Chapter 15 - Masayuki's Dish

"Masayuki-kun? Emiko-chan?" Handa asked.

Upon noticing Handa, Masayuki responded, "Huh, Handa Sohma? What are you doing here?"

"No, what are you doing here?" Handa asked back.

"We're here to visit you," Emiko responded with concern.

"And to spend the New Year's with you," Masayuki positively added.

Realizing that he was right all along, Handa became positive, nodding in agreement and responded, "Yes."

A bit later, now climbing up the stairs to Shigure's house, Handa asked Masayuki, "Masayuki-kun, where is your family?"

"Oh, they are in Hawaii," answered Masayuki back.

"Why you two didn't come with them?" Handa replied back.

"Because we don't want to waste our time in the middle of New Year's eve," Masayuki responded back seriously and a little bit in resentment, "so we had decided to decline the offer and stay here in Japan."

"Oh, I see then," replied Handa back. "Well, it seems that you guys cared for me."

"Also, for Tohru-chan as well," Masayuki happily responded back as he lift his finger for a few seconds. This follows with a short silence, with footsteps hitting the concrete steps.

"Hey, Masayuki…" Handa asked breaking the silence.

"Yes?" answered Masayuki back.

""…have you ever heard the phrase, "Going to the wrong place in the wrong time"?" Handa asked him a question.

Thinking while climbing the stairs, Masayuki answered back, "Yeah, I heard that, several times."

"I think that is the best description on your family's vacation," Handa made an opinion. "They went to the wrong place, in the wrong time."

"Yeah, but not completely, Handa Sohma," Masayuki objected partially in response, "only for those who are uncaring and selfish for themselves."

"Oh, you're right, right," Handa responded back in getting what his friend just said.

Upon reaching the end of the staircase, Handa slide-opened the front door while greeting Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki good evening and happy new year.

Upon noticing Masayuki, Emiko, and Handa at the front door, Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki are very surprised to see them.

"Handa-kun?"

"Mr. Honda, what are you doing here?"

"Handa, what are you doing here?"

Taking off his shoes, Masayuki responded back happily and positively, "We are here to celebrate New Year's with you, Tohru-chan."

"Happy New Year, Tohru-chan!" Emiko happily greeted Tohru. She, Masayuki, and Handa and went in, with Masayuki and Emiko being amazed by the layout of the interior of Shigure's house.

"Wow, Tohru-chan, your house looks amazing," Masayuki commented about the house.

"Oh, thanks," Tohru responded back, "but, this isn't my house. It was owned by one of my friends.

"Ah, I see then," replied Masayuki responded back. "Well, I loved traditional architecture." He then went to the kitchen, get a bowl and chopsticks and returned to the dining room to get some mochi. Upon tasting the said mochi, Masayuki likes it a lot, causing Emiko and Handa to go to the kitchen to get some bowls and chopsticks to get some mochi as well.

"This is so tasty, Tohru-chan," Masayuki commented to Tohru in bliss.

"Thanks," Tohru responded back happily. This follows with a short silence. And then, Masayuki asked Tohru if she allows him to use the kitchen. When Tohru said yes, Masayuki was a bit excited to make one of his favorite dishes: Japanese Beef Steak. He sought to upgrade their New Year's dinner by cooking that said dish, going into the kitchen with a plastic bag full of ingredients. Later while Tohru is in the telephone talking to Arisa, Masayuki kept cooking the meat and its components as Emiko, Kyo, Yuki, and Handa waited.

"Sorry for the wait, guys," Masayuki apologized to them as he cooks.

"It's okay, Mr. Honda," Yuki responded back.

"I can't wait," Handa added.

After that, Tohru finished her conversation with Arisa and went to the kitchen, only to smell the aroma of the beef steak emitting across the kitchen.

"What are you cooking, Masa-kun?" she asked Masayuki.

"It's Japanese beef steak," Masayuki answered back. He then continued stirring the meat and sauce.

"I didn't know you can cook," replied Tohru.

"I had been doing this for a long time," Masayuki explained.

After some time, the meat was now perfectly cooked, and Masayuki turned off the stove, before transferring the beef steak into a large plate. He then served it to his friends while Tohru gets some plates.

At the dining room, Masayuki puts the large plate in the center while Tohru helped out by setting up the plates and getting some rice.

"Wow, this looks delicious," Yuki commented in delight.

"What is this?" Kyo asked.

"It's beef steak," Masayuki brightly responded back. After that, Masayuki and Tohru sat down and prepared their chopsticks. But before eating, Masayuki recommended taking a picture as a celebration and the cementing his friendship with Kyo and Yuki. Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki then agreed with him, causing Masayuki to be excited, before getting his smartphone from his shoulder bag and turned on its camera function. He then inverted the camera to be facing towards them and angled it up, showing them and the food.

"Alright, everyone, say cheese!" Masayuki told them. They then all smiled, and Masayuki took a picture of him and them and the food.