Heh, You Just Find Me for Food, Huh?

As night blanketed the entire city, Himari woke up in a daze. She was startled when she found that she had slept on the couch for hours. Her apartment was dark safe for the light that came from the lamp poles and houses outside.

"Urgh! How could I just sleep here?"

Himari grimaced as her limbs felt numb. Her back felt so sour after hours of sleeping in the same posture. She had to support her stiff legs by propping on the nearby cabinet before she could slowly straighten her entire body.

"Chobi! Where are you? Cough!"

Himari's voice was a bit hoarse as she was calling for her furry son.

Did he sneak out again?

Not long after, the sound of 'Meow~' came from the kitchen.

In the dark, two glowing eyes moved toward her before the sensation of fur and warmth rubbing against her legs seeped into her skin. Himari laughed as it felt ticklish.

"Meow, meow~"

"Are you hungry? Hang on. Let me switch on the lights first."

Himari moved her legs after regaining her senses. She tapped on the light switch. In an instant, the living room was spilled in light.

"What? It's already seven?" She mumbled in disbelief.

As far as Himari remembered, she called Nanako at a little over five o'clock in the evening. This meant that she might have been asleep for one hour and a half.

Himari quickly went to the kitchen to wash her face. Chobi followed from behind. He nudged his bowl toward his Mama, signaling that he wanted food.

"Meow~"

"Ah, I forgot to refill your kibbles," Himari shook her head as she looked at the empty kibble dispenser.

Before doing that, Himari poured kibbles inside the bowl then she filled the dispenser with the rest. Chobi meowed once to his Mama, buried his face in the bowl and began to eat his fill.

"Heh, you just find me for food, huh?" Himari said in contempt. She ran her fingers on the back of Chobi's pointy ears, feeling his soft fur on her fingertips.

"Meow~" Don't disturb me, I'm hungry.

After playing with his ears for a few more minutes, Himari left Chobi alone. She did a couple of stretches while walking back to the living room.

Himari retrieved her phone. Her eyes flickered when she discovered there were a few messages from Kazuya.

[Kazuya: How's your wound?]

[Kazuya: Are you there?]

[Kazuya: Call me if your wound is aching again]

The first message was sent just before she fell asleep. The second came thirty minutes after that while the third arrived at half-past six in the evening.

Himari didn't know what to say when she read the messages. It was quite different from how she felt whenever she received words of concern and encouragement from her mother and Nanako.

She quickly typed a reply.

[Himari: Fell asleep just now. My wound is just fine, not hurting at all]

Before she could put down the phone, the default notification sound of her LINE app rang.

[Kazuya: That's good. Have you eaten? I've just called the children to eat. Chiharu has been asking about you. She's afraid you're still hurting]

At the mention of the little dumpling, Himari laughed good-naturedly.

[Himari: Please say that I'm thankful for her worrying about me]

[Himari: I'm quite hungry. Might make a simple noodle dish. Have no mood to cook]

[Himari: OrangeCatHungry.jpg]

As she looked at the new sticker that she used, Himari grinned. Her eyes went from Chobi who was still eating to the cute orange cat of the new sticker pack.

Himari was slightly surprised to read his new reply.

[Kazuya: Don't make any. I'll send something delicious to you.]

[Himari: Eh! You don't have to do that. I could still cook!]

[Kazuya: You once said you won't say no to a free meal. Take it as compensation from me.]

[Kazuya: Once again, the brats of my family have troubled you]

[Kazuya: Well, if you still insist to repay me, I think the roll cake you gave Chiharu the other day is good enough]

"What? How could he think like that?" Another peal of laughter came out of Himari's mouth as she read the messages from Kazuya.

[Himari: My roll cake could rival one from a great bakery. You have to send an equally delicious dinner to me!]

[Himari: OrangeCatSnickering.jpg]

He sent two other messages to her.

