It has been a year since Rei left to live overseas...
She sends me e-mails, send messages in our social media account, text me and updated her other social media about how she is getting on daily.
"To Mina.
Thank you for your last e-mail it made me happy to ready it.
I know you were wondering how I was managing with the French Language you don't have to worry my father has taught me a lot so I'm able to speak it quite well now, and the school is so diverse we often talk English here anyway. Totsuki is an amazing school it's hard most of the times but it helps us enhance and develop and focus more on our cooking we even have cooking competitions they called it shokugeki's, surprisingly I've won most of my shokugekis and I'm one of the second year top cooks. I've attached a photo to this email. I can't wait for you to try all the new foods I've learn to cook here in Totsuki. I'm going to do all I can to become a great chef like Director Shinomiya and then return to Japan. Wait for me!
Love, Reimako
I am grinning from ear to ear reading her words.
(Its sounds that she's enjoying her new school and giving it her all.)
(I bet she'd be surprised to know that she's now famous here in Japan with all her achievements, maybe she wants to surprised me for being in the Totsuki's elite top ten, so I'm not gonna spoil it to her.)
(But, well...)
It does make me sad to know that I can't see her in person.
(It can't be helped.)
And then one day...
I'm studying in my bedroom.
When...I heard a knock on my door.
"Yes, who is it?"
"Mina, Can I come in?"
"Miyoko? What's wrong? Normally you just barged in without knocking and ruin my life."
"You're exaggerating." She said imitating Rei's voice.
"Haha, funny, do you want something from me?"
"Yeah, your body, now strip."
"Right...now why would you want my body and why would I have to strip?"
"Dense as always, anyway I was hoping you would run an errand for me."
"Would? Implying I would agree with you..."
"Just shut up and do what I say, if you don't want me to tell, Rei about your other girlfriend."
"Other girlfriend?"
"I just happen to see some boob pictures of a girl under your bed..."
"I don't have boob picture of girls under my bed..." I said monotonously.
"Well you'll have now." She suddenly turn her back at me lifts up her shirt and snap a picture of her chest.
"Should I send it to Rei and tell her everything..." she said while looking at me devilishly.
"You're disgusting...Okay what do you want..."
"Just everything on this shopping list!"
"Fine, let me see...Whaaa?!"
She passes me an extremely long piece of memo paper.
And on it is written a tremendous amount of grocery item list.
"A-all of this...?"
"Yes.!
"And I'm to do this all by myself?"
"You're the only one who's free right now."
"Uhm, can't you see the fact that I'm studying, and what about you-you're not busy!"
"I'm busy."
"Doing what?"
"Stuff."
I sighed at my defeat.
(I wonder what everyone else is up to...)
I strain my ears and hear a clamor down the living room.
"What is everyone doing in the living room?"
"Uh...Um..."
"N-Nothing! Nothing really...!"
Grinning, she gives me a push to get going.
She pushes me all the way to the fire exit.
"Why am I going out this way?"
"It's faster this way just jump down like the nimble lizard you are."
"Just make sure you get everything on that list alright?"
"Bye!"
She said while shoving me down the fire exit rail.
"W-wait?!"
I hero landed safely carefully not stepping on Rei's flower garden.
For some reason I am being turfed out of Famille' I even went out the fire exit, somethings not right here...
Still, in a daze, I rolled out and look down at the shopping list she gave me once more.
"A-are they throwing a party or something?"
"W-wait...she didn't give me money for this?! Did she expect me to pay this using my own money?!"
"That bitch!"
Several hours later...
I somehow manage to buy all the groceries listed on the shopping list using my college savings.
Manly Carrying ten bags on each arms I finally arrived at the Famille' door.
(I can't feel my arms....)
I am carrying an inexplicably heavy load on each arm.
(And what's with there?! Artichokes? Dragonfruit...?)
(None of it can found at our local supermarket, it's like I've went on a treasure hunt for these things.)
Because of this I had to go around to a lot of different shops, which is why it took me so long.
