2022-11-19 - Curry and Wolfy
| Title: Curry and Wolfy | |
|---|---|
| Summary: Mai asks Kyouka to come over to try a curry recipe, and there's definitely no other baggage involved. | |
| Who: | |
| Where: Okazaki Household (Shitamachi area) | |
| OOC - IC Date: November 19, 2022 - Wednesday, January 27, 2016 | |
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka had been studying when she received a surprise text--Mai, asking if she could come by and try out a new recipe. She eyeballed the amount of work she had left... not that much, she could finish it later.
> Sure! Here's my address...
Kyouka's house is a modest two-story house, closer to Juuban than to Ohtori, (giving the elder Okazaki the longer commute). It's easy enough to find, and the first thing Mai hears when she either knocks on the door or rings the doorbell is excited barking, followed by Kyouka shouting "Be right there!"
Kyouka opens the door a little stooped over--and it's easy to see why, with an excitable Siberian Husky straining to get around her to get to Mai. Kyouka's holding him back by the collar, though. "Hey, Tokiha-chan, come in, come in, one sec."
She leaves the door open, but pulls the dog away from it. "Okay, Wolfy. Sit. Sit. Stay. Good boy."
Wolfy sits, though he's still excited to see a new person and looks like he couldspring forward at an moment.
Kyouka turns her attention back to her guest. "Okay, that'll hold him for a moment. He's not agressive, he just likes meeting new people. Can I help you take something?"
The inside of the house is cozy, and nice and warm to keep out the winter chill. The living room and kitchen have somewhat of an open floorplan, leaving it all as mostly one big open room. The kitchen area has a little island and all the expected amenities. The place is nice, and a little bit decorated, but if one looks closely it's easy to tell that they haven't been living there that long--it's decorated with personal effects but not that decorated. Or maye they just don't have a lot of those.
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (12)] has posed.
Why today? Because it's a day, Mikoto has club activities, and Mai is trying to be productive while avoiding the things she really doesn't want to think about. Studying, conversations she's been putting off, glimpses of a certain jerk on tree branches...
> thx, probly lving you leftovers
> can explan ltr
She could claim that her texting style is economical or quick, but in all honesty it's to annoy some people she texts.
Mai stands at the threshold of the property for a couple of minutes before she approaches the door properly - just looking at the place from outside, taking in the sight. But it's a cautious approach eventually, and a shifting of bags to ring that doorbell.
The barking makes her jump a bit, and she steps away from the door to double-check the number. But the door opens, to reveal Kyouka - and a very big dog. A very happy floofer. A giant fuzzball.
Mai, more used to cats, kind of freezes in her tracks.
"...oh! Ah, thank you for having me, Okazaki-chan." She smiles, and carefully steps across the threshold, closing the door behind her as she hands one grocery bag to Kyouka with a smile. "That one has the chicken, please don't let...'Wolfy' at it."
Very happy dog. Having hung around with Mikoto 'Friend To Animals' Minagi, Mai approaches this like she would one of the stray cats - a very cautious hand held out as an offering for pets. And in return, she gets nearly bowled over and her hand kind of slobbered on while she takes in the place.
There's a weirdly uncertain expression on her face as she looks over the place - but it eases as she sees what few decorations there are, or perhaps what things there aren't. Eventually, eventually, she extracts herself from the trap of a happy pup, and makes her way to the kitchen with the other bag she has - which is cartons and bags of much less interest to a dog than fresh meat and vegetables might have been.
Mai makes her way to the sink with practised ease, taking just a moment to spy some soap, and washes the drool-covered hand quickly. "So, you don't have to answer if it's awkward, but...that isn't, like, Strike Wolf's animal form or something, is it?"
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
The word 'explain' does make Kyouka wonder what's going on, but... well, she's happy to have the company regardless.
Kyouka sees Mai's reaction and mentally kicks herself. "Oh, shoot, sorry, I forgot to warn you. But I'm more than happy to have you!" She takes the bag from Mai, nodding, "Okay, I've got the kitchen straightened up, so we can get started right away."
When Mai says Wolfy's name the dog perks up, but Kyouka shoots him a glance and a firm Stay., then looks back to Mai. "Don't worry, once we put the stuff down and he gets to smell you he'll settle down."
The kitchen area is clean and organized. All the countertops are clear and the sink is even empty. And there's more than enough room for the two of them to work side by side without getting in each other's ways.
