"I'm done Miss Mikan" Koi's voice rung from the kitchen, Airi who was half asleep woke up completely with the aroma coming from the kitchen,
"Took you long enough," Airi wiped the slight drool before Koi could enter the living room, Koi came out with a serving bowl filled with the chicken curry and rice cooker in another hand,
"Here they are white rice and butter chicken curry!" Koi said with a smile, as he put both on the dining table,
"You could have carried one at a time, these smell delightful" Airi could barely hold herself off from eating until Koi brought the utensils from the kitchen, finally they were eating.
'Will she like it…..' Koi thought as he waited in anticipation for Airi to take her first bite,
Airi took some gravy from butter chicken and put it over rice,
"Go ahead…" Koi said in a low voice filled with nervousness as he remembered that Airi would only be appeased if she liked the meal,
Airi took a small bite of the rice,
"How is it, Miss. Mikan?" Koi questioned but without replying Airi took another bite,
"Miss Mikan?" Koi felt confused as Airi didn't reply, and took another bite then another,
"Cough cough…." Airi choked a bit of rice, and shook her hand for water Koi though surprised by her actions filled a glass with water and handed it over,
After Airi gulped the water down she wiped her mouth a bit before she spoke,
"My bad Mr Yamamoto, I couldn't hold back due to the taste… it's spicy but it's like my mouth keep wanting more"
"Does this mean…. I pass?" Koi asked still his voice tinged a bit with nervousness though he already felt at ease he wanted to confirm,
"You more than passed!! If only I could cook" Airi spoke delightfully eating more rice,
"How can you cook this good? Also what place is this dish from? I've never eaten it?"
"Thanks for complimenting Miss Mikan, it's from India… a famous dish"
"Still where did you learn cooking so well from?"
"I'm self-taught…. I mean I had my mom's cookbook, and dad didn't cook, so I took on cooking"
"I wonder what you do if you had proper training, I wish I could eat this every day"
"You're embarrassing me, and I'll cook this whenever you want Miss Mikan"
Koi too now began to eat, the chicken curry was spicy which made one crave rice and the taste spread throughout the mouth the blessing of Indian cuisine. Airi who was eating suddenly asked Koi,
"So what course will you be applying for at college?"
"Commerce" Koi replied in one word, as his mouth was filled with rice,
"I see we're going to be in the same department," Airi said as she felt a little relief that it'd be easier for her to watch over him,
"The first day of college is the day after tomorrow, I've called Kawaguchi senior so you can take his books tomorrow at NGO"
Koi who was eating suddenly stopped and asked her,
"Who's Kawaguchi senior, Miss Mikan? I heard his name multiple times"
'she seems close to him, don't tell me a boyfriend?' Koi wondered but on the other hand, Airi replied with a sour look on her face,
"He's our senior at college, and also a member of an NGO, though there is much to tell about him it's better to see than hear, I will warn you though less you learn from him the better… unless you want to be that kind of dangerous person…"
'A delinquent….!?' Koi wondered as his mental image of Kawaguchi senior turned into a tall bald guy carrying metal chains, and he gulped thinking it was best to not ask further questions,
'Questioning about such people doesn't do any good… but why is she keeping such a person in an NGO? Is she trying to change him? Is it his parent's request?'
"What happened Mr. Yamamoto? Your face looked troubled"
"Ahh I forgot to add something to the curry" Koi lied smoothly as he didn't want to ask any more questions,
"For an incomplete dish, it's very tasty, I wonder how it'll taste with that missing ingredient the next time you cook it"
"It'll be better" Koi spoke as he felt a tiny bit guilty for lying, the dinner went well so much so that Airi asked for thirds, and when she did Koi stared a bit at her,
"What's wrong Mr. Yamamoto?" Airi questioned, and Koi shook his head,
"It's nothing…."
"No Mr. Yamamoto you were looking at me, is there something wrong?"
"I was just wondering… how you're that thin if you ate this much…. I'm sorry!!" Koi felt guilty of saying such thing to a lady as even Sato had scolded her in past,
'Big brother, a guy shouldn't comment on a girl's eating!! It'sh bad manners you know!!'
'Sorry Sato big brother didn't learn'
"Rude," Airi said as she looked at Koi, and then with a sigh spoke,
"I got a good metabolism and I work out… of course, I won't gain weight, so I eat how much I feel like"
"Makes sense" Koi replied quickly so as to topic can change,
"Mr. Yamamoto, I'm curious about something, May I ask?"
"Yes?" Koi replied wondering what she's curious about,
"I was wondering you seem to adore your little sisters very much, how come you leave for city, with your personality I can't imagine you leaving your little sisters behind for your own goal?"
Koi's face went a bit nostalgic as he looked down at the rice and spoke with a mellow smile,
"It was them who told me to leave, that they've grown and can take care of themselves, they even did every chore at home to prove to me that I can leave for college… and also away…." Koi realized he was about to overshare and stopped taking a sip of water, Airi took the hint that she shouldn't pry further and just replied,
"Seems like your sisters are responsible kids Mr. Yamamoto"
"Yes, they are" Koi replied with a confident voice,
After dinner was done Koi insisted he could wash the utensils they ate in but Airi said,
"You did your part by cooking, I'd be really guilty if you had to clean my plate"
"Okay, but my pla…." Before Koi could even complete Airi interrupted him,
"I'll do it too Mr. Yamamoto," her eyes were resolved and with that, Koi conceded and let her wash, that night both of them slept in their room with a filled belly and head full of memories they made, for Koi it who suffered so much during first many dreams at the city this was like a heavenly dream,