The Cherryton Cooking Club

by Mr.Dr.Sadperson

Taking place one year before the events of the show, this story is a simple look at the (relatively) normal lives of average students attending Cherryton Highschool.

18. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Coming Into Focus

The rest of the weekend passed like any other. The only interesting thing that happened that Sunday was that Yasui got a message to go to the headmaster's office at seven PM. Upon arrival, Yasui saw that Headmaster Gon was talking to a female otter that was sitting in one of the chairs across from his desk. Yasui knocked on the door and poked his head inside the room.

"You said you wanted to see me, sir?"

Gon smiled at him.

"Yes! Please, come sit down. And there's no need to be so formal. Come in, come in!"

Yasui sat and looked curiously at the otter. She was a very large otter, taller than him by a decent sum and with a far more filled out frame than most of the residents of the city. She wasn't fat by any means, just not as massively skinny as everyone else. Gon held out his hand.

"Yasui, I want you to meet Izumi. Izumi, meet Yasui."

Yasui nodded.

"Nice to meet you."

The otter gave him a terse nod before giving Headmaster Gon a less than patient look.

"Mind filling me in on what this is about?"

Gon clasped his hands.

"Well, I realized you both had similar problems and had an idea of how to solve both at the same time. I was wondering if you two would mind having your Biology Time together, and in the otter room."

Yasui and Izumi looked at each other as Gon continued.

"Yasui can't use his own species' room due to his claustrophobia, and there has to be at least one other person in the otter room with you. Ergo, this seemed like the perfect solution."

Izumi crossed her arms.

"Sure, I don't care. So long as this gets my dorm mother off my back."

Gon looked at Yasui.

"Do you want to give this a shot?"

Yasui nodded.

"I don't see why not."

Gon grinned.

"Excellent! I'll leave it to you two to sort out the details, just let me know what time I need to unlock the door."

Izumi glanced at him.

"Give me thirty minutes and I'm ready."

A little less than thirty minutes later, Yasui was with Izumi in the otter room. The otter room was designed to look like a riverbank complete with an infinity pool to simulate a river. You could set the current speed to however fast or slow you wanted it, and there were lots of smooth rocks to slide into the water from. Yasui looked at the cheerfully painted walls and smiled.

"Oh yeah, this is much better. I can definitely stand coming here."

Izumi yawned and stretched her arms.

"Good for you."

She grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it off before dropping her shorts. Beneath her clothes she was wearing a blue one piece with the Cherryton logo on it. Yasui was staring at her as she got into the water. He wanted to ask why she was so much bigger than every other otter he had ever seen, but didn't want to be rude.

"Hey, dork. Quit ogling me or I'll put you through that wall."

Yasui jumped and covered his eyes.

"Sorry! I wasn't ogling you! I was just… uh…."

Izumi rolled her eyes.

"I'm half Giant Otter on my Dad's side. My Mom worked in Brazil for a few years where she met my Dad. Happy?"

"Oh… that's cool. What does your Mom do for a job?"

"Back then? She worked for an insurance company. Now she has a candy shop. I work there too which is why I needed to be able to do this at night."

Yasui nodded.

"Makes sense."

"Good, now shut up so I can relax."

(The next day.)

It was now Monday, the first day of the week before the week of the Festival of the Meteor. Yasui was embarrassed how much he had let it sneak up on him, always thinking "there's still time! It's ages away!" But now, he had to decide what he and Chaussette were cooking at their booth, where they were getting ingredients, and all the complex setup that went with it. He was glad that he could turn to Miss Diana and Charles for help, but he still was getting more and more nervous by the day.

When lunch rolled around, Yasui scarfed his meal down and hurried to the clubroom, determined to do some preliminary preparations. He and Chaussette had agreed to meet every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday directly after class until they settled on a more concrete schedule, and hopefully recruited a few more members. As Yasui opened the door, he was surprised to hear a voice from inside.

"So anyway, I didn't know what to say. If I tell him about it, Ijime will thrash me. But I can't really think of a good excuse so that'll just make him more suspicious."

There was a pause.

"I'll tell you what I did, I ended up freaking myself out so much I puked! Problem solved!"

The voice laughed at this and Yasui opened the door the rest of the way. Two boys were sitting inside, a wolf and a cheetah. The wolf had black and white fur and was short and skinny, with thick glasses and a weak chin. The cheetah was pretty typical for his species, slender limbs and dark spots, but he had a mask on that covered the lower half of his face. As he entered, the two trespassers spun around to face him, surprise on their faces (well, half of one of their faces anyway.) The wolf looked at him and clutched at his heart before sighing.

"Crap, kid, you scared me half to death! Don't burst in on people like that!"

Yasui frowned.

"What are you doing here? This room is for the cooking club."

The wolf crossed his arms.

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I'm the club president."

"…Oh. Wait, what? But how are you the president? You're just a little kid."

"I'm sixteen."

"No way. You're full of it."

Yasui scowled and dug his ID out of his pocket. He showed it to the wolf who stared at it in disbelief.

"Huh… well I'll be damned."

The cheetah tapped the wolf and made a series of complex hand motions. The wolf sighed.

"Fine, have it your way."

He stood and approached Yasui. He really was short for a wolf, only a little over a head taller than Yasui. He held out his hand.

"Sorry if we got off on the wrong foot. I'm Daniel and that's Jin."

Yasui hesitated before accepting the handshake.

"I'm Yasui. Are you both first years?"

Jin and Daniel both nodded. Yasui continued.

"So… what are you doing here?"

Daniel looked a bit sheepish but replied,

"Uh… hiding."

"From what?"

Daniel adjusted his glasses.

"I bet you can guess. Judging by your appearance we're pretty similar."

Yasui sighed.

"Bullies?"

The two boys nodded. Daniel explained,

"About six months ago, we found out that this room was abandoned. Jin found the spare key for it and we've been using it to hide during lunch ever since. We didn't think the cooking club was even still a thing."

Yasui shrugged.

"I only recently started it back up again."

There was silence until Daniel asked,

"So… Can we stay? Please? This is the first place we've had to avoid bullies that actually works in, well, ever."

Yasui thought about it. They weren't hurting anyone by being here and he hadn't even noticed in the weeks he had been using the room. And he understood their predicament all too well. He sighed.

"Fine. Just please don't eat stuff that isn't yours."

Daniel smiled.

"Thanks, we appreciate it."

Yasui turned back to his task and began brainstorming what to make for the festival. As he did, Daniel asked,

"So, what are you doing? Forget something here?"

Yasui shook his head.

"No, just trying to finish the menu for our booth at the Festival of the Meteor. I haven't liked any ideas yet."

Jin gestured something to Daniel who then said,

"Jin recommends crepes. They're handheld so they're perfect for a festival, and they're crazy popular with girls."

Yasui looked over at them. Jin nodded without saying a word. With a tilt of his head, Yasui asked,

"If you don't mind me asking, why isn't he talking, like, out loud?"

Daniel glanced between the two of them.

"Oh, sorry, I kinda forgot to mention. Jin's mute. He can't talk."

As Yasui watched, Jin made another series of gestures.

No, not gestures. Signs. He was using sign language.

Daniel translated.

"He says he doesn't mind you asking. And he's grateful that you're not kicking us out."

Yasui pointed to his own mouth.

"And the mask?"

Daniel shrugged.

"He won't tell me, but he never takes it off."

Jin signed something and had Daniel translate it.

"Jin says it's personal, and asks you to please respect his privacy."

Jin's eyebrows furrowed and he furiously signed at Daniel. Daniel huffed.

"I did not make it sound rude! You're just reading into things."

Yasui shrugged.

"It's fine, I understand. I was just curious. Now then, back to these… crepes. What exactly are they?"

Daniel popped a chip into his mouth and munched on it, talking through his mouthful.

"They're like… really thin pancakes. You fill them with fruit and stuff and roll 'em up and serve them in little paper holders."

"That would be perfect for the festival! No utensils required!"

Daniel nodded as Yasui scribbled down some notes. He then looked back at the two visitors.

"Do you have any other ideas? You know what people here like."

Daniel shrugged.

"I mean, typically just fried stuff on a stick or candied fruit. That kinda thing."

Jin signed and Daniel translated.

"Jin says, since you make it sound like you're not from here. Why not make some food from where you are… from. Make the stand interesting."

Yasui nodded.

"I'd thought of that, but I wasn't sure if anyone would want it. I guess if I did a few options from here and back home people who want to try something new can and if they don't they have something else they can get."