Kyouka puts the bag on the counter. "Should be safe here, we've taught him not to get up on the countertop." She looks back and chuckles as Wolfy enthusiastically gets up and runs right up to Mai, sniffing at her hand and giving it a lick before nosing at Mai's leg. He gives a few more happy barks and then wanders off to go find a warm spot to lay down.
"He just likes meeting new people. Probably why we took to each other so well." She studies Mai's face as she looks around uncertainly, trying to track her gaze but not finding anything out of place. "... Something wrong...?" But Mai seems to ease after a moment so she shrugs it off.
"The question makes her blink, though. "... Wha..." And then she bursts out laughing, "Oh, no, nonono. We've had Wolfy since I was 8. I've got pictures to prove it. Strike Wolf is right here." She's dressed in jeans and a plain t-shirt, and there's a black leather bracelet on her right wrist that she holds up, which has a five-sided purple gem on it. "See?"
<Good evening.>
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (12)] has posed.
He's a nice dog and very hard to ignore. But ultimately Kyouka's words are proven correct, and Mai can safely escape to a relative refuge. She steps awkwardly around the dining table, though, as if expecting it to be...not there.
And Mai can't help but laugh too, when the confusion is disproven. "In my defense - ahem - I've seen a few 'familiars' and one of my...food-thieves has a magical wolf of her own. It wasn't that extreme a guess!" She's grinning, and bows politely to the bracelet. "Good evening, Strike Wolf, sorry for assuming you would be fluffy."
Opening up the bags, Mai starts laying out ingredients. Chicken, potatoes, carrots, a box with a bright yellow label, and an assortment of other odds and ends like vinegar. "So the idea I had - well, I had a few ideas. One is that I haven't made chicken curry in a long while - the people I cook for, um, don't care for it. But I was in the mood, so I figured - I could at least share a recipe, and if it goes all right you could have leftovers to save you some trouble."
Mai goes to the drawers, opening one of them almost absent-mindedly. "And I was thinking of sharing a few side dishes I've picked up - you mentioned you transferred in recently, and the ingredients for these might be easier to get-"
And then Mai cuts herself off, blinking at the spoons within the open drawer. It's a moment of staring, then she closes it and steps back from the counter. "...but I should probably ask you to help me find things. Just...habits."
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka doesn't look offended in the least. "Yeah, no worries. If Wolfy suddenly revealed he was magic and started talking to me someday I probably wouldn't bat an eye at this rate. ... Might be more upset he waited so long, honestly."
At that she pauses, and glances over towhere Wolfy is resting. "You're not magical, are you boy?"
Wolfy just gives her a sort of puzzled whine and a tilt of his head.
"Just checking."
Strike Wolf, for his part, also seems unoffended. <Not a problem.>
"Mom's out of the house, by the way, so it's safe to talk about whatever," she adds, as an afterthought.
Kyouka washes her own hands, and then works on unpacking the other bag, getting things laid out and organized. She lights up, "Oh, curry, yeah, that's a great idea! nice warm dish for the cold season. I should've thought of that sooner. And thanks, yeah, I'd love ot pick up a new recipe. And the leftovers will come in super handy. Since it's just the two of us most of the time we usually make leftovers so we don't have to worry about cooking every night."
She pauses from her organization to watch you randomly open a drawer with a sort of bemused grin. ""Oh, yeah, that's a good thought. I'm still getting used to what's available around here and what makes good produce. Any tips on that would be greatly appreciated."
"Don't worry about it. I know what it's like to try and settle into that groove. I'd be more than happy to help," she says, once Mai realizes what drawer she's looking in. "Here, lemme give you the rundown..." She opens most of the drawers and cabinets to show what she has available. "We try to pack light, because of the moving, but we always try to keep as much cooking stuff as we can... comes in handy."
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (12)] has posed.
Truly, a dog finally talking after years and years would be a true betrayal.
Mai has the basics, at least, though she does take note of the drawers and cabinets as best she can. Though...she's a bit careless when it's her turn to retrieve things, and takes two tries to find the drawer about half the time.
"It's admittedly going to be a whole lot of, well, Japanese cuisine. Though I admit some bias to..." She glances at the door, looks intently at the dog, and finally lets out a sigh. It's safe to talk about whatever, right?
"...well, Mikoto and I sometimes keep kind of odd hours. Sometimes monsters don't wait for a convenient time. So a lot of what I make either comes together really quickly, or can be left to simmer for another hour or two without harm. Though having a supply of leftovers helps a lot there, too."
