Crimson Roses

Chapter 14: Food

"Rin-chan! Long time no see."

The shy neko-like girl smiled softly at the manager of the shop, taking a seat at her usual table. The manager walked over, handing her a menu; she took it gratefully.

"Gomen nasai. We had a lot of practices because of the National Tournament. Now that we've won, I'll be able to find more time to come around." Rin stated. The manager smiled.

"Well it's nice to have you back Rin-chan."

The girl smiled.

"It's nice to be back, Asuka-san."

Kaidoh blinked, pausing in his mid-jog to fish out his cell phone.

Father.

Quickly flipping it open, Kaidoh placed the contraption to his ear.

"Moshi moshi?"

"Kaoru. I need you to pick up your mother from the shop today. I have to work late, so tell her not to wait up for me." Kaidoh nodded.

"Hai."

The line clicked and Kaidoh flipped his phone back, stuffing it into the pocket of his shorts. Then, he resumed his jog.

Rin watched guiltily as Asuka flew around the kitchen. It was rush hour, and the other chef had called in sick. Rin was quietly sipping her drink, when she decided what she would do for the rest of the day. Placing her cup on the table and dropping a few yen on the table, Rin stood from her seat. She walked behind the counter, picking up an apron on her way before stopping in front of Asuka, smiling.

"Need some help?"

Asuka broke out in a grin, gesturing to the boiling pot of yam soba.

"Shall we get started?"

After rush hour was over, the two chefs stood leaning against counters, sighing in relief. Asuka looked to the smiling Rin, and sighed inwardly, knowing what her life was like. They had been friends for a long time, ever since Rin first stepped into her little store. Rin didn't have the best life, what with both of her parents hardly caring about her existence. Asuka was the closest thing Rin had to a mother.

"Asuka?"

The woman broke out of her thoughts when Rin called her name. Smiling at the teenager, she took off her apron.

"Rin-chan, would you like to come to my house for dinner tonight?" Rin's face blossomed into a smile.

"R-really?!" She exclaimed, her hands to her bosom. Asuka nodded, still smiling. Rin hugged her gratefully. "I'd love to! Thank you so much!" Asuka laughed, hugging the girl back.

"It's my pleasure, Rin-chan." Rin pulled back, bowing to the older woman.

"You have no idea how much this means to me." She said. Asuka smiled, leading the younger female out of the kitchen as they grabbed their things.

'I think I do, Rin-chan.'

Asuka quickly grabbed her cell phone, pressing the speed dial for her husband.

"Moshi, moshi? Anata, I don't need you to pick me up today. I'll walk home."

Rin idly stood off to the side, kicking a few stones as Asuka was on the phone. A few minutes later, Asuka lead Rin in the direction of her house.

"You should let your hair down. You look much more beautiful that way." Asuka told her. Rin looked at the older woman curiously.

"Would you like me to?" She asked. Asuka nodded.

"I've only seen you with your hair down once, and that was when you lost your bandana." She reminded. Rin smiled, chuckling.

"I remember that day. It was the day you and I became friends." Rin said. Asuka smiled, nodding.

"That's right." Rin reached up, pulling the tie of her bandana and letting her dark green hair flow gracefully behind her, framing her face and tickling her shoulders. Asuka smiled, nodding in satisfaction. She gently stroked Rin's hair, marvelling at its silkiness.

"You are such a beautiful girl, Rin-chan. I only hope other people can come to realize this."

"Eh? Someone's coming over for dinner?" Kaoru asked, blinking as his father's voice rang through his cell phone.

"Your mother is walking home with her right now. So you don't have to pick her up, just come straight home to freshen up." Kaoru nodded.

"Hai."

"Uwaah! Asuka-san, your house is very nice!" Rin exclaimed, taking off her shoes. Asuka smiled, leading her inside.

"Thank you Rin-chan. Unfortunately, my husband won't be here for dinner tonight. He has to work late." Rin shook her head.

"That's fine. I understand." Asuka smiled.

"Although my two sons will still be here, and one of them is your age!" Asuka exclaimed. Rin smiled.

"I'm sure we'll get along."

She just didn't know how right she was.

