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Post by hoodwink on Aug 28, 2020 2:29:05 GMT -5
”We could power a ship with the amount of energy you have, Henoke.” Yuto’s comment brought a bold smile to the teen’s face as he elbowed him lightly. ”When you’re at the beach, the best thing to do is have a swim.” Henoke grimaced a bit, though would never openly admit to being nervous in the water. His pride wouldn’t allow it. ”I’ll race ya, if you want.” Not wanting to blow his own cover, Henoke gave a sheepish grin as he scratched at the back of his head. ”Er…yeah, maybe…” Thankfully, Yuto brought up the Chocobos once more, allowing Henoke a moment of respite. ”I would do it, but…” It sounded like the Chocobo’s that Henoke and Yuto would be able to borrow weren’t really cut out for ‘races’. ”In any case…we all agree on goin’ to the beach tomorrow, right?” Everyone nodded in agreement, seemingly content with the plan. Henoke felt his excitement resurface as he thought of relaxing in the sunshine with everyone.
As Tori, Neku and Mei began to list off the things they could bring, Henoke couldn’t help but feel a little bad at having nothing to offer in return. He didn’t even have any Munny on him to help out with the cost of stuff. ”We all bring our towels, so don’t forget it.” Tori was quick to remind Neku that some of them weren’t equipped with anything but the clothing on their backs. ”I’ve got some to spare. I’ll bring them along.” Grateful for Mei’s quick recovery, Henoke couldn’t help but give her a faint smile as he nodded in thanks—it seemed she was always willing to help out, from what he had seen from the groups back and forth. ”I’ll be headin’ off, then.” Waving goodbye as Neku departed, Henoke couldn’t help but feel the mercenary was similar to him—especially around having enough energy to power a ship.
”Heh—we should help too, Yuto.” Though Tori had already offered to help with the cooking, Mei had mentioned not being against having extra help. ”How ‘bout it, Mei? Got room for two more in the kitchen?” Henoke hoped Yuto didn’t mind him volunteering both of them. If his friend really had other things he wanted to attend to, he wouldn’t hold it against him. It was all in good fun, after all.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
Gender: Male
Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Aug 28, 2020 3:55:47 GMT -5
Yuto snickered as Henoke elbowed him. They all had a friendly dynamic going on, it was comfortable. Even as they were making plans for the next day, everything flowed so easily that one could mistake all of them for old friends.
”I would do it, but…” He listened to Neku's explanation, waving off yet another apology with a smile. "If we have time, I'd love to. Beach first though." His comment along with nods from everyone else cemented tomorrow as a beach day. Almost immediately, the three started making an itinerary while Yuto and Henoke stood there. 'Well, glad to see the coordination.' He smiled at the thought. It was hard not to appreciate how well the three of them worked together.
”I’ll be headin’ off, then.” Yuto waved goodbye and turned to the remaining group. ”Heh—we should help too, Yuto.” He nodded. He enjoyed cooking, especially now that he had to do it more often than not. "Any thoughts on what we're gonna make, Mei?" Anything sounded good to Yuto, and he was more than happy to help prep whatever was needed.
Before he could ask any more questions about food, a thought struck him. "We're assuming that everyone has some form of swimwear, aren't we? Cause I don't." He didn't even think he could find any back home. 'Damn. Ah well, it happens.'
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 28, 2020 4:32:22 GMT -5
After biding Neku goodbye, Mei turned back towards the other three, noting how Henoke and Yuto were willing to help. Smiling caringly, she nodded, a faint blush still in her cheeks. Even after opening to the two, it seemed like her overall personality would inevitably step in even if she felt comfortable.
"I was thinking sweet pork with rice and vegetables…” Mei thought aloud as she answered Yuto’s question, “Y’know —something that could give us enough energy to spend the whole day at the beach, without needing much else.” “Do you need to go buy at the market, then?” Tori asked. “Might have to. I don’t think I have enough meat for all 5 of us…” “Then… We make our way through the market before heading to your place… That about it?”
Nodding once again, Mei began to head that way, Tori gesturing for the other two to follow before they got lost. "We're assuming that everyone has some form of swimwear, aren't we?” Yuto’s sudden question fell onto the two girls, who turned back to face him with genuine shock. Tori tried to muffle a laugh soon after, having realized the issue.
Of course they wouldn’t have swimwear!
