CHAPTER FIVE: OBENTO
As another day passed another day came, welcoming her with an embrace of warmth, when she placed herself out the cozy house. The sun shined down on her chocolate locks as it warmed her back, while she walked towards Shitenhoji. Her soft fragile hands clasped around two bentos, one for herself and one for Zaizen, a white one and a azure one. Of course she needed someone to test her shiratama zenzai, who else better then Zaizen.
'If he says it tastes good, then maybe Ojii-chan will like it as well. I can't believe I stayed up just to make them right, and then today too... I hope he- no- they like it.' she thought about Zaizen and her grandfather while she sighed in tiredness, she made some for her grandfather at night and today in the morning.
Her bag was weighing her down, she brought her text books, as she ventured the horde feeling of being dragged down the hill. Luckily she managed, thanks to some of the school girls, through it.
"Good morning Rika-san." the quiet and innocent girl greeted.
"Good morning, and thank you for your help." she smiled with thanks as she hurried towards the courts. "Excuse me, I'm in a bit of a hurry. Be careful on your way to school."
"We will~!" another spoke as she squealed, "Senpai is so cool and mature~! I wanna be like her."
'Cool and mature? Y-Yeah….they don't know how I really act then.' she laughed slightly at that thought and continued to speed walk towards the school's entrance. "Phew, forty-five minutes to spare. Good, I could probably get changed before the other girls."
She stood there for quiet sometime as she thought about how she'll give the bento to Zaizen, making sure no one thinks the other way. Straightening her back as she walked towards the courts while her eyes were closed in deep thought.
'Mmm….I guess I'll just give it to Kintaro, they won't think about it wrongly. Besides he might like shiratama zenzai too.' she thought, nodding to herself as she a comment.
"Nodding to yourself huh?" he past by her as she sighed. "Good morning Rika."
"Good morning Zaizen-kun~!" she cheerfully stated as he turned and raised a brow. "Nee~ Zaizen-kun, can you do me a favor?"
'-Kun? What's gotten into her, she's all cheery and easy-going today.' he thought as he gave another look. "What is it?"
"Here~! I made this morning! Please accept it." she smiled as she held out the azure wrapped bento, "Please?"
"Um…sure." he stated as he slowly gripped onto the box, "Why?"
"Oh well, I just wanted to make one for you. I can't? Zaizen-kun?" she just felt like seeing his expression when she said these words, while feeling embarrassed herself, as her face became pink. 'It's worth it! I want to see his expression, he hardly shows them that much.'
"E-Eh?" he slowly began to flustered as he gazed into Rika's eyes, pleading him to take it. "I guess, thanks Rika-chan." he grinned as walked away.
'-C-Chan! What? Darn it, does that mean I'll have to address him with -kun from now on?' she gave a blank expression and gazed at his back with a smile, 'I guess it's worth it, I saw his face expression~ Hehe.'
"Rika, are you coming or what?" he asked as he waited for her to catch up.
"Yea I am, sorry." she replied back and hurried towards his side. 'I guess he was just playing around when he addressed me as -chan.' she thought as she glanced up to see his multi-colored earrings. "Hmm~? You wear earrings too?"
"Hm? Yea." he softly glanced at her and looked ahead once more. "You didn't know? Boy, you're kinda slow."
"No, I noticed. I didn't know you hand two more on your right ear." she replied and looked ahead as well. "Have any more piercing on your body?"
"Yea, on my tongue." he showed it as he stuck out his tongue and saw her amazed expression, "Haha, what's with the face?" he chuckled as she straightened her back.
"Nothing, I just thought that it must've hurt." she said. "Did it?"
"Hmm, no. Well it did sting a bit when they shot the needle through." he calmly spoke as she felt grossed out. "What? Grossed out?"
"Ugh…Yes. Let's start a new conversation…" she softly stated as he nodded once. "So, do you know when we're going to train in the mountains?"
"Hm, nope. But I did hear Shiraishi-bucho talk about it being in the late spring." he thought for a moment, while he was glancing up.
"Oh! Yea, tell me how the bento tastes late okay?" she smiled at him, curious of what he'll think of it. "Nee?"
