Sweet or Savory?

My eyes widened for a moment before I broke out laughing. "Delightful."

With a joyful spirit, I continued on, telling her about the ice cream dessert and its origins, as well as the myths that came with it, putting all my research into good use.

And to my surprise, Asu listened meticulously, paying the utmost attention to all my explanations of all the different types of food I had brought when we were separated. But then again, as I mentioned previously, food is Asu's paradise, so it's no wonder.

Anyhow, I'm glad that Asu finally lifted herself from her strange mood. Seeing her wolf down the stuffed glutinous rice roll I handed her with such heartiness, I inwardly chuckled and reached forward to brush off a grain of rice that was stuck on the corner of her mouth.

From the looks of it, she hadn't noticed my hand approaching, but when I finally took the rice off with a swoop of my index finger, Asu's back immediately straightened and stopped chewing.

Unperturbed, I closed my eyes and placed the grain in my mouth, letting the grainy yet soft rice melt on my tongue. It was cold and tinged with sweetness, contrasting with the savory sirloin kebab* I had just eaten.

*VA note: For those unversed in culinary terms, kebabs are dishes with small pieces of meat stuck and grilled on skewers—courtesy of the Middle Eastern cuisine. Sirloin is a type of beef cut.

When I swallowed and opened my eyes, I found Asu staring at me accusingly. "You! Hmph!"

For a second, I was unsure whether the reason for Asu's loss of words and rage was due to my eating her rice without her permissions or touching her face without permission.

For now, I'll settle with the former.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, my dear Clare! I was just so bothered that something had the audacity to stain your flawless face, so my hands moved to remove it at once without my realization! However, having been under your benign influence, I did not want to waste food, thus I ate it after much consideration..."

"… And to compensate you for that grain of rice, I shall give you my…" I quickly presented what was I was eating previously— my half-eaten "kebab."

But Asu harrumphed and turned away, unmoved by my gift.

Very quickly, I realized my mistake.

She didn't like savory foods!

"P-Please give me one more chance, my goddess!" I shouted with the fervor of a passionate fangirl as I rummaged from what was left from my armful of goods. With eyes lit up with expectation, I revealed my second gift. "Here! Tanghulu*! Bright and shiny, red and sweet, just like my love for you!"

*VA note: Mountain hawthorn (fruit) covered in hard candy on bamboo skewers. Sorta like candied apples.