The War of Wind and Moon (Season One)

Chapter Five

There was a lot going through Mia's head. Like: No I haven't asked about your presentation - I started a new school today and you haven't asked about that! and; Yes, I do think my final year of high school is more important than the Masters Degree you've been working on for 8 years, in 5 different disciplines because you keep sleeping with a classmate or a lecturer and when you break up suddenly your life time goal has always been to study Philosophy, not History like it was last year, or Literature the year before that...

What she said was, "I'm sorry. I didn't think."

"No. You never do." Patricia shook her head and left the doorway, still talking at Mia as she went up the hall. "You know, if you thought even a little about someone other than yourself once in a while, you might make friends more easily."

Mia bit down on a response that would only get her in trouble.

"Not that you're interested," Patricia continued from her bedroom next door, her voice accompanied by the swish and zip of clothes being changed, "but my presentation went very well. So well that my young tutor has asked me to dinner after my lecture tonight."

Mia closed her eyes and rolled them behind the safety of her lids.

"He can't be much older than you. So don't wait up."

Mia shuddered.

"While I'm out, I want you to finish the kitchen - wash everything before you put it away. We can't even make dinner without some bench space."

Her eyes still closed, Mia opened her mouth so wide her lips felt they'd split and pushed out a silent, skull-vibrating scream.

***

Tak plugged his phone into the TV speakers and set his music playing loud. He had a routine when his Mum started her night-shift rotations: music too loud, food too sweet, computer games too late. Just for the one night – it was too close to exams to screw around all 10 shifts but he was a strong believer in the philosophy of everything in moderation, including moderation.

He danced into the kitchen and swung the fridge door open. "Yes!" He fist-pumped the air. His Mum had left him ebi-katsu to fry up. They were his favourite Japanese food - patties of prawn and egg coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. Hiroko had told him that in Japan ebi-katsu was strictly a New Year tradition but, like most traditions from her homeland, she seemed to take pleasure in flouting it.

He went to the cupboard under the sink and pulled out the deep fryer, lifting it to the bench and glancing out the window as he plugged it in. It was getting dark and the lights in the flats on the other side of the U made the sheer white curtains that came pre-installed disappear. Almost directly across from his window, Mia was at her kitchen sink, washing dishes and occasionally sighing heavily, making her white t-shirt tighten-

Tak slid the fryer around the corner of the bench so that he wouldn't be tempted to spy. It didn't work. He glanced across several times as he waited for the oil to heat, then again as he cooked each of the six burger-sized ovals until the panko was golden. Even after he'd shredded some cabbage and poured creamy sesame dressing on it to make what his mother called "lazy salad", Mia was still washing dishes, drying them, putting them away and washing some more.

When was she going to eat? He was pretty sure she hadn't had lunch - he and his mates' spot was outside the library and he'd seen her duck inside at the beginning of lunch and hadn't seen her leave and she wouldn't have been able to eat inside.

He took his plate around the island that separated the kitchen from the living room and perched on one of the two stools. He cut into a crunchy golden croquette with the side of his fork and the scent of salty prawns made his mouth water before the forkful reached it. He wondered if Mia liked ebi-katsu.

"Jeez, Tak!" he said out loud. "Leave it alone!"

She was putting a kettle on now. Reaching into the cupboard above it and pulling out... a cup noodle. Sighing, deeply at the cup noodle.

Tak looked at his pile of golden treats, crisp, salty and juicy. Where was her mum?

He stood, flicked off the lights and stalked up to the kitchen window, peering down at the car space on the ground floor that belonged to Mia's apartment. Empty. If she was eating alone, she wasn't expecting her mother back soon...

Moments later, he was knocking at her door. She opened it slowly, suspiciously but when she saw him, her eyes sparkled and he felt himself blush.

"Hi, Tak."

"Hey. Do you like ebi-katsu?"

She frowned. "I have no idea what it is."

"It's my favourite Japanese food, prawns, deep fried, salt – not on the soccer coach's list of approved foods. You want to come have some?"

"At your place?"

"I saw your mum's car's gone and my mum's starting her night shift rotation at the hospital – she's left me way too much."

Her eyes flicked toward her kitchen – was she picturing the cup noodle? – then she glanced past him toward his door – she was considering it. But she shook her head.

"No. It's really nice of you and the ebby...?"

"Ebi-katsu," he said.

Her face lit up. "Oh! Ebi as in prawn and 'katsu' as in fried?"

"Hai!" he said, far too brightly for someone trying to impress a girl.

"It sounds really yummy," she said, "but I've got so much to do here. I've been washing and putting things away all night and I still can't see the bench."

"Isn't that exactly why you should take a break?" he asked.

She took a deep breath and met his eye properly for the first time. She smiled, biting her lower lip and then looked at her watch. Tak could see she wanted to come.

"Is your mum going to be home soon?" he asked.

"No," she snapped, frowning. But then she softened and let out a sigh. "I mean, probably not but maybe. I just... She's kind of strict, if I wasn't here when- I just don't want to risk it. Sorry."

"No. No worries. It's fine."

"Thank you, though," she said.

Tak should have left it at that but he was seized with a sense of injustice. Why shouldn't she stop slaving away for a while and having something decent to eat?

Before she could shut the door completely he said, "Do you have any laundry to do?"

"What?"

"In all that unpacking, there must be some clothes or towels to wash."

"Ah. Yeah. There is. Why?"

"Well, you have to go past my door to get to and from the laundry room..." He caught her eye with a smirk and felt a rush as she held his gaze and allowed herself to smile as he outlined the idea. "Put the load on, bring the basket to my place and if we see her come back-"

She nodded, "then I'm just coming back from checking on the washing."

"See you in ten minutes?" he asked.

She grinned. "I'll try for five."

He shoved his hands in his pockets and headed home to wait for her.

Author's Note, August 17th 2016:

If you're enjoying The War of Wind and Moon please support it in the Geek & Sundry/Inkshares publishing competition by pre-ordering now and you'll get As Long As She Lives in eBook Free!

Go to:https://www.inkshares.com/books/the-war-of-wind-and-moon-season-one-

Or click the 'external link' for this book!