Chapter 2 – Mother
His mother was the first to arrive, three days after him and one after the delivery service brought the boxes from Inaba that couldn't be managed on the train. Lugging her own oversized suitcase, she greeted her son with a quick, "Hey, good to see you again," before retreating in her home office to take a phone call.
"ur lucky partner. Girls made more Mystery Food X. Ugh." At times it felt like the texts came at such a rate that he was still in Inaba. He could smell the awful concoction and the horrified expressions as everyone, girls and boys, faced the bitter defeat. Except they weren't asking him to whip up a salvation.
Cooking wasn't something Souji thought he would miss. It was utilitarian and a necessity as he grew older and his parents fractured into their own directions and lives.
His parents were seldom around for meals. It made it easier for Souji to teach himself through middle school where the failed leftovers could just get pushed to the back of the fridge and saved for later. By the time his mother had the opportunity to have his cooking, she had marveled at how good a job he had done searing the fish just so.
Sharing meals on the rooftop started as a solution to forgetting that the Ginger Pork recipe was measured for 2 servings. He had invited Chie knowing she would gladly devour 4 extra servings of meat if offered. The long, rambling conversation covering various topics on that cool morning in April set a president. Every time Nanako came from the store he would pull out ingredients and think about which of his growing list of friends would most appreciate. Chie or Daisuke were meat. Yosuke wouldn't touch tofu. Kanji appreciated complicated and detailed dishes. Naoto liked simple and unfussy.
If his mother had come from the airport, an early dinner would be nice. Having gone to the grocers that morning, he had a range of vegetables, new rice and a fresh fish. Deciding for something simple, he went about rinsing and then steaming the rice before cleaning the fish. Chopping some vegetables, he took care in turning the fish in the skillet and being careful to not overdo the salt. Setting out two plates, everything was plated immaculately in a restaurant perfect display. His mother liked simple, beautiful things.
While the door to her office remained closed, Emiko Seta could no longer be heard speaking into her phone. Souji knocked lightly. "Mom? I made dinner, if you wanted to join me?"
The door cracked open and the middle aged woman with shocks of silver hair a shade or two lighter than Souji's emerged. He wondered if her eyes were always that dark underneath or if it was just a change in makeup. "I'm sorry. There're still a few loose ends I need to take care of in the office." He brought him in for a brief hug, "we'll catch up later."
Half a fish ended up wrapped up and in the back of the fridge that night.
