Hotpot Night

Kahoru's look of confusion turned into a frown. "You're so lame. Did you know that?"

Kahoru hurriedly walked inside as she was flustered to hear Takahiro say such cheesy things. Takahiro soon realised what he said and he too became flustered. He brought his hands to his temples and rubbed them. He shut his eyes tightly and loudly sighed, "What the hell am I doing?"

...

Inside, Ryoma had prepared everything and was sitting down waiting for Kahoru and Takahiro. Kahoru came back into the room alone. Ryoma became confused. "Hey Kaho, why'd you come alone?"

"Ryoma, your boss should just go pick up ladies at the club if his pick up lines are that bad. Maybe they'll like him."

"Huh, what do you mean?"

"It's nothing."

"Oh, okay."

After a minute, Takahiro walked in, his face was quite red. Ryoma noticed although he did not dare to say anything. He'd be ripped to shreds if he did.

Kahoru glanced at him as hit sat down on the opposite side of her, next to Ryoma. "Your face is red. You look like a tomato."

Ryoma stared at Kahoru in shock. 'Did she just call him a tomato?' He felt like he was going to faint.

Takahiro glared at Kahoru. Kahoru felt the atmosphere become cold. Ryoma had become terrified and Kahoru did not care. Instead, she stood up from her chair and walked into the kitchen.

Ryoma's spine shivered. He felt betrayed that Kahoru had left him alone with the scary man. After a terrifying two minutes, Kahoru came back with a mug in hand. She walked up to the table and placed it in front of Takahiro. Takahiro was confused. "What is this?"

"Hot chocolate. If you don't want to look like a tomato, stop standing in the cold."

Takahiro quietly accepted the mug and looked up at Kahoru. She sat down and started adding food into the now boiling broth. The room was filled with the smell of beef bone broth and the atmosphere became calm again. Takahiro's heart skipped a beat. He gulped and jumped out of the seat.

Ryoma and Kahoru turned to him in confusion. Takahiro averted his eyes. "I'm going to the bathroom."

"Okay." Kahoru replied.

Takahiro quickly walked into the bathroom and closed the door. He looked at himself in the mirror. and mumbled, "Why am I like this?" His face was in fact red. He turned the tap on and bent over the sink to splash his face. Takahiro rubbed his face roughly, trying to wake himself.

After a few minutes, he came back out and back to the room. Takahiro sat back down and looked at his bowl. It was filled with meat and noodles to the brim. "What is this?"

Ryoma who had just slurped up his noodles chuckled, "Kahoru filled your bowl up."

Takahiro gawked at her. Kahoru tilted her head. "What?"

"Why are you being nice to me? That's not you."

"Some people change. It is what it is. Eat your food before it gets cold."

Takahiro sighed and looked down at his food. He picked up his chopsticks and picked up the sliced beef that was on top of the noodles and plopped it into his mouth. As he started to chew, his eyes widened in amazement. After he swallowed. Kahoru glanced at him again. This time Takahiro and her made eye contact. "Your food is good. No wonder why Ryoma keeps talking about it."

Kahoru was dumbfounded. Takahiro complimented on her cooking. He had been acting strange around her and it made her feel strange. "Thank you?"

Takahiro quickly ate the food. He felt warm inside with each bite he took.

...

After dinner, Takahiro and Ryoma helped clean up and left. Kahoru went to take a bath and after climbed into her bed. She lay in the dark and sighed. She did not feel sleepy. "Another sleepless night for me."

She tried to sleep but tossed and turned until her phone buzzed. Kahoru sat up and looked at her phone. "Who is messaging me at this time?"

She reached out to her phone and unlocked it to read the message. "Huh? It's from Takahiro. Thanks for the meal?"

Kahoru's heart fluttered. She replied back with, "Next time, if you feel hungry, come over and I'll make something."

"Thanks, I appreciate that."