Learning to Love
Chapter 7
Hiro's POV
The man I hired to find mom and dad didn't have any luck so far. He seemed a bit…off when I met up with him last night. Like he knew something that I didn't. I just shrugged it off and went home. When I got there, I started having an emotional breakdown from all my guilt. Tadashi guy came and comforted me though.
The cheer bot was a cute little thing too. He brought it from the garage when I asked him to. Then he took my hoodie away to wash.
I was getting more used to hanging out with Tadashi guy now. Obviously I didn't love him, but liking him was a step in the right direction. He was a nice guy, so it was pretty hard not to like him.
Plus, he said he'd love me no matter what, so if he even did find out about my true intentions, I'm sure he'd understand. I wasn't afraid of that anymore.
*Page Break*
Hearing the oh-so familiar 'clank' of Tadashi' wrench, I faced him on reflex to see what crazy thing he'd suggest today.
"I'm feeling a game. You?" He asked randomly. I smiled. He was so weird and silly, but I liked that about him. It gave him character.
"For sure. What game?" I ask.
"A food game because it's our lunch break." He said as if it were beyond obvious.
"Let's do it." I say, following him to the kitchen.
"You can cook?" I ask in surprise.
"Geez Hiro. I may not be a chef, but I can make a decent meal. My aunt owns a café after all." Tadashi guy says smugly, puffing out his chest.
"That means you should be able to bake, not necessarily cook." I point out smartly.
"Oh yeah wise guy? Let your taste buds decipher the fact that I'm one boss cook." Tadashi guy challenges with a smug smile.
"You're on." I say.
"And if I am a great cook?" Tadashi asks.
"Then I'll do something for you." I offer.
"Like?" Tadashi asks.
"I don't know. Whatever you want?" I ask.
"Deal." Tadashi says.
"Great. Before you get all Bobby Flay on me, can I get my hoodie? Because I still didn't get it and you promised I'd have it by today." I say.
"Oh right. Let me just go get it from the la- I mean dryer." He says, cutting his words off.
He runs down the hall and I hear the garage/lab door open. I hear it open again a minute later, followed by him running to the laundry room. He comes back with my hoodie, the blue fabric looking fresh and fluffy. He hands it to me and I slip it on, raising a brow at him.
"So why exactly did you go to the lab first?" I ask curiously.
He shrugs. "No reason." He says nonchalantly.
"Okay." I say unconvinced.
"Now come on, let's get cooking." He says, grabbing various ingredients from the pantry.
"How exactly is this a game?" I ask, referring to what he asked in the garage earlier.
"Hold your horses eager beaver." He says, disappearing once more. He's back in an instant, blindfold in hand.
"Uh…Tadashi?" I question as he moves closer to me with it.
"Hey, you called me Tadashi." He notes, tying the blindfold around me.
"Well yeah, that's your name isn't it?" I ask as I feel him lift me onto the counter.
"Yeah smart one, but you usually call me the Tadashi guy." He says.
I didn't even notice that I didn't add the 'guy' at the end of his name.
Taking my mind to the fact that I can't see anything, I turn to where I assume Tadashi is.
"So what's the meaning of this?" I ask, pointing to my blindfold. Or at least where I think it is.
"This is the game part. If you can correctly guess what ingredient I put in your mouth, you'll get a prize." He explains.
"Alright. Easy enough." I say.
"Yeah. You say that now." Tadashi says, putting something in my mouth. I feel it up with my tongue and ponder over what it could be. It's salty and crunchy. Definitely a chip.
"Potato chips!" I say victoriously.
"Nope. Not even close." Tadashi says with a chuckle. I huff and cross my arms.
"Try again." He says, shoving something else in my mouth.
"Gross! A tomato?!" I cry in disgust. Tadashi howls in laughter.
"Yup. You get a prize for getting it right." He says, putting something close to my mouth.
"I'm not sure I want it." I say hesitantly. Tadashi stifles a few more laughs in response.
"I may not know you too well, but something tells me that you'll like this." He assures me. For some strange reason that I couldn't explain, I trusted him and opened my mouth.
Chewing cautiously, my mouth broke into a wide grin.
"GUMMY BEAR!" I shout in glee, kicking my feet against the counter.
