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useless-bi-otch · 1 year

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Cookies'n Cream - Chapter 6

Last chapter / MasterList / art by @aneenasevla

Chapter 6 - Rice Balls and Coincidences

"Alright then, what are the most essential items on the list?

"Soy sauce, snacks, a load of beer, condoms-"

"I'm talking about the list of essential ingredients for the rice balls!

"Welp, no matter how you look at it, my list at least is manly."

"Our goal was to come here to buy ingredients to start a more balanced diet, but you guys are already wanting to go astray like this…" Himuro rolls his eyes while the automatic doors open for their passage with a characteristic musical sound "Looks like every day is garbage day now."

"Come on, guys, don’t go astray!" Okubo says imperiously, taking the lead of the group as if he were the leader of an expeditionary team, and the great Kinokuniya market, the lost temple that they should explore "Let's take this seriously and go grocery shopping like the group of mature and responsible adults that we are!"

“Look, I don't know what group you're talking about, man, but it's definitely not this one."

"And who the hell made you the head of the operation, huh?" Lihito pushes him aside, looking unimpressed. Okubo shakes the shopping list in his face in response.

"I'm the one who wrote the list!"

"At whose behest? Oooh..." He seems to understand something, opening a very naughty smile "Would you look at that! Already following orders from your lady boss, eh? Look, guys, what a gifted housewife we have among us!"

"Go suck a bag of dicks", Okubo grunts low, turning his eyes to the list in an attempt to hide a slight blush "She simply recommended the best brands for ingredients, and with her being a professional cook, I'll trust her word. That's it."

"Well, my friend, that is the big difference between you and me. I never let a woman tell me what to do" Rihito declares, raising his chin "And it doesn't matter how professional she is. A man has to know how to impose himself and express his authority clearly. For example, I don't need a girl to tell me this parsley here isn't all that fresh from the looks of the leaves.” He picks up a random tray from the vegetable and legume shelves, showing it off haughtily.

“Yeah, Rihito, but you'd probably need a girl to tell you that that's cilantro, not parsley,” Himuro comments calmly, and Okubo and Kaneda laugh heartily when Rihito's face reddens. He returns the tray to the shelf with an irritated huff.

"They look too similar! Leave me alone!"

"Similar or not, there can be no confusion," Kaneda decrees while heading to a discreet corner, where shopping carts were lined up, available to customers. He chooses one and goes back to his friends, happy as he comments:

"Wow, I think this is the first time we're all going shopping together, isn't it? This will be fun!"

"Bro, let go of that shopping cart, for fuck's sake. Only old hags and moms with their snot-nosed brats use these things," Lihito moans, and Himuro arches an eyebrow at him.

"That wasn't what you seemed to think at that time, when you and Okubo got drunk and decided to bet who could go downhill the fastest in carts like this one..."

"Yeah, they only forgot that the carts are small and didn't think they would get their butts stuck like that-"

"Oookay, that's enough reminiscence for now!" Okubo quickly interrupts Kaneda "The cart will help a lot, so let's not get all prissy because of it, okay? Let's just buy what we need and go back to my apartment soon, because I can't wait to eat these umeboshi-filled rice balls" He takes his phone out of his pocket, opening a specific contact with a happy smile "Miss Uta said we can pair them great with turnip and green tea-"

"Green Tea? Who's getting prissy now?! I want beer!"

"Beer defeats the whole purpose of this pre-workout snack, dumbass! Now no more complaining, 'let's look for these ingredients before it gets too late for us to cook."

“Roger that, Commander Buzz Lightyear of the Star Command. Come on, I want everyone doing a conga line behind Okubo!" Lihito raises a right fist in the air while holding his friend's shoulder with his left.

"Stop dicking around, man. And fuck off with that Buzz Lightyear shit!"

“Train-Train, rushing forward! Train-train, and it never stooooops!”

"I swear if anyone asks, I'll pretend I don't know you" Himuro mutters, while Kaneda just laughs, the four of them following together through the various aisles of the supermarket.

But in fact, now that Okubo stopped to think about it, this was the first time since they had known each other that all four of them went shopping together. They had argued hours before in the apartment over who would be in charge of buying the ingredients, even trying to escape the task through drawing straws.

The binge they'd had on takoyaki, cheesecake, booze and his precious cookies the night before (these motherfuckers got him drunk to convince him to share everything in the box with them, there wasn't a crumb left to tell the tale) had left him a little lazy, and he hadn't been in the mood to wander around a cold, noisy supermarket... until he woke up to some texts from Tomori, when the sun was already starting to go down in the sky.

Uta_Tomori:

good afternoon mt okubo

Today is grocery shopping day, right?

I hope your friends and you can find everything I suggested

tip: avoid these industrialized ready-to-eat foods

your stomachs will thank you, trust me haha

Do you want me to give you the names of the brands I usually buy?

I'll love to see the photos later

He had jumped up from the sofa, disoriented and very guilty, and the only reason he didn't immediately run out of the apartment was because Rihito, Himuro and Kaneda had stopped him.

"Calm down, man, going out on a rampage won't make you get those ingredients any faster" Himuro tried to calm him down "You're even risking buying low-quality stuff, because you're not paying enough attention."

"And anyway, we don't need to make these rice balls today" Lihito had shrugged "She doesn't even need to know that we didn't cook them."

"But I promised to send her pictures! And she pointed me to a lot of quality ingredients, wanting to help me and you guys..." He had lamented "I don't want to give the impression that I'm uninterested in the things that excite her."

The other three had stared at him, Lihito and Himuro exchanging confused looks afterwards. They understood wanting to get in a pretty girl's good side, but wasn't Okubo overreacting a bit?

Kaneda, on the other hand, had just smiled and said:

"Then let's all go grocery shopping together!"

"Huh? All of us together?"

"Yeah, why not? That way shopping will be much faster, and we'll also ensure that Okubo follows Miss Uta's tips to the letter. I know better than anyone how bad you guys are at following instructions, so it'll be a guarantee" He gave a friendly pat on Okubo-s arm, who closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Thanks, guys..."

And the sincere thanks were enough to convince Rihito and Himuro as well. Holy shit, the things they'd put themselves through to help a friend increase their chances of scoring with a girl…

And now there were the four of them, an extremely unlikely group to see walking through a supermarket, searching the aisles and shelves for the best ingredients to cook rice balls with umeboshi filling. Kaneda was the most knowledgeable about cooking, so Okubo ends up leaving the shopping list with him, focusing on reviewing the tips Tomori had sent him by text.

"No, seriously, do we really need to spend so much buying ingredients when we can very well buy ready-made rice balls?" Lihito asks, picking up a tray on another shelf "It's way cheaper and tastes just as good."

"It’s not that cheap if you consider that, if we buy ready-made rice balls for every pre-workout, we’ll spend more than we would if we bought a good amount of ingredients at once and made rice balls with them over the weeks," Himuro replies while checking the lower shelves. Kaneda nods.

"Yep. Not to mention that Miss Uta could very well notice that the rice balls in the photos that Okubo will send were bought off the shelf, rather than freshly made. Right?" He smiles at Okubo "She must have the sharp eyes of a professional cook, after all."

"Exactly! Come on, guys, no buying ready-to-eat food. I don't want her to think I'm a cheater" He shudders just from considering that possibility "And it's good that we learn something new too."