Daniel shrugged.

"People like foreign stuff. American movies, European music, all sorts of stuff. It makes them feel cultured."

Yasui nodded.

"Good to know. Well… that's just about all I can do on my own. Thanks for the advice."

Daniel nodded as Yasui walked towards the door.

"Okay, thanks for letting us use your room."

Jin waved and Yasui closed the door behind him. Once outside Yasui texted Miss Diana to see if she could talk. She replied quickly that she could, so Yasui called her on his phone.

"Hello, Yasui. Is there something you need?"

"Hi, Miss Diana. I was wondering if you could give me some advice."

"Well I'm happy to. Whether or not it will be useful is entirely dependent on what you need advice about."

"Well, I'm still working on the menu for the Cooking Club's booth at the festival. I got a suggestion to do crepes as well as something from back home. That way there's some interesting options. You're up on trends and stuff, would people like that?"

There was a pause before she replied.

"Well I could see that working. Have you ever made crepes before?"

"…No."

"Well I'm sure you can learn quickly. They're not terribly difficult to make… I think. Anyway, what was the idea you had for a dish from your home?"

"Uh, I was just going to ask Mom for an idea when I call home tonight. Then she can give me the recipe."

"Well I think that this sounds like a great idea. Although maybe you should do three dishes, just to have more variety."

"Oh, good idea."

Just then, the bell rang. Yasui gasped.

"Oh! I have to go! I'll be late to class!"

"Okay, talk to you later. Maybe you and Charles can meet up so he can teach you how to make crepes later this week? He's made some for me in the past, and they were phenomenal."

"I think that's a very good idea. I knew calling you for advice was the right choice."

"You really are an incorrigible little thing, always flattering me… and the worst part is it works. And it's nice to be doing the nitty gritty of a business again. Well, I'll stop talking your ear off, have fun in class."

"I'll try!"

From classes to club activities then on to supper, Yasui felt like today was going by in a flash. He was busy like never before, quizzes and homework and club and calling home and so… much… stuff. Monday was almost done when Yasui called his family. The phone rang a few times before Yasui's father picked up.

"Hello."

"Hi, Dad. It's me."

"Ah, Yasui. How are you doing, son."

"Oh, you know… I'm doing good."

"Hmm…."

"Uh… can everyone hear me?"

"Oh, no. It's just me here right now. Ma and your siblings had to go to a school meeting. I had some work to do in the fields so I stayed back."

"Oh…."

There was silence before Yasui continued.

"So anything big happening back there?"

"Oh, nothing much. Been getting a decent bit of rain. Harvest should be good this year."

"That's good to hear. Everyone doing well?"

"Yup."

Yasui frowned. He was well aware that his father was a fox of few words, so there was no need to keep the conversation going too long.

"Well… I just wanted to keep in touch with you all. Tell them I miss them."

"I will. Bye, Yasui."

"Bye, Dad. Love you."

"Mhm, love you too."

Yasui hung up and sighed. His past few calls home had been short and stunted. He felt… disconnected from his family. Was he growing apart from them? Would they eventually forget about him? Of course not, right? They were his—

"Hey, Yasui. Snap out of it."

Yasui shook himself. It was now Tuesday and he was two hours into his shift at work. He had been spacing out a lot ever since his less than stellar call back home yesterday. Mimi, the scary rabbit girl, was giving him a bored look while she cleaned a counter.

"You gonna keep staring at me or you gonna help?"

"Sorry…."

"Meh."

Yasui sighed and began checking the refrigerator to see what he needed to restock. As he did, he asked,

"Hey, uh, Mimi? Is it just me or does it seem like this week is going by really fast?"

She shrugged. Yasui went into the back and returned with the things he needed. He wiped his apron off a bit to remove any coffee grounds and sighed.

"It's just… it really seems like it's just flying by, and I'm not ready for it."

Mimi looked at her phone.

"I dunno. Are you nervous about something coming up?"

"…A little."

"That's probably why."

Yasui thought about that. Then he remembered something else.

"Oh yeah, I found out I need glasses. So I have an appointment with the eye doctor tomorrow."

"Good for you."

The door opened and in walked a male beagle. He looked around nervously and shuffled towards the counter. He squinted at the menu as Yasui bowed.

"Welcome in! What can I get for you!"

He hesitated and began,

"Uh… please… me… have one… uh… bowl? [No, that's not it. Bullocks.]"

Yasui tilted his head as the canine swapped to English and began typing something into his phone.

Ah, he must not speak Japanese. I hope my English is still decent.

Yasui switched to English and continued.

"I speak some English, if you want."

The dog smiled and let out a sigh of relief. He had an unusual accent that sounded British.

"Oh thank God! I'm sorry, I've been trying to learn Japanese but it's pretty rough."

"It is fine… I understand."

"Excellent, uh, can I get a latte with hazelnut in it?"

Yasui nodded and completed the transaction. As the beagle sat down, Mimi handed him an empty cup.

"Not it, my English rips."

Yasui nodded and made the drink before bringing it to the customer. The foreign beast smiled and accepted the cup gratefully. He tried Japanese once again.

"I thank. Do… you are mind if practice… you?"

Yasui shook his head and smiled.

"Not at all, I'm happy to help."

The beagle paused as he worked through what Yausi had said before Yasui repeated it again a bit slower. This time he seemed to get it.

"Ah, good. I am… businessman from England. Move here for job. Me and wife."

"How do you like it here so far?"

The Brit winced and bobbed his head a bit.

"Some good, some bad. Big change… big change food. Very new from England food."

"Ooh… well hopefully some of it is a good change."

The beagle hesitated before stammering out,

"No bad, just… new. Not familiar. Getting… used to new."

Yasui smiled and introduced himself.

"Well that's good to hear. My name is Yasui."

"I… Branson. Good morning… Yah-sew-ee?"

Yasui grinned.

"Close, but not so spread out. Yasui."

"Yasui."

"You got it!"

Branson sighed before swapping back to English.

"I must have been mad to accept this assignment. I'll never get the hang of it."

"I believe you will learn. See, my English is not… very good. It just needs practice."

"Yes, but you can actually go a few words without mucking it all up!"

Branson sighed. Yasui looked around to make sure he wasn't neglecting any other customers and gestured towards the chair across from Branson.

"May I?"

Branson nodded as he rested his head in his paws. Yasui sat down and asked,

"What is… your wife's name?"

Branson smiled.

"Mary."

"Is she liking it here?"

"Pshaw! As if Mary would get down in the mouth over a new place. She makes friends anyway she goes. She's getting along swimmingly."

"Well that is good."

Branson pulled out his phone and showed Yasui a picture of himself with a female beagle with a large smile and warm eyes.

"She's the love of my life. I adore her."

Yasui grinned.

"Then you are a very lucky man."

"That I am. Cheers!"

He lifted his cup and took a sip. He smacked his lips and nodded.

"Excellent. I'll have to come back here on a regular basis!"

Yasui smiled.

"I will be here on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you do come back."

(Wednesday afternoon, Eye Doctor's office)

Yasui was sitting in the waiting room of a small yet pristine doctor's office. The school nurse had driven him over after classes and had helped him get checked in. Now he was sitting and vacantly staring at the various magazines that were scattered around the table before him. He had been waiting close to half an hour when the door opened and a male chameleon stepped out.

"Yasui?"

Yasui stood.

"H-here."

"Hello! Come on in."

Yasui entered the room and the reptile closed the door behind him. He motioned for Yasui to sit in a chair situated in the center of the room while he sat down on a stool. The doctor cleared his throat.

"So, first time at an optometrist's office?"

Yasui nodded. The doctor gave him a goofy smile.

"I won't bite, son. Violates the Hippocratic Oath. So, you're having some trouble with your eyesight?"

"A-a little, I guess."

"Hmmm, you guess. You're here with Doctor Tamura, right? From Cherryton?"

"Yes, sir."

"Did you know we went to college together? Before we each went to a different med school?"

Yasui shook his head. The chameleon snickered.

"Oh she was the worst! Always sleeping in class and asking to copy my notes. We got paired up on a few research projects together, and I did all the work."

"Oh, I hate when that happens."

The doctor shrugged.

"She made up for it with her creativity and natural charm. Now then, since you seem like you're no longer attempting to swallow your tongue to not have to talk to me, let me introduce myself. I am Doctor Harper, but you can just call me Harp."

"Nice to meet you, Doctor Harper."

Doc Harper frowned.

