Explorers Embark! [Erina]
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Post by Yasuda Erina on Dec 31, 2015 16:04:59 GMT -6
"So... you were trying to trick me."
The accusation made the girl's pout drop, and she let out a guilty squeak of surprise. However, before she could fluster about for a response, Okazaki continued.
"But alright. I suppose you've earned it. I know a place down the street, come on."
"O-okay..." Erina complied, slipping back into a slight pout, though her friend's willingness to overlook the incident (And even get her food!) filled her with relief. He was still weird though!
As they continued to walk down the path, she silently regarded the older boy, cheeks still puffed in an effort to maintain her show of annoyance, though in truth, the mood had quickly passed. Okazaki was... interesting. She still thought he was nice! Really, really nice! But... also maybe just a little, teensy bit not so nice? But not in a mean way! Ah, he was so strange!
A vague sense of deja vu settled over her that she couldn't place until the memory surfaced through her muddled thoughts. Ah! This was like the first time they had met, wasn't it? She allowed her cheeks to deflate as a thoughtful expression took over. Okazaki had been kind of weird then too. Oh! Had he been trying to do a trick that time too?! That... Maybe that made sense... But in the end, he was always nice, right?
Yeah. Okazaki was a really nice person.
"I want a cute oyakodon, okay? The cutest one!" Erina finally spoke up as they neared a line of shops. "Um... But I guess they probably only have one kind of oyakodon so... You get one too and I'll choose the cuter one~!"
Her act was rapidly fading now, giving way to the type of excitement that only the anticipation of eating could fill her with. The energetic glutton had returned with a vengeance.
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Post by Okazaki Tomoya on Jan 7, 2016 9:07:16 GMT -6
Today was a fantastic day. As if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, he finally felt free again! What had he been worrying about anyway? The past seemed a distant memory. He could still feel traces of tears in his eyes from when he had been crying before. He hadn't laughed so hard in ages! It felt good...even though it was at the expense of his companion. He couldn't help it though. Her misguided attempt at deceiving him reminded him of all the times Sunohara tried and failed to execute his own plans. He just...gave her a little push this time...to teach her a lesson. Yeah. And that lesson was...don't deceive others...unless you're good at it. Wait what? He cleared his head. He was over-complicating this. She tried to pull a prank on him, so he pulled one on her instead and is now making up for it with Oyakodon. Simple.
It was at this moment he realized how suspiciously quiet it was. Usually, when in the presence of the bubbly girl, a quiet moment was rare. Chattering was her natural response to everything, even when others would remain quiet (Example: Too embarrassed to speak? Try shouting down the one responsible at the top of your lungs). So why the sudden silence? Was she still angry? He glanced over at the girl who seemed to be lost in thought. Whoa. What could she possibly be thinking about? Food...no she looked too serious for that. Perhaps she was pondering the prank he had just pulled? As he pondered over her pondering he came to the realization that it didn't really matter. Simply seeing her in this state intrigued him. Perhaps she understood more then she let on. Or perhaps...she digested thing at her own pace - in her own way. As if on cue, the girl's eyes seem to spark up as if she had figured something out. He couldn't help but wonder what went on in that brain of hers. Perhaps it wasn't as alien as he had originally thought.
"I want a cute oyakodon, okay? The cutest one!"
"Sure, sure..."
He hadn't been to this shop in a while but, from what he could remember, this was a popular place for kids of all ages. If a grade-schooler found these bowls acceptable surely Yasuda would find them cute as well.
"Um... But I guess they probably only have one kind of oyakodon so... You get one too and I'll choose the cuter one~!"
You want me to buy one just so you can pick the cutest one?!
Though a sharp, mental reaction, truthfully he didn't really mind. In fact, he secretly hoped she would find an incredibly cute bowl (for her standards at least). He hoped she would find another weird statue today.
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Post by Yasuda Erina on Feb 9, 2016 18:22:18 GMT -6
The scent of cooked rice, meat, and other temptations wafted through the air as the pair neared the entrance to a small restaurant. It was an unremarkable little shop, but Erina regarded it with anticipation. She could already taste the meal that was to come, and the delectable fragrances that tickled her nose only stoked the fires of her hunger.