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Holy shit, all this production just to get laid... Will you guys make a movie out of it or something?"

"Shut up, Rihito," Okubo mutters, but Rihito's words caused him some embarrassment, as well as raising pertinent questions. He was right, in a way. Why was he going to all that extravagant effort just to impress a girl? A nice, funny, beautiful girl, that was for sure, but he'd had several crushes on other women before he met her, and none of them resulted in a trip to the supermarket on a Saturday afternoon that could have been better spent playing video games, gambling and drinking their asses off…

He opens her contact in his messages, mouth twisting a little in discomfort. The truth is, he already knew the answer. The memory of that crappy poster and her confession of her unwavering devotion to fighters other than himself was still very fresh in his mind. And ever since the texts she'd sent him earlier that afternoon, he'd been gripped by an almost visceral need to show her how much better, more caring and more devoted he was than any other idol she could have. Mostly he wanted to show that he was better than that kid on the poster, who had such a pretty, punchable face.

It was ridiculous. It was pathetic. And he just couldn't help feeling that way. If those three had known, he would probably never have a peaceful day in his life again. So it was better to keep quiet and let them think what they wanted.

"Yeah, shut up, Rihito. What are the ingredients on the list, Kaneda?" Himuro asks, looking over the shoulder of the shorter one.

"The basics for making rice balls. Rice, seaweed, vinegar, granulated sugar, kosher salt... and of course, umeboshi. And to think that there are even specific brands to make the best possible rice balls... only they aren't very cheap," He makes a face as he checks the list more closely.

"No shit. They seem to be professional brands. Hell, I don't have that much money to spend, even if we share the costs..."

"No worries, she recommended some more affordable brands. Let's start with them first" Okubo suggests, and Kaneda redirects the cart, the four of them heading to another wing of the supermarket "Then we tell her how the experience went."

"Dude, you're really counting on her to have the last word in this whole affair, aren't you? What, are you going to bring some rice balls for her to eat at lunch break?" Lihito asks, smirking, but then he widens his eyes when Okubo frowns, thinking.

"I don't know, sounds kinda invasive. But it would also be retribution for the cookies and her fan affection, wouldn't it? If they turn out good enough I might even consider..."

"Holy fuck, man, it was a joke! Guys, we are witnessing an unprecedented transformation here!" He says in a dramatic tone, albeit low, indicating Okubo with a wide gesture of his arms, to which he cringes "Okubo Naoya has become the female protagonist of a soap opera! Stay tuned for the next episode, where our hero with too much muscle and too little brain will try to win the affection of a muscle-lover cook with rice balls stuffed with salted plum!"

"Shut up, you idiot, people will hear you…!"

"You will see all this and much more on this same channel, at this same time, in the thrilling drama The Misadventures of the Pussy Pleas-"

"Shut the fuck up already!" Okubo hisses, furious and mortified, while Himuro, Kaneda and he put their hands ove Lihito's mouth, who had tears of laughter in his eyes “What's your problem, dude? I swear, there's something wrong with you!"

"And I'm serious, I'll pretend I've never seen you before if security comes to throw you out of the market," Himuro hisses too, and Lihito just laughs harder.

"I'm kidding, guys, jezz!" He gasps after brushing their hands away "How was I supposed to react after hearing something like that? You're talking about taking a lunchbox to this girl's work, bro. Exactly like the gifted housewife I said you're becoming."

"It's not like that! I already told you that I'd be only returning her kindness!"

"Yeah, and I also think that Miss Uta would like to try these onigiris," Kaneda comments "Even if it's just to evaluate your first attempt. We can take some to her as a treat from all of us, how about that?"

"Yeah, not a bad idea. It'd be a way to thank her for the tips given. Nothing more than that, right?" Himuro arches an eyebrow at Okubo, who looks to the side, fearing that his friend saw something in his eyes that betrayed his thoughts.

"Yeah, that 's all."

"Alright, alright, you can let go of me now, I only want girls squeezing me like this," Rihito grumbles, and they take a step back, composing themselves "But yeah, when you put it that way... she will be very grateful for your ‘kindness’," He makes quotation marks with his fingers "That might even be the cue you need!"

"Cue?"

"Yeah! A treat like that would leave any woman swooning! Asking her on a date after that would be a piece of cake. And then..." He lowers and raises his eyebrows "Well, you would see how my ‘manly shopping list’ was a good idea."

"Aaand apparently, what I said last Saturday fell on deaf ears..." Kaneda sighs, to which Okubo shakes his head quickly.

"Not for me, I've still been thinking about what you said! It's just that- oh boy, she's texting me! Hang on..." He immediately turns all attention to the phone, moving a little away from his friends to have some privacy. He could still hear them though.

"There goes that traitor, ignoring the pals in favor of a pair of tits..."

"You are the one ignoring someone here. I can't believe you didn't absorb any of the things I said last Saturday."

"Chill out, Kaneda, I remember every word you said. And Okubo is following each of the steps you've suggested and taking things easy... too easy, actually."

"But you were already suggesting that he should use the rice balls as a pretext!"

"It's not a pretext, it is an obvious and inevitable consequence! Since cave times men have taken food to women as proof of their virility and efficiency as providers. It's in their instinct to get hooked on these things."

"Welp, now we know what you majored in when you attended Teito University. Fuckboy Anthropology."

“Fuck off, Himuro!”

The three continued to bicker further back, but Okubo tried not to listen to them, all his attention turning to the texts Tomori was sending him.

Tomori_Uta:

hi again!

how was grocery day?

mine is in full swing lol

He smiles, already typing his reply. With or without the disturbing poster to gnaw at his subconscious, chatting with her via text was still a pleasure.

Okubo_Naoya:

haha I'm happy for ya

I wish we were this lucky

we don't know much about picking ingredients and stuff

Uta_Tomori:

I can help if you want!

you're struggling with what exactly?

Okubo_Naoya:

... everything

sorry lol

Uta_Tomori:

men

lmao jk

that's why I'm here

you can count on your self-proclaimed nutritionist!

“Damn, she's so cute!” he squeals in thought, the fit of cuteness making him want to punch something in a burst of gleeful violence.

Okubo_Naoya:

hell yeah i'm saved!

LMAO

so, we were going to start with the rice brands

Tomori_Uta:

oh that’s the easiest part!

wait, I’m getting a call

brb

Okubo_Naoya:

sure!

He closes the phone, smiling to himself, finally feeling that the grocery day would pay off…

Until he started to hear the distinct sound of a phone ringing, moving closer and closer to the hallway where he and his friends were, until it stopped a second later.

He frowns, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up as if in warning. What bizarre feeling was that? As if something inside him was warning him, some primal instinct... that's what made him stick his head out from behind one of the shelves in the hall, peering, searching…

"Hi Mom! No, I'm not busy, we can talk."

And the squeaky sound of desperation that came out of his mouth was something that probably never came from anyone else's.

"IZZATH!!!" He screeches, almost at a frequency that only dogs could hear, running past Rihito, Himuro and Kaneda, who stared at him in astonishment.

"Dude, what the fuck was that noise?!"

"What's wrong, Okubo? You look like you saw a ghost or-"

"It's her!," He hisses, his back flat against a shelf, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he swallows "Miss Uta's here at the market!"

" Say what?!," The other three shriek a little too and immediately stick their heads out from behind the shelf, peering down the hall and widening their eyes.

