For The Love of Meat
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Post by Narukami Akira on Nov 5, 2011 18:50:53 GMT -6
Sunday, May 4 th12:00 PM What a lovely day.
After the torrential rain last night, the sun is shining brightly today. Just the ideal kind of weather for going out... and enjoying some fine grub. Once my uncle announced that he would take Kana-chan out for a trip yesterday, I figured that I should spend more time outside instead of staying in the house all by myself with video games. Besides, this is the last day of Golden Week, so I want to enjoy myself thoroughly. Furthermore, if there is somebody to enjoy it with, that's even better.
So, I gave a call to my new buddy Whitey (whom I just got his number from when the hot springs trip was over), and invite him to check out the central department store's recently opened food court. Men have to get their stomachs filled, too. Ever since grade school, my parents have called me a "carnivore", and therefore, and I won't miss any of those delicious steaks or any other savory meat dishes out there. I'm still in the growing phase, and the aikido training is quite intense, so, no worries about getting fat. Sweet, juicy steaks, you're going down!
As that joint is recently opened, there are quite a lot of customers. However, me and Whitey still managed to find an unoccupied table with four seats. We sit down, and starts looking at the menu. I immediately choose the meat-lover combo, which consists of hamburger steak, pork chop and some pieces of fried chicken, alongside some miso soup and rice. I'm in no hurry though, as the longer the wait, the more worthwhile it will be (if the dish is good enough, of course), so I decide to wait for Whitey to finish for the time being.
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Post by Mizukami Ayumu on Nov 8, 2011 2:19:19 GMT -6
He found Narukami Akira's call to be largely unexpected, but it was not much of a hassle; after all, the shopping district was just a walk from their place, and it was not like he had any special duties to do on a Sunday. He had taken his leave from his guardians, and perhaps a little too enthusiastically, scurried to the rendezvous. He had even arrived a little earlier than the meeting time.
He was immediately piqued by his field-trip-roommate's strange request; that of checking out a... food court. Sure, he liked his food, and it was just about lunch time, and while he appreciated the food at home he appreciated the food in these sort of places, too... but, to make the point of a meeting the food? Then again, perhaps the thunder-god-by-name had other things in his mind... most meetings, while they have different agendas, involve eating, somehow. And to eat with one another, he had heard from somewhere, sort-of meant trusting whoever it was you were eating with. Perhaps that they wouldn't put poison in your hamburger.
The place that his fellow student lead him to was... a little too crowded for the white-haired lad's tastes, but he put up with it. Unlike his friend, who had chosen... a veritable predator's smorgasbord, he opted for just the steak, and the miso soup, and the rice. He was a little tempted to get the pork chop, too, but they didn't have a combo where it was just the steak and the chop... they had to include the chicken, too. He sighed... while Ayumu liked eating, he was also a bit of a cheapskate, and buying the pork on the side offended his wallet-preserving instincts.
Ayumu pointed out what he wanted to Narukami. "So... we're just going... to eat?" Narukami seemed to have chosen something incredulous, the combo he had been evading, too. How strange, to learn that a new acquaintance has the quirk of being more... rapacious than oneself. And I get told that I eat a lot... haven't I met somebody, recently, who eats a lot, too?
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Post by Yasuda Erina on Nov 17, 2011 0:57:21 GMT -6
Ahhhh~ Allowance day!
Erina skipped into the food court with a spring in her step, swinging her shopping bag back and forth as she eyed her eating options hungrily. A good portion of her money had been spent on a floral print dress (As if she didn’t already own a closet full of dresses), but she had made it a point to save enough for lunch-- And perhaps that was more money than it would have been for most other people.
The pigtailed schoolgirl’s eyes scanned the area for empty seats, but every table seemed occupied. Was this place that popular? That meant the food would be good though, right? She bounced on the balls of her feet, eager to fill her loudly complaining tummy. Now if only a seat would open… Ah~!
A shock of white hair caught her eye as she circled the food court, and her face brightened. “Mizukami-sempai~! You’re here too?” she called out, waving enthusiastically as she scurried over to his table. “We can eat together again!” The thought to ask before joining had apparently not occurred to her.
As she approached to take a seat across from her acquaintance, her eyes finally fell on the boy dining with him, whom she had apparently failed to acknowledge in her excitement. “Ah, hello~!” she greeted the stranger, offering a small bow and a smile before sitting down beside him. “I’m Yasuda Erina of class 1-A!”