“Shoot, that’s something I overlooked…” she snickered, “Sorry…” “You don’t think Neku thought of it?” Mei asked, calmly. “Doubt it, but… Then again, he’s not unlikely to bring a spare. So maybe he can borrow a swimsuit to one of you. Although… Guessing by build and stuff… Yuto’s gonna be the one in needs to buying one. Sorry, Yuto. I'll help you if you need to, though.”
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 28, 2020 4:56:57 GMT -5
”I was thinking sweet pork with rice and vegetables…” Mei’s thinking aloud brought Henoke to cloud nine. With sparkles in his eyes, the teen seemed to get a dreamy look on his face as he went stiff for a moment. ”You mean it?!” He’d get to eat pork TWICE in a row?! Was he dreaming?! Pinching at his arm through his jacket sleeve, Henoke blinked in surprise as he realized he was indeed awake. ”This is gonna be awesome!” Pumping a fist in the air, it seemed the teen had no worries about tomorrow anymore. ”Then we make our way through the market before heading to your place…that about it?” Oh man! He’d even get to check out the fresh cuts?! ”We’re assuming that everyone has some form of swimwear, aren’t we?”
Yuto’s question caused Henoke to pause, blinking in confusion for a moment before remembering why they were making pork. Oh yeah! The beach… It seemed he had gotten rather carried away in his love for food. ”Shoot, that’s something I overlooked…” Henoke merely shrugged, not having thought much of it. He and Tori had already gone swimming before in their normal clothes—not that he planned on doing much swimming to begin with. ”You don’t think Neku thought of it?” The teen smirked a bit, hearing Tori’s doubt around Neku’s foresight. ”Then again, he’s not unlikely to bring a spare.” Sighing a bit, Henoke scratched at the back of his head while giving Mei and Tori a seemingly conflicted look. ”Sorry you both gotta figure so much stuff out for us.”
Seemingly recovering his energetic attitude within the same breath, Henoke gave the girls a broad smile before thumping a fist against his chest. ”I’ll make sure to make it up to ya in the kitchen! And while we’re shoppin’!” Other than knowing a good cut of pork, the teen was pretty strong, able to be a more than efficient pack mule. Resting his hands behind his head, Henoke was thankful that Yuto was there with him. It felt less bad being the outsider who needed to rely on the locals when you weren’t alone in that category. Glancing over at his friend, Henoke gave the guy a ‘thumbs up’ and a reassuring smile. ”Heh—we’ll find you a kickass swimsuit, too, Yuto!” Then again…maybe Henoke’s fashion taste wasn’t something to be desired. Not that the teen would have any idea—he always just grabbed whatever he liked and felt comfortable.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
Gender: Male
Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Aug 28, 2020 13:08:20 GMT -5
”I was thinking sweet pork with rice and vegetables…” Yuto nodded along. It sounded like a solid choice, and would definitely keep for the day. ”This is gonna be awesome!” He could see Henoke doing everything but jumping for joy. 'Guess food's the way to get his attention.' The man stifled a laugh at his friend's reaction.
“Shoot, that’s something I overlooked…” He shrugged, he was pretty sure they had all overlooked it until he said something. Guessing by build and stuff… Yuto’s gonna be the one in needs to buying one. Sorry, Yuto. I'll help you if you need to, though.” Yuto waved off the statement with a good-natured laugh. "Y'all gotta stop apologizing so much, I don't mind. Seriously."
He would prefer to buy his own anyway. It would be a nice memento of his time here. ”Heh—we’ll find you a kickass swimsuit, too, Yuto!” The man smiled at Henoke's offer to help him shop. "You bet, man!" He looked over to Tori and Mei. "Well, looks like we're going on a shopping spree!" He was only partially joking. They did need to buy more than they first thought, however. "So, which way ladies?"
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 28, 2020 13:27:16 GMT -5
Mei and Tori both laughed after seeing Henoke’s expression, Tori mostly. It was amusing to see just how enthused food, of all things got him. Still smiling, Mei giggled, first time ever seeing him like that, although that was to be expected.
“You like it that much, huh?” Mei asked, still blushing faintly, “Then… I’ll make sure to make it extra special!” “Don’t pamper him too much, please…” Tori teased, glancing over as she turned to hit the road towards the market. “Why not?” Mei asked, catching up Tori. Seeing she received no reply, Mei began to pressure a bit, “C’mon, tell me~!” “Figure it out yourself” Tori dismissed with a laugh.
Mei laughed along, as the two led Henoke and Yuto through town, the mood being a bright one for the group. The town’s ambiance was also one full of cheerfulness, with people calmly chatting by with one another, or sharing drinks amongst loud cheers.