"Holy shit, it's really her! What is she doing here?," Lihito whispers.

"Saturday shopping, perhaps? She was also out grocery shopping last Saturday when Okubo called her, right?," Himuro ponders, to which Kaneda smiles.

"Wow, what a coincidence! Let's go say hi-"

"No!," Okubo gives Kaneda an armbar to bring him to him, to which the shorter one lets out a squeaky little scream "She can't see us here!"

"Wha- why not?!"

"Because she might get the completely wrong idea! Don't you hear those stories on television about women being stalked by crazy freaks?," He asks in a low growl, his eyes bugging out "Crazy, obsessed men who follow them absolutely anywhere?"

"What are you getting at?"

"She might think I'm doing the same!"

The other three looked at each other, unimpressed, Kaneda still clutching his friend's arm pressed against his neck.

"Or maybe. Like, just maybe...," Himuro speaks slowly, as if he was explaining arithmetic problems to someone particularly slow "She might think it’s just a coincidence. Y'know? Like a normal, sane person."

"That's the problem, it's too much of a coincidence! We were talking about trips to the supermarket just yesterday, and now we bump into each other here, just like that?! No, I'd rather not risk it," He also peeks from behind the shelf, still holding Kaneda, almost lifting him off the ground "I don't want her to think I'm a stalker."

"She- she won't think that if she sees you with us," Kaneda gasps, still trying to push his friend's arm away "Stalkers don't walk in groups."

"She might think they started to, precisely because of that preconceived concept! She might think we're... I dunno, super stalkers or something."

"Super stalkers? Sounds like an indie band name..."

"Seriously, Okubo, I think you took so long to drink your booze yesterday that it actually fermented. You're not making any sense..."

"Shut up, she might hear you!," Okubo finally lets go of Kaneda, who takes a deep breath, almost losing his balance. He pushes Rihito and Himuro aside, peeking with his hands gripping one of the shelves "Please, Miss Uta, go to another aisle, please...!"

Tomori, as expected, didn't hear him. She was laughing into her phone, looking very relaxed as she pushed her already full shopping cart forward. He wore simple, casual clothes: a pink shirt with short, puffy sleeves and blue jeans. It was the first time he saw her without an apron and with her hair loose, which went down in waves over her shoulders.

"Oh, Mom, I don't even know why you still insist on that," She was saying in affectionate exasperation "You know Dad, he's stubborn like all hell. If he won't even listen to you, why’d he listen to the doctor? ... Yes, I can help by talking to him, but I'll do that on my next visit. It's better to talk about these things in person than over the phone. I haven’t even had time for this, actually..."

"We better take advantage of her being distracted and just shag ass," Okubo whispers to the others "Let's leave while there's still time."

"Damn, dude, you sound like someone running away from an ex they cheated on," Lihito grumbles, sounding bored "You were all over this girl's sweetness a few minutes ago, and now you don't even want to risk bumping into her in a supermarket aisle? What, you're getting more bipolar than Agito or something?"

"Screw you, man, it's not like that! I just don't want her to think I'm spying on her, 'cause that's definitely not what I'm doing here and- wooow, would you look at that!," He whistles suddenly, widening his eyes when Tomori leans over to support an arm on the bar of the shopping cart, the movement making the fabric of her clothes adhere more to hetr body. And from that angle, he could see everything: the curves of her waist and hips, the cleavage that exposed part of her breasts, her legs and... holy shit, that ass…

“Wha- oooh, boy, that's what I'm talkin' about!,” Rihito leans over to be able to peek too, almost salivating with the view "Seeing her away from a counter, without that apron, is something else, isn't it?"

"Hell yeah! Man, I never noticed how she's all soft and curvy... I want to squeeze her sides so bad...!"

"I'm so fucking envious of you! That's some quality meat there."

"I know, right! She's gorgeous, holy shit..."

"Aaand now you're behaving like stalkers," Kaneda grumbles disapprovingly, crossing his arms and shaking his head.

"Yep. Get a grip, man, even if you only want something casual, you should respect her a little more," Himuro warns, to which Okubo makes a dismissive gesture over his shoulder, without even turning his head.

"I respect her a lot, dude! But what's wrong with looking at, appreciating and complimenting a pretty thang?"

"Exactly! Especially considering he's going to bed her later. That's quality assurance for ya," Rihito raises a thumb.

“I swear, you guys can be really gross when you want to."

Okubo clicks his tongue impatiently. They weren't gross just for taking a harmless peek! Pretty things should really be appreciated. And Uta Tomori was more than pretty. She was beautiful. Hot, even. He couldn't believe what a lucky son of a bitch he was, goddamn it-

"Yeah, I've been busy lately. Remember how I told you I was helping a friend with nutrition issues?," She says suddenly, turning around so that her face is more visible. She was smiling, cheeks rosy, brown eyes twinkling "I was doing ecxactly that a few minutes before you called! I almost got distracted and forgot to answer you…,” She is silent for a few more seconds, listening. And then she laughs "Ahaha, stop it, Mom! It's a friendship that came at just the right time, simply. But yeah, he's so cute! He makes me laugh, treats me with respect, compliments my cooking... guys like that are hard to find these days, you know? I think I got lucky..."

...

Okubo had never hated himself as much as he did at that moment.

He goes back to hiding behind the shelf, his expression devastated, while Himuro and Kaneda stare at him with embarrassment. Even Rihito stopped peeking, grimacing in discomfort.

"Uuh… can we just forget we had this conversation?"

"Damn it…" Okubo moans, running his hands over his scalp "She's right there, speaking highly of me to her mother, and I'm here just… just… fuck, I'm such a piece of shit!"

"Yes, you are," Himuro and Kaneda say at the same time.

"You don't have to agree so quickly!"

"Just accept your shitty status and move on, man, it's the best thing you can do."

"You were peeping at her too, you asshole!"

“If you keep yelling like that, she'll hear you,” Himuro warns, to which Okubo shuts up at once, his shoulders shrugging.

He lets out a slightly shaky breath before turning back to peeking out from behind the shelf. Tomori kept talking on the phone calmly, having no idea that she had just been the object of scrutiny by two good-for-nothing perverts, one of them being her precious idol.

He feels remorse churning in his stomach again. Why was he like this? Why couldn't he behave like a functioning, grown man around a beautiful woman, let alone one who seemed to have a mutual interest in him? The memories of those humiliating minutes in that bistro came flooding back, the college girls' expressions of embarrassed discomfort vivid in his mind.

“That's exactly why you're thirty-six and still single.”

He lowers his eyes in sadness. Yeah, she definitely wouldn't like the real Okubo Naoya if she met him…

"Hey, man…" He hears Rihito call suddenly, sounding worried "Come on, don't get all bummed… there's time to fix this mess, just stop peeping on her."

"I'm not peeping anymore. Just…," He doesn't quite know how to continue, gesturing uncertainly with one hand "Just thinking about what to do now. Is it okay to go talk to her?"

"Of course it is. We told you, she'll just see it as a coincidence," Kaneda assures him.

"And she'll certainly be happy, if we consider all your interactions so far," Himuro comments "Just have some decency and try not to stare at her cleavage or anything like that."

"Yeah, that's very wrong!"

"If you're going to peek, don't be too obvious. Discretion is key."

"Himuro! Uugh, sometimes I forget that you're also a hopeless womanizer..."

“I'm a saint compared to these two."

