🕊Chapter Twenty-Nine: Lunch 🕊
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I dusted off my hands, standing up straight as I put my hands on my hips, calling out into the kitchen, "Okay. I put everything back the way it was. So how 'bout you get over it already-"
My eyes widened in surprise, feeling a fork just barely miss the flesh of my cheek as it implanted in the wooden shelf behind me. I turned around with a scowl, "Oh, come on! You're still mad?! What are you so pissed off about anyway?!" I shouted in the general direction of where the fork initially came from.
Pots, pans, and other cooking utensils shot forward at me, making me hold up my arms to protect myself. Once they subsided, I pointed a finger where they all came from, "If you don't wanna cook anymore, then get out! You're not the only one around here who can cook, y'know!"
A lightning strike from the outside storm clapped, illuminating the kitchen from the window in the room, revealing a small demon with a pitch-fork tail and yellow eyes. I smirked at it, my eyes narrowing. "So that's what you look like."
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I smiled and hummed to myself, my foot rocking along with the melody in my head. I watched as Rin and Ukobach stared each other down, sweat dripping down both of their temples as they panted. Both of them eventually fell back, the door to the kitchen slamming open, revealing Yukio who quickly took notice of Rin on the ground.
"Rin!" I looked over, seeing Yukio standing there.
I smiled, raising my hand to greet him as my eyes closed. "Hey, Yukio."
Mephisto began clapping from the top of a bookshelf of kitchen supplies.
"Sir Pheles! What happened?!"
"They fought bravely to within an inch of their lives! Their powers were let loose, exploding through the kitchen!"
Yukio looked around in bewilderment, "They had a cooking battle?"
"By flexing their culinary muscles, they discovered each other's talents. Behold! A new friendship is born!"
Rin, from the ground, spoke, "Your fried rice was so awesome, man."
The little demon squeaked in response, Rin and I able to understand him. His voice was high-pitched and squeaky sounding.
"Huh? Did you just call my Katsu bowl exceptional?" Rin and Ukobach sat up, grasping each other's hands in a small handshake. "Let's do it! We're gonna make the ultimate lunch! What do you say? Are you in?"
The little demon, Ukobach, nodded, the two sharing a bonding moment. I looked over, seeing Yukio staring at them with a sweatdrop as he mumbled, "That's my brother. Defying logic all kinds of ways..."
I chuckled and hopped off the kitchen window sill, "Only you can make friends with demons." I chuckled again and leaned on Rin's shoulder, staring at Ukobach, "Hi, there, Ukobach. It was really fun watching you and Rin cook. It all looked really tasty!"
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It was the next day during lunch, Rin and I sat near Yukio since Rin was oh-so committed to hearing what the three girls who swooned over Yukio had to say about how he made his brother's lunch.
I sat down under the tree we were stationed at, opening my lunch as I stared at it happily. I picked up one of the hot-dog octopus' savoring the flavor. "Mmm... I could get used to this." I said to myself as I continued to enjoy my lunch, imagining the different lunched I'd be able to eat. Of course, In return for Rin making my lunch, I'd do something for him.
"How is it?" Rin asked, sitting down next to me, his arm resting on his knee.
I nodded my head vigorously, food in my mouth. I swallowed my bite, looking over to him with a smile. "It's yummy! Thank you, Rin!"
His cheeks flushed and his head turned away, a hand lifting to cover his mouth, "D-Don't mention it." I laughed at his stutter.
"Hey... Alaina? I have a question." I looked over, food in my cheek as I listened to what he had to say, "What... uh..." He paused for a long time, his cheeks flushed wildly.
I swallowed the food in my cheeks, "What is it? Your face is all red. Are you feeling all right?" I questioned, my brows furrowing with worry as I lifted my hand to place it on his forehead. "You're warm. Should you take the rest of the day off?"
He laughed nervously, taking my hand off his forehead. "I was just going to ask you... uh... I was just going to ask you if you wanted to help me cook tomorrow's lunch."
I smiled widely, "Really?! Yes please!" I exclaimed happily, my laugh echoing slightly, making me cover my mouth as I looked around to see if anyone was looking. I laughed awkwardly, uncovering my mouth, "Sorry. That was loud."
He only stared at me, mouth slightly agape as the pink tint remained on his face.
From the distance, the two of us could hear the three girls begin to pester Yukio, making me quickly put the lid back on my lunch as I turned around, standing on my knees as I peeked around the corner at the three.
"Whatchya got there? A homemade lunch?"
"Uh... yes?" He nervously replied. Another girl quickly popping up behind him.