Was this it? Would the fabled Hikarizaka oyakodon be found here? Her heart was quivering with excitement! She hurried after Okazaki into the establishment, eyes darting to and fro, taking in the atmmosphere. Yes, yes, this was wonderful! It was very cute! Very comfy! Surely this was the humble home of the Hikarizaka Oyakodon! Everything seemed right, from the little cushioned seats to the cute beckoning cat statue on the counter. Even the framed calligraphy and simple art pieces that hung on the walls had a charm that seemed to beckon her in. She had been waiting for this! Years (Minutes, really) of searching had led up to this moment!
"This is it~!" Erina chirped, clapping her hands together. "The oyakodon is here!" Her words were matter-of-fact, and she turned to Okazaki with a firm nod, both hands raised in a thumb's up gesture. "Good job, Okazaki-sempai!" Strange as he was, he was still a big help! There were probably lots and lots and lots more places in the town he could show her! The Hikarizaka oyakodon was only the beginning!
"Hurry, hurry, let's go see~!"
No longer able to contain her excitement, Erina bounced over to the counter in a flurry of brown pigtails. Of course the counter was the only correct seating choice for such an occasion! They had to smell the food being prepared! They had to see the cooks at work! It would be so much fun!
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Post by Okazaki Tomoya on Mar 3, 2016 3:31:38 GMT -6
He entered the shop and was immediately hit with a feeling of dread. His memory had deceived him. There was a roof, a counter, tables, and seats so it was certainly better then eating out on the streets...but it only barely qualified. This place was cheap. Though it wasn't in a bad part of town, it looked worn down. Outdated. Past it's expiration date. The cushioned seats looked to be from an entirely different era and several of them had very clear tears in the material. The beckoning cat statue on the counter seemed even worse for wear, the color having faded significantly. Was that...framed calligraphy? How old was this place? The basic and banal artwork that lined the walls didn't give him any confidence either. While they looked to be the newest items in the shop, they also looked to be the cheapest. His standards weren't high by any means...but this place reeked of tackiness and age.
On a strictly personal level, he didn't actually mind this place. Price and taste was all that mattered to him, and since he didn't have much money to begin with, coming to a place like this alone or with Sunohara wouldn't have bothered him much. With that said, he also understood the general attitude of the rest of his peers. No other student would be caught dead in a place like this. He was certain when Yasuda ate out it was at far fancier establishments. Though he had no particular reason to impress her or take her somewhere expensive (this wasn't a date after all!), he had unintentionally promoted this trip to be something new and exciting. If he was being critical, it was only because he was viewing the place as any of his peers may see the place. Something that Yasuda could relate to as she herself seemed to be relatively popular. Would a place like this really be okay? Would she be seeing through his guise right now? There was nothing impressive or interesting about this place. He mentally berated himself for not spending more time planning their destination. Even the dorms would have been better then this...and that's one place he planned on avoiding at all cost.
"This is it!
Eh?
The oyakodon is here!"
What? "Good job, Okazaki-sempai!"
No. Way.
He was speechless. So much so that he failed to react properly to the two thumbs up that were now inches away from his face. He simply couldn't understand what was happening. Part of him wanted to argue with her and tell her that there were much better places nearby they could visit. Part of him wanted to give her some excuse for coming here. Hell, part of him wanted to simply turn around and walk away. But...how could he? He had managed to catch her expression when she turned to acknowledge him. She looked happy and excited...but it wasn't quite the same as when they had first started this trip. Back then she was also bouncing with anticipation. Now that she had arrived though...if she had been bright before, right now she was radiant. As if this was precisely what she was looking forward to this entire time. He took one more brief glance around. Would this really be okay? Any other girl wouldn't have made it past the front door, much less all the way to the counter. It was then he realized he had actually been left behind. Perhaps leaving wasn't such a bad idea after all.
"I want to see everything, of course! Like... um...the places with the best food! And fun places!~ Oh, and interesting places! Like places that are really pretty or that grant wishes or that have a story or... or..."