"That's funny coming from the biggest man-whore this side of Tokyo!"

Okubo leaves the three bickering, still watching Tomori. She looked very happy, making small talk with her mother, her expression placid... it made him want to smile too. And to be the cause of more of those smiles coming from her. He takes a deep breath.

"Okay, I... I think we can go over to her, just to say hi-"

"Yes, I can go see you guys tomorrow, I'll have Sunday off," Tomori says suddenly, redirecting the shopping cart "Now I have to hang up, mom, I already bought almost everything, and I need to talk to my friend too. No, I'm not ditching you for a man, don't be dramatic..."

And Okubo jumps back in sudden panic when he realizes that she was coming straight into the aisle where they were standing.

"AAIEEEE!"

He bumps into Rihito when he practically throws himself behind the shelf, which in return bumps into Himuro, who, as in a perfect domino effect, also bumps into Kaneda, the four of them ending up on the floor in a mess of arms, legs and wheels of a shopping cart being wheeled along with them, along with several packages from the shelves.

"ARGH! Fucking hell, Okubo!"

"Get off of me, dammit!"

"Rihito! Get your knee off my belly!"

"And you get your foot off my balls, that shit hurts!"

"She's coming this way!" He screeches in terror as the four of them try to straighten up, the other two people besides them in the aisle staring at them "We have to get the hell outta here!"

"What? Weren't you saying just now that we could say hi?!"

"No! I changed my mind! She definitely heard us and she'll think we're stalking her!"

"Argh, go get your head examined, you paranoid fuck!," Rihito yells impatiently while an extremely red Kaneda collected the dropped packages. Himuro patts his hands on his pants to clean them, grinding his teeth.

"Stop acting like a moron, no sane person comes to such a conclusion like that! She'll probably just- what the hell are you doing?" He asks stunned when Okubo runs behind him, grabbing his shoulders.

"I don't know, trying to hide! Hold still!"

"Behind me? You're almost seven feet tall, dumbass! How am I supposed to hide you behind me?!"

"Stop yelling, everyone is watching us," Kaneda asks scandalized, turning quickly to the other people in the corridor, still astonished "Sorry about that, guys! We- We just tripped a little, it's nothing serious...!"

"No it is serious! Come on, lift that cart, we have to go!," Okubo hurries them, grabbing the shopping cart and putting it on its feet, which made Rihito squeal:

"You already did that yourself!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Okubo," Kaneda, still holding some of the packages that fell, walks past his friends in decided strides "We've already been embarrassed enough for one weekend. Let's get this over with, shall we? I'm going to go talk to her right now."

"No, Kaneda, don't do that!"

"Miss Uta!" He calls, waving "Hellooo- AIEEEEEE!" and then he screeched when Okubo grabbed him and put him inside the shopping cart "Okubo! What are you doing?!"

"Oh- I don't know, I'm not thinking straight and- shit, shit, she's coming!," Okubo grabs the bar of the shopping cart and Kaneda screams in fright, having to grab the sides of the cart to not fall, when he redirects it in a 180 degree turn and shoots out of the aisle with it. Rihito and Himuro follow quickly, without much choice, mortified to see all the astonished stares from the other supermarket customers following them.

"Dude, are you crazy?!"

"Are we going to take Kaneda to the self-checkout or the normal checkout?

"Rihito, you're not helping! Okubo, stop, I'm going to fall off the cart!"

"Hold on, let me just get a good distance!"

"I swear, that was the first and last time I go grocery shopping with you!," He yells again as the cart makes another sharp turn, almost tipping over to the side and knocking him off. They enter another aisle, panting hard from their rush, Kaneda shivering a little in the cart.

"Okay… Okay… I think we're safe now…," Okubo looks over his shoulder "Coast is clear, guys."

"Don't give me that 'coast is clear' nonsense! Let me get off the cart!"

"Sorry, man, but desperate situations call for desperate measures..."

'There was nothing desperate about this, you lunatic! Ugh, security must've seen us on the cameras by now," Himuro grunts, putting a hand on his sweaty face "We'll never be able to enter this place again..."

“Eh, it's not like this is the first market I've been kicked out of.” Rihito shrugs, and Kaneda stares at him in amazement.

"Oh my god, I'm afraid to even ask..."

"Anyway! I'm really sorry, guys...," Okubo seemed to have calmed down enough to realize what he had done, and now his face was furiously red "I- I guess those rice balls will have to wait another day..."

"And we still don't know why! What's gotten into you, man? Are you twelve again, running away from your crush like you're still a virgin?!"

"It's not that! Dammit, you don't understand my situation..."

"The only thing we could understand is that you're a fucking pansy!," Lihito grunts, pointing to his friend's nose.

"I'm not!"

"Yes, you are! The biggest pansy I've seen in my whole life! One that acts all manly during his matches, but then turns around and shits his pants when it's time to talk to a girl!"

"Fuck you, I explained my reasons! The situation isn’t favorable-"

"For who? What could be more favorable than a casual and relaxed encounter in a public place?," Himuro gestures, now more perplexed than actually angry "Seriously, man, what's going on with you? You've never acted like that over a girl before! It's like you're traumatized or something, I don't know."

They see how Okubo tenses every muscle, teeth clenching, eyes straying from theirs for a second, but that was enough to make them conclude that, perhaps, Himuro had hit the nail on the head. They were about to inquire further, but are interrupted by a song that was very familiar to them.

“Dame da neeee! Dame yo, Dame na no yoooo…”

They start a little, Okubo already taking his phone out of his pocket. He lets out a hiss through his teeth, his eyes widening when he sees that it was Tomori. He looks at the other three, whereupon Himuro and Kaneda make sharp, irritated gestures, and Lihito hisses an “answer that shit!” between his teeth. He does just that, stomach doing somersaults.

"Uuh... Miss Uta?"

"I knew I heard a familiar voice just now!"

The voice that answered him did not come from the phone. It came from behind him. They turned, startled, and found Tomori coming towards them, coming out from behind the shelves of a aisle and pushing her cart with her left hand, her right hand holding her phone. She smiled with the power of a ray of sunlight.

"Mr. Okubo! I can't believe we ended up going shopping at the same market! And you're with your friends too... uuh... did I come at a bad time?," she asks suddenly, hesitant as she analyzes the situation ahead. And then they remembered that Kaneda was still inside the shopping cart when it toppled to the side with a crash, driven by his frustrated attempts to get out of it.

"Ouch! Oow, my leg...!"

"Kaneda! You okay there?" Rihito and Himuro recover faster from their astonishment, immediately going to help their friend. Okubo remains with his feet locked in place, torn between the instinct to run to Kaneda's aid and the mixture of extreme embarrassment and elation at seeing Tomori in front of him. Holy shit, he had nowhere else to run now! What was he going to do, what was he going to-

"Hey, are you okay?," And she runs past him, Okubo catching a glimpse of her worried expression. He turned, blinking, and watched as she reached down along with a very surprised Rihito and Himuro to help Kaneda to his feet.

"Oh... I-I'm fine, Miss, don't bother..."

"No, it's fine. You might have landed on your leg," She quickly looks for something inside her purse "I stopped by the pharmacy before I went shopping and bought some ointment. Want me to help you with that?"

"What- no, you don't have to! I'm fine, I swear," Kaneda assures, now a little flushed while shaking a hand "I'm tougher than I look, haha."