"You remembered?" I ask, pleasantly surprised. It was something so small and unimportant. How and why did he remember?
"Of course. I try to remember everything about you bud." He says.
"Uh, thanks." I say, embarrassed.
"Yup. So you I'm guessing you liked it?" He asks in a way to where I can practically see the goofy grin he's got on through my blindfold.
"Loved it." I say, swallowing it.
"Next food item." He says, shoving something inside my mouth.
It's extremely sour and I make a face.
"Lemon." I say.
"Correct. Another prize." He says, putting in another gummy bear.
"You better hope you have enough gummy bears because this is a huge incentive. I'll definitely get them all right if I know I'm getting those as my prize." I inform him.
"Don't be too sure." He says, putting something else in my mouth.
It has such a distinct sweet and fruity flavor, but I can't place it.
"Uh, is it… a cranberry?" I ask uncertainly, hoping to god I'm right.
"Nope!" He says victoriously.
"What?! What is it then?" I ask.
"Pomegranate seed. Guess the incentive wasn't enough." He says smugly.
Okay, that was it. Time to pull out the secret weapon. Now I'm happier than ever that I tested him when we first met.
I yank off the blindfold and look at him with wide eyes.
"Can I please still have a gummy bear anyways?" I ask innocently.
"No way. You have to guess the ingredient right to get one." He says, hands on hips like a lady.
"Please?" I ask with wider eyes and more innocence.
"Is that supposed to be cute? Because it-
Is totally working." He says, cutting himself off with a groan as I poke my lower lip out and give him a sad look.
"Okay fine! Just one though." He says, handing me a green one. I happily eat it up and already start begging for more.
"No Hiro. I said one." Tadashi says.
"Please Tadashi! Pretty please! I've only had them twice in my life." I say in my sad baby voice, pulling another puppy face.
He reluctantly hands me the entire bag and covers his face in his hands.
"I hate you." He says as I stuff gummy bears by the handful in my mouth.
"Love you too." I say before I can think.
He instantly takes his hands off of his face and gives me a hopeful look and I realize what I've just said.
I stop chewing my gummy bears and blink rapidly, cheeks puffed out.
I can Tadashi's trying not to smile, but can't help it. He crushes me in a hug, but I don't respond. "That's the first time you said it!" He cries in happiness.
All I can think is 'I did NOT mean that the way he took it.'
*Page Break*
While I ate the spaghetti that Tadashi made, all I could think of was what happened earlier. I said 'love you too' sarcastically. He should've known that. But no! He had to go and make me feel guilty because I didn't love him at all.
"So how is it?" Tadashi asks me with a huge smile. I give him a thumbs up hence I was chewing.
Ever since I said I 'loved' him, he's been more smiley than usual and that is saying a LOT.
"You were right." I say, admitting defeat.
"Great. So now you have to do something for me." He says victoriously.
"Alright. So what do you want exactly?" I ask him, wiping my mouth of spaghetti sauce.
"I want but a simple promise from you." he starts.
"I already promised not to waste the cheer bot." I tell him.
"This is a different promise." He tells me.
"Oh, alright. Well what is it?" I ask with a shrug.
"Promise me that you'll never get mad at me for something that I invented." He asks of me, though it comes out as a command.
"I don't think it's possible for me to get mad at you in general. Deal." I tell him easily.
"Your word Hiro." He says.
"I won't get mad at you for something you invented." I tell him, holding my pinky out at him. He linked our pinkies and we twisted them together at the same time.
"Good. Don't forget this promise." He tells me.
"I won't. Don't even sweat it." I assure him.
"Good. Because I never forget my promises." He says.
"I know. I don't doubt that." I tell him.
"I always keep my promises too." He says. It's almost like he's bragging.
"Do you think you're better at keeping promises than me?" I ask him.
"No." he says with his hands up in surrender.
"Good." I say with a smirk.
"I know I am." He says with a smirk of his own.
"Nuh UH!" I cry out, tackling him to the floor.
He bursts into laughter and places me on his shoulders.
"Piggy back ride!" He cries, running around the house with me.
I laugh too and soon, we're collapsed on the couch.
"You're the best kid I could've ever had. He says, rubbing our foreheads together.
"Cheeseball." I accuse, giving him a hug none the less.
*Page Break*
