anwhile, Astron strolled into the Emberheart kitchen with his usual composed air, taking in the pristine countertops and sleek design. He wasn't surprised to see the space was immaculate-untouched, even. It was clear that no one here had ever truly cooked a al.
'Figures, he thought. Considering the fact that, Irina was that kind of a girl, he could understand it.
'Hmm?"
Yet just then, to his surprise, he saw that the fridge was stocked. Fresh vegetables, neatly packaged cuts of at, an array of sauces and spices-all of it was there, ready to be used. It was almost too perfect, as though soone had gone out of their way to ensure it looked well-prepared, even if it had never been touched.
"This wasn't just stocked by her staff, he noted, a flicker of curiosity passing through his mind. His curl of mouth widened slightly as he began pulling out ingredients- eggs, bread, so fresh herbs, and a bit of cheese. It didn't matter why the fridge was stocked; what mattered was that he had the tools he needed.
As he moved efficiently through the kitchen, his thoughts wandered briefly back to Phantom's Land. The mory of Irina and Sylvie sitting uselessly by the fire as he prepared their als brought a quiet chuckle to his lips. He could still rember Irina's defiant glare as she begrudgingly ate the food he'd made, clearly hating that she had to rely on him.
'She hated it then,' he thought, cracking an egg into a bowl with practiced ease. 'But I wonder if she'll admit she's looking forward to it now.'
He had been seeing quite a lot of amusing things recently, and it appeared that this one was one of those.
******
Back in her room, Irina stepped out of the shower, her hair damp and clinging lightly to her shoulders. The heat of the water had washed away the gri and tension from last night, leaving her feeling refreshed. She wrapped a towel around herself, pausing for a mont as she caught her reflection in the mirror.
Her cheeks were still faintly pink, though whether it was from the heat of the shower or the lingering embarrassnt from earlier, she wasn't sure.
'He better not ss this up, she thought, her competitive streak flaring as she dried herself off and began getting dressed. The mory of Phantom's Land returned unbidden, and she found herself smiling faintly as she recalled the taste of the food Astron had made back then.
As Trina finished drying her hair and began getting dressed, a faint, tantalizing aroma
wafted into her room. Her movents stilled, her senses sharpening as the scent grew stronger. It was unmistakable-the scent of sothing cooking, sothing fresh and
warm.
Her brow furrowed slightly as she turned her head toward the partially open door. 'The door... I didn't close it?' she realized, her cheeks flushing slightly at her carelessness. But that thought was quickly overshadowed by recognition.
'Wait... this scent... isn't this..."
Her heart skipped a beat as the realization struck her. He's making-?Her mind raced to put a na to the dish.
'Fried herb patties."
The simple, unassuming al was sothing she rarely had the opportunity to enjoy. It was a dish loved by common folks-crispy and golden on the outside, with a savory filling of finely chopped herbs, spices, and a hint of lted cheese. It was hearty and unpretentious, the kind of food that didn't belong in high-end restaurants or the refined als served at the academy.
Irina had tasted it only three tis in her life, and each of those monts was etched deeply into her mory.
The first ti was during a rare outing with "him" even before she had been admitted to the academy.
Irina rembered sneaking a bite of the street vendor's patties, her eyes widening at the explosion of flavor.
'Ah....'
And as those mories were brought back, she naturally rembered about a certain soone as well.
The second ti was far more personal. She had been with "him", as well - certain soone from her childhood who had a knack for dragging her out of her comfort
zone.
They'd sneaked away to explore a bustling village market, and he had insisted on buying the patties for her. She could still rember the way he'd grinned at her as she reluctantly took the first bite, only to devour the rest in minutes. It was one of the few tis she'd allowed herself to let go, to enjoy sothing without the weight of expectations pressing down on her.
The third and final ti was shortly after his absence. She had been alone, wandering through the sa market, hoping to find a taste of that fleeting happiness again. She'd bought the patties herself, but they hadn't tasted the sa. The warmth, the laughter --it was missing. And though the flavor had been there, the mory left a bittersweet ache in her chest.
And now... now that sa aroma was filling her senses once again, pulling her back through ti.
Her breath hitched as she tightened the sash of her robe, and she stepped quickly toward the door. 'Really....This is driving crazy....
Irina tugged at the sash of her robe, her steps quick and purposeful as she headed toward the kitchen. Her thoughts swirled with a mix of frustration and unease. 'I don't want to think about those mories,' she told herself firmly. 'They don't bring anything good.'
Yet no matter how hard she tried to suppress them, the feelings lingered. The laughter, the warmth, the sense of fleeting freedom-they gnawed at the edges of her mind, refusing to be buried.