[Kazuya: Consider it a deal. Just wait for thirty minutes]

[Kazuya: MoonBoySmirk.jpg]

"Chobi~ Your Mama would get delicious food later!" Himari proudly announced it to Chobi after she put down the phone on the low table.

"Meow~"

Since Kazuya said the food would arrive in half an hour, Himari took the opportunity to have a shower. The fruity scent of her favorite shower cream filled the entire washroom.

In less than twenty minutes, she finally emerged out from the washroom. Himari stood in front of the mirror, looking at the plaster on the side of her forehead.

She had to put on a new layer of cream before going to bed tonight. As Teacher Masuda had said, even though the wound could be hidden with her bangs, Himari felt reluctant to have a scar left.

Ding~ Dong~

"...Coming!"

Himari rushed out to the short hallway connecting to the door. Once she opened it, a delivery guy stood in front of her.

"Are you Miss Kato? A customer named Mr. Hayashi ordered this meal for you. He has already paid for it," The youthful-looking delivery guy said with a polite smile.

"Yes. He has called me before that," Himari returned his smile, "Thank you."

"Enjoy, miss," The guy handed a paper bag to Himari. She quickly accepted it.

"Thank you for your hard work!"

Soon, the delivery guy left. Himari closed the door, brought the bag to the living room then opened the seal of the paper bag. A delicious scent floating in the air, coming from the bowl and boxes inside the bag.

"Wow~ This soba smells so good!"

Kazuya didn't send her an exaggerated meal for dinner. Instead, he chose soba noodle soup that was hearty and warm on a cool spring night.

Himari placed the bowl and boxes on the low table. The toppings included crispy prawn tempura, thinly slice pink-and-white fish cake, spinach and scallions.

The piping hot broth exuded steam, bringing along with it the delicious scent of the clear-looking broth.

Without waiting anymore, Himari placed a few of every topping on the noodle. The noodle was already soaked in the hot broth.

"Oh, I want to take a picture first."

[Himari: Smells good! I'll eat now. Itadakimasu~]

[Kazuya: Enjoy your dinner]

[Kazuya: Hope you'd like it]

Himari laughed easily. She began to eat her dinner.

The soba noodle soup was as flavorsome as how it appeared. Himari could say this was one of the most delicious soba noodle soups that she had ever had.

From the paper bag, she could read the name of the shop. Himari had never seen them before. Maybe it was a newly opened soba restaurant?

It didn't take Himari long to finish the noodle. She was too full. The broth was too appetizing. She felt it was a waste to not slurp it down, cleaning the entire bowl.

Kazuya was really a good friend.

That was what Himari wanted to think but...

Her instinct kept nagging her that a man that she had just met shouldn't be too concerned about her, wasn't it?

"What makes him treat me well? It is just because I'm good with Izumi and Chiharu?"

As a young lady, Himari couldn't deny that her heart fluttered whenever Kazuya showed how well he treated her.

He was always soft-spoken to her and being considerate without patronizing her.

But, it was not to the extent of liking him more than friends. It hadn't reached that stage yet.

"Until now, I think his name is quite familiar," Himari mumbled again, "Hayashi Kazuya... Where did I hear it before?"

From time to time, she would think of the same question.

His name kind of echoed something in her mind but it was layered by blurred memories. Himari was so certain that she knew his name but when she wanted to pinpoint the start, she didn't know from where she should begin.

Even though his name would pop up if she made a search of his brother's company name, Himari was at least sure that she didn't find it on the Internet.

"Where did I use to hear his name?"

Himari's gaze was trained on the empty bowl. After some time, she shook her head.

Nothing came to her memory. She didn't want to burden her mind by trying to recall something that she herself wasn't sure about.

Himari began cleaning up the table from the disposable bowl and boxes. She crushed them into tiny balls, put them inside the recyclable trash bag and made her way to the bedroom. Sleepiness had yet to come to her since she had slept in the day.

Before she grabbed a book to read, she sent him another message.

[Himari: It's so delicious! Thank you so much!]