Or served oyakdon. He sighed and stepped forward. They had come this far. He may as well see it through till the end.
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Post by Yasuda Erina on Mar 23, 2016 16:03:23 GMT -6
Sinking into her little cushioned seat, Erina glanced back at the straggling Okazaki still making his way to the counter. Too slow, too slow! She flailed an arm at the chair beside her, urging him to hurry, as if another customer might swoop in and take it.
"Come on, sit down!" she called, giving the seat a tap before turning her attention back to the counter where a lone employee, a smiling middle-aged man, handed her a menu. She took it happily and without thought, immediately flipping it open and scanning the page. The selection was fairly standard- a variety of bowls and classic favorites, from basic ramen and curry to tonkatsu- but looked no less appetizing for it. Everything she liked was here! Beef bowl! Croquettes! Oyakodo-
"Ah, wait! I already know what I want, of course!" the girl giggled, playfully hitting the side of her head. How silly of her to forget! The excitement of a novel experience had swept her up, nearly washing away her memory of the very reason for her visit.
"I'd like an oyakodon, please~!" she chirped to the aproned worker, raising an arm as he passed again. The enthusiastic gesture caused the man to raise an eyebrow, though the expression on his face was one of amusement rather than judgment. "Right away, young lady," he obliged with a quiet chuckle and nod. "Order yours too, Okazaki-sempai!" she hastily added, poking at the boy's arm, anxious for the day's activities to officially begin.
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Post by Okazaki Tomoya on May 13, 2016 3:45:40 GMT -6
The cushioned seats had been handmade by his grandmother. Originally, they had only been used around the house - but as time passed, he wanted to give his restaurant that same, refined feeling he always felt in his grandmother's home. Unfortunately, this had meant much more use and thus, wear and tear had taken it's toll over the years. He was conflicted between throwing them out or repairing them...and his indecision had simply left them out for customers to continue using to this day. The calligraphy was actually his own - a trinket from his years in the Calligraphy Club. Though he couldn't paint nearly as well as he once had, he could still impress an untrained eye if given a brush and some paper. The cat statue was his wife's idea. "For Good Luck and Fortune" she had said. It had made sense at the time, for he was just beginning to open his shop...but now he was regretful for allowing it to become a staple of his small shop. Why? Because it stuck out like a sore thumb. It's age was now clearly showing as well...but he couldn't very well throw it out. Who's to say his success wasn't due to the cat? Who's to say he wouldn't lose everything the moment he threw it out? Because of all of this, however, he couldn't deny the age of his shop...and himself. He felt as if he was slowing down, and by extension so to was his restaurant. Were the customers dwindling? Or was that just his imagination? In an attempt to spruce up things he had bought several art pieces to hang on the wall, however due to his limited budget, really couldn't do much better then what was nearby and on sale. It was a hodgepodge of accessories and decorations...objectively he couldn't say it looked good. Or even passable. But it was all a part of him in one way or another, and what good was it to hate oneself? Still...he couldn't help but feel both him and his shop was missing something vital. Something his younger self would have discovered and fixed in days whereas his current self could only ponder and wander for years.
So when a duo of high school students entered his store, he felt a sudden conflict of emotions. Being a serviceman, he had become somewhat experienced at reading people based on their expressions...and the two that were fast approaching him seemed to be polar opposites. The girl seemed excited and bouncing with glee - it was as if she was a child entering a toy store. The boy, on the other hand, seemed to be in the middle of the spectrum between disappointed and disgusted. It was hard not to like the girl - he hadn't seen someone react to his store like that in years and her excitement seemed to give him energy he hadn't felt in a while. Whereas the boy...it reminded him of why he usually hated youths coming into his store. Always judging. Always commentating. It was like a group of tourists except they were here only to speak ill of the place. It was draining. As the girl commanded her companion to sit down beside her he relaxed slightly. At the very least, it seemed like the girl was leading the boy and in control of the conversation. Though it was strange, he was relieved that they were not only choosing to eat here, but seemed to do so with excitement and joy...or at least the one in charge was.
"I'd like an oyakodon, please~!"
