KOF Extras

Road Trip to Nagoya: Part 5

"So we're just gonna wait here?" K' yawned. "Another sleepless night?"
"I thought you were an insomniac?" Benimaru grinned, taking a swig of his third cup of coffee. "You're always saying that around."
Krizalid bit back a laugh. "I agree with you, Earrings."
"Oi!" K' scowled, giving Krizalid a light backhand.
"What, it's true!" Krizalid smirked, drinking his cup of mocha. "You're always telling around that you're an insomniac."
"He snores..." Zayn smirked, taking a sip of his own cup of latte. "A lot."
K' grunted and turned away, downing most of his espresso.
"I can't believe you actually like drinking black coffee just like that, no sugar, no milk," Iori chuckled, pouring himself more coffee with some milk, resulting in a cup of café au lait. "Isn't it too strong?"
"Bitter!" Kula scowled, adding more ice cream to her affogato. "Ice cream with coffee is better!"
"I can't believe you actually put ice cream in coffee too..." Benimaru clicked his tongue. "Why does everything you eat concern ice cream or sweets in something or another?"
"It's called Caffe Affogato," K' glared at him. "Look it up. I thought you're the coffee expert?"
"Yeah, but still?" Benimaru gestured.
Iori nudged Aiko. "Are you from the North Pole?"
"Huh?" Aiko tilted her head.
"You're drinking iced coffee in the middle of a snowy night."
"Yeah, so?" Aiko raised an eyebrow. "Niisan, you know I like iced milk coffee."
"Still?" Iori smirked. "It's freezing outside."
"It's her preference, Yagami," Benimaru chimed in. "Let her have whatever she wants."
Iori gave K' a knowing smirk. "Yeah, sure. She can have anything she wants, right? It's her preference."
"Nikuman?" Honoka appeared with a plate of steamed curry-filled buns in each hand. "I bought some at the convenience store just now. Anyone wants some?"
"Me!" Many exclaimed.
Honoka chuckled and just put the plates down on the coffee table. She took a few and squeezed herself between Iori and Aiko, handing one to each of them.
"Why are you eating so late?" Benimaru leaned forward and took a nikuman for himself.
"It's her preference, Beni," Iori smirked. "Let her have whatever she wants."
Benimaru looked at him in surprise but just smiled. "Sure. Thanks for the nikuman, by the way."
Iori finished his nikuman and got up. "Anyway, I need to use the bathroom. Give a shout if anything happens."
He left, making his way to the nearest bathroom, closing the door behind him as soon as he entered.
Iori used the toilet and flushed, turning to leave but to his surprise, someone that Iori recognised rolled in through the bathroom window.
"I'll make you pay for what you did," the ninja spat.
Iori held his hand out at him, motioning him to wait. The ninja just looked at him in surprise as he washed his hands and opened the door.
"Hey! Where are you going?!"
"There's no space here," Iori pointed out. "Come outside, unless you want your face to be drenched in pee water."
The ninja straightened himself and nodded, following him out of the bathroom.
"Guys, I found him," Iori announced when he stepped back into the living room. "He walked in on me peeing."
The others burst into laughter, much to the ninja's surprise.
"Where do you wanna fight?" Iori asked, turning to him.
"You're asking me?" The ninja asked in surprise.
"Well, yeah, then you wanna have your head bashed with a chair?"
"Fine..."
"This should be good," K' smirked. "Let's go."
"In the snow?" Krizalid frowned.
"You wanna see the fight or not?" Zayn smirked, getting up with Isolde.
"Fine..." Krizalid sighed.
So they suited up in warmer clothes and left the chalet, going towards the ski section to have Iori's battle against Kisaragi.
"Before we fight..." Iori said, the crescent moon shining above them. "I wanna ask."
"What do you want?" Kisaragi asked with a groan. "As it is, I've been catching wrong people instead of you."
"Why now?" Iori asked. "After so many years, why hunt for me only now?"
"Because you yourself no longer possess the Orochi blood," Eiji said. "You showed us your 'power' just because you had something we didn't."
"Good point..." Iori nodded. "But I still have something you don't."
"And what will it be?"
"The Sacred Jewel of Yasakani."
"Whatever, let's just get this over with," Kisaragi sighed.
"Aight, then."
So they both got into their fighting stances. Eiji performed the Kuji-in to calm himself down before beginning the battle.
"Alright, ready when you are," Iori called, still in his stance.
Eiji took a deep breath and got into his stance. He was about to charge at him, but Iori suddenly straightened himself.
"Actually, can't we just settle this without a fight?" Iori said, shrugging slightly. "I don't really like violence."
Eiji snorted. "You? Don't like violence? Try lying to someone else."
"No, seriously." Iori shook his head. "Can't we just settle this like normal people?"
"No." Eiji shook his head. "I'm here to repay what you did to me."
