Later that day, the grocery delivery Nora requested was delivered to him. He was mindful enough to register twice the amount of food, as he was now living with Yuki.
It was around 4:30 pm and both had nothing in mind to say to each other. So, they decided to lay on the couch and watch some movies. It was a sight to witness as both consciously sat away from each other and made short moments of eye contact either when credits or advertisements were rolling. This sort of awkwardness was different from before as each of them were now trying to make it look comfortable for the other. But their approach were failing each time, but they did not give up and tried several efforts to change it. From movies to t.v series, and comical eye contact which sometimes led to awkward smiles or laughs, both felt in need of food. Which meant dinner time had arrived.
Nora: (curious) "Are you hungry?"
Yuki: (surprised) "Ah! Yes.."
On a normal basis Nora cooked for himself and was joyous to how "okay" his food would turn out. The aesthetic was to behold, but the taste was something else. Almost burned, sour taste, almost cooked and somehow tasteless. It is safe to say he had some sort of "experience". Now dealing with the dilemma of cooking for himself and Yuki, he knew that error was not permitted. The pressure made him motivated somehow.
Nora: "Any preference?"
Yuki: "I don't think i have a preference, i will be fine with anything really"
Nora: (confident) "Ok scrambled egg and sausages it will be!"
Yuki felt dumbfounded and worried by what she heard. "A breakfast meal for dinner?!" She thought. But she already said she would be fine with whatever. But as Nora lifted himself from the couch, Yuki became more worried.
Yuki: (panicking) "Actually..."
Nora: "Yes?"
Word escaped from her mouth which she did not permit, but now she was stuck in a sticky situation. She had to think quick.
Yuki: "Ummm...the rules of my company stipulates that upon the night of the dinner, the partner has to cook as a gift of gratitude for being chosen.
Nora: (surprised) "Oh!..."
She notices his face changing from enthusiasm to confusion.
Yuki: (worried) "But! Its totally optional you can refuse if you want!"
Nora: "Well...if it's a gift i can't really refuse."
Nora couldn't help but feel a little relieved, but also a little disappointed. On the other hand, he would be lying if he wasn't curious as to what Yuki could do. Yuki made her way to the kitchen and started gathering the ingredients from the fridge. She made do with the grocery Nora issued earlier. She reached for an apron and took her ponytail out of her pocket. Nora sat himself on the large stool near the kitchen table to properly witness the show. She chopped the vegetables and meat with such finesse and delicacy, he could not help but be hypnotized by her savoir faire.
Nora: (impressed) "Where did you learn to cook?
Yuki: "My mom taught me when i was little, since then i've been cooking for fun."
Nora: "Oh!"
Yuki: "Would you be ok with "buttered meat with vegetables?"
Nora: "Hummm...sure"
She began turning on the grill and oiling the pan. Then dropped all the minced meat on the pan. Soon after the room was filled with an aroma of savory worthy of a chef. Nora couldn't help but droll. She cracked 6 eggs and threw the ginger, garlic, butter and olive oil on a separate grill which she then battered. Not taking away her attention from the minced meat, she lowered the fire and added the separate battered sauce to the mix to which she covered it with the pan's cover to let it rest.
After 5 minutes, Nora was presented with a meal of a fine restaurant. Yuki sat herself in front of him and noticing his amazement, she giggled with appreciation.
Nora: (impressed) "I don't know what to say"
Yuki: (jokingly) "Bon appétit"
Nora: (awkwardly) "Ah Yea...Bon appétit"
Yuki smiled at him and proceeded to eat her food. Nora followed her lead, expecting the taste to be wonderful his expectations were not high enough for Yuki's cooking. The taste complemented the aroma and every bite made the flavor more enriched and intense. It was heaven.
Nora: "Wow!"
Yuki: "(Giggling) i appreciate it"
Nora: (joking) "My cooking cannot even compare to yours."
Yuki: (reassuring) "Don't say that...i'm certain they taste as good as mine."
Nora in his head, "Not even in a million years".
Nora: "i guess.."
The food was a festival to be part of and Nora couldn't help but wanting more. His bliss was cut off, noticing he was mostly done with his plate.
Yuki: (worried) "You gonna choke if you eat that fast!"
Nora: (honestly) "Huh? Ohh....i'm sorry its just so good! i didn't notice i was eating at that speed"
Yuki: (blushing) "....Thank you.."
After both were done with their food, the previous atmosphere of awkwardness came back. It signified that the time for socialization had arrived. The aftermath of a dinner involved conversations in any sort of relationship; be it: friends, family but mostly for couple who is dating for the first time. Both wanted to know about each other. But again that sense of pressure prevented Nora from speaking. Until-
Yuki: "You know"
Nora: (surprised) "Yes!"
Yuki: (disbelieved) "...."
Nora: (awkwardly) "I'm sorry go on.."
Yuki: "I can tell, that you are not at ease with people.
Nora: "Oh you've noticed?...i don't really...talk with nobody aside from my 2 friends i'm really close with."
Yuki: (praising) "That's good! You really value your friends!"
Nora: (smiling) "Yea they rock, They are the reason why i'm 'open' enough to people these days."
Yuki: (curious) "Ohh..And how is that?"
Her attention to him was very positive, and she cared for every detail he had to offer to which he noticed almost immediately.
Nora: (joking) "Umm for once...i wouldn't have been able to deal with everything that happened today, the old me would probably run off and changed apartment to Mexico or something"
Yuki: (giggling) "Hihi"
Nora: "They were the one who approached me, and were able to bring out the "Hidden gem out of a mess pool" as they quote.
Yuki: (laughing) "hihihi"
Nora: "Man! before i was a mess beyond repair you can't even-"
Suddenly, Nora stopped talking and realized he were getting personal talking to someone none related to him. This realization made him switch back to his introverted cocoon.
