Bonding Over Food [Social/Tokoro]

It was finally the time for Tenma to enjoy his rare free schedule, well, although he had to sneak from Rui Li and ended up getting caught by the silver haired girl... but in the end he explained to her that he needed some free time for himself to actually enjoy his time in Kina. After he said that, Rui Li would have a sudden realization that she too, wanted to enjoy her time in Kina. So she let him go as she also went out to wander around the country, enjoying the beautiful scenery and smiling at friendly people on the street.

Tenma went to this sacred place, which he admitted got him hooked up really hard. It was located near the quieter side of the city, not a dangerous area actually, but it fits those weary people who just wanted to get some peaceful dinner. This Oden stall could be very crowded in certain days, but the swordsman was glad that it was a little bit empty at the moment, which meant he could enjoy his food quietly. The one eyed man would sit on the wooden bench, right in front of the table serving the heartwarming food as the seller stood at the behind.


"Good Sir, please give me daikon, boiled egg, chikuwa and... two of your recommendations." Tenma smiled brightly to the man who smiled back and nod as he put the things the swordsman ordered on the bowl before serving it.


"I will enjoy the meal."

Tokoro fiddled with that hair off to the sides of her cheeks that were not in the bun her hair was in. So far the trip had been decent but she had only gotten in her opinion limited information on possible big new players in the Kina lands. Who knows though maybe when she gave her progress report her parents would reveal several big players that she didn't know were big in the area. For now though she needed some food, and her parents gave her some spending money in case she needed it. She made her way over to a food booth that didn't have too many spots left to take and sat down next to a man with an eyepatch. “Hi…” She said to the server who nodded to her. “One of whatever you recommend sir.”

She said a bit meekly watching the man nod and get started on her order after finishing the other patrons orders. She bobbed back and forth in her seat a bit watching the others at the bar silently until her food was brought over. She paid what was necessary before leaning down sniffing at the food blushing mildly with a soft smile. It smelt positively enchanting. She took a bite next and paused with the eating utensil in her mouth as she closed her eyes as the flavor washed over her tongue. She felt as if stars were glimiering around her from such a delectable taste, small tears forming down her cheeks as she savored the taste.

As she finished the bite she opened her eyes and took several more bites excitedly with a more confident smile on her face. She wished she could make food this good. It was truly amazing. She though paused noticing some of the other patrons staring at her. She looked at them with a bit of the food dangling from her mouth giving a few blinks feeling a small sweat droplet going down the side of her head. This was not what discrete assassins did on missions… dang it.

It was not a common sight to see a young lady visiting this... man filled oden stall, so it was no wonder that a lot of eyes were staring at her, not to be rude or anything, but they were only curious. Not to mention that it was a little bit late for a girl to be outside, but again, they decided to not say anything because they didn't want to sound like an inconsiderate people. However this girl had her own charm, her body language as well as her spontaneous expression seemed to give this warmness to some of the patron's heart.

Tenma who found this girl amusing couldn't help but to chuckle as he saw food still dangling on her mouth, giving a cute and perhaps a little bit clumsy appearance? Well, she had a similar figure with his sister actually, with the same black hair although this girl's hair was straight and she also had red eyes. "I apologize for laughing, milady." The one eyed man would start to speak, "You seemed to enjoy the food a lot and it feels pleasant to see a young lady eating well."

The swordsman would beam the girl with a smile before he focused his gaze towards the seller, "Good sir, please give her more of what she ordered before, it will be on me."

She rather than nipping off the dangling parts thus causing very small bits to have to try to find and scoop up later causing an unneeded hassle just sucked up the noodles. She looked over to the man beside her who chuckled but apologized for doing so she blushed a bit flustered by this but held up her hands closing her eyes as she waved them with big puffed out cheeks to say it was okay. She opened her eyes, chewing her food before swallowing and using a napkin to wipe her face. She gave a small smile when he said it was pleasant to see a young lady looking back at her food with a soft warm and fond smile.

Many girls her age from her research did enjoy some times eating far less or worse things than her to feel as though it will make them prettier then what they already were when if they wished for a more fit figure healthy food was a great help but in her own opinion a proper regime based on audible time and what your body can naturally take was best. No meal should go to waste in hopes for a better body, especially one so wonderfully made and made by a hard working person. It was far too heartbreaking to see any of it going to waste.

