Started Writing: 02/08/23
Ended Writing: 02/14/23
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Date of Story: November 1st
Characters Mentioned: Lev Haiba and Frederick Babin (OC)
Summary: Any experience, regardless of whether it was positive and nostalgic or negative and painful, is a part of who you are and has shaped you, even if you don't recall every detail.
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"Looks like Kiyo and Mi-Kyong are off to have some fun," Lev teased Fred in a whisper, as they watched their friends leave. Fred chuckled in response.
"How was Practice?" Fred asked Lev.
"Very unusual," Lev replied.
"How so?" Fred then asked.
"It was chaotic - some teammates got tangled in the nets, a volleyball hit Kuroo-San, Kenma-San dozed off in the gym, and Yamamoto-San nearly caused some harm. Meanwhile, Yaku-San was trying to restore order," Lev explained.
"And yet, they seem to outperform many other schools in volleyball," Fred remarked. Lev nodded silently. Fred sighed, the sound barely audible, as he brushed his sunflower-colored hair back with his hand, showing evidence of Vitiligo.
"Lev, I wanna treat you to an early dinner. Please be ready in thirty minutes. I'll pick you up then," Fred told Lev.
"Huh? Wha-" Lev turned around, realizing he was in front of his house. He lived with his Aunt, Uncle, and older sister. Like the other houses, it's simplistic with a front yard, just like the houses on the left and right sides.
One main difference is that their front yard contains a beautiful garden. It's currently growing Radishes, Sweet Potatoes, Herbs, and Kale. Small, polished stones surround it. Lev entered the house, unsure of what to expect.
He expected his sister hurrying down the stairs, his uncle belting out tunes in his office as he sewed, or even his aunt tapping her feet while preparing dinner
Nothing
Just silence
Typically, the house was noisy with Activity. It was silently still.
Lev took his dress shoes off and changed into his indoor slippers. He walked upstairs to his bedroom.
"Where is everyone?" Lev asked himself, Rubbing the back of his hand nervously. He turned the bedroom light on. A plain white, fully body mannequin greeted his sight right away, Startling Lev. Taped on the head of the mannequin was a note, and it wore a charming yet simple outfit: a snug black turtleneck, baggy beige pants with numerous pockets, and Lev's favorite black combat boots. Lev walked towards the mannequin, removed the note, and read it.
"Hey Nephew
Your Aunt and I were invited to a party, and Alisa has a date with her girlfriend. Fred is gonna take you to Katsu Kafe for Dinner. I left 20 euros in your desk drawer (Bottom right), and I prepared the outfit for you.
Next week, I'll make you some new sweaters. Do you prefer Wool, Cashmere, or Cotton? Let me know tomorrow night.
Have Fun!"
-Uncle Roman
Lev smiled softly and hummed to himself. After placing the note on his desk, he proceeded to fix his hair. He tousled it playfully before brushing it down to his right, giving it a fluffy, messy look. He changed into the outfit and placed the money his uncle gifted him into his pocket. He proceeded to apply his makeup, eventually settling on winged eyeliner with dark gray eyeshadow, lipgloss, and a light blush after some contemplation. Typically, Alisa did his makeup, but he opted to do it himself today. He was pleased with the outcome and took pride in the finished look. He grabbed the boots and walked downstairs. He took his slippers off and changed into the boots. When someone knocked on the door, Lev assumed it was Fred and promptly got up to answer it. He opened the door to be greeted with a gentle smiling face. Fred wore a red button-up shirt with a black sleeveless vest over it and paired it with dark denim jeans and red Converse shoes. He had styled his hair in a relaxed man bun held by a glittery unicorn hair clip that kept his bangs in place.
"Is that your younger sister's hair clip?" Lev asked, gesturing towards the glittery unicorn hair clip. Fred chuckled and nodded in affirmation. It was a Twenty minute's walk from Lev's house to the restaurant.
As they neared the restaurant, Lev expressed his gratitude once more, saying, "Thanks again for treating me to dinner, Fred,"
"It's not an issue," Fred answered with a chuckle, opening the door for both of them. Their noses were greeted by the aroma of oil and katsu sauce.
Given their tall height of 6'6(Fred) and 6'4(Lev), they naturally drew stares. However, they paid them no mind and instead focused on the waitress who greeted them and escorted them to a booth.
"I'll be with you in Ten," She told them both before leaving them be.
The restaurant, mostly known for its Katsu Dishes, is a simplistic-looking restaurant with booths or traditional tables and chairs, and warm lighting. The Bar nearby serves non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, which people go to unwind after work. However, this restaurant also serves Udon Noodles, Flavourful Sushi, Crispy Gyoza, and more.
