The golden scrambled eggs gently blanketed the warm rice beneath, like a mother's embrace—soft, comforting, and full of quiet warmth.
Even the humble white onions, so often overlooked, added a gentle sweetness to the broth, subtly enhancing the flavors without overwhelming them.
It wasn't a flashy dish.
But in its simplicity was something powerful—healing.
Just one bite was enough to fill the void in the stomach, but more than that… it soothed the heart.
Maybe that was the true essence of this dish—
Oyakodon.
A bowl where the flavors of "mother" and "child"—chicken and egg—came together as one.
For most, it was just a comfort food.
But for Erina… it opened a door she had long kept sealed.
Mana Nakiri.
Just the thought of her mother sent a ripple of pain through Erina's chest.
She hadn't meant to think of her.
But Zane's cooking had a way of unearthing buried memories—both bitter and sweet.
And this bowl…
It had torn straight through her walls.
The truth was simple:
Erina Nakiri had grown up surrounded by luxury, but love was scarce.
People always saw her as proud, untouchable, and cruel with her words.
But that was just a shell—
A mask forged in childhood to survive the void left behind by those who should've loved her.
Unlike Alice, who wore her heart on her sleeve—crying loudly when she lost to Souma in the Fall Elections—Erina kept everything inside.
No tears.
No complaints.
Just obedience.
She told herself that if she became strong enough—perfect enough—maybe she could fix everything.
Maybe she could fix her mother.
She was still a child when it happened.
But she remembered it vividly—
Her mother, Mana, writhing in pain in bed, her expression twisted from the torment of the God Tongue.
Even now, ten years later, the image haunted her.
That was the first time Erina realized what the God Tongue truly was—
Not a gift.
A curse.
And in that moment, she understood:
She was next.
So she trained.
Pushed herself harder than anyone else.
Her childhood became a mission—to craft a dish so perfect it would break the curse.
But reality was never so kind.
And then, one stormy night…
Mana Nakiri disappeared.
She left without warning, unable to bear the pain any longer.
She abandoned her family.
She abandoned her daughter.
And she never came back.
Yes, Mana was the Executive of WGO.
A culinary genius.
A legend.
But to Erina, she wasn't a mother.
She was someone who ran away.
All to avoid starving to death, she had forsaken everything—her daughter included.
"I don't understand…"
"I really don't…"
Erina gripped the warm bowl tighter in her hands.
"Why was she so afraid of death?"
"Was the God Tongue really so unbearable?"
"If she was going to die anyway, wouldn't facing it have been more honorable than abandoning us?"
"Why did she have to make me bear the burden of her absence?"
"Why… did she leave me alone in the dark?"
Her voice trembled.
"I hate her…"
"I really… really hate her!"
She brought the last spoonful of Oyakodon to her lips, tasting the warmth—
And the pain it carried.
Zane stood quietly behind the counter, saying nothing.
Alice watched her cousin silently, then turned to look at him, suspicious and confused.
"We never told anyone about what happened with Aunt Mana…"
"So how did he know?"
The dish was too perfect.
Too personal.
Could he have somehow guessed the wound buried deep in Erina's heart?
Back then, when Mana disappeared, it triggered chaos within the Nakiri family.
But the scandal was carefully covered up.
To the outside world, it was as if nothing had ever happened.
Alice had been young—still at Totsuki.
Though she and Erina never had many friends, their similar status and isolation made them close.
At least, for a while.
But something changed.
Erina grew distant. Cold.
She began rejecting Alice's cooking, criticizing it harshly.
Alice didn't understand why.
And before she could fix it, she was sent off to Northern Europe.
Still, she kept writing.
Month after month, she sent letters to Totsuki, thinking surely, eventually, Erina would respond.
But no reply ever came.
Over time, the silence turned to resentment.
Alice thought Erina had cast her aside. That their friendship meant nothing.
It wasn't until her recent transfer back to Totsuki that the truth came out.
It hadn't been Erina ignoring her.
It was Azami.
After Mana's disappearance, he had spiraled—
Cutting Erina off from the world, enforcing an oppressive education, and intercepting every letter Alice had sent.
All that time, Erina never even knew.
And Alice…
Realized how wrong she had been.
As Erina sat there, her face pained, clutching the empty bowl, Alice finally understood:
Her cousin hadn't changed because she wanted to.
She had changed because she had to—just to survive.