"Sure." he assured her and glanced up at the arguing Kintaro. "Those idiots, arguing again…"
"Again?" she questioned. "What do you mean by again?"
"Eh, well you know how we left to go get something to eat?" he waited until she nodded. "Well Kenya and Kintaro got mad and blamed each other, since they couldn't come with us. Now, I have a feeling if we show up, we'll-"
"You two! How could you just ditch us!" they both stated while irritated and saddened. "Ri-chan, how could you~?"
"Eh?" she stated as they closed in on her, "I'm not treating you guys at lunch if you come any closer."
"Darn…" Kenya mumbled as he crossed his arms and moved back. "So, where did you guys go?" he pulled Kintaro off of her and held him back.
"No where, she wanted to try shiratama zenzai so I took her to the usual place." Zaizen stated as he walked past them without worry.
Kenya and Kintaro were now following Zaizen, like ducklings following their mother, nagging him to take them somewhere. While Rika sweat dropped and sighed with the other teammates. The female teammates waved from afar and came closer to greet the members formally.
"Good morning Rika-san, thanks for helping me on my slice~! I got it down after a few more tries." the red-head spoke and bowed before Rika, making her nervous.
"Please, you don't need to bow. You're a teammate and I'll be happy to help you out." she smiled as her comrades nodded in agreement. "Do you need help with anything else then?"
"Um, no. Not YET of course." she stated laughing and began to rush towards Gin. "Senpai~! Good morning!"
As they continued their little chatter, the boys were out of the locker rooms, the girls walked in next. The tennis club was doing great in maintaining their sprits up and high, everyone was in perfect condition.
"Before you guys go to your regular classes today, I want to give you a notice that the spring training camp will be in three days, basically a week, so you should make a plan of what you'll be packing and get ready." the coach stated in a loud yet clear voice. "That's all. Have a great day guys. No practice after school."
"Right!" they all responded before going back to change, the girls went in first.
As lunch came, Naniwa's Speed Star came rushing in, towards Zaizen's class room. However when he appeared, he noticed that Zaizen had an bento on his desk and was shocked.
"You have a bento!" Kenya shouted in a low and unbelieving the situation. "Who gave it to you?"
"Hmm? Rika. Why?" he stated as he began to unwrap the cloth.
"….Getting it from a girl….Tch. I can't believe you got one." he seemed annoyed that his kohai, junior, got a bento from a girl. "So, why'd she make it for you?"
Zaizen shrugged and was surprised to find out that the bento had his favorite, shiratama zenzai. 'Oh, so that's why she wanted me to eat it.' he thought as he realized why she made it for him.
FLASH BACK:
"Mmm, I always wanted to try shiratama zenzai, my grandpa likes those so I want to try to make it. But…I want to see how it tastes first." she thought as she streamed her hands through her hair, collecting them, and tied it into a cute quick bun. "Is that alright with you?"
Rika stared at the picture of the shiratama zenzai and began taking out a pencil and her tiny notebook. Zaizen raised a brow of wonder and glanced over to see what she was doing. It seemed as if she was taking down the ingredients and directions on how to make it.
"Are you listening to me?" he asked, slamming his hand down, while almost making the dish fall. "Stop chewing on the freaking mochi and answer me."
"Senpai…you almost made it fall!" he stood up and glared at Kenya at eye level, "It's my favorite kind of food and I happened to like it! And you almost freaking dropped the box you dimwit!"
"Oh oh…" Kenya spoke as he took tiny steps back, "My bad…I-I didn't mean too Zaizen-kun~"
As they argued, mostly Zaizen, the hungry first year came in and stared at the bento. He grinned and tiptoed towards the box while drooling as he smelled the aroma.
"Mmm~! It's really good!" Kintaro popped a mochi into his cheeks and smiled widely. "Ri-chan's a good cook."
"Hey! Don't eat my lunch." Zaizen stated, he was already pissed off enough, while glaring at Kintaro.
"Oh! You're right, it is good." the sneaky third year popped in a mochi and some red beans before he left running with Kintaro. "Ri-Chan~! Help us~!"