She flashes a smile, and sets to slicing an onion with practised grace. A pot on the stove, a bit of oil, and about half the onions go in to start cooking. And then she pauses. "...those'll need fifteen minutes, if a monster attacks definitely turn that one off."
Experience.
In the meantime she starts laying out other things. She reaches for a second knife, gets a spoon, closes her eyes - and then slaps her forehead. "...and I forgot I'm supposed to explain what I'm doing. Sorry. So - onions are the base of a lot of things, and we - I always try to get them started early. The longer they cook, the sweeter they get. Then we'll add the chicken to sear it, and carrots - if you like them, that is."
She does get out a second cutting board, though.
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka is more than happy to give reminders of where things are, if asked, and doesn't even seem to mind. She understands Mai is working with an unfamiliar setup.
"Not a problem," Kyouka says of Japanese cuisine. "I love trying new things."
Wolf's sleeping and the front door is closed. Definitely safe.
She nods as Mai explains. "Ah, I see. Good thinking," she says of simmering and leftovers. "... Though I hope I don't have to put that into practice too often..."
"15 minutes, got it." She reaches over to set the timer, then pauses-- "... Right, I'll... keep that in mind."
It' still a weird thing for her to think about.
She quietly opens the drawer with the knives when Mai comes out with a spoon. Without comment. "I've been paying attention, though... I was going to ask if you wanted me to help prep some of this. It'll make the setup go faster."
"Okay, I see. Oh, let me see..." She turns to a drawer that's on the end of the island, not really near the kitchen prep area... and out comes a notebook and a pencil. She flips it to a blank page--seems like a lot of recipes in there--and starts making notes. "Okay, got that, now I'll start on cutting something if you want. And yeah, I like carrots. There's not a lot I don't like, really."
She leaves the notebook and pencil on the counter, for easy access later.
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (12)] has posed.
Plenty of good things to try, as the smell of sizzling onions starts to shift from sharp to something a little sweeter - Mai uses the spoon she did find to stir them, at least.
"...if it helps, those are tips I learned when I was trying to fit part-time jobs and studying into the day. If you're busy with anything, then either fast or something you can prep ahead are helpful. I've got all kinds of tricks for making instant ramen taste better, and some nights that really helps."
She at least looks less exhausted than she did going into Sanbu. Slightly better work-life balance. Slightly.
The chicken is Mai's priority, so she leaves the carrots to Kyouka. By the time that chopping is done she can check on the onions. Mostly ready, so...she opens one small bag, adding a spoonful of brown spices to the onions, and gives them a stir. "...I'll probably leave this with you - I tend not to keep curry spices around the dorm room. Good to cook them a bit before everything else goes in."
And then the chicken goes in, seared on all sides, then the carrots, and then Mai adds some water to the pot, giving things a good stir. "The potatoes won't need as long to cook, and if you're adding mushrooms I'd suggest cooking them separately. So that just needs to simmer for a little while, we skim off any foam, and when it's closer to ready we'll make the sauce."
She finds a potato peeler on the first attempt, at least, and starts slowly peeling that vegetable. There's a long quiet before she speaks up again, and it's with a little less of her cheerful enthusiasm.
"...sorry if I'm a little off. It's just-" She waves a hand awkwardly to indicate the room's layout. "...it's kind of familiar. Your home, I mean. I'm just remembering a house just like this one, and I keep on acting like it's that kitchen instead of yours."
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka does enjoy the smell of the onions as they cook, and happily sets about to chopping the carrots when asked, too. She's pretty deft with the knife, and has them ready in pretty short order. In betwen all of the advise she's making notes to to remember it for later.
"Most days I come hope after track so I can do homework and work on dinner, but... I do like to go out on ocassion to hang out with friends, so I'll bet I can put them to use... Instant ramen, huh?" she muses. "You know I don't think I've tried any of the instant variety since getting here..."
If Mai were to snoop around Kyouka's kitchen--and she very well could, Kyouka doesn't seem particularly bothered, having shown her everything previously--she'll notice a pretty distinct lack of instant foods in most cases.
She smiles when Mai mentions she'll leave the spices, "Oh, thanks! If you're sure you won't be missing them, then that's be really handy."
She's keeping an eye on the pot, but finds a second peeler and starts on a second potato to help Mai out.
She looks over as Mai starts talking again, "Mm? Hey, we've all got our off days...." Their conversation the other evening certainly attests to that. But then she explains further, and let's out a little 'ah' as she understands more of what Mai meant by 'off'. "I mean, honestly, feel free to make yourself at home..."
