The sun rose slowly over Tōtsuki, casting golden light across its pristine halls and gardens. Within the dormitory of Polar Star, the morning was usually filled with clattering utensils and bubbling pots. But today, a strange hush lingered.
Riku Kaizen stood in the communal kitchen, his hands wrapped around a cup of green tea. The events of the previous night replayed in his mind—Erina's voice, quiet and uncertain; her fingers curled around his; the warmth between them.
He wasn't sure if what they shared had been a fleeting moment of vulnerability or something more enduring. But he knew one thing: something had shifted.
And the rest of Tōtsuki had begun to notice.
By midmorning, word had already started to spread.
"Did you hear? Riku Kaizen was seen entering the Nakiri estate last night."
"Wait—Erina's estate?"
"No way! Did he challenge her or something?"
"More like he was invited. Hisako was the one who let him in."
"Is he aiming for the Elite Ten?"
Riku heard whispers in the hallways, trailing behind him like shadows. Students who had once dismissed him as another upstart now watched him with guarded curiosity. Those who had previously scoffed at his presence during trials now lingered near his cooking stations, trying to glimpse whatever secret he had discovered.
He didn't care for the rumors.
But what did trouble him was the sudden appearance of a very specific individual.
"You've been busy," said a voice behind him as he walked toward his elective class in Food Chemistry.
He turned to see Eishi Tsukasa, First Seat of the Elite Ten, standing at the end of the hallway. His immaculate uniform and silver-white hair gave him the appearance of an angelic guardian. But his expression was unreadable.
"Tsukasa-senpai," Riku greeted politely, slowing his pace "To what do I owe the honor?"
"You visited the Nakiri estate," Tsukasa said, voice calm but pointed "And it wasn't for a duel."
"I was invited," Riku replied evenly "I didn't violate any rules."
"That's not the issue. You're stirring things."
"I'm cooking food."
Tsukasa tilted his head "Are you? Or are you cooking expectations?"
Riku paused "I'm not trying to challenge the system."
"You don't have to," Tsukasa murmured, brushing past him "You just have to make people believe you can."
The weight of those words lingered even after the First Seat vanished around the corner.
Later that day, Riku returned to the cooking hall to find Hisako waiting beside his assigned station.
She stood with her hands folded, her gaze sharp as ever.
"Erina-sama wanted me to speak with you," she said before he could greet her.
Riku set down his bag "About last night?"
"Yes. And no."
She drew closer, her voice hushed "You're not the first to get close to her, Kaizen-san. But you might be the first she's allowed to stay close. That makes you a target."
Riku raised an eyebrow "From who? The Elite Ten?"
"Some of them. And others who have… expectations for Erina's future."
Hisako's eyes softened for a moment "She's never had many chances to choose what she wants. Her life has been arranged around the demands of her lineage, her gift, her name. You offered her something rare: sincerity. But sincerity can be dangerous here."
"I don't want to complicate her life," Riku said quietly.
"Then you need to decide," Hisako said "Do you want to be her equal—or her shield?"
Before he could answer, she turned and walked away.
The day blurred into evening.
Classes gave way to training sessions. Riku retreated into the Polar Star kitchen once more, working through a new idea inspired by his time in the Archive. He fused the principles of charred umami layering with a traditional yakimono structure—roasted duck breast served with a glaze of miso-caramel reduction, layered over a smoked parsnip purée.
It was risky, but the taste… it sang.
As he plated the final dish, he heard the kitchen door creak open.
"I heard someone was tampering with tradition in here," came a familiar, teasing voice.
Riku looked up to see Alice Nakiri, Erina's cousin, strolling in with a grin on her face. She wore her signature lab coat and carried an aura of mischief wherever she went.
"Word travels fast," he said, offering her a plate.
She sniffed the air "Miso-caramel? You're brave."
She took a bite, her silver eyebrows lifting "Okay, brave and competent."
Riku gave a half-smile "I'll take that as a compliment."
Alice set the plate down "So. Erina let you into the inner world."
"Is that what this is now?" he asked.
Alice shrugged "Most people only get a glimpse of her outer shell. You got past the first layer. That's rare. Dangerous, too."
He met her gaze "Are you here to warn me off?"
She laughed "Oh, not at all. I like shaking things up. I just want to know—what's your endgame, Riku Kaizen?"
"I don't have one."
"Then that makes you even more dangerous."
Her smile faded for a moment, eyes sharpening "She's precious to me, you know. Not because of her talent. But because she's trying so hard to be human in a world that keeps telling her she has to be divine."
"I don't want her to be divine," Riku said, his voice low "I want her to be free."
Alice's expression softened. She tapped the edge of the counter "Then keep cooking like that. And keep your heart steady."
With that, she sauntered out, her presence as fleeting as it was impactful.
That night, Riku sat on the dorm rooftop, staring up at the stars. The wind was cold, but he didn't mind. The calm helped him think.
He thought of Erina—of how her eyes had softened when she'd tasted the dashi, of how she'd asked him to stay. Of the walls around her heart that were starting to crack.
He thought of Tsukasa's warning, of Hisako's caution, of Alice's challenge.
And he realized that his path forward wasn't just about becoming stronger. It wasn't about titles or seats or recognition.
It was about being someone Erina could rely on when the world turned against her.
Footsteps behind him.
"I figured I'd find you here," Erina said quietly, stepping onto the rooftop.
Riku turned, surprised but glad.
"I needed air," he said.
"So did I."
She sat beside him, wrapping her arms around her knees.
"They're talking about you," she said after a moment.
"I know."
"They're wondering if you're trying to take a seat on the Elite Ten. If you're using me."
"I'm not."
She nodded "I know that. But they don't."
A beat of silence passed.
"I'm not good at this," she admitted.
"At what?"
"Letting people in."
He smiled gently "Then it's a good thing I'm stubborn."
Erina chuckled softly "You really are."
The wind blew again, rustling her hair. This time, she didn't hide behind pride or distance.
She looked at him—truly looked.
And said "Promise me you won't stop. No matter what they say. No matter how hard it gets."
He met her gaze.
"I promise."