Tale As Old As Time

A Story

Yooa scoops the sauce that she's been making for the past three hours now, with her finger and licks it; she then made a face. "Hm. Needs more salt and pepper." She sighed and adjusts her apron, tying it tight on her waist and then went ahead and search through the cabinets for the missing ingredients. The kitchen door opens, and Yooa glance through her shoulder to see Gogon, her brother, with his arms crossed and bored out face. She ignores him, as this is the 5th time he came in here not wanting anything but for the spaghetti to be done and if not that, to complain for the late cook.

"Are you done yet." He leans on the door frame with a bored tone. "Almost." Yooa replied as she sprinkles more salt and pepper into the sauce. "That's what you said earlier, and earlier, and earlier before earlier." Gon, marches up towards Yooa, his hands in his pockets and watches her do her work. He stiffles a groan as he witness his sister's face with red stains almost covering her entire face. How charming, he thought.

Yooa scoops the sauce again and tasted it, only to make a face again and she shakes her head. "Should have added more onions--" Gon grabs the apron, preventing Yooa from moving. Yooa glance sideways, and Gon lets go to taste the sauce himself. His expression nonchalant as he said- "This is salty. Your taste buds..are they working?" He sarcastically said, then he lifts up the pot from the stove while maintaining eye contact. Yooa scoffs. "Salty? You call that salty? It doesn't have much of a salt in it." But Gon is already on his way towards the living room. Yooa stands there dumbfounded, she unties her apron, wipes her face and jogs outside.

At the living room, her movements came to a halt as she saw her mother, already sitting on the floor, her face gleaming and like her usual self. Her healthy usual self. She ponders whether her mother went downstairs on herself; considering the shock expression on her father, he definitely came down on his own, thinking that his wife would've needed more rest. But no, there she is, sitting on the floor beside the Chabudai, a short legged table, like she didn't vomit, or had a really high fever last night and how she's supposed to be today too. The trio gave each other confused glances.

"You're here. Yooa." Her mother said with her soft and calming voice. 

They all sat across each other when they dine in. Yooa and her father steal glances at each other, sending telepathic messages with their eyes, for either of them to start a conversation. 

"Mom, are you well?" Gogon starts, and all eyes turns to Himari. She stops slurping midway with wide eyes- coughs and taps a tissue on her mouth gently. "Sorry. It's a rare occasion for me to have western cuisine. It must be weird seeing me gobbling the food down like an animal." She chuckles soflty, tucking her graying hair and her eyes creases. "N-no, you're eating just fine honey. It's just that-" Tora inches closer to get a better look at his wife. "Are you..completely well? Like..energized?" Gon and Yooa copies their father and inches closer to look at her.

"I'm fine. Good as ever! Plus, I think I can just go out, chop the trees randomly and started weight lifting them with my bare hands." She exclaimed with a bright smile. They all back away and nodded at each other. Looks to them, Himari is strangely recovered, or maybe has been miraculously recovered from all her deadly symptoms. "So, when did my little pumpkin came back home? I've missed you!" She extends her arms to pinch her daughter who is sitting across her. "I've been here since two days ago mom, ow!" she replied as her head gets violently shaken. Himari stopped to process that, "What? You've been here for three days now?"

"Yes, honey. She's been taking care of you for the past two days. There are other updates to fill you up on! Our sink is fixed! Thanks to that plumber Jiro sent. So no more, buying minerals from the market. And I've harvested our crops and our neighbours crops, making tons of money from that." He proudly told her, and Gon clears his throat beside Yooa. "Ehem--with my help." he said and Tora sheepishly smiles at him. Himari who was gleaming with happiness awhile ago, started to slouch and her smile fades. Yooa noticed.