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Post by saintsergio on Mar 3, 2009 6:32:37 GMT 9
"You have to go shopping one day, Nao! I mean, your place is bare and you live off of that American food! You're going to get even fatter if you don't watch you. You can cook right?" That nagging voice in his hear, a fellow employee at his company said. He'd made the mistake of inviting her over once, to practice their lines, and he got absolutely nothing done because she wouldn't shut up about how he only had water to drink and rice to eat.
His response had been meek, at best, "I'm hardly home, Mina-chan. There's no point in it if everything is going to waist anyway..."
That had earned him two bleeding ears and a rattling brain. So here he was, shopping on a Saturday morning. His hair hadn't been fixed properly, so it was hanging in his face and brushed the tips of his ears on the side. He wore jeans, and a plain shirt with a pocket on the chest and sandals, as usual. Nao always felt awkward shopping by himself, for himself.
It was the reason he lived off of fast food and soda. It was cheap, and easy to get his hands on. He didn't even know what to shop for! "Ask her for help with shopping and she ditches me. How.... appropriate. She has to be the only woman who doesn't like shopping," he muttered to himself, picking up a can of something and just stared at it. Reading labels isn't how he wanted to spend his Saturday. He'd much rather be sleeping.
"I'm coming over on Sunday, so you'd better have something for me to eat!" Mina said as she gathered up her script and purse. The woman had kissed him on both cheeks before she left.
"Maybe I can make a stew... Beef stew. That's... pretty simple..." Actually, he had no idea how to even go about that. He should have gotten some recipes off the internet before he left.
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Turquoistar
New Member
Cut the Crap bring on the Meat!
Posts: 38
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Post by Turquoistar on Mar 3, 2009 11:59:34 GMT 9
Finally a few hours to restock the house. Toshihiro walked around the store with his basket, a bag of rice, a bag of cheep Udon noodles, and some cover-up and eyeliner. He rubbed his eyes that were clear of the normal cover-up so you could see the circles under his eyes. Giving him a tired and older look. He was wearing his gothic black pants with chain that crossed over his ass and a black tank top.
He looked over his basket and then pulled out his school calculator and tried to figure out how much this current choices would cost. He then pulled out the small wad of tips he’d gotten and tired to figure out if he could afford to get any fish to have with his rice and noodles. “Damn.” He said putting his money away. He’d just have to deal with rice and some leeks. Toshihiro stood up and walked towards the vegetables to get some leeks and some seaweed wrap.
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Post by charmingfacade on Mar 3, 2009 12:28:19 GMT 9
Takeshi had spent the previous day hauling boxes up to his third floor apartment and spent half the night looking for his water boiler to properly cook his "Cup o' Noodle" ramen for dinner. Not exactly the classy dinner he was used to. However, it was, again, acceptable considering that it was his first night away from Tokyo. It was actually one of the best nights of sleep he had gotten in years. The night was quiet and calm and didn't sound of car horns, yelling, or screeching breaks that kept him on the brink of honest rest. He woke feeling fresh and rejuvenated, something he decided he could definitely get used to in a hurry.
Not that the ramen wasn't filling and even a bit tasty, but Takeshi didn't want to press his luck with his taste for the stuff. Having it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner - again - would certainly cut his love for the instant ramen exponentially. The apartment was still rather empty, save the stacks of boxes and the few that seemed to have exploded their contents all over the kitchen. Since the kitchen was the first part that Takeshi tried living in already, groceries seemed best. After tying back his hair, adjusting his dark gray, hooded sweater, and lacing up his black Converse high-tops, he was out the door and on his way to the grocers just next door to the apartment building.
The place wasn't anything like he was used to. The market that he had frequented back in Tokyo was always a chore to go to. It was always crowded, loud, and the lines for even the smallest basket were a mile long and took an hour to get through. This seemed so much more... convenient. It was tranquil and Take didn't even have to blast his iPod to ungodly decibels just to hear the beat. This town just got better and better. With a soft sigh he wandered the isles, picking things here and there that seemed necessary or just plain interesting. Slipping down another isle, he caught sight of some canned water crests he was interested it.
"Beg your pardon..." he murmured softly to the shorter man that stood before the shelf looking over a can. He reached in front of him and grabbed two before placing it in his basket and shuffling along the rest of the isle. "Should look for some fresher vegetables also..." he muttered to himself with a soft sigh.
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Post by saintsergio on Mar 3, 2009 12:37:13 GMT 9
Nao jumped when someone spoke to him and reached beside him. He hadn't been expecting anything like that. Yes, the short man could jump. Rubbing his nose a bit, he backed out of the way and bit down on his bottom lip. He hated to ask questions, but he honestly didn't have any idea how to make a stew. "A-ah..." He began, clearing his throat a bit. Why did he always sound an octave higher when he tried to talk to someone? Jeeze, it was like a bad movie.