The market wouldn’t be too far from where they were, a simple long street stretching out past the Plaza. Full of stands and shops, with people walking by and checking the merchandise. It ranged from fruit stands to some of the shops selling accessories or simple jewelry, with people hoping by one after the other in an orderly fashion. Knowing what she needed to buy, Mei headed straight for the stands she needed to go to.
She first headed to the butcher, taking her time to pick the best cut she knew, and paying from her own pocket. Not that she minded it, as she was willing to make the best for their special day.
“Hmm…” after finishing the purchase, she looked around, thoughtful. “What is it?” Tori asked. “I’m trying to see if there’s anything else I’m missing… I think I have enough to make sweet pork, but…” “You’re saying you want to do something else?” “I wouldn’t mind it. For now, though… I’ve got what I need. Unless someone’s got a suggestion…” she asked, tilting her head towards the two guys.
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 28, 2020 14:03:20 GMT -5
”You like it that much, huh?” Henoke’s wide smile remained on his face as he nodded, his eyes still filled with stars and dreams of sizzling meat. ”Don’t pamper him too much, please…” Shaking the dreamy look off of his face, Henoke smirked at Tori as he rested his hands behind his head. ”Well, looks like we’re going on a shopping spree!” Yuto’s comment brought out a laugh from him, glad to see his friend was excited to hit the Marketplace. Following Tori and Mei away from the fountain, Henoke found himself enchanted by the cheer in town. With others relaxing or enjoying themselves, the settling dusk felt light and welcoming, rather than warning of the days end. ”Oh, woah!” Henoke’s eyes widened as they reached the market, a long street stretched full with stands and shops—more in one place than the teenager had ever seen. His own home world had had a small market section, but there hadn’t been nearly as many shops—or people.
During the groups shopping, it would certainly take some effort for Henoke to follow along undisturbed, being easily distracted by all of the different wares. Thankfully he wasn’t as thankless a person as to forget that Mei and Tori were doing him a huge favor here, so he forced himself to stay on target despite the difficulty. Following to the butcher shop, Henoke couldn’t help but get excited all over again as they browsed and found the right cuts. ”I’m trying to see if there’s anything else I’m missing…I think I have enough to make sweet pork, but…” His pork senses were tingling. This is…!! The moment of truth. What would set him apart from any filthy casual. Holding up a raised fist, the teen seemed to gaze up at the stars as he made his decision. This is why I was brought here! To show his friends the beauty of a new sweet and spicy pork dish!
”Mei!” An earnest look seemed to come across his face as his golden eyes fixed on her. They were already on an island that had appeared tropical in some areas—and the tavern from before had proved that this island certainly held some serious spices. ”I know just the recipe!” Almost as though an artist possessed by inspiration, Henoke scanned the stalls and shops, looking for any signs of what they would need. ”We just need some fruit that has a bite to it—like pineapple! Does that grow here? Eh…anythin’ citrus should work fine though.” Waving a hand, the teen wore a confident grin. ”I’m sure chili’s won’t be hard to find, either…gotta make it kick, y'know?” Forgetting that he himself had little to no Munny to work with—Henoke suddenly blinked in surprise as he remembered, growing a sheepish look as he turned away, visibly staggering.
”Er…On second thought…” Maybe he had gotten too excited. He didn’t want to make his friends shell out too much, after all. ”Forget I said anythin’. Sorry.” Sighing a bit, he scratched at the back of his head, annoyed at having such little funds of his own. He’d need to start working soon after the beach trip.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
Gender: Male
Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Aug 28, 2020 15:59:32 GMT -5
Yuto followed his friends through the marketplace. 'Reminds me a bit of home.' He was comforted by the familiar atmosphere, which was accented by the twilight of dusk. He kept an eye out for a shop that sold beach supplies. His attention was immediately taken by the smell. Meat, and lots of it, were out for display. Yuto felt his mouth start to water, even though he ate not too long ago. It was hard to not just try and grab everything he could carry and portal out of there.
”I’m trying to see if there’s anything else I’m missing…I think I have enough to make sweet pork, but…” Yuto didn't even have to look over to Henoke to know his reaction. After dinner, he could guess how much his friend liked pork. ”Mei! I know just the recipe!” Yuto laughed. It was almost like it was timed. ”We just need some fruit that has a bite to it..."
