Nurse Joy looked at the onion soup. She could feel the aroma, and the savory, rich, and slightly sweet flavor melted down her throat.
She smiled, glancing at Tomoe. "You don't have to feel guilty at all! Actually..." She scratched her cheek.
Tomoe straightened herself.
"I appreciate your thoughtfulness so much! To be honest, things have been so busy at the Pokemon Center today that I haven't eaten a single thing since morning," Nurse Joy said.
Tomoe swallowed against the dryness in her throat. She blinked, racking her brain for a response, but all she could muster was a nod.
"Let's dig in before it goes cold." Nurse Joy grabbed Tomoe's hand and guided her into a chair.
"I already at-, I mean..." Tomoe stopped halfway and closed her mouth. She shook her head. "Nothing."
Nurse Joy gave her a smile before settling Buneary into the seat beside Tomoe and starting to handle the servings.
I am so dumb! Tomoe thought. If I had told Nurse Joy that I already munched on a few scoops, it would have been disrespectful to her.
To a cook, a kitchen was a sacred thing, like an extension of their own soul. Sneaking in and touching someone else's space without permission was just wrong.
Nurse Joy set down the bowls for the two of them, grabbed her own portion, and sat down. As the three of them enjoyed the soup, Tomoe gained herself two admirers.
Buneary and Nurse Joy were looking at her, their eyes glistening with stars as if they had seen a comet.
"Are you a cook?" Nurse Joy asked.
"No, but I can cook a little...little bit."
"Are you sure? You are not lying, right?" Nurse Joy's gaze sharpened.
"No," Tomoe replied, her voice stern.
"Do you want to open a restaurant?" Nurse Joy asked, catching Tomoe off guard.
Opening a restaurant? I..haven't thought about that.
"I don't know."
"Tell me," she began, offering a warm smile. "Do you have a big goal you're working toward? Like... becoming the most powerful Pokémon trainer in the world, or something like that?" Nurse Joy leaned across the table, her hands propping up her chin as a bright smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She seemed to hang on Tomoe's every breath.
"Oh!" She caught herself a moment later and snapped backward. "Oops, where are my manners? I am so, so sorry."
She broke into a flurry of deep bows, her pink hair loops bouncing with every motion.
Tomoe snapped upright, her chair scraping against the floor. "I don't mind!" She paused, the hard edge completely vanishing from her voice. Dropping her shoulders, she repeated herself, softer and more sincere this time. "I absolutely don't mind."
Tomoe locked her gaze onto Nurse Joy, her expression serious, letting the weight of her words settle between them.
Nurse Joy's eyes widen before she chuckled. "I get it, Tomoe, I get it. Don't stare at me like that." She covered her mouth with her hands as her breath shuddered into many ragged, uneven gasps.
Tomoe averted her gaze. "Sorry about that."
"No sorries, it's fine."
Tomoe lowered her chin into a nod, her eyes trailing back to Nurse Joy's face. That wide smile reflected clearly in Tomoe's eyes.
"Buneary, Buneary!" Buneary stood up on her chair, crying out at them for making her feel left out.
Nurse Joy pulled Buneary into her embrace. Underneath Tomoe's serious facade, bubbles of happiness began to pop.
She felt good.
Tomoe's gaze slipped past Nurse Joy's face and fell onto the onion soup, making her freeze.
"Nurse Joy," Tomoe called.
Nurse Joy glanced at her. "Yes?" She kept her face turned toward Tomoe while her hands kept stroking Buneary's head.
"I am moving out," Tomoe said.
"It's almost night. Stay here today, and you can move out tomorrow."
"But I..."
"No buts, you are staying here today," Nurse Joy interrupted, bringing her hand down to her hip.
"Please," Nurse Joy teased, turning up her charm as she tilted her head and offered a sweet smile.
"Ok, I will move out tomorrow." Tomoe closed her eyes and gave in.
Nurse Joy giggled. "Take a great rest, my break is almost up."
"Yes," Tomoe replied.
Nurse Joy strode toward the door.
"And thank you for today." Tomoe muttered.
Nurse Joy halted and whipped back, her lips curled in a smile. She pressed her palm down in the air and mumbled something that Tomoe couldn't hear.
Tomoe's eyes drifted to Buneary. The little Pokemon stared back with a look of pure longing. Was it for the food? She didn't know.
Later, she sat on the bed with nothing to do.
Maybe I should just go back.
She closed her eyes with the single thought of wanting to return.
It worked.
Her eyes met the chandelier, which always glowed without anyone's care.
Even though the fear of limitations still lingered, she was happy. If making food was how she could repay the favor, she would not hold back like she had been doing ever since entering the academy.
Suddenly, her phone rang with an incoming call.
She looked at the caller ID, and her eyes snapped wide. Her hands shook.
[ DAD ]
She clicked the volume button to silence it. Her head slumped down, hands near her face, until the phone touched her forehead.
Her eyes grew glossy. She didn't answer it. She just let it ring until it died down. It buzzed in her hand over and over, but she remained lost in her thoughts.
By the time the phone started ringing for the fifth time in a row, she hadn't moved an inch.
The symphony ended, and so did the calls. Her phone did not ring anymore. Breaking out of her slumped posture like a fragile butterfly, she let herself rest on the couch.
She put the phone down, a long breath passing through her nose.
Tomoe looked around the room, desperate for anything to drown out her thoughts. There was no TV on the wall and no books on the shelves. When she looked at her phone resting on the table, she quickly turned her face away.
With nothing to occupy her mind, she went to her bed, pulled the blanket over her head, and closed her eyes.
By the time she opened them again, morning light was filtering through the window.
Tomoe stood in the yard, her clothes soaked in sweat. Her gaze drifted around the wild plants claiming the beautiful land, this needs a re-haul.
She finished all her morning activities, put on her school uniform, and went to class.
What was the class again? Tomoe looked at the schedule on her phone as the words "Butchering Skills" echoed in her thoughts.
Her trip to class was peaceful. Everybody cleared a path for her, and nobody dared to talk.
Tomoe paused at the doorway, her eyes scanning the crowd. The usual people's were there, but scattered among them were new faces.
She locked her eyes with the red-haired girl, who waved her hands in greeting. Tomoe snapped her gaze away. Her eyes fell on the white-haired guy she had seen during the ceremony.
Then to the final student. His one eye was closed, and a horizontal scar starting and ending over both his cheeks caught her eye.
Tomoe's attention locked into the new students. An uneasy feeling passed through her.
***********
Hey kings, I have finished drafting the story up to Chapter 24. Starting today, I am diving into a massive editing phase to polish all of these chapters, so there won't be any new updates for a few days.
please let me know if you spot any issues or mistakes. If you find any problems at all, just leave a comment. Your feedback will help me a lot.