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To the Beat of the Heart Drum (Retsu and Wing)

Despite it being an obvious jest towards his biased desire, Alyx laughed at Ritsu's tease "Please, I know perfectly well that you would constantly beg me to let you show me around if I said that Yuijo was going to do it. This is only our second date, and already you can't get enough of me," it felt so odd calling this a date even though it kinda was, but it just seemed so right to call it one. Perhaps he did get a little cocky with that last part, but he just had to hope Ritsu didn't mind it much. Regardless, the two were soon on their way towards the outdoor market as their tour started there. The whole area was quite nice, and everyone seemed to be friendly around here. Sure, he got some looks considering he was a foreigner walking around with a native woman, but it was nothing that really made his uncomfortable. Especially considering that those stares soon turned into warm smiles. It almost made Alyx laugh because he had only thought that the Japanese had xenophobia, and hated outsiders. It was such a relief to find that wasn't true since no one had treated him poorly yet, and he hoped that continued.

As they were walking, Ritsu suddenly stopped at a vendor, and ordered what looked like a fish shaped cake. He wasn't all that hungry, but the way she shoved it into his face told him that she wasn't going to take no for an answer. Since the food was foreign to him, he studied it a bit before taking a bite. The red bean paste inside was delicious, and the bread was soft just the way he liked it. Oddly enough, Alyx hadn't had much exposure to the food of Japanese cuisine, and one would think that was all he would eat considering he was in Japan; however, the fridge in his hostel room had more American and New Zealand cuisine inside that he was consuming more of that.

Ritsu pulled out the cassettes of her band, and Alyx smiled at her "Nice. I can't wait for the tour to be over so I can hear more of your band's music. Perhaps I might even understand the lyrics now," he said with a small chuckle.
 
"Oh, so my tour is so boring that you are already wishing for it to be over?" Ritsu peered over at him from the corner of her eye, a slightly annoyed hint in her tone, "Clearly, I need to heat things up a bit." Reaching out, she took him by the hand without hesitation and led him down the street. She showed him the video arcade and insisted upon taking a picture with him before heading to their next destination. They looked over the movie theater, but didn't go inside since she only planned on showing him around for now, after all. Over elevated overpasses and across crosswalks, her fingers tightly wrapped around his, she could feel her heart leap up toward the sky with each step until they reached their destination. The distant orange glow on the horizon gave the red brick paths a warm light while the stately trees on either side led toward a large water fountain in the center. A few wooden benches stood in front of the trees, empty yet welcoming to the young couple.

"So, Alyx..." Ritsu finally turned to face him, taking both of his hands into hers as she stared up into his eyes, "Is this more interesting than music yet?" She wanted to step closer to him, to rest her head on his shoulder and feel safe and secure. She no longer wondered why her friends talked about their boyfriends so frequently... If only she could make their relationship official, that is.
 
Alyx didn't mean to make her angry at him by saying thought, and now knew that he should probably start watching what he said around her. He opened his mouth to apologize and explain himself, but Ritsu grabbed onto his hand, and pulled him forward. If he hadn't annoyed her by saying that then it would definitely be a welcome gesture. But it wasn't and he was being pulled around by her to various locations. Even at the video arcade, she forced him to take a picture with her, but he would of done so anyway. Then came the movie theater, and he almost thought that she was going to make him see a movie with her, but she simply told him it was the movie theater and moved on. The sun was starting to go down, but her tour still continued until they reached a park. It was quite beautiful, and the spot she had picked put them right in the middle of the sunset. From what he could see, they were the only two people in this park, but Alyx didn't mind. It was peaceful because of that, and he was content with staring off into the sunset with Ritsu's hand in his.

That was broken as he turned his head to give her his full attention, and she asked if this was more interesting than music. He knew that he should just say yes, but he didn't want to leave her without an explaination "I never thought music was more interesting in the first place. Ritsu, I am sorry for what I said, but it didn't mean what you thought it meant. I don't know if some sayings are universal or not, but I was simply expressing my excitement for knowing that I could listen to your band's music later on. Never once did I think that your tour was boring, and you could of showed me the most boring places in Japan, and I would of still enjoyed it because it meant that I could spend time with you," fuck it! Alyx didn't care that they only knew each other for two days, and pulled her close to him as a way to make their relationship a little more offical as his arms wrapped around her body "Now then, does that make you feel a little better?"
 