Lev scanned the surroundings, taking in the lively and upbeat atmosphere. The Restaurant was bustling with Activity, with families sharing meals, couples enjoying a romantic dinner, and friends catching up with one another. The Cheerful chatter and Joyful laughter of dinners filled the air, creating a warm and inviting environment.
"So, what's the reason behind this dinner, Fred?" Lev asked. As Lev gazed into Fred's bright orange eyes, Fred met his Gaze with a Gentle Look.
"I wanted to catch up and treat you to a meal. I remember that this is your favorite restaurant so I thought this was a good place," Fred replied.
Lev raised an eyebrow. "You even told my Aunt, Uncle, and Sister about this??"
Fred chuckled. "Yes. Alisa-San was already headed out and your Uncle and Aunt were originally a quiet night in, but they received an invitation to a party. They couldn't resist," He answered.
The waitress approached the table while Lev let out a light chuckle. She pulled out a notepad and pen from her pocket, wearing an indifferent expression on her face.
"What kind of drinks do you want?" She asked the two.
"I'll have a Cherry Limeade," Lev told the waitress first. Fred stared at the menu, weighing the options between Vanilla Coke and Pumpkin Juice. Annoyed, the Waitress tilted her head to face Fred's eyes.
"Choose something off the menu or I'll choose for you," The waitress told him. Startled, Fred opted for Pumpkin Juice. She moved back up, jotted the drinks choices onto the notepad, and made her way toward the kitchen.
"Do you recall the moment we first met?" Fred suddenly asked Lev.
"Yes, The Memory is still fresh in my mind," Lev responded in a soft tone
"Would you mind retelling the story?" Fred asked Lev, staring into his green eyes with interest.
"We met in fourth grade, you were a new student," Lev started. Fred hummed.
Fred added, "At the time, I didn't understand Japanese or English, so I spoke a blend of Spanish and German."
"I was so desperate to be your friend, however, so I taught myself English outside of School," Lev told Fred half-jokingly. Fred laughed.
The waitress interrupted their conversation, placing a Cherry Limeade and Pumpkin juice on the table in front of them. "What would you like to eat?" Her demeanor had changed from earlier, now appearing more at ease, with a musical quality to her voice.
"I'll have the Chicken Katsudon and a small bowl of Udon," Fred placed his order first.
"And for you?"
"I'll have Tonkatsu and a Medium bowl of Udon myself," Lev ordered.
"Would that be all?" The waitress asked.
"A small plate of Salmon Sushi, we'll split it," Fred told her. She jotted that down in her notepad before leaving them be again.
"What were we talking about?" Fred asked.
"Right, I was talking about we began to teach each other English," Lev pointed out.
"And I was trying to teach myself Japanese," Fred murmured, chuckling.
"After all of that, English became our primary language, with one exception," Lev said with a chuckle.
"The next year, Kiyo was introduced to us!" Fred exclaimed. Lev made a thoughtful noise, taking a sip of his drink before speaking.
"5th grade, and at the time, you were still getting a hang of things, and Kiyo plops into our lives," Lev mentioned.
"Quite a time to teach her English, while she taught me Japanese," Fred joked. Lev giggled and nodded his head.
"We were, apparently, more advanced in English than anyone else in the class," Lev pointed out.
"Here is your Sushi, I'll be back shortly," The waitress told them, catching both of them off guard. A small, black, rectangular plate, containing six pieces of Nigiri Salmon Sushi. She left again, and Fred quickly snatched a piece of sushi with his chopsticks and shoved it into his mouth, leaving bits of rice on his lips. Lev chuckled at his friend's enthusiasm before also picking up his chopsticks, grabbing a piece of sushi, and eating it.
"Middle school was hectic though," Lev pointed out.
"In seventh grade, we met Heng," Fred mentioned, with Lev chuckling in agreement. "He was a bit more reserved and quiet compared to us," he added. Lev nodded in agreement.
"He's more open and chaotic now," Lev pointed out. Fred hummed.
"Afterward, we ran into Megumi during the latter part of our 7th-grade year," Fred recalled. Lev paused to savor a second piece of sushi, pondering his next words.
"During our eighth-grade year, We became friends with the twin siblings Meliana and Argenis, as well as their long-time friend Nout," Lev pointed out. Fred took a second piece of sushi for himself and ate it.
"Then we Met Eleonora and Mi-Kyong during Ninth Grade," Fred mentioned to Lev, who took a long sip of his Cherry Limeade.
"Do you recall when Kiyo attacked our Math teacher?" Lev asked. Fred was caught off guard and ended up spitting out his drink, then erupting into laughter.
