted while bowing.

"Hello to you too," he greeted back. "Come on, sit."

The two Nakiri's took their seats as Joichiro stands in front of their table.

"Busy night?" Senzaemon asked, seeing the diner empty.

"Everybody had just left actually." He answered.

"How come you work here at a diner?" Erina asked.

"Erina…" The old man stared down the child, seemingly asking a rude question.

"It's fine old man," Joichiro replied to him. "Well you see, I opened this shop so I can freely cook the food I can to make people happy."

"But can't you do that at other places?" Erina asked again.

"While that's true, most places here in Japan though are quite restricting when it comes to freely cook," Saiba explained. "That's why I opened this shop with my wife."

"Hmm, I guess," Erina said while humming in agreement.

"Speaking of your wife, how is she?" The old man asked.

"Doing great, she's out with the old man on a trip to the old folks club." Joichiro replied, "it's just me and my kid today."

"Hey, Pops! Do we have some customers?!" a shout was heard as a young boy with the fieriest eyes and red hair came from the back of the kitchen. He looked no older than young Erina, which was at best 8 years old.

"Oh speak of the devil, Soma, I want to introduce you to someone," Saiba held his son front forward, with his hands holding on to young Soma's shoulders. "This was my old principle back at Totsuki Academy, Nakiri Senzaemon, and his granddaughter, Erina."

"Hello there." The old man greeted.

"Dad? You're Saiba-sama's son?" Erina said in surprise and confusion.

"Saiba? Who's that?." Soma said with a poker face.

"Ah, so this was the youngling you were talking about I see," Senzaemon thoroughly examined the young boy. "Young Soma looks like his mother, strikingly as well."

"He's got my attitude but he has more of his mother's look," suddenly, the phone in the back rang. "That's probably her right now calling."

"I'll get it!" Soma hurried to the back of the diner to answer.

"Well, you guys have been here for more than 5 minutes and I haven't even given you guys a menu yet, my apologies." Saiba snickered as he reached over to get some menus for the Nakiri's on the counter.

"Thanks." They both thanked him.

After a couple of minutes, the two had decided on their dishes. "I think I'll just have the beef stew if that's alright."

"A number 5? Got it," Saiba now turned his attention to the young Nakiri. "And you?"

"What's this about a transforming furikake Gohan?" Erina asked as she raised an eyebrow at this dish as she could see a picture of it on the menu. "Looks pretty normal to me."

"Oh, there's something special about it," Joichiro said.

"Pops! Mom wants a word with you!" Soma yelled from the back.

"Alright, come take over then." Joichiro hollered as he goes back to take the call.

"Wait, you're gonna let him cook?" Erina said.

"Yeah, he's been cooking for about a year already," Joichiro answered.

"And he's only 8? Impressive." Senzaemon said astounded while scratching his long beard.

Soma came back to the line with an apron and white headband. "Alright pops, I'll continue."

"Good, this shouldn't take long, I hope," Joichiro said as he took the phone and started conversing with his wife on the other line.

As soon as Soma went to the kitchen, the cooking instantly starts as the stoves lit on fire.

Erina watched as the boy prepared her dish. "To think he can already cook at this age… I've had chefs no older than Grandpa bring me food to taste only to end up breaking their dreams about their flaws in their cooking…There's no way he can make the same level of culinary prowess as Saiba-sama... "

Erina watches as Soma cooks a piece of meat before putting it into a stove and a delectable smell soon filled the air.

Erina gulped down on her saliva, a bit anxious while trying to hold in her hunger as the smell was getting to her.

Senzaemon watches as he can see how skilled Soma's cooking was.

"This boy is something…"He thought to himself and then looked right over at his granddaughter. "She's always had the most top-notch chef come in to use her God Tongue, I wonder how she'll react to Soma's cooking right now."

"Alright, it's done," Soma said as he takes two plates and served them to the Nakiris.

Just from the scent, Erina couldn't help but smell the aroma and have a tinge of red on her cheeks.

"There's no way he could've made this level of aroma!"

"One Beef Stew and one Transforming Furikake Gohan served up hot and yum!" Soma said with a cheeky grin.

Senzaemon takes a spoon and scooped up some of the meat and the stew before he eats it.

Soon in just one second, Senzaemon's clothes burst as he went top naked.

"WHY IS HE NAKED!?" Soma screamed at the sight.

"GRANDFATHER!" Erina cried at the sight of him naked.

A couple of seconds pass and he was back to normal.

"Sorry for my sudden outburst, won't happen again." Senzaemon said with a smile before taking another bite of his stew "but still, this Beef stew is exquisite."

"T-thanks?" Soma sweatdropped as he still wanted to get rid of the image in his head but he then turned his attention back at Erina who look dumbfounded at her dish.

"What's the problem?" Soma asked the girl.

"This… this looks like a normal Furikake to me…" Erina said a bit critic.

"Oh no, something is transforming alright," Soma said with a grin as he had a small container containing a jelly-like condiment appearing magically in his hand.