"Nobody ever takes me up on the offer to call me Harp. Oh well. So, I know you already had that eye chart reading for Tamura, but I want to do a full examination. So, let's get started."

The doctor did all sorts of wacky things to Yasui. He had him read stuff, he shone a light in his eyes, he had him look in a machine with a picture of a balloon in it, and he then put this huge thing in his face with loads of knobs and dials on it. He pulled the chart back up and asked,

"Which is better, one?"

He turned something and suddenly Yasui's vision got a bit more… focused. The letters looked sharp and crisp.

"—or two?"

"Two!" Exclaimed Yasui, "Definitely two!"

"Okay, two or three?"

"Still two."

"Two or four?"

"Four."

This went on until the doctor was satisfied and he moved the strange device out of the way. He then pulled out a bottle of something and asked Yasui to tilt his head back.

"I'm going to put some drops in your eyes to dilate your pupils. This is so I can really check the back of your eyes for any issues. It might sting a bit."

The drops did sting a bit. He then left to go get something else settled while Yasui waited. After a bit he noticed his vision getting all strange and closely examined his eyes in the mirror.

"Holy crap!"

His pupils were massive. The only bit of his iris he could see was a small sliver of yellow around the gaping black hole. He looked like a crazed beast. The doctor returned and laughed as he saw Yasui.

"Yeah, it's a unique look. Never gets old."

Yasui sat back down and the doctor gave him an apologetic look.

"Fair warning, this part is a little unpleasant. Let me know if you need me to stop for a bit."

Yasui nodded. The chameleon pulled out a strange tool that he put right up to Yasui's eye. I made little clicking noises and made Yasui blink as it seamingly tapped his eye. Then the doctor shone a light slowly side to side into his eye. It was about as pleasant as it sounded. Finally, the tests were all done and Yasui was escorted back out to the lobby. There, the doctor told him to go pick out some glasses frames he liked while he and Dr. Tamura dealt with the paperwork.

The display where the various glasses were was situated along the wall beside the reception desk. The same receptionist who had helped check him in was sitting behind the desk. She was a Labrador same as Jack but with chocolate brown fur and equally brown eyes. She waved as Yasui wandered over in a daze.

"How'd it go?"

"Well… my vision is even weirder now. My eyes are so huge it's funny."

She laughed.

"I remember the first time I had my eyes dilated. It's such a weird experience."

Yasui began looking at the rows and rows of glasses. How was he supposed to pick the one he wanted when there were so many? She watched him bounce around for a bit, hemming and hawing to himself about each pair. After a while she interrupted him.

"Want some help?"

Yasui nodded. She left the desk and joined him at the display. She picked up two different pairs of glasses, one circle frame and one square and held them to his face one at a time. She clicked her tongue.

"I think you would look better in more square frames than circles. They suit your face better. Don't you think so?"

She left the empty frame on his face and moved out of the way of the mirror. He had to admit, they did look pretty good on him. Oddly enough they seemed to balance out his face a bit. Kinda made him look less like a bobble head. Yasui noded.

"Yeah, these look good!"

The receptionist touched her index finger to her lips and hummed as she browsed the frames. She picked up a few and held them up to Yasui's face before putting them back with a shake of her head.

"This is tricky. We have to find a color that complements your fur."

Yasui sighed.

"Yeah, I know. It's such a pain. I hate my stupid fur."

She frowned.

"Your fur isn't stupid. It's just unique."

"Yeah, that's what sucks. Nobody else in my family has fur this color. Theirs is all normal. It makes me look like I don't fit in."

She stooped down a bit so he had to look her in the eyes. She smiled at him.

"Well I say your fur is a very pretty shade of red. And if anyone says otherwise they can take it up with me."

Yasui smiled back as she said that.

She's pretty.

As soon as that thought crossed his head Yasui grinned sheepishly and looked away. She tilted her head.

"What is it? Did I say something funny?"

"No, it's just… you have a really nice smile."

She paused for just a sec before grinning from ear to ear.

"Aw, thank you! You're sweet."

She then noticed a pair of glasses sitting on a corner display and picked them up. She set them on his face and nodded.

"I think this is the one. How about you?"

Yasui looked at his reflection. The frames she had picked out were a solid matte black with partial rectangular frames. Unlike the other pairs, these rectangles had no bottom and were rounded at the corners. Yasui smiled at his reflection.

"I think you're right."

A little bit later, Yasui was heading back to school. He had been assured that his new glasses should arrive at his room mailbox by tomorrow noon. He was actually pretty excited. He spent the whole rest of the day and the hours leading up to lunch on Thursday anxiously watching the clock. As soon as it was noon, he rushed to the dorm and opened the mailbox. Inside was a small box addressed to him. He opened it up and found a small black case inside it. There was a note attached to it too. He opened the note and read,

I hope you see as much as you can through these glasses. Thanks for making me smile. Best wishes, your friendly receptionist.

Yasui smiled and tucked the note into his pocket. He was about to put the glasses on, when he had an idea.

"I should wait and do it with Shinrai! That would be way more fun."

The line seemed to take forever as he filled through the cafeteria, his new glasses burning a hole in his pocket. He looked around for Shinrai and found him sitting with his friends from that night. Yasui shivered. He had been trying so hard to forget that awful night, and especially the taste of that rabbit's blood. His sweet, sweet blood. Yasui shook himself and marched forward, desperately trying to hide the nervous tremble in his hands.

Shinrai's friends were playing some sort of card game while Shinrai watched. As he approached, he noticed the rabbit dramatically flip a card.

"—And that activates my spell card, Rising Magic Force! Making Flameblast hit two units! Your Dark Warden and Graverobber are destroyed!"

The alpaca raised a finger.

"It would, if my Dark Warden didn't have his ability activated. Lockdown prevents spell cards from activating during a unit attack."

"What! Ok that is total BS."

"Read the card."

Yasui cleared his throat. The three boys looked at him. Immediately Shinrai perked up.

"Oh! Hi Yasui! Want to sit down?"

Yasui nodded and sat beside Shinrai, away from the other two. As the two other boys exchanged looks and went back to their game, Shinrai turned to Yasui.

"I'm so glad you're here. I couldn't find you so I had to go with option number two. Did you have to ask a teacher something?"

"No, I had to go get these!"

Yasui pulled the case out of his pocket and Shinrai perked his ears up.

"Oh! Your glasses came! Put them on! Put them on!"

Yasui slowly removed them from the case and put them on. He looked at Shinrai and… nothing was different. Yasui frowned.

"I… don't see any difference. You look the same."

"Really? Did they get the right prescription?"

Yasui looked down at the case but didn't see anything that said what the prescription was. He then glanced to the side and gasped. Everything was so… clear. He had no idea that he had been missing this before. All his life he had thought what he had been seeing was normal, but this, this was amazing. Shinrai frowned and leaned into his field of view.

"Yasui? You good?"

"It's so… clean."

"Huh?"

"It's not… it's not hazy anymore! I can see everyone's faces! I can read the menu! I can see those leaves on that tree! Is this how most people see stuff?!"

Shinrai laughed.

"Yeah, dude. Welcome to the world of not being blind."

Yasui looked at his friend, eyes shining.

"It's beautiful. Hang on!"

Yasui abandoned his meal and sprinted for the door, leaving many confused and irritated students who he bumped into in his wake. He surged outside and towards the tree where he ate dinner most nights. He looked up and couldn't believe what he was seeing. The clouds were so pretty. Fluffy and lumpy and swirly and so full of patterns and colors. All his life he had thought that they were just monotone smudges in the blue sky.

Looking down over the city, he could see individual buildings rising and falling along the horizon in points and slopes, not just a silhouette. And the ocean was glittering and moving like a massive blue snake around the city. Yasui reached up and wiped at his cheek. When did he start crying? He was interrupted when he heard Shinrai run up behind him.

"Yasui! Hot dang, you're fast!"

The squirrel took a few puffs of air before squinting at him.

"Uh, are you okay? You're kinda… crying."

"I never knew…. Everything is so detailed and pretty. It's amazing!"

"I guess the glasses work."

Yasui gasped.

"Oh man! I have to go stargazing tonight! Who knows what it'll look like!"

"Count me in! I wanna tag along!"

Yasui held out his hand.

"We'll meet on the roof of the school where the garden is tonight when I'm done with work. Should be like nine or so."

Shinrai grabbed his hand.

"I'll bring snacks."

"Nice, I'll keep my glasses off until then so you're there when I first see the stars."