He started moving his hands in a strange motion, readying his attack. Just as he was about to launch it, a pile of snow fell on him, followed by a whole avalanche. For some reason, the avalanche only fell on Eiji, though there were more than ten people around him.
"Oh my..." Iori rushed to dig him out.
And the others helped too. Eiji was at the bottom, knocked out. He had evidently been trying to get out... by trying to dig into the ground instead of the heap on top of him and eventually passed out.
"Is he alive?" K' asked when Iori tried to lift him, struggling in the process. Benimaru had to help him instead.
"I don't know, but he sure is heavy!" Iori huffed. "Beni, please hold his arm properly. Feels like I'm holding dead weight!"
"It is dead weight," Benimaru puffed. "Can we drop this idiot in the gym instead?"
"Can't we just drop him in the drain?" K' added lazily, deciding to help by lifting Eiji's legs.
"Dash!" Everyone exclaimed.
"Fine, I was just joking," K' rolled his eyes.
They brought Eiji back to the chalet and dumped him on the sofa. It was a good thing the chalets around them weren't occupied or else they would be getting a lot of questions.
"So it's another night of warming someone up?" K' sighed, flopping down on an armchair. "Tell me if anyone needs fire."
Iori sighed and lit the fireplace, putting Eiji as close to it as possible without burning him.
"I'll go get some ramen," Honoka rushed to the kitchen, Aiko at her heels.
"Looks like it's a good thing that your girl always has food on her, I guess," Benimaru groaned, laying down on the couch. "Gosh, was he heavy."
"I know..." Iori agreed, going towards him. He looked at Benimaru's feet and frowned. "Also, can you move your stinky feet? I wanna sit..."
Benimaru rolled his eyes and sat up, letting the redhead sit next to him. The girls soon returned, holding a few bowls of instant ramen.
"Okay, I know this dude's heavy, but he doesn't need that much ramen," Zayn snorted, watching them.
"No, it's not just for him, we made some for us too," Aiko explained, putting the bowls on the coffee table. "Admit it, it was freezing outside."
They made around six bowls, so they sat around and shared. Kula, apparently has never tried ramen before, decided to share with K'.
"It's really good," Kula said, slurping some of the ramen. To K's surprise, she actually fed him a mouthful of hot ramen. "It's tasty, right?"
K' turned red, but nodded.
"Why are you so red, Dash?" Krizalid smirked.
"Sp... spicy," K' muttered.
Everyone exchanged knowing looks. K' x Kula was still one of the best ships.
"But I still think Krizalid x Foxy should happen," Zayn whispered to Isolde. "Right?"
Isolde chuckled. "Yeah, but Zayn x Isolde should happen too."
"It's already happening, babe," Zayn grinned, putting an arm around her.
They all stopped short when Eiji stirred slightly. Iori sighed and grabbed a bowl of ramen on the table, making his way towards him.
"Here, drink this," Iori said, handing the bowl to the ninja. "You must be cold."
"What happened?" Eiji asked, refusing to take the ramen.
"An avalanche fell on you."
Eiji turned to Kula, who still ate her ramen with K'. "Was it her work?"
"No," Kula shook her head. "I can only create small heaps of snow, Mr. Ninja. Not avalanche."
"I don't know what happened, but the snow only fell on you," Iori shrugged, resorting to just putting the bowl down in front of him. "Eat up before it gets cold."
"How do I know it's not poisoned?" Eiji frowned. "After all, you're the snake-eyed Yagami. Flame of the End, Unbridled Instinct."
"Yeah sure, and I'm the one who snuck into a girl's room and yanked her by the hair," Iori narrowed his eyes at him. "By right, I should be the one 'making you pay'."
"Why?"
"You attacked my sister, dimwit!" Iori spat. "You warm up first, then I'll yank you by the hair to see how you feel."
"Sister?" Eiji said in surprise. "I thought all Yasakani mothers died during childbirth?"
He was replied to by a punch in the face by Benimaru instead.
"Beni, relax," Iori stopped him. "Let him rest first." He grabbed the bowl of soup again and handed it to Eiji. "Eat this first. We'll talk later."
Eiji took the bowl and stared at it. He eventually took his mask off and drank the soup, a confused look on his face.
"I don't get it, why are you actually treating me like this?" Eiji asked. "Knowing you, you would've left me buried in the snow."
"You only know me that much?" Iori asked in surprise. "Okay, I know I was cursed and all, but that's not what something I would've done. I may have been cursed, with some slight identity crisis at the side, but I was never inhumane. Maybe sometimes, like when I beat you up, but that was all."
"Idiot, Iori feeds stray cats in alleyways all the time," K' chimed in. "I've caught him a few times before he broke the curse, and he didn't even seem ashamed for doing something good like that."
"He even saved Kyo's girlfriend once," Benimaru added. "Even Kyo himself neglects that poor girl sometimes. Yagami could've ignored her, especially since she was his number-one enemy's girlfriend."