Ahh… He did go to Hikarizaka high school, right? Telling him her class would be silly if he didn’t… Ah well. [/size]
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Post by Narukami Akira on Nov 17, 2011 14:09:11 GMT -6
Before I can answer Whitey's question, a cheerful girly voice suddenly interrupts us, and a red-haired girl in twin pigtails hastily approaches our table. Seems like she knows Whitey. Well, maybe it's not difficult for him to have female friends, due to his pretty-boy looks and his aloof aura. Teenage girls tend to like that kind of guy, I think.
After greeting Whitey, the redhead introduces herself to me and stating that she's in class 1-A. Geez, this girl... telling the class she's in despite the fact that all three of us are not in school right now, and in casual outfits. Really hasty. She's probably the bubbly energetic kind of girl that can be enjoyable to be in company with, as I've seen on many TV shows. The type of person that can cheer everybody up regardless of any situation.
I let out a small chuckle, then greet her back: "Well, I'm Narukami Akira, class 2-D of Hikarizaka High, and this charming guy's classmate." I point my thumb at Whitey. "You go to the same school as us, right?" Somehow I can't help but take a glance at the redhead's pigtails. They are bigger than Ichinose-senpai's, and accentuate her girlishness very well. I tend to be captivated by the inherent cuteness of pigtails. Somehow they make girls look more... cuddly. On the other hand, she has rather good looks. I can imagine her being an idol singer or an actress.
I take a gulp from my glass of water. I have feelings for a cute senpai with pigtails, and now I meet a cute kouhai with pigtails. What kind of fate is this? Well, for now, I have to pull myself together, behave properly in front of the lady, and show some gallantry to her too, whenever necessary. That's the least a man can do.
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Post by Mizukami Ayumu on Nov 20, 2011 19:22:50 GMT -6
Well, well... speak of the... eating devil.
He wondered if his thoughts had brought her here... no, she would probably find this place herself. If he was right, this particular joint had only been recently opened, and so... probably what was surprising was that they had preceded her.
"Nice to see you again, Yasuda-san." he stated, and while he knew her presence implied certain circumstances, he was sincere with his words. "And I don't think I'm charming, Narukami." he muttered, though his face indicated he wasn't displeased.
"Narukami, I must warn you, though..." he stage-whispered, in a slightly dramatic voice, still mostly audible to Yasuda-san. He continued, since if he probably stopped he wouldn't get a chance to say it; besides, he was in the company of understanding people. "She... eats... a lot." he warned, shooting the metaphorical flare gun into the... metaphorical air. Perhaps with other... women, it would be... rude, to say something like this, but one must exercise caution!
Then again, perhaps... Narukami might be pleased with people with similar... appetites. While he had yet to see... that appetite in its complete glory; he'd seen it just a little during the dinners in their field trip. He turned to slip a verbal missive to Yasuda-san, in much the same manner as he did before with Narukami; in a falsely secretive manner, mostly jokingly. "Yasuda-san, he eats a lot... but probably not as much as you." he grinned.
"Oh, and take a seat." He decided he should say it, even though she'd mostly let herself into their vicinity. His underclassman sure had a way of making him more talkative. He mock-frowned. He was usually talkative with people he liked...
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Post by Yasuda Erina on Dec 8, 2011 0:56:20 GMT -6
Ah, good, he did go to the same school then. Erina flashed her new acquaintance a bright smile, pleased that her impulsive introduction had not been completely silly after all. “Nice to meet you, Narukami-sempai~” she chirped, settling into her seat and swinging her feet back and forth. “And I don’t eat that much, Mizukami-sempai!” She giggled as she spoke the words, clearly not offended. “Hehe, but I do eat more than my dad~”
At Mizukami’s last comment, Erina grinned, giving Narukami a sideward glance. “Ehhh~? You think so?” she said playfully. “But boys eat a lot don’t they?” As she spoke, an item on the menu caught her eye, and her attention quickly shifted. Pointing at the meat lover’s combo with wide eyes, she exclaimed with sudden enthusiasm, “That one! I want two of those!”
The girl practically danced in her seat, eyes sparkling, before a random thought intruded on her joy and she reverted back to her previous state.
“Oh, but my dad’s a boy, isn’t he? Then I guess maybe I do eat a lot…”
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Post by Narukami Akira on Dec 8, 2011 15:56:25 GMT -6
...
This girl...
... is really something.
Just a few minutes ago I thought my love of meat has is unmatched. It's just like a common saying: "There will always be someone better". She ordered two sets of the meat-lover combo, in other words, twice the size of my meal. She looks rather... slim for having such an appetite. Does she frequently work out or something? Still, if she really is energetic as she looks, at least she has a lot of calories burnt daily.
