004 // it's the most shoujo time of the year

[cardcaptured]

[Normally, Xiaolang doesn't do this.

Normally, Xiaolang's much more tight-lipped about his personal life, his romantic matters, because... well. He's a fourteen year old boy, an easily embarrassed one at that, and he'd die before giving people ammo to tease him with!!

But his amplified Wood Monkey traits-- hard-working, curious, and communicative-- has worn down his barriers quite a bit, leading him to post something under li xiaolang that he's probably going to regret come the twilight hours:]

What's something good to do with someone for Valentine's Day? Or what's something romantic you'd like someone to do for you?

[... ... ... is he making a Valentine's date idea list? Yes. Is he going to try to do all of them? EXTRA YES.]

Comments

[cardcaptured]

[He can't help but blush, despite himself-- here they were, planning a Valentine's Day get-together, and he still got flustered over her out-right saying they were dating. Someday he'll get over it... but that'll probably be when they're married and he gets flustered over being called her husband, instead. (Though that, of course, would be many years down the line.)]

Fai doesn't, but Iwai, sometimes...

[Look, Iwai got him spooked ever since he lectured him during Thanksgiving a year or so ago, so he doesn't exactly want to upset him, either.]

Anyway, was there something in particular you wanted to make together? I can see if I can grab the ingredients beforehand so we don't have to worry about it.

Unless you wanted to shop for them together and we can plan from there?

[keystaff]

What about Iwai-san?

But um. I hadn't thought about food yet. Maybe we can look for recipes and plan?

[cardcaptured]

... nothing. He can just be really direct about his feelings when he wants to.

[Seriously, it's bad enough that Iwai thought Sakura was more mature than he was because Xiaolang didn't know how to have fun. He didn't want to ruffle her other dad's feathers if he thought he stepped out of line.]

But that could work, though. I'm sure there's plenty of good ones online. Maybe we can start with seafood or noodle dishes? I... remember you like those, anyway.

[keystaff]

Direct on his feelings about what? Us?

But that sounds good! If that's what you would want to have, I mean. Some noodles.

[cardcaptured]

No, not about us. [Though he's honestly surprised Iwai never gave him a talk about it when they first started dating.] More... about me. I think I may have left a bad impression on him when we first met.

I don't mind noodles, though...! I'm fine with anything, as long as it's not spicy or has konnyaku in it. And I like seafood too. Shrimp shu mai is one of my favorites, actually.

[keystaff]

Hm? I don't remember you doing anything?

Noodles with some seafood sounds fine with me!

[cardcaptured]

You weren't there when it happened. Or... rather, you were helping with Thanksgiving dinner when it did. I said something... not kind about Fai at the time and he lectured me about it. I understand now why he got mad, but I wonder if it's something he still holds against me.

[Because... well. Xiaolang would do the same if someone spoke badly about her to him. Not that what he said was all that bad-- it was just expressing his discomfort over the speedy adoption-- but being in a relationship had given him more hindsight.]

Did you want to try this, then? I don't know if you like your noodles crunchy, but it's pretty good. We could do pasta too, if you'd like that better. There's also side dishes to consider, too...

[keystaff]

Oh. But at least now you know? About Fai-san? I'm sure if Iwai-san were that annoyed, he'd have said something by now.

[If not to her, than talking to Xiaolang about his seeing her and all. Possibly. Or at least in how often he comes around to their place. Not of course that she knows the specifics on what was said. What Xiaolang had brought up in being worried on how fast this had been happening.]

Oh that looks good! I do mostly have softer noodles, but crunchy works better with some recipes.

[cardcaptured]

... you're right. I guess I can't help but get a little worried about these things from time to time, though. Fai and Iwai care about you a lot, too, so I want to leave a good impression upon them. Let them know that they don't need to worry or anything like that.

[Granted, Fai shipped them from practically day 1, so he's less concerned about him than he is about Sakura's other two prominent male figures.]

If you like softer, I can find something with those kinds of noodles, too! The sauce for the crispy noodles helps soften them up a little, but we can always skip the pan-frying step. I'm sure it'll still be delicious with normal noodles, too.

[keystaff]

I'm pretty sure you have made a good enough impression on them, Xiaolang-kun.

[Especially Fai. Then again, it would probably take a lot for them to be outright saying anything or trying to control who Sakura was friends with or anything like that. As much as Touya might glare at the boy and all, even he didn't actively, physically stop him from seeing her or her seeing him.]

It's alright. I wouldn't mind trying something a little different, with crispy noodles. So we can use this recipe. I can help you get anything we need for it before we cook.

[cardcaptured]

[He can't help but flush profusely when he reads that, taking a moment or two to compose himself before replying. As much as he doubted otherwise-- especially when it came to her brother-- hearing that from her was oddly comforting.]

... you think so?

[She JUST SAID IT, you dumb nerd--]

Um... I should have a lot of the ingredients at home, so all we'll really need is the fresh stuff, like the vegetables and seafood. But is there anything else you'd want to make with it? Just one dish isn't enough for a dinner.

[At least, not a romantic one, anyway!!]

[keystaff]

I do.

And that's alright. We can just make a list of what we would need, what you already have, before we go shopping. Maybe something light to have before it if this is the main dish? And a little something for dessert?

[cardcaptured]

... thank you.

[And too bad this is through text, because it makes it harder to convey the relief, the tenderness and love that's in those two words, but... he means it. From the very bottom of his heart, he's grateful that she believes in him this much.]

As for something light... maybe a salad of some sort? Though the noodles will already have a lot of vegetables...

[Dessert, though... he was already planning on giving her chocolates, but he didn't want to ruin that particular surprise for her. But just those on their own wasn't much of a meal]

What kind of desserts do you like?

[keystaff]

A salad could work. With some lettuce, and tomato and feta and some sort of sauce? It doesn't need to be anything too difficult or fancy.

As for desserts. I like cakes?

[cardcaptured]

That sounds pretty good. Maybe with a vinegar dressing or something? But you're right, though-- it's probably better to keep it simple so we don't have too much work on our hands.

That said... a cake might take a while, so we'd probably have to make it first, or pick one up someplace else. Though there might be cake recipes where you don't have to bake them...?

[keystaff]

Yes, that would be fine. No need to make it too complicated. Just some basic, simple ingredients and a dressing.

One we wouldn't need to bake? There is cheesecake! I mean, if we wanted to make one and that might be cheaper than buying one from the bakery.

[cardcaptured]

Cheesecake... the rare ones take a few hours to set, but if we take it out after dinner, that could work? And I've had practice making them before...

[Although that practice also involved impressing a certain someone for White Day last year, something that he did very well at...

...

... no, he's not turning red thinking about the 'hanyaan'. Nope. Absolutely NOT.

...

... but making another cheesecake is very much worth it if she made that noise again--]

Anyway, I'd be fine with making it, if you are. The dinner itself doesn't take too long since it's all stir-frying, for the most part.

[keystaff]

Right! As long as we figure it before and give it time to set, it could work out. That way we could just bring it out after dinner and it would ready.

[Either she forgot or she is trying not to bring up her love of cake and her floaty happy reactions to it.]