Chapter 82About Cautious Cooking

Both of us blushed strongly, even if we weren't exactly sure why. There was just a tension that should be there but couldn't be explained. I felt as if I had just cheated or something, or caught in the middle of the act, whichever act that may be. Anka managed to get her thoughts back in line first.

"Hey Hitori."

Hitori grinned. "Did I interrupt something?"

I still blushed. "No. Eh.. No, she was just showing me in."

Only now did I notice the grocery bag he was holding. "At least there's finally enough for a good dinner now Anka. Still hungry?"

She looked at me with those piercing eyes for a fragment of a second and smiled to him. "Famished!"

I stood aside, heading in, to let Hitori pass. It wasn't a very big bag but with all the food in it I'm sure he wanted to put it away. He walked into the kitchen and put the contents of the bag into the fridge. I couldn't see them but I smelled some foreign mushrooms, sharp vegetables and some standard things. Eggs, milk and noodles. It was kind of fun, using my senses to guess like that.

Anka walked right after him excitedly. "What are you going to cook?"

"Oh, just something simple. Some noodles with chicken-filet, shiitakes, onions and spices I think." Saying as if it was just a meal.

"Hmm... Sounds good." She walked back into the seating area and smiled at me, still standing near the door. "You can sit if you want you know." She acted as if nothing had happened.

"Oh, Amy. Would you like to have some as well?" Hitori's voice nothing but kindness.

"No I already..." But I didn't, did I? I hadn't fed tonight. I forgot. "I already had dinner. So I'm not hungry." I sat down on the other sofa.

Anka looked at me, frowning and shrugging. Hitori in the kitchen started to prepare the food and laughed a little. "Thats fine, I hope you don't mind us eating."

I couldn't help but smile. "No, not at all."

I had to ask. "So... eh... Hitori, who is Anka exactly? I mean, what is your connection?"

"Oh, she's my wife." Hitori turned around when I was just staring at him.

His wife? I just couldn't believe it. Behind me I heard a bit of a snort and when I turned around I noticed Anka was barely able to contain her laughter. When I looked back to Hitori even he had trouble not grinning like a fool. Where they playing a trick on me?

Hitori half-laughed, half-coughed once. "Ahem. She's my younger sister." His smile was more honest now.

"Your sister? In your bed?" That came out before I realized it.

Anka fell silent.

"So you saw that?" Hitori smiled. "Well, besides my tendency to take the guest-bed myself and leave my bed for guests. She had been traveling for quite a bit yesterday and is still a bit jet-lagged. One of the reasons why we're eating this late. When she came home the guest-bed wasn't made or anything so I just told her to lie down for a moment on mine. She was asleep before I even walked out of the room. It was easier to leave her there."

The relief was flowing through me like a warm shower. Hmmm... Now that was something I missed. We really needed to get one. At least the answer satisfied me. "I see. I'm sorry if it was wrong to ask."

Hitori shrugged. "It's alright, really. I've got a question for you though. What happened yesterday and how were you able to get me into bed?"

How could I answer this honestly? Did I want to tell him what I was? With her here? I couldn't. How could I?

Perhaps a half-truth would work. "I don't exactly know what happened to us. You fell asleep before I could do anything and I was just strong enough to get you into bed." I hated doing this, but what other option was there.

"Alright I guess. We'll find out some time." He continued cooking and to be honest it smelled very good.

From what I smelled this is what I guessed he did. First put the oil in the frying pan, then spices in the oil. Pieces of chicken-filet, shiitakes and onions soon followed. At the same time he put up a pan with some boiling water for the noodles and added a bit of pepper and salt to it. It was simple yet very welcoming in it's smell.

He prepared two plates and, despite my expectations, just added a knife and fork. As he saw me watching he winked. "I guess I don't feel like chopsticks today."

Anka smiled and eagerly reached out for the food. "Hmm... Smells delicious like always." And dug in.

Hitori sat down next to her, holding his plate on his lap like his sister and eating carefully.

Anka smiled after a few bits. "It's really good! Such a shame I can't have it more often." She winked and ate on.

Hitori had a few bites and looked at me. I had just stayed silent and enjoyed looking at them. Forgetting for a moment they knew very well I was there. It smelled really good and it looked quite tasty. And I wondered if my body would accept 'strange' food now that it's metabolism had changed.

"Just have a bite to taste?"

A bite... of what?

He held up his fork with some chicken and noodles on it. My body didn't seem to find it as attractive as it used to be, despite me enjoying the smell very much. I had to try it. I leaned forward without even answering and Hitori smiled. He held it still so I could have a bit. It was still warm but that didn't bother me. Tasting it was...

It was...

The food was quite well prepared and I could taste it being good. I swallowed it but felt it was against my body's desires. It's response was giving me a nausea I could hardly stand and make me feel I wanted to hurl. My body really didn't want it in there. How much had I changed. I could still taste, very well even, but not eat.

"It is very nice. I'm sorry but mind if I go to the bathroom?" I hoped I didn't looked any paler than usual.

"Eh, sure." Hitori looked a bit surprised and I saw Anka looking up from her meal.

I walked to the bathroom and closed the door behind it. I felt how my body wanted to throw up almost immediately. I leaned over the toilet and hurled... Loudly. I hated myself for this. I hoped I could at least do it silently but my body's reflexes were much stronger than my will in this.

I overheard Anka talking while I was in there. "She's lying... well, not telling the truth. There's something strange about her."

Hitori answered. "I know, but she means no harm. She wouldn't have put me to bed like that if she did."

Anka asked after a moment. "You like her?"

Hitori didn't answer immediately. "I don't know. I feel something but there's... I'll talk about it later. She's coming back I think."

Focussing back on what my body was doing I noticed I had thrown up some... a fair bit of blood with the food as well. I cleaned the toilet as best I could and cleaned myself up, which was far easier. It all landed nicely where it should though, so flushing once and removing a bit of blood on the side of the bowl was enough. I washed my hands and went back inside.

The look on Hitori's face told me enough.

It was time to tell him.