And... comparing your appetite with your parents does not really mean anything, since we are all teens and currently in the growth spurt, while adults only need food to sustain themselves.
I offered a seat to the redhead like Whitey did, as a gesture of courtesy. A cute girl that I have never met before suddenly sits in the same table as me... Quite an exciting thought. It's just like those people attending goukon (group blind date) parties that I've seen on TV shows. I take another sip of water, then ask the other two to strike up a conversation: "Well, are you two going out or something?"
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Post by Mizukami Ayumu on Dec 9, 2011 21:20:07 GMT -6
The boy looked a little bemused as Yasuda-san and Narukami-san, his two eating-enthusiast friends (although clearly Yasuda-san was fiercer, unless Narukami had something else to surprise him), got acquainted with each other. It seemed his classmate was... just a little astonished with Yasuda-san's cuteness, plus the fact that it somehow was immune to the effects of her ravenous eating. He wondered if Narukami would compete with her in eating, like the plot of some ridiculous show, but he did not voice it aloud, instead smiling a little more.
The girl mentioned that she eats more than her father... the Mizukami surmised that must mean there was a substantial difference between the portion of food Yasuda-san's father consumes, and what she herself does. The second year only ate just as much as his father, and it depended on what the viand was for the meal, and there were times that he did not eat as much. He yet again refrained from comment; the girl had illustrated his own point with the volume of her order. His smile leaned towards becoming a smirk.
"No, we're not." he offhandedly denied, when Narukami asked if they were dating; at least, that was how he understood his question. Well, his lowerclasswoman was attractive enough, he confessed to himself, besides her obvious quirk... or perhaps even more because of it. "I just met her this one time... and she was hungry... and I gave her a sandwich... or two." he stated. "That's how I knew her."
Ayumu's expression gained a bit of playfulness as he reflected on the possible effect of Yasuda to the opposite gender (or to anyone interested in females, anyway), himself included. He wondered if it would be all right for this particular joke... then again, Narukami and Yasuda probably wouldn't take offense. "Would you like to go out with her, Narukami-san?" he dropped the statement and let it clatter on the floor.
He was going to ask how long before the food came, but maybe he could postpone that for this. It was nice to be with people one can so easily converse with. Much more if conversing with them led to... interesting situations, he hoped.
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Post by Yasuda Erina on Jan 5, 2012 2:02:20 GMT -6
Narukami’s question drew a hint of color from Erina’s face, but Mizukami answered before she could, and she simply nodded along. She’d never considered Mizukami romantically-- it wasn’t a thought that came immediately to her mind when meeting new people. The question had caught her off guard, but it didn’t bother her, and she laughed along until Mizukami chose to ask a new one.
“Ehhh? Narukami-sempai would have to take me on a date first!” she giggled, willing to play along. “But would I let him? Hmmm… Hehe~” She meant nothing by it. After all, she had just met the boy a minute ago, though he seemed nice enough so far. It was all in good fun. If the conversation was at all awkward or embarrassing, she was unaware.
Now that she thought of it though, she never had been on a date before. There were crushes in middle school, certainly, and she’d heard secondhand once or twice about someone liking her, but no one had ever directly approached her. Maybe stuff like that would happen more now that she was in high school. It was an exciting thought. Did it happen the same way it did in shoujo mangas? [/size]
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Post by Narukami Akira on Jan 5, 2012 14:03:40 GMT -6
"Eh?"
I tried to tease Whitey a little bit, and he immediately got back at me. Looks like I'm not really good in those kinds of things.
"W... Well, come on. If you two, who have already known each other, still haven't dated, then how can I, a total stranger, date her? You sound like we are going to a group blind date. Er, well, there's only one lady here though, so this doesn't count..."
Still, the group blind dates and such, I probably want to give it a try someday in order to meet more people, and hence, get more accustomed to the females. I heard they are quite fun, and hopefully, the participants won't go overboard. Well, I'll be only in it to get more comfortable around the fair sex, not for skirt-chasing. It's for my own good.
"You're really carefree, aren't you, Yasuda-san?" I asked another question, in order to divert to another topic.
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Post by Mizukami Ayumu on Jan 7, 2012 0:07:10 GMT -6
He watched his two companions totter along in their conversation. Narukami was... straightforward; he was easy to understand. There weren't very many people Ayumu succeeded in teasing and counter-teasing. He felt like he had just accomplished something. Haha.
"We're just joking, Narukami." the sophomore explained, chuckling, this time not just in his mind.