"A-anyway...This is way too heavy, I can't wait to get back inside..."
"I'm ho~me~"
I have finally made it back to Famille'.
There...
"Welcome back...."
"Eh...?"
The familiar voice resounds in my head.
(No way...)
(That voice, belongs to...!)
My face jerks up.
"Mina."
"R-REI?!"
(What's Rei doing here...?!)
She's supposed to be in France in Totsuki Culinary Academy.
"Ehehe...Sorry for startling you."
"Totsuki had a short summer break..."
"So I've come back for the holidays."
"Eh...?! But you never told me that?!!"
Just then.
"We all knew!"
"Y-you bitch!"
The other residents of the Famille' come out from the living room.
"You guys knew?!"
"Hehe... We kept it a secret from you so it would be a surprise." Smiled Raika.
"Y-yeah I am surprised."
"S-sorry, Mina..."
I stand in silence for a moment, to surprised to speak,
Happiness wells up inside of me.
"This is the best surprise ever!"
"Rei...Thank you for coming back!"
"You're welcome."
The others tell me the reason they send me out in that gruelling money drying my savings account shopping task.
Apparently the groceries are all for Reimako.
"Um..Today i..."
"I want to treat you all to something I learned to make in France."
"Yay!" Yomiko rejoiced.
"Please do, Chef Reimako!"
"Finally we don't have to endure, Mina's terrible cooking!" fallow up by Yomiko.
"Oi!"
(If that's the reason it's worth the spend though.)
That's why there were so many things we don't usually buy on that list.
"Just wait a little, I'll make it right away."
"That sounds great!"
And so...
A range of impressive French cuisine as well as local dishes are arranged on the Famille' dining table.
"Wow! Neat!" praised Kasumi,
"They all look so, expensive like you see on those exclusive expensive French restaurant." Said Miyoko her mouth gaping.
"Close your mouth Miyoko." Said Yomiko.
"They look so ravishing, like a fine art it makes me not want to ruin the presentation and all but it looks so delectable that I want to taste it immediately at the same time." Conflicted Ms.Mikahara.
"Ehehehe, dig in."
"Alright, don't mind if we do!"
We all dive into the appetizing French meal.
"OMG, the flavours are like popping out of my mouth." Said Raika.
"It really is! It's like something from a 5 star restaurant!" supported Ms.Mikahara.
"I've got a long way to go before I get to that level..."
(Awe she's so humble even if she's one of the Totsuki's Ellite top ten, she still thinks that she's not good enough.)
"Ah, Mina, That one you are eating is ratatouille,"
"Oh! The one you told me about."
"So this is what a Rattypatootie taste like."
"It's Ratatouille' you uncultured swine." Said Yomiko while staring at me with blank stare.
"What did I say?!"
"Ahahaha, That's not how it's pronounced you uncultured swine." Said Miyoko.
"Would you please stop with the insults already..."
"Ahahaha, Oh, Mina."
"I'm really impressed, Rei!"
"You've improved your cooking a lot in just a year." Yomiko continued.
"I agree, I think you'll be a profession cook and in the number spot in no time." Backed Kasumi
"I think so too!" assured Miyoko.
"Geez, guys Thank you..."
"Ehehehe..." she slightly blushed at their praised.
And it makes me happy to see it.
(She's striving to make her dreams a reality, I can tell.)
That night...
Rei and I are alone together at the balcony.
We sit together on a bench on the deck.
"That was really good! Your French cooking is the best!"
"I'm glad you like it."
She gives a small, but happy smile.
"It's been so long since we talked face to face I mean personal like this,"
"Yeah, even though we video chat each day I really prefer talking to you like this."
Up until now it's been phone calls, emails, chat, text and video chat each day but that's never been enough for the two of us.
All the love I have held on to while we were apart stirs within me.
"R-Rei..."
I held on her hand and she replied squeezing on to them, then she leans on my shoulder.
I wrap an arm around her and pull her close.
She looks surprised for a moment but soon becomes bashful.