Yuto walked up next to the excited teen as he was going through ingredients they would need for a sweet and spicy dish. "Well, if it's sweet with a bite, we can use something like sweet apples or something similar and ad the rind of a lemon or a lime for the bite if we make it part of the sauce if we make it into a reduction." He was on a roll now. As soon as ideas started flowing, they didn't stop with him. It didn't matter what it was about, if his mind started working it didn't stop. "Now for spice, we would need something with a decent amount of capsaicin. Depending on how hot you wanted it to be, of course. Granted we could just cook that as a sauce too, so people could have as much or little as they wanted."
He started to trail off, mumbling things about needing to make more than one sauce, and what other things could be added to offset things. It was only after Henoke made his apology to the girls that Yuto snapped back to reality. "Oh, uh, sorry about that. I kinda got excited about the whole cooking thing." He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "I'll pay for the stuff I'd use though if it's to much trouble."
He was genuinely excited to cook something now. Henoke's energy on this was infectious, and he wanted to see what his friend would come up with.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 28, 2020 16:20:20 GMT -5
Giggling with some unease, being taken aback by the sudden enthusiasm, Mei smiled. Tori rolled her eyes, already seeing the reaction from a mile away. At least, Henoke’s reaction, since she already knew his favorite dish. Yuto’s on the other hand, was completely unexpected.
"Well, if it's sweet with a bite, we can use something like sweet apples or something similar…” Yuto went on a roll, and Tori was unable to keep up. Mei, on the other hand, was more than interested, listening as he pointed out what could work. She wished she could write it down, in case she wanted to try it later, but it wasn’t because her memory was bad. Rather, she wanted to keep it in case someone else wanted to share tips with her.
Their sudden apology was unnecessary, and Mei had already caught up on it. Waving her hand calmly while shaking her head, she dismissed them.
“It’s okay” she replied, “I’m kinda shocked to see how eager you two are…” “Yeah, I’m… not gonna follow that…” Tori chimed in with unease, “You two are really eager, though, huh?” “Still… We could make part of it spicy… Neku likes it that way, and given the suggestions… You two are also into it, huh?” “You don’t mind?” “If it was just one dish, maybe, but since it’s 5… I can make us sweet, and for the rest spicy. If that’s the case, though, I do need to buy the spices.” “You’re the chef…”
Mei giggled once more, nodding and heading for the next shop. Given how eager all three of them were, Tori didn’t bother asking Yuto to come along so that they could get him swimwear. All three were waiting to get cooking, once their shopping spree was done. She sighed, shaking her head, yet an amused smile drawn on her lips.
“They really want this…”
She couldn’t blame them, one bit. In fact, Tori was also guilty of wanting to spend some time alongside friends. Knowing Henoke’s past, and guessing Yuto’s by just analyzing his actions, it felt right to allow them some moments to enjoy.
By the next stand —where they sold what spices Mei needed, along some other things like rice, or noddles—, Mei looked around, trying to remember which things were best for what. After a bit, she bought what she needed, and turned towards the group.
“Okay, I’m all set!” she cheered, “Now… We need to help Yuto get swimwear, right? Would… That take long?” “Can’t say” Tori shrugged, “It depends on how quick he’s to decide what he wants.” “Right… Then… We should stick together.” “This way, then.”
Tori led the way, to a nearby shop selling beach supplies as well as swimwear. Mei carried the bags herself, not really heavy for her at all. She began to look around, as beach balls, towels, parasols and all sorts of things sprawled at them once they entered the shop.
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 28, 2020 16:57:59 GMT -5
Yuto’s additional suggestions took Henoke by surprise, not having known his friend was such an avid cook. ”Hey, you know your stuff!” With a proud grin, the teen fist-bumped his friend with newfound respect. ”I’ll pay for the stuff I’d use though if it’s too much trouble.” Henoke staggered a bit, the embarrassment of being broke only stinging his pride more as Yuto’s ramble was at least justified by his wallet. ”It’s okay, I’m kinda shocked to see how eager you two are…” It seemed to be something else the two friends had in common, bringing a smirk to Henoke’s face as he rested his hands on his hips. Hearing Mei agree to adding some additional ingredients, Henoke cheered and pumped a fist as he followed them deeper into the Market.
”Okay, I’m all set!” The additional stand hadn’t taken too much extra time—as Henoke and Yuto were sure to aid Mei in finding the things they were talking about. ”Now…we need to help Yuto get swimwear, right?” Though he had intended to help her carry everything, Mei seemed to not be struggling with the bags. His pride still stinging from the blatant reminder of being a mooch, Henoke offered out a hand with a somewhat embarrassed look, averting eye-contact. ”Er…here, lemme grab that. It’s the least I can do, y’know?” If she really was adamant on carrying the bags herself, he wouldn’t argue—but something about watching her lug around all of the extra things they had added on didn’t sit well with him.