It was funny, earlier this week he had felt like time was speeding along like a runaway train towards the terrifying future. Now he felt as if each hour was stretched into a million, the clock lethargically tick… tick… ticking away. He was antsy in class, he couldn't stop watching the clock at work, and he practically sprinted back to Cherryton once the door to Cafe Lapin was locked and Mr. Nabuyo and Marco said their goodbyes. He took the stairs two at a time (quite a feat for someone of such diminutive stature) and burst out onto the roof panting like a rabid beast.

There was a yelp as Shinrai jumped up in surprise. When he saw it was just Yasui he sighed in relief.

"Holy crap, dude! You gave me a heart attack!"

Yasui was doubled over gasping for breath. It took him a few minutes but eventually he managed to catch his breath and sat down next to Shinrai.

"Sorry! *gasp* excited! *wheeze*."

Shinrai gave him a bemused look.

"Don't go dying on me. I don't know how to do CPR. And I don't think you want me trying to give you the kiss of life."

"No… I want… my first kiss… to be special."

They sat back against the wall of the school and Yasui put on his glasses. He was immediately awestruck at what he saw.

"There are stars here… and they're little tiny dots."

Shinrai turned his head.

"What did you see before when you looked at the stars?"

"That some bits of the sky were a little brighter. Oh man, I can't wait to see the stars back home with these."

They were silent for a bit before Shinrai spoke.

"Stars really are pretty, when you think about it."

"Yeah."

"But, like, you never do think about it. Because you're so used to them being there. I don't think I've ever even really looked super hard at the stars before."

"Honestly, back home there's not much else to do at night. Life in the village isn't exactly exciting."

Silence fell again before Shinrai asked, without looking away from the stars,

"So you've never kissed a girl before?"

"No. I'd barely even talked to any that weren't my sisters before I came here. Even still, I don't really have any close friends that are girls."

"Yeah… I've always just been kinda scared of girls. They're just so different, you know!? I never know what to say and I get all sweaty."

Yasui laughed.

"Like I am now?"

"Yeah. Jeez, now that you mention it you are all sweaty and gross."

Yasui grinned and spread his arms wide.

"C'mon, don't you want a big hug?"

Shinrai jumped to his feet and darted away as Yasui grabbed at him. As Yasui pursued him, Shinrai shrieked,

"Oh, gross! Get away! Get away!"

"Awwww, you're hurting my feelings! Just give me a hug!"

"Nooo! You stink!"

Eventually Shinrai got caught and Yasui squeezed him as the smaller boy groaned in disgust, laughing the whole time.

"Eugh! Fox BO!"

"Hey! That is my natural carnivore musk! It just oozes masculinity!"

Shinrai gagged as he slipped away and shook his arms from the slight damp he had acquired.

"You ooze something alright, but I don't think it's masculinity."

Shinrai sniffed his shirt and pulled a face.

"Great, now I need a shower and some clean clothes."

Yasui sat back down by the wall.

"You're not really mad, are you? Did I take it too far?"

"Naaah, I needed to put these in the wash anyway."

Yasui looked around the roof. Apart from the light coming from the door a little further down the wall, it was pretty dark up here. He had noticed that Shinrai had elected to stay in the light as opposed to venturing out where he couldn't see. As he thought of this, he turned to Shinrai.

"Hey, it's pretty dark. Want me to walk with you back to your dorm?"

"I kinda figured you would anyway."

They stood and made their way back down to the ground floor and followed the path to the dorms. The campus was quiet due to the late hour, but some students were still out and about. Primarily, these students were carnivores with good night vision. Most herbivores were sitting safe and sound in their dorms with the lights on, not wandering around in the dark where they were vulnerable. As they walked along the more dimly lit areas, Yasui noticed that Shinrai tended to move a bit closer and glance around at the shadows beyond the weak light from the street lamps that sparsely dotted the walkway. Yasui casually placed his arm around Shinrai's shoulders and kept up the idle chit chat that had been going off and on over the walk. He didn't comment on the visible relief that simple gesture gave his herbivore friend.

He walked with Shinrai right to the doors of the dorm. They said their goodbyes and Yasui climbed the stairs to his dorm room. He had a few ideas bouncing around his head for the final menu for the festival, and he was eager to see what Miss Diana thought.

If anyone knows what people would want to buy at a festival, it's her.

(Friday afternoon, study group.)

Yasui's study group had morphed into something different in the past two meetings. It was less about studying their notes or the textbook and more about helping each other with homework between bouts of goofing off. Currently they were goofing off. Shiro was speaking to Tao,

"So, would you rather have to eat a whole buffet solo? Or drink a whole soda fountain by yourself."

Tao thought for a bit before replying.

"The buffet. Drinking that much soda would absolutely kill. All that fizz, man."

They all nodded, with the exception of Tenbe who was on his phone. Tao then looked at Yasui.

"Alrighty, Mr. Straight-Laced Cub Scout, which do you prefer? Boobs or ass?"

Yasui's face went even brighter red as everyone laughed. He gulped.

"Geez, do I have to answer that?"

They all chimed in that he did. Yasui gulped and thought about it.

Crap, I really don't want to answer this! It's so embarrassing! But I don't want to be a buzzkill. Just pick one! Uh… oh crud, I feel like a pervert.

Yasui squirmed uncomfortably and Shinrai interjected.

"C'mon, Tao. That's a little far."

The panther held his hands up defensively.

"What!? It's not too far. It is a perfectly normal question. When it comes to the ladies, what do you like the best? Their boobs or their butts? It's not like I asked if he has had sex before, or which girl he has a thing for."

Tenbe spoke without looking up.

"You're assuming he likes girls."

Yasui flinched, scandalized at that.

"I-I like girls! Why would you say something like that!"

Tao snickered.

"Oooh, methinks the young fox doth protest too much. Hey dude, no judgment from me if you swing that way."

Yasui's face was on fire now. He felt absolutely humiliated. But he had to say something, even if he just wanted to go hide in the bathroom. Yasui slammed his hands on the table and looked Tao dead in the eyes.

"…Boobs. I like… boobs."

The other guys "oooh"ed before Yasui pointed at Shinrai.

"Shinrai! If you had to pick any other person to swap bodies with for a day, who would it be?"

The other guys quieted down a bit and murmured their opinions on the matter as Shinrai thought. He pursed his lips.

"Hmmm… off the top of my head…. That wolf guy you're friends with! I wanna be tall for a day!"

There were sounds of understanding as Shinrai then pointed to Tao.

"Alright Mr. It's-not-too-far, riddle me this? If you had to pick one guy here to marry, who would it be?"

Tao blew a puff of air from his lips and nonchalantly leaned back with his arms behind his head.

"Easy. Yasui of course. He's small, he cooks, and he's more effeminate than the rest of you. Perfect husbando material."

Yasui frowned.

"Why am I the one getting picked on?!"

Tao waved him off.

"Relax, dude. Take it as a complement. Anyway, Shiro. Your best friend has an evil clone and you need to tell them apart. How are you doing it?"

Shiro thought for a bit.

"Well… it would be Vince, so… I'd ask them what the shape of the birthmark on my butt is. My turn! Yasui! Because I'm curious now, what is your ideal woman?"

Shinrai made a "T" with his hands.

"Hold up, are we just glossing over the butt mark?"

Tao nodded.

"Yeah, my guy. You can't leave us with that. What is the mark?"

Shiro shrugged.

"Oh that? A heart. I have a birthmark that looks like a heart on my left buttcheek. Now answer the question!"

Yasui frowned. This one was at least more appropriate. But he wasn't sure what his ideal woman was. He'd never really thought about girls before coming to Cherryton. He'd only recently started to… notice them. He thought about it. Which females he had had the most immediate, powerful attraction to. He felt his face heat up again as he remembered the first time he met Miss Diana and then the receptionist from the other day. They were both older, with nice… figures.

You know, not too skinny. So they have some… curves. And sweet and affectionate and….

Yasui nodded.

"I got it. I prefer a more mature woman."

There was silence before Tao grinned.

"Yoooo! He likes MILFs!"

Shiro nodded and reached for a high five.

"Right on, Yasui! My guy!"

Yasui was still feeling embarrassed but he couldn't help but smile at the sudden approval, even if he didn't know what a… milf was. He returned the high five and the game continued for a few more rounds. Eventually they dispersed and Yasui made his way towards his club room. He and Chaussette had agreed to meet after his study group to finish deciding the menu for the festival. He found her looking at the paper they had tapped to the refrigerator that had the three dishes they were currently thinking about making. On the paper was written: crepes, hot corn, sweet potato fritters. Chaussette turned as he entered.