Ritsu watched him carefully as Alyx spoke to her, her hands slightly tightening their grip on his as her eyes stared up at him with hesitant intensity. When he apologized, she simply shook her head and smiled, indicating that she was merely teasing him. If she were being completely honest, she would have admitted that the possible double-meaning of his words had irritated her slightly, but acknowledging such a thing would only put a damper on the warm, comfortable mood that bad built between them during their time together. When she felt his arm wrapping around her and pulling her close, she felt the blood rush to her face and a surprised yet pleased squeak escape her throat.

"I... I feel a lot better, thanks," Ritsu gave him the most charming smile she could muster at the moment, as her left forefinger traced little circles on his back as she returned the embrace. Despite her relatively calm exterior Her mind was rushing at a thousand miles per minute.

"Should I kiss him? Wait, isn't it too soon for that? I mean, I only met him a little while ago... Would he think I'm a loose girl for even considering such a thing? Wait, he can't read minds, can he? What if he can read minds? That would be pretty awkward. Wait! Focus, Ritsu! Breathe, then focus..." Ritsu desperately searched for an answer to what she should do next, before settling on the safest option. She simply rested her head on his shoulder and buried her face in the crook of his neck, savoring the closeness between them while letting him feel her warmth and the throbbing of her heart.

"I like it here... A lot."
 
Alyx didn't think that Ritsu would return his embrace like this, and was actually starting to think that perhaps he did go too fast, and that he should pull away before either of them did something stupid. Thankfully, that didn't happen, and he enjoyed seeing her blush and hearing her squeak as he pulled her close, and he enjoyed it even more when she rested her head on his shoulder. Alyx could feel the throbbing of her heart, and she felt so warm in his arms that he thought it would also get too hot for him. Nevertheless, neither of them said a word to each other as they just basked in this feeling of being secure, warm, and safe in each other's arms. That silence was broken by her saying she liked it here, and he was safe to assume that she meant the fact of being here in his arms "I like it here too, Ritsu," from what he could remember, this was his first time using her given name rather than her family name. Not even in his texts to her did he use her given name. Hesitantly, he pulled away from her, stood up, and helped her up as well "Thanks for the tour, Ritsu," but their date was not over yet. Those cassette tapes were still waiting for him, and he couldn't wait to actually understand what Mio was singing Yui was singing about.

He gently grabbed hold of Ritsu's hand, and started walking to the exit of the park "So, where are we going to go? I'm positive we can't go to your dorm room, and I am not about to get caught trying to sneak inside just to listen to your band's tapes. I could take you to my hostel, but Addison and Alysha are probably back home now, and while they are nice girls. They can be a little...overcumbersome at times, so you will have to deal with them," regardless of where they went. Alyx was going to enjoy the new relationship he held with Ritsu. Not only did he have his first offical girlfriend, but she was probably the only girl who would ever have the honor of holding such a title, and hopefully would be the only girl you held of title of being the new misses Shale.
 
The gentle, soothing warmth coated her in a fuzzy sort of feeling all over, like being covered in thick, heat-infused felt. When he finally backed away, she felt somewhat filled with disappointment that it had lasted such a brief moment. "Its no problem... Alyx," she made special note to omit the honorific since they were officially a couple from now on. His offer, however, caught her a bit off-guard, in the good sort of way.

"I'll come along to meet them," Ritsu blushed and brushed a lock of her hair behind her left ear, her eyes fluttering with ill-concealed excitement. She had scarcely ever been in a boy's room before, and it sounded like a good opportunity for her to get a bit closer to Alyx. She probably would have refused if the two of them would be there alone, but since Addison and Alysha would be there she felt certain that it would be fine. Perhaps they might even have a funny story or two about Alyx for them to bond over.

She followed after him, a bit more skip and jump in her step as her heart felt lighter than air itself. She wouldn't even care if all her friends were standing just across the way staring at her with gaping mouths. All that mattered was spending more time with him, the boy who had dropped into her lap and stolen her tender maiden's heart. Her grip on his hand tightened ever so slightly with a gentle squeeze, letting him know that she was sure of her decision.
 