Yasuda-san took it all in stride; the two of them were getting along quite well. Besides her voluminous appetite, something else that he took note of, and now he consciously picked apart in his mind, was her optimism, her carefree way of handling things. Ayumu wondered if it was even possible for Yasuda-san to be in a bad mood. Even when she was begging for food she was all smiles. Perhaps when somebody really tried to starve her?
"How long would it be until the food comes?" he asked the other two the question he had postponed a little later for the teasing. The smell of the cooking was getting to him, even in this open-air scenario. He may not be as voracious as the other two, but he anticipated and appreciated food, too.
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Post by Yasuda Erina on Jan 13, 2012 13:56:04 GMT -6
Narukami’s flustered reaction made the girl giggle. He wasn’t making much sense. What a funny boy. “Well, Mizukami-sempai and I only met one other time, so you’re not that much more of a stranger,” she laughed. “But do people really do that around here? Group blind dates? I’ve never been on one. It sounds fun~”
Ah, group blind dates were another high school thing, weren’t they? Erina vaguely remembered one of her old friends briefly mentioning one in an e-mail. Did many people meet that way? It seemed like a reasonable way to make friends. How fun!
Lost in this thought, Narukami’s question flew past her, and she began to stare into space, swinging her legs back and forth in her chair. The mention of food quickly drew her attention back, though, and she became sharply aware once more of her increasing hunger. “It looks really busy today,” she noted, glancing about the area and eying the steaming plates of other customers. “But I hope it comes soon! I’m sooooo hungry~” As if to emphasize the point, a low rumble emitted from her stomach, causing the girl to smile sheepishly.
“Erina would like her food, please~!” [/blockquote]
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Post by Narukami Akira on Jan 14, 2012 13:17:44 GMT -6
"Ah, sure, sure, ojou-chan". I can't help but chuckle. "But please be a good girl and wait for at least ten more minutes, okay? The food won't run away."
Well, that girl really is carefree. To the point of childish naïveté, it seems. Still, I don't really object to it, as it is a part of her charm, and many people will like it. Maybe she can work in a children's show as an emcee. She will get along with the kids well with that friendly and innocent demeanor of hers. She's probably a natural at that kind of stuff, and I suddenly start to imagine her being surrounded by seven-year-olds singing catchy songs with them.
Looks like we have to chat for a while before enjoying our feast.
"Yasuda-san, it's very nice to be optimistic most of the time. I'm quite jealous."
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Post by Mizukami Ayumu on Jan 14, 2012 21:07:23 GMT -6
"I've never been to a date before." answered Ayumu shortly, though he kept his amiable tone.
Yasuda-san might want to go to them... to group blind dates... to gain friends, but he felt that might not be their ultimate purpose, and besides, there were less... stressful situations for knowing people. But he did not say much about it; he did not feel inclined either to agree or to disagree. Besides, anything can be enjoyable with the right company.
Now that the conversation has started, he did not feel the need to contribute as much. It was just as much fun to listen as it was to discuss with other people. If he really felt like there was something to say, then he will say it.
By the looks of it they would be waiting a little longer for their respective meals; perhaps an opening day might not have been a good day to come, although maybe it was just the impatient aspect of his mind talking.
He smirked a bit at Yasuda-san's stomach's wordless, but very expressive statement. We're all waiting, Stomach-san. You can hold on.
Narukami pointed out something that he hadn't been able to, before... he'd noted it, and was pleased by it, but he guessed his classmate beat him to questioning it. Optimism... well, while the Mizukami's bouts of nervousness made him incline towards pessimism, usually he was fairly neutral. Perhaps it would be happy to be... happy, constantly.
He waited for Yasuda-san's reply to this comment and compliment.
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Post by Yasuda Erina on Jan 26, 2012 4:21:57 GMT -6
Ojou? The title made her grin, and for a moment, Erina was swept off into a fantasy, complete with elaborately set dinner table and loyal butler. Was a life like that obtainable? Perhaps if she married a prince…
“Ehh?”
Narukami’s compliment caught her by surprise, and the girl experienced a rare, brief moment of speechlessness. Smiling awkwardly, she rubbed the back of her neck then laughed. “But I’m not trying to be optimistic. I’m just talking… Eheh~” It was a strange thing to be directly informed of her own cheerful nature. At her old school, she had been known for it, but no one had ever told her in such a straightforward manner. This was kind of nice.
“You can be optimistic too, Narukami-sempai! Just be happy and don’t worry!” She beamed, pointing at her face for emphasis. “Oh… And eat lots of yummy things too! That makes everyone happy.”
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