ERINA'S Point of View
I am now at our company's conference room looking at the time in my laptop every 10 minutes or so, being unable to focus in the meeting and spinning my pen the entire time to ease my excitement. Less than half an hour later, Yukihira will be here to pick me up just to visit that stall he mentioned. Definitely not a date. Not a date, really. Cause having a date means you're dating-dating like girlfriend and boyfriend. But figuratively, its still a date, right?
Last night might not turned out pretty well but at least we made up right away. He made it right somehow for me—note the sarcasm. Having him sleep beside me was the best night I'd ever have. I felt so safe around him, like the sun sets and shine for us. Having him every night would be so great.
Anyway, Yukihira and I ate together in my penthouse for breakfast with him telling stories about his recent adventures. He told me about fried tarantulas and white ant egg soup that he wanted to innovate. White egg soup was from a mixture of ant eggs and their partial embryos. He wanted to add young white eggs to enhance its sourness. It wasn't a bad idea though. I'm sure he will come out with great ideas.
I may not be familiar with exotic—edible and unedible recipes in the world like Rindo senpai, but I could give him this and that for extra precautions. I'm very much willing to taste his dishes as well. Whether it's utterly disgusting or boldly good.
"Erina-sama? Uhm. Do you have any more question?" Hisako ask me. I wasn't so sure what she was telling them a while ago but it's almost after lunch so whatever.
I clear my throat before saying, "Nothing. If that's all then you're all dismissed."
"You alright, Erina-sama? You seems distracted." Hisako ask as we made our way to my office.
"Y-yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" Not like I want to hide it from Hisako. Its just that, I don't know how to start or where to start.
"He is! I saw him with Nakiri-sama and Hisako-san once!" A girl squeal in the distance. I didn't even bother listening to them knowing that Yukihira might be here any minute.
"He looks so hot! Totally my type. I think they call him Yukihira." My feet stop hearing his name. My mind automatically get excited and anxious at the same time. "I'll ask for his number!" What the fuck? Did I heard them right?
Hisako stop her tracks as well and look at me. I could feel my anger getting on my nerves when they started fighting about him. "No, he's mine!" "We all knew that he will pick me since we shared likes for motor bikes." Oh come on! He is mine alone! I don't care about being possessive now. "Just one night with him would be enough for me."
I was about to walk to them when Hisako grab my arm and block me from them. "Hisako what the hell?" People are starting to look at us with frightened, seeing how angry I am.
"It's not worth it. Come on Erina-sama. We both knew they don't have a chance." They don't obviously! It took us almost a decade to settle what we have right now. "Come on, Erina-sama." Trying to calm myself and thinking that he was here for me and me alone… I took all my patience just to walk away.
--
For the past years since we graduated and all, I never even imagined that he would be this hot. He has always been in different magazine covers for different food related articles especially IKEA—but goodness! It was pleasing and all but knowing that almost all women in this company have hots for him right now gives me so much irritation.
He's casually leaning in his big black Ducati motor bike looking at his phone. I'm not familiar with motor bikes but his was clearly very expensive. He's wearing a red cotton tee and black leather jacket plus dark blue denim pants. His hair, as always, is in its messy organized style that gives him more hotter look. Then he look up and met my eyes. He flashes his to die for smirk. Why do I feel so hot right now?
"Ready to go?" He ask and stare at me up and down. "Don't think ya can ride my bike with your skirt." Damn it! I should have change my clothes! Who would go on a date wearing your office attire. But it's not even a date, right?
"I-I can change in the mansion first if…"
"Don't sweat it. Let's just go." He handed me a black and gold helmet, his jacket and assist me on his bike. My skirt pushes upward of course, but his leather jacket covers half of my legs and thighs.
--
"What are we doing here?" I ask when we made our way to an arcade. It was like that arcade I always see in different genre of mangas.
"Stalls won't be open until dinner time." He said and enter the arcade casually. He motioned for me to enter as well. "Don't tell me it was your first time going to an arcade?"
"W-what?! Of course not." I lied. Hmp! Even if I haven't been to an arcade, reading every romcom mangas give me enough knowledge I needed to.
He just chuckles and shrugs going for a famous basketball machine—or whatsoever. This is definitely not a date.
He paid for a lot of tokens and started to walking to the basketball machine. He asked me if I wanted to try as well but I let him play first. He grabs a ball, dribbles it three times and wink at me saying, "Ya see that highscore? That's about to change now." He laugh and push the start button. He tossed and shot balls on the ring with focus. It was visible that he likes physical games like basketball when we were in high-school. Too bad I never got to see him play in court. 252 points, not bad.