But she can tell that's not what the real problem is. "Is it a place you miss or had to leave behind?" she asks, gently. She's making a guess, but... she does understand leaving a place you liked behind.
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (12)] has posed.
Mai did glance at the cupboards a little bit when trying to find a measuring cup - and she blinks a little bit at the admission before laughing. Because, well...
"If it's just myself I'm taking care of, I kind of have a habit of falling back on it. Cheaper than convenience store meals, easy to make, and it's easy to add green onions or an egg or something for a little extra. I've got a weird fondness for it, but...don't go out of your way."
That was her comment at the time, at least.
The steady turn of Mai's potato slows but doesn't quite stop at Kyouka's last question, but Mai doesn't answer right away. It's not until that potato is peeled and ready for chopping that she finds an answer. "...a bit of both, I guess. But mostly the latter. It's been years - not counting dreams, at least. So being here was just a little nostalgic, that's all."
There's a sigh, as she takes up the spoon and skims off a glob of foam from the simmering chicken and carrots, flicking it into a bowl. "...anyway, it's also a lot different. We never had a dog growing up. Having him around must be a lot more important than the house itself, right?"
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
"Hey, I'll give it a shot sometime. Don't know until you try it, right?" She does mean that... though she does have her doubts it'll grab her. Still, one time won't kill her.
Kyouka gives space for Mai to answer, working on potatos at probably a faster clip than her friend, at the moment. She's got plenty to keep her hands busy, at least. She nods a little as Mai answers--though the comment about dreams makes her quirk an eyebrow. She suspects there's more than the ordinary meaning of the word, but... doesnt pry, for the moment.
She nods when Wolfy comes back up, "Yeah. This, is the first house I've lived in for any length of time. Mostly it's been apartment-style housing on base, which is definitely different. But Wolfy... Wolfy's been a constant in my life all these years, no matter where we moved to."
She lets out a sigh that is mostly happy and nostalgic. "He's honestly been my best friend... or at least, the most constant one."
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (12)] has posed.
Mai skims at the bubbling broth again - it doesn't smell too spicy as yet - and then she starts rummaging around. It's not long before she gives up, looking sheepishly at Kyouka. "Right. I should have asked about a rice cooker earlier - do you mind getting the rice going? I can chop the potatoes in the meantime."
Knifework doesn't take too long, though, and there's a smile on Mai's face hearing Kyouka talk about her beloved canine. "That's honestly lovely. I mean - I got too busy with part-time jobs to keep friends even before transferring into Ohtori, so...I kind of get it."
She sighs. "As for houses, I kind of went the other way. Grew up in a house, switched to apartments and dorm rooms. It's...admittedly helped a lot that Ohtori dorms are really well furnished."
It's about time to add the chopped potatoes to the pot, at least to Mai's rough guess, and she opens up the yellow box she brought as the chicken-and-vegetables come back to a boil. It's full of little wrapped squares...
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka looks on as Mai rummages, and then smiles and nods when she asks about the rice. "Sure thing. Here, I'll give you these..." She hands over her peeled potatos and then goes right for the rice cooker. If Mai didn't bring rice she breaks out her family's stash. "How much?" When she gets the answer she busts out a measuring cup, adds the water, and lets it start.
She winces just a little and nods as Mai mentions being too busy to keep friends. Her situation is not the same--moving is not the same as needing to work part-time jobs, but still, losing a friend stings, no matter the reason. "Yeah. ... It really helps, to have at least that one constant in your life."
"Yeah they are. I toured Ohtori and... damn. Another reason not to go there though. They'd probably insist on having some fancy schmancy purebreed pedigree or something."
She looks over at the yellow box. "Oh, what are those...?"
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (12)] has posed.
"Just a few servings of rice - that part's easy to make fresh." It's an easy answer.
Mai winces herself at the comment about having one constant, but laughs at the Ohtori tour. "In fairness - and mark this day well because I don't often give praise for anything - the rule for pets seems to be 'noteworthy'. So a big wolfhound would probably slide. As would a little monkey. Or a kangaroo with boxing gloves."
She pauses. "I'm really not doing much to defend my school, am I?"
Before unwrapping the package, Mai spoons a little bit of the broth into a tasting bowl, blowing on it to cool it before taking a sip. A frown crosses her face, like the light of a flickering candle. "...I've forgotten something. Not a big thing - it's got a nice warmth to it from the extra spices - but there was something..."
...she'll have to try again another day. Get it right.