Following Tori’s lead to the nearby shop, Henoke couldn’t help but grin foolishly as he gazed around at all of the beach supplies. ”They got everythin’ here, huh?” All of the items made the place seem so full, making the teen unsure of where to start. Shrugging a bit, he figured he’d follow Tori’s lead, who knew the shop better than any of them. Once they’d find the swimwear, Henoke would grin at Yuto and give the guy a thumbs up. ”I’ll let you know if anything stands out to me.” With that, the teen was looking through the options, shaking his head every so often before finally shouting out and holding up a pair of swim trunks for Yuto to see. ”Hey, check it out!” They were a deep purple, an indigo flannel checkered design over the base color towards the bottom of the short legs. Together, the colors resembled the same shades of a night sky. There was a black logo on the upper thigh that Henoke couldn’t read, but the color complimented the others.
”It’s kinda like your shirt, right?!” Henoke smiled at his friend, seemingly having taken Yuto’s own current fashion style into account.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
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Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Aug 28, 2020 17:48:32 GMT -5
Mei's kindness and accommodation gave Yuto pause. He was so used to doing things for himself and others that he didn't even think there would be someone who would do something similar, except maybe for his friend Nox. He shook off the feeling as he followed the group to a shop that sold beach stuff.
The man looked through what was available, nothing really sticking out to him. 'Worst case, I just go in my clothes.' After a few minutes of looking, Yuto heard Henoke call over to him. ”Hey, check it out!” The swimwear the teen held up was fairly close in style to what he normally wore. He walked over and looked at the trunks with an appreciative smile. "Yo, this is really cool. Just sad that indigo's not my color." He scanned the section for something similar, his gaze falling on exactly what he was looking for.
"Perfect!" The man pulled out a pair of trunks that were the same deep purple with the same black insignia, but instead of indigo flannel pattern the purple was off-set by a bright lime green. "Well, I'm set. is there anything else we need?"
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 28, 2020 18:03:28 GMT -5
”Er…here, lemme grab that.”
Mei was caught off-guard by Henoke’s offer, but smiled a bit shyly as she noticed his embarrassed look. Giggling a bit, she nodded, accepting the offer calmly.
“Thank you” she said, handing over one of the bags, “It helps, really.”
Inside the shop, it was calm, other than Henoke and Yuto picking up the latter’s swimwear. It didn’t take long for Yuto to decide on what to get, and then asking if they needed anything else. Tori thought a bit, before glancing over at Henoke with an impish smile.
“Well… Henoke doesn’t have his own, does he?” she teased, “Since we’re at it, why not buy him a pair? Just in case Neku doesn’t bring a spare with him.” “You really don’t think Neku’ll bring a spare?” Mei asked, sighing, “You don’t trust him at all, then…” “You never know” Tori’s tone —a playful and mischievious one— caught Mei’s attention once more, “For all we know, Neku’s only got one pair for himself. Wouldn’t it be a shame, then, if Henoke’s gotta stay out just because he doesn’t have swimming trunks?”
Noting the playfulness of Tori’s actions, Mei giggled softly. She knew her friend was openly teasing the orange-haired boy, but couldn’t help but laugh at it. Even though Mei herself didn’t know Henoke very well (or Yuto, for that matter), the dynamic they all had with one another was too much to ignore.
A group of friends, even if they hadn’t known each other for long.
“Come on, Henoke” Tori said, walking towards him and poking him, teasing, “Which one’s your style? You can’t just pick for someone else and not pick one for yourself… Right?”
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 28, 2020 19:41:56 GMT -5
Hearing that Indigo wasn’t really Yuto’s vibe, Henoke shrugged, placing the item back where he found it. Thankfully his friend found something rather quickly that suited his tastes, bringing a smile to the teen’s face as he gave Yuto a thumbs up. ”Nice! That was easy!” Still carrying a bag for Mei, Henoke rested his free hand on his hip, seemingly feeling accomplished at how quickly they got everything done. ”Well…Henoke doesn’t have his own, does he?” Tori’s comment caught the teen off-guard, causing him to visibly stagger a bit as a vaguely nervous look came over his face. Shit, she caught on!!! He was so close to being able to weasel out of swimming, too! ”Wouldn’t it be a shame, then, if Henoke’s gotta stay out just because he doesn’t have swimming trunks?”
