Matchablossom Yokai

The talented Mr. Sakurayshiki

How was this possible? Kaoru had worked so hard! What happened? He watched as Kojiro shifted the vegetables through his fingers. He didn't say anything as he looked upon the misshapen cuts, the thick and thin slices. Kaoru sat down his knife.

"I was never good in the kitchen." He muttered.

"Mother always had me doing something else when her and sister cooked." He swiped at his eye. He refused to cry before the huge Fu dog.

"Tony, toss these in the soup. We will put veggie soup on the lunch menu for the kids." Kojiro called.

"It isn't a waist. But your talents aren't in the kitchen. That's fine." Kojiro took his hand.

The restaurant wasn't even open yet. The large male walked Kaoru out to the main dinner. He pointed up to where the artistic Sai La Luce shown brightly in its red and gold design.

"That is masterful! You're not useless, your talents just aren't with cooking." Kojiro picked up a menu.

With the menu in one hand, while holding Kaoru's hand in the other, he walked into their house. Kaoru wasn't sure when he started thinking of it as theirs, but he did and he wasn't even sure if sister Fu dog would let him stay.

Kojiro broke into his musings by setting him down at the table. He placed the menu before Kaoru. Then pulled out a tablet. He opened up a program. Holding the device out to Kaoru, Kojiro smiled in his boorish gorilla way.

"Revamp my menu. It's pretty plain but all I could afford at the time." He stated.

Bending over as Kaoru eyed the tablet, the Kitsune was shocked to feel the other's lips press into his hair. Kojiro stood up. He smiled down at the Kitsune.

"I'll pay you for the design, also make sure you sign it. I will add your credit as the designer." The Fu dog offered.

"I don't want your money." Kaoru said.

He looked up at Kojiro who seemed to be frozen with that dorky smile on his face. Kaoru smiled back. This man, was adorably stupid. He loved it, loved him! Wait, no! Kaoru shook his head. Not like that. He looked away.

"You are allowing me to stay here. Feeding me, also keeping me safe from the demons. Redesigning your menu is the least I could do." He added fighting not to blush as his thoughts shifted from his feeling for the man.

"OK then. If that's how you feel." Kojiro's name was called from the restaurant.

"I have to get back." He tapped the table. "Sign it. You deserve the credit at the very least." He insisted.

Once more, Kaoru felt the Fu dog kiss the top of his head. It made him smile as the man rushed away to deal with something in the kitchen.

Kaoru picked up the menu. It was indeed very basic. A white back ground. The front had a generic looking building on it. The name of the place was written in a half circle above it. There was half of a sun logo below it, but that was it. Nothing else on the cover.

Kaoru flipped the laminated paper open. Inside was just a list of dishes. No photos, no drawings a sterile looking list of ingredients. There was no design of any sort. He snorted at this. His beloved carbonara was just a foot note on the bottom of the page! That was scandalous! Kaoru slammed the menu closed.

On the back was a very tiny picture of Kojiro denoting him as the owner and operator of the establishment. It said nothing about his talent as the chef! How fucking stupid! Who created this! There was no piazzas to it! Nothing that made it feel like the restaurant felt to Kaoru. This was his home! He couldn't deal with this atrocity!