"Hello, Yasssui. How did your group go?"

"It went well. How has your day been?"

"Oh, I can't complain. Ssso, I ssstill want to do what we have written down here. I might not have had either of the sssecond two, but the way you dessscribed them convinced me."

Yasui nodded and took the paper down from the refrigerator.

"Yeah, those are two of my favorite foods from back home. We mainly have them at our own festivals so I thought it was fitting."

"You sssaid you were meeting with your friend tomorrow to work on the stand itself?"

"Yeah. Are you still busy tomorrow?"

She nodded.

"Ssssorry. But I have to go to a doctor'sss appointment at noon. After that I wasss going to run ssssome errandssss with my mom."

"Hey, no worries. I completely understand. So… anything else we wanted to discuss before we finish our very brief club meeting for today?"

Chaussette flicked her tongue.

"Well, given you sssaid you would teach me to make thessse recipesss on Monday, I have nothing elssse that urgently needsss attention."

Yasui gave her a thumbs up.

"Sounds good! See you Monday!"

The rest of the day was spent furiously looking back over the recipes his mother had dictated to him over a brief phone call during lunch. He was drilling the ingredients and steps to make them so repeatedly that he ended up memorizing them by the time he was going to bed. He set an alarm on his phone and took a deep breath as he got ready to sleep. Tomorrow was the test run. He had talked to Miss Diana and Charles earlier and they had coordinated for him to meet with them to go over the physical booth for the festival as well as for him to make his two dishes for them to try. To say he was a bit nervous was an understatement.

What if they don't like the food? Will they decide to stop helping me? Ooooh, I hope not! I don't think I can pull this off alone. No, I know I can't do it alone! I think I'm in over my head!

His sleep was fitful that night. He tossed and turned before slowly drifting off to sleep.

[Yasui was standing on a large stage when the spotlights turned on. He was blinded at first, but as his eyes adjusted he saw a table in front of him. The judges table. He looked down at his apron and towards the large red target he was standing on. The judges were staring holes in his chest as he wrung his hands behind his back. The seven judges had his two dishes before them and they looked down at them with disdain. From right to left the judges were Miss Diana, Mr. Charles, Mom, Dad, Legoshi, Jack, and Shinrai. All together they picked up their forks and tried them.

Immediately Miss Diana held her napkin over her mouth as she spat it out.

"It's awful! Absolutely horrible!"

Charles shook his head and pushed the plates away. His mother and father each looked at each other and closed their eyes, shaking their heads. His mother scowled.

"We're just so… so…."

"Disappointed." His father finished.

Legoshi and Jack both threw down their cutlery and stood up from the table. Legoshi growled,

"That was the worst thing I've ever tasted!"

He stormed away and Jack followed.

"Don't talk to us ever again! You're the worst!"

Yasui felt tears fill his eyes as the lights turned on in the stadium. The seats were packed, and they were all laughing at him. He heard one person jeer,

"Hey look! He's crying!"

"What a loser!"

Yasui covered his ears.

"No! Stop!"

His parents both stood from the table. His mother gave him a sad look.

"Why can't you ever just do something right? Is that so hard!?"

His father scowled.

"You're a disgrace."

Yasui fell to his knees. He couldn't have stopped the tears if he tried.

"No! Please! I tried! I tried so hard!"

He looked over as a sickening retching sound came from the far end of the table. Shinrai was doubled over as he vomited onto the floor behind the table. Yasui watched as his friend looked up and gasped,

"I thought we were friends! Why would you do this to me!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

The announcer came over the loudspeakers.

"Oooh! Well, there you have it. Judges? What's the verdict?"

Behind the table were seven screens. As he watched, each one lit up with a big red "X" and a buzzer sounded. The announcer came back on.

"Uh oh! Looks like it's unanimous! Then you know what time it is!"

Everyone let out a thunderous roar.

"FLATTEN! THE! FAILURE!"

Yasui looked up as massive weights dropped from the ceiling right above him. He screamed as they flattened him beneath them. As he was squeezed underneath the mountain of metal, Yasui gasped.

"They're right! I'm worthless! I can't do anything!"

The world squeezed tighter and tighter.

"I can't do this! I never should have left home! Somebody else should have gotten this opportunity!"

He felt like he was about to pop like a ripe grape between the fingers of a giant.

"I'm not smart! I'm not anything! I'm a fraud! I should have just stayed home and hidden in my room like I always have! I'll never amount to anything!"]

Yasui awoke with a gasp. He was drenched in sweat and his blanket was a bundled up mess at the foot of his bed. He panted, heart beating out of his chest, as he looked around his bunk. He checked the time, 2:38pm. He felt like he was burning up, and he was so thirsty.

As quietly as he could, Yasui fumbled out of bed and out of his room. He made his way to the bathroom and stood in front of one of the sinks. He didn't bother to turn the lights on. He turned the faucet and splashed some cold water on his face before gulping down a few mouthfuls. As stood panting in front of the sink, he heard a bleary voice from the doorway.

"Waaah? Ya-*yawn*-Yasui? Is that you?"

Yasui turned his head and saw a sleepy looking Jack in the doorway. He was wearing a shirt that was about six sizes too big and was carrying an empty water bottle. He shuffled over to Yasui and gave him a concerned, and tired, look.

"What happened? Are you sick? Do you need a doctor?"

Yasui shook his head, heart still pounding. No matter what he tried he couldn't seem to catch his breath.

"No, I-I'm fine. What are you doing up this late?"

"I was thirsty. Dinner was a little salty. Are you *yawn* sure you're okay?"

Yasui leaned on the sink, the water still running. He couldn't seem to breathe right. Was he sick? What was happening!?

"I just— I just had a… a bad dream is all! And I— and I!"

Yasui leaned against the wall before sliding to the floor, his head in his hands.

"I don't know! I don't know!!! I- I thought I was feeling better! I wasn't as nervous about being here as I was at first! But all of the sudden I just! I can't! I can't do this! I'm going to mess it all up like I always do! I'm just like the other people back home say! I'm a freak! A worthless freak! I'm nothing! I'm—"

"Hey! Hey! Easy! Calm down, Yasui!"

He felt as Jack knelt beside him on the floor and grasped his shoulders. He was awake now, face full of concern. Yasui was still gasping for breath. It felt like there were iron bands around his lungs. Yasui dropped his hands from his face and wrapped them around his chest.

"I can't breathe! It's like I'm being crushed! Like I'm back in the cubby!"

"Yasui!"

Jack sat down beside him and grabbed his face with both hands, forcing him to look him in the eyes. Jack spoke quietly and calmly as Yasui continued to pant.

"Yasui, calm down. I think you're having a panic attack. Just breathe. In… and out… in… and out."

He pulled Yasui against him and gently rubbed his shoulder as Yasui slowly got control of his breathing. After what seemed like ages, Yasui could breathe again. He slumped limply against the Labrador, feeling hollow. Yasui whimpered.

"I'm sorry. I'm such a loser! I freaked out like a total idiot! Why can't I—"

"Hey! Just calm down. You're not a loser or an idiot."

"Yes I am! A real man would've been able to control himself! But I never can! I always let my emotions get the better of me!"

Jack kept hold of him, the two of them still sitting on the bathroom floor. Jack sighed.

"C'mon, buddy. We all have bad days. It just happens. There's nothing to be embarrassed about. This is just… a rough night, you'll see."

Yasui fell silent after that, and Jack let him be. Once he felt ready, Yasui spoke.

"Thanks, Jack. You're a good friend."

"It's okay. Anyone would do the same thing."

"No, they wouldn't. You're very kind. It's why I wanted to be your friend so bad the first time we met."

"Aw… thanks, bud."

Soon Yasui was feeling a bit better. Slowly he pulled away from the canine and slumped against the wall.

"Thanks. I feel better now."

"Hey, no worries! And… I won't tell anyone about this, so don't stress out about it."

"Thanks."

"But if it happens again you might want to see a doctor. They have medicine that can help if you keep having these."

"This is the first time this has happened. I don't know what caused it."

Jack leaned his head down a bit to be back in Yasui's eye level.

"Hey, if you need someone to talk to about this stuff you're going through. I'm happy to listen. Lots of the time it helps to get it off your chest."

"I might do that. Later though. I don't want to keep you up."

Jack's face was full of concern.

"You sure you'll be okay? You can always stay with me and the other guys tonight."

"No, it's fine. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

Jack smiled.