'And then there's last night,' she thought, her cheeks heating again as fragnts of the evening replayed in her head. That guy... he's so irritating. But she couldn't deny the quiet sense of comfort she had felt in his presence, a feeling that seed to carry over into this morning.
As she stepped into the kitchen, the scene before her brought her to a halt.
Astron moved with practiced ease, his calm deanor as steady as ever. The air was filled with the tantalizing aromas of cooking, each scent distinct yet blending harmoniously. Her eyes darted to the countertop, where an array of dishes was coming together.
A pot of tea stead gently on one side, its faint floral aroma mingling with the scent of herbs. The fried herb patties were already plated, their golden crust glistening enticingly. Nearby, slices of potato sizzled in a pan, their edges crisping to a perfect golden brown. A small skillet held a mixture of eggs and tomato sauce, the vibrant colors blending with a sprinkle of spices.
And then there was the at-thin strips of bacon-like cuts, their marbled texture revealing the quality of the special at. It wasn't just any bacon; it was Emberboar bacon, a rare delicacy known for its rich flavor and tender texture.
Irina's gaze swept over the variety, her brows furrowing as a question ford in her mind. 'Where did he get all this?"
She was sure her fridge hadn't been stocked with this many ingredients. She had prepared it with only the basics-herbs, cheese, and a few fresh items after that ti in Phantom's Land, but nothing like this.
Astron seed to sense her presence, glancing over his shoulder with his usual calm expression. "You're up," he said simply, turning back to the sizzling pan in front of him.
"Perfect timing"
Irina crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing slightly as she leaned against the doorfra. "Where did you get all of this?" she asked, her tone sharp despite the faint
flush creeping up her neck.
Astron didn't look at her imdiately, instead focusing on plating the fried potatoes with a casual precision that only irritated her more, "Your fridge was a good start," he said, his voice even. "But I improvised."
"I can see that," Irina replied, her tone tinged with disbelief as she stepped closer. "But there's no way my fridge had these herbs for the patties. Or that tea blend. Or half of
these spices."
Irina's brow furrowed as she scanned the countertop again, her gaze settling on the neatly plated Emberboar bacon. Of course, she had that-it was sothing only her family could provide. The Emberboar was a unique breed, raised specifically by the Emberheart family. These boars were fed special, nutrient-rich food and periodically exposed to the Emberheart fire, which infused their at with a distinct smoky flavor and unparalleled tenderness.
However, the at was rare. There was only a limited amount produced each year, reserved for the family and their most prestigious guests. She had no idea how Astron even knew about it, much less how he'd decided to prepare it.
Her lips pressed into a thin line as she crossed her arms, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. She rembered stocking her fridge impulsively after that ti in Phantom's Land. Watching Astron cook back then had irked her competitive streak, and on a whim, she'd filled her fridge with high-quality ingredients.
But even then, she hadn't been thorough. Sure, the Emberboar bacon, eggs, and
cheese were her doing, but she had no idea where he'd found those herbs, that tea blend, or the spices. She didn't know much about those things-her als were usually prepared by staff or served at high-end establishnts, leaving her clueless about
such details.
Her gaze shifted back to Astron, who seed completely at ease as he worked. His
movents were precise yet unhurried, his focus split between the sizzling skillet and the tea he was pouring into two cups. The way he moved, the quiet confidence with which he handled every step-it was infuriatingly captivating.
"Okay," she said finally, her voice cutting through the quiet hum of the kitchen. "I get that the bacon is from here. That's my family's specialty. But where did you get everything else? The herbs, the spices, the tea blend-none of that was in my fridge." Astron glanced at her over his shoulder "You're right," he admitted. "They weren't." Irina raised an eyebrow, her arms tightening across her chest. "Then?"
"I brought so things with ," he said simply, turning back to the stove as he flipped the last strip of bacon onto the plate. "Call it a habit."
"A habit?" Irina repeated, her tone incredulous. "You just... carry herbs and spices
around with you?"
Astron shrugged, his calm deanor unshaken. "You'd be surprised how useful they can be. Especially when soone forgets to stock the basics."
Irina bristled, her cheeks flushing as she took a step closer. "I didn't forget," she
snapped. "I didn't think they were necessary."
Astron turned to face her, holding out a plate with a perfectly balanced assortnt of
food. "And yet, here you are, questioning my thods while your stomach growls loud enough to wake the dead."
Irina's cheeks burned as she glared at him, but her traitorous stomach rumbled again louder this ti. She snatched the plate from his hands with a huff, her eyes
narrowing.
"Shut up....
Irina was hungry.
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