Yuki: (concerned) "Nora?"
Nora: "Ohh...sorry i'm ranting a lot!, am i?"
Yuki: (reassuring) "No not at all!, i would love to *embarrassed*.....know more...about you."
Nora: (surprised) "I..."
Nora felt a sense of warmth coming from her. He couldn't grasp why.
Yuki: (blushing) "Since we began our relationship, i think it would be convenient to get comfortable and know about each other, don't you think?"
Nora: "..."
She had thrown a life ball at him, to which he struggled to do himself in the first place.
Yuki: "It would be awkward for us to feel embarrassed all the time, so let's do our best to prevent that."
He smiled, and gratefully grabbed onto the lifeboat.
Nora: (smiling) "I will do my best"
Yuki: (smiling) "Great! How about?.....we both answer each others question by turn?"
Nora: "Sure."
Yuki: "Well, i already asked you a question before so it's your turn."
Nora: (thinking) "Ok..Eumm..."
He looked at her and noticed she was now more concentrated. Her eye contact with him was now more intense, which pressured him to quickly find a question.
Nora: (embarrassed) "What are your hobbies?"
Yuki: (jokingly) "You already ate one of my favorite hobby."
She pointed at his empty plate.
Nora: (laughing) "Oh!.... that makes sense"
Yuki: "I also love to paint from time to time"
Nora: (curious) "Oh really?"
Yuki: "Yea, but i'm not that good at it"
Nora: "i have to see for myself then.."
Yuki: (jokingly) "Sure, you will probably see me draw when i feel a little bit artsy."
Nora: (smiling) "Alright looking forward to it"
She expected him to talk a little bit more, then he pointed at her to signal her it was her turn.
Yuki: (pressured) "Uhmmm....Well...what about you?"
Nora: "My hobbies?"
Yuki: "Yes."
Nora: "Well...i do lots of things"
Yuki: (curious) "Oh yeah? Like what?"
Nora: "I dance, i draw, i write"
Yuki: (impressed) "Oh wow!"
Nora: "i sing, i rap, i voice act-
Yuki: "....."
Nora: "i do parkour and i play games on my time off"
Yuki's eyes were now wide opened. It was no longer about being impressed but mostly concern.
Yuki: (shocked) "Eummm..."
Nora: (joking) "Yeah i know that's a lot..hehe.."
Yuki: "That's not near a lot, that's way too much!"
Nora: (amused) "pfft*"
Yuki: "You must be joking, right?!"
Nora: "i scheduled them on different days. From times to times you will see me coming from home around 6 pm. Cuz some of the stuff i mentioned i do them outside at certain places."
Yuki: (curious) "Well..... i suppose i have to accompany you to see you do them then."
Nora: "Sure."
Yuki: "Alright..."
Nora: "Well, my turn."
His expression suddenly changed to a serious one. Which Yuki quickly caught on.
Nora: (embarrassed) "Well i watch something that may come as problematic...."
His phrasing made as if he felt guilty of it. This raised an atmosphere of mystery for her.
Yuki: (listening) "Euh..huh?"
Nora: "And i do it every day..."
As he kept on building the tension. Now all sorts of scenarios went in her head and the most recurrent one was of "pornography". To this she began blushing.
Yuki: "O..k?"
Nora: "Its very personal to reveal, i would not want you to discover it later on so...its best that i tell you now"
Yuki: (empathetic) "No worries i totally i understand"
Nora: (surprised) "You do?"
Yuki: (embarrassed) "Yes i understand that you have those type of urges, but-"
Her heart began beating fast. Nora had no clue to where she was coming from.
Yuki: (blushing) "It is also part of my job to satisfy...those same type of urges, so you don't really have to do it alon-"
Nora: (Happily) "So you will watch anime with me?!"
Yuki: (dumbfounded) "?!"
Nora: (enthusiastic) "Man!! I never thought i would have someone to watch anime with, my friends always bully me calling me "nerdy" when i bring on the subject."
Yuki: "...."
He grabbed her hands with enthusiasm.
Yuki: (shocked) "?!"
Nora: "I'm so happy! Thank you very much!"
Yuki: (blushing) "Eummmm...No..pro..blem?"
He notices her red face.
Nora: (surprised) "Yuki? You are blushing?"
She snatched away her hands from his and looked away while pouting.
Yuki: (ignorant) "Its just...You've thrown me off guard ok!"
Nora: "?"
Yuki: (slightly annoyed) "Anyway moving on...."
She felt stupid for thinking something inappropriate. In the merge of failed expectations and embarrassment, a question came through her head and her face suddenly changed.
Nora: "Yuki?...it's your turn"
Yuki: (tensed) "...i know i have one...it's just that i'm hesitant to ask you that"
Nora: "huh?"
She thought about it for 2 seconds and knew where this would go if she ever attempted it. In further stream of thought she diverged from that path.
Yuki: (laughing awkwardly) "Yea! It's definitely a bad idea! Hahaha! I will find another one"
Nora: (intrigued) "You're afraid to ask me that question?"
Yuki: (embarrassed) "No no...it's just that...."
Nora started smiling.
Nora: (smiling) "You don't have to hold back anymore. We already went through so much together in just a span of a single day. Trust me i won't be bothered, Besides it's not like it would kill me, does it?
She looked at his face for a moment. He made progress on getting comfortable with her, "perhaps he won't mind it too much", she thought. She decided to jump into it.
Yuki: (hesitant) "Ok but...please don't regret it.
Nora: "Just shoot your shot"
Her heart began beating like a dumb truck. She began fiddling on herself, avoiding and catching eye contact over and over. She cleared her throat and said:
Yuki: (embarrassed) "Why...did you keep..me?"
Silence renewed itself in the room once more.
Chapter 5: End