COOKING TOGETHER

-Haruka POV-

"Just tell me. I'm trying to learn. So next time when we go grocery shopping, you won't laugh at me." Levi's words made me think. What does he mean next time? Are we going grocery shopping again in the future? Of course not. Today is just a coincidence. 

"Haruka, Tell me how to use this, will you? People are waiting." Levi's voice knocked me out.

"Let me do it." I took his place, and then I scanned everything.

"You do the last one. You're going to pay, right?" I said to him, and he just glared at me. He took the last thing, scan and pay.

"It's not that hard." He said this while taking the receipt from the machine.

"Good for you. You learnt something new today. Well, it's not that you're going to do this again, right?" Crap. I shouldn't have said that. I can exactly predict what he's going to say.

"I told you, didn't I? I learnt it so that I can do it right when we go grocery shopping together again next time." He said it with a mischievous smile.

"Suit yourself. Right, since we're here, I want to buy some chocolate." I said so, leaving him behind. I just want to change the topic, actually.

"We're going to make the dessert, why would you buy chocolate too?" He asked. Confused.

"I have a sweet tooth. Of course I'm buying the chocolate for home since I'm already out of them at home. I don't really come here often, that's why." I tried my best to make an excuse. I lied. There's still a lot at my home. Not to mention, I'm moving to a new place next week, so I shouldn't buy them actually.

"I'm surprised you didn't get diabetes despite having too much sugar in your blood." He spoke sarcastically to me.

"I do take care of myself properly despite being a sweet tooth." I glared at him, and he's already walking beside me right now.

"I'm just kidding." He chuckled and looked at me with a smile. My heart skipped a beat. Ugh. I had enough of this already. I walk faster, leaving him behind once again.

"Haruka, wait for me." He called out for me, but I just ignored him and kept walking. I went straight to the chocolate store without looking back.

"How could you leave me alone like that? I could get lost." Levi came out of nowhere, breathing heavily.

"You're not a child. Look, you're not lost." I said so, and he just glared at me.

"Are you done buying your chocolate?" Instead of talking back, he asked me that.

"I'm going to pay." I said that and left him to go to the cashier.

//SKIP//

Finally, we arrived at Levi's home. Now, it's time to cook. It's 1:30 already, I guess we're going to have lunch a bit late.

"I'm going to make a quick call. So, you should start cooking, Chef Levi. I'll be waiting." I said that, and he left to the balcony to make a call. I dialled Aiden's number.

"Charles. It's been a while. How have you been? Oh, happy belated birthday btw. I'm sorry for the late wish." Aiden spoke on the other side.

"I'm good. Thank you and don't worry about that. Are you busy Aiden?" I asked him.

"No, not at the moment. I just woke up actually. Haha." Aiden laughed at the other side. Wait. I just forgot that Aiden is in New York right now.

"OMG Aiden. I'm sorry. I forgot you're still in New York." I apologised to him.

"Haha. Don't worry. I need to wake up early, btw. So, why are you calling? Do you need any of my recipes? Haha." He laughed, and he's right. I do need that.

"You're right. Haha. It's just that I never cooked seafood before. So, how do I make salmon flavour just mild enough?" Finally, I asked him.

"Hmm, I think honey garlic salmon would be good. It's savoury and mild. People usually eat them for dinner though. But Charles, you don't eat seafood, right?" Aiden asked, which I hope he didn't actually.

"Ah, you see, I just wanted to try. Haha." I laughed awkwardly.

"Well, if you would like to try, I think halibut or cod might be a better choice." Aiden suggested.

"Right. I didn't do much research, so I just bought what people always ate." I lied again.

"Well, that's okay. Simply make honey garlic salmon. I bet you will like them." Aiden added.

"Right. So, can you share with me the recipes?" I asked. This is the real reason why I'm calling right now.

"Of course. I'll message you the recipes." Aiden replied.

"Thank you, Aiden." I said that before hanging up.

A few minutes later, Aiden sent me the recipes. While looking at the recipes, I keep thinking. Why would I even tell him to just buy what he wants and say something about eating seafood with him? I must be out of my mind at that time. But still, I gotta do this. After that, I walked back to the kitchen only to find Levi leaning his back to the chair, eyes looking at the ceiling. He looks like he's in despair. What's wrong with him?

"Levi, what are you doing?" He suddenly looked at me with despair in his eyes. Like I'm ready to give up at any time. What's wrong with him?

"Haruka, what should I do? I looked on the internet to see how to cook salmon in a mild flavour, but I seriously don't know how." He said it in despair.

"You seriously look like this just because of that? Forget it. I got the recipe. So just let me cook." I said that to him and made my way towards the sink.

"No, I can't do that. I told you I was going to cook for you, right?" He said that, standing from the chair. Let him cook? I wonder if I even get to have lunch today if I let him cook.

"Then, why don't we just cook together?" I asked him, and he clearly looked surprised.

"Really? You're going to cook with me?" He asked excitedly.