Her smile was infectious. As she chirped up to order her dish. He couldn't help but smile ever so slightly before turning away to get started.
"Right away!"
It was rude of him to ignore the boy before starting her dish, but he feared if he responded to his order his face would betray his emotions and he would make a social blunder that was far worse then simply being overeager to start preparing their food. She then seemed to gesture to a certain 'Okazaki-sempai' to order as well. After some time had elapsed, the boy finally replied, wanting to order an oyakodon as well.
"Right away! Name for the order?"
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Post by Yasuda Erina on Jun 27, 2016 17:15:14 GMT -6
Erina kicked her feet happily from atop her chair, toes tapping the floor. As Okazaki placed his order, she leaned onto the counter, resting her head on her hands with a cheery smile. The worker, however, seemed to shift as he turned to the older boy, and for a moment, Erina's smile faltered. Was she imagining it, or was the waiter not being very nice to Okazaki? He wasn't doing anything particularly rude to him, but...
For a moment, her thoughts drifted back to the day Okazaki had "saved" her and the way her teacher's gaze had gone cold the moment he'd lain eyes on him. Suzume had mentioned something about him today too... It still puzzled her. Was everyone this way with him...? That would be too sad...
"And can I get your name for the order, young lady?"
"Yasuda Erina, class 1-A!" the girl blurted, jumping slightly as she was snapped from her thoughts. "Ah, no, I mean..."
She giggled at her own slip up, pushing her heavier thoughts away. The Hikarizaka oyakodon was almost within their reach! This was an exciting moment, and she'd make sure Okazaki enjoyed it as well!
"The order is for Yasuda and Okazaki too~!"
With that, she settled back into her seat, feet kicking happily again. However, a moment's pause allowed a new line of thought to sink into the girl's mind, and her feet slowed to a stop and quiet tap. Wait... Yasuda? And... Okazaki?
Hearing their family names spoken side by side felt somehow off, and she opened her mouth to wonder aloud what the reason might be, but the answer hit her immediately and came tumbling from her lips before the question could.
"Okazaki-sempai is my friend now, right? Right? So you should call me Erina-chan just like all my other friends do!"
She turned to tug excitedly at her upperclassman's sleeve, eager to hear a proper address. Somehow, it was hard to imagine Okazaki talking like that.
"Oh! And I should do it too, right? I should call y-"
Erina froze mid sentence, mouth still open as the words were lost on her tongue. For a moment, she simply stared at her companion blankly, expression unmoving as if someone had hit a pause button on the girl. Gradually, though, her face seemed to darken and her eyes slowly averted to the side as perspiration gathered at her forehead and a choked stuttering sound seemed to emit from her throat.
"Wh... what was... your given name again?"
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Post by Okazaki Tomoya on Dec 18, 2016 18:45:28 GMT -6
He bristled as the man turned away after taking only half of their order. Ordinarily wouldn't they get everyone's dish before starting to cook? Ordinarily any disrespect like this wouldn't phase the boy, however this was a new setting with new people. Nobody here should know who he is. Furthermore, poor service was a death sentence for any establishment, so even something as minor as this made seemed egregious. Worse still, it was difficult for him to read the man. He thought he saw him crack a smile when looking towards Erina, but he had barely even acknowledged him. At the very least, he had responded when he had ordered...but why not simply wait for him to order then? His instincts weren't screaming "danger" so much as "weird". Then again, when it came to Yasuda, nearly everything was different from the norm.
Tomoya's attention returned to the girl as her once satisfied expression slowly shifted to one of pondering. He raised an eyebrow at her, curious to see what realization she had just made. A part of him hoped it would be something silly and nonsensical to help him relax a bit. It was unlikely they were in any immediate danger, but he still couldn't shake his unease.
"Okazaki-sempai is my friend now, right? Right? So you should call me Erina-chan just like all my other friends do!"
*thump thump*
The slight tug from the sleeve was like a vice. It was a request that perfectly accentuated her innocence and he was convinced what she was suggesting meant something entirely different then the first thing that popped into his head. After all...it was just a name right? He maintained his composure, confident it was just another innocent request.
"Oh! And I should do it too, right? I should call y-"
...