But then she sets down the bowl and shakes her head. "The final step. So - the key to a good curry, at least if you're in Japan, is that most of the flavour is in whatever kind of roux you get." She taps the box. "It's pretty straight-forward - cook onions, cook the meat and any hard vegetables, add extras like a pinch of spices or some fruit or tomato, then add water or broth and do most of the cooking."
One last skim of sauce, and then - she unwraps a dark-gold block, showing it off. "...and then you've got these blocks of roux. Butter and flour and a bunch of spices - you can get them mild or spicy or whatever."
She hands the block - and her spoon - over to Kyouka. "Just plop it in, stir until the whole thing's melted, and then it just needs to simmer another ten minutes. That gets you a nice thick and spicy soup which is always great this time of year."
She just hasn't made it for herself in a...while.
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
She chuckles a little, "Well... I mean, he has probably been in more countries than most humans, I'm sure that must count for something, right?" She pauses. "Wait, are those real?"
"... On second thought, don't tell me. It's easier to pretend that way."
She laughs a little, "Ah, don't worry about."
She watches with interest as Mai takes a taste... "... Was it something you forgot to bring? I can check the fridge..."
She looks with interest as Mai explains the roux. "Oh, interesting..." Another brief note made in the notebook. Just the word roux, but she'll remember to write the details down later. She takes the spoon, then, and tips it into the pot, and then starts stirring. "10 minutes, got it... covered or uncovered?"
She stops a moment to inhale. "Well it's got a good aroma, at the very least..."
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (12)] has posed.
Mai just laughs and laughs at the usual sensible reaction to Ohtori weirdness.
And refuses to answer whether it's real.
(It is. Because Ohtori.)
Mai waits until the roux is in, and stirring, and melting into a lovely thick golden sauce. "It does have a nice smell, doesn't it? There's a lot of brands out there, and I just picked this one because I remember it being nice. And don't worry about it - it's just one of those things where you're free to experiment. Add a little more sweetness, or more spiciness, whatever you like. It just needs to go in before bringing things to a boil, so we have what we have."
And what they have is turning out quite nice - Mai goes for uncovered to let it thicken more. "...it's kind of funny to think that your dog is a world traveler. But it must be hard too, moving all the time. So - I hope the curry goes over well. It's been a while since I made it - and on that note, please don't offer leftovers to Mikoto, she doesn't handle spicy things very well."
Caution. Even as she's thinking - and then she slaps a fist into her palm.
"Apples. I think it was apples. I'll remember that to...maybe try again someday."
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka nods as she works on stirring the broth, gets it until it's thickened, and then lets it be for the requisite 10 minutes. While that's going she checks on the rice, straightens up a few things to make whatever comes next easier to deal with. "Experimentation's good. I can do that."
She grins and nods, "I mean, he's been almost as many places as I have... Transporting him's a little tricky sometimes, but we always manage." She sighs a little and nods, "Yeah, it's... yeah." She pauses what she's doing to look off into the distance for a moment. "Lots of leaving people and places behind."
But she bounces back. "Me too, it certainly smells good, so I can't wait to try it."
That's several times she's mentioned Mikoto tonight. "Do you cook for Mikoto a lot? She's Ohtori too, right?" She saw the other girl in that uniform on at least one occassion.
"Ooh, yeah, I bet those would've gone great in this mixture. Next time, then."
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (12)] has posed.
Sometimes the prepackaged things work well, and this is a prime example - the broth thickens in a hurry, taking on a glossy sheen, and now the smell of spice is really hitting.
(It really has been a while, so Mai went with a 'medium' spice level.)
"...it's hard. Whether it's once or a lot, leaving things behind is hard. It's good that you have...something familiar to hold on to through it all." It's a wistful look, tinged with worry, shadowed by uncertainty.
Maybe there's more to say.
But then Kyouka has a question about Mikoto, and Mai blinks in utter confusion for a moment. "Mikoto...do I..."
And then Mai lets out a snort, and actually starts laughing. Loud, and hard, until there's tears in her eyes. "I'd forgotten - right, you don't know about that, you've barely seen-" And it's a long minute before she gets her composure back.
"And when she does finally, her answer is almost flippant. "We've been sharing a dorm room since I started high school. So to answer your actual questions, yes I do and yes she is."
There's a fond smile on her face now, not the wistful one, even as she indicates the just-about-ready curry. "So I make things I know she'll enjoy, and we've learned that spicy things are not among them. Which is why I'm a little out of practice with curry."