Sweat dripped from his forehead for a moment as he took a step back from her. ”Come on, Henoke. Which one’s your style?” Tori was clearly enjoying herself at his expense, though he couldn’t admit in front of everyone that he didn’t like the water! It was too embarrassing! ”D-don’t be stupid…” Swatting her poking finger away, the teen scratched at his cheek sheepishly as he looked away, trying to sound nonchalant. ”I just don’t want anyone spendin’ more Munny on me, is all…” It was a blatant lie—one he knew Tori would see through, but that he hoped helped him save face in front of Yuto and Mei. ”I’m sure he’ll remember!” He really hoped Neku didn't remember. Giving a nervous chuckle, Henoke waved a hand as he fumbled at switching topics.
”H-hey, don’t we gotta get cookin’? If we’re goin’ to Mei’s place, we don’t wanna keep her up late…” Lifting the bag of groceries he carried, the teen sighed in relief as he finally managed a subpar excuse. At the end of the day though, Henoke was a prideful 17 year old. If he did buy a swimsuit, everyone would see how bad at swimming he was. In that regard, he was much like a normal teenager, not wanting to ruin any image he might have for himself.
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
Gender: Male
Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Aug 28, 2020 21:35:32 GMT -5
”Nice! That was easy!” Yuto laughed a bit. He had always been easy to shop for. ”Well…Henoke doesn’t have his own, does he...Come on, Henoke. Which one’s your style?” Yuto looked over, hearing Henoke getting teased. ”D-don’t be stupid…I’m sure he’ll remember!” He could tell by the teen's tone something was off.
"Hey, I'm pretty sure Neku has more than one pair of trunks. Worst case, we ask him to go back and grab one." He wrapped an arm around Henke's shoulder. "Besides, the guy's right. We got a decent amount of prep we gotta do if we wanna get all the cooking done at a decent hour." He headed for the door, bringing Henoke with him.
After he made sure they were safely through the doors and out of earshot, he released the teen. "Hey, you alright? This isn't the first time the thought of swimming made you act funny." He hoped that they were good enough friends that Henoke would be comfortable enough talking to him about stuff other than fighting and good food. He wouldn't be insulted if the teen didn't want to talk about it. Yuto's main goal was to get his friend out of there before it got any further.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 29, 2020 2:44:28 GMT -5
Tori clicked her tongue, somewhat disappointed that no one had followed. Still, Henoke had taken the bait, and it was amusing enough. Seeing how Yuto came to his rescue somewhat killed the mood, since Tori knew the reason why Henoke had gotten nervous. It was fun while it lasted, at least.
She paid for the stuff before following outside, Mei quick behind her. Hopefully, they had given enough time for the two guys to settle things up. Mei was leading the way once more, from the market street up towards her home, which was at the base of the mountain, where the nicer places of town settled. At a distance, they could see polished stone houses, much nicer and pleasant than the ones in town.
“It’s this way” Mei indicated.
The way to Mei’s house would be an easy one, giving room to anything that the others wanted to tackle. Mei herself was silent, looking forward to cooking with the others and enjoying some time with friends. Tori noticed it, smiling as she did so.
It had been a while since any of them had a “normal” hang-out.
As the two girls began to slow down, Henoke and Yuto could see what was Mei’s house. A nice street greeted them, lamps lighting up as the sun was setting steadily. A white façade was the first thing they could see, nice flowed decorating the floor at the entrance —just a few bushes, nothing much. Being fairly high up, if one were to turn back, they could see the town spreading at the mountain's feet, slowly lighting up to greet the incomming night. Mei unlocked the door with the help of a key, entering without any worries while inviting the others in.
“Sis, I’m home!” she shouted, trying to see if anyone was there. No answer, “…Sis?” “Maybe she’s asleep?” Tori asked, a bit jokingly. “Can’t say…” Mei sighed, taking her shoes off before entering properly, “She has been busy lately… A lot more than usual.”
Tori huffed a bit, taking her shoes of as well, while pointing at the two to do the same. In the meantime, having taken her shoes off, Mei had headed inside, placing the bag she’d been carrying in a counter, looking at the stairs leading to a second floor.
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 29, 2020 10:46:41 GMT -5
”The guy’s right. We got a decent amount of prep we gotta do if we wanna get all the cooking done at a decent hour.” Henoke grinned as it seemed his excused had worked—though he felt a little bad about making Yuto come to his aid. Steered towards the door by his friend, the teen was mentally cheering in victory as he turned to wink and stick his tongue out at Tori over his shoulder. Ha ha! You’ll never defeat me! His confidence and bravado were soon deflated, as it seemed Yuto had noticed something was off. ”Tch—so you didn’t buy it, huh?” Sighing a bit, Henoke scratched at his cheek, clearly embarrassed as he came to terms with the fact that Yuto most likely wouldn’t make fun of him for what he was about to disclose. ”It’s nothin’ major…I’m just...k-kind've a sucky swimmer...is all.”