*thump thump* *thump thump*
She had stopped. Why had she stopped? What was preventing her from finishing her sentence? Had she really realized the implication of her words? No...impossible. She had started with "like all of my other friends do"...so why was she stopping?
...
Why the blank expression?! Why the sudden hesitation?! Not after she had asked him to call her Erina-*chan*. She had even added the *chan*! Why the *chan*?! Talk. Say something. Say anything.
...
Oi Oi Oi why is she looking away?! Is she embarrassed?! Nervous?! Shy?! But she's never shy! Surely she had realized it...and she's going to go for it anyway?! Please don't say it. At least not in a place like this. Is this what she had meant by making memories?!
"Wh... what was... your given name again?"
His forehead slammed down on the table in front of him. His thoughts were now empty. His heart extinguished of emotion. His spirit spent. He wondered if he had died after all. After a few moments, while keeping his head glued to the table, he spoke in a monotone.
"Hello. I'm Okazaki Tomoya from class 3-D. It's nice to meet you. I hope to have a good year with you."
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Post by Yasuda Erina on Dec 23, 2016 12:26:03 GMT -6
Crash
The sound of her friend's forehead meeting the wooden counter made the girl start, and she rubbed the back of her head, smiling sheepishly. It wasn't her fault she forgot! Okazaki had told her his name only once a suuuuper long time ago! How was she supposed to remember it after two weeks? It was impossible! Totally, definitely impossible! She opened her mouth to repeat her question when he didn't respond immediately, but a flat voice finally spoke, muffled by the table he had plastered his face against.
"Hello. I'm Okazaki Tomoya from class 3-D. It's nice to meet you. I hope to have a good year with you."
Oh, yes, that was it! He was Okazaki Tomoya! Now she remembered! She clasped her hands together with renewed enthusiasm, quickly perking up again.
"Yes, let's have a good year, Tomoya-sempai~!"
The name rolled easily off her tongue, and she smiled at the sound of it. That was much better now, wasn't it? The awkward sounding distance in their speech she had noted just a moment ago felt smaller already!
"Hey, hey, get up~! It sounds good, right? That sounds more normal, right?"
She poked and tugged at his arm, urging him to respond.
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Post by Okazaki Tomoya on Jan 30, 2017 0:26:20 GMT -6
With all of the tension now gone, he realized how silly he had been. Though he couldn't have predicted her forgetting his name, a million other things were more likely to have been going through her head rather than something as far-fetched as confessing. So then why had he thought that? He wasn't sure. But he felt uncomfortable here. The setting. The chef. The mood. He didn't feel threatened...but as if he didn't belong here. Unwanted. Or at least...he had been feeling that way up until a few moments ago. Now he was just mentally berating himself for jumping to ridiculous conclusions. Perhaps that blonde-haired idiot was rubbing off on him after all.
He felt a prodding and tugging at his arm and moved his head slightly to look at her with one eye. She seemed a lot happier then he felt was warranted for such an occasion. Tomoya-sempai. Weird. Very, very weird. Depending on his relationship with another person he could understand if someone used -kun or -chan or -san in combination with his first name...but -sempai was a title he had given up on after his first year in high school. While every upperclassmen was a "sempai" to their underclassmen, it was usually a title used to denote respect. But who would respect a delinquent? Much less actively talk to one? Many might stick to protocol and simply call every upperclassmen with that title - like Yasuda may have done, but now that she was taking his first name and combining it with "Sempai"...it was strange. Far too strange. It gave him vague memories of his days in middle school. Especially his underclassmen in the basketball club. He never liked all of the honorifics himself, but they would still use it towards him without fail. Perhaps for their respect in his abilities? Who knows...it wasn't something he was particularly fond of dwelling on. They were memories associated with a past life. A life he painfully severed himself from.
Yet he smiled. For as painful as those memories were, he couldn't deny that there was a warmth for someone being so seemingly happy to call him that now. However, rather then admit that or answer her question honestly, he simply responded
"If you say so. But you can forget about the -chan."
He put emphasis at the end of his sentence...but he did not sound angry or annoyed. Simply resigned.