"Niisan was never mean to me, even when he had a hard time controlling himself because of the curse," Aiko stepped in. "I know when he was in pain, but he would never show it even to me."
"You clearly have no idea how Iori really is," Honoka squeaked. "I saw how he was ever since we first met."
"You did?" Iori asked in surprise.
"Yep!" Honoka nodded vigorously.
They turned back to Eiji and saw how he was still eating his ramen, rather hesitantly.
Iori sighed. "How the heck did you even find us?"
Eiji swallowed his mouthful of food and spoke. "Billy was telling me how you managed to break your curse, and now enjoying your life," he explained. "Then I saw Benimaru's post about Shogatsu and how you guys will be going to Nagoya together."
Everyone turned to glare at Benimaru, who just shrugged.
"What, I need to maintain a status in social media," Benimaru pointed out. "In case you forgot, I'm a supermodel. Maybe you guys forget my celebrity status just because I'm modest."
That was pretty true. Benimaru's down-to-Earth nature, where he doesn't even mind talking to unpopular people, actually made them forget his career as a supermodel.
"True..." Aiko nodded. "Sometimes I forget too."
"I don't know, whenever I see you, I only cringe at your earrings," Krizalid chimed in.
"What the heck do you even have with earrings?!" Benimaru exclaimed in exasperation. "Like... what?!"
Iori rolled his eyes and patted Benimaru's back, bringing him back to the actual situation. He turned to Eiji and frowned. "So... you still want revenge or something?"
Eiji shook his head, putting the bowl back on the table. "No need. I'm sorry to have disturbed you." He hesitated slightly before letting out a sigh. "Thanks for rescuing me from that avalanche."
They didn't let him leave on his own, insisting that they dropped him off instead.
"It's okay, I don't even have to go that far," Eiji said, much to his surprise. "I actually booked a chalet here as soon as I learned that you'll be here."
"You're staying in an enormous ski chalet alone?" Kula asked in surprise. "How are you not lonely, Mr. Ninja?"
"I came with my girlfriend and a few friends," Eiji said, much to their surprise. "They don't know why I'm actually here."
"You actually have friends besides Billy?" Zayn snorted.
"No," Eiji sighed. "Not good friends at least. I'm actually here with him. His sister and Joe are here too."
Then he just bid his farewell and left, much to their surprise.
"That explains how he doesn't get caught when breaking into the resort compounds," Krizalid snorted. "He just never did!"
"I like how he actually booked himself a stay first," Zayn chuckled. "So a free holiday comes with the revenge package."
"Genius," Isolde wiggled her brows, tapping a finger on her temple. "Revenge plus free holiday."
"He probably just tagged along with Billy just because he didn't have to pay a cent," K' shrugged.
"Hey, I chipped in too," Eiji shouted, peeking his head into the front door. "And I haven't even left yet!"
"Can you just go?" Benimaru frowned. "As it is, you already ruined our vacation."
Eiji sighed and walked out. Kula went to the front door and closed it as soon as he left, even using her signature Akanbe taunt.
"Bad ninja man!" Kula crossed her arms. But then she leapt back to them and continued eating the ramen. K' had long abandoned it since she was more interested in it than actually sharing it. Well, not that he minded. He was more interested in watching her eat anyway.
Iori smirked and nudged him. "Admiring your GF, I see?"
K' smiled sheepishly, his dark-skinned face reddening just the slightest. Iori chuckled and put an arm around his shoulders.
Honoka on the other hand, was eating too. Iori threw her a glance, seeing how she was practically licking the bowl clean.
Iori couldn't help thinking how cute she was when she ate.
"You're doing the same thing, aren't ya?" K' smirked, nudging him back. "Who do you have to thank for getting her as your GF?"
Iori smirked and gave him a squeeze. "You, Dash. All because you asked her to cheer me up that time."
K' chuckled. "I wanted to send Kula, but she was too busy eating her ice cream and sweets."
They just finished eating and decided to go to sleep. Finally, a good night's rest.
That resulted in them waking up in the noon instead.
"There's no point in breakfast now, is there..." Benimaru sighed.
"No, let's go for lunch instead," Aiko suggested. "I think it's better if we just go to the resort cafe."
"If I see that idiot ninja there, I'm strangling him for ruining my sleep," Krizalid scowled, drinking his morning coffee. "At this rate, I need at least three cups for me to go about."
"Don't drink too many," Benimaru shook his head. "Coffee it's good and all, but it's still bad for you."
"Three in the morning is okay, right?" Krizalid smirked. "Because if I'm not mistaken, I saw you chugging down five yesterday morning."
"Hey, just let him!" Aiko chimed in. "It's his preference to drink however many he wants."
Benimaru looked at her in surprise. Aiko chuckled and wrapped her arm around his, leaning against his shoulder. The others smiled and started getting ready to go out for breakfast.