Chapter 17: Cooking for a Stray God

"Hakai." She whispered while going down the stairs. "It's midnight, and my parents are asleep." She added as she chased him down the stair. "What are you doing-" She asked as she entered the kitchen.

Cling!

Clack!

Hakai shuffled around in the kitchen, looking for anything to eat.

"Sorry, I need some food." He said as he looked at her with a pot cover over his head.

"Food? You're a spirit dummy!" She yelled at him while whispering.

Staring intensely into his eyes, she finally noted. "His eyes, they're red? What's with four tomoe in each eye, spokes?"

Dom!

"Shh!" She shushed him as he was making too much noise closing the drawers.

"Hmm, sorry." He said, looking back, snacking on a biscuit cookie.

"Fine, come out. I will make you something." She said to him while pointing to stand in her place.

"But, you look tired." He told her as he chipped away at the biscuit like a rabbit.

"It's fine, just come!" She said while going in there and pushing him out. "Stay. I'll make you something." She told him as she headed back into the kitchen.

While chipping away at the box of biscuits, he slowly uttered. "Is this how it feels to have an interaction with another?" He said as she picked on his murmuring.

"I'm sorry you never got to experience things like this. However, I don't know how to explain such a normal interaction for me to someone like you." Again, she apologized as she peeled the potato in cold water.

"It's okay. What's this?" He asked her as he went over to her lucky charm necklace.

"A charm necklace my brother gifted me." She said, smiling and spacing away by the sink.

"Brother? Where is his room?" He asked as he got ready to go up the stairs.

"I wonder if he's born with the same ability as her. I wonder if he can see me." So he thought to himself in a wishful manner.

"He died a long time ago." She said as Hakai stopped in his track.

Feeling guilty, he walked back while looking down, sat on the kitchen table, and respectfully uttered his apology. "I'm so sorry." He said as he bit his biscuit in half.

"Na-huh. It's okay." She said as he sliced a potato. "After all, we're getting to know each other." She added with a smile.

"Oh-" Hakai expressed, unable to come up with anything. He looked into the box, wondering if he had finished all the biscuits.

Silence fell in the room as she thought of a question. "So, I wondered why a spirit or you, a god needs food?"

"I'm not a standard spirit." He said, giving up on finding any other biscuit. "I'm a Holy Spirit, created from a wish, I…. or actually, this time, been given a flesh like yours and in need of fuel, which is food!" He said as he got off the table. "I'm sorry to drop on you like this, but I needed someone to forget about something." He said while looking down and scratching the back of his head. "You see, I just needed someone who can look in my eyes, hear my words, and react to my actions," Hakai said with pain. "I don't mean any bother." He slowly bowed down and apologized. "I'm sorry for any bother I caused." He said while feeling a light touch on his shoulder.

"It's okay, I understand." She said while he looked up into her eyes. "I'm usually alone at school, and this feeling of loneliness gets the best of us sometimes." She smiled softly. "So, don't apologize." His eyes lit up, and tears built up. A human finally met his eyes, saw his efforts, and related to his struggles. He finally came across another person who somewhat understood him. Even though they were complete strangers, they felt at ease in the company of each other. His chin dropped, and his cheeks flushed red.

"Hmm." He murmured as he lifted his face and looked at her. Then, finally catching on, he saw her blushing and immediately looked away.

"T-The fries should be ready in a minute." She said as she headed back into the kitchen quickly. "Take a seat in one of the chairs around the table." She instructed him.

Feeling flustered, he took a seat and said nothing else.

"Here you go." She said, placing a plate in front of him. "Would like ketchup?" she asked him while heading back into the kitchen.

"Yes, please!" He shouted as he dug in.

"Here," She said as she placed the small plate of ketchup in front of him.

While watching him dig into her cooking, she realized the small portion of fries and quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, I know this isn't much, but I can't do much at night." Again, she apologized while standing next to the kitchen.

"No, no..." He said with his mouth stuffed. Then, a tear dripped into his food while holding up a fry next to his lip. "This is all I needed. It's more than enough." He said as the stream of tears just flowed down his face.

"Hakai-" She could only say his name, letting him cry as he seemed to need it.

He sobbed and said, "this is something I have long longed for many years." His heart fluttered as he swallowed a mouth full. "A home-cooked food is all I have asked for." He said while tears kept streaming down his face.

"Well, think of it as thanks for saving me and protecting us all this time." She said with a soft smile.

"Hmm." He scuffed while crying.

As he seemed to stop crying, he finished the plate and slowly and carefully put away the dishes.

"You look tired." He told her. "I will let you get some rest, but can I please leave something important here?" He asked her.

"Leave what?" She asked him as they headed upstairs.

In the room, he seemed excited while digging into the plastic bag. "My old clothes." He showed her as he held out his hoodie. "These mean a lot to me, and I just wanna leave them here for a short time." He said, begging for her acceptance.

"Will my parents be able to see them?" She asked while she watched him dance around with his hoodie.

"Yes, when they're not in my hands." He said as he stopped dancing.

"I can't just have a guy's clothes laying around." She argued.

"Pretty please!" He asked her, displaying a cute face.

"Gah, fine." She roared at him. "Give me those." She said while holding her arm out.

"You're amazing, you're amazing." Hakai sang as he handed her the bag, dancing back to the window.

"Anyway, I have to head out now." He said on top of the window frame. "I will be back for this shortly. Thank you, Mai-San, for everything you did today." He appreciated her efforts while looking back with a slight smile.

"Stay safe." She said while standing behind him. She saw his handsome face, slight smile, and soft expressions of appreciation. She blushed and looked away. After a second, she looked back to see no one there anymore.

Walking into her closet and getting to her knees, she commented about the ordeal. "What a strange encounter." She placed his hoodie on her thighs, looking deeply at it.

"What a good time!" Hakai shouted while he jumped high in the sky.