Claws and Talons [Kyo Sohma]

Chapter 24 - Eat Somen With Your Friends

"That kind of sucks, well maybe I'll surprise you all and get married first."

"Nobody'll want you." Kyo comments, and she hits him in the head.

"Marriage aside, I did meet a guy at work that I'm kind of into." Uotani mentions.

"Wh-What?!" Tohru gasps

"Well this is news."

"What's he like?" I asked.

"Hmm... He's kinda like you, Tohru." She answers.

"Huh? He's like... me?"

"I'd love to meet him." Hanajima smiles. It was sad thinking about graduating and the future. Once we do finish high school we're going to be stuck inside the main estate for the rest of our lives. Never leaving Akito's side.

---

Finally the weekend had arrived and Kyo's master had invited the two of us to join him for lunch. We were walking along the roads and I was looking at the mirrors in the streets.

"Ami, over here. Don't space out and fall behind." Kyo calls out.

"Okay!" I smile while jogging a little to catch up with Kyo. "It was nice of Master-san to invite us over. It would be awful if I got lost."

"Don't expect too much. We're just talking over lunch. It might be pretty boring."

"It couldn't possibly be boring. I'm just happy to be invited and we get to have a meal with the three of us."

"You're easy to please." Kyo laughs a little. "Watch where you're going. You'll trip if you don't."

---

We eventually get to the house and make our way inside. It was a nice house with a similar design and look to Shigure's.

"Master!" Kyo calls out, into the house. There was no one who answered.

"Thank you for having us!"

"I brought her!" He calls out again but still no answer. It was silent. That's when I started to smell something off.

"Umm... Kyo do you smell something strange like... smoke." I say.

"Crap!" Kyo shouts, and runs off into the hallway, I quickly follow behind him and end up tripping on my own feet. I fall to the ground after Kyo stops and looks in what I assumed was the kitchen. "Master!" There in the kitchen was Master standing over an oven with a pan filled with dark smoke, as well as the rest of the kitchen.. "What are you burning this time?!"

"Eh?" Master looks up from the book he was holding in his hands. He explains, rather calmly, about this situation.

"The pot! The fish is burning, too!" Kyo points out, yelling.

"I thought I'd try my hand at cooking for this special occasion."

"Is... everything alright?" I ask, getting up off the floor as Kyo clears away the smoke coming off the pan.

"Sorry about that. I was immersed in my book. It's Shigure's latest." Master explains.

"Burn that to ashes." Kyo suggests. Finally the fire was put out and we gathered in the main room.

"Sorry, it's been so long, and the first thing you see of me is that mess."

"No, don't worry about it. I just didn't realise that you could not cook. Though I notice you cut your hair." When I had first met Kazuma he had long hair in a ponytail but now it was completely gone.

"Yep, I chopped it off."

"Chopped it off..."

"Now what shall we do? It's almost lunch time."