"I don't mind. Back when Legoshi was younger we'd occasionally share a bed. He, uh, well… I don't want to get into anything personal, but…."

Yasui looked at him.

"Was it, you know, after his mother passed away?"

Jack leaned his head against the wall.

"He told you?"

"Mhm."

"…Yeah. The day after it happened I spent the night. I just didn't want him to be alone. I woke up to him crying, so I slept back to back with him so he wouldn't feel so sad."

Jack shook his head.

"Geez, talk about off topic. You tend to make me do that, you know? Something about you gets me rambling."

"Well, I don't mind. I like your stories."

"Hmph, as I said. If you want, you can crash in our room tonight. If you can stand Legoshi's scent."

Yasui waved him off and rolled his eyes.

"Legoshi doesn't smell bad. Just a bit strange."

"Yeah, you get used to it. We still like teasing him about it though."

Yasui sighed.

"As fun as a sleepover sounds, I don't think it's necessary. Besides, you'd just end up cuddling my big, fluffy tail all night."

Jack laughed.

"Aw shoot! My master plan was found out so easily. Foiled again."

Yasui slowly got to his feet and held his hand out to Jack. He helped pull the other boy to his feet and stayed clasping his hand for a bit.

"Thanks for helping me out. I won't forget it."

"Hey, what are friends for? If not for giving you a hug during your mental breakdown."

Yasui smiled and released his grip. The two boys left the bathroom together before going their separate ways, back to their respective rooms. As he lay back down in bed, Yasui could feel the adrenaline rush begging to fade and a wave of exhaustion rolling over him. With a stifled yawn, he crashed.

(The next day.)

By ten o'clock on Saturday, Yasui was walking to the train station from school. He had followed the instructions he found on his phone from the government website that detailed how to get a train pass, and now could actually ride the rails with ease. He was looking out of the window eagerly as the train pulled out of the station. For where he was going, he needed the above ground train, not the underground one like he had taken with Shinrai to the movie theater. He watched as the city sped by, buildings and streets shining in the morning sun. He had to admit, it was much more impressive now that he was wearing glasses.

His stop was only three stations away from the one near school. He carefully joined the crowd of beasts crowding the walkways and made his way to street level. He was more being carried along by the crowd than walking, but eventually he made his way out of the press of city goers and could breath a bit easier. He opened his phone and read the directions he had searched for last night.

Let's see… from the station you go left. Up the street for four blocks, then go right for… a really long way. Her address is 9 Aerie Place.

Yasui sighed. He was beginning to regret his insistence that Charles didn't have to pick him up from school. Yasui made certain to count each block he went through, desperately trying not to get distracted by all the different sights and sounds the city had to offer. There were markets and shops and restaurants and small parks dotting the city. Each small bit of the city felt so busy and alive. Nothing like the sleepy village that was his home. After almost an hour of walking, the square shaped city buildings gave way to large houses with manicured lawns. Each house had its own gate with the address on a fine plaque hanging on the wall. Yasui had never seen such huge houses before.

People actually live in these? Wow, they must have gigantic families.

He was passing number four when a uniformed police officer approached him. The officer was a male rhinoceros with a stern look on his face.

"Hey, hold it right there."

Yasui froze and pointed to himself.

"Who, me?"

"Yes, you. Mind telling me what you're doing here?"

Yasui straightened his posture as best as he could.

"I'm looking for 9 Aerie Place. I'm meeting the woman who lives there."

"Is that so… hmm… you wouldn't happen to know about the trespassing complaint we received two days ago, would you?"

Yasui shook his head.

"No sir. I've never been here before. To be completely honest I'm trying really hard to not get lost right now. I'm not from here. You see, officer, I'm actually from a village a couple hours away. I'm just here for school."

The rhino raised an eyebrow but nodded politely.

"Is that so? Well, would you like for me to escort you to your destination? Make sure you don't get lost?"

Yasui smiled.

"Would you? Oh, that would be great! Thank you so much."

With an experienced guide, he quickly made his way to house number nine. The police officer pressed a button Yasui assumed was some sort of doorbell and waited. The familiar voice of Mr. Charles came from the box that had the button on it.

"State your business."

The officer pressed the button again.

"This is Officer Kigin. I was wondering if I could have a word with you? It's in regards to the trespassing at number three earlier this week."

There was a brief pause before a low buzz came from the gate. The officer easily swung it open and led Yasui inside. Yasui gazed in awe at the home he saw. Situated inside a tall, wrought iron fence that had a lush hedge along the inside of it was an immaculate yard of lush green grass. Vibrant rose bushes and arches decked in flowering vines lined the handful of paths that wandered through the front yard. The house itself was massive. Two very tall stories up and wider than three of Yasui's family's homes put together. It was designed like one of those old French chateaus Yasui had seen in a book once with a tall roof and ornate walls. The double doors were made of some dark wood that was polished to a shine.

Oh… Miss Diana is rich rich. Good to know.

The door opened and Charles stood in the doorway to greet them. He didn't seem to notice Yasui as he looked at the officer with a professionally serious expression.

"Officer."

The officer tipped his hat.

"Good morning. Is the owner of the house around?"

Charles nodded as Miss Diana joined him at the door. She was wearing a fashionable sun dress and gave the police officer a pleasant smile.

"That would be me. How can I help you?"

The officer stepped aside and gestured at Yasui.

"You wouldn't happen to know this child, would you?"

Diana's face brightened as she saw Yasui.

"Yasui! There you are! I was worried you would get lost."

"Hi, Miss Diana! I almost did a few times, but I managed."

She turned her attention back to the officer.

"Is there some sort of issue? Did he get into any trouble?"

"No, ma'am. I simply wanted to verify his story. Honestly I was hoping that he was the culprit of the trespassing incident from earlier this week, as it would mean it was simply a harmless act of mischief and nothing serious. However, I can see that this young fox is not the culprit. Sorry to bother you. Have a good day."

Diana nodded.

"Good luck with the search."

As the rhinoceros left, Yasui waved.

"Thanks for helping me find the right house! This neighborhood is huge!"

Diana smiled at him and stepped aside.

"Well, let's not stand here all day. Come in! Come in! Make yourself at home."

Yasui followed her inside, making sure to remove his shoes at the door. Somehow, the inside of the house was even more amazing than the outside. The floors were polished marble, the banisters along the double flights of stairs leading up to the second floor were dark mahogany, the chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling was made of clear crystal. Yasui stood with his mouth wide open as he turned in a slow circle, taking it all in. Miss Diana noticed and chuckled.

"I'm afraid this must all seem terribly grand and extravagant. Welcome to my home."

"You live in a castle."

Miss Diana laughed at that comment.

"I suppose you could say that. Well, shall we go straight to the kitchen? Or do you want the grand tour?"

Yasui slowly peeled his eyes off the room and looked at the female leopard.

Just who exactly is she if she can live here?! I know she's some sort of business owner, but just what exactly does she own!

Yasui gulped.

"Grand tour, please."

She smiled and held her hands out towards the room they were in.

"Well then, this is the foyer. It's primarily used for greeting guests."

She ushered him into the room directly to the right. Inside was a long room that stretched down what Yasui assumed was at least half of the length of the house. A large table of polished wood dominated the center and various cabinets filled with fine china lined the walls, except for one gap along the far wall that held a large mirror with elegant gold trim. Diana continued.

"This is the dining room. It doesn't see much day to day use. Not really useful unless you're having a dinner party."

They walked through the room to the far end where a door led to a room with several couches and a fireplace.

"The sitting room. Also primarily used for entertainment."

They ignored the door to their left and went through another door straight back. Apparently they were going through the house from front to back. The next room had a large desk with a computer and larger windows than the other rooms. A few cabinets also occupied the walls.

"This is my office. Pretty self explanatory."

Back further was a larger room than the last two with various exercise equipment and some yoga mats.

"Home gym. Charles is the one who uses this one the most."

They went left into a room that reminded Yasui of a smaller version of the dining room. It had another table and other furniture, but had a large opening that led to the large kitchen along the back of the house. Yasui ignored the smaller dining room and gawked at the kitchen. It was amazing. Granite countertops, an island in the middle, a huge stove and oven, top of the line refrigerator. It made his mom's kitchen back home look like a dump.

"Informal dining room and kitchen, which I gather you're a fan of from your expression."

Yasui nodded, dumbstruck. The tour continued by entering the large kitchen and going along the other side of the house. There was a bathroom and a hallway with a sitting room and a large common room in the center of the house, but at the front corner to the left of the foyer was one of Yasui's new favorite rooms by far. As they entered, Yasui gasped.