"Here's where it transforms!" He dropped them into her plate and in an instant, the small cubes melted right in front of her, solely from the heat of the rice. "It changed! And what is this new aroma I smell? Chicken?"

Erina's mouth began to water as the delectable aroma started to pull her in.

"Pretty cool ain't it?" Soma took off his headband and grinned.

Erina looks at the dish before taking her chopsticks.

She reached in for a piece of her meal and lifted it.

The jelly melted into the rice and egg and make it shine like some sort of jewel.

Erina slowly eats the bite and chewed slowly as the flavors burst in her mouth.

"So, how was it? Was it good? Was it delicious?" Soma asked with a grin before he saw tears pouring down Erina's eyes.

"Eeeeh?! Why are you crying!? Was it bad!?" Soma began to panic as he had never seen someone cry when eating his dish.

"No, no, it's nothing," Erina said as she wiped away the tears.

Erina continued eating her meal as bit by bit, chew by chew, Erina could not believe the meld of flavors in the Furikake.

"it's like that time," Erina thought as she remembered on the dishes, Saiba presented back in her home "the exploding flavors, the delectable taste, the joy of eating such a dish….it's amazing!"

"It's so good!" She said with a mouthful before swallowing down the meal.

"Really?! It might even be better than my old man's!" Soma grinned while feeling happy.

"no, the meal he made the one time he visited us far exceeds this, but this is still plenty great," Erina said as she bits on a small piece of rice in the bowl and resulting in breaking the high spirit, Soma just had.

"WHAT!?" Soma exclaimed. "It was still weak than my old man!?"

"It's still rather pleasing to my God Tongue," Erina said with a smirk at Soma.

"Oh yeah!? Say that when I make the diner specialty!" Soma flared up as he went back to the kitchen and started cooking.

Joichiro came back and sees the two children in the kitchen as Soma presented a dish to Erina who tasted it before doing a thumbs down to Soma who got flared up even more.

"I see they're getting acquainted," Joichiro said with a smile as he poured tea for Senzaemon and himself.

"Quite an odd duo they are," Senzaemon admitted as he sipped from his hot tea.

"Speaking of odd, how's Azami? Still giving you trouble?" Jocihiro asked.

"More than ever," Senzaemon looked over at Erina. "The way he's been treating Erina, he's turning into a monster."

"In what way?" Saiba raised an eyebrow.

"He's teaching her his way of cooking, how there should be principles in cooking, that freely cooking is nothing disastrous," he continued. "How it almost destroyed you."

Joichiro rolled his eyes as he sighs long.

"But after she met you and today meeting your son, I can see that some of that spell Azami had rubbed on her is beginning to rub off," Senzaemon added.

"Think so?" Jocihiro asked as he looked over the kids and sees how the two were like best friends already.

"No, I believe so," Senzaemon clarified. "Speaking of which, have you decided if you want Soma to start middle school at Totsuki?"

"it's the not right time yet," the long marooned hair man said. "Soma still has a long way before him before he ventured out on his own to figure out his style of cooking."

"Same goes for Erina," Senzaemon agreed before the two looks to the kitchen and sees the two kids are now playing cards with each other.

"I win!" Erina exclaimed with a big smile as she places down all cards to a stack while Soma had 10 cards in his hands.

"One more time!" Soma shouted out as he started to reshuffle back all the cards.

"Those two are like peas in a pod," Joichiro said with a grin as Senzaemon nodded in agreement.

The week goes by as Senzaemon and Erina visited the dinner often as Soma would always make a new dish for Erina but the girl just said that Joichiro's dish was way better than his.

"so, how long have you been cooking?" Erina asked as she and Soma were now playing Jenga.

"I held a knife since last year so make it a year," Soma said as he takes out one block before putting it on top.

"Hmmm, No wonder your cooking is weaker than that of Saiba-sama," Erina said with a taunt as she takes out one block and puts it on top.

"Hmph! One of these days, I'm going to make a dish that blows your socks off!" Soma said as he takes out one piece but the whole Jenga fell.

"Noooo!" Soma screamed in despair as he loses the game.

"Haha! That makes it 10 wins in a row!" Erina said with a peace sign

"Cards!" Soma exclaimed as he takes out a deck of cards.

"Fine by me," Erina said accepting the challenge as Soma started dealing out the cards.

"These two have been playing around since they met," Joichiro said with a smile while sitting with Senzaemon.

"Who knows, maybe one day, those two might get married," Senzaemon said with a laugh.

"Doubt it, my son's head is filled with cooking than that of any romance," Joichiro said with a sigh.

"You might never know," Senzaemon said before they turn their attention to the kids as Soma stands up triumphally as he won the game of cards.

"Hahaha! I win!" Soma said while raising his hands in victory.

"Again!" Erina exclaimed as she gathers back the cards and started shuffling them.

"Hahaha! I will always win cause your poker face is by far the worst!" Soma said with a grin as he raised his nose.