"That's right, Miss Uta. Kaneda's size is a bit deceiving," Himuro hastens to say, squeezing his friend's shoulder, and Rihito nods, pointing to the smaller one with a wide smile.

"Yeah, we've seen him take down guys twice his size, like the little ninja he is!"

"Come on now, Rihito...," Kaneda blushes even more, but ends up smiling when Tomori laughs.

"If you say so, hahaha. But... why are you inside a shopping cart, if I may ask?"

"Uh... it's- it's because..."

"It's because we made a bet!," Rihito hurried to say, at the same time pointing to Okubo, who was still paralyzed like a deer caught in the headlights "Okubo and I, that is. He bet Kaneda couldn't fit in the shopping cart, and I bet he did. Do you see, man? Don't underestimate the flexibility of a Kujyn Style master at an impressive five feet seven inches tall.”

"You could've claimed victory without throwing my short stature in my face like that..." Kaneda sighs, and Tomori laughs again.

"Hahaha, why am I not surprised? Apparently this happens often when you hang out together, right?," She turns to Okubo, smiling amused "I'm glad we met like this, by chance. Because I think these purchases would take longer if it were otherwise, hehe."

Okubo blinks, expression almost looking blank. And then he breaks into a huge smile and scratches the back of his head happily as he says, “Yeah! You fell from heaven for us, Miss Uta, hahaha!"

“Idiot changed his tune in the blink of an eye...”, The three of them thought together, as if they shared a telepathic link. Tomori, on the other hand, was flushed with happiness, squeezing her face between her hands, that adorable smile that made Okubo's heart skip a beat breaking out on her face.

"Oh, stop it, you..."

"It's the truth! I said in the texts, we were lost in this search for ingredients. You couldn't have arrived at a better time. Isn't it, guys,?" He smiles at his friends; that same sharp smile that hid a murderous intent that they knew too well.

"Say anything about what happened and I'll beat the shit outta you all!"

The urge to rat him out to Uta Tomori was almost irresistible, but for the sake of that thankless friendship, they decided in silent agreement that they would go with the flow. After all, you can't walk in the rain without getting wet, right?

"Yep! We had a lot of doubts about brands, prices...," Himuro sighs, and Rihito nods.

"There's just so much to choose from, so many possibilities to consider! Brands of rice, salt, vinegar... too many little details for our manly, combat-focused minds, you know?"

Tomori laughs again, while Okubo huffs, "Stop it, dude, or she'll think we're nothing but a bunch of musclebrains..."

"Oh no, I promise I won't. It can be complicated for those who don't work in the industry or simply aren't in the habit of comparing brands and prices."

"That's the problem, Miss Uta, Rihito here is, sometimes. He owns a fridge."

"Really? That's nice!," Tomori smiles at Rihito, who gives a surprisingly shy smile while scratching the back of his head "Who knows, maybe you're one of our suppliers. What's the name of your company?"

"SF Cold Storage. Who knows, maybe we'll find some of the products I stock here!," He points to himself with his thumb, smiling confidently. Tomori nods excitedly, but then seems to realize something. The four of them frown as she flinches a little, suddenly shy.

"I… I won't be bothering you if I walk with you, will I?"

"What? Why would you think something like that?," Okubo asks, confused, and she blushes more, rubbing her right arm.

"It's just that you're together here, having fun as a group while shopping, basically a men's day… I don't want you to feel obliged to accept the presence of a girl, you know…"

"Obliged? Missa Uta, one of the things that piss me off the most about this group here is how it's only made up of sausages of all different sizes! A woman is a welcomed adition!" Lihito exclaims, to which Himuro puts his hand on his face with an exasperated grunt, Kaneda blushes again and Okubo growls:

"Have some respect, man, you're talking to a lady!"

Tomori, on the other hand, seemed to take the comment in stride. She laughs, visibly more relaxed.

"No, it's okay, really. I'm glad to know I won't bother."

"Sure you won't! Especially because you made our pal here very happy, appearing out of the blue like that," Rihito, with a devilish smile, slaps Okubo on the shoulder, making him lose his balance for a second "He didn't let go of that phone the whole trip!"

"Dude, shut up!"

"But it's true. He even left me in charge of the shopping list, just so he could continue texting you," Kaneda takes part in the psychological torture, apparently wanting revenge for the shopping cart incident. Okubo glared at him with a look that was somewhere between furious and desperate.

"Damn, even you, you little-"

"And he didn't stop commenting on your tips regarding ingredients" Himuro completes, his light eyes showing a shine that was cruel "You've found a very devoted student, miss, haha."

"Ugh, I hate you guys...," Okubo moans, hiding his furiously red face in one hand. Tomori was blushing too, but the happiness in her eyes was so blatant that is was embarrassing. He even felt a little suffocated when he looked at her.

"I'm so happy to hear that! Many people stop listening to what I say after a while. They say that I chatter too much when I get excited, that I never shut up..."

"Wha- whoever said that is one hell of an idiot!" He says on impulse, suddenly indignant "The way you talk passionately about your interests is one of the best parts of talking to you."

She stares at him, looking too stunned to speak, and only then does he realize what he's just said. Holy shit, why didn't one of those three start knocking him out with a coup de grace every time he opened his mouth, at least until he learned not to let his tongue walk two steps in front of his head?!

But Tomori didn't seem to share his thoughts, if the goofy smirk that took over her face was any indication.

"Please, stop, Mr. Okubo...! You- You're going to make me faint in the middle of the market...!"

"Oh- ahaha, but it's the truth! Okay, okay, sorry...," He laughs, deeply relieved. His ears pick up the unmistakable sound of snickering, and he immediately casts a scowl at his friends. Kaneda hid his mouth behind his right hand, while Himuro laughed more openly. Rihito simply gives him a thumbs-up, whispering so only he can hear:

“You're fucking welcome, asshole."

Okubo would've flipped him the bird if Tomori hadn't been right in his field of vision. She takes a deep breath, trying to compose herself, and lifts her head, running her hands through her wavy, shiny hair (damn, he'd love to run his fingers through those locks when he had the chance) before decreeing:

"Very well... you need my help, right? So that's what you'll get. You're the one with the shopping list... Kaneda, isn't it?"

"Precisely. Kaneda Suekichi, at your service," He does a small bow, to which Tomori nods with an adorable little smile.

"Nice to meet you. Oh, now I want to see if I remember all your names! Himuro, right?" She points to Himuro, who nods politely.

"Himuro Ryo. It's a pleasure too."

"Likewise, Himuro! And... Rihito?," She turns to Rihito, turning her head a little to the side "Is that a nickname?"

"Oh, it's much more than a simple nickname, lady," He points to his own chest with his thumb, smiling haughtily "It's an identity! Like the identities that comic book superheroes forge for themselves, you know? Renowned public figures who maintain that air of mystery, never revealing who they really are behind the mask and awakening fascination in all the-”

"His name is Nakata Ichiro, but he prefers the nickname."

"Come on, Okubo, don't ruin the magic! And I already said that it's not just a nickname! Come on, stop laughing!," He complains loudly, being summarily ignored. Okubo already felt quite satisfied with that little private revenge. Especially since he managed to make Tomori laugh.

"Ahahaha! Oh, god... anyway, thanks for having me, Kaneda, Himuro, Nakata-"

“Rihito! Call me Rihito, please!”