Still looking somewhat embarrassed, Henoke chuckled as he scratched at the back of his head with another sigh. ”I grew up inland, so it’s not like I ever did a lot o’ swimmin’ as a kid…” Shrugging a bit, Henoke’s usual bravado returned as he smirked and gave his friend a fist bump. ”Thanks—though Tori didn’t mean any harm by it. She’s just seen me swim is all, and knows I wanna keep it on the down low.” A faint smile came to his face as he glanced over his shoulder as Tori and Mei were returning. Heh—I’m glad she’s having fun. It was nice to see her enjoying herself, after everything they had been through recently. As the girls returned, Henoke would once again offer to help with carrying the purchased items, following Tori and Mei with Yuto out of the shop and back through the town.
”It’s this way.” The walk there was short, the settling dusk breeze cool and refreshing. Henoke found himself with a goofy smile as they walked, in high spirits once more. Once they reached Mei’s house, the teen stopped for a moment to appreciate the flowers around it before heading in, remembering how his own house had similar decorations around them. ”Sis, I’m home!” Mei seemed a little disappointed when there was no answer, though Tori seemed pretty sure they'd be asleep. ”She has been busy lately…a lot more than usual.” After following Tori's direction and removing his own shoes, the teen walked through the cozy living space towards the counter that separated the kitchen. Though he was about to ask Mei what her sister was like, she went off upstairs—most likely to check for her.
Smiling a bit as she went on ahead, Henoke wondered what it was like having a sibling. Though he didn’t have any of his own, the teen thought back on his own memories, deciding that Shiki would be the closest thing he had to one. ”Alright! Let’s get to it!” With a wide grin on his face, he removed the bandanna around his neck and tied it around his head, to make sure no hair or sweat would fall into the food he’d be preparing. Henoke figured he could at least help set up some stuff for when Mei got back, wanting to make it easier on her since she had offered up her own Munny and house for all of this. It felt a little nostalgic, though he had never been inside this place—as it reminded him of his own home. After pulling off his jacket and draping it over a chair, Henoke would wash his hands in the kitchen basin before he pulled out the ingredients from the bags and would work with Yuto and Tori to help wash and dry the vegetables, meat and begin setting up everything they would need to get started!
[[*Cue cooking show soundtrack*]]
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
Gender: Male
Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Aug 29, 2020 14:44:37 GMT -5
Yuto snickered a bit at Henoke's confession, more out of relief than anything else. "Hey, don't sweat the small stuff." He put his hands on his hips and stretched"Honestly though, I'm glad it's just that and not something major.". It would be a complete lie if he said he didn't think it was a more drastic issue.
He waited for the girls to come out before continuing on with the group to Mei's house. “It’s this way” He followed the girls to a white building on a rather nice street. Entering, he followed everyone else's lead and kicked off his sneakers before setting foot in the house proper.
As Mei called for her sister Yuto followed Henoke's lead, tying his hair back. Everything except the blond strip. It never stayed in his ponytail. He simply tucked it behind his ear and followed Henoke to the kitchen and started taking out the ingredients. "Hey, Mei, Where do you keep the cutting boards and stuff?" Having everything they needed out and waiting would shave off time and make things more convenient. Besides, he didn't mind making sure everything was properly set up.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Aug 29, 2020 15:14:25 GMT -5
While Mei headed up to check on her sister, Tori looked as Henoke and Yuto got ready to do their thing. Both of them were eager to get cooking, although she couldn’t blame them. At the very least, each one seemed able to handle themselves, knowing what to do while Mei wasn’t there.
And Tori wasn’t one to stay out of the fun, even if cooking wasn’t exactly her forte. At least she knew how to prep!
After washing her hands, Tori helped out taking from the bags what they’d brought, cleaning the vegetables Mei had bought while also trying to recall where the rest were in her home. Having been there multiple times, one would think Tori knew that house the same way she knew hers, but it wasn’t the case.
“Where do you keep the cutting boards and stuff?" Yuto’s comment made Tori turn towards him, trying to remember where said things were. Humming a bit as she thought about it, she walked towards a cupboard, crouching, to then smile a bit after finding a cutting board and a bowl.
2 things they’d need for sure.
“Here ya go” Tori said, handing it over to Yuto, “Good thing I can remember where some things are here…” she teased.