"You guys ate the rest of the mochis!" he chased after the just till he got of the room and saw them running towards Rika. 'I'll get you guys…Just you wait.'
Down the hall, Rika walked with her bento in her hand. As she turned she saw those two mischievous teammates of her's and smiled with a questioning one. They hid behind her as Zaizen glared at them from afar, they were safe from him.
"Heh, you can't get us~!" they announced happily as they then tuned towards Rika. "Thanks for the grub~ It was great."
"You guys ate Zaizen's bento?" she laughed, some-what knowing that they would do that. "How was it?" she didn't mind as long as if they liked it.
"It was good! Ri-chan can you make more?" Kintaro stated as he held his hands together, pleading her to make more. "Please?"
She gave a wryly smile and looked at her friends, "Sorry, you guys can go ahead." Then stared at the cute first year with another smile, "Sure, what do you want? You too Kenya-senpai."
They stared at her with glistening joy and began talking about the countless possibilities they'd want to eat. Giving Rika a wide range of food she's already cooked, and one's she hasn't cooked yet. As they thought about the food they began imagining the wondrous food that awaits their watering mouth.
"Thanks Ri-chan~" the stated as they hugged before walking away. "C' ya~"
She watched them walk away, then run when they passed Zaizen's class, then continued on their way towards the snack bar. Then laughed for a while and thought how they're such alike, when it comes to food, and walked towards her own classroom and ate her bento.
The day ended, quiet excitedly, for Rika as she headed out of school. Near the gate was the "punk" Zaizen, whom had waited for her until she came out, with his neon red earplugs in his ears. He noticed her soft chocolate locks and waved, while she did the same.
"Hey Zaizen, did you manage to eat the bento I made?" she giggled, imagining Kenya and Kintaro grabbing bits from his bento. "If you didn't I could make you another one."
"Yea I did, although those idiots ate most of it…." he whispered the last part softly to himself as he sighed in annoyance. "It was good, and. Perhaps you could make another one? This time I feel like trying something else."
A smile appeared on his lips as she smiled with delight, happily accepting the request. "What do you want then?"
"Hmmm, let me see." he began to think about the other recipes that he's been wanting to eat, or ate.
They casually walked home together as they talked about the endless possibilities she could make at home. As they made it to their paths where they part, Zaizen insisted that he walk her home.
"I have nothing to thank you with. So I'll walk you home." he recommended, although he didn't have too.
"But you don't-" he placed his index finger over his lips and smiled.
"No, I do. Besides it wouldn't right without thanking you." he interrupted in a mild-polite responds and saw her sigh. "What's with the sigh?"
She remembered when they began talking with that statement and laughed, "Nothing, nothing at all."
"Okay then~" he sighed loudly, seemingly stating that he was playing around, as well.
"What's with the sigh?" she asked, knowing what he'll say.
"Nothing, nothing at all." they spoke in unison.
"Jinx! You owe me a Ponta drink!" she claimed as he closed mouth shut and gave her a timid smile of happiness and shrugged.
"If I feel like it. Then I might buy you one." he remarked as he waited for her to catch up, so they could walk together.
They made it by sun down before they said their good-byes, her house was quiet the classic Edo-period house. He seemed curious how it looked inside, but decided he'll just leave with that. He watched her walk through the gate before leaving with a wave.
'Ah, I forgot." she didn't say thanks, "Zaizen-kun! Thanks for today~!" She felt like adding the "-kun-" suffixes and waved good-bye.
"You're welcome, Rika-chan." he replied back, they only said their suffixes when they felt like it, mostly when playing around. "And thank you too."
"You're welcome." she softly whispered her reply, but he managed to read her lip movement and turned back. She headed back into her house as he left.
Yes yes yes, I know. Anyways OOC-ness to the EXTREME! [KHR: Yes for those that watch it *thumbs up* C:( ] I was struggling to write about how she'll get closer to him. SO it may not be that good, deal with my fail-ness.
I'm so surprised to find that some people liked my other short story. LOL :'D It's a miracle. Well I just want to say thanks to mewmewlover23 for favoring this story, Thank you so much. And to you readers, who choose to read this story. *happy* C:
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