Alyx chuckled hearing Ritsu say his name because it sounded so weird due to her Japanese origin. Nevertheless, he nodded at her decision to come over to his hostel, but was still a little afraid of what Addison and Alysha might do or say when he brought Ritsu over "I'm fine with you meeting them, considering you already got a preview of them when they asked you out for me, but like I said. Just be a little careful around them," he said with a slight chuckle. They were looking at the sunset not too long ago, but it was starting to get darker now, and normally this would mean their date would have to come to an end; if they were younger. Alyx didn't have any classes tomorrow, and Ritsu probably wouldn't agree to stay out so late with him if she did, or perhaps it was just because she didn't care much about school. Either way, he wasn't going to complain "I don't think we really got much of a chance to truly get to know each other, Ritsu. What is your family like? You got any brothers or sisters?"

He listened to her explain her family, and started talking about his own after she was done "My family isn't really anything special, but I don't have a brother like you do. I do have a sister though who is three years older than me. She is still back in America with her husband, but I don't really talk with her much anymore. Its not that we don't get along, but she just never really seems to visit us unless it is for a family reunion or something," he sighed, but quickly changed his mood so Ritsu didn't think anything of it.

They reached the hostel, and Alyx led her up to his room. As predicted, both Addison and Alysha were already there, and they instantly took notice of Alyx and Ritsu not only walking in together, but holding hands as well. He had the notion to let go of her hand before he had opened the door, but he wanted to show Ritsu that he wasn't going to afraid to show his budding attraction to her. Both girls started laughing almost uncontrollably, and Alyx rolled his eyes "You can pick whether or not you want to deal with the giggle twins, or if you would rather come with me first," he smiled at her before letting go of her hand, and making sure she saw which room was his, and leaving it open, so she could come in anytime.
 
"Oh? I'm surprised that say that 'bout them, given that you trust them enough to ask a beautiful japanese girl out for you," Ritsu couldn't resist the urge to tease him a little, nudging him playfully with her shoulder as they walked side-by-side. The afternoon sun had already fallen, giving way to the dimly lit streetlights which cast secluded circles of light upon the sidewalk. She was glad that she didn't have classes the next day, and was only planning on meeting up with her friends in the afternoon for their routine practice session. Of course, she planned on telling them all about her romantic adventures with Alyx, and even then she felt a bubbling glee attached to the bragging she fully intended to do.

"Yes, I have a little brother named Satoshi," Ritsu smiles and looks up at Alyx, "He's a good kid, even if he's a bit shy around people he doesn't know. I'm sure he'll grow out of it eventually. My folks are pretty chill... They were glad that I scored high enough in my placement exams to enter collage, and naturally that means I don't get quite as much time to spend with them as I did before. I still spend holidays with them, though."

"America, hm?" Ritsu listened intently to Alyx share a bit about his own family. She might have picked up on the sensitive nature of the subject, or perhaps she was simply more interested in getting to know Alyx personally, but in either case she tactfully avoided delving into the subject. "Its sort of funny, how we were born in two different cultures yet we have been brought together anyway."

She gave his hand another gentle squeeze and continued on in relative silence until they reached the hostel. Addison and Alysha's reaction to seeing the young couple holding hands caused her face to redden in embarrassment and mild irritation. Did they look weird together or something? Seriously, did they think they wouldn't get together after they helped set the two of them up? She wasn't sure what to make of their laughter, so she simply took off her shoes, murmured a simple word of greeting to both of them, then hurried after Alyx to his room.
 
Alyx chuckled upon seeing Ritsu dashing into his room with remnants of her blush still on her face "Now do you see why I told you to be careful around them? I had to actually pay them five hundred yen for them to actually ask you out for me," he said with another chuckle. He was simply sitting on the edge of his bed when Ritsu entered the room, but he got up and shut the door behind her, so Addison and Alysha wouldn't bother them much. His mother would probably kill him if she ever found out that he was in his room alone with a girl, but Alyx wasn't around his mother, nor did he has any intentions of trying anything with Ritsu. It was much too early in their relationship to even think of something like that "But let's just forget about them," he gently grabbed hold of her hand once more as he escorted her to his bed. He didn't peg Ritsu as a girl to really be all that responsible just from how she liked to joke around a lot, but thankfully he was rather old fashioned , and reached behind his bed to pull out an old CD-player with a pair of earphones "I have a couple CDs of my own, so I thought it would be my best option to bring this along with me if I ever wanted to listen to some music, but I never thought I would be listening to Japanese songs on this thing," he oh so hoped that she had brought along fuwa fuwa time as he really began wondering what it was all about.