Footsteps approaching forced Tori to look at the staircase, seeing Mei sighing with an uneasy smile. The orange-haired girl perked up after noticing what the rest were doing, only smiling afterwards while she took off her vest.
“So? Where was Mayu?” Tori asked. “Asleep…” Mei replied uneasily, “She was laying on top of a huge pile of papers… I’m really wondering what caught her attention this time…” “Well, she won’t be bothering us now, will she?” “Can’t say” Mei shook her head, before getting back in gear, “Thanks for prepping, by the way —saves a lot of time.”
Mei’s usual humility never ceased to amuse Tori, who quickly snickered a bit while Mei headed to the kitchen. Finding the rest of the utensils in mere seconds, given how she knew her own kitchen’s layout, she set them up on a counter before turning to the rest.
“So… Why don’t we split parts?” she suggested, “I can do the sweet sauce, while Yuto does the spicy one. And… Henoke can help prepare the meat!” “I guess I’m sticking with whatever?” Tori asked, teasing. “Well, the rice’s easy to make, so… I could use some help on my end, actually.” “Got’cha.”
Mei smiled, eager. She flinched a bit, noticing how her hair was still loose and wavy behind her head. Grabbing a rubber band, she tied it up in a ponytail, a clear Emblem printed on her neck. Although she was seemingly undisturbed by it, instead focusing on cooking for the next day.
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Post by hoodwink on Aug 29, 2020 15:47:11 GMT -5
With Yuto and Tori helping, the kitchen was soon prepped for cooking in no time, the ingredients washed and ready on the counter. While Tori aided Yuto in finding the needed utensils, Mei returned from upstairs, having checked on her sleeping sister. ”Thanks for prepping,” Henoke was glad to see it had helped out as Mei’s face seemed less stressed, bringing a smile to his face as he nodded. ”So…why don’t we split parts?” It made sense, considering how many people they had in the kitchen. It would take less time that way, too. ”And…Henoke can help prepare the meat!” Her confidence in him nearly brought a tear to his eyes as he raised a fist with enthusiasm. ”Yeah! I’ll show ya what I got!” He wouldn’t let them down! "I guess I'm sticking with whatever?" The teen snickered a bit at Tori's seemingly unfamiliarity in the kitchen, causing him to swallow the rising urge to tease her about it. It's like me with swimmin'. He could manage it, but nothing fancy.
As Mei put her hair up and got to work, Henoke caught a glimpse of her Emblem—surprised he hadn’t noticed it before. Its placement seemed elegant and subtle—which seemed fitting. I wonder who else is a Spirit? Trying to remember if Verun had an emblem earlier, Henoke shook the thought off as he reminded himself to stay on track. That’s right! I gotta prepare the pork! Moving hastily towards his ‘station’ on the counter, the teen grabbed a few hot peppers, garlic and onions from the selection of washed ingredients. He’d need them to simmer with the pork. With a carefree smile on his face, the teen equipped himself with a knife from the utensils Mei had set out and began to chop and prepare the peppers and onions before seasoning the meat and oiling up the skillet and getting everything fired up. It seemed the teen was really in his element.
[[**Cooking show track continues** "Welcome to Heated with Henoke: The cooking show for spice lovers!"]]
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ravenheart95
Human
Yo, Socrates, it's a cookie.
Posts: 328
Gender: Male
Age: 22
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Post by ravenheart95 on Aug 29, 2020 17:44:57 GMT -5
Yuto took the cutting board and everything that was handed to him as he finished getting set up. "I mean, I would assume you've been to your own friend's house at least once." He teased Tori with a good-natured smile. Just then, he noticed Mei coming back downstairs.
"So… Why don’t we split parts? I can do the sweet sauce, while Yuto does the spicy one..." Yuto nodded, it wouldn't be too hard. He was essentially just going to be making curry. "So, how spicy do we want it to be? Because I can do extreme, or I can do milder." He started grabbing bowls, a pot, and various other things he would need. "Either way I need you to save me some seeds from those peppers Henoke."
Taking a look around the kitchen, making sure he had everything he needed for his task, he noticed a mark on Mei's neck. 'Cool tattoo.' He'd ask about it at a later time, he already made people uncomfortable once today. "Oh, are we gonna make dessert too, or is it just lunch-slash-dinner?" He didn't mind either way, he was just happy to be hanging out with friends.
[[Yuto's cooking fun fact: Although there are a lot of dishes that are called "curry", the curry part of the name actually mostly refers to the sauce.]]
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