Chapter 4
Sora and Ayane arrived in the store. Ayane let out a gasp of excitement at how large the store was. She was expecting them to go to a small supermarket like she used to with her mother in her old town. Ayane looked at the first shelf and saw plushies. She then looked to her right and saw a various amount of chips and other snacks. Ayane's mouth started to water with a sensation of hunger. Sora looked at Ayane and giggled a bit. Not knowing what she was up to. Sora looked ahead of the signs in every aisle. She then looked at Ayane.
"Hey.. what do you wanna eat Ayane?.."
"Can we have spaghetti!?"
"Sure.. that sounds good actually.. I haven't had Spaghetti in a long time…" After they conversed, they went to the pasta section where the store held all of the pasta noodles and other items for other pastas.
"What kind of noodles would you like to make Ayane.. I recommend fettuccine noodles because they give a lot more variety to the meal, and they cook a lot faster." As Sora was rambling on about the noodles. Ayane was looking at Sora with a glimmer in her eyes. Ayane was amazed by how much she knew about cooking. The more that Ayane looked at Sora the more beautiful she had gotten. No matter how narcoleptic she was. Ayane kept looking at her in awe with a loving look. Love was a powerful thing, and ever since Ayane's mother passed, she hadn't had anyone but her sister to care for her.
"But if you want to us–" As Sora was about to keep going. She was interrupted by Ayane.
"Thank you Sora.." As Ayane spoke these words Sora felt her heart race as she swiftly turned her head to lay her eyes on Ayane.
"F-For what I-I've done nothing.." Sora said, with her face turning a beat red, but as Sora said those words Ayane disregarded what she asked and made up her mind on what pasta noodles she wanted.
"I think I want fettuccine noodles!" Ayane smiled at Sora, leaving Sora with a flushed
face and in uttered shock of what just happened.
Sora snapped out of it and grabbed the fettuccine noodles with her right hand on her chest. Feeling her heart race and settle back down as they went to the Condiments Aisle. They both get to the Condiments Aisle. Sora reached for the sauce but couldn't grab it on her own. Ayane watches Sora struggle for a bit. She then walks closer to Sora.
"Hey, Sora, uh, Do you need help?"
"I think.. I got it.." Sora says, while still struggling to get the sauce. Just then Ayane climbs the shelf and grabs the sauce from the top shelf. Ayane looked at the labeling of the sauce. It was titled "プレーゴソース". Which translates to 'Prego Sauce' in Japanese. Ayane then lifts her arm with the sauce in hand and yells down to Sora.
"I GOT THE SAUCE!"
"AYANE WATCH OUT!" As Sora says that Ayane feels herself slip off of the shelf. Sora rushed forward without giving a second thought and caught Ayane in a bridal position from the shelf.
"A-Are you okay? That was dangerous. Why did you do that!?" Sora yelled, being concerned about Ayane's wellbeing.
"Y-Yes, I'm fine.. I just wanted to get the sauce for us so we could make dinner and you could teach me how to cook.. I'm sorry…" Ayane apologized and looked upset.
"It's alright.. I'm just glad you're ok.." Sora and Ayane both smile at each other. Then it occurred to them that Sora was holding Ayane in a bridal-like position. Sora quickly put Ayane down and they both turned around in unison, blushing at the thought of being seen together like that. Ayane fondles her hair. Sora quickly started speaking.
"S-So let's go to the next aisle okay I think we have almost everything!.."
"Right, good Idea!" They both laugh awkwardly and proceed to the next aisle leaving another trail of a new memory at the Condiment Aisle.
As they walk through the store with a cart filled with snacks and necessities, they need for making spaghetti for dinner tonight. They walk through the store for a while and come across the cheese aisle. Sora and Ayane both walk into the cheese aisle.
"Why do we need cheese?"
"We are getting cheese because It gives the spaghetti more flavor.."
"I see!" As Sora and Ayane walked down the Dairy Aisle of the store. Ayane feels herself feeling inspired by their little journey through the store. Sora walks and grabs two bags of cheese. One of them being title "モッツァレラ" and "パルメザン". They both translated to "Mozzarella" and "Parmesan".
"What are those? Are they cheese flavors?" Ayane asked, raising an eyebrow with curiosity etched across her face.