"Okaa-san, I'm home!" Kaidoh called, taking his shoes off and walking into his home.

"Okaeri, Kaoru-kun." His mother greeted, walking over to kiss him on the cheek as he blushed a fiery red. She simply smiled at him, patting his shoulder in the direction of the bathroom. "Go get ready for dinner. We have a guest tonight." She chirped. Kaoru shook his head, chuckling before going to do as his mother requested.

"Ah! Asuka-san, the pan is smoking!"

Cursing softly under her breath, Asuka ran to take care of it. Kaidoh blinked surprisingly at the guest.

"A-Aoi-san?!"

Rin looked up at Kaidoh, who was still sweating from his jog. She blushed heavily.

"K-Kaidoh-san! A-Asuka-san is your okaa-san?" She asked him. He blushed, nodding. She blinked, before nodding and looking at the beige carpet beneath her. Rin twiddled with her fingers. "S-sou ka. She's a very kind person." Kaidoh rubbed his head.

"Y-yeah." They both stood unmoving, blushes dotting their faces.

"Rin-chan, could you please help me in the kitchen?!" Asuka called out. Rin jumped, before calling back.

"H-hai! Ah… W-well, I'll see you at dinner." She said, before hurrying off. Kaidoh turned in the direction of the bathroom.

"R-right."

"Kouta! Set the table!" Asuka called from the kitchen. Kaoru's younger brother rushed to the shelf.

"Hai!"

Kaoru walked down from the stairs, rubbing his wet hair with a towel wearing a black muscle shirt under an unbuttoned light blue dress shirt and white pants. Kouta grinned at his older brother, setting chopsticks on the table.

"Hoping to impress someone aniki?" He asked. Kaoru blushed, brushing past his brother to grab the tea cups and the teapot.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He muttered. Kouta just smiled, going back to setting the table.

"Ah! So you and Kaoru-kun have met already." Asuka said, smiling. Rin blushed, nodding and staring at her bowl of rice. "Sou ka! What luck, ne?" Kouta was smirking as he took a bite of some fish, ignoring his brother's seemingly permanent glare. "So, Rin-chan, what was your first impression of Kaoru-kun? And don't lie simply because I'm his mother!" The girl finished chewing her rice, lightly touching the tips of her chopsticks to her bottom lip.

"A-ano…" The girl was at a loss of what to say.

"Okaa-san! It's rude to ask Aoi-san to answer something like that." Kaoru said. Asuka laughed softly, covering her mouth with her hand as she turned to Rin.

"Kaoru-kun is right. Gomen nasai, Rin-chan. I didn't mean to put pressure on you." She chortled. Rin shook her head.

"Iie, daijoubu."

The four quietly went back to eating.

"Be safe now!" Asuka called, waving off to the two teenagers. "And be nice to Rin-chan, Kaoru-kun!" At this, she winked. Kaoru and Rin blushed, and Kaoru walked a bit faster.

After that, there was silence.

The only sound that echoed through the empty streets was the rustles of clothing and the 'tmp' 'tmp' 'tmp' of shoes hitting the pavement. Rin was looking down at the ground, twiddling with her fingers. Kaoru was looking off to the side, a slight blush flitting over his cheeks.

"A-ano…"

Rin peeked over out of the corner of her eye, a blush beginning to rise. Kaoru cleared his throat, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"I see you let your hair down today." He muttered. Rin's eyes widened, and her hand reflexively reached up to play with the tips of her dark green locks. Raising her head up with a bit of confidence, Rin looked off to the side. One hand was twirling a lock of hair, the other tucked delicately behind her back.

"A-ah, hai." She answered. "Asuka-san asked me to let it down today." Kaoru looked over to her at that statement.

"O-oh. How do you know my okaa-san anyway?"

Rin blushed.

"We met at her shop. I… lost my bandanna and she offered to help me look for it. Then I ate some of her food, and fell in love with it. I'm a very known regular there." She replied. Kaoru looked ahead.

"Sou ka."

There was silence once more.

"It's good, isn't it?" Rin's head shot up to look at him.

"Eh?" Kaoru blushed, smirking at the girl beside him.

"My okaa-san's food." Rin blinked in realization before smiling and nodding, making a small noise of agreement.