His score is high but not enough to change the highscore in the board. He scratched his nape and pouted like a kid to me. I giggle at his cute antics. A deep urge to pinch his cheeks and kiss him without thinking of the people around us dwells inside me that I need to fight back. "Come on, try it." He said and pull me besides him. I gasp on how his skin burned mine but in a good way, so warm. He put me in front of him and I swear, I could feel his warmth even without touching his body. "Get at least half of my score and I promise not to ditch any request from the new Elite ten." I don't need to look at him knowing that he is smirking like a total creep right now. I'm sure he was thinking that I suck in this. Ts.
"Who do you think I am?" I snatch the ball from his right hand. Now, holding the orange rubber ball in my two hands, I wonder… How the hell can he grab it in just one hand? It's bigger than I thought it is. Plus, it's smell and weight ain't helping at all. I steal a glance in his right hand… such a big hand.
"Focus, Nakiri. It's starting." He teased. I wiggle my shoulder and try to dribble the ball like he did before targeting the ring…
66 points!!! I tried to shoot and target the ring like how he did but argh! It was hard and tiring. Especially during the 2nd stage. And he was laughing the whole time too! I'm still stretching my arm when he presses the start button again and dribbles again. The first two shots are both missed shots but the rest, for four stages are all on point and hoop on the ring. 324 points. New highscore. So cool.
--
"Just a simple game for a simple rule, no cheating." He said, smirking at me. We were about to play a game like a small hockey. We both have a handy pad for sliding the cue ball on the opposite goals. It was a small hockey field with air pressure coming from tiny holes. I've seen this machine a lot in different manga and TV series, of course. It's a very popular game.
"We both know that Nakiris don't cheat." Our family name is at risk. I won't accept defeat even outside the kitchen, ts. I gave my hair a tiny flip before stretching my arm. We played lots of games already and most of them are tiring but fun.
"You bet." He bended and threw the cue on me without giving a signal.
I was stunned at first but reacted quickly. I manage to slide it toward his goal. But alas! He blocked it and shot back at mine. He was sliding it with force and faster, giving me so much adrenaline.
"Didn't know you're competitive even outside the kitchen." He said. I was still focus and not giving him a chance to win. "Tough opponent, I give ya that." He said when he slides his pad with force. It was about to shoot in my goal but stupidity hits me. I block it from entering using my arm. His mouth drop open and look at me horribly. "Nakiris don't cheat, huh?"
--
"How can you be that stupid?" It was almost perfect if he doesn't laugh hysterically. It was his fault for dragging me in this dancing machine in the first place. I haven't imagined that it will be this difficult to follow. You just follow the dance steps and all but it was so complicated. Especially for someone who isn't good at dancing like myself. "We could have gotten a better score!"
"You dance like a stick." He laugh again while holding his stomach.
"The nerve, Yukihira! Hmp!" I flip my hair and go to the ticket section. I hope these tickets get me enough prize. We played a coin machine to collect enough tickets. I almost kick the machine if Yukihira didn't stop me. It was simple yet addicting. It would be really good with Nachos made from homemade chips and beef grounds.
Onions, chop cabbage, grated cheese, mayo and tomato on top. Mixed of Cherry and Roma tomato for their lower moisture content and high flavor. With Taco kosher salt and pickled jalapeño. Perfect snack for playing coin machines!
The lady on the ticket booth gave me a card for all the tickets we earned. I was about to ask Yukihira for what he likes in exchange for the tickets when I saw him help a young boy catch stuff toy on the claw machine. A very warm and comforting feeling made me feel so special for having him this day.
The lady asked me again for the prizes. She said that it was enough to get me a squid stuff toy. Squid, huh?
Yukihira came back giving me a strange look. "Squid, really?" He laugh and touch the stuff toy. "It's cute. Makes me want to grill it."
"No grilling!" I flashed him a death glare to shut him up. I will be naming it later so no grilling.
"Okay okay..." He said in surrender. "How 'bout that one? Ya want to?" He stop walking and pointed to a photo booth. Going on a photo booth these days would be cliche but still, I would love to! It was one of my dream to share it to someone I love.
"If you insist so." I reply trying to hide my smile. If this day means being with him for the rest of my days, then I don't mind the decade I waited for him.