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Post by Yasuda Erina on Aug 9, 2017 2:34:13 GMT -6
A smile. That was a good thing, right? That meant Tomoya agreed this address was better, right? Yes, yes, with this their friendship was official!
"If you say so. But you can forget about the -chan."
"Ehhhhh? But it's not as cute then!" the girl responded in light protest, though her tone seemed conceding rather than argumentative. She supposed most boys weren't particularly interested in sounding cute... but still! If Erina wasn't Erina-chan, then what else would she be called?
"Cute girls should be called 'chan,' it's the law! They're going to arrest you!" she suddenly proclaimed matter-of-factly, pointing an accusing finger at her companion to punctuate her last statement.
Oh! Could she try to turn this into another trick? She had just said it without thinking, but, maybe...!
"Eheheh~"
But with a single giggle, the freshman broke character, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head, amused by her own words. Ah, she could be so silly sometimes!
"I guess they can't make a law like that, right? And I don't want you to be arrested, of course~!"
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Post by Okazaki Tomoya on Aug 20, 2017 21:24:15 GMT -6
"I guess they can't make a law like that, right? And I don't want you to be arrested, of course~!"
Oh yes...not anymore at least. Once there was such a law - a strict one, that enforced the use of proper honorifics. The punishment? Death. However that all changed with the Catastrophe Of 1947...
His mind wandered off with a new fantastical tale to fool her with and a wry smile threatened to show itself, but he resisted the urge to present his fairy tale. He had embarrassed her in front of a complete stranger just a little while back - anymore pranks for the day would have been cruel. Besides...for him to pull off a story like that would assume he actually paid attention in class. He wasn't even aware of what happened yesterday much less recall some outdated law from over 50 years ago. He didn't want to give her the impression he had the academic knowledge befitting of a third year. Partially because it was patently false, but partially because he didn't want to give her any bright ideas to come to him for assistance with any History homework. He cringed at the possibility of her asking him for help studying for a test only for him to deny her due to his own...inadequacy.
Slam
He jumped as a bowl suddenly appeared in front of him - accompanied by cold, professional glance by the chef. Tomoya didn't have enough time to recover to give a response before the man shifted his attention towards Erina, his face immediately turning gentle and a warm smile appearing on his face.
"Here you go young lady - one fresh order of oyakodon. You even get the special bowl for being our hundredth customer of the day!"
His obvious favoritism towards her perturbed him more then it probably should have; he had grown used to such things by now. She was bright and colorful and cheerful, while he was cynical, dull, and grey by comparison. Taking a moment to analyze the chef's face, at the very least it didn't seem like there was any nefarious intent behind his warmness towards Erina...and yet, he couldn't help but want to punch the man in the face. He glanced at his own, smaller and simpler bowl...was this really safe for him to eat?
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Post by Yasuda Erina on Aug 29, 2017 2:45:33 GMT -6
Tomoya wasn't saying anything! Usually he would say something weird right now, wouldn't he? Erina gave him a curious glance, awaiting a reaction, but the silence was broken by the slamming of porcelain against wood. The sound made her jump, and she even let out a small squeak, but before she could contemplate the harshness of the chef's actions, he turned toward her with a kind smile. Instinctively, she returned the gesture with her usual enthusiasm.
"Here you go young lady - one fresh order of oyakodon. You even get the special bowl for being our hundredth customer of the day!"
"Ah! I got something?!"
Immediately, the girl's gaze dropped from the chef to the dish he had placed before her, and the sight made her swell, eyes glistening and grin spreading so wide it threatened to engulf her entire face. The food itself looked appetizing and quite cute in its own right - the egg was soft, and the light steam that rose from the dish gave her a pleasant, comforting feeling - but the bowl! Pale pink, scattered with a cherry blossom design... Ah! There was a white rabbit dashing across one side of it! Yes, now she was certain! This was definitely, definitely it!
"Look, look! I was right, it's the Hikarizaka Oyakodon!" Erina exclaimed, turning to Tomoya to tap excitedly on his shoulder, other hand vigorously jabbing in the direction of the bowl with her finger. "I was right, it was here after all~!"