"Okay, okay. I know that for you I am, first and foremost, a fan of Mr. Okubo. But I hope I can get along with you too!," She does a small bow, eyes closed, so she doesn't see the way Okubo looked at her, his face flushed and his eyes sparkling with fierce affection.

And she also doesn't see how Rihito, Himuro and Kaneda tensed, caught by surprise. Hell... that chick really was cute, wasn't she? The monumental crush that Okubo had developed for her in such a short time no longer seemed so absurd to them.

"Uh… don't worry, Miss Uta. After we eat your sugar cookies for the first time, getting along with you became one of our life goals," Himuro jokes, and Tomori laughs heartily.

"Show up whenever you want at the Heavy Bakery and they will always be available! Now, the shopping list. Where is it?"

“Uuh… I think I dropped it back there. When I was in the cart..." Kaneda casts an accusing look at Okubo, who has to try very hard not to show his discomfort and keep smiling. They look to the ground, searching, until Rihito exclaims:

"Hey, I found our spare list! It was in my pocket, I ended up forgetting..."

"That's great! Excuse me...", She picks up the list he held out to her "Let's see... oh...," She suddenly frowns, confused and a little embarrassed "Uuh... soy sauce, snacks, a load of beer, condoms-"

"Whoa! Wrong list! Ahaha, sorry about that!," Okubo immediately snatches the piece of paper from her hands, crumpling it into a ball and immediately giving it back to Rihito, who almost drops it in his embarrassed haste "Rihito always brings his own list for group shopping, but always ends up forgetting about it. Would you believe that, Miss Uta? He would forget his head if it weren't glued to his neck, wouldn't he?", He brings his friend close with an arm around his shoulders, flashing him the most furious smile either of them had ever seen someone flash. Himuro and Kaneda could even see beads of sweat forming on Rihito's forehead as he smiled nervously.

“Haha, yeah, I sure would! My bad…”

"Oh… it's alright, don't worry," Tomori ends up relaxing "I'm shopping with men, I should've expected that, haha. But it's not like I really need a list. I have all the ingredients memorized. So?," She smiles excitedly at them "Are we going to brave this concrete jungle while we complain about inflation?"

And with an invitation like that, they saw no reason to refuse to accompany her.

The five of them follow through the aisles of the supermarket, now with two carts in hand. And this time, Rihito couldn't complain too much about the fact that it was a woman who was leading the group, guiding them through that labyrinth of jars and packages with the assurance of someone who did this often. But they soon concluded that Tomori was the right person for the job, because she was teaching them like, a real teacher, how to choose the best ingredients for rice balls.

"Alright, let's start with the rice. See the differences between these two brands here?," She shows them the two packages, whereupon the four men huddle together to watch, curious. She offers them, and Himuro takes one, while Kaneda takes another.

"Hnnn… the weight is almost the same. It must be standardized...," Himuro commented, to which Kaneda, raising his head after observing the package closely, said:

"Oh, I think I understand. The grains on this one are longer than those on the package Himuro is holding, right?"

"Yes! It may seem like a silly detail, but noticing it makes all the difference, because short-grain rice has more starch," She nods smiling "Thanks to that, it sticks together after cooking. Which means…” She urges them on, making an encouraging gesture with one hand. She laughs when Kaneda raises his hand, as if they were in a classroom.

“Yes, Kaneda?”

"It means that short-grain rice is the best for making rice balls, because the grains will stick together, which is ideal for keeping the rice balls in the right shape."

"Very good!," She claps her hands, to which Kaneda responds with a playful little bow. Lihito snorts:

"Not fair! This smartass here already knows how to make rice balls! He's the best cook of all of us!"

"That's right! Let us get some praise for a change, Kaneda!," Okubo nudges the smaller one's shoulder, who pushes his hand away, saying:

"The fact that I can cook doesn't mean I don't like to hear a few compliments from time to time too."

"It's no fun when you already have mastered the art. Let the teacher pay attention to those who really need to learn."

Tomori looks thrilled to be called a ‘teacher’, to which Himuro comments with a sharp smile:

"Do you want to monopolize the teacher's attention now, Okubo? We really went back to middle school and I didn't even notice..."

"Leave me alone, Himuro! Anyway...," He clears his throat, a little flushed "For the rice to keep its shape after being cooked, we're going to need those little molds, right? The ones for rice balls."

"Well, I recommend it, especially for those of you who have never made rice balls before. But for those who have experience, it's easy to do it with their hands. I can show you if you want!"

"Nah, Kaneda can teach us, no problem-"

Lihito is immediately silenced by Himuro and Kaneda, who again place their hands over his mouth, making low hisses. And the three of them see the exact moment when Okubo seems to finally get some courage, sticking out his chest a little, straightening his shoulders and saying in a loud and clear voice while holding out his hands:

"Please show me!"

"Okay, you'll be the first to learn then!," She exclaims, happy as a clam, as she reaches out and holds his hands. Her hands were very tiny compared to his, delicate and soft, her fingers barely able to close around his wrists. He imagined intertwining his fingers with hers, imagined those hands caressing the line of his jaw. And he imagined them clinging to his shoulders, nails digging between his shoulder blades, scratching hard as they-

“Alright, that's enough! Pay attention to what she's saying, you good-for-nothing pervert!"

"The secret is to place your hands like this, as if it were in an L shape, and then press down on the rice very lightly, turning it clockwise with your right hand... that's right!," She approves when he correctly imitates the movement she described "You're good with your hands, Mr. Okubo."

"Thanks! And I have to be, haha. Just like you, I knead a lot. But not exactly bread dough," he teases, and is elated when she laughs heartily.

"I know! I've been following your career as a kneader for over a decade!"

"And so you managed to realize that I still have things to learn! You're doing better than any manager I've ever had, you know? Hehe!"

They laugh together, seeming half-forgotten that they weren't alone.

"Holy shit, I feel like I'm in one of those really bad chick-flicks…", Himuro comments with an air of laughter as they watch those unusual interactions "Only that it's missing the mellow soundtrack in the background."

“And them being on the banks of Shingashi River, with cherry blossom petals floating around them,” Kaneda jokes, and Rihito snickers.

"For my pal's sake, I hope it's a bad chick-flick with a sex scene at the end."

Okubo and Tomori weren't even aware of the spectacle they were providing. He particularly felt perfectly happy staying that way, just learning from her how to be a minimally decent cook, without dwelling too much on things like perverted incidents and his past traumas involving the opposite sex. It was all too easy to forget those details when he was with her.

"You got the hang of it quite fast! Do you still want to buy a mold or do you prefer to try your luck?," she asks suddenly, to which he looks over his shoulder.

"I wouldn't mind trying, but Rihito and Himuro might mess it up a little. They don't have such dexterity with their fingers, haha."

"Dexterity? I'm on a level way above that and you know it! Did Okubo tell you what I can do, Miss Uta?", Rihito asks, going up to the two of them and showing them a coin. Tomori blinks, a little confused.

"Uh... it's some kind of magic trick?"

"Much better than that! Mainly because it's real," He winks before pressing down on the coin with the thumb and forefinger of his right hand, making a quick incisive motion. And Tomori gasps, clapping her hands over her mouth, as the coin snaps in half right before his eyes.

"Wow! H-How did you...!"

"Pretty cool, right? That's exactly why I created another identity. I'm the real-life Superman,” He sticks out his chin, smiling smugly, at which Okubo shakes his head in amused exasperation.

