T-T-The knob! [She's backing away from the stove, pointing at said knob so that Kyou can see.] I-It's an apple now!!

[Kyou looks at the knob apple for a second. Then to Tohru. Then the apple once more.]

You seriously just did that?

[She nods, quickly crossing her arms and balling her hands into fists. Now she's really afraid of touching anything else.]

Why... is this happening?

[He can't help but rub the palm of his hand against his forehead in exasperation.]

It's probably something that has to do with the food attacking people too.

...

[Blink blink]

E-EHH?! FOOD ATTACKING??

Just be glad it's only happening outside.

[He runs a hand across his hair, pausing for a moment to scratch the back of his head out of habit. Oh how wrong you are, Kyou.]

Better get used to weird things happening here, too.

Will this... happen often, Kyou-kun?

Not exactly the same thing as this, but yeah. It's pretty often.

...Are you really just going to sit there until this whole thing blows over?

[!!]

U-um... I guess I can't.

[She slumps in her seat.]

I still need... to cook lunch.

[Sigh, you never change Tohru.]

If that's all you're worried about, then let me do the cooking today.

[Here, have a light pat on the head.]

[She couldn't help the heat that suddenly flooded her cheeks at his touch. Tohru uncrossed her arms, settling her hands on her lap. She couldn't let him do that. She's the one imposing on him! This was her way on paying him back for his kindness.]

But Kyou-kun...

[Her tone had no conviction whatsoever. Like she wasn't even going to try to protest seriously.]

[He raises an eyebrow at that for a moment but he doesn't disagree to her weak plea outright. Instead he takes a different route.]

Do you really want to risk turning this whole place into a vegetable farm?

N-no! [Shaking her head.] Absolutely not!

Then don't worry about it and let me handle it this once.

[He looks back up and moves his hand away from her head, walking towards the counter.]

What were you trying to make before... [He picks up the apple and shows it to her.] --this, anyway?

[She looks up and gazing at the apple. Her fingers brush the surface, as if she was checking if the knob had indeed turned into this.]

Oh! Um, mixed rice... I thought with the current weather, it would be perfect to eat that.

Just tell me what you do and I'll finish whatever you left undone. [Because even if Kyou can cook decently, he still needs the help of a cook book most of the time.]

Okay, Kyou-kun.

[She climbs down from the stool.]

We'll need to wash the rice first and then cut the chicken into small pieces.

[He places some uncooked rice into a container and runs the tap on for a few seconds. He then looks over his shoulder to Tohru.]

Is the chicken still in the fridge?

Um, yes it is. I'll go get it.

[There might be the slight chance of anything else she touches changing into something else, but Tohru puts that thought aside as she makes her way to the refrigerator. The handle changed into an eggplant but fridge itself is still the fridge. After taking a deep breath, she pokes her head in order to get the chicken breast.

... Looks like the container for the chicken didn't change as well. Looks like the occurrence was a random event.]

Kyou-kun, look... [She closes the refrigerator door, staring at the package in her hands.] It didn't change.

[Kyou was just about about to stop her from getting it when she reached for the handle. He couldn't warn her in time as an the handle then turns into another vegetable. Letting out a sigh, he just goes back to washing the rice. Maybe stopping her would be a bad idea after all.

When she calls for his attention though, he looks up from his work to see the chicken still in tact. And when he says in tact he means the tupperware had still been tupperware.]

Whoever's making you do this probably thinks it's funny.

[He drains the water from the container and puts the rice aside, reaching out for the container of chicken.] Want me to cut that?

[She doesn't find it very funny at all. Come on, look at this face:]



[Tohru may or may not have heard you, Kyou.]