Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon Adventure 02.
A/N: I decided to use their dub names (and to some extent their personalities) this time round because the "bad cook" gag was a dub-only thing in the movie… (at least in Yuuko's case, what's Kari's excuse?), hence Kari's mom being bad at cooking and the slightly more obnoxious Davis.
As the DigiDestined were walking home from school, Davis attentively notices cuts on Kari's fingers. "Uh… is everything OK, Kari?" he asks. Thankfully the cuts don't appear to look too deep, but their enough in quantity to warrant a raised eyebrow or two.
TK notices Davis' concern, and smiles sympathetically.
Confused by his sudden change of expression, Davis asks TK irritatingly, "What's so funny, TP?"
"O-oh it's nothing, Davis… really," blushed Kari ever so slightly, deliberately walking a little faster, keeping her eyes on the ground trying to avoid becoming the centre of attention for all the wrong reasons.
The blond chuckles looking very amused. "Hasn't she told you yet?"
Davis thought for a second what he meant by that question, putting on his thinking face which coincidentally involved him stroking his chin.
"Hrm…"
"Kari's taken up cooking lessons," said Yolei calmly, who had apparently been eavesdropping on their conversation from behind them.
"Whoa, no way!" Davis said, shocked but mostly excited. "This is the first time I'm hearing out about this."
"Yeah, she's been learning off the internet in her spare time," TK smiled wryly.
Davis eagerly matched Kari's pace. "Kari, Kari, is that true?" he said with a glimmer in his eyes.
"W-what is?" Kari asked innocently. One thing about Kari is that she doesn't like other people worrying about her that much.
"That you're learning how to cook," Davis said enthusiastically.
Since the cat was out of the bag, Kari lets out a sigh and smiles friendly at Davis. "Yeah, I've been teaching myself for a good few weeks now."
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"You didn't ask," Kari said, sticking out her tongue playfully. "Plus, I don't really want it getting out that I was cooking… at least not yet anyway."
"Then how did TK and Yolei find out?" said Davis sounding unconvinced.
"Dunno, they won't say… probably from Tai," Kari clicked her tongue. "Tai has the biggest mouth ever."
"So what can you make and more importantly when can I try some?" Davis winks.
Kari's eyes open widely. "You want to try it?"
"Of course," he said reassuringly, "I bet it'll taste great knowing it's from you."
Kari rolled her eyes.
"But seriously, I bet whatever you make is delicious. Cooking isn't too hard once you get the hang of it."
"Are you sure?" she raised an eyebrow, "You might end up regretting it."
"Haha, try me," Davis laughed.
Kari stops walking and points at Yolei and TK. "Truth is, I've been trying to get those two jerks to try my cooking for quite some time now, but they won't give me the time of day… not even Tai," she frowns.
"Why's that then?" Davis glances over at Yolei and TK who look rather uncomfortable all of a sudden. "Is Kari's cooking that bad?" he continues to laugh.
"Well…" TK said, looking up at the sky, trying to think of way to say it nicely without hurting Kari's feelings.
"You're forgetting who she's the daughter of," Cody says, appearing out of nowhere.
"After that one time…" Yolei begins before putting her hands over her mouth, looking as if she was about to puke.
Kari crosses her arms and glares at all three of them.
"It was only Pizza…" recalled Davis off the top of his head.
"Pizza without any cheese," TK reminded Davis, "Also, those mushrooms…" TK began to imitate Yolei's hand-over-face gesture.
"Those vegetable smoothies still give me nightmares," Cody says sounding terrified, one eye twitching as he said it.
"Those were supposed to be vegetables?" Yolei opened her mouth.
Kari pouted. "Enough already, geez…"
Davis smiled uncomfortably, rubbing his nose harshly. "My bad, I was the one who asked after all."
Kari shook her head. "Uh-uh, I wasn't blaming you Davis," she said reassuringly, moving her hair away from her face while she said it. "It's just that… well if you insist."
"So I get to try Kari Kamiya's home cooking? What planet did I die on?" Davis began to rub his hands.
Kari giggled.
TK put his hand on his leader's shoulder and cheekily said, "If you aren't dead, you will be when this is over."
Kari playfully punched TK lightly on the shoulder which prompted him to burst out into an uncontrollable fit of laughter.
"So what time do you want to coming over?" Kari asked Davis, looking at him while she said it.
"Huh?" Davis asked, assuming she was going to put it in a bag or something to give to him at school.
"Like I said, what time do you want to come over? Since it's the weekend tomorrow, why don't you come tomorrow? Nobody will be home, if I can recall correctly."
Davis' heart pounded really hard. Nobody? And in her own house as well? There really is a God!
"Is that a no?" she asked, tilting her head cutely.
"W..well… um…" Davis stammered, taken aback by how cute Kari was acting. "Yeah, I'll come at around 12 o'clock if that's OK with you.
"Sure," Kari nodded, "It's a promise, OK?"