"It's not!" Erina exclaimed.

"It is!" Soma exclaimed back as the two started to argue while playing the cards.

"See, I doubt it," Joichiro said with a sweatdrop.

"It appears so," Senzaemon said in agreement.

The final day of the weak came as it was the group but in front of the diner.

Joichiro takes out a key and locks up the door to the diner as a sign was stick to the door.

"Sorry, but I and Soma got to leave," Joichiro said while rubbing the back of his head.

"It's fine, you were always the type to always wander off back in the day," Senzaemon said with a nod.

While the adults conversed, Soma and Erina were playing rock-paper-scissors.

"Where are you going?" Erina asked as she played scissor and Soma played Paper, making her win one point.

"Dunno, Pop said France, Brazil, Italy, Denmark," Soma replied as he played rock and Erina played scissor "He got so many friends that he wanted to visit, so he's bringing me along."

"When will you be back?" Erina asked again as both played paper before doing it again as the result is both being scissors.

"Dunno, but maybe in a couple of months," Soma said as Erina wins the game of three points.

"It's not going to be fun without you," Erina muttered out a bit sad.

"Don't worry," Soma said with a thumbs up and a grin "I'll make sure to get you lots of souvenirs and lots of pictures of me around the world!"

"You better write to me as well," Erina said while pouting a bit.

"You betcha!" Soma grinned to Erina before reaching into his pocket and takes out a friendship bracelet "I'm giving you this."

Erina takes the bracelet and sees that Soma was wearing once identical to it.

"I asked a friend of mine to make it for us," Soma said, "Now we will always be friends, no matter how far we are!"

Erina looks to the bracelet before putting it on as she and Soma hold out their hands.

"Well then, It's time to head off, Soma," Joichiro said as a taxi came in to pick them up.

"Ok," Soma said before Erina hugs him.

"You better come back," Erina said as Soma hugs her back.

"Yeah, and when I come back, I'll make a dish that will blow you away," Soma said as they separate from the hug.

"See you later!" Soma said as he and his father get in the taxi before it soon drove off.

Soma reached out to the window as he waved Erina and Senzaemon goodbye.

"See you soon! Erina! Gramps!" Soma shouted out as Erina waved him goodbye.

"Don't worry Erina," Senzaemon voiced out to his granddaughter "I can tell that shortly that the young lad will come back."

Erina nodded as she watched the taxi disappearing off to the distance.

8 years later

the most prestigious culinary school in Japan, Totsuki Academy.

A school that gives birth to high class and pro chefs as only a few graduates in the third year.

Erina, now 16 years old and was going to start the first year of high school in the prestigious school of chefs.

She walks around the school building as she watches from the window, dozens of new students who are transferring in.

Erina's hand reached for her bracelet, the same bracelet she had kept ever since that day 8 years ago.

"Erina-sama" a pink-haired girl who looks to be in the same age as Erina, appeared as she holds a tablet in her hands.

Her name is Arato Hisako, and she's Erina's secretary and best friend.

"What's on my agenda next Hisako?" Erina asked her friend as they made their way from one of the smaller school buildings.

"After the taste testing, we're to evaluate a selection of forty transfer students entering at the High School section," Hisako told the other girl after she had read the next item on the time table.

"Now they want me to do some grunt work," Erina said with a sigh as she looks to be bored.

"But after that, you will be free for the rest of the day, Erina-sama," Hisako said with a smile.

"At least, there is a benefit after it," Erina said with a sigh before a maid came to them.

"Erina-sama, a letter came and was addressed to you," the maid said as she handed the blonde the letter.

"Who is it from?" Erina said as she looks at the letter and turns to see who was the sender before her eyes spotted the name.

"It was sent by Yukihira Soma," the maid replied before she excused herself.

Erina quickly opens the letter and takes out the note inside as her eyes quickly scan the writings.

"Yo! Erina! Sorry for not sending in a month or so! They don't have many mailers in Arab.

I'm going back to Japan in three days or so but I think that once you get the mail, it'd probably arrive in the next three days or so.

Been lots of places but it's time for me to get to high school and I'm going to a chef school called Toothsuki or something, the names weird but pops told me that it's the school you're going to so I get to meet you there!

See you soon!

Soma"

The letter said as Erina smiled joyfully to read the letters written in it.

"Erina-sama?" Hisako called out to Erina who seems to keep on rereading the letters in it.

"We need to go to the testing kitchen!" Erina said as she pulled on Hisako's hand and started pulling her.

"Erina-sama?!" Hisako gets pulled along as she had never seen Erina acting so jolly and happy.

Erina smiled widely as her eyes were filled with excitement and joy.

In front of the academy, many transfer students were entering in.

A lone cloaked figure appeared while carrying a travel sack by the shoulder as he looks to the school.

"So this is the place, huh?" the cloaked figure said while having a grin. "Wonder if I get to see her soon?"

The figure walked in while looking at the bracelet on his forehand.