Little did he know was how girly the lyrics actually were, but that wouldn't stop him from enjoying them. There have been plenty of times where he had listened to some pretty strange stuff, so this would be child's play compared to those times "How about you surprise with a song, Ritsu?" he plugged the earphones in, placed one in his ear, and the other in hers just so they could share this moment together "I do ask that you not give me any information about the song as I want to try and guess the title by myself."
 
Ritsu nodded and let out a sigh of relief when the door shut after her, "Are they always like that? I mean, we don't look that weird as a couple, do we?" The drummer briefly entertained the thought of her friends all pointing and laughing at Ritsu after telling them about her new boyfriend. She shook her head and slapped her cheeks with her hands twice in order to clear her mind, then turned toward Alyx once again.

"Nope, I totally can't imagine how anyone would think we look weird together... I mean, I think you're pretty handsome, so-" Ritsu blinked twice, "Perhaps its because they think I'm not that feminine." Granted, the way she was sitting on the bed, with her legs slightly parted and her skirt thankfully folding inward to prevent her from unintentionally flashing her boyfriend with a glimpse of her panties, wasn't the most ladylike pose to take...

By then, however, Alyx had turned his attention to the CD-player so she dropped the subject and instead turned to her club's music. When he suggested that she choose a song for him to listen to, her eyes got a mischievous glint to them as she gave him a thumb's up, saying in English, "I can do!" She reached into her bag and pulled out a jewel case, and quickly slapped the disk into the CD-player's tray before selecting the fifth track. She then watched his face's expression carefully while smiling in a pleased manner as "Don't say 'Lazy' " began to play.
 
Alyx didn't think they looked like a weird couple at all, but do couples really every think like that about each other? Perhaps it might be the contrast between the two in that he was an American, and she was Japanese, but there are people just like that back in America, so there would be no reason for them to seem weird. If anything, they could be considered an odd couple, but that was beyond the point.

As the song began playing, he immediately recognized that it wasn't Fuwa Fuwa Time, but didn't mind much. It was a rather amazing song, and sounded like it was done by a professional band rather than a group of friends. The lyrics were somewhat odd, but liked the meaning behind it, and was kinda disappointed when the song ended "Wow, are you sure you got your band's CDs, and not one of your favorite bands instead?" he said, teasing her, and a chuckle came from his lips just to inform her that was what he was doing "Seriously though, it really sounds like you guys were a big time band with how everything was done. Completely unlike that YouTube video I saw of your band, and correct me if I am wrong here, but was the title Don't Say Lazy?"
 
"I'm happy that you say that, but at the same time I'm not!" Ritsu's head hung low and she threw her hands up into the air, "I know our stuff sounds like typical J-pop stuff sometimes... Well, most of the time, actually... That's why we don't stand out enough." She looked up at him nodded, a bit relieved when she realized he wasn't being entirely serious, "Thanks... We have to practice pretty hard to get the recordings to turn out like that. Usually Yui-chan tries to improvise a bit, or Mio-chan gets embarrassed during live performances, so for our best work we have to rent a recording studio."

"Yup, its called Don't Say Lazy" Ritsu laid back on the bed, throwing her hands back before rolling over onto her stomach, "Its usually pretty easy to tell the name, since its usually one of the English lines." She reached back and selects track one this time. A Fuwa Fuwa Time begins to play, she stretched and rolled back over onto her back again in order to look up at Alyx and smile as they listened to the music. Her feet began to tap the floor in time, as if she were pushing the petals to her drum set while her head bobbed back and forth slightly to the same beat.
 