"Did I ever tell you that I missed you..."
"Y-yeah, like everytime." She giggled in reply.
"Mina..."
"Hm?"
"I...Just wanted to say your name."
"E-ehehehe..." (by that mere words she makes my heart flutter.)
"Ehehe..."
The love and warmth I feel beside me makes me feel like she never left.
We stare up at the stars together.
I take a breath before asking her something that has been on my mind.
"I've been meaning to ask..."(what does echi stuff means, no I asked her that some other time...what I been meaning to ask her...)
"How long are you here for?"
"Actually, I have to go back tomorrow..."
"T-tomorrow?!"
It was too soon. We've only just seen one another...
"I'm sorry. The summer holidays over there are very short, and I need to prepare for Stagier."
"Stagier?"
"It's like a On the Job Training but a bit extreme I heard."
"O-oh...I guess there's nothing for it then..."
(I guess we won't be able to see each other for a while again once she goes back to France not personally see each other...)
Then she looks rather serious.
"Um...Mina."
"Hm?"
"I actually need to talk to you about something important."
"S-something important?"
Seeing the seriousness in her face, I sit up straight attentively.
"What it is?"
"The truth is..."
"Y-yeah..." (she looks really seriously trouble is this something ominous?)
"A-At Totsuki..."
"I've managed to pull pretty good grades...And I've been selected for special honors."
(Honors? It must be her being on the Elite Ten,)
"So the school is going to give me my chef's certificate..."
"And I'll be graduating early."
(Graduating early?! It's been only a year has she progress that far?! Wait she's in the elite ten of course she have.)
"Uhm?"
I had expected bad news, but I wasn't at all...
"So what does that mean?!"
"Well..."
"It usually takes 5 or 6 years to graduate from Totsuki Academy."
"But "Elite Ten members can choose to graduate in 2 and then go on the Stagier."
"Elite Ten?" (she's cute it must have slip her mind.)
"Oh! R-right...that was supposed to be a surprise..."
"I'm one of the Elite Ten it's more like a student council but have more power than student council, to put it bluntly, we have the power to even change the school rules, and many more so you could say I kinda selfishly used it to my own advantage ehehehe..."
"W-Wow..." (That's more amazing than I've imagined.)
"I'm only number two though the number one position holder is this amazing girl I met she's nice a bit eccentric though since she's likes to make food with how do you say this, interesting flavour and she's the daughter of Tokyo branches' Lady Erina and Director Souma the former number 1 and 2 seats so it's an honor to be her friend."
"I apologize, I'm rambling it's just I'm glad to be a member of an exclusive group and to be around amazing people."
"Once I graduate I will be assigned or I assigned myself to be a chef here in Japan."
"So..."
She continues, a little shyly.
"I'll be able to come back to japan in two years."
"I'll come back to be with you..."
"D-do you mean that?!"
"I do."
"Y-Yeaaaahhh!!!!"
I unconsciously hug Rei with all my love.
"Ehehehe..."
She was surprised at first, but she soon wraps her arms around me.
We embrace one another, expression our shared happiness.
"I never thought you would be able to back so soon!"
"Thank you Rei! I'm so happy right now!"
"It's me who should be thank you."
"You're the reason I have been able to work so hard."
"Thank you."
"I...I am? Ahahaha..."
I couldn't smile any more I feel that elated.
And all the love I feel rises to the surface.
We stare into each other's eyes.
And I draw in closer to her, our lips touch together gently.
With lingering sweetness, we part.
I look down at Rei as I hold her in my arms.
"Rei..."
"Yes?"
It might be a bit too soon to say it, but..."
I bring the words I've been wanting to say...
"What does etchi stuff means?"
Her eyes widen then hold back a sudden laughter.
"I'll tell when I came back."
"Okay, I hold you on to that...but Rei, welcome home."
She smiled sweetly to me and replied.
"It's good to be home..."
Fin....
Yay! it's done, it's finally done! Watch out for the secret stories i'd be updating it soon as long as they fix my internet connection.