"All- Over... Pft- extra homework!" Fred choked out.
"I guess.. pft- Sakamoto-Sensei Heh..." Lev had to pause and stifle his laughter, while Fred was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down his face.
"He didn't... Heh... Expect the Tall... HAHA! Gentle girl... to pull a John Cena... On Pfft- HIM!" Fred barely managed to speak between laughter. Lev also began laughing loudly, covering his mouth to stifle it. "I even took a... Haha! Photo Moments... Hehe... Before it happened!" Fred admitted through laughter.
"Or-" Lev stopped speaking and laughed more, almost wheezing at this point. After a while, He caught his breath and spoke again
"Remember that time when you were chasing Nout around his apartment to retrieve your sweatshirt?"
"It was completely new!" Fred argued.
"It was made by my uncle." Lev pointed out.
"Yeah, Yeah," Fred muttered, rolling his eyes.
"In addition, you hit your head on the doorframes twice," Lev pointed out.
"The dishes you ordered," The waitress interjected, serving them the Tonkatsu, Chicken Katsudon, and Udon they ordered. Fred and Lev expressed their gratitude, bowing their heads and softly uttering Ikadakimasu. After eating a spoonful of his Katsudon, Fred spoke up
"I'm surprised I didn't end up in the hospital," Fred remarked. Lev nodded in agreement before cutting into his Tonkatsu. After setting down his knife, he picked up a piece of Tonkatsu with his fork and took a bite.
"Remember the Ninth Grade Dance?" Fred asked.
"Yeah... Meliana, Argenis, Nout, and Heng couldn't be there sadly," Lev muttered with a huff.
"Unfortunately, Meliana, Argenis, Nout, and Heng couldn't make it," Lev said with a disappointed tone.
"Having them there would have made the experience both more chaotic and enjoyable!" Fred half-jokingly told Lev.
"My first question is how did someone get Vodka into the school anyways?" Lev asked, his voice full of curiosity.
"They only inspected large bags, not small ones," Fred pointed out, adding that it was "foolish" in his opinion.
"So it was a small bottle of Vodka?" Lev asked.
"It was three people - a boy and two girls - who took three small shot bottles from the nearby convenience store, mixed them into the fruit punch, and got people buzzed," Fred corrected and explained to Lev. He seemed taken aback.
"Oh-" Lev took another bite of his Tonkatsu awkwardly, while Fred chuckled after finishing a spoonful of Katsudon.
"Mi-Kyong got buzzed," Fred informed him, and Lev chuckled in response.
"No wonder they were wilder than usual!" Lev joked.
"I'm glad to not have taken any punch," Fred told Lev, who nodded in agreement.
"Do you recall when Kiyo, you, and I snuck out of our houses to hang out?" Lev asked.
"At a random, deserted parking lot in the middle of the night!" Fred replied, and Lev laughed.
Lev recounted to Fred, who chuckled in response, "We played Tag and Truth or Dare, pole-danced, had random conversations and shared a large box of chocolates."
"It wasn't until two in the morning when the cops found us and took us home," Lev added.
"It was so awkward!" Fred mentioned.
"I had to clean the entire house from top to bottom as punishment after eating and sleeping," Lev told Fred.
"Your aunt and uncle were merciful, but my Dads weren't," Fred noted. "My little sister was so anxious that she couldn't sleep, and I had to stay with her until she calmed down and fell asleep. She finally went to bed at around 9 pm, so I couldn't sleep until then either."
"She was only four years old at the time, so you should have expected that," Lev pointed out.
"Yeah, yeah!" Fred groaned and placed his spoon down. "Wow, you've finished already?" he exclaimed, pointing at Lev's empty plate and bowl with his slim finger.
"You're not," Lev bluntly reminded him as Fred picked up his chopsticks and slurped some of the Udon. Lev stared at the roof in silence for a while as Fred ate his food.
"I can't wait to make more memories with you and the rest of the group," Lev suddenly said. Fred nodded in agreement while chewing. He swallowed before speaking.
"Same here!" He cheerfully spoke.
"Finish your food, I'll treat us to some Ice-Cream!" Lev cheerfully told Fred.
"In this weather?" Lev jokingly asked.
"Do you want Ice-Cream or Not?"
****
"I'm sure glad I had that Coupon," Fred told Lev as both of them left Katsu Kafe for the Dessert restaurant nearby.
"Couples get 50% off," Lev reminded him. Fred shrugged.
"A Discount is a Discount," Fred said, grinning.
"Can't fully argue with that," Lev replied.
"We're Here!" Lev then pointed out.
"Let's eat!" Both of them said at the same time before walking inside.