"Do you... know what kind of.. vegetables go in stew?" He looked at the taller one with a shy expression, bowing his head politely as he spoke. "I have to make one, but.. I'm a disaster at cooking. I don't.... don't even know what kind of meat to use." There were many types of beef.
Just so it didn't look like he was in this isle for no reason, he grabbed a can of bamboo shoots and set them in his buggy, next to a loaf of bread and a carton of eggs. Yay, shopping was so fun.
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Post by charmingfacade on Mar 3, 2009 12:48:04 GMT 9
It was rare for Takeshi to hear anyone other than the voices in his head - coming from the headphones in his ear, of course - so Takeshi stopped with a blink and glanced over his shoulder at the familiar figure that seemed to be following him. He wasn't in the store for more than ten minutes and he already managed to find himself a lost puppy. Fantastic. Just what he needed. Not in the new town for two days and already people were looking to make friends and trade recipes.
Takeshi heaved a soft sigh and pulled the plugs from his ears, stuffing them in the pocket of his sweater. "I'm sorry, what was it you said? I didn't quite hear." By then he had pulled out his music player and was working to shut it off. "You're making a stew?" Takeshi turned and glanced over this person standing before him. He really must have been lost. There was hardly anything that seemed stew-ish in this guys hand basket.
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Post by saintsergio on Mar 3, 2009 12:55:58 GMT 9
Ah? He'd been wearing headphones. But he got something about stew. Which.... means he was listening? Nao was so confused. Sighing softly, he rubbed a cheek and looked back up to the taller one. "Yes... A stew, but... I don't know what to put in it. I didn't look online to get the recipe.." He did sound like a confused little puppy, but he was. That was the whole point in asking.
The eggs and bread were for his breakfast in the morning, but he didn't have to mention that to a stranger, did he? Certainly not. He bowed his head again and sighed softly. "I'm sorry if it's a burden for asking. But... I'm a disaster at cooking. I'll be surprised if... there's a kitchen left.." And he waited for a response, pushing his hair from his ears, it was tickling him, causing his face to go a slightly brighter shade of red.
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Post by charmingfacade on Mar 3, 2009 13:01:30 GMT 9
Takeshi gave a soft, lengthy sigh and reached to pinch the bridge of his nose. [/i]Mnh...[/i] He wasn't much of a cook himself, either. He tended to stick to simpler dishes and the only more complex things he knew about were curries. He tended to need a book or some reference if he was cooking anything new or not memorized.
"I'm sorry.. I can't really help you." he eventually said, giving up any hope of recalling any recipe - or if he'd even cooked a stew before, "I don't think I've ever made one myself. If I had to take a wild guess.. Carrots? Maybe potatoes?" He felt kind of ridiculous giving such random answers and sighed again, "The only thing I could really say for certain is how to make curry. Sorry I'm not much help."
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Turquoistar
New Member
Cut the Crap bring on the Meat!
Posts: 38
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Post by Turquoistar on Mar 3, 2009 13:10:06 GMT 9
Toshihiro walked though the store and spotted the two men talking. He had recognized the shorter man from work. He sighed not really wanting to be seen. He didn’t have his cover-up on and he hated the way his eyes gave away how underclass he was. He walked pass and headed to the vegetables. The chains on his pants jingled as he walked. He though back on the night he first saw Nao. He grabbed a few things walking by incase he happened to run into Nao.
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Post by saintsergio on Mar 3, 2009 13:14:09 GMT 9
Potatoes and carrots, that sounded about right. He remembered the stew his mother used to make him, it had potatoes and carrots. And a gravy of some kind. "Thank you. That is a helpful start," he said, not seeming to notice the sigh. Or, if he did, he said nothing of it. He smiled at Takeshi and was making a move to the vegetables before jingling caught his attention.
Turning, he spotted a head of familiar colored hair and tilted his head to the side. Looking back to the other male, he offered a thank you and moved to get closer to the one with the chains. He really didn't want to leave the other alone, since he was so nice. He really wanted to talk, but that might have been someone he knew.
"If... you are heading to the vegetables... perhaps we... c-could walk together? I haven't... seen you before." Where that bold statement came from, he didn't know. But it would be nice to shop with someone than alone. It looked like Toshihiro was heading to the veggie isle as well. What luck!