"Well, I mean, that's a lot we want to cook, right? It's better for us to do that together." I lied. 

"Cooking together with Haruka. I'm so excited." He said that happily. This guy on another's side really is childish sometimes. 

"Hai. Hai. Why don't you peel the garlic? We'll need to chop them later. I forgot to buy the chopped one." I lied again. That's because I don't know that I'm going to make honey garlic salmon.

"Alright. I'll be done in a minute." He said that and took the knife.

And a few moments later...

"Haruka, is it supposed to be like this? Why are my eyes getting teary?" He suddenly spoke, and I looked at him. He's closing his teary eyes while holding the knife. Seriously?

"Did you happen to rub your eyes with your hand after peeling the garlic?" I asked him, and he just nodded.

"You, idiot. You told me you'd be done in a minute, but look at you, crying. You don't even get one done." I chuckled. I'm not mad, it's just that he looks so funny right now.

"How could you laugh at me? This is my first time." He grumbled.

"Alright, alright. Go wash your eyes first." He did as he's told, and then he looked at me. His eyes still look red.

"You better not laugh at me again." He warned with a glare.

"I'm sorry, okay. Now, why don't you have a seat and just let me cook?" I told him, and he's still glaring at me.

"I told you I..." 

"You can assist me with the dessert later, okay? Now go wait like a good boy." I cut him off. He didn't complain. He just did what I said and took a seat at the dining table.

"Is there really nothing I can do to help you?" He suddenly spoke. Looks like he still cannot accept it.

"I told you to help me with the dessert later, right? This is not going to take that long." While preparing all the ingredients, I replied.

"But wait. Let's do the dessert first, shall we? Since it took time for the dessert to cool, we need to prepare them first." I suddenly remembered that we're going to make chocolate mousse and trifle. 

"Finally! So, what should we do first?" He stood up from the chair and now stands in front of me with an excited face.

"I'll do the chocolate mousse, and you'll do the trifle. Is that okay?" I asked him. Trifles should be easier, I think. Luckily, all the ingredients are store-bought, so he doesn't really need to prepare much.

"Alright. Let me look at the recipe one more time." He said that with a serious face like this is a mission he shouldn't fail.

"Just use this recipe. This was from Aiden when he first taught me. It should be easier for you to follow." I said that, giving him my phone.

"Well, thank you, Haruka." He took my phone to look at it. Then he began to assemble all the ingredients. Of course I'm going to start also.

"I'm done preparing." He suddenly spoke and made me look at him. Wow. Surprisingly, he did that well. I mean, preparation. Including preparing the jelly and custard, so that's not bad.

"Wow. Well done, Chef Levi. You can start making it now." I said that with a flat tone.

"Of course. I'm The Great Levi Ackerman after all. Tch." He said that proudly. Now, this is the Levi Ackerman I know. But it took you 20 minutes to prepare the ingredients alone. Well, it's his first time, so just let it slip.

"Yeah, yeah. And here I am done with my part. So you better hurry up. I'm going to cook salmon and duck breast now." I said that, taking the salmon and the duck breast since I already prepared the ingredients earlier.

"What? You're done already? Wait a minute, I'm going to get this done in a minute." Again with his 'in a minute'.

"Just take your time. We don't want you to ruin the trifle." I said that sarcastically.

"You're looking down on me, huh? Don't come begging me to make you once again later." He said that confidently. Me begging for him? Not even once. Never.

"Huh? I'm sure I can make them better than..." He suddenly shoved his finger inside my mouth. I could taste something. Custard?

"What are you doing?" I shove his hand away. I'm not mad, it's weird. But I'm embarrassed right now.

"What do you think? It's good, right?" He said that with a smirk.

"Right, it's good, so you better get it done now. I'm going to cook, so don't disturb me." I said that without looking at him.

"Alright, alright. But it's good, right?" He asked again.

"I already said it's good. Don't disturb me." I glared at him and he just laughed. This guy, I swear I'm going to make him regret it.

-45 minutes later-

Finally, we're done, and it's time to eat. It's 3 p.m. and actually already late for lunch already. Well, for me. Levi helps me set up all the food on the table.

"Now, let's eat." Levi said that happily and took a seat as well as me.

"Wow. It's delicious. You're truly an amazing cook, Haruka." He said that with a smile.

"I'm greater than The Great Levi Ackerman then." I said so, teasing him.

"Well, when it comes to cooking only. What about the salmon? Is it to your liking?" He suddenly changed the topic.

"Well, I guess it's not that bad." I replied.

"Then, I'm glad. This is the second time I got to eat your cooking. That made me happy too. You're going to be a wonderful wife for me." He said that with a playful smirk.

"What are you talking about? Get a proper wife. I'm a man." I said that without looking at him. I suppose my face will turn red if he continues to discuss this.

"You're right. You're going to be my husband then." Again, with his sudden remarks.

"Mr. Ackerman, please stop joking around. You're going to be the future heir, so you need to…"

"I'm not interested in being the heir."

TO BE CONTINUED!!!