"Woah…."

"I thought you might like this. Welcome to the library. I apologize in advance if it's a little sparse on material you find interesting. It's primarily about business and law. But I do have a decent collection of other topics."

Shelves lined the room from floor to ceiling with ladders on wheels situated at each wall. The center of the room had comfortable looking chairs and tables to hold books or drinks. They left the library (very reluctantly on Yasui's part) and returned to the foyer. Up the stairs were the master bedroom, master bath, walk in closet, media room, guest room, guest bath, Charles's room and bathroom, another guest room, and some other miscellaneous rooms. It appeared that the second floor had all the bedrooms and such while the first floor had mainly utility space. As they walked back down towards the kitchen, Yasui spoke up.

"Miss Diana, your home is amazing!"

"I'm glad you like it."

"Who lives here with you? Surely you can't use all these rooms with just you and Charles."

She shrugged.

"Well we don't use all of these rooms, but it is just the two of us."

"Oh… well… huh. I guess I'd feel weird having this much space for two people. But I am from a big family so I'm used to close quarters."

Diana gave him a wry smile.

"I'm sure I seem pretentious and grand in my monstrosity of a house."

"No no! It's just so different from my house that it's a little jarring. Like, one of your rooms is taller and wider than most of my family's house. It's so… cool!"

She smiled again, seeming relieved.

"Well I'm just glad you don't think I'm a total snob. I was a bit worried you would. Anyway, shall we make our way to the kitchen? We probably shouldn't keep poor Charles waiting any longer."

Yasui nodded and they began to walk back to the kitchen. As they did, Yasui asked,

"So have you always lived in a house this big?"

"Well… more or less."

"So you probably had your own room."

Diana laughed.

"Given I was an only child for most of my life, yes, I did have my own room."

"I bet that's so nice. You get to have this little space that's just yours, and you can decorate it how you want. If I ever had my own room, I'd fill it with books and maps and pictures of all sorts of foreign places."

Diana looked down at him with an expression of curiosity.

"How many of your siblings did you share a room with?"

"Just my brother. We had a boys room and a girls room. Our room was the smallest one in the house. We pretty much only had room for our beds and clothes. That is, after we actually got separate beds."

"You and your brother used to share a bed?"

Yasui laughed.

"Yup! And boy did Yone hate it! I kept grabbing him in my sleep and hugging him. It got pretty weird when we got older, so our parents got us each a bed."

As they passed the master bedroom, Yasui peaked inside. He hadn't actually gone into any of the bedrooms to respect Diana and Charles's privacy, but what he saw made him freeze. He blinked a few times before asking,

"No way… is that… your bed?!"

Diana stopped and moved back to where he was standing. She followed his gaze and gave him a slightly confused look.

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"It's huge!"

Diana rolled her eyes and pushed the door open. Yasui shuffled into the opulent bedroom, eyes glued to the massive, four poster bed that occupied a space both wider and longer than the bathroom back home. Yasui laughed.

"How do you even get in and out of it?!"

"Well I don't sleep in the middle. Just one of the sides."

"What size bed even is that?"

"A king bed, although a very large one."

"King?! More like an Emperor size bed!"

Diana shook her head, amused.

"Sometimes I forget how different your life is than mine. It's good, keeps me grounded."

They found a mildly impatient Charles waiting for them in the kitchen. He raised an eyebrow at Diana who in response shrugged.

"I was giving him the grand tour. Just being a good host and all."

"Mhm…."

Yasui looked sheepishly up at the massive male.

"Sorry, I asked for a tour."

Charles sighed.

"Please, don't cover for her. She gets away with too much anyway."

Diana feigned offense at that and held a hand over her chest.

"Well I never! He already told you he asked for a tour, and how could I say no to such a cute little face?"

The cute comment made Yasui blush. Charles just sighed and muttered,

"Spoiled rotten, that's what you are."

Diana cleared her throat.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"You're spoiled rotten, and I enable you."

She smirked and patted his arm.

"And you do a wonderful job of it too."

The gorilla pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. He then turned his attention to Yasui.

"So, down to brass tacks. I was told you wanted to learn how to make crepés?"

"Yessir."

"Hmm… well, get to it. Wash those paws and grab an apron."

Once he was prepared, Yasui joined the older male at the countertop. Unfortunately the counter was a bit too tall for him, so he had to stand on a stool so he could see. He made sure to pay close attention as Charles explained how to make the batter. How thick you wanted it, what consistency so you had light, tender crepés rather than rubbery ones. When the batter was mixed, Charles instructed him to let it sit for a few minutes to "develop" as he called it. He then showed Yasui how to operate the crepe maker. It was pretty much just a round electric griddle with a little stick that you used to smooth the batter into a thin layer on the cooktop. After explaining how you can tell when the crepe is done by looking at the bubbles on the top of it, Charles greased the surface with some butter spray and poured some batter on the cooktop before effortlessly smoothing it into a perfect circle. A short wait later and he removed the perfectly cooked pastry from the griddle and set it on a plate. He spread some filling he had already prepared in it before sprinkling some cut strawberries and folding it into a perfect little triangle. He handed the plate to Yasui.

"There. Now, try it and see what you think."

Yasui picked up the crepe and bit into it. It was buttery and delicious, and with the whipped cream and strawberries inside, it really tasted like something that was made for summer. Yasui licked some of the filling off his lips and nodded.

"That's really good. I can see why they're popular."

Charles nodded and stepped to the side, gesturing for Yasui to take over.

Wait, all of the sudden! Shouldn't he show me again or something?

As if sensing his apprehension, Charles handed Yasui the batter and the spreading stick.

"No better way to learn, than to do. Give it a go."

Yasui nodded and slowly approached the griddle. He looked over at Miss Diana who was sitting on the other side of the counter drinking a cup of some sort of juice. Her mouth curled into a small smile and she winked at him.

"I guarantee you'll do better than I ever could. I'm completely out of my element in the kitchen."

Charles chuckled.

"That I can agree with. Especially given you burnt a salad."

Diana crossed her arms and scowled at him.

"I thought that fire roasted tomatoes would make it taste better! How was I supposed to know you couldn't just roast them yourself!"

"You can… if you know how to."

She rolled her eyes and opened a magazine. Yasui took a moment to think through what Charles had done before carefully pouring some batter onto the crepe maker. Charles offered instruction as he went.

"Little more…. Good. Now, spread it gently. Gently! Don't push down that hard or… that happens."

Yasui winced as he tore a hole into the part of the crepe that was beginning to cook. This was a lot harder than it looked. Charles helped him scrape the unfinished crepe off the griddle and start again. This time he was gentle with the spreader and didn't tear it, however it was much more uneven than Charles. He waited until the batter was bubbling a bit and carefully began to remove it before Charles stopped him.

"Wait. Look at the top. See how it's still a bit wet? It needs just a bit longer. It's close though."

Yasui nodded and stepped back. Once the batter looked set, Yasui removed the crepe and put it on a plate. He then did as his instructor had and spread some whipped cream and strawberries on it before folding it into a triangle, although his was a bit uneven. All in all, his crepe didn't look too bad. Charles nodded.

"You pick it up quickly. Well done. Now, practice."

He took the plate away from Yasui and handed him a platter.

"Make enough for us to have the lunch. And try to be quick, I prefer my food warm."

"Wait, what? You want me to make enough for lunch?"

"Yes. Just the crepe itself though. I'll make some more varieties of fillings."

Diana laughed.

"Such a taskmaster. Need me to go buy you a whip to use?"

Charles didn't even look up as he replied,

"You mean to say you don't already have one? I always thought someone with your personality would find a… certain use for one."

Diana dropped her magazine, mouth open in disbelief.

"My word, Charles! In front of Yasui?!"

"He's sixteen. He's heard worse."

"But still! I expected at least some professionalism from you."

"I am always professional. That doesn't mean I'm a robot."

Yasui was just confused. He tilted his head and asked,

"But what would she use a whip for? I don't get it."

Diana closed her eyes and held a hand to her heart.

"Oh you sweet little cinnamon bun, stay pure forever."

Yasui blushed and returned to his work, not sure how to take that. While his crepes weren't very pretty, and some were a little burnt or raw, by the end he was actually getting the hang of it and could consistently get them relatively close to how Charles made his. With the last of the batter expended and a platter full of crepes in hand, Yasui moved over to where Charles had set the table with plates, napkins, silverware, cups, and several different bowls of fruit and other fillings. Charles described each one in turn.