"The best I've ever had." Her eyes softened, as she inwardly realized that Asuka's food was the only homemade food that she'd ever eaten. Kaoru didn't seem to notice, instead smiling at the remark. "Oh, that reminds me." Reaching into her coat pocket, Rin took something out and handed it to Kaoru, her eyes softening. "Arigatou gozaimasu, for letting me use your bandanna."

Taking the piece of cloth away from Rin's small hands, Kaoru blushed.

"Betsuni." He mumbled.

"Well, this is my home." Rin said, climbing up the rusty old wooden steps. Kaoru's eyes widened slightly at the poor condition of the home. There were no light on, and he wondered where her parents were. Rin smiled slightly at him, at the top of the stairs in front of the front door. "Arigatou gozaimasu, for walking me home." Kaoru snapped his attention back to the girl.

"Iie, betsuni." He replied, shaking his head. Rin bowed slightly to him, before taking out a key and unlocking her door, opening it slightly. "I would ask you to come in, but my house isn't exactly in the best condition." She joked (albeit painfully), grinning a bit. "So I'm going to have to part ways with you here." Kaoru nodded.

"Of course." He said. Rin nodded to him.

"Thank you again, for letting me have dinner with you and your family. It is an honour that I will always cherish." Kaoru blinked, but nodded; confused.

"You're welcome. Good night." He said. Rin waved.

"Oyasumi nasai."

He turned to leave, when Rin suddenly tried to enter her house, stumbling on the rickety wooden steps, loosing her balance and crying out slightly as she fell forward.

Before she knew it, Kaoru had wrapped his arms around her waist, steadying the girl as her head was tucked delicately under his chin. They stood like that for a long time, just nestled in each others arms. During that time, while in the comfort of his powerful, but gentle, arms; Rin found tears slowly making its way down her face. Kaoru cradled the girl carefully, rubbing her back awkwardly as she cried silently into his chest.

Carrying her down the steps and onto a small patch of grass, Kaoru took his bandanna, wiping away the trail of tears that made their way down her cheeks. And slowly, but surely, his rough and calloused hand cupped the smooth expanse of her pink cheek, bending down to brush his lips in a feathery soft kiss on hers.

Eyes widening slightly, Rin reached a hand up, brushing the tips of her fingers against his cheek, before reaching up to reciprocate his intimate gesture. However, Rin's kiss lasted a little longer, and as soon as they parted, their lips met again.

It was an endless cycle.

A/N WOOT!! I FINALLY GOT IT OUT!!! (dances with joy). This chapter gave me a MAJOR headache! I had to scale a wall of writer's block to finally get it done! I really hope you like it! This chapter was done because KunoichiofKonoha wanted Kaoru/Rin really badly! So please thank her for giving me inspiration to get another chapter out! Cross your fingers everyone, hopefully the next chapter will come out soon! Please R&R, and maybe it'll give me more incentive to update faster!

This chapter's Japanese Glossay

(Name)-chan: suffix used to show a close relationship between people (usually girls). Also used to address someone younger then you.
Neko: Cat
Gomen nasai: I'm sorry (polite)
(Name)-san: Polite way to address someone(like a person you've just met). Roughly translates to 'Mr.', 'Mrs.', 'Ms.', etc.
Moshi moshi: Hello (mostly used for speaking on the phone)
Hai: Yes
Yen: Japanese currency (name of money used in Japan)
Yam soba: A type of Japanese noodle
Anata: When used between couples, means "darling" or something along those lines (I'm kind of unsure about this translation, so don't take my word for it!)
Okaa-san: Mother
Okaeri: Welcome home (casual)
(Name)-kun: affectionate term usually used for boys
Sou ka: I see
Aniki: Older brother
Ne: Right? or "Isn't it?"
Ano: Umm
Iie: No
Daijoubu: It's alright
Tmp: The Japanese express this as the sound of steps
Arigatou gozaimasu: Thank you (polite)
Betsuni: It's nothing
Oyasumi nasai: Good night (polite)

Name Meanings

Asuka: 'tomorrow fragrance' or 'tomorrow perfume' or 'tomorrow smell'
Kouta: 'thick peace' or 'big peace'