Reimu was still looking at him, the words 'earned treasure' echoing in her mind. Finally, she asked. "What kind of treasure are you talking about?"
Nowa just let out a weary sigh. "Are we going to continue the Q and A even though I am going to answer once there's food to eat?" He replied after a pause, he closed his eyes. 'Ang dami naman bigain, ano ba yan nakakainis(There are so many bigots, this is so annoying.), like bruh. At least let me eat before I start answering your questions, miko.' He opened one eye looking at her.
"Okay. But don't evade my questions Mr. Beckitzer, got it?" Reimu answered, then she slid the door open and continued to enter the kitchen.
"I couldn't promise it. But I'll try to answer some." Reimu looked behind her shoulder and glared at Nowa, he just shrugged with that plastered smirk in return as he followed her inside the kitchen.
Inside the kitchen however is a mess, unwashed plates and cups, Reimu stopped on her track upon being reminded by her chores, her cheeks flushed slightly, she clears her throat, recomposing herself. "...pardon my kitchen mess." She mutters.
Nowa however just looked back and forth at the unwashed plates and cups and her. Reimu wasn't looking at him back.
'Lazy cool design, I guess. So much so for a shrine maiden.' He shook his head. "well, we start at something I guess." He said in a tone less teasing, more sincere, he handed the noodles to Reimu. "Here, prepare the ingredients."
Reimu took it, and she asked. "..What are you going to do?" Nowa just stood closer to the sink, Then he rolled his sleeves and approached the unwashed utensils and began washing them. "...huh? What are you doing?" She asked, genuinely confused.
Nowa didn't bother to look behind. "Washing? What else am I doing?"
'This guy.. you're not supposed to clean strangers' mess..' she thought. "What are you really after? Not only you gave me conjured money, then the treasure if I wasn't sure about the coins you have donated. And now this.. Washing the dishes? In someone else's property?" With a confused tone and a look at him.
"I'm helping you clean your mess faster so that I get to eat and be done with your Q and A." Then he paused, his voice low enough to hear. "This is what my friend used to do when we're at someone else's property." he said it without realizing he is revealing his past easily.
Reimu scoffed. 'Ofc he is.. but he has a friend? That's new. What is this friend? Why are they doing it? Too many questions left unanswered, I will ask that once he eats.. but still it's so new, no one else should be doing this.. it's somewhat.. No. It's inconvenient. It's distracting. I can't focus on evaluating the threat if he's acting... helpful.'
Nowa was halfway done with the chores just realized. 'Agh crap.. I just let part of myself openly say it. Tangina naman oh(Fucking bitch.), she will ask that later isn't she?' he let out a weary, irritated sigh. 'Damn it.. how am i going to explain to her that he hates me after I left them.. fuck..'
Reimu gave Nowa one last, unreadable look before turning to the counter. The silence that fell was not entirely comfortable, filled only by the sound of Nowa scrubbing and Reimu preparing ingredients.
'..I don't like cooking. But if it gets him to talk, then it's better than provoking an anomaly.'
She kept a steady and frequent glance at Nowa to make sure he wasn't doing something foolish. He finished his task quickly, the clean utensils stacked neatly in the basin. He glanced around the kitchen, his gaze scanning the shelves cluttered with jars and mismatched cups. He held a damp plate uncertainly.
"Hey, Miko," he began, breaking the quiet. "Where does this stuff go?"
Reimu stopped at chopping vegetables then her focus shifted to Nowa. "To your left, that cupboard over there." She pointed with the kitchen knife that deliberately aimed at Nowa. Nowa noticed her intention, he didn't pay much attention to it, instead he placed the utensil and plates accordingly. 'Hmm, a knife test. Sharp pointy. Too bad, I don't find it harmful, I'm not a wuss either. Try something better.. actually don't. You don't want to end up in a worse case scenario.'
'No reaction?' she lowered the knife slightly, Nowa finished placing items, then he approached Reimu who stepped back a little instinctively. 'His approaching me. He noticed, didn't he? Will he attack?' she clenched the knife but not making a sudden stance.
Nowa notices her sudden shift in defense, but he just takes a look at what she's preparing for the noodles anyway. "Ohh, I see noodles with fresh ingredients. That's refreshing." He began, breaking the tension. "I'm so used to packed noodles that I forgot these exist. Kinda cute. And healthy."
