Chapter 9: The Best Cuisine
1402 Words
“It’s time for dinner. What do you want, Nia'le?” Tassa asked.
“The magic flower, perhaps.”
“The magic what?”
Nia'le walked over to her and reminded her about something she had mentioned before.
“The magic tulips,” he repeated.
Tassa put her hands on her hips.
“And why do you need to know about them?”
“Well, who doesn’t like magic flowers? I’m just curious about what they can do.”
Tassa smiled and replied cheerfully.
“They can’t do anything. I just call them magic tulips because they never die. That’s all.”
“Lame…”
Tassa ignored his childish response and asked again what he wanted for dinner.
Nia'le stared at her blankly.
“Are you seriously asking me that?”
He pointed out that the only food they had was the two fish they had caught yesterday.
But Tassa was completely serious.
“So, what do you want for dinner?”
Nia'le ignored her question, lay down on the couch, and continued reading the book he had started that morning. He was already halfway through it and was enjoying the story.
“Ayamani, what is he doing?” Tassa asked.
Ayamani pointed at Nia'le, who was lying on the couch.
“He’s reading, Tassa,” he replied in his usual shaky, growling voice.
Tassa grabbed a bowl and threw it at Nia'le.
It hit him directly on the head.
Nia'le immediately sat up.
“What was that for?!”
Standing beside Tassa, Ayamani grinned maliciously at Nia'le's misfortune.
“For the last time, Nia'le,” Tassa shouted, “what do you want me to do with this fish?!”
“Turn it into chicken!” he exclaimed.
Tassa froze for a few seconds.
Then she took off her sandal and threw it at him.
Nia'le dodged it.
That only made things worse.
Tassa started grabbing anything she could find and throwing it at him.
Nia'le tried to explain while dodging the incoming objects, but she refused to listen.
Then, by accident, Tassa grabbed one of the fish and hurled it at him.
Nia'le tried to catch it so it wouldn’t go to waste.
Instead, it smacked him directly in the face before slipping from his hands and landing on the floor.
“I’m dead,” Nia'le mumbled.
Tassa immediately ran toward him, but she stepped on the mess she had made and slipped.
She crashed onto the floor.
Because of that, Ayamani stepped in.
He picked both of them up and carried them to the large sofa in the living room.
Instead of healing them, he simply laid them down and left them there to think about the chaos they had caused.
Tassa had a bump on her head.
Nia'le had one too.
They were lying on the same sofa, but in opposite directions.
“It’s your fault,” Tassa said.
Nia'le grabbed a small button lying nearby and tossed it at her.
“No, it’s yours.”
Tassa picked up a throw pillow and threw it at him.
Soon, they were throwing things at each other all over again.
Ayamani stared at them in disbelief.
Finally, he placed a hand on each of their necks.
Instantly, both of them lost consciousness.
“What an immature pair,” Ayamani said.
While the two of them were sleeping, Ayamani cleaned the entire place and cooked dinner for them.
He turned the two fish into a delicious sweet and sour dish and carefully arranged it on the dining table. He placed two plates, two glasses of water, and a spoon and fork for each of them.
After everything was ready, he woke them up and told them that supper was served.
Nia'le and Tassa looked at each other as the delicious aroma reached them.
“Sweet and sour,” they both said at the same time.
Ayamani didn't reply. He simply stood beside Tassa.
Nia'le took Tassa's hand and guided her to the dining table. He even pulled out her chair for her before taking his own seat.
“This is amazing, Tassa. It looks like we're eating in a hotel.”
“Well, we live in a mansion, Nia'le.”
“Yeah, but this is incredible. Did your ghost friend make this? And can you ask him where he learned to arrange food like this? The plating is spectacular. Believe me.”
Tassa smiled, even though she couldn't see the beautiful presentation Nia'le was talking about. Hearing his description was enough for her.
They both took a bite of the food.
Their eyes widened.
“This is incredible. The plating is 15%, the aroma is 5%, and the taste is 80%. If you add it all together, that's 100% from me. Congratulations, Chef,” Nia'le said.
He and Tassa clapped for Ayamani.
Ayamani felt nothing.
Lately, he felt less like a terrifying Grim Reaper and more like a babysitter for two troublesome children.
“Did you cook this, Ayamani? I'll be honest, this is great. No, actually, it's the best food I've ever tasted. Where did you learn to cook like this? You never told me you had a hidden talent inside your obscure heart.”
Tassa pointed at Ayamani's chest.
“Hmmm, Ayamani?”
“It's not a talent. And my heart is not obscure.”
“So, Tassa, tell your friend to quit his job and open a restaurant,” Nia'le said.
“Well, if that happens, will we get a free discount?”
“If you two don't shut up, I'll give you a free ticket to Heaven.”
Both Nia'le and Tassa immediately fell silent and continued eating.
After they finished, Tassa turned toward Nia'le.
“How can you hear him, Nia'le?”
“I can feel him, but I can't see him,” Nia'le replied. “Sometimes I can hear him too.”
Nia'le became curious about Ayamani's appearance. Since he was a Grim Reaper, he imagined him as some terrifying monster.
Resting his head on one hand, he asked,
“So what does Ayamani look like?”
Tassa stared at Ayamani for a moment.
“Terrifying.”
“That's it? Elaborate. Describe him, Tassa.”
Tassa looked at Ayamani standing beside her.
“His face is grim. He doesn't have eyes, only hollow sockets with dim red lights glowing inside them. He wears something like a robe, but it looks more like black fur growing from his body. His hands and feet are emaciated. His skin looks like it's rotting, but it isn't. He looks dead... but at the same time, as if he's still dying.”
Ayamani paused.
Tassa continued.
“All of them look that way. Dead, but continuously dying.”
She lowered her head.
“When I was twelve, my vision started becoming blurry. I became completely blind when I was thirteen. I can't see anything except them.”
Her hands slowly clenched.
“I haven't seen sunlight since then. Not even the morning light. I don't see living people anymore unless they're already dead.”
The room grew quiet.
“I grew up seeing an infinite night. A place where you can't go anywhere and can't see anything except wandering spirits. It's a nightmare that follows me whether my eyes are open or closed.”
Her voice trembled.
“It's a curse I've carried ever since that demon, Ixartxist, placed it on me.”
She clenched her fists tighter.
“I just want to escape this place.”
Her voice became soft.
“I think it would be better if I died. Besides, people only find peace when they're dead. At least... that's what I believe.”
Nia'le felt terrible hearing her words.
He had his own painful past, but he didn't want her to carry the same hopelessness he once felt.
Slowly, he stood up.
He walked toward her and gently took her hand.
“I want you to come with me,” Nia'le said. “And I want you to feel joy.”
Before Tassa could ask what he meant, Nia'le lifted her into his arms.
He carried her upstairs toward his room.
Tassa had no idea what he wanted to show her.
Even Ayamani was confused.
Still, she allowed Nia'le to carry her, curious about the joy he was talking about.
Ayamani quickly followed behind them, wondering what Nia'le was planning, even though he knew Nia'le couldn't hear him.
- Writer