She saw the man beside her beaming at her making her giggle just a bit and blush a bit before blinking when he asked for more food for her and would pay for it too! This man just earned himself a laugh at Tokoro pass whenever he wanted to pass! She looked at the man with eyes that could gleam in the light and almost look like stars before bowing her head to him finally speaking but keeping it short, she wouldn’t want to risk ehr parents watching them and targeting him. “Thank you sir, I shall not waste a single bite.” She said politely and respectfully. When the food arrived she turned to see it and her mouth watered so much she could drool in abission. She did not though. She would hate to water down the food on accident via drool.

She finished off her first dish and moved over her eating tools from it to the next one to not create more dishes for the chef bowling her head to him in thanks before digging in kicking her feet a bit in excitement. She popped a bite into her mouth with one hand and cupped her own cheek in the other with a soft blush on her face and closed eyes to fully enjoy the flavor without distraction. Oh boy it was just as great as the last meal if not better.

"Your welcome, milady." Tenma chuckled, amused to see the girl's reaction as she thanked him and started to chow down her food, again, a very cute way. Her expression could warm people's hearts and that was the reason why the other patrons had a good time watching her eating show at the moment. Not only that, she looked like she was really enjoying the food, making the other customers to feel more hungry because of that and they would end up ordering more food because it just looked really mouth drooling.

The swordsman would order a glass of warm sake to accompany his dinner before shifting his focus back to the girl, "Where are you from, milady, if you don't mind me asking? Isn't it too late for you to be out at this hour?" He was purely concerned, it was not that he thought that the girl couldn't take care of herself, but it was just that it was a bit too late for a girl to be wandering in this hour.

Milady? She blinked with wild eyes and a mild blush. That was a rather fancy way of puttign it. And… rather flattering. She smiled though with a small smile and went back to eating happily. Others were still watching her eat but, it didn't bother her as much this time feeling a bit less self conscious about the how she was eating. The cook even seemed happy she was enjoying her food. Many people in Kina were certainly nice. She thought she raised her brows when the man asked where she was from wiping her mouth a bit as she swallowed her food looking over to him. “Oh uh Kou.” He even called her Milady again… he must be a killer with the ladies. She thought a bit about earlier when someone asked about her dress, they had thought it was Kina in origin…

He mother had made it and it was normal for her parents to make attire to fit into areas… but the fact he said it had some flaws made her question it a bit. She had never up till now wondered where her parents were from before they came to Kou… they never told her… or anyone for that reason but likely the officials in Kou but even then there was no telling if that information they gave was true or not. “I was born and raised there.” She said to him refocusing on the conversation at hand her voice came out though this time a bit more shy, she shouldn’t let herself get too chummy with this man, if her parents caught onto her getting close to him even if it was for information… She pushed the thought away.

“I appreciate your concern sir. Though I assure you I should be fine, my parents know where to find me if anything goes wrong.” She said bowing her head to him with almost wary eyes. She took a breath getting a whiff of the last bites of her food calling her in for a wonderful distraction for the cruelties of the world. A blissful hold of comfort to give you sustenance and joy by just allowing it to fill your senses, through flavor, the sound the food made as some of it dripped on the rest as you lifted it up for a bite. The gleam that came off it from the lights around it making it beam at you like a warm inviting smile.

The smell that would remind you for years to come of a happier time when you were eating it, and the taste, the taste of something that was handcrafted just for you to enjoy, made with care and passion. In another life, she would proudly love to be like the man before her, someone to craft these foods to bring people to happier places from just receiving the food. To bring them joy with every, nom. She smiled softly as she closed her mouth around the last bite. She finished the bite with a soft sigh putting the eating tool down noddign to the cook to thank him.

“A lady from Kou? What a coincidence, I was from Kou as well.” Tenma would smile brightly before he took his cup of sake and sipped the liquor. As he listened to the girl’s answer about his concern, he would stay quiet and thought inside his head as if he was making a mental note. A girl who still lived with her parents, but they let her go out at this hour… quite interesting. If it was his parents, they might not let Noir go out late at night without supervision, well… maybe? Their parents didn't live long enough to be able to do that, so it would be safe to say that he would never find out.

The swordsman would reach into his pocket and take some coins before putting them on the counter before calling the seller. Tenma putting his coin before asking showed that he was a regular customer of the oden stall after all, he still remembered the price of the food there. “Let me pay for the lady’s food as well.” He said with a smile before standing up and straightening his clothes. “Well then, it was a pleasant dinner, milady. However I have to go now, may our path cross again. Good evening.”

The swordsman would give the girl a slight nod before walking away, deciding to head home for now to get some rest.

[EXIT]