The Rest of the Recipe
Steam rose from the noodles as Rika poured them back into the pot.
“They smell good!”
Kiko took out a block of cheese and set it on the counter next to a black pepper mill.
“They’ll taste really bland though. So, we’ll add pepper and this Italian cheese.”
Rika picked up the cheese.
“It’s like a rock.”
Kiko held up a cheese grater.
“That’s why we’ll use this.”
“Since when did you have all this, and that?”
“The tote, and I put these cheese in your refrigerator when I got here. Which I brought in the tote.”
“You’re advertising that tote bag at this point.”
Kiko shrugged.
“It’s a great bag.”
Rika looked at the pot of pasta.
“Are we worried about it getting cold?”
Suddenly she heard the apartments door open.
“Helloooo! We’re back!”
Yuki set a stack of boxes on the dining table, she was followed by Hidetake who put another two boxes on the table.
Mary then walked in.
“I’m also here!”
Rika looked at Kiko, who was holding up her smartphone.
“I’m good with timing. And I was messaging them while we cooked.”
“When could you possibly have had time to do that?”
Kiko waved.
“Pfft, there was a ton of downtime.”
“It was a complete blur! And we were together the whole time!”
Kiko rested her hand on Rika’s shoulder.
“Don’t try to understand it. Much like you and wine, I’m a master of LINE.”
Yuki, Hidetake, and Mary all nodded in agreement.
Hidetake looked at their group LINE conversation.
“We had pretty regular updates on the cooking.”
He showed his smartphone’s screen to Rika.
“There’s even pictures.”
Kiko parred Rika’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry about it. Let’s get the table ready!”
Yuki and Hidetake opened the boxes and began quickly washing and drying the forks and plates. Then set them on top of the placemats with napkins next to them.
“All done!”
In the meantime Rika heard a knock on the door. She opened it to Kaede, she was dressed in ornate traditional Japanese wear.
She bowed as she walked in.
“Thank you for having me.”
They all looked in awe as she entered the room.
“You look like a princess!”
Kaede blushed.
“Thank you. I was unsure of what to wear, so I picked my nicest Kimono, because of the occasion.”
Mary worked up her courage.
“You look very beautiful. I almost feel underdressed now.”
She then blushed, more than Kaede did.
“I’m sorry. I haven’t even introduced myself.
I’m Mary.”
She bowed trying to hide her nervousness.
“Thank you very much Mary. I’m Kaede, you look very beautiful also, not underdressed in the least.”
Mary was wearing one of her signature avant-garde outfits, a long red with a layer of lacy fabric that matched that of her black blouse. They made her blue hair that was tied in a bun, stand out more than it normally did.
Yuki smiled and leaned between them.
“I think this matchmaking party might be a success!”
Mary and Kaede continued to blush.
Mary was the first to speak.
“I- I think so.”
She paused, then rubbed the back of her neck.
“I hope that isn’t to straight forward. We just met after all.”
Kaede remained silent, then began walking closer to Mary.
Yuki and Kiki’s eyes sparkled as they watched them.
Kaede reached out her hand. Mary hesitated for a moment, then took it in hers.
“I this it is too, I hope we can get to know each other better tonight.”
Mary tried her best to not let her nerves get the better of her.
“I’m sure we will.”
Yuki and Kiko hugged each other, tears about to pour.
“This is so beautiful.”
“I know, their so cute.”
“I’m so proud of you, you’re a wonderful matchmaker.”
“I have a great teacher.”
Rika stood next to them, nodding in approval.
“You were both right.”
Yuki turned toward her and kissed her cheek.
“Of course.”
Rika blushed.
“Thank you, I hate to interrupt this. But if we wait any longer the pasta will actually get cold.”
Chiko walked from the kitchen, and stood next to them.
“Actually the plates are ready for serving, and still perfectly warm.”
Rika looked at her in awe.
“You’re really good at this.”
Kiko nodded and put a thumb up.
“I also made a salad. Everyone just needs to sit down and we’ll be ready.”
“When!?”
Kiko waved her hand.
“While the pasta was cooking.”
Rika was again shocked by Kiki’s seemingly magical cooking skills.
They looked at Mary and Kaede again, they were already seated next to each other deep in conversation.
“They’re so cute. Dinner time!”
Hidetake and Yuki set the plates on the table, and Rika poured the wine.
She got to Kaede’s glass and paused.
“You’re wearing such nice clothes, are you okay with Red wine?”
Kaede smiled.
“It’s okay, I’ll be careful. I dress like this all the time.”
“Really?!”
Kaede nodded.
“Except for my work uniform of course. My family is very traditional in that way.”
Kiko and Yuki’s eyes sparkled.
“You really are a princess!”
Kaede blushed.
“I’m not of nobility or anything.”
Mary was also blushing.
“You must always look very beautiful then.”
Kaede calmed her nerves, and bowed while sitting.
“Thank you.”
Mary was surprised by her gesture, and waved her hand.
“It’s not that big of a deal!”
She then put her hands in her lap, and looked at her plate of pasta, mildly embarrassed.
“But, thank you.”
“This is beautiful.”
Kiko whispered to Yuki, between bites of her pasta.
“I know right? Their a new level of cuteness.”
Yuki whispered back, rolling the noodles around her fork.
“They totally like one another.”
“Definitely. I wonder who will make a move.”
“I’m not sure, they’re both really shy it seems.”
“I’ll actually be kind of angry if they don’t at least exchange LINE information.”
Kiko took a sip of Wine, and hid her mouth with her glass.
“They’re might be too much pressure, the four of us are also here.”
Yuki talked behind her own glass.
“We could excuse ourselves at one point, leave them alone for a moment.”
“All four off us suddenly leaving will be hard to play off as natural.”
Yuki took another sip of Wine, thinking.
“What if we go in pairs. You and I get cakes from the bakery around the corner. Rika and Hidetake clear the plates and make some coffee.”
“That’s genius. I’m proud of you, my student.”
“Thank you, teacher.”
They did a covert fist bump, and set their wineglasses back on the table. Concluding their meeting.
Rika leaned slightly towards Hidetake.
“Their plotting again.”
He shook his head and sighed quietly.
“Without a doubt.”