As soon as the song began playing, Alyx recognized it immediately. The song was the same song he had listened to on YouTube, and was technically how he even knew about Ritsu and her band, and the reason why he wanted to study the Japanese language. He couldn't believe that he was about to finally understand what the lyrics were about. As he listened to the song more and more, and heard what Yui was singing about. He began to come to a realization. He didn't true if this would hold true or not, but the lyrics were love lyrics. He wondered if Ritsu had realized this, and played the song because it described her own feelings towards him. He wanted to ask, but at the same time he just wanted to keep it to himself. As he was somewhat afraid of what Ritsu might think if he was wrong; however, he just couldn't resist as the song ended "I know that one. That's Fuwa Fuwa Time and it is the very same song that I listened to on YouTube."

He took his ear bud out, and did the same to hers as he gently took hold of her hand "But...I have to ask you something, Ritsu," a faint blush was spreading across his cheeks as he mentally prepared himself for what he about to ask "Did you pick that song at random, or was there a reason behind it? I mean, those lyrics weren't like Don't Say Lazy because they were love lyrics. This is going to sound so weird, and I feel a little embarrassed asking it, but...Did you pick that song because it is exactly how you feel about me?" the blush began brighter as he finished, and he couldn't believe that he just asked her that question.
 
"Eh?" Ritsu's eyes became little black dots as streams of sweat began to roll down her bright-red cheeks. She could feel the incredible intensity of Alyx's stare as he gazed directly at her, and could sense the sincerity in his voice as he asked the emotionally-charged question. In all honesty, she had chosen the song since it was one of their most popular songs, but it was also true that she felt the same way toward Alyx as the song lyrics. If she told him all this, though, not only would it break the mood but it might also hurt his feelings. There was only one way out of it...

"Ah, s-s-so you noticed that?" Ritsu smiled and laughed in a nervous manner, "I guess its true, since being with you is my fuwa fuwa time... Its like I can hardly hold my feelings down." She placed her hand over his as well, hoping that he would buy her explanation without diving deeper into the issue since she had found a way to answer his question without lying and without directly addressing her original purpose for choosing the song.

"Is... Is it really that strange of a thing to ask? I mean..." her feet rubbed together a bit while she searched for the proper words, "You know that I like you, right?" Ritsu was trying to put up a brave face, but the way she kept sweating profusely and her heart pounded in her chest rapidly showed that she was extremely nervous about being put in the spotlight with respect to romantic matters. She could stand in front of a crowd of hundreds or possibly thousands of fans and drum away on her drum set without feeling anything but excitement and elation. It was a completely different matter when she sat next to a boy on a bed, who was essentially asking her to confess to him.
 
((So sorry it took me a while to respond. Got a little burnt out on roleplaying.))

Alyx could see right through her nervousness...and was loving every minute of it. Yes, the lyrics could indeed be her way to confess her love for him without actually saying anything, but Alyx is the kind of person who loves to research things. It seemed that K-On! was pretty big after he looked online for some information on them. There was a fan-site dedicated to them which had all of their recorded songs as downloadable MP3s, and the most song that was downloaded by far was Fuwa Fuwa Time. Why wouldn't a band want to show off their most popular song? Especially when said song was the gateway into the addition of another fan?

He wanted to tell her this, and was about to do just that when something crossed his mind. He had effectively caused Ritsu to confess to him, and he had already seen how nervous it made her to do so. He didn't know what the outcome would truly be, but had a feeling it would only spell trouble if he revealed that he actually knew the true reason why she played the song for him. Sure, Ritsu could take a joke, but this was one of those jokes that would cause the person to be angry if revealed that it was a joke. So he hushed up, and responded to what she had just told him "Of course I know that, but you don't have to say anymore. There may be an obvious chemistry between us, but a couple should never rush things. I'm starting to actually think that I should of just hushed up, and not asked such an awkward question," he chuckled everything way, and put the earbud back in their ears.

He still wanted to hear one more song, and they had more than enough time to do so "So, lets get away from that subject. I'd like to hear another one of your band's songs if you don't mind."
 
((Its fine ^_^"))

Ritsu felt relieved when he didn't push the issue, letting out a breath of air that she hadn't even noticed she was holding in the first place. She smiled and made an effort to calm herself down, and perhaps act a bit more natural again before things got awkward, "Thanks, Alyx..." She had no idea that he had seen through her to the real reason she had chosen the song, of course, but she still resolved to be a bit more careful with her choice of selection from then on. For all she knew, he might take it the wrong way if she played No, Thank You! right afterward.