Giddy, she turned her attention back to the chef.
"Thank you so, so, soooo much! This is the cutest oyakodon ever! It's cute right, Tomoya-sempai? Right, right?"
Her excitement was uncontainable, and she seemed unable to wait for an answer before continuing.
"And if this is the Hikarizaka Oyakodon, then the rabbit is the Hikarizaka mascot~! Ah, it should have a name, right? Hmm... But I can't think of anything cute enough!"
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Post by Okazaki Tomoya on Aug 31, 2017 0:31:40 GMT -6
He didn't feel welcome here. The gaze of the chef as he rudely slammed the bowl in front of him was still on his mind. He had given him a cold look. A look he would recognize anywhere. Dismissive. The chef had still acted professionally, so the glance had not evolved to outright disgust...but he could still feel the intent. It dawned on him that he could simply get up and leave - without eating, or paying for, his food and the chef wouldn't mind. He might even prefer that. The rebel in Tomoya compelled him act on this realization...but he held back. He couldn't do that to Yas-...Erina. He took a moment to mentally correct himself, as the habit of thinking of her as "Yasuda" had become second-nature to him. He couldn't simply leave her after coming this far. He had promised a reward. He had promised her an adventure. In truth, it was likely he would only be able to fulfill one of those promises.
"Ah! I got something?!"
Or...perhaps not. Perhaps she would accept this willingly and gracefully, as she had accepted so many things in the past. As she accepted him. It was strange. The effect she had on him. Despite his newfound resentment towards the chef, her sudden excitement set him at ease again.
"Look, look! I was right, it's the Hikarizaka Oyakodon!"
And just like that, it all melted away. The patrons...the chef...even the run down surroundings and faded colors. They all disappeared from view and from thought. His entire focus was on her. Erina and her bowl. The bowl she had been looking for from the start of their adventure.
"I was right, it was here after all~!"
It was a miracle in a way. He hadn't even come to the right place...and yet here it was. A bowl that not only qualified as being "cute", but that she wholeheartedly accepted as being the Oyakodon. He wondered if he had stumbled on another one of those "weird statue" memories that she would care enough to remember to share with others around her.
"Thank you so, so, soooo much! This is the cutest oyakodon ever! It's cute right, Tomoya-sempai? Right, right?"
Truthfully, it was a bit overwhelming for him. The gratitude. The joy. She was far happier then he could have ever imagined, given the circumstances. Erina was a happy person in general, so her bubbly nature should have come to no surprise to him. Yet somehow, despite how often she was happy and excited, she seemed to always catch him off guard when he least expected it. This was one such time. Here, he had brought a girl, for what could have very well been called a date, to a beat up, run down restaurant that no other student would be caught dead in. All of this after publicly humiliating her in front of a stranger and generally making her life difficult before even getting here...and this was the genuine praise he was receiving. No hint of sarcasm. No hidden resentment, malice, or disappointment. Just joy. Genuine elation. While this was supposed to be a quest to find a special memory for her, it was likely it would become one for him as well.
"...yeah. It is."
He was smiling. It was a soft, gentle smile...but it was genuine. For that moment his facade had faded away and his emotions were showing plainly on his face. Happiness.
"And if this is the Hikarizaka Oyakodon, then the rabbit is the Hikarizaka mascot~! Ah, it should have a name, right? Hmm... But I can't think of anything cute enough!"
He glanced at the chef for the first time since receiving his food. The chef seemed to be surprised as well, though unlike Tomoya, his expression was muted and he managed to maintain his aura of professionalism. What was strange though was that he had been looking at him instead of Erina, the one who actually deserved the attention. Tomoya allowed his mask to fall back in place before speaking directly to the man:
"Well, you heard her. Does it have a name?"
It was a very blunt question, but his tone held neither anger nor aggression. It was neutral, as if it was only natural for the chef to have already come up with a name for the bunny. This, of course, was not the case, but, to Tomoya's surprise, the man took a moment to think on the question before finally answering with a short nod. His response was soft. Almost a whisper.
"...Aoi. Her name is Aoi." [End]
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