"Never missing a chance to show off, huh."

"Oh no, I can't believe it! I want to see it again with another coin!," She sticks her hand inside her purse, searching, at the same time that she turns to Kaneda and Himuro, half amazed "Do you all know how to do something absurd like that too?"

"Not the way Lihito does, but they say my drinks are absurd too," Himuro jokes, and Kaneda completes:

"The truth is that we are all martial artists, just like Okubo! So yes, Miss Uta, we can do some pretty amazing things, each in our own unique ways."

"Ah, that's so cool! But what promotion are you from?," She asks curiously "A martial arts promotion, I mean. I know many fighters, but it always happens that I miss some names..."

Okubo tenses, eyeing the other three with concern, to which Rihito, Himuro, and Kaneda exchange quick, almost imperceptibly nervous glances before Himuro finally responds, “We're not exactly professional fighters, you know. Not like Okubo, at least."

"Yes. We're kind of in a 'backstage' league, so to speak.” Kaneda nods.

"Yes! That's how I met them, wanting to fight in a slightly more private setting," Okubo nods quickly "They prefer to leave the professional spotlights to me, 'cause they know I'm by far the most photogenic, haha."

"Yup. Photogenic like my big toe, which has chilblains."

"Too many details, Rihito! Tone it waaay down."

Tomori laughs, shaking her head.

"That's okay, fighting without the intention of being known for it is valid too. The important thing is to keep the fighting spirit alive!," She raises a fist in the air "And I already know how incredible Mr. Okubo is, so I say that I would love to see you three in action one of these days, in that 'backstage' league."

They had to work hard to keep their smiles from turning too nervous. But the girl's innate cuteness was a tremendous help. And honestly, it had been worth risking revealing more about the entire world of underground fights they were part of just to see Okubo almost float off the ground like the world's heaviest air balloon, inflated with joy by Tomori's praise. They couldn't wait to be alone, only the four of them again. That bald fuck had one coming, that was for sure.

They continued on their search for ingredients, with Tomori giving detailed explanations of the best brands of vinegar, salt and seaweed, showing how to compare prices and also how to make the products yield more. Overall, their little shopping spree turned out to be a more fun event than either of them could've anticipated. It wasn't exactly the kind of date Okubo imagined having with her (they were always alone in their fantasies, without a third, a forth and a fift whells following them around), but he found himself unable to complain. Seeing her getting along with his three best friends gave him that same funny, tachycardia-like feeling after all.

The afternoon went on like this, until all of them were finally satisfied with their little trip to the market.

“… and then Rihito and Okubo thought it would be an excellent idea to bet who could eat shrimp with wasabi without needing milk afterwards. It was the first time that Kaneda and I stayed overnight in an emergency room because these two needed a stomach pump, not a drip, haha.”

"Yeah, salt my game some more until it's completely inedible, you jerk!," Okubo yells at Himuro amid loud laughter, while the five finished passing their purchases at the ATMs, putting them in bags afterwards. Tomori shakes her head, a little red with laughter.

"N-No... seriously, it's okay, Mr. Okubo! I have so much fun hearing about these adventures of yours. I swear I'll tell you more about mine too, one of these days."

"Eh, and what could a cute and well-behaved girl have lived through that would be more interesting than frequent trips to the emergency room, caused by an excess of testosterone?," Rihito asks with a cheeky smile. Okubo was about to open his mouth to warn him, but Tomori is faster than him. She smiles back in kind, her eyelids drooping over her brown eyes, her long lashes casting shadows on her cheekbones.

"You wouldn't believe it, trust me."

"Oooh, really? If you say so...," He laughs, not seeming to take her remark seriously. But something in her expression aroused a strong curiosity in Okubo. He wasn't exactly the world champion at reading facial expressions and interpreting insinuations, but something told him Tomori wasn't just rambling. What could such an adorable girl be up to that would surprise even a freak like Rihito?

"Hey, don't leave us wondering, Miss Uta..."

"Ahaha, my bad. I would love to be able to remedy this, but it's getting late. I need to go home and make dinner," She smiles a little sadly when the five of them finally leave the market, going out to the parking lot, the sky starting to darken "It's a shame. I was really enjoying myself."

"Oh... yes, it's a shame," Okubo nods, trying to appear nonchalant and almost failing. Jeez, their shopping spree seemed to have flown by since she'd joined them! Why did they always find themselves in situations where they couldn't be in each other's company for more than a measly hour? That was so unfair... "But anyway, Miss Uta, it was a really nice surprise to find you here."

"Likewise! I really enjoyed spending this last hour with you guys. So much so that... can I... can I ask for something?," She's suddenly shy, looking to the side and pouting. Damn, how could he say no to her when she made that face?!

"Sure, go ahead!"

“I… I'd like to take a photo. You know? With... with you. And all of you too!," She hastens to add, a little flushed "As a souvenir, you know? I won't post it on social media if you don't want exposure or anything. I just wish to have something to keep with me... besides an autograph."

She swallows hard, biting her bottom lip, waiting with some anticipation.

He would probably never know how he was able to keep an expression of neutral satisfaction, instead of rushing towards her and kissing her passionately, as he wanted to do.

“Danm, she’s so cute!”

"Of course!"

“Oh- really?” She widens her eyes, hopeful, and he nods, smiling.

"Yeah, why not? Who are we to deny our teacher a souvenir of this day?," He turns to his friends "It'll be our way of saying thanks. Right, guys?"

"Yes! Then you can send the photo to Okubo, because we'll want to have it too," Kaneda nods, and Himuro agrees with an expression of someone who was holding laughter back.

"Yup! This isn't a day to be forgotten, haha..."

"Enough talking then! ‘Let’s strike a pose, guys," Rihito puts his arms around Okubo and Himuro's shoulders, opening a crooked smile "You have our permission to post this photo wherever you want, Miss Uta. Make your friends jealous of you being surrounded by all these hunks. And tell them we're all single and available!"

"You really want her loosing a ton of followers in all her social media, don't you, Rihito?"

"Screw you, Himuro!"

Tomori laughs again as she takes her phone out of his purse, turning on the camera and placing it horizontally.

"Can you take the picture, Mr. Okubo? You're the tallest, so...," She hands the phone to Okubo, approaching from the side in short steps, smiling shyly. He understands at once, and suppressing the urge to laugh, reaches out a hand to touch her shoulder, bringing her closer to him. She gasps softly, her breath catching momentarily in her chest, and he would have found that absolutely adorable if he hadn't also been desperately trying to maintain his composure and not blush like a teenager who's sat too close to his crush.

Taking selfies with fans was something he was more or less used to. But this was different. It felt more intimate, even...

"C'mooon, dude, we want to take this pic today!"

And as expected, Lihito insisted on reminding him of his presence by shouting in his ear, almost making him drop Tomori's phone. He pushes him away with a grunt, eliciting general laughter.

"Give it a rest, dumbass! Okay, everyone...," He puts a hand on Tomori's shoulder, again hearing her make a cute little sound of happiness "Say 'rice balls'!"

"Rice balls!," The five of them exclaim together, raising two fingers in a V, the sound of the phone indicating that the photo was taken. They relax their poses and contemplate the results.

"Oh, it came out great- hey, Rihito, you made horns on the back of my head!," Kaneda complains, and Rihito defends himself by replying:

"It's not horns, it's a V for Victory! It's not my fault you're so short that the gesture gives that impression.”