Reimu's face made that same professional confused reaction again.
"Can you step aside? I just have the best food idea." He opened his palm and chanted. "Give me.. Fish cake rolls and Iggs." Then the air shifted and followed his command and conjured, fish cake rolls and eggs on his palm, a brief, familiar paleness washing over his face as the energy for the minor creation was drawn from his own vitality, a cost imperceptible to her eyes and showed it to Reimu. "With this the taste will be good."
Reimu had a pause and was tensed slightly with the close use of his power. 'He did it again, conjuring stuff.. Now with food?' she looked at it briefly then back at him. "Is this poisoned or cursed? Don't mess with me." She replied deadpan as always, with an underlying professionalism.
Nowa let out a dry chuckle. "No. Why would I?"
"That's what I'm worried about," She paused. "What else did you 'apply' during this conjuring, Mr. Beckitzer?"
Nowa shook his head. "Nuh uh. There's none innit, Miss Ribbon." He took the knife Reimu had with his other hand.
Reimu flinched. "Hey!" She manifested her Gohei in her hand and aimed at him. Meanwhile Nowa ignored her and cut a fish cake roll, then presented it to Reimu.
"See this?" He cracked one egg. "And this?" Reimu watched closely, as he ate the raw fish cake roll he just sliced then drank the egg he cracked. '..h-huh? He's demonstrating..?' she held her stance firmly, finally Nowa looked at her with that satisfied dismissive smug. "See? No application." He said making a face. "Just raw and doesn't taste good because it's hella raw. Bruhh.." then he sighed.
Reimu lowered her Gohei. "I see... Well, it's your fault you're too suspicious."
He took over at Reimu's preparation of noodles. "Hey! I was preparing that!" she raised her voice with irritation, both arms at her hips. "Don't tell me you're taking over at cooking too?!"
Nowa let out a dry chuckle. "Well yeah. I'm good at cooking plus we will take ages here if we argue like a couple." He shot her a teasing glance.
Reimu's head showed very visible throbbing veins on her head. "HA?!!" Flustered, she then smacked him with her Gohei. Nowa grunted playfully and he dryly chuckled only, she then looked away, arm crossed. "Don't push your luck Mr. Beckitzer!" She warned. 'I can't keep up with this guy! He is so annoying!' and even more irritated when she heard Nowa laugh.
"You can't handle a joke my dear miko Ribbon." He dryly chuckled to himself as he cut the fish cake rolls into neat, even slices.
The kitchen, once a place of tense silence, was now filled with the sounds and smells of cooking and boiling water. Reimu, having recovered from flustered irritation, began preparing tea over a steaming teapot. While Nowa with efficient, practiced motions, he occupied the other stove, his earlier teasing replaced by a quiet focus. He sautéed the conjured fish cakes until their edges curled and gained a light golden hue, the savory scent mixing with the aroma of the boiling broth. He prepared the hard-boiled eggs separately, peeling them with a quick, precise tap-and-roll technique before setting them aside for the final topping. He bent down slightly, wafting the aromatic steam from the pot of ramen towards his face.
"Mmm. Good." He nodded approvingly, the rich, savory smell now permeating the air and undeniable proof of his skill. Reimu, leaning on the counter not too far away, briefly watched him as she took the near-boiling teapot, then placed the tea ingredients inside, and stirred it with a spoon.
'What do I do... he's the most anomaly I have ever encountered. First I felt a chilling spine the moment I met him in front of my shrine, next he ignored my authority, he gave a huge donation.. more coins than I've gotten in half my lifetime. He changed his facial expressions to this infuriating as it is now, my charm detection isn't even activating on him, it should be activating in any way.. and then he took over my kitchen, mentioned some friends, conjured food, is he another god? But it should be detected if he was.. What in the world are you planning for Yukari?' her thoughts were interrupted when Nowa spoke.
"It's done." He gathered the pot of ramen, six bowls, chopsticks, and the peeled hard-boiled eggs.
"—Oh. Right, this way." She took the teapot and her cup, then she was already in the move, gesturing to him to follow as she slid the door inside the central back room of the shrine. "Alrighty." He replied and quietly followed. They entered the room and one thing for sure; she would get an answer for this absurdity.