Lucked Out

Chapter 11

we were sitting on a bench, looking at Tama as she devoured all sorts of bread, in the end she won the gold medal, she really can eat, no wonder she eats my food and nothing gets left behind it, not even small crumbs.

"you did it Tama, Congrats!" i said as i pet her head.

"Thanks Makoto" She beamed.

"Mama, did you see how good i was?" she went to Sayaka and hugged her.

seeing them both like this always fills me with happiness, but it also reminds me that the end of the day, im just a friend to her, a friend that is helping her out and one day, they'll move on from me, maybe not immediately, but they will.

right then, Miho and her friends came to Tama to congratulate her, they left to participate in the other activities, leaving me alone with Sayaka.

"say Makoto, there is something i want to ask" she wants my help, and it is about Tama.

"what is it?" i looked curiously at her.

she started twirling a strand of her hair and started blushing.

"i, i want you to go with Tama to another event" i knew it, well, not completely but i knew it.

"heheh, why are you all embarrassed?" i said smiling.

"well, you know how harsh she is with my cooking, she never stops talking about your cooking, so i want her to have a good time, and next weekend is going to have a cooking competition so-" the motherly instincts and feelings, they are just amazing.

"of course i will go, leave it to me, and one day, I'll start teaching you many great dishes so that we can finally compete for Tama's stomach" i said with a fist in the air.

"well, I'll be looking forward to that, thank you Makoto, i honestly don't know what i would have done without you" she looked at me with that look again, just like the restaurant.

"anytime, Sayaka, though....aren't these events for parents and their children? i like Tama but im not related to her" i know it sounds like an excuse, but i don't want end up causing trouble.

"you two get along well, like siblings" she said smiling.

"does that mean that you are my mother?" i teased.

"d-don't look into it too much" she said with a blush on her cheeks, she is very fun to tease.

right at that time, Tama returned "Makoto, you are coming with me to the cooking event right?" she said as she pulled the hem of my shirt.

"of course, but what are you planning to cook?" might as well prepare myself mentally for this.

"im going to make Curry, and mine is going to be better than Kenji's" she said proudly.

"hah, we sure are going to be the winners" i returned her enthusiasm.

"though Tama, wouldn't you like to have your mom with you than me?" i asked.

"yeah, but i like you Makoto, you are my best friend, and i like you a lot" she beamed at me.

Tama has opened up to me quite a bit over the past weeks, it turned out that earning her allegiance isn't through food, but letting her experiment with mincemeat and whisking egg yolk, she really likes cooking, well, more like helping out in the kitchen, but that will come as time goes on, what a messy girl, though i can't deny how adorable she is when she smiles these days.

i am concerned about my ability to control Tama's chaotic impulses in public, and it feels awkward to act as her surrogate parent but.....i have been cooking with her for a while, im sure it'll be fine.

besides, im interested in meeting this Kenji i have heard so much about, and this will make Sayaka happy, so not much of a choice here.

"then lets do it" i said smiling.

"yaaaay" Tama said enthusiastically.

"Tama!" Sayaka tried to shush her daughter, who was drawing a lot of attention.

"Tama, what do you say we grab a sundae, my treat" i suggested.

"we can? but why?" Tama asked, her mouth open.

"well, to celebrate your gold medal today and to celebrate our win in the cooking competition with our super delicious curry, we are going to beat Kenji, aren't we?"

"right, right, right" she exclaimed but a bit calmer than before.

"i really need to learn about your secrets of how to deal with Tama, though i don't like the idea of you paying for a sundae but" she paused a bit.

"its been a while since i ate anything sweet" she smiled.

and with that, we went to a restaurant and had our sundaes for free because i stumbled upon coupons for free sundaes.

if i could describe the feeling i had at the time, i would say that i felt like a part of a family.

fast forward to the cooking contest day.

setting foot in an elementary school was the last thing i expected to do in the city, i was here to progress with my studies, not regress!

but i have to say, Tama's school was quite impressive.

"Makoto, we're here!!" Tama says after we arrive at our destination.

the cookery classroom

it was very spacious and fancy, just like every room in Tama's school, equipped with fancy cookware and each workstation having a sink,oven, it made me think im part of these family contest TV shows.

while i was admiring the room, Tama called out to a boy and smilled smugingly at him

"Hey Kenji" she called out.

"Tama?" he replied.

he was an average boy with orange hair and red eyes, he had a band aid on his cheek, though he looks very familiar.

"so you did show up" he said smiling.

"thats right, i told you im making the yummiest curry today, much yummier than yours" this is going to be a long day.

"yeah, yeah" he waved his hand carelessly.

"i figured you'd bail like always" he said sarcastically.

"i don't bail, im not a coward like you" she retorts.

"but your mom always bails, just like last year's sport's festival and parent teacher days" he says with a smug look.

"thats not it, she is just busy with work " Tama was starting to weaken.

"too busy to look after you?" he kept his smug look.

"thats enough" i interfered.

"what is going on here? why are...." a man's voice was heard, as i turned to face the source, i realized that i was lucky to be here, otherwise Sayaka would have been devastated to be here.

Author's Note: i wonder who would that person be.