"There's the whipped cream from before with some various fruits to put inside, then there's this one, which is gruyere with herbs for a more savory crepe. Then this is a cinnamon cream cheese and you can sprinkle some toasted oats to add some crunch. Well, I must say, I'm impressed. Well done."

Diana took her seat and spread her napkin in her lap.

"I agree, well done. This all looks delicious. Now, shall we eat while it's still warm?"

It didn't take more encouragement for Yasui to dig into the fruits of his labor. He found that of all the fillings, the herb and cheese one was his favorite. As he started on his fourth crepe, Yasui remarked.

"You know, I wish we had some mushrooms to go with this cheese stuff. That would be amazing."

Diana nodded her agreement.

"Oh absolutely! I adore mushrooms. They go well with so much."

Yasui gestured with his fork.

"Mhm, and pickles. Oh, we eat so many pickles at home. Almost every meal has some sort of pickle."

Charles dabbed his lips with a napkin.

"I do enjoy some pickled turnips. They go well with sauerkraut and rye as a sandwich."

Yasui tapped the table with his finger as he swallowed his bite.

"Mph! Have you ever had pickled eggs? Oh gosh, I could eat almost an entire jar of pickled eggs by myself."

Diana scrunched up her nose.

"Pickled eggs? I think I'll pass. I prefer my eggs over medium with salt and a generous amount of black pepper."

However Charles nodded and added,

"I like pickled eggs, however pickled peppers are probably my favorite. They really make a salad that much better."

Yasui sighed and looked down at his plate.

"Oh geez, I wish I had some of Mom's pickles right now. They're best, she keeps the herbs she adds to the brine a secret. Says she can't have me learning all her tricks just yet."

Diana knit her fingers together and rested them across her stomach.

"I would love to meet your mother one day. She sounds like my kind of woman. If they ever come here to visit you, let me know. I'll happily give your whole family a place to stay and take them out to dinner."

Yasui smiled.

"I'm sure they'd love that."

Charles set his fork down and looked over at Yasui.

"Well then, I believe it's time for you to make your two signature offerings to your festival booth. All the ingredients you asked for are in the refrigerator on the second shelf. Take as long as you need."

Yasui nodded and got up from the table. The first thing he did was find the grill pan Charles had set out for him. He put it on the stove and turned on the flame. Then he opened the fridge and slid his stool over so he could grab the first thing he needed, corn. He took three ears of corn and took the husks and silk off with practiced ease. He'd husked many an ear of corn for his mom in the kitchen back home. Once his pan was nice and hot, he began to roast the corn. As his corn roasted, he took out all the spices his mother had told him and began to mix them into some mayonnaise he had put into a small bowl.

Okay, first is some salt and pepper, then chili powder, and paprika, and just a pinch of ground ginger.

Yasui was a little embarrassed by how simple the recipe was. It was very plain, especially for such a nice house. But, it was going to have to do. Once his corn was nicely roasted, he used a spoon to spread some of the mayonnaise mixture onto each one and observed his handiwork. It had done just what it did back home during festivals, each ear of corn was now a deep red from the spices sticking to them. He took a deep breath and carried the plate holding them to the table. He set it down and clasped his hands behind his back, awaiting the verdict. They both took one and looked it over. Diana was the first to speak.

"You know, it's funny. This is very similar looking to something I once had when I was visiting a potential location for a hotel in Mexico. I believe it was called an elote there. If it's anything at all like that, it's going to be delicious."

She took a bite and immediately nodded and gave him a thumbs up.

"Oh, that's good. This is definitely a keeper."

Charles was halfway through his when he asked,

"Do you know how this came to be a dish in your village? Or how long ago it was?"

Yasui nodded.

"Yeah, Dad said that when his father was a boy they used to just eat buttered corn during the harvest festival, but one time they ran out of butter and used mayonnaise instead. Well then people started mixing things into the mayonnaise and it became a new tradition because everyone liked it so much."

They both nodded and Yasui returned to the kitchen to make his second dish, completely forgetting his own ear of corn. The next one was a personal favorite of his, sweet potato fritters. He started by peeling the skin off a sweet potato and grating it with the largest sized hole section of a cheese grater. Then he added a little flour, salt and pepper, and eggs before kneading it into a raggedy dough that was chock full of thin potato strings. He heated up some oil in a frypan like his mother had done so many times before and, once it was hot enough, he carefully took pawfulls of dough and flattened them into little ovals before beginning to fry them. He tried to stay clear of the popping oil, but he did get a few painful little drips on him.

He flipped them once the bottom was a crispy brown and let the other side fry. Once they were cooked through, he set them on a paper towel to drain the extra oil off and made some curry ketchup by mixing a little curry powder and ketchup. In his opinion, this always needed the curry ketchup, which was a special addition to the recipe invented by his mother. He presented the plate of small fritters with ketchup and watched as they sampled them. Charles looked surprised as he finished his and took another.

"This is quite delicious. I've never had a sweet potato fritter before."

Yasui grinned.

"Well, these also have a cool story behind them. Many years ago, there was a really bad winter on the mountain. Everyone was running low on food so they had to stretch their supplies to hold out until they could get down the mountain again. Somebody had only a few sweet potatoes left and some flour, so to make them all go farther they mixed them together into little cakes. Thus the sweet potato fritter was born. We mainly eat them during winter for lunch or snacks, but I think they're amazing. They're crispy and crunchy, and the curry ketchup makes them taste even better."

Diana nodded.

"You know, there's one thing I'm worried about."

Yasui gulped and his ears drooped a bit.

"Oh? What's that?"

"How on earth are you going to deal with the massive line these will end up making?"

Yasui laughed in relief.

"I think that's a problem that I wouldn't mind having."

Once the lunch mess was cleaned and the menu was squared away, Diana began discussing how they would set up the booth itself. She had reached out to an old friend and had managed to borrow all the pieces they would need, but they had to find a time to meet at the festival grounds and set it all up. They went back and forth a bit before deciding on Wednesday and Friday they would meet up and put it all together. Soon, Yasui was heading back to school and Saturday was coming to an end. As he laid down to sleep, Yasui yawned and stretched his back.

See, there was nothing to worry about. Hopefully tonight I'll get a good night's sleep and not a repeat of last night.

As he lounged in bed, thoughts of food and booths filled his head as he thought of all the possibilities of how he could decorate the booth, and how they could try to make the actual cooking part go smoothly. His eyelids grew heavy as he considered possibly using one of those fancy conveyor belts to deliver food.

[Yasui was back at Diana's house, the shining golden walls of the massive castle and the torches that lined the walls made the whole place sparkle like a glitter bomb had gone off. He was moving towards the library, past the pools of liquid diamonds when he saw her waiting on one of the plush couches for him. She was dressed the same way she was when he had first met her at the yarn shop, although maybe her dress hadn't been that small. Diana the leopard smiled as he approached and patted the seat beside her. As he sat, Yasui noticed she smelled like apples and cinnamon. He loved that smell.

"Hello, Yasui. Do you like my house?"

Yasui nodded and said he did. She smirked at him with heavy lidded eyes, leaning closer.

"I'm glad, because I like you."

He felt all warm and tingly as she ran her fingers over his arms and cupped his face in her hands. She was so close.

"Do you like me too, Yasui?"

He nodded.

"Follow me."

She led him up, up, up the winding stairs and into the cathedral-like expanse of her bedroom. The gigantic bed, as large as a bus, was situated at the center of the room. She gently pushed him onto it before wrapping him in a tight hug, she leaned in for a kiss, and the rest of what happened was enough to make Yasui's ears and face burn like he had splashed hot oil on them.]

Beep! Beep! Beep!*

Yasui's eyes fluttered open and he groaned. It took a moment for him to sort out what he was experiencing as he recalled the dream he had just had. He felt… dirty. Ashamed even. Did he really just have a dream like… that? And about… her? As he moved the blanket he looked down and cringed.

That's… never happened before. Oh gosh, please, please let nobody look behind the curtains!

He groaned and looked around for his clean laundry.

How humiliating! Does... does this mean that I'm...

Yasui whimpered quietly.

Am I starting to go through puberty!?

(Author's Note)

Hello! It's me! This was a hard chapter to get to where I was happy with it. I wrote and rewrote it somewhere like ten different times. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, and that the ending wasn't too weird for you. I wanted to show how Yasui is still very much a teenager going through the worst of the process of becoming an adult. And no better way to do that than awkward dreams you could never tell anyone about.