Author's Note: First of all, thank you for all reviews and follows. This story has been waiting at my desktop for some time, a reminder for editing. I still think it is somewhat pointless but at least not it is easier to read.
Hope you enjoy it.
Slightly burnt rice with seaweed seasoning
Apart from their clothes, mannerisms and ridiculously complicated private lives, the Hongo family mansion showed their riches. It was a two-storey western style mansion with a separate wing for its master, a whole basement for servants, in addition to a huge dining hall with even a larger ball room. Along with its lavish gardens, the mansion was a sight to be seen. The fact that its real owners were able to lend it for six months because they 'prefer to stay in the newer one' didn't fit into even these talented artists' imagination.
Whatever the reason, they were happy to have a massive mansion to themselves. The huge master suite as well as the drawing room, parlour, some servant bedrooms and the enormous dining hall and ball room were used for shooting. The staff utilised rest of the upstairs bedrooms.
They disregarded the kitchen as it didn't have water and gas. They learned it had a working microwave when Kyoko-chan surprised the team with homemade soup in a pre-dawn shooting. She blushed furiously at the cheers.
The scene was long and sun was faster than them so they had pre-dawn shooting the next day. This time, cheers were for Oohara-san.
"The happiest group I've seen for plain rice," she smiled as the girls helped serving.
"I am not good at cooking," Itsumi-san blushed as she showed up with fried eggs the next day.
The team nearly teared up when Iizuka-san handed them an onigiri each. She muttered "I am not as busy as you youngsters" with a blush.
If they were sad when this scene ended, they didn't show it to the director. So when Ogata-san came to announce midnight scenes with moonlight with a tray full of cookies, they were pleasantly surprised.
Takagi-san announced takoyaki with joy and "my wife made them" the next day. Everybody laughed when Kijima-san complained about his uncooked rice the loudest. Tsuraga-san's sushi the next day was delicious, but against the rules.
"You have to cook it yourself" Oohara-san said, her hands at her waist.
"Ordered food isn't accepted" Itsumi-san added.
Tsuruga-san warily looked at the women cornering him, "I can't cook. And, you ate it already".
"Take example from Kijima-san, he cooked even when he didn't know how to."
"Which explains its taste".
Itsumi-san and Oohara-san glanced each other, no heart in them to lie about it.
"Also," Tsuruga-san continued with a smile, "I don't have much time to do it".
Director Ogata called him before either of them gave the answer he deserved for that comment. It was forgotten by the time Kyoko-chan came with a saucepan from kitchen.
At his next turn, Tsuraga-san ordered pizza. The one after, Thai food. The next day he had to hide in the kitchen, under the pretence of helping Kyoko-chan.
A few days later when Mizuki glared at Katsuki, he answered "I can't cook". Director Ogata laughed out loud before "Cut".
"Do something basic, Tsuruga-san, to appease the ladies."
"I can't cook."
"Everybody has some quick meal to put together when they get hungry. I'm sure you have - " Ogata-san silenced, Tsuruga-san's expression clearly stated in such cases, he didn't eat at all.
Tsuruga-san began to sit next to Kyoko-chan at these snack times as the women liked the girl too much to glare at her direction for long. Ogata-san learned not to get into these staring battles, Kijima-san gifted a 'I can't cook' saying t-shirt to Tsuruga-san and even Takagi-san needed to ask if his wife's food was accepted. When Iizuka-san took ladies' side, Yukihito-san began to accompany him between rooms. Only when, instead of laughing at Kijima-san's proud declaration of "it tastes awful, but I cooked it myself" over some horrible rice, the ladies glared at Tsuruga-san, Kyoko-chan became aware of a silent war going on.
"Tsuruga-san?" she looked up at him over a cup of Kijima-san's watery rice.
"Yes, Mogami-san?" he looked at her with his gentleman smile.
"N…nothing," she quickly returned to her cup.
"Mogami-san," he sighed. A glance showed no smiles so she turned to look at him. "I can't cook" he said, with an expression to show how often he used this phrase these days.
"Hm?"
"Apparently it was against rules to order food."
"You didn't prepare them yourself?" she squealed.
An astonished silence fell over the room. Tsuraga-san couldn't manage to lower his head before he chortled. He tried to stifle his snigger at Kyoko-chan's glare.
"I didn't prepare them myself, Mogami-san," his voice wavered.
"That is against the rules!"
"I don't know how to cook," he shrugged. He smirked when irritation flashed across Kyoko-chan's face.
"Do you know how to cook anything? Anything at all?" Kyoko-chan said.
"I can't cook," he said with a deadpan expression.
Kyoko-chan's one eyebrow ticked. "When someone around you don't prepare food, what do you eat?"
"I buy food."
"Something energy, something calories, right?"
Tsuraga-san leaned back, knowing where this conversation was going. "Right," he replied, a chagrined expression spreading, hands already halfway, waiting for the explosion.
"Tsuraga-san, your body is your tool and treasure, is this how you look after yourself? Would a pro disregard his body like this? Tsuraga-san, you don't behave like a pro!"
Another astonished silence fell over the room.
"Really Mogami-san," Ogata-san said in a soft voice, "wasn't this going too far?"
"What?" Tsuruga-san growled. Many people startled at Katsuki's dark look. Itsumi-san and Oohara-san glanced each other in alarm, they never intended Kyoko-chan to be in trouble with her sempai.
"You dare look at me like this," Mio answered, "even when you know what happened in the past."
Blink. Katsuki was gone. Blink. Mio was gone. The two actors continued glaring at each other, as if getting in and out of character in the middle of conversation was an everyday occurrence. The rest of the room watched, mesmerised.
"Mogami-san - "
"So, Tsuruga-sempai can't cook," she stated.
"Right," he answered slowly, suspicious of Kyoko-chan's sudden mood change.
"None at all?" she asked with a disturbing business smile.
"None," he agreed.
"How disappointing" she moaned, slumping in her seat. Tsuruga-san startled, everybody in this room knew he respected his kohai's words as much as she, her sempai's. "I thought Tsuruga-sempai could do everything he put his mind to."
"I never put my mind to cook - "
"To being a pro." Tsuruga-san silenced, Kyoko-chan looked at him with wide, innocent eyes. "I thought Tsuruga-sempai put his mind to being a pro."
Tsuruga-san's eyes widened. Then closed, with a smile.
Yukihito-san snorted. As if his charge stood any chance against that girl. Especially with this subject.
"Yukihito-san," she called with a bright smile, "when does Tsuruga-san return home today?"
Many people in the room giggled as Tsuruga-san gave a fond smile to the girl he lost fair and square.
The next day, they were the proud eaters of Tsuruga-san's first cooking - slightly burnt rice with seaweed seasoning. He looked proud of it.