"OK!"
Davis rang the doorbell at exactly 12 o'clock. He could hear dustpans falling on the floor and a voice shouting "just a minute!" inside the house. Once she opens it, he notices her unusual attire from what she normally wears.
She's wearing a cooking apron that says kiss the cook. Once he spots it his face gets instantly red.
"Something the matter, Davis?" Kari waved at Davis to get his attention. His eyes are closed and he has a troubled expression on his face. His lips are tightly pressed together which makes Kari wonder if he's feeling okay.
"Anyway, come right in," she says leaving him hanging to get back into the kitchen.
He opens his eyes a couple of seconds later embarrassed upon realizing his misunderstanding, and follows her to the kitchen.
"You're making it here?" he says surprised.
"Um… Davis, why do you think I invited you to my house?" she laughs, "Oh, did you think I was going to give you leftovers or something?"
"Not leftovers exactly… More like, already made before I came here."
"I just figured it'd be more intimate this way," she said, kicking herself mentally at her poor choice of words seconds later.
Both of them became bright red and quiet immediately.
To break the silence, Davis offered her a helping hand.
"Oh no, you don't have to… really, it's fine, you are the guest after all," she says moving all over the place to get her ingredients and equipment ready.
"Don't worry about it," Davis rolls up his sleeves, "just think of this as another learning experience."
"If you say so," Kari said, sounding unsure.
"Just tell me what you need."
"Can you even cook, Davis?" she asked point-blank, "Um… butter and some eggs," she added.
She put the pan on the stove and set it on medium low.
"That came out of nowhere," Davis grinned walking towards the fridge and taking out the essential ingredients. "Of course, I do."
"Really?" She asked in disbelief.
"Yeah, since my parents are always at work, it's up to me or Jun to cook the food," he thumped his chest rather proudly.
"And how often do you cook then?"
"Once a week," Davis grinned as he began to walk up to where Kari was standing. "Here you go."
"Thanks."
"So what're you making?" Davis asked, as Kari spread the butter onto the pan.
"Omurice!" Kari chirped.
"Omu—what?"
"Omelette rice!" Kari reiterated, putting the white rice inside the pan with the melted butter, waiting for it to be fried.
"Oh," Davis clicked his finger, "I love omelette rice. They're always selling it at that maid café near—"
Kari glared at Davis.
Davis burst out into a nervous fit of laughter. "Like I was saying, omelette rice? Yummy…"
After the white rice was fried, Kari began to mix ketchup and salt for flavour. Davis helped crack the eggs into the bowl and promptly added some salt and then milk.
"Why're you adding the milk?" Kari asked, observing Davis. She was impressed at how he was able to crack the eggs with only one hand.
"It's so the eggs can become flurry, or so my mom says."
"Interesting," Kari says attentively.
Afterwards mayonnaise was poured into the bowl, and Davis mixed it all together with a wooden spoon.
Kari then added butter to another pan and poured the beaten egg mixture that was just mixed by Davis seconds ago.
"Since there's nothing else to do, I might as well wash the dishes," offered Davis.
"What happened to being a guest?" Kari sighed, "Wash them later if you must… and thanks," she mumbled.
"Don't mention it…" Davis said, rubbing his neck in embarrassment. Noticing that the mixture was turning yellow, Davis gave a word of advice. "You should scrape the edges so that it won't stick to the pan."
"Ah!" Kari said, dumbfounded. "I didn't think about that."
Once the egg was cooked, the rice was put in the centre.
"Now here comes to tricky bit," Kari said, wiping her sweat from her forehead.
She had to hold the handle in a particular way and plop the contents on to the plate, almost flipping the omelette rice in the process. Could she do it? There was only one way to find out…
As she grabbed hold of the handle, she fumbled. Davis instantly grabbed a hold of Kari's shoulder, but coming into contact with the hot pan with his free hand in the process. He quietly shrieked in agony.
"Davis!?" Kari said on the verge of a panic attack. "Davis, are you alright!?"
"It's no biggie…" he lied, trying to cover up his burnt hand.
"B-but you're hurt!" she pointed out, seeing through his obvious lie. Shaking uncontrollably Kari added, "W-we should go see a doc—"
Davis grabbed a hold of Kari who was on the verge of tears firmly and replied in a hushed tone of voice, "Kari, I'm fine…"
"S-stop lying," she said, tear-eyed. "It's my fault… I'm so sorry Davis."
Davis gave a long sigh, and gave her a big hug. "Enough already, woman. I'm fine, honestly... It stings a little but it's not your fault." Davis paused, trying to think of something to ease the tension in the room, "Hey, did you know most serious accidents happen in the kitchen?"
Kari sniffed. "They do?"
"I think so."
Once Davis let go of her, Kari looked into his chocolatey brown eyes for what felt like a very long time, until she suddenly blushed and bit her lower lip, tackled him to the ground and said seductively, "Then let's make another…"