An American Rabbit in Japan

Chapter 12

The group rode in style, as usual, into town. Tamaki wasn't exactly sure as to where the restaurant was, so they strolled down the humid streets in search of... whatever it was Tamaki was looking for. Bunny couldn't tell if he was unable to make up his mind or if he didn't know he was going. Knowing him, it was probably a good mix of the two. She decided that instead of getting frustrated she would enjoy the interesting scenery of the streets, lined with a plethora of shops. They were bustling with customers, rushing in and out and the delicious smell of the various kinds of Japanese cuisine permeated the air. Bunny was thankful when Tamaki excitedly ran into a noodle shop and was happy to follow.

Looking around, she realized that Haruhi had taken her to a similar place before. It was a relatively small shop, as each cheap card table had only two small stools to it, but it was warm and the aroma its food gave off was mouth watering. Tamaki had claimed one of the tables and waited, excitedly anticipating Bunny's approval. He grinned, mouth wide open, and patted the stool next to him. If he had a tail it would be wagging. Bunny laughed at the boy and took the seat he offered her. Mori fixed the slight lack-of-seating problem by effortlessly dragging over an extra pair of tables and their stools, much to the dismay of the owners. Honey seemed curious about the small restaurant and Mori seemed indifferent, but Hikaru, Kaoru, and Kyoya were neither impressed nor amused.

"Tamaki, why did you choose this place?" Bunny asked.

"Yeah, it's such a dump," Hikaru muttered not-so-discreetly.

"Hikaru, it's not wise to insult the people who prepare your food," Kyoya warned while flashing a chilling smile. The group turned and saw one of the owners standing behind the twins, wearing the same smile.

"We'll bring your food out very soon," he promised them. Though the twins tried to exude an air of nonchalance, Bunny could easily see their apprehension and let a giggle slip out by accident. The twins quickly faced her.

"What's so funny?" Hikaru snapped.

"As if the food from here wasn't going to be bad enough," Kaoru complained. "Now we have to worry about ours being tampered with. "

"Oh come now, gentleman," Tamaki gently admonished. "I'm sure that the fine people in this wonderful establishment wouldn't dream of doing such a thing." The twins rolled their eyes but the Host Club king didn't seem to notice. "Why, these good people put so much of their hearts-of their very souls into their food, it's like an extension of who they are. It would be a shame, a waste, to ruin such beauty."

After his little speech he held a white rose up to his nose for effect. Bunny was about to ask him where that thing had come from when moderately sized bowls of noodles were being passed down to each hungry teenager. The bowls were filled to the brim with a hot, richly colored brown broth that glistened with droplets of grease that no doubt came from the well-done strips of beef that swam amongst the tendrils of noodles, mingling with the brightly colored slices of vegetables that brought a certain brightness and freshness to the dish.

Bunny had been staring into her bowl in awe when she realized that the owner was waiting impatiently at the end of their makeshift table. He cleared his throat, clearly indicating he was expecting payment. Everyone fidgeted with their wallets, fishing the money out and handing it over, rather reluctantly in the twins' case.

"Well, let's eat!" Bunny said enthusiastically. Not waiting on the others, she broke apart her chopsticks and dug in.

Tamaki seemed a little shocked initially, but he quickly followed suit, appearing to be pleasantly surprised in the good flavor of the cheap food. The twins were the last to finish theirs, due to their hesitance to begin.

"Tama-chan should choose to eat out more often!" Honey exclaimed happily after they left with warm, full tummies. They had stopped at a small tea bar and some of them were now sipping on deliciously cool drinks, Bunny included. "Bunny-chan, do you like your bubble tea?" She had chosen a green tea type and was in fact very pleased with it.

"Oh yes, I love it!" she happily replied, chewing on a pearl.

"As thrilling as this little expedition has been," Kyoya said, "I do believe it's best we leave before Tamaki further harasses any more of the people here." They followed Kyoya's gaze and saw that the beautiful blonde fool was unintentionally pestering people, fascinated by everything about them. He was complementing complete strangers for being resourceful and creating such lovely outfits with so little funds. After talking with one teenage girl who seemed to be in awe of him, he was astounded by the "mix-and-match" concept that seemed to be so popular with the commoners. He glanced up and saw his friends staring at him in a mixture of disbelief and impatience, so he quickly wrapped up the conversation but not before he handed the dazed young girl a red rose.

Where the hell does he get those? Bunny wondered.

***

Bunny flopped down on her bed with a sigh. It had been a really long day and she was beat. She was about to start getting ready for bed when there was a knock at the door. With a groan she got up and opened it to see Tamaki, standing there in his pajamas and clutching a teddy bear of his own.
"I just wanted to check in on my little sister before I went to bed!" he informed her with a smile.

"Thanks. I was just about to turn in," she admitted while stifling a yawn.

"Oh, sorry to keep you up then," he said warmly. "I know it's been a very tiresome day. After all, we did cover nine chapters in twenty-four hours!" He ruffled her hair affectionately and went to his own room before Bunny had time to fully express her confusion.