"Here, this one is pretty good, too," Ritsu selected tract three, Listen!!. She popped the ear bud back into her ear and listened to the music, leaning against her boyfriend ever so slightly as they sat side-by-side on the bed. Sure, she could get used to this sort of thing... Spending time with Alyx might become as natural as breathing in time, but for now she resolved to ease into it. Going too fast might trigger a similar response in herself, flustering up when she should be strong and proudly admit her own feelings.

As soon as the song ended, Ritsu turned toward him and gave him a playful tug on the ear to get his attention, "So, what did you think about that one?"
 
Alyx was starting to regret jokingly teasing her about what the to Fuwa Fuwa Time meant, and was about to apologize to her and confess when she suddenly started playing Listen!! it had a much different tone to it than the last song, and almost sounded like they were trying to get away from their J-pop sound; however, that only worked slightly as the lyrics just didn't quite match with what he thought that they were trying to do. After the song ended, Ritsu brought his attention to her by tugging on his ear. With a faint sound of pain, he gave her his opinion "Well, to me, it sounds like you guys were trying to sound a little more rough, but the lyrics just don't match up with that. To be honest, it is actually a little funny because of that," he said, adding in a chuckle. He enjoyed hearing her band's music, but felt like that was enough today as he took out their earbuds, gave her CD back to her, and put the CD-player away "That is enough music for me though. Perhaps I might have to listen to some more later, or you can burn me a CD of them, so I don't have to get asking you to listen to them."

Now that they had nothing really to keep them occupied, he was becoming oddly nervous around Ritsu. Most likely it was due to the fact that he was never alone with a girl in his own room before, and memories of his mother telling him to be careful having women in his room came back to him. Not only that, but he wasn't quite sure what to do now. A very small part of him wanted her to spend the night, but it was quickly shot down because that was much too fast for the young couple. It was getting way too silent for the two, and something needed to be done "Hey, are you getting hungry at all? The girls and I take turns cooking dinner, and today is my turn to cook. I'm sure that Addison and Alysha are probably waiting for me to start cooking, so you might have to deal with them moaning and complaining while I cook," he chuckled, but got himself off the bed, and helped Ritsu up as well.

He bowed to her before taking the lead outside, and heading into the kitchen to begin cooking. As predicted, both Addison and Alysha complained about him taking to long to begin in English "Oh hush up. There are plenty of snacks in the fridge that could of tide you over until now," he responded back to them in English as well. Not like there was any reason to talk to each other in English, but he just did to because they did.
 
"Well, we are still working on the quality of our lyrics," Ritsu sighed, admitting that it probably was not their best work as a band, "But I appreciate the honesty. Sometimes I wonder if people just automatically accept our music because we are an all-girl band which can carry a catchy beat." She accepted the CD and placed it back into the jewel case before placing it back into her bag. "Sure, I'd be glad to give you a sample CD... But its fun to just enjoy the music with you, too," she laughed and blushed slightly.

As the music session drew to a close, Ritsu couldn't help but catch a bit of Alyx's awkwardness despite her resolve to remain calm. She let out a subdued squeak when Alyx turned to him and suddenly asked if she was hungry, offering to cook for the four of them. She quickly nods, "Sure, I'd love to! I'm actually not a bad cook myself, but I'd be happy to join you for dinner."

She followed him into the kitchen after Alyx helped her up, but she was thinking about if she should plan on making him lunches from now on before realizing that they attended different collages and it would be difficult to arrange for them to meet during their lunch breaks to eat together in the first place. She eventually dropped the idea entirely, letting out a disappointed sigh.

Ritsu stood rather uncomfortably as Alyx, Addison, and Alysha all spoke in English as she had never really caught on to her English lessons and had only a vague idea of what they were talking about.
 
Alyx noticed how uncomfortable Ritsu looked as they spoke in English after he had shut the two up, and chuckled to both get her attention and to lighten things up "Sorry about that, Ritsu. While we have agreed to mainly speak in Japanese, so we don't start to slack on the language. Sometimes we speak in English for the hell of it," he chuckled again before finally getting to work on cooking dinner for everyone "Now don't be a bump on a log, Ritsu. You can chat with Addison and Alysha, no?" he didn't look at while saying that, but spoke loud enough so he could be heard by her. While Alyx was cooking, his memories of his childhood started coming back. For as long as he could remembered, he adored cooking, and would often help his mother when she was cooking. Obviously, she didn't let him do much when he was really young, but as she grew older. She let him do more and more before she sometimes took a break from cooking, and let him do it instead. Because of that, he became a rather great chef, and learned that all the men in his family shared a love for cooking, and most became chefs while some were just content cooking for their spouses. Sometimes, he did think about becoming a chef himself, but he was going to wait and figure out if that was what he really wanted to do after all his schooling was done.