"Looks yummy!"
"Oh, wow~! Not only are you a top student, but you're also a super amazing cook!"
"Oh... well, actually, my brother made this."
"You're brother?" They all repeated.
"Yes. My brother's a really talented cook."
I looked over, seeing Rin now standing, peeking around the tree just how I was. I snickered, turning around and sat on my butt as I mocked the three girls. "Oh~ Yukio~! I can't believe you made this food and you're the top student! You're so~ cool~!"
Rin looked down at me with an odd look.
I continued my mockery, "I want you to teach me how to cook! No, make my lunch! No make mine!" I mocked all three of the girls, my pitch getting higher with each voice I did.
He snickered, putting his fingers around his eyes to imitate glasses. "I'm the top student of our school and I'm an instructor to our cram school classes. I can get any girl I want but am too much of a wuss to act out on it."
I laughed, my arms resting on my stomach as I rolled back, my legs curling towards my chest.
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My cheeks flushed as I stared down at Alaina, seeing her on the ground, laughing hysterically. It wasn't even that funny, but she thought it was the funniest thing. She always laughed at my jokes. Even if they weren't the best. The way her smile widened when she was talking about something that made her happy, the way she made sure Yukio and I were okay. Everything about her was just... It was perfect.
She eventually calmed down, sitting back up in a regular potion as she placed her lunch back in her lap while she wiped a humored tear from her eye. "We should finish eating our lunch before the bell rings. You haven't even touched yours." She said, opening her lunch as she picked up her chopsticks, her cheeks sore from laughing so much.
I smiled, opening my own lunch, "You're right about that."
We began eating in silence, just enjoying each other's company. For the most part, the rest of our lunch period was uneventful and silent before Alaina spoke up as she finished up her lunch. "What were you going to say before?"
I look at her, chicken stuffed in my cheek, "What do you mean?"
"When you asked me to help you make tomorrow's lunch. That wasn't what you were going to first ask me."
My heart sank to my stomach. 'Crap! Of course, she'd know! Damn, she's always been so observant!' I laughed to cover up the nervousness in my voice. "I was going to ask if you wanted to walk around after we finished our lunch tomorrow, but that'd be lame-" My lie was quickly cut off by her.
"Rin. Stop with the lying, would you? You're bad at it." She said, making me stutter my next 'sentence. She ended up laughing. "Why would walking around after lunch be lame? If anything, it'd help. So yes. I'll help you with tomorrow's lunch and I'll walk around with you."
I let out a sigh of relief, a smile stretching on my face. "It's a plan, then."
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After school, Yukio sent me and Alaina to go pick up groceries for tomorrow's lunch. "So what are we gonna make?" Alaina asked, walking beside me with a small skip in her step as we walked to our dorm building.
I rolled my eyes at her and smiled a bit. "It's a surprise."
"Rin!" She whined, "You never tell me what we're making!"
I laughed. "That's the point of a surprise!" I said. She huffed and crossed her arms. I rolled my eyes, "Stop pouting. I'm letting you cook with me."
Her pout turned into a wide smile. "I know. And I'm excited to help. By the way. What do you want me to do for you?"
I looked down at her with a quirked brow. "Do for me? What are you going on about?"
"You know. What chores do you want me to do for you? You're making my lunch every day, so I wanted to return the favor by doing something for you."
I felt my cheeks threaten to burn, "You don't have to do anything..."
"Really? Are you sure? You put in so much hard work to make all of our lunches. I feel bad not doing anything for you in return."
I rolled my eyes, "I already told you, you don't have to do anything for me. You already do enough."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, for starters, you help me with my homework, so that's a big help," I said, continuing to walk towards our dorm building with the bag of groceries in my hand. She said nothing, continuing to look over at me as we walked. It was beginning to make me nervous. "Why are you looking at me?"
"Is that is?"
"What?"
"You said 'for starters'. Usually when someone says that, they have more to add."
My cheeks flushed a bit. Dammit. Why does she have to be so observant? How the hell am I supposed to tell her that seeing her smile is enough payment for me making her lunch?! I'd sound like a creep!
"Uh... I didn't really think of anything else. I guess I just said 'for starters'..."
She shook her head with a laugh. "Of course. Well, we're back. We should hurry with our homework so we can get started cooking."
I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, yeah." I mumbled, my eyes trailing back in front of me. I stared in slight surprise at what my eyes noticed in front of me- Shiemi, who stood at our dorm entrance. "Shiemi? What's up? Whatcha doin' here?"
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