"Yeah, they are.. They're the two most fitting for spaghetti too.." Sora said, smiling afterwards. After walking around the store for a few more hours, they finally made it to the cash register.
"Do you know how to scan things Ayane?.."
"Yes, I do!"
"Oh alright I'll pass you the items.. Be careful not to scan them twice.. Okay?.."
"Yes Ma'am!" After their mini conversation Sora reaches her hand into the cart and grabs the hamburger. Ayane grabs the hamburger out of her hand; scans it once and puts it on the conveyor belt. Where it would be slowly dragged over to the area where a staff member would bag the groceries. Sora proceeded to take more things out of the cart slowly so Ayane could finish scanning and placing. Sora reached into the cart once more and grabbed one packet of cheese they had gotten and stuck her hand out for Ayane to grab. Ayane then grabbed what she thought was the cheese. Obviously, Ayane was being a cluts and was staring at the screen watching the price rise as she scanned.
"U-Uhm Ayane.."
Ayane looked to her left nervously and saw that she was gripping and holding onto both the bag of cheese and Sora's hand. Ayane looked up at Sora and she was looking away with sleepy eyes, but a blushing face.
"I-I'M SO SORRY!" Ayane yelled, and she quickly let go of Sora's hand and grabbed the cheese this time. She scanned the cheese quickly and proceeded to watch the conveyor belt take it away to the staff member.
"I-It's alright.. Oh look there aren't any more items Ayane.."
"You're right there aren't! I suppose we pay now!" With excitement Ayane watched Sora pay for the groceries. As Ayane pushed the cart over to the grocery bags the staff member started loading the cart with their bags filled with ingredients and occasional snacks. Sora and Ayane made it out of the store. Both of their hearts are still in one piece.
'That was close..' Sora thought in her head. Sora then looked at Ayane as she pranced and galloped back to the college. Sora felt her heart skip a beat as she watched Ayane smile as she looked ahead. For the first time in her life Sora actually felt awake. Ayane's dark brown hair, her yellow eyes, and her bubbly demeanor stuck out to Sora in a way she couldn't ignore. The more time Sora spends with Ayane the more she starts to see the beauty in the world around her, and what it has to offer. Sora's heart was pounding. Then she spoke.
"Hey Ayane.. Where do you originally come from..?"
"Me? Oh." Ayane stopped skipping and walked normally as she answered Sora's question.
"I didn't come from anywhere fancy actually.. Now that I think about it, I come from a really poor town" A trickle of sweat runs down Ayane's forehead as she speaks.
"But I suppose I could tell you more about me.. Uhm I used to live with my sister, and my mother passed away when I turned thirteen.. It was really hard on my father.. He couldn't endure the pain like me and my sister.. So he took his own life a few years later."
"Oh, my goodness Ayane.. I'm so sorry to hear that truly.." Sora stopped walking and Ayane stopped with her.
"Don't be sorry it isn't your fault! It's not like you convinced my father to do such a thing so it's ok"
"I hope you mean that.."
"I do Sora! Don't worry, I'm fine!" Ayane shoots Sora a sweet smile. Sora reluctantly smiles back, but she's more hurt at Ayane's life than anything else.
They finally made it back to the college and they walked through the doors to the dorm halls. Sora gives Ayane the key and smiles. Ayane unlocks the door and takes some of the groceries and sets them on the counter. Sora looks at Ayane and Ayane looks back at Sora. They give each other a gentle high five. Sora puts an apron on, but she knew that Ayane didn't have one. Sora took off her apron and gave it to Ayane.
"Do you know how to put it on?.."
"No, I don't–"
"Here I'll help you stay still.."
Sora then wraps around the apron around Ayane and ties it around her back. Sora then gets out all of the pots and pans. Ayane walks over and takes everything out of the grocery bags and sets it on the counter behind them. Sora sets each chosen pot and pan on the stove and pours water about half of the way full in one pot. Sora then sets that pot on the stove too and lights the stove. Sora then turns around and looks at Ayane with a huge, excited smile etched across her face.
"Are you ready to learn to cook Ayane!?.." She says, with deep excitement. Ayane looked at her in awe.
"Yes! Yes I am!" Ayane responded.