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“Welcome home, Rei!” Kazuki smiles at him as he enters with a plastic bag in his hand. “What’d’ya get?”
Rei takes the contents of the bag out and shows Kazuki his purchase.
“Cooking Dash: Chop it Up?” Kazuki reads out loud as he stirs the contents of the pot he’s holding over the stove. “A cooking game?”
“Thought you might like it,” Rei nods.
Kazuki smiles wide at the thoughtful purchase. His heart swelling in his chest.
“Let’s play after dinner, yeah?” He says, plating the food and walking over to the table.
After eating and cleaning the dishes, Kazuki telling Rei that it’s only fair if he helps clean if Kazuki is going to play his game, the boys head over to the couch.
“So what do I do?” Kazuki holds the control out in front of him, pressing buttons he doesn’t know.
“You have to cook what’s on the screen and get it out the customers in a timely matter,” Rei explains. “Oh, and we have to work together,” he adds as the first level begins.
Kazuki smashes buttons, leaning forward as he tries to figure out how to chop.
“Ahh! Rei, wash that plate!”
“Rei, chop the onions then put them in the pot!”
“I’ll plate and you get it to the customer, okay?”
He’s very demanding, much like in their actual kitchen, but when they pass with three out of four stars, Kazuki claps Rei on the back, congratulating him.
“That was just the first level,” Rei says. “They get more difficult as you go,” he adds, side eyeing Kazuki who sits with his mouth open in disbelief.
“That was just the first level?!”
Rei nods, already starting the second.
“Wait! Okay, you chop, I’ll cook, then when you’re done, you wash and I’ll serve,” Kazuki plans out, hoping a strategy will earn them more stars.
Suddenly, a new menu item is introduced and Kazuki grunts.
“Who wants a shrimp salad from a flying restaurant in the sky? Where do the shrimp come from?!”
Rei chuckles at Kazuki’s frustration, not thinking he’d react this way to a game.
“They complained about the shrimp salad! See it’s a terrible business decision,” Kazuki shakes his head.
“Bad reviews make you lose points,” Rei explains, adding more pressure to Kazuki’s already stressed mind.
They end level two with one and a half stars because Kazuki refused to cook the shrimp salad, gaining more bad reviews than good.
“This game is way too stressful, Rei,” Kazuki jokes as he wipes his sweaty hands on his pants.
“It’s just a game, Kazuki,” Rei smirks at him.
“I know that! But it the anxiety is real!” Kazuki shouts.
“We don’t have to play, if it’s too much for you.”
“I never said I didn’t want to play, press the button! Let’s go!” Kazuki picks up his controller and stares intensely at the screen.
Shouting demands and yelling at the customers who give him bad reviews, Kazuki sticks his tongue out at the screen as two out of four stars shine back at him.
“Rei,” Kazuki says his name seriously. His eyes are closed, hands on his knees as he exhales through his nose. “You’re a terrible sous chef.”
“Me?” Rei scoffs. “You’re the one not making the dishes they ask for.”
“A chef of my expertise does not serve sky shrimp,” Kazuki jokes, staring the next level.
After a few more terrible scores later, Kazuki tosses his controller to the side.
“I can’t stand these people, Rei. They have no taste,” he sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose as he leans back against the couch.
“Didn’t think you’d get so worked up over a game, Kazu,” Rei smirks at him, watching as he lets his head fall back.
“You caused this stress, Rei,” Kazuki says, peaking his eye open and glaring at him. “Now come over here and help me relax.”
Rei rolls his eyes at Kazuki as he orders him to help him destress.
“It’s not my fault you suck at the game,” he smirks as he obediently crawls over to Kazuki, straddling his waist as he bends down to kiss Kazuki’s lips.
“Don’t be mean, Rei,” Kazuki chuckles against his mouth. “You’re supposed to be making me feel better.”
“You’re such a baby,” Rei jokes.
“Oh, pet names?” Kazuki teases. “Then you should call me, Chef,” Kazuki nods, smiling up at Rei, his eyes crinkling shut as he beams at him.
“That’s it, I’m leaving,” Rei deadpans as he stands, leaving Kazuki in a pouting heap on the floor.
“You’re so mean, Rei!” Kazuki whines, watching as Rei ascends the stairs. He stops half way, looking down at Kazuki.
“Come on,” he nods, telling Kazuki to follow him. “Chef.”