Since their hostel wasn't that big, the aroma of what he was making easily filled the house. It was Katsudon, a pork cutlet rice bowl. Alyx had learned a bunch of Japanese dishes from going out different restaurants with Yuijo, liking what he ordered, and learning them by doing a simple Google search. Combine that with his ever growing expertise in cooking, and he could easily match the quality with that of a five-star restaurant. About thirty minutes later, the dish was finally done, and he gave everyone a bowl at the table, but didn't sit down as he believed that the chef should only do so once all his guests are seated "Dinner is ready!" he exclaimed. Addison and Alysha quickly rushed into the dining room as the smell had teased them, and they were extremely hungry by the time it was ready.
 
"Its ok... I should probably brush up on my English more, anyway," Ritsu waved her hands in the air and smiled in order to let him know that she wasn't bothered by it that much. It was a rather potent reminder that however at home she might have been in Japan, in Alyx's little group she was the outsider... For the time being, at least. She certainly hoped she wouldn't remain that way for long, and working on her English communication skills would certainly help transition her into their little circle, or at least show how much effort she was putting into fitting in with them. She couldn't expect Alyx to do all the work in the relationship, after all.

When Alyx went to start preparing dinner, Ritsu turned her attention to Addison and Alysha, who both looked at her with ill-hidden curiosity. She managed to maintain some light coversation with the two of them, chatting about their favorite foods and such but mostly about Ritsu's band. Japanese pop music bands were rather common, but their local (as well as international, thanks to YouTube) appeal could not be easily overlooked. As the self-declared president and leader of band, she had to lay down her strongest conversational cards early on in order to establish herself, especially after the little incident at the door when she practically ignored them and bolted into Alyx's room without a single word to either of them. Before she could get very far into the conversation, however, the deep, fragrant scent of Katsudon began to waft into the room, almost as soon as Alyx called for them to join him for dinner.

Ritsu sat down at the table, trying to position herself next to where Alyx would sit so the two of them could be side-by-side at the table. By the time her eyes met the meal, however, it was hard for her to think of much else than sampling the wonderful meal laid out before her. If it was possible for katsudon to glow, the bowl before her certainly did. "It looks so good!" Ritsu gave Alyx a thumb's up, saying in English, "Good job!"
 
Alyx chuckled at her English because it sounded so weird coming from her. Perhaps it was because he had gotten so used to Addison's and Alysha's new Zealand accent that hearing the same thing in Japanese was just weird to him. Nevertheless, he thanked her for the compliment "Thank you. All the men in my family are great cooks, and I just happened to enjoy katsudon when Yuijo had me go with him to a restaurant. With a simple Google search, I found the recipe for it, and decided to make it today," since his family had been accustomed to being cooks, he was taught some of the basic rules of being a chef. One was that the chef was not allowed to begin eating his food before his guests ate first, and once the three girls had taken their first bite; congratulating him as per usual. He was finally able to eat himself, and sometimes even surprised himself how good he could cook.

It seemed that Addison and Alysha had already warmed up to Ritsu as they were happily asking her different questions about this and that while eating; however, they weren't the most proficient in table manners as some questions were asked with food still in their mouths. It was almost funny to watch as Ritsu even had moments herself where she was like that. It got to the point where he let out a little chuckle, and quickly explained himself "Sorry. Watching you three talk to each other without any regard to table manners is kinda funny," he chuckled again after his explanation, and had finished first since he didn't have any questions for Ritsu at the moment. As all the ones he wanted to ask where already asked and answered by her earlier.

He waited until they were done before picking up everyone's dishes and carrying them into the kitchen to begin washing them "So, did you enjoy my cooking, Ritsu? I'd ask you two, but you have already tasted it hundreds of times before."
 
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