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Post by charmingfacade on Mar 3, 2009 13:27:34 GMT 9
"...." This was turning into a regular walk in the park, wasn't it? Even though he was constantly bumped into and shoved back and forth by inconsiderate people in the Tokyo market, he was always able to get his shopping done and didn't have to worry about throwing out random vegetables at someone who needed a cookbook. Takeshi sighed again and cleared his head a moment, the other seemed just slightly distracted by someone else. Just get it over with, Takeshi.. Once you're done shopping with him, you'll be home free. It's not like you'll see him again - nor is he that terrible... So far.
"Suppose we could." He answered finally, happening to glance at the shelf behind the stouter figure and caught sight of something. He reached toward the shelf and picked up a cad, offering it to him. "... Peas would go in stew also, wouldn't they?"
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Turquoistar
New Member
Cut the Crap bring on the Meat!
Posts: 38
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Post by Turquoistar on Mar 3, 2009 14:13:07 GMT 9
Toshihiro grabbed another random item as he reached the Vegetables. He glanced around then when to pick out some leeks. They were usually pretty cheep. “101 leeks and rice.” he said placing a few good pack in his basket.
He picked out some that would last a while so they wouldn’t go bad before he got to finish them all. He walked over and looked over the other vegetables and fruit that he would get if he had the money.
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Post by saintsergio on Mar 3, 2009 19:26:24 GMT 9
Peas? He was thinking the same thing, looking them over. They looked fresh. Moving towards them, he picked up a few pods and examined them, nodding as he grabbed a plastic bag that was produced in the vegetable isle for just this, he put about one-third a pounds worth in there. He could eat off the stew if there were any left overs. He'd be spending a little more time at home.
Leeks, he knew, went well in stew. They went well with most meat, in his opinion. "L-let's... get some leeks." It had just occured to him that he had yet to introduce himself. "Where are my manners? I'm Ikeda... Nao.." He looked up to his shopping companion and gave a little, but warm smile, round cheeks slightly flushed.
His eyes would wander towards the jingling pants of Toshihiro, wanting to call out to him, but that would seem to forward. They'd only met once, a few days ago. But he was so nice to talk to. ...And to look at.
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Post by charmingfacade on Mar 4, 2009 3:08:42 GMT 9
Well.. apparently his offer of the can was unwanted, so Takeshi simply decided to keep the can himself. He was certain that he could come up with a recipe that would call for a can of peas. He didn't need everything to be fresh. He wasn't cooking a feast in one night, after all. Considering his options, he figured he would at least grab enough to sustain him for about a week or so. Once he was finished unpacking and settled in, he would probably come back for a longer stint. Until then, the smaller quantities would be fine.
As they wandered the fresh produces, Takeshi suddenly felt as though he was shopping with his mother. It was a strange, slightly random feeling, but couldn't help reminiscing about how he used to tag along with his mother at the grocers in a similar fashion. How strange. "Kurosawa Takeshi. Pleasure." He wasn't as warm-faced as Ikeda, but for Takeshi's standards, it was pretty friendly. "Is.. that a friend of yours?" he asked as he watched Nao's eyes wander again.
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Post by saintsergio on Mar 4, 2009 5:10:53 GMT 9
"I... I uhm... Met him at a restaurant... actually. New acquaintances.." Nao was being honest, but he hid the fact he thought Toshihiro was one of the most handsome men he'd ever seen. Sighing softly, he looked towards the vegetables again, poking a few tomatoes before bagging about three and placed them in his hand basket. There was always tomato and cucumber salad. Shifting towards the tomatoes, he looked to Toshihiro, who was now withing speaking range.
Praying Takeshi forgave him, he called out to the other man. "Toshihiro-san..? Is that you?" he asked, pretending like he'd just seen the man. Good thing he was a voice actor. Otherwise his voice would be doing ....what it was doing now. Once he realized how squeaky his voice was, his face went red and he ducked his head before looking up again. "F-fancy.... meeting you here."
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Turquoistar
New Member
Cut the Crap bring on the Meat!
Posts: 38
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Post by Turquoistar on Mar 4, 2009 5:42:42 GMT 9
Toshihiro looked toward Nao, “Hello Nao-san. It’s nice to see you again.” He glanced at what was in Nao’s basket, then he looked down at his own and realized he’d grabbed a box of tampon. This wasn’t a good day as he tried to move the items without drawing attention. He was already sure he looked like crap. So far it wasn’t going to be a good second meeting. Toshihiro looked back towards the carrots and though that if him at his worst wasn’t ok with Nao that maybe he wasn’t worth him cutting his classes.
Toshihiro nodded and looked back at Nao putting on his smile, “I was just out shopping. I can only live off American Garden for so long.” Which was a lie if he could afford it he’d eat there all the time and sell his fridge, but even with the employee discount it was too much.
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