"I made a weird face. Look, I'm almost blinking…," Himuro frowns, to which Tomori, still laughing at the discussion between Rihito and Kaneda, guarantees:

"Don't say that, Himuro, you looked great! If I post this photo on my networks, some of my friends will definitely ask if they can slide into your DMs, haha."

"Oh, then in that case, post it wherever you want!"

"Another one who doesn't beat around the bush...," Okubo snorts, the twinge of jealousy in his chest making him feel angry with himself. It was so unfair that not even Tomori was immune to that conceited bastard's charm…

"But yeah, the photo turned out great! Thank you so much, Kaneda, Himuro, Nakata-"

"Rihito! Seriously, it's not that hard of a name to remember!"

"Okay, okay, sorry, haha. But seriously, thank you. And you, Mr. Okubo!"

He almost knocks some of the bags to the floor when she hugs his arm, her face lit up with a happiness so intense it almost made his eyes hurt.

"Not only do I have your autograph, I now also have a photo of you! This has been one of the happiest months of my entire life, and it's not even halfway through! I don't even know how to thank you..."

"Thank me by going on a date with me and letting me please you in every way I can think of, in and out of a bed!,” he almost pleads, which would have been the most desperate and pathetic invitation to a date in human history, and something which Rihito, Himuro and Kaneda would not let him forget for all the days he had left. He tries to compose himself, straightening his shoulders and saying with a half smile:

"You can thank me by sending this photo to me, 'cause it's something I'd like to have as a souvenir too. And of course, I will reciprocate. Later today, when the rice balls are ready."

She clasps her hands to her chest, delighted.

"Of course! And I'll look forward to the pictures of the rice balls! It's a pity I won't be able to try them..."

"Oh, but we can arrange that. What do you guys think?," Okubo arches an eyebrow at the other three. They look surprised for a split second, but recover relatively quickly.

"We're going to have a busy week, but we can try to show up at the bakery on the next garbage day. In the meantime, let's take the opportunity to make rice balls whenever we can as a pre-workout snack," Himuro looks sideways at Kaneda, who adds:

"What would you think of us taking advantage of this day to bring some of the rice balls we’ll make? You know, as a thank you for the free home economics class and the cookies, haha."

"Then you can eat them during your lunch break! And if we got it wrong, at least the bathroom at your workplace will be a short run away," Lihito jokes, prompting grunts from his friends and more laughter from Tomori.

"I'll trust that things don't get to that point, if Kaneda is a good cook like you guys said. And yes, I will love it!," She claps her hands in excitement "Kanny, Hiro, Tomoyo and Paikon will love to try it too. Anyway...," She bows politely "Thank you so much for your company! I really hope I didn't bother you."

“You wouldn't bother us even if you wanted to, Miss Uta. We're the ones who should thank you for your help," He smiles, and then scratches the back of his head "Uh… Do you need help with your bags? We can take them to your car."

"Thanks, but no need. I came by train."

"You sure? It's a long walk, even more so carrying weight.

“Oh no, not so much. And I'm tougher than I look, believe me," She flexes her biceps with a playful smile, and while the other three try to stifle a colective laugh, Okubo tries to stifle a burst of cuteness "I have to exercise, anyway. Weight gain is pretty common in my work field, haha."

"With a body like that, you can tell the extra weight goes to all the right places!”, he allows himself to think, like the closeted pervert he was.

“Okay, if you say so. See you next garbage day?"

"I'll look forward to it! Good night, Kaneda, Himuro, Nakata- I mean, Rihito."

"Attagirl!," Lihito raises a fist in celebration "Good night to you too, Miss Uta."

"Have a safe trip!"

"And let Okubo know if you arrived safely, so he doesn't get too worried."

"Himuro...," Okubo grunts, embarrassed, to which Tomori lets out a happy laugh.

"I will, I promise. Good night, Mr. Okubo," She again makes that gesture of tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, smiling sweetly, and he allows himself a few seconds of self-indulgent daydreaming, imagining himself doing that for her.

"Good night, Miss Uta."

She waves to the four of them before picking up her bags and turning her back on them, walking out of the parking lot. They follow her with their eyes until her silhouette disappears on the sidewalk in the distance, in the middle of the late afternoon shadows that were getting bigger. It is then that Rihito, Himuro and Kaneda allow themselves to let out huge collective sighs.

"Maaaan, that’s what I call a hard time…," Rihito grunts, scratching his scalp "All that hullabaloo and in the end, the girl still ran into us anyway…"

"But everything worked out in the end, despite all the embarrassment... and I still haven't forgotten, Okubo!," Kaneda points to him, huffing "That nonsense with the shopping cart will not go unpunished!”

Okubo didn't even seem to have heard him. He was still staring fixedly at the spot where Tomori had disappeared, his eyes distant. They stared at him, somewhat exasperated, until Himuro walked up to him and snapped his fingers right in front of his face, making him jump.

"Argh! Don't scare me like that, damn it!"

"It's time to de-orbit, Buzz Lightyear. Despite your efforts to make the opposite happen, the afternoon turned out better than expected," He crosses his arms “But enough of that. If you act like a virgin brat again, we’re gonna beat the shit out of you. And not even you can deal with the three of us at the same time. You've been warned."

"Ugh, okay, okay! Sorry for my freak out earlier," Okubo grunts, rubbing his eyes "I just didn't want her to get the wrong impression of me…"

"But that's not what happened. She looked like she couldn't wait to get busy with you in the near future. You're fucking welcome," Rihito does a mocking bow "I even forced myself to play the part of the nice, 'friend to all women' guy so as not to rain on your parade..."

"Come on, Rihito, don't pretend that you didn't like that we had a girl in our group, even if only for an hour."

"One hour is my limit! I came into this world to love women, not to be their friend. And don't go thinking that, after you do her, I'm going to accept her presence in our night outs or something!," He warns, pointing to Okubo "Unless, of course, she brings some girlfriends along. In that case, we can negotiate."

"You're gonna die single, man, I swear…," Himuro sighs, while Okubo, shaking his head, picks up some of the bags on the parking lot floor. He smiles tiredly at his friends.

"I'll try to remember that. Now let's go back to the apartment, for the love of god. I... I think I can feel my blood pressure drop... the adrenaline peak is going down...," He groans, getting a little pale, to which Lihito went to help him with a laugh, passing his right arm over his shoulders.

"Fuckin' drama queen... c’mon, guys, we have a bloodstream in need of some salt."

They walk across the parking lot towards Okubo's car, finally getting hit with late afternoon fatigue. And to think they still had a batch of rice balls to cook...

"Hey, Himuro."

Himuro turns around, a little surprised, when Kaneda calls out to him in a low tone, his face slightly pink.

"What is it?"

"I need to confess to someone… but I don't think I would complain about taking another ride in a shopping cart like that. You know? Nyooonh…"

And neither Okubo nor Rihito understood why Himuro had a fit of laughter that lasted all the way back to the apartment. And neither way he kept repeating that bizarre noise.

What the fuck did 'nyooonh' even mean anyway?

NEXT CHAPTER

#Kengan Ashura #Kengan Omega #kenganverse #fanfiction #Okubo Naoya #Naoya Okubo #okubo x oc #kengan oc #Rihito #Himuro Ryo #Kaneda Suekichi #cookies'n cream #the heavy bakery series

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