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka might actually consider picking some of those premade roux blocks for herself. Can't make everything from scratch, after all.
She nods. "Yeah...." She's wondering about the expression on Mia's face. "Something on your mind...?"
And then she gets, well, that reaction from her other question, blinking a bit in surprise as Mai laughs, and continues to laugh for a good few moments. "Uh... New girl here, so... seen what...?" She's starting to look a bit lost.
But eventually Mai explains. "Ahhh, I see then. That makes sense. I was just curious, 'cause you mentioned her a couple times." She doesn't seem like she's reading terribly much into that fact. She leans against the counter and takes a moment to fill in some of the brief notes she'd made throughout. "She doesn't like spicy foods, huh? That's good to know."
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (12)] has posed.
Mai wipes at her eyes, still smiling, as if she's put the worry behind her for the moment. "I mean - I've got things on my mind all the time. Just...worries I can tackle another day. But some things are easier."
While the curry finishes cooking, she takes a few cucumbers out of the bag of groceries, trimming off the ends and giving them a quick wash. Just for something to occupy her hands for a moment.
"...did I mention her that much? She's just..." Mai pauses, hand on the bag, while she thinks out her next words. "...she's a part of my life. And someone who praised my instant ramen tricks to high heaven - though I still think she's overstating things a bit. I'll still jot a few of those down in case you ever need them."
A pause, a bit more gravity. "She really can't handle spicy things. At all. It's a bit more than dislike there. So I'll be leaving all the curry stuff with you, if that's all right."
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka nods. "Well, if you never need to talk to someone about... moving, or leaving things behind, let me know. Seriously." She doesn't try to invoke some imagined debt to be repaid this time, but if there's anyone among Mai's friends who might feel that particular pain more keenly, it might be Kyouka.
After a moment's thought she adds, "... Or if you need tips on packing. I've got those, too."
But maybe if she's temporarily--albiet accidentally--lifted Mai's spirits, that's good enough for now.
She shrugs a little. "Only a couple times. It's nice to have a close friendship like that." She could point out that Mai told her, umprompted, about Mikoto's inability to handle spicy foods, and not about anybody else's tolerance for handling spicy foods, but... well, that might just be reading too much into it.
Kyouka blinks and nods. "Oh, okay. Got it. I'll remember that if I ever offer her anything." She flips to a different page in the notebook--Mai might catch a glimpse of Yumi's name with... a rather lengthy list--and adds Mikoto's name and 'spicy' underneath.
"Well, if you're sure you won't need it, then thanks! I'll put it to good use. While we're on the topic, anything I should know that you can't handle? If you don't mind saying, that is."
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (12)] has posed.
Mai's hands go completely still at Kyouka's offer of a serious talk or tips on packing. She doesn't shake her head, doesn't keep working on the cucumbers, doesn't even seem to breath for a moment. Like she's frozen in place, like something just caught up with her.
"...I'll hold you to that." It's a whisper. And maybe it's an oath.
But the moment passes. Mai shakes off whatever was haunting her, does not address it further, and focuses on the food. And foods to avoid. Safe topics.
"-oh, you're organized. I mostly just focus on a few things - vegetarian meals for some people, cutting back on the fried stuff for others...if I make a variety of things then I can make sure there's at least something for everyone, right?"
And yet, 'no spice' is a priority.
"As for me - not that I can name, really. I'm not saying my coffee is exactly good for me, but that doesn't matter." She rummages for a container. "So - want to try this curry? And then I was thinking I'd show you how I make quick overnight pickles, those can be good in bento boxes..."
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka does feel a little bad for poking on that one, but it seemed to be on Mai's mind, and, well, it is something she's familiar with.
She offers a firm shoulder pat as a sort of combination consolation, apology, and a confirmation of her end of the bargain, and lets it rest for now.
"I guess I'm a little organized. Just... hate to have good hospitality ruined by serving people the wrong foods, you know?" Then Mai names a few different types of things, and Kyouka nods. "... and no spice for some people," she says, just to complete the list. "But yeah, that's generally the approach I try to take. Cover my bases, but I figure some things it's important to note."
She thinks for a second. "Though... been thinking lately about vegetarianism or veganism. I like steaks and burgers too much though..."
She grins a little, "I can add it to my list," she says, lightheartedly. She gives an enthusiastic nod at the offer of trying it. "Yes! Ahh, and new bento box recipes would be great. I've been trying to find some things that are good for both dinner and leftover bento boxes, but I don't have quite a lot of recipes under my belt yet..."
